Book Review: TEN

This book review represents a bit of an admission - I used to be quite sniffy regarding J. John and his various evangelistic efforts. However, over the summer I had been helping prepare a Spiritual series for an Urban Saints Camp, and it was decided that it would be based on J.John's "Ten". Ten is both a book (being reviewed today!) and a boxed curriculum for churches/youth groups to use. I'm not reviewing the box - that would require me to be leading a church/group - but suffice to say, the material in it that I've read is superb.

"Ten: Laws of Love Set in Stone" is a book that has a rather interesting premise. This premise is as old as the Ten it points to - the Ten Commandments that God gave his people - but as dangerous as Jesus. J.John contends that the Ten Commandments is actually the best way to live - that they form (as the blurb on the back puts it) "the Bible's perfect design for our relationship with God and those around us". In "Ten", J.John's infectious enthusiasm for Jesus shines through the most famous laws of the Old Testament, giving us a truly excellent book.

It is worth mentioning that J.John lays out the commandments in an unconventional way, and he also tweaks the phrasing. Instead of the biblical order (1-10), he approaches the commandments in reverse, from 10-1. This is because he uses the structure of the Commandments to echo what he is is saying in the book; that it is ultimately all about your relationship with God. The Ten Commandments, in the hands and pen of J.John, are used as an excellent image of this, and pointer to what we really need as humans.

Some people may quibble with the 'tampering' with the wording of the Ten Commandments. I orginally was one of them, but actually I think that the heart and truth of each remains. Certainly they are more understandable from a secular point of view. And this is part of the great utility of this book. An un-churched non-Christian person could read this book and fully understand and engage with it - it doesn't fall into the common trap of Christianese and Church Jargon. J.John communicates throughout with a lively realism, and an enthusiastic sense of humour. Timeless truth is communicated through what he is saying, echoing words from his opening;

"No, the Ten Commandments are not obsolete; they are absolute. They were not made for any particular period in history. They were made for human nature and therefore were commandments for all seasons, all centuries, and all cultures. They are as universal and perpetual as honor and truth. No nation can survive apart from a moral base built on them"

This book is incredibly helpful. It is an evangelistic resource that demonstrates the Gospel message from the fundamentals of the Law. It is a case study in why Christians need to respect and heed God's words in the Old Testament. It is an easy, fun, engaging read. I'd recommend this book to anyone thinking about 'religion', to Christians who wonder why the Ten Commandments are relevant, and as a sampler for Church/Youth/Group leaders considering using 'Ten' in their community. For more info head over to J.John's website. You should also definitely follow him on Twitter.