Thursday, February 12, 2009

The Cross by Arthur Blessitt (19/81)

The Cross: 38,102 miles. 38 years. 1 mission. by Arthur Blessitt
Category: Nonfiction

The subtitle "38,102 miles. 38 years. 1 mission." is a little misleading, perhaps suggesting that this is Arthur Blessitt's account of his carrying a cross to every nation on the globe from 1969 to 1998. This is only incidentally the case. The story is very much about The Cross, but instead of being organized chronologically, every chapter is a theme such as "following God's call on your life" or "tearing down walls." Within that chapter, various stories from different years and countries highlight the point as Blessitt challenges his readers to do this in their own lives. Ultimately, it's about his 1 mission to point people to Jesus.

Though his storytelling is mediocre, his passion for evangelism and loving people really shines through. Arthur Blessitt's theme of following God's call no matter what and encouraging others to do the same loosely holds the book together. His approach to writing and inclusion of God's words to his heart, a vision, and phrases most familiar to those who have grown up in church (such as "the miraculous power of God was manifest" (p.121)) may make this book less appealing to some, but it will definitely challenge readers about their own lives. I had such mixed feelings reading this, it took me awhile to decide how to rate it. The writing didn't impress me, but his passion did. Maybe it's a little high, but I give it 4 stars.

Cross-posted at Born Reader.

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