Title: Max On Life
Author: Max Lucado
Category: Christian living
Publisher: Thomas Nelson, 2011
Page count: 256
Source: review copy from the publisher
Star rating: 2 out of 5
Max Lucado is one of those superstars in Christian culture. His books sell by the truckload, he’s often quoted in blogs, on Twitter, and on Christian radio, and he’s a sought-after author and speaker. I’m instantly suspect of anything or anyone so widely popular. Maybe I’m just a cynical old Reformed chick, but I’m naturally a little wary of big names.
Lucado breaks this book into categories:
- Hope
- Hurt
- Help
- Him/Her
- Home
- Haves/Have-Nots
- Hereafter
Each section contains letters Max has received through the years, asking questions on the listed topics. Max sets about answering these questions in each chapter. The book is touted to be aimed at new and mature Christians alike, but while there’s nothing inherently wrong with what Lucado says, the book surely won’t be particularly helpful for mature Christians. Let’s face it: You know what you’re getting with Max Lucado. Inoffensive, gentle, humorous advice, but not exactly earth-shattering or hard-hitting. He loves the Lord, and he loves people, but he’s not a great theologian or a tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy like John Piper or Al Mohler. If you want to be shaken, convicted, and edified, just go read Piper or Mohler or a host of other writers.
In fact, if I had things my way, we’d see somebody like Piper or Mohler, or Tim Keller or D.A. Carson, write a book like this. Now that’s something I could wholeheartedly recommend.
