Mark's Story: The Jesus Chronicles (Unabridged) (Audio Download)

by Jenkins, Tim, Jerry B. LaHaye (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Mark's Story opens on the evening of the last day of Jesus as man. The young Mark hears Jesus' prophecies of the events that are to come, and bears witness to some of the most pivotal events in human history, including Judas Iscariot's betrayal, Peter's denial of his Master, and Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection as the risen Lord.

In the years after, following in the footsteps of his friend and mentor Peter, Mark becomes an ardent follower of Jesus and a devoted disciple of Christianity, spreading the Word beyond Jerusalem and into the world. Mark urges Peter to recount to him the stories of Jesus' life on Earth-His messages, His miracles, and His everlasting promises to His people-and compiles what becomes canonized as the Gospel of Mark.

Mark chronicles the growth of the early Christian church, the struggles of Jesus' followers, and the persecution they endured from a hostile world. Mark's Story is a thrilling account that vividly depicts the last day before Jesus' crucifixion and the danger that early believers faced as they boldly proclaimed Jesus as Christ the Lord. Their bravery laid the foundation for the early church, and their fervent passion for the Word reverberates throughout the world today. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

About the Author
Dr. Tim LaHaye is a noted author, minister, and nationally recognized speaker on Bible prophecy. He is the founder and president of Tim LaHaye Ministries, and the cofounder of the Pre-Trib Research Center, established for the purpose of educating ministers about Bible prophecy. He holds a doctorate of ministry from Western Theological Seminary and a doctorate of literature from Liberty University. A pastor for nearly forty years, LaHaye has written more than fifty nonfiction books and coauthored the Left Behind novels, the most successful Christian fiction venture in publishing history, with Jerry B. Jenkins. You can visit his website at timlahaye.com and leftbehind.com.

Jerry B. Jenkins, the former vice president for publishing and currently a writer-at-large for the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, is the author of more than 150 books, including the Left Behind series with Tim LaHaye. Dr. Jenkins's writing has appeared in Time, Reader's Digest, Parade, Guideposts, and dozens of Christian periodicals. Dr. Jenkins owns Jenkins Entertainment, a filmmaking company based in Los Angeles, as well as the Christian Writers Guild, which aims to train tomorrow's professional Christian writers and has nearly two thousand members worldwide. He is also a sought-after marriage and family speaker. You can visit his website at jerryjenkins.com. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Audio Download
• Publisher: audible.com
• ASIN: B000X1MX88
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• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars They've written better...., November 20, 2007

By	Wanda L. Hall "avid reader" (South Alabama) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter (Jesus Chronicles (Putnam)) (Hardcover)

These authors have written better, case in point, John's Story. In Mark's Story, the characters have stilted King Jame-esque speech. In order to draw the reader in, they need to be believeable. This is the Most Amazing Story Ever Told, yet LaHaye and Jenkins have managed to alienate their audience with (admittedly poetic) King James text and one dimension characters.

Save your money, buy it used, or better yet, wait for the library copy.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent chronicle still relevant, October 26, 2007

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter (Jesus Chronicles (Putnam)) (Hardcover)

Mark was not one of the twelve disciples but he was a friend of Peter and it was at his home that the Last Supper was served. He isn't sure that Jesus is the Messiah at first but senses there is something special about Jesus. He hears the prophecies Christ predicts before his death and sees them all come true. After the Crucifixion, he learns that many have seen Jesus and when he sees him as well he is convinced that he is looking at the Son of God.

He wants to preach and be part of the ministry but he is still too young and has much to learn. The twelve disciples were given powers to heal and they start preaching the ministry begins to grow. One of his most bitter enemies Saul of Taurus claims he heard Christ speak from heaven. A schism arose in the ministry when gentiles become Christ followers and did not have to adhere to law. Mark finally accompanied Peter to Rome where the believers were growing at an amazing rate. The more Nero tried to snuff it out, the more believers listened to the preaching of Mark and Peter. Mark writes the stories that Peter told him of Christ and it becomes one of the gospels. After Peter, his wife and Paul were executed, God sends Mark to Alexandra to start up a new church.

Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins writes so that readers can understand the preaching of Christ, how the church spread and the terrors believers had to endure because they were considered enemies of the state. These talented writers chronicle Mark's belief as he and others perform heroic deeds in a dangerous atmosphere that in many ways will remind the audience of what is happening to day in Myramer. Readers well feel love, heartache and hope as they read this special tale based on the Word.

Harriet Klausner

18 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Another disappointment . . . , November 2, 2007

By	David Zampino "21st Century Hobbit" (Delavan, Wisconsin) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mark's Story: The Gospel According to Peter (Jesus Chronicles (Putnam)) (Hardcover)

. . . from the authors of "John's Story".

Again, a caveat, because it seems as though every time I write something critical about LaHaye or Jenkins I get bashed as some sort of anti-Christian kook -- and nothing is further from the truth. I am a devout Christian; most would consider me rather conservative; and I have served in Christian education and ministry for many years. My dislike for the writing of these two individuals has nothing to do with my own personal relationship with Jesus -- and everything to do with bad writing and worse theology. The only reason I deal with this c**p at all is due to the numbers of students I teach who seem to think that LaHaye and Jenkins and their writings represent traditional, historic Christianity -- and this is simply not the case.

First, the good bits: (and yes, I have some good bits to say!)

The quality of the writing has improved significantly since "John's Story". It still does not approach quality writing, but is an improvement.

The depth of the characters and the quality of the storytelling has also improved. No Pulitzer Prize here -- but certainly an improvement.

The "padding" is greatly reduced. One of my criticisms from "John's Story" is that so much of the book was devoted to merely reproducing the Johannine Corpus directly from Scripture. While "Mark's Story" is about the same length as "John's Story" and while the Gospel According to Mark is appended, Mark's Gospel is so much shorter.

Why only a single star?

Because even with the improvements, "Mark's Story" barely -- BARELY -- rises to the level of "light reading". I'm not trying to be mean or ugly here -- but there's more challenge in "Little House On The Prairie"! This is supposed to be a book for adults -- and I have elementary-aged children who would yawn through it.

Even with the improved character development, much of the dialog (like both "Kingdom Come" and "John's Story" involves persons essentially reciting Scripture passages at each other. There is a clear difference between the written word and the spoken word -- but not here!

Finally, and for me, as an historian, this is the most serious. I have been following LaHaye's writing for more than 25 years. In his theology and his eschatology, he has demonstrated over and over again that he is a hard-line, Bible-only, (rabid) anti-Catholic fundamentalist. On one level, I suppose, that's fine -- it's his cup of tea (certainly not mine!) On another level, however, for someone to take the positions he has consistently taken over the years, for him to write a book like "Mark's Story" in which much of the content is based NOT on Scripture, but rather on Church History and Tradition (CATHOLIC) Tradition, is fundamentally dishonest. Examples:

1) The idea that Peter was in Rome. While the enormous majority of Christians -- Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants -- accept this historical tradition, fundamentalists have long and loudly argued this point, as they claim no direct Scriptural basis. Yet here we see Peter in Rome!

2) The tradition that Peter died by crucifixion in Rome is rejected by many fundamentalists. Yet LaHaye not only accepts the tradition -- but also the very Catholic belief that Peter was crucified (at his own request) head-downward.

3) The idea that Mark became the leader of the Church in Alexandria. Again, a tradition not found in Scripture -- but held as true, based on the testimony of Church History and Tradition! Catholic Tradition!

4) Fundamentalists typically are cessationists -- namely, they believe that the manifestations of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit ended with the Apostles. Yet upon Mark's arrival in Alexandria -- AFTER the death of Peter -- he immediately heals an injured man.

Other examples could be given; these are presented for brevity. My question: What IS LaHaye and what DOES he believe? He is obviously using CATHOLIC primary and secondary source material to market a book directly mainly at evangelical and fundamentalist Protestants. WHY? Does he believe these traditions? If so, many of his fellow fundamentalists would shudder! If not, WHY IS HE PRESENTING THEM?

If someone is truly interested in the Early Church, there is much primary source material available -- in English -- which would slake that interest.

But give this stuff a miss.