AFA Staff
AFA Journal staff reviews movies, books and other resources
Above, marathoner David Horton on the Trans America Footrace route.
September 2017 – New film depicts ordinary man with extraordinary faith
A new film from Fathom Events and Liberty University will debut in theaters September 7 in a one-night event. From the Cinematic Arts department at Liberty, Extraordinary stars Shari Rigby (October Baby), Kirk Cameron (Fireproof), and Karen Abercrombie (War Room), and is the first-ever student-driven feature film to release in select theaters nationwide.
Extraordinary tells the true story of Liberty professor and ultra-marathoner David Horton. After receiving devastating news from his doctor, Horton decides to give it his all one last time in an effort to conquer the Trans America Footrace, the longest race in the world.
For years, his family has taken a backseat to Horton’s passion for running, and his wife is ready to give up on their marriage, creating predictable tensions and conflicts.
Slight disrespect for law enforcement occurs, as does marital strife. And when it comes to the theology of God, Extraordinary falls quite short of its title.
For more information and to find a theater, visit extraordinarymovie.com.
Rebecca Davis
Well Versed
Dr. James Garlow asks the question “Why are we quiet?” in chapter one of his latest book, Well Versed: Biblical Answers to Today’s Tough Issues. One reason Christians in America are quiet about cultural, societal, and even biblical issues is that they are too often uncertain how the Bible addresses them.
That is the target of this book, systematically examining what Scriptures say about some of the most pressing issues and questions of our time. Garlow separates everything into eight sections, each filled with multiple chapters. The purpose is to help readers navigate to issues and questions pertinent to their needs.
On every page, Garlow uses the approachable style and biblical application he is known for. Readers will be well versed in what the Bible says about the things Americans ask most. Available at online and retail bookstores.
Teddy James
The Walls are Talking
The Walls are Talking by Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood director, is filled with real-life accounts told by former abortion clinic workers. As the employees experienced the eye-opening realities behind whitewashed terms such as reproductive health care, they were forced to come to grips with the realities of the cruel and gruesome abortion industry.
Over time, their eyes were opened, and the lies they had believed were dispelled. From the horrific reality of the “abortion pill” to a forced late-term abortion, the stories will leave readers horrified and more determined to fight for the lives of babies and their mothers. Available online and at retail bookstores.
Anne Reed
Praying for Your Family
“You will discover that prayer is the place where the sovereignty of God and the will of man intersect,” writes evangelist Sammy Tippit in Praying for Your Family. That theme echoes frequently throughout the book.
Three main strengths emerge from this 135-page volume. First, Tippit is honest and doesn’t promise a magic formula that will transform anyone into a powerful prayer warrior (but he certainly challenges and motivates).
Second, he plants solid and sensible principles in a narrative framework that includes gripping accounts of miracles and illustrations from his decades of evangelism in 80 countries around the world. Third, he is totally open about his own family failures, dysfunctions – and victories. Such transparency keeps the reader glued to the page.
One of the most intriguing story lines follows his effort to discover a heritage that he might have missed had he not dug into family history and discovered that his great-great-great grandparents were known to be extraordinary pray-ers. He sees that discovery as a part of the spiritual thread that eventually led him into evangelism.
Each chapter is followed by a few probing questions and Scripture passages that help the willing reader apply the book’s principles effectively. Available at sammytippitbooks.com.
Randall Murphree
A Place Called Heaven
In his book, A Place Called Heaven: 10 Surprising Truths about Your Eternal Home, Dr. Robert Jeffress approaches heaven practically: “Heaven is not some fanciful, imaginary destination…heaven is a real place,” he writes. Jeffress’s firm belief that heaven is a place as tangible as Texas shows through. He gives details about heaven and its occupants, ending the 10-chapter book with a plan to prepare for heaven.
The author gives confident, definitive answers to controversial questions using verses from Scripture. Sometimes Jeffress notes that Scripture does not provide clear answers to the questions many have about heaven (such as, “What happens to infants who die?”) and admits that he is only giving his opinion on the subject.
Jeffress begins with reasons why people should think about heaven and a chapter defining it. He then moves to the touchy subject of near death experiences – the idea that people can die, see heaven, God, or angels, and then return to earth. Chapter eight considers the judgment and rewards received in heaven. The last chapters show how to get to and prepare for heaven.
Dr. Jeffress is very bold in addressing issues about heaven that have been debated for years, and he gives specifics concerning heaven other pastors may avoid. Available at online and retail bookstores.
Catherine Snyder, AFA intern
