The Backward Life: In Pursuit of an Uncommon Faith

By Jarrod Jones

Jesus preached lessons that seemed contradictory: Die to live. Lose to gain. Love your neighbor as yourself. Is it possible to follow in his footsteps today? This book takes readers on a journey into a faith that dares members of our pop culture to live like Christ - to deny themselves and take up the cross.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0800731441
• ISBN13: 9780800731441
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Revell
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.8" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Solid, Biblical Wisdom on The Great Commandment

This is one of the best and easiest to read books you'll find on The Great Commandment. I love how it has been made straight-forward enough for a teenager but is also challenging to an adult my age (I'm 35). The illustrations do a great job of bringing the Truth of Scripture to life. I highly recommend this book for individual or small group study!

A pleasant journey toward discovery.

This book is so well written, I felt like I was sitting with the author as he described the ways that Jesus shows His love for me. It is written in such a welcoming and friendly manner. I never felt like I was being preached at or being forced to face "hell fire and brimstone" in order to be saved. It was more like taking a stroll with a friend who shared himself and his own experiences, and in doing so, he showed me things about how I also am loved and how I can share that love from Jesus more fully and completely. Jarrod Jones is a Southern charmer who can tell a story that makes you feel welcomed, comfortable, and happy to hear more. I was sorry the book ended, but was happy to learn I could hear more from Jarrod Jones each Sunday since he has recently become the pastor of a church close to my home. I'm strongly considering making the trip to see if he is as real as he came across in his writing. I totally enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who is interested in developing a relationship with Jesus, deepening an already existing relationship, or just wants to learn a little bit about what one person has to say about his own experiences in discovering and expanding that relationship himself. "The Backward Life" is well worth the short time it takes to read, and personally, it is a book I will refer to often in the future.

Filled with hope and motivation for achieving a better, more fulfilling way to live.

In THE BACKWARD LIFE, Jarrod Jones tackles the question that must face preachers every week as they prepare their Sunday sermons: Is it possible to live like Jesus in a culture that worships "self?" According to the author, the answer is a resounding "yes." In this concisely written first book Jones illustrates through his own experiences and those of others how they were able to transition from a "me" centered life to a Christ centered life. Jarrod Jones was an NCAA Division I basketball player and enjoyed all the goodies that life in the spotlight had to offer. Yet somehow none of this provided satisfaction in any lasting way. He felt empty. In college he began listening to God more carefully and soon his life was turned upside down. When he drew closer to the Creator, "self" no longer occupied the throne in his life. As he learned to focus on Christ and put others first, his life took on new meaning, and fulfillment became a lasting reality. Whether you are a Fundamentalist or a curious seeker of God, the book does require a basic acceptance of the Bible as the word of God. Jones highlights the Biblical truths that allow believers to understand why they were created, how to make the most of their time while they are here, and what to expect once their life on earth is over. Just as Jesus was able to refine the Ten Commandments down to two basic statements, the author ably demonstrates how applying these principles will lead to a full and rewarding life. "...The Lord our God is one Lord. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" and "You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:31). Can you imagine how living by these principles would turn your life upside down? THE BACKWARD LIFE is filled with hope and motivation for achieving a better, more fulfilling way to live. Through personal anecdotes and scriptural references, Jarrod Jones illustrates his points with humor, passion and an ability that has made him a popular evangelist who brings the good news of Jesus and the Backward Life to more than 40,000 people each year. --- Reviewed by Maggie Harding

Warns believers away from the pursuit of self

Everyone wants a purpose. Those who trust in Christ and even those who don't are pining for a reason to live, a hope for the future, and fulfillment in happiness. Yet, the great paradox of Scripture is that you must lose your life for the sake of Christ to find it (Matthew 10:39). It is only in the recognition that we are void of life, hope, and fulfillment without Christ, that we can gain those things through Him. Therefore, God uses the stumbling block of the gospel to cause us to break into pieces, and takes pleasure in remaking us in the image of His Son. The Backward Life takes a personal look at where you are finding your fulfillment. The warnings of a pursuit of self are gilded with the unfettered mercy, love, and grace waiting for all who humble themselves under the mighty hand of God in dependence on Jesus, the Lord and Savior of all who believe. Written in an autobiographical and conversational fashion, this book challenges readers young and old alike to abandon the pursuit of self in exchange for a pursuit of Christ, who is the fullness of all things and in whom all things are summed up (Ephesians 1:10; 23). Jarrod Jones provides a strong argument that we were not made for ourselves, but rather for the glory of God and the pursuit of life hidden in the mercies of Christ. Through a "Solomon-like" testimony of empty endeavors, The Backwards Life warns believers away from empty self-abasement and dependence, which leads to guilt-laden and burdensome living, to a freedom found in the healing balm of life in Christ alone. - Tom Gindorf, Christian Book Previews.com

A great book!

I love this book. I saw Jarrod speak on the topic of the Backward Life, and it was so compelling. It made me completely re-evaluate how I view the world as a Christian. I decided to read the book and loved it! Jarrod is a great writer, and he does a great job of explaining how "backwards" our lives are to the world if we are Christians. He has great stories to make all of his points, and he always manages to back up what he says with the Bible. I won't ruin it for you, but the end of this book is absolutely incredible. I finished the book and just sat in my chair astounded.