The book emerged from my convictions about the importance of everyday believers to the success of any church or ministry organization. It is based on extensive Bible study of the anonymous, unnamed characters in the New Testament who were consequential to the story of the advance of the gospel.

This book is written to encourage and inspire everyday believers who serve in the shadows, not the spotlight.

A shadow Christian is an everyday believer who lives and serves in relative anonymity yet makes a significant contribution to his or her church or community.

There are dozens – the Woman at the Well, the Leper, the men who started the church at Antioch, the man who loaned Jesus a colt to ride into Jerusalem, the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, etc.

The book is filled with dozens of these stories!  Rusty and Sheila were the key instigators (and have been faithful members for 30 years) of the church we started in Oregon. Their sacrificial service makes them the real heroes of the story. As the church planter, I was in the spotlight. But the dozens of people like Rusty and Sheila who came along in the early years and built the church deserve all the credit.

Multiple reasons listed in the book! They are the ministry workforce that gets the job done.  While we need a few spotlight leaders, they are only successful if large numbers of shadow Christians implement, support, and pay for the fulfillment of their vision.

I hope they will be encouraged and inspired to keep making an impact even though no one may know their name. The only name that deserves any fame is Jesus. I hope the book helps all of us live like that and remember that.