The selection of stories was not quite what I had expected. They mostly revolve around people risking ridicule, employment, or even jail time to take a stand against laws/expectations that restrict religious freedom. These people courageously stand firm in their beliefs and do so in a peaceful manner. I was just hoping to read some stories about people radically loving others, with less focus on legal matters.
I like the way the book is set-up. Each chapter contains a story about an individual, giving just enough background information and detail to explain the situation. That is then followed by an account of a Biblical figure who was in a similar situation. The author writes in an engaging way that is easy to understand. Each chapter closes with a few questions for further thought and/or discussion.
Instead of simply telling these stories, I felt that the author interjected his own opinion frequently - and sometimes in poor taste. For example, when explaining about a public gathering that some individuals had planned to repent and pray for our nation, he writes "less than 25 percent of Charlotte's churches participated - some of the megachurch pastors apparently felt that joining in might hurt their book sales." Really? I sense some bitterness there. I sometimes got the feeling that the author was trying to push his own agenda rather than simply reporting the facts.
No Fear does tell stories that are worth being heard. It links them to biblical accounts and helps us to see that there are different challenges in all generations - but that we can all stand up for truth when God asks us to. These recent and ancient examples can inspire us to act with courage.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.
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