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When We Have Failed-What Next? by K.p. Yohannan
We all have failed. Cringing under the awful sting of regret and disappointment, we ask the familiar “What next?” We feel that our life is over, that we will never recover, that we are doomed to remain forever in our rut of defeat.We couldn’t, however, be further from the truth.In When We Have Failed-What Next?, K.P. Yohannan graciously takes us on a journey toward a bright and hopeful future. He again and again depicts God’s unfailing love for us and His marvelous ability to bring out His very best for our lives, especially in the midst of our failure.Look up, for the best is truly yet to come.
Mass Market Paperback
First published December 30, 2008
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About the author
K.P. Yohannan
41 books124 followersDr. KP Yohannan has been crisscrossing the globe for the past 40 years, challenging the Body of Christ to discipleship. His call to a radical lifestyle—with an all-out commitment to Jesus—has left its impact on nearly every continent. To the Church caught up by the tidal waves of compromise and self-preservation, Yohannan’s life message is a fresh word to this generation and yet as timeless as the scriptural mandate itself.
Yohannan is the founder and director of GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia
aka GFA), a Christian mission organization deeply committed to seeing communities transformed through the love of Christ demonstrated in word and deed. He is also the metropolitan bishop of Believers Church , an indigenous church in South Asia.
Born in South India in 1950, Yohannan is the youngest of six sons. His mother dedicated each of her children to the Lord and longed to see one of them commit their lives to ministry. She secretly fasted each Friday for three-and-a-half years, praying, “Oh God, let just one of my boys preach!” Even as she prayed, her children were growing up, seeming destined for secular work. Finally, only the youngest, little “Yohannachan,” was left. Seeing how shy and insecure he was, his mother thought there was little chance that he would preach.
However, after Yohannan finished his schooling, he heard stories about North India from a visiting mission team, and his heart was gripped. His mother’s faithful prayers were answered as he immediately decided to join the mission movement and go to faraway North India to help bring the Good News to the multitude of villages that had never heard of Christ. While preparing to go with this radical mission team from Europe, the timid 16-year-old was challenged by a call to radical discipleship from missionary statesman George Verwer. That night, Yohannan couldn’t sleep. What if God asked him to preach publicly in the streets? What if he was stoned and beaten?
Suddenly, God’s presence filled the room, and he knew he was not alone. “Lord God,” he prayed in surrender, “I’ll give myself to speak for You—but help me to know that You’re with me.”
The next morning, he awoke with a supernatural love and burden for the people around him. The Lord gave him courage to speak to the crowds he saw that day, and he continued to preach for the next seven years in North India. As a field evangelist and regional coordinator, he was responsible for the members of his teams and the planning of each day. His future wife, Gisela, was also serving with the mission movement at the same time, and Yohannan felt through their brief encounters that he had found someone who shared his same vision and calling.
In 1971, Yohannan was invited to spend a month in Singapore at a new institute that had been started by John Haggai. Here, he was challenged by Haggai to do something significant with his life for God’s glory. His time at the institute produced a restlessness that eventually led him to leave India to search abroad for God’s ultimate will in his life. In 1974, he came to the United States, where he received his theological training at Criswell College. He and Gisela were married after his first term.
As a theology student, Yohannan was ordained and began pastoring a local church in Dallas, where he served for four years. While God blessed his pastoral ministry, Yohannan couldn’t forget the burden God had given him for those who had never once heard the name of Jesus.
Dr. Yohannan is a prolific writer with more than 200 books published in Asia and 11 in the United States. With more than 3.9 million copies in print, Yohannan’s landmark book, Revolution in World Missions, is an international bestseller that has literally changed the course of mission history in our generation. For his faithful service to the Body of Christ, Yohannan was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Hindustan Bible College in Chennai, India.
Yohannan is the founder and director of GFA World (formerly Gospel for Asia
aka GFA), a Christian mission organization deeply committed to seeing communities transformed through the love of Christ demonstrated in word and deed. He is also the metropolitan bishop of Believers Church , an indigenous church in South Asia.
Born in South India in 1950, Yohannan is the youngest of six sons. His mother dedicated each of her children to the Lord and longed to see one of them commit their lives to ministry. She secretly fasted each Friday for three-and-a-half years, praying, “Oh God, let just one of my boys preach!” Even as she prayed, her children were growing up, seeming destined for secular work. Finally, only the youngest, little “Yohannachan,” was left. Seeing how shy and insecure he was, his mother thought there was little chance that he would preach.
However, after Yohannan finished his schooling, he heard stories about North India from a visiting mission team, and his heart was gripped. His mother’s faithful prayers were answered as he immediately decided to join the mission movement and go to faraway North India to help bring the Good News to the multitude of villages that had never heard of Christ. While preparing to go with this radical mission team from Europe, the timid 16-year-old was challenged by a call to radical discipleship from missionary statesman George Verwer. That night, Yohannan couldn’t sleep. What if God asked him to preach publicly in the streets? What if he was stoned and beaten?
Suddenly, God’s presence filled the room, and he knew he was not alone. “Lord God,” he prayed in surrender, “I’ll give myself to speak for You—but help me to know that You’re with me.”
The next morning, he awoke with a supernatural love and burden for the people around him. The Lord gave him courage to speak to the crowds he saw that day, and he continued to preach for the next seven years in North India. As a field evangelist and regional coordinator, he was responsible for the members of his teams and the planning of each day. His future wife, Gisela, was also serving with the mission movement at the same time, and Yohannan felt through their brief encounters that he had found someone who shared his same vision and calling.
In 1971, Yohannan was invited to spend a month in Singapore at a new institute that had been started by John Haggai. Here, he was challenged by Haggai to do something significant with his life for God’s glory. His time at the institute produced a restlessness that eventually led him to leave India to search abroad for God’s ultimate will in his life. In 1974, he came to the United States, where he received his theological training at Criswell College. He and Gisela were married after his first term.
As a theology student, Yohannan was ordained and began pastoring a local church in Dallas, where he served for four years. While God blessed his pastoral ministry, Yohannan couldn’t forget the burden God had given him for those who had never once heard the name of Jesus.
Dr. Yohannan is a prolific writer with more than 200 books published in Asia and 11 in the United States. With more than 3.9 million copies in print, Yohannan’s landmark book, Revolution in World Missions, is an international bestseller that has literally changed the course of mission history in our generation. For his faithful service to the Body of Christ, Yohannan was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Hindustan Bible College in Chennai, India.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 12, 2014
One of the most inspiring books I've had the pleasure of reading in 2014 is "When We Have Failed- What Next?" In our society when we feel we have failed, we seem to dwell on our disappointments and seem tethered to past sins. But in this book K.P. Yohannan made me realize that we shouldn't hold on to the troubles of the past. Instead of looking inward we should be looking outwards and upwards to the Lord who gives us hope and a future. Like a potter He moulds us, flaws and all, and by his mercy and grace gives us lots of second chances to be a useful and beautiful vessel. In this powerful book we are instructed not to listen to the whispers of a devil who wants us to lose faith and hope, but to be encouraged and strengthened by the words and promises of the God who created us.
The book is biblically based and its lessons reinforced with modern day examples, as well as those of men of the Bible who failed miserably but became shining examples of courage and faith, turning their weaknesses into strength and bringing about God's perfect plan for their lives. Although short in length this is a book that helped me to take an honest look at my flaws and self-doubts. In reflection I can look at myself in a new light and be filled with hope and encouragement. I now see myself as a work of art in progress. I loved this wonderfully motivating book which I highly recommend.
The book is biblically based and its lessons reinforced with modern day examples, as well as those of men of the Bible who failed miserably but became shining examples of courage and faith, turning their weaknesses into strength and bringing about God's perfect plan for their lives. Although short in length this is a book that helped me to take an honest look at my flaws and self-doubts. In reflection I can look at myself in a new light and be filled with hope and encouragement. I now see myself as a work of art in progress. I loved this wonderfully motivating book which I highly recommend.
February 19, 2014
An extremely short but profound little book. In just 76 pages Mr. Yohannan lays out what God says about our failures and why we must push forth even and especially when we have failed. I love the quotes most notably by Mr. C.S. Lewis "We must never imagine that our own unaided efforts can be relied on to carry us through the next twenty-four hours as 'decent' people. If He does not support us, not one of us is safe from some gross sin."
Mr. Yohannan is absolutely correct in saying that "NO ONE is immune to failure!"
Mr. Yohannan is absolutely correct in saying that "NO ONE is immune to failure!"
March 9, 2014
I received this book as part of a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
I think this book can be summed up by a quote found on page 26: "Your story isn't anywhere near finished!" When it seems like you are drowning in regret and there is no coming back from the mistakes you feel that you have made - there is always hope; you can turn it around if you so choose because your story isn't over until you decide it is.
I think this book can be summed up by a quote found on page 26: "Your story isn't anywhere near finished!" When it seems like you are drowning in regret and there is no coming back from the mistakes you feel that you have made - there is always hope; you can turn it around if you so choose because your story isn't over until you decide it is.
September 1, 2025
Just what He wanted me to hear
Not your normal do this, then do that and say Jesus loves me 3 times and then everything is going to be better book. It reminds me of what Jesus wants me to know when I make the mistakes that we all make. Jesus wants us to just except His love and understanding for us and get up and walk again with Him through the things of this life, knowing that we are excepted and free from any form of condemnation because He loves us
Not your normal do this, then do that and say Jesus loves me 3 times and then everything is going to be better book. It reminds me of what Jesus wants me to know when I make the mistakes that we all make. Jesus wants us to just except His love and understanding for us and get up and walk again with Him through the things of this life, knowing that we are excepted and free from any form of condemnation because He loves us
December 15, 2018
This booklet explains what we need to do when we fail.
It takes it step by step to be forgiven by our Lord and Saviour.
There is hope - when we believe and are honest about our failings, God forgives us.
It is a gift from him - not something that we can obtain on our own.
It takes it step by step to be forgiven by our Lord and Saviour.
There is hope - when we believe and are honest about our failings, God forgives us.
It is a gift from him - not something that we can obtain on our own.
January 13, 2017
After some recent failures, both public and private, I picked up When We Have Failed—What Next? to help make sense of my propensity to blow it. K.P. Yohannan gives biblical examples of those who have had very public failures and God brought them back to become great servants of God. The difference in whether one can recover from a failure or not is in one’s willingness to humble themselves after failure. Those who are proud and try to cover up, minimize, or run away from their failure will continue to live that way. Those who humble themselves before God and others to seek forgiveness will eventually develop the humble character of Jesus, marked by compassion for the shortcomings of others.
If you or someone you know has failed (who hasn’t?), then When We Have Failed—What Next? is a short but helpful read.
This review, along with brief book quotes, first appeared on my blog, ChristyBower.com.
If you or someone you know has failed (who hasn’t?), then When We Have Failed—What Next? is a short but helpful read.
This review, along with brief book quotes, first appeared on my blog, ChristyBower.com.
March 26, 2016
I loved the title. Unfortunately, the book did not really connect with me. It felt like it said a lot of good things, perhaps true things but I couldn't grasp them. The words fell mostly flat on me.
February 8, 2016
This is a great little book reminding the reader that there is always hope for the hopeless. It's thoroughly biblical in its call for repentance, God's promise of restoration, and our task of offering that same forgiveness to others.
The author does make a few statements that seem to me to be theological leaps, such as on page 34 when he assumed from one word in Genesis 1:2 that the creation had become bad after Genesis 1:1 (even before God pronounced it all very good in Genesis 1:31), but regardless, those are more besides the point. The main thrust of the book is very true and very encouraging.
The author does make a few statements that seem to me to be theological leaps, such as on page 34 when he assumed from one word in Genesis 1:2 that the creation had become bad after Genesis 1:1 (even before God pronounced it all very good in Genesis 1:31), but regardless, those are more besides the point. The main thrust of the book is very true and very encouraging.
October 8, 2014
Very helpful in my life
I have felt like a failure much of my life because of many of the aspects mentioned in this book. This book helped me to see I am not a failure and no matter what God is there waiting for me to restore me. I would recommend this book to anyone.
I have felt like a failure much of my life because of many of the aspects mentioned in this book. This book helped me to see I am not a failure and no matter what God is there waiting for me to restore me. I would recommend this book to anyone.
November 11, 2014
More Good News
God has no false expectations of what we can do. Nothing that happens will catch Him off guard. His unconditional love is so awesome. How mind boggling it would be if we were more like Our Master.
God has no false expectations of what we can do. Nothing that happens will catch Him off guard. His unconditional love is so awesome. How mind boggling it would be if we were more like Our Master.
January 15, 2015
Great Read...
Very good and informative book, many bible references. Helps Ya understand how God uses our failures to teach us and make us better. Our failures have to be viewed as an opportunity to do something better, this book helps Ya see that.
Very good and informative book, many bible references. Helps Ya understand how God uses our failures to teach us and make us better. Our failures have to be viewed as an opportunity to do something better, this book helps Ya see that.
January 14, 2015
Awesome read
I would recommend this book to people who thrive to help people in time of need. This book can help those who feel there is no place to turn to with a feeling of hopelessness.
I would recommend this book to people who thrive to help people in time of need. This book can help those who feel there is no place to turn to with a feeling of hopelessness.
March 26, 2014
This book couldn't have come in better time for me personally. My copy is pretty dog earred and highlighted but it was an excellent book of encouragement.
January 5, 2015
An enjoyable read and authentic view of failure.
January 22, 2015
When We Have Failed is a book that brings hope in Christ, especially for those who feel far from God, forgotten and discouraged. It is an easy read and very encouraging.
July 6, 2016
A good book about using your faith to lead a better life. Very short and quick. It gets right to the point with few words.
April 16, 2017
A life-changer. The best thing on temptation, sin, and forgiveness that I've ever heard or read. I'm going to order a dozen copies just to have available for people I know who struggle with guilt, shame, bad habits, or people who made a huge mistake, or others who just need to remember how great God is, and how complete is his love and forgiveness.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews