Unafraid - by Adam Hamilton (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Learn how to face and overcome the fears we feel about loneliness, illness, financial insecurity, disappointing others, failure, insignificance, and aging

"A thoughtful, literate, faith-filled guide to reclaiming our minds and our lives."--John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Church and author of I'd Like You More If You Were More Like Me

You'd be hard-pressed to overstate the extent to which fear, anxiety, and worry permeate our lives today. Fear wreaks havoc on our relationships and communities. It leads us into making bad decisions. It holds us back from the very pursuits that promise fulfillment and joy.

As the senior pastor of a large, diverse church in America's heartland, Adam Hamilton has seen the cost of fear up close. When he surveyed his congregation on how fear affects them, 2,400 people responded--and what they said was eye-opening. Eighty percent admitted to living with moderate or significant levels of fear.

Unafraid is Hamilton's insightful and impassioned response. Drawing on recent research, inspiring real-life examples, and fresh biblical insight, Hamilton uses a mixture of facts and faith to help readers understand and counter fears related to such outsize perils as death and illness, as well as the everyday anxieties all of us encounter. He invites us to:

Face our fears with a bias of hope
Examine our fears in light of the facts
Attack our anxieties with action
Release our cares to God

Writing with generosity and intelligence, Hamilton shows how believer and unbeliever alike can develop sustaining spiritual practices and embrace Jesus's recurring counsel: "Do not be afraid." For anyone struggling with fear or wondering how families and communities can thrive in troubled times, Unafraid offers an informed and inspiring message full of practical solutions.

Review Quotes

"I want every American to read Adam Hamilton's Unafraid. There is no saccharine advice in this book, only honest assessments about the danger of nurturing fears and the power of facing them down."
--Diana Butler Bass, author of Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks

"Fear is the great thief. It steals our peace. It quietly deprives us of one present moment after another, without our even knowing. In Unafraid, Adam gives us a thoughtful, literate, faith-filled guide to re-claiming our minds and our lives."
-John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California, and author of I'd Like You More If You Were More Like Me

"Fear can cause us to become discouraged, disheartened and even despairing. In its worst manifestations, it can paralyze us, rendering us incapable of any productive activity. But in his bold new book, Adam Hamilton gives us a way out and points us towards a hopeful future."
-James Martin, SJ, author of Jesus: A Pilgrimage

"Fear cannot be cured with a self-help book. We need a get-help book, and Adam Hamilton has provided exactly that. Informed by psychology and neuroscience, he applies practical wisdom gleaned from the Bible and from his years as a pastor. I could almost feel my blood pressure go down as I read."
-Philip Yancey, author, The Jesus I Never Knew and What's So Amazing About Grace?

"This will be an indispensable volume for people of faith who want to rise above dysfunction and uncertainty, and remain the people of faith, hope, and love that God calls us to be."
-Mike McCurry, Former White House Secretary/Professor and Director of Wesley Theological Seminary's Center for Public Theology

"Fear is a powerful and paralyzing emotion. It can save us from danger, or lead us to resent, or even hate our neighbor. Adam Hamilton's new book offers a roadmap for facing our fears with faith, one that leads readers to a life of courage and hope. This book is important and one I highly recommend."
-Richard Rohr, author of Falling Upward

"More people than ever struggle today to understand and overcome fear, worry and anxiety. Whatever challenge you're facing today, you will find Adam's words are comforting, practical, proven, and inspiring."
-John C. Danforth, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations; former three-term United States Senator from Missouri

"With the breadth of scholarship and spiritual wisdom he is known for, Adam Hamilton tackles one of the most important topics of our time: how to face our fears and not be controlled by them. Unafraid addresses nearly every fear imaginable--large and small, real or imagined, those within our power to overcome and those we must accept. For each type of fear, Hamilton offers a disciplined approach of facing facts, examining our assumptions, overcoming anxiety through action, and cultivating a life of faith. Read this book once to appreciate its tremendous value as a resource. Then read it again, as I did, to identify which chapters speak most powerfully to you and allow this consummate pastor to show you how to live with courage and hope."
-Mariann Edgar Budde, Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of Washington

"A wise and compelling book."
--Miroslav Volf, founder and director of Yale Center for Faith and Culture, Yale Divinity School; author of Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World

"Goes beyond mere analysis to offer spiritual practices which can bring real peace to struggling people. I enthusiastically recommend this book."
--Ed Robb, senior pastor, The Woodlands United Methodist Church, Woodlands, TX

"Adam Hamilton has done it again serving as a postmodern spiritual guide for a nation in desperate need of renewal. Hamilton's exploration of fear, the consequences created by it and the tools to overcome come these False Events Appearing as Real is a revelation. The mix of science, philosophy, practical biblical wisdom, storytelling and personal testimony make this book a joy read."
--Otis Moss, III senior servant/pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ

"I've known Adam for decades. I've heard his sermons, read his books and watched him lead when he was fearful. I live for Christ and I'm grateful for Adam's encouragement. In Unafraid, Adam writes, 'As you press through fear, you live...' He's right. Read Unafraid. Let Adam encourage you to face your fears and live."
--Mark Beeson, founding pastor, Granger Community Church, Granger, IN

About the Author

ADAM HAMILTON is the senior pastor of the 20,000-member Church of the Resurrection, Kansas City, described by NPR as "one of the most influential churches in America." Reverend Hamilton is a leading voice for reconciliation and renewal in the Church, and the bestselling author of twenty-five books, including Making Sense of the Bible and Creed: What Christians Believe and Why. He and his wife, LaVon, have two grown daughters.