Your Jesus Is Too American

A Baptist pastor invites Christians to return to kingdom values that confront the idols of power, money, and political influence that have corrupted the American church. Confronting the Idols of Power and Influence and Returning to Kingdom Values The American church faces a discipleship crisis. Instead of following the values of Jesus, many Christians are chasing after what our culture prizes: power, money, and political influence. In Your Jesus Is Too American, Baptist pastor Steve Bezner shows that Jesus's vision of discipleship points toward a different way of being in the world. Bezner invites Christians to rediscover what Jesus treasured and to incorporate kingdom values into the church's witness. "Steve has put his heart into this book, and I hope Christians will read it, consider it, and take up his call to 'obedience to the way of Jesus.'" -- Michael Wear, founder, president, and CEO, Center for Christianity and Public Life; author of The Spirit of Our Politics: Spiritual Formation and the Renovation of Public Life "This is a book I will give to my friends, family, and fellow ministry leaders. It is a book to which I fervently pray we will listen." -- Beth Allison Barr, professor, Baylor University; bestselling author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood "The American church has become too politics-centered rather than Christ-centered. We need a biblical worldview more than ever today. Read this work and experience the growth and implementation of such a vision." -- Eric Mason, senior pastor, Epiphany Fellowship "What I have so deeply appreciated in [Bezner's] teaching is beautifully captured here in his writing." -- Beth Moore (from the foreword) "An invigorating look at the current state of the American church and what might be done to move it forward."-- Publishers Weekly The American church is facing a discipleship crisis. Instead of following the values of Jesus, many Christians are chasing after what our culture prizes: power, money, and political influence. In Your Jesus Is Too American, Baptist pastor Steve Bezner invites Christians to rediscover what Jesus treasured and incorporate those kingdom values into the church's witness. With a pastoral voice, he shares the lessons he has been teaching in his church community for more than a decade: ● choosing humble service over worldly success ● healing relationships across religious and ethnic divides ● repairing harm against marginalized groups ● giving generously ● providing a political witness rooted in the local church Bezner shows that Jesus's vision of discipleship points toward a different way of being in the world. With a foreword by Beth Moore, this book offers a welcome perspective for church leaders and congregants alike who are frustrated with the way many churches pursue values that are not in line with Jesus's teachings and are worried about the American church's credibility crisis.