Reviewing J. Mack Stiles' Marks of the Messenger

Marks of the Messenger was a book that I (and a few other administrators) passed out to the TIS faculty and staff this year. Prior to receiving this book, I was not familiar with J. Mack Stiles, but a few of the people endorsing his book are authors whose books and blogs I have benefited from greatly (D.A. Carson, Thabiti Anyabwille, and C.J. Mahaney).

Although I read more than the average person, I do not often read books in a short period of time. This was not the case with Stiles' book which I completed in less than a day. I found my introduction to Stiles, a man who has served in both the United States and UAE, to be quite enjoyable. I foresee that this will not be the last time I find myself reading his work. Perhaps I am slightly biased because Marks of the Messenger covers an all-important topic - knowing, living, and sharing the Good News. Unfortunately, this is a topic that is not always handled well. Stiles, on the other hand, delivers very solid cross-centered teaching.

Marks of the Messenger is less than 130 pages and consists of only ten chapters. Chapter titles include, "Does the Message We Share Look Like the Message We Bear?," "Worldly Love and its Fruit," and "A Manifesto for Healthy Evangelism." If you want to read about the Truth and how to be a better witness, I highly recommend Stiles' book.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. Romans 10:17