Joshua Harris
Encyclopedia
Joshua Eugene Harris is an American
pastor
and author
, perhaps most widely known as the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye
(1997), in which he explains what he believes to be the biblical
approach to dating
and relationships
.
He is currently senior pastor of Covenant Life Church
, the founding church of Sovereign Grace Ministries
, in Gaithersburg, Maryland
.
He is the first of seven children born to Gregg and Sono Harris, pioneers in the Christian homeschooling
movement. He is of Japanese
descent on his mother's side.
Harris' new book, which highlights his passion for what he calls "Humble Orthodoxy", is entitled Dug Down Deep and was released in early 2010. In it, Harris shares the importance for theology, his own journey towards a love for theology, and various theological concepts that changed his life.
Harris started and led Sovereign Grace Ministries' New Attitude Conference for Christian singles from 1999 until 2004. There was no conference in 2005, and New Attitude was revived in 2006 under the leadership of Covenant Life Church
singles pastor, Eric Simmons. The conference took place over Memorial Day
weekend, at the Louisville, Kentucky
Convention Center through 2008. Josh then resumed leadership in 2009 over the conference and the conference was moved to the Baltimore convention center, and renamed Next. The 2011 conference will be held in Orlando, Florida.
The primary focus of New Attitude is to equip young Christian
s with what organizers believe is the biblical truth of the gospel
, and to stress the importance of the church in the lives of all Christians. New Attitude's focus is that the truth should be conveyed with humility and as such the leaders of New Attitude have coined the term Humble Orthodoxy to represent these principles. New Attitude's website describes "Humble Orthodoxy" as "a commitment to believing, living, and representing the truth with humility. We believe that God's truth in Scripture
should not be redefined or reinvented to suit our own preferences or culture. Our role is not to change truth but to let truth change us."
His brothers, twins Alex and Brett, lead the youth movement The Rebelution
.
Rebelution is a neologism defined by its creators as "a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture." Harris resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland
with his wife Shannon and their three children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, perhaps most widely known as the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye
I Kissed Dating Goodbye
I Kissed Dating Goodbye is a best-selling 1997 book by Joshua Harris. The book focuses on Harris' disenchantment with the contemporary secular dating scene, and offers ideas for improvement, alternative dating/courting practices, and a view that singleness need not be a burden nor characterized by...
(1997), in which he explains what he believes to be the biblical
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
approach to dating
Dating (activity)
Dating is a form of courtship consisting of social activities done by two persons with the aim of each assessing the other's suitability as a partner in an intimate relationship or as a spouse...
and relationships
Interpersonal relationship
An interpersonal relationship is an association between two or more people that may range from fleeting to enduring. This association may be based on limerence, love, solidarity, regular business interactions, or some other type of social commitment. Interpersonal relationships are formed in the...
.
He is currently senior pastor of Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church is a 3000+ member "reformed charismatic" church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The church was established in 1977 by a group of Christians including Larry Tomczak and C.J. Mahaney. It is currently led by Joshua Harris, the best-selling author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy...
, the founding church of Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries
Sovereign Grace Ministries is a group of Reformed, neocharismatic, Evangelical, restorationist, Christian churches primarily located in North America. It has been described as an apostolic network...
, in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
.
He is the first of seven children born to Gregg and Sono Harris, pioneers in the Christian homeschooling
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
movement. He is of Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
descent on his mother's side.
Biography
Harris published New Attitude, a magazine aimed at fellow homeschoolers, from 1994 to 1997. His first book, I Kissed Dating Goodbye was published in 1997 and has sold nearly one million copies worldwide. Subsequent publications include Boy Meets Girl (2000), in part describing his engagement to his wife, Shannon; Not Even a Hint: Guarding Your Heart Against Lust, released in 2003 and renamed Sex Is Not the Problem (Lust Is) in 2005; and Stop Dating the Church!: Fall in Love with the Family of God (2004).Harris' new book, which highlights his passion for what he calls "Humble Orthodoxy", is entitled Dug Down Deep and was released in early 2010. In it, Harris shares the importance for theology, his own journey towards a love for theology, and various theological concepts that changed his life.
Harris started and led Sovereign Grace Ministries' New Attitude Conference for Christian singles from 1999 until 2004. There was no conference in 2005, and New Attitude was revived in 2006 under the leadership of Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church
Covenant Life Church is a 3000+ member "reformed charismatic" church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The church was established in 1977 by a group of Christians including Larry Tomczak and C.J. Mahaney. It is currently led by Joshua Harris, the best-selling author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy...
singles pastor, Eric Simmons. The conference took place over Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend, at the Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
Convention Center through 2008. Josh then resumed leadership in 2009 over the conference and the conference was moved to the Baltimore convention center, and renamed Next. The 2011 conference will be held in Orlando, Florida.
The primary focus of New Attitude is to equip young Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
s with what organizers believe is the biblical truth of the gospel
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
, and to stress the importance of the church in the lives of all Christians. New Attitude's focus is that the truth should be conveyed with humility and as such the leaders of New Attitude have coined the term Humble Orthodoxy to represent these principles. New Attitude's website describes "Humble Orthodoxy" as "a commitment to believing, living, and representing the truth with humility. We believe that God's truth in Scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
should not be redefined or reinvented to suit our own preferences or culture. Our role is not to change truth but to let truth change us."
His brothers, twins Alex and Brett, lead the youth movement The Rebelution
The Rebelution
The Rebelution is a Christian ministry/organization directed at youth, describing itself as "a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture." It was founded in August 2005 by now 22-year-old twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris, younger brothers of best-selling author and...
.
Rebelution is a neologism defined by its creators as "a teenage rebellion against the low expectations of an ungodly culture." Harris resides in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg, Maryland
Gaithersburg is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. The city had a population of 59,933 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest incorporated city in the state, behind Baltimore, Frederick, and Rockville...
with his wife Shannon and their three children.
Books
- I Kissed Dating GoodbyeI Kissed Dating GoodbyeI Kissed Dating Goodbye is a best-selling 1997 book by Joshua Harris. The book focuses on Harris' disenchantment with the contemporary secular dating scene, and offers ideas for improvement, alternative dating/courting practices, and a view that singleness need not be a burden nor characterized by...
(Updated Version). Multnomah, 2003. ISBN 1-59052-135-8 - Boy Meets Girl: Say Hello To Courtship. Multnomah, 2000. ISBN 1-57673-709-8
- Not Even a Hint. Multnomah, 2003. ISBN 1-59052-147-1 (re-published as Sex Isn't the Problem, Lust Is in 2005. ISBN 1-59052-519-1)
- Stop Dating the Church! Multnomah, 2004. ISBN 1-59052-365-2
- Dug Down Deep Multnomah, 2010.