Review of Lifestyle Evangelism 101: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ
-
Rashad Deniro Price
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 248
- Joined: 08 Dec 2023, 11:07
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 195
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-rashad-deniro-price.html
- Latest Review: The Adventures In Periland by Elaine Fox
Review of Lifestyle Evangelism 101: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Lifestyle Evangelism 101: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ" by C. Joshua Bruce PhD.]
According to the Bible, to attain eternal life, we must be born again. But our union with Jesus doesn't end there—we are also invited to be ambassadors of Christ. This is the Great Commission. Carlton Joshua Bruce aims to guide Christians through this journey with his workbook, Lifestyle Evangelism 101: How to Save a Life: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ.
Lifestyle evangelism is an active way of living fashioned in consciousness of the Great Commission. It is about impacting others through our words and actions and leading them into a close relationship with God. The idea of lifestyle evangelism is that by living authentically and serving others in our various capacities and fields, we can become a light that reflects God's grace and salvation, drawing people to God. It is the idea of being a "mobile Bible" to the neighbor next door or to the stranger out there. I found this concept—lifestyle evangelism—really interesting.
The book's title is comprehensive and catchy. I was particularly captivated by the word "influence." It took me back to the social media space and how influencers can go above and beyond to "woo" their audience to the brand they represent. It means that this salvific partnership—this heavenly ambassadorship—is a "brand thing." And we know there are "two products" in this case: "the God product" and "the Satan product." Which do you influence for? How proper and effective is your influencing?
Another interesting word in this workbook is "lifeguard." The author has done an impressive job using the concept of a professional watching over swimmers to illustrate our responsibilities as lifestyle evangelists. I found the learning to survive in water versus learning to survive in life as Jesus' disciple striking. Furthermore, I found the chapter reviews, chapter application prayers and the journal entries really helpful.
Unfortunately, there are many grammatical and typographical errors in this book. In addition, the book contains some unclear, awkward word choices and sentence structures. I will note three instances in this review: 1. "phantabularious" (page 30, PDF copy). I had no idea what the author meant by this. 2. "we’re clear that" (page 31, PDF copy). I think there are better alternatives, like "we understand that" or "we are certain that." 3. "The below" (page 13, PDF copy). I feel a better word choice in this context is "the following."
Furthermore, I found the abbreviation "re" (which I suppose means regarding) inconvenient. I think it would be better to write it in full, as this would make things much easier for readers. The book can also benefit from better organization, especially the introduction section. Also, so many topics were crammed into this section yet were not fully discussed—seemed more like highlights—which were of little benefit to me.
I am giving this book two out of five stars. Why? The book was poorly organized. It was challenging reading the introduction due to the crammed, underdeveloped, disjointed topics. Take, for instance, how the author jumped from "Why Lifestyle" to "Journalling to Grow" to "My Fisher Page" and even took up the topic of evolution theories. I did not enjoy reading chapter one. The story of Darrell's family did not connect with me. There are many grammatical and typographical errors in this book. Lastly, the awkward expressions especially made reading difficult. However, Christians who can cope with these issues may gain some insights from this book.
******
Lifestyle Evangelism 101: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ
View: on Bookshelves
According to the Bible, to attain eternal life, we must be born again. But our union with Jesus doesn't end there—we are also invited to be ambassadors of Christ. This is the Great Commission. Carlton Joshua Bruce aims to guide Christians through this journey with his workbook, Lifestyle Evangelism 101: How to Save a Life: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ.
Lifestyle evangelism is an active way of living fashioned in consciousness of the Great Commission. It is about impacting others through our words and actions and leading them into a close relationship with God. The idea of lifestyle evangelism is that by living authentically and serving others in our various capacities and fields, we can become a light that reflects God's grace and salvation, drawing people to God. It is the idea of being a "mobile Bible" to the neighbor next door or to the stranger out there. I found this concept—lifestyle evangelism—really interesting.
The book's title is comprehensive and catchy. I was particularly captivated by the word "influence." It took me back to the social media space and how influencers can go above and beyond to "woo" their audience to the brand they represent. It means that this salvific partnership—this heavenly ambassadorship—is a "brand thing." And we know there are "two products" in this case: "the God product" and "the Satan product." Which do you influence for? How proper and effective is your influencing?
Another interesting word in this workbook is "lifeguard." The author has done an impressive job using the concept of a professional watching over swimmers to illustrate our responsibilities as lifestyle evangelists. I found the learning to survive in water versus learning to survive in life as Jesus' disciple striking. Furthermore, I found the chapter reviews, chapter application prayers and the journal entries really helpful.
Unfortunately, there are many grammatical and typographical errors in this book. In addition, the book contains some unclear, awkward word choices and sentence structures. I will note three instances in this review: 1. "phantabularious" (page 30, PDF copy). I had no idea what the author meant by this. 2. "we’re clear that" (page 31, PDF copy). I think there are better alternatives, like "we understand that" or "we are certain that." 3. "The below" (page 13, PDF copy). I feel a better word choice in this context is "the following."
Furthermore, I found the abbreviation "re" (which I suppose means regarding) inconvenient. I think it would be better to write it in full, as this would make things much easier for readers. The book can also benefit from better organization, especially the introduction section. Also, so many topics were crammed into this section yet were not fully discussed—seemed more like highlights—which were of little benefit to me.
I am giving this book two out of five stars. Why? The book was poorly organized. It was challenging reading the introduction due to the crammed, underdeveloped, disjointed topics. Take, for instance, how the author jumped from "Why Lifestyle" to "Journalling to Grow" to "My Fisher Page" and even took up the topic of evolution theories. I did not enjoy reading chapter one. The story of Darrell's family did not connect with me. There are many grammatical and typographical errors in this book. Lastly, the awkward expressions especially made reading difficult. However, Christians who can cope with these issues may gain some insights from this book.
******
Lifestyle Evangelism 101: Win Friends & Influence Others for Lord Jesus Christ
View: on Bookshelves
Latest Review: The Adventures In Periland by Elaine Fox
-
George Bastem
- Book of the Month Participant
- Posts: 173
- Joined: 31 Dec 2024, 12:14
- Currently Reading: They Love You Until You Start Thinking for Yourself
- Bookshelf Size: 34
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-george-bastem.html
- Latest Review: Fearfully And Wonderfully Made by Liz Williams
"Lifestyle Evangelism 101" offers valuable insights into lifestyle evangelism, presenting the Great Commission in a practical way. However, the book struggles with organization and clarity, and the numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing may hinder the reading experience. Despite these challenges, it still holds potential for Christians interested in living out their faith actively.
Latest Review: Fearfully And Wonderfully Made by Liz Williams
