"Open" by Craig Gross

Craig Gross is a bit of a controversial figure. He is the brain behind the creation of X3Watch accountability software (which I am a fan of, and have used it for years). His ministry has done a lot to help men overcome struggles with pornography and sex addiction. They also do outreaches to adult film stars, and other "professionals" of that industry.

I read this book hoping that he would have some great insights on accountability that I could use for myself and the young adults at my church. To be perfectly honest, I could not recommend this book at all.

This issue is so very important - and many churches are silent about it when they should face it aggressively. It is by far the #1 hidden struggle of Christian men. There is no stigma attached to alcohol, tobacco, or even gambling like there is to pornography. Because it is never addressed in a pro-active way in church, most men have felt as though they should deal with this issue privately without the aid of the church. This is a recipe for spiritual (and marital) disaster.... Brothers and sisters, let us minister love and grace to the men (AND women) who are trapped in the deadly and isolated world of sex addiction and pornography. I'm glad men like Craig Gross are addressing the problem in effective ways.

However, I believe this book missed the mark badly in a few points. To the best of my memory, there were NO Bible verses used in this book. And God MAY HAVE been mentioned maybe once? "Faith" was mentioned a few times, as was "spiritual growth." But there was no meat (nor milk) behind these words. This is unforgivable coming from the pen of a "pastor". He could argue that he was attempting to reach a wider audience - but there are secular avenues of help for the non-religious. The church, however, is STARVING for help in this area. Why not focus on the needs of your brethren in the church? Not to mention that the Bible has so much to say about it!

In the second place, apart from Gross' own story of one of his accountability groups, and some inspirational examples - as well as some tragic bad examples from our culture - there was not much practical use of it. The few principles that he gives for accountability are fairly obvious, and anyone who might be seeking such a relationship for accountability would probably find them intuitive (things like total honesty, confidentiality, consistent dialogue with the accountability partner, etc).

I breezed through the book quickly, but felt like there was not much substance here.

For a more "Christ-and-church-focused" approach to accountability, I can suggest "Iron Sharpens Iron" by Howard and Bill Hendricks. And, for pornography specifically, it is hard to improve upon "Every Man's Battle" by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker (they also have books for women, married couples, young men, and young ladies).

"Sunday School that Really Works" by Dr. Steve Parr

This is a fantastic book about the administration of a Sunday School strategy in the local church. It's probably the best I've read on the subject of Sunday School.

Some things I love about the book:
1) The emphasis on reaching the lost with the Gospel. The author states this emphatically all throughout the book. If we aren't reaching the lost with our Sunday School, then our Sunday School is not effective.
2) He addresses all different age groups, not just adults. He has information in here for every class from PRESCHOOL up to Senior Saints. You don't find this is most books on this subject.
3) He presents helpful organizational ideas to the teachers. Many teachers feel they don't have the time to be a great Sunday School teacher, but Dr. Parr offers them ideas to maximize their potential.
4) He addresses both administration and communication aspects of teaching. Both are important, and any teacher can do both well.

There is just so much great information in here, every pastor or Sunday School teacher ought to buy one and read it.
It is available in e-book form, as well.

"Storm - Hearing Jesus for the Times We Live In" by Jim Cymbala

There is no question: the best things about Jim Cymbala's books are always the testimonies he includes from his own church members. It is so encouraging and uplifting to hear how God saved these people, and how He is using them to reach others! It reminds me that God can save anyone that comes to Him. He can not only save them, He can use them powerfully.

The book addresses the current weak state of the American church, in particular. And it is a pretty bleak picture. Frankly, it may even be worse than what Jim Cymbala describes....

We have a church culture that relies heavily on man-centered programming, man-centered scheduling, man-centered music, man-centered teaching and preaching, man-centered application, man-centered prayers (or prayerlessness), and man-centered service. Is it any wonder there is a lack of the power of God?

I appreciate Pastor Cymbala's attempts at addressing this topic. He gives a fairly level-headed and balanced view. However, much of the book felt to me as though it were forced together, and did not flow easily. He seemed more intent on making the chapter titles fit the "storm" theme than making them work in cohesion. The subjects he covers are all important; but I feel as though they didn't work together to form a powerful statement on his main issue.

The book is not long, and is worth a read. It is, however, not the best book on the subject - and is DEFINITELY not Pastor Cymbala's best book. (That distinction would go to "Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire," in my opinion.)

I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

"Fearless" by Eric Blehm

I have been aware of the story of Adam Brown for a few years, even since before the book was released, but I did not know what I was in for when I began reading this book. Stories of true American heroes are especially meaningful to me - and you probably won't find a more inspiring story than that of Adam Brown.

To begin with, it is important to know that one of Adam's last wishes was that his story be told - the whole thing, from the ugliest parts to the best parts. Once you read the book, you'll see just how much courage it took for him to be willing to share his testimony of his life with us. There were days of drug addiction, deception, and theft. But he overcame that - and also would give his life to Christ in the process. The change in him was a process that took time - there was no instant "sanctification." That should give any reader - no matter how many times they've battled the demons of addiction or other sins - hope that it is possible to overcome in Christ.

You cannot read this book without being impressed at the toughness of Adam Brown. The dude was insanely tough. He had a fearlessness (note the book title) that was no doubt a contributing factor in his journey to become one of the most elite special warfare operators in the US military. Just to give you an idea: he loses his dominant eye AND has his fingers on his dominant hand severed and re-attached.... BEFORE he qualifies for SEAL Team SIX (which is the top tier of the already-insanely-elite Navy SEAL teams). If you've never shot a gun, you'll have no concept of how ridiculous it is to try to shoot with your right hand using your left eye. In a qualification course in which hundreds try and few succeed, Adam did it with one eye and a partially-usable hand.

The fact of Adam's Christian faith was emphasized well in the book. It seems like Adam was an outspoken believer, a faithful church attender, and a man of great trust in the Lord. He was also a loving father and husband, and in his childhood years he was a respectful and honest boy. Stories like these remind me that there are good men out there - and praise the Lord. We need more men like that. Our military needs more men like that.

There was a good deal of profanity in the book, which did surprise me (being that it is mixed in with all of the religious elements), and at least a couple of crude stories (locker-room-type humor). But, the story is gripping. I came to tears at the end, leading up to the day that Adam makes the ultimate sacrifice.

What else can I say? I loved the book, and I respect the man greatly. He was far from perfect - but his story is so real, yet so unreal. I'll never know what it is like to be a SEAL (or even a soldier) - but if I were, I would want to be fearless like Adam Brown.

You can find more information about the book and Eric Blehm, the author, at www.fearlessnavyseal.com. Also, you can check out www.adamslegacy.com.
(Please note: I do not necessarily endorse everything on these linked pages, nor can I guarantee that these links will always go to the intended sites. If a link is broken, or redirects to a different page, please leave a comment and I will remove the link. Thanks!)

"Prophecies of Pale Skin" by D.S. Phillips

A man that I highly respect named Ed Gibson recommended this book to me. Sometime today, Bro. Ed and his family will be at a funeral for their 7-year-old grandson, Stephen, who lost his battle with a cancerous brain tumor this week. Please pray for the Gibson family as their family still struggles with their loss.

Ed Gibson was a missionary in Japan for years, and now he is a promoter of all things "Missions" to churches in America. He always preaches with great passion and conviction - and he usually challenges your preconceived ideas of what God is doing in the work of Missions. With the way the world is rapidly changing, our churches cannot be content to "do missions" the way we've always done it. With voices like Bro. Ed's speaking to the next generation of missionaries and missions-minded churches, I believe we have a chance to turn things around and see a renewed focus in spreading the Gospel around the world. This book illustrates the possibilities of what can happen when we take up the cause of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

This book is incredible. The true story it tells is almost unbelievable. I can easily say - and I don't throw statements like this around lightly - that this is one of the best books you will ever read in your lifetime. Now, there were plenty of typos and grammatical problems. It wasn't the most skillfully written book. Some sentences were long and confusing, with dangling participles and such.
But the powerful story will easily make even the most OCD grammar-and-spelling advocates overlook those little issues.

The story centers around two young Christians who fall in love, get married, and then surrender their lives to take the Gospel to the most unreached people group that they can find. Their journey takes them to the most remote parts of Indonesia where they make contact with the Dao people. This tribe of people have a reputation for being fierce and murderous. What will it take for this young couple to learn the language and culture of the people so that they can preach the message of Christ to them? What will the people's response to the Gospel be?

I cannot even tell you much more, because I don't want to give away any of the miraculous things that God did to pave the way for them. Bro. Phillips and his family are missionaries in every sense of the word. I was greatly convicted by this story. If this young family could forsake all modern comforts and their own family to live in the jungle and preach the Gospel, how much more should I be willing to tell my neighbors?

I don't usually promote sales or direct my readers to other websites, but the Kindle edition of this book is only $10 on Amazon. Skip a fast-food meal and buy this book right now.