I had the pleasure last year of of reading and reviewing Anthony’s book and interviewing him as well. Links to both of those blog articles are below:

• Book Review
• Interview

Title:  Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions: Volume 2
Authors: Tim Chaffey, Ken Ham & Bodie Hodge
Publisher: Master Books
Description: The Bible is accurate and without error! Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Volume 2 offers 40 powerful explanations to prove it. There is an increasing focus in our culture on dismissing the Bible and its authority. Generations of skeptics and the religion of evolution have influenced even some Christian leaders. By highlighting supposed errors or inconsistencies in the Bible, doubt is created in the minds of believers and stumbling blocks are put up for those trying to present the Gospel. But Biblical evidence disproves the toughest of critics while bringing to light the indestructible power of God’s Word. Tim Chaffey, Ken Ham, and Bodie Hodge of Answers in Genesis highlight the answers to these debates and more.

Title:  The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy
Author: Timothy Keller
Publisher: 10Publishing
Description: ‘What are the marks of a supernaturally changed heart?’

This is one of the questions the Apostle Paul addresses as he writes to the church in Corinth. He’s not after some superficial outward tinkering, but instead a deep–rooted, life–altering change that takes place on the inside. In an age where pleasing people, puffing up your ego and building your résumé are seen as the methods to ‘make it’, the Apostle Paul calls us to find true rest in blessed self–forgetfulness.

In this short and punchy book, best–selling author Timothy Keller, shows that gospel–humility means we can stop connecting every experience, every conversation with ourselves and can thus be free from self–condemnation. A truly gospel–humble person is not a self–hating person or a self–loving person, but a self–forgetful person.

This freedom can be yours…

Title:  As One Devil to Another
Authors: Richard Platt
Publisher:  Tyndale House Publishers
Description: As One Devil to Another is an astonishing debut work that C. S. Lewis’s biographer and foremost Lewis authority Walter Hooper calls “a stunning achievement, the finest example of the genre of diabolical correspondence to appear since this genre was popularized by C. S. Lewis.” Enter into this chilling and diabolical tale, one that reveals the very tricks and strategies of Hell. Through a series of letters between devils created by Platt, senior devil Slashreap trains his young protégé, Scardagger, to win an individual soul away from Heaven and into their clutches. As the devils plot their way to triumph, they reveal the spiritual dangers and risks we face in today’s society. Their frighteningly accurate perspective on issues such as contemporary technology and sexual mores is interwoven with timeless matters such as the power of prayer, the purpose of suffering, and the promises held out by Heaven . . . and Hell. Destined to become a modern classic, As One Devil to Another is a brilliantly written, deeply unsettling perspective on twenty-first-century society . . . a glimpse of ourselves through the eyes of those who have embraced their underworldly existence.

Book Details:

Recommendation:
Review Date:  4/17/2012 by Shaun Tabatt
Rating:  Highly Recommended

Review:

“Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15, ESV)

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For lit is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:14-17, ESV)

The preceding Bible verses are those that are often referred to when people talk about the necessity of sharing your faith. With such specific direction from the New Testament, one might assume that all Christians, everywhere are sharing their faith at every turn, but is that really the case? Consider these disturbing statistics I found at Bible.org:

• Ninety-five percent of all Christians have never won a soul to Christ.
• Eighty percent of all Christians do not consistently witness for Christ.
• Less than two percent are involved in the ministry of evangelism.

The preceding statistics are from the early nineties, so I suspect the numbers may be slightly worse today. I know some of my readers would suggest that a lack of burden for sharing your faith and reaching the lost could indicate that you may not truly be a Christian. While that is certainly a possibility, it is outside of the focus of this book, which makes it outside the focus of this review. Perhaps that is a discussion we can have another time.

There are a plethora of reasons Christians will give for why they don’t share their faith. Fear of rejection, lack of confidence, and lack of training will surely rank high on the list. In Meet the Skeptic, Bill Foster strives to boost the Christian’s confidence in his / her ability to engage in conversations about their faith. One of the things that makes this book different from many other apologetics books is that it doesn’t offer rote answers for the skeptic’s objections. Bill wants to teach his readers a mental framework that will allow them to learn about and respond directly to the worldview that are behind the skeptic’s objections.

The worldviews covered in the book are spiritual, moral, scientific, and biblical. For each of these four worldviews, the book offers an overview (“In a Nutshell”), the root ideas behind it (“sample objections”), illustrations, and “red-flag words” to listen for. I read the book through the first time without the workbook, but have since had a chance to look it over. Bill throws a lot of information at you throughout the book, so I think the workbook would be a useful tool to help the reader learn the material as thoroughly as possible. There is also a leader’s guide, making this a ready-made course for a Sunday school class or small group.

I would highly recommend Meet the Skeptic to the Christian who has been looking for a tool that will allow them to be more effective in sharing their faith with unbelievers. The ideal audience for this book ranges from teen to adult. My overall rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Author Information:
Bill Foster teaches apologetics and Bible study to adults, college students, and teens. He has been involved in explaining and defending the biblical worldview for the last fifteen years. He holds a B.A. in English from Furman University and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design from the Savannah College of Art & Design. He is the owner of HigherWerks, Inc. a brand image and design firm. Bill has been married to his wife, Karla, since 1994.

Where to buy:

• Amazon: Print, E-book
• Apple: E-book
• Barnes & Noble: Print , E-book

Related Media:

• Meet the Skeptic Website – www.meettheskeptic.com
• Meet the Skeptic on Facebook – www.facebook.com/meettheskeptic
• Meet the Skeptic on Twitter – www.twitter.com/meettheskeptic
• Book Trailer

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by New Leaf Publishing Group for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

A is for Adam is a spiral bound book, designed to sit upright on a table. Each lesson has a picture with a part of the “A is for Adam” poem and a “Let’s Read” section including discussion points, memorization aids for core truths, and a “More Answers” section. This design makes it perfect for use at the kitchen table, with the picture-side facing towards your children and the “Let’s Read” page facing towards the parent. See an example below of the pages for “L is for Lord.”

If parents would like to take the discussions even further than what’s found on the “Let’s Read” pages, they can consult the material at the book of the book, which includes an additional page of teaching / discussion helps for each of the 26 lessons.

A is for Adam  will introduce your young learners to many Biblical truths, covering the timeline of history all the way from  creation to the new heavens and new earth. Some of the questions answered in the book are:

• How can we know we didn’t evolve from monkeys?
• What did sin do to the world?
• Why are there different languages?
• Why did Jesus have to die?

My kids ranging ages 2 to 13 were intrigued by the wonderful artwork throughout. The “Let’s Read” section of each lesson served as great discussion starters at our dinner table. I recommend this resource to families with children ages 4-12. Don’t forget to take advantage of the free coloring pages based on the book’s artwork. You can see a sample of what some of the pages could look like in our A is for Adam Coloring Gallery below.

A is for Adam Coloring Gallery:

About the Authors:
Ken Ham is the president/CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis – U.S. and the highly acclaimed Creation Museum. Ken Ham is one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America. Ken’s emphasis is on the relevance and authority of the book of Genesis and how compromise on Genesis has opened a dangerous door regarding how the culture and church view biblical authority. His Australian accent, keen sense of humor, captivating stories, and exceptional PowerPoint illustrations have made him one of North America’s most effective Christian communicators. Ken and his wife, Mally, reside in the Cincinnati area. They have five children and seven grandchildren.

Related Resources:

• Coloring Pages
• Book Trailer

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Master Books for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

You can learn more about our Homeschool Road Trip from the earlier posts in the series:

• Homeschool Road Trip – Creation Museum - LINK
• Homeschool Road Trip – Creation Museum – Resource # 1 – The Answers Book for Kids, Volume 2 – LINK

The Answers Book For Kids series is written for kids ages 6-12. This unique collection is designed to equip kids with answers to their questions about the Bible and the history it reveals. The ultimate goal of the series is to prepare kids to better defend their faith against a fallen world. Each of the books considers 22 questions focused on a specific topic area. Topics covered in the series are:

• Volume 1 – 22 Questions on Creation and the Fall
• Volume 2 – 22 Questions on Dinosaurs and the Flood of Noah
• Volume 3 – 22 Questions of God and the Bible
• Volume 4 – 22 Questions on Sin, Salvation, and the Christian Life

About the Authors:
Ken Ham is the president/CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis – U.S. and the highly acclaimed Creation Museum. Ken Ham is one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America. Ken’s emphasis is on the relevance and authority of the book of Genesis and how compromise on Genesis has opened a dangerous door regarding how the culture and church view biblical authority. His Australian accent, keen sense of humor, captivating stories, and exceptional PowerPoint illustrations have made him one of North America’s most effective Christian communicators.

Cindy Malott is a member of the Answers in Genesis staff. She works as executive assistant to the Marketing & Media teams, and worked hard helping to organize and compile important biblical answers for these informative children’s resources.

Related Books:

Disclaimer:
This book was provided by Master Books for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

You can learn more about our Homeschool Road Trip here: LINK.

A Week in the Life of Corinth By Ben Witherington III

“Ben Witherington III attempts to reenchant our reading of Paul in this creative reconstruction of ancient Corinth. Following a fictitious Corinthian man named Nicanor through an eventful week of business dealings and conflict, you will encounter life at various levels of Roman society–eventually meeting Paul himself and gaining entrance into the Christian community there. The result is an unforgettable introduction to life in a major center of the New Testament world. Numerous full-page text boxes expand on a variety of aspects of life and culture as we encounter them in the narrative.”

Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles By Graeme Goldsworthy

“The appeal of biblical theology is that it provides a “big picture” that makes sense of the diversity of biblical literature. Through the lens of biblical theology the Bible ceases to be a mass of unconnected texts, but takes shape as a unified metanarrative connecting the story of Israel with that of Jesus. It presents the whole scene of God’s revelation as one mighty plan of salvation.

For fifty years Graeme Goldsworthy has been refining his understanding of biblical theology through his experiences as a student, pastor and teacher. In this valuable complement to his Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics, Goldsworthy defends and refines the rationale for his approach, drawing especially on the work of Australian biblical scholar Donald Robinson.”

10Publishing just released a brand new book from Timothy Keller. Here’s a description from the 10 of Those website:

‘What are the marks of a supernaturally changed heart?’ 

This is one of the questions the Apostle Paul addresses as he writes to the church in Corinth. He’s not after some superficial outward tinkering, but instead a deep–rooted, life–altering change that takes place on the inside. In an age where pleasing people, puffing up your ego and building your résumé are seen as the methods to ‘make it’, the Apostle Paul calls us to find true rest in blessed self–forgetfulness.

In this short and punchy book, best–selling author Timothy Keller, shows that gospel–humility means we can stop connecting every experience, every conversation with ourselves and can thus be free from self–condemnation. A truly gospel–humble person is not a self–hating person or a self–loving person, but a self–forgetful person.

This freedom can be yours…

Where to buy:

• Amazon.com

Related Media:

“The Explicit Gospel” by Matt Chandler from Crossway on Vimeo.

Where to Buy:

• Amazon
• Barnes & Noble
• Crossway

In The Jefferson Lies, David Barton will make the case that Thomas Jefferson has been the victim of of a two century smear campaign, calling into question some of the myths that have grown up around this larger than life character from the history of our great nation. Through his examination of the historical records, original documents / letters, and other recent evidence, Barton feels strongly that he will be introducing readers to the “Real Thomas Jefferson.”

Here are the myths that will be explored in the book:

• Jefferson and Sally: Did he really have children by his slave, Sally Hemings?
• Jefferson and Jesus: Did he really abandon the faith of his family?
• Jefferson and the Bible: Did he really want to rewrite the Scripture?
• Jefferson and the church: Did he really advocate separation?
• Jefferson and slaves: What is the truth about his slaveholding and his statements that all are created equal?
• Jefferson and education: Did Jefferson really found the first secular, irreligious university?

About the Author:
David Barton is the founder and president of WallBuilders, a national pro-family organization that presents America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious, and constitutional heritage. He is the author of numerous best-selling books and also addresses more than 400 groups each year. David and his wife, Cheryl, have three grown children.

He was named by Time magazine as one of America’s 25 most influential evangelicals, and he has received numerous national and international awards, including Who’s Who in Education and DAR’s highest award, the George Washington Honor Medal.