{"product_id":"upside-down-spirituality-the-9-essential-failures-of-a-faithful-life-9780801075674","title":"Upside-Down Spirituality: The 9 Essential Failures of a Faithful Life","description":"In our age when the church can too often seem like a poor copy of the world, Chad Bird challenges us to reclaim the astounding originality of our ancient, backward faith. Where the world stresses the importance of success, Bird invites readers to embrace nine specific failures in the areas of our personal lives, our relationships, and the church. Why? Because what human wisdom deems indispensable is so often an impediment to our spiritual growth, and what it deems insignificant is so often essential to it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith compelling examples from the Bible and today, Bird paints an enticing picture of the counterintuitive, countercultural life that God wants for us. He helps readers delight in all of the ways that Jesus turned the world upside-down, allowing us to experience true freedom, not from our weaknesses but in the midst of them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eChad Bird\u003c\/b\u003e has served as a pastor in the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, as assistant professor of Hebrew and exegetical theology at Concordia Theological Seminary in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and as a guest lecturer at Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia. He is the author of several books, including \u003ci\u003eYour God Is Too Glorious\u003c\/i\u003e, and has contributed articles to \u003ci\u003eLutheran Witness\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGottesdienst\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Gospel Coalition\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eConcordia Theological Quarterly\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eModern Reformation\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eMockingbird\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLogia\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHigher Things\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Federalist\u003c\/i\u003e. In addition to hosting chadbird.com, he is a regular contributor to christholdfast.org and 1517legacy.com. He lives in Texas.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Baker Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50556458008850,"sku":"9780801075674","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_d9522f69-e214-455d-a37b-af37e7341f9f.jpg?v=1731754180","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/upside-down-spirituality-the-9-essential-failures-of-a-faithful-life-9780801075674","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}