Christian Book Notes

Introduction

Max McLean is President of Fellowship for the Performing Arts, narrator for the Listener’s Bible audio line, and speaker on the daily radio program Listen to the Bible which airs on over 670 radio affiliates worldwide.  You can instantly download the mp3 audio from christianaudio for $47.98 (The Pilgrim’s Progress can be downloaded separately) or you can purchase the edition which includes The Pilgrim’s Progress at Westminster Books for $44.99. The particular Classics of the Christian Faith I reviewed did not include John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress.

Review

Max McLean has become the voice of the Bible with his Listener’s Bible in various translations. Now, he has narrated some of the most beloved sermons, speeches, and writings ever uttered in the history of Christianity. Included in the Classics of the Christian Faith set is George Whitefield’s The Method of Grace, Jonathan Edwards’ Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Here I Stand the speech given by Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms, and The Conversion of St. Augustine as told by Augustine himself in his biography, The Confessions of St. Augustine.

McLean’s rendition of both Luther and Augustine’s was excellent in their own right.  The additional contextual information provided by Max at the beginning of both narrations helped immensely in understanding the context of what was taking place. The narration of Edwards and Whitefield’s, however, deserves much attention.

George Whitefield was known for his ability to command an audience whenever he spoke.  He was arguably the greatest orator of his time.  Max McLean played that to the hilt as only Max can do.  The dramatic pauses and variation of speech tempo was very much appreciated.  His voice would raise to a crescendo and then fall to a whisper at just the right moment.  I was listening to this sermon while driving my car and, on a couple occasions, wanted to pull over and repent of sins as though it were the first time I had ever heard the gospel preached.  This sermon alone is worth the price of the set.  It makes an excellent resource to share with an unbeliever willing to listen.

After listening to his version of Whitefield, I thought I would have to take him to task for being too dramatic when reading Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.  I was wrong.  You see, Jonathan Edwards was known for being more mundane and monotone in his sermons.  It is a known fact that he mostly read from a manuscript with little emotion (compared to George Whitefield anyway).

McLean reads Edwards with the gravity that was surely felt on that fateful day in Enfield, Connecticut July 8, 1741.  I found myself personally cringing and tensing up at the thought of what it would be like to fall into God’s hands as an unrepentant sinner.  The “forward” by R.C. Sproul was very helpful in shedding light on some mischaracterizations of Jonathan Edwards and in particular this sermon.  As it was with the Whitefield narration, this particular sermon is also worth the price of the set.  For a limited time, you can download Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God narrated by Max McLean for free from his website!  I have no idea when this offer will end so act fast!

The different reading styles were very much appreciated and noticeable from over sermon to another.  I highly recommend picking up the Classics of the Christian Faith today.