Tender Warrier by Stu Weber

 If you are not familiar with the author first book, “Four Pillars of a Man’s Heart”, do not worry it is brought up a few times in the Tender Warrior. The author’s first book focused four pillars in a man’s life King, Warrior, Mentor and Friend.  I read both but I have to admit that the “Tender Warrior” from a Christian man’s point of view carried a greater weight then his first book.  The author went into detail within a man’s world looking at the whole picture.  The first part of the book drills down into a man’s life the perceptions, misconceptions and vision.  From this part of the book, it goes into the typical masculine strengths followed by our weaker points to balance things out.  The best part of the book was the two chapters dedicated to the man in fathering his children and the two chapters about a man’s wife.  As you progress through the book, the author explores the area of a man’s friend, meaning of a true friend, not just someone to have a few drinks with but one that will be there when you need him the most.  The last chapter goes into the relationship of a man to his church, Jesus and God.  If you only have, time to read only one of Stu Weber’s books about men let it be “Tender Warrior”. 

I received a free copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review of the book.

A Shot of Faith to the Head by MItch Stokes

Are you tired of listening to the know-it-all atheist who drones on and on about religion but you’re not quite sure how to retaliate? Well, now you have the ammunition to fight back. The author invests a great detail of time looking at the argument from the atheist point of view so we understand both sides of the debate. Then he provides a method of realistic verbal self –defense. I have a few people I know that when we meet they go straight to beating down my religion. When we meet for lunch I wanted until they brought up the subject. Everything they brought I countered with exactly how the book described and explained. Within several minutes, they were speechless and wanted to change the topic.

If you only read, one religious based book this year let it be “A Shot of Faith to the Head. It not only helps you to understand religion from a Christian point of view but also from others who are not Christians. Most important it will help on those times when you know your right but don’t know how to defend your faith.

I received a free copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review of the book.

The Gospel of Yes by Mike Glenn

The “Gospel of Yes” by Mike Glenn, very rarely have I had to say this regarding a book review but I really struggled reading this book. The author is also a pastor, which brings to mind a certain morality and ethic that we hope to see in all clergy. Early on in the book, the author tells an experience he had while sitting at a lake screaming and threatening God. I understand a pastor is human but basic Christian teaching covered in the Apocrypha, “Do not try to bind the purposes of the Lord our God; for God is not like man, to be threatened” Judith 8:16. After the author had a lengthy sit down, threatening God that he was not going to get up from his chair until something happened. He claims God talked to him and said more or less why don’t you let the church and you be who I made you to be? I don’t know about you but sitting in a chair by the lake and not moving for a long period of time would make me tried and delusional. While the message is basic and simple, it also a message that is commonly shared “Just be yourself”.

The remaining part of the book repeatedly the Yes and No of what author interprets what God says. May of the passages I was familiar with and ended up looking them up again. I found a familiar pattern; many of the passages reference a certain person, time and point not a common message to all. In most examples, it does not apply but is taken as a fragmented part of scripture to fit a certain key topic or point the author was trying to convince reader about.

I received a free advanced reading copy of this book from WaterBrook Multnomah in exchange for my honest review of the book.