STUDY BOOK REVIEW - "NOT MY JESUS: RECLAIMING THE TRUTH, REJECTING THE IDOLS" BY SHANE PRUITT

 

The Community Group I'm in (think adult men's Sunday School class) has spent the last 16 weeks going through "Not My Jesus: Reclaiming the Truth, Rejecting the Idols". Yes, this is an 8 week study, but our class tends to take our time going deep into the material each week. Author Shane Pruitt introduces the student to 8 Pseudo-Christs:

1. The Moldable Jesus: a regular human being like us, not Divine, but being molded as we are by circumstances and the like.
2. The Personal Genie Jesus: Quick to grant us our needs and wants, focusing on our will, not His.
3. The Non-Judgmental Jesus: Ready to say, "Neither do I condemn you" but doesn't add "Go and Sin no more."
4. The Participation Trophy Jesus: Accepting everybody into heaven, without us needing to do anything but be alive.
5. The Distant Jesus: A Christ who doesn't pay much attention to our day by day lives.
6. The Comfortable Jesus: A deity who doesn't expect us to get out of our comfort zone or challenge us.
7. The Boring Jesus: A faith that doesn't have much excitement, not as appealing as the world to the believer.
8. The National Jesus: A Savior who's more interested in the U.S. of A. but not so much everybody else.

This book starts with an introduction to the author, how to use the study and Bible study tips and resources, and why we can trust the Bible.Each chapter a group session guide and three personal studies. On the final page of the study book, there's a code which allows you to view a 10-15 minute video with the author explaining the lesson. 

I found this an interesting study, and the videos enjoyable. I've had studies before from Lifeway which has personal studies, and I'm never sure if they're supposed to be comvered before the video and class or afterwards - I do the former. 

I recommend this for personal study and more so for studying this as a group as I did, and as this book is designed to.

ADVENT DEVOTIONAL BOOK REVIEWS: "PROMISED PRESENCE" BY NATHAN BROCK, "THE CHRISTMAS WE DIDN'T EXPECT" BY DAVID MATHIS

 

Last year, I read the Advent Devotional "Promised Presence" by my friend Nathan Brock (he was on staff at the church Becky and I attend before becoming joining a mission organization. By the time I finished, it was too late to review it at an appropriate time.

This year, each attender in our church received "The Christmas We Didn't Expect" by David Mathis. I finished it today, just in time for Christmas Eve. So for Christmas, I will review both of them. 

"Promised Presence" is Biblically centered: it mostly includes quotes from Scripture with a few poems in there, focusing on the first Advent. There's no commentary, no personal anecdotes, and just a few poems and other writings on the theme. It is letting Scripture speak for itself. 

"The Christmas We Didn't Expect" is more what one would expect with a devotional book. Well, maybe and maybe not. Most devotional books are focused on a reading for each day. David Mathis, Senior Teacher and Executive Editor for desiringGod.org, has a very well organized book. The 24 readings are set in eight sections of three each, focusing on certain things that are unexpected, such as "An Unexpected Birth," or "Unexpected Guests," I found this to be an uplifting and inspirational devotional set. 

I recommend both of them.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #21 - "SUPERHEROES CAN'T SAVE YOU" BY TODD MILES

 

How many apologetics books defending biblical Christology from several different false teachings can be called fun? If you don't think that's possible, you probably haven't located this book yet.

In "Superheroes Can't Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies," Todd Miles takes a look at seven deviations from an orthodox view of Christ. He does this by comparing those teachings with seven different superheroes. For comic book fans like myself, you'll find representatives both from DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern) and Marvel (Ant Man, Thor, the Hulk, and Spiderman). 

Each chapter follows this format:

1. Introduction to the superhero and autobiographical insights
2. The heresy (or false teaching or "bad idea about Jesus"
3. Who follows this heresy today? (In this section, he'll mention particular groups that hold to that teaching but also ways that someone may be slipping into a particular trap of thinking that isn't accurate.
4. What does the Bible say?
5. Why does it matter?

WAKE UP BY MEGHAN WILLIAMS (DYED4YOUART)

 PART 17 OF A 17 PART SERIES ON FAVORITE ART AND ARTISTS

Wake Up by Meghan Williams of Dyed4YouArt

 

My hunch is that if you asked ten Christians what it means for the church to wake up, you might get ten different answers. I wouldn't be shocked if you got twenty.  

While I'd be glad to give my thoughts as to how the church needs to awaken, I'm going to focus on this fine work of art. Of course, there's the lion representing Jesus, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:9-10; Rev. 5:5), speaking to the world, symbolized by a city.

Is this a particular city? My first thought is San Francisco, with the Golden Gate and other bridges. But is my memory correct that New York City also has one? Or is it another city or for that matter a generic city? Either way, the cities I mentioned are not known for listening to the voice of Christ. To me, the city looks unaffected by Christ's roar.

You want to know my thoughts about the church needing to wake up? Ask! I'll be glad to tell you. But what I want to hear is your thoughts about the subject. And does this picture affect you as it does to me?

Also, this is the conclusion of my series on favorite art. You can say I wanted to go out with a bang, or more likely a roar. Starting this blog, let alone the series, is based on a view that God can use the arts for His glory, including drawing the lost to Him and to edify and encourage the Church. In some cases, He can even use art by unbelievers without their knowledge.

P.S. If you'd like to read my interview with Meghan Williams (which also has "Wake Up" on the top), click here.

 

BOOK REVIEW - SUPERHEROES CAN'T SAVE YOU: EPIC EXAMPLES OF HISTORIC HERESIES BY TODD MILES

 

Who says Christian apologetics can't be fun?

Todd Miles (professor at Western Seminary in Portland, OR) has given a useful and relevant understanding of who Christ is in his book Superheroes Can't Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies. He looks at seven incorrect views of who Jesus Christ is through history (he refers to them as bad ideas about Jesus) and compares these distortions with various superheroes. The result is a fun, readable book that helps us understand doctrine.

Each chapter follows this format:

1. Introduction to the superhero and autobiographical insights
2. The heresy (or false teaching or "bad idea about Jesus"
3. Who follows this heresy today? (In this section, he'll mention particular groups that hold to that teaching but also ways that someone may be slipping into a particular trap of thinking that isn't accurate.
4. What does the Bible say?
5. Why does it matter?

When I was younger, I considered the three most important aspects of theology to be Bibliology (the Inspiration of the Bible), Christology (who Jesus is) and Soteriology (the teaching on salvation). While I consider all three (and also all other areas of theology) important still, I'm at the point of believing Christology is the most important. Of course, you need a solid Bibliology to have a solid Christology, and if you have a proper Christology, you will by default realize our salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Thus, this book is helpful in identifying a Biblically consistent Christology.
I highly recommend this book both as a student of the Word (I considered calling myself a theologian - it sounds more intellectual and intimidating, even though "theologian" and "student of the Word" are the same thing) and as a comic book fan.