From time to time people ask me about Beth Moore. So, I decided to read one of her books, Believing God (published in 2004).
My overall impression: While there are many good things about the book, I would never recommend it. In fact, the weaknesses of the book are so significant that I would go so far as to discourage people from reading it - if they…click here to read more.
The book series turned blockbuster movie, “Twilight” raked in over 70 million dollars it’s first weekend, and mostly on it’s appeal to young teenaged girls.
I haven’t read the books myself, but I know those who have, and it’s popularity and appeal to young ladies certainly has made me wonder what they’re all about. I was glad to see a careful, discerning and balanced review by Tim Challies on his website. I thought it would be helpful to let you know it was available in case you, your kids, or your friends are looking for reliable information about the book from a Christian perspective.
Here is a basic summary of his conclusions from the end of the review.
I just don’t know that young girls will derive any benefit from spending hours reading and thinking about such an unrealistic, unobtainable, perverse kind of love. It glories in love that is forbidden, dangerous and just plain weird. The fact that the story involves vampires may be beside the point. My primary concern with Twilight, as I consider handing it to a girl of thirteen or fifteen or seventeen, is its sensuous quality. The lack of overt sexuality means that it is not an erotic book, but it is very nearly so. It oozes sensuality even without an act of consummation.
I hope you’re helped by the information
The Shack is the story of one man’s struggle to know God and understand reality in the face of horrible tragedy. Mackenzie Phillips (”Mack”) grew up alone and far from home from age 13, having run away after fatally poisoning his abusive, drunkard father. He marries a fine Christian woman and settles into a somewhat normal life, until he is suddenly faced with the abduction and brutal murder of his youngest daughter.
After struggling through severe depression for a few years, he mysteriously receives a note of invitation from God to meet Him at the scene of his daughter’s horrible death–a shack in the wilderness of Oregon. There he engages all three members of the Trinity in conversation and discovery about his own heart and the tragedy itself, which transforms his concept of God and of reality.
Unfortunately the book “paints an image of God” that is erroneous at best and blasphemous at worst. The Bible says that some, professing to be wise, actually become fools because they have “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man” (Romans 1:22-23). While admittedly a work of “fiction,” the author clearly intends to communicate truth about God, and therefore cannot be exempt from this biblical warning. Yet, even in the face of such obvious admonition, Young diminishes the reality, majesty and glory of the Godhead by depicting God the Father as a burly African-American woman with a crass sense of humor, the Holy Spirit as a slight, more aged, and almost translucent Asian woman, and Jesus (predictably, I suppose) as a bearded, middle-aged Jewish man outfitted like a carpenter (although the jeans, flannel shirt and tool belt gives even Jesus a curious bent).
Others have addressed the doctrinal issues fairly thorougly (read here for an excellent review). In addition to relating a few obvious doctrinal issues, I would like to address some of the problems, concerns and issues that need to be addressed about this book from a pastoral standpoint. Please read the whole post to hear my thoughts…
I recently read this Shopping for Time - after my wife, Tiffany, had read it. We were both very impressed and helped.
The book is written by Carolyn Mahaney (C.J. Mahaney’s wife) and three daughters. It’s a short book (95 pages) that can easily be read in a day or two (which is good for those who feel like they are short on time!).
My wife posted a review of the book on our family blog (www.CraigandTiff.blogspot.com), and I’m posting it here as well for your edification.
Someone at my church asked me to read this book and give them some feedback about what I thought it’s strengths and weaknesses were. I don’t always have time to read the books people give me, but this one struck a chord. It proposes to help you understand the biblical definition of a fool, along with their patterns of thinking and behavior. Having established this “profile” of typical fools, the subtitle promises to provide “an honorable way to deal with the impossible people in your life.”
I have dealt with “fools” before, and helped others deal with fools as well. There is a lot of great information to be gleaned, and a lot of helpful responses to be learned from a careful reading of this book. However, it would have to be a very CAREFUL reading to avoid some unintended pitfalls of following all the author’s counsel. Read on to find out what I thought were its strengths and weaknesses.
At Together for the Gospel, we received as a gift the book, The Truth of the Cross, by R.C. Sproul. At the conference, Sproul delivered a sobering presentation of the curse motif in the Gospel. Several of Sproul’s illustrations and points can be found in The Truth of the Cross.
In this review, I’ll provide a short summary and what I think are strengths and weaknesses of the book. Click here to read on.
I just finished reading Dever’s book on personal evangelism. The book was given to all those attending the Together for the Gospel conference. I was happy to receive it…even though I had purchased it the week before and was already half-way through reading it! Ha!
The book is great. With only a little more than 100 pages, it is not exhaustive on the topic. But, it is especially helpful in…click here to read more.
I just finished reading The Elder and His Work by David Dickson. I read it primarily for my own edification, and I was indeed edified.
I want to summarize the book, share some of the particularly helpful contributions, and then share what I consider to be some of its shortfalls.
I just finished reading God is the Gospel: Meditations of God’s Love as the Gift of Himself by John Piper.
Click here to read my short summary of the book with a few parting comments.
I get a lot of questions from people in my church about spiritual gifts. I’m glad. It’s an important topic!
Think about the Gift Giver
It is an important topic because they are actual gifts from God. You can offend someone quickly simply by ignoring their gifts. We show our love and appreciation to someone when we gladly accept their gifts. Our study of spiritual gifts is a time of unwrapping the gifts we have been given by God. Show your love and appreciation for Him by unwrapping thoroughly, eagerly, and thoughtfully. And when you have made it through the wrapping paper and are looking at the actual gifts, don’t forget about the Giver. Use the gifts as He intends for you to use them.
So, let’s study what the Bible says. Click here to look with me at the Apostle Paul’s quick introduction to the topic.
