As a Christian, do you just talk a good talk, or do you put action to your words and live out what you read in the Bible? Many times, we know all the words, but getting the knowledge from our minds to our hearts and body stops us cold. James MacDonald looks into this problem in Authentic: Developing the Disciplines of a Sincere Faith.

Starting with what a hypocrite is, and why that it not a good way to live a Christian life, MacDonald then goes into 6 disciplines that should appear in a Christian that is actually walking the walk. Covering Bible study, service, prayer, fellowship, sometimes misunderstood worship and the rarely mentioned fasting, he shows what each should look like in our lives.

It can be easy for a book like this to come across as stuffy and read like you’re being looked down on because you don’t carry out these disciplines. However, MacDonald does a good job of staying on the reader’s level, and encouraging instead of discouraging. He injects humor into the topics, and shares struggles he has seen in his quest to be authentic. Though he gives guidelines, he doesn’t say that you have to do things exactly like him.

I found myself questioning my actions, and seeing things that needed work in my life. I recommend this book to any Christian, no matter where they may be in their walk.

I received this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for reading it and reviewing it.