Once You See: Seven Temptations of the Western Church: A Novel [With Discussion Guide Included]

ONCE YOU SEE …

Luca Lewis is done with church. It killed his father, and now he wants nothing to do with the whole thing. Yet he can’t seem to shake the unwanted conviction that something else is possible.

Dr. Jimmy Norris is struggling to lead LifePointe, a waning Atlanta megachurch. He sees that the church desperately needs to change, but clambering after new gimmicks doesn’t cut it anymore.

Yushua Maalouf, a Yemeni refugee betrayed by his family for his newfound faith, finds himself bewildered by the priorities of the North American church.

When these three lives unexpectedly cross, Luca and Jimmy are given a rare glimpse of what Jesus’ church could be. But will they look past the scars and stigma of a refugee to see the divine opportunity that stands squarely in front of them?

… YOU CANNOT UNSEE.

Jeff Christopherson writes Once You See from a unique vantage point, as someone who has led the largest church-planting network in North America and is now leading a denomination in Canada. What is presented here as missiological fiction is close to our future reality, especially as it pertains to the urgency of our mission in North America. This is captivating storytelling that masterfully weaves the themes required to lead the church into the future. —ED STETZER, dean and professor, Wheaton College, Illinois

Jeff Christopherson has an unusual capacity to see things others miss. He relentlessly gets to the root of the problem. His conclusions may shock, enlighten, inspire, or offend you, but once you read this captivating book, you will never view the church the same way again. —RICHARD BLACKABY, president, Blackaby Ministries International, Atlanta; author, Experiencing God and The Ways of God

Jeff Christopherson shows us what it looks like to resist the temptations of the Western church and live instead as kingdom people under the beautiful reign of Christ. Presented in a lively narrative, Once You See is a book about kingdom ethics for those who need to see what it could look like, not just read the theory. The list of seven temptations and kingdom correctives are worth the price of admission alone. —MICHAEL FROST, Morling College, Sydney

In Once You See, Jeff Christopherson uses the intriguing medium of story to encourage, instruct, and admonish the Western church to reconsider how it functions and how it intends to move forward in this global era. Fascinating! I loved this book! I could hardly put it down. —LINDA BERGQUIST, church planting catalyst, North American Mission Board; author and coauthor of three books and two ebooks

Once You See is one of those rare books where you anticipate the finish, but you don’t want it to end. In a heart-grabbing, present-day story, with roots two thousand years old, Jeff Christopherson blends prophetic imagination, rebuke, hope, and redemption into a vision-bearing narrative that skillfully unwraps Jesus’ intention for his church and then makes you want to become part of the story. —LANCE FORD, author, UnLeader and The Starfish and The Spirit

About the Author

JEFF CHRISTOPHERSON is a missiologist, movement catalyst, and author. He leads Church Planting Canada and Canadian National Baptist Convention and is the founder of Send Network and co-founder of Church Multiplication Institute.