Genre: Devotional/History/Christian Life

Highly Recommended

I don’t usually enjoy devotionals, but was drawn to this one because of its unique historical focus on Jonathan Edwards, who was a pivotal minister in the First Great Awakening, most famous for his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

The devotional is dated from January 1 through December 31, each about a page long, beginning with a snippet from Jonathan Edwards’ writing, a meaty commentary, and a concluding verse.

I am impressed by the depth and quality of Strachan’s writing. It is culturally relevant, spiritually stirring, theologically insightful, historically illuminating, and personally motivating. Reflecting through the material has given me a better understanding of Jonathan Edwards, of God, and of myself in relationship with the Lord.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale.

Genre: Study Bible/Bible Resources

Recommended!

Lately it’s been on my heart to begin memorizing full chapters of Scripture, so I jumped at the opportunity to review this new Memorization Study Bible. My translation preference is not the KJV, so I debated about whether to consider this Bible. If you love the KJV I highly recommend this! If, like me, you have another favorite translation, this may not be much help. Although, I have to say, I’m so impressed with this Bible, I may decide to memorize from the KJV for the New Testament.

Memorization is still a lot of work, even with a special Bible! The author (who has memorized 20+ full books of the Bible without having a photographic memory!) suggests repetition in speaking and writing one verse at a time, while isolating it on the page. What makes this Bible unique is its special format. Words are specifically aligned on the page in a way that aids the memory process, and numbers are used to specify how many words per each line. This arrangement would be difficult to self-replicate with another version of the Bible unless you understood the pattern and had extra energy toward custom formatting.

I also appreciate that popular Scriptures are highlighted throughout, and enjoyed reading the appendices, which includes lists of short memory verses, sin to salvation verses, significant verses, popular NT chapters, memorizing techniques in Judaism and Christianity, and (my favorite) a fascinating summary of the historical development of Bible memorization, depicting the practices of many believers and scholars throughout history who memorized large portions of Scriptures.

Explore Master Books’ website here.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Master Books.

 

 

Genre: Spiritual Growth/Charismatic Interest

Recommended.

Leading charismatic ministers Randy Clark (Protestant) and Mary Healy (Catholic) co-write this book to reveal the unity of the Spirit and charismatic experiences within these distinct ecumenical traditions. Their shared desire for the activation of the Body of Christ in the Spirit is beautiful, and their unique yet harmonizing perspectives are inspiring and informative.

I expected this might cover the range of spiritual gifts (i.e. the five-fold ministry gifts, motivational gifts, and manifestations of the Spirit). However, the focus is on the manifestations of the Spirit (charisms), primarily from 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and also mentioned in other verses. On these spiritual gifts, this is a solid introduction, beginning with a foundation of the theologies of salvation, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and of the Spirit’s movement in Scripture, and church history, through the most recent spiritual revivals. The historical details were most inspiring to me as it was edifying to hear stories of the Spirit’s manifest power throughout the Church.

The authors also provide focused attention to the manifestation gifts, grouped by the revelation gifts (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, and discernment of spirits), power gifts (faith, healing, miracles), and gifts of speech (prophecy, tongues, and interpretation). Clark and Healy each share engaging stories to illustrate these gifts in practical use, and provide supporting scriptures of similar biblical experiences.

Overall, I was hoping the book would be a bit more thorough with the whole of spiritual gifts, and how they work together—and also that it would provide more depth and practical attention for those already working in the charismatic gifts. However, I also really enjoyed the unique dialog of Protestant and Catholic perspectives and the many personal stories, and would recommend this resource to those beginning to explore the charismatic spiritual gifts, or those looking for encouragement and activation in this area.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen.

Genre: Christian Living/Women’s Issues/Motivational

Recommended.

This easy-to-read devotional style book encourages women to recognize and value the distinct calling God has placed on their lives, and to be grounded in the Lord, rather than pursuing comparison, jealousy, competition, and weighty personal expectations. The author shares candidly, in succinct chapters, from her own experiences in the areas of relationships (dating, marriage, and divorce), college and career pursuits, failures, and trusting God through every season.

This would be perfect reading material for young women undergoing a life transition (like high school or college graduation), for someone delayed in a desired transition (like the pursuit of marriage, or job), or for someone looking to build self esteem while connecting with God.

The content was engaging and Christ-focused throughout, although I did find myself loosing interest toward the end, partly because I am not currently in the situation of needing inspiration in these areas.

I enjoyed the way that Scripture was integrated alongside personal stories, and found the length of each devotional chapter ideal for quick, reflective reading, while the devotional questions were thoughtful and introspective.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House.

Genre: Charismatic Interest/Healing/Inspirational

Recommended.

This is a short and very readable book. Ed Rocha shares stories about his frustrations and successes in healing ministry. The first part has a a chapter each on the deaf being healed, the blind regaining sight, the lame walking, skin issues cleansed, the dead raised, and other miracles. The first five chapters end with powerful prayers to repeat aloud for those needing healing in those areas. All of the modern-day testimonies are inspiring, and biblically centered on the testimony of Jesus.

The second part of the book deals with hindrances to healing: sin and demonic affliction. This section (particularly the sin chapter) was less strong. It was still good, but I had a couple (very) small issues with Rocha’s theology; and I think his writing is most effective when he is sharing stories and testimonies, which there were less of in these chapters. Often stories express theology better and more accurately than it can be explained.

The third section focuses on belief and faith to “stay healed” (as the chapter name implies), but staying healed does not seem to be the theme of these chapters at all. Rather, they provide a solid foundation for receiving healing, and understanding some fundamental things from Scripture. The Appendixes are also a helpful elaboration for those looking to the example of Scripture in healing ministry.

In such a short book, I do not think the section divisions were necessary; and not having them may have led to more beneficial prayers and testimonies (in keeping the consistency).

Overall, it is inspiring, faith-building, and would be an encouraging read for anyone who is ill, or who is passionate about ministering healing to others.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen.

Genre: Devotional/Juvenile Nonfiction

Recommended!

This is an excellent devotional. Each of the 90 devotions are approximately two pages, starting with a Bible reference about angels, then an applicable Bible story, commentary on Scripture, or Q and A, and ending with questions leading the reader to consider Scripture, cultural relevance of the subject, or personal introspection.

Aimed at ages nine and up, I am impressed by the depth and scholarship of each devotion. A pre-teen would be engaged by this, as would an adult. Kinde brings out over one hundred verses about angels, and addresses common myths compared to what the Bible reveals, as well as detailing accounts of how biblical characters responded to meeting angels, and even going beyond angels to draw attention to larger spiritual truths (e.g. how angels demonstrate pure worship for us to model, or in understanding the work of the enemy through fallen angels/demons).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zonderkidz.

Genre: Christian Living/Charismatic Interest

Recommended!

I have read and enjoyed several of Bill Johnson’s books, but this may be one of my new favorites.

Inspired by the story of Solomon, Bill teaches how godly wisdom can change the atmosphere. His encouragement that the church bring heaven to earth to influence the world is similar to his other teachings; but many of his insights regarding the nature and manifestation of wisdom in our lives are fresh and revolutionary.

I particularly loved how Bill connects wisdom to beauty, excellence, and integrity. He mentions, for instance, that when Queen Sheba visited King Solomon she proclaimed how she saw God through the seemingly mundane aspects of Solomon’s household like the attire and service of his servants, the food on his table, and the appearance of his entryway. (1 Kings 10:3-9). How interesting that she would have specifically mentioned recognizing God through these things, while also having sat at the king’s feet to receive wisdom and understanding!

I similarly enjoyed Bill’s interpretation of the passages that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. He explains that salts primary purpose is not to preserve but to bring flavor; thus Christians should bring flavor to the world by exuding the Lord’s wisdom and character from within. Being the light of a city of refuge within the world is likewise essential.

This book gave me a new understanding of what wisdom looks like, and the power it has to bring influence when it is properly employed. It is a relevant and life-giving encouragement to activate the wisdom of God to “minister” through action in whatever sphere or profession that God has called us.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books.

 

 

 

Genre: Christian Living/Spiritual Warfare

Recommended.

This devotional guide to spiritual warfare is engaging and approachable. Separated into 30 short chapters, Kristine McGuire shares openly and candidly from her apostate experience as a practicing witch. Now a born-again believer, she outlines the basics of the spiritual battle, the armor of God from Ephesians 6, several of the most common battlefields (e.g. suffering, fear, and anger), and how to relate to God and the supernatural within our identity in Him.

McGuire writes in the style of oral language, which makes the grammar a bit “creative” at times, and I admit to having been slightly distracted by this. However, her sweet and honest tone make her words come to life as if she were presenting live to a friend, and some readers may even find this style more engaging and relatable.

Having experienced the occult myself, I also think she could have gone into more detail regarding the nature of the spiritual battle as it overlaps with the physical realm—but maybe this would be better in another separate book.

Finally, the reflection questions at the end of each chapter are particularly good, and would make an excellent outline for a discussion based study group.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books.

Genre: Healing/Deliverance

Highly Recommended.

This is one of the most helpful and practical guides to spiritual deliverance that I have come across. It addresses forgiveness, generational sins and curses, replacing ungodly beliefs, ministering healing to the soul and spirit, dealing with demonic oppression, and advice for staying free.

I particularly love how structured and to-the-point the material is. There are several well placed stories, but it is less dramatic regarding strange demonic manifestations than are some deliverance books.

The sections on forgiveness and replacing ungodly beliefs were especially strong, and I both learned a few new things, and was challenged to go deeper in my relationship with the Lord in a couple areas. While deliverance ministry in itself is about opening up past memories, hurts, and events in order to heal them properly along with the discernment of the Spirit, I felt the authors did an excellent job focusing on the need to be focused on the Lord, and replacing those old wounds with the fullness of the things of God and of the Spirit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books.

Genre: Christian Theology

Recommended.

This is not a typical theology book: it is written for a popular audience in a fun and accessible style while also presenting major theological issues within their historical contexts. It has two sections: the first addressing ecclesiology (the study of the church), and the second featuring eschatology (the study of the end times). The title “Christian Theology” may connote a larger range of theologies, so I want to emphasize that ecclesiology and eschatology are the primary focuses; other doctrinal theologies (say, the discussion of the Trinity, or of the work of the Holy Spirit, and so forth) are not discussed in depth as they are beyond the intended scope. Also, the application of the theologies at hand are highlighted more so than the theologies themselves, which is what makes this text unique and special.

The first section I particularly enjoyed. It is concise, engaging, and draws examples from pop culture in order to bring application and relevance to each subject. The examples are appropriate for the intended audience (lay-persons who want to know a bit of theology), and I think the authors have done a great job of sharing an unbiased perspective and encouraging involvement and appreciation within and for the church body.

The section on the end times could have provided a more thorough overview of the major positions, and also could have discussed the implications of each eschatological position. I did not enjoy this section as much, although the writing is still very accessible, and the overall message is positive (though a bit biased toward Dispensational Premillennialism). I appreciate the authors’ focus on the big picture rather than on the details. The historical chapter within this section is also very good.

Overall, this is a great book for non-scholars who want to get a taste for theology, or could be read for encouragement or general spiritual growth.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House.

I do not typically post joint reviews, but in this case I received both Father of Lights and Finding God in the Bible simultaneously from the publisher, and for good reason. They each uncover what it looks like to be a friend of God. Also, in Finding God in the Bible Darren Wilson frequently refers to scenes and people encountered in his film, Father of Lights. I recommend watching the film first, then reading the book—although, of course, both are enjoyable completely on their own as well.

Father of Lights:

Genre: DVD/Christian Living/Charismatic

Highly Recommended.

I first encountered Darren Wilson through his feature film, Finger of God, in which he captured multiple supernatural miracles of God on camera in an exciting documentary-style demonstration of God’s involvement with humanity. His film, Furious Love, continued that story of God’s love and immanence. And Darren’s newest film, Father of Lights, wraps up this film trilogy with some of the most encouraging and exciting charismatic Christian footage I have seen.

This film expresses what it looks like to be a friend of God through documentary interviews and excursions with many of God’s close friends. As the film crew travels the world to visit with both known and lesser known Christian ministers, people encounter God, are healed, and recognize the warmth of God’s passionate love. There is also a particularly excellent scene where the film crew is able to film inside the Dome of the Rock, which is unheard of for Christians, but possible through the loving and miracle-working Father God. This is really an amazing film!

Finding God in the Bible:

Genre: Christian Living/Charismatic

Recommended.

In Finding God in the Bible, Darren Wilson candidly discusses some of the Bible’s more troubling stories and how each actually reveals something positive about God’s character. Areas analyzed, for instance, include Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his own son, Elisha cursing 42 youths to their death, what went wrong with King Saul, and many other interesting biblical passages. The majority of the book is taken from the Old Testament, with exception of the final chapter that focuses on Jesus’ character and interaction with His friends.

Wilson does not write as an apologist or theologian, but as a friend of God casually sharing his own personal insights, stories, and thoughts. Since I do love to study theology, at times I became distracted by very small insignificant details that were not quite accurate, and needed to remind myself to focus on Wilson’s overall message—a message, by the way, which was always excellent and well presented despite some very minor issues.

This is a book for anyone wanting to understand how God feels about humanity (He loves us, likes us, and wants to be our friend!), and also for those desiring to strengthen their own friendship with God. It’s easy to read, interesting, and very encouraging.

I received a complimentary copy of this DVD and this book from Chosen Books.

Genre: Christian Life/Personal Growth/Gender Studies

Highly Recommended!

Fearless Daughters of the Bible edifies Christian woman to boldness in the Lord through biblical stories integrated with examples from history and personal commentary. Each chapter focuses on a woman from the Bible who had courage in a particular area; for instance: “The Five Daughters of Zelophehad: The Courage to Challenge Tradition,” “Hannah, the Mother of Samuel: The Courage to Believe God,” or “Priscilla, Spiritual Daughter of the Apostle Paul: The Courage to Mentor Others.” The chapters cover a great variety of women and circumstances—some widely known, like Mary, the mother of Jesus, and some lesser known, like Achsah, Daughter of Caleb. There are also questions and a personal message at the end of each chapter, making this an ideal book for an independent or group devotional study.

My favorite chapter was on the Samaritan woman whom Jesus met at the well. I have heard commentary on this story so many times, and yet Grady shared details of the event that I had never considered. I had never realized, for instance, that the well was on the same land where Dinah was raped. I have been learning lately about the deep importance (and spiritual ramifications) of location; so, these details about the land of Samaria added so much to the otherwise familiar account. It also caught my attention that, unless her encounter with Jesus had caused a very visible and distinctive change, this women—who had experienced so much rejection—would never have been believed by so many in her city. And yet, the scriptures show the woman at the well as a successful evangelist, bringing salvation to many by sharing her encounter with the Lord (John 4:39-42).

As cliche as it may be to say: every Christian woman could benefit from this book! It is encouraging, insightful, and lovingly written by a man who greatly desires to edify women in their personal callings. For more information about the author, check out his ministry: The Mordecai Project.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen.

Genre: Spiritual Warfare/Spiritual Growth

Highly Recommended!

Firstly, Derek Prince is just excellent! I have been hearing for some time that I need to familiarize myself with his resources and I am so glad I finally did. I wish he was still around (he passed in 2003), but am amazed at how large and thriving his ministry still is!

Rules of Engagement centers on building the character of a warrior, embracing the Holy Spirit, and understanding the basics of the supernatural realm so that we can be successful in spiritual warfare. Each chapter is short, thought provoking, and set up perfectly for a personal devotion or group discussion with post chapter questions, a memory verse, and a prayer. This is not the kind of book that can be rushed through, but one that should be studied and considered one subject at a time. I’ve gleaned so much from it, specifically regarding spiritual authority and endurance, though he touches on so many topics with excellence.

Also, whereas some spiritual warfare resources focus almost exclusively on parts of the battle (deliverance ministry, or casting out demons, or specific battles with health, finances, or so on), Rules of Engagement focuses on preparing for and understanding our role in the battle, which is why I think it is so valuable. I think every Christian could benefit from this compilation of Prince’s insight.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen.

Genre: Spiritual Growth/Christian Living/Inspirational

Highly Recommended!

This may be the most helpful book I’ve read on healing. Pastors Bill Johnson and Randy Clark—two of the most influential leaders in healing ministry—interview each other on their personal experiences with healing and miracles.

There is no fluff in this book—they get right down to the good stuff, especially concentrating on:

1. their backgrounds and calling into healing ministry,
2. what they've learned in the area of healing and miracles,
3. the breakthroughs they've experienced which have led to an increase in healing,
4. how they've developed their gifts and sensitivities to the Holy Spirit, and
5. the greatest healing and deliverance miracles they've experienced.

I found it so encouraging to hear the progression of growth both these men have faced. They are so humble and candid in describing their experiences--I laughed out loud many times and was constantly sharing their stories with my husband as I read. This is definitely a must read for those wanting to go deeper in healing ministry or to step into it for the first time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Chosen Books.

Genre: Spiritual Growth/Spiritual Warfare

Highly Recommended.

Spirit Wars is one of the best books I’ve read in awhile. It is short and simple, but I was deeply impacted by Kris Vallotton’s encouragement, personal stories, the way he presents the truth of the gospel, and his insight into the supernatural realm.

Early on in the book, he uses the metaphor of a haunted house to show how many Christians are deceived into believing they are in a war with their flesh. As Christians, we know that ghosts of past residents do not haunt houses—rather, ghosts are demons that sometimes pose as real or deceased people, and those demons are the ones doing the haunting. Likewise, when we believe we are struggling against our sinful flesh, it cannot actually be our flesh if we’ve repented and become a born-again believer in Jesus. Our sinful nature died on the cross with Jesus and we were resurrected with Him, so any current struggle is no longer with the dead self, but with demons who try to impersonate our former state. Our flesh is weak, but it is no longer corrupt. I found this metaphor so powerful that it’s been easier than ever for me to take every thought captive and live in uninterrupted freedom.

I also loved the way Kris describes our triune being (soul, spirit, body). A few years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic illness, and have spent so much energy on my body (eating, sleeping, exercising) that I hadn’t considered that focusing my attention away from my body might be just what I need. For the last couple weeks, I’ve made it my priority to laugh more, find fun things to do, and to be a bit looser with dealing with my body (still being mindful of good health, of course). It’s been going great! Kris’s situation and stories are completely different from my experience, and yet his stories and teaching triggered me to think outside the box so that I could better hear what the Holy Spirit was guiding me to do. I appreciate how his writing is so conversational and easy to relate to—despite the differences in our circumstances.

There are other books that deal more thoroughly with deliverance/sozo ministry (I particularly recommend the author Neil T. Anderson, as many of his books encouraged me after my own deliverance experience), but Spirit Wars is special in that it’s clear, concise, and accessible, without lacking in depth or impact. I think every Christian could benefit from reading this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House.

Genre: Spiritual Growth, Gender Studies, Family Ministry

Not Recommended.

Trained in the Fear of God began so well I was reading it with a highlighter. I was excited by statements like: “Christian households and churches are not shelters from the conflict; they are gospel-empowered training bases for the conflict” (14); such a strong case was made for the importance of family ministry that I was excited to learn how to apply it within our household and congregation. Unfortunately, I really felt the book fell short of it’s introduction. It was “okay” and certainly informative, but it didn’t engage me or offer anything new or exciting to make seeking out this particular book worthwhile. Actually, I found the tone of the writing to be negative in several places, rather than encouraging and edifying to the body at large.

Structurally, this book is actually a collection of shorter, academically written, articles arranged into three topical sections: 1) the theological basis of family/church structure (especially in regard to gender roles), 2) the historical views of family discipleship within church history, and 3) the practical application of bringing a strong spiritual tradition into our homes. The articles themselves are completely independent from each other and written from a variety of authors. I read each article with various degrees of interest and enjoyment. A few of the articles I really enjoyed, many I found informative but didn’t personally connect with, and many others I just really didn’t like for various reasons. The advantage of this structure is that it can be read in any order or amount and used as a reference book. However, this is a surprisingly small book to be an anthology, and most of the articles were not very thorough, so in general I felt the structure hindered the message of the text. I think it would have been more powerful for the authors to focus in on the most important issues (say, the biblical framework of family ministry) and to write cohesive chapters with a climatic build of information and a direct application of the principles being taught. I felt instead that the book was trying to cover too much with little success.

I also want to mention that the book focuses heavily on the family and church being led by men and supported by women as a definite secondary role. I actually do agree that men and women are created distinctly, with unique purposes. But the emphasis, I felt, was inappropriately exaggerated as there is much more depth and beauty to how God created us than what I felt this text implied. Just as there is both a distinction and a unity between Jewish and Gentile believers, so is there an appropriate balance between the roles and partnership of male and female believers. The upset of how this balance was described in this book really hinders the message of family ministry, and, despite its intention to reinstate a positive family structure, was discouraging to that mission.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Kregel Publications.

Genre: Spiritual Growth

NOT Recommended.

I want to start by saying that I really like John Bevere. I believe he hears from God and desires to teach in the ways of God. Several of his teachings have been a blessing to me. And so I am deeply saddened that no one prevented him from publicly declaring in this book the blasphemous statement that “we are Christ.” The first time he used this phrase I thought maybe there was a linguistic error, then the statement was repeated (more than once)! How did this happen!?! I find that this kind of theological error is too big to disregard. It causes all the good things he says before and afterward to be irrelevant. We can not be followers of Christ and also believe we are Christ; it does not work!

Indeed, we are not Christ! We are part of his body, yes. We have, through His grace, received inconceivable spiritual gifts and spiritual blessings that we don’t deserve and don’t yet fully understand: it’s amazing! Someone needs to tell the body how much we’ve inherited through Christ and in Christ—and that should have been the outcome of this book. But we are not Christ. He is the head of us (the source of us) and through His power we live. We are His body, and yet, we do not and will never replace Him. We represent Him, but do not become Him. We will do (and should be doing) amazing things through the power of the Holy Spirit—Jesus said even greater things than He did. Yet the power still comes from Him and is ushered in by our weakness. We are not and do not become Christ. We have the grace to carry the divine, while not being divine ourselves.

Since personally being delivered from the power of the occult, I can not emphasize this enough. We (the body) need to learn to walk in full understanding of our identity in Christ with power and confident access to the Holy Spirit. But we can not mistake the source of our power. It is not from within us (though the Spirit does dwell there when we invite Him to), or from other spirits; it comes from Jesus Christ who is our head.

I, honestly, would be very surprised if John Bevere actually believes what it sounds like he is saying (or maybe he does?). But certainly there has been a confusion, and I do believe that this is a big mistake. I hope that all involved in the realm of Christian writing and publishing will be careful in prayer and discernment with future publications.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah.

Genre: Allegorical Fiction/Satire/Spiritual Growth

Highly Recommended!

I’m not sure how to describe Night of the Living Dead Christian except that it’s full-on satire, very unique, and very good. Mikalatos mixes elements of fiction and non-fiction, and even includes himself as a character within the story. The story follows lycanthropic (werewolf) Luther Ann Martin as he discovers what it means to be a Christian and how to become free of his animalistic tendencies. Vampires, mad scientists, an android and a congregation of zombies are also woven into the narrative.

Each of the monsters or monstrous conditions represent various problems or tendencies within human nature, and through this, Mikalatos demonstrates the process of salvation and reveals much about the state of the church. There is a congregation of zombies, for instance, that do not think for themselves and act just like their leader. They run around proselytizing, stuffing headphones of podcasts into their victim’s ears, and trying to eat their victim’s brains. I’ve met this sort of creature; perhaps you have too.

Sometimes it takes imagining the world in fantastic terms to understand the reality; I love how Mikalatos mixes both realms outright. There is also an excellent Discussion Guide and Self-Diagnosis Guide to Common Monstrosities in the back of the book, which would be really fun to discuss in a small group or book club.

(Also, I enjoyed the whole book, as I’ve said, but really got into it around sixty pages in; and I mention this in case some readers are tempted to stop before the good stuff starts: keep reading!!)

To get more of an idea of the author and this book check out this video:

It just so happens that Tyndale gave me a certificate for a free book to give to one lucky reader. Leave a comment below telling me you want it and I’ll decide the winner in one week. This will be my first contest, so I’m pretty excited to have a free something to give away. :-)

I received a complimentary copy of this book through the Tyndale Blog Network.

Genre: Spiritual Growth/Academic Theology

Recommended.

Why God Won’t Go Away is a great introduction to New Atheism, how it was started, and what these particular Atheists believe. (There are several groupings of Atheists just as there are many sects of Christians and this book focuses specifically on New Atheism.) It is not too thorough—as I said, it’s a great introduction—but this would be an excellent resource for the Christian who wants to understand the basics. It is clearly written, logically presented, offers many interesting and philosophical ideas for further thought, and has an exceptional list of both Christian and Atheist materials throughout the footnotes and Further Reading section. I would premise that this is not really a debate or even reply to New Atheism, rather, a critical view of their position and mission intended for the Christian audience (or any person looking into New Atheism from an outside perspective).

McGrath is a former Atheist, now Christian, who currently engages in public debates with prominent Atheists as well as being renowned for his scholarly theological work. I was particularly impressed with McGrath’s kind and humble acknowledgement of the Atheist intellectuals despite his disagreement with their thoughts and pronouncements. I felt he was fair and rational in his critique and opinion that New Atheism is in decline. I look forward to reading his other books!

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogging Program through booksneeze.com.

Genre: Spiritual Growth/Biography

Recommended.

Randy Clark is best known for his prominent influence in the Toronto Blessing—the revival in Canada in the 1990s. Now that we are some time from the event of the Toronto Blessing, Clark shares his testimony, and the testimonies of others regarding the work of the Spirit, especially in regard to the impartation of the Holy Spirit during and after this occurrence. He writes, “I am writing this book to answer the question, ‘Where’s the fruit?’ I am responding to the critics because there has been time for those who were so powerfully touched to bring to the Master the sheaves of their harvest” (152). This statement adequately describes the purpose of most of the book. As one who is not so familiar with the Toronto Blessing, or even his ministry, Global Awakening, I found it very interesting to get ‘behind the scenes’ with Randy to discover his background (turns out he began as a Baptist) and the huge ways the Lord has used and anointed him in ministry. He also gives countless testimonies from others who experienced an anointing of supernatural power, deeper intimacy with God and exciting new manifestations of the Holy Spirit after receiving impartation at the Toronto Blessing.

A smaller portion of the book (the beginning and end) dealt with the material I expected to read. That is, the history and biblical basis for impartation, a good definition of impartation, and how we can prepare our spirits to receive this gift of grace. While his writing is succinct and informative, there is a lot he didn’t go into; I think another book could be written on impartation itself, and I’m not sure the sub-title truly fits the content of this book. Overall though, this is a book of powerful words and awesome testimonies: an inspiring read!

Genre: Academic Theology

Not Recommended, but OK.

I really wanted to like this book.  In fact, I’ve held off writing the review hoping I might change my mind, but I haven’t.

Called to Worship is written in a semi-textbook semi-personal style, which was not to my liking; but the main reason I didn’t like it is that it felt like something very important was missing from the text.  I can’t quite describe what it is—heart, maybe, or intimacy.  It’s just that, I have the best time worshiping the Lord; it’s a very tangible experience for me.  I sing to Him, I dance for Him, I paint with Him, I talk with Him.  Sometimes I lie on the floor and soak in the presence of God; other times I’ll kneel; I might even jump.  I might be overwhelmed with joy so much I can’t stop laughing.  Other times, I may feel my heart so bursting with love that I cry and begin to intercede for peoples or nations or situations.  I know that intimacy with the Lord varies per believer, and in fact, that’s one of the reasons I was interested in this book—to learn more about how others throughout scripture have connected with Him.  But that’s not what this book is for—it describes various aspects of worship without ever describing the heart of worship.  It’s on the one hand very thorough and yet lacks depth.

That said, the theology is pretty solid (though confined by his conservative worldview); the structure is easy to follow and can be read in independent chapters or as a whole; and for the reader who is looking into the study of worship for the first time, it gives a very nice introduction to various aspects of worship which could later be scrutinized in more depth.  I’m sure this book could be useful to someone, it just wasn’t to me.

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Blogging Program through booksneeze.com.

Not Recommended.

Habermas is well respected as an apologist and historian, yet this book appears to be a personal journey through his unanswered questions rather than the cohesive scholarly look into difficult subject matter I had expected.  In fact, the title is misleading.  This book doesn’t deal with the reasons for God’s silence so much as it does with highlighting biblical and modern examples of God’s appearance and “disappearance” to His people.  Those who need that encouragement may get what they’re looking for from this read. For those looking for a quick, biblically sound list of why God’s voice seems muted, check out my post on Questions to Ask Ourselves when God is Silent.

But despite Habermas’ efforts to explain the balance between what God has allowed us to experience and what He chooses to heal, I felt his argument was circular, unorganized, superficial, and lacking divine wisdom.  It also bothered me that Habermas lumps together suffering and persecution as they are not the same despite sharing a few attributes.  And I felt the one chapter that really was most important (regarding telling ourselves positive truths), lacked the theological emphasis it needed to separate solid biblical truths from secular psychological principles.

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of the Tyndale Blog Network.

Not Recommended.  Fearless is full of personal stories, but beyond the empathetic acknowledgment that humans are in a battle against fear, Lucado offers only a superficial view of Christianity.

Lucado identifies that we need to trust in God, cast our worries on Him, and so on, but he doesn’t go deep enough into HOW anyone would begin doing this.  He also gives no mention of fear being a supernatural enemy of a spiritual war.  How can we truly fight and overcome fear if we don’t recognize the root of the battle?

There are also theological problems; e.g., Lucado tells us that Jesus was fearful before He went to the cross, which contradicts the nature of God (perfect love driving out fear).  Jesus was certainly grieved about what was to come, but to say He was “feeling fear full bore” crosses a line; it suggests He prayed from a spirit of fear rather than the Spirit of God, and that He fell into the temptation of the flesh (undermining His sacrifice on the cross).

Fearless won’t help its readers strengthen their identities in the Lord or equip them for the spiritual battle at hand.  It may be inspirational to some, but only as ‘feel good’ encouragement.