In 'Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels,' I retell the story of Jonah and show how Jonah was just as much in need of God's grace as the sailors and the Ninevites.

The emphasis of the Bible is on the work of the Redeemer, not on the work of the redeemed.

The gospel announces that God doesn't relate to us based on our feats for Jesus, but Jesus' feats for us.

Contrary to popular assumptions, the Bible is not a record of the blessed good, but rather the blessed bad. Thats not a typo. The Bible is a record of the blessed bad. The Bible is not a witness to the best people making it up to God; its a witness to God making it down to the worst people.

Grace flows most refreshingly through the faucet of brokenness.

A preacher who doesn't believe he's that bad will attract people who don't think they're that bad. And that's bad.

I had turned personal validation into my primary source of meaning and value, so that without it I was miserable and depressed.