This is the amazingly heart-touching story of how the Christian Bible became translated from Greek to English. It's the story of the Catholic Church's corruption, power and control over the Bible and the unstoppable Reformation movement to correct these corruptions. Most of all, it is the incredibly beautiful story of one very very brave man's dedication to God and his determination to provide an English translation for the masses of lay people to freely read and understand. William Tyndale is a legend and this is his story. It must be read. This is the story of men who were willing to burn to put an end to the abuses of the Catholic Church and their priests.
Although the book starts off slowly with lots of history, backgrounds, introductions to various historical figures, midway, it lauches into the beautiful tale of one man's fight for God over the corrupt practices of men. William Tyndale is a figure to be admired and David Teems does a fantastic job painting a picture of exactly what mad Tyndale so incredible. "Tyndale could not be bought. He owned nothing and wanted nothing. Therefore, he could not be charmed or coerced by the usual means. He did not seek fame or elevation, title or possession. He was not given to compromise. He was not bound to the same conventions as [Thomas] More and others were. What can you do with a man like that? There was no bargaining in him. It was in William Tyndale that Thomas More saw not only the unquenchable, but worse, the inevitable [The Protestant Reformation taking over]. He saw the old world, his world, in decline, deflating."
The contrast Teems displays between the respectable William Tyndale and his head hunter Thomas More is moving. While Teems likes to focus on their similarities (clearly Teems is a great admirer of Thomas More), I much more enjoyed the complete contrast in human character. "Unlike More, Tyndale never rages, never loses control. Rant is not part of his arsenal. It is just not his way. He never wishes More dead. He never condemns More or anyone else to an eternity to hell..." "More not only recognized Tyndale's brilliance, he understood there was something unstoppable about the man, something determined, and by a knowledge that eluded even More, doubtless the finest mind in all of England" William Tyndale was unmatchably brilliant. CS Lewis wrote "More often attempts but [More] always fails. He loses himself in a wilderness of shameful, disgraceful adjectives [curse words, feces, threats of hell and burning on a stake]. He can only scold and grumble. He spend what might have been the best years of his literary life on work which demanded talents that he lacked..." Compared to William Tyndale, Thomas More was a "wanna be". In he outrage and intense hatred of William Tyndale, More wrote "a half-million words. That is more than two Moby Dicks or a single War and Peace. His text is reduced to repetition, name-calling..."
All together this book is beautiful, sad, tragic but masterful. Despite the heavy topic, there are some laughable moments. Like when we get a same of just how much Thomas More has lost all control in his writings:
"William Tyndale wrote, "Mark whether it be not true in the highest degree..." and More responded, "Tyndale is a great marker. There is nothing with him now but mark, mark, mark. It is a pit that the man were not made a marker..." I laughed at the silliness and childishness of More's name-calling. Another sample: "Tyndale wrote, "Judge whether it be possible that any good should come out of their silent ceremonies and sacraments." To which More wrote, "Judge good Christian reader whether it be possible that he be any better than a beast out of whose brutish beastly mouth comes a filthy foam." Can you believe a grown man wrote such things? Especially a highly esteemed figure with a title "Lord Chancellor Sir Thomas More", now a man who has been cannonized as a Catholic Saint.
This book is fantastic! It's a masterful piece of work! I highly recommend it to everyone! It's an easy to read historical piece that paints like a novel. It moves you to tears on one hand, then to complete admiration to a true man of God. These men burned for our Bible. It's more than most of us would do. Simple beautiful!!!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
SKIP IT: Heaven is for Real (DVD kit) by Todd Burpo
This book is about a supposed boy's near death experience to heaven, not a biblical analysis of heaven. Keep in mind, Burpo's account contradicts 10+ other (mostly near death experience) "heaven" books currently on the market from a woman's, boy's, pilots etc views: Heaven Is So Real by Choo Thomas; The Boy Who Came Back From Heaven by Kevin Malarkey; 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper; Flight To Heaven by Dale Black; Nine Days in Heaven by Dennis Prince; My Time In Heaven by Sigmund Richard; My Trip To Heaven by David Taylor; "I Saw Heaven!" by Patti Miller Dunham; A Divine Revelation by Mary K. Baxter; Glimpses of Heaven by Trudy Harris;
This DVD/Study Guide is based off the adult sized book by Pentecostal preacher Todd Burpo and Sarah Palin's ghost writer. Burpo's claim is that his 3 1/2 year old son had a near death experience and was taken to heaven. Keep in mind that many of the experiences the boy is said to have experienced are not found in the Bible (like no one is old and everyone is young again).
This is a review of the DVD and study guide. As I found the book unscriptural, the DVD and Study Guide are also based on experience and not bible. I found the Study Guide to be light and shallow. The questions are very basic and have little to do with the bible - they have more to do with your personal thoughts and opinions or the boy (Colton Burpo's) story.
Examples of questions:
- Why did you decide to participate in this study?
- Is heaven something you ever thought or cared about before today?
- What first intrigued you about Colton's story?
- Have you been strengthened to share your own stories?
- Why should we care about heaven?
- Who is the source of our eternal life?
- Describe your relationship with Christ
- Describe your relationship with His Church
- After hearing Colton's story, has heaven become more real to you?
- Have you thought of heaven as God's house?
- Why do you think Jesus used "house" to describe heaven?
- What experiences come to mind when you think of joy?
- What is the source of light in heaven?
- Describe what you think heaven is like
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
This DVD/Study Guide is based off the adult sized book by Pentecostal preacher Todd Burpo and Sarah Palin's ghost writer. Burpo's claim is that his 3 1/2 year old son had a near death experience and was taken to heaven. Keep in mind that many of the experiences the boy is said to have experienced are not found in the Bible (like no one is old and everyone is young again).
This is a review of the DVD and study guide. As I found the book unscriptural, the DVD and Study Guide are also based on experience and not bible. I found the Study Guide to be light and shallow. The questions are very basic and have little to do with the bible - they have more to do with your personal thoughts and opinions or the boy (Colton Burpo's) story.
Examples of questions:
- Why did you decide to participate in this study?
- Is heaven something you ever thought or cared about before today?
- What first intrigued you about Colton's story?
- Have you been strengthened to share your own stories?
- Why should we care about heaven?
- Who is the source of our eternal life?
- Describe your relationship with Christ
- Describe your relationship with His Church
- After hearing Colton's story, has heaven become more real to you?
- Have you thought of heaven as God's house?
- Why do you think Jesus used "house" to describe heaven?
- What experiences come to mind when you think of joy?
- What is the source of light in heaven?
- Describe what you think heaven is like
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
READ IT: The Love & Respect Experience by Eggerichs
The Love & Respect Experience is a beautiful fake leather bound book in a devotional format and designed to appeal to men and women. Bible verses from many different translations, including paraphrases, are used to supply a number of verses. The majority of the verses are from the book of Proverbs. The rest are almost all from Ecclesiastes and Psalms.
I enjoyed reading this book and feel that it is helpful to those open to being helped. It is a light and easy read, as there are only about 50+ chapters in this devotional, instead of a 365 day devotional. Most of the subjects are uplifting and positive and feel-good. Women will enjoy this book as it deals with being kind and loving towards each other. Although it would be nice if men read this book too, I'm not sure many will. Perhaps the brown leather cover will appeal to them. If men read this, it will also help to encourage them to love their wives properly and serve their wives. I liked the positive spin on this book and the encouraging message. I did not find this book to be offensive or "thou shall not..." and legalistic. It was refreshing.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
I enjoyed reading this book and feel that it is helpful to those open to being helped. It is a light and easy read, as there are only about 50+ chapters in this devotional, instead of a 365 day devotional. Most of the subjects are uplifting and positive and feel-good. Women will enjoy this book as it deals with being kind and loving towards each other. Although it would be nice if men read this book too, I'm not sure many will. Perhaps the brown leather cover will appeal to them. If men read this, it will also help to encourage them to love their wives properly and serve their wives. I liked the positive spin on this book and the encouraging message. I did not find this book to be offensive or "thou shall not..." and legalistic. It was refreshing.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
SKIP IT: The Book of Man by William J. Bennett
This book is supposed to be about finding men for our sons to look up to as heroes. As Christians, even the idea of suggesting our sons have heroes might make us balk - we aren't really into encouraging our sons to idolize sinful men. But let's just say, you were going to pick 5 or 20 or 50 men to hold up as good examples of strong morals and strong character. If that is the goal of this book, it failed SERIOUSLY. I don't think many of us would ever advise our sons to idolize any man and especially not the ones Bennett picked for his book: past presidents, politicians, athletes, rulers/murderers, etc.
I think Bennett's goal was to find some famous men from history (some old and dead, some still alive) and display for us their thoughts and prayers. For this, Bennett could have picked ANYONE in all of history. Maybe his point is not so much that the men he picked are known for great character, but that all men can show thoughfulness from time to time or at least at some point in their lives. So Bennett focuses on showing us prayers from these men's lives.
I just felt this book is SO UNCHRISTIAN. Half these heroes are unchristian, some pagan-worshipping, money-cheating, sleezebags! Why would we want to hear about their prayers? Ugh! How can this pass for a Christian book? This is more of a worship/idolize/make heroes of your politicians/government/rulers kind of book. This book is also very pro-republican, so democrats will hate it. Bennett puts up around 5 republicans as heroes and no democrats.
This book is HUGE! So thick and so large - larger than your Bible by far! This book is for sure for the adult. And not at all made for our sons - they would have zero interest in reading it. It is long and SOOO BORING! I had to force myself through the pages. Luckily, the prayers/thoughts are short as Bennett rushes through like 500+ men's prayers and thoughts! I kept wanting to put it down and go read something else. I didn't care about these men! I don't want to know George Bush Jr's scripted prayer for the departed! I don't want to read it! He didn't write it anyway! I don't want to read his father George Bush Sr's prayer at his inaugural address either! I don't want to know what pagan-god-worshipping Alexander the Great did! I don't care about Plato's view on life! I don't want to read about their lives! Especially the sleezy politicians! Or the murderous historians! Or the jocks/athletes! Ugh! And the worst part, I truly did NOT find values, morals or good character in almost ANY of these prayers/thoughts. They added nothing to my life but wasted time reading painful thoughts.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
I think Bennett's goal was to find some famous men from history (some old and dead, some still alive) and display for us their thoughts and prayers. For this, Bennett could have picked ANYONE in all of history. Maybe his point is not so much that the men he picked are known for great character, but that all men can show thoughfulness from time to time or at least at some point in their lives. So Bennett focuses on showing us prayers from these men's lives.
I just felt this book is SO UNCHRISTIAN. Half these heroes are unchristian, some pagan-worshipping, money-cheating, sleezebags! Why would we want to hear about their prayers? Ugh! How can this pass for a Christian book? This is more of a worship/idolize/make heroes of your politicians/government/rulers kind of book. This book is also very pro-republican, so democrats will hate it. Bennett puts up around 5 republicans as heroes and no democrats.
This book is HUGE! So thick and so large - larger than your Bible by far! This book is for sure for the adult. And not at all made for our sons - they would have zero interest in reading it. It is long and SOOO BORING! I had to force myself through the pages. Luckily, the prayers/thoughts are short as Bennett rushes through like 500+ men's prayers and thoughts! I kept wanting to put it down and go read something else. I didn't care about these men! I don't want to know George Bush Jr's scripted prayer for the departed! I don't want to read it! He didn't write it anyway! I don't want to read his father George Bush Sr's prayer at his inaugural address either! I don't want to know what pagan-god-worshipping Alexander the Great did! I don't care about Plato's view on life! I don't want to read about their lives! Especially the sleezy politicians! Or the murderous historians! Or the jocks/athletes! Ugh! And the worst part, I truly did NOT find values, morals or good character in almost ANY of these prayers/thoughts. They added nothing to my life but wasted time reading painful thoughts.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
SKIP IT: Going Deep by Gordon MacDonald
Going Deep is a FICTIONAL BOOK about some characters that go about wanting to create deep people within the church. In a growing Christian community of deep seekers, thinkers and the rise of New Calvinists like John MacArthur, R.C. Sproul and John Piper, the idea of this book is great and perfect for the times. Especially the 18-30 crowd is looking for depth and more to life than fun music, fiction, reality tv and are seeking deep readings, like the huge resurgence in Puritain authors like Jonathan Edwards.
Too bad this was a fictional book and not a non-fiction book. Most of the book was wasted on following the characters around in their daily lives and I feel like the book was a quick easy read and not deep. It is a thick book, but most of it is just fluff, so I was able to finish it quickly. Although the author has included some neat ideas inside his story, their implementation in the story is SHALLOW. For a book called "Going Deep", it was disappointing to see the book really isn't deep at all.
Although this book was insightful and made an interesting read, READERS BE AWARE!!! I don't agree with Gordon MacDonald biblically or theologically. Example: He took the verse "where two or three are gathered together, Jesus is with them" to mean Jesus is ONLY present with believers if two or more believers are present! This is completely false! This interpretation declares that if I'm all alone, Jesus won't be with me! Or if I'm marooned on a desert island, Jesus won't be with me! This is completely incorrect. This verse means, when we are applying God's teachings in the case of discipling or helping other Christians, Jesus is there guiding our application of God's teachings to our lives.
I was disappointed to watch the characters determine "the desperate need of today is for deep people." Deep is important, but I also believe Loving is right at the top for Christians. If we can't show people the love of Christ, all the Deepness won't help us to help others. The main characters are said to "know how to love people" but the congregation also needs to be able to touch others with love.
I enjoyed some of the ideas the book put forth, like the "elevator story" - you have the time it take to go from the 30th floor to the 1st floor to tell someone about your church or your faith or Jesus. What would you say? I am now inspired to write my own elevator story! But the examples of elevator stories in the book were so dry and boring, no one would EVER want to come to the guy's church or seek a Christian life based on the shallow, dry, boring, churchy stories.
Another think I did like about this story was its reminder to us that "nothing happens without training, training, training!" We need pastors to train up the body of Christ! We need to become more than just baby Christians sitting in pews, listening to sermons we forget as soon as we step outside the church doors. We need training and DEEP training! Too bad this book couldn't deliver on the DEPTH level. I could not say I would recommend this book. Save your time and read something else, would be my recommendation.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
Too bad this was a fictional book and not a non-fiction book. Most of the book was wasted on following the characters around in their daily lives and I feel like the book was a quick easy read and not deep. It is a thick book, but most of it is just fluff, so I was able to finish it quickly. Although the author has included some neat ideas inside his story, their implementation in the story is SHALLOW. For a book called "Going Deep", it was disappointing to see the book really isn't deep at all.
Although this book was insightful and made an interesting read, READERS BE AWARE!!! I don't agree with Gordon MacDonald biblically or theologically. Example: He took the verse "where two or three are gathered together, Jesus is with them" to mean Jesus is ONLY present with believers if two or more believers are present! This is completely false! This interpretation declares that if I'm all alone, Jesus won't be with me! Or if I'm marooned on a desert island, Jesus won't be with me! This is completely incorrect. This verse means, when we are applying God's teachings in the case of discipling or helping other Christians, Jesus is there guiding our application of God's teachings to our lives.
I was disappointed to watch the characters determine "the desperate need of today is for deep people." Deep is important, but I also believe Loving is right at the top for Christians. If we can't show people the love of Christ, all the Deepness won't help us to help others. The main characters are said to "know how to love people" but the congregation also needs to be able to touch others with love.
I enjoyed some of the ideas the book put forth, like the "elevator story" - you have the time it take to go from the 30th floor to the 1st floor to tell someone about your church or your faith or Jesus. What would you say? I am now inspired to write my own elevator story! But the examples of elevator stories in the book were so dry and boring, no one would EVER want to come to the guy's church or seek a Christian life based on the shallow, dry, boring, churchy stories.
Another think I did like about this story was its reminder to us that "nothing happens without training, training, training!" We need pastors to train up the body of Christ! We need to become more than just baby Christians sitting in pews, listening to sermons we forget as soon as we step outside the church doors. We need training and DEEP training! Too bad this book couldn't deliver on the DEPTH level. I could not say I would recommend this book. Save your time and read something else, would be my recommendation.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
Read It: Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die by Bobby Conway
5 HIGHEST - 1 LOWEST STARS: 4 Stars
READ IT OR SKIP IT? READ IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Universalists will not like this book unless they are open-minded and able to accept a critique of their beliefs. Non-universalists and those who want to know exactly what the Bible says about hell will enjoy this book. The book is not a theology book, so the masses will be able to understand and comprehend the author's ideas about hell.
BOOK REVIEW:
Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die by Bobby Conway is a book that refutes the book "Life Wins" by Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, a 10,000+ megachurch in Michigan. Conway explains in an easy-to-understand, non-theological way, exactly what the bible really does say about hell. Conway defends the historical Christian position that some go to heaven and some go to hell, while Bell's book presents a Universalism teaching that all people go to heaven.
You don't have to read "Life Wins" before you read this book because Conway does an excellent job pointing out what parts of Bell's book he agrees with and disagrees with. While many Christian authors get into name-calling and bashing of other Christian authors who they disagree with (like Hank Hanegraaff does in his new book Has God Spoken), Conway surprisingly keeps an open mind and this book is SOOO much the better for it! While Hanegraaff's bashing made him lose credibility and look like a biased fool, Conway's calmness demonstrated his professionalism. And instead of coming across like a raving madman like Hanegraaff, Conway comes across calm and logical.
Conway shows that he understands the human need to "wish all people went to heaven" but even though we might wish it, he tells us that we must still go by what the Bible teaches. He explains that Bell's Universalism is a watered down version of the gospel and although it may be easier for the masses to accept, we must cling to the truth.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
READ IT OR SKIP IT? READ IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Universalists will not like this book unless they are open-minded and able to accept a critique of their beliefs. Non-universalists and those who want to know exactly what the Bible says about hell will enjoy this book. The book is not a theology book, so the masses will be able to understand and comprehend the author's ideas about hell.
BOOK REVIEW:
Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die by Bobby Conway is a book that refutes the book "Life Wins" by Rob Bell, pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church, a 10,000+ megachurch in Michigan. Conway explains in an easy-to-understand, non-theological way, exactly what the bible really does say about hell. Conway defends the historical Christian position that some go to heaven and some go to hell, while Bell's book presents a Universalism teaching that all people go to heaven.
You don't have to read "Life Wins" before you read this book because Conway does an excellent job pointing out what parts of Bell's book he agrees with and disagrees with. While many Christian authors get into name-calling and bashing of other Christian authors who they disagree with (like Hank Hanegraaff does in his new book Has God Spoken), Conway surprisingly keeps an open mind and this book is SOOO much the better for it! While Hanegraaff's bashing made him lose credibility and look like a biased fool, Conway's calmness demonstrated his professionalism. And instead of coming across like a raving madman like Hanegraaff, Conway comes across calm and logical.
Conway shows that he understands the human need to "wish all people went to heaven" but even though we might wish it, he tells us that we must still go by what the Bible teaches. He explains that Bell's Universalism is a watered down version of the gospel and although it may be easier for the masses to accept, we must cling to the truth.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher for this unbiased review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required.
SKIP IT: Has God Spoken? by Hank Haneraaff
5 HIGHEST - 1 LOWEST STARS: 1 Stars
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Well-read Christians will not like this book because it provides no solid answers but mostly assertations without sources to back them up. This book is highly slanderous of other authors and doesn't make Christians look good, so Christians concerned for Jesus' image won't like this book. Christians who just want some basic ideas or to hear some some additional information on the subject may enjoy this book because they aren't needing solid arguments and can sift through the mud. Pentecostals may enjoy this book as Hanegraaff declares "Greg Laurie one of the best evangelists on the planet".
BOOK REVIEW:
The first thing I noticed about this book was Hanegraaff's childish name-calling of other authors, especially Bart Erham, who he calls "a spiritual terrorist", a "seduce[r] of audiences" and a "professor gone wild" on Pg 3. Who else sees a really gross dig/reference to the pornographic "Girls Gone Wild" videos widely available today?
This book tries to proof the Bible is infallible but falls completely short. None of the chapters have solid strong arguments with good sources. Most of the "arguments" are actually personal declarations or arguments that are easily disproven and picked apart by any well-read Christian, agnostic or athiest. As a well-read Christian girl, I can easily see 100s of holes in Hanegraaff's arguments. So if you plan to use this book for Apologetics or defending your faith, you'll come across as a baby Christian with weak arguments.
See how you feel about the below sections of this book and judge for yourself if this book is worth reading. If you pass on this book, instead get a book by RC Sproul, Josh McDowell "More Than A Carpenter" or "Evidence Demands a Verdict", or Lee Strobel "A Case for Christ" on the same subject matter.
Pg x: "The Qur'an is a hopelessly flawed document full of faulty ethics and factual errors." [Hanegraaff backs this declaration but with Sura 4:3 where men are allowed to take multiple wives as proof the Qur'an isn't from God. While you may agree the Qur'an isn't from God, the fact that it has polygamy isn't PROOF that the book isn't from God. After all, how many 100s of wives did David and Solomon have in the Bible?]
Pg xii: "Nowhere does the Bible suggest that slavery is okay." [The Bible was one of the strongest sources used to defend slavery. "If the Bible people had slaves, why can't we?" they argued. Didn't Paul's friend Philemon have slaves in the NT and the OT is full of the forefathers like Abraham owning slaves?]
Pg 11: Hanegraaff quotes Dr Kenneth Barker's website, where Barker makes a completely inaccurate claim that is easily proven false: "These carefully copied Hebrew texts have remained virtually unchanged since about 600 to 700 AD. In 1947 the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls yielded copies from all the major sections of the Old Testament...... When compared to these ancient copies, the Masoretic texts were found to be virtually identical" [FALSE. Per Wikipedia and other sources, Exodus & Samuel differ significantly and other scholars have listed many other significant differences. The more you honestly research this topic, the more differences you'll come up with. Many church fathers during the years right after the Apostles also declared the scriptures were being corrupted. Jer 8:8 also declares this. Church father Tertullian, Origen and others also believed there were many many corruptions]
Pg 12: "New Testament [copyists] were rather like you and me. They likely loved the Lord and thus willingly sacrificed themselves to the tedious practice of copying" [No proof here! Where is evidence? This is just a personal declaration. If this is true, why does Jerome who wrote the Latin Vulgate Bbile write that the NT scriptures were changed in uncountable verses and the KJV 1611 (in the first introduction pages) also declared the scriptures of its times were completely corrupted with changes?
I ran out of room in my review, but I hope this gives you an idea that this author makes declarations that are incorrect and also rarely gives you credible sources to back up his claims.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Well-read Christians will not like this book because it provides no solid answers but mostly assertations without sources to back them up. This book is highly slanderous of other authors and doesn't make Christians look good, so Christians concerned for Jesus' image won't like this book. Christians who just want some basic ideas or to hear some some additional information on the subject may enjoy this book because they aren't needing solid arguments and can sift through the mud. Pentecostals may enjoy this book as Hanegraaff declares "Greg Laurie one of the best evangelists on the planet".
BOOK REVIEW:
The first thing I noticed about this book was Hanegraaff's childish name-calling of other authors, especially Bart Erham, who he calls "a spiritual terrorist", a "seduce[r] of audiences" and a "professor gone wild" on Pg 3. Who else sees a really gross dig/reference to the pornographic "Girls Gone Wild" videos widely available today?
This book tries to proof the Bible is infallible but falls completely short. None of the chapters have solid strong arguments with good sources. Most of the "arguments" are actually personal declarations or arguments that are easily disproven and picked apart by any well-read Christian, agnostic or athiest. As a well-read Christian girl, I can easily see 100s of holes in Hanegraaff's arguments. So if you plan to use this book for Apologetics or defending your faith, you'll come across as a baby Christian with weak arguments.
See how you feel about the below sections of this book and judge for yourself if this book is worth reading. If you pass on this book, instead get a book by RC Sproul, Josh McDowell "More Than A Carpenter" or "Evidence Demands a Verdict", or Lee Strobel "A Case for Christ" on the same subject matter.
Pg x: "The Qur'an is a hopelessly flawed document full of faulty ethics and factual errors." [Hanegraaff backs this declaration but with Sura 4:3 where men are allowed to take multiple wives as proof the Qur'an isn't from God. While you may agree the Qur'an isn't from God, the fact that it has polygamy isn't PROOF that the book isn't from God. After all, how many 100s of wives did David and Solomon have in the Bible?]
Pg xii: "Nowhere does the Bible suggest that slavery is okay." [The Bible was one of the strongest sources used to defend slavery. "If the Bible people had slaves, why can't we?" they argued. Didn't Paul's friend Philemon have slaves in the NT and the OT is full of the forefathers like Abraham owning slaves?]
Pg 11: Hanegraaff quotes Dr Kenneth Barker's website, where Barker makes a completely inaccurate claim that is easily proven false: "These carefully copied Hebrew texts have remained virtually unchanged since about 600 to 700 AD. In 1947 the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls yielded copies from all the major sections of the Old Testament...... When compared to these ancient copies, the Masoretic texts were found to be virtually identical" [FALSE. Per Wikipedia and other sources, Exodus & Samuel differ significantly and other scholars have listed many other significant differences. The more you honestly research this topic, the more differences you'll come up with. Many church fathers during the years right after the Apostles also declared the scriptures were being corrupted. Jer 8:8 also declares this. Church father Tertullian, Origen and others also believed there were many many corruptions]
Pg 12: "New Testament [copyists] were rather like you and me. They likely loved the Lord and thus willingly sacrificed themselves to the tedious practice of copying" [No proof here! Where is evidence? This is just a personal declaration. If this is true, why does Jerome who wrote the Latin Vulgate Bbile write that the NT scriptures were changed in uncountable verses and the KJV 1611 (in the first introduction pages) also declared the scriptures of its times were completely corrupted with changes?
I ran out of room in my review, but I hope this gives you an idea that this author makes declarations that are incorrect and also rarely gives you credible sources to back up his claims.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
SKIP IT: Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber
5 HIGHEST - 1 LOWEST STARS: 2 Stars
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
People who love Christian fiction or Oxford might enjoy this book. Anyone who is annoyed by "preachy Christianity" or "unrealistic salvation stories" will not like this book.
BOOK REVIEW:
This book was boring and disorganized. The author skipped about in an odd fashion and most of the writing was really pointless and boring. Would you want to read 15 pages about getting off the bus and having to walk to Oxford? Booooring! And how about a chapter on getting lost looking for Stonehenge? The author seems to lose her timeline in several places, as you end up back in time and this makes the story choppy and illogically organized.
Then our main character meets a guy. But just when you want to know what happens to them, the chapter ends and you get a very boring chapter inserted to break up the timeline. You must wait to find out about the guy. Our main character girl is agnostic. But the guy gives what he calls a "brief" summary about his Christian beliefs into a SUPER long SUPER preachy SUPER fake summary of the Christian gospel. It sounds very fake and very revolting (even though I am a Christian). No agnostic would be receptive to this kind of preaching. Especially, when the guy is using Christian terminology that the girl would probably not know in the real world. I certainly didn't buy this "conversion" story as real - and this is supposed to be a memior!
Who wants to read about a "real life memior" that sounds like a completely unrealistic fiction? And it's boring and disorganized to boot!
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
SKIP IT: Don't Check Your Brains At The Door by Josh McDowell
5 HIGHEST - 1 LOWEST STARS: 1 Stars
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Any thinking Christian will not like this book. It is illogical and silly. Certainly too foolish for adults and too complex and confusing for children.
BOOK REVIEW:
I hated this book - its brains certainly were checked at the door and left behind! It was very stupid right from the start. While trying to be clever and cute, it fails. Instead, a book written for children, it is stupid and out of place, with chapters like: "The Luke Skywalker God" and "The Vending Machine God" and "Lily-White Jesus" and "Plastic Jesus" and "The Bible and Swiss Cheese" and " Dr. Luke and the Case of the Disappearing Politarch" I mean, WHAT???
This book was downright painful and I can't imagine any child enjoying it. Much less learning much from it. They would need an adult to decypher the code. Example of terrible "teaching":
Luke Skywalker, having just escaped from the Sand People, stands in the spartan dwelling of Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet of Tatooine. Luke has just learned that Obi-Wan was a Jedi Knight who had fought in the Clone Wars with Luke’s father. Obi-Wan gives him a lightsaber that once belonged to Luke’s father and, in the course of the conversation, mentions “the Force.” “The Force?” Luke says. Obi-Wan responds, “Well, the Force is what gives the Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”1 That concept of the Force, which occurs throughout the immensely popular Star Wars movies, has a familiar ring to it. That is because “the Force” is what many people imagine God to be. They picture God as a faceless, formless “energy,” an impersonal “force,” that mysteriously surrounds and guides the universe. But that’s a myth. Oh, God does surround and guide the universe. He is present everywhere. He is Spirit. But He is not some mysterious “force,” not some elusive “energy” that’s just “out there somewhere.” He is not a “thing,” an “it.” The astounding thing about God is that He is a personal God. “I love those who love me,” He says, “and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17). Notice the personal pronouns God uses to refer to Himself: “I . . . me . . . me . . . me.” Does that sound like some “cosmic energy?”
Josh McDowell &. Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (Kindle Locations 246-261). Thomas Nelson.
The emphasis is on: "The astounding thing about God is that He is a personal God." The book goes no deeper than this. Very shallow.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Any thinking Christian will not like this book. It is illogical and silly. Certainly too foolish for adults and too complex and confusing for children.
BOOK REVIEW:
I hated this book - its brains certainly were checked at the door and left behind! It was very stupid right from the start. While trying to be clever and cute, it fails. Instead, a book written for children, it is stupid and out of place, with chapters like: "The Luke Skywalker God" and "The Vending Machine God" and "Lily-White Jesus" and "Plastic Jesus" and "The Bible and Swiss Cheese" and " Dr. Luke and the Case of the Disappearing Politarch" I mean, WHAT???
This book was downright painful and I can't imagine any child enjoying it. Much less learning much from it. They would need an adult to decypher the code. Example of terrible "teaching":
Luke Skywalker, having just escaped from the Sand People, stands in the spartan dwelling of Obi-Wan Kenobi on the planet of Tatooine. Luke has just learned that Obi-Wan was a Jedi Knight who had fought in the Clone Wars with Luke’s father. Obi-Wan gives him a lightsaber that once belonged to Luke’s father and, in the course of the conversation, mentions “the Force.” “The Force?” Luke says. Obi-Wan responds, “Well, the Force is what gives the Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”1 That concept of the Force, which occurs throughout the immensely popular Star Wars movies, has a familiar ring to it. That is because “the Force” is what many people imagine God to be. They picture God as a faceless, formless “energy,” an impersonal “force,” that mysteriously surrounds and guides the universe. But that’s a myth. Oh, God does surround and guide the universe. He is present everywhere. He is Spirit. But He is not some mysterious “force,” not some elusive “energy” that’s just “out there somewhere.” He is not a “thing,” an “it.” The astounding thing about God is that He is a personal God. “I love those who love me,” He says, “and those who seek me find me” (Proverbs 8:17). Notice the personal pronouns God uses to refer to Himself: “I . . . me . . . me . . . me.” Does that sound like some “cosmic energy?”
Josh McDowell &. Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door (Kindle Locations 246-261). Thomas Nelson.
The emphasis is on: "The astounding thing about God is that He is a personal God." The book goes no deeper than this. Very shallow.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Thomas Nelson for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
SKIP IT: Awakening by Stovall Weems
5 HIGHEST - 1 LOWEST STARS: 1 Stars
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Charismatic/Pentocostal/Word of Faith believers may like this book. If you are not among these, you will not like or trust a book written by Prosperity Gospel preachers like Furtick, Ed Young, and Franklin.
BOOK REVIEW:
I am glad I did not purchase this book. After learning that Properity Gospel preachers (Name-It-Claim-It scammers) were involved in writing this book, I realized the entire purpose of this shallow book was money in their pockets. I am sure very few will have a spiritual awakening in 21 days. We are either read for one RIGHT NOW, or it'll take some time and prayer to get our ship turned around. This book is full of promises with perfectly selected verses plucked out of context and inserted to make you "feel good". Problem is, most of these promises will come up empty, just like this book does. Example: Author tells you to fast (not to lose weight) but then he brags about losing 60lbs. Clearly, he is trying to sucker you into fasting because of the weight loss benefits, when just previously he claims that is not to be a motivating factor. Some promises and claims in this book are not even backed by scripture - like how fasting turns off our human nature and enables our spiritual nature to rise up. Umm... I thought we are supposed to turn to depend and trust on the Holy Spirit/God and then He will lead us. I'm not sure exactly how fasting is supposed to fit in here. This book felt like a clever manipulation for a quick buck from the author.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Water Brook Multnomah for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
READ IT OR SKIP IT? SKIP IT
WHO MIGHT LIKE/HATE THIS BOOK?
Charismatic/Pentocostal/Word of Faith believers may like this book. If you are not among these, you will not like or trust a book written by Prosperity Gospel preachers like Furtick, Ed Young, and Franklin.
BOOK REVIEW:
I am glad I did not purchase this book. After learning that Properity Gospel preachers (Name-It-Claim-It scammers) were involved in writing this book, I realized the entire purpose of this shallow book was money in their pockets. I am sure very few will have a spiritual awakening in 21 days. We are either read for one RIGHT NOW, or it'll take some time and prayer to get our ship turned around. This book is full of promises with perfectly selected verses plucked out of context and inserted to make you "feel good". Problem is, most of these promises will come up empty, just like this book does. Example: Author tells you to fast (not to lose weight) but then he brags about losing 60lbs. Clearly, he is trying to sucker you into fasting because of the weight loss benefits, when just previously he claims that is not to be a motivating factor. Some promises and claims in this book are not even backed by scripture - like how fasting turns off our human nature and enables our spiritual nature to rise up. Umm... I thought we are supposed to turn to depend and trust on the Holy Spirit/God and then He will lead us. I'm not sure exactly how fasting is supposed to fit in here. This book felt like a clever manipulation for a quick buck from the author.
Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher Water Brook Multnomah for this review. I am giving my honest review, as positive reviews are not required
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