Once You See: Seven Temptations of the Western Church: A Novel [With Discussion Guide Included]

by Jeff Christopherson

ONCE YOU SEE …
Luca Lewis is done with church. It killed his father, and now he wants nothing to do with the whole thing. Yet he can’t seem to shake the unwanted conviction that something else is possible.

Dr. Jimmy Norris is struggling to lead LifePointe, a waning Atlanta megachurch. He sees that the church desperately needs to change, but clambering after new gimmicks doesn’t cut it anymore.

Yushua Maalouf, a Yemeni refugee betrayed by his family for his newfound faith, finds himself bewildered by the priorities of the North American church.

When these three lives unexpectedly cross, Luca and Jimmy are given a rare glimpse of what Jesus’ church could be. But will they look past the scars and stigma of a refugee to see the divine opportunity that stands squarely in front of them?


… YOU CANNOT UNSEE.

Read this powerful story and then reflect with others on how God might be calling you to a richer, more fulfilling life, leadership, and ministry by using the discussion guide included in this novel.

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EndorsementsJeff Christopherson writes Once You See from a unique vantage point, as someone who has led the largest church-planting network in North America and is now leading a denomination in Canada. What is presented here as missiological fiction is close to our future reality, especially as it pertains to the urgency of our mission in North America. This is captivating storytelling that masterfully weaves the themes required to lead the church into the future. —ED STETZER, dean and professor, Wheaton College, Illinois

Jeff Christopherson has an unusual capacity to see things others miss. He relentlessly gets to the root of the problem. His conclusions may shock, enlighten, inspire, or offend you, but once you read this captivating book, you will never view the church the same way again. —RICHARD BLACKABY, president, Blackaby Ministries International, Atlanta; author, Experiencing God and The Ways of God

Jeff Christopherson shows us what it looks like to resist the temptations of the Western church and live instead as kingdom people under the beautiful reign of Christ. Presented in a lively narrative, Once You See is a book about kingdom ethics for those who need to see what it could look like, not just read the theory. The list of seven temptations and kingdom correctives are worth the price of admission alone. —MICHAEL FROST, Morling College, Sydney

In Once You See, Jeff Christopherson uses the intriguing medium of story to encourage, instruct, and admonish the Western church to reconsider how it functions and how it intends to move forward in this global era. Fascinating! I loved this book! I could hardly put it down. —LINDA BERGQUIST, church planting catalyst, North American Mission Board; author and coauthor of three books and two ebooks

Once You See is one of those rare books where you anticipate the finish, but you don’t want it to end. In a heart-grabbing, present-day story, with roots two thousand years old, Jeff Christopherson blends prophetic imagination, rebuke, hope, and redemption into a vision-bearing narrative that skillfully unwraps Jesus’ intention for his church and then makes you want to become part of the story. —LANCE FORD, author, UnLeader and The Starfish and The Spirit

Genres: Fiction, Church

469 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2022

Reviews

[Ethan Callison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t want to put this book down! It was so riveting and packed full of many personal struggles I relate to and visions and dreams I have for what the Kingdom looks like here on earth as we see in the NT!

Could this book be the course setter and redefiner of what church is in the future? I think so!

[Cameron Roxburgh · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I give this a 5 for several simple reasons.
1. Jeff is my friend - the most genuine and gifted of leaders
2. He does a wonderful job of ecclesiology - bold and daring and prophetic
3. He made my laugh and cry and ..... look at a number of issues I need to deal with
4. Loads of fun - I love the delivery system

Hope there is more of that to come. Heartily recommended. Almost read it one sitting... many hours of pouring through the book and my soul.

[Tim Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Best book on missiology I’ve read, and it was wrapped in the form of a novel.

[Whitney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was thought provoking. The story was interesting. I like the concept and characters. I felt like the model church was a little too perfect. I would have liked some commentary on the difficulties and human side of creating something so radical. Overall, an intriguing and worthwhile read.

[Rob Ross · Rating 4 out of 5]

This past week I finished reading Once You See by Jeff Christopherson. I received a free copy of this book from the author, but all opinions expressed are my own.

Christopherson draws readers into the lives of three people and their communities. Through these three perspectives, he explores the seven temptations facing the Western church. He weaves these themes throughout the story, showing how churches and believers either give in to them or overcome them.

I was quickly drawn into the story and found myself connecting with each character. The development was strong, and I felt like I really got to know the people behind the pages. It kept me engaged and moving forward.

However, the final chapters and epilogue felt a bit unfinished and left me wanting more closure. That said, the discussion section suggests that readers are meant to carry the story forward themselves, which adds an interesting layer of reflection.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone interested in missions and disciple-making, especially those wrestling with how faith is lived out in everyday life.

[Aaron Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greatly enjoyed. Loved putting this in narrative form to make the point vividly. The challenge put forward: What ought the body of Christ to look like? The 7 temptations lay out the pitfalls of "doing church," why it often feels so dead, insulated, sterile, ineffective, etc. Ultimately, what's lacking is Christ's glorious mission and Christ's powerful love. In my own experience, that's exactly the thing that made real my own discipleship, as well as the discipleship of so many others I've been involved with.

Thought the discussion guide at the end was well worth going through (I usually don't care for those).

Because it's a narrative, you're not getting the full picture of how this works. But it probably gives something more important: vision and excitement. Well worth your time.

Probably not the place to draw your full understanding of ecclesiology, but can certainly challenge it and it's still worth learning from.

[Shella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would not say this about many books, but this one is life changing. The author has fictionalized what all of us in Western churches need to see. It was a roller coaster read- eye opening in many ways and then saw my own life after experiencing many years of church hurt and confusion. All church leaders and people that have been disappointed going to brick and mortar buildings and not finding the tenacious pursuit of Christ and His Kingdom need to read this book. It is a heavy read 400+ pages. Dig in during the first 150 pages as it develops three completely different characters and settings that tie together beautifully. Omar is a character that I will carry in my heart forever. It is a book that I will reread and focus in on my highlights the first time through. I can only imagine what it would be like if our Western churches practiced the Kingdom building depicted in these pages.

[Brett Maragni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put it down. I absolutely love it when a writer uses fiction as the vehicle for vital truths. I guess the first time I experienced this was when Frank Peretti opened my eyes to the Scriptural reality of spiritual warfare way back in 1989 when I first read Piercing the Darkness. More recently I have been impressed with Patrick Lencioni's use of the fable to communicate leadership principles. Jeff Christopherson has successfully added his name to this short list with this excellent book. I cannot say it was eye-opening to me simply because I had already made these same paradigm shifts in my personal ecclesiology over the past several years. But for me it was affirming, encouraging, and emboldening.

[Bruce Ratzlaff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Required reading!

Not being a reader of novels, I started to read this because of the recommendation of a friend and wanted to give it a good effort. Ot didn’t take long to become gripped by the story and the points and observations cast in the roll of events and dialog. It’s a believable story of today - both the troubling bits and the encouraging ones. Anyone interested in the work and the working of Jesus’ kingdom on this earth today, will enjoy this. It’s given much to think about.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been thoroughly inconvenienced.

“‘I’ve got to admit, I’ve always had a hard time with Jesus’ teaching on the kingdom. I found that most times I make all the applications on ‘how to get into the eternal kingdom,’ not ‘how we live in the world as kingdom citizens.’ I dance around a whole lot of things.”

If you would also like to be inconvenienced, this article is a glimpse: https://churchleaders.com/voices/4422...

[Alex Melber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the privilege of observing many churches, church plants, ministries, and theological seminaries throughout my life both personally and professionally. I can confidently say I have never read or seen a clearer picture of Jesus’s kingdom and the church depicted than what is held within this book.

It was soul shaping, inspiring, and challenging. And as the title states, “Once You See…”, you can’t unsee. Praying this book sparks a kingdom movement.

[Bree Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every Christian leader

I am so thankful for Jeff’s work. He has masterfully weaved stories together to highlight the temptations and challenges of the times we live and lead in. The stories are captivating and the learnings clear. This will be a resource I will use and recommend for years to come.

[Don Kauffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book I've read this year. Rather than dealing with concepts, theories, or ideas... this book forced you to deal with people, perspectives, and stories. Using the form of a novel made this a face-paced read, but also brought the 7 temptations to life. I couldn't recommend this book more!

[Stephanie Ziebarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found its themes and message to be powerful. I think any American Christ-follower would benefit from reading it. However, it does start painfully slowly, in my opinion. I also believe the length is prohibitive.

[Roxanne D. Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

changes how I think, where is my heart as..

changes how I think, where is my heart as a believer. Once you see you cannot on see after reading this novel.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very engaging and thought-provoking book!

[Shelly Mai · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good, very eye-opening of what the body of Jesus Christ should look like.

[Carissa 😊 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book! I laughed, cried, and even found myself reflecting on my own journey with Jesus! Highly recommend this. Jeff has a gift of story telling.

[Dan Lupo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once You See attempts to paint a picture of a Christ-centred and Holy Spirit powered missional community - and to that end it wholly succeeds

[Shelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an astounding book and I would recommend it to EVERYONE.

[Ruthann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and well-written story that enlightens us about the North American church culture today. Written by a local author.

[Ashley Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read if you want to question everything you think you know about church

[Rich Thornton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this novel the author weaves together the lives of people from different countries and different places in the United States as they seek truth, seeking God through lenses that weren't the true ones. It is a good book of fiction on its own but also has so much truth about temptations that rise in the church in America. The narrator is exceptional in delivering the character's voices so excellently.

[Erin Evans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself waffling a LOT when it came to rating this read. I wholeheartedly agree with Jeff’s 7 temptations of the western church! There is some much-needed, hard truth that we in North America need to face about what we have made “church” to be all about! So, the information, the overall truth of this book would get 5 stars from me!! But, literarily speaking, the format of a novel I think is what didn’t really work for me. The story and the characters just didn’t grab me or feel real enough. The contrasts between the church in the south and the church in the north felt too black and white, the characters presented simply as good or bad. Luca’s church felt unrealistically “utopian”. And I kept thinking that the character of Luca hadn’t really dealt adequately with his demons of bitterness and resentment. Those sorts of things don’t just fade away, and in real life, forgiveness would be a struggle, a necessary struggle before moving forward in the Spirit’s power. I guess I wanted a closer peek at some of those inner transformations in order to feel more attached or for the characters to feel more relatable. I also found myself worried that some could read this and think that it’s simply a matter of getting the outward “model” of church correct…that somehow that’s what made the Philly work “right”. In reality it’s so much deeper than that, and even a church with a different structure, that doesn’t have the business savvy to adopt Philly’s model but still has a heart that follows God’s heart can be used mightily in His Kingdom. It’s not about a sleek, innovative model. It’s about utter surrender to whatever God calls us to. And that could vary wildly based on context. Luca and his friends nailed it in their context! But it wasn’t because of their own ingenuity. It’s because they were brave enough to follow God’s leading one step of faith at a time. May I be brave enough to do the same in the place God has me.

[Jennifer Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

ONCE YOU SEE… you can’t ever unsee.

When I pre-ordered Once You See, I received an advance pdf copy to read. I started the book several days ago and finished it tonight. Excellent, thought provoking, convicting read on who we are as the church and what we need to do about it. Written as an attention grabbing novel, it will speak God’s truth and change your world view - if you allow it.