Blessed Are the Uncool: Living Authentically in a World of Show

As seen on Christian Book Previews site. I read this book in small segments. It's a lot of meat to digest. The subtitle of Blessed are the Uncool is "Living Authentically in a World of Show." It describes the gist of the book very well. No one likes fake people, yet we as Christians all struggle with being authentic. We've grown up in a society that loves cool and being uncool is not something any of us strives for. But the author makes an excellent point as he digs up the origin of "cool." Somehow in the process of protecting our own hearts we have distanced ourselves from the hearts of others, and in effect, often distance ourselves from the Lord as well. Sometimes all it takes is a little playground teasing and we learn to be cool to cope, but at the expense of true relationships. Being a Christian shouldn't be about being "cool" according to Paul Grant, because the crux of being "cool" separates us from one another, and that isn't God's will for the church. The author delves into a variety of subjects to support his belief. I have to say I agree with him and have struggle myself with the whole "cool" image. This book is about being real. It's about loving people where they hurt most. Most of all it's not redundant (I dislike non-fiction books that repeat the same theme on every page.) I highly recommend Blessed are the Uncool for all people (not just teens) who want to break out of that self-protective attitude and be real with the body of Christ.

Paul Grant has given the church and the world a tremendous gift in a book that combines the Gospel, sociology, racial reconciliation, history, discipleship, church life, and the Kingdom of God. Grant's prose moves quickly filled with both humor and heart. This is the best book I have read since coming out of seminary. This is a must read for teens and young adults. Highly recommended.