Tag: book review

You Were Born for This By Bruce Wilkinson (A Review)

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  I was excited to get a copy of You Were Born for This by Bruce Wilkinson. The book’s subtitle is “7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles.”  Though I agree with the principles of the book, I am of the opinion that the subtitle is a little exaggerated. The book is basically about placing your self as a usable servant of God.  The “miracles” refer to the instances where God uses you to meet a real need for someone at the right time.  The keys are more or less steps that you must take to be used by God.

I’m really not a fan of the language of “keys” that “unlock” stuff in your life. In my estimation such language really distances the reader from the point… God uses people like you and me in seemingly small ways to impact the lives of others.  I also found the book to be lacking in that it never really offered many practical helps to segway from met needs to gospel grace.

My prayer is that the book will be rewritten in a few years to highlight a relationship with God in both the steps to being used by him and how to share with others in that process.  I gave the book 3 Stars because there are some redeeming qualities and the principles are basically helpful. This is a book I’d read if I had nothing else to do (indeed it took me 3 months).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“Radical Together” by David Platt (A Review)

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Radical Together: Unleashing the People of God for the Purpose of God by David Platt is a much better book than his first book Radical.  You can catch my opinion of Radical Here.  Dr. Platt has matured as a writer.  He presents a much more solid case in this book for calling churches to reform and addresses questions that the first book raised.

Overall, I’m a huge fan of the book, but more importantly the message that He is proclaiming to the American Church.  I really appreciate his sincerity and honesty in addressing pastors and lay leaders in this book.  My initial concerns withe the first book have been set at ease though not tempered completely.

I still need to see a clearer line of reasoning behind his correlation between poverty in India and comfortableness of  churches (14-15).  He either needs to point out that radical poverty exists in these places because Christians have been actively exploiting the poor. Like when the purchase of sugar supported slavery because the sugar was purchased from plantations run on slave labor.  Or he needs to make a case for how social justice is connected to the gospel.  To do neither makes the comparison an unfair accusation.  Either the church causes the exploitation of these people, or it is God’s clear call for the church to relieve suffering. It would have been worth another chapter to see him make this clear.  Timothy Keller does an excellent job of making the second point in his book, Generous Justice.

I highly recommend Radical Together to anyone interested in examining the pieces of the gospel that Westerners tend to ignore.  I think you will find the book highly motivating and challenging.he retail price of Radical Together is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $9.09. I gave it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“Jolt” By Phil Cooke (A Review)

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Jolt!: Get the Jump on a World That’s Constantly Changing by Phil Cooke is an exciting read.  The book is basically a list of 25 “jolts” or things that a person needs to do in order to be successful in the Western business world and in life (of course this all largely depends on your definition of success).   The chapters are generally small and very readable in a ten to fifteen minute coffee break and range anywhere from three to ten pages in length.

Initially I thought the book was a bit cheesy and I wish the author would have picked a different name. Even though I knew what Phil was talking about I couldn’t shake this image from my mind the whole time.  Never the less the book did prove to be very useful to me and I dog-eared several pages to come back to and review later.

Many of the thoughts aren’t that revolutionary, but they are strong reminders of some basic life strategies.  Phil does an excellent job of continuing to point to the things that really matter.  In the end I came to really enjoy and appreciate the book.

Over all its a great read with a great cover design and if you can ignore images of gum with a high caffeine content that goes by the same name you will have a great time reading it as well. The retail price of Jolt is $22.99 (hardcover), and is available around the web in places likeAmazon.com for $15.02.  I gave it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“The Final Summit” By Andy Andrews (A Review)

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The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity by Andy Andrews isn’t a decent book and so it was rather difficult for me to want to read.  The book appears to be headed one direction at the beginning and then takes a total different course.  Throughout the book it is clear that the author is stabbing at a few principles like “debt is for dummies” and then later something about a pre-flood super race of people.   It is clear that there is a barb there somewhere, but it is difficult to grasp where Andy is really aiming.

I don’t want to give away the plot, the central them of the book was to give a two word answer to the angel Gabriel on what humanity needs to do in order to not be wiped out again like in the flood.  I was really hoping for a great answer in the end like “trust Jesus,” but the author had a more man-centered answer.  Needless to say, at the climax of the book I was highly disappointed.

Now to rant for just a second.  I wish the author would have given as much attention to the theological themes with which he meddles as he did the historical themes that are present throughout the book.  I was a fan of Andy Andrews, I’m not a fan of this book, now I’m rethinking the whole being a fan of Andy Andrews thing.

The retail price of The Final Summit is $19.99 (hardcover), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $10.86.  I gave it two stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“Chazown” By Craig Groeschel (a Review)

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I like the book Chazown by Craig Groeschel.  In my estimation the book is written primarily for Christians who are hoping to develop self-discipline in their lives.  Groeschel has an engaging style that is reminiscent of Andy Stanley.  The premise of Chazown is similar to that of Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven® Life, though Chazown by nature comes off as more of a Christian insider book.  There are also a few places in the book where the author takes on a voice similar to Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God and asks the reader to see where God has been working.

Though I am a fan, I do have a major reservation about the book.  The message of self-discipline is one that is deeply needed, especially in our culture and it is biblical.  However, I’m afraid that an emphasis on self-discipline apart from an adequate portrait of Christ can lead to a works based righteousness view of sanctification.   I don’t think that was the author’s intent.  Again, I sense that the book was written for Christian “insiders” and so a lot was perhaps taken for granted.

Overall I thought the book was great.  The website that accompanies the book is great and the book is one of the best I have ever read on how to practically develop self-discipline in crucial areas of your life.  I highly recommend this book for believers who are looking to develop godly habits in their lives. The retail price of Chazown is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $10.19. I gave it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: The Grad’s Guide to Surviving Stressful Times

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I greatly enjoyed reading The Grad’s Guide to Surviving Stressful Times ! Initially I thought it would just be another corny book aimed at recent or soon to be high school graduates full of useless information and cheesy antidotes.  I was pleasantly surprised to find a great book of substance. Though I do think the publishers should rework the cover. (Some people still do judge a book that way you know).

In Surviving Stressful Times the authors take the reader through a survey of Daniel the prophets life, offering tidbits of wisdom and guidance all along the way.  The book is geared towards graduates, but the theme lends itself to a great series for older teens and young adults.  I really liked the authors writing style.  The book was easy to read, yet full of Biblical principles and truth.

With that being said, the authors did take a little more liberty with the contextualization of the story that I was comfortable with. While at times they did an excellent job of explaining the original cultural context by comparing and contrasting current teen culture, as the book progressed they became more sloppy about providing background and went straight for application which can be misleading.

Overall I thought it was an incredibly well written book and will recommend it to several young adults in my life. The retail price is $14.99 (hardcover), and is available around the web in places like  Amazon.com for prices as low as $11.24. I gave it FOUR stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

The Best Book I have Read this year!

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Kingdom of GodLeave a comment

I get asked every once in a while, what’s the best book you have read lately.  Usually its a bit of a toss-up because as I have grown older and read more, I’ve become more skeptical of the books I read.  However, there is no toss-up here. Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller is by far the best book I have read in the last 365 days!  Go get a copy and read it!

Written with both the skeptic and believer in mind, Keller weaves a compelling argument for social justice.  While pointing out the inconsistencies of consumerism with the gospel imperative to “love your neighbor” he doesn’t get bogged down with emotional and baseless arguments.  Keller does an excellent job of navigating the scriptures, answering arguments and pointing a way forward.  This book is everything I had hoped Radical would be and so much more.

Keller takes a straight forward approach to the topic of social justice: He defines the term, explores the Old Testament, examines the teaching of Jesus, examines the ethic of “love your neighbor”, compels the reader into thought about social justice and then provides a way forward, with a view to all things beautiful in our Savior Jesus Christ…. Simply amazing.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the social justice debate.  Seriously, Christian, skeptic, conservative, liberal, etc.  Go get a copy and read it.  Want to test drive it before you borrow or buy?  Go by the www.gernerousjustice.com and download the first chapter to read for free!

The retail price of Generous Justice is $19.95 (Hardcover), I purchased my copy from  Amazon.com for just under $12.00. I gave it five stars and would give it more… Its just that good!

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Chasing Elephants: Wrestling with the Gray Areas of Life.

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Chasing Elephants: Wrestling with the Gray Areas of Life by Brent Crowe is an amazingly thought-provoking book.  To be honest, when I first picked up the book I had a slight bias against the author because of my previous encounters hearing him in a youth pastor context in which I mistakenly understood him to be shallow and less than sincere… I was wrong (and never should have judged my brother so quickly).  Thankfully, I was able to move well past my personal biases and gain better perspective through reading this book.

Readers who pick up Chasing Elephants will find a well thought out, decently articulated, and challenging discussion on the nature of freedom in Christ.  The book is divided into two major portions: First, Brent  fleshes out what it means to have freedom and a frame-work from which to make decisions in the gray area’s of life.  Second, he applies the frame-work to challenging topics such as:  homosexuality, the internet, social drinking, entertainment and humanitarian efforts.

The only real draw back to the book was that throughout the book the author would make several sarcastic or side statements intended for humor.  While theses statements would add value in a public speaking venue, they did not come across the same in print and I found them to be detracting rather than enhancing the argument the author was trying to make.  Over all I really appreciated the book and highly recommend it.  The retail price is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available at a discount at  Amazon.com for $10.61. I gave it FOUR stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

If God is Good By Randy Alcorn (a Review)

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If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil is by far one of the best books I have ever read on the subject of evil and suffering.  Randy Alcorn is a very skilled writer and takes on this difficult subject in a way that answers questions, provides hope, and points the way forward for those who find themselves in the midst of suffering.  Randy writes to a broad audience balancing the full counsel of scripture with scholarly philosophical arguments, while noting the suffering of individuals and sharing their stories of faith (or lack their of) in the midst of suffering.

I highly recommend this book to everyone.  For those who are suffering, you will find a challenge to think through the pain, see past the false accusations and gain insight on how to grasp hold of God in the midst of your darkest hour.  For those who are not currently suffering, you will encounter suffering in your life. Why not have a good resource already on the shelf and walk through the issues before you get there?

This book has already been a great use to me in gaining perspective on suffering.  I give it my highest recommendation.  To my knowledge it is the best written, easy to reference, and most concise book on the subject of suffering.  The retail price of If God is Good is $24.99 (Paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $16.49. I gave it five stars.

If you pick up a copy somewhere or know of a similar book on the subject, let me know.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy ofthis book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Great Introduction to Fasting

On By pastorjonathanIn discipleship, PrayerLeave a comment

Last night I was greatly blessed to read the book Fasting: The Ancient Practices (Ancient Practices Series) by Scot McKnight.  McKnight does a fantastic job of leading the reader to understand the Biblical discipline of fasting (a discipline that has largely been ignored or forgotten in many modern evangelical circles).  The book is well organized, well thought out and includes a few chapters of practical nature to help those who are interested in picking up the discipline of fasting for the first time.

Admittedly McKnight is an academic. However his writing style is clear, concise and reader friendly.  I really enjoyed the book because the author covers the topic well.  He draws a clear and simple definition around Biblical fasting and then proceeds to share his research on how various traditions have esteemed fasting.

McKnight makes a strong case that fasting is a response to a sacred moment.  Tragically today many picture fasting as a currency get what you want.  While God’s blessings may come after fasting, His blessings are always gifts of His grace.  In essence we are to fast in response to sacred moment (like realizing injustice, personal sin,  national sin, sickness of a loved one, death of a loved one, etc).  Fasting is primarily responsive, not causal.

I wish this book had been around when I first began to experiment with fasting in my late teens and early twenties.  Another great resource on fasting is John Piper’s book A Hunger for God: Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer.

I  highly recommend Fasting: The Ancient Practices (Ancient Practices Series) to anyone interested in learning about fasting.  The retail price is $12.99 (paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $11.04.  I gave it four stars.

 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”