Overall: Understanding the Epic Christian Story

A concise, witty, edgy, unpredictable, and sometimes humorous journey through the grand narrative of Christianity.

Overall is an easy-reading, kick-starter book for those who are interested in, confused by, or bored with the overall Christian story. It’s a framework for viewing and understanding the grand narrative of creation and history. Readers can add their own experiences, questions, and faith-development discoveries as they find their own place in the narrative. This book offers structure for the overall story of God that is often not provided in churches and institutions of theological education.

Overall is for people who don’t tend to read books on theology or have spent a limited amount of time in the Bible. The simple and readable structure or framework is helpful in terms of faith development for those who are trying to put the pieces together. It will build confidence for believers as they read their Bibles and share their faith. Even those who have read the Bible for years might learn a thing or two.

Nobody wants to feel stupid at the hardware store, or at the counter at Starbucks, or at the workout machines at the gym. And nobody wants to feel stupid in church. They want to know God’s story and how they fit into it. Overall attempts to see and appreciate the proverbial “forest,” instead of getting frustrated by the confusing and endless “trees.” In these pages, we will not just look at individual stories—we will be looking at the Overall story of humanity. This is important because the story we believe we are living in shapes how we live our lives.

Parts I and II of Overall summarize the Old Testament, and Parts III and IV cover the New Testament. Part V zooms quickly through the two thousand years that connect the story of the Bible with our own. In Part VI, we will see that God is not just inviting us to learn the story—he is inviting us into the story. Then the final part looks at glimpses God has given us of the end of the story.

A free Overall online leader’s guide will be available as an added benefit for use in discussions and small groups. Pastors could also use this book to fashion a seven-week or full-year preaching series that is customized for their own congregation’s mission, vision, and language. You can learn more about the author and gain additional insights for using the book in the church at akfuller.com.

Specs:

Size: 5.5" x 8.5"
Pages: 280
Price: $16.99
ISBN: 9781684344710

A. K. Fuller earned a degree in mathematics and physics and intended to pursue a career in engineering, until God transformed his life and invited him into vocational ministry. After completing a Master of Divinity degree, Fuller served as creative director at a church in Ohio before pastoring one in Phoenix, Arizona. His greatest earthly joy comes from his wife and their three grown children. He loves the church and the life-changing story that she offers. To learn more about the author, visit akfuller.com.

Author and pastor A. K. Fuller breaks down the sweeping story of the Bible into bite-sized chunks while retaining a singular throughline and theme. Filled with personal anecdotes, self-deprecating humor, and pop-culture touchstones, Fuller connects the dots of the classic—and sometimes unsettling—stories of Scripture in engaging, accessible ways. Whether one is a new explorer or a veteran of Biblical studies, Overall offers the reader a fresh look at the central motif of God’s amazing (and patient!) interaction with us carbon-based bipeds.

Dave Workman

President of The Elemental Group and author of The Outward Focused Life and Elemental Leaders: Four Essentials Every Leader Needs…and Every Church Must Have

With the creativity of a storyteller, the insight of a scholar, and the quirk of a friend you’d love to laugh with over a latte, A. K. Fuller welcomes us into a journey through the Bible, church history, and our own messy lives in his new book Overall. This engaging overview of the Christian faith helps readers gain a better understanding of God’s story and celebrate our own unique place within it. Having been a book reviewer for over thirty years, I’ve read a lot of Christian titles, and honestly, this is one of the best.

Vicki Kuyper

Author of Wonderlust and A Tale of Two Biddies

Overall is absolutely incredible. It’s one of the best overviews of the story of God and humanity that I have ever read. It is a must-read for anyone curious about Jesus and for those who have followed Jesus their whole lives. Fuller’s ability to explain the overarching story of the Bible with illustrations and metaphors that the reader can easily relate to makes the book both readable and accessible. As you read the book, the stories of the Bible come alive as they are understood within the context of The Story. Fuller’s style of writing draws readers in and keeps them engaged. With each chapter, the overall narrative of what God is doing and our role in the story become more and more compelling. This book is for everyone. The skeptic and the believer. The churched and the unchurched. Those who have never read the Bible and the biblical scholar. The one hearing the Word and the one preaching the Word. It’s rare to find a book about the Bible that I can enthusiastically recommend to such a wide audience. This is one of those books.

Rod Stafford

Pastor of Fairfax Church and author of Free to Lead

A. K. Fuller is that rare mix of logic and art, of mathematics (his undergrad major) and creative genius. One of the finest teachers and preachers I know, he has clothed the sweeping narrative of the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, with astonishing clarity, insight, and a weave that a world without the Word can grasp, digest, and apply. Fuller connects the dots for those in church and for those who have never darkened the door. Fun, smart, and rock-solid, Overall is, in fact, itself epic. More than a great read, this book will teach, preach, inspire, and transform. Grab a copy and be amazed. Beginning to end. By the Bible—and its central figure, Jesus.

Jim Lyon

General Director of Church of God Ministries, author of Go Ahead Ask Anything

Overall is a triumph. Within the first pages it sets out its ambitious agenda to provide “a brief overview of human existence” and more specifically “to help us understand and feel more confident with the Overall Christian story.” In the pages that follow, Pastor Fuller delivers. This is a book for people who are familiar with Christianity as a faith tradition and those who are curious, but who may not have put the whole story into context. Using a sensible structure and “aw-shucks” humor throughout, Fuller leads the reader through the biblical journey to the key end point: God loves us and we have the opportunity to have a real, life-changing relationship with him through Jesus Christ. This is the message of hope for us as individuals, for our families, communities, and nation. I highly recommend this wonderful book.

Mark Stoleson

Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Legatum

Overall: Understanding the Epic Christian Story is a book many of us in ministry have been waiting for. Fuller has a brilliant mind and the unique ability to understand the deeper truths of the Bible and how to apply them to our everyday lives. This book will be one you will want to share with others. You will find it difficult to put down. I predict that you, like me, will feel as if we are reading our own stories that we have been unable to process or share so eloquently.

Marty Grubbs

Pastor of Crossings Community Church and author of Restored

Overall is an inspiring look at the grand stories that make up the Bible and summarizes them as the epic love story of God for his people. Fuller effectively uses humor, pop-culture references, and personal insights to shed light on how we can understand the story and shape our own. As a Catholic Christian, I found Overall insightful and encouraging. It serves as a great framework for those who want to learn more about the story and their place in it.

Jason Sauer

Software developer and founder of Software Solutions