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Brotherhood of Betrayal
Randall Arthur
Multnomah Publishers
Paperback. 480 pages
ISBN: 1590522583
Review by Clare Cartagena (Read Clare's bio)
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Another good read by Randall Arthur coming out this September. The title alone declares a message. “Brotherhood” and “betrayal” should not be found in the same place. This novel reveals with compelling raw truth how devastating betrayal is in both family and church relations. He goes beyond the expected pain of infidelity and into a more insidious evil, a church doctrine of legalism that promises God's approval but leaves its congregants ill-equipped for the attack of the enemy or the receiving of grace.
Clay McCain is a man who has placed his trust in his church's doctrines and his success as a missionary pastor. He does not realize how shabby his spiritual armor is. When he finds himself responding to the attentions of other women, he is unprepared to deal with it in a Godly way. Clay preached Christ's grace, mercy and forgiveness but his bondage to the fear of judgment denied him the ability to apply his sermons to his own life. He is a marked man both by his home church and the legions of demons that rush in the open door of his self-sufficiency. Finally, he succumbs to his tempter and adds to adultery, abandoning his family and congregation to follow after his lusts.
Rachel McCain, adoring wife, attentive mother, a pastor's most loyal helper, finds herself stripped of all her titles when her husband abandons her. How could this happen to someone like her? She never planned on looking outside her denomination for guidance but when she is spiritually orphaned by the cold-hearted legalistic pastor of her and Clay's home church, God leads her to a new home. It is a long road of healing for Rachel with potentially eternal pitfalls in her path.
Walking in the shoes of these characters the reader will experience intense pain, the kind that makes him grip the book, hold his breath and pray that it all works out. The story begins with the pan in the fire. There is no easing into this family's crisis, you're there from the get go. Page by page packs a strong message of the value of grace, compassion and the crime of withholding these God offered salves to hurting people. There is also no mistaking the clear implication that the path of sin leads to a dark and lonely place.
Reading on, you will want desperately for the bad guys to be brought to justice but it's hard to know who to point the finger at just as it is in reality. So many in this family's life wear the clothes of brothers and sisters but few are true family. It's even harder yet to see God's plan work so differently in these character's lives. Rest assured, this book will leave you thinking, maybe even praying for the unknown souls out there in the same predicament. It may kick off a round of soul searching as you consider your attitudes towards those “super Christians” who fall prey to sin. You will be left with a mixed bag of emotions, all strong, all motivating to reach out to the lost and backslidden.
Copyright 2003, Clare Cartagena. All Rights reserved. Used with permission.
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About Clare Cartagena: Clare Cartagena is an award winning published author of devotionals and short stories. Her life is full with her husband of fourteen years, two preteen children, and a career as a chemist. The Lord has captured her heart and drawn her into youth ministry at her church, Church for the Valley, Assembly of God. She considers it a privilege to lovingly support God's most exciting generation of youth ever that not one should perish or miss the awesome love of their Creator. E-mail Clare at ccarta1058@aol.com |
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Brotherhood of Betrayal Randall Arthur Multnomah Publishers Buy Now! |
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