Outrageous Truth...

June 14, 2004
Quite reasonably, readers quickly perusing this newest offering by pastor and author Jeffress (I Want More!; The Solomon Secrets
), might assume that it is an all-out attack on Christian liberals whose views on society and theological matters oppose those of conservative evangelicals. This assumption would be mostly wrong. Jeffress, who pastors a 9,000-member Baptist church in Texas, uses a plainspoken style to tackle difficult issues: is God responsible for suffering? Is evolution a myth? Are men to assume leadership of their families? Is homosexuality is an aberrant lifestyle? Jeffress's prime objective is to educate fellow Christians so they might intelligently engage those outside their faith with reason and care. Regarding the always nettlesome discussion of submission, Jeffress does an exemplary job of correcting misguided believers who fail to grasp that biblical submission is limited in both sphere and scope. Specifically, Jeffress contends that although women are never prohibited from "leading a corporation, commanding a battalion of soldiers or serving as president of the United States," they are called to submit in the church. Not much of this text falls within comfort zones, and at times Jeffress does come across as militant. Conservative evangelical Christians will likely embrace this hard-hitting resource with enthusiasm.