Chad Young - Authenticity: Real Faith in a Phony, Superficial World

The authortheir thoughts, experiences, maturity, and characteris indistinguishable from the works they write. Thats why you want to read Authenticity; Chad speaks from an intimate and abiding walk with Christ, and hes spent years teaching and coaching others in doing the same. Strangely, this is a unique book as its written from the perspective of an experienced disciplernot pastor, not blogger, not counselor, but someone skilled in the art of personal, biblical discipleshipsomeone who traffics daily in the netherworld between orthodoxy (right belief) and orthopraxy (right practice) where all of us live.

Rick James

Publisher, CruPress

Author, A Million Ways To Die and Jesus Without Religion

After working closely with Chad for a few years, he demonstrates an authentic relationship with Christ on a daily basis. People are naturally drawn to Chad because they desire to have the same genuine relationship with God that Chad has. In this book, not only does he articulate an authenticity that is exemplified in his daily walk with the Lord, but he does a great job of conveying these vital relational truths in a simple and understandable fashion. This book is a great guide in growing closer to the Lord!

Tom Heinemann

Major League Soccer player, currently with the Columbus Crew

Chad combines his insight into Scripture with his tremendous storytelling ability to produce a must-read for students desiring a truly authentic walk with Christ.

Bill Jones

President, Columbia International University, Columbia, SC

Author, Putting Together the Puzzle of the Old Testament and Putting Together the Puzzle of the New Testament

In this intensely personal and yet universal book, Chad Young has written of what it means to let oneself see through the inauthenticity it sometimes seems surrounds the church. By turns memoir, devotional, instruction manual, and just plain good storytelling, Authenticity is a must read.

Bret Lott

English professor, College of Charleston

Author, Jewel, an Oprahs Book Club selection

Chad takes you through his journey in the way that the guy next door would. He discusses how he has overcome many of the challenges that we all go through on a daily basis, and as a result, he could not be happier living for the Lord. This was a refreshing and informative look at ways that we can change our outlooks and ultimately change our lives.

Bryce Florie

Former Major League Baseball pitcher

Rarely does the title of a book perfectly match the subject matter AND the author. Such is the case with Authenticity by Chad Young. In my 25 years of working with college students I have encountered many campus leaders who made a significant mark for Christ and his Kingdom among the campus community. Among these Christ-followers, Chad Young stands out in remarkable ways. I believe Authenticity is the first of several books the Lord will give Chad to enlarge his influence and ministry as a disciple-builder among emerging adults. Authenticity should be required reading for every Christian high school and college student who is serious about spiritual growth and leadership.

Dr. Rick Brewer

Vice President, Charleston Southern University

After spending time with Chad, one thing that you learn very quickly is that he has a desire to live his life in a way that glorifies God. I have been able to witness first hand through Chads life some of the fundamentals Chad shares in this book. In Authenticity, you find a book that is open, honest, and straightforward, just like Chad. Within the pages of this book are resources that can help guide anyone who has a true desire to know and follow God down the path of authentic Christianity.

Nelson Akwari

USL PRO and Major League Soccer player, currently with the L.A. Blues

REAL FAITH IN A PHONY,
SUPERFICIAL WORLD

Chad Young

InterVarsity Press
P.O. Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com
E-mail:

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org.

ISBN: 978-0-8308-5854-5

Copyright 2011 by Chad Young

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.. Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

N o one has read this book more times than my beautiful wife, Elizabeth. Her patience, encouragement, and editing spurred me on to complete this book.

I also want to acknowledge Blythe Daniel of The Blythe Daniel Agency. She is truly authentic, and this book is a result of her taking me in and helping to sharpen me as a writer.

I would also like to thank Volney James and John Dunham with Biblica for believing in this project and helping to shape it along the way.

David Jacobsen took a raw, rough draft and coached me and helped me produce this final product. Ive grown as a writer as a result of his hard work and expertise.

Id like to thank my friend Rick James for coaching me along the way, always being so encouraging, and giving helpful advice. Along the same lines, Id like to thank Keith Davy, Gilbert Kingsley, Tony Arnold, Eric Pederson, and Nick Corrova for their help and encouragement.

There are so many others who have helped with editing along the way, including my aunt, Lil Duncan, and my father, Herb Young, who helped edit the entire book. Others who have helped with ideas and editing include Mary Mena Koches, Nancy Snowden, Gin and Anne Edmunds, Doug Schutz, DJ Horton, Bret Lott, and Dr. Rick Brewer. Thank you all.

Last but not least, I thank my Lord Jesus, who gave his life for me, changed my life, led me to write this book, and worked behind the scenes during this entire writing and publishing process.

C hristianity has an image problem. I was recently on campus at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and got into a spiritual conversation with a student well call Amanda in the Student Center. When I asked her what she believed about God, Amanda hesitated.

Well, she said slowly, I do believe in God, and Ive heard stories about Jesus. However, I had a lot of friends in my high school that went to church, and their lives didnt seem to be anything like the life of Jesus. In fact, some of the kids who went to church had the worst reputations in my school. Several people have tried to talk to me about Christianity, but its hard for me to believe in something that doesnt seem to have much of an impact on your life.

There wasnt much more I could say. I simply apologized to Amanda for the lack of authentic Christian faith in her high school. I confessed to her I was like her friends when I was in high school. I called myself a Christian, but I lived a hypocritical lifestyle. I asked her to forgive me for the way I acted when I was in school, and she did. The last thing she told me was that our conversation seemed so genuine, and it made her think maybe there is something authentic about Christian faith.