Our Book of the Month for May is Confessions of a Pastor, by Greg Groeschel. Groeschel pastors the Life Church, a multi-campus congregation in Oklahoma. I really didn't know much about Groeschel when I purchased the book. I had seen an advertisement for Confessions in a Christian magazine. And it piqued my interest. While in a bookstore in Chicago last year, I saw it and bought it. The chapter titles were quite provocative, such as "I Can't Stand a Lot of Christians," "I Have to Work Hard to Stay Sexually Pure," and "I Hate Prayer Meetings," etc. I was really curious about how Groeschel would address these subjects. Would this be a reality-TV type treatment of a pastor's personal life? Was he serious? What was this book really about? I couldn't wait to read it. And I wasn't disappointed.
Once you get past the provocative way in which the book is presented, Confessions is a sound, clear, and helpful guide for those who want to have a more authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Groeschel does make confessions about each of the things he mentions in the various chapter titles. And he is rather candid about his spiritual struggles, which was both shocking and refreshing. But, as you dig into each chapter, you soon discover that Groeschel is not just talking about himself. He's talking about you, as well. You begin to see yourself in the discussion. And then Groeschel turns to scripture to address what the Word of God has to say about the subject. And his handling of the texts he uses is both faithful and helpful, providing both a better understanding of scripture and practical guidance for drawing closer to God.
I heartily commend this book to you. It will, as its subtitle says, help you to drop your pose and get real with God. And yourself. It's about 200 pages long. But it's very readable. Groeschel's writing is clear, thought-provoking, and even entertaining. I read a lot of theology, exegetical works, and commentaries that are written with a lot of technical language. So I like to read books like this that are, well, readable - deep thoughts packaged in fresh language. I trust that this book will be a good read and a spiritual benefit to you. Likewise, my fellow preachers and teachers will find some good illustrative material in it. Let me know.
