My book : All You Get is Jesus

Over the past several weeks I've had many people contact me regarding the book that I am currently writing. They've asked me to share some of its content here. So...here is the Preface of the book.

Preface

I believe in Jesus. But you might find in this book that what I believe about Jesus is different from you. I hold fast to the Apostle’s Creed and all that is contained within the 66 books of the Bible, but I’m learning to let go and walk away from that which resembles religion. In fact, I’m un-learning everything I know about this generation’s Jesus in an effort to better understand the Nazarene mentioned throughout Scripture.

I am a pastor who serves the local church to see Jesus transform people’s lives for all eternity. But many of the churches that I know of would never want me on their staff. I preach the Good News of Jesus both in season and out of season, but I’m learning that Jesus’ Gospel is not always the message of the church. In fact, I’m un-learning everything I know about this generation’s church in an effort to better understand the fellowship that spread like wildfire in the book of Acts.

I am a follower of The Way. But the discipleship that I practice, and pass on to those in my ministry, may not even remotely resemble your’s. I practice the spiritual disciplines and I am slowly (very slowly) finding these practices are making me more like Jesus, but I’m learning that discipleship should make one dirty. In fact, I’m un-learning the cleanliness that you find in most Sunday School classrooms in an effort to become covered in the dust of my Rabbi.

I am a trophy of God’s grace. But you might find that what I believe about God’s goodness has nothing to do with gifts that He would give me apart from what His Son, Jesus, gave me at Golgotha. I love the cross of Christ, and I am still amazed by grace. But I’m learning that nothing other than salvation is promised to those who call Jesus Lord. In fact, I’m un-learning the concept of having a “mansion in Glory” in an effort to appreciate having a “room in my Father’s house” (John 14: 2).

I know Jesus to be a healer. But I accept that He doesn’t always heal. For some divine, yet unknown reason, His will and His plan don’t always include that. I know God to be a provider. But I accept that on many occasions our Father allows for lean times…sorrowful times…tragic times…I don’t try to explain His behavior in those moments, and I don’t love Him any less for it. He is who He is, and who He is should be called love. In fact, I am un-learning everything I know about love in an effort to love with the heart of Jesus.

If I haven’t run you off yet by sharing my beliefs with you, you should know that this book is a “living text” for me. It is an expression of my ongoing journey with Jesus finding out (often the hard way) what it means for me to deny myself, pick up a cross, and follow Him. It is a refinement of theology and a story board of Biblical “snapshots” detailing how I’ve begun to understand that, while we serve a God who is big enough to give us anything in all of creation, the only thing that is guaranteed to us as Christ followers is Jesus. It is my prayer that God will use this book to open the eyes of your heart to this truth.

May you come to know that all you may ever get is Jesus.
And may Jesus, just Jesus, be enough for you.
Amen.

Grace and Peace be with you.