Simply Jesus, by Joseph M. Stowell, is a short, easy read intended to help readers develop a closer relationship with Christ. Stowell addresses Christians who have a knowledge of Christ, but who feel that they lack a true relationship with him. Of course, this is hardly virgin territory; innumerable books have been written on this very theme. It's been particularly popular over the last twenty years or so. The question, then, is this: does Stowell bring anything new to the table?
Unfortunately, the answer is "no". There's little new here; Simply Jesus travels the same very well-worn path as most books of this type. Stowell even uses some of the same illustrations as other authors, as well as some of the same misconceptions and cliches. While Simply Jesus certainly isn't dull, there are few surprises and fewer revelations.
I don't want to give the impression that this is a bad book. Stowell's writing is clear and very readable, and the book flows well. The lack of novelty isn't necessarily a detriment; Simply Jesus may be the only one a person reads on this topic, after all. It does beg the question, though: did the book need to be written at all? And did it need to be reissued, along with over a dozen others, as part of Multnomah's "LifeChange" series?
Simply Jesus is a decent book, but not a necessary one. There is much to like here, but very little that can't be found in a hundred other places.
Waterbrook/Multnomah provided a free copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review, only an honest one.
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