Thann Bennett - My Fame, His Fame: Aiming Your Life and Influence Toward the Glory of God

PRAISE FOR MY FAME, HIS FAME

In an age of platform building and fixation on building ones own personal brand, Thann has given us a refreshing, much needed perspective regarding whose fame we ought to amplify. For it is from, to, and through Jesus Christ alone that are all things. I hope this book gains an audience with leaders especially. May we become larger by becoming smaller in our own eyes, and may we know true exaltation as we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, for the advancement of His fame and not our own.

SCOTT SAULS, SENIOR PASTOR OF CHRIST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE; AUTHOR OF JESUS OUTSIDE THE LINES AND A GENTLE ANSWER

We live in a culture obsessed with personal famean idol that kills our faith and quenches the potential for miracles in our midst. Jesus said so Himself: No wonder you cant believe. For you gladly honor each other, but you dont care about the honor that comes from the One who alone is God (John 5:44). If we ever needed to see Gods intervention and to experience His miracle-working power, its now. My friend Thann Bennett has written a passionate, powerful appeal to Gods people. Its time to wake up, consecrate your life, and call on the name of the Lord. This book made me want to stand up and shout, bow low and pray, and believe that God will make Himself known in our day. Dont miss this timely word.

SUSIE LARSON, NATIONAL SPEAKER, TALK RADIO HOST, AUTHOR OF FULLY ALIVE

My Fame, His Fame is a wake-up call for Christians, to those of us seeking to know the face of Jesus. It is an invitation to look over into eternity and to call that vision into our here and now.

CASEY DIAZ, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SHOT CALLER

Few people do I trust more to discern the Fathers voice than Thann Bennett. If your chief aim, like his, is to honor God with your life, this book shows you howbrilliantly and plainly explaining what gives our lives lasting, eternal significance: pursuing, partnering with, and pointing to God and His great fame!

JOHN JESSUP, CBN NEWS

In a time when platform or influence is an ever-beckoning temptation, this book is a timely reminder about the one name we are supposed to make great. Through Thanns words, you will be inspired to proclaim the Lord in new and bold ways! What a privilege we have to make His name famous!

JOEL AND NINA SCHMIDGALL, AUTHORS OF PRAYING CIRCLES AROUND YOUR MARRIAGE

In a world where making a name for yourself is a common practice and expectation, My Fame, His Fame is a reminder to the believer that our pursuit is not about making our names famous. Thann shows us, through the life of Habakkuk, that humility in spirit and boldness of faith allows Gods power and might to be on full display in our lives.

JOSHUA SYMONETTE, TEACHING PASTOR AT NATIONAL COMMUNITY CHURCH; FOUNDER OF BLU_PRINT, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND

In a culture that seeks two minutes of fame, Thann calls us to something more noble and lasting: a lifetime of making the name of Jesus famous. With a mix of unique biblical study, practical theology, and engaging personal storytelling, My Fame, His Fame gives us permission to be drawn to fame and a blueprint for intertwining our everyday obedience with Gods eternal glory. Bonus: it will make you an expert in the Old Testament prophet Habakkuk.

HEATHER ZEMPEL, DISCIPLESHIP PASTOR AT NATIONAL COMMUNITY CHURCH; AUTHOR OF COMMUNITY IS MESSY AND AMAZED AND CONFUSED

2020 Nathanael Bennett

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version. Public domain.

Scripture quotations marked THE MESSAGE are from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

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ISBN 978-0-7852-3178-3 (eBook)

ISBN 978-0-7852-3177-6 (TP)

Epub Edition December 2019 9780785231783

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019955992

Printed in the United States of America

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May these pages channel the boundless Word

of God, making their reach limitless and

timeless, according to 2 Timothy 2:9.

For my brother Isaac, without whose

encouragement I might never have written.

And for our parents: Dad and Mom Bennett,

and Dad and Mom Gambrell, for giving us

a heritage that speaks of His fame.

LORD, I have heard of your fame;

I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.

Repeat them in our day,

in our time make them known;

in wrath remember mercy.

HABAKKUK 3:2

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CONTENTS

S o far, so God and The best is yet to come.

These two statements are embedded in the DNA of our church, National Community Church in Washington, DC. For nearly twenty-five years, we have experienced countless moments where His divine plan and power has made a way for us. This firsthand experience with the fame of God has conditioned us to acknowledge that our past was only possible because of God, and to lean into our future with a holy expectation that He will continue to show up and show off.

Nine years ago, my son Parker and I visited Machu Picchu and went paragliding into the Inca Valley. Our only real orientation was an instruction to run as fast as you can off the cliff and then lift your legs. Given the element of uncertainty we felt, I did what any good father would doI let Parker go first!

When it was my turn and I was running toward the cliff, I had one thought in my head, This is crazy. But after leaping off the cliff and getting swept up in an updraft, that thought became This is awesome! Granted, I lost my lunch seven times, so it was decidedly less awesome for my tandem partner behind me!