BEHOLD, I GIVE UNTO YOU POWER

A brief book of meditations on Christian empowerment.

Hogan’s nonfiction debut takes its title from the Gospel of Luke: “Behold I give unto you power to tread on serpents, and scorpion, and all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you”—a metaphorical verse that’s sparked countless interpretations over the centuries. Hogan’s own interpretation is that it’s a message of strength through unity, which is one of the primary themes of her book. God wants the church to “walk in victory, not defeat.” Hogan writes: “He is calling us to be warriors, not wimps.” In Hogan’s view, this victory will be achieved by banding together and casting aside the disorder and division that she sees plaguing Christian churches of various denominations. God, she writes, gave his followers Apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, and saints “for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith.” The author begins many chapters with quick glimpses of challenges that parents face, and she uses them as starting points to remind readers of their filial duties to God and his ministers, whose authority should be accepted, she asserts, regardless of their skin color, political views, gender, or past lifestyles. The main point, Hogan stresses, is that “Jesus Christ has only one church,” and it’s time for all Christians worldwide to join in one faith and put aside petty divisions. To make this and other points, the author employs a clear, personal prose style, and it’s emphatic, personal tone as it makes a far-reaching call for Christian obedience and unity will doubtless strike a chord with readers who may also be frustrated by the politics and small-mindedness of their own particular congregations. That said, there are occasional, distracting typographical errors (such as “Able” instead of “Abel”) and claims that some readers may argue with, such as that “God doesn’t choose sides.” However, the depiction of a God who loves all the faithful, despite their shortcomings, is no less appealing for being traditional.

A passionate call for Christian readers to come together as children of God.