The Hidden Enemy: Aggressive Secularism, Radical Islam, and the Fight for Our Future by Michael Youssef

About the book:

(from the publisher) What’s going on in our world?

Why are suicide bombers attacking our cities? Why are shooters invading our workplaces and malls? Why are students attacking speakers at their colleges? Why are there two versions of the truth on the Internet and in the media?

Michael Youssef, popular teacher and Middle Eastern expert, explains in detail what’s troubling today’s world. Aggressive secularism is stripping our nation of the vestiges of truth, as many Christians are browbeaten into silence. What’s ironic is that secularism is actually opening the door to the “might makes right” nature of radical Islam. In a post-truth world, the most powerful voice wins.

What can save us and our children from this chilling future? Michael Youssef, in this groundbreaking book, shows how we can win the war against aggressive secularism, beat back the threat of radical Islam, and build a brighter future for both ourselves and the next generation.

Be prepared for the times in which we live. Understand what’s happening. Stand up for a brighter and hope-filled future for our children.

Genre: Non-fiction/Religion/Current Events

About the author:

Michael Youssef, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef, a worldwide ministry that leads the way for people living in spiritual darkness to discover the light of Christ through the creative use of media and on-the-ground ministry teams (www.LTW.org). His weekly television programs and daily radio programs are broadcast in 25 languages and seen worldwide, airing more than 12,000 times per week. He is also the founding pastor of The Church of The Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, with more than 3,000 members.

Dr. Youssef was born in Egypt and lived in Lebanon and Australia before coming to the United States. In 1984, he fulfilled a childhood dream of becoming an American citizen. He holds degrees from Moore College in Sydney, Australia, and from Fuller Theological Seminary in California. In 1984, he earned a Ph.D. in social anthropology from Emory University. He has authored more than 30 books, including recent popular titles End Times and the Secret of the Mahdi and Jesus, Jihad and Peace. He and his wife reside in Atlanta and have four grown children and eight grandchildren.

Connect with the author: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TV Special

My take:

I don’t tend to lean into this kind of reading, but I embrace it on occasion because I know the exposure is necessary for keeping my mind and heart open to what’s happening in our broken world. It’s one of those books I didn’t particularly want to read but knew that, despite its heavy subject, it would be worth my while. In this, I was right. It was very worth the effort for the insights and clarity it provided.

The Hidden Enemy is for Christians distraught by the divide in our culture, for those seeking to understand its causes along with practical actions to take. Its emphasis is grace, love, and truth. Michael Youssef is as articulate in his discernment as he is compassionate and non-judgmental. I experienced many an “aha” moment along the way. His identification and explanation of “underdogma,” for instance, was particularly eye-opening.

I do feel that this book’s audience is broader than the cover suggests — that a different art design would expand its appeal and reach a greater diversity of readers.

All told, I’m glad I read it. While its message is sobering, it’s not without hope. It certainly leads me to pray more earnestly: for myself, for my nation, for our world.

Thanks to Tyndale Momentum for providing me this book free of charge. All opinions are mine.

Buy it here.