Ir-rev-rend
Christianity Without the Pretense. Faith Without the Façade
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4.3 • 18 Ratings
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Ir-rev-rend (ir REV rund) noun
1. a pastor who is somewhat critical of what is generally accepted or respected
2. a pastor who is trying to make sense of life, love, the church and other confusing things from a slightly satirical point of view; an irreverent sense of humor.
3. a "normal" guy pursuing God
Whatever you may think about the "typical" pastor, throw it out. Do they make bad decisions? Yes. Commit sin and experience severed relationships? Yes and yes. Pastor Greg Surratt is not perfect, and he unashamedly tells the stories that have strengthened his faith. He writes that the choice to follow Christ is never clean, is often scary, is usually clothed in mystery, and is always an adventure.
For some people, God appears in dark, dirty, lonely, or just plain odd places. Greg found God while huddled under a grand piano, hiding from overzealous friends and family trying to accost him during an altar call at a Pentecostal revival. So began a life of sharing stories of God's endlessly creative and often surprising work and seeing God's transforming power in unexpected ways. Despite years of vocational ministry, Greg never underestimates the power of divine/human encounters in some of teh least "churchy' places on earth.
Humorous, insightful, and challenging, IR-REV-REND is a revealing and joyous look at real-life Christian living. As Greg himself affirms, if God can use his missteps and blunders, God can use anybody's.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pastor of a successful megachurch in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Surratt has written an accessible, engaging, and down-to-earth memoir that shows him to be an adept writer of a plain-spoken, colloquial variety. Divided into chapters titled "calling," "doubt," "mistakes," "sex," and "power," each conveys a teachable moment in which an unexpected turn of events becomes an opportunity to learn what Surratt believes is a lesson from God. Typically, these involve insights about humility, discipline, or forgiveness. The book's title notwithstanding, Surratt is far from an irreverent reverend. A Pentecostal preacher's son, he has chosen a well-trod path within the evangelical non-denominational subculture, one that precludes premarital sex and sees hell as a tangible terminus for many. Perhaps what's most distinctive about Surratt is his level-headedness, his ability to own up to his emotions, and his knack for not prejudging others. Fans of his Seacoast Church, known for its 14 locations across the larger Charleston region, will appreciate his straight-talking approach.
Customer Reviews
Just Love
Great Read- honest and sincere.
My Favs:
"When you are tempted to doubt your ability to be used by God, remember his creativity. He's not only creative in bringing you back, but he's also creative in finding you a place to serve. Sometimes it just takes a while for the GPS to kick in."
"In fact, it's really hard to offend a mature believer. They almost seem gullible at times because they choose to believe the best rather than defaulting to something sinister....They will have a genuine love for everyone."
"Having "genuine love" means that you are constantly thinking of their best interest rather than your own.".
"Simply put, whenever I interact with anyone, I am to treat that person with honor and respect."
My Summary: Go and BE a blessing, God needs you right where you are to be the light in the darkness of someone standing beside you!