Book Review: The 7-Day Christian, by Brad Wilcox

The 7-Day Christian, by Brad Wilcox
2014, 154p, LDS Non-Fiction
My Rating=5 Stars
Source: Received a copy from the publisher for an honest review

Christianity is facing great opposition. No one is being thrown to lions, but many followers of Christ face persecution because of their beliefs. At the very least, most know how it feels to end up on the wrong side of a "politically correct" conversation. More than ever before, we need believing and behaving disciples—men and women who are ready to stand up and stand together to change the world as early Christians did: one righteous choice at a time.

Filled with personal experiences and insightful stories, this book emphasizes the importance of living in accordance with our values every single day, with practical suggestions for how to actually pull it off. "Christ doesn't just want people to acknowledge His grace," writes Brad Wilcox. "He wants them to be transformed through it. He doesn't just want people to come to Him. He wants them to become like Him— a process that takes place 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, and throughout all the years of our lives.

Brad Wilcox is one of my favorite authors and speakers, so I was excited to see that he has a new book and was really intrigued by the title. I am a Christian, and definitely still have a lot to learn. There have been many times that I have not behaved the best. This book is a great reminder that it's important to work every day towards becoming more Christ-like.

Chapter One starts with the big question, "Is there a God?" He also goes into the great debate on this question where there are those who give an emphatic yes to that question and those who will give an equally emphatic no. Each side produces evidence to support their belief. The beauty of it all is that we are given the freedom to choose whether or not we believe in God. I like what he says about this. "To me, one of the clearest evidences of God's goodness is that He does not prove himself to us beyond all possibility of doubt. The fact that He allows compelling evidence on both sides of the argument of His existence preserves and honors my freedom...He may ultimately want me to believe, but more important, it appears He wants me to want to believe." (p. 11) (You can read Chapter One here.)

In another chapter, he says to not check your religion at the door, but rather to live it wherever you may be. There are times when that won't be easy to do, but it does matter. I also loved his chapter titled "Seven Days of Re-Creation." He tells how the pattern God used when He created the earth is the same pattern He uses to re-create us. Then he shares his experience of losing weight and running (first a 5K and later a half marathon), which he started at the age of 50. I found that to be quite inspiring!

There are quotes, scriptures and stories to back up his points as he goes through each chapter. He concludes with a chapter titled "The Core of Christianity." With Easter yesterday, Christ's resurrection and atonement has been on my mind a lot. He had a conversation with a man who told him that it didn't matter if Jesus was resurrected or not and it only has relevance in the next life. He disagreed and said, "Knowledge of Christ's resurrection not only changes the hereafter, it can also change what we are here after. It can profoundly affect our choices, our loves, our priorities, and our ways of reaching our potential." (p. 136)

There are lots of great gems to be found in this book. It is possible for each of us to make a difference in the world simply by living our beliefs on a daily basis. This is a book I will definitely read again and again and I highly recommend it to everyone!

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BRAD WILCOX has lived in Ethiopia, Chile, and New Zealand; he and his family now make their home amid the Rocky Mountains. Brad taught sixth grade before obtaining his PhD in education from the University of Wyoming. His contributions as an author and teacher have been honored by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and his work has appeared in Guideposts magazine and Reader’s Digest. He once served as a member of the National Executive Board of the Boy Scouts of America and has addressed thousands of youth and adults across the United State, Europe, Australia, and Japan. He and his wife, Debi, are the parents of four children.