Scan barcode
daileyxplanet's review
4.0
An enlightening look at the life of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. Worth a study.
derekdavis31's review
3.0
Mark Driscoll has always been a favorite of mine. He is an amazing preacher and a Bible teacher, and this book is a reflection of his preaching and teaching style.
First of all, before I get into my reasons for giving this book three out of five stars, I absolutely stood by his thesis. It is well-argued and he uses appropriate Scripture to defend his assertions. I also really liked the application aspects of living a Spirit-Filled life. I felt some things in the book did not apply to me, and as a result, parts of the book did not resonate with me (primarily, his references to marriage and having children).
However, like any sort of theological self-help book, there was one concern I had. This is the part where I explain my rationale for giving the book three stars. While Driscoll does acknowledge the fact that Christians can suffer from depression and other mental health issues, he does so in a way that presents itself in a way that in just a few prayer sessions, the Christian will no longer suffer from a chemical imbalance or some sort of addiction. Sorry, Mark, but that's just not how things work. Now, understand that I am not trying to say that the Holy Spirit cannot heal someone through prayer, I am just saying that there are other things to consider when it comes to mental health. However, Driscoll does come across as ableist in his discussion on mental health issues and that does not sit well with me.
Despite this lack of understanding of mental health issues, I also know that he is not a licensed Christian counselor. It is apparent he really has not been blessed with this spiritual gift (If I am wrong, please point it out in your comment and please do it respectfully), and that is perfectly okay. The book was great and the message was well communicated. It just wasn't perfect.
First of all, before I get into my reasons for giving this book three out of five stars, I absolutely stood by his thesis. It is well-argued and he uses appropriate Scripture to defend his assertions. I also really liked the application aspects of living a Spirit-Filled life. I felt some things in the book did not apply to me, and as a result, parts of the book did not resonate with me (primarily, his references to marriage and having children).
However, like any sort of theological self-help book, there was one concern I had. This is the part where I explain my rationale for giving the book three stars. While Driscoll does acknowledge the fact that Christians can suffer from depression and other mental health issues, he does so in a way that presents itself in a way that in just a few prayer sessions, the Christian will no longer suffer from a chemical imbalance or some sort of addiction. Sorry, Mark, but that's just not how things work. Now, understand that I am not trying to say that the Holy Spirit cannot heal someone through prayer, I am just saying that there are other things to consider when it comes to mental health. However, Driscoll does come across as ableist in his discussion on mental health issues and that does not sit well with me.
Despite this lack of understanding of mental health issues, I also know that he is not a licensed Christian counselor. It is apparent he really has not been blessed with this spiritual gift (If I am wrong, please point it out in your comment and please do it respectfully), and that is perfectly okay. The book was great and the message was well communicated. It just wasn't perfect.
More...