BOOK REVIEW: JESUS PURE AND SIMPLE

BOOK REVIEW: Jesus Pure and Simple

By Wayne Cordeiro

Wayne Cordeiro is the pastor of a Foursquare charismatic church in Hawaii. Like too many dustcover author blurbs these days, his notes that New Hope Christian Fellowship is “one of the nation’s fastest growing churches.” This, apparently, the most important qualification for anyone to write a book.

I liked the title of this book so I asked for a review copy. I am thankful to the editor for providing one.

The book contained a few good thoughts, but none worth quoting here. Mostly, it was a big miss. There was a whole lot more Wayne than Jesus between the covers. I am not sure why this happens so often in books? An author sets out to tell us of Christ, then talks all about us. It is tiresome. This book reminded me of a man who invites you to join him at a window to enjoy a spectacular view, but after he positions you near him, you discover it is actually a mirror. And he is the only thing you see.

Besides that, one had to endure the typical shout-outs to Mother Teresa (63) and Joan of Arc (174) and all. Then came the typical evangellyism stuff; I have to listen to what the Holy Spirit says to me, God told me such-and-such, God filled my empty spot. Yawn.

Sometimes I shudder to think what is going on in churches in the West.

(This book was provided courtesy of Graf-Martin Communications and BakerBooks in exchange for an honest review.)