(Un) Qualified: How God Uses Broken People to Do Big Things

by Steven Furtick

Who You Think You Are is Not as Important as Who God Says You Are
 
Many of us wrestle with the gap between our weaknesses and our dreams, between who we are and who God says we are meant to be. We feel unqualified to do God’s work or to live out the calling we imagine. But God has a way of using our weaknesses for good. In fact, God loves unqualified people.
 
In (Un)Qualified, Pastor Steven Furtick helps you peel back the assumptions you’ve made about yourself and see yourself as God sees you. Because true peace and confidence come not from worldly perfection but from acceptance: God’s acceptance of you, your acceptance of yourself, and your acceptance of God’s process of change.
 
This is a book about understanding your identity in light of who God is. It’s a book about coming to terms with the good, the bad, and the unmentionable in your life and learning to let God use you. It’s about charging into the gap between your present and your hopes and meeting God there. After all, God can’t bless who you pretend to be. But he longs to bless who you really are; a flawed and broken person. Good thing for us that God is in the business of using broken people to do big things. 
 
 
 Being Unqualified Is God’s Favorite Qualification
 
Our culture tells us that the answer to our failures is to fix them. The solution to our weaknesses is to hide them. The secret to our success is to appear as flawless as possible. But God’s qualifying system is different than the world’s. So is his view of our weaknesses, our purpose, and our true selves.
 
In (Un)Qualified, Steven Furtick explores who God is as the great “I AM,” and then helps us discover our own identity. Delving into the story of Jacob, Furtick invites us to acknowledge our weaknesses and ask God to work through them.
 
The truth is, God has created us to be more, to accomplish more, and to love life more than we ever thought possible. But to become who he has called us to be, we must embrace who we are right now. (Un)Qualified equips us to face obstacles and failures without losing a sense of purpose. We can have a thriving sense of hope that God is working in us and through us, not in spite of our weaknesses but often as a direct result of them.


From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Christian, Faith, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Self Help, Audiobook, Christian Living

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Steven Furtick is the founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, named by Outreach magazine as one of the top 10 fastest growing churches in the nation. In four years, Elevation has grown to more than 6,000 people in regular attendance in three locations. Steven holds a degree in communication from North Greenville University, and a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Holly, have two young sons—Elijah and Graham—and make their home in the Charlotte area.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was really something I needed to hear. God USES the most unqualified and broken people to do his work.

[Abbi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third book that I've read by Pastor Steven Furtick and in my opinion, his writing continues to get better over time. Unqualified is a really good book! I appreciate the way Pastor Steven breaks down his personal revelation of embracing our individual weaknesses because it is through them that God demonstrates His strength & power in our lives.

I highly recommend this book to anyone that feels like they always fall short of what they think God expects of mankind; and also to those that feel like they keep making the same mistakes over-and-over again, which they equate to being unworthy of having an intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

To be quite honest, this book is for everyone that has faith in the one, true living God. It provides readers with a genuine, loving reality check about how God wants to do exceedingly and abundantly great things in our lives, in spite of our faults, mistakes, and brokenness. All we have to do is be honest with ourselves and with Him.

Happy reading!

[Andrew Kastendick · Rating 1 out of 5]

In a book that misunderstands the criticism it is founded on, Furtick strays far from biblical thinking about identity and how to respond to criticism. His message is essentially “block out the haters,” rather than “look to Christ!” A classic work of moralistic therapeutic deism that finds a dangerous connection to prosperity gospel theology, I cannot in good Christian conscience recommend this book to anyone serious about following Christ. And I would advise steering clear of Steven Furtick altogether.

[Reuel Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome affirmation of our true qualification!

This was an awesome book. While reading it I found myself become more sure of myself through Christ. Any book that helps us to understand how much we are loved and accepted by God is a must read for me.

[Merari Reyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed to read

The author is being used by God to speak into our lives. I recommend that everyone take an evening or two to read this book. It’s guaranteed to hit ‘home’.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"(Un)Qualified" is for those who feel like they need to fix their weaknesses before they can be acceptable to God. The author talked about God's name being "I AM" and how it matters how we fill in our "third words" ("I am ____"). Maybe the weaknesses we're most concerned with aren't the ones God's working on, and God uses people who are willing to depend on Him. He talked about not comparing ourselves with others, setting the correct goals, and many other topics.

He referred to Jacob from the Bible, his own life, and others to illustrate his insights. It's written in a casual tone with mild humor, and it felt like an "I'm in the trenches with you" pep talk. He made many good points. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those who feel trapped by their weaknesses.

Here are some quotes (from an ARC, so they may not perfectly match the final copy): From page 53: "The belief that God is more interested in our perfection than our relationship with him is the birthplace of insecurity." From page 124: "...our relationship with God will continue for eternity. That should tell us something: we shouldn't lose sight of what is eternal in our efforts to improve what is temporary."

From page 121: "God knows certain things will suck the life out of us. They will hurt us. They will hurt people around us. They will hurt our relationship with him. So he calls them sin, and he enables us to stop doing them."

I received this ARC as a review copy from the publisher through Blogging for Books.

[Charity (Booktrovert Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What are the third word are you telling yourself? I am....
I like the way that Steven Furtick presents this that the story we tell ourselves is based on our insecurities instead of what God has said about us. It challenges me to start changing what I think and say about myself through the example in scripture of Moses and Jacob. It shows that God loves us through our many faults and setbacks. That he can still use us and love us just the same.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I struggle on a daily basis with feeling unqualified so this book caught my attention right away. I will definitely be refering back to this book in the future and I would highly recommend this book!

*****Disclaimer: I received an ebook copy of this book in exchange for my honest review which has been given.

[NIKE FADIPE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I discovered Pastor Steven this year because of my thirst for newness and since then I have listened to his messages and decided to buy this book,which to me was ice cream and icing on the cake. Thank you for been Gos sent, for been true, transparent and so real.. Now I feel complete in my weakness because grace qualifies me.... Love love this book!!!

[Tania Florimon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book spoke to me!

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent.

[Shannon A · Rating 4 out of 5]

“God doesn’t call the qualified, he qualifies the called”

[❀Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In other words, when God gives us something, he also gives us the ability to enjoy it. That doesn't mean we suddenly have perfect, pain-free lives. But it means that we find true fulfillment and satisfaction when we get his blessings, his way, in his time."

[Amber Burkhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit, I was a Furtick fan before I read this book. I find so much truth, encouragement and challenge in his messages and music. This book is no exception.

God can't bless who you pretend to be.

(Un)Qualified encourages us that this version of us IS the right version to do God's work. That He loves us and accepts us and meets us where we are. It also challenges us to put our faith in Him. To find our identity in Him. To put our lives, goals and dreams in His hands. It does all of these things through both scripture and stories from Pastor Furtick's life and personal journey. For me, this is a very effective way of learning. I can see God's promises and truths (in the scripture), and also how they've been applied to someone's life on a personal level, which in turn helps me envision how to apply them to my own.

The Audiobook is fine, but I'd suggest buying the physical book so you can highlight in it, rather than furiously scribbling down notes while trying to listen (like I did). I still might go buy a copy! Either way, the message is great. I highly recommend it.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love listening to Furtick and his messages. It's even better when it he explains in writing.

(Un)Qualified was just the book I needed to go through a personal season these past couple of months. It had helped me discover things about myself I felt but couldn't even describe what I was feeling.

This book will hit you with some hard truths about yourselves that make you feel you aren't ready to admit yet. Yes, it hurt to read and accept the hard truths about myself, but what I love about this book is that it's very encouraging when you read about the very nature of the Lord's heart intimately. That His desire for you is to become someone more and that only He can do that for you. He loves you too much to leave you where you're at in your life. The question is will you let Him? And if you let Him it is not going to be a happy journey but it will be a fulfilling one.

I hope and pray that (Un)Qualified will open the eyes of the reader in which they can grow deeper and more intimate with Christ on their walk.

[Vivian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Steven takes quite a while to establish his point: Others may consider you unqualified, but God qualifies you. While that is true, it also made me question if he took this criticism (of being called "unqualified") as a chance to reflect upon himself and grow. After all, criticism is a natural part of growth which we all need in order to have our gifts refined. Instead, I found Steven seem to dismiss the notion that perhaps this critic was in the wrong and the criticism had no merit. That is to say, I think Steven missed an opportunity that God wished for him to take as time for reflection and growth. For this very reason, I couldn't finish the book.

[Sally · Rating 2 out of 5]

I lost interest after a few chapters. Perhaps I can finish it later,

[Trey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alright

It took too long to get to the points that mattered the most which were in the last few chapters.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book!!!!!

A must read for anyone feeling unworthy or seeking to understand why they've been called to something beyond their believed reach.

[Emily Lazio · Rating 5 out of 5]

To anyone who has ever felt not good enough at any point, read this book.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I especially like the author's discussion about what can come after the phrase, "I am..." He calls it "the third word." It is easy to be harsh and label oneself negatively. I was surprised by the helpful truth that rather than going directly from, "I am a failure," to, "I am successful," that, "I am growing," might be a better, more accurate, and therefore more likely and true phrase. I also like, "I am loving," instead of, "I am fearful," rather than going directly to, "I am brave." The emphasis is on being more honest with ourselves and our process of becoming like Jesus Christ rather than on the end product of eventual and possibly unrealistic perfection. I know I am so far from perfect that the intermediate words fit better.

I used, "I am loving," when I was driving with my teenage son the other day. I was actually terrified, but repeating, "I am loving," in my mind calmed me down significantly. I know sometimes being afraid is important so we can protect ourselves, but in this situation I was being unnecessarily stressed and paranoid. Focusing instead on making the phrase, "I am loving," true by encouraging loving feelings for my son while he drove helped.

I like what the author says about trusting in God. I like what he says about God being able to use the weak things of the world perhaps more effectively than the seemingly perfect and possibly more proud. Our weaknesses can help us be more authentic and compassionate toward others. We are strong and useful because we are weak. I like how the author communicates God loves us even in all our weakness. He loved us first and so He sent His Son to die for us.

Things that we think are a big deal, a big problem, or that might disqualify us from His love or from serving Him might actually be no big deal and/or precisely why He needs us. God is a lot more patient with us than we are with ourselves and others. At the same time, the author acknowledges we can and should do what we can to change for the better. Self condemnation doesn't help that process. Being positive, hopeful, patient, realistic, and loving with ourselves and others does.

There are many true and helpful things in this book.

[Carrie Daws · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard the term imposter syndrome applied to more than one career field including my own, so the title of this book caught my attention. As I read, I don't know that I found anything earth-shattering, yet I continued to read, drawn in through the gentle words and open life Pastor Furtick presented on the page. Several sentences and paragraphs caught my attention that I shared with others, but mostly the book was loving reassurance that I don't have to have it all together to follow God's plan as long as I'm pursuing Christ. God fully knows who He enlisted into Kingdom service and is anxious to work with me and through me.

[Brooke • bibbidibobbidiibrooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be biased because Steven Furtick is my favorite but WOW this book hit me in all the right places. It had me come face to face with the identity that I’ve created for myself (and that others have shaped for me) and put in perspective the way I view myself vs. how God sees me. I love how he uses stories of the Bible, such as Jacob’s, to help us see that our identity is found with God. I highly recommend this book if you’re struggling with self value!

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great Christian book by Steven Furtick. The only negative is I wish Furtick himself was the audiobook narrator. It might have packed a bigger punch. This novel is for anyone who has ever doubted their abilities. Furtick gives biblical examples tying in everyday life struggles with what God is trying to teach us. I will definitely read this one again.

[Thomas Roerden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read! So much quality information of how we are unqualified and that is what makes us great. We need to embrace insecurities and change our third words to powerful words, not “a failure, disappointment, etc.” we need to trust God and run to him and focus on reaching the goals we truly need in our lives, and not compare ourselves to others who seem more successful

[Yuri Francisco · Rating 1 out of 5]

First of all! I cannot recommend this book to anyone serious about following Christ.

1 Furtick encapsulates the three major problems that permeate his entire book. First, subjective feelings replace Scripture as the true test of qualification (“felt,” “feelings,” “wonder,” “fear”). Second, biblical qualifications are narrowly applied to pastors and elders. But Furtick dilutes that critical point by broadening the target audience to everyone (“you’ve,” “we all,” “we”). And third, Furtick confuses the state of being unqualified with the feeling of unworthiness (“feelings of inadequacy, insufficiency, and incompetence”).

2 The fact is, all of us are unworthy. No true Christian is going to argue against that point. Our unworthiness isn’t revealed by our feelings—it’s spelled out in the pages of Scripture. The Bible concludes that all men are sinners (Romans 3:23) and worthy of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3). Our unworthiness actually magnifies God’s love (Romans 5:8) and makes His grace amazing. After all, grace is unmerited favor—if we were worthy of God’s favor then grace wouldn’t be grace at all.
Instead, Furtick seems intent on eradicating those feelings of unworthiness. He also departs from the biblical remedy of repentance and faith in favor of self-esteem therapy.

3 He even devotes several pages to an "I am" self-evaluation, complete with twelve categories of who we are. The confessional options he suggests for describing sexuality are particularly disturbing: “I am straight. I am gay. I am lesbian. I am bisexual. I am unsure . . .” Furtick just leaves the possibilities of sexual identity hanging without any explanation or evaluation.

4 A pastor must be “able to teach” God’s Word (1 Timothy 3:2), laboring “in the word and doctrine” (1 Timothy 5:17 KJV), and “a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). 

On that point alone, Steven Furtick supplies us with ample proof that he is unqualified to stand in a pulpit and has no business shepherding the flock of God. Stay away from him.

[LaTrice McNeil-Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars.

[Savannah Beckman · Rating 5 out of 5]

How many times in comparison have I not celebrated those who need celebrating? Not listened to advice I should heed? Not loved who I should have loved?

This book is amazing.

[Kristian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rated: 3.5
I really enjoyed the story of Jacob. We all have a Jacob in us. God wants to bless us for who we are and not who we want to be. Be real!

[Bobby Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on our identity in Christ