© 2008 Multnomah Books,
Sometimes you expect something. It’s that way when I pick up a book that has Henry Blackaby’s name attached to it. He has been helping his children get their start in publishing good studies for Christians over the last few years. Typically, because of his work in Experiencing God, I tend to expect one of two things from Blackaby: stating the obvious in a fresh, new way and thus extracting from his readers that “I knew that” moment that challenges us to open our eyes as we live (as happens every time I revisit the EG material); or I find myself looking for that re-hash of the EG material without calling it Experiencing God.
Interestingly, you find neither of these things in Experiencing the Resurrection. What you find is somewhat of an enigma, especially for Blackaby. While there is nothing readily identifiable as profound, neither do you find anything really objectionable. It seems to be an almost entirely unnoticeable book. It is rather light in the realm of theological texts, and on the safe side, with the one possible exception being the chapter on “Resurrection Hope” which focuses entirely on heaven. My personal issue with this is the claim that the hope and glory that we have as Christians is manifested in heaven. The reality (scripturally, which is why it’s disappointing to find this in a Blackaby book) is that our hope is embodied in Christ. When we focus our hope on anyone or anything other than Christ, we miss the point. Certainly, we look forward to eternity in heaven, but our hope lies solely in Christ.
Is this book worth your time? Perhaps, but I wouldn’t recommend that you rush right out and buy a copy unless you are in need of a book to remember the Resurrection by. For a lackluster effort, I give a lackluster two reading glasses.
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