Book review: "The Shack" by William P. Young

A Christian movie is coming out in March 2017 that, I predict, will have a domestic total gross income of well over $100 million. Thousands upon thousands of Christians will flock to the theaters to see it. After all, the movie is based upon a book (originally published - May 2007) that began as a self-published work but eventually sold 18 million copies. So, yes, the movie is bound to be a block-buster.

The book caused a great divide among Christians, even conservative evangelicals. Some loved it and some despised it. Why was it scorned by many? The accusation was that it was saturated with false, even bizarre theology.

A confession: As popular as it was, I had not read this book until I purchased it one week ago. I realized that it was going to hit the big screen so I wanted to inform myself firsthand. I downloaded a copy of the book to my kindle app and devoured it.

After reading the book, I could easily write another book with all of my thoughts. Yet, for the purposes of this post, I will greatly limit all that I could say about this book, positive and negative.

Here are my thoughts:

It is well written
The vivid (yet not overdone) language and writing style pulls you into the story. The storyline is compelling and believable. And (no spoiler here) it will take you to a very dark place from which the true purpose of the book arises. Most readers will have trouble putting the book down.

It is very relevant
The author tackles some of the toughest of human questions.

Why does God allow pain?
How can I forgive someone who has horribly wronged me?
What is God like?
What does God think of me?

These questions and more like them are addressed in this book. For this reason, too, the reader will have difficulty putting the book down.

It is filled with tidbits of great wisdom
In my journey through The Shack, I underlined many sentences. The author, while misguided in a multitude of areas (I'll get to that momentarily), provided many principles that brought clarity to biblical truth. At other times, he gave helpful advice to those who struggle with many of the same problems as the lead character.

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OK, there are a few other positive things that I could say about the book but I will spend the remainder of my time addressing my serious concerns. It is my belief that the negatives essentially trump the positives rendering this a book that Christians should read (if they so choose) with great caution and much skepticism.

But, in bringing some of the negatives to light, I realize that some Jesus-followers will get very upset. Why? Because they have found much comfort in this book (there is much to be enjoyed). However, some of the "comforting truths" in this book are unbiblical. Some are clearly heretical. And when something that has provided us insight and comfort is shown (or alleged) to be false, we naturally take offense.

Yet, if Jesus-followers are to enjoy our God more fully and follow Him more knowledgeably, we must be sure that our beliefs are in line with Scripture. After all, Jesus said that God's Word is truth (John 17:17). It is not simply true. It is the essence and standard of truth whereby we determine what else in life is true.

So, here are some areas of concern where I believe the author has horribly erred in regard to Scripture. I will sprinkle some Bible references along the way.

It questions the relevancy of Scripture
In chapter 4, the main character (Mack) has experienced a horrible loss. He receives an unstamped letter in his mailbox inviting him to the shack for a meeting. It's signed "Papa." (This is the name that Mack's wife uses for God.)

On page 62, the author invites the reader into Mack's thought process. Mack wonders if the letter really is from God and whether or not God will visibly show up to speak with him.

But, to set up the narrative between Papa and Mack in the remainder of the book, the writer must reveal that it is possible for God to show up physically and speak audibly. So, how does he do this? He discredits Scripture, the written Word. The sarcastic tone is fairly obvious as we momentarily enter Mack's mind...

From page 62-63: "In seminary we had been taught that God had completely stopped any overt communication with moderns, preferring to have them only listen to and follow sacred Scripture, properly interpreted, of course. God’s voice had been reduced to paper, and even that paper had to be moderated and deciphered by the proper authorities and intellects. It seemed that direct communication with God was something exclusively for the ancients and uncivilized, while educated Westerners’ access to God was mediated and controlled by the intelligentsia. Nobody wanted God in a box, just in a book. Especially an expensive one bound in leather with gilt edges, or was that guilt edges?" 

Clearly, the author is mocking the notion that God primarily speaks through the Bible. He discredits it in his main character's mind. And, as he wipes his hands clean of any restrictions the Bible may have placed on him, he now feels free to send Mack to the shack where he will engage in a face-to-face narrative with the Trinity (in bodily form).

As if this were not enough, the author makes it clear just how irrelevant the written Word of God really is. How so? I was not able to find a single biblical verse quoted in the whole book! If you read through the Gospels, you will see that Jesus quoted the Old Testament Scriptures generously. Yet, the three persons who represented God (Papa), Jesus, and the Holy Spirit (Sarayu) never quote a single verse from the Bible.

Which is another problem I have with this book - the author puts words (not found in the Bible) in God's mouth. The characters of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit speaks thousands of words. They make truth claims (many of which are clearly false). Yet, the author feels no obligation to make sure that what they say aligns with Scripture. The author simply puts words into each member of the Trinity's mouth and desires that the reader embrace those words as truth (again, even though not a single Bible verse was cited in the entire book). This is unspeakably wrong in my estimation.

This is a theology book
By this, I mean that the primary purpose of this book is not to tell a story. It is to inform and influence the biblical beliefs of the reader.

If you doubt my previous statements, simply ask someone who has read the book what they liked most about it. Almost certainly, they will not refer to the story line. They will say things like:

"It helped me to understand how much God loves me."
"It helped me to understand the Trinity."
"It helped me to understand mankind's freedom and God's control over His Creation."

All of these statements point to the fact that Christians are going to this book and coming away with a change in their belief system. They are treating it like a theology book.

And this is horribly frightening given the previous point - that not a single Scripture is referenced in the whole book.

God is presented as a Public Relations Officer would present Him
By this, I mean that the God found on the pages of Scripture is very different than the "God" presented in this book.

The God of the Bible is love but also gets angry.
The God of the Bible is merciful but also judges.
The God of the Bible is forgiving but also condemns.

But, the God (Papa) in this book got cleaned up. He's much more presentable to a culture that wants none of His justice, none of His discipline, none of the talk about sin. They only want Him for His therapeutic value. They want to hear of nothing but His love and grace. In fact, they want to deny that He ever gets upset at sin, disciplines the wayward, and condemns the unrepentant sinner.

Let me provide a word count from The Shack to show what I mean. Notice how the "positive" words of God's character and work are generously used while the "negative words of God's character and work are rarely used at all.

Love - 100
Grace/mercy - 22
Forgive - 46
Relationship - 89

Sin - 7
Repent - 6
Hell - 6
Salvation - 0

There are a multitude of unbiblical statements and principles
The author is seeking to influence the reader's mind. He wants to change the way they see God. He wants to change the way they understand who God is and what God does. And in doing so, he makes many truth claims that are clearly wrong. 

Let me give you three examples:

- 1. The author claims that there is no authority structure in the Trinity
Listen to this conversation that takes place between Mack and the members of the Trinity on pages 126-127:

“Well, I know that you are one and all, and that there are three of you. But you respond with such graciousness to each other. Isn’t one of you more the boss than the other two?” The three looked at one another as if they had never thought of such a question. “I mean,” Mack hurried on, “I have always thought of God the Father as sort of being the boss and Jesus as the one following orders, you know, being obedient. I’m not sure how the Holy Spirit fits in exactly. He… I mean, she… uh…” Mack tried not to look at Sarayu as he stumbled for words. “Whatever— the Spirit always seemed kind of a… uh…” “A free spirit?” offered Papa. “Exactly— a free spirit, but still under the direction of the Father. Does that make sense?” Jesus looked over at Papa, obviously trying with some difficulty to maintain the perception of a very serious exterior. “Does that make sense to you, Abba? Frankly, I haven’t a clue what this man is talking about.” Papa scrunched up her face as if exerting great concentration. “Nope, I have been trying to make head or tail out of it, but sorry, he’s got me lost.” “You know what I am talking about.” Mack was a little frustrated. “I am talking about who’s in charge. Don’t you have a chain of command?” “Chain of command? That sounds ghastly!” Jesus said.

Is this what the Bible teaches? Nope. Not even close. Simply investigate the following verses to see that Jesus has willingly submitted Himself to the authority of the Father: 1 Corinthians 15:28; Luke 2:49; Matthew 26:39; John 6:38; etc.

- 2. The author claims that God is essentially anti-authority
In the following conversation between Mack and the Trinity, Mack is beginning to think that God is not fond of an organized church (religion) or government. Listen as they interact on pages 193-194:

“I really do want to understand. I mean, I find you so different from all the well-intentioned religious stuff I’m familiar with.” “As well-intentioned as it might be, you know that religious machinery can chew up people!” Jesus said with a bite of his own. “An awful lot of what is done in my name has nothing to do with me and is often, even if unintentional, very contrary to my purposes.” “You’re not too fond of religion and institutions?” Mack said, not sure if he was asking a question or making an observation. “I don’t create institutions— never have, never will.” “What about the institution of marriage?” “Marriage is not an institution. It’s a relationship.” Jesus paused, his voice steady and patient. “Like I said, I don’t create institutions; that’s an occupation for those who want to play God. So no, I’m not too big on religion, and not very fond of politics or economics either.” Jesus’ visage darkened noticeably. “And why should I be? They are the man-created trinity of terrors that ravages the earth and deceives those I care about. What mental turmoil and anxiety does any human face that is not related to one of those three?” 

Did you get that? The author put words in God's mouth and made Him state that He has nothing to do with institutions. In fact, he calls religion, politics, and economics "the man-created trinity of terrors."

Is this true? Is it biblical? Of course not.

Jesus started the church and promises to continue building it (Matthew 16:18). Yes, it is about relationship with the Father and relationship with each other. But, there are also plenty of ground rules in the Gospels and the rest of the New Testament to make it clear that the church is an organized "institution" given the assignment of glorifying God, equipping the saints for ministry, and spreading the fame of His name.

As far as government, God clearly instituted it. Just read Romans 13:1-7. God set up government and oversees it and demands that Christians submit to it. The language on this topic in The Shack is foreign to Scripture.

But, get this point - the author continues, over and over, to have God (Papa) say things that are clearly in violation of Scripture. He is making the "God" character in this book make claims that are directly opposed to what God has clearly said in His Word. 

And the result - Christians are reading it and are saying that it is giving them so much comfort and insight - that apparently they weren't getting from their encounters with God's actual Book.

- 3. The author is a universalist (he believes that no one will go to Hell)
Listen to these two references:

This first one is a conversation between Mack and God (Papa). It begins with a claim from God on page 210.

“Maybe for you, but not for me. There has never been a question that what I wanted from the beginning, I will get.” Papa sat forward and crossed her arms on the table. “Honey, you asked me what Jesus accomplished on the cross, so now listen to me carefully: through his death and resurrection, I am now fully reconciled to the world.” “The whole world? You mean those who believe in you, right?” “The whole world, Mack. All I am telling you is that reconciliation is a two-way street, and I have done my part, totally, completely, finally. It is not the nature of love to force a relationship, but it is the nature of love to open the way.” 

Did you get that? God (Papa) says that he has reconciled the whole world to himself. The immediate question would be, "What does he mean by that?" Well, if we look to the Bible to see how the word "reconciled" is used in the New Testament, it always speaks of bringing two opposing parties into a state of peace. In regard to God, who is at odds with the sinner (John 3:36), this means that He has provided terms of peace.

The previous section from the book is inconclusive in regard to whether or not the author is stating that every person will end up in Heaven (even if they aren't followers of Jesus, or have never heard of Jesus). We need some more information.

Well, we get that information on page 247. A conversation between God (Papa) and Mack has been taking place. One line that is attributed to God is the following:

"In Jesus, I have forgiven all humans for their sins against me, but only some choose relationship."

Here the author, through Papa, claims that not only have the terms for reconciliation been prepared by God, He has also "forgiven all humans for their sins," a statement clearly in violation to the principles of the New Testament. (If everyone's sins were paid for by Jesus on the cross, then God is guilty of double-jeopardy by holding those sins against the sinner on the Day of Judgment [see Revelation 20:11-15]. Jesus would also be misinformed when He said that compared to the narrow road that leads to life, most people will travel the broad road and end up in Hell [see Matthew 7:13-14]).

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I have many more notes and reflections that would enable me to continue adding to the length of the post. Yet, I've brought enough concerns about The Shack to give even the most nominal of Christians reason to read each line of the book (should they choose to read it) with a critical eye and another eye on Scripture.

If I could be so bold, I will end with a few lines from a discussion that Jesus had with Mack on page 196. It seems to fit how I feel about the book in which these lines appear:

Mack: “I have been told so many lies,” he admitted. Jesus looked at him and then with one arm pulled Mack in and hugged him. “I know, Mack, so have I. I just didn’t believe them.”

Book Review: "The Race Before Us" by Bruce Matson

I recently downloaded the ChristianAudio app onto my smartphone and rediscovered some books I had purchased a few years ago. In the mix was a book that I had, for some unknown reason, never listened to. It was "The Race Before Us" by Bruce Matson.

I completed the book recently and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here's why...

It's about Christian apologetics.
Bruce Matson is a lawyer in Richmond, Virginia who simply went through the motions of religion. He attended church and tried to be a good person.

Yet, as he approached the age of 50, he was confronted with a problem. If he really believed what he was saying and hearing in church, then he needed to take it much more seriously. If he didn't believe it, then he should abandon it completely.

This book is about his intellectual journey as he began to discover if a belief in God was reasonable. Was God's existence something we should blindly believe or was there substantive evidence as Romans 1:19-20 tells us? And what about the Bible? How can we be sure that it is God's revealed Word to us? And what are the proofs of Jesus' literal existence and the resurrection from the dead? And why is faith needed if we can reasonably 'prove' so much that is part of the Christian faith?

Bruce Matson takes the reader on the journey with him as he methodically, like a lawyer, searched for what evidence there was for the major tenants of Christianity. For those who have studied in the area of Christian apologetics, the names of those who influenced Bruce on his journey will be quickly recognized: Ravi Zacharias, Tim Keller, Alistair Begg, R.C. Sproul, Chuck Colson, C.S. Lewis and others.

One of the final chapters includes his desire to see if atheists had sound arguments against Christianity in particular. What are their arguments and could he refute them? So, after reading the book he interacts with some of the arguments in "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins. As only a lawyer could do, he methodically picks apart some of the major components of the book and shows emphatically that the arguments made by Richard Dawkins would never hold up in court.

It's about running.
Bruce was approaching 50 when it hit him that he was horribly overweight (260 lbs) with some complicating medical issues. He realized that if he was to make the most of his 50s before old age began to really set in, he needed to get fit.

This book recounts (concurrently with his faith journey) his journey to physical fitness. He takes the reader on his first training runs with all of his frustrations and questions. As he progresses, he takes his readers on some races as he describes in great detail his experiences in the New York City Marathon and the Boston Marathon.

It appears that Bruce did not have a co-writer so I have to assume that he has an incredible way with words. As he described the sights and sounds of his first 12 mile run to work early one morning and then as he describes his experience of the Boston Marathon, you can't help but think that you are there, running right alongside him.

This book can also be used as a running primer because Bruce includes the lessons he learned about running as his experience progressed. By the time you finish the book, you feel like you have learned quite a bit about the sport. If you aren't a runner, you may find that by the time you finish this book you'll want to go looking for some running shoes.

It was well written.
Bruce is an attorney. Digging into the technicality of Christian apologetics would have given him ample opportunity to write in such a way that he would lose his readers in the details and jargon. Yet, while there are certainly some technical moments in this book, it has the feel of a journal. It comes across as the logical, heart-felt reflections of a man on a journey.

As I mentioned earlier, his writing style also is so enjoyable that you feel like you can 'see' and experience what he's describing. I would love to think that I will run in Boston one day and Bruce has given me a good idea of what the race feels and looks like. To some extent, I feel like I've already run it after reading the book.

It was well read.
I'm not an auditory learner. I'm a visual learner. Yet, the narrator for this particular book (Lloyd James) did a masterful job and made it easy for me to stay engaged. The quality of his voice, his inflections, and so much more made listening a pleasurable experience.

In fact, I usually find it difficult to listen to an audiobook while I'm running. With traffic to watch, potholes to avoid, heavy breathing and so much more, I often find that I can easily disengage from an audiobook. Yet, I went out for an 84 minute run last week and was able to enjoy listening to this book for the entirety of my run.

Conclusion
So, I would highly recommend this book, particularly to those who wonder if the Christian faith is reasonable. That is this book's strongest aspect. The chapters about running simply illustrate the points he makes about his search for truth.

Yet, for those who need to get physically fit or for those who are runners (or want to be), this will be an enjoyable journey.

Enjoying God

One of the many books I'm reading right now (I have a problem with tackling too many at one time) is John Piper's book "Desiring God." It is one he wrote many years ago and yet its truths are still speaking comfort and hope into the hearts of those who read it.

One quote that Piper coined and which he elaborates on in this book is this: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

From that quote, the author uses the book to state his case for Christian hedonism. I trust John Piper but as I started the book, I wasn't too sure about anything that used the word "hedonism." 

However, as I read the book and searched the Scriptures, I believe his conclusions are sound - that God made us with a desire to be happy and that happiness is to be found in fellowship with our God.

When I finish the book, I'll write a review.

Book Review: "Handbook to Prayer: Praying Scripture Back to God" by Kenneth Boa

I received my hardcopy of "Handbook to Prayer" today. However, I've been using this resource for a few years. With the only exception of Peter Lord's "2959 Prayer Plan", this book has been the most influential and beneficial tool I've used to assist my prayer life.

The heart of this book is the 90 day prayer guide. The author recognizes that Christians desire to spend time in God's Word and time in prayer but have trouble bringing the two together. He further realizes that the most powerful praying is done when we are using God's Word to inform our prayers. After all, "God's Word won't return to Him void", right?

Therefore, the author came up with a tool that guides the reader's prayer time. Each day, for 90 days, he personalizes at least one passage of Scripture under each of the following prayer headings:
 1) Adoration,
 2) Confession,
 3) Renewal,
 4) Petition,
 5) Intercession,
 6) Affirmation,
 7) Thanksgiving, and
 8) Closing Prayer.
You can read the verses, meditate on them, and then pray them to the Lord.

Just a few of the benefits I've gained from this tool are:

• My prayers are balanced (I'm not just offering up petitions; i.e. "me, me, me")
• It enables me to successfully combine Bible intake with prayer.
• I have also enjoyed those occasions when the verses for that day were exactly what I needed.

Most certainly, this tool does not replace my regular Bible intake. I try to read the entirety of Scripture each year. Yet, this tool comes alongside my regular Bible intake to help me enjoy a deeper fellowship with the God who wrote the Bible.

Book Review: "Prayer: Asking and Receiving" by John R. Rice

One of the best kept secrets to powerful Christian living is prayer. Unfortunately, Christianity in our time has been reduced to a moral code. We are led to believe that Christians are measured by how good they are and not necessarily by the presence of the supernatural in their life. Prayer is the way to invite God in tangible ways into your day-to-day experiences.

If you are like many Christians and know you should pray more but need some encouragement or insights into effective praying, I would heartily recommend "Prayer: Asking and Receiving." It is definitely one of the top two books on prayer that I've ever read (the other one is "How to Pray" by R.A. Torrey). I first purchased it as a paperback when I was in college for about a dollar. A preacher friend was getting rid of some books. I had no idea what a prized possession I bought that day until I began to read it for the first time.

Rice's book is saturated with Scripture and biblical principles that will show you how to pray effectively and get the things you pray for. Each chapter is also peppered with stories from the life of the author. He regularly recounts his own experiences of receiving from God precisely what he asked for in prayer. These stories give the author credibility and allow the reader to be encouraged to renew their passion and practice of prayer.

This book was written in 1942 and so the writing style and some of the illustrations are definitely not contemporary. However, what this book has to offer is worth the effort to go outside of your comfort zone.

One of the least expensive options for purchasing this book is at the website that bears the author's name. You can check it out at: http://www.johnrrice.com/Prayer_Asking_and_Receiving.html.

Book Review: "Decision Making by the Book" by Haddon Robinson

With all of the decisions we make each day and with our desire to please God in those choices, this book provides a biblical approach to good decision making by a trusted author.

This book will help you to understand the following and so much more:

• how prone we are to use unbiblical methods to make decisions,
• how a faulty view of God's will and God's sovereignty puts undo stress on us when we face decisions,
• how the Scriptures provide clear, simple steps for good decision making (i.e. prayer, searching the Scriptures, seeking wise counsel, etc.)

I had a few drawbacks, namely, that the author dealt much more with the objective and less with the subjective aspect of decision making. However, over all, I enjoyed this book and plan to reread it again soon.

Book Review: "Every Man's Battle" by Stephen Arterburn, Fred Stoeker w/Mike Yorkey

I obtained my free copy of "Every Man’s Battle" from Multnomah for review. (A handful of women looking at that title may have a handful of different ideas regarding what the book is about. A stadium filled with thousands of men would provide only one answer … and it would be correct.) I handpicked this book because of its relevancy to the Christian walk. To one extent or another, most men have not gained complete victory in this area of their life and this book appeared to provide a battle plan for winning. Having completed the book, I can say that my suppositions were correct.

To begin with, this is a man’s book written by men to men. As such, it periodically comes across as conversation that would take place in a male locker room. Not that the conversation is impure – it’s written by men who take their walk with Jesus seriously. The conversation is just frank and honest.

The authors took a very interesting approach to dealing with the sins of thought and deed. Since it is “maleness” that creates the potential problems, it is “maleness” that can get men out. The authors write on page 71: “You got into this mess by being male; you’ll get out by being a man.” The authors write on page 218: “I want you to know that you are a warrior of the Lord God Almighty. The battle for purity lies before you, and victory is yours for the taking. God is with you, and make no mistake, together you stand as a formidable duo on the battlefield. You can win – you will – win this battle.” You read that and you just want to let out a good ol’ Tim Allen (“Home Improvement”) “Arrrggghhh arrrrggghhh!”

However, even though it is quite man-centered, it is also thoroughly biblical. Verse upon verse are given to show how seriously God takes sexual purity in the Scriptures. Verses are given to provide principles for victory. Further, verses are provided to show that the basis for our victory is not in ourselves but in Christ who is in us. The basis is the work of redemption as referenced on page 90: “At Calvary, He purchased for you the freedom and authority to live in purity. That freedom and that authority are His gift to you through the presence of His Spirit, who took up residence within you when you gave your life to Christ. The freedom and authority are wrapped up in our new inner connection to His divine nature, which is the link that gives us His power and the fulfillment of His promises…” We can do nothing apart from Christ. But if we are saved, we AREN’T apart from Christ and are more than overcomers.

Another aspect of this book that I enjoyed was the real life stories. Over and over, the authors told of men they knew who broke their vows by allowing their eyes, mind and heart/body to wander. The consequences they experienced are a healthy warning to every man.

As men read this book, they will realize that much of what they struggle with is common among most men. In realizing this, there may be greater freedom to acknowledge the problem and tackle it. (As I have counseled folks in my office, I’ve noticed the sense of relief that comes over them when I inform them that others struggle with the same issues that they do. That relief doesn’t minimize the sin. It does, however, give them the ability to relax and experience God’s power to assist them rather than being overwhelmed by the “great accuser.”)

Finally, and there is so much more that I could write, this book does a great job of setting up some common-sense and necessary parameters to keep from being overtaken by immorality. There is a section on how to guard your eyes, another section on how to guard your mind and another on guarding your heart (pursuing holiness and your wife).

This book will remain a helpful resource in my arsenal for years to come.

Book Review: "Love Wins" by Rob Bell

Rob Bell's book, Love Wins, has recently hit the shelves and will no doubt stir a lot of debate. The remarkable thing is that many who claim the title "evangelical" will champion it ... a point I find remarkable for the reasons I give here. I purchased the book yesterday, devoured it and am posting my review. My response to "Love Wins" is a bit lengthy but still does not come close to touching all of the concerns I have with this book.

Wow! Where do I start? In fact, since I so soundly disagree with most of his book, should I even set out to write a critical review in the first place? Listen to what the Apostle Paul wrote Titus. He commanded Titus to appoint elders in every town and one thing these elders were do was … “holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it.” In this book, Rob Bell very clearly contradicts the “sound teaching” of Scripture and so, yes, this review is appropriate.


I commend Rob on his writing style. He is engaging and knows how to craft sentences and paragraphs in such a way that a 21^st century reader finds easy to read and enjoyable. While there are a few other positive things I could say, let’s get right to the serious stuff.


The author begins the book in such a way that I was left thinking I should be glad that he had arrived. He seemed to be like Mighty Mouse who had come to save the day … or at least clear up all of the “false teachings” that have characterized orthodox Christianity for centuries. He writes, “I’ve written this book for all those, everywhere, who have heard some version of the Jesus story that caused their pulse rate to rise, their stomach to churn, and their heart to utter those resolute words, 'I would never be a part of that.'”


Now, on the surface, we may want to agree with him. Don’t we want to have a belief system that is embraced by others, in fact by everyone? In our age of political correctness and where everyone wears their feelings on their shoulders, aren’t we becoming programmed to shy away from all that is “offensive?” Who in their right mind would tell others something that would make their “stomach churn” unless, of course, it was intended to be that way? After all, 1 Corinthians 1:23 says, “but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles.” In fact, Galatians 5:11 refers to the “offense of the cross.”


If the Gospel was supposed to be a message that kept people’s pulse rates from rising, stomachs from churning and hearts from being turned off by it, then the Apostle Paul failed miserably. He failed so miserably that he kept getting beaten, stoned, whipped and such. Maybe he had the wrong approach. Maybe Rob Bell's book was written 2,000 years too late. In fact, we would have to conclude that Jesus failed, too. He spoke the Good News so effectively that he was killed for it.


Further, in his Preface, the author wrote: “A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better. It’s been clearly communicated to many that this belief is a central truth of the Christian faith and to reject it, in essence, to reject Jesus. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’s message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear.” Now, I must plead ignorant as to where the author gets this information. I can’t imagine where he hears that fewer people will go to Heaven than Hell, unless of course it was from Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it." This is just one of the first of many times that the author sets forth a view that is plainly contrary to Scripture that most people are familiar with.


Another problem I had with the book was the author’s practice of asking question after question after question, ad nauseum. If you read the book, you’ll understand my comments on this matter. It seemed as if the author enjoyed asking questions more than he did answering them. Yet, from the vantage point of his sympathetic readers, his incessant questioning was effective in deconstructing much of what has characterized orthodox Christianity for years. In doing so, it enabled the author to reconstruct these views in his own way for his own purposes.


The author also did hermeneutical gymnastics on numerous occasions. He took passages out of context or simply read into them things that were never intended by the original writers of Scripture. The author didn’t let the original intent of the New Testament writers get in his way, though, of using those texts to “prove” his point Scripturally.


One example: The author references Exodus 17 where the Israelites received life giving water from the rock while wandering in the wilderness. On that occasion, God made clear that Moses was to strike the rock with the staff he used at the parting of the Red Sea. When Moses did this, water gushed from the rock to satisfy the thirst of the Israelites.


From there, the author references 1 Corinthians 10:4 where the Apostle Paul wrote: “and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.” Now, any logical minded reader who has any desire at all to accurately interpret God’s Word would know what Paul was saying. He was saying that the rock illustrated Christ. There are many similarities but a few are: 1) the rock was hit by a wooden rod and Jesus was nailed to a wooden cross; 2) the result was water to satisfy just as Jesus told the woman at the well that He had living water (forgiveness/eternal life) to satisfy her; 3) it was intended to meet the needs of the Israelites just as Jesus satisfies those that belong to Him; etc.


However, the author doesn’t get this meaning at all. Not even close. He has another point he wants to make and so he changes the significance/meaning of the rock. Instead of saying that the rock illustrates Christ, he says, “Jesus was ... the rock. According to Paul, Jesus was there. Without anybody using his name. Without anybody saying that it was him. Without anybody acknowledging just what – or, more precisely, who – it was. Paul’s interpretation that Christ was present in Exodus raises the question: Where else has Christ been present?”


What’s the author getting at? He’s opening the door wide to show that people can be saved by Christ even if His name isn’t mentioned and there is no knowledge of the Gospel. The Hindu engaged in idol worship, having never heard of Jesus or seen a Bible, can believe enough on his own to worship Christ and be made a recipient of the living water. (One is left to wonder why Jesus told us to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into His fields [Luke 10:2]. Why “waste” our money on missionaries if people don’t need the Scriptures to believe?) Clearly, the author is a universalist in his understanding of who makes it to Heaven. In the final chapters, this allegation becomes undeniable.


It becomes clear that he believes Hell (and he doesn't seem to be certain what it is) is a place where God's love continues to reach out to the lost. The author is convinced that given enough time, those in Hell will choose God's love over the tormenting flames. Given the option, I can certainly see how they would come to such a conclusion but the real question is whether or not such an option exists. The Scripture speak nothing of this option. The author, however, reassures his readers that such an option actually does exist. Dangerous, very dangerous!  


While the author is clear that Jesus and the cross are the way to Heaven, he refuses to believe that Jesus MUST be the object of one’s faith to receive eternal life. He writes: “John remembers Jesus saying, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (chap. 14). This is as wide and expansive a claim as a person can make. What he doesn’t say is how, or when, or in what manner the mechanism functions that gets people to God through him. He doesn’t even state that those coming to the Father through him will even know that they are coming exclusively through him. He simply claims that whatever God is doing in the world to know and redeem and love and restore the world is happening through him.” It is remarkable that the author goes for the very text that is clearly exclusive and redefines it as inclusive. Jesus used the definite article when He said, "I am THE way, THE truth and THE life." Yet, the author isn't afraid to redefine it as long as it then fits into his paradigm of the kind of Gospel that would readily be received by the masses.


The author’s view of hell is remarkable. However, I’d have to qualify that statement before proceeding. Even after reading the author’s chapter on hell, I’m still confused as to whether or not he actually believes in the “hell” that has been so clearly laid out in Scripture and defined by orthodox Christianity for centuries. He seems to allow for it but spends more time talking about the “hell” that people experience while here on earth. He gives much more attention to this present condition. This would seem to jive well with his view of what Christians are supposed to be doing with their lives. (I thought it remarkable that in a book that spoke of Heaven and Hell and the fate of every person who has ever lived, there would be a cogent Gospel presentation somewhere in the book, at least tucked away in the appendix somewhere. Yet, even though this was strangely absent, there were websites and addresses given for those interested in providing clean water, fighting against social injustice, desiring fewer nuclear weapons and such.) With a paradigm that focuses on bringing Heaven to our corrupt earth, it seems that at least the author is consistent when he speaks of hell being here on earth, too.


Another flaw from which the author operates is a lack of understanding concerning any attribute of God besides His love. It is true that God is love and that it is so vast that we can’t even come close to understanding it and that nothing can separate us from it. However, it is also true that we aren’t the only objects of God’s affections. God also loves justice and holiness and is filled with wrath at sin (just read Ephesians 2:3, Romans 2:5 and Revelation 6:16 for starters).


Yet, operating from a limited view of who God is, the author writes: “Millions of people in our world were told that God so loved the world, that God sent His Son to save the world, and that if they accept and believe in Jesus, then they’ll be able to have a relationship with God. Beautiful. But there’s more. Millions have been taught that if they don’t believe, if they don’t accept in the right way, that is, the way the person telling them the gospel does, and they were hit by a car and died later that same day, God would have no choice but to punish them forever in conscious torment in hell.” It’s as if the author has only read what Pollyanna called “the happy texts.” His view of who God is and what He is like is so simplistic against the backdrop of the complex God presented in the Scriptures.


The author continues: “If your God is loving one second and cruel the next, if your God will punish people for all of eternity for sins committed in a few short years, no amount of clever marketing or compelling language or good music or great coffee will be able to disguise that one, true, glaring, untenable, unacceptable, awful reality. Hell is refusing to trust, and refusing to trust is often rooted in a distorted view of God.” So, the author argues that if the lost world is to embrace the God we think we know, He needs a good PR man. Christians throughout the ages erred by speaking of the "undesirable" attributes of God and made Him into something that the lost world just doesn't find attractive. They aren’t drawn to a god that would get angry at sinners and send them forever to a Christ-less hell. Thus, the need to correct those errors and recreate God in a way that focuses on the attributes that the lost world will be drawn to, namely His love. In fact, we're led to believe by the author that the whole of humanity is simply waiting to respond to that kind of God.


We should all be eternally grateful that someone such as Rob Bell came along and gave God a much needed makeover. It shouldn’t surprise us if now that he’s cleared up the mess that centuries of Christians created, things are going to look up for every believer. Muslims in Iran will soon drop their machetes and replace them with hugs for the Christians in their midst now that they know that God loves them. Hindus will stop persecuting Christians after they read Rob’s book and will burn their idols. Or, Rob has led us to believe that they could continue to worship those idols as long as their heart longs for the true God. In that way, the redeeming work of Christ will fit them for Heaven .. as they continue to bow down to those idols. And by the way, we now know that we don’t have to give of our finances or send out missionaries especially when they go to places that are dangerous. Why send them at all?


Let’s just enjoy the life God has given us and wait until eternity to see if Rob is right (unless we are people of the truth who devoutly believe what God has so plainly revealed in His Word). Since we are people of the truth, we must stand against error ... especially error such as is propagated in this book that no doubt will send thousands of unsuspecting men and women to a Christ-less eternity ... forever. 


I pity the author on the day of judgment unless his retraction of this book is as widespread as the audience this book will get. James 3:1 says: "Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment".

Book Review: "Tortured for Christ" by Richard Wurmbrand

This is an incredible, sobering book! It is so easy for us who enjoy the freedom of the West to forget that many of our brothers and sisters in Christ are presently experiencing persecution for their faith. We read of Jesus’ words in John 15:20, “Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” Yet, we cannot relate to this statement. We know little if anything of persecution. Thus, we fail to fathom what it is like for other Christians who are experiencing persecution. The end result? Indifference to their plight.

Richard Wurmbrand, who wrote this book many years ago, has done the Christian community a great service by reminding us of the persecuted, underground church. He speaks firsthand of the torture he experienced for Christ and calls upon the church in the West to rise up and come to the aid of our brothers and sisters.

Book Review: "90 Days of God's Goodness" by Randy Alcorn

I obtained my free copy of “90 Days of God’s Goodness” from Multnomah for review. I handpicked this book because of my love for Randy Alcorn’s writings and I was not disappointed. Let me outline why this book should be read by every Christian.

First, for anyone who has experienced, is experiencing or will experience some really tough times (and this includes all of us), this book is extremely relevant and very comforting. Each entry can be read in about 5-10 minutes and includes a Scripture, comforting/insightful word from the author and a closing prayer. The author’s words comfort the heart and inform the mind.

    

Second, this book is creative. As I prepared to read this book, I wondered how much could be said about dealing with difficulty. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that the author makes each chapter fascinating and unique. He looks at the theme of suffering (sickness, death of a loved one, loss of job, lawsuits, severed relationships, persecution, etc.) from various angles in each chapter and never makes you feel like he’s repeating himself. As you trek through the book, you find yourself looking forward to the next journey he will take you on in the consecutive readings.
   

Third, this book isn’t just “fluff” as so many other books today. It’s easy reading and yet at the same time it builds a biblical theology of suffering. It addresses the questions of why suffering happens, what suffering produces, how a child of God is to respond to suffering, etc. The fact that the author can present a book filled with theology and yet present it as a devotional, easy-reading book speaks to the giftedness God has given him. The author has the ability to simplify the complex without watering it down.

   
Fourth, the author has the moral authority to write a book on suffering. As he includes so many stories of people who have suffered, he peppers the book with his own trials. He is very transparent and speaks of many different traumatic events that God has allowed into his life. As you become aware of the calamities he has experienced and then continue to hear him talk of God’s goodness, it gives the book power. You realize that you aren't simply listening to someone who wants to make a buck off of a book sale. He's writing from experience and wants to help others glorify God in their difficulties.

  
As I heartily recommend this book to you, I’ll conclude with a quote from day 82 that explains why I believe you must read it: “Before difficult times come your way, develop the habits of studying God’s Word, listening to Christ-centered teaching and music, reading soul-nourishing literature, both nonfiction and fiction. Daily fill the reservoir from which you can draw when facing difficult times – and helping others face theirs.”