Customer Reviews

The Walk: Clear Direction and Spiritual Power for Your Life

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The Walk by former NFL star Shaun Alexander is apparently written for those Christians young in their faith, but its bland, trite style and theologically questionable premise make it a book only someone with a fairly mature understanding of Scripture ought to attempt to slog through. Even then, there would be very little reward in the end.

Alexander's premise is this: Since "God is not a God of confusion but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33 - often translated as "order" rather than "peace"), that He has created a very specific path to maturity in Christ. That path consists of this series of stages: "Unbeliever, Believer, Example, Teacher, Imparter." (pg. 21)

Up until this point in The Walk, I had actually been pleasantly surprised. I had fully expected it to be another Christ self-help book - "Here's how to get spiritual power for your life - to be everything you want to be!" It wasn't, and I was glad of that.

However, Alexander completely lost me here. The passage he quotes as the basis for his sequence of spiritual maturity clearly relates to worship in the church - not the progression of a believer's growth. While it is true that 1 Corinthians 14:33 is a statement with broader implications, there is absolutely no Scriptural support for this order that The Walk is entirely based upon. Consequently, it took me about six weeks to read this short book because I felt compelled to continually question the author's credibility. And I continually found it lacking.

He essentially invents his premise and tells the reader it's from God, and this plagues the entire book.

There are notes of truth throughout the book, and I would encourage any believer from a non-charismatic background to read the final chapter with an open mind. Like Alexander, I believe that there are still miracles out there. We just don't see them happen because we have cut ourselves off from this kind of working of the Holy Spirit.

At the risk of being too harsh, The Walk turns out to be a more or less useless book. I absolutely would not recommend it.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review as part of the Blogging for Books program.

I really didn't know what to expect when I received this book in the mail. I heard Shaun Alexander speak at a local church recently, so I knew a little bit about the book, and his views of religion, but I still wasn't sure what to make of the book.
I must say that I was very impressed with this book. It is a very easy read that gives some very good direction for personal, spiritual growth. Shaun walks the readers through five levels of growth (Unbeliever, Believe, Example, Teacher, and Imparter. He utilizes personal experiences, as well as the biblical account of the life of Peter, to explain these levels and helps the reader to determine where he is on his own walk.
The highlight of the book for me was the explanation of how the levels best interact with one another, as well as the dangers of skipping (or attempting to skip) levels of growth. This was especially pertinent to me as I realized through reading this book that in some areas of my life I have attempted to skip the Example level and go straight to Teacher, and this has caused setbacks for me time and time again.
I would highly recommend this book. It is a great tool to use to monitor your own spiritual progress, as well as a great encouragement to continue pressing forward for greater relationship with God.

What its all about:

The Walk is an overview of the growth of a Christian into maturity as outline by the author. Alexander identifies five stages in life: the unbeliever, the believer, the example, the teacher, and the imparter. The book opens with a brief introduction that sets up the pattern for the work and the overriding principal: that God is a God of order therefore spiritual growth is orderly. This oversimplifies both what Alexander says and what he intends, however this is without flourish the basic idea behind the book.

Each stage on the walk of spiritual maturity is outlined and fleshed out with illustrative stories and anecdotes. The best of these come from the author's own life and experience. After the general sketch of a given stage is complete Alexander proceeds to outline trails, traps and victories. Here he points out the pitfalls particular to one at the given step and points toward the next step in the triumph and victory for those who persevere. Each section closes with an example from the life of Peter that discloses and illustrates that leg of the walk.

The final section wraps this all together in Alexander's discussion of his own spiritual maturity and the work of the Holy Spirit in his life and ministry. He sites a speaking tour which takes him all through the country with a group of protegees which he mentors. He expounds in detail the different signs and wonder God worked throughout this time.

The Good:

The Walk is easy to read and understand. Often the anecdotes are perceptive and insightful. The writing is clean and crisp, at times painfully repetitive. Unlike many modern Christian books The Walk is neither self-empowering self-help, nor does it tilt toward the over-amorous with semi-erotic descriptors for God. The book manages the ground between two frivolities without the tendency to be either. The book is light without being dribble, and instructive without being burdensome.

Alexander manages to provide an illustrative manual of discipleship. In addition he captures these images of discipleship in active language, whether by football or war metaphors, that is not distasteful to the male reader nor incomprehensible to the sport illiterate (Guilty.). His conception of spiritual discipline, colored by his own experience with weight training, and his discussion of studying the Word of God as a teacher were both memorable and laudable portions of the book.

The Caveat:

Alexander's work is preeminently sloppy theology. Foremost is the strange contortion of 1 Cor. 14:33: "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." (KJV) First the verse as the basis for a spiritual blueprint must be torn from its context. In his letter Paul is discussing the practice of the Corinthian church's fractured worship with many different people speaking in tongues, each with their own psalm, doctrine, tongue and interpretation. Were we to grant the translation of ''''''' (eirenes) as order and not peace, even the most basic syllogism reveals the equivocation:

God is a God of order (as opposed to chaos),
God is the God of man,
therefore man is ordered (in relation to arrangement).

This would not necessarily default the work, but Alexander sticks to his five step plan with a certain rigidity that disallows overlap. This is particularly the case with the Example, Teacher, Imparter dynamic. Experience reveals a picture that is much more messy and confusing than what is presented as clean and delineated. Rarely is creation ever so neatly segmented. More importantly the plan is not presented as a tool for understanding the working of God but as the fact of reality.

For the mature believer there is little need for concern as one ought to be able to take the good and leave the bad. But for the fresh believer there is much to lead to confusion and stumbling. With that in mind there is much good to be had and I would be remiss to turn away the reader.

We can applaud Shaun Alexander for his work, for there is no doubt that his heart is in the right place, but in the future I would hope to see a deeper theological foundation and framework that goes beyond the cherry picker's hermeneutics.

Propter Sanguinem Agni,
RS

This book was provided by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers as a complimentary copy for review purposes. They didn't even ask me to say all these nice things.

I really enjoyed this book. To read a book written by a former professional athlete that carried this much depth and wisdom was enlightening. I was grateful to be in Shawn's shoes and see some of his journey into the deep things of God. This isn't just a flaky spiritual motivational book as it renders thought and substance into living a life with the tangible presence of God.

I would recommend this book to newer believers as it contains great insights to walking with God. If you were looking for an in depth teaching on the deep things of God, I would recommend other books, however I do recommend this book for the simple fact of seeing the wisdom and power of God through Shawn Alexander. This would also be a great book or gift idea for any sports fan who may want to learn more about a life with God.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and was pleasantly encouraged by Shawn's teaching and stories. I look forward to hearing more about his walk with God and the experiences of seeing God continue to move with power in and through Shawn's life. Thank you Shawn for being you.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review as part of the Blogging for Books program.

Copy and paste the following link to check out an excerpt from Shawn's book.
[...]

The Walk by Shaun Alexander was an enriching journey down the path of discipleship. Many aspects of this book blessed me and caused me to think about where I am in my walk with Jesus. The stages of the journey were most interesting to contemplate. While each offered insight into my own spiritual life, I found that it may not be quite as clear cut as the author stated it. In my experience as a youth pastor, with my own walk and with the walks of those students I have been blessed to disciple there are moments when people take a leap forward and become teachers or imparters as they still travel the necessary path of being a new believer.
As Alexander addressed the traps of a teacher there is a great reminder that all teachers need to ultimately remain students of God's Word, closely embracing the wisdom that God blesses His followers with. This intimacy with God's Word must exist apart from the materials studied in order to be a teacher to others.
In addition, as Alexnder explored the stage of being an Imparter, he confronts the common pitfalls common to anyone who finds themself in the situation of being an influencer. We all need to be aware of the three g's (Gold, Glory and Girls/Guys). We also all need to approach the responsibility of being an Imparter with humility. Jesus says, "blessed are the meek"--this must apply to those who are Imparters.
I truly enjoyed the biographical elements of this book. I am not a huge football fan, though I do enjoy the game. It was really great reading of his career. Even more awesome was reading the story of his nine city journey at the end of the book. This journey was very illuminating in regards to how an Imparter lives. Unfortunately, it left the impression that if you don't have certain charismatic gifts then you are not an imparter. I do not think Mr. Alexander meant to leave this impression, but it was their nonetheless.
I also want to mention that many of his illustrations are useful when sharing the journey with others. I used a portion of this book on a youth retreat this past weekend and it connected with the youth really well, especially as we are in the midst of the playoff season.
I recieved this book as part of Multonomah Pulbishers Blogging for Books program.
flag

One of the few professional athletes who claimed to be a follower of Christ and actually lived a life that not only glorified God, but actually proved they were a follow of Christ by the way the lived was and still is Shaun Alexander. So when I was offered a chance to read and review his book The Walk, I said yes.

I will be honest with you; I wasn't sure what to expect from reading Mr. Alexander's book. What I did find was a man who truly loves God and does everything he can to life a life that shows Christ to the world.

The book itself is written for the common person. What I mean by that is that if you are looking for a grand theological discussion on Justification, Sanctification or other theological aspects of Christianity, then you will need to look elsewhere. What you are going to find is Mr. Alexander's interpretation of how a follower of Christ grows in life. Mr. Alexander lists five (5) stages of growth in a person's life. These stages are:

1. Wanderer/Wonderer -- When a person is an unbeliever
2. Believer -- When a person first believes in Jesus Christ
3. Example -- When a person has been a believer and now lives it in life.
4. Teacher -- When a person begins teaching others in the faith
5. Imparter -- When a person imparts unto other people things of God.

Each of these stages are presented as a section of the book and within each section are two additional chapters besides the chapter discussing the stage. The other two chapters are a great compliment and include a chapter on Trials, Traps and Victories and a chapter discussing how the Apostle Peter showed the particular growth stage in his life as told by the Bible. With all three chapters combined in each section, I thought Mr. Alexander did a good job of explaining the growth stages in his own words.

Besides the sections of the book on growth, there are other chapters giving insight to Mr. Alexander's life as a Christian and how he has gone through these growth stages. His style of writing is warm and you feel as though you are sitting with Mr. Alexander at a coffee shop, simply discussing the life of a follower of Christ. I do have to give a small warning though. If you have any reservations about miracles, or what some people would call Charismatic Christianity, then you will need to read this book with more of an open mind and thoughtful prayer. There were no "speaking in tongues" moments in the book, but there are lots of instances told by Mr. Alexander of the Holy Spirit in his life and ministry.

Overall I did enjoy this book, though it did take me a little longer to read than normal, as I decided to look up the scriptures that are quoted in Mr. Alexander's book. I do not have any problem in recommending this book to others and I am giving it four (4) stars.

Please note that this book was presented to me by Waterbrook Press for the purpose of reviewing the book. I did not promise, nor in any way indicate a positive or negative review to the publisher. The review as presented is mine and mine alone.

I found this book to be interesting but feel it will not be of very much value to s discussion group centered on spiritual development. The first four stages are possible and may be helpful but to state that there are still people who do signs and wonders is not a orthodox position. Therefore, that alone hurts the book.

The Walk (Shaun Alexander)
Book review by Rob Tennant, September 23, 2011

I enjoyed The Walk by former NFL running back Shaun Alexander for several reasons. Alexander writes as a Christian who played football, not as a football player whose religion happens to be Christianity. That's extremely important. Often high profile athletes (or actors or politicians) give lip service to faith. On the award stand, they "thank Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior." But nothing in their words beyond a pithy thanks reveals that faith has any influence on their life.

One NFL star talks about his faith in Jesus, but a few years ago, he was found guilty of obstruction of justice in a murder case. He never referenced his faith in his public comments about the experience.

Another superstar football player said in an interview with a national sports magazine that his top priority in life was to make Jesus his Lord. But then, he listed all his other priorities - to be a record-setting running back; to win several Super Bowls; to be remembered among the all-time greats. He went into considerable depth describing how he would achieve these goals. He gave no elaboration on what he would to do make Jesus his Lord, the Lord of his life. I have seen him in subsequent interviews and he never misses an opportunity to expound on his football acumen. He rarely, if ever, discusses what he says is his top priority - the acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

These are a few of hundreds of examples of athletes and other famous people who mention "Jesus" but do not display in anyway that I can see a life of faith. Shaun Alexander's book The Walk is a book about true faith by someone who happens to have played football.

I am an avid football fan who enjoyed watching Alexander, especially the year he played in the Super Bowl. I love sports-books, especially when they are well written. In that spirit, I wish Alexander would have given more locker room or on-the-field vignettes. However, in light of what I wrote in the previous paragraphs, I salute Alexander for staying on topic - living the life of a disciple of Jesus. Or as he wisely puts it, God is not out to make "you a success at anything other than a success at hearing His voice, knowing His name, and doing His will" (p.214).

That sentence from the concluding paragraph is another reason I admire Alexander's approach. So many people, who have made it big, go to great lengths to say that God gave them their success and that if their fans/readers/followers believe as they believed, they too can be successful. Alexander realizes he has lived a unique life, and God is not going to make everyone a starting running back at the University of Alabama, or an NFL probowler or a millionaire athlete. Alexander's writing shows a faith that runs deeper than such shallow spirituality. Shaun Alexander is not calling people to prosperity that is worldly, but not Biblical. He's calling people to true faith and truly faithful living.

I would happily recommend Alexander's book to young people, teens or young adults, or to people who are football fans and who are new to Christian faith. But, my recommendation would come with a couple of caveats.

First, I look at the categories of "the walk" Alexander lays out. He cites five steps and these come in progression: the Unbeliever, the Believer, the Example, the Teacher, and the Imparter. I have not seen this succession of steps in the Christian life worded in this way. I want to know more about where this comes from. The way Alexander writes, it seems to simply come out of his own experience with the church, with pastors, in his own Bible reading, and his own relationship with the Holy Spirit. Those are completely valid sources, and I don't dismiss them in the least. But, I wish Alexander would have given more specifics in where his schematic comes from. How did he arrive (besides experience) at this system for following Jesus? A theology or faith practice that is solely based on experience is shaky because it is so subjective.

Perhaps Alexander's writing does have a foundation beyond his own life experiences. I wonder as he writes about the Imparter if this is the case. I have not used that term, and I wonder if it is based in a denominational tradition I am unfamiliar with. If so, Alexander would have done the reader a great favor in expounding on where the term "imparter" comes from so that the reader go do further reading.

A second caveat to my positive review of The Walk has to do with those examples in the book where Alexander shares that he feels God has given him, at special times, supernatural perception or even a heeling touch. I don't doubt the veracity of those incidents. I believe miracles occur today, and some people are gifted by the Holy Spirit to do unexplainable things. Shaun Alexander may well be one of those people. But it sure would have been helpful if he had give references that give the basis of his beliefs about the Holy Spirit and heeling touch and divinely inspired knowledge. I understand what he's saying. But, besides his own ideas, where does this come from.

My base criticism of The Walk is that it is poorly referenced. There's no real research offered. Shaun Alexander isn't writing his own biography. He's writing a persuasive piece - inviting readers to consider a life that he feels would be a tremendous blessing. I happen to agree with all he has written. But I think if I were not already a believer, I would not be convinced. There has to be more than simply Shaun lived, it works, so you (reader) should live this life too. As a testimony of genuine faith, The Walk is excellent. As a witness of the joy and power of Christianity, The Walk is inspiring. As a persuasive piece that would positively impact readers predisposed to disagree, The Walk is lacking.

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review."

Shaun Alexander pens *The Walk* in order encourage Christians to grow in maturity in Christ. For that, he is to be lauded. The basic premise of the book is that God wishes us to progress through several stages of growth in our Christian life. All of us are unbelievers, and then through faith in Christ, we becomes believers. Alexander then thinks that Christians progress through the stages of being an 'example,' then a 'teacher,' and then an 'imparter.' While Alexander does discuss several passages of Scripture in his book, the reader would be hard pressed to think that his categories are divinely-inspired.
Occasionally, Alexander does have a nugget of insight into the struggles of men, or how self-perception can affect one's ministry and witness. However, I cannot recommend Alexander's book overall. It is not always clear how this growth is rooted in the Gospel, or how the Gospel of Jesus Christ motivates this growth. Also, Alexander seems open to direct, God-inspired 'impressions' from the Holy Spirit, if not outright revelations. In places, Alexander expresses a condensed version of the Gospel, but seems to leave it behind in the actual growth in Christ. On a personal note, Alexander's constant references to his football accolades is distracting, even for someone who was acquainted with Shaun at UA. I would have liked much more focus on the accolades of Christ.

Though not my favorite football player of the last few years, I have heard of Shaun Alexander's faith for some years, so this book intrigued me. The Walk is Alexander's "path" to spiritual maturity, one through which he has led men around the country, both in private studies and in more public speaking engagements.

One positive of the book is that it does not focus on Alexander to football player as some sort of "proof" that he is a religious man. Far too many athletes are given a pass in the realm of religion, just because they can run fast or do other amazing feats. While the book obviously mentions football several times, that is not the focus.

The "walk" described by Alexander is 5 steps, that go from being an unbeliever to a believer. The believer, then, is encouraged to become an example, then a teacher, and finally an imparter. Alexander claims that the one who reaches this final "step" can perform miracles of varying types, a statement that clearly contradicts Biblical teaching (see First Corinthians 12-14). Other than this, though, the steps are ones that are quite normal.

Alexander claims that the Apostle Peter was his inspiration for these steps, and he ends each section by going back to the biography of Peter. It is an interesting part of the book to see that connection.

Football fans will be somewhat disappointed, since there is little football in this book. The book does have some interesting stories, and it sheds some light on a religious man, but the stretching and misuse of Scripture is hard to get past. I would pass on this book, unless you are a big fan of Shaun Alexander.