Showing posts with label Not Recommended. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Not Recommended. Show all posts

Saturday, April 11, 2009

"Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby and Claude King

Experiencing God was originally released as a Bible study workbook back in 1990. By 2000, 3 million copies had been sold in 47 languages. The success of the workbook lead to the release of a paperback book, a devotional, a youth edition, a preteen edition, a collegiate edition, a couples edition, and even a musical! (HT: Lifeway.com)

I still have not participated in the study, but I recently had the opportunity to read the book based on the wildly popular workbook. What I found really surprised me. Though there are some interesting points and some sections of the book that are okay (but not great), the whole concept of Experiencing God is built around principles and ideas that are not only nowhere to be found in the Bible, but that actually contradict what the Bible clearly teaches.







Some other helpful reviews of Experiencing God:

A review of another Blackaby book on the will of God:

Monday, March 23, 2009

"Become a Better You" by Joel Osteen

Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, is perhaps the fastest rising TV preacher in our country. Many would look at Houston's Lakewood Church, with its 30,000 people attending services each Sunday in a 16,000-seat arena (once home of the Houston Rockets basketball team) as the epitome of church success. But that success was achieved at a cost to sound doctrine and spiritual integrity. I‟ve had too many people tell me they like listening to Osteen because they are encouraged by his ministry, so I decided to do check him out for myself.

Read the rest of the review

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

The Shack: Is It Worth Your While To Read?

This book seems to be growing with rising popularity, especially in Christian circles. While we were first somewhat excited to read it, we were left feeling profoundly disturbed by its content. I’ve heard several people say that it is the best book they have ever read. In fact Eugene Peterson (author of The Message paraphrase) says that, "This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress did for his. It's that good." I have to confess that Young's characterization of the Father as a large, beaming African-American woman, the Son as a Jew with a large nose, and the Holy Spirit is a mysterious Asian female makes me more than just a little uncomfortable. Whether you have read this book or not, most likely some of your friends or loved one have, so please allow me to take a few minutes to share with you a word of caution. It is books like this make our discernment as believers even more necessary than ever before.



Other helpful reviews of The Shack:
Tim Challies
13 Heresies in The Shack
Gary Gilley
The Shack Inspection
(Links to other good reviews as well)