RUGGED DISCIPLESHIP
By Dr. Steve Connor
Randy Wells (via amazon)
In "Rugged Discipleship," the author, Steve Connor, uses personal testimony (including well-timed humor) to demonstrate how El Shaddai draws His Saints to faith while challenging them to make their election certain. The anecdotes about professional football, skydiving, and international missions were compelling. This is a great read for anyone desiring to do good works for Jesus Christ.
Every so often I look for an inspirational book to help strengthen my Christian faith, when this summer a good friend recommended Steve Connor's book, Rugged Discipleship. Not only did this book inspire me in my Christian faith, but the stories were downright fun to read; the stories of his motorcycle trips through Europe and Cambodia are especially stories I will not forget. These true, yet amazing stories are told from the point of view of an author who is both wise and humble and who courageously lives life to the fullest. Most importantly, while reading this book I was clearly able to see that Steve Connor's courage and "ruggedness" come from his strong love and commitment to Jesus Christ. In fact, the author chooses excellent Bible passages to help explain the life fulfilling lessons that he learns from each adventure. There are also insightful reflection questions at the end of each chapter that I found very helpful for my own reflection. I am thankful to Steve Connor for taking the time to write this inspiring book, and I am thankful to my friend for recommending the book, Rugged Discipleship.
Anthony J (via amazon)
Andy D (via amazon)
Rugged Discipleship is sharing your life experience with men and women in your life. Steve Conner shares his life with us in a heartwarming, challenging way. Rugged Discipleship is taking the time out of your day and spending it intentionally with those that may know or may not know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. I met Steve my freshman year at Indiana University at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting when he was a district coordinator. Steve’s enthusiasm for Christ stood out the most from that first memory and his contagious smile. He used juggling to tell his story about Christ. Steve is bold, strong (spiritually, mentally and physically) as he shares his many adventures with us. Rugged Discipleship will give you a since of purpose to study, pray, and spend time with fellow Christians to challenge them to grow in their faith. I enjoyed Steve’s way of integrating his adventurous, challenging life story with Bible stories and questions to contemplate at the end of each chapter. Read this book and you’ll be thankful you did by how inspiring it is.
This book is a great read. It is a fun and captivating, yet it addresses one of the things that Christians struggle most with and that is evangelizing or sharing your faith with non-believers. Most of us would rather go to a dentist than do that especially on a purposeful regular basis. But in this book, thru real life stories done at a down to earth jock level, we see it done and we see and learn the components of it. Maybe even more important is that we see it as being done by simple doable acts and abilities in everyday situations that we as Christians know and have. The mystique is taken out of bringing Christ to others and so is the abstraction. It is not like reading an academic manual where you understand the concepts but don’t have a feel for how it happens. You will have a “feel” for sharing as Connors teaches this like one athlete teaches another. He keeps it on a personal, simple, relatable, doable level. This book is based on basic Biblical truths from Jesus and as you read it, you will find stories and principles that by themselves help you in your walk with Christ but if put all together will help you share your faith. A bonus feature of this book is the entertaining and motivating story it weaves in and out of the book of how this author goes from being an unchurched street kid from a dysfunctional family to the NFL and later to preach where the future King of England is in attendance. The stories (and lessons) along the way are an adventure story in themselves.