Hero---Book Review

Category: Religion - Christian Life
Format: Trade Paperback, 240 pages
On Sale: April 14, 2009
Price: $13.99
ISBN: 978-1-4000-7109-8 (1-4000-7109-7)
Publisher: WaterBrook Press (Water Brook Press)

This book is about men being pure and remaining pure for the future woman in their lives. It is a book geared towards High School and College age young men. It asks the question: "What do women really want?" and attempts to answer that question. It is a challenge that hails itself as: "..straight truth with irrefutable evidence of what makes an ultimate hero to women who long for men of faith...men who stand by their convictions and make their world a safer and better place".

Purity is definitely a needed topic for today's young men. They are inundated with media that is jam packed with sexual lessons that are not in-line with the gospel. This book seeks to hit this point and draw men into purity. However, as a young man and a youth pastor alike, this book misses it's point. This is a works-based manual as to how a man can become a hero for God and for his future woman. It is littered with how "you can make yourself God's hero by doing this, this this and this". It is a book that forgets the role of the Holy Spirit in purity and doesn't lead young men towards God working through them, but rather God working alongside them as "they become God's hero". Here is an example of what I mean: "Just as the Jewish exiles needed Daniel to stand up early for God, the Lord needs you to stand up before your Babylonians" (page 55). God doesn't NEED us to do anything...we NEED GOD to do it THROUGH US!

I will not be giving this book to my teens, although I agree FULLY with the premise, the execution of this book has poor theology when it comes to the Holy Spirit and His work through the believer. Do we need to be willing? Yes! Do we do the work ourselves? NO! Do we allow God to work through us? Yes! Is it us doing it? NO!

I know for sure that this book has a GREAT heart behind it, but it will surely miss it's targeted audience.

If you want to check this book out for yourself, or maybe buy go here: Hero--Becoming the Man She Desires