Book Fads

by John Rasmussen

I’m not a big fan of Christian book stores. Somewhere between the “How to Manipulate God into Giving You What You Want” section and the “The Christian Biker Serendipity Study Bible” titles I get lost. But every once in awhile I like to give them a quick five minutes of my time to check out the latest Christian title everyone is talking about. As a future pastor, I have interest in what God’s people are reading. It seems like there’s always “the book” that everyone is reading, recommending, and forming bible studies around. When I was in high school, The Prayer of Jabez was a sensation, so much so that the band Mercy Me wrote a song about the theme (“Bless Me”). In college, a church’s success was determined by whether or not they used Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. A few years ago it was The Shack. I’ve seen Francis Chan’s Crazy Love at more than one Starbucks. And more recently, the Christian book gone viral is Heaven is for Real, the story of a young boy who dies, goes to heaven, and returns to enlighten his family and friends about the afterlife. At this point I have to mention Rob Bell’s controversial book Love Wins, which would more appropriately be titled Hell is not for Real (Sorry… that was too easy). More than a few people urged me to read Heaven is for Real while I was living in Florida last year – so much so that I have two copies on my shelf given to me as gifts. The topic is obviously catchy, perhaps even personal for those who have lost loved ones recently. Yet while the above mentioned books, especially the current favorite circulating through Christian circles, are no doubt interesting and thought provoking, a word of caution needs to added – Just because something is sincere, popular, and on the shelves of your local Christian book store, doesn’t mean it’s edifying or even in line with Jesus for that matter. There’s a part of me that feels bad for being so skeptical, but experience has taught me that just because it’s a best seller doesn’t mean it’s on target. As Christians, we’re called to be open as well as critical. We are open to people’s stories and new perspectives, but also careful to weigh everything against the rule of our faith. As far as Heaven is for Real goes, I’ll leave the critical part to someone more gifted than myself. If you’ve heard of the book, had it recommended to you, or even read it, take some time to check out an open-minded, yet equally critical review by Dr. Jeff Gibbs at Concordia Seminary: http://concordiatheology.org/2011/05/heaven-is-for-real/