Be Real: Because Fake Is Exhausting - Paperback

by Rick Bezet (Author), Craig Groeschel (Foreword by)

We live in a world of fakers. Rather than being real with each other, we present a carefully crafted persona that hides our faults and magnifies our good qualities. But inside we long to be loved, warts and all. We long to stop hiding from each other--and especially from God.

With candor and clarity, pastor Rick Bezet calls readers to a life built on authenticity, showing that the way to true freedom lies through reclaiming our hearts, reviving our souls, and renewing our minds in light of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. Through biblical stories and (often funny) personal examples, Bezet encourages readers to live with passion, integrity, and perseverance. He releases readers from the spiritual death that comes with pretending and leads them into a new life characterized by transparency rather than fear.

Front Jacket

Rick Bezet is the founder and lead pastor of New Life Church in Arkansas. Since 2001, New Life has grown to include nine churches with over twenty services and an online service. Rick speaks all over the world, inspiring and training church planters and leaders, but his heart is always to see the next person encounter Jesus. This passion led to the development of the Arkansas Dream Center, which serves thousands of individuals and families daily in local communities. Rick is a founding board member and overseer of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), an organization dedicated to planting life-giving churches across the nation.

Rick and his wife, Michelle, have four children and have been married for over twenty-five years. They live in Arkansas.

Back Jacket

Get ready for some gut-wrenching self-examination. Rick will help you discover the powerful truth: You can't please everyone--but you can please God!--from the foreword by Craig Groeschel

"I highly recommend Be Real to you and to anyone feeling lonely or overwhelmed, caught in a trap, or sidelined by life's unfortunate events."--John Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author; founder of EQUIP

"With candor, clarity, biblical truth, and a bit of Cajun humor, this book will put life back into your soul and take you on a journey to a closer walk with God."--Chris Hodges, pastor of Church of the Highlands; author of Fresh Air

"With humor and transparency, Pastor Rick challenges you to throw off every hindrance and embrace change so you may step into all that God has purposed for you."--Christine Caine, founder of The A21 Campaign; bestselling author of Undaunted

"Why do people wear masks? Why is authenticity such a challenge for Christians? These are important concepts that my friend Rick Bezet addresses in Be Real. I'm convinced that if pulpits and pews were filled with honest people, the church would be healthier. We must learn to be real--with God, ourselves, and others."--James Robison, founder and president of LIFE Outreach International

"I recommend this book to believers new and old who are looking to shed their masks and live a life of unshakable confidence and unending potential."--Matthew Barnett, cofounder of the Los Angeles Dream Center

Author Biography

Rick Bezet is the founder and lead pastor of New Life Church in Central Arkansas, listed by Outreach magazine in 2009 as America's fastest-growing church. Today, it includes nine campuses and over twenty weekend worship experiences. A former professional golfer, Rick is one of the founding directors of the Association of Related Churches (ARC), an organization designed to plant churches and impact the world through missions. He speaks across America and around the world, sharing his passion and vision for authentic Christianity. He lives in Arkansas with his wife, Michelle, and their children.