Firsthand: Ditching Secondhand Religion for a Faith of Your Own - Hardcover

Ryan Shook; Josh Shook

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0307886298 ISBN 13: 9780307886293

Publisher: WaterBrook, 2013

Synopsis

New York Times Bestseller

Join us on a journey to find a faith of your own.
A faith that isn't your parents' or your youth pastor's or your church's.
Start from scratch, question everything, and get hold of a faith that's real.
We call it firsthand faith.
 
"It's rare to find young people unafraid to voice their doubts while still being bold in their faith. Ryan and Josh are two of those people."
--Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church, Washington, DC, and author of the New York Times bestseller The Circle Maker

"All Christian parents want their children to develop a faith of their own. Firsthand asks tough questions and guides those with a secondhand faith to find Christ for themselves."
--Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, OK, and author of Soul Detox

"Josh and Ryan Shook, the sons of well-known pastor and author Kerry Shook, have fully embraced the fact that although their dad gave them a great start, they need to run their own race. Learn how to embrace a firsthand faith and walk in the strength of a personal relationship with Christ."
--Steven Furtick, lead pastor of Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC, and author of the New York Times bestseller Greater

"Ryan and Josh Shook don't shy away from the tough questions but face them head-on in this powerful book that will encourage young adults not to settle for an inherited faith but to discover a true relationship with Jesus that is unique, exciting, and every bit their own."
--Pete Wilson, pastor of Cross Point Church, Nashville, TN, and author of Plan B

About this title

From the Author

We grew up in church and always knew the right answers. Our parents and church really were great, but when we got to college we discovered that our faith was no longer working for us. After struggling with what a genuine faith looked like we realized that the reason our faith no longer worked for us was because it was never our own. What we called our faith was really borrowed religion from our friends, church and parents. When we looked around, we saw that many of our friends, Christian or not, really didn't have a faith that they called their own either.

Firsthand is a book all about moving from secondhand religion to a firsthand relationship with Christ. We aren't Bible scholars, we don't have all the answers, but we do genuinely want you to discover the beauty and passion of a firsthand relationship with Christ. Throughout this book you will find honest examples, practical advice, and thought provoking questions designed to help our generation own a firsthand faith. We didn't write this book to give you simple Bible school answers or criticize your questions. We embrace doubts, seek honesty, and value community in our lives as well as our faith. We hope this book challenges you in a positive way and we would love for you to join the community of young people trying to live out a firsthand faith. Please let us know what you think and join the conversation by visiting FirsthandBook.com.

From the Back Cover

For many of us, religion is something that we have inherited. The traditions, values and rules passed on to us from our parents and the church culture we grew up with have always been there. But the older we get, many of us start to feel left like what we have inherited is not enough. We might not necessarily be angry with God or disagree with religion, but Christianity as we understand it is just not a practical or beneficial. We work hard to follow all the rules but in the end it does not seem worth it.

You might have inherited yours from parents or friends, or from the church you grew up in. There is nothing wrong with that. But if you have not experienced a relationship with the Lord that is entirely unique to you and you alone, one to that compels you to develop your unique gifts and grow in your unique weaknesses, then it will not last.

Ryan and Josh Shook know what that's like. They been involved in church their entire lives, then one day, their hand-me-down faith just didn't make sense anymore. They thought about abandoning it altogether. . Instead, they set to find a vibrant, fulfilling faith that they could call their own. Firsthand is their story. They are still figuring it out, but they want to share with you what a firsthand faith looks like in their lives. More than that, Firsthand is the story of a generation. Maybe it's the story of you.

Inside you'll find:

• Personal stories
• Risky confessions
• Honest, biblical answers
• At the end of every chapter, a "Making It Real" section for personal and group study
• Read Firsthand. You will discover that the pursuit of a personal relationship with God
• that is yours alone truly is life in all its fullness.

About this edition

• Publisher: WaterBrook
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0307886298
• ISBN 13: 9780307886293
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208