Fake Christianity: 10 Traps of an Inauthentic Faith (and How to Avoid Them)

We are the problem. But Jesus can save us from ourselves.

Fake Christianity is deceptive and deadly. And, unfortunately, it’s very much alive today. We can easily recognize problems and hypocrisy around us. But it takes humility and courage to face the error and deception within us. With a pastoral heart, Jed Coppenger shows us how unnoticed hypocrisy, like prayerlessness, neglect of the Bible, gossip, bitterness, and every form of ungodliness, compromise our heart and weaken our Christian witness.

In Fake Christianity, Coppenger looks to the teachings of Jesus that address a culture remarkably like our own. He exposes ten traps of inauthentic faith and provides a gospel-centric response. The best way to tell a fake thing is to look at the real thing. That’s true when looking at gems. It’s also true of the Christian life. If we want to understand what’s true and good, we must look to Jesus. And we must listen to Him.

I’m praying that God would use this book to help Christians hear Jesus’ words more clearly. I hope every reader will be better equipped to join Jesus as He pushes back the darkness of hypocrisy with the light of the gospel.

JED COPPENGER is the lead pastor of First Baptist Church Cumming, GA. He earned his MDiv from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and his PhD from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of 21 Days to Childlike Prayer: Changing Your World One Specific Prayer at a Time. He and his wife, Melanie, have three kids.