Real: Owning Your Christian Faith [Paperback]

Daniel Darling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 3, 2012

Many second-generation believers struggle to develop authentic faith. Is it the parenting, the church, the systems? Or could it be that a background in the church provides its own unique set of struggles? Written from a confessed churchaholic—now an author, pastor, and father—REAL pulls open the curtains and offers an introspective look at what the Bible says to those who’ve grown up in the faith, answering the questions we’ve long been afraid to voice. Why do I desire to sin? What’s the secret to lasting intimacy with God? REAL offers second-generation Christians a lifeline to personal intimacy with God, a biblical mandate to take ownership of their faith, and grace-based tips on continuing a legacy of faith.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Daniel Darling is senior pastor of Gages Lake Bible Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and is the author of numerous books, including Teen People of the Bible (nominated for a Gold Medallion Award), Crash Course, and iFaith. Dan’s work has been featured by the leading evangelical publications, including Relevant, Christianity Today, Focus on the Family, On Course, and In Touch. He is a contributing writer to Stand Firm, a columnist for Enrichment Journal, Crosswalk.com, and Lake County Journals. Dan’s op-eds have appeared in Newsweek/Washington Post’s On Faith section and other newspapers and opinion sites. He has been profiled by the Chicago Tribune and is a contributing writer to Zondervan’s Couples Devotional Bible. He has guest-blogged for Michael Hyatt and other leading blogs. Daniel has a bachelor’s degree in pastoral ministry from Dayspring Bible College. He and his wife, Angela, have four children and reside in the northern suburbs of Chicago, IL.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Hope Publishers (July 3, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 159669341X
• ISBN-13: 978-1596693418
• Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 5.3 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,454,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Daniel Darling is the Senior Pastor of Gages Lake Bible Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago and is the author of Teen People of the Bible, Crash Course, iFaith, and Real. His work has been featured in evangelical publications such as Relevant Magazine, Focus on the Family, Marriage Partnership, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley. He has guest-posted on leading blogs such as Michael Hyatt, The Gospel Coalition, OnFaith (Washington Post), and others. He has been profiled by The Chicago Tribune. Daniel is a contributing writer to Zondervan's Couples Devotional Bible. Publisher's Weekly called his writing style "substantive and punchy." Dan is a contributing writer to Christian Today's online magazine, Kyria as well as Lifeway's men's devotional, Stand Firm. He also maintains a blog at patheos.com, entitled, The Friday Five, where he interviews leading evangelicals.

Dan's columns appear weekly at Crosswalk.com and monthly for the local Lake County Journals. Dan has been interviewed on TV and radio outlets across the country, including 100 Huntley Street, Moody Broadcasting Network, Harvest Television, The Sandy Rios Show, American Family Radio, the Salem Radio Network, and a host of other local and national Christian media.

Daniel has a bachelor's degree in pastoral ministry from Dayspring Bible College and is currently pursuing his Master's degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He traveled extensively to India and the Middle East. He and his wife, Angela, have three daughters and a son and reside in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
Daniel is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of The Steve Laube Literary Agency

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Are you a second generation Christian looking for a real relationship September 10, 2012

By Jill P. Jones

Format:Paperback

Do you own your faith or are you coasting along on the coattails of your parents bored with it all? Daniel Darling hammers out a powerful response to second generation Christians who are searching for a fresh spark in their relationship with God.

A lot of second generation Christians know the truth but don't live it out either because they don't want to or because the Christian life has been poorly modeled. Darling, in his book "Real", teaches in easy to understand concepts and examples how Christians can own their own faith and have an intimate relationship with God.

Each chapter follows with a conversation with a pastors, ministry leader and/or their children that further enlighten the concepts he has presented in that chapter. It's not another do this and you will find intimacy book. It is a practical book which opens the door to God's joy if only you will look inside God's heart.

My favorite chapter was "Chucking Your Checklists". God isn't looking for another Pharisee trying to prove our worth to Him by obeying a set of rules. The Christian life is not about jumping the bar someone else has imposed. It's about embracing God's standards as a means of grace so we can experience intimacy with Christ. The conversation with Trevin Wax helped me understand that sometimes I see myself as following Christ when really I'm just another Pharisee seeking approval.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the author to review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Time to Get REAL September 6, 2012

By Auntie Em

Format:Paperback

Did you grow up in a Christian home? Or are you a first-generation Christian? Either way, you may struggle with the specter of sin and a longing to feel closer to God. REAL can help you with that. Once a person becomes a Christian, many people think your troubles are over, but that's rarely the case.

Author Daniel Darling is a second-generation Christian, raised in the church and working most of his adult life on staff at church where he grew up. Today, though, he is pastor at Gages Lake Bible Church in the Chicago area. He, like most modern church leaders, is concerned about the number of young people leaving the church once they're grown and on their own.

In REAL, Darling challenges those who grew up in the church to "step off the cliff" and claim the Christian faith for themselves. Know what you believe, why you believe it, and show what you believe by helping others and telling them about Jesus. But, don't think you're better than a brand-new Christian just because you've been around longer. In the twelve chapters, he addresses reasons Christians might leave the faith or have problems sticking with it. He offers solutions, but he does not preach. He interweaves his points with personal stories, Bible examples, and a gentle teaching style that makes you want to keep reading. Each chapter ends with an interview with a well-known Christian like Max Lucado's daughter.

In the introduction, Darling says the purpose of the book is to "awaken second-generation believers to a fresh intimacy with the risen Savior, Jesus Christ." I think he will accomplish his purpose. Read it, share it with friends, and/or use it as a group-study book.

See his website: [...]

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a review copy of this book free from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

5.0 out of 5 stars Such a great book! December 11, 2012

By Sherri Johnson

Format:Paperback

I grew up in a Southern Baptist church and my dad became a pastor of a small church when I was a teen. So I grew up going to church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night. I believe I even went on visitation and sat through choir practices too. My dad was a youth minister when my sister was a teenager so I went to many youth events when I was little. I was saved when I was six years old and had a full understanding of the Gospel as much as was possible from a little girl's point of view. After Dad became a pastor, I realized that I hadn't grown much in my walk and thought maybe I wasn't even saved. I rededicated my life to Him when I was fourteen and began at that time to dig into the Word and take responsibility for my spiritual growth. Ever since, I've served in churches in many capacities. Over the last few years I've begun to see what life is like for people for haven't grown up in church, who don't know the ins and outs of Christianity. I've seen that sometimes people who haven't grown up in it have more of an advantage than those of us who did grow up in it. Sometimes it's better to have a clean slate with no bias about things. This book really helped me see the areas where my growing up in church failed me and the areas where it succeeded. It helped me see things through many different eyes. I recommend this book to youth pastors and other ministers.