Title: The Sheep Gate
Author: Brian Horst
Publisher: Pageturner, Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1643762227
Genre: Christian- General
Pages: 120
Reviewed by: Arthur Thores
Pacific Book Review
There are a lot of perils when writing about Christianity. With a topic that is thousands of years old, it is sometimes hard to present the information in a fresh way to capture the reader’s attention. In other instances, the author can come off as too preachy or self-serving without delivering a clear message. The Sheep Gate manages to skip most of the pitfalls and deliver a message that simple, and more importantly, heartfelt.
The Sheep Gate is a mixture of testimony and self-help through God. What I like about it is that the message is a simple one. The author Brian Horst does not try to go over the top to prove that he is the smartest Christian on the planet. Instead, he speaks his truth in a way that will be received well by most audiences. The message never seems pushy; he guides readers through shared experiences and explains how God plays a part in so many areas of our lives.
There are many gems in this book; I walked away with a new mantra that I will remind myself of daily. The author does so many things right from his straight forward presentation to the hope that he sews into each paragraph. For how good the book is, it is not perfect. I found that it is repetitive at times and sometimes even made me question if I had accidentally jumped back a few chapters. It does not ruin the book nor message, but it is a little thing that I’m betting the author will eventually iron out in future works.
Brian Horst is fantastically candid in this book when he needs to be. He shares about past struggles with addiction, but only to be relatable to the reader. He never spends too long focusing on himself, and when he does it always serves a purpose. The flow is a little choppy at times, but it doesn’t ruin the sincerity of the book. I was impressed with the author’s overall presentation of the book.
The Sheep Gate is not for everyone, but frankly there are very few works which are. I think this book could mean the world to some people and help them out of some tough times while putting them on the path toward spiritual enlightenment. Readers will walk away with an appreciation of God’s love for us at the very least. Even if you think you know all there is to know about God and Christianity, you will still get something out of this book, whether it is for you or someone else. I was surprised at how much it hit home for me, and I hope other readers will get to experience that as well.
