Sound Bites of faith: For Us of little faith

About the Book

It started at a party where Hereth's friends were laughing at how short the sound bites for TV programs had become. The thought occurred, could a brief "sound bite" highlight one facet of faith, anchor it in Scripture, and dress it with realistic examples from everyday life? Sound Bites us Faith for Us of Little Faith answers yes. Like the facets of a diamond, each facet of faith shines in its own significance and also illuminates other facets to light our way. Then Hereth's hard-headed realism adds heat to the fire. No pious platitudes here. Not only was Hereth highly sensitive to the pain and doubts of the persons in his congregations for 40 years, he himself often groped for some glint of the faith that seemed to come so naturally to others. But along the way he learned that his own wrestling, rather than hindering his people, often helped them the most. Jesus sometimes lamented, "Oh you of little faith." Hereth identifies with that rebuke, but he takes heart in how Jesus brings faltering persons to God who is big enough for those of little faith. This emboldens Hereth to present the struggle for faith with all its uncertainties, missteps, and questions that in the end make us rely totally on a Big God--not on our little faith--which is exactly where those of little faith belong. Hereth's first section, "Facets of Faith," leads beyond a nodding acquaintance with creeds to risk trying to "walk on the water" with Jesus. We become sensitized that there is an unseen power in life. We come to know that power as our Heavenly Father, as Jesus reveals. We venture in trust in the unconditional love of God, base our hope in God, and make our decisions for God. In all this we struggle with just how much of what is happening is because of us and how much is because of God. With humility we accept that uncertainty will always be lurking, and we walk by faith alone. Hereth's second section, "The Fruitful Life of Faith," focuses on how faith, which is trust when turned to God, becomes love when turned toward fellow human beings. It's a special kind of love that in Jesus's words can "love your enemies." It's a love that does what is needed to help even when we may not "like" whom we are helping. It is often done at our cost. But that makes it a powerful love that is exactly what is needed in our complex world where we must choose between two goods or two wrongs. Rather than serve up easy answers, Hereth struggles for a love powerful enough to act when there are no easy answers. Above all it is a love from beyond us, working through us, enabling us to do what we alone could not do. We learn thankfulness and therefore contentment; we learn to pray, to forgive, to obey, to praise--all fruits of faith. However, along the way our faith will be tested by our personal weaknesses, our daunting world, and a wily tempter. In his third section Hereth faces doubt, challenges, confounding questions with which he continues to struggle that often become more urgent as faith becomes more important. Unanswered prayers, a divided church, challenges by modern science, personal and global tragedies which wring from our hearts the question, "why," the death of loved ones, our own death are only some of the questions Hereth confronts. Hereth's total identification with us and his trust in our Big God makes him a great guide for us of little faith.

About the Author

Pastor Robert Hereth writes as one of "little faith" for those who feel the same way. Having entered the ministry after the navy and a career in public relations, he has never fit comfortably in the clerical collar. For 45 years he has struggled for the faith that seems to come so naturally to others. Along the way he learned that his struggles--instead of being a hinderance to his people--were often of great help to them. Emboldened by how Jesus embraced "those of little faith," Hereth aims to lead us of little faith to our Big God. Hereth has published two novels with Xlibris, David the King and Money.