Steps

Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright

2012-01-30T17:14:00.000-05:00

This book connected with me on all cylinders.

Surprised by Hope is Wright's attempt to explain the biblical teaching on the resurrection of the dead, what happens when we die, heaven and how the church should act in light of these teachings.

Then he throws in the typical Wrightian thoughts on the Kingdom of God and global debt forgiveness for good measure.

It may have been the season in which I was reading this book but I could not put this down. It seemed as if every chapter had moments where I wanted to scream out, "Hallelujah".

As with other works by Wright, he builds each chapter upon what was discovered from the previous one. He breaks this book into three parts: Setting the Scene in which he explains the different views of life after death and how there is so much confusion out there. He walks us through the early church thought of Easter and the ramifications.

Part two is God's Future Plan. This was the biggest emotional, spiritual, intellectual boost and encouragement for me. This is where Wright explains about the Kingdom of God and how Jesus understood it, moving on to what the second coming is all about and how Jesus acts as judge. Lastly he discusses what the redemption of our bodies will be and how Scripture refers to a physical bodily resurrection and not some sort of spirit resting in paradise.

Wright's thoughts on Purgatory, Paradise and Hell are refreshing even as this book was written before Rob Bell's Love Wins. Even if this isn't the book for an exhaustive study, it may have set more people at ease.

The final part deals with what we can do, as the church, now that there is a fuller understanding of what the Kingdom of God is all about and what it should look like as we live the rest of our lives.

Simply a terrific book. I can't wait for the next Wright book.

Moneyball

2012-01-30T16:59:00.000-05:00

Remember when the Athletic A's won 20 straight games?

Neither do I. But this is the basis for the movie Moneyball. Brad Pitt stars as Athletic A's General Manager Billy Beane.

Back in the day, Beane was drafted into the Pros right out of High School on the promise that he was going to be one of the greatest ball players in the history of baseball. Alas, this prophecy did not pan out. Beane never grew into the athlete the scouts imagined he would become, and after multiple trades, he became a scout and then GM of the A's.

After losing three of their greatest players to the Yankees, Beane realizes they will never compete with the kind of money teams like New York or Boston are willing to throw around. He visits Cleveland for a possible trade and meets a fresh-from-Yale gradutate, played by Jonah Hill.

Hill's ideas about players and how the stats come into play for scouts intrigues Beane who hires him as his new Assistant.

Of course, their new ways of doing things upsets the veteran scouts and even the team's field manager. (Philip Seymour Hoffman)

How could a bunch of no-namers lead a team to victory?

I was impressed with Jonah Hill. I have grown tired of his kind of comedy so it was refreshing to see him in a semi-serious role next to the always-great Pitt. And Philip Seymour Hoffman can hit any role out of the park.

This is a decent baseball movie. It tacks on the added bonus of being based on actual events. So even though you may know how the movie will end, it's fun to see how things worked out behind the scenes.

The only downside was the length. There were many times I felt it could have ended or, at least, cut out a few scenes to make it not as long. Of course it could have been that I was tired and ready for bed but had to finish the film first...

The Devil in Pew Number Seven by Rebecca Nichols Alonzo

2012-01-27T16:54:00.000-05:00

There is no way I would put up with what this family went through.

There is no way I would allow my family to be harassed, threatened, fired upon, or so close to bombs that the shattered glass falls into the son's crib while he sleeps.

There is no way I would forgive the man who murdered my mother and father like the author, Rebecca and her brother, has. This is my weakness that I will have to deal with and wrestle for as long as I live. But there is absolutely no way that I would forgive a person who did the things recorded in this book.

Mr. Watts had a lot of influence in the town and church that Rebecca's father became pastor of. When changes began to take place and more people were turning to Christ, Mr. Watts made his displeasure known.

Before the era of caller ID, Mr. Watts would call their house with death threats. He would fire his gun at their house while they slept. He exploded dynamite around their house and the church.

Through all of this, the church begged Rebecca's father to stay as pastor.

It finally came to a horrible end when Mr. Watts invaded their home and killed both parents.

This book deals with how the children of the murdered were able to forgive this horrible human being. Rebecca walks you through the idea of "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse".

I must be a coward, but I would have skipped out of town when the threats started. Or at least I would have explained to the church that their pastor needed help. "If you want me to stay, you need to do something about this man."

Instead, he was allowed to kill two innocent people. And then he was forgiven by their children.

Extraordinary tale. You will be changed from reading this book.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing

Shark Night

2012-01-27T16:35:00.000-05:00

This is not a movie for those who enjoy decent movies. By no means is Shark Night a decent movie.

The acting is bad. The storyline is practically DOA. The CGI and puppet sharks try to give it a go but it never jumps.

A group of college students head out to a lakeside house in Louisiana for a break. While at a gas station, they have a momentary scrap with a couple lame-brained locals. Obviously these locals will play some further plot point later on in the story.

After stripping down to their swim wear, three of them go out on a boat for some water boarding. (Not the torture but you wouldn't know the difference at this point) The dude gets hit, from below, by a shark and loses his arm. Later he takes a spear out to the shallows in order to get him some revenge on the shark that kills his girlfriend.

But all-in-all, expect one or two of these "kids" to survive the shark attacks.

The story will try to explain why sharks are in a lake and why they have cameras attached to them.

I don't understand why every shark movie since Jaws has been dismal. It must be quite difficult to come up with a decent movie about shark attacks. Add to that the difficulty of creating realistic sharks and I doubt if we'll ever get a shark movie worth it's soup.

I'd expect to see this film honored on Mystery Science Theatre 3000 before anything else.

Oh so bad.

0 shark fins out of 10.

Man Alive by Patrick Morley

2012-01-18T14:55:00.002-05:00

From the author of The Man in the Mirror comes seven primal needs that need to be transformed.

Patrick Morley gives the kind of encouragement that men need. This isn't the kind of feminine-man-book that is so prevalent in the Christian publishing world. This is from a man who has met with thousands of men, knows how we think, talk and what we need.

Morley believes that 90% of Christian men feel stagnant and lead defeated lives. Is this you?

Each chapter deals with a primal man-need:

Not doing life alone
To believe God cares about me personally
To believe life has a purpose
To break free of destructive behaviors
To satisfy the thirst for awe
To love without reservation
To leave the world a better place

As with many Christian "self-help" books, you'll find discussion questions after each chapter intended to keep you thinking. Each chapter has quick and easy steps with fast facts. This is exactly what men need to keep us engaged with a book that might be seen as less-than-manly.

There is also an 8 week DVD study to accompany this book at some point down the road. But I'm guessing the book will be enough for me.

The anecdotes were entertaining and helped create a more full reading experience.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing

The Pact by Steven M. Gillon

2012-01-14T21:05:00.002-05:00

Telling the, until recently, top secret story of how President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich almost solved the Social Security/Medicare problem.

If you were old enough during the 90s, you may remember how heated the political climate was between Democrats and Republicans. This era was based on two personalities: Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich.

Author Gillon takes us back to these two personalities and how their upbringing through the 1960s shaped what was to come thirty years later.

While I would call this book slightly pro-Clinton, I do think this is one of the most balanced political book I have ever read. Gillon points out the values of both men as well as their vices.

When you boil both men down, you'll actually find two very similar people. Although they never trusted each other, they wanted to be part of something historic.

After the Republican take-over of Congress and some public venom from Gingrich, the two men realized that they needed to work together in order to accomplish something no politician ever wants to touch.

Meeting in secret, so secret that Hillary didn't know about it, Speaker and President met in the White House to talk about how they could create a new coalition of middle ground in order to pass significant legislation.

Everything was in place to succeed until "Monica happened".

The Pact is a wonderful political epoch. It provides a wonderful behind-the-scenes narrative which will lead you to imagine, What if...

This book was provided for review, at no cost by Oxford Publishing

Afraid to Believe in Free Will by Carlos E. Begley

2012-01-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

Boy was I confused about this book.

What I thought would be an engaging discussion on the differing views of Free Will and what the Bible has to say about the issue turned out to be a graduate-level psychology thesis that, outside of the deeply intellectual or psychology/theology student, will cause most eyes to twirl in their sockets.

Begley pulls out all the stops from almost every psychologist who ever lived and how their interpretations of human existence plays a role in how we view Free Will. (Whether it exists or is simply a fantasy)

Begley will take you on a lengthy journey through humanity and explains why the thought of Free Will has corroded and why we are afraid of it.

Students of human behavior and patterns will thrive under the heavy-handed pen of Begley. After the first chapter I was taken back to my Sophomore year of college, looking out the window for freedom. This is not a critique of the book or the author. His insights and the quality of research are enough to keep the flames burning.

I was simply caught off guard by the density and I never recovered from the initial shock. This is not a book to be read while curled up with a blanket. This is a book that demands a pen and paper along with your highlighter. And maybe five cups of coffee.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Lost Command

2012-01-09T17:20:00.000-05:00

This is a graphic novel by Dark Horse comics. It tells an interesting story of how desperate Vader is to comply with his master's wishes.

When Grand Moff Tarkin's son goes missing with an Imperial Fleet, it's is up to Lord Vader to locate and rescue the important boy.

As with all things Star Wars, things don't go according to plan and Vader finds himself at the mercy of his blistered and psychologically-damaged intellect.

The artwork is up to par with what you would expect from Dark Horse and the story is something that helps fill in gaps of Anakin-turned-Vader's character.

You'll find his mind haunted by the death of his wife and desperate to be close to her once again.

This is almost what Star Wars fans would have liked to see on the big screen instead of the whiny, pathetic excuse of a man/boy of the prequels.

Either way, this is a find addition to the Star Wars lore.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Dark Horse Comics.

The God Whom Moses Knew by J. Roger Nelson M.D.

2012-01-07T09:06:00.002-05:00

This is an interesting take on the Moses story.

Told in a novel, Dr Nelson explores the relationship between Moses and God. We begin with Moses returning from a successful battle for Egypt. He has lost two of his generals and we witness him throwing a fit in anger against the gods he's grown up with.

Moses worshiping idols? This is a view many Christians wouldn't entertain. Wasn't Moses always a follower of God? This is where The God Whom Moses Knew opens the windows of "what if" with historical plausibility behind it.

Most of this book follows the biblical story but it also adds some flavor, as with most fiction, in order to create a richer experience. (Can we say something like that without being stoned by the Evangelical Christians today?)

Nelson plays out the relationships between Moses and the other characters that aren't explained in the biblical narrative. This creates a kind of postmodern flavor to the story we see on television every Easter.

Whenever you go beyond was is in the Bible, you'll have people upset with stretching the facts or distorting whatever their truth is. But this is an enjoyable novel that gives readers a realistic "what if" dimension to Moses and his relationship with Israel, Egypt and God.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Real Marriage by Mark & Grace Driscoll

2012-01-05T07:50:00.001-05:00

Do you need yet another book explaining what marriage is all about? Do you want to read a book that will claim to be the authentic voice on marriage because all the "other marriage books" fail to be transparent?

Mark Driscoll wants to use his marriage as a template for some of the insights he has gained, along with his wife, of this relationship that has a 50/50 survival rate.

By the subtitle, we're told we're going to learn "the truth" about sex, friendship and life together.

This is basically two parts:
1. Marriage
2. Sex

In part one, you'll read five chapters about the relationship/friendship aspects of a marriage. Like most marriage books you'll read about things from a man's perspective and then a woman's.

In part two, you get the typical, "sex is a gift from God and we've screwed it up" mantra. They also dish the truth on porn and its devastating effect on marriages.

The chapter that everyone will immediately turn to before even reading the book is chapter ten.

Titled, "Can We _______?" This chapter deals with questions that are on couple's minds but are typically afraid to ask. Driscoll provides the response by giving three criteria: is the act that you're asking about lawful? (meaning does the Bible speak against it?), is it helpful? (will it strengthen you're relationship), and is it enslaving? (will this act destroy the marriage)

I'm not a big fan of Christian Marriage books. They tend to say the same thing using slightly different words and yet they don't seem to be working in the overall scheme of society.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Corridor by Robin Parrish

2012-01-04T15:30:00.004-05:00

Robin Parrish had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

In Corridor, seventeen year old Troy finds himself in a room with a voice in his head. The voice tells him to, "Run!" When he makes it out of one room, he enters a new room with all new obstacles.

He learns this voice belongs to a girl named Victoria and she is supposed to guide him through the Corridor. There are multiple rooms and if Troy doesn't move fast, he could very well die.

These rooms will push his body and mind to the very brink and when you don't think it could ask for any more, this Corridor will demand so much more.

I thoroughly love everything Parrish writes. He never drops the ball with his pacing. His plots keep me turning page after page until late in the night.

True to Parrish-form, Corridor has characters with such depth that so much is revealed slowly throughout the book. Each chapter will leave you chomping at the bit for more answers.

When the answers come, they don't feel rushed or forced; they feel as if I should have known it all along.

Once I turned the last page, I sat back and imagined the day when I can return to this world Parrish has created. I hope he writes a sequel so we can do some more exploring.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by StoneHouse Ink.

The Canary List by Sigmund Brouwer

2012-01-03T15:22:00.001-05:00

Like many of Brouwer's books, The Canary List starts off very slowly. In the age of adrenaline thrillers, his books have been shut simply because people don't have the patience to wait it out.

What would you do if a girl came to your house and begged you to help her?

This is the entry point for a great book to keep you thinking and sharing the ideas with your friends long after you've finished.

You'll go for a journey all over the world as you look to figure out what exactly is up with this girl.

You will feel as if you are beside her as she goes through such horrific situations. Some are fantastic but that's okay because this is fiction.

This book is a wonderful conversation piece when finished.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

When Your Teenager Becomes the Stranger in Your House by Gregory L. Jantz, PhD

2012-01-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

Many parents are anxious for when their children enter the teen years. It's difficult to navigate the mood swings and the hours they spend alone in their rooms. They ask the question, "What's going on with my teenager?"

Dr. Gregg Jantz has written a book to help parents during this time. If you have questions about your teenager, Dr Jantz will offer answers with practical advice in his Take-It-Home sections.

Need hope? This book may give you the glimmer.

There are ten chapters and they are stocked full of information to pull your thoughts out of despair and helplessness and into a place where you can take steps to "figure it out".

Of course, we're talking about teenagers here so there won't be one answer for all type of thing here. But the answers and advice given will go a long way.

You'll cover topics such as:

Who are you and what have you done with my child?
What's going on with your teen.
The emotional roller coasters.
The shaky connections.
Determining when you need to get professional help for your teen.
How to be a powerful parent.

Each chapter includes a Bring It Home segment that solidifies the readings. If/When you get teenagers, this book will help allay your fears.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by David C Cook Publishing.

Bridesmaids

2011-12-29T17:09:00.001-05:00

Why do comedy writers believe they have to write in so many swear words in their script to make their movie funny?

Bridesmaids had one redeeming value and it was not the script, the women or the humor.

What happens when two best friends are divided because of a woman with money? You get the plot for Bridesmaids. Lillian is getting married, her best friend Annie is supposed to plan her party and all the fun. Unfortunately everything Annie plans fails. Enter Helen to the rescue. Her money will buy all kinds of love. Including a bridal shower in which the guests go home with puppies as party favors.

Touted as the year's funniest movie, but I didn't laugh once.

Even when they try to devolve to bathroom humor with food poisoning puke and diarrhea, this movie barely registers on the funny meter.

As I said, the only redeeming value for this movie comes in the form of the loveable police officer played by Chris O'Dowd. (From tv's The I.T. Crowd) He is a breath of fresh air in this putrid calamity.

This movie isn't even worth a rental.

Crazy Stupid Love

2011-12-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

At first glance I thought this was going to be another Hitch movie - man can't get girl so "Rico Suave" comes along and teaches geek/nerd to be a lady's man.

Boy was I wrong.

Steve Carell plays Cal, a man whose wife has just told him she wants a divorce and that she slept with another man.

In his depressed stupor, Cal meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling) a lady's man who goes home with a different girl every night. Jacob makes it his mission to get Cal back in the dating scene.

Meanwhile, there's a girl who brings out a new side of Jacob that makes him awkward. He begins to feel like he's in a real relationship.

Carell saves this movie as he does with every film he's in. There are some truly awesome comedy moments in this game, but they are always marred by taking the crude humor/language too far.

A case-in-point is at the cliched "speech" moment at the end of the film. It could have ended with the cheese but the son just has to add one more sentence which pretty much ruined it.

This is not exactly a romantic comedy in the traditional sense. Yes, it deals with the foibles of romance and fleeting love but it also touches on some darker aspects of married love that looks to have failed.

I was surprised with the twist in this film. It was great and created a wonderful collision mid-climax for an awkward-paced movie.

Steve Carell seems to be a fantastic actor who gets cast in some crude movies.

The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory

2011-12-17T11:46:00.000-05:00

Susan has created a blog that goes into the facts behind her Daniel Fast as given by reading the book of Daniel.

Inside you'll find two parts. The first part deals with the back-story and information for the blog (who is Susan Gregory), where the fast came from (looking into the life of Daniel in captivity), and the steps to take for a successful fast.

Part two gives you recipes, menus and a list of the foods that are acceptable for the fast. Gregory then provides a twenty-one day devotional to assist you in your "cleansing".

For those looking for a healthy alternative along with practical advice for fasting, The Daniel Fast is an excellent resource.

I am always surprised at how few people drink only water. In this book we're told how hard it is to drink only water, as Daniel did, and stop drinking tea, coffee or soda. Am I the only person who orders water at restaurants?

The food aspects of this fast are a little more challenging. But the recipes look fascinating and worth the try.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Thunder of Heaven by Tim LaHaye & Craig Parshall

2011-12-16T21:47:00.002-05:00

Book two of Tim LaHaye's new End Times series follows the trend of his Left Behind books and the previous Joshua Jordan novel, Edge of Apocalypse.

Things we learn from reading a LaHaye book:

The U.N. is ultimately an evil entity.
If you're from Romania, there's a good chance you might be the anti-Christ.
It's not good to be Russian either as they will always be the failed attacker of Israel.
If you are a feminist, believe in global warming and wear your hair short (as a girl), you will be evil as well.

This book doesn't hide the fact that it's anti-liberalism.

As with LaHaye's other novels, these characters are one dimensional. I understand this isn't the fault of LaHaye but it is interesting that his writing partners have the same style of writing easy-read summer books.

The political intrigue is a new twist on the End Times/Rapture tale but, by the end of this book, you'll imagine you're re-reading the Left Behind books. It goes so far as to claim the anti-Christ will be Romanian and that he will want to create New Babylon.

Even if you don't agree with Rapture/LaHaye theology and can deal with the light character development, this book is still only slightly entertaining. I'm not sure if the third book will even be worth a glance as I'm guessing we'll read more the same ala Left Behind.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.

Cowboys and Aliens

2011-12-13T20:20:00.001-05:00

For whatever reason, Westerns have not been a hot genre in the movie business for quite some time. Cowboys and Aliens did not bolster that confidence.

I will give the team credit for creating an interesting mix of western and sci-fi. Kudos as well for combining Han Solo with James Bond. These are two iconic actors with great acting chops.

Harrison Ford does a great job as a cynical old war horse who's plagued with a fool for a son. Daniel Craig passes as a man who has forgotten everything about his past yet loves his hat...that crazy hat.

I thought the aliens were well done. Even though Steven Spielberg had a hand in this film, you will not find friendly ETs anywhere. These creatures want our gold and are insanely fast.

The script was decent. You can't blame the film too much whenever the script passes through as many hands as this one did. While the plot seems to drag often, you can always play the fun game of guessing how many times Craig will take off or put on his freaky hat.

Bottom line: good attempt at creating something fun & new but I was really hoping for something so much better.

What Do You Think of Me? Why Do I Care? by Edward T. Welch

2011-12-13T18:07:00.000-05:00

Are you looking for the answers to the big questions in life?

Perhaps Edward Welch can help you navigate to the answers in this book. Inside he talks about peer pressure, codependency, shame, low self-esteem and many other identity issues for people in their teens and twenties.

Welch takes a biblically psychological approach to most of life's difficult questions. This may put readers ill at ease to start with, but by the third chapter, you'll understand that Welch maintains God within his profession.

This book includes questions for group or individual study to help you uncover your own personalized questions.

Broken into five parts, which are:

The Problem, where we learn about the big issue
The Heart of the Matter, where you dig into the background issues
Who is God, which is exactly what it sounds like
Who am I?, deals with identity issues
Who are They?, is all about those around your sphere of influence.

Don't let the biblical or psychological aspects scare you away. Try this book out if you have been asking these questions.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by New Growth Press.

Do You See What I See by James Sallie

2011-12-10T16:18:00.000-05:00

I thought this was going to be a humorous collection of "fixed" photos. Instead it's just a really expensive book of photo-shopped pictures.

There is nothing about this book that I couldn't find for free online.

I would not recommend this book for anyone unless you don't have Internet and have no idea what photoshop is.

Toss in some photos with nudity and you end up with a book as low on the entertainment value as possible.

This book will end up on the 75% off bargain bin just as soon as it hits shelves.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Bookmasters Publishers.

The Help

2011-12-10T08:57:00.001-05:00

It's not often that a single movie can pull out every emotion the human body can produce in one viewing. This was accomplished by watching The Help.

I wasn't sure what to expect outside of the fact that it was full of top-notch actresses. I am willing to go out on a limb and say this was the best movie I've seen in 2011 based on how it connected emotionally.

You will hate Bryce Dallas Howard's character, Hilly, as her racist venom stays just beneath the surface. Your heart will break while watching a little girl and her pathetic excuse for a mother who has no idea that a girl needs to feel special and loved.

The ladies who make up "the help" don't come across as the stereotype nor a caricature that insults.

This isn't emotion manipulation either. These ladies simply know how to act and create an authentic experience from the days of the growing unrest in the South during the 60s.

Skeeter(Emma Stone) has returned to her home after graduating with a degree for writing and getting a job with a paper. She wants to write a book from the maid's point of view, ("How does it feel to raise a white woman's baby when your own child has to be on its own?")

This is a movie everyone has to watch. You will laugh till you cry, and probably cry till you're exhausted. But you will finish this movie in awe.

Did Adam and Eve Really Exist? by C. John Collins

2011-12-08T15:17:00.000-05:00

Who were these two figures of Scripture and why should we care about them?

These are the questions that Collins tackles in a very academic book.

You know this will be a challenging book when you see that the chapters are divided such:

2.a
2.b
2.c

A product of MIT, Collins provides a somewhat overview of how the story of Adam and Eve shapes up with other ancient worldviews, mythology and other biblical views.

He then zooms into specific texts that talk about these protohumans to discover if they actually existed or were just created to tell a larger story.

After raking through the Bible, Collins discusses how unique humans are and how we reveal the character of God.

If that isn't enough to cause your ears to bleed with academia, we try to look at how or if science can provide the biblical evidence.

The first few chapters give the biblical exercise in discussing Adam and Eve's existence while the latter chapters (and appendix) jump all around different topics.

This is not a book to read on a flight or just to pass the time. This is a study book for only those seriously interested in proving Adam and Eve's existence.

At least he uses N.T. Wright to support his position. If you need to add weight to your book, quote Wright.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Crossway Publishing.

Healing is a Choice by Stephen Arterburn

2011-12-08T08:43:00.001-05:00

Arterburn has revised and updated his Healing is a Choice book. It now includes a full workbook which makes this a very thick paperback.

Each chapter has a choice you have to make in order to be healed along with a lie that you must deny. Ending with a segment from the workbook, these chapters can be daunting.

The ten lies are:
"All I need to heal is God and me"
"Real Christians should have a real peace in all circumstances"
"It does no good to look back or look inside"
"Time heals all wounds"
"I can figure this out myself"
"If I just act like there's no problem, it'll just go away"
"Forgiveness is only for those who earn it or deserve it"
"I must protect myself from any more pain"
"Until I am completely healed and strong, there is no place for me to serve God"
"There is no hope for me"

You will find plenty of biblical support for each choice and lie and practical application to help give you ideas and open possibilities.

So many times, well intentioned people offer advise that adds to the pain and makes you feel worse. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say, "You just need to get over it" when "helping" their friends.

If you are dealing with a hurt or feel like you've been wounded and it just won't heal, this book might be the resource to aid you in recovery.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Conan the Barbarian

2011-12-07T17:38:00.000-05:00

What are we to expect from a movie called Conan the Barbarian? As it turns out, we get exactly what you expect.

Horrible script, atrocious acting, excessive nudity and over-the-top bloodbath.

Seriously, no one thought this was going to be a huge blockbuster right? This is the origin story of a boy who witnesses his clan be decimated by another clan led by a man who wants to resurrect his sorceress wife. And when Ron Pearlman is your dad, you know you've reached that level of barbarianism. Conan learns, years later, that this man is still alive, and sets off on a revenge journey.

There is absolutely nothing of value to this movie. I suppose it attempts to stay close to the heart of the Conan books but the transition fell short.

I began laughing out loud at the number of blood bags busting open during the sword fights. (The sword taps a man's back and suddenly there's blood splashing everywhere) The dialog matches the dregs of an episode of Barney & Friends ("Barbarian, I don't like you anymore")

It felt like I was watching The Scorpion King meets Temple of Doom.

Leave this movie on the shelf.

Torn by Jud Wilhite

2011-11-29T19:02:00.001-05:00

Too often we get cliched phrases when talking about suffering and "where is God?" questions. Jud Wilhite has written a book that deals with this question in an easy-to-comprehend fashion.

Instead of asking the "Whys", Whilhite says a better question to ask in the midst of hurt is Who? Who is worthy of our trust in these troubles?

I typically roll my eyes when I hear Christians talking about doubts and how people "just have to have faith" that God is in control. You've probably heard that overused phrase, "Let go and let God"? It's those kind of lines that make my skin crawl.

Wilhite goes beyond pat answers and gives us a pastoral look into the question while providing practical ways to desire joys, defeat anger and survive through the broken aspects of our lives.

By using biblical examples as well as real-life situations, you'll gain a fresh perspective and a positive outlook the next time your life feels like a broken record.

I was pleasantly surprised with Torn. It wasn't like any other Christian-help book that I've read.

It's actually useful.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Letters to a Young Pastor by Calvin Miller

2011-11-28T17:04:00.000-05:00

Coming from a pastor of twenty-five years, you'd think Calvin Miller would have plenty to share with the new generation of pastors.

This book is stocked full of his anecdotes and insights of what it takes to be a minister, the sort of people you will come in contact with, how to interact with them and what he believes to be wrong with Christianity and its leaders.

You will not be missing any of Miller's sarcasm as these letters are full of it. I'm talking every single letter has the sarcasm included. At times this is confusing because I wasn't sure if he was trying to be serious about a complaint or just making light of it.

For example, he thrashes the megachurch pastors pretty hard. He claims megachurch pastors don't read books unless they deal with church growth.

Then he rips into Christians who don't end their prayers with "in Jesus' Name". As if saying those three words invokes some supernatural authority. (You'd have to understand what it means to do something "in the name of Christ" - it's along the same lines as taking God's name in vain)

He states that Rick Warren's prayer at President Obama's inauguration seemed to give Jesus the right to, "the nation of faith He forged at a terrible price."

See, I'm not sure if he's doing the whole tongue-in-cheek act there or if he is serious.

All in all, this book is a fun read for new preachers. It'll provide some fun insight and humorous stories from a seasoned minister.

I could have done with less sarcasm.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by David C Cook Publishing.

Super 8

2011-11-27T14:31:00.000-05:00

There is no doubt that this movie was made in honor of Steven Spielberg.

J.J. Abrams and his co-horts say it in so many ways during their commentary and throughout the featurettes.

Set in a small Ohio town in 1979, a group of pre-teen friends set out to make their zombie movie on a super 8 camera. While filming near the train station, a truck plows onto the tracks and causes the entire train to derail. This train was carrying a life-form. A life-form that is captured on their film.

While the military come in to contain the situation, the kids discuss what they are going to do.

The movie is trademark Abrams - so many lens flares - with a strong mix of Spielbergian storytelling - focus in on a group of people thrown into extraordinary circumstances.

Kyle Chandler does a fantastic job as the town's deputy. The other actors keep the interest between peeks at the creature.

Speaking of the creature, you never really get a good look at the thing. Even at the end, when you typically get the full views of monsters, things are kept in the dark. And that is because the monster really isn't the point of this movie.

There are critics who didn't like this movie because they thought it would be something akin to Cloverfield instead of focusing on kids. But this is a fulfilling movie in the spirit of when making movies and watching them were fun.

This is such a good movie. Like the Goonies, this one will be quoted for a long time.

The Queen by Steven James

2011-11-27T14:13:00.001-05:00

It took me a lot longer to The Queen than I anticipated and typically, that means the story isn't as good.

However, with Steven James, he continues to impress with this stories that surprise me and have always caught me off guard when it comes to the "big reveal" at the end.

FBI special agent Patrick Bowers is sent in to investigate a couple murders. While he's doing his thing, we're introduced to a much bigger plot than we have experienced with past Bower books.

James continues his excellence in FBI thrillers. He can take an adrenaline-laced plot and interweave very personal characters throughout. The humanity that leaps off of these pages is astounding. A Michael Bay-like blockbuster these books are not. These novels are so full of substance that you forget these books follow the line of so many procedural tv shows. (CSI, Law & Order, etc...)

Patrick and his step-daughter are continuing their relationship in a very authentic way. The romantic interest between Patrick and Lien-Hua feels very true-to-life. I have always enjoyed this about James' writing. While the craziness is going around the investigation, the relationships are not lacking.

When the investigation leads to nuclear war and submarines I began to wonder how realistic this truly could be. When it involved the Secretary of State and a nation in the Middle East, and a particular reaction of that nation, I threw reality to the wind.

By that time, however, I was enjoying the full-paced rush to the climactic end.

I cannot wait for The King.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Revell Publishing.

Source Code

2011-11-22T17:44:00.000-05:00

A mind-twisting movie that feels like a 30 minute television show.

I thought Jake Gyllenhaal did a good job as a soldier tasked with identifying a terrorist by reliving the last eight minutes of someone's life over and over.

This is science fiction mixed with ideas of time & space. The confined space of a commuter train and the machine Gyllenhaal's character sits in helps create some of the atmosphere of tension and deep threat.

I thought this movie went very fast. It felt like I was watching an episode of television instead of a feature film simply because of how quick it was over.

I didn't connect with the romance forced into the plot nor did I empathize with the whole father-son dynamic either. This film was all about the science behind the plot. Nevermind the characters.

This is a movie similar to Pandorum in that you discover answers to the plot along with the characters. In the end, it's a far-fetched idea about combating terrorism with super computers, time/space and physics.

Captain America: The First Avenger

2011-11-16T15:41:00.000-05:00

Chris Evans is getting around the super hero circuit. First he took his turn as Johnny Storm in two Fantastic Four films and now he's emerged as Captain America. (Supposedly he's contracted to "appear" in six movies)

I think the biggest problem with this movie is the director. The only Joe Johnston movie I enjoyed was the perfect Rocketeer. I thought Jurassic Park 3 was a franchise-killer, Hildalgo - bleh. And nevermind The Wolfman.

I thought it was great to do a period film when showing the origins of Captain America and staying with the original comics. However I found the pacing to be a bit off. I was actually bored with most of this movie. Every character seemed very bland. Even the fantastic Hugo Weaving was demoted to half-a-second moments.

While I did enjoy this movie more than Thor, I'm not sure what I should expect from Marvel and their super hero movies anymore. If this was a tease of what's to come in The Avengers, I shudder.

On the plus side, this does equal summer fun. There isn't anything questionable as far as content. I was just hoping for more super in this hero. Let's hope we'll get that in The Avengers and the next Captain movie.

Nearing Home by Billy Graham

2011-11-14T16:24:00.000-05:00

How can you possibly go wrong with Billy Graham? His latest book seems to be geared toward the grandparent generation but it will speak to anyone who is looking for that inspiration to finish well.

You will not be overwhelmed with deep theology or complex topics. One of the cornerstones of Graham is to keep things easy and very simple.

He touches on:
Running toward home
Don't retire from life
The impact of hope
Consider the golden years
Fading strength but standing strong
Death's destination
Influencing
A lasting foundation
Roots strengthen in time
Then and now

Billy Graham uses characters from the Bible to help illustrate his points on aging and nearing the end of our natural lives.

"Growing older wasn't something to be denied or dreaded; it was to be embraced as part of God's plan for their lives." - Billy Graham.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

For Men Only by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn

2011-11-09T16:59:00.001-05:00

This is a small, hard cover book that repeats what ever other "christian" help-me-understand-woman book has to say.

This husband & wife team have written a companion book for women called, For Women Only which tells women how to understand men. (That book is much smaller than this one...)

Inside the flap, you'll find a "Quick Start Guide" which explains the six keys to understanding a woman. These keys are:

Reassurance, Emotions, Security, Listening, Sex, and Beauty. This quick guide bullets out the Why she does, Here's why and What to do questions that the book fleshes out.

This book may be a good resource for a men's small group or book club but I didn't read anything new or insightful that I haven't heard/read in any other "gender help" book.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho by Stephen Robello

2011-11-08T22:20:00.000-05:00

How many of you enjoy watching the special features on DVDs? Do you like the deleted scenes and making-of featurettes?

If that fits you, you may enjoy this book. Stephen Robello takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of how Alfred Hitchcock created one of the most terrifying movies of all time.

This book is full of quotes and insights from the director, screenwriter, actors, and studio execs providing the perfect inside look movie buffs crave.

You'll read how Hitchcock wanted to keep ahead of the movie-making crowd with twists and tricks. You'll read how his mind worked with his screenwriter and how they came up with some of the more "colorful" scenes of the movie.

Of course there are the disagreements and those who try to claim more credit than is due them. Hollywood is so full of egomaniacs.

This is a very nice companion piece for anyone who loves Hitchcock and movies in general.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Open Road Publishing.

The Beaver

2011-11-04T18:33:00.001-04:00

Jodie Foster can direct! By no means is The Beaver a comedy - far from it.

However, with some funny moments, Mel Gibson spends most of the movie with his hand inside a beaver puppet, this movie is very touching. I almost want to go so far as to say that it's beautiful...but that may be pushing things a bit too far.

Gibson plays Walter Black. A man suffering from depression. With everything falling apart around him, he finds solace in a beaver puppet and begins to live a double life as the beaver.

Foster plays his wife and there's Anton Yelchin (Star Trek) as his oldest son who wants nothing to do with his father yet continues to find similarities between the two.

This film was bamboozled by Gibson's off-screen antics with his ugly comments and recorded phone conversations. But I think that "drama" adds a layer to this movie.

No one should doubt that he is a fantastic actor. He is terrific in this movie. As the beaver, he picks up an accent that sounds exactly like Ray Winstone (Beowulf).

Maybe it was just the season of when I watched this film, but I thought it was anything but a flop.

The ending surprised me.

Green Lantern

2011-11-04T18:05:00.001-04:00

Bottom line: Ryan Reynolds is the best part of this movie. His dry humor saves this from being as bad as Daredevil.

Reynolds is Hal Jordan. Ace test pilot. Chosen to be the first human in an intergalactic guild of protectors called the Green Lantern Corps.

They use the power of their will to create all kinds of instruments to use in their fight for good.

Suddenly, a force emerges that feeds off of people's fears. While gaining strength, Jordan is learning to create outlandish tools. Not only does this diabolical force desire to destroy the earth, but another villain emerges. One found in Peter Sarsgaard. It may just be me but I find Sarsgaard incredibly annoying. I don't know if it's his face or his voice. Maybe a combination of those two plus his acting the same character in every movie.

It was an interesting choice to have the Green Lantern costume to be all digital and not the typical spandex outfit. I'm biased, I enjoy the old way of making special effects. (Think the original Star Wars. Before Lucas destroyed them with CGI) But with that, I'm not sure they could have made this movie with traditional effects.

Let's see if the sequel will build on the more positive aspects of this film and never bring back Sarsgaard...

Skyline

2011-11-02T16:20:00.001-04:00

When your attention grabber is, "from the visual effects masterminds behind Avatar, Iron Man 2 and 300" you better have a good idea what kind of plot-deprived movie you're about to watch.

Skyline is about a group of yuppies in Southern California trying to survive a massive alien invasion. Another reviewer commented that this was basically "watching people watch the movie Independence Day"; and that is surprisingly accurate.

The aliens unleash a blue light that alters your face and puts you in some kind of hypnosis for them to suck you up into their machines.

Most of the dialogue consists of, "go...GO!" and "Hurry, get down. Shhhh" But who was really expecting anything other than a mindless alien-destruction movie?

It came out around the same time as Battle: Los Angeles so the comparisons are everywhere. This one isn't as boring, it's not as long and it plays as more comic-booky than realistic.

I enjoyed the special effects and the ending. The creators have stated that they want to make a sequel. With them footing their own bill, I'm sure we'll see a Skyline 2 soon

Simply Jesus by N.T. Wright

2011-11-01T16:51:00.001-04:00

N.T. Wright has begun a new series that is much easier to read. He's known for his deeply theological books and also his New Testament commentary "for everyone". Simply Jesus is written somewhere between these two styles.

It is very assessable for anyone to pick it up and enjoy.

He calls this "a new vision of who Jesus was, what he did and why he matters" but it's really based on the writings of Jesus in his previous books.

Divided into three parts. In part one, Wright uses the imagery of The Perfect Storm with its three storms coming to a head to explain the culture in which Jesus confronted the Romans, the Jewish religious leadership and God's plan.

In part two, Wright explains what Jesus believed to be the Kingdom of God and how that was brought about by his actions, words and death on the cross.

Part three serves to talk about how Jesus can be Lord while it seems that evil continues to run rampant. This last section felt like Wright returned to his thick/deep writing and I was initially confused before catching on to his rhythm.

This book is terrific as the first of a new series on Jesus in the First Century and how the Jewish community viewed heaven, God and His kingdom. However I think I've read most of these ideas before...from Wright's earlier work. But I'd rather read Wright repeating himself before picking up most other books on Jesus.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by HarperOne Publishing

Thor

2011-11-01T16:04:00.001-04:00

The first Iron Man movie set the bar so high. It's difficult to view another Marvel character movie without comparing it.

I think I'm going to place Thor just above The Incredible Hulk in terms of enjoyment. From top to bottom (so far) they rank: Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Incredible Hulk. (I don't count the X-Men movies or Spider-Man as they were made by Fox & Sony)

Thor stars Chris Helmsworth (Captain Kirk's father from Star Trek) as the arrogant god who is exiled to earth where he is supposed to learn some humility. On our planet he meets Jane (Natalie Portman) and supposedly falls in love.

The biggest drawback for me was the humor. There were funny moments that just felt forced. The first time Thor gets tased is chuckle-worthy; when he gets a shot in his butt in order to control him, I start to cringe. When they recreate the fact that Jane hit him with her car, I rolled my eyes.

What I absolutely loved about this movie was the "villain". I'm still not sure you could call Thor's brother, Loki, the villain. He is such a complex character in this film. There are plenty of twists and surprises from him as this movie progresses. I thought he was the best part.

Once the movie was over, including the anti-climactic scene after the credits, I felt like I had just watched a placeholder for The Avengers movie. I realize Captain America is advertised with that theme, but Thor just didn't pack the punch I was hoping for.

I'd give this movie a B-. Loki was superb. Like The Dark Knight, I was hoping to see more scenes with villain.

Engage by Nelson Searcy

2011-10-26T13:57:00.002-04:00

Nelson Searcy has written about his system for integrating first-time guests into active members, and creating a fantastic small group system. It makes sense that he would have a system for worship planning.

Divided into 4 parts, Searcy explains that a church needs a proper worship philosophy, a pastor needs to have a preaching calendar that is a year long, how to work and plan on the entire worship service, and then how to evaluate the service(s) once they have concluded.

Throughout the book you'll read personal testimonies from other church leaders who have implemented the details of Engage. (Those I skipped over...I found them distracting)

Searcy offers the same website, after each segment, where you can go and download examples and other "helps" that his church has used.

98% of the content of this book is rather useful. I enjoy Searcy's style of writing. He provides alot of information, with a kind of pep-talk, go-get-'em enthusiasm.

Engage feels just like his other books. It's based on a system of doing the behind-the-scenes work to create a better environment within your church and a more positive attitude within your congregation.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by BakerBooks Publishing.

Barefoot Church by Brandon Hatmaker

2011-10-25T22:15:00.000-04:00

Within these 175 pages is a book on being missional that goes beyond theory. The personal stories from Hatmaker and the practical ideas presented is what every leader and layperson could ask for.

Every pastor wants his church to be big on outreach. Often their congregation says the same thing yet wanting to keep things the way they've always been. Opting for the chance that they could convince the nonchurched to become more like the churched before they have to change.

Barefoot Church offers nice ideas to spark the creativity on how your church can reach the community by serving the poor and partnering with those inside the area companies.

Hatmaker will explain how churches need to create a new metric for success, enjoy the tension that outreach creates, and allowing one's understanding of discipleship bloom from the tired description it currently carries.

May you use this book to encourage you in how the church can get back to authentically following Jesus.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.

Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow

2011-10-25T18:28:00.003-04:00

David Murrow decided to completely revise and update this book because he's learn some things since first writing Why Men Hate Going to Church.

In the end, you'll learn that Murrow believes women have completely taken over the church: from the style of music (singing love songs to God instead of action songs about God), to the decorations (hand-made banners and lace communion covers instead of man-cave items) and even the success of Children's Church.

Murrow claims that the preaching is all about emotion, feelings and having a personal relationship with God. These are things that make men cringe. Have you ever heard of a man lovingly talking about having a personal relationship with Jesus? Murrow claims that men want to follow Christ, not fall deeper in love with him.

Some parts of this book resonated with me. I agree that many men enjoy the heroic, rescue stories told in movies and books and that churches tend to tell the loving, relationship story of Jesus and people and not so much the heroic story of Jesus rescuing the world.

Other parts I laughed out loud. I found it slightly hilarious that women will flock to the church if men are attending. Really? Women can't resist the magnetic pull? And then there was the alarming stat that if a church is over 70% women, the church is already dead...

But this isn't a slam against women, Murrow reassures us. It really isn't.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Havah by Tosca Lee

2011-10-24T15:14:00.002-04:00

Tosca Lee is talented in her prose. This novel, told from Eve's point of view, oozes with the joy of words. It almost feels like reading poetry.

Before page 100 you'll get the creation of Eve and the Fall. So what's left to tell in the story? Enter Lee's imagination and you read over 300 pages worth of speculative fiction.

As most of this story is told from inside Eve's thoughts it can become somewhat tedious to read about the environment with so many creative words and sentences. (How awful is it for me to say that? This just proves I'm a lazy reader)

There are some interesting interpretations as to how animal sacrifices came into being. And the "look" of the serpent is a nice addition instead of just having him be a snake with legs.

The use of other names instead of Eve, Cain and Abel was a bit different. I'm not sure if these other names were to give it a sense of authenticity or other-worldly...ness.

All said, Havah is a fine read to spark your imagination as to what the beginning of humanity was like for our ancestors.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by B&H Books.

A Stand Up Guy by Michael Snyder

2011-10-21T18:55:00.001-04:00

Michael Snyder is a terrific character writer. I have loved reading the last two books that he's written. A Stand Up Guy is exactly what I was looking for.

Inside you'll find a cast of quirky characters and a minor mystery that will keep you flipping pages until the very end.

Oliver Miles is a hotel security guard who dreams of being a stand-up comedian. While not being too funny, he come in contact with a number of people who "help" him with his act via their circumstances.

Oliver's mother has very real struggles and when there's a robbery at the hotel during his watch, his personal life and professional dreams seem to collide with unintended consequences.

The hotel has hired a new employee named Mattie and she has quite the backstory (as does every Snyder character). You will begin to see the slight hint at this being a romantic comedy between Oliver and Mattie but there's just the added bonus of Who-Dun-It of the robbery to keep me interested.

Oliver is the guy everyone cheers for. As he quests to fulfill his dream of doing his stand-up in a particular club, you'll be urging him forward with each turn of page.

Full of emotion and honesty that helps each reader understand life's choices.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan Publishing.

The Rite

2011-10-18T20:33:00.000-04:00

It's difficult to see Anthony Hopkins as anyone but Hannibal Lecter.

The Rite is a film inspired by true events which basically means everything is a fabrication except for the smallest plot detail. For this film it was true that a student went to Rome to study to become an exorcist under the leadership of a priest who had expelled many demons.

Michael is the young priest who is full of doubt. He becomes a priest only to get away from his family's funeral home business. When he submits his resignation, his teacher advises him to travel to Rome to study to become an exorcist. After describing his skepticism to his adviser there, he is instructed to apprentice under Father Lucas (Hopkins).

Lucas has unorthodox methods (taking a cell phone call in the middle of an exorcism in one scene) and even wrestles with his own beliefs.

I'm not sure if they advertised this movie as a horror movie but it didn't scare me at all. They put in the typical cat-scream-and-jump at you for a cheap scare and the exorcism scenes are a bit intense.

This was made by the same people who made The Exorcism of Emily Rose so it will have a pro-God theme to it. Many people don't like that. For whatever reason, audiences want their evil but hate it when God and the Church is used in a positive way.

In the end, I thought this movie was interesting - there's a twist some may see coming a mile away - but not worth more than a free rental.

No Strings Attached

2011-10-18T20:17:00.000-04:00

All romantic comedies follow the same plot thread. If you've seen on RomCom, you will be able to call out what will happen next in every other one: guy meets girl, they get together and have their romantic comedy, something happens to disrupt the relationship, they reunite before the end credits.

No Strings Attached follows this thread. Natalie Portman is fantastic. Is there a role that she cannot play exceptionally? Ashton Kutcher, on the other hand, plays the same exact character in every movie he's in.

They meet at camp as young kids and then hook up again as adults, agreeing only to have their relationship based on sex and no emotional attachment. As is the case for every Kutcher character, he falls in love with the girl and is the poster boy for charm and chivalry. Portman's Emma freaks out and it looks like the relationship has reached it end.

I will admit that I did chuckle a number of times during this movie. The humor feels real (most of the time) It does suffer from the cliched "given" scenes and lines of every romantic comedy but, when it's a date-night movie, these things can be overlooked.

Portman made this movie following her turn as The Black Swan so it feels like she did it to come down from the dreary world and relax into a mindless fun flick. Kutcher only wants to play the simple, every-woman's-dream in every film he's in.

The Day Satan Called by Bill Scott

2011-10-13T21:57:00.001-04:00

A man's recounting 18 months of terror.

It was hard for me to believe that the stuff in this book actually happened. After movies like Paranormal Activity and The Last Exorcism, I felt skeptical. Surely this was the result of someone's imagination following the fad of these supernatural films.

Brian Scott received a phone call about 20 years ago from a woman claiming to be in danger of a Halloween sacrifice. During this phone call, he encounters a demonic voice. Scott believes he needs to help this girl out.

Once they make contact, Scott and his wife invite the girl, Roxanne, to live with them in their house. This is when the terrifying events take off. Whenever the sun goes down, Scott and his wife are in bed, the fear seems to leap out of the pages.

I did not read this book at night. There is no way I would have felt comfortable with this kind of material. I mean, who is seriously comfortable reading about demonic activity?

I like that Scott does not try to be a theologian. In fact, there are many times where he explains his confusion with what actually happened compared to what he "thought" he knew about demons and exorcisms.

There is a "twist" at the end of this story to complete the authenticity of this terribly sad story.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by FaithWords Publishing.

The Scroll by Grant Jeffrey

2011-10-11T15:20:00.000-04:00

Sort of like Indiana Jones with much more character development.

Dr. David Chambers is the go-to guy for biblical discoveries. Yet recently he has been wrestling with a doubt that won't go away. When he's asked to help locate the mysterious Copper Scroll, it's a chance to solve the greatest Middle Eastern problem.

Twists and turns are common fare in this book. You are learning clues and information right alongside the characters. It's about the perfect blend of thrills, intrigue and history.

The question hanging over the entire journey is Will The World Come To An End?!?!

Is this another Tim LaHaye hack-job of biblical proportions?

Dig into The Scroll. You will not be disappointed.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Worship on Earth as It Is in Heaven by Rory Noland

2011-10-10T15:11:00.000-04:00

Noland gives us perspective on worshiping God from both the Old and New Testaments.

In part one, we learn about Growing as a Private Worshiper. Noland takes us through an overview of of David and his psalms. Through the example of David, we see that we need to:

Make Worship a Priority
Establish a Regular Routine
Smash Your Idols
Worship Amidst Adversity

This section is full of ideas for how to incorporate each aspect to your own life. Noland explains that it's much easier to establish this kind of routine while away on a retreat than to try something like this during the hectic, everyday life. Even so, he believes we can start small and work it gradually into our life.

Next comes part 2; Growing as a Corporate Worshiper. In this section we dive into the book of Revelation as a source for corporate worship.

Focus on God's Attributes
Bring God Your Best Worship
Set Aside Personal Preferences
Embrace Diversity

Finally, he ends with a great section called, Let's Worship Like We're Already There.

Noland offers advice that is basic. This is designed for the layperson in church who wants an introduction to understanding what worship truly is. Contrary to popular belief that it all depends of how the music makes you feel, worship is designed for God alone.

I wasn't able to engage this book as it seemed like stuff I had read over and over again. I really wanted to enjoy it. Honest. I simply wasn't able to. Maybe for you, this is exactly what you need.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Zondervan.

You Lost Me by David Kinnaman

2011-10-10T14:42:00.002-04:00

David Kinnaman made the splash with the bestseller, unChristian. This book, You Lost Me, is the perfect companion. Kinnaman, in his role as President of the Barna Group, has researched why young adults are leaving the church. Then he offers what the church can do to recover.

First and foremost I need to talk about the print size. This book is a thick and heavy work yet the type is incredibly small. I don't know the actual size, but I would guess it's around 3 or 4 font size. That is the first thing you will notice.

Once you get used to the tiny print, you will discover that this is quite similar to the information found in unChristian. While that book dealt with how people outside the church view those inside, this book deals with how people who have left the church view it. Many of the arguments and complaints are the same. These "nomads, prodigals and exiles" say that the church is:

Overprotective
Shallow
Antiscience
Repressive
Exclusive
Doubtless

After Kinnaman helps explain these reasons for why the young Christians are leaving the church, he attempts to provide ideas to reach out to them and, dare I type it, be relevant in their lives again. He includes 50 short blurbs from other influential Christians on what church leaders need to do.

This book isn't as analysis-heavy as Barna books have been in the past. Instead this resource is a fine example of humble openness to how church leaders and those interested in the next generation(s) can engage and connect.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by BakerBooks Publishing

Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley

2011-10-10T14:31:00.000-04:00

This is the Andy Stanley book that everyone in leadership needs to read. I've been hit-or-miss with Andy Stanley's work. I was beginning to think there wasn't much I could connect with from him and then I read Next Generation Leader.

Stanley provides 5 essentials for anyone in a leadership position or who desires to lead:

Competence (do less, accomplish more)
Courage
Clarity
Coaching
Character

Notice he follows the well-played pastoral approach to having them all begin with the same letter.

Each "essential" comes with 3 chapters that help define the idea. This is a very quick read that happened across my desk at the best possible time. I sunk my teeth into this book and felt like a sponge. Most, if not all, of these points have been talked about and lectured on over the years; nothing really new to absorb here but there was something about how Stanley presented these "C"'s and provided practical application in any setting.

This is a terrific book.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Revelation for Everyone by N.T. Wright

2011-10-07T20:57:00.001-04:00

The big question people will ask before even opening this book is where does Wright stands on Tim LaHaye's Left Behind theology. I can gladly say that the scholarly Wright disagrees with practically everything found in the Left Behind books.

Wright is known for his thick books that delve quite deep into theological issues. Like previous "for Everyone" editions, this volume is quick and easy. You'll read portions of the book of Revelation and then Wright will provide a clever story to open the commentary. Nothing inside will confuse you. In fact, it is fairly light on theological issues.

Wright falls on the side of scholars who view much of the content of Revelation to be symbolic and written for the people of its time. (Not so much for the American Christian of the 21st Century)

Because it's such a short book, I figure this would be a great personal study guide for the preacher as well as the inquisitive. Just because it's about Revelation doesn't mean it's beyond our understanding. N.T. Wright makes sure everyone can follow along.

This book was provided for review, at no cost by Westminster John Knox Press.

The Christian Zombie Killers Handbook by Jeff Kinley

2011-10-06T09:01:00.001-04:00

It was bound to happen, right? Zombies became all the craze once The Walking Dead hit the airwaves. And then the Christian market had to mass produce books explaining how zombies relate to Christianity. This happened with The Matrix movies, Harry Potter, vampires and now zombies.

Jeff Kinley uses his love for story to weave a fictional tale of zombie survival along with preaching-like exegesis of how zombies are like those with sin. He writes one chapter of the story and then the next chapter is the explanation.

I found this execution to be a bit disconnected. I had to continue to remove myself from a great zombie story to read "christian inspiration". I wasn't sure if I should just skip every other chapter to keep reading the novel first or sludge through.

The biblical explanation is exactly what you'd think it would be when comparing sin to the zombie "virus". You won't really get too much out of that. The greatest strength is in the tale of Ben Foreman and his survival.

I think this may be for the uninitiated in zombie lore or even - heck - this might work as a resource for youth workers. But zombie enthusiasts will not enjoy this book. And some hardcore Christian parents may find some of the scenes a bit too disturbing.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

2011-10-05T21:18:00.000-04:00

Erin Healy's third solo novel stuck a chord. I absolutely loved The Baker's Wife.

Aubrey, her husband, Geoff and son, Ed have had their fair share of pain. Following a horrible scandal, Geoff is forced out of pastoral ministry and the family begins a new life with a bakery. As Ed and Aubrey are driving to work their car strikes a scooter belonging to the wife of the town's stern police detective.

An ex-con has stumbled into their lives and she couldn't have picked a worse moment to bring her baggage into an already tense situation.

Healy drives this plot with tension as thick as the fog in her tale. While you may figure out some of the twists and turns, you won't know how things will turn out (good or bad) until after the last bullet is fired.

I wasn't a big fan of Healy's first two novels, but this book really took off and kept me hooked.

How does God want us to deal with suffering? How often do we suggest that we need to walk in someone else's shoes without actually attempting to connect with them? Can "good" Christians really be as bad as some claim?

Each character adds a new dimension to a complex scenario.

This story fulfills to complete satisfaction.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing

Night of the Living Dead Christian by Matt Mikalatos

2011-09-27T15:55:00.000-04:00

I was caught a little off guard when I began reading this book. I hadn't read anything by Matt before and I thought I was going to be reading a type of "how-to" book similar to another Christian/Zombie book out there.

After getting over the initial shock of how slightly off-center this book is, I couldn't put it down.

Matt Mikalatos has written an allegory using vampires, zombies and werewolves. He places himself inside the story as if it actually took place in his neighborhood.

He has zombies chasing him but instead of eating him, they want to put ear buds in your ear so you will hear a podcast. He has a werewolf for a neighbor who is desperate for salvation. You'll be introduced to an old high school friend who happens to be a vampire along with a mad scientist and android with a not-so-secret lair.

It feels like reading a British story full of the classic monsters.

Do you enjoy the fictional work of C.S. Lewis? Do you enjoy late-night viewings of B-movie monsters? Night of the Living Dead Christian is exactly what you need. You will laugh out loud at the hilarious idiocy of the characters then be challenged as they explore a life as a Christian.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Where Has Oprah Taken Us? by Stephen Mansfield

2011-09-22T15:32:00.001-04:00

I've enjoyed two of Mansfield's books. I figured this would be similar. Mansfield sends us on a journey through Oprah's life to help us understand how she came to embrace the faith she currently holds.

The first two chapters cover Oprah's early years: growing up in a Christian background and then rebelling into a life of no restraint.

Chapter three delivers a history lesson of the country that Oprah grew up in. We learn about the many spiritual gurus and "Beat" poets who may have had some influence on the budding journalist/talk show host. Near the end of this chapter, however, Mansfield diverts the book from Oprah and onto the Clintons. Somehow their experiences with spirituality personified the age Oprah came into her own. I wasn't quite sure why he chose to dish on this President and not President and Nancy Regan (who would have had a teeny bit influence). Remember the so-called spiritual stuff she did?

Chapter four explains the background of those who Oprah had on her show and help shape her belief system. I found this chapter to be hard to plow through.

The final chapter spells out the pillars of Oprah's faith and a number of other points of interest surrounding her ego-driven, self-fulfilled thought-created religion.

After each chapter, Mansfield adds his own insight as to why Oprah is mistaken and how her faith is the personification of our current craze for spirituality.

There is a lot of information packed into this book. I was a little disappointed that Mansfield stated in the introduction that he didn't want to write a "gossip" book but then proceeded to write about the many men Oprah had in her bed and the "craziness" of Hillary Clinton. While some may deem this information necessary for a better understanding of Oprah, I found it to be without merit. I really don't think that information was needed to guide me to an appropriate realization of "Church Oprah".

Evangelical Christians will probably pour the praises onto this book.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Erasing Hell by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle

2011-09-21T06:48:00.000-04:00

I think Francis Chan and Rob Bell need to hold a debate. These are two elegant speakers with big ideas and have celebrity status among the religious (or anti-religious. Depending on who you talk to).

Erasing Hell is Chan's contribution to the hell-and-the-eternal-destination-of-man discussion. He takes issue with Bell's views and desires to explore Scripture for the actual answers instead of using human emotion.

Chan begins by stating that he'd like everyone to go to heaven. (Who wouldn't) Then he wrestles with the evidence he finds as he explores the Bible.

Chan believes that people will go to hell. He then goes an inch further and states that it might be biblical to believe in annihilation (the idea that people won't suffer in hell forever but cease to exist).

The book is designed to look like something Rob Bell would produce. These two guys really need to hold a national debate. I think it would be very rewarding for everyone. The way they express ideas and challenges are exactly what churchgoers need.

If only other Christians could be as graceful as these men. We have enough spite.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by David C. Cook Publishing.

The Omen Machine by Terry Goodkind

2011-09-21T06:35:00.000-04:00

It's fun to return to characters you've spent so much time reading about. Goodkind gives us another book from his Sword of Truth world. The Omen Machine finds Richard and Kahlan ruling their new empire and a new menace gaining strength.

Of course this is going to be the first book of a new series for Goodkind. It seems he can't, or doesn't wish to, write about anything else. The book written before this one (The Law of Nines) was even connected to the Richard/Kahlan story.

While the land enjoys peace, there is unrest throughout the palace. People are gathered to enjoy a wedding when prophecies begin popping up where they shouldn't. People die and others assume they are fulfilling prophecy. When Richard and his gang won't reveal every detail of prophecy they discover, the royals get upset and start to think he isn't worthy to lead them.

Enter the new foe. Hannis Arc who lives in the Dark Lands and doesn't quite make the splash in this story. I'm assuming he's saving up for the next book.

You don't need to have read the entire Sword of Truth series before reading this book but it will help fill in some of the gaps.

This was a fun read. It was typical Goodkind - filled with gruesome violence and characters spending page after page repeating the same idea. Although, I thought the vain repetition was edited down some compared to other Goodkind books.

The fun characters return and if you enjoyed the last three Sword of Truth books, you'll probably enjoy The Omen Machine.

Legion

2011-09-19T12:54:00.006-04:00

I can't believe this movie was made. Not only was this a huge mistake on all counts, but they actually tagged some big-name actors: Paul Bettany, Lucas Black, Tyrese Gibson, Adrianne Palicki, Charles Dutton, Kevin Durand, and Dennis Quaid.

Was this only a paycheck for these actors? Did they actually believe this was going to be a blockbuster?

God is angry with humanity. He has decided to wipe them out. The Archangel Michael has his doubts that God is doing the right thing so he rebels and comes to earth, cuts off his wings and begins his search for humanity's last hope. This hope is found in an unborn child.

Michael loads up on guns and ammunition (because we all know that's how you kill angels) and finds a group of survivors in a rundown diner. The unborn baby is there and it's up to these humans and Michael to destroy the people who have been possessed by God's angels.

Gabriel joins the fight at the end with an angelic smackdown between the two archangels.

The movie ends with the words, You did what God wanted, I did what God needed.

Sad? Yes. Pathetic? Absolutely. Everything about this movie is trash. Nevermind the supernatural/theological commentary - the acting, script and directing - everything was bad.

The Irresistible Church by Wayne Cordeiro

2011-09-12T16:50:00.001-04:00

I was very skeptical when I first opened this book. I've been burned by pastor/authors before. Cordeiro's claim that there are 12 traits which will create an Irresistible Church had me sighing loudly as I opened the book.

However, once I began reading, I couldn't put the book down. Cordeiro has pastored churches all over Hawaii. I really don't like reading about a pastor's church being "one of the fastest growing" in the country so I will omit those blurbs...(wink wink)

It's the message inside that is worth it. Not the publisher's attempt to tout Cordeiro as the next best thing to happen to pastors or their churches.

The 12 traits are a church that:

Hungers for the presence of God
Remembers who she is
Lives heart first
Practices gratefulness
Promotes healthy relationships
Is always learning
Promotes spiritual self-feeding
Connects everything to a soul
Chooses to love
Takes risks
Humbles itself
Has a plan

Most of these traits we've heard before. It may have been the season that I'm currently in or just the way Cordeiro presents his thoughts, but I consumed this book with a feverish hunger.

Every church should desire these traits. I especially enjoyed the ideas behind healthy relationships and spiritual self-feeding. Every pastor hates to hear the words, "I'm just not being fed here". Those words will raise any pastor's blood pressure through the roof.

Cordeiro reminds us why the church is so important.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Bethany House Publishing

Hell is Real (But I Hate to Admit it) by Brian Jones

2011-09-11T16:06:00.000-04:00

Brian Jones is a pastor who, for the first 4 years of his ministry, did not believe in hell.

Following a decision to rush into a burning apartment complex and rescuing some of the tenants, he felt an urge to reconsider. At a monastery, he fell on his face and made the decision that hell was for real and it was his job to rescue as many people from ending up there as possible.

Hell is Real is Brian's addition to this global discussion on hell. He never mentions Rob Bell. In fact, the pastor he aims for is "The Smiling Pastor".

This book is divided into 4 parts:

If Hell is Real ... Why Don't I Believe It?
If Hell is Real ... Why Am I Afraid To Admit It?
If Hell is Real ... How Can I Get Serious About It?
If Hell is Real ... How Can I Help Others Avoid It?

His stance is one that caused me some concern. He tells the story of how his church wanted to raise money to plant a church in New York. The week before they were to collect the special offering, Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. The church decided to take up two offerings but Pastor Brian urged his congregation that if they could only give to one, they should give to the possible church plant in New York instead of those in New Orleans.

He goes out of his way defining his biblical views of an angry God seeking justice and claiming that our top priority is to tell others about hell. He says Christianity was only set up to rescue people from hell. Then he steps back from the fundamentalist, crazy talk to say the only way to talk to someone about hell is to first take the time to be their friends.

Brian has his feet in both camps and it comes across as a little iffy.

I admire his passion for wanting to "save" as many people as he can. He includes a website where pastors can go to access sermon outlines and ideas for hell topics.

I'm just not prepared to jump into Brian's bandwagon.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by David C. Cook Publishing.

The Bone House by Stephen Lawhead

2011-09-09T14:46:00.000-04:00

One piece of the map has been found. Kit Livingston continues the search for the remaining pieces of The Skin Map.

In The Bone House, Stephen Lawhead picks up where he left off with book 1. Kit has been separated from his girlfriend and yet her actions, in a different dimension, are benefiting him.

Lawhead writes thick books. You have to take your time with the story. These aren't popcorn novels that can be skimmed through. You're wrestling with time/dimensional/space travel in this series. Your brain may need a break every chapter or so.

You have the notorious bad guys who are always a step ahead or on the heels of Kit. Some twists and surprises await you. But shouldn't that be a given considering the plot?

Lawhead is a great series writer. He is able to build upon the previous novel and spread things out and deepen the characters.

The Bone House is Lawhead's Empire Strikes Back.

You *must* read The Skin Map before reading The Bone House. This is absolutely imperative.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

The Betrayal by Jerry B. Jenkins

2011-09-07T21:21:00.002-04:00

Jerry Jenkins picks up right where he left off. Remember the first book, The Brotherhood? Well it'll feel like you never left with the second book, The Betrayal.

You'll follow the angst of Detective Boone Drake. He has just shut down the biggest crime syndicate and now someone is out to end Drake's life.

The twist is the job seems to be from inside the Police Department. How could anyone inside want to kill Drake?

You'll attempt to solve this mystery before it all ends for him. (His life and his reputation)

This is token Jenkins writing. It will read very quickly. Jenkins doesn't try to overwhelm you with deep, meaty writing. As with the Left Behind books, I consider this series to be "popcorn reading". It may take you a day or two to read this book.

However, those who can't stand his writing, they'll hate this book so they shouldn't even attempt to read this.

As with the first book in the series, Jenkins does try to explore some aspect of the human condition in The Betrayal. This seems to be the kind of book for those who attend the super-mega conservative churches.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Monsters

2011-09-05T19:56:00.000-04:00

This movie has to be included in any top-10 worst movies ever made.

Six years ago NASA discovered the possibility of alien life within our solar system. A probe was launched to collect samples, but crashed upon reentry over Central America. Soon after, new life forms began to appear and half of Mexico was quarantined as an INFECTED ZONE. Today, the American and Mexican military still struggle to contain the creatures... Our story begins when a U.S. journalist agrees to escort a shaken American tourist through the infected zone to the safety of the U.S. border.

I was thinking I was going to be treated to another low-budget film similar to District 9 - however this movie was anything but monsters.

I can't even tell you the character's names. The entire movie consists of two characters walking around and talking about nothing.

They try to salvage the movie by putting the ending as the beginning. You'll have to connect a couple dots but it's there.

I was so disappointed in this movie. It's not even worth a free loan from the library.

Raised Right by Alisa Harris

2011-09-05T12:30:00.001-04:00

From the title of this book, you'll know it's about a person who transitioned her politics from hardcore Republican to left-leaning moderate Democrat.

Alisa Harris was raised to believe that Republicans were God's chosen leaders. How can Democrats believe in God, right? She would protest at abortion clinics and go door-to-door for any Republican politician running for any office. All this as a very young girl.

Raised Right tells of her past and how she came to be a Feminist who voted for President Obama and came to understand that many Republicans don't have the best godly intentions.

Harris touches on many topics from abortion, war, economics and the virtue of belonging to a party simply because your parents do.

I wasn't able to connect with her writing as much as I did with Donald Miller's earlier books. They seem to be of the same generation who see politics as something more complex than sound bites.

I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt with some of the clunky writing until I read that she had become a feminist. I actually felt sorry for her when I read that she was raised in a church that believed women were going against God if they went to college. (What?!?) But I have been skewed in my views of feminists and I found it difficult to read the rest of her book without the tinted glasses.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Robin Hood

2011-08-23T16:01:00.000-04:00

I found Ridley Scott's Robin Hood to be similar to his King Arthur. Both are attempting to explain the "true story" behind their own legend. And both are quite boring.

In Robin Hood, you have Russell Crowe as Robin. He's an archer in King Richard's army. As they return from the Crusades, they must sack castles in order to continue paying the men.

Richard dies in one such skirmish, Robin and his men flee.

You have many of the familiar characters from the story: Marian, the Sheriff, Prince John, etc...

In this film, however, you have a lackey who has dreams of the French invading England.

It's up to Robin, his men and a few pro-Englanders to stand up for their rights and save the land.

There were many parts in this movie where I laughed out loud. It was that lame. Crowe gives a half-hearted speech about why Englishmen need liberty and freedom...and then there's his, "I love you Marian" moment that comes across as just pathetic.

This was another movie that did not need to be made, or watched.

Forbidden by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee

2011-08-20T11:07:00.000-04:00

Many years have passed since civilization's brush with apocalypse. The world's greatest threats have all been silenced. There is no anger, no hatred, no war. There is only perfect peace... and fear. But a terrible secret has been closely guarded for centuries: Every single soul walking the earth, though in appearance totally normal, is actually dead, long ago genetically stripped of true humanity.

Fleeing pursuit, with only moments to live, a young man named Rom stumbles into possession of a vial of blood and a piece of cryptic writing. When consumed, the blood will bring him back to life. When decoded, the message will lead him on a perilous journey that will require him to abandon everything he has ever known and awaken humanity to the transforming power of true life and love.

But the blood will also resurrect hatred, ambition, and greed.

Set in a terrifying, medieval future, where grim pageantry masks death, this tale of dark desires and staggering stakes peels back the layers of the heart for all who dare to take the ride.

I am thrilled with this new adventure from Ted Dekker. Forbidden and the following Book of Mortals books have been touted as the greatest follow-up to Dekker's Circle series. And I'm thinking the reviewers may be right.

As the first book of a trilogy, Forbidden lays a solid foundation. Once you are introduced to our hero Rom, a man shows up with the message, "RUN!" There's no looking back for Rom.

I had never heard of Tosca Lee before learning she was partnering with Dekker on this series. The pairing is superb. Lee has quite the influence in this book. This addition is a wonderful experience. Lee and Dekker make a great pair. Her ideas and characters create the boost that Dekker's plots need.

You will be discussing the emotional and ethical dynamics of this book months after finishing it. In fact, it would be wise to read it multiple times in order to wrap your imagination around the intensity.

Like many of Dekker's books, Forbidden has a direct connection to The Circle Series and its hero, Thomas Hunter. Fans will probably notice the tie-in before it's revealed but they will be doing flips.

You have to hand it to Dekker and Lee. They have created a fine introduction to a world that will be full of surprises and cleverly unique.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Center Street Publishing

God Wins by Mark Galli

2011-08-16T08:09:00.002-04:00

It seems like the Christians are responding with a ferocity to Rob Bell's Love Wins. How many response books do we need? What happens when there are ten or twenty books critiquing Love Wins yet each have slightly different arguments? Won't that confuse the issue even further?

On the other hand, it seems that this is how we have a national/global debate - via books.

Mark Galli has offered his views through God Wins. This book goes out of it's way to show how it is the bane of Love Wins. The title font is similar yet the cover is white while Love Wins is black. (See the subtle message? Love Wins, bad. God Wins, good.)

I appreciate how these authors are patient with Bell and others who believe as he does. I also appreciate how civil they seem to be. However, I was dismayed to read Galli state that he wasn't going to criticize Rob Bell but only the book; as if you could separate the two. I didn't understand that. How can you criticize the ideas in a book and bypass the author of those ideas? It seemed like a pretty sleazy way to appear "nice".

Galli provides the basic teachings of God, Jesus, the Bible and hell that many people are familiar with. This is why I think if you've read one response book, you've read them all.

Galli criticizes Bell's way of using the power of emotion to get his point across (As if emotion causes thinking to be skewed.) and then uses emotional illustrations to get his own points.

There are moments in this book where I thought them to be great reactions to some of the theology of Bell. There were other moments where I could almost hear Bell nod along and say, "That really doesn't touch on what I'm saying"

One final critique: Galli repeatedly agrees with a point Bell brings out but then argues that more needs to be said. This caused me to think Galli wanted Bell to write a longer book! "Come on Bell, if you're going to talk about hell you need to write a massive tome. Everyone knows that."

God Wins is a book that covers much more than just hell and the afterlife. It will please those who hate Rob Bell and frustrate those who agree with him.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing

God of Love and God of Judgment by Stephen K. Moroney

2011-08-12T17:02:00.000-04:00

There's a bug going around issuing statements on whether God is only a god of love or if He is a god who judges. Stephen Moroney adds his voice to the plethora of books. God of Love and God of Judgment is the typical Moroney work.

Moroney divides this into 3 parts. In the first part, he examines the path of a God of judgment without love. He explains the peril of holding this view in light of current events. Then we go back to Martin Luther and examine how we can move to include God's love.

In part 2, we look at a God of love without judgment. He includes Marcion up through Joel Olsteen and liberal theology.

I have always enjoyed how Moroney spells out the many views and how they caught fire and why people get caught up with them. This is all written out before he hits us with his view and why it should be correct!

Part 3 brings love and judgment together. Instead of viewing the love and judgment of God to be in conflict with one another, Moroney proposes that we look at God's character like a diamond - many angles to the one, united person and character of God that includes love and judgment.

This book is thick with footnotes, but it is just as easy to read for pure enjoyment.

This book would be an excellent discussion starter for students and coffee drinkers alike.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Wipf and Stock Publishers

Knowing

2011-08-12T16:48:00.001-04:00

This is most certainly a religious movie. Nicolas Cage plays an agnostic professor whose wife has just died. He's dealing with those feelings while trying to raise his son.

His son's class digs up a 50-year old time capsule and discovers a piece of paper covered with numbers.

These numbers predict the time and place of major catastrophes. There's one more number that predicts the destruction of the planet.

Knowing begins as an interesting thriller but then devolves into a slightly confusing, religious/sci-fi mish-mash.

I long for the days when Nicolas Cage made good movies. What happened to him and his decision to make some really bad films lately?

This film is vague enough to not give the audience black and white answers but it's clear enough that you understand what the writers were trying to say...at least in the last 15 minutes it becomes clear.

This is a movie that should have been much better than it ended up being. I'm still waiting for a decent movie with Christian themes.

Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die by Bobby Conway

2011-08-12T16:38:00.001-04:00

Bobby Conway has done something that is a first for me to come across.

In this heavy debate over Rob Bell's book, Conway has kept his disagreements civil. I could hardly believe there were other Christians out there who could disagree without demonizing Bell. (*see Franklin Graham calling Bell a False Teacher)

Hell, Rob Bell, and What Happens When People Die takes Bell's Love Wins to task. Conway goes out of his way to explain that he believes Bell to be a fantastic person and is obvious a follower of Christ (just look at what he preaches on: the resurrection of Christ, the fact that Jesus is the only way to God, etc...)

He then begins the dissection of what he believes to be the problems with Bell's views on hell and our eternal destination. He begins with:

The Fuss about Loves Wins
Who Deserves Hell
Hell's Architect
Bell's Hell
Why "Good People" Go To Hell
A Name for It
Where Bell Went Wrong
What Happens When You Die?
A Life-or-Death Choice
Jesus Wins!

As I said, this is a very civil critique on the book and Bell's views. I enjoyed his comments as they were full of Scriptural support and based on how the Church historically viewed hell and eternity.

One of the issues I had was over the interpretation of "eternity". Bell explains that eternity does not mean something measurable by time and Conway doesn't step on that too much. Supposedly there are multiple definitions for the word "eternity".

Bell has opened a can with this hell stuff. (How many "response" books have been written already?)

However, is it ultimately what you believe about hell that should be so important to your faith?

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing

Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber

2011-08-09T17:10:00.002-04:00

***Please note that there is some colorful language in one paragraph on page 17. If this content would be offensive to you, you may not want to read the preface.

A girl-meets-God style memoir of an agnostic who, through her surprising opportunity to study at Oxford, comes to a dynamic personal faith in God.
Carolyn Weber arrives for graduate study at Oxford University a feminist from a loving but broken family, suspicious of men and intellectually hostile to all things religious. As she grapples with her God-shaped void alongside the friends, classmates, and professors she meets, she tackles big questions in search of love and a life that matters.
This savvy, beautifully written, credible account of Christian conversion follows the calendar and events of the school year as it entertains, informs, and promises to engage even the most skeptical and unlikely reader.

I loved this book. Carolyn Weber has a way with words in that she will pull you into her world in the first two paragraphs. She divides this memoir into parts of her life at school and then dipping into parts of her past.

The way she offers the information will keep you turning the pages even if this book is quite thick.

I can't wait to read more from this author.

This book was provided for review,at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Desiring God Study DVD

2011-08-09T16:59:00.001-04:00

John Piper is using his celebrated book, Desiring God, to lay out a 10-week Bible study on DVD.

Many of the 10 lessons touch on Christian Hedonism.

And what is Christian Hedonism? It came from this guy Piper. It refers to the idea that God gets the most glory when humans are satisfied in God. Does that make much sense?

If you are scratching your head or if you simply skimmed over that description, you'll want to take a look at this DVD or, at least, read the book.

This is a resource for the evangelical circles. Piper uses so much Scripture, you'll think you are watching some professor's lectures at some points.

One of the larger points that Piper emphasizes is the idea that God is wanting to chase after us. In many evangelical churches this is old news. But some people may find this DVD a great resource.

This DVD was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing

Splice

2011-08-08T08:04:00.001-04:00

Why in the world did Adrien Brody make this movie? Has he become such a low-brow that he actually believed this movie would be considered artistic or even "thought-provoking"?

Splice is about two geneticists (Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley) who are creating genetically altered hybrid animals for the medical research. When they want to go the next step, they decide to create a human hybrid.

I have never before desired a character to die as much as I wanted Polley's character to bite it. Throughout the entire movie, her character grates on the nerves. I found myself moaning out loud, "for the love of God kill this character already!" and "why?!!? Why does she have to be this annoying?!?!"

Brody is his typical character: the brooding, depressed guy. I think the only time I saw him as anything else was in The Village and in that film he added the quirk of being "the village idiot".

The hybrid they create is always surprising them with its abilities and secret, evolving traits. Things take a very weird turn when they decide to go out to a barn and we learn why Polley's character is a pathetic loser. And then let's not even discuss the ending which was touted as a horrific twist but ended up being ridiculous.

This movie was awful.

District 9

2011-08-08T07:55:00.000-04:00

I remember when they began teasing this movie at Comic-Con. They and signs indicating places where only humans or aliens could venture. Almost everyone thought these signs were for the super secret J.J. Abrams movie (Cloverfield) but it turned out to be for the low-budget District 9.

After making a short for YouTube, director Neill Blomkamp was encouraged to make it a feature with the blessing of Peter Jackson.

Casting a bunch of no-names and having it take place is South Africa adds a flavor of realism if you can look past the fact that these are CGI aliens.

The movie begins as a documentary but quickly changes to a typical action/adventure sci-fi movie with lots of guns, explosions and characters shouting the F-word almost every other word. I can tolerate maybe a one-time use in movies but when the word is used so much, it becomes distracting and my rating of the movie falls with each utterance.

Add in a exoskeleton robot with massive firepower and what started as a clever film turns into just another summer action flick.

I was impressed with the CGI. The aliens really looked like they were in the locations and interacting with the humans.

Blomkamp also has a series of shorts that was his "request" to make the Halo movie on YouTube but it was never realized.

District 9 is a movie with interesting social commentary with excellent effects.

Why God Won't Go Away by Alister McGrath

2011-07-22T16:38:00.000-04:00

These Christians are coming out in droves to defend their faith against the New Atheists.

Alister McGrath has written a book attempting to prove that the New Atheism movement has run its course and is about to become obsolete. Why God Won't Go Away is his rebuttal to most of their claims.

Part 1 is all about the New Atheist movement: how it started and what they are promoting now.

Part 2 tries to wrestle with their biggest arguments against religion: violence, science and reason.

Part 3 argues that the idea of God will not leave the psyche of collective thought. Hence, God won't go away.

McGrath includes some additional reading for those who are interested in continuing their search for meatier arguments. But my thoughts are, people will never be able to prove nor disprove the existence of God. We will always have arguments and counter arguments for as long as there are two people alive.

This is just another book that only a select few will be interested in.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley

2011-07-22T15:28:00.001-04:00

Andy's publishers have decided to re-release a book that wasn't too old. Enemies of the Heart used to be titled, It Came From Within. And I actually liked the old cover, with the giant monster, better.

Andy offers advice as to how we can break free from four emotions that control us. Those emotions are:

Guilt
Anger
Greed
and Jealousy

We've all experienced these feelings at one point or another right? We lose a job, our family will do something that hurts us, maybe we go through a divorce.

These emotions can come in and take over how we interact with the world around us. If we let that happen, we become the bitter old man (or woman) who no one wants to be near.

Inside you'll find practical tips with some biblical emphasis to help discourage those emotions from reigning in your heart. You'll learn where they come from and how they can seem to hit us out from nowhere.

I liked the added 6 week small group study questions that come along at the end of the book.

This is one of the good Stanley books.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

2011-07-22T14:23:00.000-04:00

I didn't think Michael Bay could make a Transformers movie worse than Revenge of the Fallen.

How I sat through this horrid mess called Dark of the Moon, I'll never understand. I think it may have been a case of brain rot. Or perhaps that is what I suffer from after sitting through this pathetic excuse for perverted boys.

Bay shows us that, with the final of his Transformers films, he really could care less for people who enjoyed the first movie. Everything about this last one spat in its face.

Add to that Leonard Nemoy adding his voice to a new transformer (quoting his oft-repeated line from Star Trek), a worthless acting performance by a Victoria Secrets model and you will have the essential Bay puke-fest.

You don't go see these movies for the story, I get that. But man - please give me something more than adolescent lusting and jokes.

This movie should have been a direct-to-DVD. The 3D that Bay initially hated, but then joyously embraced adds nothing to the experience. A James Cameron he is not. Not even close.

Pity me for watching this trash. Pity my brain.

The Indwelling by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-29T19:31:00.000-04:00

In book 7 we pick up immediately after Assassins. Carpathia is dead. There is a huge hunt for the killer. The suspects are all around the Tribulation Force, or even someone from the Anti-Christ's own administration.

Buck dares a harrowing rescue out of Israel, old men are seeing visions and the safe house is no longer safe.

You'll find some interesting test your prophecy I.Q. at the end of this book. And I have to ask, is this for real? Do people think they are going to predict when Jesus is going to return?

And, like the other re-releases, you'll read about how prophecy from this book is being fulfilled. They point to the recent poll that says a majority of evangelical Christians believe there are multiple ways to "get" to God.

Well this must prove that the Left Behind writers are divine authors!

The Indwelling is okay reading. Like I've written of the other books in the series, after the first 3 books I lost interest fast. Now it's simply a matter of finishing them to know who dies. (Or who survives as the case may be.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Assassins by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-29T11:57:00.000-04:00

This book begins with a Christian character desiring to be the one to murder the Anti-Christ. Is that ironic? Is it okay for a follower of Christ to want to murder?

Assassins is a quick-paced novel leading up to the assassination of the Anti-Christ. It's one of those whodunit stories where the culprit may surprise you.

This was a fun endeavor for the Jenkins/LaHaye team (Seriously, what input does Timmy have here). I enjoyed trying to figure out who the killer was. I love how this book ends: we know who our assassin is. We sure do. End book.

It's a terrific cliff hanger.

After the story, you get "The Truth Behind the Fiction": added content describing how prophecy is being fulfilled in this era. Of course, all of this new information comes from their own prophecy newsletter so it's going to be heavily biased.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Apollyon by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-29T11:09:00.000-04:00

Book 5 of the Left Behind series finds us experiencing the plagues of locusts, bloody water and a one-world faith.

As believers gather in the Holy Land, the Anti-Christ desires to eliminate them.
How long can Steele continue to be his pilot?
Was his wife a mole for the Carpathian regime?
Will this be the last book for Buck Williams?

These questions will be answered as the supernatural continues to be the focus of these books.

I'm at the point where I read these books just to get through them, finish the series and let my brain relax a bit. It's a shame that so many people actually believe the antichrist will be named Nicholae.

You have the now-common added bonus features at the end of this book: prophecy trivia, and looks at how prophecy given in this book is coming about in real life.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Soul Harvest by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-29T11:02:00.000-04:00

I was not at all thrilled with Soul Harvest. After the exciting build-up from the first 3 books, I had a feeling the thrill was going to taper off at some point and this book is when it happens.

The Tribulation Force continues to infiltrate and work their schemes against the Anti-Christ. They also include new believers into their force but the question is: which one(s) can't be trusted?

An underground website continues to be a thorn to Carpathia and his administration. Which adds to some thrills as his forces attempt to locate the rebels.

Maybe it's the magic number of 3, but after the last book I had a hard time enjoying this one.

Like the other re-released books, Soul Harvest includes trivia, a look at how prophecy is coming to pass and other "latest ground-breaking news" on the biblical end times front.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishers.

Branded by Tim Sinclair

2011-06-22T06:56:00.001-04:00

It took me one day to read this book. I might take another day to go back and read it again to soak in the message.

Tim Sinclair asks the question: How Do We Market Jesus?

In this consumer culture, how do we tell others about Jesus effectively?

If you're like a majority of Christians (or people in general) you don't get too excited when you hear the word, marketing. And Christians have been raised to object to the idea of "marketing Jesus". It's not like we're selling him they might say.

I felt the same way. And I think I still do to some extent; but after reading Branded, I was confronted with the reality of the times and since we are in postmodern times, it bodes well to understand how the term, marketing, has been assumed to mean something not so positive.

The chapters are very short which helped speed me through the book.

Tim offers words of wisdom via companies that weren't sure how to change with the times (i.e. Circuit City, Movie Gallery, Walden Books). He suggests that Christians need to change tactics but keep the message. Try letting go of the "turn or burn" tracts or the megaphone screaming.

I found this book exciting as I endeavor to lead people to sharing their experience with Jesus.

The What If chapter was good enough for the entire book. Tim offers ideas as questions to spur your creative juices and some of them are explosive:

What if we sold our church building and rented a theater or school to help save resources, what if we went to a bar with our friends one Saturday a month (seeing as we want them to come into our place, why not enter into theirs as well.)

This is a terrific book.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Kregel Publishing.

X-Men: First Class

2011-06-21T11:21:00.000-04:00

I was pleased to see that Bryan Singer was returning to the X-Men franchise after bailing to make the Superman Returns movie. I enjoyed the first two X-Men movies (not so much with the third).

X-Men: First Class is an origin story of how the X-Men first form. You will see the early stories of Professor X and Magneto and how their friendship forms to become a working alliance.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender do fantastic jobs in their roles but the Oscar should go to Kevin Bacon who plays the villain. It's been a while since I've seen Bacon in anything worth seeing and he does a perfect bad guy.

The other characters are just there for filler. They do tie in to the other films and there are a couple cameos that may come as a surprise. But all in all this is a fun summer movie. You don't have to think too hard, the special effects are "special" enough without being hokey and there is enough emotional resonance to keep people plugged in. (Fassbender finds his strength here)

This movie proposes that mutants were actually involved in some of the Cuban Missile ramp ups. It ties comic book and actual history in a nice package.

A fine addition to the Bryan Singer X-Men movies.

Scott Pilgram vs The World

2011-06-21T08:26:00.000-04:00

I wanted to give Michael Cera another chance. I had seen Juno, and Nick & Nora and found them to be very similar. I wanted to see if Michael was a one trick pony.

What better way to be a "game changer" as the cover blurb says than with a comic book style movie?

In Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Cera plays the same guy who plays the guitar, loves independent music, his friends are gay and he develops a relationship with a girl who is similar to him with hidden issues.

Now, granted, this may reflect life in some cities, but I was hoping to see this guy portray something different.

Take Brandon Routh. The guy was Superman and in this movie he's some flaky bass player. (Of course he has superpowers and his eyes light up)

Scott Pilgrim (Cera) is dating a 17 girl before he meets Mary Winstead's character. She changes hair color every few weeks and she happens to have had a relationship with 7 different people prior to Scott. These 7 people seek to defeat him. Why? Because he's the latest boyfriend.

This is shot in comic-book fashion (see Hulk) and I found it too absurd to enjoy.

Plus, I was hoping for different and instead I watch the same Michael Cera in three different movies.

Has the typecast been set?

The Switch

2011-06-20T08:34:00.001-04:00

I was expecting a slap-stick comedy from the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman but I was pleasantly surprised. The Switch is actually a decent movie (although it does carry the heavy cliches).

Aniston is a single middle-aged woman was has no prospects of getting married yet she wants to have a baby. She decides to get a man to donate his sperm for her to have a baby on her own. Patrick Wilson is only too happy to participate.

Bateman is her friend from forever ago, and he isn't quite sure her plan is the best idea.

After getting drunk at her party, he accidentally spills Wilson's "donation" and makes The Switch.

7 years go by with Aniston moving away, having the baby and Bateman getting on with his life. When Aniston returns with her son, Bateman begins to notice they have similar quirks and characteristics. (He doesn't have the memory of that drunk party decision)

The cliches in this movie range from the cute kid who acts like an adult to the climactic reveal of strong feelings at the most improper time. (With the expected results)

All in all, and I must have been in just the right mood, this movie wasn't too bad.

BONUS: Jeff Goldblum is the best part as Bateman's boss and best friend. He has to make more comedies.

Due Date

2011-06-20T08:26:00.000-04:00

After 10 minutes of watching this film I turned to my wife and said, "I've seen this already except it starred Steve Martin and John Candy and it was called Planes, Trains and Automobiles."

The story is the same and the characters are the same.

The only difference is that Due Date has much more language than the Martin/Candy version. (Which, as my review critics will explain, is to be expected in an R-rated movie)

Robert Downey Jr. is trying to get home to his wife before she goes into labor with their first child. Zach Galifianakis is an aspiring actor trying to meet with his agent.

They run into each other at the airport and Galifianakis continues to be a bother for Downey Jr. After being forced to exit their plane, they have to go on a cross-country drive to California in a small call with a dog.

I'm trying to remember if there was a moment in which I found anything humorous in this film...and I can't think of any.

The film actually hit rock bottom; no below rock bottom, when it showed 2 and a Half Men at the end of the movie.

Forget this horrible movie and watch Steve Martin and John Candy be hilarious.

The Social Network

2011-06-20T08:15:00.000-04:00

Even if this film isn't totally based on true events, The Social Network is a great tale of what it takes to create a powerful business.

When you have Aaron Sorkin as your screenwriter, you know the dialogue will be rhythmic and quick. The opening scene offers the skill at which these actors can deliver a Sorkin script.

Luckily things slow down just a tad for the rest of the film so that we can actually enjoy what's being said.

Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield do a fantastic job portraying the guys behind the creation of Facebook. Eisenberg's portrayal is one that you can't decide if you want to cheer for him or despise him.

Garfield is the perfect friend. I can't wait to see his version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the upcoming superhero movie.

Justin Timberlake gives us the man behind Napster and you can pretty much place the blame on his shoulders for how Facebook exploded out West as well as the destruction of the friendship between Garfield and Eisenberg.

The Social Network could be a great tool to inspire people to create their own business. As long as they don't forget the friends who made it possible.

Black Swan

2011-06-17T15:45:00.000-04:00

Natalie Portman deserves the Oscar for this role.

Other than that, my brain was a little squirmy after sitting through Black Swan.

Portman plays Nina who has been dancing ballet for quite a long time. Her troupe is going to put on a "fresh take" version of Swan Lake and she has been chosen to star as The Swan Queen. This role is actually two as she will be the White and Black swans.

The biggest trip of this film is that you don't ever really know what is real and what is inside Nina's mind. (She goes a little trippy with the stress of starring in such a huge production)

Her mother is a nag, she tends to be a little OCD, Nina is majorly paranoid that a new dancer is there to take her place and all the while she needs to find some dark aspect within herself to dance the Black Swan.

This rings out Independent Film all the way through the shoot. So if you are into that kind of feel, this will be one of your favorite movies. If you like stories where you will sit and think about the story long after the credits, you will want to talk about this with everyone you text.

Beware as there are some strong sexual scenes and other uncomfortable moments. I'm thinking of the hangnail part and the file-through-the-face scene.

Dark, disturbing and very artistic.

My favorite part was the very end when we finally get to see the dance of the Black Swan.

Bowfinger

2011-06-17T15:36:00.001-04:00

Frank Oz directing, Steve Martin acting and Eddie Murphy playing multiple roles. You'd think that would be the recipe for brilliance.

For all intents and purposes, Bowfinger is a decent movie. Martin plays Bobby Bowfinger, a lame director trying to find his one blockbuster movie. He dreams of casting the biggest action actor in town Kit Ramsey (Murphy). The only problem is he has almost no money and no one will work with him.

The plot is to film the movie starring Ramsey without him knowing he's being filmed. Somewhat original.

They bring in actors to surprise Ramsey while he's out doing his normal everyday things in order to create the illusion that it's just a film.

When Ramsey disappears the film crew find a close look-a-like to play his closeups.

This movie felt like every other Frank Oz movie (see Dirty Rotten Scoundrels). There are moments when it was pretty funny and most times it was grin-and-bear it.

I no longer wonder why it took so long for me to watch this movie. It's really not worth the time to sit and watch.

The Seraph Seal by Leonard Sweet & Lori Wagner

2011-06-14T14:06:00.000-04:00

Looking for a Dan Brown-type book about the end of the world? Wishing you could read something that takes more brain power than your typical Christian fiction?

Leonard Sweet and Lori Wagner have teamed up to deliver a knockout: The Seraph Seal.

Historian Paul Binder has received a cryptic message and you journey with him through the many clues and dangers that follow.

You have complex characters, long forgotten, symbolic traditions, plus a love story. You will have a lot of information to process even if they include descriptions and a glossary and the end to keep your imagination flowing toward what could possibly be coming our way.

This story takes a few chapters to get up to speed, but once you're familiar with everyone you will enjoy the rest of the ride.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Thomas Nelson Publishing.

Futurecast by George Barna

2011-06-14T13:51:00.000-04:00

George Barna has revealed new research on how our behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs are shaping our future.

Inside Futurecast, Barna uses his polling data to explain a number of topics in America:

Our Lifestyles and Aspirations
Our Family Life
Our Attitudes and Values
Media, Technology and Entertainment
Our Religious Beliefs
Our Religious Behavior
Institutional Faith
Our Profile.

Barna explains what his polling and questionnaires reveal about our culture and how each generation is altering the American landscape.

Near the end, you get the feeling that Barna, as a Christian, isn't happy with the direction and he uses the final chapter to offer advice as to how we can redirect the current trends.

This book can be pretty slow with all the numerical data and percentages. Church leaders may want to take a look at the belief''s segments as they pertain to why people are leaving the current denominational church model and opting for more house-church styles.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishers.

King's Cross by Timothy Keller

2011-06-14T13:41:00.000-04:00

I wasn't too thrilled with Keller's bestseller, The Reason for God, but I loved King's Cross.

Keller takes us on a trip through the Gospel of Mark. This book is essentially a series of his sermons put into book form.

Inside he breaks the book into 2 parts: The King and The Cross. The first section deals with the chapters of Mark up to where Jesus is proclaimed the Christ by Peter. He skims over a few verses but touches on what he feels drives the major thought of the story.

The Cross focuses on the last part of Mark. You will read about the misunderstanding from the disciples and why Jesus was so upset the night of his arrest.

This book is a great pastoral book. Each chapter ends with a positive challenge that has come to engender Protestant churches.

In addition to reading simple sermons, you will learn a few tidbits of the culture in Jesus' time as well as some inspiring anecdotes.

I had listened to Timothy Keller online when he was doing a multi-cast talk with another author and, at the time, he seemed to be rather dry and professor-like. I worried that all of his books would read like a college lecture. Luckily I was wrong and King's Cross is a great book.

Nicholae by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-07T09:17:00.000-04:00

Book 3 of The Left Behind series re-release was my most anticipated novel back in the day. I thought the original cover was "looking good". Now with the added content, readers will learn that 64% of Christians believe that the Antichrist is alive and well on planet earth.

Everyone assumes it will be a political leader. Speculation has ranged from accusing Saddam Hussein, George W. Bush and Tony Blair as possible candidates.

This is just silly.

Other new content is the "test your prophecy I.Q" section in which you can see if you are in compliance with the Left Behind Theology.

Nicholae picks up exactly where Tribulation Force ends. Rayford is in the helicopter with the evil man himself and Nicholae continues to exert his power over the nations.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Tribulation Force by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-06T11:09:00.000-04:00

Book 2 of the Left Behind series finds those left behind with great decisions to make now that they've decided to take an active role in opposing the anti-Christ.

Tribulation Force was a typical sequel in long series in that it didn't live up to the success of the first book. However it does build the story to launch what becomes 10 more books in the series.

As with Left Behind, this re-release edition contains added content at the end of the book.

They touch on the food crisis they believe is coming.

Of course, this comes from their own prophecy newsletter.

I think at this point, if you aren't a fan of this theology or these books, nothing will convince you. And I think people who believe this End Times theology will claim that it's how it's supposed to be.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Secure Daughters, Confident Sons by Glenn Stanton

2011-06-05T19:14:00.006-04:00

In this day in age when we hear news stories about parents raising their child genderless, it's important to remember that it's okay to have a boy; or a girl. It's okay to treat them specifically to their gender.

In Secure Daughters, Confident Sons, Glenn Stanton will offer up a lot of helpful advice for parents worrying about how to raise their children in this pluralistic world.

You'll read important truths about how it's okay if you find your son playing with his sister's dolls or if your daughter likes something other than frilly dresses and Barbies.

You'll hear things on how boys and girls mature and how they work in their environment as only they can.

This is a great breath of fresh air following the suffocating smog of "tolerant parenting".

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing.

Left Behind by Tim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins

2011-06-05T14:08:00.000-04:00

They are re-releasing the Left Behind 12 book series in paperback form with new covers.

Left Behind is the first book of an end times series dealing with The Rapture and what happens in the world afterwards.

While all of the books are easy reads (it doesn't take much brain power to slice through them), this first book was probably my favorite.

You are introduced to the now-familiar characters: Rayford, Chloe, Nicholae, and Buck.

The story picks up moments before Christians are raptured to heaven.

Something added to this edition is new content in the back. You will read how current events have tied in with the fiction portrayed in this series. Each book has this new feature at the end.

This book was provided for review, at no cost, by Tyndale Publishing.

Devil

2011-06-05T14:00:00.001-04:00

I was interested in this film because it is from the mind of M Night Shyamalan and not directed by him. I enjoy his storytelling abilities but his latest movies have missed the mark for most people.

Devil is the first movie in a supposed set call The Night Chronicles. It is about a group of 5 people trapped in an elevator and one of them may be the devil.

This will do to elevators what Jaws did for swimmers.

Once the elevator stops working, you know bad things are about to happen. There is a video camera in the security station so we are able to watch from that vantage point but the guards are unable to hear what's going on inside the car.

Whenever the lights begin to flicker, you know someone is about to die.

I enjoyed this movie because it was very much like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. Clues were slowly revealed as you try to figure out who is doing all the killing.

Like many of M.N.S's movies, this one has a touch of the spiritual added to the ending. (Just because it's called Devil doesn't mean it has to be spiritual)

It's suspenseful and scary.

The Other Guys

2011-05-29T08:18:00.002-04:00

I didn't have high hopes for this Will Farrell (Megamind, Everything Must Go) movie. The trailer looked horrible and I figured this would be a typical Farrell movie. At this point in his career if you've seen one Will Farrell comedy, you've seen them all.

I do like his work in more serious/drama films.

The Other Guys are Farrell and Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter, Invincible); two detectives who are on the bottom rung of the police force. Farrell is a money man and Wahlberg shot Derek Jeter during a baseball game. They're the joke.

But they get their chance to be heroes after some crazy circumstances. (I wasn't sure what to think after The Rock and Samuel L. Jackson plummeted to their death)

I will say that Farrell knows how to do oddball comedy. Some of the things that come out of his mouth are genius in their timing and totally from left field. Most of the time, though, I wasn't laughing.

The language is over-the-top but more importantly, the movie is just bad. Or maybe stupid is a better word to describe it.

I'm beginning to wonder if this guy is trying to make movies that are only funny after you've been awake for 12 hours straight.

As funny as he is, Will Farrell made a bad movie here.

The Lost Encyclopedia

2011-05-27T20:28:00.003-04:00

This is the perfect companion for the Lost fan. A through Z of almost everything from the 6 years Lost was on the air. You might be surprised to read about characters that just had a few seconds of screen time - not even a speaking part.

This is a large coffee table book filled with color photos and near-exhaustive information.

Many fans will be upset as this Encyclopedia does not provide answers to the questions left unanswered. You won't learn about the Hurley, Ben, and Walt adventures. Don't imagine you'll turn to the "S" section to lean all about the Smoke Monster. You will only read about things unveiled in the show. However, it does provide a one-stop look at characters, places, items, even ideas.

I was surprised at the number of editorial errors in this book. Many phrases are repeated and the number of misspelling is bizarre. I suppose they may have rushed things to get it published or it may have just been a case where there is just so much information that errors are bound to occur.

Either way, for its flaws, The Lost Encyclopedia is well worth it.

Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

2011-05-26T11:46:00.002-04:00

I kept hearing about this series by a guy named Martin. The big push came once it became a series on HBO. Game of Thrones is the first book in a fantasy series that is on par with The Lord of the Rings. If fantasy really isn't your thing, you don't have to worry. At least in the first book, there aren't many aspects of the fantastic. If you aren't too interested in swords, honor, and family then you shouldn't ever read this book.

There are families all over the seven kingdoms and each family pledges loyalty to the others. The family of focus is the Stark family. They rule the northern lands of Winterfell. Much of the time is cold and hard.

When the king asks Lord Stark to become his "Hand", the answer cannot be no. Lord Stark leaves his home to become the Hand of the King. It is his responsibility to see the commands done. But there is a secret in the realm and Stark insists on uncovering it.

Treachery, romance, mystery; this book is great storytelling.

I was a little disappointed with the language and the sexual content, but I'm sure the diehard fans of fantasy and Martin will excuse it for being part of the world - that it helps maintain the reality.

And that is what kept me reading this huge tome. The characters and setting feel so real. Martin has done a great job in creating this world. There are so many characters to follow but by the time I had finished, I knew all of the main characters.

I need to satisfy my desire for the rest of this series as this first book ends with a number of twists I did not plan on happening.