Prototype by Jonathan Martin: A Book Review

What if we truly believed, like Jesus did, that we were beloved by God Almighty? Jonathan Martin asked this question, and Prototype was the answer. Jesus is the prototype for a new kind of human.

According to dictionary.com, a prototype is: “someone or something that serves to illustrate the typical qualities of a class; model; exemplar.”  If Jesus told us to follow Him, why don’t we look more like Him and do the things He did?  Martin thinks it is because we don’t really believe God loves us like He loves Jesus.  Fix this faulty thinking, and we fix much of what limits us in our Christian lives.

One theme from the book that spoke to me was the celebration of scars.  Say what?  Think about it.  People knew the risen Christ because He showed them his scars.  Our scars are a record of our lives.  They are proof of what has been overcome and hope that other things can likewise be conquered.  If only we the body of Christ would share our scars with one another instead of hiding them from each other!  We could really know and help and love each other in spirit and in truth.

This encouraging book is suitable for adults and maturing teens. Parents might want to read this with younger teens, because Martin addresses some mature subjects in a frank, yet tasteful manner.

I received a review copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers. 

Can We Know Truth? How Can We Know?

A review of  Reasons for Belief by Norman Geisler & Patty Tunnicliffe

This is an apologetics book for those without a theology degree.  This accessible treatment of ten essential questions addresses the most common questions everyday Christians must answer for themselves and be ready to answer for others.

All the essentials are covered, from the nature of truth to the existence of God to the deity of Jesus Christ to the reliability of the biblical manuscripts.  The treatment of truth is especially important in this postmodern age when many have grown up with the idea that “truth” can be different for different people.  The authors show that for truth to mean anything, it must be the same for all people.

I thought the approach taken by the authors was thorough.  They present all the alternative answers to each question and tackle them one at a time until only the truth remains.  This book would be an excellent group study for adults or youth.  It is also a great addition to personal and church library collections.

I received a free review copy of this book from Bethany House. 

A Commonplace Book?

I have just come across the term "commonplace book" and wanted to share it.  It is not a diary, but more of a journal dedicated to collecting literary fragments.  Perhaps instead of dogearing pages on all my books whenever I read a cool, quotable phrase, I should keep a commonplace book.  It would be better than the fragments of paper all over my desk and in my files!  Here's a link if you'd like to learn more.

Book Review: Signs, Wonders, and a Baptist Preacher

Signs, Wonders, and a Baptist Preacher by Chad Norris chronicles Chad’s spiritual journey from his childhood in a Southern Baptist home through his questions and God’s answers as he tried to reconcile the Jesus of his youth with the Jesus of the Bible.  There are bumps along the journey, but I love Chad’s openness about the process of opening up to all God wants to reveal and do.

I identified with Chad’s struggles with mental illness and his desire to seek healing.  I greatly appreciate his challenge to think about what Jesus really did and what He calls us to do.

Let me close with a favorite quote from page 128:

…Kingdom power is not about “the great man of God’ who rides into town with great faith.  It is about the common man with just a little bit of faith who starts to do the things that Jesus did.

I received a free review copy of this book from Chosen Books.

Expand Your World: India

Learn about the Orphans of India

New from Word Films, Mother India is the story of runaways and abandoned children surviving in a train station.  Two men set out to document the situation and find themselves overwhelmed by the stories they hear.  Instead of just making a documentary, they enter into the lives of a group of orphans living as a family on the streets and help convince the older children to let the youngest two go to a Christian orphanage.

I watched this film with my daughters, ages 11 through 22.  They were as riveted as I was, concerned about how these children survived.  Parts are very difficult to watch, e.g. references to sexual abuse and drug use, but the film is supposed to educate us.  This was made with sensitivity and would be a good film for a missions program, Sunday School class, or family viewing.

I received a copy of this DVD free from the publisher for my review.

Follow up with an activity that supports orphans in some way.  Here is an excellent book for ideas:

Orphan Justice by Johnny Carr tells ways everyone can help, even those who can't adopt or foster.

Tool for Studying Bible and Poetry

The One Year Book of Psalms is a resource for anyone who wants to study the Psalms.  By dividing this collection of sacred poetry into daily readings and using the New Living Translation, William and Randy Peterson have made these ancient songs more accessible to the modern reader.

As one who grew up with the majestic language of the King James Bible, I was concerned that a really modern translation would make the Psalms less musical, but I was pleasantly surprised.  This is my first time to own anything in the New Living Translation; I can now understand its appeal to modern ears.

A daily devotional and additional features such as quotations from notable Christians and fascinating facts about particular Psalms make this a great addition to your daily Bible reading.

I got my copy of this devotional free with my accumulated points through the Tyndale Rewards program.

Review: Break Away

Break Away from Word films is a nice, clean family movie.  It is set in South Africa, but the problems of corporate downsizing, unemployment, and financial hardship are nearly universal. A father loses his job and offers a bicycle messenger and delivery service to provide for his family.  Along the way, he becomes good enough to try his hand at racing.  The family sticks together and offers encouragement in trying times.

I found parts of the movie a bit slow, but I am more of an action/thriller person.  This would certainly be a good movie for anyone who enjoys competitive cycling or is looking for a family-safe movie to watch together.

To check out this DVD, watch the trailer.

I received a copy of this DVD free from the publisher for my review.