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The Unshakable Truth: How You Can Experience the 12 Essentials of a Relevant Faith
The name Josh McDowell promises real-life, on-the-street Christian apologetics. In his first Harvest House book, Josh joins his son Sean to draw on his life’s work and comprehensively address a vital issue: why an entire generation of young Christians―and millions of older believers―is confused about what they believe, why they believe it, and how it’s relevant. The Unshakable Truth is uniquely positioned for younger Christians because it presents apologetics relationally , focusing on how Christianity’s doctrines affect relationships. The authors… A spiritual gold mine for parents, youth workers, pastors―anyone wanting to reveal Christianity’s relevance to today’s life and culture.
512 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
46 people are currently reading
281 people want to read
About the author
Josh McDowell
518 books649 followersJosh McDowell is a bestselling Christian apologist, evangelist, and author of over 150 books, including Evidence That Demands a Verdict and More Than a Carpenter. Once an agnostic, he converted to Christianity while investigating its historical claims. He went on to earn degrees from Wheaton College and Talbot Theological Seminary. For decades, McDowell has been a prominent speaker with Campus Crusade for Christ, addressing issues of faith, character, and youth culture worldwide. His work emphasizes historical and legal evidence for Christianity and tackles challenges posed by skepticism and non-Christian beliefs. He lives in California with his wife, Dottie, and is the father of four children, including fellow apologist Sean McDowell.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
July 6, 2010
"The Unshakable Truth" is part apologetic, part theology, and part Christian Living book. Overall, it's Bible-based, easy to understand, and has a lot of very good information in it. It's pretty thick, but you can read each of the 12 sections (of 4 chapters each) out of order if desired.
The authors took 12 foundational Christian beliefs from the Nicene Creed and then spent four chapters focused on different aspects of each belief. The first chapter's focus was on theology. The second was on apologetics. The third was applying the belief to your life. The fourth was how to pass this truth on to your family.
The 12 beliefs/topics covered were: God Exists; God's Word\The Bible; Original Sin; God Became Human; Christ's Atonement for Sin; Justification Through Faith; Living the Transformed Life; Jesus' Bodily Resurrection; The Trinity; God's Kingdom; The Church; and the Return of Christ.
The 12 areas of apologetics were: Evidence for God's existence, that the Bible is reliable, that sin has consequences, that Jesus was the Messiah, that Jesus was God's perfect sacrifice for our sin, that Christ has the power to save us, of testimonies of transformed lives, that Jesus physically rose from the dead, that the Holy Spirit exists, that Christian teachings have had a positive influence in the world, that God's authentic church still exists, and for life after death.
The appendix contained information on how to hold three celebrations--which were loosely based on Old Testament Feasts of the Lord--as a way to teach your family these truths.
The authors' focused on Protestant theology. When the authors described a point where there was some variation in beliefs among Protestant churches, they would usually very briefly describe the main two variations.
One time that they didn't do this was on page 58, where they only said that some people don't agree with the view of the person quoted. I'd agree with some of the things said in the quote, but I would have argued that we know God exists because there is a beginning to the universe, which is based on operational science. The person quoted argued that we know that God exists because the Big Bang happened. The problem is that the Big Bang model doesn't match what we actually obverse in the present in a number of critical ways and even atheist scientists are starting to abandon it (For more info: www. answersingenesis. org / articles / wow / does-the-big-bang-fit). And if we base our proof of God on a man-made "historical science" model (as in, a science-related idea on how something occurred in the past, especially something that wasn't directly observed by humans), then our proof of God's existence collapses when the model does.
I don't agree with everything the authors said or quoted, but this book was excellent in many ways, especially in the first half. So I'm not trying to discourage anyone from reading it. However, there was some wording that bothered me.
Page 371: "God imparts his divine nature (godly DNA) to us, which enables us to have an intimate relationship with him and reflect his likeness and image before the world around us."
"Godly DNA" could be misunderstood as teaching that we become part-God.
Page 328: "Instead, [Jesus:] sent himself in the person of the Holy Spirit so we could become an intimate part of God's relational unity. And the more we participate in the Triune relationship the more we are empowered to live and love and relate like he does." Page 329: "Jesus invites you to join the circle of perfect relationship within the Godhead. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in your life with the intent to create a miraculous oneness like that which exists in the Trinity." Page 424: "God is inviting us into [the Trinity's:] perfect circle of relationship."
After how they described the Trinity's internal relationship--which is only possible for God as an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful, etc., being--this especially caused me some concern. "Join the circle" sounds like they're saying humans can become a part of the Trinity and relate to God as only God can relate to Himself. The Holy Spirit plays a role in enabling us to perfectly relate to God as humans were originally created to relate to Him, but it doesn't make us able to join the Trinity. We aren't God and never will be.
Page 243: "Our purpose in life is to honor our Creator God by living in relationship with him and out of that relationship becoming more and more like him" and "We believe the truth that followers of Christ are meant to live in relationship with God and be transformed into the likeness of Christ, which defines our very purpose for living--to honor and glorify God."
Yes, we do honor and bring glory to God by allowing Him to transform our lives, but this transformation isn't the only way to honor and glorify God nor is transformation into being "more like [our Creator God:]"--or even Jesus--a purpose that God originally created mankind for. Adam and Eve were originally created as perfect humans and therefore their nature was exactly what God intended and they perfectly related to God as He intended. No transformation was originally needed. And when all is restored in the new heavens and new earth, our relationship with God will be restored back to the perfect way it was originally created, so no further transformation will be needed. Growth into a deeper knowledge and relationship with God, yes, but transformation, no.
Page 243: "[God:] created us to relate to him and enjoy all the blessings that come from being godly."
The Westminster Shorter Catechism says that the chief purpose of man is "to glorify God and enjoy him forever." My studies of the Bible confirm this. So we're to enjoy God, not just the blessings we get from Him or from following Him.
I do recommend this book, but if you're looking for an excellent book that's half the size and has the same purpose, I'd highly recommend "In God We Trust" by Steve Ham.
The authors took 12 foundational Christian beliefs from the Nicene Creed and then spent four chapters focused on different aspects of each belief. The first chapter's focus was on theology. The second was on apologetics. The third was applying the belief to your life. The fourth was how to pass this truth on to your family.
The 12 beliefs/topics covered were: God Exists; God's Word\The Bible; Original Sin; God Became Human; Christ's Atonement for Sin; Justification Through Faith; Living the Transformed Life; Jesus' Bodily Resurrection; The Trinity; God's Kingdom; The Church; and the Return of Christ.
The 12 areas of apologetics were: Evidence for God's existence, that the Bible is reliable, that sin has consequences, that Jesus was the Messiah, that Jesus was God's perfect sacrifice for our sin, that Christ has the power to save us, of testimonies of transformed lives, that Jesus physically rose from the dead, that the Holy Spirit exists, that Christian teachings have had a positive influence in the world, that God's authentic church still exists, and for life after death.
The appendix contained information on how to hold three celebrations--which were loosely based on Old Testament Feasts of the Lord--as a way to teach your family these truths.
The authors' focused on Protestant theology. When the authors described a point where there was some variation in beliefs among Protestant churches, they would usually very briefly describe the main two variations.
One time that they didn't do this was on page 58, where they only said that some people don't agree with the view of the person quoted. I'd agree with some of the things said in the quote, but I would have argued that we know God exists because there is a beginning to the universe, which is based on operational science. The person quoted argued that we know that God exists because the Big Bang happened. The problem is that the Big Bang model doesn't match what we actually obverse in the present in a number of critical ways and even atheist scientists are starting to abandon it (For more info: www. answersingenesis. org / articles / wow / does-the-big-bang-fit). And if we base our proof of God on a man-made "historical science" model (as in, a science-related idea on how something occurred in the past, especially something that wasn't directly observed by humans), then our proof of God's existence collapses when the model does.
I don't agree with everything the authors said or quoted, but this book was excellent in many ways, especially in the first half. So I'm not trying to discourage anyone from reading it. However, there was some wording that bothered me.
Page 371: "God imparts his divine nature (godly DNA) to us, which enables us to have an intimate relationship with him and reflect his likeness and image before the world around us."
"Godly DNA" could be misunderstood as teaching that we become part-God.
Page 328: "Instead, [Jesus:] sent himself in the person of the Holy Spirit so we could become an intimate part of God's relational unity. And the more we participate in the Triune relationship the more we are empowered to live and love and relate like he does." Page 329: "Jesus invites you to join the circle of perfect relationship within the Godhead. The Holy Spirit takes up residence in your life with the intent to create a miraculous oneness like that which exists in the Trinity." Page 424: "God is inviting us into [the Trinity's:] perfect circle of relationship."
After how they described the Trinity's internal relationship--which is only possible for God as an all-knowing, all-present, all-powerful, etc., being--this especially caused me some concern. "Join the circle" sounds like they're saying humans can become a part of the Trinity and relate to God as only God can relate to Himself. The Holy Spirit plays a role in enabling us to perfectly relate to God as humans were originally created to relate to Him, but it doesn't make us able to join the Trinity. We aren't God and never will be.
Page 243: "Our purpose in life is to honor our Creator God by living in relationship with him and out of that relationship becoming more and more like him" and "We believe the truth that followers of Christ are meant to live in relationship with God and be transformed into the likeness of Christ, which defines our very purpose for living--to honor and glorify God."
Yes, we do honor and bring glory to God by allowing Him to transform our lives, but this transformation isn't the only way to honor and glorify God nor is transformation into being "more like [our Creator God:]"--or even Jesus--a purpose that God originally created mankind for. Adam and Eve were originally created as perfect humans and therefore their nature was exactly what God intended and they perfectly related to God as He intended. No transformation was originally needed. And when all is restored in the new heavens and new earth, our relationship with God will be restored back to the perfect way it was originally created, so no further transformation will be needed. Growth into a deeper knowledge and relationship with God, yes, but transformation, no.
Page 243: "[God:] created us to relate to him and enjoy all the blessings that come from being godly."
The Westminster Shorter Catechism says that the chief purpose of man is "to glorify God and enjoy him forever." My studies of the Bible confirm this. So we're to enjoy God, not just the blessings we get from Him or from following Him.
I do recommend this book, but if you're looking for an excellent book that's half the size and has the same purpose, I'd highly recommend "In God We Trust" by Steve Ham.
July 8, 2017
When I first heard about the book The Unshakable Truth: How Can Experience the 12 Essentials of A Relevant Faith by Josh and Sean McDowell, I knew I had to get it. The description on the back cover reads, “A watershed book for every believer wanting to deepen their faith and reveal Christ’s power and relevance to those around them.” While I really liked the book, it was not what I was expecting, in more ways then one.
Here is the product description:
"The name Josh McDowell promises real-life, on-the-street Christian apologetics. McDowell, along with his son, Sean, draws on a lifetime of work to create this comprehensive handbook on what Christians believe, why they believe it, how it is relevant to life, and how they can pass it on to the next generation.
The Unshakable Truth is uniquely positioned in the way it presents apologetics relationally, focusing on how right believing affects not only believers but also the people they encounter. The authors help readers…
· understand God’s grand plan of creation, incarnation, and re-creation.
· discover the 12 “truth statements” of Scripture and why they are credible and critical to living out the Christian faith.
· experience the authenticity of faith through practical examples and real-life stories that demonstrate how relevant the gospel is to life.
A spiritual gold mine for pastors, leaders, parents, and youth workers—anyone wanting to reveal Christianity’s power in today’s life and culture."
The Unshakable Truth opens up with some very good questions – questions that we have all asked at one time or another: “What is the Christian Faith, really?” “What do we believe?” “Why do we believe it?” “How is it relevant to our lives?” and “How can we live it out?” This section really sums up the purpose of the book, talking about how young adults are doubting their faith, some even choosing to leave the faith altogether. Therefore, the reason for this book: “All of us want our kids to be equipped in mind, spirit, and character, able to resist the pressures of this increasingly godless culture so that no matter what temptations and opposition they face, they will live lives we can be proud of – lives that are pleasing to God and others.” The book then transitions into it’s main purpose naturally: that God is a God of relationships.
When I began reading this book, I was expecting an apologetics book packed with arguments and insight. Although this book does include some of that where applicable, it is more of a “handbook” on Christian living than anything else, stressing the importance of a relationship with God and each other – the whole theme of the book is that God is a relational God, and since man is made in His image, we should imitate His example. As the book states, “The best way to use [this book] is first to absorb it, and then to engage in a long-term process of applying its content incrementally in your own life and in the lives of your children, grandchildren, youth group, or others to whom you wish to impart the faith.” It took me quite a while to get through this book, because there is so much to digest, but it was well worth it.
The book is divided into four parts, tackling the 12 unshakable truths. Space will not permit me to mention all of them, so here is a list of my favorites:
· Truth One: God Exists – focuses on the God of relationships and how He reveals Himself to us, and provides several evidences for God’s existence.
· Truth Two: God’s Word – speaks of why God gave His Word to us, and how we can know that it is accurate; gives such examples as the detailed translation process and archaeology that supports the Bible(Note: This was, by far, my favorite section of the Book!)
· Truth Four: God Became Human – delves into the truth that we rejected God, but God accepted us anyway and shows how we can accept others in the same way; also provides strong evidence that God became human for our redemption by examining the culture of the day in which Jesus was born
· Truth Five: Christ’s Atonement for Sin – addresses the common misconception that God can just “overlook” our sins: there must be a sacrifice for sins, and God provided that sacrifice in Jesus; provides 60 specific Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Jesus; and several pointers toward the actions of Love
· Truth Six: Justification Through Faith – While most of this section focused on the Scriptural aspect as would be expected, I loved this section because of one chapter: Chapter 26, “The Joy of Salvation,” describes a court-room scenario where the reader is on trial for all of the deeds committed in his lifetime. Satan is clearly seen as “the accuser of the brethren” in this illustration, and I love how the story plays out. It was an incredible and encouraging reminder of what Jesus has done for us! This chapter also gives some great starting ideas for sharing your faith with others.
· Truth Eight: Jesus’ Bodily Resurrection – debunks some common objections to the Resurrection and provides some compelling evidence in its favor; also shows the importance of the Resurrection to Christianity. One of my favorite topics of study is the Resurrection of Jesus, so this chapter was a “treat” for me.
I would like to point out that even though I have not mentioned every area of the book in this review, this does not mean that I do not appreciate the content in those sections; there was some good information throughout, and much of it was encouraging to me at a time when I needed it. Actually, there were several things that I loved about the book. For example, the chapter on the Bible’s reliability was very interesting, as it described the meticulous process of translating the Bible, leaving room for no mistakes whatsoever. It also talked about some fascinating archaeological discoveries. The Truths highlighted above were all very well evidenced and were very enjoyable to read. There are also engaging examples and stories to help illustrate many of the points presented in the book.
While I really enjoyed this book, there were a few things that I did not like. Firstly, because this book seeks to establish the truths of Christianity, it constantly appeals to Scripture (I have NO problem with that), but it sometimes failed to provide illustrations as “attention grabbers” to keep the reader interested in the content. Other areas were just fine in this respect, but it seemed at times as though the illustrations were not evenly sprinkled throughout the book and I had a hard time following along. Secondly, in Truth Six, the book states, “Faith is never presented as the power that justifies or makes us right with God...” While faith itself is not the power behind salvation (God is), I do not entirely agree with this statement; because the Scriptures state, “The just shall live by faith,” and “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Galatians 3:11; Romans 3:28). Numerous passages in the Scriptures reveal that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. However, the authors are quick to point out this very thing, stating that it is not faith that saves you, but the object of your faith – Jesus Christ – that saves you. In my opinion, the quote in question should have been worded a little differently, although I agree with the author's final conclusion.
Overall, I think the book did a great job of getting to its intended purpose, and the book jacket explains: “Biblically grounded, spiritually deep, theologically extensive, and packed with practical examples and real-life stories, The Unshakable Truth is a resource applicable to ever aspect of every day life… a resource you’ll turn to again and again.” This is a great book for anyone seeking to know the fundamentals of the Christian faith, and I would especially recommend it to college-bound students.
I was provided a free copy of this book in return for a review. All opinions are 100% mine. Simply because I am reviewing this book does not mean that I endorse all of its contents.
The original review can be found here: http://defendchristianfaith.blogspot....
Here is the product description:
"The name Josh McDowell promises real-life, on-the-street Christian apologetics. McDowell, along with his son, Sean, draws on a lifetime of work to create this comprehensive handbook on what Christians believe, why they believe it, how it is relevant to life, and how they can pass it on to the next generation.
The Unshakable Truth is uniquely positioned in the way it presents apologetics relationally, focusing on how right believing affects not only believers but also the people they encounter. The authors help readers…
· understand God’s grand plan of creation, incarnation, and re-creation.
· discover the 12 “truth statements” of Scripture and why they are credible and critical to living out the Christian faith.
· experience the authenticity of faith through practical examples and real-life stories that demonstrate how relevant the gospel is to life.
A spiritual gold mine for pastors, leaders, parents, and youth workers—anyone wanting to reveal Christianity’s power in today’s life and culture."
The Unshakable Truth opens up with some very good questions – questions that we have all asked at one time or another: “What is the Christian Faith, really?” “What do we believe?” “Why do we believe it?” “How is it relevant to our lives?” and “How can we live it out?” This section really sums up the purpose of the book, talking about how young adults are doubting their faith, some even choosing to leave the faith altogether. Therefore, the reason for this book: “All of us want our kids to be equipped in mind, spirit, and character, able to resist the pressures of this increasingly godless culture so that no matter what temptations and opposition they face, they will live lives we can be proud of – lives that are pleasing to God and others.” The book then transitions into it’s main purpose naturally: that God is a God of relationships.
When I began reading this book, I was expecting an apologetics book packed with arguments and insight. Although this book does include some of that where applicable, it is more of a “handbook” on Christian living than anything else, stressing the importance of a relationship with God and each other – the whole theme of the book is that God is a relational God, and since man is made in His image, we should imitate His example. As the book states, “The best way to use [this book] is first to absorb it, and then to engage in a long-term process of applying its content incrementally in your own life and in the lives of your children, grandchildren, youth group, or others to whom you wish to impart the faith.” It took me quite a while to get through this book, because there is so much to digest, but it was well worth it.
The book is divided into four parts, tackling the 12 unshakable truths. Space will not permit me to mention all of them, so here is a list of my favorites:
· Truth One: God Exists – focuses on the God of relationships and how He reveals Himself to us, and provides several evidences for God’s existence.
· Truth Two: God’s Word – speaks of why God gave His Word to us, and how we can know that it is accurate; gives such examples as the detailed translation process and archaeology that supports the Bible(Note: This was, by far, my favorite section of the Book!)
· Truth Four: God Became Human – delves into the truth that we rejected God, but God accepted us anyway and shows how we can accept others in the same way; also provides strong evidence that God became human for our redemption by examining the culture of the day in which Jesus was born
· Truth Five: Christ’s Atonement for Sin – addresses the common misconception that God can just “overlook” our sins: there must be a sacrifice for sins, and God provided that sacrifice in Jesus; provides 60 specific Old Testament prophecies fulfilled in Jesus; and several pointers toward the actions of Love
· Truth Six: Justification Through Faith – While most of this section focused on the Scriptural aspect as would be expected, I loved this section because of one chapter: Chapter 26, “The Joy of Salvation,” describes a court-room scenario where the reader is on trial for all of the deeds committed in his lifetime. Satan is clearly seen as “the accuser of the brethren” in this illustration, and I love how the story plays out. It was an incredible and encouraging reminder of what Jesus has done for us! This chapter also gives some great starting ideas for sharing your faith with others.
· Truth Eight: Jesus’ Bodily Resurrection – debunks some common objections to the Resurrection and provides some compelling evidence in its favor; also shows the importance of the Resurrection to Christianity. One of my favorite topics of study is the Resurrection of Jesus, so this chapter was a “treat” for me.
I would like to point out that even though I have not mentioned every area of the book in this review, this does not mean that I do not appreciate the content in those sections; there was some good information throughout, and much of it was encouraging to me at a time when I needed it. Actually, there were several things that I loved about the book. For example, the chapter on the Bible’s reliability was very interesting, as it described the meticulous process of translating the Bible, leaving room for no mistakes whatsoever. It also talked about some fascinating archaeological discoveries. The Truths highlighted above were all very well evidenced and were very enjoyable to read. There are also engaging examples and stories to help illustrate many of the points presented in the book.
While I really enjoyed this book, there were a few things that I did not like. Firstly, because this book seeks to establish the truths of Christianity, it constantly appeals to Scripture (I have NO problem with that), but it sometimes failed to provide illustrations as “attention grabbers” to keep the reader interested in the content. Other areas were just fine in this respect, but it seemed at times as though the illustrations were not evenly sprinkled throughout the book and I had a hard time following along. Secondly, in Truth Six, the book states, “Faith is never presented as the power that justifies or makes us right with God...” While faith itself is not the power behind salvation (God is), I do not entirely agree with this statement; because the Scriptures state, “The just shall live by faith,” and “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Galatians 3:11; Romans 3:28). Numerous passages in the Scriptures reveal that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ. However, the authors are quick to point out this very thing, stating that it is not faith that saves you, but the object of your faith – Jesus Christ – that saves you. In my opinion, the quote in question should have been worded a little differently, although I agree with the author's final conclusion.
Overall, I think the book did a great job of getting to its intended purpose, and the book jacket explains: “Biblically grounded, spiritually deep, theologically extensive, and packed with practical examples and real-life stories, The Unshakable Truth is a resource applicable to ever aspect of every day life… a resource you’ll turn to again and again.” This is a great book for anyone seeking to know the fundamentals of the Christian faith, and I would especially recommend it to college-bound students.
I was provided a free copy of this book in return for a review. All opinions are 100% mine. Simply because I am reviewing this book does not mean that I endorse all of its contents.
The original review can be found here: http://defendchristianfaith.blogspot....
October 12, 2024
قريته مترجم وكان 3 اجزاء بس من اجمل الحاجات اللي قرأتها حقيقي ويستحق كل دقيقه من وقتك ❤
August 26, 2020
What a great book in the study of practical theology. By no means is this book an easy read... I find the book somewhat difficult to read... on par with a textbook or a biography. Would I read this book again... you bet. This is now in my mind a type of Christian Handbook. I have tried to read this book off and on since 2010 when I got the book as a birthday gift. Wow, I am now finished. So if you are a slow reader then just drag yourself through it. It took me 3 months to read it... Good luck to those who try... you will be enriched and enlightened.
February 6, 2017
This is an excellent read for anyone who is new to the Christian faith or who wants to deepen their faith. I'd highly recommend getting the study guide and DVD for a complete immersion of these 12 truths!
February 8, 2024
THE FATHER/SON APOLOGETICS TEAM PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY
Authors Josh McDowell and his son Sean wrote in the first chapter of this 2010 book, “All of us want our kids to be equipped in mind, spirit, and character, able to resist the pressures of this increasingly godless culture so that no matter what temptation and opposition they face, they will live lives we can be proud of---lives that are pleasing to God and others. We want our kids to live out a biblical worldview… This handbook will provide guidance to lead our young people to such a faith in Christ… There is probably nothing more rewarding to us (Josh and Sean) than being able to pass the baton of the Christian faith to our children… This book will present the essentials of the biblical worldview by exploring what we have identified as the 12 basic truths of the faith, which are noted in the 12 sections of this work. The next two chapters give you an overview of these 12 truths, and then the following 48 chapters will delve into each truth thoroughly.” (Pg. 24-25)
One of the most interesting aspects of this book are the many recounting of ‘personal’ stories by both Josh and Sean. For example, “I (Josh) was speaking at a large church… [that] had just completed a building project and moved into their large facility… a huge banner hanging across the building … read, ‘We preach the truth---and the truth only!’ … I’ve heard enough similar statements to be suspicious when pastors make declarations about preaching ‘truth only.’ So my first thought was … ‘If that sign means what I suspect it means, this church is doomed to failure.’ … I engaged the pastor about his banner… He explained that he was concerned about a gospel that was emotionally driven … but never really addressed people’s minds. He wanted to get back to … proclaiming … only the truth because that, he said, ‘is what turned the world upside down.’ I … shook my head. ‘No, it wasn’t’ … I went on to explain that he was overreacting to an out-of-balance emphasis on one aspect of the truth. As relational beings we think AND we feel… truth was meant to be proclaimed in the context of relationships so it would reach both our intellect and our emotions.” (Pg. 39)
Sean recalls, “My … parents … guided me to understand my ‘bent’---those talents, gifts, inclinations, passions, and the distinctiveness that made me, me… My parents also picked up on my inquisitiveness. I wanted to know things; I enjoyed figuring out why this was the or that was true. And I enjoyed sharing what I was learning with others. Because they cultivated my natural inclinations in these directions. I ended up majoring in philosophy and theology and becoming an educator and speaker. All this resulted in my understanding who I am---the unique person God created in his own relational image.” (Pg. 71-72)
They ask, “Have you ever asked a teenager what they believe about biblical truth?... Amber, a typical 16-year-old Christian from a solid Christian home… [She said] I know [premarital sex is] wrong for me, and I have chosen not to have sex until I’m married. But I don’t think I can judge other people on what they do.’ … she’s like the majority of people today who have been conditioned to believe that moral and spiritual claims are true only WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THEM. When people hold this view of truth, the meaning and power of God’s Word in their lives is diminished to the point of having little effect.” (Pg. 105)
They observe, “There are some today who would… say Jesus never really claimed to be the Son of God---he only said he was the Son of Man, implying he wasn’t making a claim to deity. But these people are simply wrong… Jesus repeatedly made it clear that he was the unique Son of God, an assertion that did not go unnoticed by the religious leaders of his day… Jesus’ clear assertion of his own deity caused his fellow Jews to want to stone him… In the final days prior to Jesus’ death, he made it clear---even to the Sanhedrin … just who he was. The high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?’ Jesus said, ‘I am…’ In response to the proclamation, they ‘condemned him to death.’” (Pg. 164-165)
Josh reports that 2-year-old Sean “really only wanted a hug, a pat, and a minute or two to show me the new ball he was carrying. But I was working on an ‘important’ chapter and I felt I just didn’t have even two minutes to spare… Sean… got the message. Daddy was too busy, and he’d have to leave now. He trotted off… Dottie [Josh’s wife] soon came in and sat down for a ‘little chat.’ She began… “… you are always going to have writing to do, and you are always going to have deadlines… But you’re not always going to have a two-year-old son who wants to … show you his new ball… You know, if we spend time with our kids now, they will spend time with us later.’ … She was right… I took Sean out in the yard and tossed the ball with him for a while…” (Pg. 178-179)
They outline “How to Prepare Your Personal Testimony,” with a “three-point outline as a framework for putting together your own personal story. *My life before knowing Christ… *How I came to Christ… *My life since I trusted Christ.” They also add things to avoid, such as, “Being critical of any churches, denominations, or individuals,” “Employing too many overused catchwords such as ‘fantastic,’ ‘exciting,’ ‘awesome,’ and so on.” (Pg. 235-236)
They assert, “Neither the friends of Christianity nor its foes could deny the stark fact that three days after Jesus was buried, his tomb was empty… The resurrection claim could not have been maintained for a moment in Jerusalem, the city where Jesus had been killed and buried, if the tomb had not been empty… Both Jewish and Roman sources and traditions acknowledge an empty tomb. These sources range from the Jewish historian Josephus to a fifth-century compilation of Jewish writings that satirized Jesus' life, called the ‘Toledoth Jeshu’… One of the most compelling evidence for the truth of the empty tomb is the fact that it records women as the first discoverers of the empty tomb.” (Pg. 282-283)
They state, “‘Nothing in Christianity is original’ is one of the most remarkable lines from the runaway bestseller, ‘The Da Vinci Code.’ In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century many scholars believed that the central claims of Christianity had been plagiarized from Greco-Roman mystery religions… Although parallels between Jesus and the mystery religions may appear striking on the surface, they collapse under scrutiny… Unlike the accounts of the historical Jesus, there is no evidence for the reliability of any of the alleged parallel stories in the mystery religions.” (Pg. 294)
Of the Trinity, they explain, “the following illustrations… might be helpful to think about three in one. For example, the chemical combination of H2O can be a liquid (water), a solid (ice), or a gas (steam). Yet in each of these forms the chemical substance is one and the same. If you put an ice cube in a beaker and heat it, you will see a solid melting into liquid and then rising into a gas. As this operation is in process, you will have all three states of the H2O chemical co-existing.” (Pg. 316)
They acknowledge, “While there is overwhelming agreement among evangelicals that the Holy Spirit exists, there are varied views on how and when a person receives him… most Christians hold to one of two schools of thought. One view is that a believer receives the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion… The other position is that there is a two-step process. The first step redeems the believer and makes him or her God’s child … But the person is not yet filled with the Holy Spirit. The second step purifies the believer’s heart by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Some additionally believe their infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit is accompanied by signs or evidence of that reality, for example, speaking in tongues.” (Pg. 333)
They note, “Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, was one of the most Spirit-filled and empowered persons we have ever known. He developed a booklet [the ‘Spirit-Filled Life’] that hundreds of thousands of believers around the world have used to understand the Spirit-filled life.” (Pg. 339)
They point out, “while the accomplishments of the … William Booths… and Mother Teresas of the world have been heroic and spectacular, these biblical worldview hall-of-famers represent only a fraction of the world-changing agents that have played a positive role in the world. Currently, ministries … are reaching out to bring hope and healing to many…” (Pg. 359)
Sean recounts a family trip to Josh’s childhood farm home in Michigan: “I saw my dad differently that day. This old farm, now in ruins, had been his childhood home. He had so much wanted it to be a place of peace and safety, joy and happiness. But home had been far from that for Josh. And on that day I understood in a deeper way just how painful his childhood had been---a ruined childhood that could never be restored to what it could have been.” (Pg. 408)
Perhaps surprisingly, they state, “there is further evidence that you have an eternal soul that will live on after this life… Numerous books have been written on the subject, notably … by Dinesh D’Souza… J.P. Moreland and Gary Habermas… Dinesh D’Souza references thousands of documented near-death experiences… The power of near-death experiences is … that people somehow obtain information they simply could not obtain while being medically dead… Yet… they do not provide empirical evidence that the soul is immortal… Well, such proof is now available… with quantum mechanics… scientists began suggesting that we are part of a larger multi-dimensional world including several dimensions that are hidden from what we experience in this physical world…” (Pg. 413-418)
The book closes with three appendices, outlining ways to celebrate three ‘Judeo-Christian celebrations’ of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
This book is longer than it perhaps needed to be, but it will be “must reading” for fans of the McDowells’ other books.
Authors Josh McDowell and his son Sean wrote in the first chapter of this 2010 book, “All of us want our kids to be equipped in mind, spirit, and character, able to resist the pressures of this increasingly godless culture so that no matter what temptation and opposition they face, they will live lives we can be proud of---lives that are pleasing to God and others. We want our kids to live out a biblical worldview… This handbook will provide guidance to lead our young people to such a faith in Christ… There is probably nothing more rewarding to us (Josh and Sean) than being able to pass the baton of the Christian faith to our children… This book will present the essentials of the biblical worldview by exploring what we have identified as the 12 basic truths of the faith, which are noted in the 12 sections of this work. The next two chapters give you an overview of these 12 truths, and then the following 48 chapters will delve into each truth thoroughly.” (Pg. 24-25)
One of the most interesting aspects of this book are the many recounting of ‘personal’ stories by both Josh and Sean. For example, “I (Josh) was speaking at a large church… [that] had just completed a building project and moved into their large facility… a huge banner hanging across the building … read, ‘We preach the truth---and the truth only!’ … I’ve heard enough similar statements to be suspicious when pastors make declarations about preaching ‘truth only.’ So my first thought was … ‘If that sign means what I suspect it means, this church is doomed to failure.’ … I engaged the pastor about his banner… He explained that he was concerned about a gospel that was emotionally driven … but never really addressed people’s minds. He wanted to get back to … proclaiming … only the truth because that, he said, ‘is what turned the world upside down.’ I … shook my head. ‘No, it wasn’t’ … I went on to explain that he was overreacting to an out-of-balance emphasis on one aspect of the truth. As relational beings we think AND we feel… truth was meant to be proclaimed in the context of relationships so it would reach both our intellect and our emotions.” (Pg. 39)
Sean recalls, “My … parents … guided me to understand my ‘bent’---those talents, gifts, inclinations, passions, and the distinctiveness that made me, me… My parents also picked up on my inquisitiveness. I wanted to know things; I enjoyed figuring out why this was the or that was true. And I enjoyed sharing what I was learning with others. Because they cultivated my natural inclinations in these directions. I ended up majoring in philosophy and theology and becoming an educator and speaker. All this resulted in my understanding who I am---the unique person God created in his own relational image.” (Pg. 71-72)
They ask, “Have you ever asked a teenager what they believe about biblical truth?... Amber, a typical 16-year-old Christian from a solid Christian home… [She said] I know [premarital sex is] wrong for me, and I have chosen not to have sex until I’m married. But I don’t think I can judge other people on what they do.’ … she’s like the majority of people today who have been conditioned to believe that moral and spiritual claims are true only WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THEM. When people hold this view of truth, the meaning and power of God’s Word in their lives is diminished to the point of having little effect.” (Pg. 105)
They observe, “There are some today who would… say Jesus never really claimed to be the Son of God---he only said he was the Son of Man, implying he wasn’t making a claim to deity. But these people are simply wrong… Jesus repeatedly made it clear that he was the unique Son of God, an assertion that did not go unnoticed by the religious leaders of his day… Jesus’ clear assertion of his own deity caused his fellow Jews to want to stone him… In the final days prior to Jesus’ death, he made it clear---even to the Sanhedrin … just who he was. The high priest asked him, ‘Are you the Messiah, the Son of the blessed God?’ Jesus said, ‘I am…’ In response to the proclamation, they ‘condemned him to death.’” (Pg. 164-165)
Josh reports that 2-year-old Sean “really only wanted a hug, a pat, and a minute or two to show me the new ball he was carrying. But I was working on an ‘important’ chapter and I felt I just didn’t have even two minutes to spare… Sean… got the message. Daddy was too busy, and he’d have to leave now. He trotted off… Dottie [Josh’s wife] soon came in and sat down for a ‘little chat.’ She began… “… you are always going to have writing to do, and you are always going to have deadlines… But you’re not always going to have a two-year-old son who wants to … show you his new ball… You know, if we spend time with our kids now, they will spend time with us later.’ … She was right… I took Sean out in the yard and tossed the ball with him for a while…” (Pg. 178-179)
They outline “How to Prepare Your Personal Testimony,” with a “three-point outline as a framework for putting together your own personal story. *My life before knowing Christ… *How I came to Christ… *My life since I trusted Christ.” They also add things to avoid, such as, “Being critical of any churches, denominations, or individuals,” “Employing too many overused catchwords such as ‘fantastic,’ ‘exciting,’ ‘awesome,’ and so on.” (Pg. 235-236)
They assert, “Neither the friends of Christianity nor its foes could deny the stark fact that three days after Jesus was buried, his tomb was empty… The resurrection claim could not have been maintained for a moment in Jerusalem, the city where Jesus had been killed and buried, if the tomb had not been empty… Both Jewish and Roman sources and traditions acknowledge an empty tomb. These sources range from the Jewish historian Josephus to a fifth-century compilation of Jewish writings that satirized Jesus' life, called the ‘Toledoth Jeshu’… One of the most compelling evidence for the truth of the empty tomb is the fact that it records women as the first discoverers of the empty tomb.” (Pg. 282-283)
They state, “‘Nothing in Christianity is original’ is one of the most remarkable lines from the runaway bestseller, ‘The Da Vinci Code.’ In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century many scholars believed that the central claims of Christianity had been plagiarized from Greco-Roman mystery religions… Although parallels between Jesus and the mystery religions may appear striking on the surface, they collapse under scrutiny… Unlike the accounts of the historical Jesus, there is no evidence for the reliability of any of the alleged parallel stories in the mystery religions.” (Pg. 294)
Of the Trinity, they explain, “the following illustrations… might be helpful to think about three in one. For example, the chemical combination of H2O can be a liquid (water), a solid (ice), or a gas (steam). Yet in each of these forms the chemical substance is one and the same. If you put an ice cube in a beaker and heat it, you will see a solid melting into liquid and then rising into a gas. As this operation is in process, you will have all three states of the H2O chemical co-existing.” (Pg. 316)
They acknowledge, “While there is overwhelming agreement among evangelicals that the Holy Spirit exists, there are varied views on how and when a person receives him… most Christians hold to one of two schools of thought. One view is that a believer receives the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion… The other position is that there is a two-step process. The first step redeems the believer and makes him or her God’s child … But the person is not yet filled with the Holy Spirit. The second step purifies the believer’s heart by the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Some additionally believe their infilling or baptism of the Holy Spirit is accompanied by signs or evidence of that reality, for example, speaking in tongues.” (Pg. 333)
They note, “Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International, was one of the most Spirit-filled and empowered persons we have ever known. He developed a booklet [the ‘Spirit-Filled Life’] that hundreds of thousands of believers around the world have used to understand the Spirit-filled life.” (Pg. 339)
They point out, “while the accomplishments of the … William Booths… and Mother Teresas of the world have been heroic and spectacular, these biblical worldview hall-of-famers represent only a fraction of the world-changing agents that have played a positive role in the world. Currently, ministries … are reaching out to bring hope and healing to many…” (Pg. 359)
Sean recounts a family trip to Josh’s childhood farm home in Michigan: “I saw my dad differently that day. This old farm, now in ruins, had been his childhood home. He had so much wanted it to be a place of peace and safety, joy and happiness. But home had been far from that for Josh. And on that day I understood in a deeper way just how painful his childhood had been---a ruined childhood that could never be restored to what it could have been.” (Pg. 408)
Perhaps surprisingly, they state, “there is further evidence that you have an eternal soul that will live on after this life… Numerous books have been written on the subject, notably … by Dinesh D’Souza… J.P. Moreland and Gary Habermas… Dinesh D’Souza references thousands of documented near-death experiences… The power of near-death experiences is … that people somehow obtain information they simply could not obtain while being medically dead… Yet… they do not provide empirical evidence that the soul is immortal… Well, such proof is now available… with quantum mechanics… scientists began suggesting that we are part of a larger multi-dimensional world including several dimensions that are hidden from what we experience in this physical world…” (Pg. 413-418)
The book closes with three appendices, outlining ways to celebrate three ‘Judeo-Christian celebrations’ of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
This book is longer than it perhaps needed to be, but it will be “must reading” for fans of the McDowells’ other books.
July 25, 2017
I found this book to be frustrating for a few reasons. While the truth is presented, it seems like these guys are just regurgitating their old books. Time and time again, almost every single one of the 51 chapters will have a note stating "adapted from__________ by Josh McDowell et al. or Sean McDowell et al.). Why not just have a revised version of your old work? Or just say, I have nothing new to say and not use your status to get some more bucks out of Christians seeking truth?
Second be careful of the bibles they use for source references. Often they're quoting from more liberal translations like the TLB, the Message or the Good News Bible which often vary a lot from what the original text would say.
Second be careful of the bibles they use for source references. Often they're quoting from more liberal translations like the TLB, the Message or the Good News Bible which often vary a lot from what the original text would say.
August 8, 2013
This book was nowhere near big enough to warrant how long it took me to get through it. Sure, I had a new baby to take care of in the midst of it, but still. There were definitely some worthwhile things to be taken from it, but overall...this is one example of when I should just be reading the Bible instead of reading a book about the Bible.
May 22, 2012
This book is a perfect blend of apologetics, theology and Christian living. We need a return to biblical literacy and an understanding of the core truths of the Christian faith - far too many are no blown around by every wind of doctrine. The Unshakable Truth will help you stand solid.
July 16, 2023
I would consider this book a near essential overview of understanding basic apologetics, a proper kingdom worldview and resource for participating in the Great Commission. It was a welcome refresher and provide some revelations for me.
June 2, 2021
I'm not a fan of big books but this book is worth reading. And it helped me understand God more
Read
October 5, 2012Искал книгу "Неоспоримые свидетельства" (~~ "Ultimate questions"), но по схожести названия наткнулся на эту. Ту (~~ "Ultimate questions")прочитал лет 20 назад. Ценна рассмотрением фактов, важных для понимания того, во что веришь - прежде всего для личной ясности. Эту же выбрал лишь по схожести названия.
Want to read
June 8, 2010*Thanks to Harvest House for providing a copy for review through FIRST Wild Card.*
Read
May 16, 2013Helpful look at basics of faith
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews