"The Journey"

I recently recommended Billy Graham's book, "The Journey: Living By Faith in an Uncertain World." I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. To read my recommendation, click here.

"Set Apart" by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

Every Christian should study and understand the Beatitudes. Matthew puts them at the start of Jesus' infamous Sermon on the Mount and they really lay out the gospel and gospel living. Author Jennifer Kennedy Dean describes and leads her readers into the Beatitudes in her new book, "Set Apart."

The book is a 6 week study guide that guides the reader verses-by-verse, and at times, word-by-word through the important passage. One of Dean's greatest strengths is her ability to give her readers all of the necessary background material needed to correctly understand the meaning of the text. Her willingness to put everything in context is appreciated. Dean spends a good amount of time in the Old Testament just to help the reader better understand the text.

The biggest weakness of the book is that at times, the reader is left distracted. Dean, because she is so good at giving background material, leaves the reader chasing rabbits that could be left alone. The material she gives is good, but at times, distracted. At times I found myself saying, "let's get back to the text."

But overall, the author provides a great study guide with excellent questions for the reader to answer and with plenty of explanatory notes. She is thorough and leaves no rocks unturned. The issue here is the gospel and Dean goes out of her way to show that the gospel is not just about saying a prayer and getting to heaven, but involves humility (poverty), repentance (mourning), and an unquenching desire to be more like Christ (hungering and thirsting).

Become a New Hope Book Review Blogger. Visit http://www.newhopepublishers.com/ for more information.

For more:
"The Family God Uses" by Tom and Kim Blackaby
"Compelled By Love" by Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation"Nehemiah Factor" by Frank Paige"Trolls & Truth" by Jimmy Dorrell
"The Life-Changing Power in the Name of Jesus" by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

"Christianity's Dangerous Idea"

The history of Protestantism is one of interest. As a Protestant myself and as a fan of all things Alister McGrath, I was very interested in reading his book, "Christianity's Dangerous Idea: The Protestant Revolution--A History from the Sixteenth Century to the Twenty-First." McGrath offers an interesting, insightful, and intriguing survey and look into the history of protestantism.

There is much that could be said here, but I will only point out a few things. First, McGrath manages to be thorough, yet not overtly detailed. The author's goal is to examine the entire history, impact, and debates within the Protestant movement. Therefore, his subject is very broad and covers 500 years of history that has spread throughout the world. And yet, McGrath manages to hit all of the major issues and moments in the history of Protestantism and give them the history they deserve.

I particularly enjoyed his look at the Reformation (especially his look at Martin Luther), the Radical Reformation, the Catholic response, theology in America, his look at Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement, and the English Bible (particularly the King James Version).

One of the dangerous ideas that show up throughout the book is the radical idea of the priesthood of all believers, the imperative of translating Scripture, the clarity of the Bible, and the importance of everyday people to read and interpret the Bible for themselves. When the Reformation proposed this idea, it change the world forever. This legacy continues. Obviously this leads to a number of problems. One of the major problems is the many divisions, factions, and denominations within Protestantism. Yet, despite all of this, Protestantism remains faithful to this idea.

Overall, this is a great book, especially for those interested in the history of the Protestant movement. Though at times it has a certain depth that may be difficult to persons who have never studied the history of the Church or of Protestantism, it remains an important book. For young students of Church History will find a great source here that gives great insight from an excellent historian.

"Battle for the Beginning"

I recently recommended a great book on creation by Dr. John MacArthur called, "The Battle for the Beginning." I encourage you to read my recommendation and to pick up the book for yourself. It has been very influential in my life and in my thinking on the subject of origins.

"The Family God Uses" by Tom and Kim Blackaby

The state of our families in our culture today is in terrible shape. Half of marriages end in divorce and many children are growing up with a weekend parent at best. Many men are growing up not knowing what it means to be a man, a husband, or a father. We desperately need to recover the meaning of marriage and family. In their new book, Tom and Kim Blackaby, "The Family God Uses: Leaving a Legacy of Influence," seek to show their readers what a Godly family looks like and how we can model our families as God would have us to do.

Overall, the Blackaby's offer a pretty sound book. There is much to learn from them. I particularly enjoyed the repeated connection they made between the family and the church. As a husband, father, and pastor this filled me with great joy. It is imperative that the local church become central to the life of the family. One cannot miss this connection in Scripture. God and Israel were described in marital terms. This explains why God says that on account of Israel's harlotry (their idolatry), God was about to issue a certificate of divorce. Likewise, the Church is described as the bride of Christ.

I further enjoyed the practical aspect of the book. The authors do not seek to present a theory, but practical truths taken from Scripture. The authors frequently give practice advice, study helps, guiding questions, and real-life applications to make the truths of Scripture become more alive. The issue of the family is a very practical issue. Unless one take the text and place it into the readers real world, then they have ignored the reality of what the Bible teaches on the subject.

But I must say that as one who has read countless books on the subject, there isn't much here to chew on. The authors essentially repeat what has already been said. The authors remain on the bottom shelf and go no deeper than that. Quit simply, they write nothing that couldn't have been written by the average pastor or the seasoned Christian.

This is both a strength and a weakness. For those new to the faith and new to the subject, this book can be a helpful tool. Though I would probably send such a person elsewhere first, this certainly would not be a bad place to start. On the other hand, this is a major weakness. There just isn't much here to chew on. The stories are great and the advice is practical, but everything is on the bottom shelf. For those who want a deeper relationship with their spouse or a better understanding of their children, this is not the best place to turn to. This doesn't make it a bad book, just a simple, straight-forward book that is more targeted to a different audience.

The Blackaby family is well known in the Christian market and their ministry continues to impact many. This is yet another book to add to their resume. It is fairly solid, very simply, and extremely practical.

Become a New Hope Book Review Blogger. Visit http://www.newhopepublishers.com/ for more information.

For more:

"Compelled By Love" by Ed Stetzer and Philip Nation
"Nehemiah Factor" by Frank Paige
"Trolls & Truth" by Jimmy Dorrell

"The Life-Changing Power in the Name of Jesus" by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

"When Bad Things Happen To Good People"

Perhaps the most asked question in life is "why?" Why did my love one have to die? Why do I have to suffer with this disease? Why does my child have that disorder? Why can't I get out of this financial difficulty? Why do the wicked prosper hwile the righteous suffer? Why is there so much injustice in the world? Why is there so much greed, despair, depression, poverty, war, and anger? In other words, why do bad things happen to good people?

We've al asked it before and it causes us all to run toward comfort. Christians have always affirmed that God is good, but how can we say that God is good if He allows so much evil, suffering, and injustice in the world? To many, the answer comes down to two options. Either God is All-Powerful and not good (because He refuses to intervene) or God is good and not All-Powerful. This is a riddle that many Christians have struggle to answer.

In the best selling book, "When Bad Things Happen to Good People," Jewish rabbi Harold Kushner seeks to answer that question. Is God good? Is He All-Powerful? Or is He both? After the lost of his own son as a young teenager and after decades of ministry to hundreds of families suffering through lost and injustice, Kushner concludes that God is good, but He is not all-powerful.

I could do an entire series of posts debunking and interacting with his argument, but Kushner's argue is not new. He is unwilling to do away with the goodness of god and thus sacrifices the power of God. The reader is left with a god who is nice, but weak.

My biggest concern with the book (especially as a pastor) is how Kushner's answer affects the gospel. There was no greater injustice, no one usffered more, and no evil was ever committed than against Jesus Christ that day on Calvary. The climax of evil and suffering is the heart of the Christian message. Christians believe that God was at His gretest when the world was at its darkest. It is because man is so dark (so evil) that good and just God had to intervene. This all-powerful and good God intervened by turning our evil into the greatest act of good. Calvary is beautiful and it is good because we know that there was an empty tomb.

Kushner implies that at that moment of the cross, God was doing the best He could to stop the murder of His only begotten son, but couldn't. Kushner turns Calvery into yet another injustice committed in an evil and forsaken world. If only God could have stopped it. But that's the point of the passion in the Gospels. God could have stopped it. Repeatedly, Jesus and the Gospel writers assure us that at any moment Christ could have come down the cross, defeated His foes, and ascended to His rightful throne. But the fact that He didn't proves that God is good.

Though Kushner seeks to give his readers who presumably are suffering and mourning some comfort he fails miserably. Does bringing God down to our level make up feel better? And by pointing people away from the cross (I am aware that he is a Jew) takes us away from the truth that even though the world is fallen and evil and injustice surround us, God is still on His throne in complete and universal power, and this all-power God is also good. At the cross the two collided.

For those who may be reading these words might be hurting yourself. Kushner and modern psychology will not help you. Your only hope is in the assurance that though the world is evil, God who is good remains on His throne. He is aware of our situation and assures us that we are not alone. None of us have suffered as Christ suffered. None of us were treated more unjustly than Christ. And yet, while hanging on the cross on our behalf Christ graphically showed us how we too can suffer with patience and full trust in God. Jesus remained hanging; remained dying, not because it was easy, but because He knew that God, in the midst of evil, was working a good work.

As Joseph in the Old Testament told his brothers who sold him into slavery, "what you meant for evil, God meant for good."

"Common Sense"

Since hosting his own show on Fox News radio talk show host Glenn Beck has become one of the leader conservative voices in America. The Whitehouse is watching his every move, he has been given credit for the stepping down of Green jobs czar Van Jones, and his popularity only continues. His recent book, "Common Sense: The Case Against an Out-of-Control Government, Inspired by Thomas Paine" has only added to his popularity.

As the title suggests, the book is an attack on our big government and why we should return to the roots of our founding. Anyone who has watched or listen to Beck will find very little new here. As I was reading it, I could picture him saying it.

Beck raises a number of issues that Americans must take seriously. One that sticks out in my mind is how crazy our tax code has gotten. Beck argues that it is through the tax code that the government chokes its citizens. Beck makes a good argued and makes his arguments armed with facts, the Constitution, and our history. Our economy struggles because the American people are paying too much in taxes.

Beck also attacks liberalism, socialism, global warming and a whole host of issues. I must agree with Beck; our nation has abandoned its founding. Our founding fathers would not recognize America as she now stands.

Overall, i thought this was a good book. I had my skepticism. But Beck writes with such passion and honesty that it is hard to put the book down. It is a short book that includes a copy of the original "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine. I consider this to be an important book that every American should take seriously. Certainly Beck is controversial and many disagree with him, Beck has made an important contribution to the future of our county. If we consider Beck's argument, we would be a better county.