When One Day at a Time is Too Long: Practical Answers to 42 of Life's Toughest Questions

Rating:
Summary: a practical-minded, "moderate evangelical" author
Review: You might think, "Here's yet another preacher putting in his usual 2 cents about every topic in the world." It's true that many popular clergy write these question-answer format books by the dozens(Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, James Kennedy, just to name a few). This excellent book, however, reveals a Baptist who is theologically and sociologically moderate, with a desire for practicality. The style may be blunt at times, but Mann leaves no doubt where he stands on many issues, breaking with many fundamentalists on creationism, hell, and Biblical innerancy, yet offering concise orthodox defenses on many basic doctrines, as well as dealing with some practical, non-theological issues. Mann's desire for pracicality and relaxed "straight talk" comes through in his other books, but especially in his TV show from his church in Austin, TX. His preaching style is a fresh departure from most TV preachers; personally, he's the only one I regularly watch anymore. His viewpoints sometimes remind me of Tony Campolo - a more well-known Baptist author - but Mann's speaking and writing styles are less hard-hitting. I encourage Christians of all theological and demoninational stripes to look for his TV show "Real Life" in your local listings. I wish more preachers would learn from Gerald Mann that while the Bible may be a sword, it doesn't have to be a club.