Fail: Finding Hope and Grace in the Midst of Ministry Failure - Softcover

Briggs, J.R.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1459699491 ISBN 13: 9781459699496

Publisher: ReadHowYouWant, 2016

Synopsis

What do we do when we've failed? J.R. Briggs, founder of the Epic Fail Pastors Conference, explores the landscape of failure, how it devastates us and how it transforms us. Without offering pat answers or quick fixes, he challenges our expectations of success and gives us permission to grieve our losses and receive the grace of healing and restoration.

About this title

Review

"With Fail, J. R. Briggs has captured a truth we all crave but fear to articulate. There is not merely grace for the burning- or burnt-out, there is the very life of Christ: full of honesty, meaning and sharp joy. Beyond platitudes or Twitter-quote pep talks, J. R. offers peace, real encouragement, and a better definition of success for Christian ministry. This is the next best thing to sharing the body and blood with people who understand. Failures large and small, visible and invisible, will stand up and shout for J. R.'s wisdom, wit and honesty. I know that I do."--Paul Pastor, associate editor of Christianity Today's Leadership Journal and PARSE

"This book is CPR. Fail has given me breath for years to come. Within, Briggs offers an engaging, appealing and learned description of the failed life, invoking his readers to see afresh the breathtaking journey of all the landmarks along the way. Briggs reminds us that half of resurrection is death. And that, to truly live, we must fail. Jesus breathed his Spirit over a group of failed disciples from his cross. That same kind of thing seems to be going on in this book."--A. J. Swoboda, PhD, professor, pastor and author of Messy

"J.R. Briggs goes beyond giving us a robust theology of failure; he opens his veins and shares his life. He calls us to be faithful not efficient, to live vulnerably without shame. He gives us grace-filled opportunities to be our true selves. If you are a pastor, you need this book!"--JR Woodward, national director of church planting for V3, author of Creating a Missional Culture

"If you are struggling in ministry, this book will be like sitting down with a good friend who knows and understands what you are enduring. No quick fixes. No pat answers. No formulas. No judgment. Just gentle wisdom laced with grace to help you continue in God's calling."--Ruth Graham, author of In Every Pew Sits a Broken Heart

"J.R. Briggs captures the struggle of pastors in his new book Fail. The fear of failure is enough to freeze us in our path to ministry. J.R. not only shows the facts as to how this is affecting ministers across every denomination but also points toward solutions for pastors to find their way out in the midst of failure. Pastors often find themselves incapable, inadequate and even incompetent in the task that God has placed before them. J.R. reminds them that the only hope they have to complete the mission God has placed on their calling is to rely on the Holy Spirit."--Maurice Graham, executive director, Shepherd's Staff Ministry, Inc.

"With Fail, J.R. Briggs has captured a truth we all crave but fear to articulate. There is not merely grace for the burning- or burnt-out, there is the very life of Christ: full of honesty, meaning and sharp joy. Beyond platitudes or Twitter-quote pep talks, J.R. offers peace, real encouragement, and a better definition of success for Christian ministry. This is the next best thing to sharing the body and blood with people who understand. Failures large and small, visible and invisible, will stand up and shout for J.R.'s wisdom, wit and honesty. I know that I do."--Paul Pastor, associate editor of Christianity Today's Leadership Journal and PARSE

"J.R. Briggs has something to say to pastors about our American obsession with 'success.' He holds to the Jesus-endorsed notion that those in ministry are called to faithfulness, not success, and that sometimes faithfulness takes the peculiar form of failure. Fail dares to tell the truth and will bring much-needed clarity and comfort to a multitude of ministers who, though faithful, have drunk from the bitter cup of failure."--Brian Zahnd, pastor, Word of Life Church, St. Joseph, Missouri; author, A Farewell To Mars

"Someone needed to write a book that would cast vision for the transformational possibilities contained within experiences of failure. J.R. Briggs has done just that! In a voice that is honest, winsome and hopeful, he offers hard-won wisdom for leaning into God's gracious purposes even in the most painful experiences leaders face. Thanks be to God!"--Ruth Haley Barton, founder of the Transforming Center and author of Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership

"Fear of failure is a power that holds many church leaders in a death grip. In this important book, J.R. Briggs boldly speaks from his own experience and that of others, reminding us that failure is inevitable, but the crucial question is how we find grace and eventually recovery in the aftermath of failure. The gospel that we encounter in Fail is undoubtedly good news, true liberation for our fearful, weary and broken selves. May we heed its call!"--C. Christopher Smith, coauthor, Slow Church, and founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books

"In?Fail?J.R. Briggs succeeds in shining a light on an often taboo subject in modern-day ministry. Through the lens of the gospel, Briggs provides a vision to see failure as an invitation to grow in the grace and knowledge of God.?If you are a minister, a former pastor, a fallen pastor or a struggling believer, Fail will encourage, strengthen and instruct you in the freedom offered at the cross. For 'by his wounds, we are healed.'"--Ed Stetzer, author, Subversive Kingdom

About the Author

J.R. Briggs has served in ministry for over a decade in mega-churches, house churches and church plants. He founded Kairos Partnerships out of a growing desire to walk alongside and encourage pastors and leaders in order to better equip them for God-honoring ministry.

Edition details

• Publisher: ReadHowYouWant
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1459699491
• ISBN 13: 9781459699496
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 276