Ray

Action packed because the main characters wimpy

Revisado: 12-17-21

If Russell had a backbone and could take care of business at the beginning of confrontations, he would have been more believable and interesting. I spent most of this book thinking what a wimp this guy was and how unbelievable his circumstances were. Sarah had more guts than Russell. The author went out of his way trying to get the reader to feel sorry for these characters. The story lacked believability and was not a good fictional storyline. If you have nothing else to do, then read this book.

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Fun read

Revisado: 06-19-21

Never read this particular sort line before. Some problems like.... Why didn't you tie them up??? Overall worthy of my credit.

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Civil War ll

Revisado: 06-11-21

This is one of the first I imagine. There were to many technical details.

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Coul-du No-tu Liste-nu to dictio-nu.

Revisado: 05-13-21

I gave it two hours. The story is building nicely. HOWEVER, after listening to more than 500 audible books in my library, this is the first I'm returning because the narration was so distracting that I could not enjoy the story.

James Romick is obviously a professional reader, having dozens of books to his credit. I just can't stop noticing his uncanny diction that "steps on" the last consonant of many words in most sentences. "He'd watch the card game" has five syllables for most of us. It has 8 or 9 syllables if it was narrated by Romick because the "d's" "ch's" and "rd's" are separately pronounced from the word. Watched is two syllables, not one.

Sorry for this writer. The book might be great, but the narrator ruined it for me.

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esto le resultó útil a 18 personas

Thinking person's science fiction. Well done.

Revisado: 08-24-17

Great notes by author at the end. insightful story line that leagues you thinking about the plausibility of the premise.

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Awesome saga

Revisado: 07-28-17

Excellent story of war, love, tragedy, and redemption. well worth a credit and your time. Btavo.

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Deep and Wide

Revisado: 10-15-11

Would you consider the audio edition of If God Is Good to be better than the print version?

That's a toss-up. I'm an audible learner, so this fits my style of learning perfectly. However, the apologetics approach to Grace and Mercy is deep, rich, and sometimes complicated. Reading in print might have been better for some of the more demanding chapters.

What did you like best about this story?

Alcorn uses style and tone to make his theology come more alive than many. This isn't boring, but it also isn't mindless, passive storytelling either.

Have you listened to any of Randy Alcorn’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I've listened to most of his work. This is in the middle. His novels are awesome. I've listened to Lord Foulgrins Letters at least four times.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

I sometimes abandon my dreams, comfort, or goals, but I will never abandon my faith.

Any additional comments?

Great author.

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esto le resultó útil a 10 personas

Theology distorted

Revisado: 09-29-11

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

Wow. Where to begin without being hyper-critical, judgmental, or insincere? I'm not sure I can do that without appearing to be those things. I wish I could just share my heart without criticizing this book to get a message across.

As Pastor Platt opened, I'll also open. I'm a layperson who has been a Christ Follower since I was 12. In the past 45 years, my family has served on two international mission fields, two local churches, and many small study and prayer groups. I've never been to seminary and am a professor at a community college. Cars are paid for (and one is a decade old), no credit cards have balances, and we live within our means in a 3 BR ranch home in the suburbs. In International Standards, we're mega-rich.

Pastor Pratt starts his book with his credentials as the youngest pastor of a mega-church and a seminary-trained minister.

Pastor Platt's premise that in order to live Biblically, we must give away what we own, live as minimalists, leave America to spread the message of Christ around the world, and abandon our "mega-churchs, performances, and programs" is a sweeping and completely unfounded damnation of millions of Christians in the United States.

His Biblical example of the Rich Young Ruler is a primary foundation for the "command" that we give away our stuff. This was an instruction to a NON-BELIEVER because he worshipped his STUFF more than he was willing to worship GOD. This was not a command to everyone, and certainly never a requirement for salvation. In fact, our material wealth is never a condition of salvation - whether we've got a lot, a little, or none.

In fact, Lazarus was never commanded to sell his home, which Jesus stayed in often. Solomon, David, Moses, Jacob, were all blessed with material wealth. None of them worshipped their possessions, and Pastor Platt doesn't mention their leadership as a model for how we should treat our possessions. Joseph of Arimathia was wealthy enough to own a tomb. Jesus certainly didn't tell him to sell that. And tithing is never encouraged in this book.

In fact, dozens of references to homes, cars, clothes, and things are sarcastically lamented as non-Christian demonstrations of our self-centeredness, and that if we keep these things instead of giving to the international poor, we should question our own salvation. He turns his sarcasm and biting tone to worship style, buildings, and programs too. In fact, he writes that it's a sin to build a $12 million dollar sanctuary and only send $5,000 to foreign aid to feed starving people. His damnation of that paltry sum is never juxtaposed with the decades of service such a building may provide as a venue for tens of thousands of hungry SOULS to learn about Christ. He also doesn't mention that those hungry people will be hungry again tomorrow unless something changes in their country, their government leaders, their cultures, and their economies. He has no suggestions on how we Christians should address that.

This is the same kind of "Spiritual Abuse" as the "Health and Wealth" theology spewed by some popular evangelists, except we are told that we are guilty of abhorrent sin when we have stuff instead of poverty. We're further instructed to leave where God placed us in ministry (especially if you're in a mega-church, a church with programs, or a church with many services, bands, and visual arts.) If that is our "misguided" understanding of Jesus' desire for our ministry, then we are living sinfully and not within the Word according to Pastor Platt.

I reject nearly every argument people present if they first consider it necessary to bash the predecessors responsible for whatever they want to change before they can present the merits of their proposal. Making someone else look bad in order for me to look good isn't taught by Jesus either.

The maintenance committee leader who criticizes the prior painter a decade earlier before he can propose we paint our sanctuary again is just wrong. The treasurer who must point out all the difficulties of working with the prior bookkeeper before recommending we change our procedures is misleading. The pastor who tells me I'm living sinfully worshipping in my church before telling me I need to go overseas to help people in "secret church" learn about Jesus is manipulative. Pastor Platt does not appear to stand on Biblical truth as his foundation. He builds his case on the backs of what he perceives is wrongful worship and false salvation.

So, I reject this premise as being manipulative, totally out of context with Biblical truth, and yet another "Theology of Works" approach to Christianity.

If this were contextually written, Pastor Platt would have written at least one time about tithing. He'd have mentioned at least once the promise of Blessings in both Old and New Testaments. He'd have at least acknowledged that we know that not ALL will know Christ. And he'd at least devoted some portion of a chapter expounding love, compassion, and service as Biblical motivation to follow his prescription for practicing our faith. Instead, we get guilt, works, and theological abuse.

Bummer. I really don't like writing such criticism.

Would you ever listen to anything by David Platt again?

Not sure, but that would stand on its own merit.

Would you be willing to try another one of David Platt’s performances?

Not really interested.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Extreme scepticism

Any additional comments?

So sorry to write such criticism.

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esto le resultó útil a 84 personas

Awesome book

Revisado: 06-18-11

Love and respect is an incredible experience for us both. We are leading a group of a dozen couples who love this study.

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esto le resultó útil a 7 personas