If you've been to a Christian bookstore in the past two months, you've probably seen Max Lucado's newest book: 3:16 - The Numbers of Hope. Thomas Nelson has given this book substantial promotion, and it looks like the campaign is just beginning. Soon to follow is a teen edition, not to mention the trinkets that typically accompany our evangelical fads.

But leaving aside the faddishness of evangelicalism today for a moment, let's get to the book itself. 3:16 will probably be Lucado's best-remembered work. He borrows graciously from his previous works, especially in the devotional half of the book. 3:16 is a good introduction to Lucado's winsome writing. Lucado's ability to communicate is outstanding. I recommend that pastors read him, if only to learn from the delightful way in which he expresses theological concepts.

From a theological standpoint, 3:16 doesn't break new ground, thankfully so. Lucado affirms the major Christian doctrines of the faith. He speaks rightly of Christ's substitutionary death, the "Great Exchange" (our sin for Christ's righteousness), the need for faith, the exclusivity of faith in Christ for salvation, and the existence of both heaven and hell. Lucado is a traditional, conservative evangelical. Yet, he manages to package these doctrines with grace-filled illustrations, explaining Scripture while challenging and comforting his readers all at the same time.

Those of us who lean Reformed may grow weary of Lucado's constant appeal to humanity's free will and choice. At one point, he states boldly that God never forces himself on anyone. So, although he claims that salvation is a work generated and based solely in God, he makes it clear that the choice of salvation is exclusively in human hands.

But let's not get hung up on technicalities. The gospel shines forth in the book. I was thankful to see an emphasis on the resurrection and not just the cross (something that Rick Warren's Purpose-Driven Life completely neglected).

3:16 is an easy book to read and digest. I have no doubt it will make an impact on many a lost person and that God will use it to bring people to himself. God bless Max Lucado for using his gifts to preach the gospel!

Master storyteller and popular pastor Max Lucado is at his best in his 130-page riff on one of the best-loved passages of the Bible, John 3:16, a verse he beautifully calls "an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to the Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels." Following the main text is a 40-day devotional study on the life of Jesus, excerpted from many of his widely-read books.

Lucado kicks off his book with a retelling of Nicodemus's famous conversation with Christ, in which Jesus tells him, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (NKJV) The thought, Lucado says in his trademark prose, "coldcocks Nicodemus." When he asks Jesus how anyone could possibly be reborn, Jesus responds with John 3:16.

The words of John 3:16, Lucado says, are to Scripture what the Mississippi River is to America --- an entryway into the heartland. "Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them." They are "heart-stilling, mind-bending, deal-making-or-breaking." Lucado's anecdotes are warm, poignant, often funny, and help him make his points. Chapter by chapter he unpacks each piece of John 3:16, mining the treasures to be found.

One of Lucado's trademarks is his ability to retell biblical stories in a way that refreshes them for Christians who may have heard them a hundred times before or that piques the interest of the first-time listener. He is not afraid to introduce scholarly terms (anothen) but always unpacks them for his audience in an informative, inviting way. His language is vivid and precise, and his writing reflects that of someone who makes it look easy because he has wrestled over every sentence. "Heart-breakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers prowl this orb.... But God loves."

Humility permeates his work and continues to endear this mega-selling author and his writing to his readers. When Lucado writes about himself, he pens lines like this: "Burger dependent. Half asleep....and sinless? I can't maintain a holy thought for my two-minute commute."

Yet there is a toughness to his theology. Lucado is quick to reach out with comfort, but also refuses to compromise his beliefs. His writing on the "in Him" portion of the passage emphasizes this. Looking at the popular belief that all spiritual paths lead to heaven, he takes a firm stand. "Salvation is found, not in self or in them but in him," Lucado writes. "...Don't believe in you; you can't save you. And don't believe in others; they can't save you."

In another uncompromising and passionate look at the word "perish," Lucado writes a no-holds-barred short treatise on hell. "Hell, like heaven, is a location, not a state of mind...an actual place populated by physical beings." He adds, "There is no point on which I'd rather be wrong than the eternal duration of hell...if God, on the last day, extinguishes the wicked, I'll celebrate my misreading of his words." It is not God's will, Lucado says, that anyone should perish. "...but the fact that some do highlights God's justice." There's plenty of fodder here for discussion among Christians. Yet Lucado doesn't leave it there. He adds that "The supreme surprise of hell is this: Christ went there so you don't have to. Yet hell could not contain Him."

Lucado can be as reassuring as he is tough. Consider this lovely passage:

"Allow the only decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life at times appears to fall to pieces, seems irreparable. But it's going to be okay. How can you know? Because God so loved the world. And, since he has no needs, you cannot tire him. Since he is without age, you cannot lose him. Since he has no sin, you cannot corrupt him. If God can make a billion galaxies, can't he make good out of our bad and sense out of our faltering lives?"

This is a fine introductory book for those new to Lucado's writing and will also be appreciated by his legions of readers. Don't miss it.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

Master storyteller and popular pastor Max Lucado is at his best in his 130-page riff on one of the best-loved passages of the Bible, John 3:16, a verse he beautifully calls "an alphabet of grace, a table of contents to the Christian hope, each word a safe-deposit box of jewels." Following the main text is a 40-day devotional study on the life of Jesus, excerpted from many of his widely-read books.

Lucado kicks off his book with a retelling of Nicodemus's famous conversation with Christ, in which Jesus tells him, "Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (NKJV) The thought, Lucado says in his trademark prose, "coldcocks Nicodemus." When he asks Jesus how anyone could possibly be reborn, Jesus responds with John 3:16.

The words of John 3:16, Lucado says, are to Scripture what the Mississippi River is to America --- an entryway into the heartland. "Believe or dismiss them, embrace or reject them, any serious consideration of Christ must include them." They are "heart-stilling, mind-bending, deal-making-or-breaking." Lucado's anecdotes are warm, poignant, often funny, and help him make his points. Chapter by chapter he unpacks each piece of John 3:16, mining the treasures to be found.

One of Lucado's trademarks is his ability to retell biblical stories in a way that refreshes them for Christians who may have heard them a hundred times before or that piques the interest of the first-time listener. He is not afraid to introduce scholarly terms (anothen) but always unpacks them for his audience in an informative, inviting way. His language is vivid and precise, and his writing reflects that of someone who makes it look easy because he has wrestled over every sentence. "Heart-breakers, hope-snatchers, and dream-dousers prowl this orb.... But God loves."

Humility permeates his work and continues to endear this mega-selling author and his writing to his readers. When Lucado writes about himself, he pens lines like this: "Burger dependent. Half asleep....and sinless? I can't maintain a holy thought for my two-minute commute."

Yet there is a toughness to his theology. Lucado is quick to reach out with comfort, but also refuses to compromise his beliefs. His writing on the "in Him" portion of the passage emphasizes this. Looking at the popular belief that all spiritual paths lead to heaven, he takes a firm stand. "Salvation is found, not in self or in them but in him," Lucado writes. "...Don't believe in you; you can't save you. And don't believe in others; they can't save you."

In another uncompromising and passionate look at the word "perish," Lucado writes a no-holds-barred short treatise on hell. "Hell, like heaven, is a location, not a state of mind...an actual place populated by physical beings." He adds, "There is no point on which I'd rather be wrong than the eternal duration of hell...if God, on the last day, extinguishes the wicked, I'll celebrate my misreading of his words." It is not God's will, Lucado says, that anyone should perish. "...but the fact that some do highlights God's justice." There's plenty of fodder here for discussion among Christians. Yet Lucado doesn't leave it there. He adds that "The supreme surprise of hell is this: Christ went there so you don't have to. Yet hell could not contain Him."

Lucado can be as reassuring as he is tough. Consider this lovely passage:

"Allow the only decision maker in the universe to comfort you. Life at times appears to fall to pieces, seems irreparable. But it's going to be okay. How can you know? Because God so loved the world. And, since he has no needs, you cannot tire him. Since he is without age, you cannot lose him. Since he has no sin, you cannot corrupt him. If God can make a billion galaxies, can't he make good out of our bad and sense out of our faltering lives?"

This is a fine introductory book for those new to Lucado's writing and will also be appreciated by his legions of readers. Don't miss it.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid homey style of Max Lucado in this work which is just one more example of his ability and skill as writer who knows his subject well and lovingly.

Reading this book was an incredible experience for me and brought me to tears, all with gratitude, for what Jesus out of His love for me and others. Max Lucado has a beautiful and gifted way of presenting the meaning of John 3:16 and provides the vivid descriptions and context, which is helpful to understanding the power of this verse. Prior to reading the book I could say I was familiar with the scripture, hearing it so many times throughout the years, but reading this book provided me with the understanding of what this scripture really means. I encourage anyone who is actively seeking a spiritual relationship experience with Jesus Christ (versus a religious experience) to read this book.

As the title of Mr. Max Lucado's "3:16: The Numbers of Hope" suggests, this book is almost entirely centered on the most famous bible verse, John 3:16. Mr. Lucado's writing style is very easy to read and digest and his use of analogies throughout the book provide an excellent context to some of the deeper meanings of this simple yet so complex bible verse.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 King James Version)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 English Standard Version)

You see references to this verse throughout your daily walk. People at sporting events hold it up for the television cameras, etc. But have you really ever sat down and thought about the profound meaning of this short verse? That is exactly what this book tries to do. While it does go too deeply into theology, it provides an excellent platform to build off of. Some people have complained in their review of the book about the fact of a lack of deeper study but I don't think that was the intended audience of this book.

Jesus turned the world upside down with his teachings and many argue that this quote is perhaps the cornerstone of Christianity. Contrary to many religious theologies this verse points out the fact that you can't "earn" your way to heaven. How could you? How could you ever good enough in the eyes the perfect being? Instead John 3:16 shows the beauty and easiness to receive eternal life. And yet we as human beings take it and make it difficult.

This is the third book I have read by Mr. Lucado. The other two were Facing Your Giants: A David and Goliath Story for Everyday People and And the Angels Were Silent: Walking with Christ toward the Cross (Chronicles of the Cross). I would also recommend both of these books.

In this book, Max Lucado takes readers on a short tour of John 3:16--one of the best known and most beloved verses in the Bible.

As always, Lucado does a fine job of articulating God's love and longing for humanity. While some might consider "God loves you" a simplistic message, it is the heart of the gospel and a much-needed word of comfort and encouragement for today's increasingly fragmented society.

Suitable for both believers and seekers, the book includes a bonus 40-day devotional on the life of Chirst.

Max Lucado's 3:16: The Numbers of Hope tantalizes many a reader in Christian bookstores the world over. Lucado is an international bestselling author and knows how to pick a title.

3:16 is a reference to the sixteenth verse from the third chapter of John: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" (RSV). Lucado, a minister at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, wrote a book appropriate for its intended audience of Caucasian, protestant babyboomers. He dissects 3:16 in the most obvious of ways. Much of the narrative consists of Lucado's personal opinion rather than those of scholars or biblical historians. Readers should expect a lengthy, off-the-cuff impressions of Lucado's 3:16.

It reminds me of C.S. Lewis, had he come of age in the 1980s and attended a megachurch. No one can deride Lucado's natural, simple prose--not altogether different from Ernest Hemmingway. The book is so conversational that it could be assumed much of 3:16 was borrowed from sermons at Oak Hills Church and conversations with parishioners.

What is lacking in 200 pages of a book centered on one verse of John is any historical context, theology or connection to the rest of the New Testament. Lucado's anecdotes range from mildly amusing to memorable, but how much more effective would the text be if he brought 3:16 to life in an intellectually forceful manner? Numbers of Hope need not have longer. Clever editing would have made room for two much-needed, substantive chapters within the small frame of this popcorn-fluff book.

Lucado is at his best when summarizing the life of Christ in the final third of the book. Every day mentioned in the Gospels is accounted for and placed in chronological order. The mystery is why the passage closes Numbers of Hope rather than introducing it.

Many a lay reader will love Lucado and all his work. He sheds a perspective on 3:16 that deserves consideration. A sprinkling of Greek words is spread throughout the book, just so we know that he has some grasp of the original languages--but not enough to really tell us anything unique. 3:16 is certainly one of the most powerful verses of the Bible. They deserve better treatment than Lucado delivers.

Max Lucado's 3:16: The Numbers of Hope tantalizes many a reader in Christian bookstores the world over. Lucado is an international bestselling author and knows how to pick a title. 3:16? What is 3:16? Which book of the Bible?

3:16 is a reference to the sixteenth verse from the third chapter of John: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" (RSV). Lucado, a minister at the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio wrote a book appropriate for the intended audience. He dissects 3:16 in all but the most obvious of ways. Much of it his his personal opinion rather than that of scholars or biblical historians. We are reading a lengthy, off-the-cuff impression of Max Lucado's 3:16.

It reminds me of a 90s megachurch version of C.S. Lewis. No one can deride Lucado's natural, simple prose. The book is so conversational I cannot but think much of it was taken from sermons and his conversations with parishioners.

What is lacking is over 200 pages of a book centered on John 3:16 we get nothing of the historical context, basic theology or connection of 3:16 to the rest of John, the New Testament and the Bible. Lucado's anecdotes range from mildly amusing to memorable, but how much more effective would his words be if he brought 3:16 to life in an intellectually powerful way? The book did not need to be any longer. Clever editing of some of his digressions would have made room for two or three extra chapters within the conveniently small frame of the book.

Lucado is at his best when summarizing the life of Christ in the final third of the book. Every day mentioned in the Gospels is accounted for and placed in chronological order. The mystery is why this closes Numbers of Hope rather than introduces it.

Many a lay reader will love Lucado and all his work. He sheds a perspective on 3:16 that deserves consideration. A sprinkling of Greek words is spread throughout the book, just so we know that he has some grasp of the original language of John--but not enough to really tell us anything novel. John 3:16 is clearly one of the most powerful words in the Bible. They deserve better treatment than Lucado is able to deliver.

Max Lucado is one of my favorite Christian authors, in that he has a style of writing that takes you beyond the words and into the emotions of people and places. In 3:16: The Numbers of Hope, he uses the verse John 3:16 for a number of mini-sermons that place emphasis on each word and phrase of the verse. It's an excellent read, and forced me to stop and actually contemplate all that the verse means again...

Contents:
The Most Famous Conversation in the Bible; No One Like Him; Hope for the Hard Heart; When You Get Booted Out; The Only One and Only; The Heart He Offers; Heaven's "Whoever" Policy; Believe and Receive; God's Gracious Grip; Hell's Supreme Surprise; What Makes Heaven Heavenly; The Last Word on Life; The 3:16ed Life; Only Jesus - 40 Days with the Son; Notes

Lucado is able to break down the verse in ways that you might never think of. Each chapter starts off with a story from his life or some illustration from life that anyone can relate to. From there, he turns the illustration in a spiritual direction and shows how the words of John 3:16 in many ways encapsulates everything that the Bible teaches and stands for. To me, the best value comes from his ability to paint color with his words, to give us a scene from the Bible and bring the characters and the message to life in a way that brings fresh perspective. I guess since I've always had a hard time doing that on my own, I appreciate and value it all the more when I come across it in someone's writing. For non-Christians, this book will succinctly provide the message of the Gospel. For Christians, you'll once again be reminded in fresh ways of God's love...

An excellent read...

I gave this book to my 13 year old grandson...not an avid reader. He is reading it daily and has been moved by the way God is portrayed.He is a Christian who is learning God's ways.
My grandson also wears proudly the white wristband that came with the book.

Max Lucado does an excellent job of expounding and amplifying on what many consider the most beloved verse in the Bible. It gives to us, who will receive it in faith believing, the plan of reconciling God with man, namely the gift of God's Son for the salvation of mankind. As a correlative verse to this esteemed text is another 3:16 found by the same writer in I John 3:16. It expands the Gospel verse to include what Christians should be committed to do; that is, "By this we know the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (fellow Christians)". These two verses embody the core of the Gospel message that Jesus summarized when he stated "You shall love the Lord our God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself". Again, thanks to Max Lucado for reminding us what is expected of us to trust in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior and what is expected of us as it relates to our fellow man. 3:16, now and forever!

A wonderfully inspirational book. I love all of Max Lucado's books! I really treasure this one as it is based on God's greatest gift to the world! You can't go wrong with any of Max Lucado's books, they all celebrate God's love for us and help us to discover His vision for our life.

This is a book with the beautiful message of Hope God intended for us to have. This expounds on one of the most prominent verses in the Bible in such a way that it becomes the foundation of your life.

A great opportunity to tell the truth has been squandered by inaccurate drivel.

On page seven of Lucado's book 3:16, he contrasts Greek words "palin" and "anothen", as though there is some etymological relationship between them, but there is none. Yes, some interpretations of the Greek scriptures translate anothen in John 3:3 and John 3:7 as "again," but it is not so. The primary definition comes from the word "ano" (using the omega "o") which means over or above, while the suffix "then" means ""from," thus, "from above." In three instances in the New Testament, the word anothen is interpreted by its secondary definition, "from the first" or "anew." "Anew" compliments "from above" in that both represent a new birth, not a rebirth as does "palin." Jesus told Nicodemus that a man must be born from above, a new birth that originates in heaven. All men are represented as being born into the human race as dead in trespasses and sins, a condition inherited from the fall. They cannot be reborn spiritually since they were not birthed with a perfect spiritual nature; they must be born anew, a spiritual birth from above.

Lucado then completely tosses the Truth overboard beginning with chapter seven's "Whoever policy." There is no compound word "whoever" in Greek, but the two words might exist separately as "hos" for "who," and either "aei" meaning ever in a restrained sense or else "an" meaning "perhaps" or "if." However none of these words translate anything in John 3:16.

What is so often referenced in John 3:16 as "whosoever" does not translate a lone word, it translates two, "pas ho," a combination that occurs frequently in scripture. Pas is often interpreted as the English word "all," but "all" is not a direct translation because, while English "all" means one-hundred percent, "pas" never does. "Pas" can be indefinite but never infinite. The companion word here, "ho" is the article "the." Though it appears to say "all the," the translator must know to reverse the word order in translation to "the all." The word that follows in the KJV is the word "believeth" (the book uses "believes") as though it is a verb, but it is a participle instead. As a participle, it forms the word by adding an "ing" suffix making the proper translation "believing." As a participle in this instance, it acts as an adjective modifying "the all." Moreover, all three words, "the all believing" are singular rather than the plural that is implied in "whosoever believeth." Because all three words, "the all believing" are singular, they stand for an entity, the church. God loved the world in this manner. He sacrificed His unique Son that the all believing into Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

There is much more to say but that is another book, but the Truth isn`t popular and doesn`t sell many books.

by Sushma Devi
This is graete. hopefull. i highly recommonded this book. this is very simple. this makes calm and relax.

This book was a pleasure to read both for me, as a Christian who was saved several years ago, and now by a family member, who is struggling with faith. I just know that hope will engulf her and His light will shine upon her and give her soul rest in the hope of eternity. I found answers to things that I thought I knew about the resurrection but was incorrect and I also found myself sharing this book as a bible study with a friend. We both had different views on the contents and what we shared were feelings that helped us both and just created MORE hope. There is nothing you can possess that is greater than God's promise of eternal life. The Kingdom Wins!!! Amen!

This product was not what I expected. The video segments are short - about 5 minutes - and the majority of the study comes from the accompanying book.

This book bring life to the scriptures and fills the heart with God's love! Love his writing! Thanks Max

The author of 3:16 The Numbers of Hope, Max Lucado conveys the central message of the New Testament that is contained in John 3:16 in a poetic way. The verse reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." He summarizes the basic Christian faith in a way easy to grasp, but a way that deeply touches the heart: Jesus Christ, the son of God, came into the world to deliver people from sin through his crucifixion and resurrection. This was the holy plan of redemption from the beginning of time.

Max Lucado dedicates a chapter to each phrase that is contained in this verse and explains it with stories from the Bible and everyday life. He starts with the most famous conversation in the Bible, the one between Nicodemus and Jesus regarding "spiritual rebirthing." He then continues on to explain the love of God that moved him to give his one and only son as a sacrifice for all. The author explains how this gift is available to `whomever' and is not limited to only a select few.

While reading this book, I almost felt like I was listening to Max Lucado talk with me face to face. His style welcomes the reader into a heart to heart conversation, where truth is the mediator. He has the ability to transform any abstract idea into a tangible message that finds its way straight to the heart. An example of this is apparent in the following sentence: "...perish... a sobering word. We'd like to dilute, if not delete, the term. Not Jesus. He pounds Do Not Enter signs on every square inch of Satan's gate and tells those hell-bent on entering to do so over his dead body. Even so, some souls insist." (10)

I have read almost every book that this inspiring author has published. It is always a joy and encouragement for me to read his words that help make the message of the Bible as clear to me as the water of a lake on a calm crisp spring morning. Whenever I start reading one of his books, I cannot stop until I am done from cover to cover. It's almost like starting a bag of chips and not being able to stop until the whole bag is gone. His writing is addictive in a most positive way.

Lucado demystifies the Bible stories in his books. I would recommend anybody who would like to get a fresh look at well known stories and lessons of the Bible to read them. He will not disappoint any reader who hungers for the truth. I especially recommend 3:16 The Numbers of Hope for its crystal clear explanations of God's promise and redemptive plan.

The author of 3:16, Max Lucado conveys the central message of the New Testament that is contained in John 3:16 in a poetic way. The verse 3:16 reads, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." He summarizes the basic Christian faith in a way easy to grasp, but a way that deeply touches the heart: Jesus Christ, the son of God, came into the world to deliver people from sin through his crucifixion and resurrection. This was the holy plan of redemption from the beginning of time.

Max Lucado dedicates a chapter to each phrase that is contained in this verse and explains it with stories from the Bible and everyday life. He starts with the most famous conversation in the Bible, the one between Nicodemus and Jesus regarding "spiritual rebirthing." He then continues on to explain the love of God that moved him to give his one and only son as a sacrifice for all. The author explains how this gift is available to `whomever' and is not limited to only a select few.

While reading this book, I almost felt like I was listening to Max Lucado talk with me face to face. His style welcomes the reader into a heart to heart conversation, where truth is the mediator. He has the ability to transform any abstract idea into a tangible message that finds its way straight to the heart. An example of this is apparent in the following sentence: "...perish... a sobering word. We'd like to dilute, if not delete, the term. Not Jesus. He pounds Do Not Enter signs on every square inch of Satan's gate and tells those hell-bent on entering to do so over his dead body. Even so, some souls insist." (10)

I have read almost every book that this inspiring author has published. It is always a joy and encouragement for me to read his words that help make the message of the Bible is clear to me as the water of a lake on a calm crisp spring morning. Whenever I start reading one of his books, I cannot stop until I am done from cover to cover. It's almost like starting a bag of chips and not being able to stop until the whole bag is gone. His writing is addictive in a most positive way.

Lucado demystifies the Bible stories in his books. I would recommend anybody who would like to get a fresh look at well known stories and lessons of the Bible to read them. He will not disappoint any reader who hungers for the truth. I especially recommend 3:16 The Numbers of Hope for its crystal clear explanations of God's promise and redemptive plan.

This is a great book. It is written very simply and helps those of us who are not so great at disecting bible verses to understand and relate to the stories he uses.
I highly recommend this book!!! I received it as a gift after my grandmother passed away and it was perfect! I would love to get one for every friend I know!

It's a match made in heaven (or that's what Thomas Nelson Publishers must believe). In 3:16: The Numbers of Hope, one of the world's best-known and best-loved Christian authors takes on the world's best-known and best-loved Bible verse. Max Lucado has authored over 50 book with sales exceeding an incredible 50 million copies in print. His books are regularly on the New York Times list of bestsellers and continually dominate the Christian charts (where he has had up to eleven books present at one time). 3:16 is as close as we could expect for a sure-thing bestseller. An unparalleled marketing campaign will all but guarantee it. It is no coincidence that the book will release on 9/11, allowing people to contrast numbers of despair with numbers of hope. The book will also stand as the centerpiece of a major global ministry initiative launching on Palm Sunday, 3/16/08. This book is going to make a splash.

In 3:16 Lucado unpacks ("exposits" would probably not be quite the right word) what he calls the "hope diamond of the Bible," the verse that is known and cherished by more believers than any other: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Of this passage he says, "If you know nothing of the Bible, start here. If you know everything in the Bible, return here." Good advice, and advice that immediately shows that this book is written for a dual audience, both those who know the Bible and those who do not; those who love God and those who do not. It is written to show the reader the value of understanding and living in light of the words of John 3:16.

Through twelve logically structured chapters Lucado interacts with this verse, moving easily through each of the major words or word pairings in the text. Lucado is a good writer and one who communicates well, often through story and example. It is little wonder that he has gained such popularity as he does an excellent job of communicating in a way that is bound to appeal to just about any reader. The book concludes with 40 brief readings (adapted from selections from Lucado's previous books) that are intended as supplementary devotional reading over a 40 day period.

While I rarely employ such a format, I am going to divide this review into two parts, pointing out first what I perceived to be the book's strengths (beyond those already offered) and then a few of its weaknesses.

Strengths

I was glad to see that Lucado largely gets the gospel right, aptly expressing the work of Jesus and its tragic necessity. He expresses the hopelessness of man without God and the fact that rebirth, like birth, is a passive act to which we contribute nothing. He emphasizes the exclusivity of Christ against all other religious claimants, unashamedly declaring that Christ is the only way to the Father. He is clear that some people are saved and some are not and in consequence he writes about the joys of heaven and the horrors of hell, never attempting to apologize for the existence or utter hopelessness of hell. He is refreshingly old fashioned in much of his theology.

This leads to a related point, that Lucado is not afraid to discuss theology that is too often regarded as outmoded today. As already mentioned, he writes about the reality of hell and about Jesus' claim to be the only Savior. He writes also about the substitutionary nature of Jesus' work--that He took our sin upon Himself and received in Himself the punishment due to sinners--and of the reality of those who are sinners. "Bad news..." he writes after looking at a few of the Ten Commandments, "Your test score indicts you as a thieving, lying, adulterous murderer."

Lucado often turns to good and trusted sources in his footnotes. Perusing the footnotes I noted references to James Boice, Donald Barnhouse, James White, John Blanchard, Randy Alcorn and other sources of sound theological wisdom. Though he often refers to these authors more for stories and anecdotes than theology, it is heartening to see him seeking to learn from such trusted, biblically-minded authors.

Weaknesses

Lucado writes of God's promises and often does so without distinction between those who know God and those who do not. This is doubtlessly a consequence of writing for a dual audience. He uses Bible verses that are clearly written to Christians but does not make that distinction. This is true not only in the words of John 3:16 (does God love everybody in the world without exception or everybody in the world without distinction?) but in other passages as well. This kind of talk can be dangerous--it can have consequences. To assure readers that they qualify as beneficiaries of God's promises whether they know Him or not can cause a great deal of confusion. While Lucado is very clear that Jesus is clear that there are those who are saved and those who are not, it is strange that he does not better delineate who certain promises are for.

There are aspects of Lucado's theology that are a little bit suspect when I compare it to the Bible and to the broad stream of historic Protestant theology. In broad terms, his theology seems to downplay the sovereignty of God in favor of the free will of man. So while humans are sinful, they are not so sinful that without a prior work of God they will never turn to Him. As Lucado explains it, God waits for us to turn to Him, never infringing upon our free will, even saying "God, eternally gracious, never forces his will." Yet this introduces the complication that dead men, men who have perished spiritually, have no good desires and dead men can never be initiators. If we are dead, God must make the first move, even if this involves forcing His will.

I felt there were a few places in the text where it may have been wise to exercise just a little more precision or where the author was just plain inaccurate. For example, Lucado speaks of Jesus going to hell--a common belief but one that seems to owe more to the Apostle's Creed than to the Bible. He also states that, because of the fact that the Father and Son are both God, in God giving His Son God gave Himself. I know what Lucado is attempting to communicate, but it could definitely be said better and in a way that would not breed confusion, especially among those who have little prior theological background.

Lucado employs at least twelve translations of the Bible. I realize that in a format like this there may not be opportunity to explore the meaning of a text and thus it is sometimes most convenient to simply turn to a translation that says things in the way the author feels they can best be said. But often I found the translation used was not the most accurate one and this is especially true when Lucado turns to The Message. A couple of the passages he quoted from that paraphrase bore only a vague resemblance to a more accurate translation.

Conclusion

Those concerns aside, I feel that 3:16 is quite a strong effort and one God is sure to use despite its imperfections. While perhaps not a book I would choose to hand to a person interested in exploring Christianity, I can say with some confidence that it is also not a book that will lead people far astray. Lucado presents the good news of Jesus Christ's atoning death and does so in an attractive way. The millions who are sure to read this book will come face-to-face with one of Scripture's most powerful statements and through it will come face-to-face with the Savior. Though it does not present the whole story, 3:16 will certainly have a lot of value as a means of stirring hearts and beginning spiritual conversations. With marketing efforts focusing, at least in part, on airports, keep an eye out for people reading this one when you travel. The words of John 3:16 have brought many souls to the Savior; I trust this book will serve to help bring many more.