The Apostle Paul was probably the most significant figure in the spread of Christianity and its continued preservation to this day. His writings have been widely read and widely quoted. Yet not everyone is in agreement about what Paul was trying to communicate in his writings. In fact, although I was somewhat aware, I didn’t completely realize the range of thought that people have come to in their study of Paul and his writings. In the Zondervan Counterpoint Series volume FOUR VIEWS ON THE APOSTLE PAUL, four scholars present four different perspectives on Paul. Thomas Schreiner presents the Reformed View. Luke Timothy Johnson presents the Catholic View. Douglas Campbell presents the Post-New Perspective View. Finally, Mark D. Nanos presents the Jewish View.
The book presents each of the scholars’ essays, which are followed by responses by the other three scholars. It shows a great interaction between the authors concerning their views. The only addition I would like to see from one of these books is a rejoinder by the essay’s author in light of the other scholars’ responses.
I fall in line mostly with Schreiner’s Reformed View, but I enjoyed reading the responses to his essay on some things that might need to be rethought and reformulated.
FOUR VIEWS ON THE APOSTLE PAUL is a good resource for theologians interested in diving deeper into the New Testament text. I must say that I found it a bit frustrating that Paul’s writings could be seen in some very different ways, which can lead to confusion for some believers. However, I do think it’s important to look at the evidence and let the Scriptures speak for themselves.
I received this book for free for review from Zondervan, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Review of IDEAS FOR PARENTS by Mark Matlock & Christopher Lyon
In RAISING WISE CHILDREN youth ministry expert gave some insightful tips on how to mediate wisdom to your children. IDEAS FOR PARENTS expands on the ideas presented in the first book, giving very practical ideas on how parents can develop meaningful, deep, and enduring relationships with their children. I can really appreciate the goal of this book because I have three children who are very young, and my wife and I want our relationships with them to be the most impactful they can be. We want to follow Jesus in a way that causes them to want to follow Jesus.
Relationships are formed and cultivated by the time we spend together, and this book seeks to make those times as meaningful and intentional as possible. Therefore, the book gives several ideas for activities parents and children can do together and talking points they can discuss together. The book is broken up into sections such as family relationships, school, media choices, discipleship, etc. Each section starts with a short essay or interview by well-respected youth ministry leaders.
IDEAS FOR PARENTS is a great resource for parents to be intentional about their relationships with their children. Coupled with RAISING WISE CHILDREN, these two books will greatly help in raising children who love Jesus and live wisely as he did.
I received this book for free for review from Zondervan, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Relationships are formed and cultivated by the time we spend together, and this book seeks to make those times as meaningful and intentional as possible. Therefore, the book gives several ideas for activities parents and children can do together and talking points they can discuss together. The book is broken up into sections such as family relationships, school, media choices, discipleship, etc. Each section starts with a short essay or interview by well-respected youth ministry leaders.
IDEAS FOR PARENTS is a great resource for parents to be intentional about their relationships with their children. Coupled with RAISING WISE CHILDREN, these two books will greatly help in raising children who love Jesus and live wisely as he did.
I received this book for free for review from Zondervan, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Review of THE REASON FOR GOD by Timothy Keller
Rating: 5 out of 5
Timothy Keller, lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has become one of the leading voices in Christianity, well-respected by church leaders everywhere. He’s one of my favorite authors, and THE REASON FOR GOD is perhaps the book that put him at the forefront of Christian thought.
In THE REASON FOR GOD, Keller suggests and I think convincingly illustrates how belief in God, and specifically the God of the Christian Bible, makes the most sense of reality. In fact, to not believe in God makes less sense given the evidence we have.
Keller tackles some of the most common difficulties people have with Christianity and does a great job of disarming some of the most convincing arguments against a good and loving God. His chapter on hell actually reveals an incredibly loving God quite well.
Keller gives several evidences for God’s existence, as well as some great insights on the difference between religion and faith in Jesus. The final chapter on the dance of God in the trinity will help you to see God’s relational nature in a fresh new way.
Keller eloquently argues for belief in Jesus and in Jesus’ great love for fallen human beings. THE REASON FOR GOD is a book that all Christians and non-Christians should read.
I received this book for free for review from Dutton, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Timothy Keller, lead pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, has become one of the leading voices in Christianity, well-respected by church leaders everywhere. He’s one of my favorite authors, and THE REASON FOR GOD is perhaps the book that put him at the forefront of Christian thought.
In THE REASON FOR GOD, Keller suggests and I think convincingly illustrates how belief in God, and specifically the God of the Christian Bible, makes the most sense of reality. In fact, to not believe in God makes less sense given the evidence we have.
Keller tackles some of the most common difficulties people have with Christianity and does a great job of disarming some of the most convincing arguments against a good and loving God. His chapter on hell actually reveals an incredibly loving God quite well.
Keller gives several evidences for God’s existence, as well as some great insights on the difference between religion and faith in Jesus. The final chapter on the dance of God in the trinity will help you to see God’s relational nature in a fresh new way.
Keller eloquently argues for belief in Jesus and in Jesus’ great love for fallen human beings. THE REASON FOR GOD is a book that all Christians and non-Christians should read.
I received this book for free for review from Dutton, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Review of THE KINGDOM by Bryan Litfin
Photo Credit: Crossway Books
Rating: 5 out of 5
THE KINGDOM is the final book in Bryan Litfin’s Chiveis Trilogy. With trilogies, the final act tends to be one where anything could happen. You know how you want the story to end, but will the characters you’ve grown to love so much even make it to the end. Teo and Ana’s journey of discovering the ancient faith of the Christiani has been a non-stop adventure story, and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it. Litfin did a great job of creating suspense by putting Teo and Ana in the direst of circumstances throughout.
What I also loved about THE KINGDOM, which is true of many great trilogies, is the revelation of things that go back further than even the first story in the series. For example, in the opening prologue Litfin reveals how Christianity became nearly extinct in the first place, which was something we didn’t know in the beginning. The back story of Jean Luc Beaumont provided much explanation of how the world came to be the way it did after the Great Destruction.
Overall, The Chiveis Trilogy is an incredible journey because it is a journey of discovering the God of the universe for the first time. THE KINGDOM is a story of God’s pursuit of his fallen creation and the humbling thought that he would use fallen people to accomplish his redemptive plan.
THE KINGDOM is an exciting story that is full of adventure, love, and incredible sacrifice. I’ll be recommending this story to everyone I know who loves fiction.
I received this book for free for review from Crossway Books, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Review of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES Novelization by Greg Cox
Photo Credit: Titan Books
Rating: 5 out of 5
I haven’t seen THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. I decided to read the novelization of the movie because I’m waiting until the movie comes out on DVD, but I love to read and I wanted to know what it was like to experience the story in written form. So this review is in light of having not seen the film.
The story of the THE DARK KNIGHT RISES follows the general rules of the final story in a trilogy in that the stakes are raised to incredible heights. Anything can happen and everyone is expendable. I was continually aware throughout the story that even Batman may not survive this journey. Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer created a story of a world in absolute destruction in desperate need of the redemption only a hero could provide.
I’ve always been a fan of Batman, and I was surprised by and excited that they borrowed from the Knightfall storyline of Bane’s breaking of Batman’s back. With Batman out of commission for much of the story, I still felt like I was reading an incredible story as several of Batman’s allies, such as Commissioner Gordon, Detective John Blake, and Lucius Fox, showed that anyone can be a hero, which happens to be one of the primary themes of the story.
Not having seen the movie yet, I felt like Greg Cox told the story very well and in a way that kept me turning pages, wanting to know how this story was going to end. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES was an incredible exploration of human nature and our often desperate need for redemption. I loved how the story tied the whole trilogy together into one cohesive story.
I received this book for free for review from Titan Books, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Review of SPARK by Jason Jaggard
Rating: 4 out of 5
SPARK by Jason Jaggard is a battle cry for people embrace the risks it will take to make a positive impact on the world and in our individual lives. Even more than that, it is a call to embrace community, to change the world while realizing that God is about creating a community of people who will deeply care about and transform their world.
I picked up SPARK because I knew that Jaggard had once served alongside Erwin Mcmanus at Mosaic in LA. McManus is one of my favorite authors and speakers. What I loved about this book, that I also love about McManus’ teaching is the focus on helping people to reach their God-given potential. God created people to do great things, but in our fallen nature, we often settle for mediocre living. Jaggard refers to us as sleeping giants in need of awakening. SPARK is very much a motivational book, and Jaggard calls people to embrace life.
The common thinking is that to make a truly transformational impact on the world we must do something big and spectacular. We may not believe we have what it takes. However, Jaggard shows us that a large fire starts with a small spark. For us, it’s the small risks that we take that compound to create transformational change.
One of my favorite chapters of the book was about the perceptions and ideas that we have ingrained in our minds that might cause us to not see new patterns and new ways of doing things. We become blinded by our own learning capacity, or as Jaggard puts it, “learning ourselves to death.” We have to learn to think differently, and we have to learn to let others into our lives. We weren’t meant to live life alone. Jaggard prescribes Spark Groups in which the people involved are the content, and the whole point is to challenge each other to take small risks that will make a big impact on their individual lives and in their world, then discuss these risks after they’re taken.
If I were to change anything about the book, it would be to add a bit of clarification. Jaggard encourages readers to embrace life, and he defines this life as life in Jesus Christ. Readers of this book may be Christian or non-Christian. In fact, I think the ideas would be appeal greatly to a non-Christian audience. But a clearer explanation of what Jesus came to do through the gospel would have been well-placed. Not that it was completely missing, just a bit vague.
I loved the format of the book. Short paragraphs and interesting stories throughout make the reading very easy. SPARK is full of very practical wisdom on leading a great life. Jaggard makes you want to live a great life, and that’s a mark of a great communicator.
SPARK by Jason Jaggard is a battle cry for people embrace the risks it will take to make a positive impact on the world and in our individual lives. Even more than that, it is a call to embrace community, to change the world while realizing that God is about creating a community of people who will deeply care about and transform their world.
I picked up SPARK because I knew that Jaggard had once served alongside Erwin Mcmanus at Mosaic in LA. McManus is one of my favorite authors and speakers. What I loved about this book, that I also love about McManus’ teaching is the focus on helping people to reach their God-given potential. God created people to do great things, but in our fallen nature, we often settle for mediocre living. Jaggard refers to us as sleeping giants in need of awakening. SPARK is very much a motivational book, and Jaggard calls people to embrace life.
The common thinking is that to make a truly transformational impact on the world we must do something big and spectacular. We may not believe we have what it takes. However, Jaggard shows us that a large fire starts with a small spark. For us, it’s the small risks that we take that compound to create transformational change.
One of my favorite chapters of the book was about the perceptions and ideas that we have ingrained in our minds that might cause us to not see new patterns and new ways of doing things. We become blinded by our own learning capacity, or as Jaggard puts it, “learning ourselves to death.” We have to learn to think differently, and we have to learn to let others into our lives. We weren’t meant to live life alone. Jaggard prescribes Spark Groups in which the people involved are the content, and the whole point is to challenge each other to take small risks that will make a big impact on their individual lives and in their world, then discuss these risks after they’re taken.
If I were to change anything about the book, it would be to add a bit of clarification. Jaggard encourages readers to embrace life, and he defines this life as life in Jesus Christ. Readers of this book may be Christian or non-Christian. In fact, I think the ideas would be appeal greatly to a non-Christian audience. But a clearer explanation of what Jesus came to do through the gospel would have been well-placed. Not that it was completely missing, just a bit vague.
I loved the format of the book. Short paragraphs and interesting stories throughout make the reading very easy. SPARK is full of very practical wisdom on leading a great life. Jaggard makes you want to live a great life, and that’s a mark of a great communicator.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Review of SURFING FOR GOD by Michael John Cusick
SURFING FOR GOD by Michael John Cusick is a book about the struggle men often have with sexual addiction, but even more than that, it is a book about the profound power of the gospel of Jesus to set people free from the slavery of sin. Cusick walks men through the source of their struggles, revealing what their hearts are truly desperate for and how the slavery to sin acts as a counterfeit to their desperate need for an intimate relationship with God. The book seeks to empower men through a clear exploration of the gospel and give hope of being better men.
The book gives a lot of practical help for battling the struggle, but the chapter that I found the most illuminating was the chapter on being addicted to your own brain chemistry. While the chapter is specifically about sexual addiction, it also reveals how any sinful behavior can become firmly ingrained in us by the neural pathways we create in our brains by giving in to our temptations over and over again.
SURFING FOR GOD is a great resource for men seeking to be men of integrity and men centered on the gospel. It’s an incredible exploration of the transformative process the gospel takes on our hearts.
I received this book for free for review from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze.com, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
The book gives a lot of practical help for battling the struggle, but the chapter that I found the most illuminating was the chapter on being addicted to your own brain chemistry. While the chapter is specifically about sexual addiction, it also reveals how any sinful behavior can become firmly ingrained in us by the neural pathways we create in our brains by giving in to our temptations over and over again.
SURFING FOR GOD is a great resource for men seeking to be men of integrity and men centered on the gospel. It’s an incredible exploration of the transformative process the gospel takes on our hearts.
I received this book for free for review from Thomas Nelson through BookSneeze.com, and the opinions contained in this review are completely my own
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