How
in the world did we get so busy?
DeYoung
was crazy busy and knew he needed to figure it out and work on
change. So he wrote a book on it.
“I
want to understand what's going on in the world and in my heart to
make me feel the way I so. And I also want to understand how to
change – even just a little.” (17)
He
has three dangers to avoid (ruined joy, robbed heart, sick in spirit
and body), seven diagnosis questions to consider (pride, God's
expectations, priorities, kids, strangled soul, rest, our
expectations). He ends with one thing you must do.
DeYoung
admits he doesn't have some five point plan to cure our business. But
he does have a one point plan – one thing you must do – that
involves devotion to the Word and prayer. “Maybe devotion to Christ
really is the one thing that is necessary.” (116)
If
you are feeling yourself getting more of other stuff and less of
Jesus, you need to read this book. He gives us the tools to look at
our own life. DeYoung has suggested we have a hearty suspicion toward
technology. We need to make boundaries. We need to bring our
Christian theology to bear on the digital age.
“Maybe
devotion to Christ really is the one thing that is necessary.”
(116)
Go to http://crazybusybook.com/ for a free study guide, watch a trailer, and follow tweets on the book.
Kevin
DeYoung is senior pastor at University Reformed Church, East
Lansing, Michigan.
Crossway
Books, 128 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of this review.
“Do
you want to live your life on the basis of a lie?” Pamela asks. She
experienced a crisis of her own faith and realized she was a
Christian in name only. She began the process of examining her faith
and wants others to do the same. She does not want anyone to come to
a test and find their faith faulty. She wants to make sure faith is
on a solid foundation and based on truth.
She
notes that in her own life she needed to establish a confident
conviction of the object of her faith – believing faith. That is
what this book is about. She has written it to help others come to
faith, faith in Christ.
She
establishes the difference between belief and faith. Faith is acting
on what we believe. Many people take their beliefs from various
religions. She notes the problems with that and the importance of
examining personal faith.
She
arrives at a definition of sound faith, distinguishes feeling and
thinking, explores how truth is determined, and looks at religious
pluralism. She provides information about the origin and beliefs of
the top six religious belief systems: Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism,
humanism (including New Age), Islam, and Christianity. She adds
personal testimonies of people who practiced them. She looks at evil
and how the various religions deal with it, comparing them to
Christianity. She then has an extended section on Jesus, predictions
of His birth, His ministry, and evidence for His resurrection.
She
concludes by encouraging readers to conclude that the Christian faith
provides the best possible explanation for our world, the existence
of God, the reality of pain and suffering and the conclusion of evil.
(191)
This
would be a good book to give to a non-Christian who is honestly
seeking the truth, especially a person in one of the major religions.
Pamela does a fine job of identifying the beliefs of the major
religions and showing that Christianity presents the best belief
system. I was a bit disappointed in her section on the Distinction of
Christianity, such as the various denominations. That topic seems to
be a serious deterrent to some believing in Christ.
While
not specifically aimed at Christians, this would be a good book to
read to gain an overview of the major religions, the ones some of
your neighbors may adhere to. It would help you identify issues where
you could offer better answers from Christian faith.
Pamela
Christian began her ministry as a Teaching Director for Community
Bible Study in the 1990s. This was followed by invitations to speak
across the country for various organizations, which she continues to
do. She initially wrote workbooks for her retreats and conferences.
Her writing expanded to book compilations, magazines and several
e-books. She has a certificate in apologetics from Biola University
and her passion is helping others in matters of faith. She and her
husband live in Southern California with their two grown children
living nearby. You can find our more about her and her ministry at
www.pamelachristianministries.com.
WestBow
Press, 228 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the author through
the Book Group Network for the purpose of this review.
The
authors begin by showing the agreements between Muslims and
Christians. They then focus on questions Muslims ask about
Christianity (mostly Jesus).
They
move to how the two differ over what it means that Jesus is God's
Son, answering the Muslim objections. They also look at other titles
given to Jesus, including the title “Son of God,” what Jesus
meant by it, how the Jews understood it, and why the Muslims reject
it. The Quran's teaching on the subject is compared with the Bible.
They explore the understanding and history of the Christian's
Trinity, revealing the Muslim misunderstanding. They answer Muslim
objections to the belief.
Next
they address the atonement and the Muslim objections to it. They
explore the differences in the understanding of “salvation” by
Christians and Muslims. Then they answer the Quran's claim that Jesus
was not crucified by examining the evidence from the Old Testament,
Quran, New Testament, historians, and medicine.
The
Muslim claims that the Bible predicted Muhammad are investigated,
both the “counselor” Jesus foretold and the “prophet” Moses
foretold. Both ideas are soundly defeated.
Then
the authors address the Muslim claim that the Bible has been
“corrupted.” (I don't understand why this wasn't the first topic
covered. The authors admit that the use of the New Testament in
proving answers to previous issues relies on its reliability. (183)
So why not prove its reliability before using it as proof?)
They also clarify how the New Testament Canon was determined. (This
is McDowell's expertise and it shows. Fifty pages of the book are
given to this topic.)
Next
is an evaluation of the Quran. They note, “Muslims believe that the
Quran in their hands today is a copy of the heavenly Quran. It is
eternal, uncreated, an attribute of Allah.” (235) They then give
evidence to show that the Quran is, in fact, the creation of men.
They also show how the truth of the Bible is confirmed in the Quran.
This is followed by an evaluation of Muhammad's life.
I
am not sure of the value of this book. For a Muslim to read it, or
for a Christian to use it in dialog with a Muslim, the Muslim would
have to accept the Bible as accurate. The authors themselves admit,
“Most sincere Muslims we've met and with whom we have discussed
this topic [of the crucifixion] are adamant in insisting that Jesus
was not crucified and for the most part disregard any evidence that
says otherwise. We can understand that mentality when one believes
the Quran is from God and is afraid to question his own faith.”
(132) My understanding is that Muslims believe the Christian Bible
has been “corrupted” and the Quran corrects it. The authors do
show that the Bible is affirmed by the Quran, but that is at the end
of the book, not the beginning.
The
scope of this book is limited. There is nothing about heaven, how
non-Muslims live in a Muslim society, jihad, etc. This book basically
covers the persons of Jesus and Muhammad. I think the title is a bit
of a misnomer.
The
authors freely quote other sources, lots of other sources, and at
length. So if you've read much on the topic, this book may not
contain new information for you. This book would serve as a limited
introduction to a comparison of Islam and Christianity, specific to a
few topics.
Josh
McDowell accepted the challenge to investigate the claims of
Christianity while a college student. He committed his life to Christ
and for 50 years he has been sharing his testimony and evidence that
God is real and relevant to our lives. He received a bachelor's
degree from Wheaton College and a master's degree in theology from
Talbot Theological Seminary. He has been on staff with Cru (formerly
Campus Crusade for Christ) for almost 50 years. He and his wife have
four grown children and five grandchildren. They live in Southern
California.
Jim
Walker has been involved in Islamic ministry and research for
over 20 years. He has taught numerous seminars for Christians
interested in learning about Muslims' faith.
Harvest
House Publishers, 304 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of this review.
Do
you bottle up your hurt and grief? Have you refused to talk about it?
“Yet we must tell the story to walk the healing path,” Rita
writes. (16) She has written this book to help you do that very
thing.
Jesus
said that a seed must die to bring new life. Rita says God works that
way in our lives too. “Brokenness is not only a necessary process
in the life of the believer – it is a gift.” (19) As she
experienced loss she first protested, but then began to trust God.
She began to see pain and loss in a new light, part of the process of
shaping and molding character. She began to see a greater purpose –
the journey.
Rita
has focused her book on the heart and the phases it must go through
in this journey. She helps us develop an awareness of the heart,
learning to notice it. She helps us crack the shell we placed around
it, exploring our brokenness and exposing our wounds. Then our heart
can be revived by Christ's healing power.
She
has divided her book into three parts. 1) Identify losses, their
effect on our heart, our defenses, our concept of God. 2) We are
helped through the healing tasks and we deal with anger, forgiveness
and surrender. 3) We rekindle our desires, investing them in God's
greater story.
This
is a book to experience. Rita takes us through exercises as we work
through all those phases I listed. I was really impressed with her
section on anger and forgiveness. And her “Taking It to the Cross”
chapter was so convicting.
Rita
does not write from a theoretical place. As she shares her
experiences, she writes about the lessons she has learned herself.
This
is a great book for you if you know you have loss or pain that is
preventing you from living the life God intended. Working through the
exercises Rita gives will definitely help you heal. She encouraged
me, reminding me that God is right in it with me. “...God is not
about wasting the stories of our lives – our losses.” (11) “Our
pain is given meaning because we don't experience it in isolation; we
share it in relationship with Christ.” (54)
Rita
A. Schulte
is a licensed professional counselor in the Northern Virginia/DC
area. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and a
Master's in Counseling from Liberty University. She is the host of
Heartline
Podcast
and Consider
This
radio programs. Her show airs on several radio stations, as well as
on the Internet. She writes for numerous publications and blogs. Find
our more at http://ritaschulte.com/.
Leafwood
Publishers, 236 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the
purpose of this review.
This
is an amazing novel. Every once and a while, when I finish a book, I
sigh, and wish all novels were this good.
Sabrina's
hero was Eric Liddell – ever since she saw the movie as a kid. She
would be a gold winning runner and share Christ. But then her dreams
came crashing down when she experienced a debilitating disease and
could no longer run. Her athletic scholarship went away her freshman
year at university. But she could change her dream. She was convinced
she could.
One
day while studying, she saw a teen gal running across campus, faster
than anyone she'd seen for a while. Chugging behind her was the
campus police.
Sabrina
met the female gazelle a few days later when their grandmothers had
arranged a dinner together. Brandy was her name and she needed help.
She had gotten herself into trouble one too many times and was
heading for juvie – unless, unless Sabrina would help her train and
get on the high school's track team.
This
is a great novel. Five stars twice over. The characters are portrayed
well. I hurt with Sabrina as she tried so hard to help Brandy do what
Sabrina could no longer do herself. And I was right along with
Brandy, struggling to overcome her past.
The
story is so good. There is the dream and then the tragedy of
unfulfilled dreams. There is the opportunity to help another. There
is a great guy who is willing to see through Sabrina's protective
shell to find the real girl. There are the loving grandmas who know
just how to say the right things to urge their granddaughters to be
their best. And there is trusting God throughout.
I
always like to learn something when I read a novel. And I did in this
one. Sabrina has a couple of medical conditions and it was very
interesting to read about them and the treatments too.
I
loved this novel. It is excellent.
Kathryn
Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in
pharmacy, She is the author of five previous novels, two of which
were finalists for the Carol Award in Women's Fiction. Kathryn and
her family live in Santa Barbara, California. Find out more at
www.kathryncushman.com.
Bethany
House Publishers, 321 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of this review.
God
asks us to live in a constant attitude of prayer. We are to include
God in our inner conversations of our hearts and minds all day long,
Edwards says.
You
might want to think of your own prayer life. Do you have that
constant attitude of prayer? If not, how can you cultivate it?
Paul's
first prayer in this epistle is in our reading today (Eph. 1:17-19).
Look over his prayer and consider what he prays would be true of the
Ephesians. Compare that to your own experience and to how you pray
for others. Sometimes reading the prayers of Paul, and other Bible
characters, helps us put our own prayer life in perspective.
Another
aspect of this passage Edwards highlights in her video is the power
we have for daily living (Eph. 119). It is incomparably great. It is
so great that Paul uses four different Greek terms to describe it,
terms related to dynamite, energy, mighty, and strong. This power was
great enough to raise Christ from the dead. It is the kind of power
we can see in our own life – power to overcome, to persevere, to
love.
How
do we access that power? By knowing God (Eph. 1:17b). The Greek word
Paul uses for “know” means a “close” knowing. We have to know
God through experience. And that brings us back to sitting in His
presence and to prayer. We rest in Him, talk to Him and listen to Him
all during the day.
Watch
the lesson 2 video by Sue Edwards here.
You
find out more about the study series at
www.discovertogetherseries.com
and see the video clips at www.discoveryseries.net.
You can follow the discussion on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/DiscoverTogetherSeries.
My comments on the Introduction and Lesson One.
Sue
Edwards is an associate professor of Christian education at
Dallas Theological Seminary. She brings over thirty years of
experience to the classroom as a Bible teacher, curriculum writer,
and overseer of several women's ministries. She is the author or
co-author of several books. She has a D.Min. From Gordon-Conwell
theological Seminary and a master's in Bible from Dallas Theological
Seminary. She and her husband have been married for forty years, have
two married daughters and five grandchildren.
Kregel
Publications, 127 pages. See the publisher's product page for more
information about the book.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book through Open Book
Promotion for the purpose of blogging this study.
This
little novel is a quick and satisfying read. Carla has gotten herself
into trouble by making a secret trip to Colombia to see her twin
brother Jonas. She wanted to surprise him on his mission trip. But
his was no church mission trip. Carla came close to seeing a drug
lord murder a rival and now she is in danger.
Back
in the United States, Jonas engages his friend, Gage, to protect
Carla. Gage had been wounded on the recent undercover operation and
was recuperating on Cedar Island on the Eastern Shore.
The
relationship between Carla and Gage starts out with barbs but soon
develops into attraction. The entire situation gets serious as Jonas
is himself captured back in Colombia and the drug lord finds out
Carla's identity.
This
is a short novel. Davy has not padded the book with unneeded words. I
would liked a little more description, or perhaps a line drawn map of
the island, however. I had trouble at the very end picturing the
action. And the romance was quick, very quick. That aspect of the
novel could have been enhanced, with Carla and Gage working through
some issues.
Wendy
Davy is an award winning romance author. You can find out more
about her and her books at www.wendydavy.com.
White
Rose Publishing, 168 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through
the Book Group network for the purpose of this review.
The
plot is common. A teen runs away and gets into trouble. But Hannon
adds enough action and interesting subplots that the book was a page
turner.
Sixteen
year old Darcy has just lost her remaining parent so she is forced to
live with her older half-sister. Much to Darcy's dismay, her
half-sister, Laura, aims to reign in the freedom she's had as her
father was ailing. Convinced Laura doesn't like her and doesn't want
her living with her, Darcy runs away. She doesn't get far, however,
as a serious snow storm has shut down the buses. She and a wandering
girl she meets end up in a homeless shelter. The girls are
befriended by a man who volunteers there and invites them to his
house. Within a few days, Darcy's friend has disappeared and Darcy is
being held captive in the man's basement. Laura is beside herself and
hires a PI firm to find Darcy.
So
that is the plot. It is not that unusual but there is a twist as to why
the man keeps Darcy trapped. His aim is not to harm her but
to ... well, you have to read the book. And there is a little bit of
romance brewing between Laura and the PI. They both try to focus on
finding Darcy, keeping their growing feelings in check. The end of
the book is very suspenseful and will keep you turning pages.
Irene
Hannon is the best-selling author of more than forty novels. She
has received two RITA Awards, a Carol Award, and a Daphne du Maurier
Award. You can find out more at www.irenehannon.com.
Revell,
401 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of this review.
What
comes to mind when you think of worship? That hour on Sunday morning?
Is it the music over which we've had “worship wars”?
True
worship goes much beyond that. Goossen argues that our worship should
be our entire life. He invites us to a walk of worship. True
worshipers make every effort to engage with Jesus at all times and
everywhere.
He
reminds us of the cost of worship – totally focusing on God, and
the sacrifice of worship – always placing Jesus at the center.
He
explores all the ways we worship God in the broader context of life:
silence, asking, listening to the Holy Spirit, confession,
proclaiming, recognizing God's image in creation, prayer, humility,
gratitude, extravagance, using spiritual gifts, and suffering. He
gives practical suggestions on how to do each aspect of worship too.
He
suggests a daily prayer: “Lord, in my worship of you today in
whatever I am doing, help me to allow you to shape me in your image
so that I might be an extension of your presence and an encouragement
to one other person.” (85)
There
is so much in this book that strikes at the heart of the Christian.
We were made to worship God. Reading this book certainly helped me
understand what that means. If you desire to experience worship as a
lifestyle, this is the book for you.
I'll
leave you with this question Goossen asks, “Is God our goal? Is the
essence of our lives and our lifestyles designed to be, like Paul
encourages, so that we may 'know' Christ better?” (157) Does
worship encompass all of your life?
Gareth
Goossen
is the executive director of Make Us Holy ministries. He has a Master
of Arts in New Testament theology from the Mennonite Brethren
Biblical Seminary and has been an associate pastor in two Canadian
Mennonite Brethren churches. He has been leading corporate worship
since 1986. He organized Make Us Holy in 1993, resigning his
associate pastor position in 1994. He travels in North America and
Latin America encouraging churches in their worship. He is broadening
his ministry, teaching the broader church about a passionate pursuit
of Jesus in a daily walk of worship. Gareth and his wive have three
adult children, three
grandchildren, and live in Breslau, Ontario. You can find out more at
http://www.makeusholy.org/
Westbow Press, 276 pages.
I received a complimentary galley
of this book from the author through the Book Group Network for the
purpose of this review.
What
a fun novel for kids ages 10-14. It has lots of amazing machines,
like a 0.3 mm robot. It has lots of interesting scientific facts. Did
you know that people lose some 30,000 to 40,000 skin cells a minute
and those cells are what bloodhounds smell when they track people?
And it has lots of kid humor (groan). It has spiritual elements too.
Demons make their shady appearance from time to time. It's only detraction is that the kids do some deeds I question (see below).
The
story involves Jake and Jennifer, the seventh grade twin kids of Dr.
Mackenzie, a brilliant and quirky scientist who sometimes forgets he
even has kids. Jen and Jake have lived most of their lives with their
mother and an absent father. He was always off working on some
amazing scientific endeavor. But their mother unexpectedly died
recently and the kids are with their dad in the Holy Land. He has
invented The Machine, a device that creates such super-realistic
holographs of Bible times you think you are there. But there is
someone trying to sabotage Mackenzie's work and the kids are right in
the middle of the trouble.
There
are some character lessons the twins learn in this story. They try
hard to love a father they hardly know. Jen has to get over her fear
of the demons and learn to take authority over them. Their father has
to learn what it means to be one. And some of those working with the
Dr. are Arabs and Israelis – they have to learn to get along.
I
do not like that the twins participate in some illegal stuff, like
breaking into a jail (busting down a door) and swiping a woman's wig.
Granted, it is for a worthy cause, it seems (to get their father's
machine running, or funded). But there is no remorse shown for those
deeds, and that bothers me.
Except for the twins doing some illegal stuff, this
is a pretty good book for kids. It is a great adventure and there are
some Christian principles to learn too. There are a couple of pages at the end helping parents use this book, the lesson on trusting God. I would have been happier to see some questions about evaluating the actions of the twins. There should be a lesson there too.
Bill
Myers is an award-winning writer/director whose work has won over
sixty national and international awards. He has written several
best-selling series for kids. He has sold over eight million books
and videos. Bill and his wife, two cats and two kids, live near
Hollywood, California. Find out more at www.billmyers.com.
B&H
Kids, 230 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book through B&B Media for
the purpose of this review.
Do
you want to be trained in the art of spiritual warfare? Do you want
to regain what the enemy has stolen from you?
If
so, Ireland has written this book for you. His primary intention is
to equip you to put your faith in action and help you adopt a
biblical mind-set regarding spiritual warfare. Reading this book, he
says, is taking a step toward taking a stand to secure what God has
promised you.
The
book follows an outline from the life of David: engage your feelings,
engage your faith, engage in the fight.
Engage
your feelings: you must have a passionate reason to fight.
Perhaps it is an experience of loss or the threat of it. Ireland
helps you become equipped and skilled, suggesting a prayer regimen
(time, place, agenda).
Engage
your faith: like biblical characters, you wrestle the forces of
evil. You learn how to use defensive weapons, then offensive ones
(some of the latter were a surprise, such as tithing). He has a great
section on prevailing prayer. He writes about encountering resistance
to executing the will of God, using spiritual and natural action.
Engage
in the fight: keeping in top shape by practicing spiritual
disciples. He suggests corporate prayer and prayer of agreement. He
explores intercession, spiritual representation and advocacy. He also
explains how to know the subject of your intercession. He encourages
you to be a legacy maker.
Ireland
is quick to point out that this is not a name-it-and-claim-it kind of
book. The emphasis is finding out what God wants to do, or has
promised to do, then moving in that direction. He deals with
“unanswered” prayer too. He gives lots of examples of prayer,
from his life, others, and from the Bible.
As
a young Christian, I was steeped in the sovereignty of God. I do not
feel Ireland addresses sufficiently how God's sovereignty and prayer
work together. For example, he writes, “Satan has no legal right to
touch you if you're walking in total submission to God and His will
for your life. … Submission means total surrender and compliance to
God's desires and direction for your life. When you strap this
defensive weapon to your life, there is nothing Satan can do to hurt
you.” (91) I am not sure any individual (other than Jesus in the
flesh) has actually ever been in total submission and compliance. And
then there is Job, who was “blameless and upright” yet
experienced tremendous disaster. And there was the fellow in John 9
who was blind, not because of anything humans had done, but for God's
glory. I just don't think we can guarantee, under any circumstances,
the kind of promise Ireland made. God is still sovereign.
That
issue aside, this is a good book on being a prayer warrior. I
learned a great deal from it. I really liked his prayer agenda (all
the “p” words) and will be implementing it myself. Ireland
writes, “The Bible is clear on God's call for all believers to
become kneeling warriors.” (26) This book is a good place to learn
how to be exactly that.
David
D. Ireland, PhD, is the founding and senior pastor of Christ
Church, a 6,000 member multiracial congregation in New Jersey. He is
the diversity consultant to the NBA, hosts seminars on diversity,
leadership, and prayer and is the author of numerous books. He and
his wife have been married for nearly thirty years and have two adult
daughters.
Charisma
House, 216 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the
purpose of this review.
Evangelicalism
is a term defined various ways so Miller starts there. He includes
those who have a personal faith in Jesus Christ and believe in His
atoning sacrifice, miracles, virgin birth, resurrection, second
coming, and the doctrine of redemption.
He
is clear that this book is about American evangelicalism. He writes
that it is in decline, lethargic and with insipid faith. The
constants are gone, he says. “The problem is that the Bible is no
longer the agreed-upon centerpiece of evangelical thought.” (25)
He
analyzes the demise: He explores the effect of the mega-church and
major ideologies on the church. We have dropped the way of life that
valued devout worship. We have lost our influence on the arts. He
writes, “That loss of power to influence is the force behind the
decline [of worship].” (56) He comments on missions and
postdenominationalism. He explains the dilution of core beliefs and
reflects on the effect of computers on the church. He looks at
copycat worship and sermons and computer driven faith. “The
evangelical world is flat, and we are vanishing partly because its
flatness is universally dull and uninteresting.” (104) He comments
on anti-intellectualism and the dumbing down of evangelicals:
“Evangelicals are dumbing down at twice the rate of
non-Christians.” (132) He notes a similar attitude toward the arts.
He calls for a marriage of mind and heart, of knowledge and passion.
He shows where the secular age has triumphed over the Christian world
and the growth of the secular culture, such as our addiction to
materialism. He reveals how we have whitewashed secular movements and
Christianized them, thinking we are creative.
“If
our way of life is to remain on the earth, there must be a
renaissance of biblical values, and a re-education of Christian youth
that will stabilize the covenant faith of their parents. This is not
a renaissance that we can muddle through, slowing the preservation of
our way of life. The day is late. The time to begin is now.” (161)
In
the final chapters of the book, Miller sketches a plan for individual
survival. He writes, “I say individual because I hold not the
slightest hope for the triumph of the entire faith.” (191) To try
to preserve the evangelical movement is pointless, Miller argues.
“Each of us – one by one – must seek our own individual
vitality.” (196) The way to save the whole is to focus on the
parts. Yet we are not to give up hope. Don't forget, God made the dry
bones live.
As
a retired Christian bookseller who has watched the evangelical church
since the mid 70s, I agree with Miller. The evangelical demise is
real and observable. I also agree with Miller in that the hope for
the future rests with each individual Christian. He has great
suggestions as how we can restore vitality to our own faith. Yes, we
need revival and, yes, it must start with each of us.
Calvin
Miller died in August of 2012 at the age of 75. He had been a
research professor of divinity and distinguished writer in residence
at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama since 2007. He had
written more than 40 books. He was a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist
University and Midwestern Theological Seminary. For 25 years he was
pastor of Westside Church in Omaha, Nebraska. From 1991 to 1998 he
was professor of communication and ministry studies and
writer-in-residence at Southwestern Baptist theological Seminary in
Fort Worth, Texas.
Baker
Books, 240 pages. Publisher's product page.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of this review.
In
lesson 1 of this study we Learn to Sit. If we have accepted Christ as
our Savior, we are seated with Him in the heavenly realm. (Eph. 2:6)
We have spiritual blessings now because of our position in Christ in
heaven. (Eph. 1:3) What a challenge to understand these truths and
live in them! Edwards encourages to learn to sit - learn what it
means to be seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. This is the
first and necessary posture of the Christian life she says. When we
see ourselves this way, everything else changes.
Can
you imagine what it must have been like for the Christian Ephesians
to hear this news? They were surrounded by pagan worship and occult
practices. It may be just as shocking to us, surrounded by depressing
news broadcasts and raunchy television shows. But it is the way God
sees us right now. Spend some time thinking about what that means in
your daily life. In fact, you might want to memorize Ephesians 1:3
(as Edwards suggests).
And
there is even more good news! We have been chosen to belong to God!
(Eph. 1:4a) Can you imagine that? Even before God created the world
He was thinking about us. And we have been adopted into Christ!
(Eph.1:5) And it is a done deal. We've been sealed! (Eph. 1:13)
As
you go through your day and your week, think about who you are in
Christ. Think about being seated in heavenly places, being chosen,
being adopted, being sealed. And then think about what that means as
you go about living your daily life.
Thank
God for blessing us in Christ!
Watch
the lesson 1 video by Sue Edwards here.
You
find out more about the study series at
www.discovertogetherseries.com
and see the video clips at www.discoveryseries.net. You can follow the discussion on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DiscoverTogetherSeries.
See my introductory lesson blog at http://bit.ly/19dEnil.
Sue
Edwards is an associate professor of Christian education at
Dallas Theological Seminary. She brings over thirty years of
experience to the classroom as a Bible teacher, curriculum writer,
and overseer of several women's ministries. She is the author or
co-author of several books. She has a D.Min. From Gordon-Conwell
theological Seminary and a master's in Bible from Dallas Theological
Seminary. She and her husband have been married for forty years, have
two married daughters and five grandchildren.
Kregel
Publications, 127 pages. See the publisher's product page for more
information about the book.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book through Open Book
Promotion for the purpose of blogging this study.
For
the next nine Wednesdays I'll be blogging through the Discover
Together study on Ephesians by Sue Edwards. I'll include a link to
her short video clip and then add some of my own reflections on the
study. You can follow The Discover Series on Facebook and find out
what other study participants are say.
(www.facebook.com/DiscoverTogetherSeries)
Edwards
starts off the study this week with an introduction to Ephesians. It
is a spiritual warfare manual showing how to live in a world system
opposed to God. Ephesians is good for new believers for it shows them
the basics of the Christian walk. But it is good for seasoned
believers too as it has deep truths explained like nowhere else in
Scripture.
The
Ephesian church was only six years old. The city was the center of
Artemis worship, the Temple of Artemis being one of the seven wonders
of the ancient world. The Ephesian Christians lived in the Roman
center of the occult and magical arts. They needed to learn how to
live victoriously, and so can we.
Edwards
divides Ephesians into three sections (as did Watchman Nee): sit,
walk, stand. Next Wednesday I'll blog insights from Lesson 1 on
Ephesians 1:1-14.
Watch
the introductory video by Sue Edwards here.
You
find out more about the study series at
www.discovertogetherseries.com
and see the video clips at www.discoveryseries.net.
Sue
Edwards is an associate professor of Christian education at Dallas
Theological Seminary. She brings over thirty years of experience to
the classroom as a Bible teacher, curriculum writer, and overseer of
several women's ministries. She is the author or co-author of several
books. She has a D.Min. From Gordon-Conwell theological Seminary and
a master's in Bible from Dallas Theological Seminary. She and her
husband have been married for forty years, have two married daughters
and five grandchildren.
Kregel Publications, 127 pages. See the publisher's product page for more information about the book.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book through Open Book
Promotion for the purpose of blogging this study.
It
is 1982 New Orleans. Women can do just about anything they want,
including breaking into all kinds of careers. And they don't have to
worry about a baby getting in the way - it has been nine years since
Roe v. Wade.
Ewen
has created a great juxtaposition of two pregnant women. Rebecca has
just become one of the two first women partners in a prestigious law
firm when she finds out she is pregnant. When she tells Peter, a
senior prosecutor, he is overjoyed. But she wonders how she will
continue her work in the law firm.
Teen-aged
Glory Lynn has come into a women's clinic for an abortion. She had
hopes of marrying the man but he has left her alone. She knows her
life would be ruined with a baby. She's waited until her twenty
second week, or maybe twenty third.
The
abortion goes bad when there is a life birth. When the mother hears
the baby cry, her life is changed. She wants her baby – alive. But
the doctor instructs the nurse to take the baby away, to a utility
room to die. Glory Lynn goes to the authorities asking that charges
be brought against the doctor. Peter is given the case to prosecute
and he decides to go for second degree murder.
The
first half of the novel was slow. But the second half is a page
turner. The novel centers around the live birth and the charge
brought against the abortion doctor. A live birth was not something
addressed by Roe v. Wade so we don't know how the trial will come
out. I did feel that the law firm making so many allowances for
Rebecca's pregnancy was unrealistic, considering other legal
thrillers I've read.
In
the Author's Notes, Ewen says there are thousands of infants alive
today who have survived abortions. She includes testimony of a
registered nurse given to a House committee in 2001. Although a
federal law was passed (covering federal hospitals) and several
states have passed laws protecting infants of live birth, it remains
an ongoing horror.
This
is a good novel, refreshing our minds again of the issues surrounding
abortion.
Pamela
Ewen practiced law for twenty-five years before penning novels.
Her novel The Moon in the Mango Tree won the Eudora Welty
memorial Award in the 2012 Biennial Letters competition. Her third
novel, Dancing on Glass, won the 2012 Single titles Reviewers
Choice Award and was a Christy Award finalist. She lives near New
Orleans, Louisiana. You can find out more at www.pamelaewen.com.
B
& H Books, 368 pages.
I
received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for
the purpose of this review.
Life
was good for Roy Page. Then he lost his father to Alzheimer's, his
marriage of twenty years fell apart, and his business took an economic
downturn. Then his son had an injury that had the potential to
destroy his baseball career. While his son was in recovery from the
surgery, Roy took time to be with him and to contemplate fatherhood
and his own life. He decided to write Evan a letter.
He
gives the letter at the beginning of the book and then writes about
each of the sections. “The contents are my heart, my soul, and my
story.” (5) He reflects on his own life, Evan's life, growing up in
church, his strong faith, Evan's athletic experiences, and he
parallels Evan's healing from surgery with his own healing from
divorce.
Roy
admits that part of the reason for writing the letter was to heal his
own pain. “...[I]t provided a platform for my own healing and
recovery...” (27) He is very open and honest about his own mistakes
and living through the consequences.
He
says of the trial he has been through and his life now, “My purpose
is to use my gift of creativity, my spiritual gift of faith, and my
entrepreneurialism to inspire people to be the best they can be. I
would never have developed this renewed purpose if not for this trial
in my life.” (109) He believes, “this book is a part of God's
purpose to give hope and encouragement to His children, who He loves,
who are experiencing the same pain I have endured.” (150-1)
Roy's
healing may not be what most people experience because he had a
personal counselor and an executive coach to help him along. He notes
several times the progress he made only because of their influence on
him. He admits that he has been blessed beyond measure knowing that
most people who experience divorce do not have such advantages.
This
is an encouraging book for fathers, especially fathers who have made
mistakes in their marriage and parenting roles. While Roy had a great
deal of professional help to get him through the healing process,
there is still much to gain from reading this book.
You
can find out more about the book and Roy at
http://alettertoevan.com/.
Roy
Page is CEO of Third Degree Advertising.
Lucid
Books, 208 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book through the B&B Media
Group for the purpose of this review.
I
have been reading books dealing with Christianity and the homosexual
lately because the denomination I grew up in is moving towards
ordaining practicing homosexuals.
I
think I have just read the best book on the subject yet. And it is
short – only 83 pages of text.
Allberry
is himself a pastor in the UK who experiences same sex attraction.
What he writes is not from a hypothetical position. He lives with
being a Christian and having same sex attraction.
He
answers the argument that Old Testament prohibitions of homosexuality
deal with pagan worship practices or rape. He looks at Lev. 18:22 and
20:13 and the surrounding verses and their forbidding homosexual
behavior. “None of these have any connection with pagan temples or
idolatry. These things are morally wrong, irrespective of who is
doing them and where they happen.” (27) Noting that both parties
are prohibited equally, “We can't write it off as only prohibiting
things like gay rape or a forced relationship. Leviticus prohibits
even general, consensual homosexual activity.” (27)
Then
he addresses another argument I recently read from a professor at a
denominational seminary. Allberry looks at the Romans 1:26-27 passage,
arguing that the words “against nature” do not refer to “our
subjective experience of what feels natural to us, but instead refer
to the fixed way of things in creation.” (29) He notes, “All of
us have desires that are warped as a result of our fallen nature.”
(30) It is the case for all of us, “...we find ourselves craving
what we are not naturally designed to do.” (30)
With
great care he goes through each of the Bible passages dealing with
the issue. His conclusion: “In each instance where the Bible
directly addresses homosexual behavior it is to condemn it. The
consistent teaching of the Bible is clear: God forbids homosexual
activity.” (36) “As far as Jesus is concerned, the godly
alternatives before us are (heterosexual) marriage or celibacy.”
(36)
He
has suggestions for those experiencing same sex attraction, writing
about the struggles of the homosexual Christian. This is a great
section for Christians who are critical of homosexuals to read.
He
explores how sinful tendencies can be part of God's “all things”
that work together for good. He writes about what the church can do
for people facing this issue. He reminds us, “All are sinners, and
all need God's grace.” (62) We are all sick. We all need help. He
encourages us to deal with biblical models of masculinity and
femininity, not the cultural stereotypes.
Allberry
is very clear. “A church leader who teaches that even certain kinds
of homosexual activity are OK is actually sending people to
destruction.” (70) The gospel is at stake, he says. So he ends with
a section on responding to someone who reveals same sex attraction –
with our love and the grace of the gospel.
I highly recommend this book.
Sam
Allberry is associate pastor of St. Mary's Church, Maidenhead, UK.
The
Good Book Company, 96 pages.
Every
once and a while a haunting book comes my way. This is one of them.
This is a book I savored and will be thinking about for a while.
Treha
is an unusual young woman. She works in an assisted living care
facility, Desert Gardens, as a janitor of sorts but she has the
uncanny ability to connect with the elderly. She can sometimes bring
people back from the deep places like severe dementia.
But
Treha has her own problems. She can't remember her childhood so she
takes to herself the history of others. She has uncontrollable eye
movements. She sways back and forth in an attempt to keep the room
still. And it is like she has no emotions.
Two
events happen that change Treha's world forever. The first event came
in the form of two fellows who wanted to make a documentary about
some of the elderly at Desert Gardens. They are captivated by Treha's
giftedness and are determined to investigate her uncanny abilities.
The other event is the forced retirement of the facility's director –
the director who recognized Treha's gift and gave her the freedom to
connect with so many. The new director has no patience for someone as
different as Treha and fires her.
There
is a touching story that develops as the film makers and the retired
director work together to understand Treha and find out about her
history. On the way they uncover a much larger story of greed and
deceit with national significance. But there is also the story of the
godly elderly people as they react to the new “dictator director”
at their retirement home.
In
addition to a great story line are quirky characters that put the
finishing touches on this fine novel. And the discussion questions at
the back makes this novel an excellent choice for a reading group.
This is a novel definitely worth reading.
Chris
Fabry is an award-winning author and radio personality who hosts
a daily program on Moody Radio. His novels have won two Christy
Awards and an ECPA Christian Book Award. Chris and his wife have nine
children and live in Arizona. You can find out more at
www.chrisfabry.com.
Tyndale
House Publishers, 384 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through
The Book Club Network for the purpose of this review.
We
Christians are to be people who bless others. But if you are like me,
you wonder how to do that. How do you pray for others? What can you
say?
A
few years ago Smith realized that a big part of his life had been a
result of others speaking blessings over him. The idea of praying a
blessing over others became an important concept for him. In 2011 he
wrote A Simple Blessing (see my review of that book here).
When I read that book two years ago, I was impressed with the prayer
of blessing Michael wrote.
Now
his message has been adapted into a less imposing gift book. Included
are the biblical principles that can help you turn your spiritual
life into one where you experience the true joy of blessing others.
The
prayer Michael prays over others has been divided into six specific
blessings. He gives the particular section of his prayer, explains
the prayer, and gives practical suggestions on opening oneself to the
blessing and then sharing it with others.
The
prayer of blessing begins:
In
the name of Jesus Christ,
I
bless you with the promises of God,
which
are “yes” and “amen.”
Michael
explores the idea of blessing and that it comes only from the Spirit
fulfilling our deepest need, a close relationship with our Creator.
He wants us to awaken to that reality and carry that through to
praying for others. He also hopes that we will ourselves become
actively involved in being God's instrument as a blessing to others.
Next
is praying for spiritual health:
May
the Holy Spirit make you healthy
and
strong in body, mind, and spirit
to
move in faith and expectancy.
May
God's angels be with you to
protect
and keep you.
And
that is about a fourth of the prayer. With the same passion and
insight, Michael continues exploring the remaining parts of his
prayer: praying for a pure mind, praying for personal holiness,
praying for backyard blessings, praying for spiritual victory.
Michael
is quick to note that there is nothing magical about this prayer. It
is not some formula to manipulate God into guaranteeing you, or
anyone else, an abundant life. That is not the purpose of this book
by any means.
Michael's
prayer is that this book and his prayer of blessing will inspire you
to be holy and to participate in the work of God by being a blessing
to others. Yes, God wants to bless you, Michael writes. “And he
wants you to bless others through his gifts to you.” (122)
I
challenge you to read this book. It will inspire you to take the
focus off yourself when you pray and begin to focus on blessing
others.
Michael
has included Scripture and quotes from others as well as questions
for reflection and action, along with space for journaling.
Michael
W. Smith is a multiple-time Grammy and Dove Award-winning
singer/songwriter. He has recorded more than twenty-two albums and
written numerous hit songs. He has also written several best-selling
books. He and his wife have five children and live in Nashville.
Worthy
Publishing, 128 pages.
I
received a complimentary copy of this book from Worthy Publishing for
the purpose of this review.
Kevin
DeYoung is senior pastor at University Reformed Church, East
Lansing, Michigan.
