First, I wanted to start with a book that I devoured in a morning and have thought about ever since; Jesus or Nothing
by Dan Dewitt
There is nothing better than a
book that makes you stop and think, long after you turn that last page. Jesus
or Nothing does exactly that.
As you might have seen me
mention on the blog over the past couple of months, we recently had a church
growth weekend at our church with Paul Borden from Growing Healthy Churches.
The aim of the weekend was to give our church strategies to grow – that is, to
bring more people from our community to Jesus to join our church family.
But there’s one major barrier
to this goal. We’re trying to reach people who don’t know Jesus, who don’t go
to church or who may have gone to church in the past and for some reason or
another have been turned away. That barrier is why it’s so important that we
change our ways of connecting with these people.
One of the things that I think
is so important in any relationship is understanding both sides – because you
cannot have a friendship without mutual understanding and acceptance.
Jesus or Nothing asks the
reader to consider both sides and to ask yourself; What if? As Dan says in the book “the gospel doesn’t enjoy a middle
category immune from truth or falsehood” – each of us as human beings have to
choose, it’s either Jesus or Nothing.
Now, you might be thinking this
is just a “churchy” book, but this is actually a book I’d recommend to everyone – regardless of where you
stand on religion.
It shows us that, as humans, we all have an incessant desire
for truth and understanding – and we all want to find meaning in our lives,
regardless of what we do or do not believe in.
There’s one quote in the book
by Blaise Pascal that especially stuck out to me; “We desire truth and find
within ourselves only uncertainty”.
As humans, we all want truth and certainty.
We all want to be sure of things – but we find it impossible to find that truth
and certainty within ourselves.
There is only One who can give us meaning,
understanding, hope, truth and certainty – and that’s Jesus.
This book will challenge you to
rethink how you view everyone –
especially atheists and those who seriously question our faith.
It addresses
the question that we all quietly and ashamedly ask to ourselves, regardless of
where we stand on religion; What If I’m
Wrong? Jesus or Nothing considers both sides of the fence and gives you a
better understanding of your own faith – whilst also equipping you with the
tools needed to point others towards the right path when they come to the
intersection of Jesus or Nothing.
Dan Dewitt is a theologian,
however, this book is written without arrogance or judgement which was a huge
breath of fresh air. He’s real, honest and raw and has pieced together a book
that you’ll want to recommend to everyone.
It’s a book that makes you think –
and a book that also makes you act as you begin to look at the world around you
in a whole new light.
Humans are always going to be
searching for the meaning of life – because that gives us the meaning of
everything. We are always going to come to the intersection of Jesus or Nothing
and it’s important that we make an informed decision – because it’s a choice we
make that has eternal implications.
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SIL Recommended? Definitely! I especially recommend this book to all of my Christian brothers and sisters - but this is a book I think everyone should read, regardless of where they stand on religion.
Where Can I Buy It?
- Book Depository - $11.43 AUD for the paperback version with free shipping worldwide
- Booktopia - $13.95 AUD plus $6.50 postage within Australia
- Amazon - $8.18 USD for the paperback version (plus shipping) or $7.32 for the Kindle version
- Bookworld
- $7.79 for the eBook version
