We Will Not Be Silenced by Erwin W. Lutzer

We Will Not Be Silenced by Erwin W. Lutzer

In a society that seems to be disintegrating before our eyes, Lutzer helps us identify the root causes and gives us tips for combating it from a Christian worldview.

Erwin Lutzer’s book, We Will Not Be Silenced: Responding Courageously to Our Culture’s Assault on Christianity, is one of the best explanations of the current situation in America and the direction our country is going that I have read. It is an encouragement to course correct as soon as possible, and it gives specific ways Christians can and should stand against the tide of the culture.

While I struggled through some sections where he and I have a different perspective (I address these at the end of the post), Lutzer made connections I haven’t found in other materials I’ve read on this subject. 

Lutzer gives a thorough and clear history of cultural Marxism and how it is gaining ground in the United States. Beginning with the destruction of the nuclear family, Marxism really took root in feminism, encouraging mothers to work outside of the home and allowing others (namely the public education system) to raise their children. The key to Marxism is oppression. Once someone is convinced she is a victim, she is easier to motivate into revolution.

He makes this connection even further when he addresses the link between broken families or single parents and Marxism. He says, “Children without family roots can be more easily directed toward secular values and state benefits. The state can do for them what their parents failed to do” (27).

This victimhood formed the basis for the flourishing of feminism, abortion, the sexual revolution, homosexuality, and transgenderism. These movements have not happened organically but have been planned and executed by those who seek to destroy America as we have known it.

Lutzer dives into the reasons behind the rewriting of American history. He says, “…when revolutionaries want to remake a country, they vilify the past to give legitimacy to their vision of the future” (42). In order to make those in the next generation buy into the “necessary” changes, the Marxist must convince them our country is founded on terrible principles and must be destroyed and rebuilt. There can be nothing positive in our history in order for this revolution to take root.

“Absurdity is no longer an argument against a point of view. If you are progressive, you have to detach from reality and self-righteously embrace the bizarre. This is the world of alternate facts, and the price one has to pay to see evil as good and good as evil.”

Quote by Erwin W. Lutzer

Other connections Lutzer makes include the link between Marxism and fighting climate change as well as opening the American border and defunding the police. But Marxism is never about the issue it claims; it is always about power.

We have redefined words and created new terms to ensure that the conflict between races, classes, and genders will never be resolved. We must remember that, “In CRT [Critical Race Theory a.k.a. social justice],…the goal is not to foster unity or common ground but to assign blame and ensure that people will be put into categories so that tensions between the groups can be enflamed and maintained” (80). Ultimately, “No common ground is allowed because that would diminish the extent to which some groups have been oppressed. And no concessions are ever enough” (81). Lutzer reminds us that, “Only through the cross can we show [the world] what reconciliation looks like” (100).

Throughout the book, Lutzer upholds the biblical definition of man (and woman) as one made in the image of God, as well as the biblical instruction on gender, marriage, family, and the church. He reminds us that we must remain faithful in the face of the blatant lies of the culture. He is especially concerned with the sexualization of children: “Perhaps nowhere do we see the work of Satan in America as clearly as we do in the sexualization of children—destroying their identity, confusing their gender, and creating unresolved guilt and self-hatred” (156).

Lutzer also dives into the world of economics, explaining why capitalism, while flawed, is rooted in principles that align with Scripture. He takes on the proponents of socialism by explaining how it will always inevitably fail. 

One connection Lutzer makes that had not been presented to me before is the mind-blowing alignment of the social justice movement with Islam. This is mind-blowing because there is no more “intolerant” religion than Islam, yet we find the very things it condemns have aligned with it. Why? Because the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Islam calls for the destruction of America. Since there is a shared goal, they can work together to that end. However, the partnership cannot last. But when the dust settles, which one will stand victorious?

While I love this book and think every Christian should read it, I did have a few moments of disagreement with the author. Lutzer seems to lean a little heavily in support of the idea of systemic racism in America. He says that “we are not yet where we want to be in race relations; the failures of the past must be acknowledged, and forgiveness and reconciliation are the way forward” (51). He goes on to say that we must “take personal and collective responsibility” (54), yet he doesn’t define or delineate exactly how this should take place. Finally, he says that “Those who are white need to be sensitive to the concerns of their brothers and sisters from other ethnic backgrounds” (63), but he never extends the same courtesy to “white” brothers and sisters.

Along the same lines, Lutzer’s wording around the topic of George Floyd’s death lays the blame completely on the police officer. He calls it a “horribly unjust incident” (45) and “the tragic murder of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer” (72). While no one celebrated the death of George Floyd during an altercation with the police, there are still so many questions not only about the cause of death, but also about the trial, and it is not prudent for Lutzer to make such strong statements on one side of the issue.

Our disagreements on these issues may simply be a result of our differing perspectives. I live in a smaller city in rural America. I honestly don’t see many racial difficulties. Lutzer lives and ministers in Chicago. I can imagine his perspective is very different.

Regardless of perspective, the Bible is clear that we repent for our own sins. It is an individual and personal interaction with God. We cannot repent for the sins of another, nor can we repent on behalf of someone else. It doesn’t do us or them any good. Brothers and sisters in Christ should come together as Christians first. The color of our skin does not make us more or less righteous before God, and should not affect how we relate to one another. While Lutzer doesn’t necessarily contradict this biblical position, he doesn’t go far enough in his writing. He doesn’t specifically state it, and therefore, leaves room for the very victimhood this book is meant to combat.

All in all, I agree with Dr. David Jeremiah’s sentiment on the cover of the book: “If I could, I would put this book into the hands of every Christian in America.”

While many do not agree with the culture’s perspective on social justice and all of the baggage that comes with it, we have been mocked into silence. We have been led to believe that we are not allowed to voice our concerns. But we cannot remain silent. There is an intentional attack on our freedom of speech, but we must speak while we still can. Lutzer cautions us that, “Freedom of speech and civility will not be restored until the victimology culture is shown to be the fiction it is” (231). And he reminds us that, “We don’t have to shout louder than others when we stand our ground. We just need to know that we are being faithful to our Commander and King” (243).

Other Book Reviews

Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer

Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer

As women, we are often served “fluff.” I don’t know if it is because we tend to make emotional decisions, or if we just think we aren’t smart enough, but when it comes to theology, we seem to stay on the surface. And as I’ve faced difficult seasons in my life, I’ve recognized that shallow Christianity can’t sustain me. Phylicia Masonheimer’s book, Stop Calling Me Beautiful: Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World, invites women to dive deeper.

Because we tend to dine on shallow theology, we often feel empty and purposeless. We struggle to find God’s will for our lives, and we are dissatisfied with our lots in life. And we search for our purpose, our tribe, and our worth in all the wrong places.

I first met Phylicia Masonheimer on Instagram and, shortly thereafter, I started listening to her podcast, “Verity.” After binge-listening to season 1, which discusses the chapters in her book, I knew I had to read it. And I am so glad I did!

“We are so sinful, so unable to bridge the gap between ourselves and a holy God, that He sent His Son to die on our behalf.”
Chapter 1: Stop Calling Me Beautiful

Phylicia encourages us to recognize our sinfulness and its impact on us and those around us rather than seeking out pithy quotes that sound good but keep us at the shallow end. Once we recognize the problem, we can see how only Christ is the solution.

“Jesus was a theory more than a person. I read my Bible, but it was like I closed it on Him when I got up to go. I could defend Christianity intellectually, rationally, even emotionally, but God wasn’t real to me spiritually…As my eyes were opened to God’s character in the Bible, my entire outlook was transformed.”

Chapter before the First

Do you resonate with this quote? I do. I grew up in a missionary’s home and knew all of the “right” answers, but it wasn’t until adulthood that I took ownership of my faith and pursued a deep relationship with Christ.

Rather than tell you what I think of Phylicia’s book, I’m going to let the book speak for itself by listing some of my favorite quotes from each chapter. Remember that quotes should be read in context, so, if one of these quotes strikes you the wrong way, read the chapter that contains it for clarification before you make a judgement.

Chapter 1: Stop Calling Me Beautiful

“We’ve been sold a message of all comfort and no strength, and because of this, many of us find following Christ joyless, hard, and empty.”

“Self-focus is why so many Christian women are exhausted by the Christian life. Our attention is constantly being turned away from the One who could bring us real change.”

Chapter 3: A Tale of Two Women

Chapter 2: Hungry for More and Better

“A deeper spiritual life doesn’t happen by accident.”

“Our self-discovery is not God’s goal. We are meant to know God and make Him known.”

Chapter 3: A Tale of Two Women

“He invades the hardest places of our hearts to teach us the truth about abundant life.”

Chapter 4: Why the Instagram Bible Won’t Free You

“The guilt we struggle with when we miss a quiet time might not be so heavy if we didn’t add so much to something that should be so simple.”

“Our time spent with God should be focused on learning more about Him and in doing so, we will learn how to view ourselves.”

“Spiritual depth and maturity never happen by accident. They are always the product of intentional exposure to the heart and Spirit of God.”

“Coffee and Jesus are great. But at the end of the day, all you really need is Jesus. Don’t wait for the coffee—just come to Him.”

Chapter 5: Skirt Length and Bible Translations: Overcoming Legalism

“Legalism is any action added to the gospel in order to please God.”

“We can’t earn peace with God through the law; we choose holiness because we have His peace!”

Chapter 6: The Courage to Trust: Battling Anxiety and Overwhelm

“Rest for our souls is found in choosing trust when trust doesn’t make sense. We can do this not because our circumstances are ideal, but because our God is trustworthy.”

Chapter 4: Why the Instagram Bible Won’t Free You

“Every weapon we use against anxiety must start with who He is, because only then do we invite an objective perspective and power into our circumstances.”

Chapter 7: A Time to Weep: Grappling with Grief

“Our grief is known and carried. Our loss is not pointless.”

“Christian grief is all the pain and loss plus the presence of a loving and faithful God.”

Chapter 8: Used Goods: Redeeming a Broken Sexuality

“Our sexuality has kingdom purpose. Naturally, the enemy is after it. We fight back by trusting God’s love and goodness, even in the face of doubt.”

Chapter 9: Known and Wanted: Cultivating a Lasting Community

“Isolation might seem like an easy way to avoid conflict or pain, but it is one of the most foolish decisions we can make.”

“Loving God and others opens us up to a world of hurt—but it also opens us up to a life that matters.”

“We can’t always trust people, but we can always trust Him. He is our confidence and our healing, and He empowers us to have relationships that defy everything we’ve known before.”

Chapter 10: An Audience of One: Conquering Fear of Man

“A spirit of fear results in weakness, fakeness, and confusion. God’s Spirit leads us to a life of strength, kindness, and wisdom.”

“Our minds and hearts can’t be full of fear and love at the same time, because perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).”

Chapter 11: Everything I Ever Did: Overcoming Shame

“When we allow our brokenness and shame to loom larger than Christ’s sacrifice, we’re submitting to an ungodly authority.”

“Your heart does not have the right to tell you who you are; God does.”

Chapter 12: What Difference Would We Make?

“Evangelism is our gift to the world: a testimony of what Jesus has done in our lives.”

“While we should be constantly maturing in faith, God doesn’t tell us to work on ourselves before walking out His call.”

You may be thinking this is “too deep” for you. I would just remind you that your personal relationship with Christ is just that: personal. No one else can develop that relationship for you. It is time to dig deeper, to go beyond the “fluff” and platitudes and discover what it means to know God.

Resources:

For Further Reading

Book Review: Chasing Perfect by Alisha Illian

Book Review: Chasing Perfect by Alisha Illian

Have you ever read a book or a blog post and felt like the author must have special access to your life? You felt like she just gets you? You realized she is speaking to the very things that have been troubling you? This was my experience with Alisha Illian’s Chasing Perfect: Peace and Purpose in the Exhausting Pursuit of Something Better.

In her non-preachy, relatable voice, Illian addresses the very things that are pulling us away from seeking an intimate relationship with God and shows us how even the good things in our lives can be used by the enemy and become idols in our hearts. But she doesn’t stop there. She gives very practical, actionable steps to overcome the lies of the enemy and pursue a life of godliness.

Not only do you feel like Illian knows you, but also you get to know her through the pages of Chasing Perfect. She shares the struggles she has had, is real about her progress, and opens the door to her life (apparently, her dog throws up often). And though you might not be dealing with the same struggles she has faced, you understand the correlation to your own issues and how to face them head-on.

The truth is it doesn’t matter what your struggles are. You may find you relate 100% to each issue Illian addresses, or you may find that you are polar opposites. But all of the answers boil down to one: Chase Jesus. Stop chasing the temporary pleasures of this world: the promotion, the perfect house, a large following on social media, the book deal, the perfect family. Chase Jesus, the one who created you, knows you, accepts you, loves you, disciplines you, comforts you, and died for you.

If you are feeling spent in the monotonous routine of your life; or you wish you had a place to belong; or you struggle to understand how your Bible reading should change you; or you want to know why you’re here, what your purpose is, I recommend you pick up Chasing Perfect. Check it out here.

Book Review: This Life I Live

Book Review: This Life I Live

In order for me to be with a great woman, I was gonna have to learn to be a great man first.

Rory Feek’s book This Life I Live is, simply put, a love story. But it is not only his love story with his wife Joey but also his love story with God. Before reading this book, I didn’t know much about Joey and Rory. I had seen a few episodes of Can You Duet?, and articles had crossed my Facebook page during Joey’s battle with cancer. That was all I knew when I picked up the book. However, knowing the end made each chapter more impacting as the story developed.

The conversational style of the writing made it feel like I was sitting across from Rory, laughing and crying with him. Each chapter can stand alone and is easy to read even though he tackles very difficult topics throughout the book. He doesn’t shy away from discussing his past mistakes and how they have made him the man he is. He bravely embraces topics of raising his older daughters alone, watching his wife battle cancer, and facing raising their daughter alone, as well. He confronts the issues of salvation, tithing, family, sex, repentance, and the list goes on. And he takes responsibility for the choices he made, never laying blame at someone else’s feet. He is gracious to those around him who have made mistakes, and often reminds the reader that we are all doing the best we can with what we have.

I am me because of me. No one else. My decisions brought me here, good or bad.

To look at him today, I never would have guessed at Rory’s childhood and the choices he made in his past. Rory’s story of redemption is powerful! It is a good reminder that, no matter what I’ve done or who I’ve been, I am never so lost that God can’t save me. His experiences with repentance, confession, and forgiveness brought me to tears.

Yes, I have been forgiven greatly. Many times over. And so I must forgive greatly and trust that God has a greater plan in store than the one that I can see.

The characters in Rory’s life made an impact on me, as well. From his difficult relationship with his parents to his lovable Uncle Goombah to the woman who changed his life forever, the people who invested in him helped bring him to where he is today, both personally and professionally.

My wife understood that there are things you cannot put a price on, and there’s a huge difference between time wasted and time spent.

Rory’s descriptions of Joey are loving and tender. He describes her in terms of her grace, dignity, passion, and love. I so wish I had followed their story more closely while she was on this earth! As the tears blurred the words on the final pages, I thought about how Joey felt as a new mother, knowing that her daughter would grow up without her mother and that Rory would have to raise another daughter alone. As I struggled through those emotions, I was reminded of Rory’s words:

We must turn the page and trust that the story He is telling is bigger than that one page or that one chapter.

Book Review: The Magnolia Story

Book Review: The Magnolia Story

Whether you are in an eight-hundred-square-foot home or living in a dream house on the lake, contentment is found on the way to the ‘farm,’ not on the ‘farm’ itself. — Joanna Gaines

Chip and Joanna Gaines charmed their way into my heart when Fixer Upper seasons 1 and 2 hit Netflix. I will admit that I binge watched the show, and I think I finished both seasons in one day. I love the way the Gaineses structure and decorate the homes with each specific client in mind, and Joanna’s style and decorating sense absolutely blow me away. But the thing about the show that impresses me the most is the relationship between Chip and Joanna. The way they relate to each other demonstrates how much they care about each other and put each other’s needs first. Part of me wondered if it was all just for show–if they were only behaving that way toward each other for the benefit of the viewers. But after reading The Magnolia Story, I am even more impressed with them as individuals, business owners, a couple, parents, and followers of Christ.

I bought the book on a whim as I was surfing through my kindle store, thinking that I would get to it someday. Little did I know that once I read the introductory chapter, I would not be able to put it down. The conversational style of the writing along with the interactions Chip and Joanna have on the page itself were enough to draw me in and make me feel connected to them as a friend more than a reader.

Beyond telling the history of their little family and letting us in on the multiple business ventures on which they have embarked, they share the lessons they have learned along the way. Some lessons have been about business, but most of the lessons learned are about life and living it to the fullest. Joanna gives the credit to God for leading her step by step through the major decisions in her life, and Chip acknowledges that God performs miracles on a daily basis, even when they do not recognize it right away.

My favorite part of the book is a story Joanna tells about recognizing her perfectionism is keeping her and her family from enjoying life. As she comes to this realization, it changes the way she thinks about her home and its purpose. The benefits of this lesson extend beyond her home and family as she tries to incorporate spaces in the homes of her clients for each individual who will live there.

I have never chosen a word of the year for my family, but as we enter 2017, and after hearing Joanna’s heart in this story, my choice for 2017 is “Thrive.” I do not want to simply survive–survive my children’s schooling and their activities, survive these early years of being business owners, survive the ministries of which I get to be a part. I want to thrive in the day-to-day moments and enjoy them. I want to remember them with fondness instead of cringing at the memories.

And, in the interest of full disclosure, I binge watched Fixer Upper on Netflix again after reading the book. It is even better when you feel like you know the stars!

If you can’t find happiness in the ugliness, you’re not going to find it in the beauty, either. — Joanna Gaines