Survival tactics gradually replace holy ambition. “We take the success and its results for granted and become arrogant, or we forget the process God used and settle into a comfort zone that leaves God in a corner out of our lives. Ingram believes from experience that once people like you and me in churches and Christian organizations have experienced some success in our ministry, we are likely to go on to do one of two things: He died of a serious foot disease in his forty-first year of reign, never admitting his foolish ways nor asking God for help. Sadly, King Asa, after 35 years of following God, began to make foolish choices. The theme verse is 2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” God desires not people who have education or abilities, but people who will be completely His, people who will trust and obey Him step-by-step in their lives to the very end. In the first chapter, Ingram looks at the life of King Asa who began his reign well but ended it very badly. People who are willing to believe that what God has said is true and will step out in incremental steps as He leads.”

People who long to have a life of significance and impact.

What God is seeking, what’s He’s looking for are people who are willing to live on the edge. It’s about the truth we’ve lost that the God of the universe is actually looking for regular people like you and me to accomplish things beyond our wildest dreams. It’s about moving beyond what the Christian subculture tells us is right and holy and acceptable. “This book is about living beyond Christianity 101. The author explains the purpose of his book in the introduction: Holy Ambition: What It Takes to Make a Difference for God by Chip Ingram, pastor in California, is a simple and practical study (223 pages) of a couple of lesser known Old Testament characters, Asa and Nehemiah.

I needed to be able to trust God to do some new and different things in and through me. When I was in the midst of a difficult ministry transition in the summer of 2006, a brother in the Lord, a man I didn’t really know very well, gave me this book, and I’m glad he did! It was just what I needed at that point in my life.

Chip ingram church