Twelve Unlikely Heroes by John MacArthur

              
                                                           
                Dr. John MacArthur is no stranger in the world of Christian preachers, nor is he in the world of Christian authors. In one of his newest books, Twelve Unlikely Heroes, he again writes as an experienced minister and established author to challenge his readers to grow more into the image of Jesus Christ by examining the lives of those some would call heroes and recognizing the Godly traits in their lives which earned their place in the historical Biblical record.
                The book does as it's title suggests, it looks at twelve unlikely heroes. The characters chosen to be examined by MacArthur include women like Esther, prophets like John the Baptist, and runaway slaves like Onesimus. Pastor Macarthur establishes early on that what ultimately made the individuals great was not just their achievements, but the God who was behind them and enabling them to do great exploits for Him.
                You may or may not find yourself agreeing with the author's choice of Biblical characters to review. I, for one, found Jonah and Miriam in particular not quite the image I had in mind when I think of a hero. But perhaprs this simply further establishes the writer's point in his introduction to the book that "And these true heroes who make an eternal impact are invariably the most unexpected and ordinary people - God makes unlikely heroes" (introduction - pg. x).
                The chapters are simple enough and short enough that one can easily read a chapter at a time and gain much from each seperate segmment. One thing Dr. MacArthur consistently does in all of his sermons and writings is provide a rich amount of background about the lives of those he explores, and he does not disappoint in this book either.
                This book was given to me complimentary as a part of the book review program for bloggers at www.booksneeze.com. I am thankful that I made it my choice and would recommend it to those who desire more knowledge of the Biblical characters they frequently read about but sometimes overlook. And if one point can be made from Dr. MacArthur's treatise, it is that the men and women God uses are ordinary people, just like you and me. If we will yield ourselves to God and His word, though we may be overlooked and unrecognized in the eyes of the world, we, too, can be unlikely heroes to our father in heaven.