Firsthand

A "firsthand" faith is never what somebody tells you it should be, even if that person is a parent, friend, or pastor. "Firsthand" means you went after it for yourself and now it's all yours. That kind of faith is changes everything, but most people only find it by facing tough questions. Like:

* If God is real, why does he feel far away?
* Can I ever get past the dos and don'ts of church?
* Why should I even try to follow God when I fail so often?
* How do I experience a relationship with Christ that's more than surface level?
* Is it possible to have authentic faith when I have so many doubts?
* How can I connect with others who take firsthand faith seriously?

In these pages, Ryan and Josh Shook talk candidly about growing up in church only to realize that "how things are supposed to be" had stopped working for them. They set out to find what makes a young person's faith stick-or not.

Each chapter is designed to spark a discussion, and comes complete with personal inventories, Bible teaching, small-group discussion questions, and links to original video.

Now includes bonus "Looking Back from Here" Q&A with the authors.

Publisher Description

:Join us on a journey to find a faith of your own.
A faith that isn't your parents' or your youth pastor's or your church's.
Start from scratch, question everything, and get hold of a faith that's real.
We call it firsthand faith.

"It's rare to find young people unafraid to voice their doubts while still being bold in their faith. Ryan and Josh are two of those people."
-Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church, Washington, DC, and author of the New York Times bestseller The Circle Maker

"All Christian parents want their children to develop a faith of their own. Firsthand asks tough questions and guides those with a secondhand faith to find Christ for themselves."
-Craig Groeschel, pastor of LifeChurch.tv, Edmond, OK, and author of Soul Detox

"Josh and Ryan Shook, the sons of well-known pastor and author Kerry Shook, have fully embraced the fact that although their dad gave them a great start, they need to run their own race. Learn how to embrace a firsthand faith and walk in the strength of a personal relationship with Christ."
-Steven Furtick, lead pastor of Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC, and author of the New York Times bestseller Greater

"Ryan and Josh Shook don't shy away from the tough questions but face them head-on in this powerful book that will encourage young adults not to settle for an inherited faith but to discover a true relationship with Jesus that is unique, exciting, and every bit their own."
-Pete Wilson, pastor of Cross Point Church, Nashville, TN, and author of Plan B