Week 12 Reading Wrap-Up: Sorting Truth from Hype and Heresy
This week’s reading lineup took me on a journey through evangelical reflections, spiritual warfare, and a bumpy attempt at apologetics. I dove into Jesus Is by Judah Smith, Live No Lies by John Mark Comer, and Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers. Let’s just say it was a week full of truth-claims, spiritual battles, and a few theological facepalms.
Jesus Is _____ by Judah Smith
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
This one was a refreshing and easy read. The book grew out of an ad campaign by Smith’s church—not to promote the church itself, but to spark conversations about Jesus. It’s a simple premise that works surprisingly well. Smith’s tone is inviting, not preachy, and he manages to hit on some core truths without weighing the reader down. Definitely worth your time if you’re looking for a faith-based book that’s more “inspiring coffee chat” than “systematic theology deep dive.”
Side note: Sometimes simplicity is underrated. This book reminds you that sometimes, Jesus is enough.
Get Your Copy:
📚 Amazon
📚 Bookshop.org
Live No Lies by John Mark Comer
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
This was the standout of the week. I’ve read Practicing the Way and loved it, but Live No Lies takes it a step further—calling out the enemies of the soul: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Comer doesn’t shy away from the reality of spiritual warfare, but he also doesn’t fall into fear-mongering. His emphasis on truth over deception feels deeply timely, especially in a cultural moment flooded with confusion and half-truths.
This book gave me language for things I’ve felt but couldn’t quite articulate. Highly recommend if you’re navigating life in a world that wants you to forget who you are.
Key takeaway: Lies are loud, but God’s truth is louder—if we’re willing to listen.
Get Your Copy:
📚 Amazon
📚 Bookshop.org
Another Gospel? by Alisa Childers
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
This one… had potential. Childers shares her personal faith crisis, prompted by a pastor who deconstructed his way out of historic Christianity. While her desire to defend orthodox faith is commendable, the execution left me wanting more nuance.
There’s a noticeable straw-manning of “progressive Christianity” throughout, and a tendency to conflate questioning with rebellion. Much of what she says of “progressive Christianity” is true some of the time but she overstates it. At times, her tone feels more reactionary than reflective. While she eventually acknowledges the importance of context and genre in biblical interpretation, it comes a bit too late—and feels more like a reluctant concession than a guiding principle.
I wish she would have let some of the more thoughtful moments have some more space to breathe and held back on some of the culture-wars positioning.
To be fair, it’s worth a read but it was frustrating for me.
Oh, and you might know Alisa from her previous career in CCM as a member of ZOEgirl.
Frustration level: Moderate to high. I wanted a bridge-builder and got a bulldozer.
Get Your Copy:
📚 Amazon
📚 Bookshop.org
Thematic Threads
Across all three books, there’s a shared urgency about the role of truth—how we find it, defend it, and live it. Whether it’s Smith’s reminder of who Jesus is, Comer’s battle against lies, or Childers’ defense of orthodoxy, each book wrestles with how belief shapes life. The differences lie in tone and approach: gracious invitation vs. spiritual warfare vs. apologetic rebuttal.
🔗 Links & Resources
- 📚 Follow me on Goodreads
- ✍️ Live No Lies Companion Podcast – A podcast series by John Mark Comer that walks through the themes of the book
- 🎙️ Alisa Childers’ official site, with blog posts and podcast episodes expanding on the book’s themes
