Book of the Week: God is Not One

 

This week’s book is God is Not One by Stephen Prothero, professor of religion at Boston University.  Prothero is not an evangelical.  His book is not a Christian world religions book.  I think it is always wise to read people who think differently than you to see if your faith really has substance.

I read this book, because his introduction blew me away.  Here was a very well-respected non-evangelical speaking of world religions with some actual solid reasoning abilities.  In a post-modern world where everyone wants to claim that all religions are the same and maintain religious tolerance, Prothero thinks that type of thinking is ignorant and dangerous.  A simple look at these religions show that there are remarkable differences in what they believe and how they practice.  I literally was jumping out of my chair reading the introduction because someone in a different thinking community spoke solid wisdom concerning this religious dilemma.

Below, you can hear Colbert interview him concerning the book.  Very intriguing:

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Book of the Week: Raising a Modern-Day Knight

Knight-boyI finished reading Robert Lewis’ Raising a Modern-Day Knight this week.  Lewis is the author of the Men’s Fraternity curriculum that has really impacted the men in our church.  I highly recommend this book to anyone raising boys!

Lewis teaches that most people have a poor definition of manhood in our society.  As fathers, our responsibility is not only to teach our boys what it means to be men, but to actually affirm that and call out the man in our sons.  He uses a lot of symbolism from medieval knighthood practices.  You may or may not copy his ideas, but what I walked away with most of all is that boys don’t become men by accident.  And they also remember what we celebrate and invest in.

He incorporates family crests, weekend ceremonies, and a whole lot of creativity.  He has some great theological and biblical teaching on manhood.  Coupling these two together makes a quick and idea-spurring read.

Top 5 ideas:

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It’s All About God

This children’s book reminds young minds that all good things come from God and all of our lives are for God. Every page of every story has one main character: it’s all about God. Get Copy on Amazon

Book of the Week: Christian Beliefs

This week’s book of the week is Wayne Grudem’s Christian Beliefs: 20 Basics Every Christian Should Know.  This book is a condensed version of the condensed version of his first systematic theology textbook.  The big one that I read in college is 1,290 pages, and he has a condensed version of 528 pages.  This volume is down to 159.

I’ve always known Grudem had a brilliant mind.  Just recently, I discovered he’s my hero as he shared a testimony concerning marriage at Family Life’s Art of Marriage conference.  He is truly loving his wife the way Christ loved the church.  Never imagined this great theologian as such a romantic!

So much good stuff in here.  A short chapter on each belief.  Lots of scripture references and study.  I’ll give you 10 great lines from the first chapters to whet your appetite!

10 of the 20 Chapter Summaries:

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Book of the Week: Radical

I had already shared my problems with David Platt’s book, Radical, a few months ago.  Still having a few chapters left at that time, I finished this book this week and still have the same soul-stirring problems when I started it.  Platt is so dedicated to God’s Word and his commission.  I just pray it is contagious in my heart

Book of the Week: StrengthsFinder 2.0

This week’s book of the week is Tom Rath’s StrengthsFinder 2.0.  This book was given to me as a gift.  Within each book is a code that allows the reader to take an online survey which determines the 5 top strengths of the reader.  You then can read more concerning your personal strengths. The premise of the book is found

Book of the Week: Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God

This week’s book of the week is C. J. Mahaney’s Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God.

This short read is full of great scriptural insights into romance within marriage.  What I love about the book is that it is not crass but it is also not fuddy-duddy.  It speaks of marriage, sex, and romance in a practical, engaging manner and gets its boldness from the Word of God.

While it is geared primarily towards men, his wife also provides some chapters at the end.  So practical and so God-glorifying.  A great reclaiming of the joy of romance for Christians living God’s way!  Great read!

Top 5 Ideas:

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Book of the Week: The Multi-Site Church Revolution

This week’s book of the week is The Multi-Site Church Revolution by Geoff Surratt, Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird.  Multi-site churches are growing by the day.  That term means a whole lot of different things, but fundamentally, it means being one church in many locations. Some of these congregations show videos of their preacher in different locations.  Some have campus

My Problem with David Platt’s Radical

Like many people in the last year, I have read David Platt’s soul-searching book, Radical. Make no mistake, I was a David Platt fan before being a David Platt fan was cool.  I got the privilege to hear him preach years before his name got real big.  Back in the day, he loved Jesus and was committed to his mission.

Here’s a video preview of his book:

Pretty intense stuff.  The book is even more intense.  He unashamedly calls the American church to wake up from their pursuit of the American Dream and live out the gospel in their daily lives.  Russell Moore’s endorsement is right on: “Sometimes people will commend a book by saying, ‘You won’t want to put it down.’  I can’t say that about this book.  You’ll want to put it down, many times.  If you’re like me, as you read David Platt’s Radical, you’ll find yourself uncomfortably targeted by the Holy Spirit.  You’ll see just how acclimated you are to the American dream…”

My problem with the book is this: David Platt is living this out in the context of an existing Southern Baptist church.

And people are forgetting that.

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Book of the Week: The Passion of Jesus Christ

This week’s book of the week is John Piper’s The Passion of Jesus Christ.  Love me some Piper, but I love me some Jesus even more.  This book’s tag line (and what the 2nd edition was renamed) is 50 Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. These 50 small chapters pack so much theological truth into the reasonings Jesus came, died,