Empty Promises by Pete Wilson

Sadly, Pete Wilson's book Empty Promises is full of empty promises and filled with mixed and confused theology and questionable teachings that are not grounded in scripture. Anyone who seeks solid doctrine and theology will have trouble with a book that quotes authors from many conflicting theologies and denominations.

Wilson's book is full of conflicting theologies as he quotes from Calvinists and Arminians alike, seemingly not noticing or being aware of the fact that these guys teach opposite core theologies (something all pastors with any formal training should know). He quotes Calvinists like John Calvin, Timothy "Tim" Keller and John Piper VERSUS C.S. Lewis (Anglican/Catholic/mystic), Lewis Smedes (who reaches man deserves salvation and isn't such a bad sinner), Dallas Willard, Henry Nouwen (Anglican), Max Lucado (Church of Christ), John Ortberg, A.W. Tozer, N.T. Wright (Anglican), and Richard J. Foster (Quaker). How do you have 3 guys who teach the opposite of all the other guys and who would say the other guys are not biblical? How do you have quotes from at least 5 different denominations: Reformed, Anglicans, Catholics, Church of Christ and Quakers?

Rick Warren's forward. 1st sentence of the book: "Mother Teresa once observed that in India people are starving physically, but in American people are starving spiritually" (But people in India are more lost spiritually under the Hindu religion than America because at least we have Christianity.)

The good parts are: Wilson writes, "The question isn't "Do we worship" but "Who or what do we worship?" "Idolatry is when I look to something that does not have God's power to give me what only God has the power to give." He also touches on the fact that while some people claim that God is #1 in their lives, their lives prove that He really is not.

As you might expect from an author who doesn't hold to a solid core theology, this book is shallow and unbiblical and full of self-help. This entire book is 9 chapters full of examples of people who seek happiness in material and emotional things and only 2 chapters about instead putting God first. And the solution? Solitude, fasting and prayer. I hope most readers will realize the emptiness in such a works-based religion. On pg 19, Wilson teaches that we are to "invite God to help me know me." What happened to us humans knowing God? God's purpose is not to teach us about ourselves! How self-centered can we get? Who are we humans to insist that the almighty God is to serve us?

Disclaimer: I gave my honest review. I received this book from the publisher but a positive review was not required