A God Named Josh by Jared Brock Book Review

About the Book:

The Life of Jesus Like You've Never Imagined

Jesus asked His disciples, "Who do you say I am?" It's a question that still needs an answer today. With deft, insightful, and humorous strokes, award-winning biographer Jared Brock weaves archaeology, philosophy, history, and theology to create a portrait of Jesus we've never seen before.

This is a groundbreaking biography about the historical Jesus we don't usually think about: The child refugee. The "carpenter" who most likely worked with stone. The adult who walked at least 21,525 miles in His lifetime and yet never tasted tomatoes or potatoes. The itinerant rabbi whose real name wasn't Jesus. The political revolutionary whose brutal murder was secretly masterminded by a power-hungry mafia family.

More than a fascinating biography, A God Named Josh seeks to illuminate Jesus of Nazareth from new perspectives, grounded in history, that will surprise Christians and atheists alike.

You can read an excerpt here. You can watch the book trailer here.

My Review:

This book is undoubtedly the most fascinating one I have ever read on the person and work of Jesus. Brock's writing style is wonderful and the book is very readable, even with a bit of humor here and there. I like how he gives possibilities and differing views and how he blends in historical information from other sources. He includes new insights I have never seen before and touches on just enough Greek to be interesting, such as puns. He explores Jesus' family structure and the character of each of his disciples. He also has a wealth of information on the political and cultural conditions of the day. He even reviews descriptions of people of that day to give hints of what Jesus might have looked like. He does the same for how Jesus might have dressed and what he might have eaten.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this book is Brock's clarification of misunderstandings, of ideas Christians have been taught or assumed. An example is the function and composition of the Sanhedrin of that time. At the time of Jesus it was more of an ad hoc advisory group for the high priest, not the more organized Great Sanhedrin of centuries later. He explains many confusing issues, such as why there are two high priests named in Luke 3:1-2.

Old and new believers alike will find much thought provoking information and eye opening insights in this book. It would be a good book to use in a class or small group. I recommend it.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

About the Author:

Jared Brock (www.jaredbrock.com) is an award-winning author and director of several films including PBS's acclaimed Redeeming Uncle Tom with Danny Glover. His writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Guardian, Smithsonian, USA Today, Huffington Post, Relevant, and TIME. He has traveled to more than forty countries, including North Korea, Transnistria, and the Vatican. Photo Credit: © Steward Communications 

Bethany House Publishers, 336 pages.

I was given the opportunity by the publisher to review this book. While I have not received a copy of the book from the publisher, I was able to access it through my local library and complete this review. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Difficult Words of Jesus by Amy-Jill Levine

We have to admit that some of Jesus' words are hard to understand. Levine, a Jew and expert in all things Jewish, shares her insights on how those listening to Jesus speak would have understood his words. She identifies her book as one for people who want to struggle with Scripture they find disturbing.

I have mixed feelings about the book. On the positive side, Levine shares a wealth of information on the background of concepts and culture and society of Jesus' day. Readers who want insights in those areas will find much valuable information in this book.

Levine is not a Christian, however, so I have reservations about her truly understanding what Jesus meant. I found it interesting to read her comments on Christian theology as a non-Christian. She writes about the “call” of the gospel while noting it is something she has never felt. (140) She does not believe in hell (101) though she does have a good account of how it became accepted into Christian theology. (121-122) She is “not much a believer in demons,” (80) and says the book of Jonah is “manifestly fictional.” (81) She acknowledges that Jesus did see himself in the role of Jewish Messiah (83) but apparently does not accept he is so.

Readers who want to understand more of Jewish thought, especially as it relates to some of what Jesus said, will find this book informative. Evangelical Christians looking for Holy Spirit directed insights into what Jesus said may be disappointed. Miller suggests we cannot fully understand what Scripture means but we can make educated guesses. (xvii) She writes, “...while the Bible may have the first word on a number of questions, it will never have the last word.” (154) Those who want to struggle with Jesus' words in the context of Jewish thought will like this book. You will gain understanding about how a non-Christian wrestles with what Jesus' said.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Amy-Jill Levine is University Professor of New Testament and Jewish Studies and Mary Jane Werthan Professor of Jewish Studies Emerita at Vanderbilt Divinity School and College of Arts and Sciences. She is an internationally renowned scholar and teacher and the author of numerous books. She is also the co-editor of the Jewish Annotated New Testament. She has done more than 500 programs across the globe for churches, clergy groups, and seminaries on the Bible, Christian-Jewish relations, and Religion, Gender, and Sexuality.

Abingdon Press, 176 pages.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

Awesome! by Dick Eastman

Eastman provides thirty-one meditations with an aim of magnifying Christ's nature and glorifying His names. The meditations help show us Christ's nature and character and experience His wonder. The meditations also encourage us to exhibit the character of Jesus. Each meditation concludes with a written prayer and four practical application suggestions.

Along with the thirty-one meditations is a list of names of Jesus Eastman has accumulated over the years. I found some to be a bit repetitious, like Shepherd and Overseer of Your Souls (1 Peter 2:25) and Shepherd of Your Souls (1 Peter 2:25) (p. 192) and Sun and Our Shield (Psalm 84:11) and Sun and Shield (Psalm 84:11). (p. 198) Nonetheless, these names give further opportunity to glorify Christ by meditating on them.

I think my favorite meditation was on praying Jesus. Eastman's insights include that Jesus went to a solitary place for restorative prayer. Also, it was not uncommon for Jesus to pray all night, even after a tiring day of ministry. And something I had not really thought about before, Jesus did not stop praying after His resurrection. He still intercedes for us. The entire meditation gave me new encouragement to put more emphasis on my own prayer life. Jesus is an intercessor and if I want to be like Him, I need to be an intercessor too.

Eastman includes insights from several people and movements in history, making this an informative book as well as one drawing us to the majesty of Jesus Christ. I recommend it as a good resource for spending a month considering Jesus.

You can read an excerpt here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Dick Eastman is the international president of Every Home for Christ and has traveled around the world more than a hundred times in that role. He also serves as president of America's National Prayer Committee. He is the originator of the Change the World School of Prayer, a multipart seminar. He is also the author of numerous books on prayer and evangelism. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs, Colorado. They have two grown daughters and nine grandchildren.

Chosen Books, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus by D A Carson

Carson is a scholar and often writes for ministers or students. This commentary on Jesus' farewell discourse and final prayer as recorded in John 14-17 is designed to be available to the church in general. This book is a reprint edition of the original from 2008.

There were comments on several topics in the book that I really appreciated. Carson explores what it means that Christ “emptied himself” as noted in Phil. 2:5-11. He compares that to Jesus doing the Father's work and that he is the fullness of deity in Godly form. (Col. 2:9) Carson concludes that Jesus abandoned any use of his divine prerogatives and capabilities that he would not have had as a mere man unless the Father directed him to use them. He also writes about Jesus hiding his own glory and showing the glory of the Father in his words and deeds. (Loc 596/3637) That explains why the disciples did not realize they had been seeing the Father.

Another one was Jesus as “friend.” We sing hymns about Jesus being our friend. But Carson notes, while Jesus calls the disciples his friends, Jesus is not said to be their friend. (Loc 1760/3637) Carson warns of a chummy view of friendship and advises we preserve “the fundamental distinction between Jesus and those he redeems.” (Loc 1782/3637) He also reminds us that being a friend of Jesus is all about obedience. Carson goes on to explore the difference between friend and slave.

There was a very good explanation of what it means that believers would do “greater” works than Jesus. (John 14:12) Another good section was on Jesus' prayer for the unity of his followers.

Carson goes through this section of Scripture with careful attention to detail. The result of a very readable commentary that is full of insights I really appreciated. While Carson does write about the Greek from time to time, it is done in a way so that laypeople can easily understand. I recommend this book to Christians in general as it contains a scholarly and well thought out exploration of the Bible passages with the lay person in mind.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Donald A. Carson is the research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School at Deerfield, Illinois, and the author or editor of more than fifty books. He is one of the founders of The Gospel Coalition and an active guest lecturer in academic and church settings around the world.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Getting Jesus Wrong by Matt Johnson

Do we create our own image of Jesus, one we like? Maybe we make Him a life coach, cheering us on like a motivational guru. Maybe we make Him a movement leader, backing our latest missional move. Perhaps we make Him our moral checklist so we know exactly what to do to make Him like us.

Johnson reminds us that the gospel is about a Savior that saves, not a life coach or spiritual adviser. Rather than helping us, God wants to make all things new. He gives a personal and honest account of the made up views of Jesus he has embraced and how they were not good for him.

I really appreciate Johnson's honesty. He admits where he got it wrong in the past and shares what he thinks is a right view of Jesus. But he warns readers that he doesn't have the final word. In a decade or two, he says, he may realize he has gotten this wrong. He does know that our maturing in the faith must be grounded in a true view of who Jesus is and what He has done.

I recommend this book to those who know there is something wrong with a teaching but quite can't identify it. Perhaps it is a church that has gotten off track or a pastor who is preaching a message that just seems off. Perhaps you've been through the glitzy ministry wringer, as Johnson describes it, or seen a church implode. This book is one man's thoughts on what it means to know and follow Jesus. Granted, he was part of a megachurch ministry that went wrong. That has definitely has an effect on what is in this book. The book contains the thoughts of a man who bought into false images of Jesus. I think every Christian could benefit from giving good thought to what Johnson has written.

You can find out more about the book and read a sample here.

I am taking part in a blog tour of this book and you can read other reviews here at the end of April, 2017.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Matt Johnson is a husband, father to two little girls, freelance writer and editor, and is an armchair student of theology living in Seattle. Until recently Matt spent seven years as an associate volunteer pastor in counseling and recovery ministry. You can find out more at https://www.therealmattjohnson.com/.

New Growth Press, 160 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Litfuse. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Under an Open Heaven by John E. Johnson

Johnson is concerned that the fact Jesus is alive and well today is not making a difference in Christians' lives. We have gradually come to the place where we think any action that need be taken is up to us. Johnson looks at thirteen conversations Jesus had and how they show an open heaven. He helps us see what those stories teach us about ourselves and how they move us to live on a different plane.

From the discussion with Nathanael we see we need to become aware of a reality to which we had been blind. From His talk with His mother we learn we must trust Jesus to do what is needed at the right time (water to wine). The discussion with Nicodemus calls us to be open to the Spirit working in ways unexpected because of our preconceived ideas. Johnson gives us other insights from the woman at the well, the invalid beside the pool, the crowd, Jesus' brothers, the man born blind, Martha, His disciples, Pilate, and Peter.

I was really impressed with the insights from Jesus' interaction with Martha. It is so hard for us to understand God's timing. We want God to follow our schedule. Even in the midst of a puzzling situation God gives reassurance of future hope, asking us to trust in Him.

This book is a good one for people who like reading sermons for devotions as that seems to be the style of the content. It would also be a good resource for a pastor wanting to do a sermon series on the gospel of John. There are questions at the end of each chapter so the book could also be used for a group study.

Food for thought: “Jesus broke through the sealed dome and entered into this self-reliant world to declare it is not up to us.” (23)

My rating: 4/5 stars.

John E. Johnson is an associate professor of pastoral theology at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon, a writer, and a teaching pastor. He has served various churches including Trinity International Church in The Hague, Netherlands. You can visit his blog at http://drjohnejohnson.org/.

Kregel Publications, 264 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Moments With The Savior by Ken Gire

This book is a reissue of the devotional originally published in 1998. Gire looks at 66 moments in the earthly life of Christ. The Scripture is given and then his comments are added. Each reaching ends with a prayer. Gire desires that readers see the beauty of Christ and fall in love with Him all over again.

Gire sometimes adds historical information in his meditation and at other times cultural details. Sometimes he seems to merely retell the Scripture story with an additional emotional perspective. The devotionals vary in length, some as long as ten pages while others are as short as five pages.

I must add a word of caution to potential readers of this book. Gire sometimes uses his imagination and adds fictional emotions or details to an event that are not given in the Scripture. An example is his meditation on Jesus' temptation in the desert. Gire writes of Jesus, “He remembers the smoke from the altar, wisping toward heaven like a prayer. … Jesus settles in a shallow cave scalloped out of the hillside. … His angular features look as if they have been chiseled from a slab of rock.” (63-65) It makes for a captivating devotional but it is fiction and that disturbs me. Readers should be aware that Gire sometimes adds to the Scripture scenes fictional details that are not part of the original event as recorded.

That being said, there are some good lessons in the meditations Gire provides. One example is the lesson from the genealogy of Christ. “That God's purposes are not thwarted by our humanity, however weak and wayward it may be.” (17)

The strength of this book is the prayers at the end of each reading. They are great for applying the truth of the scene from Jesus' life. Gire has written them to help readers discern what the Spirit might be saying to them. He hopes they are a stepping off point for further heartfelt prayers to God.

This book might be a good choice for a two month study on the life of Christ. Readers must be aware that Gire has added fictional embellishments to the Scripture stories, something that I do not like.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Ken Gire is the author of more than twenty books, including several bestsellers. He is a graduate of Texas Christian University and Dallas Theological Seminary. He lives in Texas.

Zondervan, 448 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. My comments are an honest and independent review.

Like Jesus by Jamie Snyder

This book is a good reality check. Have we built a counterfeit Jesus in our own hearts and minds, in our own image? Snyder reminds us that we are to be like Him, not make Him like us.

Snyder is quick to point out that we will never actually be like Jesus, but are we becoming like Jesus? We are all changing and becoming. Have we made the commitment to become like Jesus?

Snyder wants to make sure that we have the right idea of who Jesus is and how He acted. He explores a number of images of Jesus that have been created as a reflection on us, our lifestyle, our politics, and more. He helps us deconstruct those false images and construct the right one.

He asks some penetrating questions about our relationship with Jesus. He points out character traits and action of Jesus that may be surprising to some. He looks at Jesus' righteous anger. He notes, "So being like Jesus means getting angry at situations involving unfairness or inequality and being moved to act." With equal directness, he looks at real compassion, simple obedience, radical grace, and radical humility. He helps us understand how to go beyond just knowing the facts about Jesus to true life transformation through a relationship with Him.

I felt that hardly a page went by without my being challenged. For example, in the chapter about humility, Snyder writes, “Jesus made Himself nothing and then turned to us as His followers and said, 'Follow me. Follow me into obscurity. Follow me into selflessness. Follow me into an others-focused life. Follow me into my kingdom, the way is paved with radical humility.'” Ouch. And that is just one part of one chapter.

I highly recommend this book. It is a reality check and a challenge. It's a book one can read over and over again, renewing our passion for being like Jesus and having a relationship with Him. There are discussion questions included so this would be a great book to use as a group study.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Jamie Snyder is lead pastor of Lakeside Christian Church, where he preaches and reaches to thousands every week. He and his wife have three children and life in Kentucky.

David C Cook, 194 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review

The Reckless Love of God by Alex Early

Sometimes we Christians are satisfied with a study of God rather than knowing Him personally. Early wants us to know that God loves us deeply, inspiring us to develop an intimate relationship with Him.

Early concentrates on Jesus as He is an exact representation of God. A right view of Jesus is defended, explaining His compassion and love. We are taken through many examples from Jesus' life, His sayings, and the parables He taught. Bible stories are given in their entirety and commented upon. John 11:1-44 is completely quoted, for example, before Early comments on it. There are also many quotes from noted Bible scholars, theologians, and popular writers both past and present.

In the course of the book, many topics are covered, such as the witness of the church and reading the Bible rightly, including contextualization and exegesis.

I found Early's writing to be rather academic in nature. It almost seemed like I was reading a thesis on the love of God as shown in the Bible somewhat adapted for the general Christian reader. At the end, I felt like I had an intellectual understanding of God's love for me, as shown in the Bible. I felt an application was missing. Now that I knew intellectually that God loves me recklessly, I was not helped to passionately and personally experience that love, say through prayer or through healing the wrong image of fatherhood I might have. There were no suggestions as to how I could know God intimately and develop that relationship.

That being said, I was challenged by a couple of topics Early wrote about. One was his identification of areas that prevented him from realizing God's love for him. He writes about projection (projecting onto Jesus a character trait that love would come only if Early was behaving correctly), inoculation (getting only snippets of the gospel, say in Sunday sermons, made him immune to the entire message of the power of the gospel in the world), and unrepentant sin (losing sight of the serious nature of his own sinfulness and the great gift of Jesus dying on the cross). Those are good points for each of us to consider.

Another area in which I was challenged was in the way I read the Bible. “The reckless love of God for you is not found on just one page, but every page of the Bible. This changes how we read it from cover to cover. If your starting point is with anything other than the nature of who God is and the reckless love he feels and demonstrates for you, then you're bound to end up missing the overall point of Scripture – that our holy, righteous, all-powerful God has gone to great lengths to forgive our sin, heal what is broken in us, and fill us with his eternal, unbreakable love.” (69%) That inspires me to read my Bible differently.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I think the message is good but the style is too academic in nature. I also missed the practical help we readers need to develop an intimate relationship with God once we know He loves us so much.

You can watch the book trailer here.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Alex Early (MDiv, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; MA, London School of Theology) is a pastor and church planter. He served as a theology professor, created Acts 29 West Academy, a missional-theological training center, and launched Acts 29 podcast. He is pursuing a Doctor of Intercultural Studies degree at Western Seminary. He lives with his wife and children in Atlanta, Georgia. You can find out more at http://www.alxegesis.com/.

Bethany House, 192 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

The Original Jesus by Daniel Darling

Darling is concerned about the kind of Jesus the American church culture is promoting. He is one we can resonate with – a Jesus we can shape and mold into our liking.

Darling's aim in this book is to knock down those mythical images of Jesus and reveal Jesus as He is.

He does a good job of identifying those false images of Jesus and why they are so attractive. He writes about the “Guru Jesus” and the “Red-Letter Jesus.” He explores the “American Jesus” or the “Republican Jesus.” He discusses politics and various causes Christians want Jesus to promote. In his chapter on the “Left-Wing Jesus,” he writes about the “best delivery system for raising the poor out of poverty.” (78) I thought he got a bit off track in that discussion, writing about free markets, wages, profit, economic growth, creating wealth, and the right to private property. He notes, “The creation of wealth provides more opportunity for charitable giving.” (85) He adds that readers are to understand he is “not saying Jesus gives his endorsement to all aspects of our modern economic system.” (85) I didn't know Jesus gave an endorsement to any aspect of our modern economic system. It was strange, after reading a chapter on the “American Jesus” that Darling wrote so much about the American economic system. I kept wondering how that would apply to Christians in an oppressed nation, say under a dictatorship.

Later on, in his chapter on the “Prosperity Jesus,” Darling does remind us, “The call to discipleship is one of self-denial and sacrifice (Luke 9:23).” (111)

Perhaps what was missing in the whole discussion of the poor and wealth is what I found missing in the book in general. Darling has done a great job identifying the wrong images of Jesus but fails to give us a right view of Jesus. I would have appreciated a paragraph or two at the end of each chapter suggesting the right image of Jesus in response to the wrong one. In that respect, this is not a biblical study of who Jesus is, what he is like, what he taught on subjects.

This missing aspect of the book was really apparent in his chapter on the importance of being a part of a church body. He makes reference to three sayings of Jesus, eighteen references to other books in the New Testament and one reference to an Old Testament passage. We read much more of what Paul said about being part of a church than Jesus did. I found it odd that in a book about revealing the real Jesus, Darling did not make reference to Jesus' practice of regular synagogue attendance as an example for us today.

So this book was not what I expected. After reading it, I pretty much know who Jesus is not, but am left having to do my own research in the gospels to remind myself of who He really is. In that respect, Darling did not fulfill the second part of his aim, to reveal Jesus as He really is.

I appreciate Darling's premise. He wonders if we have lost the transcendence of an Almighty God. “We seem to have lost touch with the divine mystery of Christ.” (135) Jesus has become our buddy, our best friend. I just wish Darling would have brought us to the feet of Jesus and reminded us of His majesty.

My rating: 3 stars.

Daniel Darling is the vice president of communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is a former pastor, the author of several books, a speaker and blogger. He lives with his wife and their four children in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more at www.danieldarling.com.

Baker Books, 160 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.

Jesus Now by Frank Viola

The gospels give us a good idea of what Jesus did while on earth, but what is He doing now? Viola gives us the answer to that question as he looks at the present ministry of Jesus.

He looks at the various roles Jesus has today and how they affect our Christian walk. Jesus is our High Priest. “He is the one who rolls up His sleeves and joins us in the broken places of our lives.” (23) He is also our Advocate, Mediator, Intercessor, Great Shepherd, Heavenly Bridegroom, Author and Finisher of our faith, Builder of the church, Head of the church, and Lord of the World.

Jesus is still carrying out the work of God today. “He carries it out in His enthroned state, withdrawn from visible sight but active in Spirit in and through His followers.” (195) To help us understand that work, Viola does spend quite a bit of time on the proper use of the gifts of the Spirit.

This book is not a scholarly study of the ministry of Jesus today. It is more of a conversation on what Jesus is doing now and what it means to our every day lives. It would make good devotional reading. Anyone who would like reassurance that God is working today, through Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and Christians, would benefit from reading this book. His work may be hidden from our sight but we do know He is on the throne and He has promised to be present with us until the end of the age. That is good news.

Frank Viola has written many books on the church and the relationship of Christians with Jesus. You can find out more and follow his blog at http://frankviola.org/.

David C. Cook, 207 pages.

Raised? by Jonathan Dodson and Brad Watson

Belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has always been an essential part of the gospel. Believing that Jesus died is one thing – believing that He rose again is quite another.

If you doubt the resurrection, that's good, the authors write. “Anything worth believing is worth questioning.” They want you to make sure you have good reasons for believing or not believing in the resurrection.

The authors explore the biblical characters who doubted, the vast number of Christians who do believe it today, and the consideration that it just might possibly be true. They review the Greek and Jewish thought at the time of Jesus and how hard it would have been for them to believe in a resurrection. They explore the role the resurrection has had in human history and what it means to individuals. The belief structure around the resurrection is reviewed (such as faith and sin). The benefits of believing in the resurrection and living that truth are also explained.

If you have thought about Jesus' resurrection but have doubts, this would be a good book for you to read. The authors show that Jesus' resurrection is intellectually plausible. They show how life is changed when you believe in the resurrection and what it means to you if you do not embrace the resurrection. It is not a technical book nor is it filled with carefully crafted arguments. It reads as if you were across from the authors sharing a time of coffee. 

As they write at the end of their book, Jesus is the one we were made for. Reading this book will help you understand why.

Jonathan K. Dodson is the founding pastor of City Life Church in Austin, TX. He holds a B.A in Cultural Anthropology and two theology degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Brad Watson serves as a pastor of Bread & Wine Communities in Portland, Oregon. He lives in the inner city with his wife and daughter.

Zondervan, 112 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this independent and honest review.

One Year Alone With God by Ava Pennington

This is a very nice daily devotional that goes through the names and attributes of God. She starts out with the Hebrew names such as Adonai, El Roi, Yahweh Jireh, etc. She then writes about God's character traits. She has included Consuming Fire, Exalted, Holy, Immutable, Just, Merciful, and many more. She also covers the names and character traits of Jesus: Cornerstone, King, Light, Servant, The Way, and more. Lastly she writes about the Holy Spirit: Advocate, Counselor, Transformer, etc.

These are not deep theological devotions on the various names and attributes of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. A new Christian would find good food for thought here, however. And seasoned Christian will also be pleased to be reminded of God's character as revealed through His names and attributes. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Topical and Scripture indexes have been included at the back of the book.

This book is out of print but it looks like it has been reissued with a new title, Daily Reflections on the Names of God. You can find out more about the book and the author at her website.

Ava Pennington is a contributing author to many books,including a number of Chicken Soup and A Cup pf Comfort books, and has written for several magazines. This is her first solo project. She lives in Florida.

Prototype by Jonathan Martin (book and DVD)

Jonathan's book is built on an excellent premise: become fully human in all the ways Jesus was. Unfortunately, the structure of the book built on that premise is rather shaky.

Jonathan starts his book by saying he wants us to know who we really are by coming awake to God and understanding that Jesus is our prototype. Jesus never forgot who He was – beloved by God. “He lived every moment of His life fully convinced of His identity.” (18) What if that were possible for each of us?

The book was off to a good start, but then Jonathan lost me. By about a third of the way into the book I was tired of stories about Jonathan. I do think there is more about Jonathan in this book than there is Jesus. For example, he spends more words writing about his own attempts at going to the wilderness than he does of Jesus being in the wilderness. (Compare p. 57-61 with p. 51-53.) At the end of the book I knew far more about Jonathan (his wedgies at Bible camps, his riding his bicycle, Pentecostal upbringing, etc.) and others involved in his ministry than I did about Jesus.

Sometimes I just didn't get him. “I think most of what you need to know about how life with God works is probably wrapped up in the bittersweet taste of dreams. All the longing and aching for something beautiful that is just out of reach. Sometimes you can touch it and sometimes you can't.” (118-119) What? That's most of what I need to know how life with God works? Poetic words, sure, but give me what the Bible says about life with God!

I am yet still puzzled by how Jesus is our prototype and what we do with that. Jonathan has provided us with lots of stories but with no teaching as to how we really live into the identity of Jesus as our prototype. There is nothing about having the mind of Christ, or what it means to be “in Christ” or to have “Christ in you.” There is nothing about the Spirit at work in you.

I can tell Jonathan loves to talk and write. He is a good communicator. His book reads well and is poetic at times. It is just that he did not do in this book what he said he was going to do at the beginning.

If you enjoy an individual's spiritually “coming of age” story and the stories of authentic followers of Jesus, you'll like this book. If you really want to know what it means to have Jesus as a prototype of being fully human and how to live into that identity, you'll have to go elsewhere.

Go to the book's website to read the first chapter, the Introduction, and to watch a trailer.

There is a four week discussion guide included at the end of the book.

There is a recently released Small Group DVD of this book. It provides video from Jonathan Martin with suggestions for six sessions of discussion. Much of what Jonathan says is directly from the book so one might find repetition if using the book and the DVD for group discussion. Go here to get more information on the DVD.

Jonathan Martin leads Renovatus, a Church for People under Renovation, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he lives with his wife. He holds degrees from Gardner-Webb University, the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, and Duke University Divinity School. Find out more at http://pastorjonathanmartin.com/

Tyndale house Publishers, 240 pages. See the publisher's product page.

I received a complimentary copy of the book and DVD from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Understanding Islam & Christianity by Josh McDowell and Jim Walker

The authors begin by showing the agreements between Muslims and Christians. They then focus on questions Muslims ask about Christianity (mostly Jesus).

They move to how the two differ over what it means that Jesus is God's Son, answering the Muslim objections. They also look at other titles given to Jesus, including the title “Son of God,” what Jesus meant by it, how the Jews understood it, and why the Muslims reject it. The Quran's teaching on the subject is compared with the Bible. They explore the understanding and history of the Christian's Trinity, revealing the Muslim misunderstanding. They answer Muslim objections to the belief.

Next they address the atonement and the Muslim objections to it. They explore the differences in the understanding of “salvation” by Christians and Muslims. Then they answer the Quran's claim that Jesus was not crucified by examining the evidence from the Old Testament, Quran, New Testament, historians, and medicine.

The Muslim claims that the Bible predicted Muhammad are investigated, both the “counselor” Jesus foretold and the “prophet” Moses foretold. Both ideas are soundly defeated.

Then the authors address the Muslim claim that the Bible has been “corrupted.” (I don't understand why this wasn't the first topic covered. The authors admit that the use of the New Testament in proving answers to previous issues relies on its reliability. (183) So why not prove its reliability before using it as proof?) They also clarify how the New Testament Canon was determined. (This is McDowell's expertise and it shows. Fifty pages of the book are given to this topic.)

Next is an evaluation of the Quran. They note, “Muslims believe that the Quran in their hands today is a copy of the heavenly Quran. It is eternal, uncreated, an attribute of Allah.” (235) They then give evidence to show that the Quran is, in fact, the creation of men. They also show how the truth of the Bible is confirmed in the Quran. This is followed by an evaluation of Muhammad's life.

I am not sure of the value of this book. For a Muslim to read it, or for a Christian to use it in dialog with a Muslim, the Muslim would have to accept the Bible as accurate. The authors themselves admit, “Most sincere Muslims we've met and with whom we have discussed this topic [of the crucifixion] are adamant in insisting that Jesus was not crucified and for the most part disregard any evidence that says otherwise. We can understand that mentality when one believes the Quran is from God and is afraid to question his own faith.” (132) My understanding is that Muslims believe the Christian Bible has been “corrupted” and the Quran corrects it. The authors do show that the Bible is affirmed by the Quran, but that is at the end of the book, not the beginning.

The scope of this book is limited. There is nothing about heaven, how non-Muslims live in a Muslim society, jihad, etc. This book basically covers the persons of Jesus and Muhammad. I think the title is a bit of a misnomer.

The authors freely quote other sources, lots of other sources, and at length. So if you've read much on the topic, this book may not contain new information for you. This book would serve as a limited introduction to a comparison of Islam and Christianity, specific to a few topics.

Josh McDowell accepted the challenge to investigate the claims of Christianity while a college student. He committed his life to Christ and for 50 years he has been sharing his testimony and evidence that God is real and relevant to our lives. He received a bachelor's degree from Wheaton College and a master's degree in theology from Talbot Theological Seminary. He has been on staff with Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) for almost 50 years. He and his wife have four grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Southern California.
Jim Walker has been involved in Islamic ministry and research for over 20 years. He has taught numerous seminars for Christians interested in learning about Muslims' faith.

Harvest House Publishers, 304 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Zealot by Reza Aslan

Aslan found Jesus as a teen at an evangelical camp. But by college he was convinced that the “Bible is replete with the most blatant and obvious errors and contradictions...” (12) He discarded his faith but continued his work in religious studies. He now provides his own investigation into the life of Jesus.

Aslan says the gospels are not historical documentations of the life of Jesus. He does not believe they were written by eyewitnesses of the events. After the destruction of Jerusalem in 70, Christians worked at transforming Jesus into a peaceful spiritual leader rather than a revolutionary Jewish nationalist. They created a Jesus that the Romans could accept, Aslan says.

In this book, Aslan tries to reclaim the Jesus before that transformation. “The task is somewhat akin to putting together a massive puzzle with only a few of the pieces in hand; one has no choice but to fill in the rest of the puzzle based on the best, most educated guess of what the complete image should look like.” (22)

Aslan certainly does not take what the gospel writers have written at face value. For example, he writes, “Whatever languages Jesus may have spoken, there is no reason to think he could read or write in any of them, not even Aramaic.” (56) He claims that Jesus debating with the rabbis and scribes, and Jesus reading from the scroll, “...are both fabulous concoctions of the evangelist's [Luke's] own devising.” (57) He also writes that predictions Jesus made, such as the coming destruction of the Temple, were “put into his mouth by the evangelists after the fact.” (90) Regarding the account of John the Baptist's death, “the gospel account is not to be believed.” (95) Luke invented the infancy narratives of John the Baptist and Jesus. (101)

He certainly does not believe Jesus was divine. “...Jesus of Nazareth was a Jew and nothing more.” (129) The fate of Israel and the Jews was all that mattered to Jesus. (129) Also, “...the fact remains that the resurrection is not a historical event.” (173)

So Aslan has invented a life of Jesus not based on the biblical accounts but based instead on his study of the social and political scene at the time. His is merely an educated guess as to what Jesus said and did.

Aslan claims the gospel writers have invented most of the life of Jesus they record. And I would say the same of Aslan. He has invented a life of Jesus based on his educated guesses and speculations. It is ironic he thinks we should take his invented account over the “invented” account of the gospel writers. I'll take the gospel writers.

The positive aspect of this book is the vast amount of historical information. For biblical fiction writers, there would be lots of usable information available for creating characters and the actions they would do, since that is basically what Aslan has done with Jesus.

Evangelical Christians like me will find this book very frustrating. I was disappointed in the book. I don't recommend it.

You can find out more about Reza Aslan at his website: http://rezaaslan.com/

Random House, 336 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.

Crushed by J. Shan Young, MD

I have never read a book like this before – an enhanced ebook. I think what I just experienced is the future of book publishing.

First, the format of the book. I read this book on my iPad, as it was an iTunes book. There are videos embedded in the text. Tap the arrow and a short video by Dr. Young runs. There are also highlighted words, words in color. Tap on one of them and I was immediately taken to an article or some other resource on that topic. You would have to be reading the book in a wi-fi environment for those links to work.

This format was amazing. If I didn't know a technical word, tap, and there was a Wikipedia article.

Second, the content of the book. The full title of this book is Crushed: A Physician Analyzes the Agony of Jesus. I have never read such a complete study on the Passion of Jesus. First he lays the historical and biblical background. He relates a great deal of the Old Testament to the Passion. He includes the stories and ceremonies, not just the prophecies.

Then he investigates the actual Passion of Christ. The amount of information in this book is incredible. I have never read anything so detailed as to the physical experiences of Jesus during His Passion. He suggests Jesus' torture was much worse than those crucified with Him as they could carry their crosses while Jesus could not.

I had never read about the lictors before nor the game the Roman soldiers played called Basalinda. Young included insight into the shape of the crown of thorns and has a very moving section on Jesus' experience of hematidrosis, sweating blood. This condition made His skin hyper-sensitized so that the beating He experienced was all the more excruciating.

Young began studying the Passion of Jesus as a teenager. For the next three decades, he read hundreds of articles and books written from almost every possible perspective about the crucifixion of Christ and fulfillment of messianic prophecies. His research shows as there are some 40 pages of bibliography.

There was only one tiny aspect of the book I did not like and that was the inclusion of some fictional accounts at the beginning of a new section of the book. For example, he supposes the scene when Abraham is holding the knife over Isaac: “Sweat poured from his body... His hands trembled... His stomach churned...” That is conjecture as it is not in the biblical account. He also explored Aesop's fable of The Hare and the Tortoise. Although short, that section seemed irrelevant to me.

However, those accounts were a minor distraction for me. This enhanced ebook is so valuable for the information it contains, I highly recommend it. It would be a great book to get now so you can read it during Lent next year.

Dr. J. Shan Young holds a BA in History and an MD degree from Emory University, where he then served as Chief Administrative Resident. He's been named as a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and has been in private practice for over 20 years. He is a popular speaker at churches and conferences. Dr. Young and his wife have six children and three grandchildren. Find out more about him at www.jshanyoung.com.

Glass Road Media, 384 pages. It is available at the iBooks Store, Amazon, and bn.com.

I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from GlassRoad for the purpose of this review.