Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter - eBook

Jerry B. Jenkins, chairman of the board of trustees for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, is the author of more than 175 books. Dr. Jenkins's writing has appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals, and he is a contributing editor to Writer's Digest magazine. He owns Jenkins Entertainment, a filmmaking company, as well as the Christian Writers Guild.

As a young boy, Mark admires Peter and tries to glean any knowledge he can from the disciple. When his mother instructs him to carry a pitcher as a way of leading Jesus’ disciples to his home, Mark has no idea what will happen in the following days. Still harboring questions about Jesus’ authority and trustworthiness, Mark follows instructions. When Jesus and His disciples have the Last Supper at his home, however, Mark listens with wonder to Jesus’ words. What happens in that room lights a path for Mark that will lead to his growth as a person, Christian, and, ultimately, missionary. As he witnesses the crucifixion and the events following it, Mark realizes he can’t deny the truth any longer, and his desire to follow in Christ’s footsteps takes him on a journey with famous apostles and missionaries of the Bible including Paul, Barnabas, and Peter. As Nero begins persecuting the Christians, however, will Mark be able to continue in the example of his elders, preaching Christ to his last breath?

Mark’s Story starts off slow with little to keep readers’ interest, but with perseverance like Mark’s, readers find the pace of the story increasing along with their interest. Any story about Christ should compel the reader. Unfortunately, LaHaye and Jenkins may lose readers in the first few pages before they have the chance to read the most compelling parts of Mark’s Story. Bestselling authors of the Left Behind series, LaHaye and Jenkins likely benefit from their previous success, but their Jesus Chronicles series lacks the power, description, and drama of Left Behind. They take more than half of Mark’s Story directly out of the Bible, and readers may feel they get more for their time and money with the Bible itself. Mark’s Story contains awkward dialogue and description that make the book more of a non-fiction account and less of a novel. The book has no style of it’s own, and, instead, takes after the Bible accounts. Even the Gospels each had their own emphasis and style.

Nevertheless, LaHaye and Jenkins do not completely fail their readers. Despite the slow pace and the drawn out length of their book, they stay true to the Gospel’s message: Jesus saves, and His message is worth dying for. As James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” In the end, readers will find Mark’s Story one worth reading if they only have the patience to get through the first half of it. – Harmony Wheeler, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com