Man Myth Messiah by Rice Broocks

           Though the name of Jesus of Nazareth is known literally throughout the world, what people understand about him widely varies. But, to be certain, no other name seems to have the ability to evoke both strong positive or negative reactions wherever it is mentioned. Pastor Rice Broocks, from Bethel World Outreach in Nashville, Tennessee, has written previously about the truths of Christianity in "God's not Dead", but in his newest release "Man Myth Messiah" he tackles, head on, the claims about Jesus, examining who He was, in the light of both scripture and historical research. I received this book for free as a part of the book review program for bloggers, available at www.booklookbloggers.com and the views expressed are my own.
     First, I previously read and reviewed Rice's book "God's Not Dead" on my blog, found at www.therefugeministries.blogspot.com but I actually like :Man Myth Messiah" a little better. Both are well written and documented, but I think the author spent time focusing on the issues that surround Jesus rather than talking about the critics this time, more than in his previous effort. And, I commend him for it. The chapters include discussions on the Gospels, Jesus crucifixion, His resurrection and even the subject of miracles.
     Another thing I liked is that the author is not afraid to tackle the views of the skeptics, doubters and even atheists. He has obviously studied many of their arguments and does not dismiss them. He simply shares the opposing viewpoints and challenges the reader to evaluate the evidence. It is not an attack on anyone, but merely a presentation of Gospel beliefs.
     I think this book will be a good resource for anyone who has heard many of the common arguments against the person of Jesus Christ, stating that He didn't exist, or He didn't do what people say He did, or that He wasn't the Son of God. All of these opinions and others receive their fair treatment throughout the book. I also think it would be a good help for high school or college students who finds themselves consistently having to defend their faith against an onslaught of critical viewpoints. I hope that Pastor Rice Broocks writes more apologetic materials in the future, to better reach more unbelievers, who would benefit from his teachings, and to equip more Christians for works of service, to be better prepared to know what they believe and why they believe it.

Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

    This is an incredible book! Why don't I just come right out and say it first. I loved it and was challenged by it. I still am dwelling on the simple concept espoused throughout the pages of this book, which the title spells out clearly, "Do Hard Things". I had received this book years ago, but I recently received a new edition with more material added for free through the book review program for bloggers, available at www.bloggingforbooks.com. The views expressed are my own.
     So, a little background. At one time, Alex and Brett Harris were your average teenagers, trying to enjoy their summer, when their dad gave them a large reading assignment (think big books) for summer. In the middle of it, they began to wonder if there were more to the teenage years than pop culture suggests. This led to a few 'small' things that they would go on to accomplish, like starting what was at one time the largest teen blog in America (www.therebelution.com), interning for the Alabama Supreme Court in their teens, becoming the statewide directors for four Alabama Supreme Court Campaigns (yes, while still teenagers), writing two best selling books, and a host of other things from then until now. But, the book does not just share their story and ideas, as it also highlights the stories of others who took the challenge and did hard things in their lives also.
    There is so much to say about this book, but first my recommendation. This book is specifically targeted to teens, to dispel the myth of adolescence and the low expectations of teenagers that are created by themselves and others. However, I recommend it for anyone, at any age, because ALL of us undoubtedly have areas in our lives that we don't attempt to do, simply because they seem too "hard". Anyone can glean from thee pages and put the concepts into practice. It also includes discussion questions and, a feature I m glad they included, which was an invitation to meet Jesus Christ.
    Don't leave life on this planet asking the question to yourself "what if I had only,,,". Read this book, put the principles into practice and then realize that you did what you otherwise might never have done, and there will be no 'what if' at the end of your journey. My thanks to the Harris brothers for writing this book, May you do more works in the future, even if it's hard to do it again.