It
happens all too often. A relatively new Christian comes upon a
troublesome issue. Perhaps it is creation verses evolution. Maybe it
is the issue of a good God and so much evil in the world. Faced with
a tough situation and not prepared for survival, their faith suffers.
Survival
requires planning. That goes for a hike in the wilderness and it goes
for our spiritual walk. “Christian survival just doesn't happen.”
Cyzewski writes. “It requires discipline, planning, and action.”
(13).
He
has written this book to help us survive the tough challenges of
being a follower of Jesus. He draws from his own experience of being
a life long Christian yet having hit rough patches that threatened
his faith. He covers a number of topics identified as essential to
survival. These are within the broad subjects of right
beliefs, understanding God's story from the Bible, living in step
with the Spirit, and being in community with other Christians.
He
has some great insights into the challenges that often trip us up. He
helps us see possibilities and various viewpoints. He brings a good
balance, reviewing a variety of opinions on subjects like prayer, the
Bible, God in the Old Testament, the problem of evil and pain, hell,
the Bible and culture, rescuing Revelation, bad church experiences,
and much more.
He
has presented thoughtful investigations into these troublesome
topics. I may not agree with all of the options he presents, but he
looks for common ground among the various perspectives. I certainly
appreciate that. He even adds some humor along the way, such as his
Church Visitor's Checklist and A Coffee Lover's Survival Guide to
Churches.
His
discussion on hell made me a little nervous at first. By the end of
the chapter, I could understand his conclusion. “I believe,” he
writes, “there is room in the Christian family for a broad range of
perspectives on hell because the evidence isn't cut-and-dried.”
(78)
My
favorite section was on Revelation. He does a great job critiquing
the secret rapture. He gives valid alternatives to the date setting
concept of interpreting Revelation. “Revelation tells us a whole
lot more about how to live each day than about what the future
holds.” (134)
He
has kept the chapters short so he could cover many topics. He provides
additional reading suggestions for those who would like to study the
subjects in greater detail.
I
really like this book. Cyzewski has done a very good job of
presenting various biblical perspectives on topics that trip up
Christians. If you are being challenged in an area of Christian
belief, take a look at this book. There just may be a biblical
perspective you have not considered that will help you survive with
your faith intact. Above all, rely on the Holy Spirit to sustain you
and keep you focused on Jesus.
You
can find out more about the book, read endorsements, etc., at the
author's website: http://edcyzewski.com/sg/
Ed
Cyzewski is a freelance writer and the author of several books. He
regularly writes about Christian living for The High Calling, Red
Letter Christians, and A Deeper Family. He also provides professional
blogging and book editing for small business and individuals. You can
follow his blog at http://inamirrordimly.com/
and find out more about his work at http://edcyzewski.com/.
He lives with his family in Columbus, Ohio.
Kregel
Publications, 208 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the
purpose of an independent and honest review.
