by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell

As we anticipate the Celebration of Hope (May 17-19), we want to “…honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV). We need to prepare ourselves to help those who are seeking to find the answers that will change their lives. This book is a great tool for this purpose.

More than a Carpenter was first written in 1977, and this 2009 updated edition is one in which Josh McDowell invited his son Sean to co-author. And this edition reads as fresh and as engaging as when the book debuted.

Josh McDowell began writing as a sceptic, intent on disproving Christian beliefs. He ended a believer and one who is clear about what he believes and in whom he believes.

Each chapter deals with the different questions that have arisen through time, such as, “What makes Jesus so Different?”, “Are the Bible Records Reliable?”, and “Will the real Messiah please stand up?” Significantly the first and last chapters are not questions but statements – “My Story” and “He Changed My Life” – when our stories become part of His story.

In “The Challenge of the New Atheism”, the McDowells address the popular critics like Christopher Hitchens (God is Not Great), Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion) in a systematic manner, slowly and surely destroying their claims. The arguments are presented coherently and cogently so the reader is guided carefully throughout.

With the onslaught of social media with competing truth claims, it is important for us to stand firm on the foundations of our faith without our heads buried in the sand or covering our ears. We do need to know what is being said against the faith and to know how we can answer the reason for our faith when and if we are called on to do so.

In Treasure Trove, we also have several other books like More than a Carpenter. You can check out Paul E. Little’s Know What You Believe, C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity, John Stott’s Basic Christianity and Lee Strobel’s Case for Faith. All these books would also make good gifts!

Lucilla Teoh
Treasure Trove Team Member