Unqualified by Steven Furtick

     I have done reviews on a couple of Steven Furtick's other books. So I was not surprised by his style of writing when I was given a free copy of his latest book "Unqualified" thought the book review program for bloggers available at http://www.bloggingforbooks.com/. And, as with his other works, his illustrations paint pictures that show his points very well. He is a gifted communicator who is transparent about his personal struggles, while offering Biblical hope for those seeking to be encouraged.
     Unqualified is a look at all of us and how we, in one way or another, are unqualified by the world's standards to be saved by God, loved by God, used by God and blessed by God. Though the thoughts in the book had been swirling in his mind for some time, it was only after hearing an interview with a theologian who, when asked to describe what he thought about Steven Furtick, responded disapprovingly with the word "unqualified". The author explains his response throughout the book, without attacking the theologian who made the comment.
     I like Steven Furtivk's ability to communicate and appreciate his way of using simple and even personal illustrations to draw out his points. This book does that very well. However, one of the areas that disappointed me was the lack of stronger scriptural usage to support his thoughts, particularly earlier in the book. He does use scriptural stories, like Jacob, and uses them well. But, I felt that he spent a lot of time discussing what he was trying to say, more than scripturally stating what the Bible declares.
    The book, however, is a vital subject for believers who struggle in any way with insecurity, identity, acceptance, belonging or the love of God. The Biblical texts he does utilize do help point believers in the right direction. Because, the fact is, we are all unqualified. But, as someone said years ago, and the author reiterates in the book. "God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called."

Greater by Steven Furtick

 

                Have you ever longed for something more? Have you ever sensed in your heart that you were born to do something you never anticipated with your life? But, have you ever settled into the routine of the comfortable and the familiar? Has life ever become so mediocre that each day seems like a complete repeat of the day before? The latter two choices are the type of lives that many people fall into. But, pastor and author Steven Furtick challenges us in his book Greater that God has something more in store for us than we ever thought was possible when we reach out to Him and allow Him to take us on our journey with Him through life.

                This book has actually been out for quite some time, but I was recently given a free copy for this review through the book review program for bloggers that can be found at  http://www.bloggingforbooks.org from the Crown Publishing Group. With the recent emphasis on featuring this selection again from the publisher, I'm glad that I had the opportunity to review the selection. As always, Steven Furtick delivers a no-nonsense challenge to his audience to not just waste their life away and not just settle for the mundane but to live the greater life that God has already designed for them to live.

                Using the life of the prophet Elisha (not to be confused with the prophet Elijah, of which he does make a distinction), Pastor Steven Furtick examines the things we can learn from this great leader whom God used mightily on the earth. He compares the prophet's adventures to the things that God wants to do through us, making the illustrations from Elisha's exploits potent pictures of the power that's available to all of us as we dare to believe for the impossible.

                 While I do not necessarily feel that this was Pastor Furtick's best work, it is still a powerful work that will challenge you to think, do and be more than you ever have before. As always, the author includes his own personal stories and confessions that make the material more relatable to those who are reading it. It's worth reading if you allow yourself to be challenged and to act on the principles he espouses. And there' seven a study guide at the end for group discussion of the material presented. You can read a sneak preview of the first chapter at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/pdf/SneakPeekGreater.pdf.

 

Crash the Chatterbox by Steven Furtick

 
    I have to admit that when I first saw the title of this book, my initial reaction was 'what is it he is talking about?' "Crash the Chatterbox" was certainly unusual  terminology. But, I knew about the author Steven Furtick, who is the founder and Pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and I had reviewed one of his books before, so I decided to delve into the contents. It was a good read, and addresses the all too common subject of dealing with the negative "chatter" that bombards our mind. This is information that applies to all of us and is vital to our spiritual health.
    The book is divided into four basic sections and each one deals with a spiritual truth that will help us to "Crash the Chatterbox'. The chapters in each section revolve around those central themes of "God says I am", "God says He has", "God says He will" and "God says I can". In this manner, the author is able to address the basic tools that we have available to help us win the war that rages in our minds every day. And while he makes it clear that we will never vanquish this enemy as long as we remain alive, we can defeat the negative voices that shout in our minds and replace them with the truth about who we are in Christ.
     The author uses many personal stories and other illustrations to bring his points across clearly, including stories of the problems he had in dealing with the voices in his head while writing this book. He is funny at times, though some might find the material too honest (I didn't). It is a good read and I think you'll grow from the contents, if you apply them. It is a little long, but I think that was needed due to the amount of important information which was required to address the subject. And since it was written by a Pastor who has seen literally thousands make professions of faith in Jesus Christ, I was a little bit surprised that it did not present a clear presentation of the Gospel.
      I received this book free as part of the book review program for bloggers, available at  "Water Brook/Multnomah Publishing Group." It will help you to fully harness your mind to think the thoughts of Christ. There are questions for study included at the end, and a group would most likely benefit from discussing the material. You can read a free preview of chapter one at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/SneakPeek_CrashtheChatterbox.pdf.