If God Disappears: 9 Faith Wreckers and What to Do about Them (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: crushing circumstances, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, God the Father (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Virtually everyone has--or will--face crises of life and faith. These pivotal times are part of everyone's spiritual journey. Why then do some people emerge from the crisis with their faith intact while others give up on God, the church, and holy living? If God Disappears comes alongside the Christian who is spiritually drifting--or is on the verge--or knows someone who is considering leaving God and the church behind--and compassionately empowers them to re-embrace their faith. Author David Sanford shares nine "faith wreckers" and nine "faith builders" to help us better understand which circumstances and attitudes undermine our faith and which ones draw us closer to God.

From the Inside Flap

What's the greatest crisis among Christians today?

David Sanford believes it's the loss of faith. Not loss of salvation—but loss of faith in God, in the Bible, in the church, or in Christian beliefs.

Like most individuals, you probably know someone who has left the church or experientially lost his or her Christian faith. Maybe it's even been your own experience. Sadly, many people feel their church isn't a safe place to talk about something like this and, as a result, of the nearly 75 million American adults who say they have made a commitment to Jesus Christ, more than 31 million have quit going to church. Thousands more will join their ranks this week.

If God Disappears drops the guilt and compassionately addresses the personal, practical, biblical, and theological issues surrounding this crisis. Is it really possible to lose one’s faith? Why did it seem to happen to so many good people in the Bible? How can you help a friend who is struggling?

This important and much-needed book will show you what to do if you experience a personal crisis of faith, as well as how you can reach out to those who are spiritually drifting. And it will remind you that no matter what you’re going through, God is still there to be found.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: SaltRiver (August 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414316178
• ISBN-13: 978-1414316178
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #909,369 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read if God Has Let you Down!, September 19, 2008

By	Victorya Rogers "Life & Life Coach, Author" (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews

Has you been so shattered by some tragic event, disappointment, loss or death that you've thrown in the towel on your faith and given up on God? Have you come to accept that everything about God you have ever believed has turned out to be nothing more than a man-made lie? If this describes you, you MUST pick up a copy of David Sanford's new book IF GOD DISAPPEARS. In a "been-there-done-that," non-judgmental fashion, Sanford exposes nine of the most common faith wreckers that not only take away our faith, they literally steal, kill and destroy the very quality of our lives. Sanford boldly faces the toughest faith challenges, reveals truth (yes, truth) and offers hope in the midst of numbness and hopelessness. Could it be that you have come to misread or misinterpret the facts of your own circumstances to mean something they in fact do not mean? What is truth, really? And who, what and where is God when he seems to disappear? Do yourself a favor and pick up David Sanford's book to find out. After all, at this point in your life you have nothing to lose.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful devotional about trusting God even when we can't see Him, September 17, 2008

By	Christina Lockstein "http://christysbookblog.... (Oconto Falls, WI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

If God Disappears by David Sanford is a powerful book about the times when we question God in our lives and how we can seek and find him. Sanford picks nine crises that when they strike can make us wonder what God is doing or if He is even paying attention. Sanford offers several anecdotes about the ways that God has worked for him and people he knows, and sometimes when God hasn't worked, but we still have to trust him anyway. I can't help but admire Sanford's deep faith after growing up with an atheist father who disapproved of his son's decision to follow Jesus. The chapter about betrayal by the church resonated strongest with me. After the deep pain Jesse and I suffered at our previous church, we are healing at our current one. But it isn't perfect, and we still have issues with commitment there. Sanford reminds me that no church is perfect, but God is there, and I need to trust in and wait on that. The most powerful part of the entire book just may be the epilogue. Sanford tells the story of how Jesus got Peter and his brother to follow him; by meeting them, hanging around, and then disappearing so that they had to seek him out. Perhaps that's just what God does on occasion: disappear so that we seek Him out. The book is intelligent with a great deal of heart, the type you want to read over the course of several readings so that you can really take in the message and let it soak into your soul.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, Relevant and Riveting!, September 4, 2008

By	Dewayne A. Moore (Huntsville, AL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

David Sanford's book, If God Dissappears, ministered to me and encouraged me from the very first page. Mr. Sanford has an uncanny ability to weave simple, real-life stories with timeless principles. I loved how the chapters were easy to read, yet very engaging and filled with scripture. It's obvious that this author has invested a great deal of time in the Bible. He shares some of his own times of anger, discouragement and failure throughout the book. He teaches with authority about the nine "faith-wreckers," because he has personally encountered every one of them. Yet,through prayer, God's Word and other Christians, he overcame them, and his faith was strengthened. I have family members who are still angry at God for things in their past. I intend to share this book with them. I believe Mr. Sanford's words and loving, conversational writing style may help break through and soften their hearts toward God again.--Dwayne Moore, author of Pure Praise: A Heart-focused Bible Study on Worship