A Renegade's Guide to God: Finding Life Outside Conventional Christianity [Hardcover]

David Foster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 15, 2006

Dynamic speaker and author Foster leads Christians to an untamed, unpredictable relationship with the ultimate renegade of all time--Jesus.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Adding to the slew of books calling for authentic, untamed Christian faith, Foster, the founder and pastor of the megachurch Belleville Community Church in Nashville, wants people to look to Jesus ("the J-life") rather than to religion. His passion permeates the pages as he calls for "the creation of a renegade nation where love is the ethic and freedom is the goal." Peppering his book with jazzy sound bites, acronyms and clichés ("Only Jesus can fill the God-sized hole in the center of your heart"), he is sometimes repetitive. Yet his arguments are often compelling, including his view that "one of our greatest threats is not hedonism, but moralism." Unfortunately, dissonance creeps in. Renegades, he exhorts, "don't like labels," yet the book encourages readers to become an "R4G"—Renegade for God. He cites the growth and size of his own megachurch, but points to organized churches as part of religion's problem. While Foster's desire to differentiate followers of Jesus from legalism is laudable, he seems to dismiss the importance of rigorous study. A better section explores savoring the sacred, in which he reminds readers to "see everything as a gift for which to be grateful." Those disillusioned with traditional Christianity will find an enthusiastic, if sometimes uneven, voice for change in these pages. (Nov. 15)
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About the Author

David Foster is the founding and senior pastor of Bellevue Community Church in Nashville, TN. He is known as a street-smart communicator who uses humor and simple illustrations to help seekers find God and believers to live more authentically Christlike lives. He and his wife, Paula, are highly respected teachers of 'Married and Loving It' and 'The Power of Positive Parenting' seminars across the country.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: FaithWords (November 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446579645
• ISBN-13: 978-0446579643
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,011 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every 'christian' should read this book, November 8, 2006

By 

Kevin Miller - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Renegade's Guide to God: Finding Life Outside Conventional Christianity (Hardcover)

This is another 'sign of the times' book for the world's most popular faith - christianity. George Barna's recent book, 'Revolution' talked of the inadequacies of the church. Foster goes further and reveals huge misconceptions and errors in common christian perspectives. And these are the perspectives that have diluted christianity and taken away it's truthful purpose. Along with a Bible, there are some books that should be part of every striving christians backpack. This is one of them.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank God!, March 4, 2009

By 

H. N. Dupuy (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Renegade's Guide to God: Finding Life Outside Conventional Christianity (Hardcover)

I stumbled upon this book at a pivitol point in my life. I couldn't put it down because it expresses all the frustration I've felt about the "church" for over ten years now. The message was heartening and inspiring. I highly recommend it and have sent copies to many friends and family.

4.0 out of 5 stars For those that are tired of church but long for God, October 18, 2010

By 

myersbr2 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Renegade's Guide to God: Finding Life Outside Conventional Christianity (Hardcover)

Dave Foster has made me better understand why people hate church. He (rightfully, in my opinion) attacks the church's non-biblical traditions and approach to doing things, arguing strongly for the deeper pursuit of God over anything else. The book is a very easy to follow text, but it is a challenging read. With examples from Dr. Foster's life as a pastor, author and speaker, this book is very entertaining and yet I underlined, made notes and shared sections of the book with my peers. If you are tired of church and everything that goes with it that you just can't explain through scripture, this book is an excellent choice for you.