Music Video of the Week: House of Heroes

House of Heroes - "God Save the Foolish Kings"

More Than Just Seatbelt Advocacy

HT: Randy Alcorn

Book Review and Giveaway: Tullian Tchividjian - Surprised by Grace

Genre: Christian Living
Publisher: Crossway Books
Publication Date: May 31, 2010

It’s one of the most familiar stories in the Old Testament. All Christians know it. Most non-Christians have at least heard of it (if they’ve watched the movie Master and Commander, for example). Some may mock it, but there’s a fascination with the story of Jonah. God tells this guy to go preach doom to some people. He doesn’t want to go and leaves on a ship so God works it out so a whale swallows him alive. After praying inside the whale, the guy is spit out on the beach. Then, he goes to preach to the people. Moral: Do what God says or he’ll get you.

That’s most people’s basic understanding of the story. But there’s so much more to it than that. God reveals so much more of His character in the story of Jonah than most people realize. In his new book, Surprised by Grace, pastor Tullian Tchividjian takes readers on a grace-filled ride through Jonah’s familiar yet surprising story of God’s pursuit of those who run from Him. It’s a fantastic journey, and one that will have me thinking about Jonah’s story (and God’s grace) differently from now on.

After setting the scene with a brief introduction to the story and some pre-emptive strikes against the objections people might have to the historical accuracy of the story, Tchividjian begins to slowly unpack the numerous layers of meaning and insight in Jonah’s short story. It’s always encouraging to hear the gospel of God’s grace preached from the Old Testament, and that’s exactly what this book does. Tchividjian uses various sources (with large doses of John Calvin) to demonstrate from Jonah that God is sovereign over all events and works all things together for the good of his children by His grace. What appears to be a story about a guy being swallowed by a fish for disobeying God is shown to actually be God’s gracious provision for a man struggling with fear and pride, a state to which all of us can relate.

If, like me, you grew up hearing the story of Jonah but never really listening to it, let me encourage you to read this book. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and the book of Jonah demonstrates that his grace was just as prominent in the Old Testament as during the time of Christ and today. He’s a gracious, loving Father who pursues His children however far from Ninevah they run. I repeatedly saw myself in Tchividjian’s descriptions of Jonah’s responses to God, and this book encouraged me that God’s relentless grace pursues me in exactly the same way it did Jonah so long ago.

FREE GIVEAWAY: If you'd like to win a free copy of this book, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post explaining why. I'll choose a winner next week (June 2nd), so you have until then. U.S Residents only and please leave some way for me to contact you.
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The contest is now closed. Thanks to all who entered. I'll be contacting the winner via email.




This book was provided for review by Crossway Books in exchange for a review. No expectation of a positive review existed.

The Unanswered Questions of LOST

HT: Bill at The Thinklings

First and Last

[S]elf reliance is the real slavery. When we place trust in ourselves, becoming our own gods, we forfeit the grace and the help that could be ours. So when Jesus said, "The last will be first, and the first last" (Matt. 20:16), he might even have worded it, "The Ninevites will be first, and Jonah last." Jerry Bridges applies this last-first, first-last principle to our own lives with these words: "If we are to succeed in living by grace, we must come to terms with the fact that God is sovereign in dispensing His gracious favors, and He owes us no explanation when His actions do no correspond with our system of merits."

God owes no explanation to Jonah (or to us) for what he has done with the Ninevites. But in his overflowing grace, he works to help Jonah (and us!) to understand it all better. God is still coming after Jonah (and us!) to teach us more about his grace.

God never gives up on you. There's no one whose patience and forbearance toward you will ever be greater or longer-lasting than God's. Your wife or husband won't be this patient with you -- your kids won't, your friends won't, your coworkers won't, your pastor won't. They'll all fail you at some point. You'll feel dehumanized, cheapened, discouraged, depressed, or radically disappointed by everyone and everything in this world.

But not by God. Nothing and no one will ever be as patient and forgiving toward you as God is. In all of existence, God is the only reality who refuses to give up on those he knows.

~Tullian Tchividjian, Suprised by Grace, pp. 138-139.

Kevin DeYoung on David Platt's "Radical"

A few weeks ago, I reviewed a book by David Platt called Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream. I concluded that review this way:

In America, we’ve settled for taking the gospel and the teachings of Jesus and spinning them into a formula for a good, middle-class life and a ticket to heaven. Jesus is worth so much more than that. When he says we should sell everything we own, we should hear that and examine if we really value him that much. Is he really better? Is he really worth your life? Radical has ignited a passion in me to want to answer those questions whole-heartedly in the affirmative.

Kevin DeYoung, one of my favorite authors and a fantastic pastor, reviewed the book today over at The Gospel Coalition. After talking about how much he likes Platt and how much there is in the book he agreed with and appreciated, DeYoung stated this about the book:

Radical is a stirring book that will help many Christians.

But not everything here is helpful. Let me highlight a few concerns I have with the book and with the some elements of the larger “get radical, get crazy Christianity” that is increasingly popular with younger evangelicals. I hesitate to mention these concerns because there is so much in the book I agree with and because David does provide caveats here and there to soften the blow of his rhetoric. But people tend to hear what we are most passionate about, and I’m afraid the take-home message from Radical for many people may reinforce some common misconceptions about what it means to be sold-out for Jesus.

DeYoung gave Platt space to respond to his concerns, and the exchange is well worth reading. This was my favorite part of Platt's response where he does a great job of balancing his call to radical Christian living with resting in the grace of God. The book isn't meant to produce legalism, but I can see how that would be a concern for young people reading it.

Over and above everything else, I want to convey a shared concern with Kevin for gospel-driven, grace-saturated, God-glorifying obedience. The last thing I want to do is to leave people living with low-level guilt, constantly wondering, “When am I going to be radical enough? What do I need to do, how do I need to give, or where do I need to go in order to do enough for God?” These are obviously unhealthy questions, for the gospel teaches us that Christ alone is able to do enough. He alone has been faithful enough, generous enough, compassionate enough, etc. The gospel beckons our sin-sick souls to simple trust in Christ, the only One who is truly radical enough. In him, we no longer live from a position of guilt, but from a position of righteousness.

All of this to say – comments in Radical like the assertion that over 3 billion people live on less than $2 a day (they struggle to find food, water, medical care, and shelter with the same amount we spend on french fries for lunch) or the reality that multitudes of our brothers and sisters around the world are suffering with malnourished bodies and deformed brains because they have no food or water are not intended to promote guilt-driven obedience. Instead, my goal is simply to help open our eyes to realities in the world that we would rather ignore and to call us to look at those realities through the eyes of the One who “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9; p. 113 in Radical).

You can read the whole review by DeYoung and Platt's response here. This is a great example of Christian interaction when disagreements happen. Great job by both men.

Lessons From Lost

I thoroughly enjoyed the finale to LOST last night. It didn't tie everything up perfectly, and I was a little annoyed by the Universalist-tone of the ending, but overall, I still think it was fantastic and that LOST was one of the best TV shows of all time. I feel pretty much spoiled for any other show now because LOST just required so much of its viewers instead of just feeding them everything. I loved that.

The Christian blogosphere has been blowing up today with posts about the show, but here's my favorite: Trevin Wax on why LOST has been such a hit (no spoilers).

In this age of fragmentation with regard to entertainment choices, it is increasingly rare for a single television show to stir up as much conversation as has Lost. Likewise, when most television shows specialize in serving up a great big dish of fluff, it is rare to see a show address the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of life’s biggest questions.

Lost was groundbreaking in many ways, and it will certainly take its place in history as one of the most thought-provoking dramas to grace the airwaves. It was not perfect (remember the sluggish pace of Season 3 or the introduction of Nikki and Paulo?), but I’m confident that it will be remembered for setting a new standard for television drama.

What are some lessons that Christians can take away from this pop culture phenomenon?

1. People are interested in the big questions of life.

2. People are looking for the purpose behind pain and suffering.

3. There is a crisis of fatherhood today that has caused immeasurable pain, sorrow and anger.

4. People long to be part of a story bigger than their personal story, but which is able to incorporate and add meaning to their individual experiences.

...Why did Lost strike such a chord? Because this desire for meaning and purpose behind our individual stories is very much wired into us as humans. Lost never fully succeeded at satisfactorily tying the stories together into the show’s meta-narrative. But there is one Story that will.

The Christian faith teaches that we are part of a Story that is about Jesus Christ, the King of the universe. The slain Lamb is the conquering king – through whom and for whom our world exists.

Read the whole post.

Music Video of the Week: John Mayer

John Mayer - "Who Says"

Defining the Young, Restless, and Reformed

Great post here by Stephen Altrogge. Dead on. And hilarious. Stuff Calvinists like...

Using Air Quotes When We Say “Free Will”

If you say the words “free will” without putting air quotes around it, we’ll stop you in your tracks and begin a five point interrogation. To be safe, put air quotes around anything that sounds like “free will”, such as “free willy”.

Making Resolutions

Jonathan Edwards, who is the Calvinist equivalent of Spiderman, made over seventy resolutions. We Calvinists like to make resolutions, post them on our blogs, and then not do them. We mainly just like to say the word “Resolved”. And the word “Institutes”.

Quoting John Piper

We try to maintain a 2:1 Bible to Piper ratio. We quote two Bible verses and then a sentence out of Don’t Waste Your Life. When we see someone collecting sea shells, we say, “What’s he going to do with that shell collection when he gets to heaven?”

Moleskine Journals

Apparently there is something spiritual about Moleskine journals because every Calvinist owns at least four. One for devotional notes, one for sermons notes, one for prayer lists, and one for fantasy football stats. For some reason we also use fountain pens, even though using a fountain pen is like trying to write with an octopus.

Correcting Someone When They Say “Lucky”

Please don’t say the word “lucky” around me. It was providence, not luck. And that breakfast cereal you’re eating? Providence Charms.

Loving On C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis is basically the Bono of the reformed world. He was definitely not a Calvinist, but we still go absolutely crazy for the guy. Yes he held some unbiblical doctrines, but you still have to love him. Only a cold-hearted machine would get angry at a guy who wrote about centaurs and fawns.

Showing That We’re Culturally Relevant

People often associate reformed doctrine with stuffy, old, out-of-touch churches. We don’t like that, and do all we can to prove our relevance. So we’ll make references to the show Full House and talk about how much we love Creed (even though they’re probably not Christian, but we’re not sure).

Head over to Stephen's blog for more jewels like this one.

The Latest From Matt Chandler

Piper's God-Exalting Grammar

An oldie but a goodie that I was very encouraged to hear again this morning. Love the song as well - "Only Jesus" from Sovereign Grace Music's "Valley of Vision."

Book Review: Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears - Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe

Genre: Christian Theology/Christian Living
Publisher: Crossway Books
Publication Date: March 31, 2010

Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears (Vintage Jesus, Vintage Church, Death by Love) have teamed up on their 4th book together, entitled Doctrine: What Christians Should Believe. In it, the authors seek “to trace the big theological themes of Scripture along the storylines of the Bible” (p. 9). With this structure, readers are walked through chapters like “Trinity: God Is” and “Creation: God Makes” all the way through “Cross: God Dies” and Kingdom: God Reigns.” Filled with Scriptural and bibliographical references, Driscoll and Breshears have written basically a popular level systematic theology, one that would be a solid resource in any Christian’s collection of books.

While there was definitely value to reading the book straight through like I did, and it would make a great theological introduction for newer believers to get them familiar with the Bible’s big themes, I think the book will actually function best as a reference for the different topics discussed. While I’m not comparing this to Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology in terms of depth and scope, most people don’t use that text to read straight through. Instead, you go to it when studying certain topics or have specific questions about what the Bible and other Christians say about different areas. This is how I foresee using this book in the future. The vast indexes will come in handy here.

I’m sure there are some out there who will have some difficulty with the book’s subtitle: “What Christians Should Believe.” Our postmodern ethos bristles at claims to have the corner on knowledge of anything, let alone the immutable God of the universe. In reading the book, however, Driscoll and Breshears do a pretty solid job of focusing on areas of vast theological and historical agreement among Christians. When discussing areas where differences exist, the authors’ opinions are made know while presenting other areas fairly. Heresy is called heresy when needed, but the word is used carefully and none within the Orthodox tradition of belief should take offense at the way the doctrines are presented here.

As usual, Driscoll was at his best when discussing the cross of Christ. Much of the content of that chapter appeared to be borrowed from Death by Love, which is a fantastic exploration of the different facets of the cross. Driscoll “proclaims” the truths in this chapter rather than just describing them, as the tone slips into in other chapters. The same was true of the final chapter about the Kingdom. The information in the book is solid throughout, but you can almost feel the joy in the proclamation in these chapters.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book as a welcomed addition to any Christian’s library. Not everyone will agree with where the authors’ come down on every topic, but their cases are biblical and summarize the general consensus of traditional, orthodox beliefs in most cases. Doctrine is a very solid, popular-level theological reference to have around.



This book was provided for review by Crossway Books in exchange for a review. No expectation of a positive review existed.

Music Video of the Week: Phil Wickham

Phil Wickham - "Heaven Song"

"If I'm here, let's work, but if I go home, that's better."

HT: Jared Wilson's Facebook

How Not To Be Defeated By Guilt Over Sin

Are you racked by guilt a majority of the time? Are you constantly feeling like your Christian walk is lacking and God is always disappointed by your actions and/or lack thereof?

If you're like me, this is pretty much your default state as a Christian. It shouldn't be this way, though. God called us to rejoice in Him, to live free from guilt, not because we don't sin, but because there is no condemnation for those in Christ.

This post by Kevin DeYoung was a fantastic reminder of these truths to me. His 4 points about why Christians tend to live under guilt:

1. We don’t fully embrace the good news of the gospel.
2. Christians tend to motivate each other by guilt rather than grace.
3. Most of our low-level guilt falls under the ambiguous category of “not doing enough.”
4. When we are truly guilty of sin it is imperative we repent and receive God’s mercy.

I especially loved his fleshing out of the 4th point:

Paul had a clean conscience, not because he never sinned, but, I imagine, because he quickly went to the Lord when he knew he was wrong and rested in the “no condemnation” of the gospel (Rom. 8:1). If we confess our sins, John says, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We aren’t meant to feel borderline miserable all the time. We are meant to live in the joy of our salvation. So when we sin–and we’ll all sin (1 Kings 8:46; 1 John 1:8)–we confess it, get cleansed, and move on.

This underlines one of the great dangers with constant guilt: we learn to ignore our consciences. If we are truly sinning, we need to repent and implore the Lord to help us change. But if we aren’t sinning, if we are perhaps not as mature as we could be, or are not as disciplined as some believers, or we are making different choices that may be acceptable but not extraordinary, then we should not be made to feel guilty. Challenged, stirred, inspired, but not guilty.

Read the whole post.

The Swagger Wagon

Yes, we are now a minivan family. I'm thankful for these commercials, which succeed in allowing me to feel much cooler than I probably should driving a minivan.

Book Review: Bryan M. Litfin - The Sword

Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Crossway Books
Publication Date: April 30, 2010

It’s 400 years in the future. A nuclear holocaust has happened, and the remnants of the survivors have started a new civilization called Chiveis, a medieval-like kingdom that has long-since lost any connection to Christianity. The official religion is a corrupt combination of power, politics, and fear mongering. But things are about to change. This is the setting for Bryan M. Litfin’s first novel in the Chiveis Trilogy, The Sword.

Teofil, a noble army guardsman, and Anastasia, a beautiful peasant woman, forced into an adventure by an attack by outsiders, come upon an building from the Ancient Civilization (our modern day) and find a holy book inside (only the first two-thirds of the book have survived). In the pages of this book, Teo and Ana encounter a new God, one that differs greatly from the official gods of Chiveis.

What follows is a fascinating description of what happens when people encounter the Word of God, the “Sword” of truth. His words cannot be suppressed, and the discussions the characters have about the Bible is absorbing. Some see clearly the truth of the scriptures, while others take a view that this truth is only for a select few and want to use it to gain power. Ultimately, the followers of this new God will be forced to decide what they believe about Him and face the consequences of those beliefs.

The story in The Sword is enthralling. Author Bryan M. Litfin explained it as “epic adventure,” and this is an apt description. It’s much more than that, though. Woven throughout the story is a theology that is very orthodox and quite blatant at times. Some will bristle at this. Others will say it’s only fiction. The point is that even in a fictional story, a worldview is communicated. What The Shack was for liberal, anti-authority, open theism, The Sword attempts to be for traditional, orthodox beliefs. I highly doubt this book will be remotely as successful as that book, but I’m glad that people are attempting to write great fiction that communicates a Christian worldview like this. The theology isn’t always perfectly embedded in the story, but Litfin does a great job for the most part.

The other strength of this book is the attention to detail. This is not a fantastical story. The places are real places in Europe that Litfin researched in detail. Names are changed, but the places are very real and described vividly. The story happens 400 years in the future, but it very well could happen.

I was moved by the reactions of the characters to God’s truth in His Word. The narrative is moving, and the characters are real. Stories are powerful, and I can’t wait to hear the rest of this one.



This book was provided for review by Crossway Books.

Book Review: David Platt - Radical

Genre: Christian Living
Publisher: Multnomah Books
Publication Date: May 4, 2010

Right up front, let me say this: I was rocked by David Platt’s new book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream more than any other book I’ve read in recent years. There’s very little that most believers don’t already know, but Platt refuses to allow you to ignore that gnawing feeling in your stomach that tells you you’re missing what God’s called you to. It made me uncomfortable, challenged my thoughts and beliefs about how I’m living my life, and inspired me to more. He’s biblical, straightforward, brutally honest, and writes powerful narrative when describing stories as he sets out to discover what Jesus really taught to first century followers.

What exactly does it mean to be a “follower of Jesus?” A lot of people seem to prefer that term these days over “Christian,” a word they feel is filled with negative connotations. But what does it even mean to “follow Jesus?” What part of his teaching are we referring to when we say that? As well-intentioned as some might be, I can’t help but feel like there’s a disconnect between the teachings of Jesus in the Bible and what we see lived out today by those who claim his name (myself very much included).

Have you ever felt that way? Like when you read Jesus tell people to sell everything they have and give it to the poor. Obviously he’s not asking us to actually do that…right? And that business about taking up a cross to follow him. He didn’t really mean that following him would be the same as carrying the instrument of your own torture to your death, did he? These are the kinds of questions Platt delves into in Radical.

I’ve already seen some comparison to books like John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life or Francis Chan’s Crazy Love, but this felt different to me. Maybe it says more about where I am and what I feel God’s doing in my life, but I was staggered by the juxtaposition of Platt’s vision of the Christian life versus my own life. His narrative just feels closer to the narrative I hear when I read the Bible than just about anything I’ve ever read. Platt uses examples from scripture, from the church he pastors, and from Church history to show the great lengths God calls people to go to in following Him. His passion for evangelizing the lost, both locally and abroad, is contagious and inspiring. His biblical exegesis is fantastic, and his no-punches-pulled style really connected with me.

My favorite chapter was entitled “The Great Why of God,” where Platt paints the vision of God’s global purpose of bringing people from all nations to Himself for His glory. Platt states that every believer owes the gospel to every non-believer this side of Hell. I was also very inspired by stories of new believers so hungry for God’s word that they studied literally for days on end in an attempt to know God. When contrasted with my meager attempts at a “quiet time” of reading the Bible for 15 minutes, it’s ridiculous.

At the end of the book, Platt issues a year-long “Radical Challenge” that includes these 5 steps:

1. To pray for the entire world.
2. To read through the entire Word.
3. To sacrifice your money for a specific purpose.
4. To give your time in another context.
5. To commit your life to a multiplying community.
   

They sound very simple, but in the context of the book, they become powerful and look like the life Jesus seems to call us to in the Bible.

In America, we’ve settled for taking the gospel and the teachings of Jesus and spinning them into a formula for a good, middle-class life and a ticket to heaven. Jesus is worth so much more than that. When he says we should sell everything we own, we should hear that and examine if we really value him that much. Is he really better? Is he really worth your life? Radical has ignited a passion in me to want to answer those questions whole-heartedly in the affirmative.



This book was provided for review by Multnomah Books.

Music Video of the Week: Mumford & Sons

Mumford & Sons - "The Cave (Live)"

Exactly What Jesus Had in Mind

"Contemporvant"
"...so you know I have a past..."
"This is the song everyone knows."
"Nobody knows this song."
"...with string that'll make you cry."




HT: The majority of the blogs I read today.

Nashville Flood Video

Some images you're not likely to see on the news. Continuing to pray for the people of Nashville that have lost so much in this.

The Prodigal - Animated Video

I've recently been really enjoying Sovereign Grace's Sons & Daughters album, especially the first song, "The Prodigal." This video of that song is making the rounds on a lot of blogs. It's by a guy named Chris Powers and is very powerful. Enjoy.



HT: Bob Kauflin

David Platt on His New Book "Radical"

This book has absolutely rocked me. I'll try to have my review of it up tomorrow. For now, here's David Platt discussing the ideas behind his book "Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From The American Dream."

The Fire and 2010 So Far...

For those who are interested, my wife posted a summary of 2010 so far on her blog with her perspective on the fire we had at our house Tuesday night. A lot has happened in only 4 months, but the Lord has been extremely good.

Fires, Irony, and God's Protection

I wrote a review for a book this evening by Pete Wilson entitled Plan B (you can see the review right below this post). It's basically about our responses when things don't go quite as we plan or when curveballs are thrown our way. I made the comment that the book was timely considering what's happening in Nashville right now. No one there planned for the flooding and damage to their homes that's going on.

It was with these thoughts that I finished up my review and hit publish. And it was no more than 20 minutes later that I received a call from my wife saying that our house was on fire (I'm out in Seattle on business - actually currently sitting in the airport awaiting the red eye home). Leah and the kids made it out ok, but we had some decent damage to the front of our house.

God's providential timing isn't without irony.

Or protection.

See, the fire apparently started in an outdoor outlet next to our front door. Nothing was plugged into this outlet. The wiring was just done poorly, and over time it wore down to the point of shorting out and catching fire. All of the outlets in our house (including the ones in my 17-month-old and 7-week-old's rooms) are likely similarly wired, meaning the fire could have started anywhere. My son was already in bed when this occurred. It could have started there.

But it didn't.

The fire happened when my wife (who handled the situation with strength and grace) was home. Actually our neighbors across the street called her when they saw the fire out front (it didn't set off smoke alarms since it started outside). This meant she was not only able to get herself and the kids out, but the fire department was able to get there in time to keep the damage relatively minimal. They told my wife that another 5 minutes and the fire might have spread to the whole house. The fire could have happened when no one was home and destroyed the whole house. A big gust of wind or dryer conditions could have exacerbated the damage or even threatened my family.

None of that happened.

Now, we know about the shoddy wiring throughout the house and can fix it before something happens in the kids' rooms. We have insurance that should cover all the damage. We have family in Cincinnati we can stay with in the meantime. My company is letting me take the red eye home and miss a client visit to be with my family and get repairs moving.

I'm sitting here with an awareness and thankfulness for God's protection and goodness. That goodness isn't defined by my approval of how things ultimately worked out, but his protection of my family is very real and all his grace. There is so much to be thankful for in this.

God is seriously good.

Book Review: Pete Wilson - Plan B

Genre: Christian Living
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: May 4, 2010

What do you do when life doesn't take the turns you expected, when God doesn't work things together according to your plans and you find yourself circling the wagons and re-calibrating your life? These types of situations are the focus of Pete Wilson's first book, Plan B. Wilson doesn't offer easy solutions (3 Steps to a Better Marriage, etc.) or empty theological platitudes. Instead, the book offers his honest reflections on life's difficulties, drawing heavily from his experience as a pastor.

The result is a book that has some weaker chapters (especially towards the beginning), but in the end points people the only place they should look: God's character and the cross.

Some of those earlier chapters honestly worried me a bit. Things were pretty surface level and the book seemed clearly targeted more towards new believers or even non-believers, which is great, but I was hoping for more. As the book went on, however, and as Wilson shared story after heartbreaking story of families facing difficulties while pointing to the cross, he mostly won me over.

I would still say this book would serve as a great resource for newer believers, but we can all use reminders that God is sovereign in our lives and in control, even in "Plan B" situations. Some seasoned believers might have a few issues here and there with Wilson's use of scripture (mostly eisegesis - where Wilson is reading his point into the text instead of gleaning meaning from the text), but his points are never un-biblical. There were just a few times where he really stretched the application of a story or over-simplified it.

Overall, I think this could be a valuable book for many Christians today. With the economy, unemployment, and other issues making life difficult (not to mention the flooding in Nashville where Wilson pastors - talk about an ironic Plan B for the release of the book), people need to be reminded that God's goodness and love for us isn't dependent upon circumstances working out like we want; it's based on the very character of God and the hope of the cross. Wilson meets struggling people where they are and gives them both in this book.



This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson.

Music Video of the Week: Gungor

Gungor - "You Have Me (Live)"