Tuesday, February 19, 2013

My thoughts on "GREATer: Dream Bigger. Start Smaller"

"Most of us aren't in danger of ruining our lives.  We're in danger of wasting them." - back cover, GREATER.

I didn't know much about Steven Furtick before I read this book. I'd heard a sermon or two, I knew of his church, Elevation, and I knew he had really cool hair.  Beyond that, I didn't know much.

When I saw the title and description of GREATERI was intrigued and excited.  The idea that we are created to do great things for God is very exciting.  Learning how to get from here to my end-calling seemed very helpful.  And to read it in a cool, conversational voice, even better!

Getting ton the book, however, was slow, disjointed and never really gets off the launch pad.  I read and read, hoping to learn something, and I was very disappointed. Furtick would make a statement, and then his examples seemed to contract that statement. One of the most glaring was when he talked about not making drastic changes...and then used the example of him selling everything and moving to Charlotte to launch Elevation Church.

Starting at page 132, I finally found something useful.  I appreciated his comments on fasting, and I'd encourage him, at some point, to expand his thoughts on fasting.  Unfortunately, page 132 is way too late in a 190 page book to start making points.  

Bottom line, here's my conclusion.  If you like hip-sounding platitudes, you'll love this book.  If you're looking for substance, skip this one and, instead reach for David Platt's Radical or Francis Chan's Crazy Love.

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

Friday, February 01, 2013

Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World? - A Review

"What would you do if Jesus appeared to you in a dream? What if He came to you in a vision and told you to follow Him? What if these visions continued for over thirty days?  Would you believe?  Would you put your trust in Him? Would you devote your life to Him?  Would you if you were Muslim?" - Dreams and Visions, back cover

I grabbed this book because of some first-hand stories I've heard.  I know those who relayed them to me, and I trust these individuals, and I was very interested in what Pastor Tom Doyle had to say.  I was not disappointed.

Doyle does a great job of laying out, story by story, a pattern of the use of dreams and visions of Jesus in the a hostile part of the world.  This is a part of the world where people are murdered simply for their faith.  Conversion is not taken lightly.

My favorite story was the story of Amir, a Jordanian in Saudi Arabia. I think what I most enjoyed about this story was how a man, who was about his daily life, was abruptly interrupted by the Gospel. And it was in one of the most hostile parts of the globe.  I won't give away the full story, but I was very moved.

I do have three minor concerns with the book.  My first concern is with many evangelical books. I wish the Gospel was more explicitly stated in the book.  It is communicated, but it wasn't overtly stated.  

Second, I wish Doyle would have put Appendix 2 near the beginning of the book - maybe around chapter 2 or 3.  The appendix is key to the story, as it lays out the biblical defense for dreams and visions, and is critical to the story.  

Third, and this is not the book's fault, but I am concerned that some may use dream activity as an excuse not to go.  Doyle tries very hard to counter this, and so my concern is not with the book itself but with some people's approach.

Concerns noted, I would highly recommend this book. It's compelling.  It's movingAnd it's motivating.     

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”