Jesus: Pure & Simple by Wayne Cordeiro

I decided to check out this book because one of the author's previous books, The Divine Mentor, made a real impact on my family.  I found that this book was well-written and thought provoking, but it didn't offer anything new....at least nothing new to me.

The main idea is focused around this Scripture from 2 Corinthians 11:3 "But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."  The author says that "it's easy to confuse...our spiritual vitality with our spiritual activity".  It's not about our Bible knowledge or the number of "religious" things we do...it's all about how much our lives reflect His....pure and simple.  We need a clear picture of Jesus and to learn how to correct back to Him.  Other topics include serving without the need for recognition, recognizing the presence of Christ, focusing on the lost, personal renewal, contentment, and living in the present.

The writing style is easy enough for a new Christian to understand, yet still challenging for someone seasoned in the faith.  The end of each chapter contains a few questions for individual reflection or group discussion.  This book could help generate some great discussions, especially for newer groups who want to start with the basics.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.