“Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11 ESV
How to vet Christian books and authors
Have you ever heard the phrase “be a Berean?” If you’re not familiar, it’s based on the above verse in the books of Acts and describes the Jews in Berea who didn’t just take what they heard as truth, but instead weighed what they heard against Scripture, making sure what they were being taught was true. As followers of Christ, this is a practice we absolutely must adopt. If we don’t, we risk falling for mistruths that we may not notice at first glance.
Some may say, “Nobody’s right 100% of the time, so what’s the big deal as long as we are encouraged or entertained by the author’s words?” (Or pastor or teacher… this goes for sermons, podcasts, conferences, etc. too.) Well, the big deal is that even if the teaching is a little bit off, it can lead you down a wrong path. My husband likes to say that if a pilot is even 1 degree off course at the beginning of their journey, they could easily wind up in an entirely different country by the end!
Now if you know the truth inside and out, upside and down, then great! Maybe you won’t be affected too much. You should easily be able to spot the lies. But, friends, it’s a rare person, even in the Church, who does. I wouldn’t even say that’s true of myself 100% of the time! I have to constantly be mindful of what I’m listening to and believing and do my best to seek the Word and make sure what I’m hearing/reading is indeed true.
It can be so difficult to know who to trust these days. Many authors who’ve labeled themselves Christian or who have developed a Christian audience are actually far from who we should desire to be influenced by. Remember, the title of “Christian” means nothing if they’re not following the Word of God.
So how can we know who to trust? How do we vet Christian books and authors?
Here are a few things I do. And to be honest? I’ve been shocked at what I’ve discovered when doing this!
#1- Read the book summary and table of contents
Start with the basics. Don’t dive into something that you know nothing about. At the very least, read the back of the book to get an overview of the topic. Open it up, read any blurbs about the authors and look over the table of contents. Analyze what you read against your biblical worldview and what you’re looking for in a book and/or author.
Helpful hint: If you haven’t yet, you really must begin to develop a biblical worldview. How? I’ll write more on this soon, but step number one is to get in the Word and stay there!
#2- Read the endorsements and reviews
See what others are saying. If you’re strapped for time, simply take a look at the back cover and possibly the first few pages to see who is endorsing this book. Are these people reliable? What are their qualifications? Remember, a popular name doesn’t equate to solid theology. If you have extra time, look online for deeper reviews of the book. Read some that are both for and against. If you can’t find any, check Amazon. I’m a big fan of Amazon’s 1 star reviews. You can learn a lot!
#3- Read the author’s “about” page
Check the author’s website for their worldview.
Look for:
- How they describe their upbringing and their family- do they paint them in a positive light and show respect?
- What school they went to and what they majored in- this doesn’t mean they haven’t grown since then, but it can shed light on what influences they’ve had in their lives.
- How they became an author- was this something God led them to or are they just trying to make a name for themselves?
- Previous career choices- again, people can change and that’s great, but it does provide good insight regarding their choices.
- Emphasis on God’s Word- if they are claiming to be a Christian author, then you better believe there should be Scripture or mention of God’s Word somewhere.
- Their testimony- if they claim to follow Christ, they should be open to sharing a bit about how they came to this decision
Red flags to be on the lookout for:
- Connections to Word of Faith teachers- these are “name it and claim it” teachers who focus on health, wealth, and happiness.
- Connections to progressive teachers- these are people who are veering from historical Christianity and deconstructing their faith to look more like the world.
- Prosperity theology- in the same vein as Word of Faith, this theology promises heaven on earth here and now.
- Liberal/progressive theology- this theology adds and takes away from the Word to fit certain social and political views.
- Lack of acknowledgment of their faith- if the author isn’t open about his/her faith, then be cautious in viewing them as Christian.
- Lack of church support- if they’ve isolated themselves from the church, that’s a big problem.
- Endorsements by worldly outlets- if the world speaks well of this person, it is highly likely that they’ve either gone off track, or don’t include their faith in their writing.
- Emphasis on feelings- an emphasis on feelings elevates the self above truth.
- Emphasis on cultural trends- an emphasis on cultural trends elevates the world above the Word.
- Emphasis on mysticism- an emphasis on mysticism elevates New Age principles above biblical principles.
- Emphasis on themselves- an emphasis on the self elevates self above God.
- Emphasis on man-made rules- an emphasis on man-made rules elevates man above God
You can do it!
So there you have it! This process does’t have to take a lot of time. Once you become familiar with some solid authors, it becomes easier and easier to navigate because you’ll trust their recommendations and surround yourself with people whom you can trust. But never stop being a Berean! Stay in the Word of God and weigh everything you hear against it. Doing so will protect you and your family.
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