Experiencing the Cross – Henry Blackaby

©2005 Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, OR

Henry Blackaby has been a favorite of mine ever since I first went through the material he helped develop called Experiencing God. Not only is he an influential leader in Baptist life, but he is also a very personable man when in speaking situations. A couple of years ago, I had opportunity to meet and visit with him for a few minutes as he spoke at a pastors’ retreat I was attending. While I am not always overwhelmed by Henry’s writing (often finding in it a re-packaging of Experiencing God), I am always ready to hear what he has to say or read something he has written.

This little book is yet another testimony to the readability of his writing. And the content is very challenging and helpful. In Experiencing the Cross, Blackaby draws the reader’s attention back to the focus of the cross—why it happened, why it had to happen, and what happened because it happened.

Using Scripture (a hallmark of the author), Blackaby leads us to see God’s plan in the event of the Cross. He then teaches us what that means for believers and non-believers in Christ alike. Finally, the author leads the disciple into a deeper discipleship about what is meant when the Scripture says that in order to follow Jesus one must “take up his cross” and follow Him.

This volume is filled with challenging and encouraging teachings that will help Christians to better understand and appreciate the cost of the Cross as well as the life to which the Cross calls all who would dare to follow Jesus. I recommend this book highly to anyone who desires his faith to be more vibrant, more active and more genuine. Five out of five reading glasses.

—Benjamin  Potter, October 26, 2012

Experiencing the Resurrection – Henry & Melvin Blackaby

© 2008 Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs

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.

—Benjamin Potter, October 14, 2010

Called and Accountable – Henry and Norman Blackaby

© 2007 New Hope Publishers, Birmingham

Henry Blackaby has been a favorite of mine since I studied Experiencing God the first time some 20 years ago. Now he has teamed up with his son Norman to compile and expand the material in his study Called and Accountable: Discovering Your Place in God’s Eternal Purpose. In six short chapters, the Blackabies wrestle with the major questions of a Christ-follower’s calling:

• Why does God call us?
• What is a call?
• Who are the called?
• How am I called?
• When am I called?
• How do I live out the call?

Most believers struggle with just these questions, and we are all at some point on the spectrum in dealing with them.

One drawback to the book comes in most of the elder Blackaby’s writings—namely, that parts of the text draw heavily on the principles introduced in Experiencing God, and thus from time to time the reader feels he is simply reading an advertisement for or testimonial to Experiencing God. Otherwise this is an excellent primer on finding and living out one’s call to God’s kingdom purpose.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 reading glasses.

—Benjamin Potter, September 9, 2009

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