Book of the Month - May
Not In It To Win It
Andy Stanley - ISBN: 978—0-310-13892-1 - 2022
Author:
Communicator, author, and pastor Andy Stanley founded Atlanta-based North Point Ministries (NPM) in 1995. Today, NPM consists of eight churches in the Atlanta area and a network of 180 churches around the globe that collectively serve over 200,000 people weekly. A survey of U.S. pastors in Outreach Magazine identified Andy as one of the ten most influential living pastors in America.
Andy holds an undergraduate degree in journalism from Georgia State University and a master’s degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is the author of more than 20 books, including Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets; Irresistible; The New Rules for Love, Sex & Dating; How to Be Rich; Deep & Wide; Enemies of the Heart; When Work & Family Collide; and Visioneering. Taken from https://andystanley.com/about/.
Brief Synopsis:
Not In It To Win It illustrates the culture we are in right now. Republicans, Democrats, masks, no masks, vaccines, no vaccine, and the list goes on and on… Stanley gives the basis for this book as anything that puts one nation before God instead of under Him violates the mission Jesus gave us. He delves into the consequences of deciding to close Northpoint for a year, putting politics aside and attempting to minister to Republicans and Democrats, and giving a history of how we got to this point.
“But the church is not here to win. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On Purpose. With a purpose. And we are His body. We are not in it to win anything. We are in it for something else entirely. That something else is what this book is about.” - The back cover
Insights:
“When winning replaces following, we are no longer following. We are no longer Christian as defined by the folks who originally coined the term.” - page 17
“Our faith is anchored to a miscarriage of justice. The worst possible thing happened to the best possible person.” - page 182
“Saving America is not the mission of the church. The moment our love or concern for country takes precedence over our love for the people in our country, we are off mission. When saving America diverts energy, focus, and reputation away from saving Americans, we no longer qualify as the ekklesia of Jesus. We’re merely political tools. A manipulated voting demographic. A photo op. Again, we lose our elevated position as the conscience of the nation. We give up the moral and ethical high ground.” - page 15
“Let’s live, love, and lead in such a way that we, the ekklesia of Jesus, regain the moral high ground and can serve as the conscience of our nation. Let’s do what’s just, not what we can justify. Let’s do what’s responsible, not what’s permissible. Let’s do what’s moral, not what’s modeled. Let’s stop trying to win. Let’s forsake our fear of losing. Let’s fix our eyes and our lives on Jesus.” -page 217
Should I read it or skip it?
How far are you willing to open your mind? I have always believed pastors should not make their party affiliation known. We are citizens of heaven before we are citizens of America. We should take stands, but I think Andy’s book goes a step further. How do we oppose abortion without providing some support for those who choose life? Are you willing to be a follower, or are you wanting to just remain a believer?
Don’t read this book unless you expect to be challenged to be a Christ-follower more than an American.
