(Cover via Amazon)

By Brother Yun with Paul Hattaway (London & Grand Rapids: Monarch Books, 2002, 351 pages)

The incredible true story of Chinese evangelist Liu Zhenying known to his Christian friends as Brother Yun. It is his own personal testimony along with the reflections of his wife Deling who supported him in the ministry and though many trials and tribulations. The ups and downs, the joys, the victories, along with the low points, failures, and all of the warts. It is there for all to read.

The story begins with the conversion of Yun and the healing of his dying father of cancer in 1974. In the process Yun, age 16 at the time, dedicates his life to Jesus and through a series of miracles is prepared, trained, and sent out as an evangelist to establish new churches and support the very few Christian groups that were still meeting in secret at the time.

The Communist government did everything they could to destroy the Christian church in China beginning in 1949 and very little visibly remained by 1970 and during that time frame Mao’s wife Jiang Qing actually proclaimed to foreign visitors that:

“Christianity in China has been confined to the history section of the museum. It is dead and buried.”

Today it is said by many including the government that there are at least 100 million Christians in the country. If the communist authorities are admitting that number than there are probably far more than that. In fact it is growing so fast that it is impossible to come up with an accurate number. What happened? The House Church Movement happened.

The story of brother Yun gives you a small taste of how that must have happened. How the Christian church relegated to the dust bin of history meeting secretly in homes rose up out of the dust and became the force it is today. It was entirely a move of God.

It really isn’t just about Yun alone but his story demonstrates how God reached out directly to thousands of people and prepared and called forth a whole generation of leaders that worked secretly and many times independently in rising up the church to where it is today. As the government would jail one leader the Lord would raise up another to replace him and the work would go on. It reads like the book of Acts.

Yun was arrested and tortured many times by the government who attempted to get him to reveal all of the leaders that he knew. On a number of occasions he refused to identify who he was and even where he came from in order not to expose others. He told them:

“I am a Heavenly Man! My home is in heaven!”

That is how he became known as the ‘heavenly man’.

The torture and prison conditions that Brother Yun suffered through and survived is beyond comprehension. During those bleak times Yun not only kept the faith but reached out to his fellow prisoners and made life more tolerable for all. He prayed for others, bringing healing to many, and brought hundreds of fellow prisoners to Christ. Not only that, he followed the example of Paul and Silas and sang songs of praise during the worst of times and conditions.

On several occasions Brother Yun miraculously escaped from the authorities. Nothing is more storied than his incredible ‘walk away’ from a maximum security prison when his legs were crushed and crippled yet in an instant he was able to walk through the numerous gates that blocked the way and right through the midst of dozens of guards who miraculously didn’t see him. later he was able to leave China for Germany on a plane when the entire country was looking for him. An incredible story.

Later in Germany he reaches out and begins a ministry to the Western church and is amazed how weak the Christian church is in countries where the church buildings are so large and Christians are actually free to follow their faith.

He is currently raising visibility and money for the house churches back in China. Also he is supporting a long time vision of the Chinese church called the ‘Back to  Jerusalem Movement’ to raise up and train missionaries and send them through every Buddhist and Muslim nation all of the way from China to Jerusalem.

However in the process he has also unfortunately become the target of critics within the Western church. Many have a hard time believing all of the healings and miracles he testifies of here.

An incredible life changing book, one that I highly recommend. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you though this book and you will never be the same. Hereafter that comfortable pew you sit in on Sunday will never be quite so comfortable again. Beware, you could actually receive a new calling and a new vision of where the lord wants to take you.            *Top 

Christians are looking forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately the scriptures tells us that a world leader is going to come on the scene first and establish One World Government, economy, and religion. The scriptures indicate that he will be a pseudo messiah and will be supported by some kind of false prophet.

Muslims are also looking forward to the coming of their own Messiah referred to as The Mahdi. Along with the Mahdi they believe that Jesus- called Isa will return as his prophet and support him in establishing Muslim rule over the entire world and economy, and the establishment of Islam as the only legal world religion.

Joel Richardson compares these two end time views and shows how closely compatible they truly are. It is his conclusion that the Muslim Mahdi could end up being one and the same historical figure that Christians refer to as Antichrist and the Muslim Jesus –Isa could end up being the figure known as the False Prophet foretold in the Christian scriptures.

It is a valuable book whether or not you accept his conclusions or not. Richardson goes into detail quoting the Quran and other authoritative Muslim writings concerning their view of the end times. I found it helpful in understanding what is happening on the world scene today with the rise of radical Islam as a threat to Western civilization and the entire world.

The first half of the book follows Sir Richard Francis Burton who along with everyone who ever lived from early Neanderthals up to 2200 AD were resurrected at the same time into a new world along a nearly endless river.

Everyone starts off nude and without hair and It takes a while for folks to get use to their new circumstances and the parameters of the new world that they find themselves in. First they discover that many of their basic needs are taken care of each day provided by mushroom-shaped towers called "grailstones" found along the river at regular intervals.

Every person has been provided with their own personal mess kits commonly called ‘grails’ which they can place into the grail towers 3 times a day for food, drink, and other items like liquor, tobacco, drugs, and candy. The weather is perfect and there doesn’t seem to be any diseases but people can still get hurt by accident or on purpose. The resurrected folks can also die by accident or be killed but later they find themselves ‘resurrected’ again at another location along the river. Some even commit suicide hoping for a better location next time along the river.

Soon the newly resurrected people are forming protective groups that later become governments over areas of land along the river. They build homes, towns and new nations.

Religion

The old earthly religions are now rejected by most folks since this new ‘River World’ doesn’t seem to relate in any way to any of the old religious teachings. Both the ‘evil’ and the ‘good’ and everyone between from the former life has been resurrected together in this new world with total recall and no distinctions from the previous life.

A new religion started up with the idea that this new world was an opportunity to start over and become better people and make a better world without making the same old mistakes that were made in the former world and life. The new religionists are pacifists.

The Storylines

The first story revolves around English explorer Sir Richard Burton who is driven to find out who is behind the ‘resurrection’ and what it is all about. He comes to the conclusion that a super race of beings resurrected everyone who ever lived on Earth as some kind of experiment. In fact one of the super beings appears to him from time top time to help him along the way with important info. Former Nazi leader Hermann Goring is one character that keeps on showing up, first as an opponent to Burton, then later sometimes as a friend, and finally as a new resurrection religionist.

The second story revolves around Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and his efforts to produce a new magnificent Riverboat like he use to captain down the Mississippi. His major allies and opponent is the former King John of Robin Hood fame. The story is delicious in its many twists and turns right to the end. Twain does finally build his boat but it quickly ends up far different than he planned.

The two stories merely wet ones appetite for more and there is more. Tor (Tom Doherty Assoc.) is in the midst of republishing the series and this is only the first with more to come. Can’t wait.           *Top

A non-stop action/adventure stand alone novel. The third and final book in the ‘Assassin’ series-previous: “Prayers For The Assassin” and “Sins of The Assassin”

The year is 2045. The former United States is split in two major nations including The Islamic Republic based in Seattle and the Bible Belt in the south with a capitol in Atlanta. The Aztlan Empire (Formerly Mexico) is ready to gobble up the entire Southwest and there doesn’t appear to be any way to stop it.

Time is running out for the ‘Old One’ to establish his international caliphate. He is 150 years old and is finally degenerating. The hero of the ‘assassin series’ Rakkim is off to the contaminated Washington DC zone along with techno nerd Leo to find a sacred relic that could bring the two warring factions of the old USA back together again and counter the Aztlan encroachment. Sarah does prevail in her plans for using the ‘relic’ but in a way even she doesn’t expect.

The story starts off with Carbon–skinned super warrior Gavenholtz vowing to get Rakkim and kill his entire family. The fake preacher Malcolm Crews actually has a few real healings and seems to be somewhat changed by it all. The cruel Grand Mullah of New Fallujah- Ibn-Azziz finally has his confrontation with Rakkim after he tries to condemn survivors of a girls school fire. After all the girls were not fully clothed in their burkas since the fire was in the middle of the night.

In the end it can be said that ‘divine providence’ saves the day.

Most of the ‘organized’ religion in the series is something that most of us would rather avoid, particularly the Islamic fundamentalists and the fake Christian preachers. There are no really ‘good’ religious leaders anywhere in this series even though religion is front and center throughout. Nevertheless the story does turn out right with the ‘good’ winning out and ‘evil’ basically losing along with far better prospects for the former USA on the horizon.

This leaves us to speculate that the author may not care for organized religion all that much but does hope against hope for some kind of order and divine providence in the universe anyway. At least that is what this series seems to represent.

I highly recommend all three books. The author gives an uncanny picture of what the country might be like if the Muslims ultimately prevail and turn at least a portion of the United States into an Islamic Republic—a very scary prospect.               *Top

Is the ‘prosperity gospel’ hindering revival? Pastor Michael Catt, senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church of Albany, Ga. believes so.

Pastor Catt makes a number of observations about revival in his new book:  “The Power of Surrender: Breaking Through to Revival”

Here’s what he has to say about Revival and the Prosperity Gospel:

“Sometimes the prosperity gospel and the feel-good gospel tell people what they want to hear, But] when you lay that by the side of Jesus’ teaching [to] take up the cross – the only reason for the cross in the first century is to die – and to die daily, to crucify your flesh then you have to think how does this fit?”

“I can’t go to a guy that only has a towel around his waist and lives in a dung hut and tell him the good news you’ll get a Mercedes and you’ll go from dung to stucco because it probably won’t happen. But the power of the life changing Gospel can happen.”

The actual focus of the book is on sacrifice and revival and eliminating everything in the church that stands in the way of a new revival coming to America:

“If we’re hungry and thirsty after God, if there is a desire for more, if there is a holy dissatisfaction with the way things are, believing that surely God died for more than what we are seeing in our typical church today…”

In the book pastor Catt talks about how God is moving in his own congregation doing a sovereign work bringing many closer to God:

“We are now seeing people walk through the baptismal waters. People are being saved. Members are inviting their lost friends and unchurched neighbors. Attendance shot up. Why? Revival produces evangelism.”

Sherwood Baptist is famous for producing such movies as “Facing the Giants” and “Fireproof.”                *Top

A scholarly examination of the last events in the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ by two able New Testament scholars. Evans and Wright take a look at all of the current historical and archeological evidence and theories pertaining to the trial, crucifixion, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus.

This is an excellent apologetical source with new and solid reasons to accept the Gospel accounts of the events rather than all of the theories which have been floated to discount the historicity of the N.T. documents. While this is primarily a scholarly work rather than a book written for popular or general readers, it should be readable and valuable study for most Bible students.        *Top

New Testament scholar Dr. Ben Witherington gives an incredible detailed analysis of Bart Ehrman’s New book: “Jesus Interrupted”—in a 6 part series:

Bart Interrupted— A detailed Analysis of ‘Jesus Interrupted’ Part One

Bart Interrupted— A detailed Analysis of ‘Jesus Interrupted’ Part Two

Bart Interrupted— A detailed Analysis of ‘Jesus Interrupted’ Part Three

Bart Interrupted: Part Four

Bart Interrupted— A detailed Analysis of ‘Jesus Interrupted’ Part Five

Bart Interrupted— A detailed Analysis of ‘Jesus Interrupted’— Coda

Response: This series is not to be missed by any serious new Testament student. Dr. Witherington does us all a great service in tackling Dr. Ehrman’s latest.

All of Ehrman’s books are popular and he usually hits the TV and radio circuit to support his new works so you should be hearing soon from some of your secular friends about how the NT can not be trusted. Fortunately armed with this series you will be able to tell them that it is Dr. Ehrman’s conclusions that should be questioned.          *Top

A continuation of the Evangelical/Mormon dialogue started with the book “How Wide The Divide” by Craig Blomberg and Stephen Robinson and continued in “Bridging The Divide” by Robert L Millet and Gregory C.V. Johnson.

Dr. Robert L. Millet is professor of religious education at BYU and Dr. Gerald R. McDemott is professor of religion and philosophy at Roanoke College and teaching pastor at St/ John Lutheran Church.

This book is a detailed and well documented theological discussion of the major issues which have traditionally divided LDS from Evangelical Christians. Particular attention is paid to the theology of God, Jesus, and the Trinity. Also to Salvation, eternal destiny and the role of the church.

Each subject is introduced by one author followed by a response from the other then with a rebuttal and some concluding thoughts by the first. This format allows for in-depth discussion of issues that could not be addressed in “How Wide..” or in “Bridging…”. It is a gold mine of references and details that theologians will find useful.

Once more, traditional ‘apologists’ will find the book to be controversial and far too positive and friendly. However, scholars on both sides of the divide will use the book as a reference and as a jumping off point for continuing and honing the ongoing discussion.

Unlike the two previous dialogue books, this one is not as accessible for a popular audience but requires some understanding of Christian history, theology, and philosophy.

There are a number of great articles and an on-going discussion of the book on Summa Theologica.            *Top

A Novel by the author of The Kite Runner.

The story of two women, Mariam and Laila. Mariam is 5 years of age in Afghanistan, 1964. She looked forward to the visits by her father Jahil until she is old enough to understand that her mother Nana and her were not part of his regular family.

After her mother dies, Jahil finally takes her in but quickly marries her off to a businessman from Kabul–Rasheed who is least 30 years older than the 15 year old girl.

Laila grows up in Kabul, the daughter of a teacher. Life is pretty good till the Russians come and with them the beginning of continuous war. Her brothers are killed in the war against the Russians and her mother is never the same. Laila closest friend is Tariq who moves with his family to Pakistan to escape the war that has finally come to Kabul. Soon Laila’s life is changed when she is injured and her family is killed as they too are trying to leave the war zone.

Rasheed and Mariam take her in and nurse her back to health. Laila plans on going to Pakistan to find Tariq but Rasheed tricks her into staying on and becoming his second wife. At first the two women do not get along but later with the coming of a child they become closest of friends and rely upon each other to make life with Rasheed tolerable.

The story is one of hope in the midst of war and dispair–family and love in the face of incredible injustice and cruelty. It gives one some insight into family life and particularly the plight of Muslim women in Afghanistan over the last 40 years under the Russians, the Mudjahadeen, and the Taliban. An incredible story.              *Top 

Related articles by Zemanta

• Book Review | A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

By Dr. Robert L Millet and Rev. Gregory C.V. Johnson (Rhinebeck, New York: Monkfish Book Pub. Co., 2007, 185 pages)

In many ways, this is a continuation of “How Wide The Divide”, it even has a forward by Craig Blomberg and Stephen Robinson the authors of the aforementioned work.

In this book, Robert Millet, a professor at BYU gives us a current view of Mormonism; while Gregory Johnson an evangelical pastor in Utah, who is a former LDS and a graduate of Denver Seminary, stands in for the Evangelical viewpoint.

Another very helpful book for understanding the differences that continue to separate Evangelicals and Mormons. But also helpful in defining areas of agreement, terms and perspectives that continue to cause confusion, and possible areas of cooperation. It is a valuable attempt at bridging the tensions that still persist when evangelicals and LDS converse about their faiths.

In one section, the two writers pose major questions to one another about their faiths with in-depth expositions. In the next, they answer questions from an audience, some are quite controversial. At the end are valuable conclusions from both writers and an appendix which includes: “Some Guiding Principles of Constructive Conversation”.

A valuable book for both evangelicals and Mormons who really wish to understand each other better.            *Top