For some reason people have started sending me free books to review for my blog. I'm not sure why. I guess they must think people actually read the stuff I write here. I don't mind - hey it's free stuff!

So anyway, I currently have two books on the docket that I'll be reviewing in the next few months (once again, I'm a slow reader... plus the books I have to read for our church's Leadership Training and Vision Team meetings take priority.) The first book is Furious Pursuit by Tim King and Frank Martin. It seems (on the surface at least) in many ways similar to John Eldredge's books, especially The Sacred Romance. The dominant theme appears to be God's desire for and pursuit of us as his beloved. I'm a little bit wary, since they both live in Colorado Springs and one has worked with and for people like James Dobson and Tim LaHaye. On the other hand, the book has endorsements by both Scot McKnight and Brian McLaren, so I figure it must at least be worth a shot.

The other book I just received in the mail today. It's called God's Ultimate Passion by Frank Viola of Present Testimony Ministries. The theme actually seems somewhat similar to the other one, in that it's about God's passion. However, this one seems to be more about the big picture of why God created in the first place. Again, I'm not quite sure what to think of it right off the bat. I know of Frank Viola through the Ooze. Viola appears to be a hardcore house church kind of guy (though I don't know his level of dogmatism about it - i.e. those who believe that the only right model for church is always a house church; I've run into a few of those.) However, the book again comes with some good endorsement (in this case McLaren and Alan Hirsch) so I'll trust that they wouldn't put their name to anything too awful.

Anyhow, whenever I get around to actually reading them I'll let you know what I really think.

Labels: book reviews