The Counterintuitive Gospel

The Kingdom That Is . . . And Is Not Yet

Published by Forefront Books
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About the Book

In The Counterintuitive Gospel, discover why the teachings of Jesus that seem to make no sense by the world’s standards may be the very truths that transform your life.

What if the teachings of Jesus that seem the most difficult, paradoxical, or even illogical are the very truths that can transform the way we live?

In The Counterintuitive Gospel: The Kingdom That Is . . . And Is Not Yet, Terdema Ussery II explores why Christianity so often runs against our natural instincts—and why understanding that tension is essential to following Christ. The gospel itself begins with an apparent contradiction: Jesus came not as the conquering king people expected, but as a servant who willingly suffered and died so that others might live. What looked like defeat became the ultimate victory.

With Scripture as his foundation, Ussery helps readers see the Christian life through two lenses: the temporary, physical world we experience every day and the eternal, transcendent reality of God’s kingdom. This perspective brings fresh clarity to some of the Bible’s most challenging teachings and invites believers into a deeper understanding of what it means to live as citizens of a kingdom that is already here but not yet fully realized.

Along the way, Ussery examines the Beatitudes, radical forgiveness, Christian character, the purpose of the church, and Jesus’ call to share the gospel, showing how humility can be strength, surrender can lead to freedom, forgiveness can overcome injury, and true fulfillment begins when our focus moves away from self and toward Christ.

Accessible, thought-provoking, and deeply personal, The Counterintuitive Gospel is an invitation to look beyond the values of the world, rediscover the revolutionary teachings of Jesus, and begin living the kingdom life now.

About the Author

Terdema Ussery II is an attorney, business executive, educator, and theologian whose career has spanned professional sports, law, corporate leadership, public service, and ministry. Raised in Los Angeles, Ussery went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a Master of Public Administration from Harvard University, a Juris Doctor from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School.

Ussery began his career practicing law before entering professional sports, where he served as commissioner of the Continental Basketball Association and later as president of Nike Sports Management. In 1997, he became president and CEO of the Dallas Mavericks, a position he held for nearly two decades. During his tenure, he helped guide the franchise’s business operations and played a significant role in the development of the American Airlines Center.

Throughout his career, Ussery has also served numerous civic, educational, corporate, and nonprofit organizations, including as a trustee of Princeton University and chairman of the Dallas Housing Authority. His theological studies at Yale and lifelong Christian faith inform The Counterintuitive Gospel, an exploration of the paradoxical teachings of Jesus and what it means to live as a citizen of God’s kingdom.

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