August can be an ideal month to catch up on some reading, as we enjoy a break from other commitments and the pace of life slows slightly (at least for some!). The following is a wonderfully diverse gathering of interesting Christian publications, some released by popular international publishers, others self-published works that Prophecy Today wishes to highlight. We hope to add to this list throughout the month of August - so do check back!

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Follow Jesus!’ by David Pennant (Silver Lining Books 2021)

This book is in two distinct parts. In fact the material was originally intended to form two books but because individually they would be too short, the author decided to combine them. However, each of the two parts stands on its own.

Part One is entitled ‘Do I have to go to Church?’ But instead of it being an investigation into the nature of church and the alternatives to normal church attendance, this is largely autobiographical. This may satisfy some who like to hear someone reminisce through various anecdotes and life experiences, but it left me wondering when the book would really get going.

After a while it did take off, mainly when Pennant starts to talk about his life as a curate in charge of two village churches. On arrival he was told there was little to do, so he set about trying to change things. Clearly Pennant has the right idea of what church should be like, decrying the fact that most churches “operate like a London bus, with one driver and all the rest being passengers” (p. 43). How he tries to put this right is what makes this part of the book worthwhile.

The book is very honest, with Pennant being prepared to admit to his disappointments and disobedience. Overall, it’s a very human book. Essentially, the first half is about following Jesus (which the author is passionate about) rather than attending church.

Part Two is called ‘Can I trust the Bible?’ and tackles most of the usual questions when this topic is debated. For instance, in regard to authorship, contradictions, accuracy of transmission and translations. Pennant has clearly spent time studying the various manuscripts, having picked up a good knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, which is helpful when explaining some of the passages he has chosen to explore.

Part Two consists of just one chapter so be prepared to settle down for a longer read if you want to maintain the thread. While difficult to know how much to recommend this book to a general readership, it has the advantage of being very cheaply available on Amazon.

Tom Lennie considers ‘The Good and Beautiful You: Discovering the Person Jesus Created You to Be’ by James Bryan Smith (2022).

Some of the biggest barriers to spiritual transformation in our lives come from our own toxic narratives about ourselves, narratives that shape the way we see ourselves and the way we interact with the world. Healing our souls requires more than knowing what God thinks about us. Our healing comes not through reason alone, but through revelation.

The Good and Beautiful You addresses the self-narratives that hinder spiritual growth and the desires of the soul that only God can satisfy. James Bryan Smith reminds us how Scripture reveals the beauty and goodness of our own souls and how we long for healing that only God can provide.

This is a book especially aimed at existing believers who yet struggle with their sense of identity – who they are in Christ. Sensitively and compassionately, the author reminds the reader by multiple means that we are utterly loved by God, desired, forgiven and made holy in Jesus’s name. There are chapters on our calling, our inner longings and our – soon to be – glorification. Each chapter takes the form of exposing the false narratives, the lies that we tell ourselves, before outlining the truth from God’s word and heart. And each chapter is followed by Soul Training – some practical examples we can take in the discovery of who we truly are in Christ.

Kathryn Price reviews ‘The Book That Made Your World, How the Bible created the soul of Western Civilization’ by Vishal Mangalwadi (2012)

When I first read this book last year, it was an eye-opener for me. I have heard a lot about the Christian foundation of Europe and Britain, and some of it is plain to see. But what Indian author, Vishal Mangalwadi (a Christian philosopher and former missionary in rural India) does in this book is examine the impact of the Bible on the world, covering a vast sweep of both history and concepts as far ranging as liberty, languages, wealth and universities.

The chapter on technology alone is worth the price of this book, as the author examines how the respect for human dignity and cultivation of the mind instilled by the Bible, even as far back as the ‘Dark Ages’, was what advanced Western civilisation. He compares it with India, seeing what difference the work of missionaries made to his homeland, and also with other cultures.

Sadly, but unsurprisingly, he feels compelled to warn of the dangers that we face as the West rejects biblical standards, urging us to return to the God of the Bible. The book is well researched – a labour of love. But inevitably, with the huge scope covered in this study, there is the occasional small error. And occasionally, the jump from idea to idea is too quick, and requires a little more explanation.

Those faults, however, don’t remotely take away from the value of this book, which is truly enlightening and extremely helpful in understanding the vast impact of Christianity on our world: one which I, at least, had taken for granted.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘What is Jewish Thinking?’ by Juan Guttierrez (2019)

This is a slim volume (129pp), in large print with the words and lines spaced well apart, so it doesn’t take much time to read through the whole book. It has not always been well edited or printed.

One chapter which stood out was on ‘Polarity in Jewish Thought’ (Chap 3) which, the author claims, is the pillar of Jewish theology and essential to distinguishing Jewish thinking from Greek. We are reminded that the Jewish mind can cope with opposites and hold them in tension, for instance God is at the same time both distant and near. Polarity provides balance and prevents an over-systematic approach. However, just because Jewish thinking does not lack coherence does not mean it doesn’t follow Western logical thought processes.

Chapter 6 was particularly intriguing as here the author considers Christianity, which he admits “may seem odd” in a book on Jewish thinking. He starts by acknowledging the Jewish origins of Christianity and then goes on to explain that the main difference between the two religions is not whether you believe Jesus was the Messiah. He allows that this is a significant issue but advocates that “Jesus is not the dividing factor but rather one aspect of differentiation. Instead, the core issues are related to the fundamental differences between Jewish and non-Jewish thinking” (p.69).

The real difference, he maintains, is not based on whether Jesus was who he claimed to be, but that Christianity always attempts to treat revelatory evidence as something that needs to be adequately defined and precisely categorised. To back up his case he points to the hundreds of Christian denominations which derive from slight doctrinal deviations, whereas Judaism has settled into a handful of main movements whose primary distinctions are over practical applications rather than doctrines.

The final chapter, Accommodation or Particularistic Approaches, didn’t add anything more to my understanding of Jewish thinking, but by then I was sufficiently convinced to recommend this book, though with some reservations.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Growing as a New Christian’ and ‘Caring for New Christians’ by Daniel Holland (Christian Publications International 2022)

These two booklets form an important contribution to the way that new converts become healthy members of the body of Christ. Both are described as practical handbooks, which sums up their approach.

The shorter one (41 pages) is written to help someone who has just become a Christian to take the next steps and grow further into the faith. This highlights the responsibility of the individual convert, and covers topics such as finding and staying in the right church, baptism, grace and truth.

The longer booklet (89 pp) is written to enable the Church become better at caring for new Christians. Its length suggests it is merely a starter in this area, setting a minimum standard of what the Church should be providing and what any new Christian is entitled to expect. But it is also comprehensive enough to cover what it means to welcome new Christians as well as integrate and disciple them.

The author has been a church pastor and is now a full-time evangelist, so he has experience and insights into these areas. His style is a bit quirky at times but his knowledge is well worth assimilating into whatever courses or programmes exist in the reader’s church.

Charles Gardner reviews ‘Becoming Mrs Lewis: The Improbable Love Story of Joy Davidman and C. S. Lewis’ by Patti Callahan (2019)

Patti Callahan’s Becoming Mrs Lewis is a true treasure of a novel. I found it a most worthwhile, edifying and spiritually perceptive volume.

The story, based on actual events, is written from the perspective of Jewish-American Joy Davidman, who became a penfriend of C. S. Lewis, eventually crossing the Atlantic to meet him and then falling in love. Sadly, the relationship was foreshortened by her illness with cancer and untimely death in youthful middle age, leaving the legendary author grief-stricken.

It doesn’t appear that courtship was intended, but they soon became very close friends with so much in common – in particular, a vibrant Christian faith and a voracious appetite for writing – complicated by the fact that Joy was still married, in the early stages, to an apparently abusive husband.

She had already written a book on the Ten Commandments called Smoke on the Mountain and had initially corresponded with Lewis on the basis of seeking advice, picking the author’s brains on his obviously greater theological understanding. Her faith seemed more cerebral than practical at first, but clearly forged greater depths, inspired by her illustrious companion.

Lewis and his brother took Joy’s two young boys under their wings, and they were soon made to feel very much at home. But Lewis was slow to pick up the signals of Joy’s growing fondness for him, and there were many awkward moments. The fact of his being a longstanding bachelor, very much set in his ways, didn’t help.

Yet Joy thoroughly enjoyed the company of these and other men of huge intellect, including Lewis’s famous friend, J. R. R Tolkein. As a group, they spent many happy hours in cosy pubs amidst the dreaming spires of Oxford, simply sharing faith, fellowship and friendship at a deep level.

I loved this novel, which is very well-written and verified by one of Joy’s sons. I thought it was such a helpful insight into the private world of Lewis – surely one of our greatest Christian writers. 

Tom Lennie reviews ‘Israel and the Nations: God’s Redemptive Plan – Key Biblical Promises’ by Pauline Shone (2017)

This little-known book explores God’s promises, purposes, and plans for Israel, concisely covering the biblical and historical record of the Jewish relationship to God and the Land – from Abraham to today – along with some spiritual insights.

Although it’s an easy-to-follow and relatively brief summary, this is a well-researched study and doesn't skip any time periods. Many who know Israel's biblical history may not know what happened to Israel during the first few centuries A.D. and during Medieval times. The author skilfully gives us the big historical picture, which reveals how we got to today’s Palestinian struggle. Published in 2017, the information presented is a non-political, non-emotionally-charged, and resource-based approach to the historical and spiritual development of Israel – and will prove helpful in understanding today's current events.

Tom Lennie reviews 'The Omega Programme' (update), by Neil Turner

This isn’t so much a review of a book as it is of a multi-media resource. Neil Turner commenced Omega as a teaching video medium in early 2020. It has now developed significantly to reflect the momentous challenges of the last few years.

The three tenets of Omega are that the body of Christ in the West is coming under ever more severe pressure, simply isn’t prepared and needs urgent and focused training for the coming (and present) trouble. There are now 11 Omega Teaching videos on Omega’s BibleSense YouTube channel, with more being added periodically. Recent titles include: The Spine of Biblical Prophecy; The Key to Revelation; The Gathering Storm (assessment of current position); The Emerging Global Religion and The Role of the Watchman. The Omega Programme playlist can be found here.

The Omega videos, website and books (End-Time Survivor and How to Enjoy the Psalms) are complemented by a dedicated channel on the Telegram app, which provides a daily bulletin of news you won’t find on mainstream media and directs and co-ordinates prayerful action. Neil Turner is a trainer by profession, and the aim is to provide the highest quality training material for the end-time Church. One of the most recent videos, with input from Christian Concern, explains the increasing anti-Christian lawfare in the UK and will be followed by a comprehensive overview of Israel in the last days.