Category: Book Reviews

If you have spent any time in Christian settings, you have probably heard about what God has done . . . in the past. He blessed Abraham with a son at 100 years old, freed Israel from slavery and parted the Red Sea, healed the sick by the hands of Jesus and the apostles. But is God still working today?

Taking the lead from the prophet Habakkuk, Whitehead & Tyson encourage us to ask God to renew His works in our day in Rumors of God: Experience the kind of faith you’ve only heard about. And for those of us who aren’t sure what to look for or where to begin looking, they share “rumors” with us; rumors of how God is at work around us today.

Continue reading “Book Review: “Rumors of God” by Darren Whitehead & Jon Tyson” →

When it comes to leadership, in the church as much as the secular world, a lot can be learned from the great leaders of history. Most of us know General Douglas MacArthur for his leadership during World War II. MacArthur may have been one of the greatest leaders of the twentieth century, but there is far more to his story than the Pacific Theater in WWII. In MacArthur: America’s General, author Yockelson helps show us what experiences built the man who defeated imperial Japan and built democratic Japan, friend of the United States.

If you are hoping for a detailed account of the Pacific campaign during WWII, this book will disappoint you. While there are a couple of chapters about the Pacific war, they are more rapid-fire than they are exhaustive. This is just one sign that there is more to MacArthur than most know him for.

Continue reading “Book Review: “MacArthur: America’s General” by Mitchell Yockelson” →

Today’s Christians really have little understanding of the concept of forgiveness. The scars of unforgiveness mark our individual souls, as well as the collective histories of our churches.

In “Unconditional? The call of Jesus to radical forgiveness,” Brian Zahnd provides a challenge to those who call themselves Christian. He paints a biblical portrait of radical forgiveness. It is an end to personal vengeance. It is the key to peace in this world. It is not forgetting, but releasing. It is not cheap justice or weakness. It is the beauty that saves the world. Forgiveness is not easy. It is the cross of Christ that we are called to bear.

You will be challenged by “Unconditional?” You will also be deeply enriched by the theology in the later chapters. It seems as if Zahnd strays from the topic of forgiveness, but his words are so rich that you will not be able to put this book down.

What one thing do you wish you could have, or believe that if you had it your life would instantly change and you would be happy? Think really hard about that one thing, and then think about how you could rearrange your life to turn every effort towards that one goal.

Before you actually start that new way of life, you should know this: After all of the planning and the work and the time investing in getting that one thing you want, when you get it, you still won’t be happy.

Why? Because there is a conspiracy at work to keep you from being content. It’s a conspiracy that involves three parties, and one of those is your own heart.

Check out this trailer video for the book, and then read on for my review.

Continue reading “Book Review: “The Greener Grass Conspiracy” by Stephen Altrogge” →

One of the most important ideas that we must grapple with, not just as Christians but as human beings, is our idea about God, our theology. Are you confident that your theology of God is correct? Is it biblical? Are you willing to trade it in for another theology of God?

When Matt Mikalatos is sitting in his favorite café, Jesus is sitting beside him. But when a gruff man named Pete comes in, everything changes. That’s not the real Jesus; it’s Matt’s version of Jesus, created by his own mind, custom-made to fit him and his needs. Oh, and he’s not the only imaginary Jesus out there.

Imaginary Jesus is Matt’s “not-so-true story” about how the Jesus he loves and serves is not the real Jesus. In fact, the real Jesus frightens him and confuses his ideas of who Jesus should be. But as much as he has trouble accepting the real Jesus, Matt realizes that he no longer wants to serve a false Jesus.

Continue reading “Book Review: “Imaginary Jesus”” →