Stephen AltroggeRezensionen

If you are not sure how to pray or give God glory, I suggest you give this book a read. It is going down as a favourite and I will read it again and again in the future.

This bookhas given me the urge to try and write a short, and I stress the word short, story.

This author's style of writing really brought the message of this book home to me. I plan to read more of his works as soon as I can.

A couple of weeks ago God began to deal with me greatly on the issue of contentment. It was the issue that was at the forefront of my prayers, my time in the Word, my thoughts. I was being greatly tempted by feelings of discontent and entitlement. Those are feelings that are not conducive to a productive, worshipful Christian life. About this time I received a complimentary copy of a book from Crossway that dealt with this very issue. The Greener Grass Conspiracy by Stephen Altrogge is a fun, easy, convicting and edifying book that is well worth the investment of the small amount of time it takes to make it through the 140 pages.


Let me briefly comment on Altrogge’s style and then deal with the content of the book. Altrogge is masterful in the way he uses humor to compliment his content. His use of stories is not to fill text or to simply keep someone interested. He uses humor as a means of disarming the reader as he deals with personal and difficult issues in a frank manner. His humor is the anesthesia before the scalpel, and he wields both of them well.

As entertaining as this brother is, the content of the book is the real draw. The Greener Grass Conspiracy looks at the conspiracy between the enemy and our flesh to ensure our discontentment, and how we can overcome this opposition. Chapter one shows us that we are not content, not because of our circumstances but, because of our “idol factory” of a heart. We are constantly creating idols to worship instead of finding peace and joy in the one true God.

In the second chapter, Altrogge explains that he is not the center of the universe. This part was rather obvious to me. The surprising part was that he presented a convincing argument that I actually was not the center of the universe either. And neither are you. When we begin to understand this we can truly begin to be much more content with how God chooses to treat us, because this is His universe. I may have an opinion on how He should run things but that is all I have, an opinion. A difference between Him and I is that He actually possesses a universe that was created for Him and by Him.

Chapter 3 addresses the misconception that contentment is equivalent to “ambitionless asceticism”. Neither a lack of desire nor a lack of ambition is contentment but rather “contentment is a disposition of the heart that freely and joyfully submits to God’s will, whatever that may be”. We recognize Romans 8:28, that God uses all things for the good of those who love Him. But take note of the term “joyfully”. Contentment is not treating God like a “divine dentist”. We do not bear with God, we “joyfully” submit to Him because we have tasted and seen just how good He really is.

“Discontentment is the result of misplaced worship,” and “the only way to grow in contentment is to undergo the process of identifying and destroying the idols in our lives.” Chapter 4 is the part of the book where “we re-break your nose, twist your foot, and rip your toenail out”, “where things get uncomfortable.” All this is necessary because we suffer from a self-inflicted worship malfunction, and the remedy, though necessary and sweet, is often painful.
Chapter 5 argues that contentment cannot be circumstantial, not matter how opulent the circumstances. There are lies that we believe and we must learn to spot them and believe the truth. The worst part of these lies is not that deceive us but that they attack God’s character, leading us to believe things about God that would minimize the glorious nature of who He is. This is not a small problem or an insignificant issue.

The chief offspring of discontentment is complaining and chapter 6 deals with this sin in light of the Gospel. The Gospel is the message that God covered our sins with the blood of Jesus, His Son. He purchased our forgiveness. He purchased us. Discontentment could easily be expressed as contempt of the Gospel. Discontentment and its firstborn, complaining, are a slap in the face of the Gospel and of the God who spared not His Son to redeem us from the sin we loved and the wrath we deserved. As a child of God, I have an eternal relationship with the Father. I have more than enough incentive to be more than content.

Chapter 7 is about suburban, Christian, pre-adolescents and their affinity for less than stellar white rappers…or something like that. Actually it is about the road to contentment, which is very rarely a straight and smooth thoroughfare. The path that leads to contentment is most often littered with hardship and heartache. Chapter 8 reveals the secret to contentment and our need for an “Antiques Road Show” moment.

Chapter 9 is entitled “Eat the Meat and Die”. Altrogge again deals with complaining and the resulting wrath from God that complaining elicits. “Count Your Blessings—Literally,” is a call to see the evidence of God’s love as shown through His provision. It is not, however, an argument for minimizing the burdens and heartaches that we, or others, endure, but rather it is a call to see these hardships for what they are, momentary and fleeting and see God for who He is, eternal and faithful.

“The Furnace of Suffering” illustrates the truth of how God refines the Christian through suffering, hardship, and persecution. We know that we can endure this fire because not only has our God endured it, but He walks us through it. Chapter 12 gets to a key component of discontentment that I wish had been introduced earlier in the text. Discontentment in the life of a Christian is often just a longing for Heaven, an impatience for what God has in store for those He has mercifully saved. We can be content when we realize that Heaven for the believer, that is God’s presence and our holiness, begins at new birth rather than physical death. Heaven, to those of us still in the flesh, may not be fully realized, but it is fully real.

This book is excellent. How is that for straight forward? Altrogge does a great job of drawing you in and then slapping you with the truth of God. God used this book mightily to minister to me on an issue that is prevalent and pervasive in our culture of idolatry and discontentment. I greatly believe that God will do the same for any who read it with a desire to be convicted and broken over their sin and restored by the truth of the Gospel presented within “The Greener Grass Conspiracy”.

NCLA Review - The author states that we are all in the middle of a giant conspiracy, and nothing we do will get us out. What is this conspiracy? According to Altrogge, it’s that the world, your heart, and Satan want to steal your happiness by scheming and plotting to make you perpetually discontent. So what is the secret to contentment? The rest of the book is devoted to answering that question. Each chapter introduces an idea: Copernicus and the center of the universe, being a monk, why sports slogans don’t work, and a wealthy man who wasn’t happy, for example. It then explains why in each case contentment can only come from a life centered in God. Each chapter ends with questions, titled Stop-Think-Do. At the end, the author tells the reader how to reach him on his blog, at Twitter, and at Facebook. This book could be read by an individual looking for a happier life, but probably would be more useful in a group discussion. Rating: 3 —AMB

First of all, I really enjoyed Altrogge’s writing, probably because he and I have very similar written voices. I kept finding myself thinking, “wow…that’s exactly how I would have written that.”

This is one of those books that says things you technically know to be true, yet somehow it has a hard time showing up in your day-to-day life. I think discontentment is something a lot of Americans struggle with. We all think that if we get another thing or a certain person, it will make our lives better in a must-have sort of way. If only I was able to buy a house. If only I was married. If only I had a different job. If only I didn’t have this medical condition. If only my kids would behave. Atrogge argues that the “if only”s can straight up ruin our lives and separate us from God. These things are idols-without-a-golden-calf:

“Idolatry is also subtle. It often takes the form of a good desire, like excelling on the job, and then spirals out of control. An idol can be a good thing that we want too much, a good thing that takes the place of the greatest thing.”

Of all the things covered in this book, my favorite was the chapter on complaining. I can complain with the best of them (sarcasm seems to run through my veins), but it really made me think about how complaining breeds contempt and discontent. And I need to make sure I’m keeping it to a minimum because:

“When we complain, we’re loudly saying that the blessings of the gospel aren’t enough. We’re saying that the death of Christ isn’t enough. We’re saying that eternal fellowship with God, purchased at great cost to God, isn’t enough to satisfy our souls.”

I don’t want to get up to the glory of heaven and have God say, “Really? You sure complained a lot about _____. And you thought _____ would be better than this?”

Read my full review here: http://letseatgrandpa.com/2011/08/03/book-review-63-the-greener-grass-conspiracy...

What can a self-professed “raging discontent” teach others about contentment? Turns out, quite a bit. Altrogge reminds us that the desire for contentment is part of the spiritual war in which we are constantly embroiled in (p. 18). The image of the “Greener Grass Conspiracy” is quite helpful in helping us see the things that fight against our contentment. Altrogge reminds us of the Scriptures’ teaching that the world, our hearts, and our enemy Satan are all working against our true and greatest happiness, joy in God (p. 12). It’s a theme and a point he makes clear throughout the book.

I appreciated Altrogge’s unflagging commitment to Jesus Christ as the means and the end of our pursuit of true joy and contentment. Jesus Christ is clearly presented as our ultimate hope. The Gospel is presented and the Scriptures are held up as God’s promises, and our weapons in the fight for contentment (p.94).

A Fun Read
Altrogge is funny. His seemingly effortless wit shines through in literally every page of this book. The use of self-effacing humor and transparency helps the reader to see the experiences and effects of discontentment in Altrogge’s own life. The humor has another effect, it disarms the reader, allowing the reader to see the irrational discontentment in their own lives; at least that was experience of this reviewer.

A Deep Read
This is a relatively short book, but don’t be fooled by its brevity, or by Altrogge’s levity. There is much to consider as you read this book. Altrogge begins the journey to contentment by probing the question, “What makes us unhappy?” The “if-only” things in our lives become the idols in which we seek contentment. The “if-only” things are insufficient for long and lasting happiness because those things were never intended to bring us contentment. It boils down to an issue of worship (p. 36). We often worship the wrong things. Often, it is an idol our very own hearts have manufactured. We were made for God, to worship Him, to relate to Him, enjoy Him.

Contentment is learned. Paul is held up as a human example of one who learned contentment (Phil. 4:11-12). Despite all the miserable experiences Paul endured, contentment was his. In times of betrayal, imprisonment, physical danger, and in material deprivation, Paul was able to remain contentment because his happiness was not tied to his circumstances. This is what Altrogge aims to teach us: to find contentment in knowing that our every spiritual need has been met in Jesus (p. 20).

Altrogge takes us through the Scriptures, and he points out the dangers of discontentment, and more importantly, the blasphemous nature of it. Discontment based on our circumstances leads to complaining which turns us into blasphemers who dishonor God by bringing His goodness into question (pp. 108-110). I doubt many of us chronic complainers have considered the insidious nature of our discontentment, and its fruit, but Altrogge lovingly and tenderly helps us to see it. The goal of this mini-tome is to help the reader see that true contentment is grounded in eternally joyful God, Himself (p. 30).

More Than A Read
This book is a strong practical help for those who are willing to make application of the truths presented by Altrogge. In Chapter 6 the Gospel of Jesus Christ is presented with clarity and power. Believers and unbelievers alike will benefit from this chapter, as the blessings of the Gospel are shown as precious jewels. Chapter 7 shows the necessity of “learning” contentment. It does not come naturally, but God uses good times and bad times to help us to learn to be content at all times. Chapter 8 holds up Jesus Christ as the source of power in the fight for joy. Chapter 9 shows how sinful it is be discontent with what God provides. Chapter 10 encourages us to literally “count our blessings” as a weapon in the war for joy In Chapter 11 the author walks us through finding contentment in suffering through developing a deeper understanding for, connection with, and dependence on God through Jesus Christ. In Chapter 12 the author nails the landing with the long-term perspective of the believer’s complete and unhindered joy in heaven. We can be content now, even though we long for more, because we know that a time is coming when all of our longings will be fulfilled, in a way we can’t even begin to comprehend.

I love the addition of the “STOP-THINK-DO” questions found at the conclusion of each chapter. The questions are masterfully posed to help the reader truly digest what the author has asserted. The questions were helpful for me personally, but I think this also makes this book a ready-made curriculum for small-group, a reading club or accountability relationships.

Conclusion
I first became aware of Stephen Altrogge on Twitter. I knew of his father’s ministry with Sovereign Grace, and I decided to follow him. Since then I have enjoyed his quirky humor in 140 character chunks. I was glad to hear he had written a book. Now, I am glad to have read this book. As a local church pastor, I would love to see my congregation read and apply this book to their lives.

Disclaimer: Crossway has offered a free copy of this book to me in exchange for my promise to read and publicly review the work. The publisher has exercised no influence over this review, given no compensation or promise thereof. I was asked that the review be honest and substantive.

I just finished The Greener Grass Conspiracy which was kindly provided to me by Crossway to review.

Altrogge, a young man (in three days he'll be 29 years old), writes not as a know-it-all twit but as someone who is also trying to learn contentment. He has a good sense of humor and comes across as one of us, just a regular guy I would like to meet some day. I'm sure you would too.

When I started the book I would not have said I had a problem with a lack of contentment. That has changed. Altrogge took a scalpel to the common experiences of many and showed how discontentment lies beneath the surface too often in my own life. He showed how something as small as complaining about traffic shows a dissatisfaction with God's provision. In that regard he quoted Thomas Watson from The Art of Divine Contentment:

"Our base hearts are more discontented at one loss than thankful for a hundred mercies. God has plucked one branch of grapes from you, but how many precious clusters are left behind."

Altrogge acknowledges that he doesn't have all the answers and doesn't try to offer cheap answers to life's problems. Instead, he points the reader to Jesus.

"I don't want to give you the pat, trite answers. I don't want to tell you just to trust in God and everything will be okay. I simply want to connect you to the God who is bigger than your sufferings and who fully understands what I don't. I want to connect you to the only person who can carry you through and give you contentment in the midst of suffering. I want to connect you to Jesus." (119-120)

Following are a few favorite brief quotes:

"I need to spend some time working on my gospel math, calculating the infinite distance between what I deserve and what I've received." (70)

"Complaining isn't just an insignificant, minor, everyday sin. It's a slap in the face of God. When we complain, we're saying that God hasn't been good to us." (103)

"When you start getting that generally annoyed, "I'm about to complain" feeling, take a step back, survey the blessings, and thank God for his generosity." (105)

I have benefited from reading this book. I think it would be a safe bet that most people would. If you know you struggle with a lack of contentment, Altrogge provides plenty of balm to start the healing process. For those of you who don't struggle with discontentment, human nature being what it is you may very well be wrong in which case you, too, stand to benefit from The Greener Grass Conspiracy.

This could be a good book to share with the sports enthusiast in your life. It provides a clear presentation of how sports should be viewed in the Christian life, especially if you tend to get carried away by them. There's probably more that could be said on the matter, but Stephen Altrogge gets the conversation started very well, grounding our thinking in the gospel of Jesus Christ.