Mere Churchianity - By Michael Spencer

Finding Your Way Back to Jesus-Shaped Spirituality

Michael Spencer, known on his blog as the Internet Monk asks, "Have you left the church in search of Jesus?" Spencer says, "In seeking to be a "good" Christian, I was deserting the truth that there is no gospel for "good" Christians, because the Lamb of God was nailed to an alter for those who are no good at pretending to be good. The exhausting effort to be a good Christian denies Christ. If you insist on securing your own holiness and acceptability, you disqualify your-self from receiving anything from Jesus. He came to the earth to save sinners, not good Christians."

While I loved this book, I'm not sure I agreed with everything he says. This is the type of book that really makes you think about things.  I liked that he challenges Christians to focus on the main point of the gospel which is Jesus.  I don't think we need to leave the church, or "churchianity" to do this. The church is not perfect.  But sadly, sometimes the church can start selling you "the church" and not Jesus.  Instead, Spencer recommends what he calls "Jesus-shaped spirituallity".

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Principle of the Path - By Andy Stanley

How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

What if there is a single unifying principle that governs what happens not only on the highway but in every area of life? Andy Stanley calls it the "principle of the path". He also claims that embracing the principle of the path is the key to avoiding regret. This is really a very simple principle, and yet it is what I would consider un-common sense. Direction - not intention- determines your destination. The choices that we make all lead to consequences. Andy Stanly relates this to being on a path and reaching your destination based on the direction of the path. If you want to reach a certain goal or destination you need to be on the right "path" by making choices to support your goal. I originally thought this was a self-help book, but in Chapter 1 Andy Stanly clearly states, "This is not a self-help book. I'm not offering you a formula. I'm not going to provide you with seven steps. My intention is to bring your attention to a dynamic that is operating in the background of your life." This book was good, and this principle is true! I wish I had followed this principle earlier in my own life. Divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure, and most other heartaches are the result of a consistent pattern of bad choices. If you want to change your direction read this book. The Principle of the Path also includes a 25 page study guide at the end of the book for group study or individual reflection.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze.com Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Couples Who Pray - By Squire Rushnell, Louise DuArt

The Most Intimate Act Between a Man and a Woman

‎In this book celebrity couples share how a commitment to prayer has made a difference in their marriages. Research presented in the book claims  prayer will improve your relationship and decrease your risk of divorce. The book challenges couples to commit to praying together daily for 40 days.

You don't really need to read the book, just start praying together for at least 5 minutes a day. If you take this challenge you can see for yourself how prayer works!  I believe praying together as a couple is a fantastic idea. I liked the concept of this book much better than the book itself.  The book was poorly written, and did not offer any practical advice on prayer. This is not a book for deep spiritual growth.  It is mostly just a collection of stories about prayer from minor celebrities.

The book didn't say how having children factors in to praying. I think only one couple mentioned praying with kids. My husband and I don't usually pray alone together, but we pray as a family every day.  Since reading this book we have started praying as a couple too. I definitely recommend praying together.  I do not recommend this book.

Disclaimer: As a reviewer I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Truth About Dating, Love, & Just Being Friends - By Chad Eastham

I reviewed this book for Thomas Nelson to receive a free copy. This is a book to give teenagers real facts and faith based advice about the topics of dating, love and just being friends, just like the title suggests.  The book includes advice, statistics, quizzes, and a few fill in the blank exercises. The information was good, but I really enjoyed Eastham's style and thought his wit and personality would speak to teens at a level they would understand. I also liked the random facts at the start of each chapter. This book would be a good starting point to discuss real issues teens are facing.  I would recommend teenagers read a book like this before they start dating.

 

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze.com Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

If God is Good - By Randy Alcorn

Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil.

I am currently reviewing "If God is Good" for Waterbrook Multnomah.  In this book Randy Alcorn answers the profound question "How can there be a God if suffering and evil exist?"

"If God is Good" is a scripture-based look at what the entire Bible says about evil and suffering.  Alcorn also includes insight and stories from people who have lived through suffering and evil and yet continue to remain strong in faith. The information is excellent, and the amount of research that went into this book is very impressive. At 494 pages, I think the size of the book may be a bit overwhelming, however it covers all aspects and delves deep into this topic. At the end of the book is a scripture index that lists seven whole pages of scriptures referenced in this book. 
 
How can we reconcile a good and all-powerful God with the terrible evil and suffering we see in this world?  Read this book to find out. 
 
Disclaimer: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Under the Overpass - By Mike Yankoski

A Journey of Faith on the Streets of America

Mike Yankoski and his friend Sam decide to become homeless, choosing to live on the streets for 5 months in 6 different major cities as a test of faith and opportunity to see the homeless through new eyes. This is a true story account of their experiences befriending the homeless, sleeping under bridges, and facing rejection nearly everywhere they went.

I reviewed this book for Waterbrook Multnomah. I find the concept of choosing to be homeless for so long a bit much. I would never try this, but the experience did make a pretty interesting book. It was an enjoyable and eye opening read. I think it is important to realize how we treat those who are less fortunate than us, so we might treat them with dignity. This is a book that will change the way you view the homeless that you encounter.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Heaven is For Real- By Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent

A Little Boy's Astounding story of his trip to Heaven and Back.

Five days after his appendix bursts, 4 year-old Colten is rushed to emergency surgery. Later he describes to his parents sitting with Jesus while watching his operation, meeting his great-grandfather in heaven, and other details he could not possibly know.

This book was very interesting. I enjoyed the simple perspective on Heaven from a child's point of view, and the fact that God could use a 4 year old boy to tell others about Heaven. The boy's father, Todd Burpo, is a pastor who believes his son really was in Heaven, and claims Colten's story matches the Biblical account of Heaven.

Though I had my doubts on whether or not this story was true, it's hard to beileve a child of this age would be able to make up such an account.  It seemed like a miracle that Colten was able to remember so many details, especially months after the experience, when he recalls what happened. This is not a typical book on Heaven simply because of the unique perspective from a child.

Disclaimer: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze.com Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.