Customer Reviews

Ask the Bible Geek: Answers to Questions from Catholic Teens

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The Bible Geek is a disciple of Jesus Christ, a comic, a big brother, an evangelist, and a sinner, which makes his biblical reflections inspiring and transformational for teens seeking Christ amid the culture of death. Hart incorporates every aspect of teens' lives and his own experiences of living as a disciple into his writing and reflections on Scripture - truth and sincerity radiate each passage. His command of youth culture and ability to break open the Word of God lend to this book's incredible ingenuity and wit. To date, I have not come across a more usable Scripture reflection for teens. Regardless of religious affiliation, teens everywhere can relate to his perspective on modern-day discipleship. The Bible Geek is out to dispel a nasty rumor that Catholics don't know or understand the Scriptures!

I've given this book to a handful of teens already and now I'm back on line to buy more copies to give away. That pretty much says it all. Finally, its the answers to the questions they've felt too dumb to ask and more questions they didn't even know how to ask. It's an awesome book - they love it. Heck, I love it - and I'm 25!

'Along the way He calls upon us to use the gifts He's bestowed on us for HIS glory, not for our own' (pg. 125). Mark Hart has clearly used the gifts God has bestowed on him by being able to pick apart a single verse from the Bible and transform it into something that fits each person that reads it! Many of us read the Bible all the time but never challenge ourselves enough to go deeper and read EACH passage carefully. Mark Hart, writing from his heart and experiences, makes the Bible fun to read and also applicable to our modern times. His humor, the personal touch he includes, and his deep faith in the church make this book a great resource for people of all ages. Mark makes reading the Bible memorable; I guarantee that the analogies he makes will stick in your mind the next time you read or hear the passage.

"Make no mistake: Nails didn't keep Jesus on that Cross; love did." (p.43)
As a young adult barely out of his teens I find Hart's book refreshing. I have taken several theology courses and usually you get information but it is presented to you in the most drool and boring manner possible. Mark gives an insight to the Word of God that is nothing short of aweinspiring. He gets straight to the point, and is not in your face but only offering plain and simple truth.
Living in our world today, it is getting exceedingly difficult to be Catholic. Hart's contemporary views and opinions on common occurences within the spiritual and modern day Catholic world are not only poignant and intellectual, but reveal a deep seated faith and love for God in its writer.
This book is for everyone I highly recommend it for anyone feeling lost or alone or even battling temptations brought forth by society. The faith is strong with this one.

This book is an excellent source for encouragement, honest answers and inspiration for any and all Catholics and Christians alike. It provides touching testimony, brutal truth and the divine message of Christ's love in each passage. Mark Hard does an excellent job once again by relaying God's message in a tangible language friendly and profound enough to capture all audiences but especially teens. I highly reccommend this book to any and all teens or college students eager to read and take in God's word from a inspiring and Godly man.

In his book, Ask the Bible Geek, Mark Hart gives clear answers to difficult questions, with an amazingly attractive flare. By the questions he seeks to answer, you can tell that Mark knows teens; by the way he answers those questions, you can tell he can speak to them in their language; and by the faith he gives in those answers, you can tell he loves Christ and the Church. His layout of the questions and answers is simple, allowing the reader to get right to the heart of the matter. Marks ability to answer the questions clearly, based in Scripture, allows the reader to come away with some real clarity, not confusion and fluff. There are many ways this book can be used: It can be a great gift for teens getting Confirmed; it can be a great resource for a teen to use if he/she is questioning the meaning of life; it can provide a youth minister over a years worth of Bible Studies and discussion material. Every teenager, whether they are Catholic, non-Catholic, or non-Christian, should get a copy of this book: It will allow them to see a different side of the world than what our pop-culture gives. It will allow them to know the Truth!

Mark has this incredible gift. Not just with words, but his actions. He is so passionate about Jesus, being Catholic and his faith. He has this light about him that you can't help but see. He has a way of getting anyone to think. In this book he really digs deep and connects the scriptures to everyday occurances. It's great to see that what started as being a bi-weekly email (and still is) has had such a huge success. He brings the truth in a humorous, yet completely understandable way. I highly recommend it to anyone.

I have read a number of books that attempt to help the reader understand scripture. Mark does just that without trying. Instead, he helps the reader to recognize ways that scripture is applicable in his/her life, which in turn provides us with the opportunity for God to explain what He wants us to know. The language and illustrations are meant for teenagers, but reach people of all ages. I am so thankful Mark learned that "Fish Swim. Birds Fly." (pg. 16) The messages are very readable, often times humorous, and always practical.
As a Youth Minister I use his messages as the starting point for my bible study discussions. As a Catholic I use the messages to keep my eyes open to God working in my life. We are all blessed to have this book. Read it.