Week 10 Wrap-up: Books on Faith - Left, Right, and the Middle

This week was packed with thoughtful, challenging, and, at times, frustrating reads. I made my way through How to Be Here by Rob Bell (4 stars), Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer (5 stars), Letter to the American Church (4 stars) and Religionless Christianity (4 stars) by Eric Metaxas, Divine Direction by Craig Groeschel (4 stars), and Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley (4 stars). Quite a mix of perspectives, and plenty to chew on!

Practicing the Way – John Mark Comer (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

The standout of the week. Comer does a phenomenal job calling us back to the Christianity of Christ and His disciples—stripping away the cultural baggage and distractions that have muddied the waters. His writing is clear, accessible, and compelling. This book felt like a needed reset, a reminder that following Jesus is not just about believing the right things but actually doing what He did. Highly recommend!

How to Be Here – Rob Bell (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Bell is a talented writer, no doubt about it. His style is engaging and fluid, making this an easy read. But something was missing. Or rather, Someone was missing. Bell without Jesus just rings hollow. This isn’t the same Bell from Velvet Elvis or even Love Wins. The message here—living fully in the present and embracing creativity—is good, but without the anchor of Christ, it lacks the weight it needs to really stick.

Letter to the American Church – Eric Metaxas (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

Religionless Christianity – Eric Metaxas (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

These books are essentially two sides of the same coin, and both suffer from a glaring imbalance. Metaxas argues that silence in the face of evil is un-Christian—but his definition of “evil” skews in one very particular direction. If you don’t speak out against abortion, you’re a coward. But if you’re speaking against racism, the death penalty, or genocide in Gaza, you’re being “divisive.” That kind of selective moral outrage weakens the argument. He’s a smart writer, no doubt, but his one-dimensional perspective makes for a frustrating read.

Divine Direction – Craig Groeschel (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

I still like Groeschel’s style. He writes in a way that’s relatable and actionable. The book itself was solid, though not quite as impactful as some of his earlier works. Maybe I’ve just outgrown where he’s speaking from? Confessions of a Pastor or The Christian Atheist would probably still get 5 stars from me. That said, I’m looking forward to catching up on his other books.

Reading While Black – Esau McCaulley (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

A fascinating dive into Black Theology and Liberation Theology. I’m obviously not the target audience, but I found it insightful and valuable. Reading different theological perspectives is important—I never want to be stuck in an echo chamber. McCaulley makes a compelling case that Liberation Theology is an essential part of the conversation, even if it doesn’t stand alone as a complete theological framework for every believer or every context. His emphasis on mutual engagement with Scripture—“we will ask things of the text, and the text will ask things of us”—really resonated. For white theologians and ministers working in multicultural spaces, this book is crucial. You simply cannot minister effectively to a diverse congregation without understanding where people are coming from.

Final Thoughts

This week’s reads reminded me why I love books that challenge my assumptions and push me to think critically. Some were inspiring, some frustrating, but all had something worth considering. Let’s see what next week brings!