Jesus Loves You . . . This I Know – Craig Gross and Jason Harper

© 2009 Baker Books, Grand Rapids

Not long ago I got a book in for evaluation that I just had to read. It was written by a couple of unorthodox preacher-types. Craig Gross is the founding pastor of XXXchurch.com, and like the name suggests, he reaches out to people in the pornography industry. His message, “Jesus loves porn stars.” Jason Harper is the Outreach Pastor for Capital Christian Center in California. Harper has gone through some growth pains in his spiritual walk as a result of being reminded that as pastors, those of us who are, rarely face the struggles of the everyday grind encountered by most of the people in our pews.

This book tackles some of the tough issues that we face and attempts to remind readers that Jesus Loves You anyway. From the outcast to the upwardly mobile, from the baby to the porn star, from the bigot to the bi-sexual, the authors address real-life issues with true-life answers. Chapters of interest include how Jesus loves those who’ve been betrayed, those who are skeptical, those who overindulge, and those who steal. They consult scripture for the answers all the while applying the truth in real situations.

There are some rough spots in the book that will make it lose some of its credibility with certain elements of the religious society, but the book even addresses the issue of Jesus’ love for those who are overly religious. As a read the book may be helpful for someone seeking some answers as to how they can develop a relationship with God. As a resource for future study, I’d have to pass on this book. Readers might find a better resource in the pages of unChristian or Lost and Found. Even so, Jesus Loves You is an acceptable volume. I give Gross and Harper 2 reading glasses for effort.

—Benjamin Potter, March 23, 2010