If It Weren't For Us Christians...

Huge congrats to my friend Bobby Weaver, whose debut book, If it Weren’t For Us Christians, There’d Be A Lot More Christians, was released earlier this month.

LEAVE A COMMENT FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THE BOOK!

Bobby uses wit, humor and plenty of real life experience to examine some misguided attempts at the “Great Commission.” Without trying to be overly preachy, he has taken a candid approach to suggest Christians rethink their "witness" while being a witness. If it Weren't for Us Christians, is now available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Crossover Publications websites.

So…what sort of examples does he use? Here’s just a taste:

* A pastor in North Carolina leads his congregation to vote nine members out of the church. According to him their sin was voting for the wrong man in the presidential election.

* Two competing churches in Florida put up opposing billboards. One declares, “There ain’t no hell!” The other counters with, “The hell there ain’t!”

* A young man following a car with a “Honk If You Love Jesus” bumper sticker, honks his horn and gets the middle finger from the driver.

Bobby: These are just a few actual examples that have led me to believe that some of us must interpret the Great Commission like this: “Go into the world and scare off as many people from the Christian faith as we possibly can.” Let’s face it, when it comes to spreading the Gospel, we can often be our own worst enemy.

Bobby’s Background: From opening nearly 1,000 retail stores to starting a national newspaper chain, Bobby Weaver seemed to have it all…with one possible exception…a relationship with God. You see, Bobby was on a wrong-way journey when God had another idea and used the most unlikely fellow to help. Would you believe Howard Stern? Yes, the radio shock jock. It was the middle of October in 1996 when Bobby told Howard off on a live radio show. But, believe it or not, it was Howard’s response that ended up totally revolutionizing Bobby’s life.

Q. So, Bobby…Why did you write this book?

A. Well, I knew this one person who loved to judge others. In fact, he did it all the time. And he was one of the worst hypocrites I had ever met. He could talk the talk with the best of them, but when it came to walking the walk, well, that was a different story. I hate to say this about him, but he was one of the most disgusting people I've ever met. Guess where I met him? In a bar? In a topless joint? No, I met him in a mirror. It was me. Once God finally got my attention, he was kind enough to let me live another day, but I'm thinking it was my turn to do something for him...hence, the book.

Q. Wow...that's some pretty honest self-reflection. A lot of people shy away from looking that closely at themselves. Why should people read your book?

A. Because my baby needs a new pair of shoes. No, seriously, I honestly believe that a lot of us Christians do things VERY UNINTENTIONALLY to scare off others from our faith. Some of us (not all, but some) use questionable language, we occasionally gossip, we drive like a NASCAR driver and advertise it with our Christian bumper sticker, and on and on. I have had several people say after reading the book that it points out subtle things we do without ever realizing it. But to keep this book from being a preachy, boring book, I relied on my days as a publisher of Beach Bull to offer this serious matter laced with humor. My favorite comment I have heard about the book is "I couldn't put it down." Of course, I paid them $25 them to say that. (Smiley face goes here!)

Thanks, Bobby! Your answers definitely make me want to read the book, which will be arriving in my mailbox any day now. Remember, all you need to do is leave a comment for a chance to win If It Weren’t For Us Christians….

Since Bobby hails from Florida, let’s go with a Florida recipe for today:

KEY WEST CHICKEN

• 3 Tbs. soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. chopped garlic
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. In a shallow container, blend soy sauce, honey, vegetable oil, lime juice, and garlic. Place chicken breast halves into the mixture, and turn to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.
2. Lightly oil outdoor grill grate and preheat grill for high heat.
3. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until juices run clear.