The Kingdom Life - Alan Andrews General Editor

The Kingdom Life: A Practical Theology of Discipleship and Spiritual Formation

The Kingdom Life, by NavPress is a well done hardback book. The design and layout are also excellent. There are over 314 pages of practical theology that is meant to be translated to daily living. The study of theology must be more than simple head knowledge but must move into our discipleship and spiritual formation. Alan Andrews is general editor. Other authors in the book are Dallas Willard, Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, Keith J. Matthews, Bill Hull, Keith Meyer, Peggy Reynoso, Paul Fuller, Bruce Demarest, Michael Glerup, Richard E. Averbeck and Christopher Morton. The foreword is by Rick Warren. 

The Kingdom Life receives praise from Michael J. Wilkins who says "This book is sorely needed.". David Fitch from Norther Seminary says "It is not another book on how to do discipleship as a program; rather, it reexamines the theology and practice of discipleship in light of the lordship of Christ and the life we have in His Kingdom." The books points out that the "word kingdom is used more than 150 times in the New Testament" and that "in democracies, people have a difficult time understanding the full implications of living under the rule and reign of Jesus Christ." (pg. 7) Although America is not only a democracy the point carries that we should look afresh at life in the Kingdom of His Lordship.

"Where is the kingdom of God?" the book queries. The simplified answers is "The kingdom of God is wherever Jesus is king! If Jesus is king in your heart, then the kingdom of God is within you." (pg. 7) Jesus is king in heaven and in our hearts but when "the reign of Christ is fully realized on earth, then the kingdom of God is on earth." (pg. 7)

The book is split into two parts. Part one is "Process Elements of Spiritual Formation" and part two is about "Theological Elements of Spiritual Formation." In this review I will only highlight a couple chapters that were my personal favorites - "The Gospel of the Kingdom and Spiritual Formation" by Dallas Willard and "The Bible in Spiritual Formation" by Richard E. Averbeck.

In chapter one Willard rightly notes, in simple and concise fashion, that "The simplicity is that we discover all of the complexity of the kingdom by simply following Jesus. As we follow Him, we are also formed in Him." (pg. 30) Often this point is overlooked but we cannot keep looking for the pie in the sky or the "next" miracle around the corner that will get us where we need to be. No! It is in becoming a true follower and disciple of Christ. As we do this Christ will lead us and teach us for "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3 NIV).

Willard goes on to note that "we are called to well informed action in the process of our own spiritual growth." (pg. 31) The Word of God and the Holy Spirit are essential for our growth but trusting them to follow through is not in question. We must be mindful of our part in participating in The Kingdom Life. Much of the book focuses on "our part" in the journey. He also notes that "When you line up with the laws of God, you are lining up with what God Himself is doing." (pg. 38) Willard also points out the trinity of evil which he defines as the world, the devil, and the flesh. (pg. 47)

In chapter ten Averbeck begins with the premise that "Spiritual formation is based upon the Bible as God's reliable and authoritative revelation...our primary source of truth..." (pg. 275) As part of our spiritual formation we must move the Scriptures from simply being words on pages or simply historical narratives. As he notes, "The Scriptures are living and active in penetrating, exposing, and transforming our hearts and lives as the Holy Spirit brings to bear upon us individually and together." (pg. 275) 

In a practical sense, "if you love someone, you take what he or she says seriously." (pg. 276) This is probably where the great disconnect lies in our culture. It is to see the Bible as what God would say to us, and if He is truly Lord then we are also living in His Kingdom. We must take the Bible seriously in our times because it is a "divine revelation for spiritual formation". (Pg. 279) Averbeck cites 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and points out that "Timothy could rely on Scripture both to say what is true and to use as his divine authority in teaching..." (pg. 279) 

Averbeck also notes one of the presuppositions of every reader of the Scriptures. This is something we must bear in mind as we study and read the Word of God. He notes that "People are so bound up within their matrix of cultures and communities that they do not read the Bible apart from that set of circumstances. As with individuals, he experiences of communities profoundly shape how they read the Bible." (pg. 284)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Bloodroot

Click to purchase from Amazon.

Bloodroot

Bloodroot is a first class novel. If you are interested in the South or slavery this is the book for you. As you read you begin a journey into the reality of what the late 50’s and 60’s must have been like. The author says that Bloodroot is fiction but it is “based on the life…of Harry Weatherholtz” the real life grandfather of the author’s wife. The book tells us that Harry, Evelyn Weatherholtz, the Baldwin family and Ruth are real people. As the story unfolds we see the racial prejudice of this era and for some we can realize that “prejudices still abound.” (Arrowood, pg. 217)

It’s the summer of 57’ and Mr. Cutshaw, who does not hide “disdain for Christianity” symbolizes racial ignorance that permeated the thoughts of some in these times. In fact, for Cutshaw it was “white man’s Christianity” that put “foolish idea’s into the heads of Negroes.” (Arrowood, pg. 17) Cutshaw watches and goads little Eddie, a young black boy, to wade deeper into the water. Cutshaw has snagged his lure, while fishing, and sent young Eddie in to do his bidding. Ms. Ann, Eddie’s sister and also in the employ of Cutshaw, stands by urging Eddie not to go too far…

Was the drowning an accident or purposeful? The wheels of justice turn ever so slowly in this story. Is this much different from reality? Especially in the 50’s and 60’s in the South? The author does a great job in demonstrating this. The Sheriff becomes afraid to buck the system given the status of black people during this time. After all, during these times did they take a black woman’s word over a white man’s?

I am writing a review and not a spoiler so you will have to get the book to know the rest. Harry Weatherholtz cuts to the heart of our culture, today even, when he says, “decent hearted men are a rare find. They develop from personal choices and conscientious effort…” (Arrowood, pg. 121).  Change or things of value do not occur over night in many cases. They do not simply materialize. Things like toadstools come up over night but it is things like oak tree’s that take time. It starts with choices.

Larry M. Arrowod

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Overcoming temptation

Building the Home: Biblical Blueprints for a Successful Marriage

They Came to Save Us

Grace, faith, works: Finding the biblical balance

False Prophets by Billy Bass

False Prophets by Billy Bass copyright © 2009 by: Billy Bass 

To purchase email Billy Bass - billbass09@gmail.com 

False Prophets is a concise and excellent Oneness apologetic. Billy Bass from Pensacola, Fla. distills 30 years of debating and studying Oneness Theology into this work. Since 1977 he has been presenting the message of the Oneness and New Birth. In this book he presents the essentials of the Apostolic Faith which includes chapters about Baptism, The Holy Spirit, The Trinity and Common Arguments.

In the first chapter Bass refers to the “order of things” that is present in the Scriptures. Its flow and chronology. “The birth of Jesus; His travels; His teaching; the choosing and training of His apostates; and His death, burial, and resurrection are presented in historic detail.” (Bass, pg. 9) He goes on to point out the different types of books in the New Testament canon.

In the second chapter a clear “Warning” is sounded. A clear call for the reader to examine themselves to ensure that they are following The Way, The Truth, and The Life. The second call are the words of Jesus to “Beware of false prophets.” Bass denounces the frauds and charlatans of today which are not necessarily the televangelists. “Most preachers today claim that just about everyone who simply mumbles the name of the Lord shall be saved, but Jesus clearly warns us that not everyone who says, “Lord, Lord” shall enter in.” (Bass pg. 12)

In his chapter on “Baptism” Bass responds to those who believe being “born of water” refers to the amniotic fluid of an expecting mother by saying “Nowhere in Scripture is any reference made to natural childbirth as any birth of water.” (Bass, pg. 32) The call to turn to the Bible for our information about Baptism is made and how did the apostles follow out the commands of Christ. Bass diagrams Matthew 28:19 and reminds us that the Scriptures do not contradict themselves.

In his chapter on “The Holy Spirit” goes immediately to the Day of Pentecost. He reminds us that “speaking in tongues wasn’t a work initiated by the disciples” but it was the Holy Spirit that “caused them to speak in tongues” (Bass, pg. 49) Bass discusses theological tensions in Acts 2, 8, 10, and 19. In Acts 8 the Bible does not say explicitly say that the Samaritans spoke in tongues. Here he gives 5 arguments to consider concerning the Samaritans and this occurrence.

The chapter on “The Trinity” states that “The Father was in the Son, Divinity was in humanity.” (Bass, pg. 61). Here Bass does a great job of exposing the faux pas of the Eternal Son argument. He asks, “Was He an invisible Spirit, the Son of an invisible Spirit? Was He the eternal Son, as the Trinity doctrine declares? What eternal mother would have given birth to this Eternal Son?” Bass rightly concludes that the term God the Son or Eternal Son are not found in the Biblical text. In fact, the notion of eternal and begotten runs contradictory to one another.

One of Bass’s most quotable statements is “What Jehovah was in the Old Testament, Jesus was in the New. Jehovah was the I AM, Jesus is the I AM. Jehovah was the King of Kings, Jesus is the King of Kings. Jehovah was the Redeemer, Jesus is the Redeemer.” (Bass, pg. 71) He also points to the confusion of Trinitarianism by noting the 14th Century depictions of the Trinity and quotes from the 1937 edition of the World’s Popular Encyclopedia which says that the Trinity is “the highest mystery”, “the Jews ad to learn the unity of God”, “not even in the N.T. is the doctrine of the Blessed T. found in its fully-developed form” and that its “expression owes most of all to Greek thought.”

The last chapter covers 21 common arguments with refutation. He discusses such issues as "The Thief on the Cross," "Grace Through Faith," "God Made The Worlds by the Son." and "Elohim is a Plural Word." This book is a perfect complement to any bookshelf.

False Prophets by Billy Bass copyright © 2009 by: Billy Bass
To purchase email Billy Bass - billbass09@gmail.com 

You can catch up with Billy Bass on Facebook here!

Stepping Stones by Nevin Bass

Truth Streams - On The Rock Publications - Works of Nevin Bass

Author Nevin Bass, from Truth Streams, is a pastor, teacher, writer and an avid fly fisherman. In this work he offers a great resource for every pastor or minister—Stepping Stones. The book also comes with PowerPoint files for use in teaching each chapter as a lesson or a series of lessons. Bass uses the journey of the Hebrew people through the wilderness to reveal how God helps us to grow and develop into a true man or woman of God. The journey through the wilderness is how God “teaches life’s lessons through trials.”

In the foreword, author and Bible teacher--Kelsey Griffin--notes that the work of God “is not a sudden transformation but a slow, steady, and continual process of adjustments through situations…” (pg. xi).  In this work Bass demonstrates this through the life of Israel. Chapter one, helps to prepare us for the journey. Bass notes that “greatness will always elude us until we are able to transform our thinking and thus reform our living.” (pg. 12). Each chapter concludes with a summary to draw together the strings of each thought.

Chapter two is about “Conquering Fear” and the author rightly points out that “the first trial Israel encountered in the wilderness was the fight against fear.” (pg. 31). This chapter encourages us to control our fear by taking our fears to God in prayer.

Chapter three masterfully deals with the topic of bitterness. Bass says, “Bitterness is the result of an inflated sense of self-merit as well as false expectations” and goes on to say “no hardship can ever come into your life that did not travel the road of his sovereignty.” (pg. 46, 47).

Chapter four helps us to develop a thankful heart. Thankfulness is something missing in our culture that feels everything is “owed” them. Bass covers the contagious nature of complainers, traits of an unthankful heart, breaking the cycle of ingratitude, and God attacks ingratitude through daily dependence.

Chapter five is about “Trust and Obey” that is fully relying upon God. Bass notes that “trusting God today and surrendering the unknowns of tomorrow is what conveys us along the path to greater revelation.” (pg. 77) This is a lesson derived from the daily manna given to the Hebrew people by God. It helped to create a daily trust and dependence upon God.

Bass begins chapter six with “depth of character is gained in times of dryness.” (pg. 83) No matter how short or how long we have been on our journey with God we will experience times of dryness. Here the author explores how God uses dryness “combat carnality.” (pg. 86)

The next six chapters cover: Dealing with Delays, The Crisis of Unsettling Change, Burying Lust, Believing the Word, Obeying the Word, and Altering God’s Purpose. This book is a gold mine for every minister who is looking for good seed material for sermons and lessons.

In Stepping Stones, Nevin Bass takes the lessons of the Hebrew people and seeks to apply them to today. There is bibliography, index and Scripture index. In a little over 200 pages you are invited on a journey of stepping stones to glory!                                                                                              

You may also enjoy Building God's Wall: Reclaiming Your Spiritual High Ground by Nevin Bass as well!

Building God's Wall: Reclaiming Your Spiritual High Ground

Ancient Christian Commentary: The Gospel of Mark

Mark (The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a unique commentary series. Scholars and computer technology comb the writings of ancient Christian writers on particular books of the Bible. It is considered to be an ecumenical project with general editor Thomas C. Oden. This series, which receives high praise from J.I. Packer, Richard J. Neuhaus and Bruce M. Metzger, is an attempt to bring awareness and understanding to Christians concerning ancient beliefs.

Scholars familiar with ancient Christian writings offer hand-selected portions of these texts. I recently received my review copy on The Gospel of Mark, free of charge, from InterVarsity Press. There are 284 pages. Besides the commentary there is an introduction to Mark, biographical sketches, timeline on the writers of the patristic period, an index of contributing ancient authors as well as an appendix: Method of Investigation into the Early Exegesis of Mark.

Oden and company suggest that “the early church widely regarded the author of Mark’s Gospel as the authentic voice and interpreter of Peter.” (pg. xxi) The earliest ancient writing confirming Markan authorship is Papias (AD 60-130). Eusebius and Jerome would both agree to Markan Authorship.

Eusebius records this account and says “But now we must add to the words of [Papias] which we have already quoted the tradition which he gives in regard to Mark.” (pg. xxi). Africa, Asia and throughout the northern Mediterranean have several Christian texts quoting the Gospel of Mark from early times. The view that Matthew and Luke share literary dependency on the writings of Mark is an idea that did not develop in full form until around the nineteenth century. Oden and Co. also suggest that Markan priority is debatable since “there are notable proponents of the dependence of Mark on Matthew.” (pg. xxix)

This commentary purposely omits addressing the textual issues surround the long or shorter ending of Mark. Instead, it simply gives the citations of ancient writers in order to determine how they interpreted this text. Scholars such as Maurice Robinson argue for the longer ending while Daniel Wallace argues against.

The Apostolic Constitutions, a fourth century writing, quotes vss. 17-18 in their entirety. They suggest, “these gifts were first bestowed on us the Apostles when we were about to preach the gospel to every creature. Later they of necessity were afforded to others who had by the apostles come to believe. It is clear that these gifts were not given for the advantage of those who perform them, but for the conviction of unbelievers, that those whom the word did not persuade, the power of signs might put to shame.” (pg. 239)

This commentary set can be appreciated by the layperson and the careful academic alike.

Mark (The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

Ancient Christian Commentary: Genesis I-II

Genesis 1-11 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, Volume I)

The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture is a unique commentary series. Scholars and computer technology comb the writings of ancient Christian writers on particular books of the Bible. It is considered to be an ecumenical project with general editor Thomas C. Oden. It is an attempt to bring awareness and understanding to Christians concerning ancient beliefs.

Scholars familiar with ancient Christian writings offer hand-selected portions of these texts. I recently received my review copy on Genesis I-II, free of charge, from InterVarsity Press. There are 204 pages as it covers Genesis 1-11:32. Besides the commentary there is an introduction to Genesis I-II, chronology, biographical sketches, and an appendix of all the Early Christian writings cited.

Basil the Great, commenting on 1:5b, and the days of Creation suggests that “after the creation of the sun, it is day when the air is illuminated by the sun shining on the hemisphere above the earth when the sun is hidden.” Basil goes on to say, “Yet it was not at that time according to our solar motion.”

Oden, et al suggests that Genesis 1:26-27 are the “most commented on by the Fathers.” (pg. 27) Gregory of Nyssa, concerning “let us make man” says that “God deliberated about the best way to bring to life a creation worthy of honor.” Chrysostom likewise says, “’let us make man’ suggests deliberation, collaboration and conference…” (pg. 28) Clement of Alexandria, on “the image of God” says this “is his Word and an image of the Word is the true man, that is, the mind of man, who on this account is said to have been created “in the image” of God and “in his likeness,” because through his understanding heart he is made like the divine Word or Reason (logos), and so rational (logikos).

This commentary set can be appreciated by the layperson and the careful academic alike. This volume states, “The early chapters of Genesis had arguable the greater influence of the development of Christian theology than did any other part of the Old Testament.” (pg. xxxix) The first few chapters of Genesis cover such theological issues as Adam and Christ; Typology; Creation; Humanity in the Image of God and The Fall and Original Sin. Many problems and arguments today have been considered in the past. There is truly nothing new under the sun.

Genesis 1-11 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Old Testament, Volume I)

God is Great, God is Good

God Is Great, God Is Good: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable & Responsible

God does not exist. God doesn’t make sense, and what about evolution? Evil disproves the existence of God, or religion is just too evil. Christianity is just a myth. How does my faith in Jesus Christ affect my life? If you are a pastor or keep up with current debates in religion today you may have heard one or more of these statements. God is Great, God is Good is a great resource for understanding current naturalistic and skeptical arguments.

The book is organized in four parts. The contributors are a collage of Christian thinkers in the leading edge of their fields. The book is only 265 pages in length but is full of great evidence for a Good, Great, and yet personal God. Most of the authors do, however, affirm some form of theistic evolution. I have chosen to only draw out some highlights in this review and encourage you to read “the rest of the story.”

God Is: William L. Craig, J.P. Moreland and Paul Moser.
God Is Great: John Polkinghorne, Michael Behe, and Micahel J. Murray.
God Is Good: Chad Meister, Alister McGrath, Paul Copan, and Jerry Walls.
Why It Matters: Charles Taliaferro, Scot McKnight, Gary Habermas, and Mark Mittleberg.

Part One discusses God’s existence. Here strong arguments positing the existing of God are selected. Part Two addresses the arguments against God’s “creative design” in the world. It is a rejoinder to naturalistic, Darwinian speculations. Part Three tackles questions the goodness of God and how a perfectly loving God can coexist with heaven or hell. Part Four leaves theistic arguments and attempts to discuss Christian thought, e.g. divine revelation, Jesus Christ, Resurrection.

In the first chapter, William L. Craig dismantles the arguments of atheist Richard Dawkins (author, God Delusion) within just ten pages. Craig concisely covers the Cosmological, Moral, Teleological, and Ontological arguments all the while clearly pointing to the short-comings of Dawkins. J.P. Moreland takes up the second chapter with great arguments for man being made in the image of God (See Gen. 1:27). Moreland begins with the premise that “there are things about our makeup that are like how God is.” (pg.33) He lays out five evidences for this argument: Consciousness, Free Will, Rationality, United Selves, and Intrinsic, Equal Value and Rights.

Paul Moser begins chapter three with suggesting that “a morally robust version of theism is cognitively more resilient than contemporary critics have supposed.” (pg. 49) Here Moser seeks to reorient some presuppositions usually packed into inquiry or arguments about the existence of God. In chapter four, John Polkinghorne suggests that “the Universe points beyond itself” and that we have “a finely tuned Universe”. He also addresses atheistic scientific explanations for a Multiverse which he rightly calls a “grossly extended form of naturalism”. (pg. 71). Polkinghorne also writes about the “significant change” that has taken place in physics and our explanation of the Universe. He also states, “the theist cannot be forbidden to believe that God has chosen to interact providentially with unfolding history, with the open grain of cosmic process that modern science has discerned.” (pg. 75)

In chapters five and six Michael Behe and Michael Murray discuss evolution but from two different angles. Behe speaks of God and Evolution. Specifically about Darwinism and how it has changed, random mutation, and malaria. One of his final remarks is, “for most of history humanity could see only the beauty and elegance of the external features of life…we now see that the hidden foundation of life is even more ingenious than its visible features.” (pg. 89) Murray, on the other hand, talks about the “powerful evidence that human minds are in fact, if not exactly hard wired, at least strongly predisposed to religious beliefs and behavior.” (p.g 91) Michael Persinger conversely says that “God is an artifact of the brain.” Dawkins would say, “the irrationality of religion is a by-product of the built in irrationally mechanism in the brain.” Murray goes on to conclude that it is “acceptable for the Christian to hold that God created the world, human beings and human minds in such a way that when they are functioning properly, they form beliefs in the existence of rocks, rainbows, human minds and…God.” (g. 104)

Chapter seven, by Chad Meister, explores God, Evil and Morality. Meister begins with the problem of evil and then moves to remarks about the foundation of morality and morality as illusion. In chapter eight, Alister McGrath does an excellent job of answering the problem of religious evil. Discussing the New Atheism, clearing up the term “religion”, “God” and looks at the atheistic violence against religion as well. Mc Grath also writes of binary oppositions and the inevitability that divisions amongst groups are social constructs. In conclusion Mc Grath quotes Michael Shermer to explain the positive side of religion: “for every one of these grand tragedies there are then thousand acts of personal kindness and social good that go unreported…religion…cannot be reduced to an unambiguous good or evil.” (pg. 131)

Paul Copan takes on “Are Old Testament Laws Evil?” in the ninth chapter. Copan also takes Dawkins, Dennett, Hitchens and Harris (popular atheists) to task. Dawkins thinks that Yahweh is a moral monster forced upon culture and religion then is evil. Copan exposes the faux pas of the New Atheists which “resist the notion of Yahweh’s rightful prerogatives over humans” assume a “sexual jealousy of God” by diminishing the sacred “meaning of the marriage covenant” and says that “naturalism doesn’t have the metaphysical resources to move from valueless matter to value.” (pg. 153)

Chapter ten seems to be unique in apologetics as Jerry Walls discusses “How God Could Create Hell?” Walls suggests that “hell is created when free beings use (more accurately, abuse) the freedom God has given them not to embrace him but to reject him.” (pg. 162) Walls quotes C.S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain when he says, “the damned are, in one sense, successful, rebels to the end; that the doors of hell are locked on the inside.” (pg. 163)

Part four, and Chapter eleven starts with “Recognizing Divine Revelation” by Charles Taliaferro; Chapter twelve—“The Messiah You Never Expected” by Scot McKnight; Chapter 13—“Tracing Jesus’ Resurrection to its Earliest Eyewitness Accounts” by Gary R. Habermas and the final chapter “Why Faith In Jesus Matters” by Mark Mittleberg.

The copy I received was provided to me at no charge, by InterVarsity Press. I received a paperback edition with an introduction which distills each part of the book. There is also a postscript with Antony Flew and Gary Habermas and an Appendix consisting of “The Dawkings Confusion: Naturalism “Ad Absurdum”: A Review of Richard Dawkins’s The God Delusion.

God Is Great, God Is Good: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable & Responsible

Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ: Jesus Manifesto

I recently received a review copy of Jesus Manifesto through a review program for Thomas Nelson Publishers. I am very impressed with this book given its content and its timeliness. The Christ of Scripture and the Christ of History are trying to be pulled at both ends by liberal scholars and the typical skeptics alike. Skeptics and even so called believers would dethrone Christ. Viola and Sweet, however, do a thorough job in Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ: Jesus Manifesto. They proudly proclaim that Christ is the “Rosetta Stone of the Bible.” (pg. 11)

In the opening pages Jack Hayford praises Jesus Manifesto and suggest it “calls us to Jesus' person and position as Lord of the church...to restore the “saltiness” that will keep His church alive.” Dr. Kenneth Ulmer from The King's College says it “brings us back to center.” Steve Brown from Reformed Theological Seminary say that “Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola have a radical and Biblical solution” for our Christ-less culture.

Indeed, a solution is needed. Viola and Sweet tap the pulse of the modern drift and says “If the church does not reorient and become Christological at its core, any steps taken will be backwards.” (pg. Xiv) They draw our attention quickly to J.D.D. Or the Jesus Deficit Disorder. Our culture and the church have made the gospel about so many things other than Jesus Himself and it is time we embrace, know, and seek Christ! The ultimate question for anyone in any generation since Christ is “Who do you say that I am?” This question is required of every generation.

Viola and Sweet sum up Christ as the “melody, the harmony, the rhythm, the tempo, and the music behind all things. The heavens and earth sing His song and play His tune.” This is the argument of Jesus Manifesto. In fact, if you wonder if this is an “emergent' text by liberal thinkers, guess again. On pg. 23, they say “we are arguing that Christianity is Christ—nothing more, nothing less.”

They go on to write, “the only address where anyone can find Him [Christ] is...you!” (pg. 56) Christ died, resurrected and ascended yet He dwells in us today. When the world looks for Christ they will see you and I as His followers as His body on the earth today. We must make room for Christ to be sovereign and supreme in our lives! Viola and Sweet beautifully sum up the Incarnation by saying, “In the incarnation, the beating heart of the universe became a human heart.” Christ is the aperture of God whereby men see the glory of God. Through Christ, however, the “clearest image of the whole can be seen.

In the conclusion Viola and Sweet retell the story of Pope Ratzinger, who was a Cardinal at the time, and his sharing a venue with Bob Dylan in 1997. Ratzinger is still not so sure if him and Dylan made a great pair but the Pope did utilize the lyrics of Dylan in a song at the meeting. Ratzinger says, “You ask me how many roads a man must walk before he becomes a man? I answer: there is only one road for a man, and it is the road of Jesus Christ, who said, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life”

Jesus Manifesto: Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ

The Hole In Our Gospel by Richard Stearns

"What does God expect of us?" This is the question Richard Stearns, who is the president of World Vision U.S. since 1998, asks all right thinking Christians. The book is autobiographical, as it details the journey Stearns traveled from the corporate world to assisting the third world through World Vision. It is also a challenge to Christianity. The Hole In Our Gospel is an invitation to wrestle with the problems of worldwide poverty.

The title is slightly misleading since the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-3); however, the "hole" is the lethargy, ignorance, and etc. of believers in evidencing good works to help those less unfortunate than themselves. We could all do better.

Commenting on a once "Christian America" Stearn says that he "feels as though that has changed." He has noticed that the face of America is changing. Change is good and change is bad. Change however of distinctly American ideals is to lead our country into something else.

His chapter on "The Horsemen of the Apocalypse" was perhaps my favorite as Stearn deals with hunger, water--an essential of life, and sickness. In this chapter Stearns attempts a "reality check" for believers. He paints a vivid picture of reality using a wealth of statistics and data, e.g. 1 out of every 5 children worldwide are malnourished or every 5 seconds, a child dies of hunger.

Stearns also wrestles with disease. In Sub-Saharan region of Africa, 12 million children have become orphans due to AIDS and in Africa alone 15,000 die each day from preventable disease.

The copy I received was provided to me at no charge, courtesy of Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of a review program. I received the paperback edition which contains new material (e.g. photo insert, Q&A w/Renee Stearn, Q&A on: “Can Poverty Be Defeated?”). I recommend this book to any believer wanting to know their more about their responsibilities as a Christian in a world of hurt, sickness and poverty.

JN Anderson

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. A Righteous Gentile vs. the Third Reich by Eric Metaxas

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Affluence.

Privilege.

Gone in seconds as the Gestapo sweep Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his home.

This biography is a literary paradise for those who truly love the period of WWII where much of this book is historically postured, climaxed with the execution of Bonhoeffer in 1945. They will love it even more if they are also interested in philosophical and theological tensions about war and killing. Metaxas is timely since it wrestles with current issues. Issues resonating since modern warfare. For example, we see this element in the British or American solider and the Iranian or Iraqi soldier as well as the Maoist or former Nazi’s.

The thought of dying is usually not glorious to us. Death coupled with a crusade or a just war is known to give death meaning. Death in this sense is viewed as righteous because it is has been coupled with righteous cause. By resisting the onslaught of the Third Reich Bonhoeffer felt the intensity of his times and rose to the occasion. The fruits of his opposition to National Socialism grew to the place where Bonhoeffer was part of a conspiracy to kill Hitler. Here he clearly reveals to us that some evil cannot be avoided. At times even inaction can be viewed as evil. We must never remember that we are not only striving for heavenly citizenship but we are also members of an earthly citizenship.

The reason many theologians and Christians believed the West should intervene in WWII was because inaction, on their part, would have constituted an even greater war if Hitler had not been stopped. Even with the intervention of the British and the United States Hitler almost attained total European domination. To protect human free-will at some point we may have to accept guilt in order to protect her.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

The Greatest Show On Earth: The Evidence for Evolution. Book Review by David B. Hart

The Dawkins Evolution

David B. Hart

The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution
by Richard Dawkins
Free Press, 480 pages, $30

The first lesson to be learned from Richard Dawkins’ new book is a purely practical maxim: One should always do what one does best, while scrupulously avoiding those tasks for which neither nature nor tuition has equipped one. This is not, obviously, what one could call a moral counsel; it is merely a counsel of prudence. Another way of saying it would be, try not to make a fool of yourself. Of course, folly is something of a relative judgment. It is often the case, especially in the world of publishing, that the most lucrative course is to do things very, very badly. The richest novelists tend to be those who cannot write; and the more poorly they write, the richer they are likely to become. The most successful purveyors of popular history, popular political polemic, popular religion, popular philosophy, popular atheism—and so on—are those who know only as much about their subjects as is necessary to make a stir and absolutely nothing more. And one has to concede that no other book by Richard Dawkins has sold nearly as well as The God Delusion, his majestically maladroit adventure in the realm of abstract ideas. So, weighing things solely in the balances of financial gain, one should perhaps not be too captious regarding his recent publications on the God question.

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The Limits of Credibility: A Review of Bart Ehrmans book--Misquoting Jesus--by J.R. Ensey

Book title: MISQUOTING JESUS: The story behind who changed the Bible and why
by Bart D. Ehrman
San Francisco: HarperCollins Publishers; 2005
242 pages; cloth; 24.95

Today’s cultural trends make it popular to be a Bible-basher. While we cannot know an author’s motives beyond question, Misquoting Jesus appears to be written with an agenda to evoke doubt as to the authenticity and authority of Scripture. Bart Ehrman, an expert on biblical texts who has published several books on textual criticism, writes in a warm and readable style. His other works, however, have seemingly served as teasers in anticipation of this book. He confesses that this is what he has wanted to say about the Bible all along. Admitting that he has undergone a metamorphosis in his view of Scripture, he candidly states that he sees the Bible as “a very human book from beginning to end.” It is now easy to understand his goal of helping the rest of us to view the Bible as an uninspired mishmash “written by human authors at different times and in different places to address different needs.” One wonders: then why bother? Without inspired Scriptures we humans are nothing more than robots of destiny and fate, without hope in the world—lemmings on our march to the sea of nothingness. Ehrman’s penchant for quoting Celsus, a late second century critic of the Bible and Christianity, suggests a closer alignment with his views than with the Christian writers of that era, and perhaps even the biblical writers themselves. Overall, he does not seem to be writing to scholars but to lay readers who can easily be impressed by his assumptions drawn from unnamed manuscripts.

Technically, much of what Ehrman points out about biblical manuscripts is not new. Textual critics have struggled for centuries with many of the same texts on which he focuses. For example, he suggests that Mark made a “mistake” when he wrote that David ate the showbread of the Tabernacle “in the days of Abiathar the high priest” (Mark 2:26). He points out that I Samuel 21:1-6 states that Abiathar’s father Ahimelech was the high priest at that time. It is well known that “in the days of” can mean during the lifetime. The biblical record reveals that Ahimelech died shortly after this event (I Samuel 22:19,20) and Mark added this designation to identify the well-known companion of David who succeeded his father as high priest, along with Zadok (II Samuel 15:35). This perceived “mistake” by Mark opened the floodgates of doubt for Ehrman. He began to find other “errors” of Scripture, such as the mustard seed being the smallest of seeds in the world (Mark 4:31). Since that time smaller seeds have been found to exist, but it was the smallest in comparison to all the other seeds sown in Palestine. Ehrman began to feel that such “mistakes” indicated that others, perhaps bigger and more important ones, were also in the Holy Writ. He has made the search for them his life’s work.

The obvious target of the author is the divinity of Jesus, which of course could be easily set aside if Scripture were proved unreliable. Ehrman tries hard to discredit this cardinal doctrine of the Christian faith. One reference cited is Acts 20:28, which speaks of “the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” He posits that since the fifth century Codex Alexandrinus manuscript (and a few other less notables) has “Lord” rather than “God,” it is not a usable text to demonstrate the deity of Jesus. As some other scholars do, he eschews the translation of “God” in I Timothy 3:16, preferring “he.” The subject in context is God, so it changes nothing of a doctrinal nature. Ehrman’s Socinian leanings seem quite evident.

The author feels it is immensely important to determine whether the text of Mark 1:41 shows that Jesus was angry or compassionate, whether He was calm or in deep distress in Luke 22:43,44, and if Hebrews 2:9 suggests that Christ died by God’s grace or “apart from God.” Those passages contain textual variants, but they change no fundamental doctrine. He points out differences in style here and there, such as in the Gospel of John. Too many positions on the sacred text are taken based on assumptions—“it appears...we can surmise...we assume...we can expect....” His deductive arguments are wearying, such as his treatment of the role of women in Scripture. He is obviously as fond of pseudepigrapha as he is of the accepted canon itself. We should be glad that the Gospel According to Judas did not appear on the scene before this book was published or he might be trying to convince us that Judas was Jesus’ best friend to the end.

To Ehrman’s credit he is correct on many of his assessments of manuscript changes and interpolations. But why rehash over and over that the story of the woman taken in adultery and the long ending of Mark do not appear in what experts consider the oldest and best manuscripts, or that I John 5:7,8 contains a scribal addition to delineate the doctrine of the Trinity, or that “and fasting” was probably added later to Mark 9:29? That is fairly common knowledge. Copies of copies of copies made by an over-zealous scribe or a sleepy monk working in the dim light of some ancient monastery usually lacked perfection. But it is significant that these examples do not negatively affect any apostolic doctrine, although they do reveal the weakness of the Trinitarian position, as in the case of I John 5:7,8. At the bottom line, Ehrman has not shown us why we should distrust the Bible on its history or geography, but he has given us more reason to distrust those who handle it deceitfully (II Corinthians 4:2). He has stretched the limits of credibility, not for the Bible but for the skeptics, although scoffers will surely quote him.

“Heaven and [Bart] shall pass away, but my words shall never pass away” (Jesus, Luke 21:33).

J. R. Ensey

Bio: J.R. Ensey is a former president of Texas Bible College, having served in that capacity for fourteen years (1982-1996). Prior to that time, he founded a church in North Carolina and served the General Home Missions Division of the United Pentecostal Church International in various capacities for eight years. Subsequent pastorates were held in Texarkana, Arkansas, and Wichita Falls, Texas. He is the founding editor of two denominational magazines and the author of fifteen books, including The Pastoral Epistles, Letters From a Roman Jail, and many booklets, tracts, and articles. He holds degrees in Theology and Business Administration and currently directs the extension campus program for Texas Bible College. You can go to Ensey's website and bookstore by clicking here.