Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

Yesterday I met with a local pastor who has been a good friend and has planted a growing “Grace-filled” church in the area. He gave me the book Grace Walk and asked me to read it. I couldn’t put it down and finished it last night. I realize this book has been around for 12 years but I had never read it nor heard about it until recently. The ironic thing is one of my wife’s best friends and homeschooling mom had just given the book to her for us to read.

The author, Steve McVey, was a rising star in the church world. He was a successful pastor who had led his denomination in Baptisms when he was called to pastor a turnaround church in the Atlanta area. He felt he was up for the challenge and tried everything he had been successful in Alabama. Finally he was giving a state of the church address the next day and lay face down crying on his floor. The church was not doing well and he realized that he had been in a “performance” mode and not a “Grace” mode. He repented that night and told his church that the next day. He then began a journey of a “GRACE WALK.”

I could relate to much of what he was saying. I recently preached a message on Mary and Martha and how Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen what was better when she sat at the feet of Jesus instead of helping Martha work. Life is about living with Jesus not doing things for Him. Martha was actually distracted from Jesus Himself! (Luke 10:38-42)

Here are some choice quotes:

• Polishing your performance is not the answer. Some of the most miserable people are drowning in a sea of religious activity (p.22)
• It was a thrilling day when I came to understand that Christianity is not rules and routine, but a relationship. (p.24)
• Walking in the flesh is simply relying on your own ability instead of on God’s resources. (p30)
• Being preoccupied with serving Christ more than with Jesus Himself is a subtle threat to every Christian. (p. 38)
• I began to really understand my identity as a Christian–that Christ is not simply in my life, but that He is my life. (p. 68)
• Many modern church members are absolutely exhausted from their efforts to serve God. (p. 73)
• Any approach to Christian living that focuses on keeping rules as a means of experiencing victory or growing spiritually is legalism. (p.80)
• If you really want to live a godly lifestyle, the focus of your life must be Him. Not church, not religious activity, no a moral lifestyle, not obeying His commands. Just Him! (p.89)
• Any person whose Christian life is centered on service is doomed to a life of frustration. (p. 95)
• Grace choses people as a priority… Law insists on service. Grace inspires it. (p.151)
• Grace causes one to see people instead of prospects. (p.151)

I truly enjoyed this book and I give it 4.75 hockey sticks out of 5.

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