Book Review: Bible Savvy

Christians that I meet do not all seem to understand their Christianity very well. To be blunt, they are ignorant of what they believe. Part of the reason may be that a lot of books that would help them become more informed are either too technical or too simplistic. Moody Publishers has just recently released a set of books that should help. It’s called Bible Savvy. I like that title. That’s what Christians need. A little savvy!

Written by James Nicodem, a pastor of Christ Community Church in Bartlett, Illinois, this is a set of four books designed to help both new and established Christians understand the Bible. They are designed for both individual and group study. Helpful study questions at the end of each chapter (also online at www.biblesavvy.com where you will find videos, a blog, and other useful information), will help guide you through a thorough understanding of the Bible’s message and trustworthiness,  as well as how to study it and apply it to your life. Those are the four areas covered by each of the easy-to-read volumes.

Christians that I meet do not all seem to understand their Christianity very well. To be blunt, they are ignorant of what they believe. Part of the reason may be that a lot of books that would help them become more informed are either too technical or too simplistic. Moody Publishers has just recently released a set of books that should help. What a great title! That’s what Christians need. A little savvy!

   This is a set of four books designed to help both new and established Christians understand the Bible. They are designed for both individual and group study. Helpful study questions at the end of each chapter will help guide you through a thorough understanding of the Bible’s message and trustworthiness,  as well as how to study it and apply it to your life. Those are the four areas covered by each of the easy-to-read volumes.

     Book one covers the Bible's storyline, showing that the overall theme is redemption. He does a survey of the major sections of the Bible, showing how that theme is developed from Genesis to Revelation. This book has six chapters that show redemption prompted (Genesis), prepared (Genesis-Song of Solomon), prophesied (the Prophets), purchased (the gospels), proclaimed (Acts – Jude), and perfected (Revelation). This book by itself will help you understand that the whole Bible is about the gospel, not just the New Testament.

     Book two shows that the Bible is reliable as the inspired, authoritative Word of God. He also shows how we got the Bible that we use, as well as covering the doctrine of revelation, showing that God wants us to know His will. The last chapter of this book provides excellent tools for learning the Bible through hearing, reading, studying, memorizing, and meditating on God's Word.

     Book three introduces the topic of studying the Bible by understanding the context. Here he examines four different settings that need to be considered in order to properly understand the Word of God: historical, literary, theological, and immediate setting. He provides excellent rules for the proper interpretation of scripture.

     Book four then builds on the study of scripture to bring the student to application. He uses the COMA approach, (Context, Observation, Message, Application). I was a little confused with his distinction between Message and Application. Some of his comments about message seemed to go more towards application. But he does provide a couple of good examples on how this approach will work for a person in several different literary genres which will prove to be valuable.

     On the whole, this set of books will prove valuable in helping Christians use their Bible more effectively. I did not agree with all his conclusions or interpretations. You will want to compare some of the author’s statements with your church’s doctrinal position. But the information given will help anyone become a more savvy student of scripture.

Moody Publishers provided me with a set of these books to review.

Book Review: Repentance: A Daring Call to Surrender

Repentance. There’s a word that is not understood by everyone. Here is a book that will help. The title is simply Repentance. But the subtitle tells you more: A Daring Call to Surrender. It was written by C. John Miller, now with the Lord.  It’s a short book, with eight chapters, with a final chapter written by his wife who provides examples of how her husband applied repentance in his own life. You can read through them rather fast, but I don’t recommend it. You will want think through what he is saying. A lot of thinking.

     The earlier chapters are given to describing repentance, especially showing what it is not. After a short first chapter where he writes of repentance as the foundation of our life (“no face-to-face fellowship” with God, and an “unrepentant heart is self-satisfied, proud, and cold”), he then spends a longer time contrasting it with penance. He describes penance as an “attitude deeply rooted in the human heart which prompts men to attempt to pay for their own sins by their good works and sufferings. Self-justification is the goal of this effort.” Its focus is on man, not on God. Penance leaves us “powerless and imprisoned”, rather than “bold and joyful for the things of God.” Finally, penance also looks for a human mediator between man and God, rather than the only mediator, Christ Jesus. People become attached to a religious leader, rather than Christ.

     Chapter 3 then describes true repentance. Miller stresses the importance of the lordship of Christ as the proper “motivation for changing one’s mind and life direction.” The call to repentance, he explains, is for both unbeliever and believer. “Sin is sin wherever it is found iand it is worse to find in the Christian. Therefore, He especially zeroes in on loveless, complacent, and compromising members of the household of faith.”

     The remaining chapters then show repentance in its connection to various aspects of Christian living. Here they are in summary form:

     Chapter 4: Repentance the Spirit-filled Life What the Christian needs is to love the Lord Jesus, shown by loving obedience, and a repentance that causes us to be “broken down before God.”

     Chapter 5: Repentance and the Carnal Christian  An excellent rejection of the common “carnal Christian” category that modern Christianity promotes is offered. Paul calls the Corinthians “carnal”, not because they are in a different group of Christians but because they have unrepentant hearts. “So long as the man of God continues to repent and cling to Christ for growth in grace, he is not carnal in the Pauline sense.”

     Chapter 6: Repentance and God’s Mercy  Many who de-emphasize the need for repentance point to the Gospel of John never even using the word. Miller shows that the concept is clearly evident, even in the absence of the word itself.

     Chapter 7: Repentance and Counseling  There are several examples of counseling experiences that the author shares where repentance was central to the counselee’s problems being resolved. In some situations it was with people who thought they were Christians, but were not. They needed to hear the gospel. Other situations had people who were Christians, but needed to review the gospel to see their need for repentance. We all need the gospel, both believers and unbelievers.

     Chapter 8: Repentance and Sharing Christ  This was perhaps my favorite chapter because it is my weakest link in Christian living. After stating that many Christians think they are too weak to witness, Miller writes, “But in reality they are too strong to witness. Not strong in the Lord, of course, but strong in themselves. Naturally, they have a concern to protect themselves from the world, and they do a good job of it. In fact, they protect themselves by never really getting involved with sinners.” He goes on to explain how repentance will help us learn to see other men compassionately, thus giving us a desire to share Christ with them.

     As I said at the beginning, this book not only needs to be read by every Christian, but read carefully and slowly, with the purpose of finding your own heart right before God. 

Book Review: Clear Winter Nights

I have a confession to make. I do not often read fiction. I prefer to spend my time in Christian Living books and theological issues. I enjoy fiction, but I feel like my time is better spent with nonfiction that will challenge me and strengthen my faith. So when I saw a book by Trevin Wax that said it was Theology in Story, I thought to myself, “Okay, the best of both worlds!” I get a story, and I get theology to make me think. And that is exactly what you get from his book Clear Winter Nights.

I will begin by giving a summary of the plot. A young man named Chris breaks off his engagement to a girl he loves and withdraws from a church planting team where he had made a commitment. Why? Because he is having serious doubts about his faith in Christ. He struggled by himself for awhile, but finally had to do something about it.

He has a grandfather who had been a faithful pastor of a church in a small town in Tennessee. Chris was very close to him, but did not get to see him often. But Gramps had a stroke, and one weekend needed some help while other caregivers were not available. Chris volunteered. You get the sense that his grandfather knows everything that Chris is thinking as he patiently probes with comments and questions to get him to open up.

Through the weekend, he had many conversations with his grandfather about his struggles. This is where the theology enters the plot. Here are some of the questions going through Chris’s mind.

1.       Aren’t all religions basically the same in that they teach a morality that is to be followed?

2.      Should we be sharing the gospel with others? That would make it looks like Christianity is better than others.

3.      Why are churches so opposed to gay people? Can Christians be friends with them? Do we have the right to judge them?

4.      How can we forgive someone who has hurt us? Is it okay to get revenge?

All of these questions are discussed at length through the plot of the story, with Gramps doing what grandfathers often do: offer their wisdom. And Gramps had plenty to offer. I found it interesting that in a matter of a couple of days, so much was accomplished. I guess that’s what happens in novels.

Back to the plot. Chris leaves his grandfather’s home with a different perspective. But I won’t ruin the story for you by telling you what happens. Chris learned a lot by listening to his grandfather. I don’t think all of his questions are completely answered, but he leaves with much to think about as he continues to wrestle with difficult questions about the Christian life.

This book will help you to think through some issues that we all raise in our minds at one time or another. I’m sure that’s exactly what Trevin Wax has intended. We can all benefit from a grandfather like Chris has. And we can certainly use a little challenge in our thinking through our faith. There are discussion questions for each chapter that will help the reader wrestle with the same questions Chris was asking. These could provide an interesting “Literature Circle” for a group.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.