Don't Check Your Brains at the Door: A Book of Christian Evidences (Know What You Believe and Why) [Paperback]

Josh McDowell (Author), Bob Hostetler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 1992

Laced with clarity and humor, McDowell and Hostetler expose common myths about God, the Bible, religion, and life, showing how Christianity stands up to the test of fact and reason. Solid, exciting Christian apologetics for teens.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 13 and up
  
• Paperback: 194 pages
• Publisher: Word Publishing (February 19, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849932343
• ISBN-13: 978-0849932342
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (72 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #370,575 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #56 in Books > Teens > Religion & Spirituality > Christianity

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for a teen-age audience, March 30, 2003

By 

E. Johnson (El Cajon, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door: A Book of Christian Evidences (Know What You Believe and Why) (Paperback)

McDowell hits home with youth by presenting apologetic ideas in an easy-to-understand mini-devotional. I have recommended this book to my high school students for five years now, and many have really enjoyed it. (Those who didn't enjoy it said it was too simple, so I merely recommended that they read Strobel's The Case for Christ/The Case for Faith--student editions. For the hard core who feel these are still too easy, I recommend Lewis' Mere Christianity.) I just gave the book to my fourth-grade daughter, and in a month she has completed half of it with comprehension, meaning that it probably will not work too well with a post-teen audience. But for those teens who do want to know more about their faith, this is a great place to start.

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a great TOOL for Christians and non-Christians, December 2, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Santa Barbara, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door: A Book of Christian Evidences (Know What You Believe and Why) (Paperback)

This book can be used for personal growth, and the questions/references at the end of each chapter make it a useful tool for youth groups. Great general knowledge about false religions, cults, and other lame arguments that can (and will) be thrown at you during your Christian walk. Recommended for non-Christians and Christians alike.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Mixed Review, July 21, 2011

By 

kiwiair01 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Don't Check Your Brains at the Door (Paperback)

This book has been around a little while and the updated/revised edition states that more than 250,000 copies have been sold. Josh McDowell is a fairly well known apologist (one who defends their faith), so I expected this book to run in that vein, yet tailored for teenagers. Therefore the book tackles a wide variety of topics such as Myths About God, Myths About Jesus, and Myths About the Bible to name a few. The format is more devotional in nature - each sub-chapter is about three pages in length with an application activity at the end.

I do think this book would be best marketed toward younger teens. It also does not seem to have been written with the unchurched person in mind and therefore argues more from a purely Scriptural perspective. No doubt this will leave some disappointed, however, for the young Christian teenager, this book can be a useful tool in confirming and strengthening what they have been taught.

My impressions of this book then are truly mixed. If you are expecting a strong apologetical book that you could pass on to a co-worker, then I would direct you toward "The Case for Christ." But if you are looking to help your young Christian teenager develop an ownership of their faith, then this book can help you do that.

In an attempt to provide full disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.