52 Lies Heard In Church Every Sunday by Steve McVey

Reviewed by Jolene A. for Reader's Favorite.

As stated in the introduction of 52 Lies Heard in Church Every Sunday by Steve McVey, “Words do mean something, and when ideas are put into words in such a way that they lead to or reinforce fallacious notions, it is appropriate to challenge the use of those words. Too much is at stake to risk faulty communication about the truth.” With that in mind, McVey unveils 52 statements/beliefs commonly held by mainstream Christians as lies and seeks to show why the truth is so much better. The premise of the book is that if some part of the truth about the Gospel is left out of a statement, it creates a half-truth, which makes it a whole lie. Each chapter addresses one lie/half-truth, is two to four pages long, and includes a section about clarifying your thinking.

Reading 52 Lies Heard in Church Every Sunday by Steve McVey was at times easy and at times difficult. The briefness of the chapters made it convenient to read when I had a spare moment or as a companion to my daily Bible reading. McVey did well as far as breaking down each statement and disecting it in everyday language for the reader.

There were times I wanted to cheer because I feel like McVey perfectly addressed a topic that has muddled the language, beliefs, and lives of Christians for years. Examples of this included: Lie #29 (It's a Sin to be Depressed) and Lie #51 (You Must Forgive and Forget). There were times I was surprised when I saw the title of a chapter and thought: I agree with that and there's no way he's going to convince me otherwise. A few minutes later I would concede that while I don't consider the statement a lie, a do see how it is needful for Christians to know the whole truth, not the half-truth. Lastly, there were times when I was simply not convinced. In those times, I understood what McVey said, but had to respectfully disagree. Overall, I think this is good book for Christians who want to have a firmer grasp of why they believe what they believe. The book will either back up what you already believe with Scripture or make you dig into Scripture to examine the truth of the matter.

I recommend this book only to those who are brave enough to read with an open mind, examine personal beliefs, and compare the book's teachings with the Bible.

Click here to read an excerpt from 52 Lies Heard In Church Every Sunday: and Why the Truth is So Much Better by Steve McVey.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Reader's Favorite. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Revise Us Again by Frank Viola

Revise Us Again: Living From a Renewed Christian Spirit calls upon Christians to examine and rescript the habits, practices, and language of their lives. Whether you have been a Christian one day or one hundred years, you have spiritual ethos that is shaped by the Bible, church teachings, society, environment and traditions. However, authentic Christianity requires that each person must examine his or her own spiritual worldview and then turn to the Bible for the authentic, original script of life.

Each chapter in Revise Us Again by Frank Viola is relatively short and easy to read. I was pleased with this aspect since I used the book as a companion to my daily Bible reading. Chapter three was my personal favorite of the entire book. It discussed how Christians sometimes use prayer as an excuse to decline a request. Viola emphasizes the need for honesty and authenticity. I felt like many of Viola's points were good, but not all were completely backed up with Scripture. In those parts, more Scripture would have perhaps been more convincing. I also felt like there were a few teachings that did not line up with Scripture. That being said, I do not feel like this is a bad book. I simply emphasize that Revise Us Again, like any book with spiritual teachings, should be compared with the Bible's teachings to see if the teachings line up.

I recommend this book only to those who are brave enough to read with an open mind, examine personal beliefs, and compare the book's teachings with the Bible.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from The B & B Media Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

No More Christian Nice Girl by Paul Coughlin and Jennifer Degler

The subtitle of No More Christian Nice Girl is: When just being nice – instead of good – hurts you, your family, and your friends. That is exactly what this book is about. The authors challenge Christian women to move from being Christian Nice Girls (CNGs) to being God's Good Women.

What's the difference? The difference is that a CNG is a people-pleaser who thinks she is behaving like a nice Christian girl should act, but the truth is she is allowing unhealthy actions and situations to rule her life. God's good woman, on the other hand, reflects the 360 degree personality of Jesus and has the courage to take a stand for herself and for others. The authors present Jesus as standing for what he believed in, even if it was abrasive to some people. Best of all, the authors back up everything with Scripture so that one can go to the Bible and see exactly what it says. The book also offers practical advice on setting boundaries and dealing with friends, co-workers, husbands, and CNGs.

This is a book that every woman should read at least once, even if you don't think you have issues with boundaries.  The emphasis about reflecting Christ's behavior is a powerful lesson that we could all learn and practice more effectively.  I especially appreciated Appendix A of this book which lists all the times that Jesus was “not so nice” aka He set boundaries or said things that upset people. The questions at the end of each chapter were thought-provoking and helpful. The only thing I would change is that I wish there had been more said about dealing with family. The family and friends chapter seemed to focus mainly on friends and I think family is one of the most difficult areas when it comes to setting boundaries and speaking the truth in love.

It took me well over a month to read No More Christian Nice Girl because I read it as part of my daily devotions. A few sections a day was an extremely effective way for me to read it because it allowed everything to sink in and the repetition of reading about the same topic daily increased the impact of the lessons. I would recommend this book to women over the age of 18. I only give the age limit of 18 because there is a chapter about sex and boundaries which might not be appropriate for younger readers.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

How Great Thou Art

I don't ever want to cease to be amazed by God.

This week we had revival services at church and Friday night, I was really touched. I feel like God spoke to me about answering the calling of God on my life. It was one of the best spiritual experiences I have ever had.

It just amazes me that God cares so much about me. But I'm not the only one He cares about. He loves every person ever created. And speaking of His creation, nature is just amazing. How our bodies work. The beautiful flowers. The gentle breeze. All of it is amazing to me.