Mark Tabb

Summary: Mark Tabb asks questions we might hesitate to admit having to other Christians.

What do you do when everyone around you seems so sure of their faith? You believe as well…or want to. But you have questions. And you feel like you are the only one.

For writer/collaborator Mark Tabb, his questions had to do with his prescribed use of Zoloft. He struggled for years with depression. Exercise worked…until the endorphins wore off. Bible verses, prayer, community, even reading didn’t show more work. Finally, he sought medical help and a doctor put him on Zoloft. And it worked! And he really was a better person to be around. But is this the same as growing in Christlikeness? The breakthrough for him came when he realized that humbling himself, admitting he needed help was the place where he experienced grace. Growth was admitting he couldn’t save himself from depression. He’s not saying medications are the answer for everyone. But the step of admitting one needs help may be one of the most Christlike things someone struggling with depression can take. And for him, its OK to be a better Christian on Zoloft.

This is the kind of vulnerable, and often witty, candor that runs through this book exploring some of the questions Christians have that they are afraid to admit to others. One I liked as I’ve been binge-watching The Chosen for another book I’m reviewing is “Can I call myself a Christian if I Don’t Watch The Chosen?” I kind of wondered that myself as I listened to so many friends rave about the series. Like the author, I had seen so many really bad Christian productions, I was gun-shy of one more.

Tabb assures us that if that’s you, its OK to be a misfit. We conform to Christ, not each other. (I should note that I ended up being surprised how much I like the series–the first really human portrayal of Jesus I’ve seen as well as a series that amplifies the voices of the women who were around Jesus.)

Tabb addresses eight other questions:

Do I Really Have to Chase My Dreams?
Did Not Allowing My Children to Watch The Simpsons Make Any Difference?
Is God Sort of Mean?
If I Believe God Is in Control, Why Am I So Upset About the Last Election?
Why Don’t I Feel It?
Did the Church in Ancient Ephesus Have a Creative Arts Director?
Can I Claim Jeremiah 29:11 as My Life Verse If I’ve Never Read the Book of Jeremiah?
What If I’m Wrong?

Much of what Tabb does is invite us to look beyond evangelical Christian culture to an honest reading of the Bible. In the chapter “Is God So Mean?” he believes an honest reading of the Bible shatters our self-made images of God and challenges us with the question, will we let God be God? For the same reason, he challenges the way we pull verse of scripture out of context, such as Jeremiah 29:11. Reading them in context enriches their message and guards us against misusing them.

The other thing Tabb does is challenge evangelical conventions that may become a burden (as in The Simpsons question). He addresses how hard parenting is, and that evangelicals often add to the guilt when what we need is grace, and to begin anew each day. He assures us that we will not always feel it and that what matters is following, no matter what it feels like (or not).

Finally, the humility that seeks help in depression is the humility that admits the possibility of being wrong. Like Tabb, I find myself most concerned when I encounter those who never ask “what if I’m wrong?” In a study of Mark’s gospel, I found my own “need to be right” challenged as I realized that there was more to being righteous than being right. I discovered that one could think oneself right and plot to kill Messiah.

Tabb may not answer the questions he asks to one’s satisfaction. What is more significant is that this older Christian (about my age) gives permission to voice the questions we’re not sure we can ask. One hopes books like this will shift the character of churches from places with all the answers to places where we may explore our deepest questions. This is so vital. My sense is that many leave, not because the church couldn’t answer their questions. Rather, they leave because they couldn’t ask them or were dismissed when they tried.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher through LibraryThing’s Early Reviewers Program. show less

I read Convicted quickly - in just a few sittings. Not because it's an easy read; it's not. No, the story gripped me like few have. Jameel's and Andrew's stories really happened, and the book reads like any news headline you've seen for the last however many years.

My jaw dropped repeatedly, my heart ached, at every turn. "Surely that didn't just happen," I thought. And yet, it did. Both the good and the bad ... really happened. We can't set aside this book when we're done and say, "That was show more a nice book on paper." Or, "The theory is great, but the reality is that this could never happen." It. Did. Happen. Horrible things, bad choices, innocents convicted, happened. And so did forgiveness and reconciliation.

My heart breaks for what Jameel went through - and I know that many others have experienced similar. But what we don't hear about too often is a response like his: forgiveness. Truly allowing God to get ahold of him and change him. Let. It. Go. ... an oft-repeated phrase, and thankfully not because of Frozen.

If these two men could go through what they did, the horrible and the incredible, who's to say that their own situation is hopeless? God is bigger than every situation we experience.

I strongly encourage each and every person reading this review to read Convicted cover to cover. It's a needed story for our time and the days we are walking through. You won't walk away unchanged.

I received a free ARC of Convicted; all opinions are my own. show less

If you're looking for a how-to on simplifying your life or cleaning out your garage, this is not that book. The how-to parts could be summed up in a few sentences. What it does offer is the most essential, though often overlooked, look at Why. I read this at a time when I was listening to a lot of talks, pinning pins, and reading blogs on minimalism and the simple life. None of them really addressed the Why in a meaningful, lasting way that didn't amount to just a different breed of show more selfishness. Others tell you to simplify your life so you can travel more or have more of what you really want. This books looks at making your life small enough it can actually matter, which ultimately leads to a fulfilling life. Though I'm not a parent, I also felt it had some gems of guidance in that category as well. show less

I received access to a free Kindle version of this book in return for my review, which is posted below. It is an unbiased assessment of this book.

As I read this book, I kept shaking my head in disbelief. I know there are crooked cops, I know that innocent people are jailed, and I know that corruption exists. I know all that, and yet, confronted with this story, I simply could not believe how the cop, sworn to serve and protect, failed to do that in epic fashion, and the system allowed it all show more to happen. How, exactly, is modern policing set up so that someone can do this?

I get that, as he said, everyone says, "I'm innocent." But how do you get so insensitive to humanity that you do not even question that someone might actually be telling the truth, especially when you have to falsify the evidence to suit the circumstances? I am not anti-police by any stretch of the imagination, but after reading this, I understand a little more about the anger that drives so much of the protests against our criminal justice system.

With all of that said, this is a wonderful story of hope for the future and the power of forgiveness. It is also a powerful story about how forgiveness can heal so many wounds. These men share an extraordinary bond that few will experience, and that makes this a compelling read. I really liked their story, and applaud them both for their frankness in the retelling. show less