What do you think?
Rate this book
The Face of God
THE PASTOR His wife of twenty-three years has been murdered. His faith in God is crumbling before his very eyes. Now, with his estranged son, he sets out to find the supernatural stones spoken of in the Bible. Stones that will enable the two of them to hear the audible voice of God. Stones that may rekindle their dying faith and love. THE TERRORIST He has also learned of the stones. He too must find them---but for much darker reasons. As the mastermind of a deadly plot that will soon kill millions, he has had a series of dreams that instruct him to first find the stones. Everything else is in place. The wrath of Allah is poised and ready to be unleashed. All that remains is for him to obtain the stones. With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, the opposing faiths of these two men collide in an unforgettable showdown. The Face of God is another thrilling and thought-provoking novel by a master of the heart and suspense, Bill Myers.
368 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2002
40 people are currently reading
388 people want to read
About the author
Bill Myers
333 books394 followersBill Myers was born into a Christian home, and although as a child he became bored with Christianity, he decided at the University of Washington quote, to "make God my boss." Ironically, at the University his worst subject was writing. He claims to have prayed, and said that he would be able to do anything for God, except write. Even so, he has become a prominent Christian writer, and has a large amount of successful books and films to his credit.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
February 16, 2015
I've become a Bill Myer through books like Eli and The God Hater. As I looked over the rest of his bibliography, I found The Face of God.
The story is engaging and exciting. It shared some similarities to the Biblical archaeology plot of Babylon Rising by Tim LaHaye (though to be fair, Babylon Rising was published almost a year after Face of God). I always find it exciting to see characters recovering the sacred artifacts I have read about in the scriptures.
My favorite part of “Face of God” is the message. After reading the whole book, I found myself challenged to examine the way I treat the people around me. The main character, a successful Pastor of a large church named Daniel Lawson, struggles as he confronts his own prejudices and pride. He is challenged that he has lost his love and loves to serve more than he loves God. While Myers does not use the verse in the manuscript, I was reminded of 1 John 4: 20. “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
The four ‘main’ protagonist characters are all believable and relatable. I felt like I knew each one and cared about what happened to each one so much so that I want to see Mr. Myers eventually write a sequel to find out what happens to each of these characters after the events of the story are told. I even find myself understanding the ‘villain’. I never agreed with him, but I could see how his actions made sense from his point of view.
The major characters come from the three major monotheistic religions of the world – Islam, Christianity and Judiasm. The major comparison the book makes is between Islam and Christianity. The contrasts are well researched but what impressed me most was the care Myers takes with each religion. The tone is always respectful of the belief even in the places where he disagrees with it. The reader could easily come away with an appreciation for each faith.
The books is not without its issues. As an earlier work of Mr. Myers, the writing is not as tight, clean or as polished as his later works. Each character’s introduction is followed by a parenthetical info dump. Some readers may find the ending somewhat predictable and the plot twists are more braids than pretzels.
Those minor quibbles aside, I found the book a highly enjoyable read. I do find myself somewhat skittish about recommending it. Anyone I recommend it may reach the conclusion I recommended it because I think they need a similar evaluation of the way they ‘love one another’. While that would never be my intent, I would worry about someone reaching that conclusion.
I DO give The Face of God my full recommendation, especially if you enjoy Christian Speculative Fiction.
The story is engaging and exciting. It shared some similarities to the Biblical archaeology plot of Babylon Rising by Tim LaHaye (though to be fair, Babylon Rising was published almost a year after Face of God). I always find it exciting to see characters recovering the sacred artifacts I have read about in the scriptures.
My favorite part of “Face of God” is the message. After reading the whole book, I found myself challenged to examine the way I treat the people around me. The main character, a successful Pastor of a large church named Daniel Lawson, struggles as he confronts his own prejudices and pride. He is challenged that he has lost his love and loves to serve more than he loves God. While Myers does not use the verse in the manuscript, I was reminded of 1 John 4: 20. “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.”
The four ‘main’ protagonist characters are all believable and relatable. I felt like I knew each one and cared about what happened to each one so much so that I want to see Mr. Myers eventually write a sequel to find out what happens to each of these characters after the events of the story are told. I even find myself understanding the ‘villain’. I never agreed with him, but I could see how his actions made sense from his point of view.
The major characters come from the three major monotheistic religions of the world – Islam, Christianity and Judiasm. The major comparison the book makes is between Islam and Christianity. The contrasts are well researched but what impressed me most was the care Myers takes with each religion. The tone is always respectful of the belief even in the places where he disagrees with it. The reader could easily come away with an appreciation for each faith.
The books is not without its issues. As an earlier work of Mr. Myers, the writing is not as tight, clean or as polished as his later works. Each character’s introduction is followed by a parenthetical info dump. Some readers may find the ending somewhat predictable and the plot twists are more braids than pretzels.
Those minor quibbles aside, I found the book a highly enjoyable read. I do find myself somewhat skittish about recommending it. Anyone I recommend it may reach the conclusion I recommended it because I think they need a similar evaluation of the way they ‘love one another’. While that would never be my intent, I would worry about someone reaching that conclusion.
I DO give The Face of God my full recommendation, especially if you enjoy Christian Speculative Fiction.
September 17, 2014
Every now and then I like to consume bad Christian fiction. Sometimes it’s in the form of a movie starring Kirk Cameron. I haven’t read a Christian novel in years, probably the last one was one of the Tim LaHaye Left Behind books. I got curious about this book while reading through the book of Leviticus in the Bible. There’s an obscure and mysterious reference in Leviticus to two gemstones called Urim and Thummim which were used and worn by the high priest of Israel and which scholars speculate were somewhat akin to “casting of lots”. Myers, a prolific writer of Christian fiction, wrote this entire book centered around the quest to rediscover these stones and their true power.
About a third of the way through the plot, I just resigned myself to go with it. In a word, the plot is bad. Particularly in contrast to I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes – which similarly dealt with a terrorist plot to infect the world with a deadly air-born pathogen – the storyline here is terrifically absurd filler. What made this book of interest to me was Myers’s imagination as to what the Urim and Thummim actually were, and how they worked. Of course we may never know exactly what these stones were, but it was enlightening to read one Christian scholar’s take on how they operated and what meaning they may have for believers today.
About a third of the way through the plot, I just resigned myself to go with it. In a word, the plot is bad. Particularly in contrast to I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes – which similarly dealt with a terrorist plot to infect the world with a deadly air-born pathogen – the storyline here is terrifically absurd filler. What made this book of interest to me was Myers’s imagination as to what the Urim and Thummim actually were, and how they worked. Of course we may never know exactly what these stones were, but it was enlightening to read one Christian scholar’s take on how they operated and what meaning they may have for believers today.
December 15, 2011
Sometimes I feel compelled to read things outside of comfort zone. This is not my first Christian Lit book, but it may be my last as many of them contain seriously offensive streotypes. This one had especially good mainstream reviews, so we'll see.
UPDATE:
Drivel disguised as action/adventure.
Okay, so I was right, still the same old stereotypes, but they masquerade as something else. It is offensive that Myers gets away with such nonsense as claiming the Sudanese converts to Christianity are so enthralled that despite starvation and refugee camps, their joy at finding true religion is such that they can smile through it all. He has the audacity to make this claim at least twice in this book, and sadly, it will be read as truth by people on this side who send their money with their missionaries and can safely have their consciences relieved.
Myers makes like he is sympathetic to, and understanding of, Muslim precepts and theism, but in the end the not-so-subtle message is that they are the evil among us and as such are relegated to one of the circles of hell.
I don't think I can take any more.
UPDATE:
Drivel disguised as action/adventure.
Okay, so I was right, still the same old stereotypes, but they masquerade as something else. It is offensive that Myers gets away with such nonsense as claiming the Sudanese converts to Christianity are so enthralled that despite starvation and refugee camps, their joy at finding true religion is such that they can smile through it all. He has the audacity to make this claim at least twice in this book, and sadly, it will be read as truth by people on this side who send their money with their missionaries and can safely have their consciences relieved.
Myers makes like he is sympathetic to, and understanding of, Muslim precepts and theism, but in the end the not-so-subtle message is that they are the evil among us and as such are relegated to one of the circles of hell.
I don't think I can take any more.
May 24, 2017
I loved it. But all of his books are very good
August 23, 2017
An Author's Great Imagination
I've never read anything by Bill Myers, but now I will seek out his other writings. "The Face of God" is listed as a supernatural thriller, a classification I suspect people will agree with. As a Christian, I know how truly supernatural God is, so everything in this book could be possible. However, I also believe that God uses items in His appropriate time, so treasures like the Ark of the Covenant probably no longer exist on our plane. That being said, I enjoyed Mr. Myers' fast-paced style. He develops his characters fully, without rushing, so it's easy to keep up without any confusion. I also LOVE that there is no cursing or inappropriate love scenes (I don't think I'm a prude, I just don't want to have to read it). The only part of the story that gave me pause was the previous conversations (in italics) from the characters' lives. Whatever the author's intent may have been, I felt it became redundant to the point of irritation.
I would recommend this book to believers over the age of 16, or if they are mature for their age, 14. I would also recommend it to most adults who have an open mind, without an anti-God chip on their shoulder.
I've never read anything by Bill Myers, but now I will seek out his other writings. "The Face of God" is listed as a supernatural thriller, a classification I suspect people will agree with. As a Christian, I know how truly supernatural God is, so everything in this book could be possible. However, I also believe that God uses items in His appropriate time, so treasures like the Ark of the Covenant probably no longer exist on our plane. That being said, I enjoyed Mr. Myers' fast-paced style. He develops his characters fully, without rushing, so it's easy to keep up without any confusion. I also LOVE that there is no cursing or inappropriate love scenes (I don't think I'm a prude, I just don't want to have to read it). The only part of the story that gave me pause was the previous conversations (in italics) from the characters' lives. Whatever the author's intent may have been, I felt it became redundant to the point of irritation.
I would recommend this book to believers over the age of 16, or if they are mature for their age, 14. I would also recommend it to most adults who have an open mind, without an anti-God chip on their shoulder.
July 21, 2017
A definite page turner, start to finish.
Very high paced, deeply spiritual and an entirely radical plunge into the love of Yaweh! A must read for any age group.
Very high paced, deeply spiritual and an entirely radical plunge into the love of Yaweh! A must read for any age group.
December 29, 2017
Very good book. I love the history and imagery. The premise is so appropriate considering the time we live in. "The Face of God" and how does a Christian see Him, versus a Muslim. Worth reading.
April 3, 2023
A race to find special stones in order to hear the voice of God - well balanced view of what Islam teaches and what Christianity does.
March 5, 2017
I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
The characters are very well developed, with all the faults and foibles that we humans have. The story line grabs and keeps your interest from the first page to the last. There is a supernatural aspect to the plot, and a Christian influence all the way through. This story touched deep to my very soul. There is a lot of suspense and twists and turns you do not expect at all.
This is the first book by this author I have read, but it certainly won't be the last. I am keeping it to read over and over. I received this as an ebook, free through Amazon for an honest review. OUTSTANDING!!!
December 29, 2012
Wow! It is "funny" how God directed me to start reading this book... just one week after we started reading "So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore: An Unexpected Journey" See my review of that HERE... http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/... in case you missed it. It is such a God-incidence.
This Christian fiction book takes you on a journey with Pastor Daniel, his son Tyler and a cast of other characters including a terrorist and his buddies. On the journey they try and find the lost stones from the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel as well as the Urim and the Thumim that are supposed to help you hear the audible voice of God... if you don't get struck down with fire first.
Along the way Daniel discovers many things about himself, including his pride and prejudice toward others of his church, of other faiths, of others countries, of other colors, even toward his only son. What a story this was... it kept me "on the edge of my seat" more times than I can tell you. What a wonderful, thought provoking tale of spiritual discovery and action to keep you guessing and reading.
Here is a quote from the end of the book that sums things up and shows you how this book relates to the things I learned in "So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore."
""Do you see the difference? It's service. I'm no longer interested in creating the perfect machine with the perfect programs to serve my dreams. Now I'm interested in finding out what the people's dreams are about and how I can help them achieve them. It's so simple but so incredibly different. The church is serving the people to accomplish their goals, instead of the other way around."
"Can't that get a little frightening?" Helen asked.
It's terrifying. Every second. But it keeps me alive. It forces me to keep turning to God instead of my programs. Because the programs, the rules, and regulations, the religion... let's face it-it's a thousand times safer to follow those than a relationship.""
pg. 352-353
My son Nathan, age 18 also read it, and liked it, and now I think I will see if my son Christopher would like to read it... he is 16.
This Christian fiction book takes you on a journey with Pastor Daniel, his son Tyler and a cast of other characters including a terrorist and his buddies. On the journey they try and find the lost stones from the breastplate of the High Priest of Israel as well as the Urim and the Thumim that are supposed to help you hear the audible voice of God... if you don't get struck down with fire first.
Along the way Daniel discovers many things about himself, including his pride and prejudice toward others of his church, of other faiths, of others countries, of other colors, even toward his only son. What a story this was... it kept me "on the edge of my seat" more times than I can tell you. What a wonderful, thought provoking tale of spiritual discovery and action to keep you guessing and reading.
Here is a quote from the end of the book that sums things up and shows you how this book relates to the things I learned in "So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore."
""Do you see the difference? It's service. I'm no longer interested in creating the perfect machine with the perfect programs to serve my dreams. Now I'm interested in finding out what the people's dreams are about and how I can help them achieve them. It's so simple but so incredibly different. The church is serving the people to accomplish their goals, instead of the other way around."
"Can't that get a little frightening?" Helen asked.
It's terrifying. Every second. But it keeps me alive. It forces me to keep turning to God instead of my programs. Because the programs, the rules, and regulations, the religion... let's face it-it's a thousand times safer to follow those than a relationship.""
pg. 352-353
My son Nathan, age 18 also read it, and liked it, and now I think I will see if my son Christopher would like to read it... he is 16.
April 20, 2011
The plot was complex and engaging. The message of what love means was a strong thread in the plot as well. The theology will have you thinking about what you believe. There are quite a few deaths, gross scenarios where people have painful things happen, and religious discussions where everyone thinks they have the right perspective. I found that all quite interesting, especially when flawed people were added to the mix. Some of the perspectives allow little leeway for change and others are a bit too loose. Some of the events seem a bit improbable, but this is fiction, so I'm suspending reality for the sake of a good story. My favorite character was Tyler, the pastor's son. I loved how God used him in the story in many ways.
The quest for the stones led the characters into many difficult situations. On the other side, the need for justice drove others to look for the stones as well. Only their intention was for destruction. I found the ending quite profound to think about, because in the end it really is all about choice isn't it? Believe what you want to believe, or believe what is true even if it isn't always logical and doesn't always make sense. I suppose in the end you get what you wanted all along anyway, as in this story.
Some people refuse to be wrong or see themselves as mistaken. I suppose it would seem like a betrayal to find out what you dedicated your life to wasn't what you believed it to be. Everything is viewed through that lens. Even the face of God. But in the end love always wins out. All of the arguments in the world about what is right and wrong is powerless without love. And when it comes to the bottom line, love is more powerful than any belief system. That's what I got out of this book. It was a good message.
The quest for the stones led the characters into many difficult situations. On the other side, the need for justice drove others to look for the stones as well. Only their intention was for destruction. I found the ending quite profound to think about, because in the end it really is all about choice isn't it? Believe what you want to believe, or believe what is true even if it isn't always logical and doesn't always make sense. I suppose in the end you get what you wanted all along anyway, as in this story.
Some people refuse to be wrong or see themselves as mistaken. I suppose it would seem like a betrayal to find out what you dedicated your life to wasn't what you believed it to be. Everything is viewed through that lens. Even the face of God. But in the end love always wins out. All of the arguments in the world about what is right and wrong is powerless without love. And when it comes to the bottom line, love is more powerful than any belief system. That's what I got out of this book. It was a good message.
September 30, 2014
When pastor Daniel Lawson steps down from his mega-church in an attempt to rediscover the fervent love of God he once had, he stumbles upon one of the mysterious stones used by the High Priest in the Old Testament and soon finds himself rushing to different parts of the Arab world in a race with a terrorist to find the other stones.
His wife of twenty-three years gets murdered. His faith in God is crumbling before his very eyes. Now, with his estranged son, he sets out to find the supernatural stones spoken of in the Bible. Stones that will enable the two of them to hear the audible voice of God. Stones that may rekindle their dying faith and love.
The terrorist has also learned of the stones. He too must find them—but for much darker reasons. As the mastermind of a deadly plot that will soon kill millions, he has had a series of dreams that instruct him to first find the stones. Everything else is in place. The wrath of Allah is poised and ready to be unleashed. All that remains is for him to obtain the stones.
With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, the opposing faiths of these two men collide in an unforgettable showdown.
A thriller with spiritual tones in the Middle Eastern world of today and our fear of terrorism.
His wife of twenty-three years gets murdered. His faith in God is crumbling before his very eyes. Now, with his estranged son, he sets out to find the supernatural stones spoken of in the Bible. Stones that will enable the two of them to hear the audible voice of God. Stones that may rekindle their dying faith and love.
The terrorist has also learned of the stones. He too must find them—but for much darker reasons. As the mastermind of a deadly plot that will soon kill millions, he has had a series of dreams that instruct him to first find the stones. Everything else is in place. The wrath of Allah is poised and ready to be unleashed. All that remains is for him to obtain the stones.
With the lives of millions hanging in the balance, the opposing faiths of these two men collide in an unforgettable showdown.
A thriller with spiritual tones in the Middle Eastern world of today and our fear of terrorism.
January 18, 2016
Started this book on the advice of a friend. What I found intriguing was that the author tied each of the twelve tribes of Israel to a personality trait and then had his main character recognize other characters in the book who shared that personality trait. In addition to recognizing this, he also recognizes his own prejudices and thoughts that have contributed to making it hard for him to love these people the way God loves them.
What results is a pastor who's less concerned with his church being a machine that expects people to serve it than he is with his church serving the people that come to it. So what if the woman who's always dreamed of singing her heart out to God in front of a congregation can't carry a tune? Let her sing to God--to Him, the sound is music to HIs ears.
What results is a pastor who's less concerned with his church being a machine that expects people to serve it than he is with his church serving the people that come to it. So what if the woman who's always dreamed of singing her heart out to God in front of a congregation can't carry a tune? Let her sing to God--to Him, the sound is music to HIs ears.
March 14, 2012
SO far SO good. It is amazing, interesting and even inspirational. So far a good amount of Scripture is being used and whatever the Pastor is going through and has yet to realize is what I struggle with through my Christian Faith all the time. Sometimes I'm super stubborn and don't want to admit what is the reality right so I go into denial. Some Christian right? But hey Im working on it and I pray all the time. So I would recommend this book to anyone wanting something to read or just in general. It hasn't let me down yet lol.
February 17, 2013
It was a very intresting book. I wasn't sure where it was going to go when you meet this couple and then she dies right away. I thought it would be about how the family coped but it really wasn't though that did factor in somewhat. It was more about the artifact they had been given and it lead all around the world and brought Daniel and his son Tyler together and brought in two women who help immensely as this thriller builds and they begin a journey to find the stones and bring them together and what can be seen with these stones are together in one place. WOW what an ending! loved it.
January 19, 2013
The plot was great but the author's vocabulary could have used some divine intervention. The word "brief" was used three times in the first three sentences of the book. I nearly put the book down before I had finished the first page. Secondly, I found it bothersome that the phrase "she blew her hair (or bangs). . ." was used eight times in reference to Helen. The character development was also lacking.
March 19, 2013
This is an interesting mix in the vein of Indiana Jones, without as much drama. It is a slow starter, but by the midway point you just have to see what happens. There are many life-lessons in this story, some worthy of writing down. The ending is clunky and unrealistic. Overall, I wanted it to grab me more than it did, show me more than a sketch of the locations, and tackle the tough spiritual differences between beliefs than it did.
December 31, 2013
Is your Holiness based on religion and laws, or knowing a relationship with a Holy God? this book asks this question in very intriguing ways, comparing Muslim, traditional Christian and contemporary views of serving the Law more than Christ. One man's search for the voice of God leads him to great adventure in the Sudan. Almost a Christian Indiana Jones ride to ultimately make one consider his own relationship with Christ.
January 4, 2010
Anyone who is looking for a good oldfashioned Ancient Relic treasure hunt will not regret picking up this book. It has everything that you'd expect. The bad guys are really bad and even some of the good guys are hidding secrets. The rapid location changes will keep you turning the pages and the scripture references and ancient legends will make the story fully believeable.
January 10, 2012
So far, this book is fantastic. I read a few portions to my husband and ended up having to start over from the beginning, so he could hear the whole thing out loud. The characters are really well developed, and other than some minor edits that may not be needed in the print edition, it is all flowing wonderfully.
November 27, 2011
I really, really enjoyed this audiobook and thoroughly recommend it if you like action, adventure, and mystery. There is a great cast of characters and the story is just brilliant. Bill Myers narrates perfectly doing all accents and voices brilliantly. I think he is now one of my new favourite authors.
February 7, 2013
My first completed Kindle read ... I enjoyed this book but it was not a page-turner for me ... I enjoyed the theme and could definitely identify with the pastor's issues with having become a law follower in his walk with the Lord ... also gave me a new understanding of Islam. I plan to read others by this author in the future.
December 21, 2008
Bill Myers blows the doors off the concept that Christian literature is a cut below the NY Times bestsellers. The Face of God is a compelling thriller and fascinating insight into the fundamentals of faith--both Christian and Muslim.
March 3, 2009
A novel about a minister who goes on a quest after the death of his wife, searching for stones, having dreams and trying to see and hear God. Alot of violence for a Christian novel, but it has its place in this story.
July 2, 2011
Very cool work of fiction. Puts some interesting faces on some of the major culprits of legalism and religion in the American church. And portrays the pursuit of holiness to the exclusion of relationship in an all too real way. Very likable characters. Eager to read more of his books!
February 11, 2012
Indiana Jones look out, Daniel and Helen are here now. This was a fun adventure with a serious message about the difference between religion and a relationship with God. Lots of death, mayhem and destruction and totally unbelievable but I still enjoyed it.
September 13, 2012
Great story about Christian & Muslim faith, and what both perceive to be the calling from their God. It had a nice story as well, but without all they hokey stuff that some Christian writers put forth.
January 15, 2014
Great read
love this book, a great story. could not put it down. This book is not only exciting but makes you think about our perception of how we view people in our Christian life.
love this book, a great story. could not put it down. This book is not only exciting but makes you think about our perception of how we view people in our Christian life.
July 1, 2015
took awhile to get into it but once it got going, it was good. I had actually put it down for quite awhile bc I wasn't sure about finishing it and recently I picked it up again to finish it. it actually ended up being better than I thought it would be.
June 27, 2015
Kept my attention.
This is a good book. Just enough action and emotion to keep you interested and just enough history to keep it real. I enjoyed it and would read this Author again.
This is a good book. Just enough action and emotion to keep you interested and just enough history to keep it real. I enjoyed it and would read this Author again.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews