Read This Book! The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in the Age of Extremism

There are books you read to feel good. This isn’t one of them.

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism by Tim Alberta reads like a pastorally-written autopsy — except the patient isn’t dead yet.

It's just sick. Really sick.

And if the Church in America wants to get better, it’s going to take some uncomfortable honesty about what — and who — made us this way.

The Premise: How Did We Get Here?

Alberta grew up in the Evangelical world. Son of a faithful pastor. Raised in the Church. And now, standing in the wreckage of what used to be biblical Christianity, Alberta asks the right question: “What on earth happened to us?”

This book traces the slow drift (and then full sprint) of American Evangelicalism away from the humble, servant-hearted Kingdom of Jesus — and straight into a golden calf made of political power, Christian nationalism, and fear.

Not fear of God.

Fear of losing elections.

Fear of losing influence.

Fear of the "other."

Fear discipled us better than faith did - and it shows - everywhere.

The Ugly Truth: Power Over Integrity

Alberta doesn’t just rant about the system — he names names. He shows how celebrity pastors, Christian institutions, and conservative powerbrokers traded away integrity for influence. Men like Jerry Falwell Jr., Eric Metaxas, and David Barton didn’t stumble into controversy — they engineered movements that fused Jesus with American exceptionalism, often distorting both along the way.

But it’s the stories of faithful pastors that hit the hardest. Men like Russell Moore, Daniel Darling, and Brian Zahnd — leaders who refused to bow to political idols — became casualties of Evangelical infighting. They didn’t leave the Church. The Church left them.

They were ostracized not for denying Jesus — but for choosing Jesus over party loyalty. For loving their neighbor more than a political platform. For preaching the Sermon on the Mount when people wanted the Art of the Deal.

Let that sink in.

The Good News: A Remnant Remains

But here’s what I love about Alberta’s approach — he doesn’t leave us in despair.

Yes, the loudest voices in the Evangelical world right now sound a lot like angry talk radio callers. But Alberta argues that’s not confidence — that’s desperation.

They know they’re losing the next generation.

Because there is a growing, younger, Jesus-seeking remnant who are done with performative Christianity. They aren’t looking for a political savior. They’re looking for a real one.

These young believers aren’t driven by party lines — they’re driven by justice, mercy, humility, and the uncomfortable commands of Christ to love enemies and serve the least of these.

Alberta makes it clear: The future of the Church doesn’t belong to the loudest. It belongs to the most faithful. And those who choose integrity over influence — even if it costs them everything — are the ones quietly building something beautiful, something real, and something very much like Jesus.

Final Thought: Read This Book

If you love the Church — read this book.

If you love Jesus — read this book.

If you’re tired of watching Christianity be hijacked by fear, politics, and golden calf worship — read this book.

The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory is not a comfortable read.

But then again — neither were the Gospels.

Jesus didn’t come to protect our power. He came to undo it.

And maybe — just maybe — it’s time we stop trying to save Christian America…And start becoming Christians again.

Get your copy of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory by Tim Alberta here:

Read it. Wrestle with it. And let’s go clean up this mess — starting with our own hearts.