Am I Really A Christian, by Mike McKinley

So many people in today's culture when asked what their religion is will say, "I'm a Christian." But do they fully understand what that means, what it represents, what it entails? It seems as though our Western Culture has taken Christianity to a level of 'being' that is so far from what God intended that it is amazing that anyone could ever write a book such as this and get the argument correctly.

Mike McKinley gets the argument correct. He hits the nail on the head. You might think you're a Christian if. . . . . He then goes on to put to rest many of the major myths of what people think are truisms such as; 
1. You are not a Christian just because you say you are. 
2. You are not a Christian just because you like Jesus. 
3. You are not a Christian if you love your stuff

Those are just three of the seven chapters that answer questions about how people misconceive their Christianity. Chapter 8 is probably the best chapter in the book because it talks about "Can I ever really know if I am a Christian?" He is dealing with our assurance of salvation. He uses scripture to point out the truth of assurance, the promises of Jesus, the realities of what it truly means to be a Christian and what you gain from the experience.

But what rubs people wrong about this book is the fact that McKinley doesn't pull any punches about Christianity. It is a a tough lifestyle. It demands your total surrender of your life to your Lord and Savior. It requires you to "die to self" and "live for Him." While these are difficult concepts for people in our culture today to embrace they bring with them blessings beyond belief (not riches and wealth) but the blessings of God in His bringing us peace, patience, love, kindness and gentleness, to just name a few.

This is a book that as McKinley states is best read in a group of your friends from church so that you can discuss in flat out honestly whether you agree with his premises or not. Then you can look at scripture and conclude whether you agree with scripture or not.

I recommend this book for every small group within your church circle and also as an exploratory small group guide for you to use with your non-Christian friends who want a starting off point to discuss Christianity.