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Thursday, May 02, 2013

Book Review: Prototype by Jonathan Martin

I received a copy of Prototype for free from Tyndale House Publishers for this review.

I'd seen some mentions of this book on Twitter, and I've really enjoyed listening to some of Jonathan Martin's sermons, so when I saw it was available through BookSneeze, I grabbed it.

Prototype is well-written, weaving together stories of people--both Jonathan Martin's own and others--with scripture, in a way to explore what it really means to be like Jesus.  One of the most important statements that Martin makes is in the very first chapter on "Identity", when he writes "what's interesting about believing in Jesus is that it has a whole lot to do with believing like Jesus" (page 19).

Too often, we more interested in making sure we believe the right things that we don't look at how Jesus lived out his own beliefs, especially about his identity as God's son.  We forget to go on the journey of discovering who we are and what our faith means.  This book can help us do that, and help us look at our faith and world and the people with whom we come in contact in a new way.

There are fantastic examples in this book of people being transformed, people who others may have given up on, but Jesus did not.

It's not an easy process, and Martin gives an example of difficulties one may go through--"the wilderness".  It is a place that seems desolate, a place where Satan can attack, yet beyond that, a place where God "draws us back to Himself" (page 52).

This book is a refreshing read, one that can invigorate one's faith, and I'd encourage anyone to read it.

(I don't want to spoil it for you, but if you read this book, you will also read a great anecdote about baptizing kittens.)

Q&A With Jonathan Martin
Chapter 1 of Prototype

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