Get Your Music on Amazon!
Get Your Music - and everything else - on Amazon! All purchases made on Amazon through this link earn a commission for Jesusfreakhideout.com!

JFH Staff Book Review


Bad Christian, Great Savior

Matt Carter, Toby Morrell and Joey Svendsen
Bad Christian, Great Savior

Page Count: 52 Pages
Street Date: December 4, 2013

Bad Christian (formerly Un-Learning) is a blog run by Emery members Matt and Toby and their long-time friend, Pastor, and former bassist, Joey Svendsen. The blog that focused on religious and moral subjects came into a bigger spotlight last year when the three released a controversial book. Bad Christian, Great Savior is a book that speaks openly and bluntly. In it, Matt, Toby, and Joey give real life stories (many of which they aren't proud of), speak in real terms, admire the love of a Great Savior, and envision a positive direction for the church. The book isn't controversial because of any weird theological stance or perceived blasphemy, but instead for its open and raw nature. Bad Christian relates to its readers by discussing things like sexual sin (including pornography), drunkenness, and by using some foul language.

In this brief 4-chapter book, the guys lay everything (well, at least quite a bit) on the line for everyone to plainly see. While many may look down at things like Matt's story of when he got drunk watching a Clemson/Florida State football game just a couple of years ago, or Toby's struggle with pornography, the guys openly admit their erroneous behavior. You can tell from the writing that they aren't proud. They are contrite, have asked forgiveness, and tried to improve their walk with God since those moments, but they aren't content to act like perfect Christians either. The fact is that Christians struggle with these and other problems every day. The "Bad Christian" movement, especially in this book, has found a way to talk about these issues without glorifying them. The guys come across as simple, God-loving human beings. They love their Savior, but fail miserably at their walk like all of us. Plenty of scripture is discussed and questions are raised about the traditional church and possible flaws that may be holding God's mission back.

The preface gives 5 warnings before you begin reading: (1) This book is intense, (2) This is the way we really talk, (3) We believe that the church is awesome, (4) We had to write this book, and (5) This is not a book of theology. The preface goes on to explain these points in more detail, but they turn out to be extremely accurate. On top of sexual sin and other shocking stories, the guys are also quite blunt with their language. While this shouldn't be the focus of a book with such a strong and challenging message, I will give some info on the language used in the book later to help you make an informed decision on reading. While it may make some people uncomfortable to read such content, the message of this book is worth the minimal discomfort.

In the end, Matt, Toby, and Joey are promoting Jesus and community fellowship. It's quite obvious that they are truly followers of Christ and it's really hard to point the finger at them for being hypocritical. They openly admit their mistakes when so many others bury them deep. While your fellow Christians may not know you are struggling with sexual sin, because you hide it so well, Jesus knows. Why bury your problems? Confess them to Christ and confess them to your friends is one of the strongest messages I took from this book. Holding one another accountable for your actions in open fellowship seems to be a much stronger message than to ask forgiveness from God and hide it from the world. The guys remind us of the "Acts Chapter 2" church and suggest that they be our guide today. My favorite, and perhaps the most profound line in the entire book, is found near the end. Matt writes, while contemplating the idea of trying to stop sinning versus following God more closely, "What if our problem was not a lack of effort in will power, but a lack of effort in just living the way God asked us to in the first place?" This is a must-read for most Christians; especially if you are struggling in some area of your life or walk with Christ. It's potent, but it's almost necessary in a sense. As a reader, I could have done without the language, but I think it was an attempt at full-disclosure more than anything else. Additionally, the digital version has annotations and links to the Un-Learning blog posts that relate to the discussion at hand in the book. Another Bad Christian book is promised and I'm excited to see it. If you only take one thing away from the book, take this: We are ALL bad Christians, but Jesus is a great Savior. He's far greater than we really know or deserve.

Language Breakdown:
*This is meant SOLELY FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AS A READER and not to cast judgment of any sort against the authors.
       8 "S" words, 4 "A" words (different variations), 3 "h*ll," and 1 "d*mn"
Other possibly offense terms include "eff," "WTF," and "Bl*w J*b.

- Review date: 7/23/14, written by Michael Weaver of Jesusfreakhideout.com

 

. Publisher: Bad Christian
. Page Count: 52 Pages
. Street Date: December 4, 2013
. Buy It: Amazon.com (Kindle)

 

Leave A Comment! (Don't forget to be nice)

 

 

go to main Book review page

 

                 
Get the new FREE JFH MP3 compilation -- Vol. 13!

Search JFH



This Friday, July 25, 2025
ALBUMS
Anchor & Braille New Mexico [Equal Vision]
B. Tee Told You [Syntax]
Bride Scarecrow Messiah CD Re-Release [Girder]
Empowered SALT - EP (independent)
Homesick Prodigals Different Good (independent)
KDNS After Eden [Syntax]
Olivia Lane Songs About Jesus (Deluxe Edition) [BEC]
Tasha Cobbs Leonard TASHA [Motown Gospel]
Kevi Morse Kingston We Winning [Syntax]
Pulpit Vomit Hospital Lens [Rottweiler]
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno Dance for Jesus - EP (independent)
Taylor & Co Worship Breakthrough - EP (independent)
Josh Wright LEAD (independent)

SINGLES
abenezer i was lost - Single [Gotee]
Joe L Barnes Good Shepherd (Studio Version) - Single [Provident]
Sho Baraka Still Got Faith (ft. L3xdivine) - Single [Syntax]
Gracie Binion Easy To Please - Single [BEC]
Katty Camargo Shine Upon Me - Single (independent)
The CCC Collective Thankful - Single (independent)
C4 Crotona Mr. Gritty - Single [Syntax]
CXMMXNS Trust and Obey (feat. CAIN) - Single [Provident]
EJ Swavv & Nickwit2Ks Growth - Single [Syntax]
Forrest Frank GOD'S GOT MY BACK - Single [River House / 10K]
gio., Dell Mac oxygen (H3nry Thr!ll remix) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Andrew Gonoude Closer To You - Single (independent)
Noah Paul Harrison Oh Lord My God (Live) - Single [Bethel]
J.Solo All I Have (ft. Kaboose & MotionPlus) - Single [Syntax]
Kings Kaleidoscope + Kings Kaleidoscope Hymns Amazing Grace - Single [BEC]
Tasha Layton Life In Me - Single [BEC]
Lecrae Bless You (feat. Torey D'Shaun) - Single [Reach]
TobyMac God Did It (feat. Jamie MacDonald) - Single [Capitol CMG]
Matt Maher Wait (Radio Version) - Single [Provident]
Passion The Lord Will Provide - Single [Capitol CMG]
Hunter Plake Down to Earth - Single [BEC]
Tommee Profitt, Bryce Green Adrenaline Rush - Single [Capitol CMG]
QEW JOYXFIX (ft. Stevie Rizo) - Single [Syntax]
Naomi Raine God Will Work It Out - Single [Tribl]
Rave Jesus Runnin' - Single [Provident]
Saints in Exile Bad Vibes - Single [Syntax]
Xander Sallows infinite - Single [DREAM]
Silent Reflection Left Me for Dead - Single [Syntax]
Michael W. Smith Your Love Is A Flood - Single [The Fuel]
John Stratton The Body and the Blood - Single [Pure Mosaic Services]
Regina Vandereijk You're the Light - Single (independent)
Joel Vaughn Feel It - Single [DREAM]
Zach Williams Killed A Man - Single [Provident]
Zauntee Jesus Down In Florida - Single [BEC]

VINYL
Bride Scarecrow Messiah Vinyl [Girder]

DVD
Jordan Smith The People's Hymnal DVD [Gaither]

This Saturday, July 26, 2025
SINGLES
Anthony & Tiffany Salerno What Would You Do? - Single (independent)

Next Friday, August 1, 2025
ALBUMS
Crash Rickshaw Big Sir - EP [Velvet Blue]
McKamey Legacy Holding to Truth [Horizon]
Ordained Thunder Roar [Girder]
V1 Worship Archives [DREAM Worship]

SINGLES
Dan Bremnes Human - Single [Curb]
Lauren Daigle Let It Be A Hallelujah - Single [Centricity]
Sleeping At Last Believe - Single (independent)

VINYL
Disciple Attack! (Limited Run Vinyl) Vinyl [Girder]



For all release dates, click here!
 

Join honey and save on online purchases!
Get all of JFH's indie compilation now totally free!
Check out depositphotos for royalty free images