Author: Fred Von Kamecke
“Reputation management” is the new buzzword on the Internet. There are companies that will alert you if someone says something bad about you online so you have a chance to challenge it. These companies are going to make a mint off the egocentric and thin-skinned. Christ and Christians have been getting a bad rap for millennia, yet the Lord abides, and the righteous endure no matter what people say, so should Christians play the reputation game?
In his book, Busted: Exposing Popular Myths about Christianity, it appears that Fred Von Kamecke is taking a shot at doing reputation management for Jesus, the Bible and matters of Christian faith. He is not on that Quixotian journey however – his approach is much more fun – he is a theological myth buster.
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Authors: Gary M. Burge, Lynn H. Cohick and Gene L. Green
Do you know why Jesus did not write his autobiography era book outlining his theology? It was because all the teachers of this time gained popularity by the number of students they attracted, not the number of books they wrote. None of the great teachers of that era wrote books–they left it to their students to do compilations of their teaching.
That’s the sort of background information you’ll get from The New Testament in Antiquity, by Gary M. Burge, Lynn H. Cohick and Gene L. Green, a trio of professors from Wheaton College and Graduate School. [Read More]
Author: Soong-Chan Rah
Guest Review by Dan MacIntosh
When it comes to politics and Christianity, there is little middle ground. If you believe the news, it would appear as though most evangelical Christians are politically conservative. Then, of course, there is also that sprinkling of Sojourners readers. The rest are—for convenience sake, rather than fairness—categorized as liberals that are, quite honestly, not seen as ‘some of us.’ Soong-Chan Rah is most assuredly an evangelical and unquestionably ‘one of us.’ (And by that I mean he is excited about reaching the world for Christ, rather than preaching some sort of watered down social gospel). [Read More]
Author: Mark Mittelberg
Guest reviewer: Dan MacIntosh
Watching TV ministers apply Bible-thumping tactics when preaching the gospel makes me wonder if these well-meaning preachers have completely forgotten the principle of free will. After all, if somebody becomes a Christian, that choice is entirely up to them, and it’s ill-advised—not to mention impossible—to force-feed Christianity. Well, Mark Mittelberg, who is perhaps best known for writing Becoming a Contagious Christian, feels so strongly about ‘choice,’ he’s included a variation on that term in the title of his latest book, Choosing Your Faith. And his careful approach to evangelism comes off like the soft knocking on a heart’s door, and never leaves any Bible bruises. [Read More]
Author: Andy Andrews
Guest reviewer: Dan MacIntosh
Everybody reacts to crises differently. For some, urgent situations help them focus best. But for others, the heat of the moment causes them to miss obvious solutions. The character “Jones,” in Andy Andrews’ new story, The Noticer, is like that second set of eyes we all wish we had during stressful situations. Throughout this book, Jones acts as a mystery man; one that seemingly appears out of nowhere to help lost souls find their way. Andrews’ work is a reminder that, no matter how confusing life may get, there is always an answer to every question and an escape for any possible trap. [Read More]
