I’ll start off by saying that I am a HUGE John Ortberg fan. His teachings and writings have impacted my life.

In my opinion, John’s new book, Faith And Doubt, is his best so far. And I’ve appreciated every book he has written.

Here’s an excerpt from the book’s introduction:

I will tell you my secret: I have doubts.

I have spent my life studying and thinking and reading and teaching about God. I grew up in the church. I went to a faith-based college and then to a seminary. I walked the straight and narrow. I never sowed any wild oats.

And I have doubts.

I’ll tell you more than that. There is a part of me that, after I die, if it all turns out to be true–the angels are singing, death is defeated, the roll is called up yonder and there I am–there is a part of me that will be surprised. What do you know? It’s all true after all. I had my doubts.

Is it okay if we ask questions and consider objections and wonder out loud?

Is it okay if we don’t pretend that everybody is split up into two camps: those who doubt and those who don’t?

Is it possible–maybe even rational–to have faith in the presence of doubt?

John Ortberg’s latest release will be one that I give numerous people as a Christmas gift this year. It is an authentic, rational, readable exploration of our faith even in the presence of honest doubt.

When it comes right down to it . . . can there even be faith if there is no doubt?