Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible - 4 stars

When I started reading Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace, it was with my carpool group. Reading a book out loud on our daily drive offered a chance to not only read but discuss what we read. We found the book interesting and the premise different than others on the topic. As a cold-case homicide investigator, the author brought his investigative expertise to the subject of Jesus and why he still matters even to a world that rejects the Bible. He approached it like he would a cold case.

 

Covid put a crimp in carpooling reading group. Due to lockdowns and social distancing, we set the book aside. We thought we’d be back in the car within a couple of weeks, but those weeks turned into months and years. It sat, but I still pondered the findings offered by the author, that even without the New Testament, evidence that Jesus matters in a world that rejects the Bible still exists all over the place. I finally picked up the book and finished reading it on my own. I was not disappointed.

 

Wallace interlaced how he and his partner solved a cold case using innovative procedures and then applied them to the case for Jesus and whether or not he matters. To his surprise, Wallace uncovered evidence everywhere he looked that Jesus does matter. Our calendars, literature, the arts, songs and music, education, exploration, science, and more provided a wealth of evidence. Wallace reveals this wealth of evidence and shares how it transformed his thinking from atheist to believer.

 

 

This book held my interest with the unfolding of the cold case as it evolved from a missing person to suspected murder. The author applied the same techniques to Jesus and unpacked substantial evidence of how much Jesus influenced this world and what the evidence reveals about him. The book is also loaded with visual illustrations that hammer home the findings. I’d recommend this book to people who enjoy history, those who think Jesus was a good teacher, prophet, or something along those lines, people interested in religion, and even people who believe Jesus is the Son of God. This book offers something for everyone.

 

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What If Jesus Meant What He Said by Nate Bramsen - 5 stars

If you are looking for a book that challenges you to become more of the person Jesus wants you to be, What If Jesus Meant What He Said by Nate Bramsen is such a book. In my case, I read it as part of a small group. Each week we read through a chapter out loud and talked through the discussion questions at the end of the chapter. The book points out, through Scripture, that following Christ is never about how prepared we feel. Rather, it is about an invitation—an ultimatum--echoed in Christ’s words. “Follow Me.”

 

Each chapter builds on the truth of what this means. In chapter 2, Bramsen states that trusting Christ isn’t about a profession of faith but rather a life of faith in Him. It’s not about trying harder but about knowing Jesus. Chapter 3 discusses the ultimate invitation, “If anyone desires to come after Me…” and how it is an inclusive
invitation that isn’t about permission to follow Him but about the path of following Him. Chapter 4 shines a light on our response to the invitation as one of complete surrender. When we answer the call to follow Him, the starting point is Christ. Not us. Either we deny self, or we deny Christ. Chapter 5 builds on this and talks about laying aside every weight that entangles our walk with Christ. This includes dreams, passions, and pursuits. With each of the 27 chapters, Bramsen uses Christ’s words and real-life examples to shine a thought-provoking light on what it means to follow Him. The handful of "reflect and respond" questions at the end of each chapter guide the reader to see the reality of their walk with Christ and how it complies with His invitation to follow Him or how it does not.

Author Nate Bramsen

I give this book 5 stars. Its easy conversational tone and short chapters hold the interest and leave time for reflection. It centers on Christ’s words and obedience to those words.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to become more obedient in their walk with Christ. It is a book you can read individually, but it also makes a perfect choice to be read together as a small group. The chapters are short, and the few questions found at the end of each chapter offer thought-provoking insights. In our small group setting, the questions generated meaningful, honest discussion.

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