Fail
J.R. Briggs
With a subtitle like “Finding hope and grace in the midst of ministry failure,” it’s a promising read. Sure, the voyeur in us might relish on some juicy details of sexual sin, financial fraud or insane violence, but the real value is not the entertainment. It’s the lessons learned for us if we’ll listen and heed the advice. This guy started something based upon honesty and dealing with failure in an open, vulnerable context. Instead of the usual pastor’s conference, where you go on your church’s dime to take in lessons and powerpoints and videos and persuasive speaking sessions to learn how to be bigger, better and “more successful” than your little church will ever be. At least that’s the sort of intimidating culture that is bred in those situations. Someone makes a lot of money to “share” the How To’s and Do’s/Don’ts of ministry. It’s kind of sickening for a lot of folks. So take a guess at how surprised these folks were when they created a pastor’s conference based upon failure. People came … and opened up.
This book is awesome. It’s a gift. When others share their vulnerability, we get hope. “Maybe I can change. Maybe God will restore me. Maybe God will use me – even after that.” Much needed. Full of grace. I think that’s why Donald Miller is so popular. I know that’s one of the reasons I like him so much – he shares about his life, his insecurities, his failures. You start to trust someone who tells you what a stinkin’ loser they are, how humiliated they feel, how much they suck. It’s believable.
Did I mentioned it was awesome? Did I mention that I enjoyed reading it? [IV Press] Doug Van Pelt
P.S. The best song I ever wrote was one that I spent an entire year crafting. It’s called “If You Fail.” Same concept as this book – failure is not the end. It is a new beginning.
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