Good question. That's the question I always ask myself when someone hands me a new book or I hear that some book is a 'must read.' In order to help me settle that question in your mind however, I must ask a few questions and verbally paint a few scenarios that will help identify Genuine Christianity's audience. If by chance, you do not find yourself as a member of this audience I want you to know that reading Genuine Christianity will equip and empower you to minister life to those who are in this audience. I believe the church is suffering a critical shortage of those who are equipped and willing to help others.

The Questions

Have you ever wondered where emotional pain comes from or why we humans hurt emotionally? Have you ever wondered why, after being born again, we are still dealing with emotional pain? Have you ever felt like everyone else in the church seems to have it all together but you? Have you ever said, "I don't want to be some phony hypocrite like So-in-so!" yet all the while feeling like you are just like "So-in-so"? Maybe you are one who is becoming very tired of playing the, "I'm blessed brother" game while feeling like there is a huge curse over your life keeping you from receiving God's best.

Maybe you are a frustrated pastor who feels like some of the people in your church are there to make your life miserable. Or, maybe you still believe that the cause of a Christian's misbehavior is their sin or a lack of desire to really follow the Lord. After all, you have told them how to live, you have tried your best to set an example and you pray for them daily; what more could you do and what else could be making them cause such trouble? Or, maybe it is a struggle living what you preach; is the stress of faking it till you make it about to get you down?

As Christians, we are all ministers of restoration and reconciliation to those within our scope of influence. Proof of that is found in Galatians 6:1-2, 2Corinthians 5:18-19 and John 14:12. This author recognizes that we are not all called into an office of leadership within our local church. However, we are to live as Jesus lived (1John 2:6) by interacting with our culture as a source of healing and freedom for the oppressed masses.

You may be one who is getting very tired of hiding your secret. You know, if you ever let the cat out of the bag, your life in that church will be over; maybe even in your community. Maybe you are being tempted to give up; after all, it seems to be getting harder all the time to be a Christian. Have you ever wondered why walking in love is so hard? Did you know it is possible to live in perfect inner peace with no fear or any kind of inner turmoil? In fact, did you know that inner turmoil and fear can actually help you toward becoming genuine?

Do you believe that your past should stay in the past and should no longer have power over you? However, your past will not stay in the past and you wonder what is wrong with you because it feels like the past is happening repeatedly each day. Would you like to know why your past keeps bugging you? Would you like to know how to deal with your past that keeps pestering you?

Maybe you are just tired of wearing your mask and working so hard to make everyone believe you are happily operating in the joy of the Lord. Tired of feeling irrelevant, worthless, all alone, dirty, trapped, shameful, inadequate, unworthy, and angry? Maybe you are tired of hearing, "Just get over it!", or you may feel like your feelings don't count. Many feel like they are all alone in the middle of a crowd and no one hears them or seems to care. Fed up with taking all the pills because they only numb you and have not given you back your life? Or maybe you are tired of feeling as if a black cloud hangs over your life.

If any of this spoke to you, Genuine Christianity will help you identify the cause of your feelings. It will also identify the things that are holding you back in your walk with God by teaching you how to receive the permanent freedom for which you have been searching and deserve. The goal of this book is to define what being genuine as a Christian means and then to help you uncover how simple it is to live a life of genuine Christianity. Therefore, let's begin our journey.