Category Archives: Book Review

Book Review: Freely By His Grace: Classical Free Grace Theology ed. By J.B. Hixson, Rick Whitmire, and Roy B. Zuck. Pp 580.

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Freely by His Grace, edited by J.B. Hixson, Rick Whitmire and Roy B. Zuck is the best text  on the market on Free Grace Theology.  It should be a seminary text for every student of God’s Word.  It objectively analyzes the subject matter, God’s Word and arguments made regarding God’s grace from Dispensational and Reformed Theologies.  This text should be examined closely so students of God’s word don’t fall into gospel confusion, works righteousness or eisegesis in interpretation.

Each of the 17 chapters define specific issues related to Free Grace Theology.  Each chapter secures linchpins for Free Grace Theology.  For example, the first chapter, “What is Free Grace Theology?” written by Michael Halsey, outlines a clear, but succinct presentation of Arminianism, Lordship Salvation and Free Grace Theology.  The term Lordship Salvation is used, because Reformed Theology holds to the Lordship Salvation  position.  Lordship emphasizes “entire surrender” of every area of life to the Lordship of Jesus with the requirement of “works of righteousness” to ensure salvation.   The challenge presented in this article and the rest of the articles is that the Lordship position is not supported by Scripture.  It is a practical reaction to the failure of many Christians who say they are Christians, yet do not grow spiritually in sanctification.  Instead they continue living in sin.  As Halsey concludes, “Salvation is not by maintenance; salvation is not by performance.”  (14)  It is solely by the finished work of Jesus.

The second chapter is a reprint of chapter one from L.S. Chafer’s book on “Grace.”  In summary, “God saves by grace,” “God keeps through grace those who are saved,” and “God teaches in grace those who are saved and kept how they should live.” (27)  Yet, Chafer cautions, “The eternal relationship between the Father and His child can never be set aside.  The Father may correct and chasten His erring child (1 Cor. 11:31-32; Heb. 12:3-15)…” (25)

J.B. Hixson focuses on “What is the Gospel?” to define this essential truth.  The Gospel is good news, but what are the human requirements at the point of salvation or after salvation?  Hixson wisely outlines if something must be done or added to life after salvation, then it is no longer grace, but works.  Interestingly in the endnotes, he takes issue with other Free Grace theologians who while they do hold to the finished work completed on the cross, that information is not necessary to be understood for salvation.  This some have referred to as a “crossless” gospel.  I completely agree with Hixson. (59)

George Meisinger addresses the content of the gospel from 1 Corinthians 15 in chapter four.  Meisinger delineates the basic essentials of the Gospel and then well defines six end results of understanding Christ’s death and resurrection.  Each  result helps define why Free Grace must be held if Scripture is rightly divided. (90-93)

Each of the writers record fine scholarship to remove cloudiness in thinking and restore objectivity for future discussions.  The rest of the chapters include: 5) What about Lordship Salvation?; 6) The Distinction between Salvation and Discipleship; 7) The Nature of Saving Faith; 8) Repentance and the Free Grace of God; 9) Regeneration and the Order of Salvation; 10) Is Salvation Forever or Can it be Lost?; 11) Can you know for Sure You are Saved Forever?; 12) Sin and Classical Free Grace Theology; 13) Sanctification by God’s Free Grace; 14) Rewards and the Judgment Seat of Christ; 15) What is Traditional Dispensationalism?; 16) The Link between Dispensationalism and Free Grace;  and 17) God’s Grace in Missions, Evangelism, and Disciple-Making.  I found each chapter well documented by God’s word and other authors.

The Gospel and the Christian way of life are far too important in which to muddle.  In our desire for clarity, it is important to stand with Christian charity, but without compromise.  Let no one take away from the sovereign work of God in Christ Jesus and let no one reduce the immensity of the grace of God by adding human works of righteousness. 

Book Review: Real-life Discipleship by Jim Putman

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In “Real-life Discipleship”, Jim Putman records the strategy by which churches can build themselves through making disciples.  The emphasis is placed on what God does through ordinary people available and faithful to God’s calling to make disciples.  The challenge exists, but the process is simple enough for any person feeling “inadequate, fearful” or like a “failure” in life.

Discipleship does not just happen.  It won’t happen by accident, except in a few cases like the apostle Paul and Billy Graham.  Churches must become intentional about building up disciples.  When the Biblical foundation is secure in a relational environment, then the reproductive process can grow people spiritually. 

Putman outlines well the spiritual growth process through five stages of living.  The first is the spiritually dead and then four stages of the Christian: infant, child, young adult and spiritual parent.  He makes the case well, because several of the chapters include “the phrase from the stage” that identifies how far along the spiritual growth level a Christian has grown.  A Christian may have been converted for 60 years, but if he is still saying things like “Why do those new people have to come into our small group?” it’s obvious that he is still in the spiritual child stage.  This assessment is essential to help people understand where they are in the Christian life, so they can grow up and consider how to become spiritual parents and reproduce growing disciples.

This book could have been outlined more clearly.  At times it could have been more succinct, but the content is so refreshing and focused on a missing ingredient of multiplication.  Jim has a laser focus on what his church is supposed to do and every Christian ought to consider two questions.  First, “What is my goal?”  And secondly, “What am I producing?” 

Book Review: Church Is a Team Sport by Jim Putman

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In “Church Is a Team Sport”, Jim Putman takes his wrestling background and shows how important the “team” concept is in church ministry.  As a Preacher’s Kid, Jim took off on his own tangent walking away from God, but God brought him back to Himself through Jim’s own pastoring father.  After finishing his schooling, he began in youth ministry and developed a great youth group, because he spent time with them, loved them and took a keen interest in them individually and as a group.  After eight years in a couple youth ministries that were growing, but the adult ministry was not, two couples from northern Idaho asked him to plant a church.  He had no desire to plant a church, but through many obvious events, he returned to where he had roots from his college days.

His plan was simple.  Focus on small groups that had a consistent system for growth.  Coach the people to see they are the players, not the spectators.  Help people see they can lead others and reproduce themselves through small groups.  With coaches overseeing the small group leaders, those coaches provided weekly support and encouragement to the small group leaders.  Those small group leaders looked to reproduce themselves in the people that were growing.  As leaders grew, they were encouraged to serve and look to become disciple-making people themselves.

Jim’s sports background permeates the entire book. The reality is we are made to function on the Lord’s team in His body working together in the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.  Whether Jim discusses from the “locker room” to the “board room” or working with the same “playbook” he draws the reader into seeing how God can transform lives immediately, because it’s not based on religion, but authentic relationships in a safe environment of a small group.  He certainly inspires you to want to become a champion disciple-maker.

If you want to continue only attending church and going about your business, I would suggest you not read the book.  The principles are infectious and motivating for any background or ability to rise up and say, “I can do that [discipleship] (in His power).”

Book Review: Truth that Sticks by Avery T. Willis Jr. and Mark Snowden

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In “Truth That Sticks” Avery Willis walks through the change in American culture from a reading society to an oral learning society.  I accept his statistics and points, but am unable to verify them.  I can, however, say that people in my community and church do not read as much as they did 20 years ago.  People seem to be far more oriented to television, the internet and texting.  I also can say that people enjoy stories and always have. 

Avery’s desire is to present “How to Communicate Velcro Truth in a Teflon World.”  God’s truth is the crux of life, but our post-modern society is quick to choose only what it wants and it acts like it is the final judge of what truth is.  Hence, the possibility and importance of telling stories to answer questions for the world.  His appendix, “Why the Johnnys of America Can’t, Don’t, or Won’t Read” provides a good explanation why and how our society has changed in learning style.

People often think telling stories is for children.  I don’t think someone like a Garrison Keillor would agree with them.  Many of you will remember great storytellers like Mark Twain, JD Salinger, Edgar Allen Poe, John Updike, F Scott Fitzgerald, Stephen King and Washington Irving.  I find people normally remember one of my illustrations far longer than they remember an expositional outline.  I would not, however, exchange exposition of God’s Word to proclaim the truth or provide answers to life’s questions.  Yet, could story-telling be an essential ingredient to reaching people AND preparing leaders to multiply in making disciples?

Avery Willis has been working with a church in Post Falls, Idaho, called Real Life Ministries.  They’ve been able to expand a church plant to 700 small groups in ten years in part due to story- telling in their small groups.  They also have a laser focus on their purpose and what they are trying to produce.  People with little to no biblical background are able to read through a passage many times and tell it in a story to a small group and then the group goes back over the story looking at the biblical passage to note what was added or left out and the leader facilitates several questions regarding the story.

This is not about dumbing down the truth or helping people become lazy regarding Bible study. It’s about reaching the world of people who need a leader to help them become disciples of Jesus Christ.  It’s also about helping people remember the content of holy Scriptures in a way that they see their role in multiplying disciples of Jesus Christ to reach the world

Book Review: So…What Happens Next? Exploring Biblical Prophecies to Make Sense of Today’s Chaos by Jeremy Stevens

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In “So…What Happens Next?” Jeremy Stevens adeptly approaches biblical prophecy with a fresh, contemporary perspective.  He is dispensational, historical and current.  He draws upon a tremendous background of world history to present the potential layout of world history leading up to the Tribulation. 

Jeremy Stevens is historical.  Using prophecies drawn from Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation, Stevens weaves current geo-political history into a prophetic newspaper of events.  Many people delineate how the United States must be out of the picture for Tribulation events, but Stevens demonstrates that some kind of USA structure could easily exist and must exist for the Anti-Christ to rule over the end time ten world kingdoms. 

Stevens describes the need of a United States entity to protect the global system through military superiority, technology, communications, language, economic interdependence, global cooperation and a single super-power.  This is necessary to protect the Western-European system for the rise of the Anti-Christ persona.  Following this are the potential inevitabilities of the Russian, Turkey, African, Middle East and Eastern power block engagements into biblical prophecy.  He examines each region politically, economically and historically for their roles in events leading up to the Tribulation.  One key is Russia’s urgency to act soon before it weakens nationally and slides into being a third world nation that could not invade Israel. That potentially would delay prophecy for hundreds of years. We’ll find out in the near future if that is God’s plan.

Jeremy Stevens is historical, but he is also humorous (should I say “hysterical”?).  His wit permeates the entire book making the analysis engaging and enjoyable.  I imagine his students enjoy his teaching in history.

He slips in six events that must precede the Tribulation.  While he holds the Rapture is imminent, he adroitly delineates six events that have biblically taken place and will take place prior to the initiation of the Tribulation period.  This section could have been expanded and reiterated with Scriptural references. 

You will have to decide on his overall analysis, but his fresh approach is significant and potentially very accurate. 

Book Review: Who Moved the Goalpost? By Bob Gresh

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Book Review: Who Moved the Goalpost?   By Bob Gresh

The best part of being a human being is experiencing all the sensory experiences God has created.  The worst part of being a human being is experiencing all the sensory experiences God has created.  The difference is known by God’s truth and discernment of wisdom.

There are many books highlighting the challenges of being godly in a temptation-filled world of lust.  Bob Gresh has put together a great set of winning strategies for men, especially men in the younger years.  The world has seized the hearts of young men down to ten and eleven years old and tantalized them with the blatant imagery, false promises and empty experiences of pornography.

Bob exposes Satan’s three sex lies that set young men up for a world of frustration, misery and pain.  Sex is not a four-letter word, you are not here alone and it (lust) won’t go away when you get married.  But men believe those lies and fail to enjoy the sex that God designed to be enjoyed between one man and one woman in marriage.

Bob then describes three truths that can give a young man hope if he waits on the Lord for the right person.  God’s way is so much more fulfilling than anything the world has to offer.  The flesh doesn’t want to wait or be restricted, but the reward is spectacular.

Bob finally lays out seven strategies for success on preparing for a lifetime of enjoyment in marriage and how to finish strong.  Guys, we need to teach young men in Middle School and High School these principles.  Moms, if you have boys and you are parenting alone, then you’ll have to grab hold of this and help prepare your boys. 

Parents, your boys are going to learn about sex and you don’t want them to learn on their own or from the world.  Too many marriages are struggling and are being destroyed, because young men have not been taught God’s view for biblical sex.  The enemy is destroying too many lives by his quick fix solutions.  God’s way is always best.  Bob Gresh presents this serious material in a well constructed way and includes good-young-men-humor along the way.  You can help young men not miss out on what so many men are not able to enjoy, because they didn’t learn God’s way of enjoying sex.

Book Review: What On Earth Is God Doing? by Renald E. Showers

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What On Earth is God Doing? Satan’s Conflict With God written by Renald Showers is a short, concise big picture overview of the Angelic Conflict and God’s sovereign purposes. There is no question there is a conflict raging around us.  Many Christians and people are unaware, because Satan doesn’t want people to know about it.  Some people think they are in the heat of battle, when it is merely their own fleshly desires controlling their decisions and Satan’s organization is sitting back watching the Chrisitans flounder.  On the other hand, many Christians are actively pursuing godliness in Jesus Christ and are mounting victory after victory, because they are not giving in to the temptations of the evil one.

Showers brilliantly shows the Satanic plots seeking to thwart God’s purposes and will.  He also points out how God in no way allows Satan to have his way.  Showers addresses history from eternity past (pre-human history) to eternity future.  He describes the fall of Satan and the rebellion of other angels.  Then he shows Satan’s activities in the fall of man through biblical history.  Finally he demonstrates a great understanding of the angelic conflict in post-biblical history to the present and into the future as recorded in Scripture.

Showers makes it clear that God is the victor in this conflict.  He writes, “First, as a world and a race, we are headed for the ultimate defeat of Satan and his kingdom and the glorious victory of God and His kingdom.  Secondly, as individuals, we are headed either for eternal blessing or eternal punishment depending upon which kingdom we belong to.” (p. 118)   However, it would be helpful to address why this conflict is going on in the first place.  Why is God allowing the conflict to continue in history causing so much pain and grief?  God is not sadistic. The reader and Christendom have yet to resolve this fully.  I heartily recommend you read this book.

Book Review: Five Views on Sanctification by Stanley N. Gundry, ed.

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This book review on “Five Views on Sanctification” was well laid out and helpful in understanding differences of five Protestant views on the concept and process of sanctification.  Granted, these are five men who represent five views and others in those views may hold slightly different perspectives.  However, accepting that there are variations within the five “camps” or views, these are helpful to see differences.

There are views written from the Wesleyan, Reformed, Pentecostal, Keswick and the Augustinian-Dispensational perspectives.  The authors are Melvin E. Dieter, Anthony A. Hoekema, Stanley M. Horton, J. Robertson McQuilkin and John F. Walvoord, respectively. Each of the men are godly in their desire to please the Lord Jesus Christ. All the authors are evangelical, believe the Bible is authoritative and a restored relationship to God through faith in Christ is a person’s greatest need and delight.  From that point, there are various definitions and mechanisms for understanding sanctification. 

All of the views have strengths and principles that highlight important aspects of the character of God.   The Wesleyan view calls people to pursue the holiness of God; the Reformed view places a preponderance of the process on the sovereignty of God; the Pentecostal view looks for a second blessing by the Holy Spirit to set a committed believer apart for God; the Keswick view looks at the normal dry, complacent believer and explains that what is missing is faith, which will unleash the power of the Holy Spirit for sanctification; and finally the Augustinian-Dispensational view sees the power of God working in the life of the believer who is submitted to God’s will and plan.

I find Walvoord’s description in the Augustinian-Dispensational perspective as the compelling view.  It harmonizes the tension between divine sovereignty and free will the best.  It encapsulates more Scripture and answers more questions than the other views. He does the best work in explaining the two natures in man explaining Paul’s struggle with the flesh.  One view describes Romans 7 as a description of a person before salvation,.  Walvoord beautifully harmonizes the Scripture to show that the believer’s struggle with the sinful disposition of the flesh to rebel or act independently of God is part of the Christian way of life and can be overcome through complete dependence on the power of the Holy Spirit.

There are two shortfalls of the book.  First, it would have been very helpful to provide at least one chart, if not several, comparing the views as recorded in the book.  Secondly, the reviews of each of the authors critiquing a view are much too short.  They only highlighted a couple of the differences.  In this context, a five to ten page rebuttal  by each author would have been far more helpful than a one to two page review.  I highly recommend this to your study.

Book Review: Partners: Healing from His Addiction by Douglas Weiss

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Partners: Healing from His Addition by Douglas Weiss is an accumulation of wives’ testimonies married to sexually dominated husbands.  The stories are moving and create a tremendous compassion for the pain that sexual immorality causes in homes across America.

I was asked to read this book for my perspective. This was helpful to get a clearer picture of the pain many wives live through because of the despicable deceit husbands dive into called sexual immorality.  The term “sexual immorality” needs to be very broad, because it’s not just an adulterous relationship, but it includes husbands who spiral down into pornography, prostitution, all forms of fornication, incest, mistresses as well as sexual abuse in his own marriage. Wives are in a very difficult position, because wired as responders and designed by God to support their husbands, many wives have not been discipled to know how to carefront their husbands in his sexual downward spiral.  A wife needs a good, mature Christian confidant who can guide her into Scripture to the freedom she can have in Christ alone.

There is a corresponding workbook called “Partner’s Recovery Guide: 100 Empowering Exercises.”  Many of the exercises are similar to the exercises discussed in the workbook, “A Christian Guide for Sex Addiction Recovery.”  There may be several exercises that could help a wife deal with her wayward husband.  However, there are many exercises completely dependent on Scripture that would avoid the infiltration of humanistic agenda. 

Book Review: The Final Freedom by Douglas Weiss

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The Final Freedom by Douglas Weiss has many good psychological observations toward the sexual dominating problems of the human species.  His observations come from years of study and counseling practices.  He does, however, only give lip service to the spiritual transforming power of God and then only as a “greater power,” but not what Scripture describes of what the Lord Jesus Christ can do in a humble and broken person dependent on the Holy Spirit.
I
 was asked to read this book to get my perspective on it.  There is a great deal of truth and objective observations of the problems of people who have rejected God and in the downward spiral (Rom. 1:21-32) and those who have accepted the gift of salvation, but are in the downward spiral (Eph. 4:17-19). He gives many humanistic approaches to gain human strength to defeat sexual immorality, but he falls far short of the life giving power that God outlines in Scripture.

I can’t help but acknowledge the horrendous consequences of sexual immorality, whether solo sex (M, pornography, imaginations) or with others (fornication, adultery, etc.).  Paul makes it very clear, “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. (1 Cor. 6:18)  Sexual immorality distorts the thinking in tragic ways that may need great diligence to overcome by prayer and fasting and a total commitment to God’s provision for victory over life-dominating sin.  There are many biblical exercises under the power of the Holy Spirit that are needed.  The twelve steps that Weiss relies upon may have helped some people, but while it gives some credit to a greater power, it falls short of the beauty of God’s living and powerful Word in God’s grace and Holy Spirit’s  transformation.

I respect Weiss’ descriptions of sexual immorality and resultant observations.  He is digging far deeper into the problem than most pastors and counselors are willing to dig.  But he also relies upon humanistic solutions, patterns and exercises.  I don’t see him calling sin – sin.  Nor does he give a good gospel presentation.  I respect his words to “his religious friends,” and the problems with Christian leaders who have given superficial, inadequate and unmerciful advice.  I have great compassion for many people who have been hurt by those who portend to represent God, but because of their own lack of spiritual growth and mixed humanistic suggestions and solutions cause harm in the name of the Lord.  We Christian leaders ought to be held accountable for foolishness and giving unbiblical counsel.  I respect that Weiss will stick with a soul struggling with sexual domination over a Christian leader who gives an exhortation and pushes someone on their way.  In many ways, Weiss has likely helped many people.  My grave fear is that by mixing human solutions with Truth, there is a far reaching greater poison that inoculates people from God and makes them less dependent on His work of sanctification.  I do not recommend this book unless someone is on red alert for material of humanistic content.  There are some observations with several practical exercises that if based on Scripture may be helpful to some people. 

There are two corresponding workbooks.  The first is called “A Christian Guide for Sex Addiction Recovery.”  It contains many good suggestions for practical exercises.  However, it also mixes humanistic solutions that many unsuspecting people would not realize are anti-biblical.  The second is “Christian 12 Step Guide for Sex Addiction Recovery.”  This is an exercise workbook of how to adapt Sexual Immorality to the 12 Step program.  I believe there are many practical exercises that can be gained by only using the Bible that would be much more helpful.