Simple Faith
  
Simple Faith
Biblical Christianity in the Culture of Religions and Secularism
Published:
12/14/2011
Format:
E-Book (available as PDF, ePub, and Mobi files) What's This
Pages:
92
ISBN:
978-1-44973-312-4
Print Type:
B/W
Man shares his 'Faith' in book
A simpler approach to the Bible
January 2, 2012
By Jason Raiche (jraiche@dailypress.net) , Daily Press
ESCANABA - Escanaba resident and Swedish native Bo Lange has recently released a book on Christian faith, now available online.

The book, called "Simple Faith," touches on Biblical Christianity, in the culture of religions and secularism, as noted in the book's subtitle, and stemmed from a book Lange wrote in his native Sweden.

"Simple Faith" offers a look at Christian faith "as represented solely in the Bible," according to an overview of the book on publishing company WestBow Press' website. Lange said "Simple Faith" is essentially about having confidence the Bible is God's word, as he is concerned with secularism and religion dominating our culture, which has led him to reintroduce the Bible to readers.

The book breaks down arguments about Christianity "to the most basic yet powerful aspects of the Christian faith," according to the overview.

"I have the preconceived idea that the Bible really is the word of God, which means you can still trust it," explained Lange, adding, if the Bible truly is God's word and "it is the revealed word of God to man," that makes it no ordinary book. He said the word "simple" helps define the concept behind faith, and also represents his own mind.

"I have a simple mind," said Lange. "Some people, especially those who are more sophisticated, they have a hard time with me, because I'm so simple. So I decided to write the book about simple faith by a simple mind."

By simple, Lange does not mean simple in the way of "easy believism", where if you believe, then you're a Christian, but "simple," as in the concept of faith itself.

"First of all, one of the chapters has to do with 'How does a person reconcile with God', or how is a person, like they usually say, 'saved'?," said Lange. "And I say, it's only by faith. Very simple."

He said "Simple Faith" is based on an earlier book he wrote in the Swedish language, about the Christian faith in the Swedish philosophical world, which was called "The Dividing Line," and discusses the dividing line between religion and Christian faith. "Simple Faith," which he finished writing this last year, essentially evolved from "The Dividing Line," he said.

"Coming from a secularist society and humanistic parents, I have gone through all these issues," he explained. "You wonder how in the world did you come up with an idea like that if you grew up in a very liberal, progressive country? And I still believe it, so that's why I decided I'm going to write it and say, 'You can still believe this.'"

Lange said the book is for those seeking to figure out whether they can believe the Bible, for those who have just become Christians, for those long-time Christians as a reminder they can still believe the Bible, and for "sophistic philosophers," such as priests or pastors who have gone away from this message.

The process for getting the book published this time was different from what he did on his first two books in Sweden, he said.

"The two first ones I wrote in Sweden, I went to the printer and said, 'This is what I want you to print,'" said Lange. "So this time I did a lot of web searching, and I found this WestBow Press, which I had heard a little bit about before. And they do all the publishing."

WestBow is a Christian book company, with all books published having Christian messages, said Lange. Though he had a friend from Marquette edit the book, he said WestBow has cut out a lot of the work he had to do from the first two times he was published.

"The second book in Sweden I printed 1,000 copies and I had to distribute them and it was so hard, so they (WestBow) do the distribution on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, and it's an eBook." He said the company will print the book according to needs, and keeps 50 percent of proceeds from each book, which costs $9.95.

Lange will be requesting 100 copies from the company, and the book will be sold locally at Canterbury Bookstore, he said. There will also be a book signing coming up at Stones Cafe when copies of the books arrive in approximately two to three weeks.

Lange comes from an Evangelical Covenant Church background and said he has been a confessing Christian since his childhood. He also has served 38 years as a pastor, serving both denomination and non-denomination congregations.

Currently he resides in Escanaba with his wife, Diana, and has recorded Scandinavian music on both cassettes and CDs. He has also helped organize area Scandinavian festivals, teaches Swedish classes at the University of Wisconsin in Marinette, and also teaches Swedish online.

For more information on "Simple Faith," search for the it online at westbowpress.com.

Bo Lange’s Simple Faith offers a look at the Christian Faith as represented solely in the Bible. The author states that his book is not one about Christian religion but about having confidence in the Bible as being God’s word. His concern over how religion and secularism is dominating our culture led him to write this book to reintroduce the Bible to readers. Simple Faith stands apart from other books in that it breaks down all the arguments about Christianity to the most basic yet powerful aspects of the Christian faith. The author reveals God’s love for humanity and how Christ brings salvation to us. Most impressively, he reveals the prophecies that verify that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, and he provides supporting evidence that the Bible is the authentic Word of God, historically and scientifically true in its statements—and it will prove itself true again when its prophecies about the future are fulfilled. Simple Faith, you will rediscover the Christian faith that inspired the early Christians, that changed the world they knew, and still has the power to change the world today.

Bo Lange, a native of Sweden, became a Christian in his early teens. By accident, he ended up at Florida Bible College in Florida. After studies there, he married his wife, Diana, and they both went back to Sweden to serve God for thirteen years.

While in Sweden, among other things, Bo planted a church. He then went through seminary training to be ordained into the Evangelical Covenant Church of Sweden. Later, Bo and his wife went back to the United States where he was pastor at the Evangelical Covenant Church of America. He also studied at seminary to become a full member of the United Methodist Church of America. Altogether, he has served in various churches in Sweden and the United States for over thirty-eight years, as well as serving several evangelical congregations in the areas where he has lived.

During the last twenty-five years, Bo and his wife have lived in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Their home is in Escanaba at the very northwest point of Lake Michigan. Bo has made numerous Scandinavian musical recordings and is an avid painter. He is often asked to organize the local Scandinavian ethnic festival. He has also conducted several international tours.

Bo is a charismatic preacher and Bible teacher who is in love with his Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Through his book, Simple Faith, he desires to make the Lord known to a wider audience.

You can visit Bo at his website:
www.celebratemyheritage.us
New Book Offers Simple Biblical Evidence that Bolsters Faith

Bo Lange has written a simple book about faith and biblical Christianity. A native of Sweden, he wrote this book while living in his own country and being concerned about the growing trend of secularism there. After now living in the United States, Lange sees a similar issue here so he has translated this book into English to provide a message he feels needs to be heard. In a time when many are turning to secularism because they are “turned off” by organized religion, Lange encourages his readers to go back to look at the Bible and the Christianity that first came from it. He is not interested in organized religion but the true Christian faith the Bible teaches. With plenty of biblical support, Lange makes his arguments for the truth of the Bible and Christ as the Messiah and Savior.

I found “Simple Faith” to be an easy book to read. It is not weighted down with theology or historical detail about biblical times. It simply looks at what the Bible says and quotes it extensively to support its arguments. It is divided into four relatively short chapters:

• Through Faith in Jesus Christ You Receive Eternal Life with God

• The Two Natures in the Believer’s Life

• Letting God Use You

• You Can Trust the Bible to be God’s Word

These chapters progress from helping the reader come to believe in Jesus Christ as Savior, to offering a guide for how to be a Christian despite human weaknesses, how to live as a Christian example to others, and finally, biblical evidence for Faith in God and Christ.

I found the second chapter especially to be gentle and reasonable in its discussion of how one can live the Christian life; Lange is not one to pound the reader over the head with rules about what is right and wrong, or one to instill guilt in the reader. Christ would not himself have tried to make people follow rigid guidelines and then want them to be filled with guilt when they failed. Lange advocates simply reading the Bible so its Word will fill your heart; he admits we will all fall back now and then, but by reading the Bible, rather than focusing on struggling against our human weaknesses, we will master those human shortcomings because our focus will be upon God and his work. This concept is the most practical and educational way to come to Christ and follow him that I can imagine.

I also enjoyed reading the final chapter. I have read and studied the Bible numerous times, so I am well aware of all the prophecies concerning Christ as the Messiah and all the other arguments Lange makes with biblical evidence for our faith in Christ. What I admired about this discussion in “Simple Faith,” however, was how simply and easily the argument flowed and how clear it was to follow. Lange’s organization and presentation is focused, clear, and convincing. And for people unaware of how Christ’s coming was predicted in the Bible more than five hundred years before his birth, it will make for fascinating reading.
Tyler Tichelaar 
"Simple Faith" is a book for the Christian believer and non-believer alike. It reassures us of God's Word being pure and unfailing. This books affirms Christ's real role in our lives; it clearly and simply highlights the Gospel in terms we can all understand. Bo makes a convincing argument that people need to turn to God for answers, and turn a deaf ear on secular and non-biblical philosophies. This book is a good starter book for the "searcher", as well as a solid review for long-time believers.
Dr. Paul Jacobs, Professional Speaker and Author 
Yes he's my Father but this book review is completely non-bias! I honestly wasn’t' sure what to expect when reading this book. I was however pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of its pages. It is truly a great tool for evangelizing those who are far from GOD. Additionally, this book is an equally important resource for the individual new to the Christian faith who needs the fundamental tools and a solid starting point as to simplify the Gospel, rather than overloading him/her with seminary level theology. Although Simple Faith is most defiantly a tool for sharing the Gospel and equipping the new believer, this book would certainly be an encouragement to the strong, seasoned Christian who perhaps needs a new perspective on his/her faith; An incredibly intricate and philosophical faith that was paid by an inconceivable price, yet the child like simplicity of salvation through faith in Christ. So sit back and fall in love with the Savior of the Universe all over again through the pages of this book.
Markus Lange 
 
 


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