Blog

Author: Hugh Hewitt
ISBN: 0-7852-1187-X
Publisher: Nelson Books

Review:
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If you are reading this review, chances are you have heard about the blogosphere. The blogosphere is a corner of cyberspace which is exponentially expanding. Blog is short for weblog, which is essentially an online diary, with the twist that it is meant to be read by others. The most successful blogs aren't your typical housewife-at-home daily list of things accomplished. Instead, they are political pundits, industry analysts and celebrities. One of the more successful bloggers (one who blogs), Hugh Hewitt, is the author of Blog. He is a radio talkshow personality who has leveraged his radio presence into the blogosphere and currently has a wide readership base.

Hewitt contends that the main stream media (MSM) such as the major daily papers, TV news broadcasters, and even flagship web sites such as CNN.com are being threatened, and may even be forced to change based on blogs. The reason Hewitt gives for this is all about accountability. Most news organizations exist for profit, and their accountability has historical been somewhat lacking. Most people realize that any given story in the news is probably factually suspect and perhaps even intentionally misleading.

The power of a blog with a sustained, large readership to bring these news organizations to task on their accuracy, partisanship, or blatant fiction has been demonstrated in several recent events. Hewitt shows how Senator Trent Lott, anchorman Dan Rather, and even presidential candidate John Kerry were all affected by the power of the blogosphere. According to Hewitt, instead of one or two editors vetting the news within a news organization, there are thousands of editors out in the blogosphere to give notice of error or inaccuracy. It may even go so far, as in the case of Trent Lott, that a story intentionally ignored by the MSM, may be picked up by the blogosphere and widely disseminated to the point where the MSM is forced to cover it.

Once a story picks up speed in the blogosphere Hewitt declares that it morphs into a blog swarm. If the story is hot it will be carried all over the blogosphere potentially in a matter of hours, giving many individuals the chance to read and perhaps even voice their own opinions. Such is the case of Dan Rather's story on the Bush memo. It was only in the educated and responsive readership of the blogs that textual experts started to come forward and declare the memo an obvious fake.

It may be much ado about nothing, but Hewitt makes a compelling case that every organization, whether it be a large corporation or a local church, needs to jump into the blogosphere and make their presence known. It provides an excellent platform for an organization to display its services, answer its critics, and provoke discussion about its core competencies.

As far as the book itself, the first half was quite interesting, especially the description of the major public events incited by the blogosphere. The last half was actually quite boring. Hewitt isn't the greatest writer, and frequently repeats his thoughts. It is obvious that this book was an off-the-cuff publicity generator for the blogosphere, but admittedly it is timely. I don't believe that MSM is going to "melt-down". They are far too entrenched for that. But I don't disagree that over time, more and more individuals are going to get turned off by the propaganda and will undoubtedly start looking for more trustworthy news sources.

For anyone who wants to know the power of the blogosphere this book is a good introduction. For anyone who doesn't know how to turn on a computer, this book is probably a bad idea. To get an idea of the variety of the blogs out there, visit Hewitts blog at www.hughhewitt.com and check out his favorite blogs.

And the Shofar Blew

Author: Francine Rivers
ISBN: 0-8423-6582-6
Publisher: Tyndale

Review:
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I always hesitate reading a Rivers novel because I know that I will soon get caught up in the drama and dead-on dialogue always present in her novels. This novel is no different. By the end of this book we get to know each of the main characters intimately. Their hopes and fears become our hopes and fears. Indeed, of all her novels, I feel this one strikes closest to home because most Christians have at one point or another experienced the swirl of hurts and disappointments faced by these characters. The book covers a span of roughly fifteen years and we get a glimpse of just how difficult it can be to reap what we sow.

Paul Hudson is an ambitious young minister, anxious to seek the approval of his larger-than-life pastor/father. His ambitions drive him to hurt and betray the most important people in his life, namely his wife and son. His wife, Eunice, although perhaps a little too perfect, struggles to be patient and supportive although she eventually realizes that the direction her husband is headed will end in disaster. His son Timothy sees the situation all too clearly and like most preacher's kids, is tormented by the warped view he witnesses through the sides of the fishbowl. Samuel Mason, the elder who offers the pulpit to Paul on behalf of the failing local church, also sees the veering direction and, despite his sound wisdom, is gradually cast aside. Stephen Decker is the wild card in the mix, who has great potential to harm or help both the work of God and the work of Hudson, which are two very different things in this novel.

Overall, this book is a call for all to examine the motives and direction of seeker-sensitive churches. We witness the descent of Hudson into a moral morass as he tries to fulfill his ambition at the expense of the simplicity of the gospel. Too many churches fall into the trap that Hudson willingly enters. As the church initially grows due to his God-given gifts, the original elders gradually lose connection with the church and are replaced with those whose ambitions mirror that of Hudson, and the growth of the church becomes the sole measure of success. Very quickly the building program enters the scene and due to the large-scale committments necessary for a large "vision", retaining and adding to the membership rapidly supplants the need to disciple and verify the Christ-likeness of those in leadership positions. It becomes all too apparent that the "seeker-sensitiveness" is really a cover for supporting the personal ambitions of the leadership. The gospel gets watered-down, heart-growth is set aside, services become entertainment oriented, and sound bites are preferred to sound doctrine. The descent into the madness of pleasing the world starts innocently enough and is driven by a desire to see souls saved, but when carried to its logical end, it leads to a place without boundaries, a place where God's voice cannot be heard. Worldly-sensitivity is Godly insensitivity.

Rivers carries this thinking to the bitter end and we witness the heart-breaking revelations and very credible sinfulness that inevitably accompany self-aggrandizement. Very difficult choices face many of the characters involved, choices that many Christians have had to face. Unfortunately we will continue to choose incorrectly and experience the sorrow that grips Eunice, Timothy, and Paul unless we empty ourselves of ourselves and listen to the call of God. Rivers symbolizes this call as the ancient call of the shofar that summoned the Israelites to repentance, to war, and to the presence of God. The shofar can be a consistent entity in the life of the believer if they have the ears to hear. From the beginning of this book to its climax we plunge with terrifying pace into the deafness of sin and ambition and the shofar gradually fades to silence.

How many believers like Eunice, Timothy, Stephen, and Samuel are hurt and broken on the wheel of another's sin and ambition? We never really know the impact we have on the lives of others, especially those of us in a place of Christian leadership. Paul turns from a pastor into a trader. He trades his family who love him for the superficial esteem of 'important' men. He trades his calling for his own kingdom. He trades his true friendships for the admiration of sinful people. And most telling, he trades the gospel for the support of faithless people. Of all, Christ is the one that is most rejected in this entire scenario. Christ is shown the door so that Influence and Power can enter.

This novel is a timely statement on current Christian culture. I am beginning to be deeply suspicious of efforts to engage the world on its own terms; of large-scale building programs; of showiness over humility; of modern methods that fail to present the gospel in a clear and simple manner. When we try to entice the world to come to church by worldly methods we do despite to the cross, which truly is the power of God unto salvation. Enticing is the activity of the Enemy. And anything less than the clear gospel is a cleverly hidden lie, and we wrong not only God, but those very people we are enticing.

However, in everything, there is always another perspective. There are some elders, some older churches, who do not have the Christlikeness evidenced by Samuel. Far too many churches have degenerated into a country club atmosphere where the cause of the gospel falls on deaf ears. We should ever strive to present the gospel to the lost in a way that they can understand and in a way which will open their heart to the Spirit. We need to reach the world through the power of the Spirit. Many churches could only identify with the Centerville church as it was before Paul Hudson arrived. This ought not to be the case. A church that has lost its hunger to see the lost come to Christ is itself lost. What this book is warning against is the fad-driven church, the "whatever it takes" church. An excellent article about this very subject was written by Rev. Todd Wilken, entitled, "The Fad-Driven Church". If you can find it, it will open your eyes.

Every Christian leader should read this book, but my fear is that those with the ears to hear do not need to read this book, and those who should read it would never crack its covers. But may it help strengthen the hearts of those who desire Christ, His will, His kingdom and nothing less. Finally, like most Rivers novels, this book is a page-turner, so if you are planning to read it make sure you've got lots of time to finish it quickly.