5 comments about The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative.

1. a thorough approach to mission theology with Biblical explanations for the Author, characters, and setting



2. I wish that I had had this book in hand many years ago. I've been on a journey of learning and discovery regarding the "metanarrative" of the Scriptures, and having reached a tentative understanding, I buy Christopher Wright's The Mission of God, and find that he has it all laid out for me. One of those books that makes you wonder why no one wrote it before and then makes you wish you had written it yourself. I have translated the New Testament into two indigenous languages of Mexico and have been forced to ask the big questions about what on earth God is doing anyway. It's been a great experience, and I think I'm finally coming to an adequate understanding of the good news of the Bible. I have read a lot of books related to the topic of The Mission of God, but none as exciting and stimulating as this one. And I don't consider Wright to be a great writer. What's great is the maturity and comprehensiveness of his thinking. A new perspective on almost every page. Wright has put it together for me. I'm reading it through the second time and have bought two copies to give to friends. All right, you may not be as excited as I am about the Bible's message about the coming of the kingdom of God, but if you are half as interested as I am, read this book.



3. This is certainly the most impressive book on Mission to be published since Bosch's 'Transforming Mission' and will surely be Dr Wright's 'Magnum Opus.' This outstanding tome entitled `The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible's Grand Narrative' contains 581 closely reasoned pages and maintains that equally, the `proper way for disciples of the crucified and risen Jesus to read their Scriptures , is (both) messianically and missionally. ( p.30)
   
   It should be noted that most books on Mission fail to provide an adequate O.T. basis for mission. David Bosch for example in his excellent book `Transforming Mission' gives us little if any. In this book however, Wright ( also a noted OT scholar as well as Missiologist) goes a long way to rectify this imbalance.
   
   'The Mission of God' is not a light read but should be of great interest to all missionaries and Pastors as well as to theology and Bible students. Chris Wright has also designated that the royalties from this book will go to the to worthy charity Langham Literature.
   
   John Goldingay, the author of Old Testament Theology, and professor of Old Testament, Fuller Theological Seminary writes of it:
   "This marvelous book is all I hoped and expected, and more. . . .We are so fortunate to have the mature fruit of a lifetime's reflection on the missional nature of the Bible by this outstanding teacher, scholar and missionary theologian."
   
   If you want an outstanding book on Mission which will be around for years to come: This is it!



4. I especially appreciate that this book takes into account the whole of the scriptural perspective, tota scriptura. I heartily recommend it.



5. This was such an excellent book. I picked it up at Urbana 2006 and read it that summer. I am working on going through my notes to teach a class on the subject of this book. I have recommended it to many people, but it is weighty. It is sad that so few people are familiar with Wright's work. He has done much in taking us back and grounding us in the story of the OT. For those interested, I highly recommend "Old Testament Ethic for the People of God." Again, weighty, but excellent.

5 comments about Operation World - 21st Century Edition, Updated and Revised Edition (When We Pray God Works).

1. Christians and other theists believe that in some impenetrable way prayer moves the hand of God.
   
   People of sound mind understand that focusing on others tends to produce psychological health.
   
   OPERATION WORLD uniquely conjoins these two convictions, offering to this-worldly Christian pray-ers a veritable guidebook of the world.
   
   Typically, a country gets an entry of one dated page, though large countries span two or more days. The typical entry introduces the reader to the country's geography, peoples, economy, politics, and religion. After that the muscular-sounding 'Challenges for Prayer' suggests situations, topics, knotty problems, hopeful reports, and general orientation to the pray-er who chooses to participate in the year-long epic around the world.
   
   'Get over yourself!', the common and slightly belligerent saying goes. It's a thought the editors of this fine annual publication might have had in the back of their minds.



2. This is an excellent tool to inform and educate people on the subject of global Christianity. The specific info on many countries can become out of date rather quickly, especially in the emerging growth sectors. The appendices, tools and general information are excellent. This is a great tool for those who want to be educated, and want to educate others, on global missions.



3. It is easy to want the world to hear the gospel, but it is difficult to pray specifically toward that end. This book is a great tool to use daily so that you may pray more thouroughly for the different countries of the world and to know more about the people in them. It has at least one country for every day of the year and it tells so much helpful information. I learn as I pray for these people. It's a great book for your individual use, or with your family.



4. The power of prayer has been underestimated by the secular and even amongst the community of believers in Jesus Christ. Jesus gave to all who believe in Him and His words and works a very clear command: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20). Therefore, when we pray according to this command, Jesus, the Son of God, works, always in conjunction with the Father and the Holy Spirit. I believe this book is an outcome of answered prayers done in the past, that motivated people passionate about changing lives all over the world, to produce such an essential and strategic work like this book. Operation World puts us into God's perspective of reaching all nations and tribes and languages with His love and salvation. It is a very powerfull and useful tool to equip anyone interested in getting a grasp of the world's scenario, so that when we start praying and when we keep on praying for the nations, we are much more aligned with God's work and love for all peoples of the earth.



5. I highly recommend this book to use as a prayer guide or reference book to see what the needs are in each country.

5 comments about The Light and the Glory.

1. The information in this book is invaluable to each and every American. Now more than ever we should cherish our early beginnings in this country and pass this on to generations to come. The more intimate happenings to our early fathers become more relevant and personal through this well documented study.



2. In my judgment "The Light & The Glory" should be required reading for every citizen of the United States as well as those seeking citizenship. This is one of the best books I have every read!



3. I really loved reading this book and had a hard time putting it down. It reads much like the Old Testament except the main characters are our forefathers. There is a lot of information in this book that they never told us in school, but should have. The authors of this book tell where they got the information and did a great job putting this book together. I wish I would have read it years ago. It's one of those books you want to pass on to others after you read it.



4. This book details how to achieve great things by serving God first. It shows us what we must do to get our country back on the track of democracy. Even though it seems like we have completely lost our way, all we have to do is turn whole-heartedly to God and ask for His help. The story of how our forefathers did this is wonderful and inspiring.



5. This volume of early American history is limited in its scope, covering a period of about 300 years from Columbus through the colonial era, the Revolution, and the Washington presidency. Its purpose, however, is not merely to chronologize these events, but to examine them from a spiritual perspective. Peter Marshall and David Manuel, both Yale alumni, seek to discover our country's earliest spiritual heritage and how it relates to the moral and cultural degeneration they were observing in 1977, and that continues today. While the book is not without its flaws, I think it offers a critically important and often purposefully omitted piece of the historical puzzle regarding the roots of America.
   
   The authors begin with Columbus, whose early missionary ardor to bear the light of Christ to the New World was ultimately corrupted by the powerful lures of wealth, prestige and power. Next come fairly detailed examinations of the colonies at Jamestown, Plymouth, Salem and Boston. Of particular emphasis, again, were the spiritual actors, such as the Franciscans, Jesuits, Pilgrims and Puritans. Throughout, the authors provide a quite unvarnished look at the shortcomings of all of these personalities, but also strip away the false images and caricatures of them that are so prevalent in modern scholarship. In particular, they restore some desperately needed balance to the discussion of the Pilgrims and Puritans.
   
   The thing that gives this book such strong credibility, as with any good history, is the authors' heavy reliance on primary sources, particularly from Columbus, Bradford, the Mathers, Winthrop, Washington, Adams and many others. Their own writings reveal much about the deep Christian faith of our country's founders, much that is never mentioned or even considered a valid topic of discussion in most modern (i.e., revisionistic) history books. Over and over, the hand of God's providence is highlighted, whether in the survival of the early colonies, or the war for independence, or the unlikely success of the Constitutional Convention.
   
   My key criticism of the book, however, is the extent to which the authors presume to tell us what the will of God was or was not in various situations. In so doing, they depart from the demands of the documentary evidence, and thus take what are, in my opinion, speculative leaps that are impermissible for historians. I understand the authors' tendency to surmise such things from surrounding circumstances, but just as I found this kind of speculation to be objectionable in the work of Will Durant, that is equally true here.
   
   Still, this history was written by Christians for Christians, and the authors make no bones about that. As a result, they are prone to occasionally slip into sermonizing as they consider spiritual parallels between conditions in the 17th and 20th centuries. The book also ends with a call to national repentence and a reestablishment of the Covenant Way that marked the lives of the first colonials. As a committed Christian, I am comfortable with this perspective because all knowledge is God's knowledge and may be fairly integrated in this way. Secularists, however, will likely find this aspect of the book distracting. Nevertheless, the value of this book for filling in an important gap in most people's historical knowledge cannot be overstated.

5 comments about A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place, Member Book UPDATED.

1. I received this product promptly, in excellent condition. It is a terrific study - worth the investment! I recommend it highly. :)



2. Such a wonderful, in depth look at the tabernacle. My husband and I did the study together over several months and were so blessed by the insight.
   Would recommend to women and men !



3. The book was in Great shape,I have told all my friends this is the way to buy books.It came to me in just a few days.I also love the contents.thanks



4. Beth Moore's updated Bible study, "A Woman's Heart: God's Dwelling Place," is a mixture of the material she published 10 years ago and the lessons she's learned since. The exercises are slightly changed - not all for the better. Typos and poor editing make me long for the first member book.
   
   However, as a complete package, the updated video teaching is typical Beth - energetic, thought-provoking, and full of wisdom and humor. You absolutely cannot complete this study and NOT be changed!



5. I've done half a dozen of Moore's studies and I find them excellent -- except this one. I was really disappointed. Maybe she hadn't refined her style this early in her career, I don't know. One thing that bothered me was the amount of Scripture we needed to look up. It began to feel like school; it got really tedious. It got to the point where it felt condescending to do all the matching and T/F. I think she could have put some of the verses in the margins and had us follow along with the main chunk of Scripture in our Bibles. The second thing was that I didn't really feel any cohesion. She goes through the making of the tabernacle and draws illustrations to our lives, but, in doing so, she seemed to be all over the place. With her other studies, she would go through the Scripture in an orderly manner (occasionally including references to other verses) and draw out meaning directly from what we were studying. Not so with this study. She goes through the building of the tabernacle and draws meaning from other places, and sometimes it's a stretch.
   
   I will continue to do Moore's studies because I believe she is a gifted teacher and discipler. This is just one study out of many that I had a hard time getting through.

5 comments about Let the Nations Be Glad! 2d ed..

1. Piper's book reveals God's desire to glorify Himself by reaching all [elect] peoples. In that regard, his book is a good place to start for non-Calvinists, and Calvinists by name only, if they remember that Piper's call is one based on "duty" to God alone and not one of Love for ALL sinners as verses like John 3:16 clearly state. Under the New Covenant the Law of Christ is fulfilled in love and any attempt to evangelize from a sense of duty will be unimpassioned and doomed to failure. Take it from a missionary who has worked for over 10 years in Africa; Piper's catch phrases like "worship is the fuel of missions" won't keep you afloat--during the tough times that is where love for God and ALL sinners will be your heart's motivation.
   
   Unfortunately, for other Calvinists, Piper's book (and JI Packer's) doesn't reveal how a practicing Calvinist can sincerely share the gospel with ALL sinners. As Piper is a self-proclaimed 7-point Calvinist (no typo, it's even on his website), and a defender of reprobation, I can't recommend his other books either. The singular theme of Piper's books boil down to Theologism based on popular Calvinism. For a meatier and more theologically balanced view of missions check out What in the World is God Doing: The Essentials of Global Missions: An Introductory Guide.



2. I am rating this book a 1 only so that it will be seen with this other 1star review.
   
   I was looking at the reviews for this book prior to purchasing and (as is my custom) I looked at the 1star review first. To my chagrin, D. Noronha's non-review review is what I saw...
   
   I hesitate to do this but feel compelled given your scathing review... this list is not exhaustive but is at least representative of the glaring errors in your "review".
   *first and foremost, any review beginning with "I have not finished this book yet" should be summarily dismissed
   *"attrocious use with the English language" - atrocious use of the english language...(sort of like yours)
   *"scrambling to cohere to a malconstrued outline" - scrambling to adhere to a misconstrued outline (perhaps this is what was meant?)
   *"of great theologeans" - of great theologians
   *"hardly an exigesis" - i am fairly certain you meant "exegesis" (possibly eisegesis if you were being negative...)



3. This was my first time purchasing an item from Amazon and I was completely satisfied with my purchase. I received the book with-in a few days, including a holiday and weekend for shipping. The book was in great shape and I got it for a good price. I would use this provider again!!



4. I am thankful to God for allowing me to have read "Let the Nations be Glad" by John Piper. In it, Piper immediately draws the reader in by stating that "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is." Piper affiliates missions to the supremacy of God by insisting that worship is the chief end of the church and not missions. He demonstrates this by stating that worship is ultimate and not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. Piper explains that missions are temporary while worship abides forever and goes on to say that worship is the fuel and goal of missions.
   
   In my opinion this book is completely consistent with the Scriptures. This book is supremely God centered, Biblical, and Christ exalting in nature. It is also very accessible and practical to the average Christian reader like myself while simultaneously possessing scholarly and theological depth. In chapter one, subsequent to providing the Biblical texts which show God's zeal for His own glory, Piper wisely addresses the anticipated question on how self exaltation can be a loving act. I found Piper's answer to be both Biblical and helpful. I also enjoyed Piper's exhortation to evangelism when love for the lost is weak. I agree with Piper and Dawson who say that our primary motive for evangelism should not stem from compassion for the lost but out of a love for God and a passion for His glory. In chapter two I enjoyed the parallels between the Christian life and warfare, with prayer being the wartime walki-talkie for the mission of the church. In chapter three I was moved by the role suffering plays in relation to mission efforts. It is amazing to understand that the suffering missionaries face is not unforeseen by the Lord but rather appointed by Him for specific reasons. Chapter four is theological sound as it shows the necessity for the atoning work of Jesus Christ for the salvation of all men. Chapter five is the culmination of the book which encourages missionary work and demonstrates the supremacy of God among the nations. In it Piper makes a good argument from the Greek language to show that we are to make disciples of all people groups (panta ta ethne) and not just individuals.
   
   Upon reading this book my entire outlook on missions has changed. I now realize that missions are not God's ultimate goal, worship is. As Piper stated, "The deepest reason why our passion for God should fuel missions is that God's passion for God fuels missions." In other words: God's passion for God should be the foundation for our passion for Him. Perhaps the most striking point in this book is the idea that God is passionate for His own Glory. The goal of missions, according to Piper is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. This book has been very informative on my understanding of missions and convicting considering the time I spend on my walki-talkie for missionaries abroad. There is no greater cause in the entire world than the glory of God and Piper eloquently describes how missions are intimately connected to that cause. Piper is correct when he says the doctrine of unconditional election is the missionary's great hope. Missions cannot fail because election cannot fail.



5. John Piper has been the Pastor for Preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 1980. He is the author of over 30 books and the founder of Desiring God ministries. The second edition of Let the Nations Be Glad was published in 2003.
   
   Summary of Let the Nations Be Glad
   
   On the back cover of the second edition of Let the Nations Be Glad, Patrick Johnstone, author of Operation World says, "This book has glorified God and helped to bring missions from the periphery to the center of the worldview of many Christians, and it is faithful to the Scriptures."
   
   In Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper reminds us that the true reason we share God with others is to magnify the supremacy of Christ in this world in order to make others behold, and savor and glorify God in the gospel. Piper begins the book stating, "Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man . . . worship abides forever" (p. 17). This opening statement lays the foundation for Let the Nations Be Glad. Pastor Piper has in mind Revelation 7:9-10, "a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, `Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'" In that sense, worship is the ultimate goal of the gospel and the supremacy of God in missions. Missions will one day end, but the great multitude of believers from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, will cry out before the throne of God above in worship, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb."
   
   What is missions? Piper makes the point that Christian missions is an expression of God's ultimate worth over creation and his loving passion to seek and save the lost for his name's sake (cf. Luke 19:10). Let the Nations Be Glad is divided into three parts and seven chapters with an afterword by Tom Steller.
   
   The three major parts are:
   
   1. Making God Supreme in Missions: The Purpose, the Power, and the Price
   2. Making God Supreme in Missions: The Necessity and Nature of the Task
   3. Making God Supreme in Missions: The Practical Outworking of Compassion and Worship
   
   Piper's stated goal of missions is, "We simply aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God's glory" (p. 17). His consistency allows for nothing less than the supremacy of God in missions through the gospel of Jesus Christ, worship, prayer, and the suffering of believers so that all the nations may know and worship him.
   
   The first chapter covers the supremacy of God in missions through worship. Chapters two and three discuss the nature and purpose of prayer and suffering in God's Missio Dei. Pastor Piper supports his point that God is worthy of our worship and praise, worthy of our lives by stating the opening of the Westminster Shorter Catechism: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever," while adding, and "the chief end of God is to glorify God and enjoy himself forever" (p. 21). For Piper, that is why worship is ultimate. Global evangelism cannot be truly seen for what it is to God unless understand God for who he is.
   
   Chapter two outlines the role and nature of prayer in missions. Piper writes, "Prayer is not a domestic intercom . . . to ask for more comforts in the den" Instead, it is a strategic weapon of choice for pressing back the forces of darkness (pp. 49, 51). Therefore, he makes the point that prayer puts missions under the mercy of God.
   
   Chapter three intends to show how suffering relates to the supremacy of God in missions. Jesus taught, "Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it" (Mark 8:35). To Piper, the Bible clearly teaches that Christians will suffer, especially when proclaiming the gospel to those who will reject it. He suggests that though "Christ died for us so that we would not have to die for sin," that does not mean we will "not have to die for others" (p. 77). To that point, he says that we are often called to suffer for others just as Christ suffered for us, also including that suffering for good is gracious in the eyes of God. Piper's treatment of suffering and the supremacy of God are thoroughly biblical and richly theological.
   
   Chapter four discusses the supremacy of Christ as the "conscious focus of all saving faith" (p. 111). For that reason, this is one of the most important chapters in the book. Piper makes the biblical point that people cannot come to a conscious saving faith in Christ unless the message of Christ is given to them, and the message of Christ will not be given to them unless we go and share the gospel with them. The afterword by Tom Steller elaborates this point.
   
   The fifth chapter of Let the Nations Be Glad addresses the supremacy of God among all the nations. Pastor Piper suggests that the biblical definition of missions is not defined by love in itself; rather it is defined by God (cf. p. 155). He says, certainly God is love, but often the way we define love is different from "the ways of God" and "are not the way we would have done things with our limited views" (p. 155). This is important concerning the nations, because it is understandable that not all people will be saved.
   
   What does it mean to reach all peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations? Piper suggests that the "special missionary task will result in the greatest number of people groups reached with the testimony of Christ" and not necessarily the greatest number of individuals. I will discuss this point further in the critical evaluation portion of this review.
   
   The following two chapters outline Piper's purpose for writing the book along with a practical outworking of compassion for others that is a result of a passion for God's supremacy in this world. In chapter six, he mentions the influence of Jonathan Edwards on his theology and on the unity of motives for God's glory and the salvation of sinners in missions. He reminds us that Christ died to redeem a worshiping people for his Father (p. 208), and that we also have a motive for sharing the gospel that is rooted in our passion for God's glory and, therefore, seen in our compassion and love for people. Pastor Piper also reminds by way of Edwards that if we seek to honor God with our lives and seek to rescue people from hell, we must also pursue the lost even as they shy away from the light and rescue them from condemnation through prayer, suffering and by the Good News of salvation in Christ.
   
   Critical Evaluation of Let the Nations Be Glad
   
   I will address the issues of suffering for the supremacy of Christ and the great multitude in heaven (cf. Rev. 7:9-10) in this section of the review. Before getting to that, I want to take this opportunity to urge you to read this book. In my opinion, this is the most important book on missions available today outside of the biblical texts dealing with missions and evangelism. Let the Nations Be Glad is richly theological, and saturated with biblical expositions of related texts. Piper's theological understanding of missions is constant and applicable. Not only that, but he also reminds us that missions is ultimately about the glory of God.
   
   Chapter four, which deals with the role of suffering and the supremacy of Christ in missions is important. To many Christians in Western nations, this idea is difficult to identify with. Piper mentions Paul's words in Col. 1:24 in this chapter: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (see vv. 25-26 for context). His point is we should rejoice in our suffering and afflictions because we endure those things for the supremacy of Christ in the gospel and for the sake of those who hear and believe.
   
   In my opinion, this chapter makes sense of Christians who have willingly suffered for the sake of the gospel, even to the point of death, so that all peoples may hear the gospel preached. Why would Elisabeth Elliot return to those who murdered her husband to tell them the gospel? Why would any Christian die for the sake of the gospel at the hands of those they are trying to reach? They do it for the joy that is set before them, and they want others to be saved and worship him also.
   
   The second thing I want to address in this review is Piper's treatment of the supremacy of God among all the nations in chapter five. To begin, missions is genuinely the work of God through Christ. We are tools in his hands and he is the one who calls his sheep and "brings them into the fold through the preaching of those whom he sends" (p. 55). It is that biblical truth that should give us confidence in prayer, the heart to stand for the gospel and suffering for the sake of church, and the passion to seek to save others from hell.
   
   It is in that context that Piper suggests that the "special missionary task will result in the greatest number of people groups reached with the testimony of Christ." In view of Rev. 7:9-10, our view of missions should be a global idea. Piper makes the point that if we actually plan on reaching the most people, we should probably focus on regions were the church is established (e.g. primarily, the United States, parts of Africa, and China). Do you see the problem there? Piper's point here is important because Rev. 7:9-10 says that the great multitude will include peoples from every tribe, tongue, and nation. To that position, Piper provides a detailed word study of the Greek word used in the New Testament for people, ethnos, explaining the uses and intent of the singular and plural. I highly recommend chapter five be read twice.
   
   Conclusion
   
   Piper's strengths in Let the Nations Be Glad are similar to his strengths in God is the Gospel and Desiring God. He is passionately committed to God's supremacy in all aspects of missions. In Let the Nations Be Glad, he seeks to help us understand God's love and compassion for the nations. But more importantly, he helps us to understand how we should view God's mission. I highly recommend Let the Nations Be Glad for anyone wanting to read a thorough biblical theology of missions.

5 comments about When Men Become Gods: Mormon Polygamist Warren Jeffs, His Cult of Fear, and the Women Who Fought Back.

1. It is a very good book, gives a good overall insite to the entire FLDS religion,if you are unfamilar with the Mormanism, I would reccomend reading "Under the Banner of Heaven" first to give you a good understanding of the roots of the FLDS.



2. This numbers among most of the most shocking books I have ever read and I am 71 years old and have read a great deal. It numbers right up there with works about the Holocaust, Soviet communism, and other disgusting things that have taken place in this world. I appreciate Mr. Singular's expose of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints Church and I would warn regular Mormons that you are going to be painted with this brush, so climb down from your prissy perch. This stuff is going on in the USA!! For God's sake, somebody do something!! For one thing, read this book. I have started reading it the second time and will likely read it several more times.



3. I've read quite a few books on Mormon fundamentalists but very little about Jeffs himself. This book is the first to explain his terrible effect on people just trying to do the right thing. Fascinating page-turner, very well written. AVOID the book by Carole Western called Inside the World of Warren Jeffs - there's about 3 pages about Jeffs and rest is somewhat dull stories of LDEF members - a really terrible read.



4. This book is an indepth look at the creation of the Fundementalist Church of the Latter Day Saints, the offshoot of traditional Mormonism that has its roots on the border of Arizona and Utah. This group has recently been in the news because after their move to Texas, the authorities there swept in and took away over 400 children in order to investigate charges of forced marriages by underage girls. While the case there has fizzled out, perhaps it wouldn't have if the entire country read this book. The FLDS embraced polygamy and left the LDS church when it abandoned it in return for Utah achieving statehood in the late 1890s. The people of Colorado City Arizona and Hildale Utah are deeply under the spell of their leader Warren Jeffs. Jeffs, who took command of the group after the death of his father, put the entire community under his spell and after reading and studying Hitler and Napoleon, began breaking up families and using his power to reward those most faithful to him. All of the property in the entire community was turned over to him, and the group "bled the beast" by taking hundreds of millions of dollars in state welfare aid each year. Women who fled the cult started exposing the dirty secrets of Jeffs: his 180 wives, girls married at the age of 14, schools closed down, young men kicked out of town so they wouldn't compete with the older men for wives. The sins of Jeffs are many, and Singular does a terrific job of enumerating them. He lays out the case that put Jeffs on the FBIs most wanted list and eventually brought about his capture. Jeffs was found guilty of abetting a rape in late 2007, and charges against him are still pending. Singular offers up some hope for the communities he writes about, but I wish that he had been able to give more information about the YFZ (Yearning for Zion) Ranch in Texas where many of the staunchest holdouts have taken refuge. For more information about this read Carolyn Jessop's fantastic memoir, Escape, and watch Laurie Allen's DVD Banking on Heaven. Taken all three together, they are excellent exposes of this cult-like group. I give this book 5 stars.



5. I had been curious about this cult and had lots of questions that aren't answered in newspaper stories. This book helped me understand how they live. My main question was what happens to the leftover boys. I had to read almost to the end to get the answer, but he did address that issue.

5 comments about Expecting Miracles: True Stories of God's Supernatural Power and How You Can Experience It.

1. The Baker's are an amazing couple who truly live out their faith in a very real way. They have amazing stories in this book that will expand your way of looking at what God can do. I have read several of their books and I am never disappointed.



2. This book is an exciting story of the marvelous events that happened when Heidi and Roland Baker committed their lives to dependance upon God and sought to love Jesus Christ to the fullest. It also is a window into seeing the intense price paid by these 2 committed members of the Family of God. God's character of healing, provision and liberty from evil spirits is clearly revealed in their persons and work. It challenged me out of my comfortable assumption that I knew about love and propeled me into confrontation with my deep hunger for more intimacy with Jesus Christ and to see God's character demonstrated in my life with signs and wonders. The book is a record from various blogs and diary like entries that testify to the immediacy and transparency of their ongoing ministry of dependance and service. It is compelling in it's testimony to the aunthentic character of life sold out to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. If you are "stuck" in ineffective Christian life and know that there is "more" - read this book. If you are dissatisfied with your judgements that the Christian life is all fake and hypocritical and wonder how it has survived through the centuries -- read this book. If you dispair in thinking tha



3. A simply beautiful love song of a book to the Lord. God, continue to pour out your blessings on the work of this couple and all their associates in Jesus' name.
   
   Truly a must read for every believer!



4. I fully excpect to not just witness God's miraculous Power but to walk in it as well! Read this book and your faith will come up into a new dimension! God can handle whatever your situation is and He will make His Face to shine on you!!! TRUST Him!



5. This book won't collect any prizes for great literature, being essentially a journal and a collection of blogs, but the story it tells is amazing. I couldn't be more impressed with Heidi and Rolland Baker. They are just ordinary people who have said, "Yes, God" and laid their lives on the alter, letting God work through them to do His will and bring His kingdom to the poorest (but richest) people on earth. It is both inspiring and convicting, because it reveals what incredible and mind-boggling things the Lord can accomplish through anyone who has died to self and is totally yielded to Him. The Bakers are a living portrait of the love of Jesus in action.

5 comments about Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality.

1. Rob makes a great case for merging the physical and the spiritual. It's about much more than just our sexuality in relationship to our spirituality. Good book for challenging a small group to think through the ramifications of traditional thought systems.



2. The book was awesome and has great insight, and you can definitely learn a lot and be encouraged, but you should be real careful because some theological point are sacrificed a little bit or stretched to make other points. Other than that its a great read, fast read, and is definitely encouraging.



3. I would recommend "Sex God" to anyone really -- whether you're in a casual relationship or completely celibate. In the book, Rob Bell approaches the often-avoided topic of sex with practicality and an open mind.
   
   I didn't feel this book pushed a particular agenda or preached. It simply explored. Bell offers a range of ideas formed around the framework of a strong faith in God. What is sex? How is God expressed in sex? Is it OK for us to have sex? What does sex mean? All these urgent questions are approached tactfully and frankly at the same time.
   
   I enjoyed this read.



4. It isn't fair to critique a book I haven't read. That being said, the title and the contents offend me right from the start. "SexGod": It doesn't take a genius to observe our current culture and the trashiness that exists--and this "author" will join together in a title what humans have abused with the One who created it (to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage)?
   
   Have some RESPECT for the holy God!! The Jews, out of reverence for God won't even type or write out his name as we do. They will use G-d!
   
   And the name of the chapters: "God Wears Lipstick", "Leather, Whips and Fruit", "Whoopee Forever". No further comment.
   
   Just read the Bible! See our sin, and how a Holy God cannot have fellowship (connection) with sin, and how he provided redemption Rev. 5:9 "with your blood you purchased men for God". Read Revelation and how God has a future in Heaven, perfect, free from sin. Rev 4:8: "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty...".
   
   Whoopee forever? Not. Worship God forever, oh yes!



5. Everyone who is getting married should read this book. Everyone who is dating should read this book. Everyone who is single should read this book. Everyone who is married, divorce, widow or whatever should read this book. Specially, everyone who would like to learn more about God's love an his connection with us should read this. I love this book. My friends and I had a discussion (book club) about the book and we all came to the same conclusion: we want and need to read it over and over again. Love it!

5 comments about God's Brothel: The Extortion of Sex for Salvation in Contemporary Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy and the Stories of 18 Women Who Escaped.

1. This is about Bible-based fundamentalist polygamy. This is a hot topic associated with the current best seller Escape and also Jon Krakauer sensational Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith. Those books convey polygamy is a euphemism for cults that promote child rape and women enslavement.
   
   The author discloses a map showing Mormons and Christian fundamentalist polygamist communities spread all over the U.S. and Mexico. Some members live in major cities besides Salt Lake City such as Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Sacramento. Fundamentalists LDS (Mormons following the original scriptures of Joseph Smith) are fragmented among tens of groups. Those groups split apart to create new groups in other areas. They are lead by self appointed leaders who claim being direct descendents of either Joseph Smith or Jesus.
   
   These self-proclaimed prophets are delusional. They rewrite the history of the world to fit their mad self glorification (pg 157). They have apocalyptic visions of the return of Christ. Some proclaim communicating with beings from other planets (pg 156). Others lead anti-government militia and believe the government controls the weather (pg. 169). A few have been arrested and placed in azylum.
   
   Groups splitting results from rivalries. A rival breaks away from a group to start his own, declares himself a prophet. The splitting gets violent with killings under the guise of religious "blood atonement." Such killings are also aimed at members trying to escape.
   
   The author suggests that the ills of fundamentalist polygamy emanate from Joseph Smith scriptures. She quotes his `Doctrine and Covenants': "And if he have ten virgins..., he cannot commit adultery, for they belong to him,... if one... of the ten virgins..., shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed..." Those words engendered communities that both the author and Jon Krakauer compare to the Taliban.
   
   The author covers the history of the Mormon Church and how mainstream Mormons renounced polygamy only under military attacks from the Feds. To this day she indicates that in Utah State and police authorities make efforts to avoid prosecuting polygamy and related crimes (child molesting and rape, etc...). As polygamists referring to Utah authorities say "That prosecution dog don't hunt."
   
   Such communities are disasters for males too. If the average male has 5 wives, this means 80% of the males are ousted to maintain this unnatural 5-to-1 female/male multiple. What happens to the 80% of males? The author states on page 50 "they are driven away... [or] stay to become worker bees ... or they die mysteriously." On page 181, she reiterates how they die mysteriously of car accidents on rural roads with no traffic.
   
   Such societies are disasters for children. They are deprived from descent education, nutrition, and parenting. They are exploited as child labor to work for free for the businesses managed by those communities. The level of child abuse, beating, molestation, pedophilia, sodomy of young boys, and rape is sickening. On pg. 171: "My father began raping me when I was eight years old. My mother sexually abused all of us..." Herpes among very young children related to sexual abuse is common. Girls as young as nine are ordered to marry relatives sometimes in their fifties. They bear children soon after risking their own lives in the process. They never receive adequate medical care. They are taken out of school at a young age to ensure their total economic dependence.
   
   From a genetic standpoint, this lifestyle is insane. The level of in-breeding through inter-marriages is unprecedented in the U.S. The rate of Down syndrome, autism, dwarfism, and deformities in many of those communities is sky high. Down Syndrome is hoped for by expectant parents because such individuals are compliant and bring in larger government benefits (pg. 173). Community leaders attribute those deformities as God's punishments to wives that have not been subservient. They don't know that procreating through incest, uncle and nieces, and brothers and sisters is not good.
   
   The health of women is entirely subjugated to procreation. Women are ordered to produce a child per year regardless of their health condition. Women often have more than 10 children with little means to support any. On page 126, a testimonial describes a woman dying of brain cancer who gave birth against the advice of the doctors. She died during childbirth. Child birth is undertaken without any descent health care support. On page 136: "Brenda's pregnancy ended in miscarriage, and she hemorrhaged for four hours with out any medical attention." Treatment of women amounts to persecution (pg. 163: `Her husband had mutilated her genitals ... with fishing wire.'
   
   From an economic standpoint, those communities are failures. They live in some form of totalitarian communism whereby all economic resources and assets are owned by the Church. The individual laborers (mainly wives and children) keep nothing. Economic subsistence is solely reliant on State and Federal subsidies. Those communities are all adept in extracting the maximum government benefits totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars. And, they are proud of this feat. They call it "bleeding the beast" as an effort to bring the government down.
   
   The testimonials of the 18 women who survived polygamy are nauseating. This passage comes to mind: `When Laura was four, one of her stepbrothers tied her to a bedpost and attempted to rape her... After I was crying, my father told me he would slap me until I stopped crying, which he proceeded to do... My mother made herself busy in the kitchen so she wouldn't have to watch." Another passage: `on her 16th birthday, her father took her for a ride in his Cadillac because it was time for her "Sexuality Lesson."
   
   The book gives you much more in depth info that I don't come close to cover. This is an important book to read for anyone interested on the subject.



2. This book gives a small history of polygamy and then chronicles the lives of women who lived it. Short (6-10 page) chapters highlight each woman's experience and it is a very fast read.
   
   I am just finishing the book and my eyes have truly been opened about Polygamy in the U.S. It's sickening what I've learned about these poor innocent children raised in these sects. It's encouraged me to get involved to help stop this madness.



3. I bought this book to find out what was actually going on in the fundamentalist branches of the LSD Church. I also wanted to know how all this was viewed by the mainstream LSD church. I felt the information was well researched and documented. I learned what I wanted to know in an interesting way. I feel the title "God's Brothel" was probably picked by the editors to sell the book. It sounds sensationalist but it is not.
   
   Every taxpayer who thinks that this subject is about religious freedom and not worth analyzing should read this book. They will find that this appalling story is about abuse of power and abuse of the American system by men who abuse religious power over women and abuse the welfare system to amass wealth which is the other side of the story.
   
   Read it whether you think you're interested or not, because you will be.



4. God's Brothel: The Extortion of Sex for Salvation in Contemporary Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist Polygamy and the Stories of 18
   This book is a must read for anyone who is interested in learning more about the psychological dynamics employed by Fundamentalist, FLDS sect leaders to control the lives of the women they "spiritually" marry. All who wonder about these sects of FLDS clans should read this book. The book reveals the extant of control and mental abuse that is a basic tenet in the mental control of multiple wives and their many children. The men make the wives live in poverty and on welfare and foods stamps as the male leaders absolutely control ownership of all property and the considerable wealth of these communes. The men refer to this practice of getting federal aid as "bleeding the beast", or seditiously attempting to bankrupt the Government of the United States.
   
   Male children become undesirables as they approach adolescence because there are just so many 13 year old "virgins" to go around as teen brides for the elders of these clans. Teenage boys either become homeless ("lost boys") without education or trade except carpentry skills. In many cases, these boys are excommunicated for trivial transgressions like talking to girls or watching television. Within some sects (i.e. the LeBaron clan) teen boys are taken into the desert, shot and buried. Ervil LeBaron even murdered his own daughter, Becky in "Blood Atonement" for questioning his authority.
   
   Women and children are chattel (property), to be dispensed to favored elders as rewards for their fealty to their leader. In many cases, spiritual wives and children are taken from one husband and given to other, more favored male elder. There is no paperwork trail except "Temple Sealing" documents as proof for these exchanges. No marriage license is required. This book discusses the Morman "Doctrine and Covenants-132", written by Joseph Smith in which he (in his unique method of convoluted reasoning) justifies the "taking of virgins" as being justified by the Heavenly Father. However, all LDS church members support these Doctrine and Covenants in the belief that they become polygamists after death to create "spirit babies" which are then transported by Morman families to earth.
   
   The book details the story of (18) women who came from several of the (11) active sects of FLDS, "families". The women in this book were offered shelter in organization called the Tapestry of Polygamy for support and counseling which prepares they and their children for entry into an outside society which is totally foreign to their experience, training and belief systems. Many of these women have to be relocated out of state, and be given new names as protection against being found and severely punished by the "Prophet" for leaving their sect.



5. It was a good introduction to a lot of different polygamist sects but I craved more detail for each situation.

5 comments about Sparkling Gems From The Greek: 365 Greek Word Studies For Every Day Of The Year To Sharpen Your Understanding Of God's Word.

1. After my daily Bible reading or study, Sparkling Gems is an added delight. From it, I can also prepare Teachings for small or large groups; I have also found that I hear from God in a very personal way at times..... Sparkling Gems is like no other daily devotionals I have ever experienced. It is a real Gem in one's life!
   Marcia Guillen, Curacao, NA



2. This book is the best devotional I have ever read.It has really been a blessing in my life.I received this book as a gift it was such a blessing to me a purchased one for my Pastor and I also recommended it to several friends.This book is a must for any Christian Library.



3. This daily devotional is excellent. It has The Word, it has the definition of The Word, it has a daily prayer to pray, a daily declaration to declare, and a list of questions to ask yourself.
   
   It is a comprehensive, truth revealing, life changing study/gem.
   
   I have bought 8 to give to others. It is the only daily devotional/study book that I have actually greatly anticipated reading and done so on an ongoing basis.
   
   It is an excellent tool and investment for your life.



4. This book is a powerful learning tool that enhances the reader's experience into God's word. The book is a 365 day devotional that takes readers into a deeper look of our English words through the Greek language. This is an exceptional read that truly touches and moves the believer to stir up the fire for Jesus inside of themselves. I recommend this "gemstone".



5. This devotional is wonderful. It is a great way to get some in-depth study for a devotional time. It will enlighten and deepen your walk with God in a very real way. It is a great book to give you more in-depth study, but to apply it to your every day life.