My husband and I have appreciated the wit and wisdom of Pastor Craig Groeschel, the pastor that started LifeChurch.tv, for quite some time. We generally tune into LifeChurch.tv several times a month, and count it as one of the places we worship (as you may have noticed in my side bar section “Where we worship”). It is to LifeChurch.tv that we turn when we are unable to attend our local church, for whatever reason. My husband does not generally like to read, but he has actually requested books written by Pastor Craig (It; Confessions of a Pastor) and read them when he received them off of his wish list.
Hubs recently started talking about a 3 week sermon series by Pastor Craig, called Chazown. Chazown (pronounced khaw-ZONE) is from the Hebrew, meaning a dream, revelation, or vision. In the series, Chazown, Pastor Craig challenges each person to uncover God’s dream for their life-their Chazown. So, when I received an opportunity to review the book, Chazown, courtesy of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group, I immediately agreed. I can’t tell you how excited I was to know that Chazown would soon be in my mailbox.
About Chazown…
Do you wake up each day motivated by knowing exactly why you were created? Guided by intention in every step? Enter: Chazown. Hebrew for “vision,” God wants to give His for you, and this book will reveal it! Living God’s dream will rock your world and align every area of your life, from your relationships to your finances and health. Chazown is packed with storytelling graphics, in-your-face honesty, bite-sized chapterettes, step-by-step guidance, surprising self-assessments, and scarcely containable energy in a fast-paced style that will drive you forward with purpose! Craig Groeschel cowrote this book, but he’s waiting for his partner—you. Because only you can discover how the book ends and the rest of your life begins…
Chazown
A Different Way to See Your Life
You’re invited on a most unusual odyssey—to find, name, and live out your Chazown. It’s a journey you’ll never forget because it’s impossible to return unchanged.
Practical, surprising, visually fresh, and biblically sound, the Chazown experience helps you clearly understand what you’ve always suspected: You’re not an accident. You have been created and put on earth for a unique and important purpose…a Chazown . And God intends for you to live it with passion and fulfillment for His glory.
But where to start your search? As Craig Groeschel will show, your own Chazown is hiding just under the surface of your life in three often overlooked areas: your core values, your spiritual gifts, and your past experiences. Once you discover your personal Chazown , you’ll turn it into a highly motivating credo—complete with short-term goals, action steps, and an accountability network to make your big dream a reality.
Pursue your Chazown and simultaneously improve five critical aspects of your life. These “small ‘c’ chazowns ” are your relationship with God, your relationships with people, your finances, your health and fitness, and your work life.
Are you living someone else’s dream for your life, or no dream at all?
Get ready for Chazown.
Story Behind the Book
Craig Groeschel started LifeChurch.tv, now attended by more than twelve thousand people each weekend on five different campuses, in the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, area in 1996. From that point on, he has been empowered by the knowledge that he is following God’s chazown (vision) for his life. Craig’s cutting-edge teaching style—including honest, uncomfortable teaching of God’s truth and ubiquitous use of in-your-face video and other imagery—has challenged and changed thousands of lives. His messages are simulcast live to each of the church’s campuses, and his ministry continues to explode. This book stems from a two-message series that he gave; its premise is the bedrock for all teaching and ministry at LifeChurch.tv.
First, let me say that as a Bible School graduate, I have read my fair share of books on vision and purpose. None have been quite like Chazown. In this book, Pastor Craig endeavors to guide the reader through a series of interactive and introspective steps focused on three main areas (core values, spiritual gifts, and past experiences) which are designed to assist the reader to discover God’s Chazown for their own life. His aim is to help you discover your Chazown, and then help you achieve it through effective planning and personal discipline.
“How do I discover God’s Chazown for my life…
- Your core values are the handful of values that you are most passionate about and stand for above all else.
- Your spiritual gifts are your special abilities, the things you do noticeably well—and love to do.
- Your past experiences are the events and seasons in your past (both pleasant and unpleasant) that have shaped who you are today and preapred you for God’s plan for your future” (63).
Groeschel, Craig. Chazown. Colorado Springs, Colorado: Multnomah Books, 2010. Print.
So, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, right? Similarly, Chazown is best taken one bite at a time, rather than consumed in its entirety at one sitting, lest you develop spiritual indigestion. To avoid said indigestion, take your time. Actually do the steps outlined in the “You’re the Author” sections. I believe you will find that if you apply the principles within this book, it will change you. Unlike most books aimed at helping the reader find their “purpose” or “vision” for life, Groeschel neatly avoids providing a formula for growth and instead challenges the reader to rely on God and their relationship with Him for the end result as well as the journey.
Chazown is available from WaterBrook Multnomah Books, at many Christian bookstores, and on Amazon.com.
I highly recommend Chazown to anyone wanting to discover purpose for their life and live their life on purpose.
Oh yeah, and the sermon series is just as great as the book… check out this brief intro, about Chazown, by Pastor Craig…
You can watch the first sermon of this three part series here or here. You can also get a participants guide and all of the sermon videos here.
So, what is your Chazown, and what are you doing to achieve it?
http://www.chazown.com/find-your-chazown
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a review copy of this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.