Bill Giovannetti

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I picked up this book – a self-help list of ten secrets, twelve guides, four principals? Instead I found an intriguing study on the well-known story of Joseph (of Technicolor dreamcoat fame), and a wealth of naturally told lessons from the characters of the tale, and from present-day neighbors as well. It’s a Christian book, but the lessons are inspiring enough to apply to anyone – just substitute whatever you will for the God-part. Then see a historical youth grow through struggles and trials into a truly happy man.

Can you be happy when family betray you, when employers let you down, when friends use you, when promises aren’t kept? Can you be happy when you’re the betrayer, living a life of guilt, or when you’ve let someone down? Can you be happy in an everyday life of uncertainty, where anything you trust in might be broken tomorrow? The answer is yes, if you let your happiness be dependent on something else, if you accept your own worthiness, trust something beyond the everyday, take a wider perspective and close the book on the past.

There’s more to it than that, of course. There’s a fascinating story to be told, with lots of wise aphorisms along the way, and easily recognized vignettes. Yes, we’re all in there somewhere. And we can be happy. Just take the test (36 questions) and learn to say yes to its recitation of a new and true identity.

Disclosure: I listened to the author speak, and a friend lent me a copy of his book.… (mehr)

Bill Giovannetti wants to make church safe for “normal Christians”—for “seekers and doubters, addicts and therapists...humble people...broken people with more problems than solutions...” He wants a church where the everyday struggles of everyday people are as much works of wonder as the words of wonderful preachers, and where grace isn’t something we don’t deserve—it’s something we do deserve because Jesus does, and he dwells in us. Fuelled by that knowledge, grace might result in surprisingly small or great works. But without it, none of our works will ever fuel grace.

I enjoyed this book. I enjoyed its reminder that the least successful among us are just as great and as grace-filled as the greatest. I enjoyed its comfort that I shouldn’t be guilted into doing what others think my faith demands. And I enjoyed its wisdom, analyzing the church’s many different historical and theological stances; the arguments about grace plus works, Savior plus Lord, faith plus or minus whatever.

Okay, the arguments get a little slow and heavy at times. The author knows his stuff, where stuff means history, theology, doctrine, books... and people. But this is a great book, equally for those of deeply read enthusiasm, and for those who haven’t time to study because their lives are too busy. It’s an enjoyably empowering book, and a powerfully joy-filled read. It just might be a call to a more powerful sort of faith as well, where grace intervenes.

Disclosure: I heard the author at a conference, and a friend bought the book but let me read it first.… (mehr)

I got this book for free to review from Litfuse, and they say they want my honest opinion.
Oh my.
First, here is what they have to say about the book:

"Thou shalt tolerate every opinion... except the Christian's. Today's postmodern "prime directive" leaves many followers of Jesus tongue-tied. In the global village, isn't it unreasonable, and even dangerous, to suggest that the Bible has a monopoly on truth?

The church needs a new breed of Christ-follower. We need Christ-followers who are alert to today's touchy ideas, the truths that fire up more heat than light. We need Christ-followers who can make a clear case for the Bible's worldview; who are ready to help our friends think through their beliefs; who can recognize inconsistencies and challenge them; and who can do all of this with humility, confidence, humor, and love. For more information visit http://fourletterwords.org. "

This is what they tell us about the author.:

About Bill Giovannetti:

"Dr. Bill Giovannetti is a professor at A.W. Tozer Theological Seminary and the senior pastor of Neighborhood Church of Redding. An experienced speaker and author, Bill informs the mind in ways that touch the heart. He enjoys life with his wife and two kids in northern California. For more information about Bill and his other books, visit http://maxgrace.wordpress.com and http://fourletterwords.org. "

And, here is what I think about this book.:
At first, when I read chapter two of this book, I was highly offended. I thought that this author has just shown Christianity at it's most offensive and he is defending it. He begins Chapter two, titled "True" with this statement: "1. Some ideas are true and some ideas are false." That statement annoyed me. Ideas are opinions, not facts, therefore, they cannot be "true" or "false". The author explains in this chapter why he thinks otherwise. He also goes on to say that "Christians define truth simply: "truth is reality as God sees it." Yet, he quotes John 14:6 on the first page of this chapter, in which Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the life." Jesus did not say that truth is "reality as God sees it". Jesus said that He, Himself is truth. That is not the same as the author's "Christian" definition of truth.

Throughout the book the author defines and describes many different religious and world views and then explains how and why each is one is wrong, and that the Christian viewpoint that he believes in is the one and only true opinion. Each chapter ends with a list of "Talking Points" designed to help young people - I think high school and college age - to express his their the Christian viewpoint that he believes is the one and only correct view. The book is designed to help young Christians to defend the Christian "belief system" as the author defines it.

After being offended by chapter two, I was prepared to hate the entire book, but I did not. I found the book to be very interesting and thought provoking. I agreed with and enjoyed many of the points that the author makes. I really liked the "Wait" chapter and found some of his information about other religions and beliefs very interesting. There are some things that he shares, however, that I do not agree with. I think that one reason that I did not despise the rest of the book even after finding the beginning premise so offensive, is that while the author clearly believes that his view of God and Christ and religion are the only correct way to believe, he does not seem to be rude and hateful towads those of us who do not agree with every single one of his opinions.
This book is QR enabled and has links to his site and other sites that the author recommends.

Here is a link to the blog tour for this book so you can read other people's opinions of this book as well:
http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13453469
Also:
"Bill is celebrating the new Kindle edition of Four Letter Words (for only $4.99)! He’ll be traveling coast to coast over the next few weeks on this virtual book tour and he's celebrating by hosting a great giveaway!
Click here (http://fourletterwords.org/2012/01/contest-giveaway) to find out how you can win two gift certificates to Amazon (in the amount of $50 and $25) and free downloads of his yet-to-be-released title, Recession-Proof: Living a God-Blessed Life in a Messed Up World."… (mehr)