Book Review: The Truth War.

I recently finished reading John MacArthur’s The Truth War, and I highly recommend it to the readers of this blog. It will help you to understand why this blog does what it does and it will give you a proper understanding of the role of the Christian in the defense of the truth of the Gospel.

Whether you agree with this blog or not it will certainly give you a better understanding as to why we do what we do! And for all those engaged in the Truth War, this is one book that you must have in your library.

I also highly recommend MacArthur’s book Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World.

3,913 documented changes to the “most correct” book on earth.

Joseph Smith called it the most correct of any book on earth. He said it was the keystone of the Mormon religion, that it contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel and a man would get nearer to God by abiding its precepts than by any other book. Yet, the Book of Mormon has undergone 3,913 documented changes, alterations, and corrections since its first printing.

These changes to the most correct book on earth can be reviewed in the book 3,913 Changes in the Book of Mormon published by Utah Lighthouse Ministries. This book reproduces (via photocopy) the 1830 Book of Mormon page-by-page along with the modern version showing all the changes. This is a must-have for those serious about studying Mormonism.

 

 

The Book of Mormon can and should be tested. It invites criticism. Hugh Nibley, An Approach to the Book of Mormon, Page 13

 

This book [Book of Mormon] must be either true or false. . . . If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will sincerely receive it as the word of God. Orson Pratt, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, Page 1

Book Review: The Road to Reality by K.P. Yohannan

After reading K. P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions, I was really impressed on how he grasped the realities of the lukewarm Church in America.

I just finished reading his follow-up book to that one: The Road to Reality. If he hit a home run with the book Revolution in World Missions, then he hits a grand slam with this one!

In this book he provides a scathing indictment of the lukewarm church and calls the Christian to quit living the lukewarm life. The book flows well and is a page turner. K.P. knows how to communicate well and gets his points across that will certainly leave an impression on you.

Here’s an excerpt from chapter 21:

The streets of India–especially in our bloated, overpopulated cities like Bombay and Calcutta–are maddening to Western visitors. Millions of homeless people are born, live, and die in them. Part toilet, part barnyard, part roadway–they are also the bedroom, living room, and marketplace for the poorest of the world’s poor.

In summertime’s furnace heat, the dust of centuries rises from them to fill your eyes, choking your mouth and nose. In the monsoon rains, the streets turn into vast seas of mud and sewage. In winter, the freezing pavements bring disease and death to those who have nowhere else to rest their starving bodies.

It was one of these nightmarish streets of Bombay that I was surrounded by an army of begging children. Already late and on my way to an important meeting, I tried to ignore the pleading children as I waited for the light to turn green.

Suddenly from the sea of hungry faces I heard a voice so distinct from the rest that I was paralyzed. In crystal clear tones I heard her speaking in plaintive Hindi, “Sir, my father died three months ago of tuberculosis. My mother is too sick to beg anymore. My little brothers and sisters have not eaten for two days. Please, sir, they are hungry and crying. Can you please give me a few pennies so I can buy some bread?”

The light turned green. But I couldn’t move. I was arrested by the image of this little girl who must have been about 9 years old. Her face was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, perfectly shaped with big brown eyes and long black hair.

Through the tears on her cheeks, the dust and the sweat, I could see that in different circumstances this desperate little waif could easily have been a princess. Her filthy hair had obviously not been washed or combed for weeks. She was barefoot and dressed in rags. But I’m still sure she had the potential of being a winner in the Miss World beauty pageant.

Then something else happened. It was as if another face came before my eyes right beside hers. It was another child, about 8, also with big brown eyes. But she had long, clean hair and a shining face. Her clothes were fresh and colorful–and she wore nice socks and tennis shoes. I knew her. She was the best student in her class. Each night she said her prayers and read the Bible. Her parents loved her. She had a comfortable home, air-conditioned from the Texas summer and heated in the cold winter. She had a comfortable bed with clean sheets every week. I didn’t know the name of the dirty little beggar girl, but I did know the name of the girl beside her. It was Sarah, my own darling daughter.

Then I heard a supernatural voice beside me ask, “What is the value of this beggar girl? Is she of less value than your daughter, Sarah?”

To read more, you’ll have to get the book, and I highly recommend that you do. The book can be purchased at Gospel For Asia by clicking here.

Book review: Winning the Witnesses by Daniel Rodriguez.

I just got through reading the brand new book Winning the Witnesses by Daniel Rodriguez (Evangelist to Jehovah’s Witnesses for over 22 years). It was a very good book; quick and easy read. This 107-page book deals with evangelizing Jehovah’s Witnesses using an entirely different method than suggested previously by such men as Walter Martin and Bill Cetnar.

In this book, Daniel Rodriguez explains why the old approach of throwing Scripture back and forth is mostly ineffective by outlining why no matter what verses you quote, the JW is conditioned to not accept what you’re saying. This is because they consider it to be your interpretation, not the Watchtower’s. And since you are viewed as a pagan under the influence of Satan, you can quote Scripture all day long to no effect because they will refuse to accept what you say, even if it’s printed in black and white in their own Bible.

The author’s approach is to sever the JW’s lifeline, the source of all their “truth” and understanding: Their utter dependence and blind obedience to the Watchtower Society. Rodriguez says that if you can help the JW to see that the Watchtower Society is not inspired, you can begin to make great progress with the JW. Rodriguez then provides simple insight on how to show them that the Watchtower Society is not only not inspired, but that they’ve never claimed to be and why they never can claim to be.

For those who want help in their evangelism efforts to JWs, this book is a must-have in your library and makes a great resource for future quick-reference.

I would love to put this author’s evangelism technique to the test, but unfortunately my house has been red flagged by the JWs.

Book review: Holiness by J.C. Ryle.

I recently completed reading this powerhouse book Holiness by John Charles Ryle. This is one of those books that every Christian should have on their bookshelf next to their Bible and Pilgrim’s Progress.

This book is a collection of Ryle’s sermons and he conveys his messages clearly and bluntly. He’s very direct and pulls no punches when it comes to sound doctrine and defending the faith (many times from the heretical errors and influences of the Roman Catholic Church). Ryle’s contention throughout the book is that holiness should be one of the major components of a Christian’s life.

It’s very hard to find a good, biblically sound book that was written within the last century. They are out there, but are not so common. (Error and compromise is pervasive in our time). Many of you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you want good, solid teaching you have to read books from the 19th century or earlier. This book is one of those shining examples that lends support to my theory.

I firmly believe that if more Christians read books like this instead of the junk they read today (and the copious amounts of television to boot) they’d have a greater growth in their walk. And if more pastors preached like this, their church numbers might become smaller, but they would be making an actual impact on the world.

Book review: Ashamed of the Gospel by John MacArthur.

I just finished reading John MacArthur’s book Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World. I swallowed this up and enjoyed every minute of it.

In this book (written in the early 1990s) MacArthur parallels the compromise in the Church that Charles Spurgeon dealt with in the 19th century with the compromise that we are dealing with in the Church today. MacArthur also deals heavily with the “end justifies the means” approach to evangelism that’s plaguing Christianity today.

The book is well written and an easy read. I highly recommend it to anyone who is concerned with the state of the Church today. I even recommend it more urgently to those who see no problems with the state of the Church today.

John MacArthur definitely hit a home run with this book. My only regret is that I didn’t read it sooner.

Book review: K.P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions.

I recently finished reading K.P. Yohannan’s book Revolution in World Missions (1.5 million copies in print). I have to admit that, although I had seen in numerous times before, I had no intentions of reading it. But after my wife kept telling me about it as she read it, I picked it up when she was done and was very glad that I did.

This is a fantastic book, easy to read, and a page turner. Yohannan speaks of recent drastic changes in World Missions in light of today’s political and social climate, and he pulls no punches when it comes to the state of the Western Church. He steps on lots of toes in his examination of our comfortable Christianity in light of those truly suffering for the sake of Christ. And best of all, you can order this book absolutely free from the Gospel For Asia website.

Here’s an excerpt from the forward of the book by David and Karen Mains:
“. . . Those evangelists traveling into the unreached villages of Asia have more heart, more fervor, more passion to spread the Gospel of Christ than most of us who are surrounded by the comforts and conveniences of our Western world. We know because we have seen them and talked with them, and they have put us to shame.“

Not a book for the satisfied with the status-quo, don’t-rock-the-boat, nominal professing Christians, but definitely a book for those who have a heart for God, a heart for the spreading of the Gospel, and a heart for their neighbor… even if that neighbor is on the other side of the world.

Book review: John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress.”

This classic should be on every Christian’s bookshelf. Do I need to even recommend this book? Well I wish someone had for me. I didn’t even know this book existed till last year. Fifteen years in the Charismatic-style church will do that to you. If you are interested in purchasing this book, check it out at Bridge-Logos Publishing.

Book review: The Triumphant Church featuring Richard Wurmbrand, John Piper and Milton Martin.

This book, compiled and produced by the Voice of the Martyrs, is a three-part study from the writings of Richard Wurmbrand, John Piper and Milton Martin. An easy read, this book explores God’s perspective of the persecution of His Church. It not only offers first hand accounts of persecution and torture for the sake of Christ, but it also encourages Christians in how to face it. This book is only four dollars and can be ordered by clicking here .