Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

My friend Ask an Atheist asked me to read Archaeology’s New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of Its Sacred Texts.   I tried to read it with an open mind.  However the authors didn’t seem to approach their research with an open mind.  They claim to use Archeology as the basis of their research.  But I believe they use Archeology to back their presuppositions.

They claim that the Exodus didn’t happen.  They claim that Jericho didn’t have any wall, etc…  They also downplay the role of faith and the supernatural.  This book is rather long and I really struggled through it.  Archeology is in the eyes of the beholder.  It is interesting to me that Biblical scholars get different results from their studies.

What I think is these authors and others don’t understand how faith effects the world.  They don’t think the Exodus couldn’t happen because it doesn’t make sense.  Well, I’ve seen things happen in my faith that don’t make sense.  If I could explain God then why serve Him?  The supernatural is vital in a a believer’s life.

I appreciate A3’s desire to give me another view.  I give this book 3 out of 5 hockey sticks.

I recently read Brian D. McLaren’s book “Everything Must Change.” I was first exposed to McLaren’s work when I read “A New Kind of Christian” about 5 years ago. That book was needed for me. I read the follow-up and a few other books he has written. So when the publisher asked me to review his new book, I was honored.

Let me say that McLaren is much further left of me on the political spectrum. But I think it is important for me to read people who challenge my thoughts. This book is about how our world and especially the Christian world needs to change how they view the world we live in. McLaren points out that much of modern or even post-modern Christianity is based on what we have seen in our lifetime. He challenges believers to read the Bible through the lens of the people it was actually written to not our 21st Century world view.

One of the greatest points I think I got out of this work is that war, weapons build up and spending money on protecting our nation has done nothing to make our world safer. In fact McLaren points out that terrorism is higher since we spent so much on war. I don’t agree with McLaren when it comes to the people he agrees with on Global Warming but that’s OK.

He also asks this question: “What would need to happen for followers of Jesus to become a greater force for good in relation to the world’s top problems? How could we make a positive difference?”

That has been my feeling for a few years now. Many Christians including myself were very involved in politics but what has winning elections brought us? Nothing. They only way to truly change the world is through the power of Jesus Christ and His message.

That is the message of “Everything must Change.” This would be a great book for small groups because it has discussion questions after each chapter.

I give this book 4.5 hockey sticks out of 5.

Craig Groeschel is the founding pastor of LifeChurch.tv in Edmond, OK. Under his leadership, LifeChurch.tv has become one of the country’s first multi-campus churches, with over fifty weekend worship experiences currently at eleven different locations throughout the United States.

Craig is one of the few mega-church pastors that actually responds to his blog. When you read his blog, he actually reads it and even comments back. What a concept! He also takes certain weekends where he prays for those who read. I had the privilege of meeting him for a few moments at Catalyst back in October. Craig is real and it comes through in his blog, his Biblically inspired messages and his books. I read Chazown last year and it really inspired me to find out who Craig was. I began listening to his messages and reading and participating in his blog. Craig is one of the most passionate and dynamic speakers I have ever heard. I’ve always been a huge fan of Andy Stanley but Craig is now up there with him in my book. Craig’s message on Practical Atheism was one of the most powerful messages I’ve ever heard.

Now to the book Going All the Way. This is a great book about preparing for a marriage that goes all the way–in other words a marriage that lasts! This book had me literally laughing out loud as I read it. He gets you laughing and then sticks you with an important point. Then he gets you laughing again. But through it all I was challenged Biblically to have a marriage that goes all the way.

Craig is open about his life before Christ and how it was filled with promiscuity. Then God rocked his frat world when he was forced to lead a Bible Study because they were on probation. Even though he was not a believer, God used His word to penetrate Craig’s heart and Craig accepted Christ. Then Craig decided because of his past he would “date” Jesus for a year. When it was finally time to start dating in a Biblical way many girls thought he was too out there. One young lady told Craig he needed to date a girl named Amy Fox. He said “fox” was a sign from God. Anyway after a few months Craig finally called Amy and left a message on her machine that was actually played at their wedding.

” Hey you Christian Babe, take me to church or lose me forever!”

Yes it is that kind of book. Craig deals with preparing for marriage, engagement and what to do after you get married. By the way he and Amy have 6 children because Craig says his wife can’t keep her hands off him! He talks about remaining pure before marriage or if you were like him and messed up that God can begin again today. This will be a book I will use for pre-marital counseling in the future. It was a great read and I highly recommend it to those who are single and feel you will get married someday, those who are married and want a better marriage, those who need improvement in your marriage and pastors to use in counseling.

Going All the Way receives 4.71246 hockey sticks out of 5. (That’s for Phil Hoover)

BTW: I’ve had a little extra time to read this week.

Yesterday I met with a local pastor who has been a good friend and has planted a growing “Grace-filled” church in the area. He gave me the book Grace Walk and asked me to read it. I couldn’t put it down and finished it last night. I realize this book has been around for 12 years but I had never read it nor heard about it until recently. The ironic thing is one of my wife’s best friends and homeschooling mom had just given the book to her for us to read.

The author, Steve McVey, was a rising star in the church world. He was a successful pastor who had led his denomination in Baptisms when he was called to pastor a turnaround church in the Atlanta area. He felt he was up for the challenge and tried everything he had been successful in Alabama. Finally he was giving a state of the church address the next day and lay face down crying on his floor. The church was not doing well and he realized that he had been in a “performance” mode and not a “Grace” mode. He repented that night and told his church that the next day. He then began a journey of a “GRACE WALK.”

I could relate to much of what he was saying. I recently preached a message on Mary and Martha and how Jesus told Martha that Mary had chosen what was better when she sat at the feet of Jesus instead of helping Martha work. Life is about living with Jesus not doing things for Him. Martha was actually distracted from Jesus Himself! (Luke 10:38-42)

Here are some choice quotes:

• Polishing your performance is not the answer. Some of the most miserable people are drowning in a sea of religious activity (p.22)
• It was a thrilling day when I came to understand that Christianity is not rules and routine, but a relationship. (p.24)
• Walking in the flesh is simply relying on your own ability instead of on God’s resources. (p30)
• Being preoccupied with serving Christ more than with Jesus Himself is a subtle threat to every Christian. (p. 38)
• I began to really understand my identity as a Christian–that Christ is not simply in my life, but that He is my life. (p. 68)
• Many modern church members are absolutely exhausted from their efforts to serve God. (p. 73)
• Any approach to Christian living that focuses on keeping rules as a means of experiencing victory or growing spiritually is legalism. (p.80)
• If you really want to live a godly lifestyle, the focus of your life must be Him. Not church, not religious activity, no a moral lifestyle, not obeying His commands. Just Him! (p.89)
• Any person whose Christian life is centered on service is doomed to a life of frustration. (p. 95)
• Grace choses people as a priority… Law insists on service. Grace inspires it. (p.151)
• Grace causes one to see people instead of prospects. (p.151)

I truly enjoyed this book and I give it 4.75 hockey sticks out of 5.

This is another book that needs to be read by all believers. It is not an enjoyable read, but sometimes the truth hurts. Gabe Lyons was a VP for INJOY, John Maxwell’s organization. He was the co-founder of the Catalyst Conference and to everyone he had it made in ministry. But something was stirring in his heart. He couldn’t help but wonder what non-believers really thought about Christians and how did it hurt believers efforts to share Christ with them. So Gabe did the unthinkable, he resigned from Injoy and called his friend Dave Kinnaman from the Barna Research Group and said he wanted to Barna to research what Non-believers think about Christians. Their research wasn’t intended to be a book but their findings were so sobering they had to write this and I’m glad they did.

You don’t have to agree with the findings but it doesn’t matter because this is what non-believers think. Mosaics and Busters (the generations that include late teens to early 30-somethings) believe Christians are judgmental, anti homosexual, hypocritical, too political and sheltered. The book really made me think. I pray that I never become a stumbling block to someone accepting Christ because I act unChristian. This book is a must read.

I highly recommend unChristian and give it 4.69 hockey sticks out of 5.