Jon Acuff Brings Humor and Insight to Christian Cruising

If you happened to be on Twitter this summer, you might have witnessed a funny display of mock aggression take place between Sandi Patty (@SandiPattyP) and Jon Acuff (@JonAcuff).

Sandi is, of course, a legendary performer who rose to prominence in the early 80s. She’s wrapping up her storied singing career this spring after a months-long Farewell Tour.

Acuff is a new voice in contemporary Christianity. A popular author, speaker and humorist, he first gained a following simply by blogging about “Stuff Christians Like”.

So, what were a retiring Gospel singer and a young social media personality arguing about on Twitter? 

Ping-pong.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Acuff will be a featured speaker on the Sandi Patty Forever Grateful Farewell Cruise this March in the Caribbean. His voice may be new to Sandi Patty’s fan base, but in recent years he’s become a prominent writer, thinker and cultural critic for thousands of Generation X and Millennial Christians.

Sandi’s cruise represents Jon’s first travel experience with Inspiration, and he’s excited. "One of the best parts of going on a cruise like this is the people you get to meet from all over the country. The sights are beautiful, the food is amazing, but at the end of the day, I think it's the new friendships you value the most,” he told us. We’re excited, too. Not only does Jon bring a fresh and fun perspective to Christian culture, but he applies it to a wide range of expertise.

Who says Christians can’t be funny?

The son of a Southern Baptist pastor, Acuff was working as an advertising copywriter in an Atlanta cubicle when he started blogging at StuffChristiansLike.net, a gently satirical site that took inside shots at an entire universe of Christian clichés. Writing about everything from worship leaders’ dedication to v-neck shirts and tattoos to the time-honored tradition of giving children biblical names, he taught his Christian readers how to laugh at themselves.

The success of his blog led to a book, followed by several years working for financial authority Dave Ramsey. After that, Acuff quit his corporate job, set out on his own and continued writing books filled with intriguing career advice (including his latest book Do Over). His books hit the bestseller lists and gave the former copywriter a second—or third?—career as a nationally known motivational speaker.

Acuff’s books and public speaking combine practical, professional development advice with his often self-deprecating humor. They’ve landed him in an entertaining, uplifting middle ground between a TED Talk and a stand-up comedy routine.

We’re so thrilled he’ll be joining us on the Sandi Patty cruise that we’re giving away the first chapter of Do Over to Inspiration passengers for free. {Click here to download your free pdf of New York Times Bestseller Do Over chapter one.} Participants on this cruise will benefit from Jon’s experience, advice and real-life inspirational story—in addition to the unforgettable music from Sandi Patty and other prominent musical guests.

And in the process, they’ll apparently get to see Jon Acuff and Sandi Patty battle it out in a floating ping-pong tournament for the ages. Stay tuned!