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Book Review – Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale

Erik — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:39:43 +0000

I’ve collected quite a few subscriptions in my RSS Reader over the years. I skim through most of them, but it’s been a great way for me to quickly find great articles, helpful reviews and useful resources.

I recently came across a recommendation in one of these feeds to read Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy & Fairy Tale. The review was so positive that I immediately found a copy at my local library. I couldn’t wait to get started on it. The reviewer even declared that this was essential reading for church communicators and included some promising quotes from the book.

After reading it myself…I’m going to have to disagree. Or at least give a less enthusiastic review. I think the glowing review, the title of the book and my expectations were just all out of whack on this one.

Telling the Truth is not at all what I thought it was going to be. I’m probably too analytical for a book like this. As I read it, I kept thinking that people who like to call themselves “creatives” would probably be the ideal audience.

The book can be summed up with the follow passage from chapter 1.

“The Gospel is bad news before it is good news. It is the news that man is a sinner, to use the old word, that he is evil in the imagination of his heart, that when he looks in the mirror all in a lather what he sees is at least eight parts chicken, phony, slob. That is the tragedy. But it is also the news that he is loved anyway, cherished forgiven, bleeding to be sure, but also bled for. That is the comedy. And yet, so what?….In answer, the news of the Gospel is that extraordinary things happen to him just as in fairy tales extraordinary things happen….It is impossible for anybody to leave behind the darkness of the world he carries on his back like a snail, but for God all things are possible. That is the fairy tale. All together they are the truth.”

Now, the book was worth reading if just for this paragraph. (I love this passage.) It’s just that this quote comes early on (pages 7 and 8). The book had me here. I was sold on it…but then I was left hanging as it never provided any deeper analysis than that. The remaining chapters (2, 3 and 4) cover the topics in the subtitle of the book: Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale respectively. To be honest, I didn’t find these chapters very helpful. They serve more to provide examples (mostly literary) of their respective topics than to reveal how the Gospel functions in that way. That’s not to say that this aspect of the Gospel isn’t mentioned. It is. It’s just not done until layer after layer of other examples are used first. And when it is, it doesn’t go much deeper than the above quote.

It’s probably an expectation thing for me. I’m sure some people will love everything about this book. But for me, it’s a great premise that failed to really expand the main idea.

Now with that said, I’m glad I read it. I think the concept of Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale is a powerful one. And a few sections of the last chapter in particular are inspirational and helpful to minister’s charged with communicating the Gospel.

In this case, the title (almost) says it all. It’s not a bad read. But if you’re looking for practical applications. This isn’t it. The book has a great premise and will inspire. But it doesn’t go much deeper than that.

Book Review – The Circle Maker

Erik — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:46:16 +0000

I recently finished reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. Since his first book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day, I’ve been a fan of his writing. As I’ve mentioned in other reviews of his work, each book gets better than the last.

The book’s title comes from the legend of Honi, the Circle Maker, who drew a circle in the ground and declared he would not move until his prayer for rain was answered. It’s this kind of bold, faith-filled prayer that Batterson addresses throughout.

What I appreciate about this book is its effective mixture of “how to,” theology, and stories of answered prayer. None of these elements outweigh the other to a great extent, but each of these are presented in a highly inspirational way. Batterson has a incredibly effective ability to cause the reader to dream big and pray big, audacious prayers.

The most impacting chapter for me, however, was probably one that dealt the least with prayer. Chapter 15 covers the topic of setting Life Goals. The book is worth picking up for this chapter alone. Too many people (including myself), simply walk through life without considering where they are headed or without creative a set of goals to achieve. I love the practical and inspirational aspects of this chapter. I’ll be revisiting this section of the book numerous times.

Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this book. Circle Maker is engaging, easy to read, inspiring and challenging. I highly recommend it.

Book Review – Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them

Erik — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:59:33 +0000

A couple of weeks ago, I finished reading the book, Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them. I’m fairly certain this book has the longest title of any book I’ve ever read. However, this will likely be one of the shortest book reviews I’ve done.

Surprising Insights is essentially a report of the author’s (Thom S. Rainer) extensive research with a group of people he calls “formerly unchurched.” And it does live up to it’s name. Not everything was “surprising,” but it did contain a great deal of insight that I wasn’t expecting.

Essentially, Rainer makes an important and critical distinction between “unchurched” and “formerly unchurched.” Instead of focusing on reaching people who have no connection to a church, he examines the experiences of recently new church attenders and what drew them into the church. In other words…what “worked” for them and drew them into a faith community. It’s a simple, yet profound distinction that informs and directs the course of the book.

It’s a quick, straightforward book to read. But it does read like the report of an extensive survey. There are multiple anecdotal stories and examples throughout that enhance the data. These were okay, but I was mainly interested in the data.

If you’re a Pastor and you are interested in reading about some of the factors that draw unchurched people into church, I recommend it. It will give you some great perspective and likely challenge (at least some of) your current approaches to ministry.

Book Review – With the Old Breed

Erik — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 02:42:56 +0000

A friend lent me a copy of the book With the Old Breed several months ago. I had just started another book, so it sat on my shelf until a couple of weeks ago.

I was a bit intimidated by the book at first, because the type was small and I assumed it was going to be a history lessen in some obscure details about the Marines. I was wrong. Almost immediately I was sucked into the unfolding story of a young man thrust into the horrors of war.

With the Old Breed is the memoir of E. B. Sledge, a marine who fought in some of the worst battles of the Pacific in WWII. It’s a fascinating look at the harsh realities they faced and the mental and physical extremes they endured.

It’s raw, honest and gripping…yet at times it’s tough to read–the author describes some of the horrors of war. He doesn’t do this in a sensational way, or to exploit the events, but he does so to shed light on the intense circumstances they faced and reveal the often overlooked realities of their experiences.

For someone who hasn’t done a lot of study on WWII, I found this to be an insightful and compelling read. I highly recommend it. Pick it up at amazon.com.

Immediately after finishing the book, I started searching for other information about the book and it’s author. I found the following clip on youtube. It’s part 1 (I believe you can find the rest by viewing this playlist) of a History channel show that documents E. B. Sledge and his experiences.

Book Review – Surprised by Hope

Erik — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 04:37:24 +0000

After starting several months ago, tonight I finished Surprised by Love by N. T. Wright. It’s a fantastic book and I highly recommend it. With that said, however, it’s not always an easy book to read. There’s at least two reasons for this:

Wright’s writing style. Wright is smart. Very smart. And this comes out in his writing. His sentences are often long. He will often string together several clauses in order to clarify his point and build his argument. In most books, I’ll highlight a phrase here or there, or a few sentences at a time. But with this book, I found myself highlighting paragraphs (or at least good chunks of them) at a time, just to get the whole thought captured.
Wright’s thoroughness. This book starts out slow and takes it’s time picking up speed. The author takes careful time to develop his argument and make sure it’s properly supported. By the time you reach the end, the pace has stepped up tremendously, but that’s because of the framework built up in the first half.

So what’s it about? In Surprised by Hope, N. T. Wright seeks to correct many of the misconceptions that modern believers have about heaven and life after death. Many people view heaven as an escape hatch out of this evil, cruel world. We long for the day when we will be rid of this place and experience some ethereal existence in the clouds.

But, Wright argues, that’s not in line with the Biblical understanding of these things. Jesus’ resurrection doesn’t teach us about life after death…but “life after life after death.” Jesus didn’t die and come back to life so that he could whisk us up to some other world. Instead, it was the beginning of the restoration of this world. In Wright’s words:

As long as we see salvation in terms of going to heaven when we die, the main work of the church is bound to be seen in terms of saving souls for that future. But when we see salvation, as the New Testament sees it, in terms of God’s promised new heavens and new earth and of our promised resurrection to share in that new and gloriously embodied reality—what I have called life after life after death—then the main work of the church here and now demands to be rethought in consequence.

Later in the book, Wright comments on our focus on heaven. He says, we’re not considering the end of the book:

As we read Revelation, we must not allow the wonderful heavenly vision in chapters 4 and 5 to lull us into imagining that this is the final scene in the story, as though the narrative were simply to conclude (as in Charles Wesley’s hymn) with the redeemed casting their crowns before the throne. This is a vision of present reality, seen in its heavenly dimension. We must read on to the end, to the final vision of Revelation 21 and 22, the chapters that give final meaning to all that has gone before and indeed to the entire canon.

Our partnering with Jesus means that begin to experience and live out the future restored life now. We, in the words of the Lord’s Prayer, do God’s will here on earth “as it is in heaven.” Our actions here matter, not simply because they will save others from hell (though they may encourage others to enter into new life with Jesus), but because “what is done in the present in the body, by the power of the Spirit, will be reaffirmed in the eventual future, in ways at which we can presently only guess.”

Instead of looking to escape or “earn” our way to heaven. We work diligently here and now because “our labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15). Our actions matter now.

What you do with your body in the present matters, he [Paul] insists, because God raised the Lord and will also raise us by his power. Glorify God in your body because one day God will glorify the body itself. What is to be true in the future must begin to be true in the present, or it will be called into question whether you are really on track in the first place.

Near the end of the book, Wright moves onto a more practical discussion of how these truths influence Christian life and mission. With the theological and historical framework laid, he provides a wonderful view of the faith that is driven by the hope of Jesus resurrection.

Though I highly recommend this book, I do so realizing that it’s not for everyone. This is a heavy book, particularly in the first half. But I believe Wright accurately corrects and teaches a Biblically accurate view of our future hope. A view, that is too often distorted and watered down in modern Christianity.

Book Review – Love Wins

Erik — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:42:33 +0000

I just finished reading Rob Bell’s latest book, “Love Wins.” It’s been the source of quite a bit of discussion and controversy since the trailer for the book was released several weeks ago. There’s a great chronology of the events here at The Resurgence.

I’m not going necessarily review the book, mainly because there are much better ones out there already. In particular, check out the reviews from Relevant Magazine and George P. Wood, (the later being the best one I’ve seen).

Instead, I’m going to try to distill the main controversy of the book down to it’s simplest parts. The problem with some of the reviews is that they are LONG (like 20 page pdfs…) and most people (like me) don’t want to wade through that.

Here’s how I see it.

Most Christians believe that we have the opportunity to choose heaven or hell (by accepting or rejecting Jesus) here in this life. Once we die (or at the judgement when Christ returns) that is it. There are no more opportunities. We’ve made our decision and the time is up. Some go to heaven and some go to hell.

Bell’s view is that our choice doesn’t end at death. He concludes that a loving God wouldn’t limit our time of choosing to a short period here on earth. He says,

God would, in essence, become a fundamentally different being to them in that moment of death, a different being to them forever. A loving heavenly father who will go to extraordinary lengths to have a relationship with them would, in the blink of an eye, become a cruel, mean, vicious tormenter who would ensure that they had no escape from an endless future of agony.

Bell’s conclusion that choice continues on after death begins with his reading of 1 Timothy 2:3-4 “this is good and pleases God our savior, who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.” Which leads him to ask the question, “Does God get want he wants?” In other words, will all men be saved?

Bell suggests in chapter 4, that God will reconcile everyone to himself. He’s careful though, to acknowledge that we still have choice in the matter. So, he doesn’t believe God forces anyone into heaven…we choose that (even if it’s after death)…but he strongly implies that all will eventually make that decision.

The other reviews I linked to above do a great job explaining some of the short-comings of “Love Wins.” As someone who used to listen to Bell’s weekly messages quite a bit (several years ago), I was disappointed with how it the book felt a bit one-sided. As I read it, I couldn’t help but feel that Bell was addressing some of the misunderstandings of a traditional view of hell. However, at the same time, I kept thinking he wasn’t really addressing my traditional views of heaven, hell or God. Instead, I felt like he was attacking a caricature of those things…a caricature that I didn’t ascribe to either (and I would guess that many others also don’t agree with). For someone who is known for raising questions and living in the midst of paradox…Bell doesn’t seem to be able to hold the tension of God’s love and man’s free will. Either God is loving and everyone is given eternal choice, or God is a mean, vicious tormentor who punishes people unnecessarily. For him, there doesn’t seem to be any other way to understand it.

So does Rob Bell believe in heaven and in hell? – Yes, as a present realities and ones that continue into the afterlife.

Is Rob Bell a unviersalist? He would say no…because he believes we have choice in the matter (God doesn’t just scoop everyone up into heaven). But he does indicate that God will eventually be reconciled with all men…so…kind of, yes.

My conclusion in bullet points:

I’m going to keep my eye on Bell. I’m not sure where this line of thinking will take him.
I don’t think Bell is WAY out there. But he goes farther than I’m willing to follow.
I hope he’s right…but I don’t think he is. I love the idea of everyone being reconciled to God. However, even if people do have a choice after death (which I don’t believe), I don’t think they’ll turn from their selfish living after entrenching themselves in it during this life. (For a great video on this topic, see my post here.)
In the end, a book like this gets us talking. This is good. We need to do a better job communicating who God is and what heaven and hell are all about. Sometimes we need to take a good, hard look at our beliefs and the way we communicate them.

Book Review – “Soul Print”

Erik — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:34:28 +0000

I just finished reading Mark Batterson’s most recent book, Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny and I’ve got to say, it’s his best book yet.

I’m a big fan of Batterson’s books. I’ve found them to be more than informational experiences. For whatever reason, each of them have had a message that I needed to hear at the time I read them. They’ve been more of a “divine appointment” for me.

In Soulprint, Batterson takes the reader down the path of self-discovery. He accomplishes this by analyzing Biblical “scenes” in the life of David. But this is more than a self-help book or a “you-are-special-you’re-the-only-one-like-you” book. Batterson deals with issues like: pain, disappointments, embarrassment, sin and integrity. Each of these, he says, influence your soul print, the part of you that is uniquely you. Identifying that soul print will then lead you to fulfilling the unique purposes God has for your life.

The book is an easy read. Not that the topic is simple or basic, but it’s very accessible. Every reader will leave challenged and inspired by their time with it. Batterson excels at inspiration, but he balances that out with an equal does of practical instruction and direction. For instance, “Scene II: Lifesymbols” recounts how David took Goliath’s armor after defeating him and puts it in his tent as a way of remembering the victory. Batterson explains that memories greatly shape our soul print and he challenges the reader to find “lifesymbols” of key moments in our lives. He explains that lifesymbols “are like cue cards that help us remember His script. They reveal who we’re becoming by reminding us of where we’ve been and how we got here. (pg. 54).”

I highly recommend this book. It will challenge you to search out not just who you are, but the legacy that God has uniquely designed you to fulfill.

You can pick up a copy of Soulprint at amazon (Kindle version).

For disclosure’s sake, my copy of Soulprint was provided free for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

8-bit Tron

Erik — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 05:23:54 +0000

Came across this today.

Awesome.

By the way, if you haven’t bought the Tron: Legacy soundtrack, you should.

No related posts.

book review – “Sun Stand Still”

Erik — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 20:20:41 +0000

Sometimes when I read the Bible, there seems to be a disparity between the way I live my life and how the people in the text lived theirs. I’m not talking about historical differences, or advancements in technology or culture. I’m referring to the faith-filled and bold experiences of the heroes of the Bible. When I read some of their prayers and accomplishments, my life sometimes feels a bit mundane and ordinary.

Steven Furtick’s book Sun Stand Still addresses this difference through the account of Joshua found in the book of Joshua, chapter 10. In this passage, the leader of Israel prays that God would stop the sun so he could have more time to complete their victory over the enemy. God answers Joshua’s audacious prayer and bold expression of faith.

This book will inspire you to dream big and pray audacious, “sun stand still” type prayers. Furtick provides more than simple motivation here. He digs beyond the “dream big” and “go for it” talk and addresses knowing God’s Word, effective prayer and the balance between faith and action.

I highly recommend this book. It’s a quick and easy (but not simple) read that’s accessible for almost anyone. For the recent believer, the book will catapult your faith to new heights. For the seasoned believer, it will refresh you and embolden you to step out in audacious faith. Regardless of who you are, it will get you thinking bigger and dreaming more boldly about the plans God has for your life.

You can buy Sun Stand Still almost anywhere, but I love Amazon, so get it there. (paperback) (Kindle)

For disclosure’s sake, my copy of Sun Stand Stillwas provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Google 2010 Year in Review

Erik — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 17:21:56 +0000

Well, it’s the time of year for “year in review” videos. I came across one from Google today that was excellent and I thought I’d go ahead and post it here. It starts a bit slow, but it’s worth the whole 3 minutes.