Sun Stand Still

Snack of Choice: Cheerios. Unfortunately, not the Honey-nut kind. Cause the kids aren't supposed to have honey yet, blah blah blah. Eat them one at a time, they last longer... I mean much longer.

Story behind the Story: Waterbrook Multnomah provided this book to me for review through the Blogging for Books program.

Story Line: The tag line for "Sun Stands Still" reads, "What happens when you dare to ask God for the impossible?" It's based on Joshua's prayer to God found in Joshua 10 during the midst of battle. As the sun was going down the battle was not over and daylight was needed for victory to be complete. Joshua's "Audacious Faith" moved in heart of God and an amazing thing happened - the Sun Stood Still.

Written by Pastor Steven Furtick of mega-church Elevation Church in Charlotte, NC, the author inserts some of his own journey and the founding of Elevation. He also brings in stories of those who saw God's hand move in a mighty way because of their "audacious faith" - key words throughout the book.

The Real Story: When I say, I've been there, done that, bought the t-shirt - It's true (except for the t-shirt, that was FREE). I was first introduced to Pastor Furtick through the first Elephant Room hosted by James MacDonald. Then experienced Elevation while visiting family in Charlotte. Oh, and he sent me a birthday card. Let's just get this out in the open - Mega-church pastors are easy targets for theological debate. Pick out their "faults" is child's play. Don't believe everything you hear. This is true -- I believe without a doubt that God is using this ministry to reach many who are far from God. Let's rejoice over that!

As for the book, sometimes it feels like you're in the middle of a conversation. Pastor Furtick's preaching vocabulary is one of a kind, and he writes like he preaches. In my opinion, better to be heard than to be read. It's not all just fun and games "Pray, believe, and watch God move" - it's not as clean as all that and this book weighs that out. As he says, "This book is not a Snuggie."

Check out: The Book of Joshua: unbelievable stories of God's mighty hand. www.elevationchurch.org

Rating: 4 out of 5 setting suns reversed.

I received this book to review over a year ago and have been slow to post a review of it. It might be because I am lazy, but it is also because I have read it multiple times. I have devoured it's content and even discussed it in a small group that I lead.

This is one amazing book derived around the story in the bible where the sun actual did stand still because God responded to an audacious prayer. I have learned a lot through reading this. I love how furtick lays out the need for us to not only dream big but pray with ferver and without ceasing. This topic was greatly needed for me for prayers for my family, ministry, work and other things. I run a multichurch prayer meeting with a friend of mine and we have been dreaming huge things for it and our community. I am now making sure to pray prayers like in this book.

My only beef with what furtick wrote is in a chapter where he discusses boring prayer. He makes a case that boring prayer is less effective and we need plead a case before God. I have thought and prayed about that a bunch and have come to the conclusion that boring is subjective. Boring to whom? I personally believe that if we come to God in prayer he is never bored, but hears and listens to everything we say to Him.

In the end that one small disagreement doesn't mean that this book isn't valuable because it is. Read it... act on it... teach it... and live it.

An amazing book from an inspiring pastor doing great and audacious things for God.

Despite the fact that I am somewhat of a Steven Furtick follower (in that I regularly listen to his church's sermon podcasts online) I initially read Sun Stand Still with a negative eye. I think I saw his repeated mentions in his sermons leading up to the book's release as self promoting, and I worried that the book might go to his head. None of that killed my curiosity to actually read the book, mind you, so I made it a review choice.

The book is a fairly easy read, although there were some parts that I found to be a bit clunky and slow. Its 206 pages seem like it only at the clunky points, but otherwise the book is a fairly fast read. There is also a website with additional materials and resources for study groups and churches.

In between the examples of real-world people, the Biblical principle, and how to apply the principle to real life, I realized two things: that this book is written almost exactly as Pastor Furtick speaks, and that this book is a genuine call to audacious faith, not just a check-in-every-Sunday-morning-and-check-out-at-noon faith. If you've ever listened to Pastor Furtick's sermons, you'll recognize the similar style and call(s) to action. If you've ever been guilty of the check in (like I sometimes still do), then this book will be challenging at various points.

The book gives enough illustrations and examples through Pastor Furtick's own life and others he has encountered to show exactly what the audacious faith that he speaks of can do. By the end, you, too, will believe that with faith like Joshua had, you can ask for your own sun stand still moment.

I'm a pastor for the next generation (junior high, high school, and college) at my church. I am always looking for new authors and new books to read to help me grow in my relationship with God. I had heard about Steven Furtick from a couple of pastors with whom I work. I had also been told that "Sun Stand Still" was a book worth reading. Therefore, when I enrolled in the Blogging for Books program, it was the first title I wanted to review. I was not disappointed.

God's timing is perfect. I began reading this book several months ago, but never got around to finishing it. Then, God started orchestrating some transitions in my life and I was in need for some inspiration and wisdom as I entered into a larger leadership role. As it happened, I picked "Sun Stand Still" back up during a mission trip to Zimbabwe this summer. This book was the exact book I needed to read at the exact time I needed to read it. I needed to hear the story of Joshua praying that the sun would stand still in Joshua 10. I needed to see how that story could speak into the power of audacious prayer. I needed to hear how audacious prayer and a vibrant faith could help me to align myself with a move of God. I am so thankful for "Sun Stand Still" and how it challenged me to grow in each of the areas I mentioned above.

Furtick has a writing style that is both easy to understand and challenging to believers of all faith stages. He has some wonderful, thought-provoking points that he makes through engaging anecdotes and insightful study of the Scripture. I found myself highlighting or marking many of his points throughout the book. The only negative thing I would say about his writing style is that he goes beyond reiterating a point for emphasis and becomes overly repetitive on numerous occasions. With that being said, there are so many good points in this book that I wouldn't harp on a small stylistic issue like that to the degree that it would ruin the text for me.

I hope and pray that this book would have a similar impact on you as it did on me. Would I say that I have the kind of audacious prayer life that is outlined in this book? Sometimes. Would I say that I am striving towards it and that this book helped play a role in that? Yes. Would I recommend this book to anybody who desires that audacious prayer life and vibrant faith? Without a doubt.