Celebrate how your work glorifies God with an extraordinary trip to Europe!

Pre-order Five Mere Christians today and you could win an incredible trip for two to tour C.S. Lewis’s favorite spots in Oxford, explore LEGOLAND in Denmark, and more!

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Does the idea of glorifying God in your work feel abstract or out of reach?

Five Mere Christians gives you real-life examples that will forever transform how you work.

You’re not a pastor, missionary, or religious professional. You’re a mere Christian like me who works as an entrepreneur, accountant, or barista. And you deeply want to glorify God in every aspect of your life—including your work.

But what on earth does that look like practically?

I could tell you answers to that question through theological exposition. Or I could show you through stories. There is a place for the former. But this book gives you the latter.

And I can’t wait to introduce you to five men and women whose unforgettable life stories are full of wisdom for how you can glorify God through your work today.

Pre-order Five Mere Christians now and you could win a trip to explore some of our mere Christians’ favorite spots in England and Denmark!

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"Five Mere Christians is unlike any set of biographies ever written. Filled with exciting twists and page-turning cliffhangers, it reads like your favorite television binge-watch! You feel as if you are right there, in the moment, to witness the extraordinary lives and historic accomplishments of these five mere Christians."

Chris McCumber
Former President of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Networks

These are not your typical biographies

These are the types of stories I (and you) want to read on the beach.

Mercifully Short

Each biography is fast-paced and can be read in under an hour.

Extremely Entertaining

These stories read like page-turning fiction but are all entirely true.

Profoundly Helpful

Discover 15 practical ways you can glorify God in your work today.

"If you’re looking for a book that combines the punch of a great sermon with the pace of a great thriller, this is it."

Mark Batterson
New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker and lead pastor at National Community Church

These five stories will forever change how you work

These are the top 5 men and women I’d have on the Mere Christians podcast today if they were still alive to be interviewed.

Ole Kirk Christiansen

Founder of LEGO

Christiansen's story will show you how to glorify God by: 

  • Persevering through life’s most brutal trials
  • Embracing playful work the world calls “useless”
  • Committing yourself to the highest standards of your craft

Fannie Lou Hamer

Civil Rights Activist

Hamer's story will show you how to glorify God by: 

  • Working for justice without hating the unjust
  • Embracing the tension between trusting in God and hustling at work
  • Believing that God is creating an impact through your work even when that work appears to be in vain

C.S. Lewis

Author of The Chronicles of Narnia and Mere Christianity

Lewis's story will show you how to glorify God by: 

  • Finding your ultimate joy in Christ and not your work
  • Treating everything at work as evangelism, not just your words
  • Embracing your role as a mere Christian as one of the Church’s most effective means of making disciples of Jesus Christ

Hannah More

Poet and Educator

More's story will show you how to glorify God by: 

  • Refusing to isolate from “dark” industries and workplaces
  • Working to change the world through culture and not just politics
  • Showing an uncommon audacity that can only be explained by a humble confidence in God

Fred Rogers

Creator of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

Rogers's story will show you how to glorify God by: 

  • Treating your current job as a “priestly” duty
  • Making time to truly experience the love of God while you work
  • Living at a pace that allows you to extend that love to others you encounter Monday through Friday

Pastor Tim Keller once said, “You never learn anything spiritually valuable by being told. You have to be shown.” Case studies are stickier than commands, which is why this book will forever transform how you work!

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"Sometimes we settle for less than we should. Five Mere Christians will expand your vision for what ministry is possible through your work. Absorbing and actionable, this book will show you how to more fully glorify God Monday through Friday!"

Tamika Catchings
Four-time Olympic gold medalist, ten-time WNBA All-Star, and former WNBA MVP

Experience the lives and work of C.S. Lewis and Ole Kirk Christiansen…in EUROPE!

Here are all the details on the epic trip you could win for you and a friend of your choice!

It can be easy to hear stories of heroes of the faith and think, “Well, sure, he lived that way… accomplished that thing… had that faith, but that would never be possible for me!”

It doesn’t help that most biographies make their subjects out to be heroes we mortals could never dream of emulating. That is NOT the case with Five Mere Christians.

This book showcases the highs and lows of our subjects’ lives—including cases where they rejected the Gospel, had their hearts broken, quit their jobs, committed appalling sins, and more.

Why? To show you that the same Holy Spirit that accomplished great things in these five mere Christians’ lives is at work in you today, believer!

Because these were ordinary, real, in-the-flesh men and women, we can rest assured that you and I can glorify God in the same ways they did if we will hear and respond to their stories.

My goal is to bring those stories to life for every mere Christian in the pages of this book…but for one lucky reader, I’m excited to also offer the incredible opportunity to travel to England and Denmark to explore where two of our mere Christians—C.S. Lewis and Ole Kirk Christiansen—lived and worked!

What's on the itinerary?

  • Your trip will begin in Oxford with opportunities to explore Magdalen College as well as Lamb & Flag, a pub frequented by Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Inklings.

  •  You will visit Lewis’s home at The Kilns where he wrote his famous series, The Chronicles of Narnia.

  •  Next, I’ll be meeting you and your friend for dinner at the incredible Goring Hotel behind Buckingham Palace to answer your questions about Five Mere Christians and encourage you to glorify God in your work today.

  •  You will then take a short flight to Billund, Denmark, the home of Ole Kirk Christiansen.

  • There, you will have the opportunity to visit LEGOLAND, LEGO House, and other spots beloved by the LEGO founder.

What's included if I win?

Pretty much everything! Specifically, I'm covering:

  • Airfare for you and a friend to Oxford, Denmark, and back to the United States

  •  Hotel stays and tours in both cities

  •  Dinner with me at The Goring

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PLUS: Claim your limited-time pre-order bonuses

When you enter the sweepstakes mentioned above, I'll also give you these exclusive bonuses!

Interactive Reading with the Authors

Starting on May 6 (the day the book is officially released), read and discuss one biography a week with me, Kaleigh Cox, and your fellow mere Christian readers—culminating in an invite-only Zoom call with me and my co-author!

Moneyback Guarantee

If you pre-order this book and don’t find it both extremely entertaining and super practical, I’ll send you a $20 Amazon card as a moneyback guarantee! I’ve never done this before, but I’m so confident you’ll love these stories that I’m putting my money where my mouth is.

Free Course

Five Mere Christians is the only book I’ve ever written with a co-author. Want to learn how to leverage a co-author to quickly publish your first book? I'll give you my free video course How to Write a Book 10X Faster and Better with an Affordable Co-Author exclusively as a pre-order bonus for this book!

But don’t wait—these bonus offers will go away on May 9!

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Pre-order and enter to win + claim your bonuses!

Pre-order Five Mere Christians today and you'll get a chance to win a trip for two to Europe PLUS the guaranteed bonuses listed above!

Step 1: Pre-order your book(s)

I’ll give you 1 entry into the sweepstakes for every copy you pre-order (max 3 entries). But you must be a U.S. resident and at least 18 years old to be eligible. Click below to pre-order the book from your favorite retailer!

Step 2: Fill out this form

The reviews are in!

Early readers and endorsers have loved this book and are sure you will too!

Reading Five Mere Christians was a joy. And what I discovered is so helpful. Wonderfully insightful, instantly digestible, and terrifically applicable to daily life, this is a fun, breezy read while also being deeply meaningful—with its anchor firmly secured in Christ. I believe this book is one you’ll be excitedly recommending. 

—John Tinker, Executive Producer of When Calls the Heart and The Practice


Jordan and Kaleigh have crafted a finely cut diamond of a book, brilliantly demonstrating how to reflect the light of Christ into the world’s darkest corners. Plenty of books tell you how to glorify God in your work. This one shows you. These binge-worthy biographies are entertaining, encouraging, and enlightening, blending inspiration with practical guidance. You won't be able to put this book down! 

—Marcus Brotherton, New York Times bestselling author of Blaze of Light and We Who Are Alive & Remain


This collection of inspirational biographies far exceeded my expectations. The writing is both lively and well researched. If you’re looking for practical ways to live for Christ, to be salt and light in our world, I highly recommend you start right here. 

—Shirley Raye Redmond, author of Courageous World Changers: Fifty True Stories of Daring Women of God, Christianity Today Book Award Winner 2021


In Five Mere Christians, Jordan tells captivating stories that remind us that the grandeur is in the ordinary, and we can love big as disciples of Christ, right where we are, with what we have. What a relief and excitement! 

—Tori Hope Petersen, bestselling author & speaker 


One of these five biographies is worth more than the cost of the entire book—especially the exceptional one on LEGO's founder, Ole Kirk Christiansen. The story of LEGO's founder is still relatively unknown. I'm praying this riveting telling of it will make God's glory shine brighter amongst this generation of mere Christians! 

—Tim Croll, LEGO Masters contestant and Director of Serious Play at Narrative.live


When we understand how your work connects to God's mission, everything changes. Five Mere Christians will baptize your imagination to that end, showing you exactly how to leverage your current job to glorify God and participate in heaven's invasion of earth. 

—João Branco, former CMO of Arcos Dorados


The stories in this book are bound to lift a heavy weight off the shoulders of passionate Jesus followers who have felt their work life is inferior without an official “ministry” title. What a need! As a Christian who makes silly songs on the Internet for a living, Five Mere Christians has shown me that God sees my career as far from trivial—and as Raynor references from Psalm 37, that the Lord “delights in every detail” of the lives of the godly. What a blessing to see how I can further glorify God through the unlikely ministry of spreading childlike playfulness online. 

—Sarah Maddack, silly song artist and YouTuber


A timeless, collective testimony of God doing extraordinary things through ordinary people, Five Mere Christians is a much-needed reminder that all of us—from poets to toy makers and everyone in between—can glorify God through our work. As someone who doesn't work in “traditional” ministry, this book encouraged me to think about my vocation in a whole new light. 

—Ashlee Gadd, author of Create Anyway and founder of Coffee + Crumbs


As a writer of superheroes and fiction, it may surprise some that I’m a huge fan of biographies. Jordan and Kaleigh's written portraits about five, real-life superheroes inspire as fully as they entertain; stories sure to inspire readers to equally heroic works of kindness and change. 

—Mike Maihack, cartoonist + creator of Cleopatra in Space


As a pastor, I try hard to help people understand the sacred significance of everyday work. Five Mere Christians makes that so much easier! Jordan not only tells you your work matters but shows you what that looks like in the lives of some of the most inspiring people in modern history. Read this book and get extra copies to give away! 

—Mike Kelsey, lead pastor at McLean Bible Church


Few people in ministry get asked the question more, "But what if I'm not in full-time ministry?" That's why Jordan Raynor and Kaleigh Cox's new book Five Mere Christians is such the perfect answer. Every follower of Jesus is in full-time ministry. Our lives are ministry. Our vocations simply look different. I pray this book will encourage every believer to know that we are all commissioned to impact our sphere of influence and that the beauty of the body of Christ is we will all do that in different ways. A gift of a book to the body of Christ. 

—Denise Jones, author of Reclaiming Your Heart and Flying Solo and founder of Reclaiming Hearts Ministries

Still not sure? Pre-order Five Mere Christians today to qualify for my first-ever moneyback guarantee!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to FAQs about the book and the trip to Europe!

Because case studies are stickier than commands.

I think that’s part of the reason “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Because while God knew that you and I needed to be told how to glorify him through his living written Word, he also knew that we needed to be shown how to glorify him through the lived Word of Jesus Christ. I think God knew that we humans need flesh-and-bone, three-dimensional models to understand what it looks like practically to glorify him.

Of course, we have the perfect model in Jesus Christ. But we also have imperfect yet helpful models of how to glorify God in Jesus’s followers. This is why the apostle Paul said, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Paul understood that he had a unique story that would make the idea of following Jesus more concrete to those who shared his work, stage of life, and cultural context. And so he encouraged those believers to look to him as an animated case study on how to glorify God.

Paul’s words point to an important principle: If you want to know what it looks like practically to glorify God, look first to Christ and second to Christ’s followers. 

And that is exactly what Five Mere Christians is designed to help you do.

When I read the life stories of these five men and women, I knew I had to share them with you. And I knew I wanted them to be binge-worthy, “can’t put it down” reads that were as entertaining as fiction but all entirely true—biographies as page-turning as a James Patterson novel and as helpful as a Tim Keller sermon.

But I’ve never written anything as entertaining as James Patterson. So I went on a search to find a writer who could help me achieve my vision. 

After reviewing more than 150 candidates—including a couple of New York Times bestselling authors—I was thrilled to find that the best candidate was already a member of my community—a mere Christian named Kaleigh Cox who was serving God in her own career as a marketer and writer. 

Once you read this book, I’m confident you’ll agree that Kaleigh nailed my vision for these binge-worthy biographies!

To learn more about how I found and selected my co-author, pre-order the book today and I’ll send you my exclusive new course, How to Write a Book 10X Faster and Better with an Affordable Co-Author, for free.

I love that you want to pass these stories along to your friends! If you want to pre-order multiple copies, check out our bulk order bonuses here. 

If you want to send your friend the Fred Rogers bio as an introduction to the book, fill out this form, and we’ll email them that story as an eBook.

Absolutely! If you order 3+ books, you’ll get:

  • Max 3 (three) chances to win the sweepstakes
  • A “New Earth Interview” with Ole Kirk Christiansen
  • My new video series for kids, Mini Mere Christians (These videos, which I recorded with my daughters, will introduce the kids in your life to the men and women from Five Mere Christians. I’ve even included family activities to accompany each story!)

If you order 12+ books, you’ll get everything above plus:

  • A 5-minute video from me and my co-author to kick off your Book Club gathering
  • Three different sets of discussion questions to best suit your gathering of coworkers and colleagues, friends and neighbors, or your church small group

If you order 48+ books, you’ll get everything above plus:

  • A private Zoom Q&A for your group with me and my co-author to answer their questions about the book
  • Be entered to win a free keynote for your group, delivered by me in person or virtually (winner’s choice!)

Click here to claim your bulk order bonuses.

Absolutely! Each copy of the book (hardcover, eBook, OR audiobook) counts. So, to get the maximum of 3 chances to win the trip, you could pre-order 1 hardcover, 1 eBook, and 1 audiobook. Or you could pre-order 3 hardcover copies. Or 2 hardcover and 1 eBook! You get the idea.

Please submit the form one time for each order number. We will combine your submissions before we draw a winner to ensure you earn the maximum chances to win the trip!

I am so sorry, but no. Because sweepstakes laws vary widely from country to country, our lawyers have recommended that we limit eligibility to U.S. residents. If you’re curious to read more details on eligibility, click here. 

Shoot us an email at [email protected] and we will get back to you!

About me and my co-author

We're both "mere Christians" like you!

My name is Jordan Raynor, and I've had the privilege of helping millions of Christians around the world connect the gospel to their work through my books, podcasts, and devotionals.

I also serve as the executive chairman of Threshold 360, a venture-backed tech startup that I previously ran as CEO following a string of other entrepreneurial ventures. Before that, I was selected as a Google Fellow twice and served in The White House under President George W. Bush.

A sixth-generation Floridian, I live in Tampa with my wife and our three young daughters. We are proud members of The Church at Odessa where I serve as an elder.

My co-author Kaleigh Cox is a mere Christian who co-wrote this book while working full-time for a marketing startup.

More recently, Kaleigh joined my team as my VP of marketing. She is a lifelong student of the faith and work movement and lives with her husband and son in Columbia, South Carolina.

They are members of Crossroads Church, where Kaleigh serves on the women's leadership team.

Pre-order Five Mere Christians today to join me and Kaleigh for an interactive reading of the book!

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