You Don't Have to Quit

I read this book about a decade ago when it first came out. Several months ago, I ran across the book in a box and reread it. After seeing the apostasy tsunami of the "seeker sensitive" movement since that time, the book struck me as having incredible relevance. The book is all about compromise and how easy it is for Christians to take the path of least resistance. Satan is always trying to derail Christians and over the past decades, pastors have been particularly under attack. Not preaching truth but making people feel good about themselves is probably the biggest compromise pastors are making today. Pastors such as Rick Warren and Joel Osteen immediately come to mind, although there are countless others. We are loving people right into hell because Christians are afraid of rejection and not being popular with the world. Mother Teresa did the same things in Calcutta: She did many wonderful things caring for physical needs but never encouraged those people to turn from their pagan religions and embrace the truth of Jesus Christ. Pastor Laurie also takes the "compromise" aspect to our personal lives and how Christians who were once on fire can get off track and cave in to pressures and temptations. Very convicting because even the strongest Christians have their moments. Christians are not perfect, just forgiven. This book deserves a renewed look because the topic is timeless and a daily challenge for every Christian.

The road to Hell is paved with good intentions or at least with thousands of tiny compromises. Not too long ago in a church not too far away from where I live, a pastor was forced to resign and was eventually arrested for embezeling church funds. I know of people who are Christians, but are constantly swearing, getting into trouble, bickering, brawling, etc. How many times do you do something you know is wrong then look back afterwards and wonder, how could I have fallen so low? These are some of the troubling issues that Greg Laurie examines in THE GREAT COMPROMISE.The thesis is quite simple. People don't fall out of a relationship with God all at once. It happens slowly over time; week by week, day by day, moment by moment. Each day we are faced with hundreds, perhaps even thousands of decisions. In each one of those decisions we can choose to press out the best of that decision and give our utmost for His highest or we can choose less than the best and compromise. Oh, it won't hurt if I travel twenty-five miles over the speed limit, everyone else is going thiry miles over. I really feel terrible today, but I'm going to act like everything is dandy. This one little lie won't hurt, after all I'm not hurting anyone. The scenarios are endless, but the consequences are the same. Slowly but surely we make little compromises that end up leading us to fall away from God. Laurie explores some of those decisions and scenarios and gives Biblically-based advice on what we can do to keep from making the Great Compromise.

I received a free copy from BGEA and have purchased 2 copies since then. This is a great book that absolutely outlines how easy it is to fall into the trap of compromise. It is a must read for teenagers and adults alike. I wish I had read this when I was a young woman. I have given all my copies away and am really interested in obtaining another written copy.

Greg Laurie is a person who delivers the message of the gospel, and the word of God, straight from the Bible. He does it with humor, with compassion, and as a true servant of God, not misrepresenting scripture in any way. I could barely put this great book down, in spite of the fact I found myself convicted up one side and down the other from time to time. But then, as Christians, this is one way we grow. I recommend this book to anyone who has a desire to strengthen their Christian walk, an excellent guide for all of us.

I read this book a few years ago and til today I still remember the impact that it made in my life. I recommended it to 2 other friends then and we all felt that this is a good book to read. And I am still looking around to buy more copies of it to share with my other friends now ! Sometimes we may not even be aware that we have landed ourselves into compromising situations and this book brings up these examples that you would be familar with and how to deal with it when you are placed in the same compromising position. If you can identify yourself being caught in compromising situations, then perhaps this book can help provide you with the insights from the way the bible will teach us to handle it.