Book review of Boot Camp - Equipping Men with Integrity for Spiritual Warfare, by Jason Hardin

I received a copy of this book free from Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review.

I really like the idea behind this book - Boot Camp - Initial Training for Men. Something to give to guys to read to help them become disciplined men of God. It's a great idea.

My expectations were hard to fulfill, but the author succeeded pretty well. He covers much of the ground he needs to. He talks about Integrity, Selfishness, Sexual immorality, Idolatry, Jealousy, Anger, Sins of the Tongue, Hypocrisy, about being Strong in the Lord and wearing the Armor of Holiness.

Sometimes the military metaphor works really well. Sometimes less well. "Currahee" may communicate better with a US reader ?

However I don't think this is quite the book I wanted it to be and needed it to be.

There's one main reason - the way the author approaches Scripture is great. He gives it the place it ought to have, it clearly is his authority and his rule.

But sometimes the way he interprets Scripture made me shout at the book. For example (and I'm choosing the first time I started yelling), in the first real chapter he talks about Hebrews 11 and the heroes that have preceded us. Moses, Gideon, Elijah, David... A great cloud of witnesses... He writes a wonderful and beautiful passage ... then concludes "What is it that Jesus saw in Andrew, James and John more than the other fishermen of Galilee ? Why Matthew... What set Peter apart... Nicodemus...

Potential."

That's the moment when I started yelling, "BY THEIR FAITH! BY THEIR FAITH!"

I think that's a fundamental flaw.

When I am thinking about potential where am I looking ? Why, at me !
When I am thinking about faith, where am I looking ? Why, at Christ, the object of our faith !

So three stars. It's a good book, but it's a flawed book. It did me good, but it also made me yell.

And to give to others, I'd probably go back to old faithfuls like Jerry Bridges and the like.

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