Christian Retailing

Book Reviews CR August 2011 Print Email
Written by Production   
Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:12 PM America/New_York

Top PickTheSecondMessiah

The Second Messiah

Glenn Meade·

Howard Books

hardcover, 464 pages, $22.50

978-1-451-61184-7

Reading similarly to both a Thoene novel and·The Da Vinci Code,·best-selling author Meade’s·The Second Messiah·will keep readers on the edge of their proverbial seats.

The story revolves around Jack Cane’s archaeological dig and the discovery of an ancient scroll that dates back to the time of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Written in a strange code as well as ancient Aramean, the scroll claims there was a second messiah who may have lived at the time of Jesus—an idea that strikes fear at the heart of the Vatican and the nation of Israel and leads them to bury its evidence.·

A strange accident that predates the murder of a prominent archaeologist makes Cane wonder if the two incidents are related, and a chase ensues through Europe and the Middle East.

The Second Messiah·reads quickly and will hold the reader’s attention with its many plot twists. In the story, Meade also addresses the problem of suffering in an insightful comment from the pope. Fans of fiction tied to news headlines will enjoy this geopolitical thriller. Recommended for readers of Joel C. Rosenberg.

—Jennifer Toth


Surprised by OxfordSurprisedbyOxford

Carolyn Weber 

Thomas Nelson

softcover, 384 pages, $16.99

978-0-849-94611-0

Surprised by Oxford offers a host of delightful gifts for readers looking for depth and breadth in their summer reading. When Weber heads to the oldest-surviving English-speaking university in the world, she’s prepared for rigorous study and mental challenge—but not to find herself drawn to Christians who challenge her broken thinking and hostile heart. A friend she calls “TDH” introduces her to real Christianity, endures her anger, feminist leanings and skepticism, as well as her heartfelt questions about faith.

Readers can expect challenging questions and answers about a true life of faith; rich history that seeps from the walls of Oxford; and enough literary references to delight the heart of any aficionado—from Homer to Donne, Tolstoy to Bono and, of course, C.S. Lewis (the title perhaps an allusion to Surprised by Joy) and the Bible. 

Weber has written an astute, stimulating memoir of her conversion to Christ, as well as her year at Oxford. Readers will walk the city’s ancient streets and along with Weber feel her heart change.

—Ann E. Byle


A Confident HeartAConfidentHeart

Renee Swope 

Revell/Baker Publishing Group

softcover, 208 pages, $13.99

978-0-800-71960-9

Swope, radio host and speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries, encourages women who struggle with self-doubt to get out of the cycle of defeat in A Confident Heart: How to Stop Doubting Yourself & Live in the Security of God’s Promises

Swope opens up about her own lack of confidence and what she has done to combat it. Having heard whispers of doubt in her own life, she helps readers confront such thoughts as “I’m such a failure” and “I don’t have anything special to offer.”

From her insecurity as a child of divorce, wondering if she was worth keeping, to doubting her ministry calling, Swope tells many a story women can relate to and encourages them to understand the heart of God, who is for them. Practical and personal, A Confident Heart doesn’t offer a quick fix, but aims to help readers discover the value of their inheritance in Christ and claim God’s promises for themselves.

—Christine D. Johnson


Hell is Real (But I Hate To Admit It)HellIsReal

Brian Jones

David C. Cook

softcover, 272 pages, $14.99

978-0-781-40572-0

Jones, senior pastor at suburban Philadelphia’s Christ’s Church of the Valley, had a secret: As a graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary and during his first four years of ministry, he didn’t believe in hell. Prominent theologians such Clark Pinnock rejected the doctrine of hell, after all. What’s more, Jones rationalized that earthly life is hellish enough and admitted that he “liked being liked,” avoiding confrontation about theological matters.

But he was confronted by biblical texts—including the words of Christ—on the existence of hell, and now in Hell is Real (But I Hate to Admit It) shares his journey of coming to believe in the reality of eternal punishment. His goal: to help the church recover “the all-consuming conviction that overtakes you when you realize that hell is real, and that it is within your power to help people avoid going there.”

Written in a candid, conversational tone, Hell is Real is peppered with deep insights from theologians and literary figures. Hell is Real is an important, challenging work in light of Rob Bell’s recent controversial book, Love Wins.

—Brian Smith McCallum


CourageousCourageous

Randy Alcorn

Tyndale House Publishers

softcover, 400 pages, $14.99

978-1-414-35846-8

From the creators of Fireproof comes Courageous: Honor Begins at Home, a novelization based on a screenplay by movie-making brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick.

Set in the same town as Fireproof—Albany, Ga., where the Kendricks’ church happens to be—Courageous follows the lives of law enforcement officers Nathan Hayes and Adam Mitchell and their partners. At home, Nathan is the spiritual leader of his household, but Adam, though a professing Christian, is not taking his role at home seriously, leaving his wife frustrated and family relationships deteriorating.

When the unimaginable happens, Adam must decide whether or not to deal with the tragedy and let God turn it into something good. During this time of rebuilding, he develops The Resolution—a father’s pact—which becomes his testimony in church.

Although some readers may find some similarities with FireproofCourageous has a wider variety of characters and storylines, with an intriguing, fast-paced plot. Alcorn’s novelization is not just about policemen facing down gang members, but also about their responsibilities as Christians, fathers, husbands, friends and community leaders.

—Jean Breunle


The Art of MentoringTheArtofMentoring

Darlene Zschech

Bethany House (Baker Publishing Group)

hardcover, 192 pages, $19.99

978-0-764-20934-5

Former Hillsong worship leader and church co-pastor Zschech believes every person needs to know he or she is “valued and completely valuable.” This belief has enabled her to develop gifted, young musicians into great worship leaders. She encourages, praises and supports her teams in their successes and downplays their failures while expecting them to work diligently. 

Leadership expert John Maxwell influenced Zschech to teach the “why” behind the “what” in training others to lead, which she does in The Art of Mentoring: Embracing the Great Generational Transition with 14 values taken from the Scriptures.

Although the book would benefit from personal examples, The Art of Mentoring is a thought-provoking read for busy leaders.

—Eilene Ishler

 

Change AgentChangeAgent

Os Hillman 

Charisma House

softcover, 256 pages, $14.99

978-1-616-38182-0

A leader in the faith-at-work movement, Hillman calls out the desire inherent within every person to make a difference in the world in Change Agent: Engaging Your Passion to Be the One to Make a Difference. Through profiles, biblical and contemporary, he shows how God assigns individuals a destiny, preparing them to make an impact.

Hillman reminds believers not to focus only on the gospel of salvation—which is a starting point, but can lead them to wait for Jesus, not work toward His return—rather than the gospel of the kingdom. He encourages Christians to see even their everyday tasks as kingdom work and calls them to influence aspects of culture: business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, the family and religion. 

Simply written and well organized, Change Agent takes readers through the six stages of how God prepares His change agents, cautioning them that spiritual warfare is necessary. Recommended for the believer who knows there must be something more to the Christian life or who wants to influence the culture for God.

—Nicole Anderson