"The Chasm", by Randy Alcorn

In this brief, gospel-centered allegory, Nick Seagrave is on a journey through life to the edge of eternity.  Along his journey, Nick meets several characters who attempt to entice him to walk one of two roads -- one leads to life in Charis, or the City of Light, while the other leads to death. 

"The Chasm", which is the much-condensed version of "Edge of Eternity" (also by Randy Alcorn) reads much like a simple version of three books married together: "Pilgrim's Progress", by John Bunyan, and "The Chronicles of Narnia" and "The Screwtape Letters", both by CS Lewis.  If you've read them, you've read this one.  I found it rather boring and predictable...but unpredictability isn't what Alcorn was after.  His intent is obviously to explain the gospel as clearly as possible using allegory.

While I'm reluctant to say the book wasn't interesting (since it is a play on the gospel message)...I have to say, it wasn't all that interesting.  Aside from the presentation of the gospel, I found the story immature and lacking the ability to capture and keep my attention.

LIKES: In this story, the gospel message is clear and easily understood.  A young teenager could read it; a semi-interested co-worker could read it.  It almost reads like young-adult fiction, though.  It's not heady, but is very simple.

DISLIKES: There are a few scenes that come across more as scare tactics rather than gospel truth.  For example, one scene early in the book has Nick's life being replayed before the world as his audience.  In that audience are his wife and daughters.  They watch what was a seemingly private moment he once had in a hotel room.  While there is only speculation as to what occurred in that room (pornography? adultery?), it is presumed that his family is suddenly made aware of his moment of privacy.

The issue I have with this is that I find this idea of "all-the-world's-an-audience" nowhere in scripture.  Yeah, yeah, I get it: it's a story.  But it's written in a way that is intended to provide play-by-play of the gospel message.  The gospel clearly indicates we will answer for every thought, deed, and word.  Nowhere does it suggest, however, that everyone in the history of the planet will be watching at the time of our answering.  I have a problem with this because I don't want people to be scared into trusting Christ for salvation; I don't want to see people simply "scared straight".  That emotion doesn't last long.  I hope, instead, they would make an intelligent decision based on truth. 

RATING: Overall, I give "The Chasm" 3 stars for gospel presentation and simplicity.  The book is extremely short (110 half-size pages) and can easily be read in one sitting and passed along as an evangelistic tool. 


I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review of it.  I was not promised reward or threatened in any way to provide a positive review.  All opinions are mine.

"THE FIGHT OF OUR LIVES", by William J. Bennett & Seth Leibsohn

It a violent criminal offender was released from prison, and upon his release committed more atrocities, most people would be appropriately outraged.  What happens, though, when the prison system or government lets us down after catching that violent criminal subsequent times?  What would you think about the "system" if the offender's probation was repeatedly extended?  Would you shrug it off, thinking, "Well, that's just the way it goes."?  Or would you demand, "Something must be done to stop this horrific trend!"?

That's the basic premise of "The Fight of Our Lives", only the violent criminal offender is Islam, and the "system" is our government that continues to appease Muslim Extremists, hoping they will simply go away and leave us alone.  The problem is, it doesn't work!  And our political leaders have not paid attention to the history books to know the problem isn't going away.

Page after page of this book is filled with documented quotes from Muslim extremists who wish for America's demise; and page after page is filled with documented appeasing responses from our cowardly "leaders".  As the authors point out, "While we believe we are in the fight of our lives right now...there is grave doubt as to whether the American leadership believes it" (p.4).

Although Bennett and Leibsohn fill the book with historical events and people, like Faisal Shahzad (the Times Square Bomber), Nidal Hasan (the Fort Hood, TX shooter), Hamas, Al-Qaeda, the 9-11 attacks, and London Subway bombings, "The Fight of Our Lives" does not read like a boring history text book.  Instead, I found myself hanging on to every word and name, constantly checking the Internet for their cited resources.  I was honestly flabbergasted at the lack of appropriate government response to those terror organizations who only desire our utter destruction.

In the government's appeasement of our enemies, terrorists who have been banned from the U.S. have been allowed admittance once again; politicians are afraid (yes, afraid) to call our enemies terrorists; they are afraid to label them as evil.  In chapter 7, "False Peace, True Peace", one section entitled, "Understanding Islamic Violence", beginning on page 116, reveals how we must set our minds: "If we are at war (and it is worth remembering that war has been declared on us), it is the most vital of first steps to identify the enemy, to know who attacked."  Continuing further, "...the terrorists themselves tell us they are Muslims, and they cite Muslim theology to justify their attack -- a theology too few Muslims seem willing or able to refute as doctrinally unsound."

If our world's current events fascinate you as they do me, you will do well to read this book.  It's not terribly long; only 153 pages, but could easily be longer and would still maintain interest.  I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars!


Disclaimer: I received this book free of charge from Thomas Nelson Publishers.  I am not coerced, threatened, or rewarded to provide a favorable review.  All opinions are mine.

MSP Trooper Recruit School - Precision Driving

We (MSP) currently have a new class of recruits going through the training process (recruit school) to become troopers.  They are currently in week 12 of 16, and it was a week full of driving.  This video was filmed while I was instructing there this past week.  I hope you enjoy!

"THE REASON WHY", by Mark Mittelberg

The first version of "The Reason Why" was written by Robert Laidlaw in the early 1900's.  Because many of his examples needed updates, Mittelberg re-wrote "The Reason Why" because he believes the need for answers still exists.  I fully believe we have a lot of good, old books that have gone unread by moderns, so why not re-package them into something that can be sold today?  I think Mittelberg did a fine job with this one.

"The Reason Why" is a very short book, totaling only 127 pages that measure approximately 4" x 7", and could easily be read in one or two sittings.  Realistically, the book is not one that answers every tough question anyone could ever ask; it's much too short for that.  Instead, it is more of a "primer".  It launches the reader into a world of questions about about theology and Christianity:

1) Is There a God?

2) Can the Bible be Trusted?

3) Are We Accountable to God?

4) Who Was Jesus and What Was His Purpose?

5) Is Divine Forgiveness Available?

6) What Do I Need to Do?

What I truly like about this book is its simple approach to the truth of the gospel.  What Laidlaw and Mittelberg have to say about the Cross (its importance and centrality in Christendom) in this short book is unspeakably more than many authors today say in 300 pages.  "The Reason Why" is very straight-forward about the gospel, and the reader will have no choice upon reading the final page but to make a choice: to trust Christ, or not.

I think this book would make a great evangelism tool.  It's pretty cheap ($5.99) and simple for a beginner or questioner to read.  While it hits head-on, the reading is not too "heavy".  For the person more entrenched in apologetics, this book may serve as a springboard into deeper study of individual topics.

I give this book 5 stars out of 5 for its straight-forward presentation of the gospel and for its usefulness in evangelism.  Buy it and share it with a friend.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book from Tyndale Publishers free of charge, in exchange for my unbiased review.  I was not threatened or promised reward for providing a positive review.

"THE SACRED JOURNEY", by Charles Foster

Please don't mistake Richard Foster, the author of "The Celebration of Discipline", for Charles Foster, the author of "The Sacred Journey".  My review of this book by Charles Foster will be rather negative.  I like Richard Foster's work; I dislike Charles Foster's work.

I'll be completely honest: I wanted to gouge out my eyeballs with a cereal spoon after reading the first few chapters.  I could barely stomach reading the rest of the book.  I didn't feel as if Foster had much useful to contribute to the conversation about spiritual discipline, so I basically put my pencil away about half way through.

WHY I DISLIKED "THE SACRED JOURNEY"
1) Foster's lack of biblical support; suggesting Christians journey rather than settle in.

2)  Foster's use of other religions' teaching to suggest Christians practice that which was not suggested by God.  Universalism / Inclusivism.

3) Foster's citing of several stories of "walking" in the Bible as proof for God's preference for pilgrimage.

LACK OF BIBLICAL SUPPORT: In an effort to convince his readers we should participate in "pilgrimage" as a spiritual discipline, Foster cites more non-Christian literature than he does the Bible. Most of those quotations come from Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist clerics. In his own words, Foster wrote, "I quote a good deal from the pilgrim literature of other religions" (p.xviii). I think this is the case because there doesn't seem to be much support for arguing that pilgrimage is a command/desire/requirement of the God of the Bible.


Foster attempts to argue on behalf of Christian pilgrimage by citing biblical references of Jesus telling people to walk with him. "Walking" with Jesus, according to Foster, is the command to journey, to be a wanderer, to be like the Bedouins. Sadly, the notion for Christians to be pilgrims requires a stretch of one's imagination and of the biblical account. Foster also cites a few Old Testament stories, saying God tried to turn settlers into wanderers. Unfortunately for Foster, the ones he cites don't seem to support the idea of pilgrimage either.


UNIVERSALISM / INCLUSIVISM: As has been the case with just about every book in this series edited by Phyllis Tickle, Foster places Christianity on par with Islam and, in this book, with Hinduism and Buddhism.  There seems to be such a minor difference among the religions (according to the editor and author) that the book seems to teach a form of universalism.  Foster never takes his readers to the Cross, something I would expect of a Christian author convinced Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation and unification with the Father in Heaven.

At one point, Foster cites a Hindu sage as teaching that wandering leads to the destruction of the wanderer's sins (p.91).  This notion is completely foreign to the gospel.  Never does Foster set out to guide readers about sin and salvation through Jesus Christ according to the Bible.  He seems comfortable quoting anti-Christian rhetoric to support his notion of pilgrimage.

PREFERENCE FOR PILGRIMAGE? It's not like cars have been around since the dawn of time. Unless people were wealthy enough to own a horse in the old days, just about everybody walked wherever they went. Since they walked together, they talked. It's really not much different today except we drive long distances. We travel; we talk. But if Jesus came today instead of the first century, I doubt He would put His stamp of preference on driving over walking or bicycling. It was simply the culture of the time to walk. This hardly supports a nomadic lifestyle commanded by God.


OTHER PROBLEMS AREAS:

EXCLUSIVITY OF CHRISTIANITY:  In chapter 1, Foster lays out the idea of pilgrimage by presenting it from the vantage point of Islam (p.4), Hinduism & Buddhism (p.6), and Christianity (p.7).  When presenting pilgrimage according to Islam, Foster writes, "The Hajj -- the mandatory pilgrimage to the one Mecca -- reminds Muslims that there is one God, Allah; that he spoke very specifically to one man, the Prophet, in this place; that there is only one true revolution against unbelief, this one" (pp.4-5). 

After reading that passage, I wondered to myself, "Will Foster be so adamant in his profession that Christianity is as exclusive in its boasting about Jesus Christ being the only means of salvation, as Islam does about Allah and Muhammad?"  Just a couple pages later, Foster finished his brief introduction to pilgrimage, answering my question.  No, Foster did not tell of Christianity's exclusivity.  In fact, he seems to hold more respect for Islam's exclusivity than of Christianity's.

PILGRIMAGE AND MUJAHIDIN?  On page 11, Foster made an interesting statement about Christianity's crusaders. Having briefly detailed events of the Crusades, Foster told of a Cross, something he says the Christians used as kind of a good luck charm, being carried off in triumph by the hordes of Islam.  Foster asked, "Had God definitely withdrawn his favor from his crusading mujahidin?"  I found in interesting that Foster would call Christian crusaders "mujahidin", a term Muslims use of warriors who fight for Islam and Allah.

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?  In chapter 2, Foster retells a story about a group of religious men and women sitting around the table for a meal, when they happened upon the topic, "What is the gospel?"  Foster referred to those who believed the gospel was about the redemption of sinning mankind to God through Jesus Christ as though they were a group of confused individuals.  Foster said, "I sat glumly at the table, wondering if I had completely missed the plot.  The plot I had been reading that afternoon was very different...It's just, 'Follow me.'  You will struggle to find in the Gospels anything obviously analogous to 'conversion'" (p.24).

But if the gospel was simply "Follow me", then why would the Apostle Paul go to such great lengths to warn believers and fellow teachers about false doctrines, about false gods, about false teachings?  Jesus, as a teacher, did nothing different from what Aristotle, Plato, or other teachers in the early centuries did:  They walked.  As they walked, they taught; and as they taught, they gathered more followers.  Jesus told people to follow Him, to learn from Him, and not follow and learn from the worldly sages.

Journeying doesn't save a person.  Being in the wild doesn't "cleanse the soul", as Ted Nugent wrote in "Fred Bear".  There's only one way to be restored to right position with God, and that is through none other than Jesus Christ -- a fact Foster ignores in "The Sacred Journey."

I don't think this book contributed to the conversation of spiritual discipline, and I don't think he accomplished what he intended, convincing me of the necessity or importance of practicing pilgrimage.  I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, and I'm quite disappointed that a Christian publishing company would publish this as a Christian work.  I rate "The Sacred Journey" 1 star out of 5.


I receive books free from Thomas Nelson (Booksneeze) in exchange for my unbiased review of those books.  I am not threatened or rewarded in any way to provide positive reviews.