Rebecca Manley Pippert

A well-written and thought-provoking book, encouraging Christians to live out their beliefs, truly being 'salt' in the world.

There are anecdotes, and plenty of encouragement about lifestyle evangelism rather than the 'methods' adopted by so many. Mainly intended for students, but appropriate to any Christians. The style is light but with plenty to think about, and the principles are relevant to all.

A fabulous book that will change a Christian's view of witnessing to Christ - unfortunately in today's culture, the word "evangelism" has become a scary word - to both Christians and non-believers alike...for Christians due to fear of rejection or fear of inadequacy and for non-believers because of what they have heard from TV or what our post-modern culture has told them. Ironically, many adults who today reject Christianity (“I blindly accepted it as a child”) now “blindly” reject show more it as an adult without ever really studying the bible or investigating who Jesus was for themselves while an adult. I’m sure they can all tell stories about how they see all Christians as hypocrites, or how they got hit over the head by a bible-thumping evangelist. But ask them what part of the bible or Jesus they find offensive and many cannot point you to the exact spot – they can only give generalizations based on what culture has told them. They haven’t set foot in a church other than the one they were raised in for decades…they just know they reject everything they stand for. The author has heard all of this before…and takes a step back to talk about the true base work necessary before you can witness to Christ…and the necessity for getting away from deciding on “technique” as most important. Having worked with college age students for years, the author knows of what she speaks about encountering today’s cultural stereotypes of Christianity. Every person out there who calls themselves a professing Christian needs to read this book. As the author reminds us, we are not called to be experts in the bible, or to be experts in theology or experts in the church – we are called to witness to Christ, who He was and what He did for us personally…to tell what our story is and how Christ transformed us.. show less

This is a fresh and helpful book that explores the basic contours of the Christian faith. Rebecca Pippert explores the human condition by showing that the problem in the world lies in our own hearts (chapter 1). We're not okay (chapter 2), neither are we in charge (chapter 3). The problem is that we worship the wrong things (chapter 4). Only God can satisfy our deepest longings - the brokenness of our lives results from seeking that satisfaction in other things - relationships, wealth, sex, show more pleasure, status, etc. This idolatrous worship is sin (chapter 5) The answer to our woes is found in the gospel: the story of Jesus crucified and risen (chapters 6-7). When we respond to the gospel in honest confession and a life of genuine repentance, we are changed (chapter 8). The Christian life is an appropriation of the gospel, as live the cross in humble denial of self (chapter 9) and live the resurrection in joyful hope (chapter 10).

This is really an amazing book because it speaks with such poignancy to the human heart. Mrs. Pippert did not become a Christian until she was a young adult, and only after much struggle and wrestling with difficult philosophical questions. She addresses these questions carefully in this book, illustrating them with numerous conversations, anecdotes, and striking quotations from literature, philosophy, and psychology. Though I've been a Christian for many years, I found this book very moving and helpful.

I would especially recommend this as a book to give to your non-Christian friends. It is not a coercive book, but a thoughtful engagement with issues that most human beings face - loneliness, emptiness, suffering, despair - from a distinctly Christian perspective. This is a book that could be life-changing for you or someone you love. show less

This book talks about how the world looks at sin today. Pippert uses scripture and her own experiences to give readers reasons to hope in an all powerful, loving God.