Don't Check Your Brains at the Door, a Review

Josh McDowell, like C.S. Lewis and Lee Strobel, had a problem with Christianity. As an agnostic, he set out writing a paper to disprove the Christian faith, which ultimately led to his inability to do so and his surrender to Christ. A renown apologist, McDowell, along with Bob Hostetler, produced a simple book of common questions for young Christians, a book titled Don't Check Your Brains at the Door. Originally released in 1992, I recently received an updated edition for a more modernized society.

Don't Check Your Brains is targeted for teens and young adults. The book is conversational and the tone is light and humorous, but it never loses its focus. Divided into six sections, the book covers myths about God, Jesus, the Bible, the Resurrection, Religion and Christianity, and Life & Happiness. There are forty-two 3-4 page chapters, and each chapter ends with a "Brain Food" application. The "Brain Food" stuff includes readings from the Bible and insights for practical living.

As an older Christian, and having read some more theological denser material (like Strobel's A Case for Christ), I wasn't blown away by anything I read. This, however, was not my intention in reading the book. I volunteer with the youth at church and I wanted to read it to see how I thought it would help high schoolers and middle schoolers. To this age group, as well as fledgling Christians, I think Don't Check Your Brains is a fantastic resource. It answers tough questions with Scripture, as well as establishes a seed to grow deeper in understanding God's Word.

I think this book is a great starting point for those that are clueless about their faith and why we believe things we believe. Many great questions/myths are addressed, such as New Age Thoughts, Wimpy Jesus, and God Grades on a Curve. These are but a few examples, and I think many of these myths will be encountered by the upcoming generations. In the end, Don't Check Your Brains at the Door is a simple and engaging book that should hold the attention of a younger audience, but also impart truth and evidence for common questions they may face. The book would fit perfectly with young and curious minds, and may just spark some thought in older ones as well.

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*FTC Thingy: This book was provided for free as an ebook download from Thomas Nelson Publishers and Booksneeze.com.

J.R.R. Tolkien Christian Encounters, a Review

The Christian Encounter series is a biographical series from Thomas Nelson Publishing House.  The purpose of this series is to highlight the faith of each person presented.  I am not a fan of biographies, having only read one my entire life (Bob Dylan) and not planning to read another.  But then came along the chance to review the Christian Encounter book on J.R.R. Tolkien.  Since the book was small and about someone I had more than a passing interest in, I decided to give it a go.

Mark Horne does an admiral job of highlighting Tolkien's life in just over 120 pages.  The focus of the biography is to present readers with insight into Tolkien's life and the eventual development of his seminal works in the fantasy genre.  Horne is quick to remind us that Tolkien was a believer in the Faith, but he never ventures more than that.  Personally, I thought I would get to see more of Tolkien's faith in action, or at least some idea of how he believed.  Instead, I'm reminded (more than once) that Tolkien was a "sincere" Roman Catholic, that he forced his wife to convert from Protestantism to Roman Catholicism, and that he raised his children in the Catholic church.  One is left wondering what type of faith Tolkien really had.  No doubt he believed, and Horne includes how Tolkien shared his faith with C.S. Lewis in hopes of convincing Lewis to abandon skepticism, but this about as much of the action as we get to see.

Instead, this brief biography spends a handful of pages for each era of Tolkien's life and reads like a Wikipedia article.  We learn of his upbringing and his orphaning at an early age.  We then follow Tolkien's examination process to gain entrance to school, and then further studies to become a professor at Oxford.  We read about the Great War and its affects on Tolkien, and then suddenly we're diving through publishing and finishing his works.  All in all, if one is not looking for depth (and truly, I can't say that I was), then this little book is great for a casual Sunday afternoon read.  Its brevity is testament to that.  But if one is looking for a more thorough examination of Tolkien's life, there are definitely more available biographies of the man out there.  (Horne cites these quite often, and lists the books in the back of his work for further reading.)

All in all, it was an interesting experience to read about J.R.R. Tolkien.  I'm still not much of a fan of biographies, but I didn't expect to be won over by this, either.  If you're looking for some lite-Tolkien bio, Mark Horne's J.R.R. Tolkien in the Christian Encounter series is it.  Otherwise, look for something deeper.

*FTC Thingy: This book was provided free of charge.  Yep, I didn't have to pay for it.  All I had to do was read it and write an honest review.  I'm required by law to post this FTC Review Thingy for tax purposes or something.  So I like to change it up every time I tack it onto the books I receive.  I also like requesting baked goods, but as of yet, no one's obliged.

The Beginning Reader's Bible, a Review

Just by looking at The Beginning Reader's Bible I knew I had a real treasure on my hands.  The book is heavy and durable, enriched with a strong cover and crisp, glossy pages.  I requested the book because I thought it looked nice and that it would be perfect for little children.  After opening the package and seeing the actual book in front of me, I knew I was correct.

The Beginning Reader's Bible is aimed for young readers (as evidenced by the title) who still like a lot of pictures with their text.  The scripture all comes from the ICB (International Children's Bible translation), which simplifies the text so that a child can easily understand.  The entire bible is not included here, but a sampling of stories from both the Old Testament and the New.

The most astonishing thing about this book is how beautiful and rich the illustrations are.  Each page, each story, they've all been lavished with attention by Marijke ten Cate.  The characters look authentic and fitting.  The landscapes are breathtaking.  Even the animals are wonderfully drawn.  Yes, this bible's illustrations are sure to capture the young person's attention as they've captured mine.

To make the Word even more engaging, there are many extras to help drive home the point.  "Do God's Word" or "Pray God's Word."  Boxes like this pop up all over the place.  They're great to let little ones learn, memorize, and apply God's word.  There's also some supplemental resources at the back, listing the apostles, 10 commandments, and things like this.

Overall, it's really the illustrations that stand out with this book.  The scripture is great to instruct young ones, but I think they'll fall in love with the pictures and then listen to the Word.  This is a great little bible that I look forward to sharing with my children.

FTC Thingy: This book was given to me free of charge by Thomas Nelson & Booksneeze in exchange for an honest review.  No cookies were exchanged.  Honest.

(By the way, if you want to get an idea of what Cate's illustrations look like, check out this page.  These images aren't exactly in the Bible, but close enough.)

"Big Red" Holy Bible - Contemporary 3-D Art, a Review

The "Big Red" Holy Bible - Contemporary 3-D Art is a bible targeted for young readers, recommended for ages 6-12 or a 3rd grade reading level.  The bible uses the International Children's Bible translation, a translation I had never encountered before this review.  The best description for this bible is from the Booksneeze website.

The same "Big Red" Bible that you've trusted for 25 years . . . now with updated, fresh, 3-D art for today's video-game generation. A full-text of the International Children’s Bible translation with bright Red cover and ALL NEW contemporary art, that was created especially for children ages 6 to 12. “Big Red” has been updated with an all new collection of beautiful full color pages, illustrating treasured Bible stories. Inside the type is big and readable for this age group. Kids will love having a Bible to take to church that’s easy-to-read and understand!

I initially requested this bible because I thought the illustrations and simple translation would be good for my brother-in-law in 3rd grade.  The illustrations are all computer generated, designed to look like something from a video game to attract such a young audience, but I found most (if not all) of them off-putting and bland.  I'm not sure if a young kid would be impressed with these or if they would find the illustrations cheesy.  Personally, I didn't like how "white-washed" most of the people were, though I fully expected it in our Americanized version of Christianity.

As for the translation itself, the ICB seemed pretty straightforward and understandable, though slightly clunky.  I do think a 3rd grader could read from this translation with few problems, but there may be some places with difficulty.  I read through some of my favorite passages and used it for a few days alongside my morning studies, and I didn't like the way some of the sentences were structured.

One thing that I liked was the dictionary in the back and the use of footnotes throughout.  The dictionary has plenty of entries that would be useful for a child when coming across an unfamiliar word.  The footnotes are your standard biblical footnotes, offering cross-references or "Other versions add..." and the like.

Overall, the "Big Red" Holy Bible - Contemporary 3-D Art is not something I could see myself buying for my kids or really recommending for others.  The bible is riddled with illustrations, but proportionally they are severely lacking.  For the most part this seems like a simplified translation with occasional illustrations tacked in at random places.  The provided dictionary & memory verses at the back are nice resources, but in no way unique to this particular bible.  If you're looking for a children's bible only for some easily understandable text, then perhaps this is the one for you.  If you're wanting something with more bells & whistles, perhaps more color and not endless pages of text, I'd skip out on this one.

*FTC Thingy: This bible was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers and Booksneeze free of charge in exchange for an honest review.  There were no cookies or pies or delicious cakes involved in this transaction, though if there was, I certainly wouldn't be telling anyone about how delicious they were.

The Gospel According to Jesus, a Review

The Gospel According to Jesus, by Chris Seay, is a very thought-provoking book. It's a slim read, barely 200 pages, but it packs a lot in its easy-to-read prose.

The premise of the book is that Seay is concerned with how American Christians fail to understand key terms to the faith, like "righteousness" or "justice." A survey was commissioned that gave dismal results that Seay's concerns are justified. The rest of the book deals with this issue.

On the ...more The Gospel According to Jesus, by Chris Seay, is a very thought-provoking book. It's a slim read, barely 200 pages, but it packs a lot in its easy-to-read prose.

The premise of the book is that Seay is concerned with how American Christians fail to understand key terms to the faith, like "righteousness" or "justice." A survey was commissioned that gave dismal results that Seay's concerns are justified. The rest of the book deals with this issue.

On the surface, this idea does not intrigue me in the least bit. Definitions are relatively fickle things, and one may have a different idea of what "righteousness" means than Seay or the study. Still, as I progressed through the book, I found myself captivated by what I was reading.

Seay has a heart that longs for Christ. He wants this feeling to shine through all who claim to follow Jesus, and the book largely deals with this. How would Jesus treat the poor? The sick? The environment? The greedy? Jesus would show them all a loving, compassionate side that we are unfamiliar with, and Seay makes his points well.

I read this book with a pencil in hand, underlining sentences that struck a chord. Looking back, there were plenty. Seay has a way with allegories or metaphors that really make sense of what he's trying to say, as well as what Scripture is saying.

There were a few things in the book that I was a bit wishy-washy on, but on the whole, The Gospel According to Jesus is an excellent read for the critically-thinking Christian. Its ideas are things that should be taken to heart and pondered on.

This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers and Booksneeze in exchange for an honest and fair review of the product.  

One Hand, Two Hands, a Review

Max Lucado's One Hand, Two Hands is a kids book that teaches children important life lessons--like helping others or showing compassion-- through example of what we do with our hands. The book is a nice hardcover, sure to withstand grasping hands and toddler tosses. It's beautifully illustrated (by Gaby Hansen) with splashing watercolors and captivating images.

The book is a simple rhyming style early-learning read, easy enough for young readers to follow along or for smaller ones to easily understand. The story is about a young girl that learns what all she can do with her hands, from helping her mom wash dishes to cleaning up her room to playing with pets. The lessons are important and easy to grasp, and I think this would be great for young kids.  The pages are fun and filled and the rhymes keep the attention in check.

Overall, this is a great book with a beautiful message for growing children. It's short and simple enough that I can see myself reading it over again to my kids, whenever that time may come.

This book was provided to me by Thomas Nelson Publishers and Booksneeze in exchange for an honest and fair review of the product.  

Searching For God Knows What, a Review

Searching For God Knows What, by Donald Miller, is a powerful, thought-provoking book.  Miller writes as he did in the wonderful Blue Like Jazz, conversational and easy to understand.  His theology is strong and his convictions are sincere and honest.  Searching For God Knows What is a smooth blend of memoir and theology, and the result is excellent.

The book reads as if Miller is telling you a bunch of stories.  He talks about his friends, sometimes even naming them, and some of the things they've done.  He tells about how the circus terrified him as a kid and only found solace in the elephants.  He tells about some of his struggles and some of his worries, all the while sucking you into his life.  Truly, the book feels almost as if you're sitting down and talking over a cup of coffee, not reading.  After I finished I felt as if I knew Miller, like he was one of my friends and that I could just call him up and talk on the phone, and that easy-to-read style is part of what makes Searching For God Knows What a good read.

But the book is more than just well written.  Miller is looking for something, as the title suggests.  He's actively searching, but what for is anybody's guess.  Not only is Donald Miller looking, but you and I are too.  Miller tells of how we're all just fallen people and that our lives are a result of the events that happened back in the Garden of Eden.  I won't expound on his theology and on his theory of life, but for the most part, I agreed with everything he said.

Overall I really enjoyed Searching For God Knows What.  At times I was laughing because of how funny and witty some of the stories are.  Other times are almost enough to break your heart, realizing how messed up the church (and the rest of the world) is.  And still yet I was learning, or thinking, perhaps, that maybe Miller is onto something here.  If you've never read anything by Donald Miller, and you'd like to read something fresh and eye-opening, I can easily recommend Searching For God Knows What, or his ubiquitous Blue Like Jazz.  The book spoke to me, and I think it would do the same to anyone that were to sit down with it with an open-mind and a hungry-heart.

(This version of Searching For God Knows What is a revised and updated version from his previous release in 2004.  The updated version includes and in-book game, where clues are hidden throughout the text.  I started out following the game, but after a few chapters I got tired of this.  Still, some may find this type of thing fun, it just wasn’t for me.)

This book was provided for free by the publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Why You Say It: The Fascinating Stories Behind over 600 Everyday Words and Phrases, A Review

Why You Say It looked interesting to me because of my passing interest in etymology.  The book, written by Webb Garrison, examines the history behind common words and phrases that the average English speaking person encounters nearly every day.

I'm not sure really how to rate this book.  At times it was interesting; however, more often than not, I was eager to skip ahead.  Each word or phrase reads like a Wikipedia article: brief, hitting the important things, and slightly wordy.

Some words and phrases were very interesting, having truly fascinating history.  Others were logical.  Many were surprising.

Garrison aims well, but never really hits the mark.  Some words I wanted to know more about, and others seemed to be too full of boring history.  I realize that Garrison has no impact on the etymology of words, but I feel like this book could have easily been shorter.

Overall, Why You Say It was an interesting enough read, but it leaves no lasting impression on me.  I could spout out a few new nuggets of wisdom, but nothing lasting.  But, if you have more than a passing interest in word origins, I recommend the book for you.

This book was provided to me for for free by BookSneeze.com and Thomas Nelson Books, in exchange for an honest review.

Called to Worship, by Vernon M. Whaley

Called to Worship, by Vernon Whaley, is a book that offers a biblical basis for worship. The book is formatted into three parts: Old Testament Worship, New Testament, and Worship in Heaven. From these, Whaley dives into giving thoughtful examples of worship, frequently siting Scripture and other published works. (The cited works are enough to warrant an Appendix of sorts, including a bibliography and a section of Notes.)

I found this book easy to read, but challenging to apply. To me, the book felt like I was reading a summary of the Bible with worship-tinted glasses on, which is definitely not a bad thing. Whaley starts off the book with a picture of what Eden was like, when life was perfect and worship of God was complete. Sadly, this did not last, and soon the "Worship Wars" began. The rest of the book deals with the aftermath of the Fall and how Man must fight to worship Yahweh. From Genesis to Revelation, familiar Scripture is analyzed and worship is encouraged.

I can easily recommend this book if you are looking to set your heart on worshiping God. Finishing the book left me desiring to serve Christ better, to live a life full of worship and glory to God. Whaley encourages us to read, pray, sing, and give glory to God in all that we do. While Called to Worship is not a substitute for the Bible, it is a great companion to read to get a feel of what worship could be like.

You can find this book on Amazon. I'll end with two of my favorite quotes from the book.

"The worship battles we face today are often driven by self-interest. Unwilling to accept new, exciting venues for the expression of worship, many folks just stir up conflict....Such personal preferences result in disagreement between brothers and sisters, pastor and parishioners, and their differences of opinion prohibit their worship of God."

"Authentic worship requires a regular worship routine. Abraham was a builder of altars...You need to meet with God at a special time in a previously appointed place that is free of distractions from the world around you,...giving him your undivided attention. He deserves no less."

Read and Share Toddler Bible, written by Gwen Ellis, illustrated by Steve Smallman

This book is a Bible for young children, full of beautiful illustrations and wonderful stories. Created to share the Word of God with toddlers, it serves as a great tool for introducing many of the important stories from the Bible from an early age. This book is perfect for toddlers and young children just learning to read.

I found this children's Bible to be thorough and simple. Each story references the Scripture from which it was taken, and at the end of each section there is a special note for parents to use to connect the story to "real life". The use of onomatopoeia's, such as Clipety-Clop, allow the reader to animate the story vocally, which works well combined with the colorful illustrations. The illustrations were beautiful, fascinating, and fun to look at, and will surely interest the toddler's eyes and imagination.

I felt that the author captured the main themes of the Bible well and presented them in a fashion that toddler's would enjoy and learn from. By combining the illustrations, parent connections, and actual Scripture-based words, this toddler's Bible may work as a successful book, though with the temperamental attention spans of some toddlers, it may be tough to keep them focused.

In addition to the actual book, a bonus DVD is included, which contains an hour of fourteen Bible stories. This is great for children of all ages, even as young as infants.