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True Story: A Christianity Worth Believing In, By James Choung alt

True Story

A Christianity Worth Believing In

The IVP Signature Collection

by James Choung

True Story
Ebook
  • Length: 240 pages
  • Published: May 03, 2022
  • Imprint: IVP
  • ISBN: 9780830847020
Other Formats:

There must be more to the Christian story.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 thananything they 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 old clichés and simplistic formulas. And discover a new way of understanding and presenting the Christian faith that really matters in a broken world.First published in 2008, True Story introduced Choung's groundbreaking approach to explaining the gospel. Now with a new preface,it is part of the IVP Signature Collection, which features special editions of iconic books in celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of InterVarsity Press. A new companion Bible study guide is also available.

REVIEWS

"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 ispossible. May True Story inspire us to continue to shout the story with our lives—even in the most abandoned corners of the empire."
"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."
"Brilliant. . . . Tools like this can change the world."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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."
"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 amazingnarrative 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."
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Read an Excerpt

CONTENTS

Preface to the Signature Edition
Before We Start

Once Upon a Time
Prologue: A Crisis of Faith
Part One: Designed for Good
Part Two: Damaged by Evil
Part Three: Restored for Better
Part Four: Sent Together to Heal
Epilogue: New Beginnings?

Behind the Scenes
The Big Story: Why We Need It
Three Movements: The Direction of the Big Story
Not a Quick Fix: The Purpose of the Big Story
A Walk-Through: Explaining the Big Story
Sharing the Big Story

Acknowledgments
Notes

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BONUS MATERIAL

Find the discussion guide.

This book has a corresponding video curriculum from the author available at
Seminary Now

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What Hath Justice to Do with Righteousness?
We Believe in the Holy Spirit
Moms on the Way
We Believe in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church
Culture Care
The Barnabas Factor
The Way of Befriending
Job
Modern Psychopathologies

ABOUT James Choung

James Choung

James Choung is vice president of strategy and innovation for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. He has been in campus ministry for over twenty years and previously served as InterVarsity's national director of evangelism. He is also the author of Real Life and coauthor of Longing for Revival.

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