Not All Roads Lead to Heaven – Robert Jeffress

©2016 Baker Books, Grand Rapids

When I was a high school student I was part of the team. I did not play football, basketball, or baseball, but I was on the team—the speech and debate team. I will readily admit that I was neither exceptionally nor remotely gifted in the art of debate. In fact, at tournaments, I begged our debate coach to let me just participate in the speech events that I enjoyed. But alas, she always made me partner up with my buddy and lug our cases of cases and evidence into the debate room where we would participate in two to three rounds of debates usually being eliminated early.

As you can see, dear reader, I have not decided to make apologetics my life ambition. I’m just not going to go out of my way to get into a theological debate with someone. Even so, there are times when I find myself in a situation that requires me to bring an answer for my faith—and often the questions are difficult. What is a Christian to do when it comes time to stand up for faith? That’s where it helps to familiarize oneself with people who have a gift for defending the faith.

That is where Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of FirstBaptist Church in Dallas, Texas, and his recent book come in handy. Dr. Jeffress is no stranger to defending Christianity. He has been interviewed on countless occasions where faith matters arise. He has found himself on the debate stage with noted opponents to the Christian faith and shown well. And so he has written Not All Roads Lead to Heaven to help the average Christian understand and defend the doctrine of exclusivity (that Jesus Christ is the one and only doorway into eternal life).

Jeffress address some of the most often voiced objections to and questions about the claim of Christianity that Christ is the only answer to questions about salvation. He bases his answers to these tough questions in Scripture (both Old and New Testaments) and weaves his way through the maze of logic that has tripped many a Christ-follower. Some of the loudest objections [exclusivity is intolerant; what about someone who’s never heard about Jesus? What about little children?] with care, understanding, and a better response than the typical defensive sarcasm that touches the lips of many Christians. The author reminds the reader of a couple of important notes that should be remembered whenever we encounter someone who wants to question our faith: We are dealing with God and His ways, and God’s desire is to see as many people come to salvation as possible. If we are to find salvation, we must do it on the terms of the Author of salvation, though, and not what seems like a good idea at the time.

This book is a short, readable guide to answering questions that a Christian might have about how inclusive the gospel message is; a resource to approaching non-believers (both friends and acquaintances) who might take issue with the exclusive claims of Christianity; and a study to acquaint the believer with a stronger foundation as to how to approach the doctrine of salvation—after all, it is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (and only Jesus Christ).

I give this book 4.5 out of 5 reading glasses as at times it gets a little weighty, although Dr. Jeffress does an excellent job of keeping the complexity of the issue simple most of the time.

—Benjamin Potter, June 13, 2017

How Good Is Good Enough? – Andy Stanley

© 2003 Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, OR

I had been wanting to read several of Andy Stanley’s books—particularly this one for several years. So when I found a copy of it on a ‘giveaway’ table at a pastor’s conference, I jumped at getting a copy. Stanley is the author of such books as Visioneering and Choosing to Cheat. He is an excellent communicator, and this little book is evidence of that fact. Consequently, I am glad I found the copy.

Stanley handily addresses the popular philosophy of ‘good people go to heaven.’ Without being preach-y or condescending, the author opens the reader’s eyes to questions about eternity, fairness, and truth. That I espouse the same ideology as Stanley may certainly make me biased in my opinion of his conclusions, but this little book is one that is well worth the couple of hours of your time it will take to read it.

Who should read this book? Anyone who wants to get a handle on what heaven and eternity are all about. Anyone who has questions about his or her final destination. Pick up a copy, you’ll be glad you did. Five reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, February 5, 2011

What Is the Gospel? – Greg Gilbert

© 2010 Crossway, Wheaton, Illinois

Periodically I check out Tim Challies' Friday giveaway. If I think I might enjoy what’s offered, I put my name in the hat. A few weeks ago, I thought I might be interested in the titles being offered—I didn’t pay much attention to the author names. Imagine my surprise when my name was chosen and on top of the stack of books was this little volume by a name I knew from “way-back-when”. While Greg was already preparing to graduate from a small east Texas high school where I started a short teaching career, I did get to know him (and I did get to teach his brother). Greg has since moved on to higher education and deeper thinking than what we offered at the high school, and everyone can be glad that he did.

The personal connection prompted me to set aside other reading and dive head first into this little book, and it was a superb decision. Gilbert addresses the title question in a most succinct, clear manner. He does it with the clarity of a seasoned theologian. In a day when people—including evangelical Christians—have muddied the waters and frayed the edges of the biblical understanding of the gospel, this easy read brings us back into focus. The author challenges readers to re-focus our understanding of God, Man, Christ, and our Response to Christ. Two points that have been blurred over years of semi-theologians’ treatment are a proper view of sin, and a misplaced focus (leaving the cross of Christ as an afterthought in the backroom of theology). Gilbert takes the evangelical church to task on just these issues.

This book is an excellent resource—for one who has yet to respond to the gospel, it is a clear presentation of God’s plan and good news; for the Christian, it is a wakeup call to what the gospel really is, as well as a challenge to return, to refocus, and to make the gospel (the good news) the core of our being and our living. With the exception of the gospel itself, this may be the most important book to read in the twenty-first century. Read this book and then give a copy to a friend. (Since I’ve limited myself to a 5-reading glasses rating system, I give What Is the Gospel? a five +++ reading glasses rating.)

—Benjamin Potter, August 13, 2010

Jesus Loves You . . . This I Know – Craig Gross and Jason Harper

© 2009 Baker Books, Grand Rapids

Not long ago I got a book in for evaluation that I just had to read. It was written by a couple of unorthodox preacher-types. Craig Gross is the founding pastor of XXXchurch.com, and like the name suggests, he reaches out to people in the pornography industry. His message, “Jesus loves porn stars.” Jason Harper is the Outreach Pastor for Capital Christian Center in California. Harper has gone through some growth pains in his spiritual walk as a result of being reminded that as pastors, those of us who are, rarely face the struggles of the everyday grind encountered by most of the people in our pews.

This book tackles some of the tough issues that we face and attempts to remind readers that Jesus Loves You anyway. From the outcast to the upwardly mobile, from the baby to the porn star, from the bigot to the bi-sexual, the authors address real-life issues with true-life answers. Chapters of interest include how Jesus loves those who’ve been betrayed, those who are skeptical, those who overindulge, and those who steal. They consult scripture for the answers all the while applying the truth in real situations.

There are some rough spots in the book that will make it lose some of its credibility with certain elements of the religious society, but the book even addresses the issue of Jesus’ love for those who are overly religious. As a read the book may be helpful for someone seeking some answers as to how they can develop a relationship with God. As a resource for future study, I’d have to pass on this book. Readers might find a better resource in the pages of unChristian or Lost and Found. Even so, Jesus Loves You is an acceptable volume. I give Gross and Harper 2 reading glasses for effort.

—Benjamin Potter, March 23, 2010

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger – David Gregory

© 2005 Colorado Springs, WaterBrook Press

I must admit, I had some difficulty categorizing this one. I picked it up for a song at a book fair several months ago (possibly even at a previous year’s book fair), and let it gather dust on the shelf until about three days ago. On the surface it looks like a short fiction—easy to read, well written dialog, the whole novella scene. Then as you read it, it starts turning into an apologetic, even a comparative religions essay. But at final glance it is a superb evangelism booklet: it doesn’t preach, but doesn’t hold back any punches either. I found that the publisher, likewise had some difficulty placing this one—the library of congress info suggests that it is fiction (with three different emphases). The category information included with the barcode on the back of the dust jacket claims it to be “Christian Living/Personal Growth.” Since the publisher has no qualms multi-listing this book, I won’t sweat the categories either—after all the author previously published it in a different edition using a different pen name.

Here’s what you have: Nick Cominsky receives a dinner invitation to, of all places, Milano’s (an upscale, downtown restaurant that is high on atmosphere) from, of all people, Jesus of Nazareth. Expecting a bad practical joke from the guys at the office, Nick decides to accept the invitation just to find out how it will play. What he finds when he gets to the appointment is a simple unassuming man in a business suit. The conversation naturally turns to religion and Nick discovers that this man knows more about him than anyone should, but for some reason it doesn’t make him angry. Instead he is intrigued.

Pick up a copy of this book and you’ll feel like you had dinner with Jesus, too. And at five reading glasses, you’ll be glad you did.

—Benjamin Potter, January 11, 2010

Lost and Found – Ed Stetzer, Richie Stanley, & Jason Hayes

©2009 B&H, Nashville

As much as I hate reading statistics and as hard as it is for me to search through research, I have been looking forward to this report/book for several months. Ed Stetzer and the guys over at LifeWay Research have been working on this compilation for a few years. The result is more examination of how to reach the younger generations. Lost and Found walks pretty much hand in hand with books like Simple Church (B&H, 2006), Essential Church (B&H, 2008), and UnChristian (Baker, 2007).

Divided into three parts, the authors use their research to introduce us to (1)what the younger generation looks like [younger generation is defined as the twenty-something crowd of which many have been identified as unchurched or even de-churched], (2)the mainstays (four pillars) of what it takes to reach this generation, and finally (3)a survey of the commonalities among the churches that are in fact reaching this generation.

Part I is filled with charts and graphs and tables and statistician-speak that is always difficult to muddle through for readers like me. However, this is the necessary groundwork from which the observations and suggestions throughout the book are drawn.

Part II is more interpretive and is built on the part of the research where all the responses to questionnaires are piled up in stacks of post-it note madness, reducing said responses to categories represented by a few key images (the graphics for these post-it mountains/key image categorizations is cool). The four areas discovered during the interview process that are important to younger adults (both within and outside of the church) as identified by the research team were Community, Depth (and content), Responsibility, and (Cross-Generational) Connection.

An interesting inclusion in the book is the on-going story of four representative twenty-somethings. The reader will find the fictional representation of how this research is lived out every day at the end of each chapter in parts I and II. I liked this part of the book because the fictional representatives of five different kinds of young adults helped to put some flesh on what goes on in the minds of those who participated in the research. The only glimpse of the characters outside of the first two parts of the book is the challenging conclusion that is in the (what else) conclusion.

Part III focuses on the churches that are getting it right as far as the younger adult generation is concerned. Mountains of interviews and reading are reflected in this section that identifies nine common traits found in those churches that are actually reaching this younger set of adults (creating deeper community, making a difference through service, experiencing worship, conversing the content, leveraging technology, building cross-generational relationships, moving toward authenticity, leading by transparency, and leading by team).

There are several bits of useful information in the book and some helpful hints as to how to build (or re-organize) your ministry to reach a generation that is quickly turning away from the church. One of the better moments is found about halfway through the book as the authors talk about the importance of building community. They suggest that churches should move from a behave/believe/belong model (which currently characterizes a majority of churches in America) to a belong/believe/become model. The former expects unchurched people to behave in the right manner before we even allow them in the doors of our space, then we teach them how to believe and finally we are free to invite them to belong to our number. The latter model suggests that we welcome people in (as they are) to then learn what we believe and then become with us as we learn to be more like Christ. (see pages 83 & 84).

I would recommend this book to anyone who is still trying to get a handle on the new generation. Those who are already getting it won’t benefit too much from this book except to validate what they are already doing.

I give Lost and Found 4 out of 5 reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, March 12, 2009

I’m OK – You’re Not – John Shore

[You can see this review also at Pastor Bookshelf. That's the place where minister types can get involved in the "Review" program by reviewing a book, then signing up to receive new books to review.]


I was first introduced to this book by Kevin Bussey whose recommendation came as a result of his desire to be Jesus to friends he encounters every day (often as he sips a tall one at the local Starbucks). My attention was piqued when Paul Littleton also had it on his reading list. So, when I finally found it on a bookstore shelf, I relieved my wallet of the 13 bucks and the bookstore of its sole copy.

My take on the book may be somewhat skewed because of my disagreement with the basic premise that Shore is trying to defend. However, I’ll try to be as fair as possible in my assessment of the book and try not to get overly defensive about my own prejudicial leanings in regard to evangelism.

To a certain degree, I can agree with Shore’s assumption that many (perhaps most) evangelical Christians have so emphasized the Great Commission that they have excluded the command (what Shore and Rick Warren both refer to as the “Great Commandment”) to love your neighbor as yourself. It should be noted that Jesus indicated that the greatest commandment is to love God with all that you are and that the second is just like it—love your neighbor in the same way that you love yourself. The designations of “Great Commission” and “Great Commandment” are memory joggers placed upon these scriptural principles by the modern-day church. I also disagree with his assumption that everyone in America has heard the gospel.

In reaction to this overemphasis, Shore suggests that Christians swing to the other extreme—emphasize the Great Commandment. While he spends a great amount of time claiming that he is not against evangelism (under the right circumstances), his basic premise leads the reader to believe that Christians should love to the exclusion of witness. I believe that he would argue “let your love be your witness.” Sadly, this approach leads to an “either/or” thinking that has caused the problem warranting the publication of the book in the first place. I would suggest that our direct command from Christ isn’t to either love or witness, but to both witness and love—witness with love, if you please.

The book has several distractions making it difficult to work through. Shore has a fondness for capitalization, capitalizing words and phrases ad infinitum whenever he wants to emphasize it as something in particular. This is distracting to the reader especially when what is offered as a proper noun is in actuality just part of the sentence. He also has a proclivity for the words “amongst” and “whilst” which are overused to state his case. Another blatant distraction is Shore’s use of humor. In taking on this most serious of topics, he attempts to make his ideas more readable by including humor. I have no great problem with including a humorous anecdote or line occasionally to lighten an otherwise heavy topic; however, Shore’s levity swims on every page, if not in every paragraph, if not in every sentence. Littleton makes this observation about the use of humor in the text:

On a literary level I hardly liked this book at all. According to the back
cover, "John Shore is a humorist...." But his humor just doesn't work for me.
I'm a fan of humor, by the way. I believe it is a powerful tool in both written
and oral communication, especially if you want to disarm your audience and get
people to relax with you and your topic. I just find the humor in this book to
be a little trite. It is an easy-to-read book, but I was highly unmotivated to
finish it because it's just not my style.

The use of humor in the book almost leads one to believe that Shore is not serious about the topic (although the tone of the work suggests that he is).

Also, in a work about loving our neighbor, one would think that the object is to model love. Shore manages to alienate both his audience and his subject. He spends a great amount of time belittling the practices of believers in the form of a rant. Then he decides that name-calling is better than labeling and suggests that we no longer designate un-believers as “lost” but call them “Normies” instead. In effect, he has succeeded in angering both the Christian community and the world at large in one fell swoop.

I don’t want you to believe that this book is a waste of time or money though. There are several things about Shore’s topic that need to be said, need to be heard, and need to be addressed by the Christian community. The fact that we have too long lived in a lopsided world that disregards the necessity to love our neighbor as we share with him the gospel removes our voice among non-Christians. To use Paul’s words, “if I have not love, I am nothing.” Shore also gives a long-overdue look into the perception that the community outside the church has of Christians—especially those who live to witness. Under the heading of “Ouch” at the end of each chapter, Shore quotes non-Christians who responded to an on-line message board he set up as part of his research.

If you read this book and are a typical evangelical Christian, be prepared to be mad. But don’t let your anger get in the way of the lesson that we must hear: love must permeate our lives if we are to be credible among those who haven’t heard the message of Christ.





I'm OK -- You're Not receives 3 thumbs.





—Benjamin Potter, August 28, 2007