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Dare to Drop the Pose: Ten Things Christians Think but Are Afraid to Say
Is the REAL you getting lost because the FAKE you is just so annoyingly impressive?
“Stepping onto the platform to preach that morning, I admitted to myself that I was not a pastor first, but a regular, scared, insecure, everyday guy whose life had been changed by Jesus. And if Jesus really loved me as I was (I knew He did), then why should I go on trying to be someone I wasn’t?”
Why DO we fake it so much? Why do we spend so much time trying to please everyone else and make so little effort trying to please God? When Craig Groeschel asked himself those questions, he couldn’t come up with a good answer. So one day he decided to drop the act and start getting real. With that one choice, his life began to change in a big way. And yours can, too.
Craig’s passionate, funny, warts-and-all confessions and the lessons he learned will help you find you own path to authentic living and a deeper relationship with God.
Includes study guide for personal or group use.
“Stepping onto the platform to preach that morning, I admitted to myself that I was not a pastor first, but a regular, scared, insecure, everyday guy whose life had been changed by Jesus. And if Jesus really loved me as I was (I knew He did), then why should I go on trying to be someone I wasn’t?”
Why DO we fake it so much? Why do we spend so much time trying to please everyone else and make so little effort trying to please God? When Craig Groeschel asked himself those questions, he couldn’t come up with a good answer. So one day he decided to drop the act and start getting real. With that one choice, his life began to change in a big way. And yours can, too.
Craig’s passionate, funny, warts-and-all confessions and the lessons he learned will help you find you own path to authentic living and a deeper relationship with God.
Includes study guide for personal or group use.
224 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2010
56 people are currently reading
284 people want to read
About the author
Craig Groeschel
98 books1,647 followersCraig Groeschel is the founding and senior pastor of Life.Church, a multisite church with locations throughout the United States and globally at Life.Church Online.
Craig and his wife Amy started Life.Church in a two-car garage in Edmond, Oklahoma in January 1996. While Life.Church has grown over the years, its mission remains the same: to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Today, the church is known for its innovative use of technology to spread the Gospel, launching the first fully digital church experience in 2006 and the most downloaded Bible app in history, YouVersion, in 2008.
As a widely respected leader in the Church, Craig speaks frequently at leadership events and conferences worldwide. He is a New York Times best-selling author with books about topics like dating and marriage, social media, purpose, direction, church leadership, and more. He also hosts the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, a practical tool to spark new ideas and prompt innovative thinking in leaders at every level within any organization.
Craig and Amy married in 1991 and have six children. They live in Oklahoma where Life.Church began.
Visit www.craiggroeschel.com to be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, books, leadership events, and more.
Craig and his wife Amy started Life.Church in a two-car garage in Edmond, Oklahoma in January 1996. While Life.Church has grown over the years, its mission remains the same: to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ. Today, the church is known for its innovative use of technology to spread the Gospel, launching the first fully digital church experience in 2006 and the most downloaded Bible app in history, YouVersion, in 2008.
As a widely respected leader in the Church, Craig speaks frequently at leadership events and conferences worldwide. He is a New York Times best-selling author with books about topics like dating and marriage, social media, purpose, direction, church leadership, and more. He also hosts the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast, a practical tool to spark new ideas and prompt innovative thinking in leaders at every level within any organization.
Craig and Amy married in 1991 and have six children. They live in Oklahoma where Life.Church began.
Visit www.craiggroeschel.com to be the first to hear about new podcast episodes, books, leadership events, and more.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 27, 2017
I don't know how to review this book. I can say that what I appreciate most is the honesty that the reader receives. Honesty from a minister/pastor. I think a lot of times we tend to think of pastors/preachers/ministers as perfect, righteous people. Craig Groeschel writes openly that he is just as human as all the rest of us and that he falls far short of God's righteousness daily - just like the rest of us.
Each chapter deals with a more and more difficult "pose" or facade that Christians layer themselves with. And each chapter has some life changing lessons to be learned that Groeschel is either in the process of learning or has learned. It is about Chapter 7 where Groeschel declares "God has enough grace and power to forgive every mistake and correct every flaw" that the clear message of God's unconditional love for His children begins to finally break through. And this is the beauty of what Groeschel has done, in my opinion. He has chipped away at the reader slowly and finally dropping the most difficult truth - the truth that Christians struggle to accept: God loves all of us unconditionally, just the way we are. And God can and will change us to the image that He desires for us if we will only let loose and let Him.
The book ends with a very short story of unconditional love that literally left me in tears. I read this book during the final week of the year, that week before a new year begins and that made Groeschel's final invitation so much more powerful:
"I invite you to join me in a radical commitment to live the most authentic, transparent, vulnerable life a Christ follower can. Once you do, you'll find as I have that even though some people might not like you as much, the ones who do like you will like you a lot more. For once, people who matter to you will be able to know and love the real you. And finally, you will be set free to love them back."
There is life changing stuff here.
Each chapter deals with a more and more difficult "pose" or facade that Christians layer themselves with. And each chapter has some life changing lessons to be learned that Groeschel is either in the process of learning or has learned. It is about Chapter 7 where Groeschel declares "God has enough grace and power to forgive every mistake and correct every flaw" that the clear message of God's unconditional love for His children begins to finally break through. And this is the beauty of what Groeschel has done, in my opinion. He has chipped away at the reader slowly and finally dropping the most difficult truth - the truth that Christians struggle to accept: God loves all of us unconditionally, just the way we are. And God can and will change us to the image that He desires for us if we will only let loose and let Him.
The book ends with a very short story of unconditional love that literally left me in tears. I read this book during the final week of the year, that week before a new year begins and that made Groeschel's final invitation so much more powerful:
"I invite you to join me in a radical commitment to live the most authentic, transparent, vulnerable life a Christ follower can. Once you do, you'll find as I have that even though some people might not like you as much, the ones who do like you will like you a lot more. For once, people who matter to you will be able to know and love the real you. And finally, you will be set free to love them back."
There is life changing stuff here.
October 25, 2010
Impressively honest.
I think this is a very important book for many people, pastors and laymen alike. It is especially significant coming from a pastor of such a large church who I'd assume has intense pressure of putting up a front. What we receive in this, however, is the gift to be human and not mindless robots that interact with each other. This is not a book to come to if you're trying to understand what the Bible says about the topic of being real or anything like that. To be honest, there are very few biblical references and this is not the intended purpose of the book. It is helping to unlearn many elements of the Christan culture that are unfortunate and need to be brought to light/altered. While many of these would hopefully just be understood and thus making this book unnecessary, our state of church in the United States has created a situation where this is not the case. I would highly recommend for pastors or laymen on the verge of quitting the church or quitting their faith. There is hope for real signs of life within the church still. All is not lost.
I think this is a very important book for many people, pastors and laymen alike. It is especially significant coming from a pastor of such a large church who I'd assume has intense pressure of putting up a front. What we receive in this, however, is the gift to be human and not mindless robots that interact with each other. This is not a book to come to if you're trying to understand what the Bible says about the topic of being real or anything like that. To be honest, there are very few biblical references and this is not the intended purpose of the book. It is helping to unlearn many elements of the Christan culture that are unfortunate and need to be brought to light/altered. While many of these would hopefully just be understood and thus making this book unnecessary, our state of church in the United States has created a situation where this is not the case. I would highly recommend for pastors or laymen on the verge of quitting the church or quitting their faith. There is hope for real signs of life within the church still. All is not lost.
November 20, 2018
Craig Groeschel's book is refreshing in it's honesty. This book is intended for Christian leaders who are tempted to project themselves as immaculate, but are privately aware of their own weakness, vulnerability, and need for growth.
I love Craig's honest and autobiographical stories about his own struggles with insecurity, worry, fear of failure, struggles with prayer and purity, and his struggles loving the other Christians around him! Sprinkled in between personal stories are some very good teachings from the scriptures and points for reflection. This very readable book was a great breath of fresh air, and was a good light read on the topic of leadership in Christian Churches.
I love Craig's honest and autobiographical stories about his own struggles with insecurity, worry, fear of failure, struggles with prayer and purity, and his struggles loving the other Christians around him! Sprinkled in between personal stories are some very good teachings from the scriptures and points for reflection. This very readable book was a great breath of fresh air, and was a good light read on the topic of leadership in Christian Churches.
December 1, 2018
I was totally impressed by the candor that Groeschel employs throughout this book. But I think most Christians would agree with the premises that he makes -- he;s just the only one who's brave enough to say them out loud. Not only does he share his stuggles, but he goes into the ways that God has worked/is working with him to manage his feelings. I was impressed and inspired.
December 1, 2018
I loved this book. It was so refreshing to see that even pastors have some of the same feelings that laypeople do. I'm sure that it took a lot of courage for Groeschel to share some of his deepest thoughts, but I applaud him for it. Not only did he share things that he was ashamed to say out loud, but he also shared the ways that God is helping him work through them. I learned a lot.
December 22, 2021
An honest confessions from a pastor through his personal life, and how he could and tried to adjust his weaknesses. It could be happened in our life also, for everyone wear masks in life. This book not instruct us to put down your masks, but more on how we could overcome our masks in our life journey.
September 19, 2018
Admit who you are
Craig Groeschel has given us another great tool for making the power of God's love work in our lives to serve out His purpose trusting and depending on Him.
Craig Groeschel has given us another great tool for making the power of God's love work in our lives to serve out His purpose trusting and depending on Him.
October 2, 2018
This is a great book with great life lessons. I need to drop the pose like Craig did. You might need to drop the pose, too. I recommend this book for everyone.
May 6, 2020
Very honest and challenging. Lots of humour helps to convey the message even better.
November 11, 2021
This book has made me love Pastor Craig even more, knowing that his honesty makes him more human and relatable than any sermon I’ve ever heard.
January 14, 2011
Originally Called confession of a pastor Craig Groschel loosely touches on many things that leaders struggle with. If you want to be challenged and open up in growing with your walk and desire not to "fake it" when it comes to how you lead, this book is for you.
I would recommend for anyone in leadership positions. It is written from a pastors perspective, but is applicable to anyone who desire to develop themselves.
This was read in my bible study and discussed in a group. There are questions in the back for groups so it makes it an easy add to a bible study.
I would recommend for anyone in leadership positions. It is written from a pastors perspective, but is applicable to anyone who desire to develop themselves.
This was read in my bible study and discussed in a group. There are questions in the back for groups so it makes it an easy add to a bible study.
January 31, 2016
In today's churches, so many Christians think that they have to present themselves as a "perfect product" to their peers. Craig Groeschel leads by example as he drops the pose and lets his flawed and "under renovation" self show. He shares funny and relatable experiences that make you realize...I am not alone. He also gives practical steps that illuminates truth from God's Word. The overarching theme of this book to is encourage you to embrace authenticity and let the people in your life love you for the real you.
September 3, 2013
A great look at hypocritical Christians, written by a Christian Pastor. He really doesn't like praying. Neither do I. I have ADD praying that goes off on tangents. He struggles to be a good Christian, as do we all (who are Christians). Insightful, honest and with good strategies to try to make yourself a better Christian, not the perfect Christian, just better. A wonderful read for a Christian like me.
December 8, 2011
I really like this book. The only thing I don't like is that in Weird (his new book) he puts quite a bit of the same stories in it.
January 30, 2015
Just super
May 19, 2013
A great read and beautiful, personal reminder for those of us struggling to retain our Christian identities.
November 1, 2016
Groeschel is right in my wheel house. He seems to be right in my head!
January 30, 2011
Everyone who was raised in church should read this book. Especially pastors.
January 26, 2015
really good book, very thought provoking.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews