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Dr. Robert Sumner passed away in December 2016. The Biblical Evangelist newspaper is no longer being published and the ministry of Biblical Evangelism has ceased operation. The remaining inventory of his books and gospel tracts was transferred to The Baptist Tabernacle of Los Angeles and may be ordered here. Book Reviews UNCOVERING GOD’S MYSTERIOUS WAYS by Alton Gansky; Broadman & Holman Publishers, Nashville, TN; 16 Chapters, 255 Pages; $14.99, Paper Everyone ought to move every so often, if for no other reason than this one: while getting things in my study ready to pack, I came across this title. It probably came two or 3 years ago (it was available in 2003), but because it was an “advance uncorrected review copy” in a different format than regular books it somehow got placed in another spot – and undiscovered until now. Gansky is a Why? On only the second page we read, “I didn’t believe in bottomless pits then, and I don’t now.” We found that confusing to say the least since the Word of God speaks of “bottomless pit” 7 times in 7 verses in Revelation 9, 11, 17 and 21. It is true that Gansky was talking about a small lake his uncle said was bottomless, but we still found it strange. And he should have made it plain what he meant. Things picked up a little after that and Gansky dealt quite capably with mysterious punishments, skies, people, miracles, request, evil, intelligences, failures, travel, voices (good and otherwise), symbols, numbers, science, relatives, connection – giving a chapter to each – and closing with his summary, “Why I Am a Skeptic.” In his second chapter, on the skies, he quotes with glowing approval astronomer Hugh Ross, not noting that he is a theistic evolutionist and not to be trusted. In the same chapter he quotes others who were wrong, noting how they erred – but not Ross. And you may be troubled that the author makes Balaam’s ass a type of Christ (he does make strong comparisons). He also mentions Hitler and Albert Schweitzer in the same breath, saying Hitler was bad and Schweitzer good, but the latter’s theology may have done more eternal damage than all of Hitler’s wars and mass murders. In his chapter on mysterious voices he makes a historical error regarding Houdini (real name, Ehrich Weiss). He says Houdini tried to find a spiritualist who would help him contact his mother (our understanding was that Houdini was out to prove contact couldn’t be made, not that it could) and the author is wrong in saying he made a pact with his wife to contact him after he died (although that is what Bill Gates’ computer encyclopedia says). It was not his wife, but fellow magician, Joseph Dunniger, who faithfully went to Houdini’s grave in Each chapter ends with 5 “points to ponder,” that are very helpful. While we have noted some problems above, this is basically a good, useful book and we think preachers and teachers will be helped by it. * * * * * THE GOSPEL DRIVEN MAN by Ralph “Yankee” Arnold; Send the Light, Hull, GA; 16 Chapters, 200 Pages; $12.95 This book was first released in 1979 as The Gospel – For This I’ll Live Or Die and “upgraded to reflect the additional knowledge and experience gained over the last 26 years.” In the promotional paper accompanying our review copy was the statement, “Dr. Curtis Hutson received a copy and greatly encouraged me to get the book ready to publish.” In the Foreword, the author dedicates the volume to Raymond Jackson, the only man to ever witness to him about his soul (and who led him to Christ). And he says there, “… there is nothing more powerful, dynamic, exciting, fulfilling, lasting, enjoyable, and rewarding, as being a GOSPEL DRIVEN MAN.” We concur. We wish we could stop our comments there, but that would not be honest. Evidently he spent too much time with his friend Curtis Hutson and adopted some of the latter’s major errors. After an enthusiastic start on Gospel Driven, we were very disappointed. * * * * * THIS LITTLE CHURCH WENT TO MARKET by Gary Gilley; Evangelical Press, Subtitled, Is the After an introductory chapter in which the author explains his thesis, the material is divided into two major parts: “Forces That Are Changing the Church” (3 chapters: Entertainment, Market-Driven Philosophy, and Psychology) and “The Church That Harry Built,” an apparent reference to Lee Strobel’s Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary (7 chapters: a church losing its foundation, losing its message, focused on the wrong need, misunderstands worship (preaching), misunderstands worship (singing), the gospel according to Warren, and a church at the crossroad). Many today point to the amazing growth of some mega-church ministries and conclude, ‘this must be of God because of the blessing.’ However, as Gilley points out: “… pragmatism is an unreliable trailblazer. In our more reflective moments few of us are willing to believe that success can always have the final word. For example, Mormonism is the most successful ‘church’ in the world today. Yet, none of us is willing to believe that God is blessing the Mormon Church. If pragmatism is our guide, we will be hopelessly tossed about by every wind of doctrine (Eph.4:14).” What he says about Mormonism would also be true of Jehovah Witnesses and Seventh-day Adventists. He carefully examines the philosophies, principles and practices of Robert Schuller, Bill Hybels and Rick Warren and offers serious warnings. We hope he is heeded. There is one Appendix, “Repentance.” It is the missing note in the “seeker” churches and that is the basic problem. Without repentance there is no Christianity! When we went over this appendix we couldn’t help wishing the author of the previous book we reviewed (The Gospel Driven Man) could study it. We are glad to add our endorsement to this work. * * * * * MASTERPIECES FROM OUR KITCHEN by Joe Bonnie Galyean Brumbelow; Morris Press Cookbooks, Kearney, NE; 8 Sections, 112 Pages; $9.95, Paper The subtitle says, Favorite Recipes from Over 50 Years Experience as a Pastor’s Wife. Mrs. Brumbelow is the widow of Joe Brumbelow (see the review of The Wit and Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow, September-October, 2005 issue) and there was brief section in it about his wife’s recipes, offering a half-dozen samples. They come under the classifications: Appetizers & Beverages; Soups & Salads; Vegetables & Side Dishes; Main Dishes; Bread & Rolls; Desserts; Cookies and Candy; and, This & That. If you count desserts/cookies/candies as one, this is the largest selection in the book, a fact that my husband enjoyed. And, yes, there is a helpful index. The recipes are simple to follow and with ingredients usually on hand. (Doesn’t it bug you when you are trying to fix something and find a ‘rare’ gem that you have to stop and run to the store to get?) I have tried several of these and my husband and I enjoyed them immensely. I think you will, too. – Dottie Sumner [See Brumbelow ad, page ] * * * * * THE DA VINCI CODE BREAKER by James L. Garlow, with Timothy Paul Jones and April Williams; Bethany House, Minneapolis, MN; 203 Pages; $9.99, Paper This is one of those books you can pick up and start reading anywhere, like an encyclopedia or a dictionary. Why? This is a dictionary! Dan Brown, author of The Da Vince Code that the whole country seems to be talking about, claims his work is historical fiction; that is, fiction based on fact. He is 100% correction about the fiction. Saying he is 10% right about the fact might be a wild overstatement! Yet the world has gone outrageously harebrained (that is a slight exaggeration of our own) about Brown’s book, using it as an attempt to discredit the Bible (especially the Gospel accounts); claim that Jesus skipped the cross and married Mary Magdalene; fathered a daughter; and that all these revelations are secretly bound up in Leonardo da Vince’s paintings, notably The Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. This book by Garlow, Code Breaker, contains over 500 “facts & terms” relating to Brown’s Code that any honest person should carefully consider before acclaiming Da Vince a credible story. Michael Medved, a nationally syndicated talk show host, in recommending Garlow’s work, noted: “As a religiously committed Jew, I’ve been appalled at the number of gullible readers who accept The Da Vinci Code as a piece of serious religious scholarship rather than recognizing the novel for what it is: a cheap, skillfully constructed entertainment that is simultaneously a bitterly biased, utter irresponsible slander of Christian tradition. The Da Vinci Code Breaker provides the factual background fair-minded people need to correct the lies, myths, and misunderstandings so recklessly promulgated by Dan Brown’s novel. This book merits broad circulation and serious discussion.” We agree! Since some of the definitions herein relate to things that will probably come up elsewhere, the reader would do well to save the book on his shelves for further reference down the road. We think of such matters as The Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Philip (in fact that are a number of so-called Gospels defined herein), the Rosicrucians, The Secret Gospel of Mark, the origin of the Protocols of the learned Elders of Zion, and such phony baloney as claims about The Priory of Sion. His definition of the biblical “canon” is very helpful, including brief explanations why the accepted books were accepted as authoritative and why the rejected books were excluded. His chart on Christological errors; comments on The Nag Hammadei papyri (and explanation of its contents), playing prominently in Brown’s book; the account of Papias of Hierapolis, an apostolic father, is also valuable for future reference. It is sad that a book like Brown’s could be so filled with myths, lies and errors that it would take a dictionary like this one to set the record straight. * * * * * ISSUES IN MISSIONS TODAY by Les Frazier; Bible & Literature Missionary Foundation, If you want to know about missions, check with a missionary. Doesn’t that make sense? The author of this volume, along with his wife Bonnie, ministered for more than four decades on the mission field. He knows the problems and understands the issues. Frazier, who earned his Ph.D. at Bob Jones University, has divided his material – much of which appeared originally in BIMI World, the voice of Baptist International Missions, Inc. – into five major sections about missions: The Task (4 chapters), The Call (5 chapters), The Missionary (5 chapters), Its Means (7 chapters), and Its Enemies (4 chapters). This volume is loaded with sensible, practical, logical advice. Sometimes, just by way of example, missionaries want to bring their most gifted youth to the States to study and train at their own alma mater or one of the most prominent schools. That’s a bad idea, as the author notes, saying, “Very few young preachers who are trained in Frazier has a good series on Jonah, dealing with the call to missions. Under the qualifications for a missionary he deals with the physical, educational, psychological, and spiritual – as well as perception and commitment. And he is right when he insists, “Sacrifice and missions are inseparable.” One not willing to sacrifice has no business asking Christians and/or churches to support him in his endeavor. The major enemies of missions he examines are idolatry, persecution, New Age and Liberation Theology. We suggest pastors, especially, get this book and it is “must reading” for any who have ambitions and plans (make that “calling”) to serve Christ as missionaries. If you want to know what is going on in the world of missions, get this book! * * * * * MY FIRSTBORN, THERE’S NO ONE LIKE YOU by Kevin Leman & Kevin Leman II; Revell, Grand Rapids, MI; 31 Pages; $12.99 MY MIDDLE CHILD, THERE’S NO ONE LIKE YOU by Kevin Leman & Kevin Leman II; Revell, Grand Rapids, MI; 31 Pages; $12.99 MY YOUNGEST, THERE’S NO ONE LIKE YOU by Kevin Leman & Kevin Leman II; Revell, Grand Rapids, MI; 31 Pages; $12.99 MY ONLY CHILD, THERE’S NO ONE LIKE YOU by Kevin Leman & Kevin Leman II; Revell, Grand Rapids, MI; 31 Pages; $12.99 These are interesting books, very well illustrated, with the children really cubs (bears). The theme in the firstborn relates to whether his mother loves him the best and answers Mama Bear gives are certainly interesting and timely. Actually, in all the books the subject wants to know if he or she is the best loved. The answers to each are good. The second one would cover any child between the firstborn and the baby – no matter how many – and the theme here is the differences in children of the same family, each with its uniqueness. In the third book, the baby of the family has his turn in the spotlight and goes through all the usual “so you love me best,” which is probably the desire of every child. The fourth book would probably be best for an only child who stands a good chance of remaining an only child, not a young one that will directly be joined by other siblings. It does emphasize the value and love parents have for an only child. Like most of these type of books, the price seems like a lot of money for so small a book. Or so I thought until I mentioned it to my youngest cub, who also happens to be an illustrator. He said they were inexpensive – usually about $15.99. I read each one (casually, not hurriedly) in about 6 minutes, including the introduction to “Dear Mama and Papa Bear” and the dedication to the particular child under discussion. On the other hand, they are in hard covers, slick paper, profusely illustrated, and something easily read by a child – or to a child on a lap. They are fascinating stories and we are happy to recommend them. * * * * * WITH TEARS IN MY HEART by Gertrude Grace Sanborn; Bible for Today, This is an excellent book of poetry. We have reviewed the late Mrs. Sanborn’s (1904-1988) poetry before and always with high praise. She was a gifted, talented poet and her verse speaks to the heart. Many of her poems were set to music. The 27 sections here deal with such themes as the Word of God, Almost all – if not all – were inspired by some tragedy, some joy, a sermon that had inspired her, a special longing she had, or an incident in the daily life of her walk with God. You will enjoy them! * * * * * SPIRITUAL REALITIES by Louis Arnold; Most of He discusses the foolishness of evolution in several chapters and his 12 “impossible things” evolutionists believe is devastating to the big bang view. Other helpful studies deal with the new birth, angels, and the birthrights of believers. You will rejoice and thrill at most of what he writes, but you may not agree with every detail. For example, he writes that children have spiritual life until the age of accountability and then, when they chose knowingly to do wrong, they lose it. Some might argue that if they could lose it then, what would keep them from losing it after they were saved and chose to be disobedient? And you may not agree that the churches in Revelation 2 & 3 represent the stages in the church age, or that the “sons of God” that married the “daughters of men” in Genesis 6 were angels. Our strongest disagreement, however, comes in his chapter “The Age of the Universe” and his advocacy of the “gap theory,” something we consider as an early (but unnecessary) attempt to answer/appease evolutionists. He does list some impressive supporters for the view (including my grandfather’s close friend and my dad’s namesake, Clarence Larkin). There is a typographical error here calling Merrill F. Unger “Ungerm,” which sort of sanitizes the noted scholar, but is certainly a misnomer! As for the author of Realities, this good brother is now in his 90s, but still traveling, preaching and writing up a storm. May God give him many more years of ministering to this wicked old world. * * * * * PROFESSOR VAN DUSEN: THE THINKING MACHINE by Jacques Futrelle; Journey Forth, BJU Press, Greenville, SC; 10 Chapters 194 Pages; $7.49, Paper The author of this volume in Journey Forth’s “Fingerprint Classics Series” perished when the Titanic sank, so obviously this is a reprint. Futrelle was primarily a newspaper man, although he spent a couple of years in the theater during the early 20th century. The professor was Futrelle’s brain child and he penned nearly 50 short stories about him, 9 of which are in this volume. It includes the most fascinating of them all, “The Problem of Cell 13,” the longest and most complicated in the series. The professor (Augustus S. F. X. Van Dusen), described as a “brilliant but crotchety scientist,” earned his “thinking machine” title by solving all kinds of seemingly impossible problems. (The word “impossible” was not in his vocabulary and he took offense whenever others used it.) Newspaper man Hutchinson Hatch is also featured in each of the stories (naturally; the author had been a newspaper man most of his life) and Chief of Detectives Mallory, of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, makes numerous appearances also – but he is no hero. The professor solves all kinds of problems with simple (to him anyway) logic, from the first one (escaping from the death cell at Chisholm Prison, an ‘escape proof’ prison, within a definite time frame), to a haunted house with a flaming ghost. In between he solves problems of a broken bracelet and buried treasure, a stolen Ruben painting from a locked and guarded room, a mystery about what happened on a life raft a third of a century after the fact, a disappearing motor car, where a career robber had hidden bank loot, a faked will, and how thieves stole radium from the professor’s guarded laboratory. The book is listed by the publisher as fiction for young adults. We think it has missed the mark widely. It should fascinate anyone from early teens to old age. We read every word and even tried to come up with some of the solutions. (We were ‘close’ on some, but, as the saying goes, ‘no cigar’ because the details escaped us as we read.) One thing is for sure: it ought to be in every high school library, Christian and secular, so that students can have their minds challenged. We add secular because there is nothing religious about it to excite the ACLU and their minions. * * * * * 2020 VISION by Bill & Amy Stearns; Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, MN; 13 Chapters, 234 Pages; $12.99, Paper A friend of ours in No so with this volume, although the Scripture would harmonize with its contents. The authors are speaking, instead, of the Year 2020 and the vision the New Testament church should have in taking the gospel into all the world. The subtitle says, “Practical Ways Individuals and Churches Can Be Involved.” The book opens with an interesting review of what God is doing in different places around the world. Then it goes to different spots around the globe to see what God is doing: Vision is certainly a challenging book! * * * * * I COME QUIETLY TO MEET YOU by Amy Carmichael, Edited and Arranged by David Hazard; Bethany House, Amy Carmichael was born in 1867 and died in 1951, after being bedridden for about two decades. She developed a burden for precious souls early in life and as a young woman was concerned because the factory girls, who were too poor to purchase hats – and so wore shawls – were not welcome in the churches. She got one of the largest mills in Feeling called to missions, she went to Japan for a short time, returned to Ireland for health reasons, then went to India in 1895 and never returned, even for a furlough or a visit, although she lived to 1951. It was there she did her major work, founding the Dohnavur Fellowship for little girls who were “married to the gods” and used for prostitution in the temple. By the time of her death nearly 1,000 boys and girls were living at Dohnavur, including over a hundred in training as nurses, teachers or other phases of service. But none of this is in the book; I just mention it as background. These are brief devotional readings of only two or three pages each, perhaps edited by Hazard, taken from her various books. Opening with Scripture, each closes with a brief prayer. Some of the themes are “Pause,” “Silent Song,” “If I Belittle…,” “He Allows Me to Hunger,” “Lost, Alone, Isolated,” “A Chance to Die,” “Wishes That Become Clouds,” “Rejection,” “To Become His Flames of Fire,” “Every ‘Winter’ Comes to an End,” and, “Gathered in His Arms.” Evidently they had slang in her day, too, as one of the devotionals is “Joy Is Not ‘Gush’.” And even though her last 20 years were spent in bed from a fall, joy was a key element in her life. In fact, our favorite in this book was the one entitled, “Your Joy.” They are delightful, moving, heart-warming devotionals. First released under the title, You Are My Hiding Place it contains edited studies from a number of her books, including Thou Givest – They Gather, Rose From Briar, Edges of His Ways, If, Candles in the Dark, His Thoughts Said...His Father Said, and others. We guarantee you will profit from her thoughts. * * * * * GETTING THE GOSPEL RIGHT: A Balanced View of Salvation Truth by C. Gordon Olson; Global Gospel Publishers, Cedar Knolls, NJ; 3 Parts, 26 Chapters; $12, Paper This is an abridged and revised edition of the author’s previous work, Beyond Calvinism and Arminianism, reviewed here in our November-December 2004 edition and praised with high marks. We see no reason in the reprint to change our evaluation. However, perhaps we should have noted in the previous review that his comments on Lordship Salvation troubled us at first. But his definition of the term, as he explained it, was totally different from mine. He evaluated it as “discipleship salvation.” Our understanding has always been that, since so many of the salvation promises include Jesus as Lord, receiving him as “Lord” is part of the package. That accepting Him as Lord is a heart matter – not an outward following of discipleship – just as repentance is a heart attitude. One doesn’t make him Lord of every area of his life any more than he repents of every single sin he has or is going to commit. Apparently our only difference is in language. If the big ‘original’ was too much for you, get this abridged edition. * * * * * HERO TALES, Volume IV by Dave & Neta Jackson; Bethany House Publishers, Minneapolis, MN; 15 Character Profiles, 191 Pages; $12.99, Paper This is the 4th volume of stories about heroic Christians. The authors present three examples from each of the 15 characters. At the end of each is an appropriate Scripture and questions which would be usable in family devotions. Some of the best-known ones in the book are crusader William Wilberforce; writer C. S. Lewis; missionaries John G. Paton and John & Betty Stam; and hero on the Titanic, John Harper. It is only fair to note that we do not endorse all the characters listed here. Some we do not consider good examples, such as William J. Seymour (so-called father of modern Pentecostals and pastor of the * * * * * WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH WICCA? By Steve Russo; Bethany House Publishers, Subtitled A Deeper Look into the Dark Side of Today’s Witchcraft, from all reports in the secular press and tales about how Wicca is gaining popularity and stature among our teens (and younger – and older), this is a very timely volume. What most don’t know, however, is The Church of Wicca was acknowledged in a federal court (Dettmer v. Landon) to be a constitutionally recognized “religion,” with all the rights and privileges of other religions. Religion? Yes, and the author notes what kind: “Most Wiccans or witches tend to worship nature, are experience oriented, do not believe in absolutes, and believe in many gods.” Again, quoting a prominent psychic in Wicca: “There’s no confession or absolution of sins by an outside authority… Wiccans also believe in reincarnation, which deepens their commitment to personal and spiritual growth and to learning from all experiences.” It also may be one of the major reasons why suicides among teens is growing so rapidly. After all, ‘maybe I’ll get it better next time.’ Chapter 4 explains that Wicca has no absolutes and each adherent is his own boss (really, his or her own god). And they are equal opportunity devotees to both gods and goddesses. Wicca claims to give each follower the opportunity of choosing his or her own deity, which is another way of saying what we just stated. Since it is such a smorgasbord religion, it is very hard to define. Much of it is based on “feelings and experiences,” hardly reliable guides when eternity is in view. While written primarily for teens, we think adults – especially ministers and Sunday school teachers – might benefit even more. This is said in part because we found the author’s anger at God over the death of two friends/co-workers strange, hardly fitting a youth leader. The volume has 5 appendices in the back, including a helpful glossary of Wicca/Witchcraft terms. And if you deal with Wiccans, don’t make the insulting mistake (to them) of thinking Wicca and Satanism are the same – even if they obviously are first cousins! When you finish this book you’ll be convinced that Wicca and Christianity can’t both be right – and it should be obvious which is! If you do get it we’ll warn you about our experience: the first half was pretty dull (it was almost a training school for Wiccans), but half-way through the book came alive! * * * * * HANDBOOK ON THE WISDOM BOOKS AND PSALMS by Daniel J. Estes; Baker Academic, The five sections are Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon, with Job and Ecclesiastes getting the most attention. In fact, each of these latter receives almost as much ink as Psalms and Proverbs combined. Each section has its own Bibliography, both commentaries and articles, essays, and monographs. There is also a helpful index in the back. This is more of a technical study than a devotional one and the Bibliography selections are not the same as we would have listed. By way of example, instead of a commentary on Proverbs by David A. Hubbard, we would offer one by Henry M. Morris. And instead of a commentary on Psalms by J. Clinton McCann in the liberal New Interpreter’s Bible, we would offer the classic Treasury of David by the incomparable Charles Haddon Spurgeon. As for the comments on these books by Estes, he offers some very notable and helpful insights that will stir preachers and teachers in their preparations. He gives minor attention to Psalms, Proverbs and the Song of Solomon – at least in comparison to Job and Ecclesiastes (as noted above). We think it is also fair to say the volume is more for those in ministry than the so-called laity, and that a working knowledge of Hebrew would be helpful for the reader. That this work has a tremendous amount of research, study and scholarship behind it is a given. * * * * * A LOOK WITHIN: A Women’s Bible Study by Faith Alvis Taylor; BJU Press, Greenville, SC; 11 Chapters, 75 Pages; $6.95, Paper This is a short devotional book on eleven well-known Bible women – ten from the Old Testament. Each has a title, such as “faithful to her commitment” for Hannah. In this one, “Her Story” is told first by questions and blanks to fill in. Then “Her Character” is developed, finally ending with “Our Character” and how women can apply lessons from her life. There’s also a section at the end called “Look Within,” to be filled in with thoughts of what has been learned from the study. This is good for personal study. For group study there could be more commentary. The lessons are short, but for the busy woman today it may be very suitable. – Dottie Sumner * * * * * TREASURES FROM RUTH by Rod TREASURES FROM I KINGS by Rod TREASURES FROM JONAH by Rod TREASURES FROM JOSHUA by Rod TREASURES FROM PSALMS, Volume I by Rod TREASURES FROM PHILIPPIANS by Rod TREASURES FROM JAMES by Rod Like Pharaoh’s chief butler in Joseph’s time, “I do remember my faults this day” (Genesis 41:9). Several years back, Dr. Arnold Fair and his wife gave me the first three volumes listed above. Recently another friend, Evangeli |
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