I believe I should put a few things out here right from the beginning. I want you to be clear where I am coming from as I review books.
First, I don’t like fiction. Never have. Even as a kid, my friends would be reading “Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing” by Judy Blume or “The Secret of the Old Clock” (Nancy Drew) and I was not interested at all. When I browsed the shelves of my elementary school library, I was drawn to the non- fiction section, looking for a good biography about Abe Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson or Joan of Arc. My other go-to book was the Bible, but even then, I was drawn to the Old Testament and the fascinating stories of people turning into salt, talking donkeys, the sun standing still and a whale swallowing a man and then vomiting him up three days later…good factual stuff.
Second, 99% of the books I read are related to Christian living in content. I will occasionally read something else, usually a biography, but for the most part I am going to read a book that teaches on biblical principles for everyday life.
Third, you are not going to see many female authors on my book reviews. The truth is, there aren’t too many female authors and female bible study teachers that I agree with biblically. I will read some, but I am fairly discerning and pretty unapologetic.
Fourth, most the authors I read, most not all, are dead and the rest are on their way. The reason is because most of the popular hip authors, pastors, teachers that are my contemporaries are in a word, heretics. Maybe heretic is too strong a word…nope that’s it, heretic.
Other than the Bible, I believe the book that has had the biggest impact on me is Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill. I typically read this book once a year. To me, it is an easy read. 163 pages (But do not skip the forward by A.W. Tozer- also one of my favorite authors and men of God.)
If you are easily offended, do not read this book. Ravenhill is not careful of your feelings in choosing most of his words. He has an urgent message for the church that was needed when he first wrote it in 1959, but it speaks even more boldly to the church today.
Why does revival tarry? Why do we have huge churches, bibles a-plenty, church programs for every age group, bible studies galore, but sin abounds and people remain unrepentant? I don’t want to spoil the book because it is so timely and accurate. Honestly, I can’t spoil it, because Ravenhill is an Englishmen and they have a way with words and phrasing that my southern upbringin’ cannot replicate. But here are Christy’s Cliff-notes:
Revival tarries because we have commercialized evangelism, we peddle a cheap grace, we are careless in our discipleship, we are fearful, we lack an urgency in our prayer life and we steal the glory that belongs to God. In short, we have a prayer problem, a pulpit problem and a pew problem.
I highly recommend that you go right now and find this book, buy this book, read this book and gift this book to others.
