True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In - Softcover

Choung, James

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1512767409 ISBN 13: 9781512767407

Publisher: WestBowPress, 2017

Synopsis

Christianity seems like just another screwed-up religion!" Anna said. "Seriously, what has Christianity done for us or for the world, for that matter? They're just a bunch of hypocrites, that's what I think! Are they good for anything?" "I don't know, Anna," Caleb said. "I just don't know." Caleb has been a Christian for a long time. But he realizes that he can't bring himself to share his faith with anyone because it doesn't sound like good news anymore. Christianity's truth claims come across as hollow, arrogant and intolerant. Christians have a bad track record of hating and condemning those they disagree with. Worst of all, it feels like Christianity is just about "saving souls," giving people an escape ticket to heaven while the world falls apart. Is it only about Jesus forgiving our sins? There must be more to it than that... In this engaging narrative, James Choung weaves the tale of a search for a Christianity worth believing in. Disillusioned believer Caleb and hostile skeptic Anna wrestle with the plausibility of the Christian story in a world of pain and suffering. They ask each other tough questions about what Jesus really came to do and what Christianity is supposed to be about. Along the way, they discover that real Christianity is far bigger than anything they ever heard about in church. And the conversion that comes is not one that either of them expects. Join Caleb and Anna on their spiritual journeys as they probe Christianity from inside and out. Get past the old clichEs and simplistic formulas. And discover a new way of understanding and presenting the Christian faith that really matters in a broken world

About this title

Review

"The book is amply 'storified' and is a huge, huge step forward in evangelism. Pastors and parents need this book; youth ministers and college ministers need this book."--Scot McKnight, on JesusCreed.org

"James has found a simple way to convey to both Christians and non-Christians that the good news is cosmically good--a diagram that does the best job I've encountered yet of placing our personal stories in the context of God's bigger story."--Andy Crouch, Editorial Director, Christian Vision Project

"Choung's 'napkin theology' and its 'four-worlds' diagram promise to be for evangelism in the twenty-first century what the 'Four Spiritual Laws' were for the twentieth century."--Leonard Sweet, author of The Church of the Perfect Storm;; podcaster of the weekly "Napkin Scribbles" podcast

"For a growing number of us Christians, the standard way we were taught to understand and share the good news message has felt inadequate. Choung's rethinking and recrafting of Christ's timeless call is exactly what we need today to present the gospel to a new generation of unconvinced people. His use of an engaging story to underscore the need for this fresh approach will motivate many Christians to learn this new approach."--Ken Fong, senior pastor, Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles

"Is True Story a real-life drama or a simple diagram? I don't know, but I love it! James Choung has given us a gift that I suspect will greatly reduce the number of fidgety Christians and yawning skeptics out there. True Story reminds us that our news really is good, and helps us communicate that message simply and comprehensively using four simple circles. I love those circles and am already starting to use them regularly in conversations."--Don Everts, author of Jesus with Dirty Feet and (with Doug Schaupp) I Once Was Lost: What Postmodern Skeptics Taught Us About Their Path to Jesus

"James understands today's seekers and skeptics. He accurately describes their objections to Christianity and clearly addresses these objections in the Big Story. His invitation to join Jesus' missional community is both compelling and good news to all who hear it."--Terry Erickson, national director of evangelism, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

"Amid the clutter of domesticated Christianity, Choung's book creatively reminds us all--academics, pastors, activists and grandmas--of the true revolution from which we come. Much of pop-Christianity is obsessed with the self-centered goal of finding our life, forgetting that Christ's call is to lose our life for others in order to find it. This book is an urgent cry not to settle for the dream of America over the dream of God, nor to allow cynicism to suffocate the hope that another world is possible. May True Story inspire us to continue to shout the Story with our lives--even in the most abandoned corners of the empire."--Shane Claiborne, lover, author, recovering sinner, founding partner of The Simple Way, author of The Irresistible Revolution

"True Story invites us into the great narrative of the Scriptures. Grappling with the tough questions, James Choung provides a blueprint that will challenge the unbeliever, the new believer and the longtime church member to discover the fresh and healing message of the gospel. This book calls us to a relevant and real faith that properly redefines the call to evangelism as an ongoing journey toward shalom."--Soong-Chan Rah, Milton B. Engebretson Assistant Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism, North Park Theological Seminary

"It's the task of every generation to articulate and create languages and forms that connect with their generation. James Choung does this beautifully in his book, True Story. I highly recommend this book as a fresh articulation and narrative of what is truly the good news! This good news is not just what we're saved from but what we are called to! It's more than a fire escape . . . it's a revolution of justice, advocacy and radical compassion. I'm in!"--Dave Gibbons, founder and lead pastor, NewSong Church, and CVO, Xealot Inc.

"Some conversations consist of shared ignorance or are simply surface exchanges. The conversation narrated by James Choung is neither. It is thoughtful, honest and authentic. It does not gloss over sincere and profound questions concerning the content of the gospel and the way it is lived out, but grapples with many issues that arise in the give-and-take of a discussion between friends. Here is to be found good news that relates to the here and now as well as to eternity."--Eddie Gibbs, senior professor, School of Intercultural Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary, author of ChurchNext and LeadershipNext

"This insightful book offers a way of presenting the good news that fully engages with today's complex postmodern issues and questions simply by refocusing on the original message of the gospel of Jesus our Savior."--Peter T. Cha, associate professor of pastoral theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

"In True Story, James Choung has recaptured the world-saving, life-transforming message of the gospel. In a way that takes seriously both the biblical message and the reality of our contemporary world, True Story takes you on a true-to-life journey of rediscovering the hope of Jesus that answers the most vexing issues of our world. While holding to an evangelical's commitment to holy Scripture, James challenges and dismantles evangelicalism's restrictive lenses through which we understand the gospel. And the result is a refreshing, relevant and compelling presentation of the good news of Jesus for our needy world."--Allen Mitsuo Wakabayashi, author of Kingdom Come: How Jesus Wants to Change the World and campus staff for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

"Another book on Christianity . . . but quite different--written as simply as possible, never losing sight of the big story that Jesus Christ is the ultimate. This is a book for today's generation, seeking truth, satisfaction and fulfillment. It is an ideal textbook for student ministry and youth pastors."--Manfred W. Kohl, vice president, Overseas Council International

"Christianity can become so obsessed with conversion that it loses the art, commitment and passion for conversation. They must go hand-in-hand. Choung does a fantastic job in engaging the skeptic and cynic to consider the invitation of the amazing narrative story and life of the triune God. Similarly, the call for the body of Christ to shed Christianity as a self-help, therapeutic religion and instead see it as a life of partnership and participation in the kingdom of God is another refreshing message. Honestly, I've never been a fan of diagrams, but Choung shares some incredible simple but profound illustrations that help elucidate the good news in a biblically faithful and culturally relevant manner."--Eugene Cho, lead pastor, Quest Church, Seattle, eugenecho.com

"True Story is for anyone serious about communicating the good news of Jesus in a thoughtful, biblical way which leans into--instead of running from--the pressing issues all around us in the secularized, post-Christian culture of the Western world."--Sam Metcalf, president, Church Resource Ministries--U.S.

"The unchanging call for Christians to be salt and light, to be witnesses with an apt answer, is a great challenge in today's rapidly changing world. James Choung's winsome narrative, True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In, grapples with many questions of faith that seekers and also Christians wrestle with in this postmodern world. Choung demonstrates how as Christians we do not need a formula to be an effective witness for Christ, rather we need to honestly seek and engage the truth of the gospel in our own lives, and engage our friends with their questions, pointing them to the light and freedom of the gospel. Over the last three years as chair of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, I have found no part of the world untouched by the questions of life and death, faith in the midst of the problem of sin and evil in the world. And I have also found no part of the world that is not in need of the whole church to witness the power, the hope and the life of the whole gospel to the whole world--starting with the people closest to us."--Doug Birdsall, executive chair, Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization

"One of the most important theological conversations going on these days is about the shape of the biblical narrative. Not surprisingly, many leaders in this conversation are those working in the intellectual ferment of the college campus and at the intersection of church and the emerging culture. James Choung is one of these important voices, and this book opens up important new vistas regarding the story we find ourselves in."--Brian McLaren, author/activist (brianmclaren.net)

"Brilliant. . . . Tools like this can change the world."--Rick Warren, author ofThe Purpose Driven Life"

"Finally someone has come up with a simple evangelistic approach that reflects the wholeness of the gospel. . . . The simplicity of Choung's circle diagrams is a welcome, refreshing, and much-needed approach."--Al Tizon, PRISM, May/June 2009

"Although designed to help college students articulate a complete gospel, many in our churches will also benefit by reading it."--Rodney Stent, The Lamplighter, May 2009

"Choung delivers a compelling, fresh look at what we consider the gospel - the good news surrounding Jesus Christ. He directs us to look anew at the way Christ shows us how to live and, from within a comfortable, fictitious setting, radically calls for a new definition of the gospel truth."--Kevin Alton, Journal of Student Ministries, November/December 2008

"Through True Story, you'll learn an effective, authentic strategy for telling the story of the Bible to non-believing friends."--Catherine Newhouse, Ignite, Winter 2009

"I suggest that all Christians read this book with an open mind. Even if you remain suspicious, you'll find tools here to draw people into discussion about faith in God and purpose in life."--Evelyn Bence, FaithfulReader.com, July 2008

"Emphasizing relationship over religion and loving over lecturing; this book will give you the confidence to share what you love about Jesus and let Him handle the rest."--Dawn Paisley, Book Bargains and Previews, July 2008

." . .highly recommended for community library Christian fiction collections."--James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review, July 2008

"James Choung gives us a penetrating look into ourselves and our faulty reasoning. He challenges us to go beyond 'Sunday School' answers and wrestle with pain, sorrow, death and other strong issues that seem to be potholes on our journey of faith."--Tom Hodges, YouthWorker Journal, July/August 2008

"There is much to be commended in James Choung's True Story. Choung does not merely argue for the Bible's historical trustworthiness; he rightly relies on the Bible's content. Instead of beginning with 'something is wrong with you, ' he begins with the fact that 'something is wrong with the world.' By beginning with the cosmic picture of a world gone bad, he is able to foreshadow the gospel that ends with a world renewed."--Trevin Wax on Kingdom People (trevinwax.com), May 27, 2008

"Some of the strengths of this book: Very helpfully shared the gospel through story dialog Communicated the gospel relationally Communicated the gospel holistically (heart, mind, soul and strength) Demonstrated a biblical rethinking of the gospel, instead of the current prepackaged version that often leaves so much out"--John Smulo on SmuloSpace (johnsmulo.com), May 24, 2008

About the Author

James Choung is divisional director with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in greater San Diego. He majored in management science and marketing at MIT, earned his master of divinity at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and completed his doctor of ministry at Fuller Theological Seminary in postmodern leadership development. In the past, he has served on the pastoral staff of an urban church plant and at a megachurch in Seoul, Korea. He's often invited to speak at churches and conferences throughout the country. He's married and he and his wife have a son.

About this edition

• Publisher: WestBowPress
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 1512767409
• ISBN 13: 9781512767407
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 230