J R Vassar - Glory hunger : God, the gospel, and our quest for something more

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Its difficult to know what to say about this book, apart from the fact that it is insightful, accessible, refreshing, profound, and biblical. Oh, yes, and that in reading it my affections were reordered and restored, and I found myself desiring the glory of Christ far above and beyond my own.

Steve Timmis, Executive Director, Acts29

While reading I was convicted of my tendency to crave glory and applause. Every chapter is laced with JRs vulnerability and honesty, while the hero of the book remains God, his glory, and his kingdom. This is a book Ill insist every member of my team reads to help us reject personal glory, embrace the discipline of obscurity, and spotlight Jesus alone.

Aaron Ivey, Worship Pastor, The Austin Stone, Austin, Texas

There is nothing more native to the human experience than to want approval. We dont just seek itwe live for it! Glory Hunger shows us why we hunger for approval and points us to the only one who can satisfy that hunger.

Darrin Patrick, Lead Pastor, The Journey, St. Louis; Vice President, Acts 29; Chaplain, St. Louis Cardinals; author, The Dudes Guide to Manhood.

A helpful meditation on the goodness of our search for glory, where it goes wrong, and how to set our hearts on the path to everlasting glory.

Bethany L. Jenkins, Founder and President, The Park Forum

Hits the nail on the head about the condition of the human heart. In todays world of obsession with fame and of a me first mentality, Vassar delivers a timely message. Great food for thought and medicine for the soul.

Bryan Loritts, Lead Pastor, Fellowship Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee; author, Right Color, Wrong Culture

A penetrating look behind the curtain of what drives everything we do in life. I love Vassars discernment into the heart of man in Glory Hunger.

Matt Carter, Pastor of Preaching, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas; author, The Real Win

Vassar diagnoses the central problem of every human heart with the brilliance of a surgeon, buteven betterhe shows us with pastoral wisdom and fatherly care the words that will heal us forever.

Jared C. Wilson, Pastor, Middletown Springs Community Church, Middletown Springs, Vermont; author, Gospel Wakefulness and The Pastors Justification

A great reminder of Gods passion for his glory. My friend JR Vassar challenges our addiction to worldly glory and compels us to ascribe to Jesus the glory that he deserves. Read this book, reflect on its challenge, and apply it to your life.

Doug Logan Jr., Lead Pastor, Epiphany Fellowship of Camden, Camden, New Jersey

JR does a magnificent job explaining the core reason we desire respect, status, approval, and praise: we bear the image of God, who exists to be glorified. Glory Hunger is an excellent resource to help us steward our natural attraction to glory. When the hierarchy of our loves is rightly ordered, with God occupying front and center, all other loves, desires, and ambitions find healthy expression.

Scott Sauls, Senior Pastor, Christ Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee; author, Jesus Outside the Lines: A Way Forward for Those Who Are Tired of Taking Sides

Foreword by
MATT CHANDLER

GL RY

HUNGER

God, the Gospel, and
Our Quest for Something More

JR Vassar

Glory Hunger: God, the Gospel, and Our Quest for Something More

Copyright 2015 by Charles L. Vassar Jr.

Published by Crossway
1300 Crescent Street
Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

Cover design: Erik Maldre

First printing 2015

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible
(The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway.
2011 Text Edition. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-4010-3
ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-4013-4
PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-4011-0
Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-4012-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Vassar, J R, 1973

Glory hunger : God, the gospel, and our quest for something
more / JR Vassar ; foreword by Matt Chandler.

1 online resource

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record and CIP data provided by publisher; resource not viewed.

ISBN 978-1-4335-4011-0 (pdf) ISBN 978-1-4335-4012-7 (mobi) ISBN 978-1-4335-4013-4 (epub) ISBN 978-1-4335-4010-3 (tp)

1. Christian life. 2. HungerReligious aspectsChristianity.
3. FameReligious aspectsChristianity. 4. Desire for God.
5. Glory of GodChristianity. I. Title.

BV4509.5 2015

248.4dc23 2014037170

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

To Ginger,
spice of my life,
follower of Jesus,
supportive wife,
invested mother,
and hospitable friend

I find in my heart an insidious desire to be recognized and applauded. I work hard, I have some natural giftings, and I want people to notice this and say something to me and to others about how awesome I am. Notice that I used the word awesome there. If I had typed the word glorious, then all of us would have raised an eyebrow. In fact, as I read over the sentence and replace the word awesome with glorious, I feel a sharp stab of conviction, and my legs feel weak, and I feel as though I am in danger. Glory is ultimately Gods, and though I might reflect it, any glory I have is my creators, not mine. JR is right when he says that we all possess a legitimate glory hunger. I feel it in me, and its broken badly.

Heres the thing about my insidious desire and why I am writing the foreword to this book: I hate that the desire to be recognized and applauded is in me, and although it varies in intensity and frequency, I must constantly be aware of it so that I might, by the grace of God, suppress and confess it. In my saner moments I am well aware that I am fragile and that God has not made me the hinge upon which his kingdom will swing. But sin isnt sane. I know what the Bible says about the proud. I am almost haunted by John 3:30, which says, He must increase, but I must decrease, and by Psalm 138:6, which says, Though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. I want the fight within me to be over. I want to be aware of the pull in my heart toward being self-exalting and therefore God-belittling.