Thomas J. Davis - Confessions of a Good Christian Guy: The Secrets Men Keep and the Grace that Saves Them

Praise for
Confessions of a Good Christian Guy

Tom Davis knows that no Christian guy can be truly good unless hes honest enough to confessor come cleanthat hes not always so good. A refreshing and honest guide for men seeking true friends and personal integrity.

Brian McLaren
Author and Activist, www.brianmclaren.net

Kudos to Tom Davis and Tammy Maltby for honestly addressing the struggles that Christian men face in the 21st century. Confessions of a Good Christian Guy serves as a powerful reminder that our gracious Heavenly Father routinely works in spite of our brokenness, imperfection, and sin to transform us into the likeness of Christ. This is essential reading for any man ready to take an honest look at himself and willing to allow God to change him from the inside out.

Jim Daly
President, Focus on the Family

Brace yourself! Confessions of a Good Christian Guy is not just another I-used-to-have-problems-but-now-Im-fixed feel-good fantasy. No, this is solid intelligence. Davis and Maltby take us on a tour of the front lines that run through every church, every family, and the life of every man. His assessment is honest and wise. You will find hope in these pages, and the comfort that comes from knowing that you are not alone.

Nate Larken
Author of Samson and the Pirate Monks

Tom Davis sets the tone when he declares at the end of , I choose not to lie anymore. Rawfrom telling the truth of his own life. Realfrom the foundation of telling the truth from Biblical stories of men struggling. Redemptivefrom telling the truth about grace that we, as men, long to not just simply know about but daily live. And a critical fourth R: Relationship. You cannot become the man you need and want to be all by yourself. This book will remind you, again and again, where change needs to take place in your life, and offers you the first steps to getting there.

Wes Roberts
Founder/CCO, Leadership Design Group

FINALLY! A book that hits the essential issues facing men today and also gives practical insights on how to experience true life-change. Tom Davis has done a courageous and masterful jobthis is a must read for all men.

Vince DAcchioli
Founder, On Target Ministries

Transparency is so needed in the heart of the church, and Tom rings out a clear call for us to stop pretending that everythings okay, because its not! As a worship leader and songwriter, Im amazed at the pull towards being fake when we show up to churchwhen church is the one place where we should be totally free to confess our humanity and support each other. Thats why I wrote the words just as you are in Come now is the time to worship. Tomthrough his own shortcomings and clear biblical teachingencourages us to stop pretending and be set free!

Brian Doerksen
Songwriter

2007 by Tom Davis and Tammy Maltby

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or otherexcept for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Published in association with William K. Jensen Literary Agency, 119 Bampton Court, Eugene, OR 97474.

To protect the privacy of individuals, some names and details have been changed, and some stories are composite characters.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version. 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishing House.

Scripture quotations noted CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version, 1995 by the American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted MSG are taken from The Message by Eugene H. Peterson. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations noted NASB are taken from New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations noted NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-4185-3741-8 (eBook)

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Davis, Tom, 1934

Confessions of a good Christian guy / Tom Davis and Tammy Maltby.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7852-2806-6 (pbk.)

1. Christian menReligious life. 2. Davis, Tom, 1934 I. Maltby, Tammy. II. Title.

BV4528.2.D387 2007

248.8'42dc22

2007027598

Printed in the United States of America

10 11 12 13 EPAC 9 8 7 6 5 4

To my grandfather, Herbert Bradley Branham, for modeling to me what a real man looks like.
Tom Davis

To my father, Ken W. Hanson.
Thank you for giving me life and for your loving devotion toward your family.
Thank you for being faithful and honorable to Mom for nearly fifty-eight years.
You did so much right, Dad. I am very blessed.

To my son, Samuel CJ Maltby.
May you continue to become a man of valor and strength, defending those who have no power, protecting those who are lost. This mother could not love a son more than you.
Tammy Maltby

HE WHO CONCEALS HIS SINS DOES NOT PROSPER, WHOEVER CONFESSES AND RENOUNCES THEM FINDS MERCY.

PROV. 28:13

CONTENTS

Tammy Maltby

F irst, thanks to my incredible wife, Emily, and all our children: Anya, Hayden, Gideon, Gracie, Lilly, and Hudson. You are the ones who pay the price when Im writing a book. I love you all and am so thankful for your support.

A special thank-you to Tammy Maltby. You believed in this project, you believed in me, and this book has become a reality. Marcus Brotherton, it has truly been a joy and honor to work with you. Thanks for all your insight and coaching. Bill Jensen, thanks for trusting me with the mens book. Joey Paul, thanks for your encouragement and insight.

To the staff at Childrens HopeChest, who share my life and passions: George, Matt, Rachel, Sam, Deanne, Dany, Ira, Julie, Debbie, Elizabeth, and Lena (who is more like a daughter than a coworker).

To Nate Larkin, for going the extra mile to help me and to find men willing to share their stories. I couldnt have done it without you, my friendthanks.

Thanks to Vince DAcchioli, for encouraging me on the journey. To Ed Bissonette, for being a friend and companion. To Dr. Bob Grant, for being an example to me of what a real man looks like. To Wes Roberts, for your love and care for my family and me. To Brett Irwin, for being a true friend and brother. To Dwayne Black, for the gift of adoption!

To Craig Whittakera man I greatly admire and look up tothanks for being a huge part of my life. John Cressman, your friendship is a great gift to me. Jim Fitzgerald, thanks for your camaraderie and for being a living example of what it means to give.

Thanks to all the men who had the courage and vulnerability to share the pain and victories of their lives. May the fruit of your reward be the transformation of the lives of many men.