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Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible
If you're not daring to believe god for the impossible, you may be sleeping through some of the best parts of your Christian Life.
"This book is not a Snuggie. The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I’m not writing to calm or coddle you. With God’s help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers and turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity and fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God’s truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years.
"In short, I’m out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential."
—Steven Furtick, from Sun Stand Still
“Steven Furtick challenges all of us—from the missionary in the third world to the family in the suburbs—to believe God for the impossible and begin living a life of faith beyond the ordinary.”
—ANDY STANLEY, senior pastor, North Point Community Church
“I don’t know anyone better positioned to challenge you to rise above mundane living and embrace faith-filled audacity than Steven Furtick.”
—Craig Groeschel, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv
“For too long Christians have embraced a miniscule vision of faith.… Steven Furtick reminds us that the God who accomplished the impossible through the great heroes of faith still desires to do the same through us today.”
—Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor, Free Chapel
“This book will show you that your hopes and expectations are truly just the beginning of what God can do.”
—Ed Young, senior pastor, Fellowship Church
"This book is not a Snuggie. The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I’m not writing to calm or coddle you. With God’s help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers and turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity and fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God’s truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years.
"In short, I’m out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose and potential."
—Steven Furtick, from Sun Stand Still
“Steven Furtick challenges all of us—from the missionary in the third world to the family in the suburbs—to believe God for the impossible and begin living a life of faith beyond the ordinary.”
—ANDY STANLEY, senior pastor, North Point Community Church
“I don’t know anyone better positioned to challenge you to rise above mundane living and embrace faith-filled audacity than Steven Furtick.”
—Craig Groeschel, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv
“For too long Christians have embraced a miniscule vision of faith.… Steven Furtick reminds us that the God who accomplished the impossible through the great heroes of faith still desires to do the same through us today.”
—Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor, Free Chapel
“This book will show you that your hopes and expectations are truly just the beginning of what God can do.”
—Ed Young, senior pastor, Fellowship Church
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2010
About the author
Steven Furtick
31 books698 followersSteven Furtick is the founder and lead pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, named by Outreach magazine as one of the top 10 fastest growing churches in the nation. In four years, Elevation has grown to more than 6,000 people in regular attendance in three locations. Steven holds a degree in communication from North Greenville University, and a Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Holly, have two young sons—Elijah and Graham—and make their home in the Charlotte area.
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November 2, 2010
Before I start this review, I need to tell you that I was a big fan of Steven Furtick before he put a single word down on paper. I first heard him speak last September on The Nines, an online conference put on by Leadership Network...
Now, I realize that he may or may not be your cup of tea - he's definitely got a "grew up in the South & around church" vibe - but that video cut through a morass of self-pity & frustration in my ministry & life. He blends "inside baseball" humor (well, "inside ministry life" humor) with great expository teaching & incredible encouragement.
In November of 2009, I was given a free ticket to the National Outreach Convention in San Diego... and Steven was the final speaker. You can read one of the points of his message in his blog post, Give Me My Rocks... but there was more to what he said. This gawky 29 year old kid (yes, the fact that he would have been in one of my youth groups makes me a little crazy) challenged & encouraged a group of convention-weary pastors/leaders with humor, passion & capital "T" truth.
A bit ashamed of myself for groupie-like behavior, I went up after the convention was done to meet him & tell him how much his video on The Nines had meant to me. And here's why I'm not sure I can give his book a completely objective review - Steven hugged me (was NOT expecting that) and prayed for me, right there in the middle of a crowd of well-wishers. I don't remember much of what he said (still stunned from the bear hug) but his humility & exuberance won me over... in part because it's all too easy for me to live/minister out of pride & duty. Some days, it seems like my passion for Christ & for people has been boiled down to simply getting the job done.
So, with all that background/biographical information, now I'll attempt to review Steven's first book, Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare To Ask God For The Impossible.
Early on, Steven declares his purpose for writing this book on faith:
---
This book is not a Snuggie. The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I'm not writing to calm or coddle you.
With God's help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers & turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity & fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God's truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years. In short, I'm out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose & potential.
---
I figure the best way for me to review a book by an author that I'm rooting for is to try & judge the book by this simple question: does he accomplish what he set out to do?
The short answer, at least for me, is "Yes."
The book is based on the passage in Joshua 10 where God causes the sun to stand still in order that the Israelites can complete the victory that He has promised them. We can all debate the possibility of miracles some other time. (Furtick doesn't even bother here in the book - he simply makes the same assumption that I do: we're dealing with the same God who resurrected Jesus from the grave... if He can intervene there, He can easily do so here.)
From there, the author takes us along on his personal journey as the pastor/church planter of Elevation Church... and shares multiple stories of people whose lives have been changed by audacious faith.
One of the things I really liked about the book is Steven Furtick's willingness to rewind a bit & make sure that the reader is understanding the terms/words as he is using them... and even to deal with some faith issues that often get ignored in this type of book. What do I mean by "this type of book?" Well, due to my past experience with Christian publishers, lots of books on faith are simply "rah-rah, believe more & get more, name it & claim it" (and so on) and gloss over areas of difficulty that Furtick plunges into head first:
* how can I have a big vision when I'm just an "ordinary" follower of Jesus (aka "not a pastor")?
* is this simply a "baptized" way to perform prayer rituals to get God to do your bidding
* what happens when God doesn't answer your audacious & faithful prayers?
With his characteristic humor & solid Biblical foundation, Steven has written a book that manages to encourage followers of Jesus to passionately ask God to move on our behalf for His glory... and to do so without using false guilt to motivate people to pursue faith.
Note: this is not a book that's going to appeal to those who are struggling with the reality of God... it is written to a Christian audience. For those who are growing closer to God - whether they've crossed the line of faith or not - I think this is an inspiring look at real "rubber hits the road" faith & prayer can be.
Now, I realize that he may or may not be your cup of tea - he's definitely got a "grew up in the South & around church" vibe - but that video cut through a morass of self-pity & frustration in my ministry & life. He blends "inside baseball" humor (well, "inside ministry life" humor) with great expository teaching & incredible encouragement.
In November of 2009, I was given a free ticket to the National Outreach Convention in San Diego... and Steven was the final speaker. You can read one of the points of his message in his blog post, Give Me My Rocks... but there was more to what he said. This gawky 29 year old kid (yes, the fact that he would have been in one of my youth groups makes me a little crazy) challenged & encouraged a group of convention-weary pastors/leaders with humor, passion & capital "T" truth.
A bit ashamed of myself for groupie-like behavior, I went up after the convention was done to meet him & tell him how much his video on The Nines had meant to me. And here's why I'm not sure I can give his book a completely objective review - Steven hugged me (was NOT expecting that) and prayed for me, right there in the middle of a crowd of well-wishers. I don't remember much of what he said (still stunned from the bear hug) but his humility & exuberance won me over... in part because it's all too easy for me to live/minister out of pride & duty. Some days, it seems like my passion for Christ & for people has been boiled down to simply getting the job done.
So, with all that background/biographical information, now I'll attempt to review Steven's first book, Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare To Ask God For The Impossible.
Early on, Steven declares his purpose for writing this book on faith:
---
This book is not a Snuggie. The words on these pages will not go down like Ambien. I'm not writing to calm or coddle you.
With God's help, I intend to incite a riot in your mind. Trip your breakers & turn out the lights in your favorite hiding places of insecurity & fear. Then flip the switch back on so that God's truth can illuminate the divine destiny that may have been lying dormant inside you for years. In short, I'm out to activate your audacious faith. To inspire you to ask God for the impossible. And in the process, to reconnect you with your God-sized purpose & potential.
---
I figure the best way for me to review a book by an author that I'm rooting for is to try & judge the book by this simple question: does he accomplish what he set out to do?
The short answer, at least for me, is "Yes."
The book is based on the passage in Joshua 10 where God causes the sun to stand still in order that the Israelites can complete the victory that He has promised them. We can all debate the possibility of miracles some other time. (Furtick doesn't even bother here in the book - he simply makes the same assumption that I do: we're dealing with the same God who resurrected Jesus from the grave... if He can intervene there, He can easily do so here.)
From there, the author takes us along on his personal journey as the pastor/church planter of Elevation Church... and shares multiple stories of people whose lives have been changed by audacious faith.
One of the things I really liked about the book is Steven Furtick's willingness to rewind a bit & make sure that the reader is understanding the terms/words as he is using them... and even to deal with some faith issues that often get ignored in this type of book. What do I mean by "this type of book?" Well, due to my past experience with Christian publishers, lots of books on faith are simply "rah-rah, believe more & get more, name it & claim it" (and so on) and gloss over areas of difficulty that Furtick plunges into head first:
* how can I have a big vision when I'm just an "ordinary" follower of Jesus (aka "not a pastor")?
* is this simply a "baptized" way to perform prayer rituals to get God to do your bidding
* what happens when God doesn't answer your audacious & faithful prayers?
With his characteristic humor & solid Biblical foundation, Steven has written a book that manages to encourage followers of Jesus to passionately ask God to move on our behalf for His glory... and to do so without using false guilt to motivate people to pursue faith.
Note: this is not a book that's going to appeal to those who are struggling with the reality of God... it is written to a Christian audience. For those who are growing closer to God - whether they've crossed the line of faith or not - I think this is an inspiring look at real "rubber hits the road" faith & prayer can be.
October 15, 2019
Pastor Steven Furtick is regularly criticized for his lax use of Scripture, his shaky theology, and his over-eager charm, but there is no denying he is gifted and talented. While I'm somewhat in the Reformed camp who has claimed doctrinal war against guys like Furtick, I personally love his ministry. I appreciate what he does. I download podcasts from Mark Driscoll, Matt Chandler, Timothy Keller, James MacDonald, and anyone else you'd call conservative, but my odd blip on the iPod is Steven Furtick. I don't always agree with what he says, but that shouldn't count him out. When he says the truth, it lands hard.
Furtick has three main objectives: to understand the size of our God we pray to, to seek a vision the size of that God, and to persevere amidst unanswered prayers. These goals culminate into his favorite phrase, audacious faith. He bases all this off a passage from Joshua that may or may not demonstrate proper exegesis, but is certainly catchy. It's a real zinger to say Sun Stand Still.
The last point, about fighting even when prayers seem to fail, is the most nuanced part of the book. It's also his best sermon in the series. That single chapter touches so close to the daily reality of many people. Finally Furtick stops making God sound like a genie. When you strip away all the inspirational cheerleading of Furtick's preaching and writing, you get a sense that he sincerely understands the depth of our struggles. I wish that last point had taken up more of the book. It's almost as if Furtick sat down in the pulpit, turned off his iPad, and got really real. Our faith cannot be in goals, he implies, because our faith can only be fully found in God Himself, who is good beyond our understanding. It spoke so well that it eclipsed (pun intended) nearly everything else.
If it sounds like I'm being hard on Furtick, I'm not trying to be. I did enjoy his book. It did achieve some of its goal: to increase my faith in God's generous goodness. Furtick is a hyperbolic, astronomical goalsetter who may turn you off or may fire you up. Here's a thought to some of the critics: if we actually did try living as bold as Furtick suggests, would that be a bad thing? I hardly think so.
Furtick has three main objectives: to understand the size of our God we pray to, to seek a vision the size of that God, and to persevere amidst unanswered prayers. These goals culminate into his favorite phrase, audacious faith. He bases all this off a passage from Joshua that may or may not demonstrate proper exegesis, but is certainly catchy. It's a real zinger to say Sun Stand Still.
The last point, about fighting even when prayers seem to fail, is the most nuanced part of the book. It's also his best sermon in the series. That single chapter touches so close to the daily reality of many people. Finally Furtick stops making God sound like a genie. When you strip away all the inspirational cheerleading of Furtick's preaching and writing, you get a sense that he sincerely understands the depth of our struggles. I wish that last point had taken up more of the book. It's almost as if Furtick sat down in the pulpit, turned off his iPad, and got really real. Our faith cannot be in goals, he implies, because our faith can only be fully found in God Himself, who is good beyond our understanding. It spoke so well that it eclipsed (pun intended) nearly everything else.
If it sounds like I'm being hard on Furtick, I'm not trying to be. I did enjoy his book. It did achieve some of its goal: to increase my faith in God's generous goodness. Furtick is a hyperbolic, astronomical goalsetter who may turn you off or may fire you up. Here's a thought to some of the critics: if we actually did try living as bold as Furtick suggests, would that be a bad thing? I hardly think so.
October 30, 2010
Every once in a while you read a book that intersects with where you are in life in such a way that it's almost conversational. This has been that book for me. It has encouraged me on my journey.
November 4, 2019
I have so much admiration for Steven Furtick and his audacious faith. God is doing huge things through him.
This book didn't necessarily have anything new or an earth-shattering revelation. But I struggle to be faithful in my prayer life. So for me, I need maintenance books like this that are full of passion and challenge to wake up my prayer life again.
Awesome book if anyone is looking to jolt awake their prayers again.
I'd rate this book a G.
This book didn't necessarily have anything new or an earth-shattering revelation. But I struggle to be faithful in my prayer life. So for me, I need maintenance books like this that are full of passion and challenge to wake up my prayer life again.
Awesome book if anyone is looking to jolt awake their prayers again.
I'd rate this book a G.
December 29, 2019
Another amazing book by Pastor Furtick. I really liked how this message was about daring to be bold in Christ and step forward in faith. I think a lot of times, we as Christians “play it safe” and we stick to our routine and our comfort zone and are good people who love God. But while these things are good, God calls us to much more. We can all live boldly in our everyday life and we have to be willing to step out in faith for God to do big things through us. I highly recommend this book if you are look for motivation and clarity on how we should proceed, especially if you are unsure of your calling!
February 25, 2023
I absolutely love Steven Furtick and I knew I would enjoy this book (just the title alone is intriguing)! His chapters include: Ignite the Ordinary, Mistake into Miracle, Pray like a Juggernaut (just to name a few)! Furtick encourages the reader to have audacious faith as he centers this book around the Biblical Story of Joshua who prayed in the Old Testament and the sun stood still. Furtick explains miracles and the mighty move of God in the Biblical context and also shares personal life stories showcasing God's wonders. Furtick also opens up about the small beginnings of his ministry, dubbed "the Ramen Noodle Revival." It was interesting under the section of "55 Percent Sure" that Furtick, a Pastor, would admit that he doesn't always hear God's instructions with 100 percent accuracy and can face doubting thoughts of his own but still moves out in faith. He reminds the readers that God is great and He's good (a whole section on just that fact)! Furtick shares 12 Audacious Faith Confessions, 5 Truths about Sun Stand Still Prayers and 5 Steps to a Sun Stand Still Prayer. I liked the chapter "Push while you Pray" which inspires the reader to join a faith-filled prayer with faith-filled action. In the last chapter, Furtick prays a Sun Still Prayer over the reader's family and job and spiritual journey. I would definitely recommend this book! It is obvious...you will read this book and then dare God to ask for the impossible to happen in your life!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2020
An encouraging and challenging read. Challenges us to seek audacious faith and live big lives for God. Dare to seek big things from Him.
Read
April 29, 2017Idk why I read this
Joel Osteen wannabe, with a lot of God sprinkled in.
Joel Osteen wannabe, with a lot of God sprinkled in.
January 7, 2011
"Audacious faith" - that is the key phrase in Steven Furtick's
Sun Stand Still: What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible
. The subtitle says it all - What Happens When You Dare to Ask God for the Impossible. The story of Joshua asking God to cause the sun to stand still in the sky, that the Lord's words may come to pass, is that backdrop to this challenging, inspiring book. In the same way that Joshua possessed an audacious faith to ask God for what seemed impossible, we are to live a life of this same type of faith. What are you expecting God to do in your life? Are your expectations vague? Or are they too simple? Maybe you are expecting God for something that really doesn't impact anyone around you? God desires to do more than we can imagine! Furtick pushes you to dream way beyond the ordinary, and to consider believing God for the impossible - which, to God, is anything but!
This book challenged me in areas of my life that are currently in question. As I closed the book, there was a stirring in my soul - down in my gut (and no, it was not dinner). I want to believe God for things that I have previously only dreamed of! Do I have enough faith to truly believe they will happen?! Let's find out!
This book challenged me in areas of my life that are currently in question. As I closed the book, there was a stirring in my soul - down in my gut (and no, it was not dinner). I want to believe God for things that I have previously only dreamed of! Do I have enough faith to truly believe they will happen?! Let's find out!
March 17, 2016
"Jesus didn’t die on a part-time cross. He doesn’t love us with a part-time love. He doesn’t cover us with a part-time pardon for sins. There’s no such thing as a part-time Christian, and there’s no such thing as part-time ministry."
"Complete confidence in the competency of Christ matched with sincere humility. This is the only formula for authentic audacious faith."
Sun Stand Still is about intense radical faith. Based Joshua's prayer that resulted in God keeping the sun in the sky for an extra day Furtick talks through what is looks like to pray you're own "sun stand still prayer."
What I like most about this book is that it doesn't just stop at "here is how to pray." It walks through actions to take, things to do, steps to follow your faith. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a "God helps those that help themselves" talk, it's a process, a discussion on what living a life knowing that God can, and will if you ask according to his will, perform miracles in your life.
"Complete confidence in the competency of Christ matched with sincere humility. This is the only formula for authentic audacious faith."
Sun Stand Still is about intense radical faith. Based Joshua's prayer that resulted in God keeping the sun in the sky for an extra day Furtick talks through what is looks like to pray you're own "sun stand still prayer."
What I like most about this book is that it doesn't just stop at "here is how to pray." It walks through actions to take, things to do, steps to follow your faith. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a "God helps those that help themselves" talk, it's a process, a discussion on what living a life knowing that God can, and will if you ask according to his will, perform miracles in your life.
March 13, 2018
A very easy-to-read book, but to its merit, not its fault. I think that this book is great for those who feel like they are in a spiritual or prayer rut, and are looking for how to grow in their faith. This book may not have been terribly deep on a theological sense, but it inspires and encourages readers to live their faith. Rather than keeping it all in ideological headspace, Furtick gets practical and gives rubber-meets-the-road advice for your life.
August 21, 2011
When I saw Steven Furtick at the Willow Creek Association Global Leadership Summit this year, I was drawn in by his personality. You could tell that he believed he could change the world. This book helps one to dig deeper into his mindset.
I feel genuinely encouraged in my walk.
I feel genuinely encouraged in my walk.
March 16, 2012
Excellent book. First book I've read by Furtick and I love how down to earth his writing style is- very easy to read. And the thoughts and approaches to faith and prayer are so positive and purposeful- I will work to use these along with his 12 audacious faith confessions on page 114 daily.
March 24, 2012
The first time I had heard of Steven Furtick was when I picked up this book. Evidently he is a pastor of a very large and successful Church and movement in the southern states. Admittedly, even in first picking up this book and perusing the first few chapters it is hard to get a complete picture of the man and his methodology. In fact, it wouldn't be surprising to find many who might be prone to reading a certain degree of cynicism in to what at first glance gives the appearance of a superficial Gospel presentation on blessings, miraculous works and prayer and healing. From his own self admission, he is not a scholar or a theologian. He was not at the top in school and does not have a penchant or huge desire for the wordiness of strong academics. Nevertheless though, there is something about the passion that seems to bleed from these pages that entices you to keep reading. And for those who give this book a shot, the full read certainly reaps rewards. It will cheer you on in faith, excite you in vision and get you excited about the possibilities of your life under God.
As I mentioned, there is no denying this man's passion. It is contagious, infectious and affecting. What he lacks in academic prowess he certainly makes up for in undeniable story, testimony and experience and focus. In fact, it is his methodology itself that proves to be the most compelling parts of Sun Stand Still. Rooting itself in the story of Joshua, it spends the first three quarters asking us to imagine the impossible being possible. It asks us to imagine a world in which we, people like Joshua, can in fact see time stop and the sun stand still. And he makes a fervent and impassioned plea for the modern Christian to adapt a similar degree of faith. One can refer to his language as somewhat over the top as he speaks without apology of this one sided point of view in which there is no middle ground. It's a call to avoid disclaimers, to avoid any thoughts and doubts of purpose and motivation, and to simply claim the possibilities that God has already declared to be true. God can and wants to heal. God can and wants us to have victory over the hardships of life. God can and wants to see those who can't have children and who desire to have a child be able to conceive. God desires to see masses come to Christ. God desires to see ministries grow, marriages flourish. So quit dancing around the truth of it and speak it in such as way that you believe it can and will happen without apology and reservation.
It is following chapter after chapter of hearing this repeated vision that Furtick eventually reaches the chapter that he says he would rather not have to write. It is titled "When the Sun Goes Down", and it is the chapter that moves from this focus on the possible to the disappointments we find in the reality of life. And it is a powerful chapter that exposes the wonder of his methodology. He writes with purpose, and His purpose is to call us simply to pray, believe and act with conviction and confidence that is not burdened or limited by the reality. He gives all that he can to this notion before bringing us to what he calls the reality of the process. That is, sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers and doesn't come through in situations in the way we have asked Him to, and sometimes we see the miracle and sometimes we have to be the miracle when the miracle doesn't happen. And in all circumstances, the true blessing is the opportunity to be shaped by the process that marks the struggle that obedience brings when we act in full confidence and faith. By putting us face to face with this reality this late in the book he effectively allows us to hear this (and encounter it in our own lives) in balance while still retaining the truth of his plea on the other end. The fact that the sun does set and doesn't always stand still does not excuse us from speaking, acting and praying with the sort of confidence that believes it will. Approaching life and God in any other way simply sells who God is short, and who we believe God to be is the most important thing of all, regardless of what any outcome looks like on the other side. Doing it in this way paves the way for us to hear the full truth and still be left with an unwavering desire to live our lives with the "audacity" to pray for what we believe God can and desires to do.
As I mentioned, Furtick litters this book with stories that help give his words an incredible sense of validity. There is no denying that God has acted in miracles. The author believes this without a doubt, and it would be hard to contest this given the evidence. The last chapters of the book I think are some of the most affecting as it looks to apply his fervent plea in a very practical way. And it happens to tackle some of the strongest theological components of his book at this point as well. He leaves us with some very simple but profound directives to help us step out in faith in our lives. This includes the notion that we must first be in the word, and we must first understand what God has done to know what He can do. This is what should mark our prayers moving forward when we then in turn speak in the confidence that God can once again do it in our circumstance. And then we must act. While God can certainly act beyond us, and grace in fact declares that it is not us but God, our obedience and the miraculous work of God are very much intertwined. Just because God works in our brokenness and works to do what we cannot does not give us license to keep on sinning or to not bring our whole selves to the table. And this is where we are once again reminded of the importance of the process, of the stuff that shapes us along the way. It is a desire for all of this that should ignite our hearts. The thrill of stepping out to imagine in faith the impossible vision that God has given for our lives, community or circumstance. The sometimes painful and difficult shaping that happens along the way. And finally the wonder of seeing the miracle of God using our faith to shape our obedience and to move us toward the miraculous on the other side. I don't know about you, but I was certainly won over by the end.
As I mentioned, there is no denying this man's passion. It is contagious, infectious and affecting. What he lacks in academic prowess he certainly makes up for in undeniable story, testimony and experience and focus. In fact, it is his methodology itself that proves to be the most compelling parts of Sun Stand Still. Rooting itself in the story of Joshua, it spends the first three quarters asking us to imagine the impossible being possible. It asks us to imagine a world in which we, people like Joshua, can in fact see time stop and the sun stand still. And he makes a fervent and impassioned plea for the modern Christian to adapt a similar degree of faith. One can refer to his language as somewhat over the top as he speaks without apology of this one sided point of view in which there is no middle ground. It's a call to avoid disclaimers, to avoid any thoughts and doubts of purpose and motivation, and to simply claim the possibilities that God has already declared to be true. God can and wants to heal. God can and wants us to have victory over the hardships of life. God can and wants to see those who can't have children and who desire to have a child be able to conceive. God desires to see masses come to Christ. God desires to see ministries grow, marriages flourish. So quit dancing around the truth of it and speak it in such as way that you believe it can and will happen without apology and reservation.
It is following chapter after chapter of hearing this repeated vision that Furtick eventually reaches the chapter that he says he would rather not have to write. It is titled "When the Sun Goes Down", and it is the chapter that moves from this focus on the possible to the disappointments we find in the reality of life. And it is a powerful chapter that exposes the wonder of his methodology. He writes with purpose, and His purpose is to call us simply to pray, believe and act with conviction and confidence that is not burdened or limited by the reality. He gives all that he can to this notion before bringing us to what he calls the reality of the process. That is, sometimes God doesn't answer our prayers and doesn't come through in situations in the way we have asked Him to, and sometimes we see the miracle and sometimes we have to be the miracle when the miracle doesn't happen. And in all circumstances, the true blessing is the opportunity to be shaped by the process that marks the struggle that obedience brings when we act in full confidence and faith. By putting us face to face with this reality this late in the book he effectively allows us to hear this (and encounter it in our own lives) in balance while still retaining the truth of his plea on the other end. The fact that the sun does set and doesn't always stand still does not excuse us from speaking, acting and praying with the sort of confidence that believes it will. Approaching life and God in any other way simply sells who God is short, and who we believe God to be is the most important thing of all, regardless of what any outcome looks like on the other side. Doing it in this way paves the way for us to hear the full truth and still be left with an unwavering desire to live our lives with the "audacity" to pray for what we believe God can and desires to do.
As I mentioned, Furtick litters this book with stories that help give his words an incredible sense of validity. There is no denying that God has acted in miracles. The author believes this without a doubt, and it would be hard to contest this given the evidence. The last chapters of the book I think are some of the most affecting as it looks to apply his fervent plea in a very practical way. And it happens to tackle some of the strongest theological components of his book at this point as well. He leaves us with some very simple but profound directives to help us step out in faith in our lives. This includes the notion that we must first be in the word, and we must first understand what God has done to know what He can do. This is what should mark our prayers moving forward when we then in turn speak in the confidence that God can once again do it in our circumstance. And then we must act. While God can certainly act beyond us, and grace in fact declares that it is not us but God, our obedience and the miraculous work of God are very much intertwined. Just because God works in our brokenness and works to do what we cannot does not give us license to keep on sinning or to not bring our whole selves to the table. And this is where we are once again reminded of the importance of the process, of the stuff that shapes us along the way. It is a desire for all of this that should ignite our hearts. The thrill of stepping out to imagine in faith the impossible vision that God has given for our lives, community or circumstance. The sometimes painful and difficult shaping that happens along the way. And finally the wonder of seeing the miracle of God using our faith to shape our obedience and to move us toward the miraculous on the other side. I don't know about you, but I was certainly won over by the end.
June 27, 2020
This is the perfect rubber meets the road book for me.God has a way of leading you in different ways :) I agree that Pastor Furtick may not be the best writer out there, but he has a flair of writing that the message can bypass your mind and go straight to your heart.Pastor Furtick gives a detailed exposition of how we can ask God for the impossible and pray our Sun stand still prayers. (that's what the author titled bold prayers).The term 'audacious faith' is used all across the book.Sometimes,it bugged me , but I understand the message he's trying to convey. All in all, this is a great book & you can pick it up especially when you're praying God to do the impossible in your life.It will catapult your faith to a new level.
P. S.: The book has a lot of humour elements. (Another great reason to read :)
P. S.: The book has a lot of humour elements. (Another great reason to read :)
June 20, 2011
On the front end, I feel it's only fair to admit that when I first received this book, I was not a big fan of Steven Furtick. In my admittedly limited experience with the young megachurch pastor, I had found him to be brash, over-the-top, and borderline arrogant... not exactly qualities I look for in a preacher. Of course, I have generally found that it hasn't been an issue with what he has said so much as how he has said it (
this video
is a good example).
Since my problems with Furtick have been primarily about his methods rather than his message, I was interested to see how he came across in his first book. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and hoped this new medium would help me to understand what he's really about.
The premise of the book is that most Christians fail to live life to the fullest, and never take advantage of the awesome power that is available to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and access to the Father through prayer. Furtick's main Scriptural text for the book is Joshua 10 , where Joshua commands the sun to stand still. His assertion is that God wants to answer "Sun Stand Still" prayers for all his children, and stands ready to do so if only we will come boldly before the throne and ask God for the impossible. There are positives and negatives in the way the book works this out.
First, the bad: Unfortunately, much of Furtick's bravado comes through in his writing, leading passages of this book to be almost maddeningly unreadable. From his overuse of the word "audacious" to his exhortation that people stop praying stupid, timid prayers, I found my eyes rolling several times. Also, at points this book sounded very much like the self-help pseudo-spiritual nonsense of prosperity preachers like Joel Osteen (whom Furtick has defended on multiple occasions ). If I hadn't been provided a free copy of the book for review purposes, I probably would not have continued.
Thankfully, I'm glad I did, because it turns out there is also a lot of good in this book. Once I got over my bias against Furtick's writing style, I began to realize that there is some theological depth here where it is lacking in the type of guys who usually write books like this. Just because many books and sermons about praying for God's miraculous intervention make claims beyond what Scripture supports doesn't mean that the basic idea isn't biblically sound. After all, we do worship a God who is capable of stopping the sun and "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" ( Ephesians 3:20 ). Personally, I do have a tendency to pray safe, timid prayers rather than trust God to supply all my needs.
Where this book is at its best is in a chapter a little past the halfway mark called "When the Sun Goes Down". It was here I felt the book hit a turning point, and I actually quite enjoyed the rest of it. In this chapter, Furtick balances out the "pray with bold expectation" sentiment with the reality that "sometimes — a lot of times, honestly — it goes the other way. Sometimes the sun doesn't stand still. Sometimes the sun goes down... sometimes the sun keeps sinking down, down, down, and no amount of hoping, fasting, or right living seems to stop it." This is where the prosperity theologians go badly wrong. Many times, our prayers are not answered (or the answer is no), no matter how fervently we trust in God. It can really shake one's faith. What do we do then?
Furtick's answer is right on: keep trusting God, and look for ways to glorify Him through your setback. The rest of the book includes many practical suggestions for improving one's prayer life. These suggestions are good ones, and were personally challenging. Readers are directed to "reconcile your dreams with God's desires", using God's Word as a measuring stick for whether our prayers are according to God's will. We are also to "push while you pray", meaning that often the answers to our prayer often require taking action even while praying that God would act.
As Furtick points out, there is a process between the promise and the payoff, and it is often during this process that God is seen and felt most powerfully. The type of prayers which require a miracle are frequently accompanied by uncertainty, anxiety, change, and sacrifice, but these are the very things that form our character and deepen our walk with the Lord.
My final analysis? While I still don't like Furtick's style, I recognize that there is plenty of room in God's Kingdom for different methods. I still question some of his teaching, but finished this book encouraged that there is much more to Steven Furtick than I had previously given him credit for. I would not recommend this book for those whose discernment I do not trust, but there is much to be gleaned here. I look forward to seeing what comes of Furtick's ministry, as he is still only 30, and has many years of preaching and (hopefully) growing ahead of him.
Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for providing a free review copy of this book. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Since my problems with Furtick have been primarily about his methods rather than his message, I was interested to see how he came across in his first book. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, and hoped this new medium would help me to understand what he's really about.
The premise of the book is that most Christians fail to live life to the fullest, and never take advantage of the awesome power that is available to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and access to the Father through prayer. Furtick's main Scriptural text for the book is Joshua 10 , where Joshua commands the sun to stand still. His assertion is that God wants to answer "Sun Stand Still" prayers for all his children, and stands ready to do so if only we will come boldly before the throne and ask God for the impossible. There are positives and negatives in the way the book works this out.
First, the bad: Unfortunately, much of Furtick's bravado comes through in his writing, leading passages of this book to be almost maddeningly unreadable. From his overuse of the word "audacious" to his exhortation that people stop praying stupid, timid prayers, I found my eyes rolling several times. Also, at points this book sounded very much like the self-help pseudo-spiritual nonsense of prosperity preachers like Joel Osteen (whom Furtick has defended on multiple occasions ). If I hadn't been provided a free copy of the book for review purposes, I probably would not have continued.
Thankfully, I'm glad I did, because it turns out there is also a lot of good in this book. Once I got over my bias against Furtick's writing style, I began to realize that there is some theological depth here where it is lacking in the type of guys who usually write books like this. Just because many books and sermons about praying for God's miraculous intervention make claims beyond what Scripture supports doesn't mean that the basic idea isn't biblically sound. After all, we do worship a God who is capable of stopping the sun and "able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think" ( Ephesians 3:20 ). Personally, I do have a tendency to pray safe, timid prayers rather than trust God to supply all my needs.
Where this book is at its best is in a chapter a little past the halfway mark called "When the Sun Goes Down". It was here I felt the book hit a turning point, and I actually quite enjoyed the rest of it. In this chapter, Furtick balances out the "pray with bold expectation" sentiment with the reality that "sometimes — a lot of times, honestly — it goes the other way. Sometimes the sun doesn't stand still. Sometimes the sun goes down... sometimes the sun keeps sinking down, down, down, and no amount of hoping, fasting, or right living seems to stop it." This is where the prosperity theologians go badly wrong. Many times, our prayers are not answered (or the answer is no), no matter how fervently we trust in God. It can really shake one's faith. What do we do then?
Furtick's answer is right on: keep trusting God, and look for ways to glorify Him through your setback. The rest of the book includes many practical suggestions for improving one's prayer life. These suggestions are good ones, and were personally challenging. Readers are directed to "reconcile your dreams with God's desires", using God's Word as a measuring stick for whether our prayers are according to God's will. We are also to "push while you pray", meaning that often the answers to our prayer often require taking action even while praying that God would act.
As Furtick points out, there is a process between the promise and the payoff, and it is often during this process that God is seen and felt most powerfully. The type of prayers which require a miracle are frequently accompanied by uncertainty, anxiety, change, and sacrifice, but these are the very things that form our character and deepen our walk with the Lord.
My final analysis? While I still don't like Furtick's style, I recognize that there is plenty of room in God's Kingdom for different methods. I still question some of his teaching, but finished this book encouraged that there is much more to Steven Furtick than I had previously given him credit for. I would not recommend this book for those whose discernment I do not trust, but there is much to be gleaned here. I look forward to seeing what comes of Furtick's ministry, as he is still only 30, and has many years of preaching and (hopefully) growing ahead of him.
Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for providing a free review copy of this book. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
March 25, 2022
Overall “Sun Stand Still” was a good read.
Steven’s invitation to have a prayer life that is expectant on God was really the foundation of this book.
I think the part of the book that stuck out to me the most was when Steven expressed that between the Promise and the Payoff, there’s a Process. Overall, I liked it, there were genuine steps of being authentic in one’s relationship with God. I think the difficultly with it is the reality that when it comes to prayers like this; it takes time and sacrifice. But altogether, a great message to hear.
Steven’s invitation to have a prayer life that is expectant on God was really the foundation of this book.
I think the part of the book that stuck out to me the most was when Steven expressed that between the Promise and the Payoff, there’s a Process. Overall, I liked it, there were genuine steps of being authentic in one’s relationship with God. I think the difficultly with it is the reality that when it comes to prayers like this; it takes time and sacrifice. But altogether, a great message to hear.
November 3, 2020
Another wonderful audio read by Steven Furtick that explains to readers that we all have a “sun stand still” prayer to work toward in the name of God. Very inspiring!
June 6, 2020
Very inspiring and challenging.
December 22, 2010
"God is great. God is good." A simple prayer. A child's prayer. But this is the building block to what author Steven Furtick calls "audacious faith" in his book *Sun Stand Still.*
The premise of his book comes from the Old Testament story of Joshua and the taking of Jericho. Joshua had faith-an "audacious faith"- and he prayed an impossible prayer that only God could answer. That is the type of prayer life we are to have as Christians.
The author uses many stories and examples in a conversation style of writing to get his point across. Furtick's writings are not mired in a deep theological discussion, rather he provides plenty of scriptural references for further research and study. He calls the audience to become prayer warriors through an "audacious faith" and Sun Stand Still prayers.
I would diffidently recommend this book to new believers, need-a-jump-start believers, and die-hard believers. Really any believer will find nuggets of truth that speak to the heart. If nothing else find out the meaning to an "audacious faith."
So pick up a copy of the book. And begin your journey of deepening your faith and praying a Sun Stand Still prayer. Your world will never be the same.
"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."
The premise of his book comes from the Old Testament story of Joshua and the taking of Jericho. Joshua had faith-an "audacious faith"- and he prayed an impossible prayer that only God could answer. That is the type of prayer life we are to have as Christians.
The author uses many stories and examples in a conversation style of writing to get his point across. Furtick's writings are not mired in a deep theological discussion, rather he provides plenty of scriptural references for further research and study. He calls the audience to become prayer warriors through an "audacious faith" and Sun Stand Still prayers.
I would diffidently recommend this book to new believers, need-a-jump-start believers, and die-hard believers. Really any believer will find nuggets of truth that speak to the heart. If nothing else find out the meaning to an "audacious faith."
So pick up a copy of the book. And begin your journey of deepening your faith and praying a Sun Stand Still prayer. Your world will never be the same.
"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."
July 13, 2023
In Steven Furtick's book Sun Stand Still, he shares this misunderstanding of Biblical faith: He acknowledges that faith is important for salvation but then goes on to lament that the lack of, what he would call audacious faith, does not result in the exploits of Biblical heroes. For Furtick, faith is something we do - a result beyond salvation should be expected in believers. Galatians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, so that no one may boast." Salvation comes from our faith - our trust in Christ - NOT our ability to believe in an outcome that we can accomplish. We are not to look for mighty deeds or accomplishments but glory in the finished work of Christ. I think this is the root of Furtick's false teaching and where he gets sidetracked from Biblical faith.
What can be a higher level than salvation? What can be more impossible than a man dead in trespasses and sins rightly condemned to Hell suddenly being made alive and promised Heaven through the miraculous death, burial, and resurrection of Christ? NOTHING! No miracle, no ability to make the sun stand still, no "higher calling to fulfillment and significance" can compare with this! Why is this not enough for Furtick and others?!
Steven Furtick's book Sun Stand Still is a series of events that happened to him that he finds Bible stories to reference in order to support his claim of being led by God. He starts a church in Charlotte, that is his Sun Stand Still moment. He wants it to grow so he reads a book by Jim Cymbala (a pastor accused of molesting a boy, shady financial dealings, and falsifying church records by the way) and declares "a page 23" vision from God based on a quote from the book. On page 23. He plays with his kid in the ocean and likens his "wave jumping" to trusting God's voice for his audacious faith to do things that grow his church. Rather than start with the Bible and relate IT to his life, he does the reverse. In his "Wave Jumper" chapter he explains how he pulls this off. Furtick says that he knows he heard from God when he is 55% sure he's hearing from God! So the other 45% of the time he's hearing from who? I can promise Furtick a 100% success rate in hearing from God if he will only read his Bible! Then, he wouldn't have to rely on these omens that occur in his life to direct him, he could rely on the Word of God. His idea of faith is not trusting Christ alone for salvation but confidence that God is calling people to do audacious things. Oh, not things like living a sanctified life, fighting sin, spreading the Gospel but things like "a relational change, a financial leap, a costly sacrifice, a ministry opportunity, (or) a drastic transition". Furtick's "visions" are worldly ambitions, things that make you feel good, and have little to do with the Bible.
Steven Furtick in his book Sun Stand Still, comes really close to defining repentance. This chapter may be his closest to an orthodox description of the Gospel but he just can't turn that corner from the elevation of man. (Perhaps that is the reason behind the name of his church: Elevation). He correctly points out the need for confession of sin and correctly defines repentance as a change of mind but then goes on to say that we must remember the "height from which you have fallen" (Revelation 2:5). That is true but he does not fully define repentance. It is a change of mind but it involves two steps: a turning away from sin and turning to Christ for salvation. He continually refers to the "mistakes" we have made and that once we repent, we need to stop wallowing in our sin and get back doing miraculous things for God. He says Jesus died to redeem your life. He did die for our redemption but Furtick leaves out the just penalty our sins (not mistakes) earned us: death. He leaves out that Christ paid for our sins, was punished for our sins, and put to death for our sins on the cross. Furtick seems to believe that we were great people that made mistakes and once we admit that, we are right back to being great people. The total depravity of man does not need Elevation, it needs to be put to death with Christ and resurrected from the dead with His life instead of ours. Pray for this young preacher. He comes so close to the Gospel but sees much too much good in man and seems to minimize the sinfulness of sin against a thrice Holy God.
Steven Furtick gets practical as he details what sort of things to pray for with these audacious "Sun Stand Still" prayers: Personal needs, fertility, financial and business success, relationships, careers, spiritual breakthroughs (whatever that is), physical and emotional healing, standing strong against temptation (that's a good one!), life goals, finding and embracing purpose, ministry resources (money) and momentum, and, in chapter four, he adds praying for loved ones who are far from God. Now there is nothing wrong with praying for these things. The Bible says to bring ALL our requests to God. BUT when I study the times that the Bible says "pray about these things", of the twenty instructions to pray in the New Testament (this may not be a complete list) only two involve such practical things like "that we would prosper and be in good health" and "that our needs would be met". The remaining 18 prayers are things like: that God perfects us, that our love would abound, that we do no evil, that we are complete in the faith, that we are worthy to escape the Tribulation, that we are worthy to stand before the Son, that we increase in knowledge and discernment, that we are sincere and not offend, that we stand perfect before God, that we would see His face, that we are counted worthy of His calling, that the name of Christ is glorified in us, that the Word of God would run swiftly and be glorified, and that a door is open for ministry. Furtick and his fellow Prosperity preachers focus on worldly things and seem to give only a passing mention to the spiritual things, which are the focus of New Testament prayers. Because Furtick knows the Gospel, there is hope that when he matures he will focus on Christ and Him crucified like Paul did. But until then, his books and sermons are still #forhereticalresearchonly .
What can be a higher level than salvation? What can be more impossible than a man dead in trespasses and sins rightly condemned to Hell suddenly being made alive and promised Heaven through the miraculous death, burial, and resurrection of Christ? NOTHING! No miracle, no ability to make the sun stand still, no "higher calling to fulfillment and significance" can compare with this! Why is this not enough for Furtick and others?!
Steven Furtick's book Sun Stand Still is a series of events that happened to him that he finds Bible stories to reference in order to support his claim of being led by God. He starts a church in Charlotte, that is his Sun Stand Still moment. He wants it to grow so he reads a book by Jim Cymbala (a pastor accused of molesting a boy, shady financial dealings, and falsifying church records by the way) and declares "a page 23" vision from God based on a quote from the book. On page 23. He plays with his kid in the ocean and likens his "wave jumping" to trusting God's voice for his audacious faith to do things that grow his church. Rather than start with the Bible and relate IT to his life, he does the reverse. In his "Wave Jumper" chapter he explains how he pulls this off. Furtick says that he knows he heard from God when he is 55% sure he's hearing from God! So the other 45% of the time he's hearing from who? I can promise Furtick a 100% success rate in hearing from God if he will only read his Bible! Then, he wouldn't have to rely on these omens that occur in his life to direct him, he could rely on the Word of God. His idea of faith is not trusting Christ alone for salvation but confidence that God is calling people to do audacious things. Oh, not things like living a sanctified life, fighting sin, spreading the Gospel but things like "a relational change, a financial leap, a costly sacrifice, a ministry opportunity, (or) a drastic transition". Furtick's "visions" are worldly ambitions, things that make you feel good, and have little to do with the Bible.
Steven Furtick in his book Sun Stand Still, comes really close to defining repentance. This chapter may be his closest to an orthodox description of the Gospel but he just can't turn that corner from the elevation of man. (Perhaps that is the reason behind the name of his church: Elevation). He correctly points out the need for confession of sin and correctly defines repentance as a change of mind but then goes on to say that we must remember the "height from which you have fallen" (Revelation 2:5). That is true but he does not fully define repentance. It is a change of mind but it involves two steps: a turning away from sin and turning to Christ for salvation. He continually refers to the "mistakes" we have made and that once we repent, we need to stop wallowing in our sin and get back doing miraculous things for God. He says Jesus died to redeem your life. He did die for our redemption but Furtick leaves out the just penalty our sins (not mistakes) earned us: death. He leaves out that Christ paid for our sins, was punished for our sins, and put to death for our sins on the cross. Furtick seems to believe that we were great people that made mistakes and once we admit that, we are right back to being great people. The total depravity of man does not need Elevation, it needs to be put to death with Christ and resurrected from the dead with His life instead of ours. Pray for this young preacher. He comes so close to the Gospel but sees much too much good in man and seems to minimize the sinfulness of sin against a thrice Holy God.
Steven Furtick gets practical as he details what sort of things to pray for with these audacious "Sun Stand Still" prayers: Personal needs, fertility, financial and business success, relationships, careers, spiritual breakthroughs (whatever that is), physical and emotional healing, standing strong against temptation (that's a good one!), life goals, finding and embracing purpose, ministry resources (money) and momentum, and, in chapter four, he adds praying for loved ones who are far from God. Now there is nothing wrong with praying for these things. The Bible says to bring ALL our requests to God. BUT when I study the times that the Bible says "pray about these things", of the twenty instructions to pray in the New Testament (this may not be a complete list) only two involve such practical things like "that we would prosper and be in good health" and "that our needs would be met". The remaining 18 prayers are things like: that God perfects us, that our love would abound, that we do no evil, that we are complete in the faith, that we are worthy to escape the Tribulation, that we are worthy to stand before the Son, that we increase in knowledge and discernment, that we are sincere and not offend, that we stand perfect before God, that we would see His face, that we are counted worthy of His calling, that the name of Christ is glorified in us, that the Word of God would run swiftly and be glorified, and that a door is open for ministry. Furtick and his fellow Prosperity preachers focus on worldly things and seem to give only a passing mention to the spiritual things, which are the focus of New Testament prayers. Because Furtick knows the Gospel, there is hope that when he matures he will focus on Christ and Him crucified like Paul did. But until then, his books and sermons are still #forhereticalresearchonly .
October 22, 2015
It's scary how Furtick hit the "name it, claim it" mentality here. I really wanted to like this book. Furtick is a great speaker, and obviously has impacted North Carolina. However, if this book is any indication about his theology (which it is), I'm worried.
Fur tick misses the point about some scripture being descriptive and some being prescriptive. Joshua's prayer in Joshua chapter 10 was a descriptive prayer about God fulfilling the promise he made to the Israelites in the verses before. Joshua is calling out in a unique way, but that doesn't mean everyone is to pray like this and take what Joshua did as a prescription for prayer. This becomes the Prayer of Jabez 2.0.
There is the one chapter (13) that deals with what to do when God doesn't answer your prayer the way you want, but so much power is given to the prayer before chapter 13 and after chapter 13 that the chapter itself feels like an add-on. He had to write that section since he knows just enough about proper theology.
Fur tick misses the point about some scripture being descriptive and some being prescriptive. Joshua's prayer in Joshua chapter 10 was a descriptive prayer about God fulfilling the promise he made to the Israelites in the verses before. Joshua is calling out in a unique way, but that doesn't mean everyone is to pray like this and take what Joshua did as a prescription for prayer. This becomes the Prayer of Jabez 2.0.
There is the one chapter (13) that deals with what to do when God doesn't answer your prayer the way you want, but so much power is given to the prayer before chapter 13 and after chapter 13 that the chapter itself feels like an add-on. He had to write that section since he knows just enough about proper theology.
May 29, 2012
The audience for this book isn't likely to be involved in drinking games, but if they were, "audacious faith" could lead to quite the hangover.
This book was part of a group I did, not a personal pick. From what I knew of the author beforehand, I expected having to stick with it and work harder to find the bits that resonated for me. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind as something that I've integrated into my daily life.
He makes reference to Sun Stand Still prayers for all types of personalities, but maybe that's where my disconnect happened. In his writing style and the companion video, Furtick comes across strongly extroverted, and I am definitely not. I couldn't relate to many of his experiences that made up the bulk of the book's examples in how this type of prayer and faith played out for him.
I recently started Paul E. Miller's "A Praying Life," and just a few chapters in it has helped me approach praying more honestly and therefore more effectively.
This book was part of a group I did, not a personal pick. From what I knew of the author beforehand, I expected having to stick with it and work harder to find the bits that resonated for me. Unfortunately, nothing comes to mind as something that I've integrated into my daily life.
He makes reference to Sun Stand Still prayers for all types of personalities, but maybe that's where my disconnect happened. In his writing style and the companion video, Furtick comes across strongly extroverted, and I am definitely not. I couldn't relate to many of his experiences that made up the bulk of the book's examples in how this type of prayer and faith played out for him.
I recently started Paul E. Miller's "A Praying Life," and just a few chapters in it has helped me approach praying more honestly and therefore more effectively.
October 14, 2015
Such an inspiring and motivating book, written in a way that is relatable, easy to read and Biblically-founded. I was also pleased that Furtick had a vision for this novel, used Joshua as the main biblical parallel and did not stay from this vision or Joshua's audacious faith example.
Parts of this book led me to tears in recognizing God's goodness and at other times because of how much I know I need to change in my own life.
I've been following Christ for more than several years now and found this to be a beneficial read, one that I am and have been looking to apply practically in my own life.
I was skeptical at first with the U2 and Bono references, but upon finishing this book, I can't wait to hand this book off to someone else to read!
Parts of this book led me to tears in recognizing God's goodness and at other times because of how much I know I need to change in my own life.
I've been following Christ for more than several years now and found this to be a beneficial read, one that I am and have been looking to apply practically in my own life.
I was skeptical at first with the U2 and Bono references, but upon finishing this book, I can't wait to hand this book off to someone else to read!
January 29, 2013
Read this, if only to gain exposure from a mega church but don't read this to learn. There were a few things I found uncomfortable with this pastor and his church that lean toward the unhealthy.
A church is not successful based on its numbers.
A healthy church has the majority, if not all serving. His church is 12,000 and only a few thousand serve.
He mentioned that he doesn't even know the roles in his church. The pastor needs to know each person, because in the end he is accountable for his flock.
Serving in the church is the direct affect of salvation. He mentioned that his performers performed, and then were saved a few months later.
It a lot of I, me, look what I did.
And I'm only halfway though the book.
A church is not successful based on its numbers.
A healthy church has the majority, if not all serving. His church is 12,000 and only a few thousand serve.
He mentioned that he doesn't even know the roles in his church. The pastor needs to know each person, because in the end he is accountable for his flock.
Serving in the church is the direct affect of salvation. He mentioned that his performers performed, and then were saved a few months later.
It a lot of I, me, look what I did.
And I'm only halfway though the book.
August 30, 2013
"...if you ever encounter a theology that doesn't directly connect the greatness of God with your potential to do great things on his behalf, it's not biblical theology." p. 7
Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience pgs. 44-45
After a while it became more of the same, "audacious faith", etc;...
I'm happy that Furtick's church is doing so well and that he can share his story with us. I'm certain it will be meaningful to many. I appreciate his preaching much more than his writing. I don't want to sound like an old man but I think several more years of seasoning in ministry would be helpful to his style and substance
Extraordinary moves of God begin with ordinary acts of obedience pgs. 44-45
After a while it became more of the same, "audacious faith", etc;...
I'm happy that Furtick's church is doing so well and that he can share his story with us. I'm certain it will be meaningful to many. I appreciate his preaching much more than his writing. I don't want to sound like an old man but I think several more years of seasoning in ministry would be helpful to his style and substance
September 26, 2019
In this book the author teaches the scriptures as he not only tells of Joshua asking God to make the sun stand still but challenges us to do the same and pray our own audacious prayers. He tells of prayers he has prayed and what God did, and what God hasn't done directly yet.
Weaving scripture, stories, and principles, Steven Furtick challenges Christians to move beyond "safe" prayers and pray boldly. He doesn't promise God will answer in the way we expect but proclaims that God never breaks a promise.
Furtick narrates his own book and does a great job. His passion for the subject is evident.
Weaving scripture, stories, and principles, Steven Furtick challenges Christians to move beyond "safe" prayers and pray boldly. He doesn't promise God will answer in the way we expect but proclaims that God never breaks a promise.
Furtick narrates his own book and does a great job. His passion for the subject is evident.
April 26, 2015
Ugh....I started this book after hearing an associate pastor at my church preach an uplifting message from it and while I HAD been enjoying it, I felt pretty slimey about the pastor who wrote it after I read [quite a bit more] about him (here's a bizarre starting point: http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/christ...) -- a great reminder to do my homework when it comes to finding authors whose messages I want to follow as they relate to my faith.
June 1, 2011
Amazing and challenging. This book is a poke on our backs so we start paying attention to the life we're living. Is it a faith driven life, or a fear driven life?
It´s encouraging to read that it is possible to live a life of audacious faith, and this way have the best life God has planned for us.
It´s encouraging to read that it is possible to live a life of audacious faith, and this way have the best life God has planned for us.
July 12, 2011
A non fiction book that I actually loved! This book doesn't discourage you with crazy expectations. It actually encourages you to not lose faith in that big prayer that you have and to get into the word and stand on the promises of God. Has changed the way I pray!
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