Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn't Exist

This is a tough look at what most of us Christians are really like (if we are truly honest with ourselves). The whole book may not apply 100% to your life, but there will definitely be sections that do!

While reading this book, it has opened my eyes and heart of what is the true meaning of Christianity and our relationship with God. It made me more aware how we should portray and live our Christianity, according to God's way. Definitely a good book to read.

The title is certainly eye-catching. How can both exist in one life? Groeschel shows how this description is more common in our churches and in our own personal lives than we care to believe. But rather than riddling us with guilt Groeschel challenges us to rise to the commitment for which we were made. Each chapter is filled with both Scripture and real stories of changed lives when we chose to stop living as "Christian athiests".

The first half of this book got off to a slow, almost even "I think I have read a lot of this before" kind of start. I almost stopped reading half way through but pressed on and was very glad that I did. Groeschel does a great job of tying everything together, challenging Christians to apply what they know to be true to the way they live out their lives, and sharing his heart in a very sincere and moving way.

5 stars... The title and concept of this book really grabbed me, as I'm sure it did you. It's well laid out, and the chapter titles are just as relevant and attention-grabbing as the title. The writing is witty and humorous.

3 stars... I can't decide if the humor is commendable for its honestly or if it's thinly-veiled disrespect for the faith. The author seeks to resonate with the readers through personal anecdotes, but I grew tired of hearing him talk about himself before the book was even halfway through. It often felt as though the author was trying to bring Christianity down to the struggling reader's level, instead of inspiring the reader to the higher standards of Christianity.

No stars, if I could... The book delivers 90% of the message well, and might be acceptable as a wide net cast into the modern generation of unbelievers. But the other 10% is based on doctrinal ambiguity rather than sound scripture. Inexcusable for a book representing and coaching matters of faith.

I respect the honesty of the Pastor Groeshel as he reflected on the challenges he faced in his Christian development. It reminded me of my own. This book caused me to go to the mirror and take a closer look at myself. Recently I have had questions about my past and forgiveness. I soon remembered, God has forgiven me and I should remain strong and not let the enemy steal my joy! I will continue to walk in the way I have come to know, "once we are in His hands, no man can pluck us out". Thanks Pastor Goeshel for reminding us of who and whose we are.

Min. B.

I read a lot of Christian books and this one is not my favorite. I am 80 and this book is more appropriate for college students and young adults who do not see much advantage in church membership. For that audience,it is very well written, a fun and easy read and somewhat educational. I believe I read the book; not the Participant's Guide.

It's rare for me to find a Christian book that promotes both self-growth and entertainment in one. I found this book difficult to put down as I enjoyed the author's real life experiences and relevant scriptures. This is my first Craig Groeschel book and I look forward to reading some of his other works.

The book follows the DVD so don't buy book not needed for guide if using DVD. The writing only touches the surface of a topic. No depth. Rating scales are sometimes confusing. I am in a small group for the study. Fortunately we are close and can offer more to subject.

I never considered myself anything less then faithful to God in every way I knew how. This book has shed light into realms of my life where I wasn't believing He could work. Powerless and hopeless in ourselves, we kneel before the Father and embrace His loving kindness. Sometimes just the simple knowledge of something is enough to instill change. That is what this book offers. For anyone who is living in Christ, but is still feeling disconnected in some way. Read this book and let God reveal the areas in your life you haven't given Him full authority. Craig is strikingly transparent, vulnerable and even funny!

Groeschel leads through several areas in which Christians' lives don't sync with what they say they believe, such as, if we truly believe His is powerful and all wise, why do we worry? Good reading for examining your walk with the Lord.

I am sure that everyone that reads the book will have at least one aspect, likely more with which they will relate. It also provides a reflection and evaluation and hopefully leads to a commitment to not be a Christian atheist.

It's rare for me to find a Christian book that promotes both self-growth and entertainment in one. I found this book difficult to put down as I enjoyed the author's real life experiences and relevant scriptures. This is my first Craig Groeschel book and I look forward to reading some of his other works.

The book follows the DVD so don't buy book not needed for guide if using DVD. The writing only touches the surface of a topic. No depth. Rating scales are sometimes confusing. I am in a small group for the study. Fortunately we are close and can offer more to subject.

I never considered myself anything less then faithful to God in every way I knew how. This book has shed light into realms of my life where I wasn't believing He could work. Powerless and hopeless in ourselves, we kneel before the Father and embrace His loving kindness. Sometimes just the simple knowledge of something is enough to instill change. That is what this book offers. For anyone who is living in Christ, but is still feeling disconnected in some way. Read this book and let God reveal the areas in your life you haven't given Him full authority. Craig is strikingly transparent, vulnerable and even funny!

Groeschel leads through several areas in which Christians' lives don't sync with what they say they believe, such as, if we truly believe His is powerful and all wise, why do we worry? Good reading for examining your walk with the Lord.

I am sure that everyone that reads the book will have at least one aspect, likely more with which they will relate. It also provides a reflection and evaluation and hopefully leads to a commitment to not be a Christian atheist.

Pastor Groeschel combines comedy and real life belief issues that consumes Christianity today. I will definately suggest this book to members of my campus ministry, church family, family, and friends. I won't be deleting or selling THIS one back!

Excellent book for anyone at any point in their faith journey. Craig does an outstanding job of weaving Bible verses into his stories. He also jumps right into the boat with the reader, never coming off holier than thou but revealing areas of weakness in his own life and how he overcomes. Just buy this book. You will not regret it and it's an easy 1 to 2 week read for the occasional reader.

I enjoyed this book very much. So much, indeed, that I have already ordered a few more books by the same author. Maybe he repeats himself, just a little, from book to book? No matter, good things cannot be said too often - right? Five stars from Astrid in Norway.

I didn't notice until it arrived that this is only the participant guide for a class, and doesn't include the needed video. I thought this was the actual full book. That said, I had no trouble returning the product for a refund.

This book is great for helping you to stop going through the motions and start putting real intentions behind your actions. This is not meant for deep spiritual edification but a great kick in the butt for those of us that are backsliders like myself

This book is a must read for all new and not so new christians. It delves into subject matter that a person typically does not think about during their christian lives. It is a very easy read and the author seems very personable. I haven't enjoyed a book like this in quite a while.

I purchased the audio book, and every time I had to switch CD's or stop I couldn't hardly wait to get back to it. It really makes you consider your walk with Christ, and re-evaluate your daily life.
Great read (or listen in my case!)

Craig addresses a number of areas which we, as followers of Jesus, wouldn't really want exposed. He does so in an often amusing way that enables us to do some self-examination and see the "pharisee" in ourselves. It's up to us to do something about these exposures that are all too common among today's church goers, especially in the West

Great book!!
Everyone who follows Christ should read it.
It confronts a lot of "survival mode" christianity and religiosity that we have nowadays.
But, more than that, it's shown me that I am sometimes a Christian Atheist, even being a students' pastor, and that Christ wants to change that in me so that I'll become more like Him.
Awesome reading. Pastor Craig has an amazing writing style. You just can't put the book down!

If you have ever struggled with one or more facets if Christian living, this book is for you. Craig Groeschel uses candor and his great sense of humor to offer practical ways to overcome these typical struggles.

The book was an excellent guide because it gave personal experiences that we can relate to. The class was fully engaged and participated fully. With every chapter discussion, the class went overtime.

A small group from our church read this book and met each Sunday mroning to discuss. It was worth the read. and not just a little enlightening. OMG I am a Christian atheist. I now have a new vision for 2014.

We have four children ages 12-17. We are reading the book as a family during our devotional time. Everyone is enjoying it and learning. We have laughed together and had some great conversations regarding the different topics. Great family book!

Pastor Craig definitely has his finger on the pulse of today's church and culture, and this book captures his insight into the prevalent disconnect between beliefs and behavior. A book that challenges. A book that offers hope.

I agree with the concept. I see it. In part, I live it. I want to learn and I want to grow. Rarely has a set-up been more...er, set up to challenge and convict, to encourage and cause maturity. Add to that, I really wanted to like this book. Frankly however, I find myself doing a lot of the work here... which isn't all bad. Maybe I expect too much.

Probably the greatest flaw of the book is the many specific stories it tells of others in their "Christian atheism". It's a weak spot because with the details come differences - and my details are unique, and the subtlety of my "Christian atheism" makes it easier for me to say, "Well, at least I'm not as bad as that guy." The microscopic view Groeschel takes may get in the way of individuals being able to see the big-picture.

I had to edit and soften my comments because I like the book the more I think about it.

A must read if you are serious about growing and maturing your Christian faith. It is a departure from the name-it-and-claim-it types that are so popular now. Read and consider the dvd study that goes along with it.

Every Christian should read this and re-examine their commitment to Christ!!!! This book made me really look at my relationship with God and see how far I have fallen short. I love God and want my life - every aspect of it - to reflect that.

Excellent read!! I find myself in so many different chapters in the Christian atheist...if you are looking to be challenged and reflect on your walk with Christ this book is a gonna potentially rock your world...I do not think you can read this book and not be transformed in your relationship with Christ if you are seeking to grow as a believer...when I first heard this teaching it resonated with me, moved me and the book drives the point home even more so that I need to reflect my love for Jesus in every aspect of my life...

About as disappointing as the title says. If you are living like you don't believe in God, that's a major warning sign that you don't really believe in Him. This book has more empty air and anecdotes. It seems to be written for the unsaved, but there are far better places for them to start than this.

Excellent read!! I find myself in so many different chapters in the Christian atheist...if you are looking to be challenged and reflect on your walk with Christ this book is a gonna potentially rock your world...I do not think you can read this book and not be transformed in your relationship with Christ if you are seeking to grow as a believer...when I first heard this teaching it resonated with me, moved me and the book drives the point home even more so that I need to reflect my love for Jesus in every aspect of my life...

About as disappointing as the title says. If you are living like you don't believe in God, that's a major warning sign that you don't really believe in Him. This book has more empty air and anecdotes. It seems to be written for the unsaved, but there are far better places for them to start than this.

An incredible book and a must read for all. Fabulous insite into what it means to be a follower of Christ and not just a passer by. Cchallenging me as to my Christian life and how I lead it.
Awesome

Very clear and easy to understand discussion of a Christian Atheist. He uses personal examples. I found myself guilty of being a Christian Atheist, even though I there were certain statements with which I took issue.

I won't call it a "must read" for every Christian but it comes pretty close. If God exists, let's face that fact and live as though God exists. It's that simple. God's existence and our faith in his existence makes demands on us. Those demands don't go away for our ignoring the fact of God's existence. Those demands don't change because of our human opinion of those demands. God spoke eternal truths into existence at the founding of Creation. They remain when most (if not all) human contribution to world history has faded into dust and rubble. There is a philosophical quote like this: the unexamined life is not worth living. That's not a suggestion to end one's life if convicted of lack of self-examination; rather, it is an encouragement to examine one's life and find in the process the abundant life Jesus describes in John 10:10b. You can start by reading Craig Groeschel's book if you profess to be a Christian believer. If you profess to be a true atheist and you are anti-Christian in general, then you will thoroughly enjoy this book too. For you, who claim Christians are a bunch of mindless hypocrites, simply judging others against excessively high standards of virtue that they themselves don't even attempt to keep - you will LOVE this book. It categorizes and details our Christian hypocrisies brilliantly! Challenge to Christians who are damaging our witness to the One True Creator God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ - LIVE YOUR FAITH! Don't just judge others by it and add fuel to the atheists' fires. It starts with you - examine!

The title of this book tells you automatically that it is going to be a challenging read. The idea behind "Christian Atheist" is that while many people call themselves "Christians" or "followers of Christ," it is rare to find people that take their discipleship under Christ seriously.

Groeschel, the pastor of LifeChurch.tv and innovator in the "satellite church" phenomenon, leads you through 12 different "When you believe in God, but..." scenarios. These scenarios range from not believing in prayer to not sharing your faith. Groeschel brings all of these scenarios back to the 1st commandment (You shall have no other gods). The issue isn't that you don't like to forgive people, it is that your "god" is not the God who forgives, it isn't that you don't like going to church, it's that your "god" wants to sleep in on Sundays or thinks it's too advanced for your boring local church.

Groeschel does a much better job of treating the issues of sanctification (growing through the Holy Spirit leading you in good works) than same other pop-Christian authors who write about the same topic. At least Groeschel usually brings things back to Jesus, to forgiveness, and to your state as a redeemed child of God. It isn't often that he's over the line, but it happens occasionally (like when he tells you that if giving your offering doesn't hurt, it's not good enough). Usually, however, he's right on with the Law - accusing you of making yourself or something else your god and calling yourself a Christian all the while.

Unfortunately, I do have to say that "usually" Groeschel brings it back to Jesus. The most disappointing thing about the book is the Afterword. In this Afterword, Groeschel wrecks everything that he has just lined up. In a story about a vision from God, Groeschel calls into question the faith of every Christian that hasn't reached his level of sanctification. (Insert annoyed groans of disappointment.) Instead of showing us that a true Christian rejects false gods and the false securities that come along with those false gods - he constructs for himself a false god of his own piety. That move ruins the rest of the book.

I repeat: If you read the book, don't bother with the Afterword. It will absolutely ruin an otherwise good book for you.

I am glad I read this book, but it feels a little like having a snack of three grapes and a whole wheat cracker when I really need a full meal. Healthy, just not quite enough to completely nourish me.

The title by itself will hopefully bring many of us up short. How often do I personally act like a "Christian Atheist" under Groeschel's definition? Too many times, and each section of the book points out the many ways I blithely go on my way as if God doesn't exist, or at least doesn't have any real part in my life. The book is a good quick read if for no other reason than to remind each of us how little we really live out our faith. Just reading the table of contents can be convicting, as each section points out ways our behavior might really be no different than that of someone with no knowledge of or interest in Christianity.

I think I would class this as an airport book--it is well worth picking up for a quick read while flying or for a break from more significant reading. It could well be a book to share with someone close to you who may also be afflicted with "Christianity Lite," living too often without any real evidence of our faith. While the book does have the effect of reminding us of the need for increased integration of our faith into all facets of our lives, Groeschel is not as clear as I would like in pointing to "next steps" to get us out of these behaviors. Just knowing how we have fallen into this "Christian atheism" is one thing, but a little more follow up in emphasizing closer fellowship with the Word, deeper prayer, and with other believers would have given the book more weight.

One more comment--I agree with an earlier reader that the final section of the book is very disappointing. Yes, our sanctification (a "church-y" word that the author wisely avoids for his apparent audience) does need to progress across the "three lines of faith" he outlines. However, he makes it sound like a one-way street, like once achieving the willingness to give our all to Christ, we will never return from there--almost a "once holy, always holy" approach. Since the rest of the book reflects the ongoing working of grace in our lives, the opportunity the Spirit gives us to repent and turn from recurrent "Christian atheism," I would forego that section and read only the rest.

So this is the exact reason why Christian books are tragically awful. This book just tackles the most basic of topics and dubs them "atheism." Come on...There is a serious need for authenticity in my/your relationship with Jesus and this is just fluff. Like a sermon from a crystal pulpit in seriously wealthy suburbia. Is this supposed to "scare lackadaisical Christians straight?" Is it supposed to motivate folks to a genuine walk? It's fluff to sell books. You want something that is totally genuine?...Check out where in your bible how Christ talks about living. It is truly a simple formula that does not get followed due to our lack of faith and of conviction. Get out and serve and see if that doesn't rock your spirit. Good luck!

really good book. if you do not want to recognize how "atheistic" you are as a Christian, you may want to pass this one up. However, he is not demeaning or harsh. He just speaks the truth and it's up to us to act on it. Several chapters spoke to me even after I had read the chapter titles and thought "nah, that one at least is not about me".... most of the chapters left me wanting change! Great author. Going to read more of his books. He is so down-to-earth and not plastic. I love that in an author and a Christian!

I have just finished rereading this book. There is really no way that I could recommend it too highly. Each time I have read this book up I end up completely captivated by it and finish it within a couple of days.

Groeschel's title says it all. Each chapter is devoted to discussing a way that we live as though God does not exist though we claim to believe in Him. Though this sounds as though it could come across as judgemental or pious, it does not. The examples of failing in his faith are all personal and help draw you into the words of a man who struggles with the same things we do. (You mean pastors aren't perfect and this doesn't all come easy to them?! Yes, that's what I mean.)

It's difficult to choose just a few examples since I found myself highlighting throughout each chapter, but here are some favorites of mine. To demonstrate how sin can seem fun at first or even while we're committing it but leaves a huge mess, Groeschel tells the story of one of his kids sneaking onto a zip-line. She is cheering all the way down until she smacks into a tree and has to be rushed to the emergency room. In the chapter titled "When you believe in God but won't forgive," he shares his own painful testimony about God leading him to forgive a man who had molested his sister and the miraculous results.

"When you believe in God but don't think you can change" was the chapter that impacted me the most during this reading. He seemed to know all of my excuses. That's just the way God made me. Well, I just come from an overweight family. How can I act a different way around people who already know me? Then Groeschel said, "If you keep making excuses, you're insulting God's power." Wow. I am.

I could quote a powerful line like this from each chapter whether your concern is worry, sharing your faith, pursuing happiness at any cost (is there any larger concern in our society?), prayer, or anything else. Groeschel does not miss much and he courageously gives a personal example for each one which keeps him from becoming "preachy."

If you are a Christian but feel like you should be doing more, read this book. In fact, read it. Put it away for a few months. Then read it again.

As I prepared for a missions trip to China, I was earnestly seeking an opportunity to hear God in a fresh way. I had been praying that God would use every part of my trip, from the moment I left home until the moment that I returned, as a chance to enjoy fellowship, learning, and, yes, discipline, from Him.
While shopping at Wal-Mart for some needed supplies for my trip, I stumbled across this book by Craig Groeschel. I knew who Groeschel was, having listened to one of his sermons on tape before. And I had started one of his other books a couple of years ago, but could not get engaged in it.
The title of this one grabbed me, and the Table of Contents screamed out at me. Titles like, ¡§When you Believe in God but Won¡¦t Forgive,¡¨ and ¡§When you Believe in God but Worry all the Time¡¨ sounded as if they had been written with me in mind. With recommendations by Andy Stanley, Dave Ramsey, and Bill Hybels (all favorite authors/speakers of mine), I decided that this would be the perfect book to read during a 15-hour plane ride.
To say that I was not disappointed would be an understatement! I have read many reviews of this book that say it is too simplistic¡Kthat it is not meaty enough for mature Christians. Well, I guess this puts my spiritual maturity in question, but I found this book to be deeply thought-provoking and applicable to my life on many levels. I don¡¦t know of ANY Christians, regardless of their level of spiritual maturity, who do not struggle with at least one of the issues that Groeschel discusses in the book.
Personally, I resonated most with the chapters on forgiveness, worry, and the inability to change. As a childhood victim of abuse (not by my parents), I have not been able to fully forgive anyone who has wronged me for as long as I can remember. That has carried through into relationships throughout my teen and adult years, even until this day. I finally ¡§accepted¡¨ that I was never going to be able to change the way I am. Groeschel addresses THAT issue as well. And having been raised by a loving dad who worries all the time, I have been conditioned since childhood to worry about EVERYTHING. I am guilty of violating Jesus¡¦ own words in Matthew 6:25 (look it up). º
I could go on and on about this book. Needless to say, it is not a difficult read. But it does cause you to think. And since each chapter addresses a different subject, you can read it a bit at a time, meditating on each chapter, and asking God to help you work through each issue in your life.

This is a rather sad little book, with a very poor title. “Christian atheist” may be catchy or thought provoking, but is self-contradictory: by definition, a Christian is someone who believes in God; an atheist is someone who does not believe in God; one cannot believe and not believe at the same time. The very thought is illogical and unreasonable, but we are now living in a culture that has abandoned logic and reason, and in which many people can no longer think clearly.
The chapter titles of the book are as follows:
1 When you believe in God but don’t really know Him
2 ... but are ashamed of your past
3 ... but aren’t sure He loves you
4 ... but not in prayer
5 ... but don’t think He’s fair
6 ... but won’t forgive
7 ... but don’t think you can change
8 ... but still worry all the time
9 ... but pursue happiness at any cost
10 ... but trust more in money
11 ... but don’t share your faith
12 ... but not in His Church
The chapter titles summarize the thinking and behaviour of the “Christian atheist” – a self-absorbed believer who is basically very ignorant: ignorant of Christ, ignorant of the Scriptures, ignorant of theology, even ignorant of one’s own self. The Christianity described in this book appears to be a synthesis of modern American culture with Christian God-talk. Indeed, CG’s audience seems to be Christians who are very young or immature in their faith.
A better title for this book would be The Carnal Christian: Believing in God but Living As If He Doesn’t Exist, but this would probably be perceived as insulting; nevertheless, St. Paul himself called the Corinthians “carnal” (I Cor. 3:1-4, KVJ). It’s quite striking how many parallels there are between the ancient carnal Corinthians whom St. Paul had to deal with and the modern carnal Americans whom Groeschel is writing about.
Reading this book, it seems to me that many Christians nowadays have a very shallow, one dimensional idea that to be “spiritual” means:
• to pray all the time
• to read the Bible all the time
• to attend church meetings constantly
• to spout God-talk constantly
• to talk about Jesus and “get people saved”
On the other hand, “unspiritual” people work at regular jobs; attend classes, sporting events, movies, parties; in short, live “normal” lives. This is the tacit assumption behind the common division between “religious” and “secular” vocations. Among many Christians (especially Evangelicals), the “super-spiritual” become missionaries; the “spiritual” become pastors; and everyone else gets any “unspiritual” job that they can find. Such a bifurcation of vocation is simply wrong. St. Paul says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (I Cor. 10:31). Therefore, whatever vocation we may have can be done to the glory of God. (Of course, it should go without saying that immoral or criminal vocations can not glorify God: one can not be a prostitute, a thief, a drug-dealer, a rapist, and so forth to the glory of God; cf. I Cor. 6:9-20.)
Following are some particular observations about the book, which I think detract from the value thereof:
• ch. 5 re: God’s fairness – CG mentions Job (p. 95f), but promptly drops him. There are many lessons that could be learned from Job about God’s love, His faithfulness, His majesty, His sovereignty, to say nothing of our own human pettiness, but unfortunately, CG passes on all of them;
• ch. 6 re: forgiveness – several verses are quoted, but not “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14-15). CG understands that forgiveness is of paramount importance, but this verse in Matthew underscores the fact that our forgiveness by God depends on our forgiving others. This is a difficult lesson for many to hear;
• ch. 9 re: happiness – CG refers to the prosperity gospel as “polluted theology” (p. 165); this is a very apt description; nevertheless, it is frightful how pervasive prosperity gospel thinking has become among American Christians;
• in most chapters CG often focusses on himself, as both a negative and positive model or example; CG’s self-focus seems to border on narcissism;
• Afterword: CG describes a “vision” he had of “three lines” representing Christianity: the 1st = believing enough to benefit; the 2nd = believing enough to contribute; the 3rd = believing enough give one’s life for Christ. CG claims that only the “Third Line” is true Christianity.
I think that this afterword is largely misguided. On the one hand, Jesus said that faith as small as a mustard seed was sufficient to move mountains (Matt. 17:20) – this would seem to cover the first two “lines”; on the other hand, we are told not to judge, that is condemn, others (Matt. 7:1) and CG’s attitude seems to imply that only his “Third Line” believers are the true Christians, while those at his “first” or “second lines” are at best “cultural Christians” or at worst false believers (p. 236, 240). This is spiritually dangerous on CG’s part, and he appears to have condemned whole groups of believers as either false or liars.
Rather than such a judgmental view of his “three lines”, CG would have done better to view them as a progression in terms of spiritual maturity. Just as human bodies and minds take years to grow and mature after birth, so do human spirits. Believing in Jesus does not produce instant salvation in the sense that one becomes instantly mature or perfect in spirit; rather, believing in Jesus starts as a spiritual rebirth in a moment of time, but then requires years of continual growth thereafter. Moreover, spiritual growth is not confined to this world only, but will continue forever in the ages to come (cf. I Cor. 13:8-13; II Cor. 3:17-18).
Julian of Toledo (642-690 AD) once said, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” The remedy for the “atheist” – that is carnal – Christian starts with education: in Christ, in the Scriptures, in Church Tradition, in worship, in theology, in spiritual discipline (asceticism), in history. In addition, these carnal Christians whom CG is addressing must be willing to grow up out of – and beyond – the spiritual ghetto of modern American culture. The Church has existed for 2,000 years and has impacted countless cultures and peoples. American Christianity is but one, recent expression (and a rather poor one, I think) of Christianity. There is far more to Christianity than Americanism.

The Christian Atheist is adequately summarized by its subtitle (Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist) and biblically supported by Titus 1:16 (They claim to know God, but by their actions deny him). Structurally the book includes twelve chapters all titled "When You Believe in God but . . ." sandwiched between an introduction and an afterword that are both pastoral and personal. Written from an evangelistic and conservative theological worldview, Groeschel seeks to encourage his readers to engage in introspection to learn if their faith is genuine or hypocritical and then to respond by making any necessary changes to become what he terms a "third line Christian" (someone who believes strongly enough to give one's life to "Christ's gospel").

Groeschel's willingness to share his own personal journey, including shortcomings that became learning experiences and opportunities for spiritual growth, serves as the book's greatest strength. The book's greatest weakness is its redundancy. The reader moves through twelve verses (ways to fall short of being a third line Christian) of the same song: real Christians believe this but Christian atheists act in a way that seemingly denies such a belief.

Many Christians say that they trust God but live like they don't believe he exists. That is the premise of Groeschel's book. A memoire of sorts, Groeschel tells of how he had a successful ministry for over a decade but his actions proved that he relied on himself rather than God.

Groeschel gives examples to define the term "Christian Atheist" and they tend to hit closer to the mark than I expected. The call to believe what we say we believe is one that is relevant and powerful - if we actually take the advice instead, as I suspect most of will do, say that we agree with it then live like we don't.

The inherent hypocrisy of mankind is that we always act less nobly than we say we want to or should. This hits Christians hard because we say we have the answer and that others should agree with and adopt our answer - all the while we fail to follow our own creed. This book isn't a Christian-bashing book at all. Just a frank introspective look at what Groeschel went through and how he came out of it and a call to do likewise.

I listened to the audio book, which is unabridged, and lasts about 6 hours. The reader, Tom Shiff, did an adequate job, but the lack of passion in his tone and pace tended to let my mind wander. I prefer to hear the author read their own works and I can only imagine that Groeschel, the pastor of LifeChurch.tv would have done a far superior job of it. As such, I would recommend the paperback over the audio book.

A good book with a message that most of us should read and take action on.

Review originally published at BookGateway. This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.

We've all been there. We pray for something, and don't get an answer. We're told to tithe, but don't think we can squeeze the money out of our budgets. We know we are supposed to trust God, but find ourselves obsessing over problems. And it's getting harder and harder to drag ourselves to church. The people there just don't fit our ideas of what a Christian should be.

The result, as author Craig Groeschel points out in his book The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist, is a lot of people who claim to be Christians but live as if they really don't believe some of what the Bible teaches about life and how we are to live it. In other words, a bunch of Christian Atheists.

Using stories from his life, Groeschel highlight his own struggles with atheism in various forms. His honesty challenged me to be honest with myself. I could see that some of what I think of as struggles or trials in my own life should be called out for what they are: nothing less than a lack of faith. I, too, am a Christian Atheist.

I didn't have to read the book to be convinced: just skimming the chapter titles was enough to make me realize that I had a problem. "When You Believe in God but Don't Think He's Fair" and "When You Believe in God but Still Worry All the Time" are just two of the subjects Groeschel tackles.

While I felt convicted as I read The Christian Atheist, I never felt condemned. Groeschel writes from the perspective of one confessing his own struggles and failures, and points the way to overcome them. The practical advice for defeating Christian Atheism inserted clarity into my own battles, and offers hope that I can learn to live as if I really believed what I say I do.

For me, that is the great value of The Christian Atheist. It's not just about fixing things within my own life, although there is much to be fixed and any help is welcome. We live in a culture that is increasingly less Christian. Those outside the church look at those inside, and don't always see much difference in how we live our lives. If we are truly to be salt and light to the world around us, we can't accept the Christian Atheism in our own hearts.

Read The Christian Atheist. It will stir you up, strengthen your faith, and refine your vision for living as a Christian. Highly recommended.

Are you ashamed of your past? Do you have a hard time with forgiveness? What if you don't believe you can change? Do you trust more in money than in God? Is God is fair? What do you think about the church?

If you have ever asked or struggled with even one of these questions, then my friend, this book is for you.

Speaking from his past as a "Recovering Christian Athiest", Craig Groeschel takes a serious look at these issues and more, assuring us that God gets where we are coming from and has an answer. In the book, Groeschel offers anecdotes and advice, showing us how we can place our trust in God and not only call ourselves Christians but live as believers.

Honestly, what made this book so relevant for me is that Craig Groeschel is a pastor who is willing to admit he still struggles with many of the same things we all do. In other words, no one is the perfect Christian, not even our leaders. We are all on a journey of spiritual growth and maturity with so much to learn from one another along the way. The Christian Athiest is an easy read while hitting on topics which we can all relate and providing plenty for the reader to think about.

By taking off the mask, Craig Groeschel gives his readers a chance to say "Yes, I struggle with this too." while seeing there are Biblical answers to each question The Christian Athiest asks. Consider the questions honestly: Are you a Christian Athiest? Do you worry all the time? Are you ashamed of your past?

Read Craig Groeschel's The Christian Athiest and you'll discover that you don't have to be!

I had never heard of Craig Groeschel before I read this book, but the title hooked me, and I picked it up. As has been said before, some of the chapters are more profound than others, but this book is definitely worth the time to study and do some self-examination.

My advice is to skim through each chapter quickly (5 minutes) and write down your impressions based on that skim. Then once you have done a quick skim and outline go back and dig in. Take a chapter at a time and really devout it. As you do so, take a personal inventory. If you're anything like me, you'll discover that you've been talking one talk but walking a different walk.

I won't spend a lot of time breaking down each idea, or even each chapter. I think it's better for each reader to make those discoveries individually. The book is a pretty easy read, but I urge you not to let it be so. Don't just fly through the book and toss it on your bookshelf. Slow down, let the ideas listed sink in and turn the lights on, so to speak.

It's not always easy or painless to examine yourself - especially not in terms of ideas like those presented in this book, but such examination is crucial to personal growth.

When I first saw this in the bookstore, I saw the title and was offended, so I walked away. Another day at the bookstore, the book captured my attention again, you can't miss the bright color of the cover. This time I remember people talking about the book on Twitter, people I respected, so I decided to look inside the cover. I was immediately captivated by the chapter titles, so I purchased the book and found myself reading a chapter each night. As I read about being a Christian atheist, I noticed the book speaking to my heart, with wisdom from the author's personal experiences. By the time I completed the book and read about "the Third Line" I knew the book was written for every Christian I know! It's fabulous and ranks high on my list of Top 10 Best Christian books ever written! If you like Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan, then you'll like this book too. It brings a new perspective to the Christian faith and explores passive Christianity.

I was hoping it’d be a little deeper. Like for people who really question God’s existence after being raised in the church (like I did/was.)

Good generic info and reminders. No surprises or anything new for someone who is already very familiar with the church.

Actually, I'm not sure what rating to give this book, perhaps a 3.75 would be more appropriate. The main reason for this is that for some reason I managed to read the whole book in less than a day, yet at the same time I felt that I hardly learned anything from it. Maybe I read it too fast, maybe I read it with a critical eye (if you can tell by the title), although I found some useful advise from it.

Goreschel briefly mentions the moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD) phenomenon that can for the most part describe what most teenagers and young adults believe, that God is some sort of big guy in the sky who is more than willing to bail you out when needed and you can forget about otherwise. Perhaps this is the main symptom of the "feel-good" religion that has run rampant in our country and includes the Prosperity "Gospel" that the author does not forget to criticize (I agree, by the way), and although this is not how he starts the book I think it's a good reference point to his message as his audience that he probably had in mind very much follows this phenomenon.

In a way, I learned about the author's past and (then) current life through the pages, growing up from the barely knowledgeable Christian teenager (and a hypocritical one) in college to becoming a pastor while starting a family, the former I can relate because that's how I used to be (and still am to some degree) and then gives advice on how to get out of the "Christian atheist" lifestyle. In a way, the profile of someone who might fit into this label would be a barely practicing, if at all, person who may be doing so out of indifference to Christ, or frustration with his Church and the failings of other believers. Then, the author responds to most excuses such a person might make (the most prominent one being, "I'm not good enough"), in a way repeating what every preacher usually says, that God loves us all and we should turn to him.

What I found most surprising, however, was at the end when making suggestions about how share the faith, and he mentions the main reason for doing so. That is, hell exists. You might think that most megachurch pastors don't talk about that stuff anymore, well at least not this one because he simply repeats what Scripture has said all along (by the way when quoting Scripture, most of the times he puts the text) and although I'm not a fan of megachurches I give him respect for that. In a way he's not the feel-good pastor that one might think he is if you're not used to reading these kinds of books.

So, that's what I understood from the book and that's why I rated it that way, like I said maybe I misunderstood what he was trying to say but I may had had a hard time understanding the point, so maybe I had to give it another try another day.

We did a six week church wide alignment series that included reading this book, participating in a small group, and the Sunday morning sermons aligned to topics from the book.  This was the first book I have read from Craig and I found it to be truthful and in the face.  

Craig covers a variety of topics related to modern day Christianity that challenges you to think about do you really believe in God based on the way you live.  He does that using this catchy two word phrase "Christian Atheist".  I found myself challenged as a believer reading this book.  There are several areas of my faith I struggle with and Criag pointed those out while personally sharing his testimony of his faith in God.  Overall I found this a great spiritual season for me reading this book.  The alignment series with my church made it even more fruitful.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking to go deeper in their faith as a Christian.  Craig offers words of encouragement and support to help you in areas of struggle. Book is best done as a small group to allow you to share with other believery.

***Please note this review is only for the DVD - I didn't read the book!!***

Came across this DVD at a local retailer while looking for a video-based Sunday school series. Hadn't heard of it, but thought it sounded interesting so I picked it up. In this video, pastor/author Craig Groeschel looks at six ways professing Christians frequently live at odds with their self-proclaimed faith. Sessions include "You believe in God but...": you don't really know Him; you don't think He's fair; you aren't sure He loves you; you trust more in money; you pursue happiness at any cost; you don't want to go overboard.

Each video session has a short introductory segment, a main lesson (apparently recorded to video directly from Groeschel's sermon presentations), and a short conclusion. You'll need almost 20 minutes per video session, which made our 50 minute Sunday school class a bit pressed for time, so we skipped the conclusions. The lessons are great, with Groeschel keeping things biblically rooted and interesting. Groeschel uses lots of humor, which some may not like as much, but it worked well with our group. His sessions lend themselves to good discussion, so much so that I didn't bother buying the book or study guides. No regrets, I just watched the videos ahead of time and wrote up some discussion questions and it worked great.

The lessons themselves are very convicting and strike a pretty firm blow to easy Christianity. When you look at the depressing stats about the ways in which many self-described Christians use their money, their time, their bodies, and their minds (not much different from non-Christians) it is easy to see that the oxymoron "Christian atheism" is actually quite apt. Groeschel has done his part to expose much of this cultural Christianity for what it is and reminds us that Christ is an all-or-nothing Savior demanding everything. Enjoyable, engaging, challenging, and highly recommended.

Craig Groeschel, the author of `The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn't Exist,' is one of the most influential pastors in the United States today. When I learned he had a new book, and heard the provocative title, I knew I wanted to read what he had to say!

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Are you putting your whole faith in God but living as if everything is up to you?
Craig Groeschel's personal journey toward an authentic, God-honoring life and the lessons he learned along the way are more relevant than ever. From his family and his upbringing, to the lackluster and even diametrically opposed expressions of faith he encountered, Groeschel's frank and raw conversation about our Christian Atheist tendencies and habits is a convicting and life-changing read.
This honest, hard-hitting, and eye-opening look into the ways people believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist is a classic in the making.

Here is the biography for the author:

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv ([...]), a pace-setting multicampus church, with over eighty weekly worship experiences in fourteen locations, including an online campus. Craig, his wife Amy, and their six children live in the Edmond, Oklahoma area where LifeChurch.tv ([...]) began in 1996. Craig is the author of several books, including Chazown and It.

Here is Craig explaining the concept `Christian Atheist':

[...]

In `A Letter to the Reader,' Pastor Groeschel talks about the fact that Christian Atheists are everywhere:

Welcome to Christian Atheism, where people believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist. As much as I don't want to admit it, I see this kind of atheism in myself. People might assume that a pastor wouldn't struggle with any form of atheism, but I certainly do. Sadly, Christian Atheism is everywhere. There has to be a better way to live.
This book is for anyone courageous enough to admit to their hypocrisy. I hope it pushes you, challenges you, and disturbs you. And if you're honest before God - as I am trying to be - perhaps together we can shed some of our hypocrisy and live a life that truly brings glory to God. (pp. 14-15)

I so appreciate when people in positions of Christian leadership - particularly pastors - are honest enough to admit that they are only human and are flawed just like the rest of us. So many Christians have left the faith and the church because they placed humans on a pedestal, then were greatly disappointed when these humans fail in some way. That was a good opening to the book; I was excited to keep reading!

Craig explains how he came to faith when he was in college:

After finishing Matthew, we discovered that Mark, Luke, and John had several of the same stories. Three chapters into Acts, we got bored and skipped to Romans. Midway through Romans, I got so excited that I started reading ahead. When I reached Ephesians, I encountered two verses that would forever change my life: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Could this be true? We're saved by God's grace and his grace alone? It's not by my works? Why didn't anyone tell me? (p. 24)

That is the best news in the Bible!

Craig's personality type and wiring sent him in a certain direction with his faith:

My mission had become a job. Instead of studying God's Word out of personal devotion, I studies only to preach. Instead of preaching messages to bring glory to God, I preached to bring people to church. I promised hurting people I would pray for them, but I usually didn't follow through.

At the age of twenty-five, I was a full-time pastor and a part-time follower of God. (p. 26)

So many churches seem to be started by self-starting, highly motivated men. Pastor Groeschel seems to be one of them. Those types of individuals really need to be careful of their motives - that they are God-honoring, not self-edifying. Fortunately, Craig saw his tendencies, and seems to have taken steps to keep himself on the God track, not the man track.

Pastor Craig explains what he feels when he is in communion with God:

It's like somehow my spirit is connected to him, and I can hear what he's saying. There's kind of a buzz, a constant conscious awareness that as my day unfolds, God is orchestrating things and sending people into my life. That's doing life with God.
At other times, God may not feel as close. But by faith, I know he is with me. No matter what I feel, I hold the assurance that God never leaves me. And he won't leave you. (p. 39)

When we feel far away from God, we can always go back to Him:

If you don't know him, you can. If you used to be close, you can be close again. Getting to know God is not difficult, and it isn't about a bunch of rules. Yes, God wants your obedience, but he wants your heart even more. He says over and over again that if you seek him, you will find him (Deut. 4:29: Jer. 29:13; Matt. 7:7-8; Acts 17:27). You can find him by reading your Bible; he's been there all along. And when you begin to seek him, you'll find that he's already running toward you, his beloved child. Get to know him and allow his presence to impact every area of your life, every day. (p. 43)

Craig explains that shame keeps many Christian Atheists separated from God. King David was a perfect example:

David didn't try to pretend he was innocent - he was honest. But neither did he allow the guilt trap to rob him - or God - of the joy of a life redeemed and restored. He knew he couldn't change the past, but he hoped he could change the future.
When we hope in what God has promised - commanded - our hope is the same as certainty. (p. 53)

Many Christian Atheists have a hard time believing God loves them. They don't need to earn His love:

In short, there's nothing we can do to earn God's love. We are already and always loved simply because God made us and loves each and every one of his creations. There's nothing we can do to get God to love us more, and there's nothing we can do to cause God to love us less. (p. 66)

Many Christian Atheists don't think prayer is effective for them, so they don't pray. Craig explains how prayers work, and that we can always go back to Him:

God will answer some prayers the way you want, and others he won't. That's the mystery of prayer. Even though we can't reduce prayer to a formula, we are instructed to pray honestly, openly, and continually. Part of our prayer lives will be not only talking to God but also listening for his voice. We communicate with our God who is always present, always listening, and always caring - and the One who does all this is love.
Why not start praying now? Talk to God about whatever is on your heart. Cry to him if you need to. If you're hurting, unload on him like Habakkuk did. He can handle it. If you feel alone, ask him to comfort you with your presence. If you've been away for a while, tell him you're ready to come home. If you're angry, let it rip. (p. 90)

One of the hardest things for any of us to do is to forgive. Craig described what happened in his life when he finally let a man who molested his sister (and many other young girls) off the hook, and followed God's directive to forgive as he was forgiven (Colossians 3:13):

I didn't realize that Max's sickness had advanced. He was losing the battle with muscular dystrophy. In fact, at the time he received the letter [of forgiveness that Craig that written], Max was under the care of a hospice nurse, waiting for inevitable death.
Months after Max passed away, his nurse sent us a letter asking she could talk to us. When we agreed, she told us about the last days of Max's life, believing we needed to know. The caretaker explained that Max's eyesight had deteriorated and that he had asked her to read him my note. Although she wasn't aware of what he had done (and I never told her), it was obvious to her that he had done something grievously wrong. According to the nurse, he listened with tears streaming down his face. He asked her to pray the prayer with him. She recalled that his whole countenance changed as he asked Christ to forgive him and make him new. He died a few days later.
We Christian Atheists can rationalize as many excuses as we need to avoid forgiving. We Christians, forever, can find in God the sheer strength to battle through the feelings of anger, hatred, and bitterness, and forgive our way back to the cross. That's where Christ forgave us. And that's where, by faith, we can find the ability to forgive those who've wronged us. (pp. 121-122)

I cried when I read that one. It makes it easier for me to forgive someone who has wronged me in a far less egregious way, yet I've still held onto the anger and bitterness. It is time for me to release that person - and me.

Many Christian Atheists use the excuse that they can't change. Craig explains that often we can't change under our own power; we need a stronger and higher power:

If you believe you can't change, you're right - sort of. Your strength is limited. Your willpower isn't bottomless. Your determination will eventually run dry. That's why to change for good you will need the power of the only one who is good - Christ!
In Colossians 1:29, Paul says, "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." The word translated as "struggling" is the Greek word agonizomai (ag-oh-NID-zohm-ah-hee). It means to struggle or compete for a prize. It literally means to compete with an adversary - and win. It's important to notice how we're supposed to struggle, to fight. The Bible says we agonizomai with "all Christ's energy." We change by his power, not ours. (pp. 138-139)

This reminds me of one of my favorite verses, Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Knowing we have access to all of Christ's power makes us excuses pretty weak, don't they?!

Worrying can be a big issue for many Christian Atheists. We really need to follow God's advice:

...Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Don't worry about anything." And it doesn't just tell us what not to do. It tells us what to do as well. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (NLT). That make it sound so easy, but if we do what's wise, we can peacefully leave the rest to God.
If you do catch yourself worrying even after you've done what was wise, remember that God is bigger than our problems, and that he wants us to hand them over to him. Worry then becomes a signal alerting us that it's time to pray. Any time you hear the alarm start to blare, stop. It's time to stop worrying and start praying. (p. 153)

Craig offers the following advice to conclude his book:

Are you a Christian Atheist? Do you believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist? I am praying that God leads you beyond first-line faith. Believing in Christ enough to benefit from him is at best shallow Christianity. At worst, it's empty, deceptive religion, leading many down the broad path to eternal devastation.
Step across the first line - but don't stop there.
Line two will feel much better than line one. Believing in Christ enough to contribute comfortably may seem right. But even that is a human-centered Christianity. Keep moving.
Consider the third line. Ask what separates you from a wholly surrendered, Spirit-filled, kingdom-driven life. Weigh your options. Life as it is...or life as it could be.
Consider the costs.
Do whatever it takes.
Step across the line.
Welcome to true Christianity. (p. 240)

What a terrific book! I thought this book included a lot of practical information. And, again, I appreciated the honesty and openness that Pastor Groeschel provided in the book. I recommend this book to any Christian; we all have a little bit of atheism left over from our unsaved days.

This book was provided by Zondervan Publishers for review purposes.

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - [...]

The Christian Atheist is adequately summarized by its subtitle (Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist) and biblically supported by Titus 1:16 (They claim to know God, but by their actions deny him). Structurally the book includes twelve chapters all titled "When You Believe in God but . . ." sandwiched between an introduction and an afterword that are both pastoral and personal. Written from an evangelistic and conservative theological worldview, Groeschel seeks to encourage his readers to engage in introspection to learn if their faith is genuine or hypocritical and then to respond by making any necessary changes to become what he terms a "third line Christian" (someone who believes strongly enough to give one's life to "Christ's gospel").

Groeschel's willingness to share his own personal journey, including shortcomings that became learning experiences and opportunities for spiritual growth, serves as the book's greatest strength. The book's greatest weakness is its redundancy. The reader moves through twelve verses (ways to fall short of being a third line Christian) of the same song: real Christians believe this but Christian atheists act in a way that seemingly denies such a belief.

Many Christians say that they trust God but live like they don't believe he exists. That is the premise of Groeschel's book. A memoire of sorts, Groeschel tells of how he had a successful ministry for over a decade but his actions proved that he relied on himself rather than God.

Groeschel gives examples to define the term "Christian Atheist" and they tend to hit closer to the mark than I expected. The call to believe what we say we believe is one that is relevant and powerful - if we actually take the advice instead, as I suspect most of will do, say that we agree with it then live like we don't.

The inherent hypocrisy of mankind is that we always act less nobly than we say we want to or should. This hits Christians hard because we say we have the answer and that others should agree with and adopt our answer - all the while we fail to follow our own creed. This book isn't a Christian-bashing book at all. Just a frank introspective look at what Groeschel went through and how he came out of it and a call to do likewise.

I listened to the audio book, which is unabridged, and lasts about 6 hours. The reader, Tom Shiff, did an adequate job, but the lack of passion in his tone and pace tended to let my mind wander. I prefer to hear the author read their own works and I can only imagine that Groeschel, the pastor of LifeChurch.tv would have done a far superior job of it. As such, I would recommend the paperback over the audio book.

A good book with a message that most of us should read and take action on.

Review originally published at BookGateway. This book was provided by the publisher as a review copy.

We've all been there. We pray for something, and don't get an answer. We're told to tithe, but don't think we can squeeze the money out of our budgets. We know we are supposed to trust God, but find ourselves obsessing over problems. And it's getting harder and harder to drag ourselves to church. The people there just don't fit our ideas of what a Christian should be.

The result, as author Craig Groeschel points out in his book The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist, is a lot of people who claim to be Christians but live as if they really don't believe some of what the Bible teaches about life and how we are to live it. In other words, a bunch of Christian Atheists.

Using stories from his life, Groeschel highlight his own struggles with atheism in various forms. His honesty challenged me to be honest with myself. I could see that some of what I think of as struggles or trials in my own life should be called out for what they are: nothing less than a lack of faith. I, too, am a Christian Atheist.

I didn't have to read the book to be convinced: just skimming the chapter titles was enough to make me realize that I had a problem. "When You Believe in God but Don't Think He's Fair" and "When You Believe in God but Still Worry All the Time" are just two of the subjects Groeschel tackles.

While I felt convicted as I read The Christian Atheist, I never felt condemned. Groeschel writes from the perspective of one confessing his own struggles and failures, and points the way to overcome them. The practical advice for defeating Christian Atheism inserted clarity into my own battles, and offers hope that I can learn to live as if I really believed what I say I do.

For me, that is the great value of The Christian Atheist. It's not just about fixing things within my own life, although there is much to be fixed and any help is welcome. We live in a culture that is increasingly less Christian. Those outside the church look at those inside, and don't always see much difference in how we live our lives. If we are truly to be salt and light to the world around us, we can't accept the Christian Atheism in our own hearts.

Read The Christian Atheist. It will stir you up, strengthen your faith, and refine your vision for living as a Christian. Highly recommended.

Are you ashamed of your past? Do you have a hard time with forgiveness? What if you don't believe you can change? Do you trust more in money than in God? Is God is fair? What do you think about the church?

If you have ever asked or struggled with even one of these questions, then my friend, this book is for you.

Speaking from his past as a "Recovering Christian Athiest", Craig Groeschel takes a serious look at these issues and more, assuring us that God gets where we are coming from and has an answer. In the book, Groeschel offers anecdotes and advice, showing us how we can place our trust in God and not only call ourselves Christians but live as believers.

Honestly, what made this book so relevant for me is that Craig Groeschel is a pastor who is willing to admit he still struggles with many of the same things we all do. In other words, no one is the perfect Christian, not even our leaders. We are all on a journey of spiritual growth and maturity with so much to learn from one another along the way. The Christian Athiest is an easy read while hitting on topics which we can all relate and providing plenty for the reader to think about.

By taking off the mask, Craig Groeschel gives his readers a chance to say "Yes, I struggle with this too." while seeing there are Biblical answers to each question The Christian Athiest asks. Consider the questions honestly: Are you a Christian Athiest? Do you worry all the time? Are you ashamed of your past?

Read Craig Groeschel's The Christian Athiest and you'll discover that you don't have to be!

I had never heard of Craig Groeschel before I read this book, but the title hooked me, and I picked it up. As has been said before, some of the chapters are more profound than others, but this book is definitely worth the time to study and do some self-examination.

My advice is to skim through each chapter quickly (5 minutes) and write down your impressions based on that skim. Then once you have done a quick skim and outline go back and dig in. Take a chapter at a time and really devout it. As you do so, take a personal inventory. If you're anything like me, you'll discover that you've been talking one talk but walking a different walk.

I won't spend a lot of time breaking down each idea, or even each chapter. I think it's better for each reader to make those discoveries individually. The book is a pretty easy read, but I urge you not to let it be so. Don't just fly through the book and toss it on your bookshelf. Slow down, let the ideas listed sink in and turn the lights on, so to speak.

It's not always easy or painless to examine yourself - especially not in terms of ideas like those presented in this book, but such examination is crucial to personal growth.

When I first saw this in the bookstore, I saw the title and was offended, so I walked away. Another day at the bookstore, the book captured my attention again, you can't miss the bright color of the cover. This time I remember people talking about the book on Twitter, people I respected, so I decided to look inside the cover. I was immediately captivated by the chapter titles, so I purchased the book and found myself reading a chapter each night. As I read about being a Christian atheist, I noticed the book speaking to my heart, with wisdom from the author's personal experiences. By the time I completed the book and read about "the Third Line" I knew the book was written for every Christian I know! It's fabulous and ranks high on my list of Top 10 Best Christian books ever written! If you like Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan, then you'll like this book too. It brings a new perspective to the Christian faith and explores passive Christianity.

I was hoping it’d be a little deeper. Like for people who really question God’s existence after being raised in the church (like I did/was.)

Good generic info and reminders. No surprises or anything new for someone who is already very familiar with the church.

Actually, I'm not sure what rating to give this book, perhaps a 3.75 would be more appropriate. The main reason for this is that for some reason I managed to read the whole book in less than a day, yet at the same time I felt that I hardly learned anything from it. Maybe I read it too fast, maybe I read it with a critical eye (if you can tell by the title), although I found some useful advise from it.

Goreschel briefly mentions the moralistic therapeutic deism (MTD) phenomenon that can for the most part describe what most teenagers and young adults believe, that God is some sort of big guy in the sky who is more than willing to bail you out when needed and you can forget about otherwise. Perhaps this is the main symptom of the "feel-good" religion that has run rampant in our country and includes the Prosperity "Gospel" that the author does not forget to criticize (I agree, by the way), and although this is not how he starts the book I think it's a good reference point to his message as his audience that he probably had in mind very much follows this phenomenon.

In a way, I learned about the author's past and (then) current life through the pages, growing up from the barely knowledgeable Christian teenager (and a hypocritical one) in college to becoming a pastor while starting a family, the former I can relate because that's how I used to be (and still am to some degree) and then gives advice on how to get out of the "Christian atheist" lifestyle. In a way, the profile of someone who might fit into this label would be a barely practicing, if at all, person who may be doing so out of indifference to Christ, or frustration with his Church and the failings of other believers. Then, the author responds to most excuses such a person might make (the most prominent one being, "I'm not good enough"), in a way repeating what every preacher usually says, that God loves us all and we should turn to him.

What I found most surprising, however, was at the end when making suggestions about how share the faith, and he mentions the main reason for doing so. That is, hell exists. You might think that most megachurch pastors don't talk about that stuff anymore, well at least not this one because he simply repeats what Scripture has said all along (by the way when quoting Scripture, most of the times he puts the text) and although I'm not a fan of megachurches I give him respect for that. In a way he's not the feel-good pastor that one might think he is if you're not used to reading these kinds of books.

So, that's what I understood from the book and that's why I rated it that way, like I said maybe I misunderstood what he was trying to say but I may had had a hard time understanding the point, so maybe I had to give it another try another day.

We did a six week church wide alignment series that included reading this book, participating in a small group, and the Sunday morning sermons aligned to topics from the book.  This was the first book I have read from Craig and I found it to be truthful and in the face.  

Craig covers a variety of topics related to modern day Christianity that challenges you to think about do you really believe in God based on the way you live.  He does that using this catchy two word phrase "Christian Atheist".  I found myself challenged as a believer reading this book.  There are several areas of my faith I struggle with and Criag pointed those out while personally sharing his testimony of his faith in God.  Overall I found this a great spiritual season for me reading this book.  The alignment series with my church made it even more fruitful.

I would recommend this book for anyone looking to go deeper in their faith as a Christian.  Craig offers words of encouragement and support to help you in areas of struggle. Book is best done as a small group to allow you to share with other believery.

***Please note this review is only for the DVD - I didn't read the book!!***

Came across this DVD at a local retailer while looking for a video-based Sunday school series. Hadn't heard of it, but thought it sounded interesting so I picked it up. In this video, pastor/author Craig Groeschel looks at six ways professing Christians frequently live at odds with their self-proclaimed faith. Sessions include "You believe in God but...": you don't really know Him; you don't think He's fair; you aren't sure He loves you; you trust more in money; you pursue happiness at any cost; you don't want to go overboard.

Each video session has a short introductory segment, a main lesson (apparently recorded to video directly from Groeschel's sermon presentations), and a short conclusion. You'll need almost 20 minutes per video session, which made our 50 minute Sunday school class a bit pressed for time, so we skipped the conclusions. The lessons are great, with Groeschel keeping things biblically rooted and interesting. Groeschel uses lots of humor, which some may not like as much, but it worked well with our group. His sessions lend themselves to good discussion, so much so that I didn't bother buying the book or study guides. No regrets, I just watched the videos ahead of time and wrote up some discussion questions and it worked great.

The lessons themselves are very convicting and strike a pretty firm blow to easy Christianity. When you look at the depressing stats about the ways in which many self-described Christians use their money, their time, their bodies, and their minds (not much different from non-Christians) it is easy to see that the oxymoron "Christian atheism" is actually quite apt. Groeschel has done his part to expose much of this cultural Christianity for what it is and reminds us that Christ is an all-or-nothing Savior demanding everything. Enjoyable, engaging, challenging, and highly recommended.

Craig Groeschel, the author of `The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn't Exist,' is one of the most influential pastors in the United States today. When I learned he had a new book, and heard the provocative title, I knew I wanted to read what he had to say!

Here is the synopsis of this book:

Are you putting your whole faith in God but living as if everything is up to you?
Craig Groeschel's personal journey toward an authentic, God-honoring life and the lessons he learned along the way are more relevant than ever. From his family and his upbringing, to the lackluster and even diametrically opposed expressions of faith he encountered, Groeschel's frank and raw conversation about our Christian Atheist tendencies and habits is a convicting and life-changing read.
This honest, hard-hitting, and eye-opening look into the ways people believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist is a classic in the making.

Here is the biography for the author:

Craig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv ([...]), a pace-setting multicampus church, with over eighty weekly worship experiences in fourteen locations, including an online campus. Craig, his wife Amy, and their six children live in the Edmond, Oklahoma area where LifeChurch.tv ([...]) began in 1996. Craig is the author of several books, including Chazown and It.

Here is Craig explaining the concept `Christian Atheist':

[...]

In `A Letter to the Reader,' Pastor Groeschel talks about the fact that Christian Atheists are everywhere:

Welcome to Christian Atheism, where people believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist. As much as I don't want to admit it, I see this kind of atheism in myself. People might assume that a pastor wouldn't struggle with any form of atheism, but I certainly do. Sadly, Christian Atheism is everywhere. There has to be a better way to live.
This book is for anyone courageous enough to admit to their hypocrisy. I hope it pushes you, challenges you, and disturbs you. And if you're honest before God - as I am trying to be - perhaps together we can shed some of our hypocrisy and live a life that truly brings glory to God. (pp. 14-15)

I so appreciate when people in positions of Christian leadership - particularly pastors - are honest enough to admit that they are only human and are flawed just like the rest of us. So many Christians have left the faith and the church because they placed humans on a pedestal, then were greatly disappointed when these humans fail in some way. That was a good opening to the book; I was excited to keep reading!

Craig explains how he came to faith when he was in college:

After finishing Matthew, we discovered that Mark, Luke, and John had several of the same stories. Three chapters into Acts, we got bored and skipped to Romans. Midway through Romans, I got so excited that I started reading ahead. When I reached Ephesians, I encountered two verses that would forever change my life: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." Could this be true? We're saved by God's grace and his grace alone? It's not by my works? Why didn't anyone tell me? (p. 24)

That is the best news in the Bible!

Craig's personality type and wiring sent him in a certain direction with his faith:

My mission had become a job. Instead of studying God's Word out of personal devotion, I studies only to preach. Instead of preaching messages to bring glory to God, I preached to bring people to church. I promised hurting people I would pray for them, but I usually didn't follow through.

At the age of twenty-five, I was a full-time pastor and a part-time follower of God. (p. 26)

So many churches seem to be started by self-starting, highly motivated men. Pastor Groeschel seems to be one of them. Those types of individuals really need to be careful of their motives - that they are God-honoring, not self-edifying. Fortunately, Craig saw his tendencies, and seems to have taken steps to keep himself on the God track, not the man track.

Pastor Craig explains what he feels when he is in communion with God:

It's like somehow my spirit is connected to him, and I can hear what he's saying. There's kind of a buzz, a constant conscious awareness that as my day unfolds, God is orchestrating things and sending people into my life. That's doing life with God.
At other times, God may not feel as close. But by faith, I know he is with me. No matter what I feel, I hold the assurance that God never leaves me. And he won't leave you. (p. 39)

When we feel far away from God, we can always go back to Him:

If you don't know him, you can. If you used to be close, you can be close again. Getting to know God is not difficult, and it isn't about a bunch of rules. Yes, God wants your obedience, but he wants your heart even more. He says over and over again that if you seek him, you will find him (Deut. 4:29: Jer. 29:13; Matt. 7:7-8; Acts 17:27). You can find him by reading your Bible; he's been there all along. And when you begin to seek him, you'll find that he's already running toward you, his beloved child. Get to know him and allow his presence to impact every area of your life, every day. (p. 43)

Craig explains that shame keeps many Christian Atheists separated from God. King David was a perfect example:

David didn't try to pretend he was innocent - he was honest. But neither did he allow the guilt trap to rob him - or God - of the joy of a life redeemed and restored. He knew he couldn't change the past, but he hoped he could change the future.
When we hope in what God has promised - commanded - our hope is the same as certainty. (p. 53)

Many Christian Atheists have a hard time believing God loves them. They don't need to earn His love:

In short, there's nothing we can do to earn God's love. We are already and always loved simply because God made us and loves each and every one of his creations. There's nothing we can do to get God to love us more, and there's nothing we can do to cause God to love us less. (p. 66)

Many Christian Atheists don't think prayer is effective for them, so they don't pray. Craig explains how prayers work, and that we can always go back to Him:

God will answer some prayers the way you want, and others he won't. That's the mystery of prayer. Even though we can't reduce prayer to a formula, we are instructed to pray honestly, openly, and continually. Part of our prayer lives will be not only talking to God but also listening for his voice. We communicate with our God who is always present, always listening, and always caring - and the One who does all this is love.
Why not start praying now? Talk to God about whatever is on your heart. Cry to him if you need to. If you're hurting, unload on him like Habakkuk did. He can handle it. If you feel alone, ask him to comfort you with your presence. If you've been away for a while, tell him you're ready to come home. If you're angry, let it rip. (p. 90)

One of the hardest things for any of us to do is to forgive. Craig described what happened in his life when he finally let a man who molested his sister (and many other young girls) off the hook, and followed God's directive to forgive as he was forgiven (Colossians 3:13):

I didn't realize that Max's sickness had advanced. He was losing the battle with muscular dystrophy. In fact, at the time he received the letter [of forgiveness that Craig that written], Max was under the care of a hospice nurse, waiting for inevitable death.
Months after Max passed away, his nurse sent us a letter asking she could talk to us. When we agreed, she told us about the last days of Max's life, believing we needed to know. The caretaker explained that Max's eyesight had deteriorated and that he had asked her to read him my note. Although she wasn't aware of what he had done (and I never told her), it was obvious to her that he had done something grievously wrong. According to the nurse, he listened with tears streaming down his face. He asked her to pray the prayer with him. She recalled that his whole countenance changed as he asked Christ to forgive him and make him new. He died a few days later.
We Christian Atheists can rationalize as many excuses as we need to avoid forgiving. We Christians, forever, can find in God the sheer strength to battle through the feelings of anger, hatred, and bitterness, and forgive our way back to the cross. That's where Christ forgave us. And that's where, by faith, we can find the ability to forgive those who've wronged us. (pp. 121-122)

I cried when I read that one. It makes it easier for me to forgive someone who has wronged me in a far less egregious way, yet I've still held onto the anger and bitterness. It is time for me to release that person - and me.

Many Christian Atheists use the excuse that they can't change. Craig explains that often we can't change under our own power; we need a stronger and higher power:

If you believe you can't change, you're right - sort of. Your strength is limited. Your willpower isn't bottomless. Your determination will eventually run dry. That's why to change for good you will need the power of the only one who is good - Christ!
In Colossians 1:29, Paul says, "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me." The word translated as "struggling" is the Greek word agonizomai (ag-oh-NID-zohm-ah-hee). It means to struggle or compete for a prize. It literally means to compete with an adversary - and win. It's important to notice how we're supposed to struggle, to fight. The Bible says we agonizomai with "all Christ's energy." We change by his power, not ours. (pp. 138-139)

This reminds me of one of my favorite verses, Philippians 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Knowing we have access to all of Christ's power makes us excuses pretty weak, don't they?!

Worrying can be a big issue for many Christian Atheists. We really need to follow God's advice:

...Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Don't worry about anything." And it doesn't just tell us what not to do. It tells us what to do as well. "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (NLT). That make it sound so easy, but if we do what's wise, we can peacefully leave the rest to God.
If you do catch yourself worrying even after you've done what was wise, remember that God is bigger than our problems, and that he wants us to hand them over to him. Worry then becomes a signal alerting us that it's time to pray. Any time you hear the alarm start to blare, stop. It's time to stop worrying and start praying. (p. 153)

Craig offers the following advice to conclude his book:

Are you a Christian Atheist? Do you believe in God but live as if he doesn't exist? I am praying that God leads you beyond first-line faith. Believing in Christ enough to benefit from him is at best shallow Christianity. At worst, it's empty, deceptive religion, leading many down the broad path to eternal devastation.
Step across the first line - but don't stop there.
Line two will feel much better than line one. Believing in Christ enough to contribute comfortably may seem right. But even that is a human-centered Christianity. Keep moving.
Consider the third line. Ask what separates you from a wholly surrendered, Spirit-filled, kingdom-driven life. Weigh your options. Life as it is...or life as it could be.
Consider the costs.
Do whatever it takes.
Step across the line.
Welcome to true Christianity. (p. 240)

What a terrific book! I thought this book included a lot of practical information. And, again, I appreciated the honesty and openness that Pastor Groeschel provided in the book. I recommend this book to any Christian; we all have a little bit of atheism left over from our unsaved days.

This book was provided by Zondervan Publishers for review purposes.

Reviewed by Andrea Schultz - Ponderings by Andrea - [...]

God's prophets have always had to remind God's people that God expects his people to live a life which corresponds to their beliefs. That is, God expects his people's walk to match their talk. Simply saying that you believe, while living quite differently, just does not cut it.

The Old Testament prophets had to point this out, as did the New Testament disciples. And throughout church history we have been reminded of this as well, by people such as Francis of Assisi or AW Tozer. Pastor Craig Groeschel picks up this theme and shows us how in very ordinary and unassuming ways, we are talking like Christians but living like atheists.

Unlike the hard-hitting works of a Ravenhill or a Tozer, this volume is different. It comes from a pastor's heart, but it also comes from one who has also been a Christian atheist. Groeschel says he has come a long way in overcoming this dichotomy, but he still has work to do.

This would basically be true of all of us. Some of us have a much wider gap between our walk and our talk. Using stories from his own life and many others, he uses practical and quite down to earth measurements to help us see where we are falling short in all this.

For example, all believers claim that God is our provider, and will meet all our needs, but how many of us actually live this way? How many actually put God to the test in this regard, and really trust him in the difficult times? We tend to like to help God out here, with all of our bank accounts and nest eggs.

We seldom in fact do need to trust God because we arrange circumstances so that we are self-sufficient, and don't really need to trust God and see if he will come through. While the phrase "In God we trust" is found on US currency, most believers in fact live as if it is "In money we trust".

Or what about those believers who rightly think evangelism is a big priority in the Christian life, but never share their faith? We all talk as if letting others know about the gospel is our main task, but so very few believer actually do it. Why is that?

And consider the issue of church attendance. Scripture is clear that we should not forsake fellowship with one another, but how many believer make one excuse after another about why they don't need to go to church? We mouth off the importance of church life, but we live like pagans in this regard.

Groeschel, who describes himself as a recovering Christian atheist, lists plenty more such discrepancies between our profession of faith and out actual conduct. How many rejoice in the fact that in Christ our sins are forgiven, yet still live as if God is still angry with us, or still counting our sins?

How many of us say that prayer is one of our most important duties as a believer, but so seldom actually do it? How many Christians believe that loving God and others is the greatest commandment, yet we live simply to please ourselves and maximise our own happiness?

How many believers know that God is in the business of transforming lives, yet still live lives that show no change or transformation at all? And how many Christians talk about the vital importance of actually knowing God, yet they in fact hardly know him at all?

The truth is, we all fail so often in these and other areas. And Groeschel is the first to put up his hand here and confess his failures. But he has learned that in Christ the great divide between our talk and our walk can be substantially closed, if we allow God to fully work in our lives.

The first step is to be honest with ourselves - and with God - about our struggles, and to admit that our Christian double standards are not only very real, but are a genuine setback to Christian growth and our witness to the world. Confessing our need of change is the beginning of this journey of recovery.

If we say that a life-transforming God exists, then it is time that we start living that way. We have all settled for too long to mouth Christian platitudes and clichés, without allowing God to radically come into our lives and transform us.

This book is a gentle yet sober warning that this is what real Christian discipleship is all about: not just talking the talk but walking the walk. And with God's help it is more than possible to abandon our Christian atheism and start living like real Christians.

The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but living as if He doesn't exist. (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010). 240 pages.

This is my first book by Groeschel. I have listened to him speak on a number of occasions but this is the first book I have read.

I found the book to be interesting, challenging, and devotional in nature for me. As a pastor, I didn't find any "deep" theological concepts...just observation and application of biblical truth put on the "bottom shelf" for every reader.

Groeschel illustrates each of the apparent inconsistencies in the Christian life through a transparency of his personal struggles in these areas.

I say that the book is challenging and devotional because it provoked me to ask some tough questions about how I apply my faith in everyday life. Some of the struggles I readily identified with. Others...caused me to pause and examine what I believe about them...to examine if they might be true in my life. The end result was that I saw in me things that I wanted to change...to cross the "third line" (P.237).

I think the book is highly suitable for the purposes listed (challenging and devotional). It also could be well suited for a small group discussion curriculum if a facilitator would take the time to read a chapter in advance and assemble discussion questions for each of the 12 chapters.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to my next book by the author!

This is a well written book. It has as its basic theorem the idea that many Christians do not fully get what Jesus Christ is really all about. Or they live saying they believe but live life as if Jesus is not a real presence in their lives.

This book is excellent at skewering all the "I'm a Christian...but" arguments that many Christians make. Groeschel gently and clearly describes several problems believers encounter and then shows how to get through them. He argues well from clear examples and relevant scripture.

This book will help Christians to challenge their understanding of their beliefs, and hopefully to deepen them.

I can recommend it to Christians who struggle to fully grasp how much their faith could and should impact on their lives.

When I first saw the title of the book, The Christian Atheist, by Craig Groeschel, I did a double-take. It was an oxymoron because how can one be a Chrisitian who believes in God and at the same time an atheist who doesn't? But I discovered that scripture says it is possible: "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him." (Titus 1:16)

Groeschel makes a good case for "Christian atheism" as he challenges the reader to consider areas of his or her life that contradict the claim of belief in God by living as if He doesn't have the power to make a difference in our lives. I was most challenged by the chapter entitled "When You Believe In God But Still Worry All The Time." Reading that chapter showed me my words are those of a believer but my worry often reflects a person who doesn't believe.

Other chapter topics include When You Believe In God But...are ashamed of your past, aren't sure He loves you, trust more in money, don't think you can change, and don't share your faith, to name a few.

The Christian Atheist encouraged me to face those areas of my life that I sometimes live as an "atheist" despite my profession of faith in God, and is one I recommend to any Christian who struggles with reconciling what they know in their heads with a deeper faith in their hearts.

This book review was based on a complimentary copy I received from Zondervan but the opinion is entirely mine. If I didn't like it, I would say so.

"The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as if He Doesn't Exist" by Craig Groeschel was disappointing. While I appreciate the author's attempt, he should not quit his day job.

What I mean by that is although he made some good points about how a Christian can be living as an atheist, this book did nothing for me.

The book has a tone more catered to a younger audience (High school or college students).

Also, the paragraph structure is disorganized and jumps from one topic to another.

I would not reccommend this book to my friends.

It doesn't take much of a stretch to say that many, if not most, American Christians live like Christian atheists. Sure, we have Christian values (whatever that means in your particular Christian circle), we attend church, maybe even several days a week, maybe even in leadership, we listen to Christian music, we have Christian friends. But how much of that fully acknowledges God's role in our lives? This question has troubled me for a long time. If I have a non-existent devotional life, if I don't consult or acknowledge God in my daily decisions, and if I otherwise live without daily interaction with him, I guess I'm counted among the Christian atheists.

When I saw the title of Craig Groeschel's book, I knew I had to take a look. Groeschel is founder and pastor of LifeChurch.tv, one of those church names that makes me groan on a number of levels. Even though the church follows that multi-campus, marketing driven, seeker-friendly, ultra-hip model that makes me sick, I have to give him credit for reaching lots of people. As the domain name in the church name suggests, they are spread over several locations in several states, linked together by technological means.

I have never heard Groeschel preach, but I am thinking that The Christian Atheist must reflect his teaching/preaching style. One the plus side, he uses lots of personal stories, both from his own life and from people in his church and who he has met. He's not one to get stories from "Sermon Illustrations Weekly"; he brings real lives of real people into his teaching. Groeschel covers many of the ways I live as a Christian atheist: not praying, doubting his total love for me, questioning his sovereignty, trusting in my efforts and money for my needs, not sharing my faith. In much of the content, he addresses the typical American pagan, who thinks he's a Christian but who has never made a decision to follow Christ, but much applies to people like me, who have been Christ followers, but who go through the motions of faith and church, and don't live in communication and relationship with God on a daily basis.

Ultimately I was disappointed in the book. It showed Groeschel's engaging style, but lacked much substance. The target audience would be the seeker, without a background in Christian teaching and theology, which probably makes sense. I get the impression that's who he preaches to every week. For someone who has been immersed in church life and Christian teaching, there's nothing new here, and what is here is pretty superficial. That's not to say it's completely without value, but I will say the value is quite limited. I guess it will take a lot more than Groeschel's book to break me out of my Christian atheism.

[...]

This is my first Craig Groeschel book, but it was well written and thought provoking as you might expect if you have ever heard Craig speak. It causes you to think in a way that simply telling you what you should think could never do. He instead presents a number of life stories which anyone can relate to and apply to their own lives in a way that causes you to pause and consider how you live your own life (or fail to).

The book is primarily written for people who profess to be Christians, but fail to truly live their lives as if they are, but not in a condescending or mean way like some people might. Craig instead simply has a conversation with the reader and lets you make the big discoveries on your own. There is a lot of wisdom and value here for people who need to adjust their priorities in general in order to find a deeper relationship with Christ, but I think anyone could get a lot out of this book and for the price he is practically giving it away.

Craig is not just a "do what I tell you to do" kind of guy and he obviously thirsts for the deep understanding of life and what God intends for us in a way that tells you he is constantly seeking a PhD in self discovery and spiritual meaning. This is a book I plan to read regularly for the rest of my life.

It should be easy to spot people who really believe that God exists and Jesus was who he claimed to be, because they should be acting as if God is an ever-present part of their reality, and yet surveys tend to show that there is very little difference in the way people who claim to be Christians behave when compared to others. Craig Groeschel explores why this is so in this book.

The book examines a number of ways in which Christians fail to act consistently with their stated beliefs: not really knowing God, remaining ashamed of your past, being unsure of God's love for you, not believing in prayer, not trusting that God is fair, failing to forgive, not believing that you can change, clinging to worry, pursuing happiness at any cost, trusting more in money than in God, not sharing your faith, and not being part of the church.

The book demonstrates that a lack of faith can be manifested in many different ways, and it points out what are likely to be some key areas of sin in the reader's life, although it does this in a non-judgemental way because the author confesses that he commits the same sins. This is a very well-written book which anyone who claims to be a Christian would benefit from reading.

Pastor Groeschel uses real life, everyday scenarios from his own life to describe exactly what it means to be a Christian atheist. He uses Scripture and those stories to challenge every believer, or thought to be believer, to re-examine their lives and how they walk with God.

I believe the book is brilliant and definitely useful for building up the saints. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone, Christians and non-Christians alike. I can honestly say that I walked away from this one with a renewed spirit, and a more humble heart.

Praise the Lord for a faithful servant who will challenge believers to live honest and full lives for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I hadn't heard of Groeschel before recieving this book as a birthday gift, and I liked it more than I thought I would. I very well may add it to my students' book-report option list for next year. Groeschel makes the point that Christians act as though the God they believe in didn't exist, and he does it well and with humility. I enjoyed his writing style but the theology is strictly standard-issue. There's no great revelation in here beyond what you'd find in a high-school Sunday school class. But for a quick easy read, this is fine.

This book has an extremely powerful "Afterword - Third Line Faith" and it's worth every penny if all you read are those 8 pages. There are many books on the market challenging Christians to be more, to let go of our worldliness and live an authentic walk with Jesus. This is one of those books.

Craig, a pastor of a US megachurch, uses a strong combination of personal experience, Biblical truth and practical suggestions to deliver a compelling guidebook on how to start living a life of "always saying YES" to Jesus.

This is easy to read with bite-sized chapters such as "When you Believe in God but Still worry all the Time" and "When you Believe in God but won't Forgive" and is relevant to all people seeking to draw closer to God.

Highly recommend it!

I cannot tell you how awesome this book is. I found it relevant and thought provoking. I loved the fact that it was "dumbed" down as others have reviewed. As this book points out, there are many "novice" Christians out there, like me. I find it sad that others would tear this book down due to that fact. I will be purchasing his other books soon and if they are anything like this book, I will finish them in about two days as well!

And...you will love the humor throughout this book! It held my interest and I can rarely finish a book!

While reading this book I could not put it down. I honestly think that God wanted me to read this book and I say that because I had gotten this book at a local Family Christian Bookstore but acouple minutes after purchasing it I had returned it because I couldn't really afford it and another customer was watching me return it but hadn't thought anything of it. For the next two weeks, that customer couldn't get any rest because the Holy Spirit was telling her to go back to the bookstore and buy this book for me, which they did, so I had gotten this book for free. After reading this book, I truly think that God had wanted me to read this book because it has really opened up my eyes to some things in my life, especially how I can share Jesus with others just by telling them my story. I highly recommend this book to every Christian out there, it will change you.

This is an awesome humbling and revealing book we all should read. If we are honest with ourselves we will see something about our nature in many of the chapters. Greg makes it personal so we can identify with his experiences so we can make our walk with God closer, as it should be. Our life group at church is going through the book and I want to further it's message in a small home group study.

Ok. Perhaps I was reading this at the wrong time or perhaps I just was reading too many other similar books, but when I began reading this book, all I could think of was "more of the same." Not that the book itself was poorly done or that I disagreed with anything that was in it, but I just didn't get a feel from this book that it was a must read. Maybe I will try again at some point, but for now I think there are better books out there that essentially say the same thing.

I thought this was very well done. It is about how many times people who claim Christianity tend to not really live it. They believe in God but live life as Atheists do, as if they don't really believe at all. There were many different issues of what our lives are like to reflect "Christian Atheism" - from how we worry, from our lack of forgiveness, the things we choose in life that are plainly known as worldly and sinful, our lack of involvement in church, etc. I really enjoyed learning about how the many people Craig Groeschel knows were able to change or not change their lives from "Christian Atheism". Also he was very honest in using himself as an example of failing to live as a real Christian and how he needed many transformations. Well done.

Chapter 3: When You Believe in God but Aren't Sure He Loves You

This chapter was life-changing for me. My parent's weren't expressive of their love, and b/c of that, I thought that love was earned ("A's", "works", etc). I did not know what the word "love" meant. When I read this chapter, my perspective changed so dramatically that I've never been the same. There's nothing anyone can say to me now to change how foundationally I feel about myself b/c I KNOW that I am loved. And the greatest of these (faith, hope, love) IS love...

LOVED is my favorite word and has been now for the past few years, since I read this book.

This book pushed me out of my comfort zone and into a deeper and more intimate relationship with my Saviour Jesus. I learned so much from it and it made me Laugh, Cry, anger and all these other emotions. That is the power of this book. It reaches so far and touches something so valuable.
Its a true God-Send book into my life that I will always treasure.

This book was powerful and amazing. I thought the title was perfect and inspired. I was disapointed that other reviewers nit-picked the title. Bottom line- for SO many Christians we say we believe, but when you look closely at our lives the resounding message is that we don't. We rob ourselves of God's promises and His power in our lives. This book was huge for me- Thank you craig!

This book is a great read and will really open your eyes to the issues of living our lives as if Jesus is "alive". The author writes and speaks on his own experiences on a level that easy to understand and relate with. My daughter who rarely reads picked this up from my table. She has been reading it and really enjoys it, Thank God. The books made me look at myself and my way of life and I'm wanting to change and do more in my walk. I highly recommend this book. God bless.

I loved this book! Craig Groeschel has a way of writing that is very entertaining and challenging at the same time. In the Christian Atheist, Groeschel covers some of the common reasons people say the believe in God, but live as though He doesn't exists. He covers things like believing in, but not knowing God, questioning whether God is fair and trusting in money more than in God. Whether you have been saved 10 days or 10 years, we should always be pressing in closer to God. In this book, we are invited to learn to know and walk with God more intimately. As we get to know Him, we will live boldly for Him and share our faith with other, without caring what they think. Groeschel challenges us to get to really know God. When you do, you will never be the same.

Craig Groeschel's writing style is extremely readable, but what I like most about his book is the honesty of the man. He tells the heart-warming stories to prove his points but does not leave out the stories that show his failures. He's even honest to the point of saying he cannot share the one last item that stood between him and God because it was too embarrassing. This is a book filled with much hope for someone who would like to cross that third line.

This book is excellent. It really challenges believers to check our hearts and see if we are truly living a life worthy of being called a follower of Christ. It is also great in challenging us to move out of our comfort zones. Some of use call ourselves Christians, but still party with the world - how is that Christian? Some of us call ourselves Christian but constantly worry or put our faith in money rather than God - how is that Christian? This is a great book to really push us to a higher level in our Christian walk. I believe every believer should read this book and that it truly will benefit them.

I am in the middle of reading this book right now and I look forward to reading a chapter each night. Craig is an amazing author that brings a fresh, unique perspective to what a real Christian should be. His writing is witty and humorous. Everyone should read this book!

This book is incredibly relevant for today. The title itself speaks volumes concerning the difficulties in the church today. As a pastor, I have encountered an ample supply of Christians who claim to know God but deny His power in their lives. Chapter two hit home for me as I have had to overcome my own past and the shame and guilt that lingers. Thank you for this fantastic book.

Michael Duncan,
Pastor and Author
Starting Out: A Study Guide for New Believers

I grabbed this text from my Christian bookstore hoping for an exciting read. The author's style of writing threw me off a bit.. it is not what I am generally used to. But he is rather effective in getting the point across and opening new doors, or windows if you will, into what a Christian is and what a proper believer is. This text prompts your thinking about who you are and who the people around you are.

This is, more than anything a challenging book. The author challenges us who call ourselves Christ followers to in fact, follow him by acting like He's the Lord of our lives, instead of acting as if He doesn't exist.

The chapter on our past is one of the best, where Groeschel reminds us that it's not our sins that define us. Chapter 9 has a great section on the difference between being happy and being blessed.

Perhaps the best chapter though is the one on worry. "If God does what you think He should do, trust Him. If God doesn't do what you think He should do, trust Him." Good advice.

Highly recommended for all Christians and seekers to read.

I with out a doubt consider myself a Christian, but like so many in this world, time and time again I have fallen off of the path and have a hard time getting back on. This book does an AMAZING job understanding what it means to struggle with Christianity and at the same time says why it is so important to at times push past your comfort zone and strive harder then you ever had to get back on the path to God.

If you (like so many) are having troubles staying on the path and at times feel like you are alone.....then this is the book for you. Happy Reading!!

When I comes to Christian Literature there are many thoughts that God through my head while reading a book. I tend to judge where the author is coming from and what it means. It's shocking how God has his own timing on things for life change. With The Christian Atheist Pastor Craig Groeschel truly challenged my intentions and thoughts with my life. I realized that I as a person who has lived like I was my own God. One of the most incredible books I have ever read.

This book is very understandable. It is written so that the most basic of principles can be grasped, comprehended, and applied immediately. I think this book will be useful to many people for a very long time.

I definitely believe in the power of this book not only for myself but for many of the other Christians out there. As Christians, we struggle with trying to live like Christ did, which of course is inevitable. Many times, we give up and die to sin, however, this book really goes in depth as to WHY that is and HOW and WHAT we can do to remedy that. For churches, believers, for even the atheist, it's a real wake-up call. Kudos to Pastor Groeschel who is a self-acknowledged Christian Atheist, even as a pastor! You'll see the wonders of it as you read for yourself.

When I read the title, "The Christian Atheist," my interest was definitely piqued! I was not familiar with the author, Craig Groeschel, but with endorsements by Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, Brian Houston, Dave Ramsey, and Bill Hybels, I figured this was a MUST read. I was right!

Too many "Christians" are professing their faith...but no living it. Pastor Craig Groeschel cuts to the heart and prompts you to self examine your life as a Christian, but does so with such an amazing humble attitude...it still amazes me he pulled it off! Pastor Groeschel uses his own life experiences in a relevant and powerful way...exposing his own faults and weaknesses as a Christian in order to open the heart of the reader. Each Chapter will take you through most of the main ways in which Christians are "claiming" to know God, but by their actions denying Him. You might be surprised at how you're own faith measures up. This isn't a "quick" read. You'll want to read each chapter and then pray and ask God to examine your heart and reveal the areas that need some work. Yes, Pastor Groeschel is out to convict Christians, but not condemn. "The Christian Atheist" is a message that is calling God's people to live out the faith that they profess. I can't imagine a better book to grow and develop your faith!

I found The Christian Atheist to be very easy-to-read and extremely applicable. You will be encouraged to grow in your walk as a believer. If you think you are not a Christian Atheist in any area of your life, you will find out otherwise. Each section can be read in a short setting which makes it good as a supplement to personal devotions. I will most definitely be checking out more books by Craig Groeschel.

Once I picked up this book I could not put it down. Craig Groeschel has always been very gifted with words and using analogies that help Christian Atheists like me understand his point. While the subject matter is very serious, it is not delivered in a way that makes you feel guilty or ashamed. It actually is very humorous and relatable and most of all inspiring. I would recommend this book to everyone: Christians, Atheists, and Christian Atheists alike. God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

My husband and I are pastors and we want everyone in our congregation to read this book, because it gets to the heart of the issue of what it means to be a christian. We believe so many people are so misinformed when it comes to christianity and The Christian Athiest with its gut level honesty, humour and biblical truth redefines the term "christian". I want thank Craig Groeschel for stepping up to the plate and being open and honest as he lives these truths out and shares it with us.

Does an excellent job of pointing out the inconsistencies between what Christians state we believe and how we actually act. Easy read full of life stories and examples. Personally I average 1-2 new books on Church or theology a week. This is one of the best I have read so far this year and one of the few I read more than once.

Great book, definitely worth reading. I found myself convicted and wanting to change some things in my life after reading the book. And Groschel isn't preachy. Easy to read book that has some great and helpful stuff in.

I really got absorbed in this book. Craig is so honest about his Christian journey. That helps me to be more honest with myself in terms of my faith. I realized I have some dangerous weak spots that need to be confronted. I encourage anyone to read this book and realize the masks that the American church so easily wears and doesn't even know it. L.B.

This book provides Real Talk for a Real Need... As Christians we have a Real Need to be more than Chrino's Christians In Name Only. Craig does a great job of confronting tough issues with Real Talk and personal experiences. Great read and a great gift for people who have questions about God, Faith and their Personal Walk!