Kenny LuckBesprekingen

Kenny Luck was a young man who felt such an affinity toward Thoreau that he spent months studying Thoreau's works from a devotional point of view. He began collecting Thoreau's quotes and soon found that the quotes had relevance to many aspects of life. He decided to compile the quotes into a book to share with others. The book is divided into sections. The sections are Society and Government, Spirituality and Nature, and Love. Kenny also includes an index which enables the reader to quickly locate quotes pertaining to subjects they are interested in such as: war, truth, mankind, sympathy, etc.

I enjoyed this book. I have long been a fan of Thoreau's writings and I liked the way this book touched on many of his most brilliant quotes, at least in my opinion. The only downside was reading the eBook on my Sony Reader, which is not color. The book is purported to have beautiful illustrations and, unfortunately, I was unable to experience them as I was reading. In the end though, the words are what matter and here are some of the quotes that I found most meaningful....

read the rest of my review here: http://thetruebookaddict.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-thumbing-through-thore...

Kenny Luck has collected an assortment of quotes from Thoreau and Jay Luke and Ren Adams have illustrated them.

Thanks to the publicist for sending me an unbound galley for review.

I see this review as being in two parts: the quotes and the format.

The quotes are pretty easy. I think most people already have at least a vague idea as to what [a:Henry David Thoreau|10264|Henry David Thoreau|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1194379198p2/10264.jpg] was all about. Here are some quotes that I marked from this book:

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential fact of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

"It is never too late to give up our prejudices."

"Moreover, any man more right than his neighbors constitutes a majority of one already."

"The stars are God's dreams, thoughts remembered in the silence of his night."

I found several obvious typos, both in Luck's introduction and in the quotes themselves. That feels like a huge no-no in a book of quotations. I did read an advance copy, so I hope that these were corrected before the final printing.

Now for the format. (You can search inside this book on Amazon, so you can see what I'm talking about there.)

Part of the reason I asked to review this was because of the gorgeous cover artwork. I knew this was an illustrated book of Thoreau's quotes, so I fully expected that kind of artwork to be on the inside. It isn't.

There are two illustrators. I am not an artist, so I may get some terms wrong, but hopefully you'll know what I mean. Ren Adams uses "traditional Chinese brush painting techniques." I would describe Jay Luke's style as pen-and-ink. At first I was disappointed because the illustrations were so very spare and I had expected lush woodsy scenes like the cover. Once I thought about it, I realized that the simple black-and-white illustrations on the inside matched Thoreau's "Simplify, simplify!" philosophy perfectly. However. They did start to feel generic. I don't know if the illustrators ran out of ideas or time or something, but I felt there were entirely too many illustrations of dead trees.

The formatting is a little odd too. The font is in varying shades of gray. Important words are in a larger font. I can see why this would seem like a good idea, but in reality, I read the large words with extra emphasis, which led to some odd cadences. The alignment of the text is set to justify, but some quotes were so short they felt like they should have been centered.

Overall, it was a good book with a good idea, but the format was not to my taste. I might have paid more attention than I normally would have because I did receive this for review. Thoreau lovers should be happy with it.

I got about halfway through this book before my interest waned. I have not been and avid follower of this series, and have a similar opinion for the entire genre. If you are interested in inspirational Christian books for men, this is for you. I guess I just find my inspiration elsewhere.

Helpful in a dry period of life. It will, indeed, reinvigorate the ability to dream. Not imagine, but dream. Read his book for more on the difference between those 2 terms.

Some of you will like this book; I waffle between liking it and being disappointed with it. Luck seems to be the prototypical North American positivist...let's buck up and good things will happen to those who believe! The surprising part of this was when he actually had to deal with a tragedy, he showed sensitivity to the people in the moment. There's more depth to this than there seems to be at first glance.
I have tried several times to write a full review of this book and failed to complete this task. Perhaps my greatest disappointment was that I do not feel that Luck deals with the cover blurb: Are you ready to accept God's power? There is some good here that make Soar still worth reading. Chapter 9 deals with the tragedy and it forced Luck to get out of his flip, hip, 3 part sermon with alliterative title words mode and deal with reality. Some of his preaching is actually good, accurate, helpful, but you have to think it through to find it

This is a great book and I highly recommend it. The layout of the book makes for an easy read but the words inside are powerful. The premise of allowing a man to be used by God, to follow God, and enjoy the many blessings God offers is a much needed challenge.

For those that use the workbook, if it is your first time through the book, use the 12 week schedule. You'll benefit greatly from it.

The goal of "Every Man, God’s Man" by Stephen Arterburn and Kenny Luck is admirable and should be a book pursued by all Christian men. However, I found it difficult to relate to some of the examples and personal testimonies as I realized I must be quite different from the men these authors are. I could see how this would be a problem for many reading this book.

As noble as the intentions of the book may be, the lack of a gospel presentation and stressing of Christ as our Redeemer (making us into "God's man")--as opposed to our own physical and mental strength--causes me to worry that it might put the wrong idea in a reader's head.

I would only recommend this book to men mature in their faith and solid in biblical foundation. If you're not sure that is you, find a man in your life who is and possibly go through the book together as a study.½

Every Man, God's Man: Every Man's Guide to Courageous Faith and Daily Integrity
by Stephen Arterburn and Kenny Luck, with Mike Yorkey

Review by misterehmuseseh

This book is part of a series, of which the first 3 books were described by the authors as being "technical books... filled with strategies, plans and perspectives to help men overcome temptations, grow in sexual integrity and become truly intimate with their wives." But of Every Man God's Man, they say:
"This book is different. We're going to come alongside you and talk about what we see along the way to becoming God's man.
This isn't going to be as easy as it sounds. It's easy to be frank with a guy when you are talking about his penis or his wife. A man is attached to both. But for most men, God does not have the same kind of proximity. Men, in general, are not spiritually deep and don't posses the same connection to spiritual issues as they do to sexual and marital issues."

I found the book hard to get into. Even to open it up. But my reasons may be completely without any rational basis. It just "looked" unattractive. And the back cover blurb perhaps made it sound like it was promising all the answers and I am suspicious of those kinds of promises. BUT if it were to deliver what it promises then it is a great book.

AND I guess I have to admit that it really does go a long way in supplying the thoughts that could fulfill the promises... IF they are heeded.

So, here is the promise from the back cover:
"You are about to discover life-changing encouragement and practical man-to-man guidance in your Christian walk.
Every Man, God's Man is tailor made for any man who feels incomplete in his commitment to God. It's for the man who wants to become even more authentic , more courageous, more intimate with God in every area of his life. It's for every man who desires to walk in true spiritual integrity every moment of every day."

As I began the book I began to get the impression that apparently every man, (except me) are jocks and the two things that consume them must be sports and sex, (but not necessarily in that order.) Once I got over the idea that this must have to do with "relating" to real guys, and that maybe it really is true of "most guys" then I got on with the actual message.

For the man who wants to be 'God's Man" this will certainly address the issues. It gives the usual "spiritual" advice that we get in "inspirational" books concerning spiritual disciplines, but it goes beyond that. Besides telling us what to do to BE SPIRITUAL, it also tells us what to do to STOP being carnal. (I don't think they use that phrase anywhere, but that is how it strikes me as being "different") By giving many examples of fellows they have interacted with, and counselled, we see quite readily where we have the same issues that need to be dealt with. The authors encourage all the "spiritual exercises" but also expose all the subtle traps that the devil.. or our own lying hearts, can come up with that derail us from our objectives. Taken step by step, we do come to see, "what hinders us from running the race set before us", and gives hope that "we can overcome".

This edition of this book includes a "Workbook" that takes up 75 pages and is designed for personal and group consideration. The questions are arranged in such a way that they could be done in an 8 week or 13 week study session. (And based on each chapter.)

Overall, I would say that the book is in fact very penetrating, and perhaps explains on another level why I have found it hard to "get through" as I might most other books. Is there an element here that I just can't take in large doses? Does it do too good of a job, in searching out the real me, and my motives or ambitions? Or is it that it is just not the kind of book (and considerations) that one can run through without serious meditation... if the goal is really to become God's Man?

In any case, I can recommend the book. It is of value when read on my own as I am doing, and no doubt increases the value when shared among other men.. if honest discussion (and confession) can take place that allows the Holy Spirit to do His work of convincing and convicting and then building up.

As a process, and when the truths are accepted and put into practice, it should indeed go a long way in making "Every Man, God's Man".

I got this book as an early reviewer. I actually read it as a Mom of three teenage girls, and I regularly share with them the kind of qualities to look for in a godly husband--or even boyfriend; these are great resources and references that I can pinpoint for them. This one really wraps everything together in the end. Be sure to read the whole thing!

Excellent material for men wanting to be who God wants us to be. Deals with most of the male issues that keep us from being God's men. Touches some very delicate issues that needed to be addressed but may be difficult to deal with even in a small group setting. Whether it is used for a men's group or individual reading, you'll never be the same person again! The authors have expertly disected the male ego and left us bare. Thanks for exposing us!

Every Man God's Man has a very admirable goal: to discover and develop godly character in men. I do not believe that it reached it. While some readers will undoubtedly be helped, the book really fails to address the issues from a gospel-oriented, Christ-centered perspective. It relies heavily on personal testimony and narrative stories to illustrate the need for purity and devotion. The biblical exposition seems to be tacked on to fill in the gaps.

One major issue that I have with the book is the absence of any clear gospel articulation and how it impacts the lives of believers. A person grows in holiness in the same way that he was saved: by acting faith in a crucified and risen Savior (cf. Gal. 3:1-6; Col. 2:6). Every Man God's Man seems to relegate this fundamental truth to the sidelines, spending most of its time in the Old Testament. Surely, there is help to be found in the Old Testament, but it must not be the primary tool that we use to try to formulate godly character. We need the grace of the new covenant and the working of the Holy Spirit to make progress here.

Every Man God's Man also seems to minimize the relationship of Christ to the believer. Christ is set forth more as an example than as an expiator. The authors write: "If God alone measures our lives, we are free to live for God without apology or reservation. That's when we feel most like Jesus" (p. 29), and "On that dark evening, the most important thing Jesus might have ever shown us was how to completely let go of our hearts to God" (p. 30). This sounds much more like Jesus our model, than Jesus our Substitute.

I am grateful for the Every Man Series. We need more books that deal directly and bluntly with the issues that men face. But the books that address these issues must not rely on story and psychiatry over and above the gospel message. May God give us books that are firmly rooted in the sin-destroying and heart-sanctifying power of the cross of Christ.

The cover of the book is taken from a beautiful painting of Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts where Henry David Thoreau lived and wrote. Unfortunately, the artwork on nearly every page in the text is not nearly as attractive or colorful, and seems rather repetitious after 50 pages or so. According to the cover, Jay Luke's artwork is on the even-numbered pages and Ren Adam's artwork is on the odd-numbered pages, though truthfully I could not distinguish between the two artists' styles.
The book is divided into three sections that each of the quotes could be filed under: "Society & Government", "Spirituality & Nature", and "Love." The quotes that Kenny Luck compiled were indeed thought-provoking. When examining the collection as a whole, I could imagine the kind of man that wrote these words day in and day out. As Luck states: "This book... is my attempt to bring together the best pieces of Thoreau's writings in one collection." Before reading this book, I was not overly familiar with Thoreau's work, and afterwards I realized that the man Thoreau has much in common with my own husband. But I digress.
Some quotes were familiar, such as this one:

"The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation."

Many more quotes were unfamiliar, but quite profound:

"I am convinced, that if all men were to live as simply as I then did, thieving and robbery would be unknown."

"What is it [to] be born free and equal, and not to live? What is the value of any political freedom, but as a means to moral freedom?"

"A written word is the choicest of relics."

"The day is an epitome of the year. The night is the winter, the morning and evening are the spring and fall, and the noon is the summer."

"I suspect that the child plucks its first flower awith an insight into its beauty and significance which the subsequent botanist never retains."

"To be married at least should be the one poetical act of a man's life."

"Love is a severe critic."

"The only way to speak the truth is to speak lovingly; only the lover's words are heard."

What I found especially distracting was how the words within each quote varied in font size and color, almost as if Luck did not trust the reader enough to know how to read the work and felt he had to dictate to the reader where the emphasis lay in each quote. While I can not say for sure if this was the aim, I felt like my intelligence was being belittled and undervalued as I flipped through the pages. Plus, these words are Thoreau's, not Kenny Luck's, and only Thoreau would be able to truly say where the emphasis within each sentence should be. Luck is only presuming to make intelligent guesses. While I respect Luck's obsession, which he describes in his introduction, I think he should allow for the words of Thoreau to stand alone, so that each reader can appreciate Thoreau through his or her own interpretation.

"The fact is I am a mystic, a transcendentalist, and a natural philosopher to boot."

Why I picked this book up: I won this book from this site and previously read another book in this series. I enjoy reading about the topic of this book so requested my name be considered. In actuality I was not very impressed with the first book that I read in this series but the topic was more important to me than my first impression from the other book.

General thoughts: The author, Kenny Luck, seemed like a real person to me. He didn't seem overly or submanly and had a way of laying out what we face in the world today. This book, although easy to read, started off slowly building up to my buy in. It seemed rather simplistic and boring but because it was a book I said I'd read and review I continued reading. I am grateful I did and that I was selected.

Why I finished this book: The end of this book really created my buy in. I believe we’ve been put on this earth for a reason and are meant to live a life for God. At the end of this book I really started to see its use in a men’s group and it had some really good perspectives in becoming “God’s man.” I actually flipped back through the earlier chapters too

I rated this book at a 3 stars because I would have rated much lower but it came from behind for me at the very end so it earned its way into the middle of the star range.

This book of faith, directed to men, doesn't pull any punches. So much so, there were plenty of places that actually made me uncomfortable. One reason is summed up in a line of the book that read, "For nine out of ten guys, lust, porn, or sexual fantasy are their main sources of disconnection from God." I guess I'm one one in ten (*not to toot my own horn; a combination of bring a paramedic and trauma nurse followed by an absolute revulsion of any porn post salvation keeps me from dabbling into anything other than enjoying my wife) so every time Arterburn & Luck mentioned certain porn issues or, let's say self satisfaction, I cringed at their bluntness. It seems to be their way though, as this is part of The Every Man Series. These men, under the tutelage of Pastor Rick Warren of The Purpose Driven Life fame, have undertaken to show men what it takes to be a true Christian man in a modern world.

There are some great words of wisdom in this book, as well as the premise of openness between God's men. I too have seen a trend that sin lurks in concealment, and these authors believe in every man having their own confessor with whom they can be honest and share accountability.

The book is broken down into nineteen small sections of teachings, but I can't say they are progressive. At the end of the book, there is a Workbook broken into an eight week program. Although I read through, I did not work through the workbook section. Although part of a series, one does not need to read the other books first to move through these pages. They also advertise a Every Man's Bible within the first few pages, if you're in the market for a new Bible. Okay, that was snarky, but I've got issues with Christian and commercialism sharing the spotlight.

Some of the anecdotes were good, like the obsession with football which I am okay with. Then there was one that was not so good. In order to show determination, there was a whole story of one of the authors trying to water ski on one ski. Maybe it's different growing up on the coast, but for many of their readers that one analogy may seem rather pompous. There are men who may read this book and are either poor, or disabled, or don't have the opportunity to water ski. I'm sure I'm quibbling, but water skiing is far different from trying to walk again.

All in all, I found that the book was honest in its approach, practical in its advise, and truthful to the Gospel at its core. I do believe that all men, young and old, will be able to glean good nuggets of advice and help in their walk with Christ by reading Every Man, God's Man.½

A good, solid book for newer Christians. Even as an older Christian, I was challenged in many areas. I would recommend this to any man.

A book describing what it really takes for a man to grow into maturity as a follower of Christ.

The book is mostly the work of Luck, and it is better written than some of his previous works. This time around he does much better at writing in a clear and understandable way without nodding too much to popular culture but still writing in a way that will not run men off.

The book is less about specific challenges and more about the general challenges men face in life-- their propensity toward isolation, unwillingness to open up to a small group of men, bottling, secret sins and their originating influences, and the like. He also addresses how believers ought to be serving God wholeheartedly, the need for prayer, a bit on the work of the Holy Spirit, and so forth. Illustrative stories are presented (more often than, Scripture sadly enough), and direct and challenging applications of the principles are made.

The author is Evangelical but few doctrinal peculiarities are stressed. An extremely interpretive Bible version is used when Scripture is quoted, which is too bad.

Nevertheless, the book remains one that all men should read, as difficult and as often painful it can be to have to come to grips with many of the practical difficulties in life.

*- book received as part of early review program

The book, Every Man, God’s Man by Stephen Arterburn and Kenny Luck, contains a multitude of short stories and analogies ranging from football to movies, Ted Bundy to Billy Graham, recipes to lists, and the private, personal struggles of some of the men who have confided in Mr Luck. Mr Luck presents that all men are inherently predisposed to sexuality immorality. His belief is possibly due to his own admission in this book of an early masturbation problem and his now present need for his wife not to leave her athletic clothing magazines in the bathroom. Mr Luck’s purpose does seem to be a call to men to God. However, there is an obvious absence of calling men to Christ Jesus and none may come to God except through him (John 14:6 CJB).
As I progressed through the book, I wondered when there would be a presentation of the gospel. There is none. Neither is there record of the strong testimony of St Augustine. Mr Luck is correct in that the men’s movement has been challenging men to “do what their hearts and characters cannot deliver.” Yet he does not explain that the only way to overcome our fallen nature, irrespective of how that presents, is by understanding that God has given all authority to his son and that our trust in Jesus’ life and final work on the cross is the only way God’s promises may be relied upon (2 Corinthians 1:20 CJB).
At the end of his book, Mr Luck reiterates that he hopes we will “with all [our] physical and mental strength, push [ourselves] to the limit.” The bible tells us that it is only when we are weak, that we can be strong (2 Corinthians 12:10 CJB). It is in realizing that we cannot heal ourselves that we find the strength to allow Jesus, the man in the Godhead, to help us. God is sovereign. Jesus is our savior and he has invited all who are struggling to come to him (Matthew 11:28 CJB).
Recommend this book not be read by especially woman, children, and young men due to these authors’ stereotyping of the male personality, specific generalization that all men are sexually immoral, and report that it is the our strength and the careful help from people that we avoid remaining in that trap. All men are not the same nor are all men sexually immoral. It is true that all who are born into this world, both male and female, are born in a state of rebellion against God…and…that God has provided grace through Jesus the Messiah (Romans 3:21-24 CJB). It is the Holy Spirit who works towards our accepting Jesus’ invitation to follow him; he alone will help us to become as he is (John 3:3-8 CJB).

Soar is a book in a series by Kenny Luck, the Men's Ministries Pastor at Saddleback. The books goal is to encourage men to move into the power that has been given them to live the Christian life. His emphasis is very synergistic, even though he does throw in Scripture. This seems to be a trend in books that come out of Saddleback, so this was not very much of a surprise upon receiving it. There was interestingly a touch of Word of Faith theology. The emphasis on the authority of man to be in control of his destiny, per se'. Soar would be a good title, in the sense, that it stays above the surface and does not dive into much spiritual depth. One would be better off reading something by John Piper or Francis Chan that focuses on the the greatness of God and the love and glory due him rather than pursuing a step-by-step process to spiritual greatness (which cannot be achieved). Disappointed again by the book, but not at all surprised.

An analysis of the role and work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer directed primarily at a male audience.

Much of the substance of the book is familiar to most believers as general exhortations-- being faithful to God, seeking to accomplish righteousness, avoid sin, help the needy, evangelize, and so on and so forth-- but whereas many might speak generically about God's role in such thing, the author considers the Holy Spirit as the Person of the Godhead involved with such things. It's entirely possible; God might empower believers through the work of the Spirit. But the message leaves it open to many possible interpretations-- the Father, the Son, the Spirit through the Scriptures, etc.

The author writes in a maddening style-- at times, thick with colloquialisms, hyper-masculine terminology and examples, and at other times writing almost incomprehensible Evangelical jargon. Such jargon makes it hard to make conclusions about the theology being presented-- sure, Scriptures are cited and often quoted, but then there is a reversion back to that Evangelical jargon without any consideration that the Scripture might not be consistent with that jargon.

In fact, whatever theological work the author has done beforehand that leads to this analysis is often hidden. Emphasis on the Holy Spirit as a Person and the implications of that-- as opposed to the Spirit as a vague entity or a force-- is appreciated. Otherwise, however, one can perceive that there is probably some kind of theological reflection underneath everything, but not much is fleshed out. Most of that probably is due to the intended audience of the book (part of "God's Men" series, not designed to be theological treatises), but it would not have hurt at all to have a little bit more theological meat in some of the discussions on account of the controversial nature of the subject and the vagaries that surround the role of the Spirit as revealed in Scripture.

The two biggest concerns with the book are the author's complete misunderstanding and misapplication of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament and his exhortation and emphasis on praying directly to the Spirit. While it might well be true that the third Person in the Trinity is addressed within the invocation to "God," the fact that Scripture does not show any kind of petition to the Spirit, and that the Spirit's role seems entirely servile and dependent upon the Father and/or Son, I am not sure that we can make the leap to really justify prayer directly to the Spirit. It may not be wrong, but what is there really to commend it?

If you can get past the language and the constant storytelling, the author does provide some good nuggets for thought and consideration. Without further context and discussion of the theology driving the author's ideas and principles, however, it is hard to really embrace this book.

I was apprehensive when first receiving Kenny Luck's book Soar. The third person of the Trinity is a theological subject that can be somewhat controversial though the many Protestant traditions around the world. And especially after reading that Luck is on staff at Saddleback Church, home of Rick Warren, I was even more weary. Although I believe both those men and their ministries have good intentions, I tend to be unfavorably disposed towards their teachings and practice. Luck would seem to be more focused on one-liners and positive thinking. In a book teaching about the power of the Holy Spirt, one would expect to find a plethora of scriptural reference, yet it is filled with Luck's own thoughts and stories. A scholarly book, this is not. Soar is penetrated with hints of a more spiritual prosperity gospel, not in that he teaches that positive thinking will lead to better health, more money, and a better life at home, but Luck guides readers on what to do in order to become better Christians and tap in to the power of the Holy Ghost. Thank you Kenny Luck for giving yet another book for laypeople to find more deeds to give a better life.½

Soar is a good medium weight book on the Holy Spirit. It's not quick skim fluff but it's not a heavy theological treatise either. Luck gave it a good balance; the chapters are not long and the information is easy to retain for further personal study. The included workbook was nice to look through as I read. This book would be beneficial in both a personal devotion setting and in group studies.

This is great. I'm still working my way through it, but I have found it to be extremely practical and well written. I find the authors writing to be easy to understand, but also deep enough to draw you in and make you really think. This isn't a pleasure read, in that you can't just skim through the pages and be done with it. At the same time it is not so deep and somber that you feel like you have to lock yourself away in a back office somewhere for "study time." It is that happy medium that allows you to take a few minutes of reading along with some quiet reflection. It is the kind of book that is good to read a section before driving somewhere. I find when i am en route to some place I have quite a bit of quiet times to think. This may not be the case in New York City. LOL. But there are little nuggets of application that can easily be taken along with you, and mulled over as you drive. Great book, very challenging, looking forward to finishing it, and passing it along to others.

Receiving this book was like receiving an Early Christmas Present! Just reading the back cover already had me intrigued -- I especially enjoy clever acronyms (like the title "SOAR"), and especially ones that relate to living the victorious Christian life! And, that Ladies and Gentlemen, is indeed what this book is all about -- living victoriously, living gloriously, with God in charge of your life!
SOAR is about living an edgy yet empowered lifestyle by choosing to have the courage to follow the Holy Spirit (who gives that gift of courage to begin with!) wherever He leads you.
In his field guide to following after the Holy Spirit, Pastor Luck gives a personal introduction to this very special Mentor-- the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. The first stop on the journey is fellowship, and the destination is Holiness, when we become imitators of Christ via the Holy Spirit.
The book is full of pithy pointers that serve as road signs along the way to holiness ("Soar Facts"). For example, in the chapter, "Done sucking your thumb?," Luck says "When you are filled with, cooperating with, and taking in truth from the Holy Spirit, your ability to control your own behavior makes the turn toward manhood in dramatic ways." Wow! Just think about that for a moment.
There is a lot inside SOAR that will make you stop and think. I spent quite a bit of time pondering one thing in particular - that the wisdom revealed in this book really is for more than just men alone! The message conveyed through SOAR is so strong, so clear, so powerful, and evidently so solidly backed by the Holy Spirit that it shouldn't be overlooked by women who are really serious about the spiritual life.
Christmas is just a few days away. Consider buying a copy of SOAR for a fellow you really love -- but check it out for yourself first. You'll be glad you did!

Although Kenny Luck's writing style is not particularly engaging and you may not have any trouble putting this book down, its content is invaluable if you are willing to stick with it. Luck breaks down the basics of what God intends for us in a personal relationship with him, focusing in specifically on who the Holy Spirit is and how He enriches our lives with His power, if we are willing to pursue Him.

Regardless of writing style and personal taste, for anyone longing to know what Jesus really meant by the "abundant" life and how they can live the Christian life victoriously instead of in defeat, this book is most certainly for you. I recommend it purely because the content inside is something EVERY person on earth needs to know and know well.

Also recommended: Holy Available by Gary Thomas, Visioneering by Andy Stanley, Chazown by Craig Groeschel½

Kenny Luck's look at the way God wants to instruct and empower the men in His church for greatness is, well, great.