A number of years ago I was at a chain restaurant with my pastor and fellow elders. Our special guest for the evening was the pastor’s uncle, who had been a lifelong Southern Baptist evangelist. After we placed our orders the uncle asked us if we minded if he gave thanks for the food. Of course we were delighted to have this venerable preacher of the sawdust trail pray for us and insisted that he take the privilege. To our shock—and I’ll confess on my part at least horror—he stood up and in a loud voice asked the entire restaurant to join him in “saying grace.”

Moments like that tend to make one think about Jesus’ warning that he will be ashamed of those ashamed of him (Luke 9:26). Is being embarrassed when a country preacher calls a prayer meeting at Applebee’s being ashamed of Jesus, or is it just being ashamed of rudeness in his name? Read the rest of this review...
- Mark Traphagen, WTS Bookstore Manager