Why I Follow Jesus Book

Plass is a man of not inconsiderable stature. As one of the church's best-loved raconteurs, the gentle giant who used to smoke 60 a day and still gets depressed (despite, and sometimes because of, his faith) has a way of pulling down the pillars of Christian subculture like a modern-day Samson. Nowadays, it's no good trying to force an A-Z of Christianity down an agnostic's throat like a spoonful of medicine; for starters most of us, Christian or no, don't consider the church best placed to be writing the prescriptions anymore. But what about Jesus? Surely we can't blame him for everything done in his name? Plass thinks not, hence the title of--and the reason behind--this book, more of an after-dinner chat than theological treatise. "I follow Jesus because he's less narrow and boring about salvation than an awful lot of his followers," he suggests. In this collection of laugh-out-loud witticisms, stories and anecdotes, he explains movingly why he remains proud to call himself a follower. For believers, he offers encouragement and challenge; for sceptics, an oft-compelling personal account of struggle and joy. "I follow Jesus because he offers hope for the future," he explains--reason enough, surely, for anyone to give faith a chance. Most important, Plass is disarmingly honest. In closing, he admits: "I follow Jesus for reasons that are almost impossible to explain". In a Christian world of ready-made answers, that alone is enough to shake the foundations. --Brian DraperRead More