Do you remember the book I reviewed over three years ago, The Problem of God--Answering a Skeptics Challenges to Christianity?  This is another book in that vein.  Ms. McLaughlin answers most of the same questions Mark Clark did in that book, plus a few more that seem endemic to our own peculiar culture, but in a deeper, more complete way.  She rattles off statistics that will shock you.  Like the fact that as of 2010 there were more than 68,000,000 Christians in China and that the number of Chinese Protestants has grown by 10% a year since 1979.  It is even possible that Christians in China will outnumber Christians in the United States within another decade or so.  Christianity is not a Western religion, nor has it ever been intended to be by God.  Around the world, the majority of Christians are, in fact, "women of color."  In this politically correct culture of ours, she warns that we need to be careful who it is we are really mocking when we mock Christianity. 
               She points out things that should be self-evident if we weren't so gullible in accepting the numbers and assertions skeptics readily spout.  For instance, science has not proved Christianity wrong.  In fact, it was Christian scientists who, when noticing the order God has placed in nature, first came up with the scientific method that all scientists now use.
               In practically every question she answers, she sets the questioner on his ear with answers that I have seldom, if ever, heard before.  In the process, she deepens your faith and corrects a few shallow understandings and platitudes.  When it comes to "Isn't Christianity Homophobic?" she truly sets the reader back a notch while carefully showing exactly what the Bible—and the Lord himself—teach.  (I won't spoil the surprise.)
               In every question, McLaughlin turns it upside down and inside out, leaving no stone unturned.  Every chapter covers its topic as completely as possible.  While being relatively easy to read, it is as scholarly as one could hope for in its reasoning, data, and citations.  You need to read this, and give it to your teenagers to read as well.  It will be an immense help to them as they try to make their way through an educational system, and a culture, that lies without blushing and does its best to make every believer into an object of ridicule.
               Confronting Christianity is published by Crossway.
 
Dene Ward

Remember a few weeks ago when I told you how I got to be this age without reading any of Lewis's works?  That leaves me in a bit of a quandary about how to write this review.  Surely nearly everyone out there already knows the premise and most have read the book.  But this is supposed to be a review, so I guess I should treat it as one.
            This is, in my own made-up term, fictionalized theology—maybe one of the only examples out there.  Some describe it as a novel but novelette might be more accurate if the word applies at all.  Screwtape is a Senior Demon who is mentoring his nephew Wormwood, a recent graduate of Demon College.  Wormwood has been assigned a young Englishman whose soul he is to gain for Satan.  World War II is about to begin and this young man has just discovered religion and fallen in love, both of which, Screwtape says, make him ripe for picking by a demon, even a young inexperienced one.  Reading his justification for that statement is a real eye-opener, a sort of "If you think you stand, take heed lest you fall."
            The whole book is made up of letters from Screwtape, both giving instructions and taking Wormwood to task when he fails.  Since you never read Wormwood's letters you surmise from Screwtape's exactly what his nephew has done.  It is full of theology, philosophy, and general observations about society, marriage, the church, and war.  You must always be aware of the "opposites" in the discussion.  God is the Enemy, Satan is Our Father Below, and success means the loss of the young man's soul.  It will make you think deeply about things like temptation, and how some things that look good can actually work in Satan's favor.  If it puts you on your toes in that regard, then Mr. Lewis has probably accomplished what he set out to do.
            My copy includes "Screwtape Proposes a Toast," a commentary on American education.  It is not as successful an effort, in my opinion, but maybe that is because I am an American.
            My copy is about 60 years old and we found it in a used book store.  You should have no trouble at all finding it somewhere if you are one like me who is late arriving to the party.
 
Dene Ward

            When I was in college while almost all of my friends were discovering and devouring C. S. Lewis, I was a music ed. major.  That meant I didn't just take a music theory class that twisted my synapses and burnt out a few hundred brain cells a day—don't let anyone tell you that a real music class is an "easy A"—but I also accompanied voice lessons, participated in no less than 2 ensembles a term, and also practiced 12-15 hours a week along with all the academic courses and assignments.  I had semesters when I took over 20 hours to get it all in.  Then on Saturdays I taught 8 piano lessons and on Sundays taught a teen girl Bible class.  So I was a late bloomer when it came to Lewis because he was never required reading in my classes and I simply had no time for anything that wasn't.
            Maybe that is why, when I first began this book oh, so many years later than my friends, I was somewhat disappointed.  "What's all the fuss about?" I wondered.  "Where are all the great insights, the moments of head-slapping realization?"  Well, perhaps it's that I am no longer a college student.  I'm a good deal older than my friends were when they were introduced to this author, no longer naïve and a lot less likely to almost adore a man just because he has a way of putting things that seems so revolutionary to the young and inexperienced.  And most of his arguments were old hat to me—I had been hearing them all my life.
            But having said that, I found myself becoming more and more impressed as I read.  I will admit that at the beginning some of his logic was a little convoluted for this old lady, and a few illustrations left me cold, but as he progressed, that happened less and less.  The last half of the book finally began to take hold of me, and I am left with two things that stood out more than anything else.  First, his summation of religion—to make us all into little Christs—made many passages in the New Testament suddenly become clear.  And second, his definition of the cost of discipleship—everything—was spot on with everything Jesus and writers like Paul said again and again. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me, just to name one.
            And for those two things especially, and the elaboration on them, I am more than glad I read this book.  I am sure you will find other reasons as well.
 
Dene Ward

Note:  I read a large print version put out by Walker and Company of NY,NY.  It has many typos in it that will lay a speed bump or two in your reading, but you can always figure them out. dw

I warned you—here is another book by those Ward people, Nathan, this time.  I plan to do at least one more of his earlier books because they might have gotten lost in the shuffle of years, especially since his much acclaimed book on prayer, Our Eyes Are on You, came out.  This one in particular deserves your notice.
            If you think you know what the book of Genesis is about, get this book and try again.  It isn't about the beginning of the world, although it does tell us about that.  It isn't about the beginning of man, though it does tell us that too.  Rather, it is about the beginning of sin and the unfolding of God's eternal plan to remedy that sin.  Nathan has done all the work for you to be able to have an outstanding class or personal study on that foundational book of the Bible.  You won't have to read a dozen books for your research, he has done it for you, quoting the best of the best, as well as giving his own scholarly insights.  I use this book every single time I teach my Born of a Woman class and, frankly, I don't know how I managed to do that the thirty or so years before Nathan wrote this.
            Here's what you do:  Using the divisions in this book, usually by chapter in Genesis, read that section of Genesis, then read the notes for that section in his book.  Then read that same Genesis section again.  I guarantee you will find something new that makes you think, "Why didn't I see that before?"
            In addition, he takes several "excursions" from the main track (Genesis) in order to discuss side issues in that book of Moses.  Things like how to and how NOT to use genealogies, who are these Nephilim, what about this Melchizedek guy, and who is this Angel of the Lord?  You will learn more than you have in any Bible class in a long, long time.  He also includes some shorter "Theological Reflections" that might answer questions you have had in your mind for years.
            The Growth of the Seed is published by DeWard Publishing.
 
Dene Ward

Today's book review is by guest writer Keith Ward.
 
Our old Baker's Bible Atlas from our 70's classes at Florida College was not only outdated but so worn as to be tossed rather than moved when we relocated last year.  So we looked for a more up-to-date replacement once we got settled in.
 
Though the 1998 copyright shows it is 20 years out of date, HBA has a wealth of material written by a believer and color maps created by superior technology. And, I doubt any of the mountains or rivers have moved since its publication! It shows the reasons geography determined some events in the Bible not only in words but with detailed maps and graphics.
 
It provides just enough secular and Bible History to adequately supplement the inspired record and maps. Should one desire more, he needs to find appropriate history books.
 
I read it and recall no theology being pushed other than a belief in the Bible record.
 
My complaints are that the pages are too glossy and sometimes reflect in a way requiring maneuvering to get the light right to be able to read. This may be necessary to have the quality necessary for the excellent maps. And to read the detail on the maps, I needed a magnifying glass.
 
The Holman Bible Atlas is published by the B & H Publishing Group.
 
Keith Ward

I can hear you now.  How in the world can I do a review of my own son's book objectively?  Well, I probably can't, but the next few books I will review are too good for me to ignore just because of that.  We are a book writing family, evidently, and we help one another and encourage one another, and our purpose is to help and encourage others as well.  So I will do my best to tell you the plain truth about these books, what they contain and what they are meant to do, all of which have authors who bear the same last name—Ward.
            This small book (119 pages) came from a series of sermons Lucas preached at the church in Navarre, Florida, where he labors as an evangelist.  He called them lessons on self-improvement.  I don't know why no one has used this terminology before.  Our secular bookstores are full of "self-help" books.  And surely, Christians should be striving daily to improve.  What we seem to do, instead, is read verses with big words in them and say, well, we are doing our best.  How about something very practical that will actually help you do your best?
            Lucas takes the lists in 2 Peter 1 and Galatians 5, and makes them accessible.  First, he defines the words Biblically, undoing several simplistic definitions "we" have come up with through the years.  Then he makes it practical, giving concrete examples of both appropriate and inappropriate behavior exemplifying that Christian trait, and methods for improving that behavior.  He uses colloquial language easily understood with a few pop culture references that make the point clearly.  He also has his tongue firmly planted in cheek occasionally, using humor to make the point.  If you know his brother and father, you should be expecting it!
            A good teacher could easily turn this into a Bible class book by adding a few discussion questions.  A good preacher could make the same series Lucas did and have all his research done for him.  Anyone can read it and understand it and use the examples within to improve as a Christian.  Anyone who thinks he doesn't need to improve will find out otherwise.
            Make Your Calling and Election Sure is published by DeWard Publishing.
 
Dene Ward
 

This is one extremely practical book, and is meant to be that way as evidenced by its subtitle:  40 Conversations to Help Them Build a Lasting Faith.  When I read the foreword, by J. Warner Wallace, whose own Cold Case Christianity has become a popular staple in the Apologetics world, I was excited.  Here was a book we could use not only in family Bible studies, but perhaps in Bible classes or special Teen Weekends, as many call them these days.  In fact, some of my brethren need to read that foreword themselves as they seem to miss some vital points in their work with the young people of our congregations.  Mr. Wallace says the same and points to this book as the solution.
            The biggest problem with this book is that the author's theology often gets in the way of her advice.  You don't teach teenagers to be careful students of exactly what the Bible says, then turn around and twist passages like Mark 9:1 and say they don't really mean what they say because that makes premillennialism untrue.  And although she professes to believe in freewill, her Calvinism also causes her problems.  Some of her arguments are just as specious as the ones she is trying to counter from atheists.
            On the other hand, this can be used carefully as a guide in talking to your children about the things they will hear at school, on media, and from friends.  Several chapters contain a wealth of information that will save you a lot of time gathering for yourself.  My husband will in fact use some of it in the high school class he is teaching, but he has a great deal of knowledge gathered over decades and can find his way through the potholes.  We also have a son who has a degree in Apologetics to bounce some of these things off of.  If you use this book, be sure you use some of the same kind of resources to avoid problems.
            Keeping Your Kids on God's Side is published by Harvest House Publishers.
 
Dene Ward

Why do bad things happen to good people?  Finally, a book with an answer that makes sense.
            Everyone has problems.  We all face trials.  Sometimes it seems that God has especially chosen us for the worst.  List all the things that can happen:  chronic pain and illness, increasing disabilities, loss of loved ones in events that seem random and meaningless, severe financial reversals, or as Paul puts it:  Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches (2Cor 11:24-28).  If righteousness made a difference, surely none of these things would have happened to that great apostle.
            And of course, we have Job who lost everything, including every one of his children.  Yet God never told him why.  Job was never given an explanation.  Is this book the explanation?  If not, it seems to come awfully close.  This is the only book my well-read husband has ever read and, upon reading the last page, turned back to page one and started again.  That is the best recommendation I could give any book.
            Celebrating the Wrath of God is published by Waterbrook Press.
 
Dene Ward
 

This book shocked me.  Instead of reading all the reasons the Bible does not mean what it says, Kassian carefully exegetes all those passages about a woman's role in the family and the church, and comes up with almost all of the same conclusions I have.  She believes in the hierarchy established by God based upon the creation of man and woman, and tells us exactly why it has to be that way.
            Please reread the above paragraph and in your mind underline almost all.  In the first place, as a Baptist, she believes in Calvinism.  At least twice she tells us that we cannot do good unless the Holy Spirit acts on our hearts (Irresistible Grace).  Then you will find a couple of places where, after carefully and logically going through a passage, she simply asserts something without proof or quotes the passage incorrectly, leading to the opposite conclusion she should have reached.  When it comes to the head covering issue, she reads right over something that for me is the pivot point in my understanding of the text.  With all of these warnings, however, I think you would be like me, shocked to find a modern woman who, for the most part, gets it and does not resent what cannot be changed based upon the order of creation.  And she makes several arguments I have made myself in explaining these things.
            Chapter 12 on Feminism, is one of the most helpful chapters.  She explains the different kinds of feminism and carefully shows their error.  She comes right out and says that "Biblical Feminism" just plain isn't, which I found refreshing coming from a woman.  Her conclusion about that branch of feminism is that if you take their stand, you can ignore any part of the Bible you don't care for.  She is absolutely right, and needs to apply that to her own theology as well.
            This book was printed in 1990.  If you Google it, you can find many different places that carry it used.  I am positive I found my copy in a used book store, I just don't remember where.  I looked up her books on Christianbook.com, however, and could not find it new among the other nine or so of her books listed.  The book is no longer listed on Crossway Books, who first published it, but it is out there and easily found with a little web surfing, if you are interested.
 
Dene Ward

Usually I will not recommend a Bible study workbook written by a member of a denomination.  Far too often, the author's theology gets in the way of the Truth.  In fact, let me start this out with a brief description of this author and her affiliation.  Cynthia Heald is evidently well-known in Protestant circles.  She works for The Navigators, which is described as a "para-church."  Para-churches are Christian organizations that work outside of and across denominational lines to participate in social welfare and evangelism.  They are usually quite large.  You will probably not agree with a lot of her beliefs in that regard.
            So why would I even read the book, much less recommend it?  Because, by and large, much of the study involves reading scriptures and discovering what is in them yourself—which is exactly the way I write Bible class literature:  read God's Word and see what it says.  She does offer a small bit of commentary, but it is truly small and I found only a little in it to disagree with, nothing you couldn't easily see for yourself.
            When I write class books, I expect the teacher to adapt it, both the format and the instruction, to what best suits the abilities and needs of her students.  In my teacher's manuals, I often give far too many supporting scriptures to use, so the teacher must go through them and choose the ones she thinks need to be included in the study.  I may give half a dozen practical applications.  Some of them are unsuited to a particular culture and some are on the nose.  Once again, it is up to her what to use and how.  If you use this book exactly the same way, never being afraid to point out anything--and really there is very little--that is simply wrong, then I think it could be helpful.
            However, this book will not work with a class that is not willing to be open and honest, both with each other and with themselves.  But then, that is true of any Bible class and is the very atmosphere I try to foster wherever and whenever I teach.  Frank discussion and sharing of one's weaknesses and the solutions that have and have not worked are how we help one another.
            I counted 10 other "Becoming a Woman of…" books on Mrs. Heald's website.  Honestly, though, I think they would get a bit monotonous if studied one after the other.  This is the one I had and I assume the format, which is not objectionable, would be the same.  If it sounds like something you might like to try, you don't have to be afraid to do so.
            Becoming a Woman of Excellence is published by the Navigators through NavPress.
 
Dene Ward