Review: Prepared by Grace, for Grace

Some theology books are written for the philosophical and theoretical knowledge.  Some are written for the practical application. Some are a blend of both and leave the reader to apply the knowledge.  This book is probably best described in the final category.

I've read a couple of other books by Joel Beeke. I've really enjoyed his books in the past, and this one was one of the best. As someone who never really considered the deeper aspects of theological thought, especially Reformed Theology, Beeke and Smalley have been a great help in understanding the implications of Reformed Theology in life at full speed.

This book does feel a bit more like a college textbook.  The topic is pretty deep, and they rely heavily on direct quotes, so, for me, reading it took a bit longer than I expected.  Plus, it's a deeper topic in the way a person understands the path to salvation, so I had to take extra time to process. 

It would be easy to write off the topic for two reasons.  First, it's a theological topic that many may not ever encounter.  Second, it's dealing with the views of people long gone.  Beeke and Smalley explore the theological writings of the Puritans to lay out what their view of preparation is and why it matters...and how it does not conflict with classical Reformed Theology.

I think the book could have been a bit more readable, but, early on, the authors explain why they deliberately did not make it such.  While I may not agree with their explanation, I respect their argument and hold it as valid.

Great audiences for this book are: people interested in evangelism, pastors, group leaders, those involved in grooming church leaders and adult Sunday School classes.

Note: I received a review copy of the book from the publisher.  I was required to provide an honest, not necessarily favorable, review, and the opinions expressed are mine.

Home Run: A Novel

Sports as an analogy for life.  Yes, this is a predictable clique.  "Home Run" isn't just another Christian novel based on a Christian movie. 

I enjoyed this novel a lot.  I'm not generally a Christian novel person, as, all too often, the stories tend to wrap up in a nice bow.  Not so with this novel. It went much, much deeper.

The story is about a troubled all-star baseball player coming to grips with a dark past in a place he wished to forget.  Through the twists and turns of his story, he is forced to deal with what was done to him, his own choices, and the intersection of his life in the lives of others.  Through the story, he is challenged with choice after choice after choice.

I was pleasantly surprised at this story.  Characters were developed quickly and with amazing depth.  The story line gripped me, sometimes I was wincing at the choices of Brandt, sometimes I found myself identifying with his choices, and sometimes I found myself yelling at him.

Through the story, I was unintentionally (may intentionally) confronted with some of my own choices.  It became a chance to pray and repent myself.

Three slight challenges I had to the story. First, this is an allegory, and, as such, there are some theological gaps.  I felt that the author, however, kept the truth very plain and did a great job of laying out a biblical viewpoint without being preachy.

Second, some of the language was a little coarse.  Not overly vulgar, but I was a little disappointed with some of the word choices.  I wasn't terribly bothered by it, however, and I would have no problems letting a an older teen read the book if they can handle the topics discussed.

Third, this story deals with some very heavy topics.  In a future revision, I would highly recommend the author or publishers include an appendix with some resources.  I think that the topics addressed could surface some deep emotions, memories and behaviors, and such a resource would be a quick chance to review.

Overall, I highly recommend Home Run.

                                                                                                                            

Note: I received a review copy of the book from the publisher.  I was required to provide an honest, not necessarily favorable, review, and the opinions expressed are mine.