Trading Faces - by John Beeson & Angel Beeson (Paperback)

About the Book

"Seeking fulfilment, many Christians turn to identities that promise to give their lives meaning: profession, roles as spouse or parent, personality types, even sexuality--anything that can be held up to others as the empowering core of who they are. But when these new labels don't give them any real foundation for hope, they end up feeling disappointed, directionless, and defeated. Those false identities turn out to be only sand. John and Angel Beeson have seen this problem again and again in their respective roles as pastor and counselor. And they want searching Christians to know the truth: a fulfilling understanding of self can only be found by rooting one's identity in the unchangeable and nonnegotiable understanding of who we were created to be. This husband-and-wife team considers ten identities that masquerade as truth and challenge readers to trade those labels for the ones Christ offers. They explain why true identity matters, how our masks can suffocate us, and how substitute identities can become idolatry. They share real struggles from real people. And they offer hope in a comprehensive index of our identities in Christ, both individual and the collective identity of the church"--

Book Synopsis

A biblical and practical guide on how to replace false identities with the healthy truth

Seeking fulfilment, many Christians turn to identities that promise to give their lives meaning: profession, roles as spouse or parent, personality types, even sexuality--anything that can be held up to others as the empowering core of who they are. But when these new labels don't give them any real foundation for hope, they end up feeling disappointed, directionless, and defeated. Those false identities turn out to be only sand.

John and Angel Beeson have seen this problem again and again in their respective roles as pastor and counselor. And they want searching Christians to know the truth: a fulfilling understanding of self can only be found by rooting one's identity in the unchangeable and nonnegotiable understanding of who we were created to be.

This husband-and-wife team considers ten identities that masquerade as truth and challenge readers to trade those labels for the ones Christ offers. They explain why true identity matters, how our masks can suffocate us, and how substitute identities can become idolatry. They share real struggles from real people. And they offer hope in a comprehensive index of our identities in Christ, both individual and the collective identity of the church.

Review Quotes

Trading Faces is an important book for our cultural moment. John writes as an experienced pastor and Angel as a wise counselor. Together, they expose false identities, leading readers to Christ and the revolutionary new life he offers. John and Angel's work is biblical, honest, vulnerable, and worshipful. I believe it will help many find freedom and joy in Christ.--Kevin P. Halloran, author of When Prayer Is a Struggle (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

From the very first page, John and Angel speak to the things that roll around in my head every day. "I'm a failure. I've blown it. I'm worthless. No matter what I accomplish, it's meaningless." Then they speak to the one thing that makes sense of it all. I am an image bearer of God. How could God choose me to bear his image, to be like him? Then they unpack what that means for my life, and I begin to sense a change. This book is exactly what I need.--Tom Terry, author of Like An Eagle (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

John and Angel Beeson very skillfully unpack the difficult topic of our own identity. They do this in two ways: showing us how to ground our identity in Christ and contrasting our identity in Christ with substitute identities that we learn from our world. The Beesons give valuable evidence of their grasp of this topic through their own story and stories from the years of leading others in counseling and pastoral care. We live in a performative culture, catechized to put on masks to feel safe in this world. John and Angel gently help us remove them and find ourselves in Christ.--John Starke, pastor at Apostles Church (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

Pastor John and Angel Beeson are not only theologically sound teachers but also bring a wealth of personal experience to this hard-hitting and transparent project. They speak with integrity and hearts of compassion. We heartily endorse the book.--Roger And Julie Barrier, PreachItTeachIt (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

Solomon of old gives wisdom a personality, shapes an idea and gives it form, transforms words by giving them a voice; "Wisdom calls out in the street; she makes her voice heard in the public squares. She cries out above the commotion; she speaks at the entrance of the city gates," (Prov. 1:20-21 CSB) This book stands in the line of such wisdom. As I read, I found myself beside a crackling fire, comforted by a soft chair, and felt my soul breathe slowly in long desired for rest--I was with friends. John and Angel's words weave together seamlessly and draw your attention to the only identity worth pursuing, the one you have in Jesus. This will remain a treasured book on my shelf, where it won't rest long.--Chris Thomas, imperfect pastor, and occasional blogger at The Ploughman's Rest (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

The author of Psalm 145 speaks of God's greatness as unsearchable. He doesn't mean we can't explore God's greatness, but rather that after we've searched and searched, there will always be more greatness to explore. We can speak of our identity in Christ in the same way. Yet Christians often don't know how much more there is for us in Christ, or how many false identities we wear, until someone shows us. John and Angel's book Trading Faces is a wonderful guide to exploring the unsearchable riches of our identity in Christ.--Benjamin Vrbicek, managing editor for Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and author of several books (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

We struggle to know who we are outside of the roles, personality traits, or emotional scars we use to identify ourselves. Are we defined by the things we do or the things done to us? Who are we without our vocational wins, parenting successes, or individualistic giftings? In Trading Faces, John and Angel Beeson encourage us to look at who God is so that we can rightly see ourselves in light of our redemption and spiritual adoption. This book has stayed with me, reminding me that what matters most about me is who I am in Christ: I am his. Nothing brings more joy than that.--Glen Marshall, author of The Promise is His Presence and Everyday Faithfulness (7/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)