Think Like Jesus: Make the Right Decision Every Time [Hardcover]

George Barna (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 19, 2003

According to researcher George Barna, most born-again Christians live indistinctly from non-believers because they do not think any differently--which is a result of not understanding the basic truths of the Christian faith. In this book, Barna identifies seven core questions that Christians must be able to answer biblically in order to live a transformed life.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The latest data from George Barna’s polls across America shows that we are confused by the issues that confront us today:

· We find ourselves wrestling with what is right and wrong.
· Some us cut ethical corners and don’t even know it.
· We often base our actions on what feels right or keeps people happy, rather than on what is best or true.

All because, Barna concludes, we lack an active, clear belief system based on sold scriptural principles.

Now more than ever, we need a way of life that brings us clarity in the chaos, peace in the problems, and boldness in the bad times. We need a new way of seeing. A biblical perspective that guides our every thought and action.

What is biblical perspective on life? To put it simply, Barna says, it is "way of dealing with the world so that we act like Jesus, twenty-four hours a day, because we think like Jesus. It’s like wearing a pair of eyeglasses that enable us to see things differently, to see things from God’s point of view, and to respond to these perceptions in the way He prescribes.

Would you like to simplify your life, shore up your moral foundations, and strengthen your Christian witness? Think Like Jesus can help you chart a path that will allow you to make a difference for eternity in your home, your job, your church, your community.

About the Author

GEORGE BARNA is founder and Directing Leader of the Barna Research Group, a marketing research firm in Ventura, California. He is the best-selling author of more than thirty books, including The Frog in the Kettle, The Second Coming of the Church, The Power of Vision, User-Friendly Churches, and A Fish Out of Water.

A popular speaker at ministry and leadership conferences around the world, Barna is frequently relied upon by journalists, business executives, and clergy to interpret today’s culture, and has been named among the most influential Christian leaders in the nation. Barna lives with his wife, Nancy, and their daughters, Samantha and Corban, in Southern California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 19, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591450195
• ISBN-13: 978-1591450191
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,069,827 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

George Barna was raised and educated on the East Coast before moving to California in the early 1980s. He held executive positions in advertising, public policy, political campaigns, and media/marketing research before beginning his own company, the Barna Research Group (now The Barna Group), in 1984. The firm analyzes American culture and creates resources and experiences designed to facilitate moral and spiritual transformation. Located in Ventura, California, The Barna Group provides primary research as well as developmental resources and analytic diagnostics. The company has served several hundred parachurch ministries and thousands of Christian churches throughout the country. It has also supplied research to for-profit corporations such as Ford Motor Company, The Walt Disney Company, Visa USA, and Prudential, and has assisted the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army as well.



To date, George Barna has written more than 40 books, predominantly in the areas of leadership, trends, spiritual development, and church health. Included among them are bestsellers such as Revolution, Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions, The Frog in the Kettle, The Power of Vision, and Pagan Christianity? Several of his books have received national awards. He has also written for numerous periodicals and has published various syndicated reports on topics related to faith and lifestyle. He also writes a bimonthly research report, The Barna Update, which is accessed by hundreds of thousands of people through his firm's Web site (www.barna.org). His work is frequently cited as an authoritative source by the media. He has been hailed as "the most quoted person in the Christian church today" and is counted among its most influential leaders. In 2009, George initiated Metaformation, a new organization designed to help people maximize their potential. More information about his current projects is available from www.georgebarna.com.



Barna is a popular speaker at ministry conferences around the world and has taught at several universities and seminaries. He has served as a pastor of a large multiethnic church, has been involved in several church plants, and currently leads an organic church. He has served on the board of directors of various organizations. After graduating summa cum laude from Boston College, Barna earned two master's degrees from Rutgers University. At Rutgers, he was awarded the Eagleton Fellowship. He also received a doctorate from Dallas Baptist University. He lives with his wife and their three daughters in Southern California. He enjoys spending time with his family, writing, reading novels, playing and listening to guitar, relaxing on the beach, visiting bookstores, and eating pizza.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, but found wanting, February 2, 2008

By 

Tom Carpenter "- www.sysedco.com" (Marysville, OH) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Think Like Jesus (Paperback)

I must say that the statistics and research presented - though sparse - was interesting; however, I left the book with the feeling that I hadn't really learned to "Make the Right Decision Every Time" or "Think Like Jesus". Instead, I felt that I had learned how not to think like Jesus. In other words, the book seemed to teach me more about what would be thinking unlike Jesus than the opposite.

Unlike some negative reviews here, I don't have a problem with calling sin sin and saying that there is evil in the wold (like Jesus did and does - by the way). However, I also believe that there is some truth in that Jesus would certainly have those suffering around the world on his mind and this book seemed to place littl fous on that.

In the end, I don't think it's one of Barna's best, but I'd still recommend reading it once your finished reading the other books that you feel are of more immediate importance.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The crisis of the Christian mind, April 22, 2005

By 

John Brooks "homewardbound-cb.blogspot.com" (Midlothian, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Think Like Jesus: Make the Right Decision Every Time (Hardcover)

Here Barna makes the case that Christians, particularly evangelicals, do not live like we should because we do not THINK like we should -- i.e., like Christ. He says that we spend an hour a week in church learning a few verses and then spend the rest of the week letting the world tell us what and how to think.

I believe he is pretty much spot on. Why, then, only three stars? Barna makes a great case for having a Christian worldview, and his concluding material on what it looks like to have one and how to build one in a congregation is great, but the major part of the book is his analysis of the seven great worldview questions, and his treatment of them was not that good. Not bad, but not that good.

The first three and last three chapters are worth the purchase price of the book, but for a better look at worldviews and the Christian worldview, I recommend (as does the author) the work of James Sire and Harry Blamires.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Tool for the Christian Walk, September 7, 2005

By 

Alan Bittel - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Think Like Jesus: Make the Right Decision Every Time (Hardcover)

George Barna has put together a book that will get every believer thinking, if they would take the time to read it. Of course, when you read it, you should have your Bible right there beside you.

I had never before thought in terms of a world view and a biblical world view. Makes perfect sense to me! Developing a perspective on what I see and hear while living in the world makes more sense to me when viewed through the lens of the Bible. I do not see at all, as has been suggested, that Mr. Barna is telling readers how to think. He is suggesting tools we can use in our daily walk as we make decisions on every level. The tools he suggests are supported in the Bible, but again, they are only tools and we choose when and how to use them. It takes practice and perseverance.

Christians were originally known as "Followers of the Way." We cannot follow if we cannot see the road signs and these tools provide the sight needed. Again, this is a good read but needs to be read and understood in relationship to the Bible.