Reviewed by: Katherine Hiegel of Mundelein, Illinois is a professional writing major at Taylor University.

Introduction

Title: Peter Got Out of the Boat

Author: Shirley Stahl

Publisher: New Book Publishing, a division of Reliance Media, Inc.

Publication Date: November, 2011

Format: Paperback

Length: 112 Pages

OVERVIEW

This book takes an in-depth look at the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14. It begins by examining the passage’s background, starting with Peter’s call to be a disciple; then, it moves to studying the story itself. Stahl shows that Peter had to overcome doubt and step out in both faith and love. The book explores why Peter’s response differed from that of Jesus’ other disciples and also analyzes the implications for the modern believer.

Though this book is biblically true and undoubtedly written with the best of intentions, I cannot give it a score higher than 2 out of 5. The message is sound, but it is delivered in a way that is not captivating, creative, or even professional. The text is littered with errors ranging from grammatical and formatting goofs to basic punctuation mistakes and typos. Stahl’s passion is palpable; however, her credentials—teaching in churches and other venues after completing Bible college courses more than 35 years ago—are less than stellar. Although her writing has some excellent observations, it is hampered by redundancy and rambling. Chapters seem to lack a strong central focus. This book is suitable for Christian readers of all ages; even so, it reads more like an exhaustive summary of the Bible than an eye-opening guide for believers.

ASSESSMENT

Rating (1 to 5)

2 out of 5 stars

Suggested Audience

This book is suitable for Christian readers of all ages.

Christian Impact

It reads more like an exhaustive summary of the Bible than an eye-opening guide for believers.

Katherine Hiegel is a professional writing major at Taylor University.

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