Customer Reviews

Confessions of a Pastor: Adventures in Dropping the Pose and Getting Real with God

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm not using "rant" in a bad context, but this was my thought as I read Craig's confession in the first chapter about not liking a lot of Christians. Some people may find the candid comments about how we Christians can appear to non-believers (especially how Christians come across on the "Bad Preaching Channel"), but it's time to take an honest look at ourselves through a pastor's eyes. I've read a lot of Christian books and in most of them the writers took great care not to be controversial. However, I think this book reflects the same attitude of Jesus that caused him to upset the merchants' tables in the temple. Once you start reading this, the passionate message makes it hard to put down. This book is a must-read for Christians to get one pastor's perspective about the Church, but more importantly to learn about his own inner struggles. The ultimate things I took away from this great book are that 1) my pastor is not some guy in a lofty place that has it all together, and 2) he tells how he deals with the very same struggles that the rest of us experience, such as fear of failure, sexual temptation and setting the right priorities.

The more I read from Craig Groeschel, the more I like him. I read Chazown about a year ago, so I was thrilled when I got Confessions of a Pastor. This book is a quick read (I read it in one day) and it is authentic. Craig tells it like it is and doesn't hold back. He's a real guy sharing his real struggles, hopes, failures, and victories, and that's why I identify with him. But more importantly, he shoots straight about what God expects of us. That's why I like him.

Revolving around 10 confessions, this pastor of LifeChurch.tv pours out his own struggles and challenges all of us to stop hiding behind spiritual masks and start becoming the people God has created us to be. I wasn't really blown away by the book, and I didn't make many underlines or comments in the margin (which is typically an indication that I've really enjoyed the book). However, the author invites us into his life in a way that is simultaneously grace-giving, truth-giving, and challenging. Reading this book was more like an honest conversation with a friend than a lecture of important details to remember or a set of pithy sound-bytes to highlight and live by.

Personally, I found the chapters on loneliness, inadequacy, and criticism particularly helpful.

One of the quotes that I identified with the most was, "I had become a full-time minister and a part-time follower of Christ."

I was expecting this book to be written primarily to pastors. While it certainly comes from a pastoral perspective and highlights some of the unique challenges that pastors face, this book shoots straight to everyone-- pastors, lay leaders, and committed Christ-followers.

I enjoyed reading this book as a pastor because of it being so real and vulenrable. It has in it things all pastors think whether spoken or unspoken. It would be helpful to any pastor, future minister, or for a Christian to understand a pastor's life at times. Happy reading!

I was looking for a book to use in my introductory pastoral counselling course. The kind of book I needed was one that would challenge students to be in touch with humanity. One that would help them be authentic people who could have the empathy needed for counselling. I certianly found that in this book and so much more... it ended up challenging me and doing more good for me than I expected. I started reading it and couldn't put it down. It's so down-to-earth and practical. The author is talking to the reader as to a friend. It's a definite book for church leaders today!

In this age of "superstar" pastors who appear larger than life it is refreshing to hear the perspective of a man who sounds just like me!

We need to remember that our pastors are sinful, fallen men with the same frustrations, struggles and sins that we all have--they just have to do a better job of hiding it.

Craig Groeschel writes with brutal honesty and, at times, when reading his book I felt like it was a mirror of my life. Thanks to him for being so transparent and open about his struggles. My faith was strengthened by reading his book.

I loved this book from beginning to end. I can't believe the kind of guts this guy has to admit where he's really at. There's nothing more refreshing in our day and age of often superficial church culture than authenticity. Groeschel is if nothing else definitely honest and authentic in this book. I identified with him page after page on many things I haven't ever fully acknowledged to anyone else before. It's great to know I'm not the only weird guy in the world, and that there's even hope for me as well.

This book was filled with really funny humor, painful honesty, and genuine redemption. The stories and examples Craig uses in this book are fantastic. I still have trouble believing some of those stories are actually real. This book is great for both occupational and non-occupational ministers. I had a great time reading it, as did the rest of my church's staff.

This is a great book and too true! Craig Groeschel has published and said what most pastors think, but never say!

All pastors and ministers should read this book!!!

Groeschel's ability to set the reader at ease is the really amazing aspect of this book. You never feel preached at or even talked at but instead, you feel as though you're sitting down with an old friend who has some stuff to get off his chest.

I think we all have a tendency to deify individuals in positions of leadership, especially spiritual, and I think this book does a wonderful job of revealing that everyone is imperfect and that we all struggle, no matter our maturity level or even the amount of wisdom we have.

The best part, though, is the passion aspect. This book is dripping with passion for God and passion to help people. That's what makes this book and probably Craig's church so successful: fervent love of Christ and for people.

This book is deep, intense, profound and a seriously discipleship-altering book.

Will change how you view pastors and how you view interacting with them!

I am continually amazed at how life-changing Craig Groeschel's messages can be. This book is simple in its approach but astounding in that it succeeds in dropping all the superficial masks and guises we paint ourselves with in regards to holiness and "churchianity."

This book brings you back to the crux of Christianity and the biggest struggle we must overcome: our own mistakes and trials.

This book will not leave you unchanged.

I picked up this book because because of the cover. If you look really hard, the bubble above the guy's head says "I can't stand a lot of Christians...." I bought the book that day. It wasn't written as well as I would have liked, but it's not a horrible read.

Groeschel divides his book into chapters titled with his confessions. Some of the more amusing: "I Can't Stand a Lot of Christians," "I Hate Prayer Meetings," and "I Stink at Handling Criticism." But he also discloses on more personal topics, such as staying sexually pure, doubting God, and feeling lonely.

If there is one criticism of this book, it's that Groeschel occasionally launches into five steps to this and four warnings about that. But he does so without sounding like a motivational speaker, so it doesn't ruin the book.

The purpose of this book is to show that pastors are not super Christians. They struggle with the same things that regular people do all the time. Groeschel tells about some of the disciplines that he has developed to combat his weaknesses, and one can learn from reading about them.