How to be a Bad Christian

Hey there, I’m Chris, team leader and editor here at Mission Central. I’m excited to share my book How to Be a Bad Christian with readers like you. In the book, I tell the story of how a health crisis for my wife Katie forced me to re-think my faith and my life with God. Squaring up to her needs—and my own as I cared for her—exposed deep patterns in my soul that surprised me. The ways I was trying to be a “good Christian” were actually getting in the way of living life with Jesus. As I pursued ministry leadership, I was following laws like “Get Things Done” and “Follow the Plan” that left me exhausted and anxious. As God graciously showed me what was really going on inside my heart, I began to learn practices that led to joy and life: feeling, giving and receiving attention, asking for help, and waiting.

 

If you’ve ever felt worn out by the “good Christian” project, this book is for you. Learn what keeps you trapped trying to measure up. Then explore simple practices that will let Jesus’ abundant life flow through you. As you learn to be a bad Christian, you’ll discover the life with God you’ve been looking for all along.

Take the Bad Christian Quiz

Is being a good Christian wearing you out? Take the quiz for a quick spiritual assessment.

 

Read a Chapter

Download a free PDF copy of chapter four, “Giving and Receiving Attention.”

“Reading this book feels like sitting down with the author in a coffee shop for a relaxing, life-giving spiritual conversation.”
— Drew

“You may find that Chris’s story is a mirror that reflects back on your own life, but he gives you the words and tools to consider your experience through a more biblical and theologically-rich lens.”
— Morgan

“I’m deeply grateful for Chris’s humility and vulnerability in putting his experience in writing and making it widely available. I highly recommend How to Be a Bad Christian—check it out if you’ve ever felt like trying to be a good Christian is actually cutting you off from the freedom and abundance God offers us.”
— Erin