Praise for
Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe
Ever since I read his Unity Factor almost twenty years ago, Larry Osborne has been my mentor from afar. Now that Larry is writing books again, he has become a go-to author for me because he speaks my language and deals with my issues. I read everything he writes!
P ETE B RISCOE , senior pastor of Bent Tree Bible Fellowship and author of Christianity: A Follower's Guide and Secrets from the Treadmill
A very liberating read, as well as one that will surely deepen your trust in God. Larry takes apart ten commonly held beliefs that don't make sensebecause they aren't true!
R USS C ARROLL , CEO of Miva Merchant
In Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe, Larry Osborne dismantles many ideas that have derailed the faith of sincere Christians for far too long. Larry has the rare capacity to communicate difficult truths in a way that ignites the imagination and disarms the soul. I strongly recommend this book to anyone seeking a deeper and more-nuanced faith.
S COTT C HAPMAN , senior pastor of The Chapel, Illinois
Larry Osborne never fails to compel me to think with greater precision. Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe challenges us to reevaluate what we can so glibly believe and come away with a faith that we can deeply admire.
D R . W AYNE C ORDEIRO , author of The Divine Mentor, Doing Church as a Team, and The Life Journal
I recommend anything Larry Osborne writes. He's hit another homer with Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe! Larry unshackles our souls from things that threaten to destroy us. I'm confident your life will be better after reading this book!
R ON F ORSETH , vice president of Outreach Inc. and general editor of SermonCentral.com
Larry Osborne's Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe will help new believers and seasoned Christians alike. People often believe what they've heard without knowing why. Larry pierces through widely accepted spiritual legends with common sense and scriptural precision.
C RAIG G ROESCHEL , pastor of LifeChurch.tv and author of Confessions of a Pastor
This book will liberate us from faulty assumptions about God and life that keep us trapped or looking like naive fools. Larry Osborne brings practical and biblical wisdom to bear on some beliefs that we never should've held and that have always confused us. His chapters on forgiving and judging alone are worth the price of the book.
M EL L AWRENZ , senior pastor of Elmbrook Church and author of I Want to Believe
For a long time the world has needed this very important book. With patience and clarity Larry dissects erroneous beliefs that masquerade as faith. He helps us wade through the nonsenseinaccurate and misguided ideas we cling toand guides us to an understanding that results in a winsome, authentic faiththe kind we all long for.
N ANCY O RTBERG , founding partner of Teamworkx2 and author of Looking for God
Larry Osborne blends pastoral experience and counterintuitive wisdom that will frustrate (in a good way), challenge, and encourage you as you seek to walk with God for a lifetime.
D ARRIN P ATRICK , pastor of The Journey, St. Louis, Missouri
Filled with common sense from the heart, this book is a well-written and entirely biblical look at often-misunderstood principles in Scripture. I have found it not only helpful in my own life but also effective in discipling others. Great illustrations make the principles clear and easy to grasp. The game-plan illustration relating to Gods will alone is worth the price of the book.
S TEVE P OTRATZ , president of Parable Christian Stores and The Parable Group
I remember exactly where I was sitting during a visit to North Coast Church when I first heard my friend Larry Osborne explode the myth that faith fixes everything. I was there to learn the inner workings of the church but walked away with new insight into my faith. Since that time Larry has taught me much about the dumb things smart Christians (and even smart pastors) believe. You'll find one aha moment after another in this book. I'm buying copies for all our small-group leaders.
N ELSON S EARCY , lead pastor of The Journey Church, New York City
Larry Osborne pulls no punches in Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe. He brings clarity and biblical insight to commonly misunderstood ideas. With books like this one, Christians will believe fewer stupid things that damage their spiritual journeys. This book is worth reading and sharing.
E D S TETZER , coauthor of Compelled by Love, www.edstetzer.com
Larry Osborne takes us through misunderstandings handed down from generation to generation, from Sunday-school class to Sunday-school class. In today's jambalaya spirituality, Larry helps spiritual seekers and misinformed churchgoers sort through the true and the ridiculous. From the barbershop to the halls of traditional church, myths are circulatingand now Larry brings the light and balance of Scripture to enlighten the misinformed.
S TACY S PENCER , senior pastor of New Direction Christian Church, Memphis, Tennessee
Larry's commonsense approach in addressing widely held but incorrect spiritual beliefs brings clarity and sanityfinally! The chapters on forgiveness and parenting struck a particular chord with me. Larry is a wise pastor, gifted in teaching Scripture in a way that makes biblical truth accessible and understandable. I highly recommend this book to those familiar with the Christian faith and to those who aren't.
L INDA S TANLEY , director of Next Generation Pastors Leadership Community, Leadership Network
I couldn't put Ten Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe down once I started reading it. Many Christians have the same issues Larry addresses with gentle clarity to correct thinking and behaviors. A great book for new and serious believers alike.
D AVE T RAVIS , managing director of Leadership Network and author of Beyond Megachurch Myths and Beyond the Box: Innovative Churches That Work
Smart Christians can fall for a lot of dumb beliefs. I hadn't considered how many till I read this book, chock-full of sensible observations, disarming illustrations, and compelling scriptural insights. Larry makes you laugh while he makes you think.
K EN W ERLEIN , founding pastor of Faithbridge Church, Houston, Texas
This is a great book. It's a life-changing message the world needs to hear. Everyone should buy a copy and read it.
C AROLYN O SBORNE , Larry's mom
To Nancy, my best friend, biggest fan, most honest critic
and the love of my life.
Contents
Napoleon, Galileo, and IBM Why the wisdom of Solomon can still lead to a fool's decision Why spiritual urban legends are so dangerous What a carpenter's adage can teach us about spiritual truth