The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God By: Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow

The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God

By: Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow

If you Google “The Return of Christ”, you will get 98,700,000 results as opposed to 9,500,000 results if you Google “The Ascension of Christ”. You can see the high level of interest in that the return of Christ is discussed much more than the ascension of Christ. However, the doctrine of the return of Christ cannot exist without the ascension of Christ. “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

“This is where the doctrine of the ascension can help us. The ascension secures our royal identity and locates it with Jesus in the presence of the Father” (p. 79). If you don’t believe or know anything about the ascension of Christ, then there is no need to talk about Ephesians 2:6 (“and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”).

I’m so glad to see such a book written about the doctrine of the ascension of Christ for Christians. In my humble opinion, I believe we need to study and understand more about Christ’s ascension before we share with the world about the return of Christ.

I received this book for free from Christian Focus Publications via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

The Sin of Forgiveness By: Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.

The Sin of Forgiveness

By: Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.

"Spending eternity in hell isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person. The worst thing is to spend eternity in hell having believed throughout your life that you were going to heaven" (p. 44).

The above quote is not to scare you but to let you know how much Edward cares about getting our understanding right about true forgiveness from the Bible’s point of view.

How strange it is to conclude this book with this question: “What did you think the first time you read the title of this book?” (p. 114). Most people read it and think that forgiveness is a sin, but it is not.

Here is another question: Is forgiveness a sin? Edward answers, “It depends on what kind of forgiveness you’re talking about. Worldly forgiveness is a sin as described repeatedly in the Bible. Conversely, righteous forgiveness is a holy thing that changes lives and eternities” (p. 100).

Have you heard of “easy believism”? Here, Edward points out how many Christians believe that they are “easily forgiven” without having to repent. “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them” (Luke 17:3). Most of the time, we will just accept “I’m sorry” and move on with our business (p. 50).

If you are looking for the book besides the Bible that talks about true forgiveness, look no further because Edward backs up lots of Bible verses in this short book and cites plenty of verses on “repentance”.  If I had the choice of adding a subtitle, it would be: “Without repentance, there is no true forgiveness.” Please read this book and you will learn something from Edward.

I received this book for free from Crosslink Publishing via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."