Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health by Donald S. Whitney

When I requested a book to review, NavPress also threw in this book so I'm not really required to review it but am more than happy to do so.  I wasn't familiar with this author but I love this book.  It has 10 questions that help you to stop and think about your walk with God.  Even though this is a fairly short book, you will want to work through it slowly in order to give yourself time to make sure you are seeking God's grace to grow in the various areas.  It's the type of book that I would go back and read again, and be convicted again.  I would definitely recommend it to others!

My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

What Did You Expect?? by Paul David Tripp

This is a book explaining how our expectations going into marriage can be different than reality.  Tripp explains how marriage should be Christ-centered and he gives six commitments that couples should make by God's grace.
This book would be helpful especially for younger engaged couples or newlyweds, especially if they are not as grounded in the faith.
There are a couple things I would have liked to have seen explained more in this book.
1. A Biblical explanation of the roles of husbands and wives since misunderstanding in this area can lead to problems.
2. What to do if your spouse is not a believer or not committed to the things discussed in this book (as in I Peter 3).  (Crossway provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique).

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Church Planting is for Wimps by Mike McKinley

"How God uses messed-up people to plant ordinary churches that do extraordinary things" is the subtitle of this book and sums it up pretty well.  Mike McKinley shares how God led him and his wife to a church that was in desperate need of revitalization.  He shared things he learned and tries to encourage others that are being used by God in planting or revitalizing churches.


I requested to review this book because my husband is a pastor / church planter and we thought it might be a good read.  First of all, if you are looking for a detailed how-to book, this is not the one we'd recommend.  However, if you are looking for encouragement from someone that would understand some of the difficulties you may be facing in this type of ministry then this a helpful book.  It was very refreshing to be reminded to be faithful in the things that are most important and let God do His work.  (Crossway provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique).





My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Family Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham Jr.

When I first received this book I was skeptical.  Perhaps because I had never heard of the author and so I wasn't expecting much.  However, I was very pleasantly surprised.  This book really challenges parents to take seriously the responsibilities that God has entrusted to us.  Children are precious gifts and we must be diligent in teaching them.  This is a very thought-provoking book and I highly recommend it.  You may not agree with every detail, but reading this book will be time well-spent.  (Crossway provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique).


My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

The Church History ABC's: Augustine and Twenty-Five other Heroes of the Faith by Stephen J. Nichols and Ned Bustard

This picture book gives a short biographical look at 26 people in church history.  This would be great for giving your kids an overview of such a broad subject.  It helps answer the question: "Where do I even start?"  Each letter of the alphabet briefly introduces one person.  You can easily read a page each day to even very young children.  I have a two year old and a five year old and they both ask me to read it to them.  The pictures are well-done and even most parents will learn a few things as they read.  Also, in the back of the book is a little more detailed summary of each person.  In addition, you may want to visit their website that includes printable coloring pages and other fun things.
(Crossway provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique).


My rating:  5 out of 5 stars

An Army of Ordinary People by Felicity Dale

I requested this book thinking that it was about how God uses ordinary people to plant churches.  Unfortunately their definition of a church was not Biblically-based.  This book actually gives a bunch of examples of people starting what should be called Bible studies.

Dale talked about the "simple church" or "home church."  No one is the primary teacher.  There is not governmental structure.  The Bible is clear that churches are to have pastors (i.e. elders) and deacons.  Pastors are responsible as under-shepherds to care for the flock and the flock is responsible to obey those that have the rule over them (Heb. 13:17).  Pastors have the responsibility to study the Word and feed the flock (I Peter 5:2).  Dale however deemphasized the need for Biblical training or careful teaching of the Word.  

There also are times throughout the book where verses were taken out of context in order to promote the "simple church" idea.  One example is when Matthew 18:20 was used as a definition of the church.  This verse however is meant to encourage those that are in the middle of carrying out church discipline.  It is not definitive of what a church is.

There were some good points in the book.  Dale explained the need for more personal relationships within the church family as well as the need for more time and energy given to evangelism and discipleship.  I would heartily agree.  In conclusion, I have no problem with churches that meet in homes, however, what Dale described as a "simple church" lacks structure and key elements that the Bible emphasizes.
(Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique).

My rating:  1 out of 5 stars

I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby

This book is a 226 page biography / autobiography of the lives of Mary-Ann and her family.  First, let me explain that Hutterites are a branch of the Anabaptists and they live in communities that share everything.  Kirkby begins the book by depicting the lives of her parents and how they met and started a family.  Then we see the tension build as her family experienced tremendous difficulties and conflict within the colony.  Finally, when the decision to leave is made, we witness the financial, emotional, and social changes that challenged them for the coming years. 

My thoughts about the book: The book was interesting and read more like a novel than an autobiography.  I appreciated the detail that drew you in and made you feel empathetic for the characters.  However, I didn't appreciate God's name being taken in vain several times throughout the book and some other inappropriate language that was included.  In addition, the ending seemed abrupt and left the reader with questions.
(Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique.)


My rating:   3 out of 5 stars

Plan B by Pete Wilson

     In this book Pastor Pete Wilson talked about trials and what to do when we're faced with them.  Throughout the book he gave real life examples of friends and church family that faced very difficult circumstances.  It's 226 pages plus an extra section with questions for each chapter.
     First of all, this book was very easy to read and the stories were engaging and relatable to trials that I've faced.  However, I generally was disappointed with the book. 
     1.  Inappropriate language-  There were several spots with bathroom humor and a couple times with insinuated bad language.  It seemed that he was trying too hard to gather a wide reader audience.
     2.  He quoted from Alcoholics Anonymous, Rick Warren, and Mother Teresa as though they are biblically sound sources.  Space does not permit me to explain why these and other sources are generally not biblically sound.
     3.  He did not always interpret Scripture accurately.  I'll give just two examples.
           a.)  He discussed a passage in Ezekiel in which God is referring to the people of Israel and said that the passage is dealing with the Church.
           b.)  Toward the end of the book, he talked about how the fall of man "was the original Plan B...But immediately after the Fall, God went to work on a plan to bring redemption to each of us..."    With God there are no Plan B's and He planned the cross before man was even created.
     4.  When he discussed salvation, little was said about God's judgment and wrath, our sinfulness, and the need for repentance.

     There were some things in the book that were great and biblical, but he seemed to spend too little time on what mattered most and too much time on things that could have been left out of the book completely. 

     Obviously, what we need most is God's Word.  I'd suggest starting a journal and writing down what God teaches you about Himself.  Also a good book/DVD set is Quieting a Noisy Soul which you can get here.  There are also some good sermons that you can listen to here for free.
(Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique.)

My rating for Plan B:  1 out of 5 stars

The Lightlings by R. C. Sproul

     Charlie Cobb, like most boys and girls, did not like the dark.  So he asked his grandpa why he and so many other people are afraid of the dark.  Grandpa answered his question with a story about the King of Light and His people called the lightlings.  This allegorical story portrays the creation, fall, the incarnation of Christ and salvation through Him.
     This is another great children's book by Sproul.  I personally did not like the illustrations in this one as much, but the book is definitely one that will spark their interest and encourage them to desire to know more about God especially when followed with the questions and verses at the end of the book.  My two children (ages 2 and almost 5) have enjoyed this story as well as the Prince's Poison Cup.    You can purchase The Lightlings here. 
(Reformation Trust Publishing will be providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique.)

My rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars

The Prince's Poison Cup by R. C. Sproul

    This story begins with a little girl who is sick and must take some medicine.  This causes her to wonder why something that is supposed to make you better tastes awful.  Her grandfather answers her question by telling her a story about a prince who had to drink a terrible poison.  As the story unfolds children can see that like Jesus this prince is obedient to his father even to death and they can see the wonderful gift of salvation that is offered.
     I would highly recommend this book.  It is very difficult to find children's books like this one that accurately portray the truths of Scripture.  The story is interesting and the illustrations which are by Justin Gerard are captivating.  In addition, at the end of the book are great questions with Bible verses that will help parents teach their children the Scriptural truths that are presented in this story.  You can purchase a copy (of the book, audio, or DVD) here. 
(Reformation Trust Publishing will be providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique.)

     My rating: 5 out of 5 stars

If I Could Ask God Anything by Kathryn Slattery

   This book is filled with over 175 questions and answers for kids.  Topics include God, the Bible, prayer, and the Church.  The author attempts to give kids and their parents Biblically-based answers to questions that are key to understanding Christianity.
   I was pleased with the wide selection of questions that were chosen, however, I was mostly disappointed with the book.  The author answered the questions in such a way as to appeal to "Christians" in a very broad sense of the word rather than giving answers that are strictly Biblical.  She referred to all people as God's children and overemphasized God's love (very little was said about his holiness).  At times, she took promises from the Bible that are for Christians and applied them to anyone.  I would not recommend this book since it was not doctrinally sound and could be very misleading for a child.
(Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for a fair critique.)

My rating:  1 out of 5 stars

Christian Encounters: Saint Patrick by Jonathan Rogers

   This was a short biography of St. Patrick who was a slave in Ireland, escaped back to his home in Britain and later returned to Ireland to share the gospel of Christ.  In addition to giving us a sketch of his life, Rogers included throughout the book some legends and myths and tries to separate the truth from fiction.  Also, Patrick's own writings are included in the appendices.
   This book was informative but the writing style was not as interesting as I was hoping.  The first couple pages were setting the historical background and gave the book a slow start, but overall the book was a good read.  If you decide to get this book, you should definitely read Patrick's writings at the end.  They gave me a better understanding of his beliefs.  After reading this book, I feel like I now have a much better knowledge of this missionary who loved God and the people he served.
(Thomas Nelson has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to critique.)

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars