Timothy Keller’s new book The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith. Keller targets both seekers who are unfamiliar with the gospel and longtime church members who may not feel the need for a primer on the gospel. Keller’s book, as the provocative title suggests, is built on one of Jesus’ most famous stories: the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). Keller consents that “on the surface of it, the narrative is not all that gripping.” But, he contends that “if the teaching of Jesus is likened to a lake, this famous Parable of the Prodigal Son would be one of the clearest spots.

The book is laid out in seven brief chapters which aim to uncover the extravagant (prodigal) grace of God, as revealed in this parable. Keller shows how the parable describes two kinds of “lost” people, not just one. Most people can identify the lostness of the “prodigal son,” the younger brother in Jesus’ story, who takes his inheritance early and squanders it on riotous living. But Keller shows that the “elder brother” in the parable is no less lost. Read the rest of this entry »

Haleem has managed to transform the complex grammar and structure of the holy book into a form of modern English which reads easily and flows smoothly without taking liberties with the inviolable text. This turns the Qur’an into a book which allows English-speakers to peer further into the heart of Islam, from its basic precepts on, say, fasting, to its view of the after-life.

This is crucial, not just for the growing majority of Muslims who do not speak Arabic as a first language, but for non-Muslims who are curious about this controversial religion…. Given the tension between Islam and the West, that is a blessing. Read the rest of this entry »

Chan, senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., offers a radical call for evangelicals to consider and emulate in this debut guide to living crazy for God. Chan writes with infectious exuberance, challenging Christians to take the Bible seriously. He describes at length the sorry state of lukewarm Christians who strive for a life characterized by control, safety and an absence of suffering. In stark contrast, the book offers real-life accounts of believers who have given all—time, money, health, even their lives—in obedience to Christ’s call.Chan also recounts his own attempts to live crazy by significantly downsizing his home and giving away his resources to the poor.Earnest Christians will find valuable take-home lessons from Chan’s excellent book.

The format of Crazy Love is straightforward and effective. Chan dedicates three chapters to renewing our understanding of the character of God and seven chapters calling Christians to examine themselves. Within the book are two ongoing themes that are going to get people talking. Read the rest of this entry »