Confident Faith by Mark Mittelberg

       How did you enter into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? Was it because you had a dramatic experience? Were you always taught to be that way? Or was it something that just 'worked for you?' All of these and other approaches are the answers cited by those who profess to be believers in Jesus Christ. And, they are just a portion of the topics discussed by author Mark Mittelberg in his excellent new book Confident Faith.
       Mark Mittelberg codirects The Institute at Cherry Hills in Colorado, along with author Lee Strobel. He has served in full time ministry for a number of years and has written other books on apologetics previously. What I appreciated most about this book was it's simplicity in presenting the material that he covers. While some books on defending your faith can be, well, 'defensive' and complicated, Confident Faith is easy to read, and reasonable in it's presentation.
        The first section of the book discusses the various faith paths that people travel on their journey to their beliefs, ending with the evidential path. He continues with twenty 'arrows' of truth, or areas that point to spiritual truth. And the final section focuses on ten barriers to belief, which concludes with finding a confident faith. This is a great book that will equip you to not 'defend' your faith, but to share your faith with confidence. And I believe that high school students, college students and others seeking to grow in understanding the truths of Christianity will benefit from the material.
         Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book free as a part of their book review program for bloggers. In an age where intelligent faith is slowly being replaced with a quick prayer for salvation, Confident Faith is a refreshing book that will strengthen your faith and better equip you to share Jesus with others. I highly recommend this book to you.
      

The Global War on Christians by John L. Allen Jr.

    If you are living in one of the Western countries of the world, while reading this blog, then the odds are very likely that you have received very minimal persecution for your religious beliefs. Oh, you may have been laughed at, given dirty looks and perhaps heard obscenities shouted at you. But you most likely have not been dragged into a concentration camp, tortured or left for dead because of your faith (and if you have been, I'm very sorry for you and pray for you). Yet, these trials are what multiplied thousands of those who call themselves Christians endure daily around the world. And that is the subject of John L. Allen Jr's book The Global War on Christians.
     The title of the book makes no attempt to hide the contents and neither do the chapters. The writer begins with an overview of the subject and sharing stories from areas around the world like Africa, Asia, the Middle East and others. He then spends a few chapters discussing the myths that surround persecution, such as 'Nobody Saw It Coming'. He concludes the volume with a series of chapters which address the fallout, consequences and response of persecution. It's a wealth of material addressing this often overlooked subject and it is an eye opening education if you have never been exposed to these issues.
     Overall the book is good. It's an important subject that needs addressed by many more writers. However, I did not find the book to be an easy read. It wasn't because of the subject matter, because that is important. I found the author addressing persecution well, but also lumping categories of groups as 'Christian' which some might disagree with strongly. While I do not downplay their suffering either, since no one deserves to be tortured or killed for their beliefs, I find that he does not distinguish between faiths very well. It is also quite lengthy and not easy to finish. But I did find myself praying at many times. And it will open your eyes to what  many endure for the sake of Christ.
     I received this book for free through the "Water Brook/Multnomah Publishing Group" for this review. You may read a sneak peek of the book at http://www.imagecatholicbooks.com/sneak-peek-the-global-war-on-christians-by-john-allen-jr/. The book is very graphic. But, my hope as you read is that no matter where you live in the world, you'll pray for those enduring these trials and will never be able to say 'Nobody Saw It Coming'.

Authentic Fire by Dr. Michael Brown

         

           Dr. Michael Brown has been in ministry for decades as a teacher, author, activist, theologian and radio host. His newest book, Authentic Fire, is just another example of his great contributions to the Christian volumes on theological issues, this time addressing the concerns voiced by another Christian leader, Dr. John MacArthur, in his Strange Fire book and conference. Authentic Fire openly answers Dr. MacArthur and his colleagues criticisms of those come from the Charismatic stream of Christianity. But, he deals with the questions raised not as an adversary of those opposing him, but as a brother desiring to resolve family disagreements with open and honest communication.
           For those of you reading who are not familiar with the terms cessationist and continuationist, let me be as brief as I can. These two words define the difference between those who believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit, found in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 of the Bible have either ceased or continue to be used today. Dr. John MacArthur recently wrote a book entitled "Strange Fire" and held a conference by the same name. In both, he makes several bold assertions against those continuationists, primarily found in what are called Charismatic churches, even declaring a "collective war" on those who hold to these positions. Dr. Michael Brown has  written a detailed, thoughtful and Biblically based response to those assertions in the book Authentic Fire, and gives the reader plenty of points to ponder in determining whether or not the gifts of the Holy Spirit are valid in today's contemporary culture.
          Honestly, I was disappointed but not in Dr. Brown's book. On the contrary, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will keep it as a ready reference for the topics of spiritual gifts and charismatic expression of them. No, I was disappointed that a book even needed to be written about these issues, when the arguments Dr. Brown presents are so clearly laid out scripturally, historically and systematically. When Dr. Brown has to answers questions like "where is the charismatic hospital? Social Services? Poverty Relief?"  he does so graciously, but  either Dr. MacArthur never heard of organizations like Teen Challenge, or he forgot them for some reason. I could site many other disappointing examples, but I think one suffices for now.
          Dr. MacArthur's arguments in Strange Fire seem convincing at first glance. But, Dr. Brown does a masterful job of bringing to light the truth about the accusations made and does so as a gentleman. I also enjoyed the appendixes found at the end of the book, written by other authors. Sam Storms article on "Why New Testament prophecy does not result in 'scripture quality' revelatory words" should be read by everyone on both sides of this issue.
          In conclusion, I highly recommend Dr. Brown's book Authentic Fire for those concerned about these issues, for those who want to be better equipped in defending their charismatic beliefs and for anyone who has never been taught about the Gifts of the Spirit and how God speaks today. I appeal to Dr. MacArthur and those who agree with his conclusions to reconsider their position in light of the truths Dr. Brown presents and to humbly seek to build up rather than divide over these issues.

Six Days by Ken Ham

           

             Ken Ham would have made a good attorney if he had not chosen to dedicate his life to creation science and defending Biblical worldviews against the onslaught that challenges such positions. In his new book "Six Days" he argues passionately, unreservedly and without apology for the Biblical position of creation that is based on six literal days and not on the millions or billions of years associated with the evolutionary theories of the world. He presents his case coming from several different angles and gives the reader plenty to think about in this challenging book.
            The book focuses on the arguments raging even among Christian circles that the Bible book of Genesis, chapters 1-11 specifically, should not be taken literally and can very easily be compatible with the scientific discoveries of man and the record "millions of years" of life on the earth. In order to effectively counter the arguments used by those who oppose a literal, six day account of creation, Noah's flood and other passages found in Genesis, the author first has to define terms. After emphasizing the importance of proper foundations in this area, he defines 'science', distinguishing between observational science and historical science.
             Moving on to describing the difference between exegesis and eisegesis in interpreting the Biblical text, the author lays a foundation for explaining why he believes the unnecessary inclusion of reading 'millions of  years' into the Bible narratives is not only problematic, but can lead to greater questioning of other Biblical texts, such as the resurrection of Jesus. And, while this may sound to someone reading this review as a wide gap between doubting six literal days and doubting Jesus' resurrection, Ken Ham states his case emphatically and provides the reasons he believes such a connection can easily be made.
             I enjoyed the fact that Ken Ham is passionate about what he believes in the book. I also liked the fact that he is not simply reciting the literal six day creation position without scientific support. There are thousands of scientists who do not support evolutionary views, and his organization Answers in Genesis publishes a considerable amount of material to present concrete evidence of their views. But, perhaps what I appreciated most was that the book is not simply trying to prove his point on the six days of creation, but rather to emphasize that how we interpret scripture determines how we will inevitably live, and compromising in one part of the Bible can lead to compromising other parts, with possible eternal implications.
                 A trailer about the book is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwq_jPEtDW8&feature=player_embedded#t=0 . I received this book for free through the Master's Books, a division of New Leaf Press Publishing Group, book review program for bloggers at nlpg.com. The views expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. You may order the book at http://www.nlpg.com/imprint/master-books/six-days or preview the contents of Six Days at the link http://www.nlpg.com/downloads/dl/file/id/518/six_days.pdf . For more more information about Ken Ham or Answers in Genesis, you can read http://www.nlpg.com/ken-ham . The fight that the author espouses is not one of merely six days of creation, it is fighting for Biblical truth. May this book better equip you to win.

Champions in the Wilderness by Bob Santos

         
          I like the Bible. and when I read Christian books, I like it when they take their thoughts from the Bible, rather than trying to find scriptures to confirm their thoughts, as the current trend is in today's Christian books and in many pulpits also. So, when I began reading Champions in the Wilderness by Bob Santos, I found myself comforted by the Biblical emphasis the author takes in this book, which is a 52 lesson devotional that I believe you will find beneficial in helping you navigate through seemingly dry spots, confusing spots and sometimes even painful periods in your walk with God. Rather than provide a step by step map through the wilderness periods of the Christian life, the book will serve as more of a guidebook along the terrain that you will travel, teaching you what you will likely encounter, and how to navigate it successfully.
          Perhaps you've never heard of Bob Santos. But as you read Champions in the Wilderness, you'll get to know hin a little better. Bob was born-again in 1980 while in college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and later served on the same campus for 16 years in ministry to college students. In 2006, he and his wife Debi launched Search For Me Ministries. He writes from a wealth of experience as both a Christian serving Jesus faithfully and as a full time minister. Many stories from his own life and ministry are woven throughout the book. He is candidly honest but challenging in his lessons and they will cause you to look inside yourself and be open for examination, while looking inside the Bible for answers.
          The book has four sections, focusing the lessons on understanding your journey, faith, security and purpose. The chapters are short, normally with a Bible reading, quote and lesson. These are followed by probing questions, action steps, a closing prayer and further reading. I was able to read through the material quickly so that I might blog about it, but I do not recommend that approach. Take the time to read the material, answer the questions, take the steps, pray the prayer and read further. Though there are 52 lessons, I think a small group would benefit from the material.                
          Finally, there are a couple of places where I felt the lesson could have been supported better by a different scripture reference, but not many of them. But this did not hinder the points from getting across. I received this book free through the book review program for bloggers at www.bookcrash.com and was not required to write a positive review. You may purchase this book at http://www.amazon.com. To the author I say, good job Mr. Santos, I look forward to reading any works you might produce in the future.
       

The New Answers Book 4 by Ken Ham

             
              There are several subjects in the world which can ignite debate rather quickly. One of the prominent topics that can be found on that list is the subject of evolution. While some may claim that this debate is fueled only by the sides of Christians vs. non-Christians, the lines are not that distinct, as there are many non-Christians who profess non-evolutionary views, and even many Christians who believe that the earth evolved as part of Gods creation. But, whichever side of the debate you choose to stand on, Ken Ham and the organization Answers in Genesis have put together another book which addresses many questions that people have in connection with science, creation and the Biblical accounts of life and the issues it addresses.
               The book I reviewed is the New Answers Book 4. This is the fourth in a series which contains articles, lectures and messages given in response to common questions that stem from the ongoing dialogue between creationists and evolutionists. Written by a series of authors, with a litany of credentials to support their expertise and experience, the book approaches each issue from the perspective of creation science and provides the reasons, scientifically, why the writers hold their viewpoints.
               The New Answers Book 4 contains 33 chapters. The questions answered include, "Was Charles Darwin A Christian?", "What About Living Fossils?" and "How Big is the Universe?". There are too many others to list, but it is a wide variety of topics within the scientific community that are discussed within it's pages. I am not a very scientifically minded person, so I was lost at several points in what is probably simple language to most people in the field. But, I did find the book a very valuable resource and believe it will help you to understand the perspective of many issues from a creation science viewpoint, even if you do not agree.
              I received this book for free through the Master's Books, a division of New Leaf Press Publishing Group, book review program for bloggers at nlpg.com. The views expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review. You may order the book at http://www.nlpg.com/new-answers-book-4 or preview the contents of The New Answers Book 4 at the link http://www.nlpg.com/downloads/dl/file/id/489/the_new_answers_book_4.pdf. In an age where many believe that creationists have no scientific validity for their convictions, The New Answers Book 4 will offer the reasonable, rational and relatable reasons for a radical faith in the God who created the world.

Innovation's Dirty Little Secret by Larry Osborne

            Let me get straight to the conclusion, lest what I say at first confuse you or lose you. This is a fantastic book that I highly recommend for anyone who is a leader or aspires to be one. Ok, now that I've said those words, allow me to back track a little bit.
             When I first saw the cover and title of Larry Osborne's new book "Innovation's Dirty Little Secret" I wasn't very enthused to read it. But since I have read a previous work by the author, since he does come highly recommended by many prominent leaders and since the book was short, I decided to give it a try. And although I didn't feel engaged in the first chapter or two, the book quickly picked up. I was soon hooked on continuing to read and was impressed by the impact it had on me.
            Dr. Larry Osborne is the Pastor of North Coast Church in San Diego. His premise in the book is that most innovations fail. He then goes on to explore why they succeed or fail, how to think differently and he offers keys to successful innovations. Using both the realms of ministry and business as his platforms, the book is packed with illustrations on each point that really show clear, visual examples of the points he endeavors to drive home.
             I received this book free from the publisher through the http://www.booksneeze.com book review program for bloggers. I was not required to write a positive review. The views expressed are my own. Even if you don't lead a ministry, business or group, this book will allow you to think much differently. And if you currently lead, or will eventually, this may give you some keys to allowing yourself and others to safely release the ideas inside to make a difference in the lives of those who follow you.