Following is a post by pastor Gordon Dabbs, author of Epic Fail: Gaining Wisdom from Failures of Biblical Proportion, available now from Leafwood Publishers. Gordon is the preaching minister at Prestoncrest Church of Christ in Dallas, Tx and can be found on Twitter and his personal blog: www.gordondabbs.com.

I began preaching a series of messages at the Prestoncrest Church called “Epic Fail” in early 2012.  It was a blast!

During the series, I walked the church through some of the human train wreck stories of the Bible and talked about what we learn from them.  The focus wasn’t just about how awful the mistakes of people like Judas or Jezebel were, but also on the divine notes of grace and redemption that can be heard even in the darkest chapters of God’s Word.  The Church really responded to the Epic Fail series.  I think ALL of us can identify with failure on a personal level!  Right?

An event that caused me to think about developing the Epic Fail series into a book came after church one Sunday morning.  In the lobby at Prestoncrest, a 20-something year-old young man named Roger approached me.  He had struggled with drug-addiction for years.  He was the son of one of our church leaders.  He came to share with me how meaningful the messages of Epic Fail had been in his life.  “I’ve never heard sermons that cut to my soul like these,” he told me. “Thanks for this series.”

As a preacher, I’ve become accustomed to the route Sunday morning “nice job, preacher” comments.  Even when I feel like I’ve blown it on a Sunday, the congregation still tries to encourage me.  I’m thankful for this.  Every once in a while, however, someone shares a comment that clearly comes from a deep place, even a place of hurt.  When the young man told me how much the Epic Fail series meant to him, I was deeply touched and began thinking of how these messages could reach more people like Roger.

Over the months that followed, I worked on turning those Sunday morning messages into chapters for a book.  With the help of many, especially the Leafwood team, I am thrilled that EPIC FAIL – GAINING WISDOM FROM FAILURES OF BIBLICAL PROPORTION has been published.  I have high hopes for this book because I’m convinced of the power of God’s Word and I know that the theme of heartache and failure is one that resonates deep in the soul of each of us.  The convergence of a word from God and the needs of many have come together beautifully in this book.  My prayer is that through this book many will hear the voice of the Father speaking words of healing, hope and wisdom into their personal journey.

Gordon Dabbs