The Truth About Lies: Why Jesus is more relevant than you think

by J. Mack Stiles

Society tells us all sorts of “I’ve got my truth, you’ve got yours”; “Death is the end”; “I can’t ever change”; “Jesus isn’t relevant.” By approaching these common-held beliefs, author and evangelist J. Mack Stiles comes alongside readers to explain the flaw in society’s thinking and shows how Jesus responds to these untruths. Each lie is held alongside an encounter that Jesus had in the Gospels and takes the reader directly to Jesus words and actions. Aimed at the questioning inquirer, this book will help readers understand the relevance of Jesus in today’s culture.

Genres: Christian, Christianity, Theology, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Evangelism

160 pages, Paperback

Published October 2, 2023

About the author

J. Mack Stiles is CEO of Gulf Digital Solutions and general secretary for the Fellowship of Christian UAE Students (FOCUS) in the United Arab Emirates. He has worked for many years with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in the United States.

Reviews

[Darci Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource! Broke down the most used lies I hear about the Christian faith using very simple language

[Seth P · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very brief look at some of the lies we easily believe and how Jesus answers them. Great for discipleship contexts as a conversation starter with unbelievers or new believers.

[Brett Shoopman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book for anyone who has questions about the central beliefs and teachings of Christianity. Recommend for nonbelievers and for young believers. Quick and easy read.

[Hannah Ethier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short book that very succinctly sums up the gospel!

[Dave Barlow · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Truth About Lies by J. Mack Stiles offers solid, biblically-based insights into the misconceptions people often have about Jesus.
He does a great job of backing up everything he says with scripture.

However, while the content itself is solid I struggled to connect with the book. The writing style felt overly simplistic, and I found the explanations of the "lies" Jesus confronts to very surface-level. There’s definitely potential in the ideas presented, but I felt the book didn’t dig deeply enough into each point, leaving me wanting more. I was hoping for more detailed analysis or exploration, especially since many of the issues raised are really important.

I appreciate that, after reading it, I am probably not the target demographic, I think it could have been made clearer up front who is.

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read and take on why Christianity is so important. I bought it because it made no qualms about being hard hitting. That being said I think it could have landed better in some places and is not something I can easily hand to non Christian friends. Let's just say being a scientist who knows a bunch of scientists this won't fly.

However, there are some golden nuggets in there and some things that really made me stop to think.

[Caleb Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stiles gives very simple yet accurate rebuttals for lies that are commonly believed by both believers and unbelievers. His examples and usage of Scriptures excites the reader in their pursuit of knowing God better through His Word and points to Christ as the true answer to our questions.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic short book that honestly anyone should read. Addresses the lies of our current culture that tell us to live for ourselves, instead pointing to the gospel and proclaiming that there is true life and satisfaction in surrendering your life to Christ.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to read with a friend!

[Cory McArtor · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to give to, or better yet, read with your unbelieving friends.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to give someone you’re witnessing to.

[Allayah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book at CrossCon24. This is an easy read and a great resource to have in your pocket for conversations with unbelievers. I found the connection of the biblical character and the “ancient lie” they believed, and then showing how Jesus dispelled the lie with the truth really interesting. I’ll definitely be keeping this book on hand as I encounter those same lies in the culture around me, and I also want to have some of these books on hand to give out as a resource in evangelism. Thank you, Mr. Mack Stiles for this concise, helpful little book!

*Also — I love how down to earth and genuine he is, that at the end of this book he even includes his personal email so that anyone who wants to can write to him. :)

[Daniel Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book geared towards unbelievers. It directly addresses 8 lies that the world believes about Jesus Christianity as a whole, and states a truth to counter that lie. He uses many of the gospel accounts by walking readers through the Scriptures and then explaining them in a simple way which is very helpful.

The one thing I wish for this book is for it to have gone a little deeper. It is great for what it is, and maybe because it is only right under 80 pages is what makes it so effective for unbelievers or even new believers to have some of their questions answered and Lord willing come to a deep faith in Jesus as their true savior.

[Naomi Hollans · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF— I had a lot of trouble reading this one all the way through (even though it’s extremely short, I know.) I think this could be a good reference book to have on hand & a good conversation starter. It addresses some basic lies people may believe about Jesus & quotes a lot of scripture to combat them.

For me, I found it very hard to retain any info from the chapters I did read. The writing style is simplistic when it might benefit from some linguistic beauty, and some chapters seem to repeat the same ideas. Maybe I’m not really the target demographic, & I do think this has some good info to reference, but i did not find it particularly revolutionary on a personal level.

[Tim Goldsmith · Rating 3 out of 5]

J. Mack Stiles has written a book looking at 7 lies that the world tells us. We don't matter to God? Being good is good enough? Jesus is simply an "inspiration", and more. Stiles then takes a closer look at some of the stories about Jesus in the gospels and how they tell a different story.
For me, this book doesn't quite land. It felt like it was in a bit of a confused space between evangelistic and apologetic, and it didn't quite nail either. Not a bad book by any measure, but both his personal anecdotes and the way he approaches the countering cultural narratives didn't quite resonate with me.

[Kiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️

I read this over the past week as a devotional, and I found it both affirming and eye-opening!

The author addresses 8 common lies that society tends to believe about Jesus and Christianity, and backs each one with solid biblical reasoning to explain why they’re not true.

What I really appreciated was how simple yet thought-provoking it was. While I’d heard many of these misconceptions before, the way they were unpacked in this book felt fresh and insightful. If you’re looking for a devotional that challenges you to think deeper about what you’ve heard, whether you’re a Christian or just curious, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a read!

[Brian Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a short, well written book about the lies that pervade the world today (and perhaps have since time began!). Exploring mainly one passage of Scripture per chapter, Stiles reveals how Jesus teaches us the truth when the world wants to deceive us. You'll have a hard time putting it down. It's a great book to give a non-Christian friend and you'll be encouraged in your faith no matter how long you've been following Jesus.

[Ashley Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost gave it 4 stars is because it seemed a little simplistic at first, but it got better as it went on and it seemed like a perfect short resource for those new to the topics. I would definitely recommend it to anyone for evangelism purposes. It lays out the gospel easily and clearly and gives evidence for the resurrection as well as an easy springboard of "what's next" for those who come to faith.

[Clare Gilbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr Stiles has written a narrative based on theology that suggests that all lies heard by believers are a twisted truth created by the church.

Perhaps some truth to this but a few unbelievable statements e.g. he maintains that Israel is known as Palestine throughout the book which is a matter of opinion.

However, he also maintains that Jesus' teachings were based on the Torah so not all bad after all

[Ryan Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very simple yet profound book that walks through gospel accounts of how Jesus dispelled the lies that many believe then, and many even believe now. Stiles uses each short chapter to point to the truth of the gospel that heals, restores, and redeems sinners like you and me to a holy, loving, and merciful God!

[Christian Barrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book is a helpful conversation starter. If someone had objections to Christianity, I would suggest starting with this work as it will give insight into how deep their objections are. Stiles writes with an easy to read conversational tone, which allows all readers from all backgrounds to engage in the conversation about Christ.

[Pig Rieke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I only listened to this on Hoopla.

In this book, Mack delivers a simple evangelistic book. Mack uses stories from the gospels to expose people to Jesus and provide some basic level apologetics.

[Ian VD · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lies that people say to be true and Jesus proved to be wrong.

[Danieltituscom · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great little book for people believing the lie that Jesus isn't relevant. I will definitely be giving this one away.

[Andy Treece · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for the seeker who wants to know more about Jesus and His Gospel.

[Glenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Addresses 9 lies people believe stopping them following Christ - this book clearly articulates those lies and what the actual truth is… recommended

[Megan Cummings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it and then give it to a friend who needs to hear the truth

[savannah smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was in the waiting room of a hospital when i read this book. i needed something to remind me of the truths of jesus. i was reminded that following jesus is not the path upward to worldly greatness. it’s following jesus down to service and putting others first. the will for my life according to the bible is my relationship with God. any loving act i do will then flow out of that relationship. it is not what gives me that relationship. this is critical to understand. i think this book would be great to read with someone who is exploring christianity because it clarifies and explains the gospel well.

[Bri · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ it was okay, definitely not what I expected and was pretty basic. If I was a new Christian and didn’t know much about God this book would be perfect! It is great for new believers, and good reminders to those who are already believers. Quick easy read