I was excited to get my hands on a copy of Craig Groeschel’s latest book Altar Ego, and eagerly waited to request it from BookSneeze.  I had heard lots of good things about Groeschel as a pastor, leader, and author, so the anticipation was high.

I have to say that Altar Ego did not disappoint.  I really appreciated the practical wisdom shared by Groeschel, but I also valued the transparency that came in the book, as he shared testimonies from his personal life and the that of his family.  In addition to that, I enjoyed the conversational tone of the book- after reading many of the chapters, I felt that I had just finished engaging in a conversation with a friend.  Groeschel’s ability to infuse a sense of comfort and familiarity into his writing is truly a gift.

This book challenges to move from where you are, to where God desires you to be by gaining a full understanding of who you are in Him.  The concepts are simple, but thought provoking.  Groeschel organizes the book into three sections:

1. Sacrificing Your False Self for Your Sacred Identity in Christ
   
2. Sacrificing Cultural Relativity for Eternal Values
3. Sacrificing Self-Justification for Passionate Obedience

In each section, he outlines the challenges and competing values one may face that are contrary to the identity God desires for us to have in Him.  I like that he provides practical ways to change that one can implement immediately to help them shift perspectives and grow.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to others.  I think it could be excellent for personal use and growth, but easily adapted for small group study.  Definitely worth checking out, and I’ve already put it on my list of books to reread when I need a refresher course in the basics of my faith!