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| Read - July 2020 |
“Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom”
by Carl Trueman (Crossway, 2015). Carl
Trueman recalls an instance where he was challenged to take up the works of
those he “radically disagreed” with and assess them with “fairness and enthusiasm.” This was my challenge going into this book. And on the back side, I am humbled to say I
deeply appreciated it start to finish.
Perhaps my appreciation has more to do with the author’s treatment of
Luther than Luther himself, though there was much detail included that softened
my assumptions of Luther’s character. In
short, this book is so immediately relevant.
A message that rang true chapter after chapter was simply, go to church
and take communion. That is to say, stay
in fellowship with believers and stay in fellowship with God through Jesus
Christ’s provision of life. I can’t
think of another time in my life as a pastor where I would want this message tattooed
across my forehead. Particularly
important for us all was the full content of chapter 8. Please, if you pick up this book and read
nothing between the covers but a single chapter, read chapter 8. You will not be the same.
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| Read - July 2020 |
“Calvin’s Company of Pastors: Pastoral Care and
the Emerging Reformed Church, 1536-1609” by Scott Manetsch (Oxford University
Press, 2013). Scott Manetsch was my professor for a class on
pastoral leadership and the reformation.
While often I am leery of professors who require their own books for
course reading, I could not have been more pleased in this instance. This seems to be the best resource on the
popular and academic market for insights on pastoral leadership in Calvin’s 16th
century Geneva. Though billed as
original historical research, Manetsch has brought far more than that to the
table with this book. The careful reader
will observe his dedication to representing Calvin well as both a pastor and as
a man; a husband and father, among other roles.
Manetsch shows the intentionality and devotion Calvin brought as a
pastor of pastors. Where lay leaders
will broaden their scope and understanding of reformation history by reading
this book, vocational church leaders will narrow their understanding of what it
means to be purposeful in every move they make, from assembling liturgies to
counseling individuals to caring for other vocational church leaders and
staff. I’d recommend this book to all
who have the time to read a full-bodied volume such as this.
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| Read - July 2020 |
“John Calvin’s Sermons on 1 Timothy, Volume 1”
ed. Ray Van Neste and Brian Denker (2016). What Van Neste and Denker have accomplished
in translating and producing this volume is huge. Not only do we have now, in English, sermon
manuscripts from John Calvin on the first half of the book of 1 Timothy, but as
well, due to the content of 1 Timothy, we also have a 16th century
handbook on pastoral ministry and church leadership. Perspective is everything in many
respects. We stand in the 21st
century looking back and the further we look, the more difficult it is to see
the finer points and spires of the landscape.
Thus, imagining what pastoral ministry looked like in the Reformation
era could only be colored so much before we had to move into guess work. But to be able to stand alongside the
reformer in the very day he lived and ministered and listen in as he preaches
on the look and intent of pastors and church leaders is a far more valuable
thing. Now there is definition to the
finer points of this role I play.
Certainly this book may be interesting to lay folks, it will be
especially interesting to those seeking to lead in a manner faithful to an
understanding of scripture that spans centuries.
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| Read - June 2020 |
“They Say, I Say: The Moves That Matter in
Academic Writing” by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein (W.W. Norton &
Company, 2018, 4th Ed.). These
two authors are smart folks. What they
have produced in this deceivingly small but lengthy book is a scientific
resource for writing. Given the number
of printings and editions this book has been through, my sense is it is popular
and well received. For me, it was an
interesting book. While I was drawn in
at the level of composition because of my love to write and craft text, at the
same time I was a bit bored because they are discussing the science of something
many folks naturally do. Don’t get me
wrong. I have loads of things to learn
about writing, particularly academic writing.
Yet, it felt like they were teaching me how to be tall, when I have
lived with it all my life (I’m 6’5”).
Though I won’t read this book again as often as the book below, I will
certainly give it another read in the next year and keep it nearby as a
resource for when writing becomes work.
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| Read - June 2020 |
“From Topic To Thesis: A Guide to Theological
Research” by Michael Kibbe (InterVarsity Press, 2016). I’m moving through a doctoral program. Going into this level of academic work, the
greatest inhibitor for me was the dissertation.
Mostly, the self-conscious concern:
What do I have to contribute to an already replete field of theological
study that is ground-breakingly new?
Kibbe’s pocket size volume was hugely helpful in overcoming such a
concern. He clarifies basic distinctions
between topics and theses. He nuances
different types of research. He
describes the varying degrees of sources.
And, in short order, he lays out five key steps for a time-tested theological
research method. But most helpful was
Kibbe’s simple understanding on higher level academic work. He suggests it isn’t all about coming up with
some never before researched idea.
Rather, it is about joining a long-going conversation with meaningful
and fresh contributions that will further inspire and shape the conversation
after I have left. This little book will
get read at least a few more times before I toss a graduation cap in the air.
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| Read - June 2020 |
“Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings”
ed. John Dillenberger (Anchor Books, 1962). It is with caution that I review this read,
as I am directly critiquing Martin Luther himself more than a modern day author
or translator. So I will open by suggesting
this book was historically very interesting.
Reading through these various sermons and letters and appeals to ruling
authorities, one gains greater understanding of the historic timeline and
events that moved the Reformation forward.
As well, also interesting to me was reading through the famous 95 Theses
from start to finish. They give shape
and form to a man who otherwise comes across as arrogant and even malicious in
his writing tone. And that last point
was particularly hard for me to take in.
The era itself was not a generous or kind season in Church history, and
Luther’s writings only seemed to fuel the fires. If you want a sense of Luther as a man, I’m
not sure I can recommend this book. My
sense is, in his writings, he portrays himself as something other than who he
may have most deeply been, but perhaps that was somewhat characteristic of
writings during that era, in pursuit of pressing hard points.
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| Read - May 2020 |
“Concerning the True Care of Souls” by Martin
Bucer (The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009). This
would have been written in German originally, but here it has been translated
by Peter Beale, and I couldn’t be more thankful. First, because I’m not learning German
anytime soon, so this book would have been inaccessible to me. Second, because I needed to hear from the
heart of Martin Bucer. Among the other
reformers I have read on, Bucer demonstrates a most sincere pastoral
heart. In some respects, Bucer was a
pastor to Martin Luther. While I don’t
think this book would appeal to many lay people in the local church, I think it
would be a very good book for pastors and other church leaders to read
through. Jumping off from Ezekiel 34, Bucer
lays out principles for church leaders on caring for people no matter where
they may be at in their spiritual journey.
Whether lost sheep, stray sheep, wounded sheep, weak sheep, or healthy
sheep, Bucer instructs on best practices and biblical points on how to minister
to their hearts at levels that will be touch deeply and foster movement and transformation.
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| Read - May 2020 |
“Early Protestant Spirituality” ed. Scott
Hendrix (Paulist Press, 2009). Scott
Hendrix has translated and edited a gift.
Truly, like a good gift, the contents of this book from start to finish
are wonderfully prepared and heartily thought through. Hendrix selected nine aspects of the
spiritual life and called on those reformers and their contemporaries to help
us in the twenty-first century catch a vision for what our spiritual lives are
founded upon. I can only imagine the bulk
of material he had to sort through and decide on when putting this resource
together. Many of the names you will
recognize, should you choose to give this book a read. In all honesty, I found myself skimming many
of the well knowns – Luther, Zwingly, Calvin, etc. – in favor of the lesser
knowns. The beauty of this book is its usability. Really, you could choose an aspect of your
spiritual life; maybe singing or praying or living the faith, and spend an hour
listening in to the rich timeless principles from those long gone before you. Well worth your consideration.
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| Read - May 2020 |
“Theology of the Reformers” by Timothy George
(Broadman Press, 1988). If you’re
looking for a reliable resource on the Reformation era of Church history, you’ll
want to first look up the name Timothy George.
Field wide, George is the most highly respected scholar on the
topic. This volume is a mere sampling of
his work, though a well-organized one at that.
George surveys important points in the theology of key reformers,
namely: Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingly, John Calvin, and Menno Simons. Each of these represent a slightly different
turn on various theological issues – primarily baptism and the sacraments – and
George does a wonderful work in laying them all side-by-side for honest
assessment. Perhaps most interesting,
however, and the reason this book may appeal to an audience beyond a Church
history classroom, was his introduction and storied approach to aligning the
setting of the day. George does a
remarkable job helping the reader get engaged in the subject at hand. Even the casual reader will likely be well
along in the text before noticing they are steeped in a rich tradition of
theology.
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| Read - April 2020 |
“A Life of Listening: Discerning God’s Voice and Discovering Our
Own” by Leighton Ford (InterVarsity Press, 2019). Read chapter 8! If that’s as far as you get in this short
annotation, you’ve gotten far enough.
Further though, Leighton Ford is an evangelist who is possibly best
known for his work with Billy Graham and his oversight of the Lausanne
Committee for World Evangelism. This is
his memoir. Memoirs are an interesting
form of autobiography. They often seem
to be framed by overarching themes. I
have always appreciated them, and this one certainly no less. The theme of voice for Ford is well weaved
from page to page as he patiently walks with the reader through his own life
drawing parallel lines to yours. Ford
moves seamlessly from the inner life of the soul to the outer life of living as
he considers how God uses people, places, and things to form our calling. The book starts slow, but stay with the
conversation until chapter 8 and you won’t be able to put it down.
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| Read - April 2020 |
“Bo’s Café” by John Lynch, Bill Thrall, &
Bruce McNicol (Windblown Media, 2009). Taking a
break from coursework reading, I grabbed this book because John Lynch has been
a meaningful voice for me over the years and because we had planned to host him
for a seminar before it needed to be cancelled.
I’d like to say it was a pleasure to read, but it wasn’t. It was hard to read because somewhere along
the way I was confronted with dark corners in my life and pressed to deal with
them. I suppose in that sense, while not
pleasurable, it was the best book I could have read. This tale will grab you early on and gently
hold on to you until the final page. If
you choose to read this book – and I hope you will – you will laugh and cry and
celebrate. If you choose to be involved
in this book – and again, I hope you will – you will be confronted as I was,
but further, you will find healing.
Issues of anger and control and shame will be dragged into the light and
dealt with in a gracious manner. If you
need good fiction that sidles up closer to home than is normally comfortable, I
recommend “Bo’s Café.”
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| Read - March 2020 |
“The Crucifixion: Understanding the Death of
Jesus Christ” by Fleming Rutledge (William B. Eerdmans, 2015). This book is really big – 612 pages – and really
heady…but, oh how I wish everyone would give it at least a single read through. No lie, this book was intimidating for
me. I don’t recall ever reading a 600+
page book. Rutledge has set out to
understand and record the broadest possible scope of the crucifixion of Jesus
Christ. She covers all aspects;
theological, spiritual, biblical, thematic, practical, and so on. And she does it with incredible grace and
patience toward the reader. Rutledge is
well aware the content herein has massive girth and she levels it all so
gently, yet with solid academic authority.
She is very well read and researched in her approach to every facet of
her topic. She engages issues and
problems right alongside facts and figures.
While I know this book will only be read by a small minority of the
Church population, I will recommend, if you have ever had an interest or
wondering about the meaning or accomplishment or anything really of the death
of Jesus Christ on the cross, this should be a strong consideration for
reading.
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| Read - February 2020 |
“Basics For Believers: The Core of Christian
Faith and Life” by D.A. Carson (Baker Books, 1996). “The kingdom of God may be entered through
suffering, but it is characterized by joy.” (pg. 131) Ah, Philippians, one of the shorter
letters/books in the New Testament. Here
D.A. Carson has matched it with this short, simple, straightforward, ready to
read don’t-call-me-a-commentary commentary.
Carson moves through the book thoughtfully and introspectively, with all
the scholarly acclaim he brings to the table, yet without drowning the reader
in academic jargon. It’s possible the
book grew from a sermon series or teaching series by Carson, though it doesn’t
feel like it as you read it. Carson
keeps authorial intent and driving themes in view throughout, making for a
nicely composed exegetical exposition that would pair wonderfully with one’s
personal devotion time in the book of Philippians. And again, at less than 200 pages, it becomes
a very doable learning resource for anyone in the Church.
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Read - February 2020 |
“The Presence of God: Its Place in the Storyline of Scripture and
the Story of Our Lives” by J. Ryan Lister (Crossway, 2015). This book is not an easy read…in at least one
sense. In another sense, it is the
easiest read of the year. Ryan Lister’s
push from start to finish is that God’s presence is both a goal of redemptive
history AND the means to that goal. And
his manner in setting out to demonstrate it is the “easiest read of the year”
sense. He moves from Genesis to
Revelation telling the story of God’s redemption with the theme of God’s
presence always in view, and he does it better than many authors you’ll
read. So, here the read may sit back and
settle in for a long enjoyable read. The
“not an easy read” sense is born from the super-abundance of footnotes and steep
bibliographic array Lister includes to detail out further facts and insights,
and to establish solid scholarship for his thesis. I suppose, taken in both senses, this book is
for everyone. My personal suggestion is pick
it up if you bend toward the academic reads.
Pass it by if you bend toward the popular top 20 reads.
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| Read - February 2020 |
“Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral
Ministry” by Paul David Tripp (Crossway, 2012). The resounding word to my heart over and again
in this book was “Preach the gospel to myself!”
Dr. Paul Tripp is a master in redundancy, and not to a fault. Every repeated and rephrased word is
necessary to make his point to the reader; much the way repeated strikes with a
hammer to the head of a nail are necessary to drive the nail home. While this book will be most meaningful for
men and women in fulltime ministry roles, it needs to find its way into the
hands of lay leaders in churches as well.
Tripp dedicates ample time to instructing those who are called to uphold
and keep ministry leaders accountable.
So, in a sense, I suppose this book has value for everyone in the local
church. Be warned, the title is not
misleading at all. Tripp holds nothing
back in peeling back the layers of ministry life. Those who are in it will resonate. Those who are not in it will be surprised,
but for the best to be sure. I hope you’ll
pick it up and at least get it started.
As for me, I’ll be over here preaching more to myself than others in
these days.
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| Read - January 2020 |
“Gay
Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was
and Who God Has Always Been” by Jackie Hill Perry (B&H, 2018). What Jackie Hill Perry has knowingly produced in
this volume is a necessary resource for both the Church, and for those standing
far off from the Church because of assumptions about the Church on this
important social issue. What Perry has
perhaps unknowingly produced is a resource for all humankind. You see, the further you go into these pages,
the more you realize these points and principles and lessons learned are rightly
reserved for everyone who has ever wrestled with habitual sin. From start to finish Perry builds a theology
that penetrates the hardest of hearts and reveals to it a God who loves at much
higher and much deeper levels than even the most faithful Christians
imagine. Perry certainly does not let
the reader skip over the fact she was gay to the core, and I can imagine a few
I know a bit startled by some of her stories.
However, I found myself celebrating with her the whole way through.
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| Read - January 2020 |
“Risen:
50 Reasons Why The Resurrection Changed Everything” by Steven Mathewson
(Baker Books, 2013). “50 reasons?” I asked myself going into this
book, “Really? That many huh?” Realizing my course professor authored the
book, I resolved to be gentle on cynicism.
Ten chapters in I was devouring the pages, eager to listen in to Dr.
Mathewson’s rich and deep insights. I
tried to slow down and use the book as a daily devotional of sorts. I couldn’t.
The increasing reality with each passing page that there is yet another
reason for the resurrection of my Lord burrowed deep in my soul. On the back side of the book I am found to be
humbled by my narrow view of both the purpose and accomplishment of Jesus’
resurrection. He was raised, I am healed
and forgiven and new and being made new and justified and commissioned and on
and on. I will return to this book often
and likely soon.
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| Read - January 2020 |
“Homiletics and Hermeneutics: Four Views on Preaching Today” Ed. by Scott
M. Gibson and Matthew D. Kim (Baker Academic, 2018). This book will mean nothing to you unless you
have some interest in preaching and/or rightly studying the Bible. Gibson and Kim have rallied four
homileticians to explain the way they approach the Bible when it comes to
preparing to preach. And further, they
have given each of the four opportunity to respond to each other’s
explanations. The book made for
interesting reading, especially since I don’t know that I have through much
about a particular science I may have to preaching. I found the four views to be far more
complimentary than what the authors may imagine. Either that, or I’m just not reading it
right. The value of the book for me came
in critically thinking through the manner I do actually approach
preaching. I notice I borrow principles
and practices from each of the four methods described. Whether or not I commend this book to you is
a little up in the air still. It really
is a niche book that needs just the right reader. The potential problem of this book in the
wrong hands could be a critical spirit toward those who preach the word to you
regularly.
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| Read - January 2020 |
“The Gospel:
How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ” by Ray Ortlund (Crossway,
2014). This little gem had me at “Hello,” that is, at
the introduction. Ray Ortlund wants “to
show how Christ puts his beauty into our churches by his gospel” and Ortlund
does it with remarkable accuracy and brevity.
His proposal is one of simple math:
Gospel doctrine + Gospel culture = Power. And the totality of this all is utterly
beautiful to those who are part and parcel of it, and ideally equally so to
those looking on. Ortlund is short-winded,
but not forcibly so. The book lacks all
manner of publisher fluff, which makes it nicely readable. Read it all in one sitting, or read it slowly
over several days. However you read it,
do it in an effort to finally practice it.
I am convinced that what Ortlund has to say, the global Church needs to
hear loud and clear.
My Reads and Reviews for 2019:
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| Read - December 2019 |
“On My Worst Day: Cheesecake, Evil, Sandy Koufax, and Jesus” by
John Lynch (Tureface, 2013). John
Lynch does something in this book that you have never experienced before. Lynch is a master story teller, and this
biography-memoir mashup is packed full of them.
But more than that, Lynch takes the reader by the hand and walks them through
his years of life and not only shows crystal clear depictions of shattering and
shaping seasons, but also shares what he imagines God was seeing and saying through
it all with these sort of commentaries from the Almighty Himself. And he pulls it all off by keeping the entire
text in the present tense, so he and the reader together never leave the moment
at hand. Further still, in line with the
story as it unfolds are these wonderfully written and insightful “Awakening”
statements; principles and points impressed upon Lynch in reflection on his
life, and aptly offered to the reader in reflection on their lives. The savvy reader will notice that these “Awakening”
points carry the story along, serving as markers along the way of discovering
who John – and the reader – really are in Christ. I implore you to please read this book. If you do nothing more than scan the pages
and read the “Awakening” points, you will be further along than if you had not
picked up the book at all.
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| Read - December 2019 |
“Every Step An Arrival: A 90 Day Devotional For
Exploring God’s Word” by Eugene Peterson (Waterbrook, 2018). As far as I know, this devotional was the last
book published under Peterson’s name before he went home to glory. In it, Peterson works his way through 90 Old
Testament passages that will be familiar to most Bible reading Christians. His intention is to lay ground work for an
arrival at the doorstep of the New Testament, where we meet Jesus and a whole
new way of living life. These
devotionals are short, taking maybe a minute or two to read start to finish. Each ties in with a verse or two that
Peterson expands on with straightforward lingo and practical insight. I’m not generally in the market for
devotionals. I rarely use them in the
manner they are intended. This book
became for me a nice way to start my work days in the office. I’d sit quietly and read a couple entries at
the outset of the morning and they’d work to prepare my heart for service in
ministry. While I can’t recommend this
to you as a devotional, in fear that these short and lightweight daily reads
replace a more in-depth daily consideration of the Bible, I can recommend it to
you as an “in-between” read; for those moments when you’re lingering about the
house between tasks. Consider this
little book over picking up your phone and checking messages.
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| Read - November 2019 |
“Things Unseen:
Living In Light of Forever” by Mark Buchanan (Multnomah Publishers,
2002). And so wraps up my reading of all the books
Mark Buchanan has to offer, at this point anyway. This was Buchanan’s second book he had
written, coming out on the heels of “Your God is Too Safe.” As usual, I have many pages dog-eared, and
much content highlighted, underlined, or otherwise noted as being meaningful to
me. There isn’t much offered on the
market that is compelling and reader friendly on the topic of eternity and life
after this life. I suppose the topic is
presumed to be reserved for those staring the reality in the face. Buchanan has written a volume for every
reader, end of years and early years alike.
Using his typical storytelling manner of writing to draw in the reader,
you quickly find yourself sitting quietly at Buchanan’s feet as he moves
gracefully from realities unseen, to life lived fully and usefully here on
earth, to the rewarded life lived fully forever. Really, whether the topic of eternity is
important to you or not, please give this book a read. You will, on the back side, see the life you
live now as equally as rich as any you may live beyond the now.
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| Read - October 2019 |
“Church Membership: How The World Knows Who Represents Jesus” by
Jonathan Leeman (Crossway, 2012). Church
Membership has, for me, been a bit of an enigma over these years of being in
vocational ministry. It has most often
felt like a club sort of mechanism that affords those “members” certain rights. It has most often felt like it is all about
the person or “member” than anything else.
This little book has turned that upside-down; and rightly so. Leeman changes the terms – think citizenship
over membership and submitting over joining – and their understandings to cast
new, brighter and more compelling, light on the idea of Church membership. As well, with a topic that has long been
difficult to support biblically, Leeman offers well thought out and researched
biblical and theological precedent for Church membership; demonstrated by a
lengthy list of bible references included at the back of the book as a reader
resource. All in, for a topic that has
likely drowned many elder meetings over the decades of modern church history,
here is a book that was enjoyable – even fun at times – to read.
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| Read - September 2019 |
“Palau, A Life on Fire: The Spiritual Memoir of Luis Palau” by Luis
Palau, with Paul J. Pastor (Zondervan, 2019). Far less is popularly known of Luis Palau
than, say, Billy Graham. However, to
read through Palau’s story as told in memoir is to learn of the equally
profound and Kingdom-of-God shaking effect he and his family and ministry
partners had – and are still having – on the world in our modern era. Chapter by chapter, Palau recounts the most meaningful
people in his life; those whom God used to shape him into a man of God and worldwide
evangelist. Beginning with his Mother
and Father, and including men such as Pastor Ray Stedman, Major Ian Thomas, and
of course Billy Graham himself, Palau gracefully moves through the seasons of
his life placing honor and glory precisely where it is due. The movement of the book is vibrant and will
certainly keep your heart and mind in tune.
Yet, what was most meaningful for me were the closing chapters. Likely the genius of Paul Pastor, the book is
written in such a way that Palau’s voice moves from small and low – as a child
in Latin America – to broad – as though on a stage speaking to hundreds of
thousands of people – to very narrow – as though he is sitting across from you
in a coffee shop. So by the end, when
Palau is peeling back the layers of his heart in respect to life and death and
things to come, you leave the book hoping to meet him and talk again soon. How appropriate then is the final invitation
to know Jesus as Palau does, so one day, beyond the veil of this life, you
might pick up the conversation.
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| Read - September 2019 |
“Fifty-Seven Words That Change The World: A Journey Through the Lord’s Prayer” by
Darrell W. Johnson (Regent College Publishing, 2005). Similar to the attributes of God, the Lord’s
Prayer has become a key area of interest and study for me. This book came into view as I considered the
author for a ministry course at my church.
From the opening pages through to the end, the book reads like a
transcript from a sermon series. That is
neither a positive nor negative thing.
However, some folks may find it unnerving to read in such a manner. That said, I appreciated several fresh
insights as I read through these pages.
The Lord’s Prayer is, of course, a well known prayer and Bible
passage. Many folks can recite it
closely enough whether they currently attend church or not. I think Johnson will startle those folks
awake to meaning and richness in the text that, if taken seriously, will deepen
one’s prayer life to an more intentional level.
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| Read - August 2019 |
“Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” by Peter
Scazzero (Zondervan, 2014). A
growing conviction of mine might be that our theology can inform our psychology. Further then, I think it’s okay to have
psychological principles without a biblical proof-text to the degree that they
can be traced to theological moorings. I
say this upfront, because, while I appreciated the book for its principles, it
felt a bit like Scazzero was trying to prove a relationship between the Bible
and psychology; trying to force them to hold hands. My sense, the further in I read, was he doesn’t
need to use or force as much Bible narrative into the book. The endless examples and Bible story
associations didn’t add proof to his really well thought out and researched
principles. And these principles are
really the value and importance of this book.
Scazzero is as practical as he is biblical from start to finish. If you are hoping for a volume that helps you
understand more of how you’re wired, while keeping Who wired you in the
forefront, this might be a great book for you to read.
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| Read - August 2019 |
“None Like Him:
10 Ways God is Different From Us” by Jen Wilkin (Crossway, 2016). The attributes of God has become a key area
of interest for me to pay close attention to.
Wilkin’s book is was a first for me in respect to popular literature on
the topic. And as far as that goes, she
works the topic very gracefully and well.
It did seem to me at time, for a book primarily about God, she tells a
lot of stories and offers much commentary about humans or herself. That is, of course, the result of the
genre. While Wilkin is less academic in
this volume, she is solidly grounded in evangelical theology and takes on the
varying attributes with biblical confidence and sincerity. If you want more academic resources on this
topic, you’ll want to go elsewhere, and I can help direct you in that. But if you want a book on who God is and, in
light of that, who we are not, this one is a very readable option for you. Particular value for this book lies in its
clear and practical application of principles.
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| Read - July 2019 |
“Awed to Heaven, Rooted in Earth: Prayers of Walter Brueggemann” ed. by Edwin
Searcy (Fortress Press, 2003). Jesus
taught his disciples to pray by praying.
In some curiously similar fashion, Dr. Brueggemann has done the very
same thing in his classes over the years.
Searcy has set out to compile as many of those prayers that may be
meaningful for readers and prayer warriors alike. Searcy’s compilation of prayers from the
renowned professor of Old Testament Theology is a soaring anthology of sorts
that documents and monuments days and events in our modern age that we will
long remember. Most notably are the
events of 9/11/2001. These prayers have
been sorted out by theme, yet most are drawn from scripture passage, perhaps to
be covered in a class. As a whole, you’ll
want to read these slowly, pacing them out just one or two a day. They’ll inspire you and move you further into
your walk with Jesus.
 |
| Read - July 2019 |
“Not Forsaken:
Finding Freedom as Sons & Daughters of a Perfect Father” by Louie
Giglio (B&H Publishing, 2019). Louie
Giglio is best known as the innovator and voice of the Passion movement among
young adults throughout the west. He is
not best known as an author. I’ll tell
you right up front, it reads like 10 sermon manuscripts bound together in a
single volume. As well, if you’re not
into coming across typos as you read, brace yourself for a ride. But, if you can be big enough to overcome
those minors, this may be the most important book you read this year. Written for anyone and everyone, this book
will find you stirring around in the deepest places of your life to sort
through some of the hardest times in your life, all in an effort to reckon the
life you live with that of a Father in heaven who loves you more fully than you
will ever know as long as you walk this earth.
The gospel message is strewn throughout this book and the heart of our
Father God, the perfect Father he alludes to in the title, is visible on every
page. My personal takeaway was
two-fold: First I learned so much about
being a better Father myself. Second I
learned, and maybe realized for the first time, that I do not serve a God, I
serve a loving Father. And so do you…
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| Read - June 2019 |
“In Constant Prayer” by Robert Benson (Thomas
Nelson, 2008). This is one of several books in The Ancient Practices Series. Scrolling down you’ll find reviews on 3 or 4
others in the series. Starting with a
confession then, I picked up this book because I had one week to read a book
before we left on vacation as a family, when I would read another book I had in
mind. Reading a few others in this
series, I knew they read fairly quickly and presumed the same here. With no high expectations then, I set out and
realized early on I would love this book.
Benson offers a great concise history of “praying the hours” and
volunteers a nice guide for helps to get started. In my opinion this is an utterly hidden gem
of a book, much like the topic to which it speaks. There are countless books on prayer that
exist. This may be one of the top ten
most readable and valuable ones you’ll find.
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| Read - June 2019 |
“Inexpressible:
Hesed and the Mystery of God’s Lovingkindness” by Michael Card (InterVarsity
Press, 2018). I knew Michael Card to be a musician. I never knew him to be an author. Digging around a bit, it turns out he has
published several books, a few of which work in tandem with some of his musical
offerings. This book was of interest to
me because the nature of its content points to a reality that is revealed over
and again throughout the Minor Prophets, a particular area of study for
me. Card seeks here to unfurl the wonder
and the mystery that shrouds the Hesed
of God; that is, the steadfast love of the LORD. Beginning with the cover art, this book
provides an important education on the highest and most unique quality of YHWH
God. Card begins without making any
assumptions that he’ll have a neatly wrapped package of understanding by the
end. In fact, his posture of humility
and openness from start to finish were highly attractive to me. His thought for thought type style makes this
book very readable. His vested interest
in research and exposition make this book very useful. And further still, his spiritually driven
manner of contemplation make this book very devotional. If understanding the quality of God’s love
has ever been of interest to you, I highly recommend this book to you.
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| Read - May 2019 |
“Resident Aliens: Life in the Christian Colony” by Stanley Hauerwas and William H. Willimon (Abingdon Press, 2014). Stanley Hauerwas and Will Willimon had something
important to say to the Church 30 years ago when this book was first
published. And after reading this book
now for the first time, much of what they had to say is still important
today. Hauerwas – a theologian – and Willimon
– a pastor – make a likely pairing of theology and practice for this book. Together they peel back the layers that have
hardened the heart of the church over the centuries and refresh our vision for
Kingdom living in these days we live.
They offer equal measures of church history and modern examples to build
a case for a people of God who ought to be living far closer to the edge of
contemporary culture than we imagine we are.
I personally appreciated their handling of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount in
chapter 4. From start to finish, this
book mingles church and politics and societal norms in an effort to regain a
Jesus-centered ethic and practice for those who confess Him. This book requires the reader to slow down
and think more than other books, so if you pick it to read, give yourself
plenty of time to take it all in.
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| Read - May 2019 |
“Your Church Is Too Safe: Why Following Christ Turns the World
Upside-Down” by Mark Buchanan (Zondervan, 2012). This was a “take-two” read for me. We were hosting Mark Buchanan for a LEAD
Academy class at our church and it was important to me to review this book,
last read back in 2012 just after it was first published. True then, true now, I am a big fan of
Buchanan’s work. Buchanan writes on a
deeper or higher or broader level than many authors. His words and comments and principles are
rich with meaning, and never have I gotten the sense that he does not practice
what he preaches. What was refreshing
for me this time around was, after seven years on my shelf, all of what
Buchanan presents is equally as relevant and practical now as it was in
2012. The great thing about that is it
presses toward being timeless. I won’t
suggest it a classic yet, but I suspect I’ll pick up this book in another seven
years or more and mine out treasures that will be of great value. (Scroll down to my 2012 reads for a more on
this book.)
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| Read - April 2019 |
“Growing In Christ” by J.I. Packer (Crossway,
1994). This book was bedtime reading for me. Great content to muddle my mind in before my
head hit the pillow. This single volume
combines four narrower volumes that can be found published individually. Each of the narrower volumes cover four key
biblical and spiritual life interest areas for the Christian faith: The Apostles Creed, Baptism and Conversion,
The Lord’s Prayer, and The Ten Commandments.
What made it great bedtime reading were the chapter lengths and the
depth of insights. Each chapter was no
more than two to three pages long and the content covered only the essential
points from each topic, opting to skip the lengthy and often disengaged
theological reviews, most of which can be found in Packer’s other published
offerings. Yet, for those interested in
more length and greater depth, included after each chapter were four to five
scripture passages to delve into and just as many questions for further thought,
consideration, or discussion. I would
commend this book to you not only as great bedtime reading, but as well, great
small group study material.
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| Read - April 2019 |
“Where Your Treasure Is: Psalms That Summon You from Self to Community”
by Eugene Peterson (Wm B. Eerdmans, 1993). So much of America has become self-ish. Peterson noticed it in 1985 – when this book
was originally published – and we notice it now. “Self” has become the adjective of choice for
the pieces that make up life in the west.
Here Peterson pushes to “un-Self” these live we live. This volume is basically a book on
prayer. Using the Psalms as prayers of
guidance and practice, he abruptly moves the reader toward a community
mindset. Eugene Peterson has been a
favorite author of mine for 20 years. I
have never met a Peterson book I didn’t love, until now. While the themes and principles of this book
are of timeless and dire importance, the content and style were a struggle for
me. So much so, that I gave up on the
book after chapter 9. Peterson seems to
rant at times, and simply put, it did not feel like any of the other Peterson
books I have read. If you’re hoping for
a good Eugene Peterson read, keep scrolling down and you’ll find several. If you’re looking for a good book on prayer,
keep scrolling down and, as well, you’ll find several.
 |
| Read - March 2019 |
“Handcrafted: A Woodwork’s Story” by Clint Harp (Touchstone, 2018). I caught the Fixer Upper bug along with millions of Americans shortly after the
hit show went into its second season.
Chip and Joanna Gaines had unknowingly launched an enterprise and early
in the show’s story Clint Harp got invited along. He became the go-to carpenter for Joanna’s
custom furniture ideas. Thus, his fame
increased relative with that of Chip and Jo, and the whole Magnolia endeavor. Riding the coattails of both this new fame
and project appeal, he landed his own show.
And, evidently, along with a show came a book deal. While the topic of carpentry and woodwork and
building a business doing what you love was fun to read about, the book as a
whole lacked any further interest. As a
biography (he is barely 40 by the way) the story meanders a bit much with lots
of familial rabbit trails and humanistic axioms to “be your best you” and
“climb your mountains” and “blaze your trails.”
It felt cliché and flat. As a
biographer he lacks the humility that draws a reader into someone else’s story
with empathy and trust. I kept hoping
for some measure of gratitude toward those who made a way for him. What I got was a pretentious life story
carved out by chance, trying harder, and who you happen to know – or meet at a
gas station. While I may have been
inspired to rejoin my dream to build us a family dining table, there are at
least a dozen better books on my shelf that would do this and more. My sense is it was important for him to write
this now, because in five years he would sell less than a fraction of the
copies that are selling these days. At
root, it’s airport fodder; grab and go merch for folks who are tired of staring
at screens on long flights.
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| Read - March 2019 |
“Socrates in the City: Conversations on ‘Life, God, and Other Small
Topics’” edited by Eric Metaxas (Dutton, 2011). Eric Metaxas may be most notable recognized
outside New York as author of the award winning biography “Bonhoeffer.” Of course he has written far more extensively
than that, and in fact, has been the instigator of a regional forum known as Socrates in the City for nearly 20
years. A couple thousand years ago plus
Socrates suggested the “unexamined life is not worth living.” Metaxas glanced hard around him and decided
folks take far too little time to pause and examine life, particularly the
things of life that make it worth living.
So, keeping with the wisdom of old-time philosophy, he began hosting,
from all over the world, well known authorities on what he calls “small topics”
to enjoin his community and peers in examining the life and lives we live. Of the dozens he held over the first decade,
here is a compilation of 11 – perhaps the best or most interesting? – that deal
with what I call “higher topics,” such as suffering, fatherhood, civility, and
belief in God and science. With the
broad sweep of engaging ideas and thoughts, anyone with any inkling to consider
more than the daily-ness of life will find this book not only appealing, but also
important.
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| Read - February 2019 |
“Living Gently in a Violent World: The Prophetic
Witness of Weakness” by Stanley Hauerwas and Jean Vanier (InterVarsity Press,
2018). Stanley Hauerwas is a theologian. Jean Vanier is…a…servant? And it has never been more important that
these two met. If you look closely,
there are those among us who are both nothing like us and exactly like us at
the same time. Decades ago Vanier
started L’Arche communities with the sole purpose to serve them. “Them” are, of course, those who live with
disabilities of varying shades. As a
theologian, Hauerwas is concerned with the truth that God chose the weak ones in
the world to show the world peace. Vanier’s
unique approach to building these communities caught the attention of Hauerwas
several years back. This book then is
the merging of their callings put to words and offered as a confession as much
as a declaration that those we call weak among us are gifts from God to show us
a better way to live and love. Among
other points of interest, these two speak to the political, cultural, and
social issue of abortion from a vantage point you have never heard before. This alone should compel you to grab this
book as soon as possible.
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| Read - February 2019 |
“The New Parish: How Neighborhood Churches are
Transforming Mission, Discipleship, and Community” by Paul Sparks, Tim Soerens,
and Dwight J. Friesen (InterVarsity Press, 2014). That’s a long title, I know. And honestly, that’s just about the whole
book. You’ll pardon my comparisons, as I
know they are rarely helpful, but… Some
readers will harken back a couple decades to when the Emergent Church was just setting in and you’ll recall how tangled
and loose any written understanding was of it.
Well, similarly here. For the Emergent Church, being missional was
going to save face for the church in America.
Here it appears the idea of New
Parish will lift the church out of its evangelistic peril. As I read, the idea of “the traditional
church” felt downplayed for an emphasis on place and presence; land and
community, virtually to what seemed like the diminishing of people
themselves. Terms like “Dynamic
Relationality” and “Radical Locatedness” pushed me beyond the point of
believability. It all felt like
theory. But I pressed on to the finish
and I can honestly tell you I’m thankful to be informed of a church movement. As well, for those with peaked interest, you
will find the conversation points and “posture and practices” for the New
Parish at the end of each chapter important and helpful. Though it may be that is all you will find
important and helpful.
 |
| Read - January 2019 |
“The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred
Rogers” by Maxwell King (Abrams Press, 2018). Finally!
I have been waiting for a well written and honest biography of America’s
most beloved neighbor, Mr. Rogers. This
one popped up on my radar while looking for gift ideas to add to my Christmas
list. There it was under the tree
Christmas morning, and just a couple weeks later, there it was in my
hands. Maxwell King knows the genre of
biography quite well. From start to
finish he traces the black-and-white-turned-full-color timeline of this iconic
children’s television hero with great grace and poise. King begins by dropping back a couple
generations to give context to Fred’s wealthy beginnings. Further in and throughout King carefully
moves the reader through decades of the American story and the history of
educational television in a way that makes you feel like it all revolved around
the life and times of this one luminary.
At last, then, King wraps up this paced treasure beyond Fred Rogers’
passing to hallow his legacy for generations of young learners to come. It’s surprisingly lengthy for a 20th
century television personality, but with 21 pages of end notes siting hundreds
of sources and another 15 page index to steer the reader back to story points,
we are left with nary a concern or quarrel as to the unswerving truth of King’s
offering.
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| Read - January 2019 |
“The Prince: A Novella” by Francine Rivers (Tyndale
House Publishers, 2005). And why
not start off the year with some historical fiction? Francine Rivers is one of the best known
fiction authors who has successfully navigated the social demarcation between
Christian fiction and otherwise. This was
book three of the five book set published under the banner: Sons of
Encouragement. Several years ago I
ventured into book one and two on the biblical figures of Aaron and Caleb,
respectively. This one was the story of
Jonathan. Who? Well, the nature of this set of books was to
take a figure that resides in the shadow of more well know figures and craft a
story around them, piecing together the little we know from the text of
Scripture, and taking well researched liberty to fill in the blanks. Jonathan was the “son of encouragement” for
David before he was ever a king. Rivers
does a remarkable job carrying the story forward with imagery and story that turns
pages as well as any popular fiction on the shelf. I did a little “fact” checking with my Bible
nearby and I was surprised to learn that some points I presumed to be literary
liberties were right there in the text all along. I think you will be pleasantly engaged with
this or any of the other four books in the set.
They would be great teen readers as well, for boys who like a bit of
wild and adventure between their covers.
My Reads and Reviews for 2018:
 |
| Read - December 2018 |
“Hidden in Plain Sight: The Secret of More” by Mark Buchanan (Thomas
Nelson, 2007). Mark Buchanan has been an increasingly preferred
author to read for me. His prose and
procession of thought are much in line with what I appreciate as meaningful and
impactful writing. Here is a book offering
that struck me as different than what I have been used to from Buchanan. Here he writes more expositional than his often
topical writing, though without withholding a finely crafted dose of textual
artistry. Buchanan frames his book
around the seven virtues Peter expounds on early in his second letter; each one
building upon the other, shaping for believers a life that testifies to the
life of Christ in us. More yet, however,
Buchanan fills out the details of Peter’s life by including between chapters
and book sections “diary” entries and short stories that reveal who Peter was,
how he lived, and who we might hope to be in light of Peter’s walking with
Jesus. Though this book slips slightly
down my list of favorites from Buchanan, what he has to say to the Church at
large – and to men in particular – is critically important in these present
days we live. At the end of it all, we
need more men like Peter living in a manner that clears a path for a dying
world to get to Jesus.
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| Read - December 2018 |
“By Willoway Brook: Explowing the Landscape of Prayer” by Cindy
Crosby (Paraclete Press, 2003). This was
my first experience reading Cindy Crosby.
I was lured into reading this book by Eugene Peterson. He has referenced it or her on what seems
like several occasions. Reading this
particular book of hers was hard work for me.
She’s a bit more verbose than what I typically appreciate. However, her verbosity reveals details that
one’s imagination may revel in. The long
strings of words compel you to read quickly; to see what’s coming next! Yet, at the same time, the words force you to
slow down and take in their full weight and meaning. While Crosby has produced a delightful volume
in some respects, I can say it felt a lot more about Willoway Brook and the
surrounding prairie landscape, than it did about prayer. Though her metaphorical associations between
a landscape and the life of prayer are present and accounted for, they will be discerned
by the contemplative reader more readily than others. Never-the-less, even though I haven’t much
highlighted from cover to cover, I suspect I’ll come back to the book as a
reference on prayer or the attributes of God down the road.
 |
| Read - November 2018 |
“Anything:
The Prayer That Unlocked My God and My Soul” by Jennie Allen (Thomas
Nelson, 2011). My wife started reading this book early in
the summer. Late in the summer she came
to me and said she can’t finish the book until I read it and catch up to
her. Amy has in the past recommended to
me books she has read, but never in this manner. I wrapped up the Eugene Peterson and Francis
Chan books (see below) I was reading and started into this one. Jennie Allen basically picked me up where
Chan left me off. This book settled well
into a stream of prophetic voices steadily shaking up the comfortable manner of
life our family has almost unwittingly settled into. While it is a book about a prayer, Allen
weaves that theme into the story of her family’s life. With deep hearted insights and personal
reflections, she takes the reader on her and her husband’s journey of surrendering
to the point of willingness where they could honestly give up anything for
whatever God may have in store. Allen includes
in the back of the book an eight week study that brings more Bible into the
principles she writes about. Ultimately,
upon catching up to my wife, I needed to be done reading it. Not because the book sucked. Rather because I was ready to stop reading
someone else’s stories and start living my own.
 |
| Read - October 2018 |
“Letters to the Church” by Francis Chan (David C
Cook, 2018). Perhaps I’ll start by suggesting only Francis
Chan could write this book. In this
final volume that we can expect from Chan, he takes on popular ecclesiology
with a fierce humility that demands eye contact as much as action from start to
finish. If you have read anything by
Chan in the past, this book is equally as befuddling. How is he able to arrange words and fonts and
spacing on the page with such innocence and ease, and then reach out with truth
and ideas and images that wrestle the reader to the ground? Like sowing mustard seeds, the words look so light
and easy, but once they root themselves in my soul, they peel and pry and push
through the soil of my conscience with unmitigated ardor. Every chapter here delves into a reality of
church life as we know it. Chan challenges
various structures and practices that pervade the Church and gives them honest biblical
pause – over 150 passages cited – ultimately calling the reader back to structures
and practices revealed in the truths of Scripture. But the thing of it is everything he writes
comes from personal stories. The book is
a confession as much as it is a confrontation.
I can’t imagine a reader slinging this book around, pointing out the wooden
speck in the eye of his or her church without first dealing with the log in his
or her own eye. So, I would commend this
book to you with the warning that you enjoin it with equal humility as that of
the author.
 |
| Read - September 2018 |
“Beyond Basketball: Coach K’s Keywords for Success” by Mike
Krzyzewski (Business Plus, 2006). My son
gave me this book for Father’s Day a while back. And though I am not a fan of the Duke Blue
Devil’s, I am a huge fan of Coach Mike Krzyzewski. I have spent just enough time around
basketball over the years to know great teams never arise by chance. They are always following a great
leader. Coach K’s record as a coach and
reputation as a man precede him in this fact, and I have a high level of
respect for him. In this easy and fun to
read book, Coach K unfurls a secret of his in coaching: Words. His conviction is words are powerful. The right word communicated at the right time
can be a game changer, and these are the best he has. Between these covers Coach K records 40
keywords – 40 short chapters – and their meaning, along with real-time examples
of players and situations from various years and seasons when the particular
word was especially important. Of specific
note, it was not missed on me that the chapter on “Family” was the longest of
them all. As well, though the chapters
are laid out alphabetically by the keyword, the chapter on “Failure” (also
rather long) immediately followed the chapter on “Excellence.” Whether you are into coaching or just need
some quick short motivational reads once in a while, you’ll appreciate this
book. Between you and me, Coach K’s
keywords for success replaced Bill Hybels axioms on my shelf.
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| Read - September 2018 |
“As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed By
the Words of God” by Eugene Peterson (Waterbrook, 2017). More than any other author represented on my
bookshelf, Eugene Peterson’s books have more isolated passages, single pages,
and whole chapters marked as meaningful and important, and this volume is no
exception. The thing about him that is
so captivating and motivating is his biblical imagination. True of all his books, he has never been
afraid to use his wit and will to cut out Bible images with precision and
clarity, and humbly present them to his readers. Unique to this book, he has compiled seven
sets of seven homilies (no, I did not miss the intentioned nod to Sabbath and
the Year of Jubilee there) from his years of ministry experience, which
demonstrate how he uses his biblical imagination in the pastorate. The careful reader will recognize within a
chapter or two that what Peterson is doing is teaching the reader – or student,
should the reader admit it – how to preach and how to listen at the same time. Each of the seven sets of homilies is crafted
around important prophetic voices; major players, if you will, that span the biblical
timeline. Then each of the seven
homilies captures the heart of a biblical text associated with these voices with
authenticity and accuracy. If you choose
to pick up this book – I hope you will – it could be your morning devotional or
long-afternoon-in-the-sunshine read or even personal in-depth Bible study.
 |
| Read - August 2018 |
“Remember These Things” by Paul Harvey (The
Heritage Foundation, 1952). Paul
Harvey is engrained in most people’s memory as the steady monotone voice
streaming over the AM airwaves for the latter half of the 20th
century. It is unlikely that many will
remember him as an author, yet, here you have it: One of three books I have, written by Paul
Harvey himself. For me Paul Harvey has a
nostalgic appeal. As I read his words on
the page, I could hear his voice through the radio speaker. In fact, my sense the further I read, was
this book is a compilation of many of his radio commentaries and broadcasts,
each selected for their relation to the topic of American patriotism. Published during a time in American history
where everything the people of the United States had worked so hard for was
being threatened by other world powers and nations in turmoil, the words of
Paul Harvey serve as a reminder to keep your head up and stand for what is true
about America as a republic established of, for, and by the people who call it
home. What surprised me as I read this
time-bound book was how incredibly relevant; even prophetic, it is for these
days in which we live. While Paul Harvey
keeps a steady political tone, his religious faith seeps into the space between
the lines and this book becomes as much a call to remember a live faith in God
as it does a call to remember what it means to be an American. This book is out of print and hard to find,
but if you really want to read it…and take it seriously…I might let you borrow
mine.
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| Read - August 2018 |
“Sabbath” by Dan B. Allender (Thomas Nelson,
2009). The
Ancient Practices Series (Phyllis Tickle, General Editor) is a series of
books designed to help understand the ancient spiritual practices of the
Christian Church and their modern day expressions and practices. Allender’s book on Sabbath is the fourth book
from the series I have read (also Tithing,
The Sacred Journey, and The Sacred Meal), and I should admit,
the least helpful. I have read quite a few
books on or around the topic of Sabbath, and I’ll continue to. But there is something about writing on
Sabbath that seems to propel authors into a mystical stratosphere where only
hyper spiritual Christians can follow and practice what’s being written on. The list of genuinely helpful books on
Sabbath has been short for me and I’ll pass it along to you at some point. Here though, in a book parted out into three
sections, I read hundreds of one-liners and metaphors on what Sabbath is and
isn’t, but in the end two of the three sections contributed little more to my
already firm conviction and appreciation of Sabbath. The middle section added a measure of purpose
to Sabbath; celebrating peace, abundance, and joy. Yet, with Allender’s difficult prose, full
and thick, like eating peanut butter, it may be just as time-worthy and more edifying
for readers to pick up a book by Mark Buchanan or Eugene Peterson.
 |
| Read - July 2018 |
“Superheroes Can’t Save You: Epic Examples of
Historic Heresies” by Todd Miles (B&H Academic, 2018). Todd Miles has done something here that avid
readers do not come across very often.
He has sewn together four corners of interest with nary a noticeable seam. Here is a work that combines Miles’ childhood
(and adulthood) fascination with comic book superheroes, his career interests in
Bible and theology, a common necessary interest in church history, and his
personal faith convictions. And the
thematic result is a highly readable volume (184 pgs.) on the person of Jesus
Christ. From chapter titles to “Last
Words” to personal and group discussion questions this book is engaging, enlightening,
and entertaining. Each chapter recounts
the story of a popular superhero and imagines that superheroes superpowers onto
Jesus. Further then, Miles associates
these “Jesus Super-caricatures” with historical heresies, or false views of who
Jesus was/is. Finally he resolves matters
with biblically rooted theology that establishes the truth about Jesus in light
of the falsehoods; many of which remain today still. With a equitable dose of apologetics and tongue-in-cheek
wit, Miles has produced a fun read that will bolster your faith, growing your
heart as much as your mind, with the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior
of the World.
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| Read - June 2018 |
“Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold” by C.S.
Lewis (Harper Collins, 2012 – this edition). I have noted before that I don’t read a lot
of fiction. C.S. Lewis has been for me a
reasonable and readable fiction option for years. Here is a book I did not know existed until I
found it on clearance at a local bookstore going out of business. Dedicated to his wife Joy the year they were
married, Lewis takes on the millennia old myth of Cupid and Psyche. However, he spins the story and writes it
first person from the vantage point of Psyche’s eldest sister, Orual. Having not read the original myth of Cupid
and Psyche, I cannot tell you just how much liberty Lewis takes with the story. In his rendering, however, Orual is the main
character likely intentioned as such so the reader might identify with reality
amidst the mythological story line. The
book moves through mountains of emotion and tension, and carries the reader
along nicely. Thematic issues of relationships
and certainty and faith and love are all prevalent from start to finish. But the highest theme emerges in the latter third
of the book where the timeline seems to shift from past-tense to present
tense. The reader is pulled into the
moment and, together with the now Queen Orual, learns the utmost lesson on
truth, beauty, and goodness in a most settling way.
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| Read - May 2018 |
“Chasing Slow: Courage To Journey Off the Beaten
Path” by Erin Loechner (Zondervan, 2016). I went
out on a limb with this book. Knowing
very little about the author herself, it was the title that captured me. I read it as a question, finger pointed at my
chest: “Chasing slow?” “YES!” I replied and opened the book. The book turned out to be an autobiographical
sketch of a particularly extended season of Loechner’s life where she and her husband
learned immense lessons about life and possessions and what’s most
important. She has a curious way with
words. Reading page by page felt a bit
like binge reading a blog. She writes
thought for thought in present tense; the reader reliving the moments with
her. I realized a short bit into the
book that she’s writing largely for women; at least her prose would appeal primarily
to them. However, I couldn’t quit the
book. In fact, there are several
chapters I’ll read again. Her principles
are universal, she’s wonderfully quotable, and just between you and me, she was
talking to this Daddy’s heart.
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| Read - April 2018 |
“The Pursuing God: A Reckless, Irrational, Obsessed Love That’s
Dying to Bring Us Home” by Joshua Ryan Butler (W Publishing Group, 2016). This is the second book Josh Butler has
written, and the second book by Butler I have read. In this sophomore volume Butler presses hard
into the culturally critical issue of God’s love. He explores the reality of God’s pursuit of
us amidst our fickle ways and mischievous means of looking for Him. Like his first book, “The Skeletons in God’s
Closet,” Butler does a thorough job researching and referencing his thoughts
from cover to cover. With just over two
dozen pages of notes, it is as though he invites the reader to learn just as
much or more by studying his cited sources.
As well, like his first book, his words seem redundant or repetitive,
causing the book to feel wordy and long.
My preference in this is to assume Butler is doing right by the reader,
as any good teacher does, by repeating and encouraging key points so as not to
miss their importance. After all, the
topic at hand is not easily bound up in 150 pages or less. If you pick this book to read, press on to
the finish, for your reward will be an ending that wraps up triumphantly and
wonderfully.
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| Read - March 2018 |
“To the Cross: Proclaiming the Gospel from the
Upper Room to Calvary” by Christopher J.H. Wright (InterVarsity Press, 2017). With Easter merely two weeks away I scanned
my “to be read” shelf and noticed this gift book from IVP to its book club
members. Bound up between these covers are
five sermons preached by Wright for Easter services from years past at All
Souls Church, Langham Place, London.
Using texts from all four gospel writers, Wright leads readers through
varying settings from Good Friday to Easter Sunday. The preface prepares the reader that they’ll
be engaging in sermonic manuscripts, but as a reader, you’ll forget this early
on. Between the proficiency of preaching
on Wright’s part and the likely minor edits to the text on IVP’s part, these
chapters blend nicely together and read off smoothly and with ease. By ease I mean of course the actual
reading. Not one of these chapters is
easy to hear. Wright delivers to the
reader bold grace-filled words that are centered on Christ Jesus and press in
with conviction. Yet, each chapter wraps
with the joy filled good news appropriate for Easter or any time of year.
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| Read - February 2018 |
“The Eyes of the Heart: A Memoir of the Lost and Found” by Frederick
Buechner (Harper One, 1999).
Frederick Buechner is one of my favorite authors. He writes for multiple genres of literature,
and they are all literature in the strictest sense; many destined to be
classics I’m sure. Here is the forth
book in a series of four memoirs chronicling the seasons of Buechner’s life and
times. Where the other three books in
the series move along more quickly, this one seems to slow down and capture the
breadth of fewer stories and relationships.
Buechner is ruminating this way through “The Magic Kingdom,” that is to
say, his library. As he does, he
brilliantly paints settings and characters with such linguistic vibrancy that the
reader feels as though he can reach into the places and touch the people born
onto the page. While this forth book in
the series is not as compelling as the previous three for reasons of pace and
punch, I would recommend it to you after reading the other three, not merely to
cap the series but because the ending is wonderfully written.
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| Read - February 2018 |
“A Spirituality of Fundraising” by Henri J.M.
Nouwen (Upper Room Books, 2010). Henri
Nouwen was a passionate man. His highest
passion was Jesus Christ and the things of the gospel. As well, Nouwen was direct and honest,
holding nothing back and refusing to mince words. Those two pieces of his personality combined,
here produced a wonderful short volume on fundraising. Cover to cover, this book may take you two
hours to read, including a snack and bathroom break. Yet, he says more in these few pages than
most of us are willing to say in our lives about the touchy topic of asking for
money to support our cause. Probably
because he begins with the unarguable position that if it is a legitimate cause
for Jesus, it isn’t in the end your cause at all, but God’s. Thus, the Bible has already argued for the
need. We are left simply to invite folks
to join in. As pages turn Nouwen expands
on that nicely and with such grace. If you
are at all preparing to raise money for a particular gospel centered venture or
are in the midst of it now, you must read this book.
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| Read - January 2018 |
“The Disciplines of the Christian Life” by Eric
Liddell (eChristianBooks, 2011). This
book totally took me by surprise! Most
of the world will remember Eric Liddell for his athletic heroism and religious
devotion at the 1924 Olympic Games. But
I suspect if Eric were still with us, he would hope to be remembered instead
for his 20 years as a Christian missionary to China following his Olympic
appearance. This book is an unedited
compilation of Liddell’s writings from those years serving in China and it is
simply remarkable. I have on my
bookshelf at least five popular volumes by well-known authors on the topic of
discipleship. This one may just be the
most useful and in many ways biblically and theologically rooted of them
all. Liddell deals concisely yet wholly
with the key issues of the Christian faith, lining them out in a gracious
twelve month rhythm. He strikes a
notable balance between personal insight, biblical example, and catechesis for
further exploration. And he does it all
with utter humility and honesty. I could
imagine you picking this book up as a guide for a small group study, a personal
devotional, or a resource for a mentor relationship.
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| Read - January 2018 |
“The Ideal Team Player: How To Recognize and Cultivate the Three
Essential Virtues” by Patrick Lencioni (Jossey-Bass, 2016). My wife tells me she can tell when I’m
reading a Lencioni book because I think and talk differently. I suppose she’s right. Though I must admit, she’d have to pay close
attention to notice the difference while reading this book. Among the eight books I’ve read by Lencioni,
this book may have been my least favorite.
The story, set at the corporate level of the construction trade, is not
as compelling as his others and the language is baser, even crass at
times. Yet, it is still a worthy read,
at least in part. Lencioni divides his
books in half; the first being the “fable”, the second being the “model
explained.” While most of his books are
worth reading cover to cover, there are a couple that reading only “fable” part
is sufficient to catch the breadth and depth of what he’s purporting. With this one, I might suggest reading only
the “model explained” part. There is
where Lencioni works hard to color in the leadership framework that proposes three
critical virtues for life and business, and offers lots of valuable resources
and applications. You won’t miss any of
the most important stuff and you’ll save some time to boot.
My Reads and Reviews for 2017:
 |
| Read - December 2017 |
“Wonder” by R.J. Palacio (Knopf, 2012). Fiction… I rarely read it. Besides the Patrick Lencioni leadership
fables, I can count the number of fiction books I’ve read in the last five
years on one hand. But my daughter read
this book when she was 10. Then my wife
read the book when she was 36. Then my
son read the book last fall when he was 11.
Every one of them was different after reading it. Well, now, as the cover indicates, it is a
major motion picture. I’d be a fool not
to pick it up and give it a read. Folks,
I’m different now too. August Pullman is
not like other kids, while at the same time, he is every bit like them, and
more. The problem is everything about “Auggie”
that is not like other kids gets in the way of kids knowing him as just like
them. Palacio reveals the heart of kids
and adults alike so gracefully and uniquely as she pulls us inside the hearts
of this story’s characters. Whoever you
are, you’re in this story. I was at
least two of the characters. If you have
ever pondered what is so amazing about humankind; what it is that sets us apart
from every other animal in this global kingdom, Wonder will move you closer to resolve than any other book I can
put my hands on today, save the Bible. I
hope you’ll read it soon.
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| Read - November 2017 |
“The Message of the Twelve: Heating the Voice of
the Minor Prophets” by Richard Alan Fuhr, Jr. & Gary E. Yates (B&H
Academic, 2016). Tucked between the loud audacious presence of
God in Isaiah or Jeremiah or Ezekiel and the quiet arrival of Jesus told in Matthew
or Luke or John are twelve Bible books; prophets as it were, minor only in the
sense that they feel shorter in length than the other guys, but major in their
message to you and me. Moving from one
book to the next, Fuhr and Yates mine out timeless meaning, both practical and
theological, through in depth historical, cultural, and literary
exposition. They trace themes and
meaning between books, allowing scripture to attest to its own unity, revealing
these twelve books as perhaps the best example of the divine authority of the
Bible over centuries that we have. Chapter
length is proportional to the length of their respective prophetic book and each
chapter wraps with a call of practical importance for the reader. This book is academic in nature, but it only
feels academic in the presence of rich footnotes and a lengthy
bibliography. Otherwise it is
wonderfully readable for anyone who might hope to learn more about why these
books are in the Bible, and what they meant to God’s people millennia ago and
what they mean to us today.
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| Read - September 2017 |
“Faith Positive in a Negative World: Redefine Your Reality and Achieve Your
Spiritual Dreams” by Dr. Joey Faucette and Mike Van Vranken (Listen to Life,
2014). Joey Faucette is one of my favorite people,
and I only just met him four months ago.
Here is his and Van Vranken’s offering to the world: A dedicated and direct user friendly volume
that jumps far beyond the categorical bounds of “self-help” lit. Between the covers of this book you’ll find
compelling stories, laugh-out-loud humor, and well thought out strategies to
“increase your faith with greater joy at work so you love God and others
more!” Faucette and Van Vranken
introduce a series of steps that serve the reader in motivating and moving him
or her closer to realizing hopes and dreams that can feel further away the longer
they are held. From perceiving all the
way to achieving, and then some, each step is not only meaningful, but also highly
applicable. I know Joey’s heart is for
the reader, and as a life coach himself, his highest hope for you would be to
realize who God made you to become. My
sense is this book will oblige you well in that venture. (As well, there is a mainstream market kissin’ cousin to this book called “Work
Positive,” written particularly for the business sector.)
 |
| Read - August 2017 |
“The Holy Wild:
Trusting in the Character of God” by Mark Buchanan (Multnomah
Publishers, 2003). This
book landed in my hands because it’s Mark Buchanan, not because in it he deals
with a topic of Theology that peaks one of my highest interests. (I try not to read subtitles before
introductions.) So you can imagine my
joy when, upon immersing myself in Buchanan’s introduction, I learned reading
this book would be a journey through the “holy wild’s” of the Quality of God, or His essential
nature. From start to finish Buchanan employs
picturesque literature to travel with the reader down a road beside stream and
in valley and through wood pointing out the nature of God; His benevolence,
redemption, and majesty, and those characteristics that determine Him to be so. Chapter after chapter, in a way only Buchanan
can stimulate, you’ll be found grappling with both the restlessness of these days you live and the restfullness of devotion to God.
Please read this book. And after
you finish it, may I recommend to you a book surely born from this one, “The
Rest of God,” also by Buchanan, where you’ll be given the freedom to apply
everything you’ll learn here.
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| Read - July 2017 |
“The Importance of Being Foolish: How To Think Like Jesus” by Brennan Manning
(Harper SanFrancisco, 2005). This has
been the most important book I have read all year thus far. Not surprising as it comes from Brennan
Manning. As an author, Manning was of a
rare breed. Everything he wrote came
from a depth of soul not many of us are able to touch even in ourselves. This book – pure and transparent and richly
studied out – was no exception. A quote from
the outset of this journey is more fitting than anything I might suggest: “Wanting
to please everybody, I am sorely tempted to pen something bland, a treatise
riddled with clichés, tortured metaphors, and meaningless stories. Then everybody will be happy and gloriously
self-contented. But this book is written
out of the conviction that Jesus Christ lived and died and rose in order to
form the Holy People of God… To offer an innocuous effort would be a
prostitution of the gospel, an insult to God, and a grave disservice to the
reader.” And thus commences an easy
to read yet hard to swallow venture that will leave you very different from the
inside-out on the backside than on the fore.
 |
| Read - June 2017 |
“UnSelfie:
Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World” by Michele Borba
(Touchstone, 2016). Michele
Borba has offered the Western world a prophetic vision of what is missing in
our culture: Empathy. Borba assumes
nothing from the get-go. She begins by
building the need and moves swiftly into the practical. Three parts then pace the reader through
stages of recognition and “how-to’s” on empathy beginning with developing an
empathetic character and moving toward empathy as a way of life. Though I depart from some points in Borba’s
philosophy of education, namely her psychology, even still I was convicted at
heart on multiple levels and learned much about myself and my kids. She writes in a way that gently turns the
reader’s attention from others to self.
While I would recommend this book to any and every one, I would
particularly recommend it to those who have kids coming up through the tween
years. And as you read, realize you and
I are the trend setters who must model the principles laid out on the page.
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| Read - June 2017 |
“Christ-Centered Coaching: 7 Benefits for Ministry Leaders” by Jane
Creswell (Chalice Press, 2006). Coaching
as a life resource has become increasingly popular over the last 10 to 15
years. And Jane Creswell has been on the
forward edge of it all since before its inception as an internationally
organized practice. Where today
volumes-a-plenty exist on the subject, 10 years ago this book was one of only a
few resources worth their weight in clients.
Here, Creswell has written a book all about me…and you. Chapter after chapter, the pseudonyms become
the reader. Tom, Charles, Bill… All folks whose “stuck stories” mingle their
way into the reader’s story with nary an apology. But reading on, the stories – our stories –
find resolve in the pursuit of coaching with Christocentric values that reveal
strengths and focus and confidence and goals.
With thousands of hours of experience and more hours still of in depth
research, Creswell writes clearly and succinctly, without a lot of publisher
fluff to thicken the covers. And while
the books greatest value will be found by those interested in learning more
about coaching as a practice, there is still so much to be gleaned by anyone
who has found themselves stuck in life at one time or another.
 |
| Read - April 2017 |
“Pistol:
The Life of Pete Maravich” by Mark Kriegel (Free Press, 2007). Great biographies reach out and grip the
reader in such a way that allows room to squirm loose, but the reader never
wants to try. Mark Kriegel has done just
that here. The name Pistol Pete conjures
near mythical imagery of ball handling and scoring and passing. However, those who packed gymnasiums to watch
him play could never have known the man behind the myth. In this reasonably sized volume, Kriegel
takes up arms with the past, present, and future of a basketball phenome whose
legendary status was born from much unseen trial and tumult. He begins early, with the man behind the boy;
the father behind the son, and paints in fine stroke the setting for a life
sold out to basketball. He then moves
through seasons of Maravich family life with grace and poise, giving fair
attention to both victories and defeats.
The irony is born in the reality that every defeat resulted in some
manner of eventual victory, even as far as Pete’s firmly founded faith in Jesus
Christ. As the reader you’ll be floored
by some of what you read. In comparison
to other biographies of Pistol Pete, Kriegel is certainly more honest and
raw. But the effect of this manner of
portrayal is the reader is handed opportunity to listen in and learn some life
lessons before making the mistakes that led to them for The Pistol.
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| Read - March 2017 |
“Prayer and the Knowledge of God: What the Whole Bible Teaches” by Graeme
Goldsworthy (InterVarsity Press, 2003). Graeme
Goldsworthy has contributed an invaluable resource on prayer for Christian
leaders and lay-people alike. I do not
have another book about prayer on my shelf with more pages dog-eared. He begins in the beginning…of the Bible, and
invites the reader to travel with him on a biblical progression of prayer. Moving from prayers’ foundation in Genesis
onward through the pages of Christian scripture, Goldsworthy not only unfurls
understanding of prayer that alone is worth the read, but as well, he
seamlessly weaves in side-notes and subplots like Imago Dei or the use of inclusive language or divine sovereignty
and human responsibility. While there
were a couple chapters I struggled to see clear connections to prayer, these
tied in so nicely with the higher trajectory of aim, that they worked equally
with other chapters to enhance the value of this book for me. If you pick up this book and are tempted to
stall out, move to the conclusion, where you’ll surely find motivation to
restart and finish the book well.
 |
| Read - February 2017 |
“Getting Naked:
A Business Fable about shedding the three fears that sabotage client
loyalty” by Patrick Lencioni (Jossy-Bass, 2010). I was shocked to scroll through my reads for
2016 and find I had not one Lencioni book in the mix. I decided I’d better get on that early in the
year with Lencioni’s most provocative title yet. True to form, the title of this book sets the
tone for the fable revealed beyond the cover.
With humor and suspense, Lencioni masterfully employs all the elements
that make great narrative and offers a page turning volume on being vulnerable. In business and life alike, we are a people with
insecurities. We have varying ways of
hiding them, but we all have them none-the-less. Insecurity promotes fear, and fear manifests
in any number of manners that damage loyalties.
Though Lencioni’s book is framed in a business setting, the model of
being vulnerable transfers seamlessly into our personal lives. I am not a business man. I am a husband and a dad and a pastor among
other things. And I have always
appreciated how the principles Lencioni puts forth in his books land on the
personal level more than the professional level. After all, we are best when we are who we are
in every role we play.
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| Read - February 2017 |
“The Sacred Meal” by Nora Gallagher (Thomas
Nelson, 2009). The early Christian church had several sacred
practices that kept the mystery of their faith real and tangible in the
daily-ness of life. This was the third book
I read from an eight book series (The
Ancient Practices Series) that covers seven practices, and it was equally
as interesting and engaging as the other two (The Sacred Journey and Tithing,
see below for both). Stories keep the
text dynamic and moving forward, and Gallagher is a splendid story teller. She has the ability to pull you into her “sacred
meal” moments with humility and grace.
Chapter after chapter the reader is weaved into scenes and dialogue that
cover varying issues and mysteries surrounding the practice of communion or
Eucharist. Though Gallagher gets a bit
mystical near the end, her worldview seems to stay safely clear of spiritualism,
remaining focused on Christ and His Church.
If you have hoped for a biblical exposition or theological treatise on
the topic of The Lord’s Supper, this would not be your choice; and I presume Gallagher
would not ascend to such a hope in this work.
However, if you have hoped for a leisurely stroll through the heart and
mind of one who stands with you or before you at the sacred table, you may want
to pick up this volume.
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| Read - February 2017 |
“A Timbered Choir: The Sabbath Poems 1979-1997”
by Wendell Berry (Counterpoint, 1998). Wendell
Berry is one of the finest writers these present generations have known. Why it has taken me so many years to finally
attend to his cultural offerings is beyond me.
As well, it has been quite a spell since I have entered a book of poems and
read it cover to cover. This compilation
was just the one to reenter with. These
100 plus poems were “written in silence, in solitude, mainly out of doors” in
reflection and response to days and season of Sabbath; of stopping and
resting. Berry humbly concedes himself an
amateur poet, but his reputation as a renowned writer precedes these verses
and, in fact, pervades them throughout.
Berry is sincere and honest in these poems. Though some are edged with political and
environmental activism, most are pure and unadulterated, giving voice to the
woods and country and farm Berry knows with intimate detail. Between the lines of these poems is the heart
of humankind in all its aliveness and joy and victory and passion and pain and
loss and labor and death. I am certainly
you will find a story between these covers that knows your own.
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| Read - January 2017 |
“Practice Resurrection: A conversation on
growing up in Christ” by Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans, 2010). The life of a Christ follower is always
moving toward the resurrected life of Christ himself. It is a life called out from the dark caverns
of death unto a life lived ever more alive.
The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reveals what manner of living
or calling that is, and he invokes us to live “worthily” of it. And where Paul’s invocation suspends our
imaginations from understanding, Peterson steps in, takes our hands, and walks
us passage by passage in a worthy way. Eugene
Peterson is a favorite author of mine, and a reliable “go-to” when I cannot
decide what to read next. This volume is
one of five volumes written as “a conversation” of sorts. Indeed, that is the feel you get as you read
on through the pages. Peterson’s balanced
Pastor/Theologian personality oversees the reading of this book with both
shepherding and scholarship. Of the four
volumes in this series I have read, this one reads the longest. Peterson’s language turns poetic often enough
to slow the reader to a crawl.
Never-the-less, the crawling read is proved well worth it by the time
you arrive at the final chapter.
My Reads and Reviews for 2016:
 |
| Read - December 2016 |
“The
Skeletons in God’s Closet: the Mercy of
Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War” by Joshua Ryan Butler
(Thomas Nelson, 2014). Among the controversial and divisive topics if
the Bible, issues of hell, judgment, and holy war may well occupy the top three
spots. Butler has taken on not one, not
two, but all three of these in a single readable volume. Though lengthy among popular books (311 pgs.),
Butler unashamedly takes full-bodied time and space to lay foundation, build framework,
and finish off a necessary three-part exposition that is as biblical and
theological as it is practical and present.
This volume is finely researched and aptly noted with extensive end
notes, which both compel further study and qualify ideas that may strike some
as too new to handle. His subtle
repetitive form, while missing on some readers, works to solidify points that
prove critical to his overarching press of mercy and hope. Of particular appreciation for me is Butler’s
use of Hebrew Scripture and biblical languages to shape and support the themes
that emerge from these pages. Here is a
book that will gently dismantle long held ideas and assumptions and equally as
gently encourage hearts with truth.
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| Read - October 2016 |
“The
First Thanksgiving: What the Real Story
Tells Us About Loving God and Learning from History” by Robert Tracy McKenzie
(InterVarsity Press, 2013). Thanksgiving has always seemed to me like good
American lore; a historic fable of near mythic proportion: The Pilgrims arduous journey upon the Mayflower
toward a new land, new life, new religious freedom; landing at Plymouth Rock and
enjoining the Native Americans in agricultural fare, culminating in a feast of bountiful
array. It’s been hard to buy since
elementary school, so I’ve skipped the cockle hats and feather headbands, choosing
instead to honor the day with lists of things I’m thankful for. Dr. McKenzie has reinforced my suspicion, but
not by disrupting the story. Rather by disrupting
the mythic proportion of it. Using the
most respected and authenticated historical documents, McKenzie produces a well
written volume of sensible size (under 200 pgs.). He is
articulate in his explanations without becoming verbose, and he works hard to
keep the most important events surrounding the story of the Day grounded in documented
historical context. Though he gets a bit
academic near the end, his writing craft never loses the reader before reminding
us we are all pilgrims in the strictest sense.
McKenzie will not ruin what you’ve known to be Thanksgiving Day. But if you let him, he’ll take what you’ve
known and reform it and refresh it, giving it character that transcends the Day and colors your every day.
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| Read - September 2016 |
“Teaching
a Stone to Talk: Expeditions and
Encounters” by Annie Dillard (Harper Perennial, 1982). This is
my second Annie Dillard book this year.
Neither this one, nor the last, was her Pulitzer Prize winning
book. I guess I’m working my way up to
that one. This one, however, is equally
acclaimed as anything else she’s written.
Dillard is majestic in her ability to unveil the natural world we live
in with prose that blurs into poetry often enough to lift the reader off their
tail into a literary stratosphere where she alone holds court. She treks along through our daily wild
pausing to observe things like an eclipse, weasels, mirages, even stones as the
title presumes, weaving life and character into each such that the reader; you
and I that is, are fooled more than once into believing we are enjoying a
casual conversation with her in the presence of her subject. But we aren’t. We aren’t there at all. For she is on polar expeditions and island
tours and jungle adventures, involving herself in the suffering of a deer or
the silence of a field. At the end of it
all she, along with we, are standing in reflection with who I believe to be her
younger self, recalling the marvel of youth and the reality that time steals
from us imagination and replaces it with nostalgia. I truly hope you’ll read this one.
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| Read - August 2016 |
“View
From The Top: An Inside Look at How
People in Power See and Shape the World” by D. Michael Lindsay (Wiley, 2014). A surprising
150 pages short, this book captures the best and highest points from one of the
largest leadership studies ever.
Lindsay, an award winning scholar and college president, sought in-depth
face and/or voice time with over 500 leaders from around the world in every
major field of cultural influence including: media, education, arts &
entertainment, business, government, the social sector, and the church. The product then; this book, is a
comprehensive, yet concise, balanced reveal of the personality and
characteristics of high level leadership. I personally found the book engaging,
and I continue to sift through the pages to glean practical insights that I
might apply. My impression is this book
is aimed at those in leadership roles more than it is aimed at aspiring leaders. However, at the end of the story, Lindsay’s
final assessment is both practical and biblical. In essence the truth of Micah 6:8; do
justice, be kind, and be humble, emerge as pillars that uphold a leadership “grounded
in love.”
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| Read - July 2016 |
“A
Change of Heart: A Personal and
Theological Memoir” by Thomas C. Oden (InterVarsity Press, 2014). Now here
is a book, brilliantly written by a brilliant man. My favorite Bible commentary series on my
shelf is the “Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture.” Thomas Oden is the general editor. This memoir is the story of his life, and
really how his life became a testimony to the ecumenism the commentary series
promotes. I must admit, early on I
nearly put the book down. The trajectory
of Oden’s Christian story seemed rather liberal. His early scholarship and publishing was
centered on slippery theological slopes and dangerously high psycho-social
philosophical edges. I stayed the course
of reading, however, and just about the time I’d had enough, his story turned
sharply. While teaching at Drew
University in the 1970’s he met a Russian Jew named Will Herberg. Herberg set challenges before Oden that
convicted him and spun him around to the false ideologies he’d been suggesting
for decades. Out of this season grew a
deep appreciation for the ancient church fathers. The book proceeds from decade to decade
chronicling the God inspired shifts that generated for Oden borderless vision
and hope for unity in the Body of Christ.
The risks were immense and the failure near certain, but the product at
the end of the journey was received the world over regardless of Christian
religious traditions. This memoir may not
appeal to every Christian’s mind. Though
I am certain it will appeal to every heart.
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| Read - July 2016 |
“Why
I Am A Christian” by John Stott (InterVarsity Press, 2003). In 1927
Bertrand Russel decidedly spoke out on his unbelief in God. His ideas were published many years later
under the title “Why I Am Not a Christian.”
Many years later still, John Stott stood in the pulpit and preached, not
in rebut, but in addition to Russel’s sentiments, having noticed several points
of Russel that were concluded prematurely or inadequately. This little book is the fruit of those
sermons published. As expected, Stott
attends to the issues with cleaver appeal.
He carefully maneuvers truths such as:
God’s relentless pursuit of humankind, Who Jesus claimed to be, Why the
cross, Freedom from ourselves, and the reward we always wanted, among others. Wonderfully, Stott closes the book with an
invitation that chimes with his typical humble devotion. The book is short, though it reads long. Indeed, its brevity made it easy to plod through
thought for thought. However, with the fullness
of his wit and wisdom splayed across the pages, you’ll want to slow down and
listen closely word for word.
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| Read - June 2016 |
“Becoming
Dads: A Mission to Restore Absent
Fathers” by Marvin Charles (Anyman Publishing, 2016). This
book was given to me by a new friend. He
happens to be a personal friend of the author, and in fact shared life with him
for a season. It seemed appropriate to
give the book a read. The book is split
out into two parts. The first six
chapters are Marvin’s story. It’s
compelling enough; lots of drama, not a lot of movement. It turned laborious to follow literarily. (See how that sentence was hard to read. It was like that.) I found myself skimming by chapter four and
done by chapter six; which is where the first part ends anyway. The next five chapters are the “how to” of
the story. Marvin’s life story pushed
into a mission, which pushed into a non-profit dedicated to restoring right
fatherhood. My sense is the mission is
all well and good, serving a real need.
I’m not sure the book itself moves the mission forward however. I suspect, to meet with Marvin would be a
time and space seasoned with rich and meaningful dialogue, and I’d leave the
time deeply impacted and moved. The
book, however, could not achieve this for me though.
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| Read - May 2016 |
“Eat
This Book: A Conversation in the Art of
Spiritual Reading” by Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans, 2006). If the
title of this book is not compelling enough to crack open the cover, perhaps
its argument is: Stop reading the Bible
(or anything else for that matter) as a consumer and start reading it as a redeemed
saint. I suspect Peterson would have
said that better; and indeed he does, throughout this entire book. Divided into three parts, Peterson begins the
book with a deeply thought through discourse on scripture’s revelation of the
trinity. He considers the unique manners
our Bibles reveal the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and allows the
reader space to agree fully. Peterson
then engages the ancient and increasingly trendy practice of Lectio Divina, or spiritual
reading. I have read a handful of
contemporary authors who have engaged this topic, but none seem to attend to it
quite like Peterson does in this book.
Finally he delves into the history of translation and where our Bibles
came from. His purpose in part is to
establish a case for reliability. However,
his higher purpose is to establish a case for The Message Bible, or at least a biblical translation/phrasing that
captures the common Aramaic dialects and nuances and lingo such that we might
catch a vision for allowing the text of scripture to seep into the daily-ness
of our conversant lives. Now I suspect
you have never eaten a book before. I
haven’t either. However, in keeping with
Peterson’s use of biblical metaphor, I will commend this book to you because it
tasted lovely and affirming at first, but upon slower thinking, it was bitterly
convicting.
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| Read - May 2016 |
“The
Gospel According to Dr. Seuss” by James W. Kemp (Judson Press, 2004). Reading
the title you can imagine the nature of this book. I
suppose the author mines out spiritual truths from Dr. Seuss’s quirky timeless
tales. That is what I presumed too. “Horton Hears a Who,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” “How
the Grinch Stole Christmas.” The names
themselves enjoin childhood memories we love.
As well, now with the title of the book, the names cause our minds to
wonder more deeply about Horton the Elephant or Sam-I-Am or the mean
Grinch. Perhaps there is more to them than I thought. I set
my hopes higher than my presumption and bought the book. I think I’d rather have the t-shirt. Kemp’s contribution met my presumption, but
missed my hope. The book is valuable;
entertaining even, in its considerations and contemplations. And it is biblical in so far as it
communicates gospel insight. However,
its attempt at mining out timeless truths from Dr. Seuss’s timeless tales
spirals into what may feel to many like a moralized youth group lesson. My suggestion is allow the gospel to continue
being the gospel with transformational effect
and Dr. Seuss’s fables to continue being fables with moral affect.
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| Read - April 2016 |
“Prayers
Plainly Spoken” by Stanley Hauerwas (Wipf and Stock, 1999). Never pick
up anything written by Stanley Hauerwas with intentions for a quick read. This book arrived thin and unassuming with large
font and wide line spacing. It took me
three months to peruse. This volume is a
collection of prayers written by Hauerwas and prayed at the opening of his
ethics classes at Duke Divinity School.
The wise reader learns quickly that these prayers were not written with
haste or scoff, though their length and verbiage may imply so. Rather, my sense is they were written with a
slow plodding depth of insight and a humble awareness of self and others. And here they are compiled for
consumption. My recommendation, however,
is that you consume them in the manner they were written. Each carefully crafted prayer reserves space
for adoration, confession, gratitude, and plea. Each carefully crafted prayer attends to a
season of life. Each carefully crafted
prayer will reverberate within the chambers of your heart with personal appeal. Some with unintended provocation require more
reflection than others, but each requires a participation of soul.
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| Read - April 2016 |
“You
and Me Forever: Marriage in Light of
Eternity” by Francis and Lisa Chan (Claire Love Publishing, 2014). What I
have most appreciated about Francis Chan over the years is his remarkable
ability to communicate abstract ideas of faith in simple and compelling ways. Here he and his wife Lisa have done just
that. Marriage is complex no matter how
you look at it. Books on the topic of
married life are innumerable. Here, the
Chan’s have published one unlike any you have ever read before. They unapologetically blow the doors off
common understandings of married life by framing it view of eternity. They speak to issues of money and
communication and conflict, even parenting, but they do it with a far longer
view than any author, counselor, psychologist, or professor I have read or
listened to. That said, there were
moments when the conversation felt too “eternal” to be of any “earthly”
value. I scratched my head more than a
couple times hoping for clarity of principle transfer into the here and now of
the life married couples live. The
portions written by Lisa Chan were often more helpful here. I would commend this book to most married
couples. However, my sense is this book
will be of greatest value to those married couples who struggle to catch a
vision for their life together.
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| Read - April 2016 |
“The
Writing Life” by Annie Dillard (Harper Perennial, 1990). Annie
Dillard is a Pulitzer Prize winning author.
She did not win the famed award for this particular book. However, the honor alone might compel you to
pick up this book. For me, I didn’t know
that before I saw it noted on the cover.
But several other authors I have read referenced her again and
again. Now I know what the fuss is
about. Dillard takes time and space to
inspect the craft of writing. The text sways
throughout with tones of a personal memoir.
She candidly reflects on seasons of her life as a writer, remembering
cabins and corners and stories-high rooms where ideas and ruminations poured
out onto a page with literary appeal. She
pulls no punches in side-lining the glamour of “Author” and handedly shows the
challenge, work, danger, and snare of the life.
Dillard joins her personal reflections with honed advice that proved
sage in quality for this amateur – write one long book, don’t hoard up ideas,
to write we must read. And on top of it
all, meaningful especially to me, the final chapter gives account of a season
and story she lived out in my own neck of the global woods.
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| Read - March 2016 |
“The
Face of the Deep: Exploring the
Mysterious Person of the Holy Spirit” by Paul Pastor (David C Cook, 20016). Just
weeks ago Paul Pastor led several of my parishioners in a delight-full day
considering the deep things of the Holy Spirit together. As well, he and I enjoyed meals together and
fellowship together in my home. Paul
Pastor may not be a pastor in a strict sense, but I learned quickly that his
soul is deeply pastoral. His heart beats
to shepherd people and friends, and in a unique way, to shepherd words. You will discover in this book that Pastor
handles words carefully and cheerfully, stewarding them to equip the saints for
the work of ministry. The Face of the Deep sets Pastor’s heart
beat in harmony with God’s, thus then proceeds this devotional meandering through
biblical images and metaphors offered for the Holy Spirit. Pastor seamlessly weaves imagination and
theology together in a manner that honors; yes, even upholds Christian
orthodoxy. Though his language felt
verbose at times, tangling my tongue in tangential twists of linguistic
artistry, mostly it worked…or was it the Holy Spirit…to compel me to re-read,
whereupon I found myself twice or thrice blessed. Pastor has produced a rich contribution to literature
in this volume. Richer still is its
contribution to Kingdom art.
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| Read - March 2016 |
“St.
Patrick of Ireland: A Biography” by
Philip Freeman (Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2005). St. Patrick’s
Day has become characterized less by the man himself and more by cultural icons
such as shamrocks and leprechauns and a pot of gold nestled at the end of a
rainbow. Philip Freeman does not merely
relegate these myths to the margins of his book; he dismisses them completely, lifting
this patron saint of Ireland off the pages of folklore and placing him squarely
and rightly into the annals Christian history.
Working with Letters to the
Soldiers of Coroticus and Confession,
the only documents found to be genuinely written by St. Patrick himself,
Freeman pieces together a readable chronicle of the life of Christianity’s
first true missionary to the western-most reaches of the Christian Roman Empire. Freeman fills in gaps with plenty of early church
history, while marvelously mingling just enough question and conjecture with
the known facts to keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. As a bonus, included in the epilogue is the
full text of both St. Patrick’s letters, along with a glossary of Irish terms
and a timeline of events for quick reference.
If you are at all interested in why kids wear green to school on St.
Patrick’s Day, skip this book. If you
are at all interested in the life and times of the early church and the
particular life of one who changed the face of civilization in Ireland, you’ll
want to pick this book up.
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| Read - February 2016 |
“Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good”
by Amy L. Sherman (InterVarsity Press, 2011). Proverbs 11:10 says, “When the righteous
prosper, the city rejoices.” Amy Sherman
launches from this verse into a well studied dissertation on how to steward our
gifts and passions and various social roles for the good of our communities,
both local and global. Sherman has
organized the book well into three parts. She opens by building a theologically rooted case
for her position. She then moves into a
most helpful section on discipleship.
She finishes with the predictable how-to portion, including several related
appendices. Though helpful on certain
levels, Sherman’s book didn’t hit the mark I hoped it would. I had a specific purpose in reading it and
ended up wrapping up my read early. Sherman
seems to be biblically sound and manages languages well; better than myself
even, however, at times her theology felt a bit isogetical. The book as a whole rings with a strong
social justice theme, which is great in context, though I missed a certain
degree of Christ-centeredness and gospel proclamation. All said, a good book for others perhaps. A mediocre book for me.
 |
| Read - February 2016 |
“The Sacred Journey” by Charles Foster
(Thomas Nelson, 2010). Late last
year I picked up a book on tithing that was part of a series called The Ancient Practices Series (Phyllis
Tickle, General Editor). As a series,
these books illuminate the ancient spiritual practices of the Christian Church
and their modern day expressions for our consideration and practice. Foster’s book is number seven of seven. Of the topics covered in the series, the idea
of a sacred journey or pilgrimage was
the most foreign to me. Foster covers
the topic broadly. He notes that
pilgrimage is not solely a Christian idea.
All the major world religions encourage or require some manner of sacred
journey during this life we live.
Because of this, Foster touches into other religions views on the
practice, though he repeatedly returns to pilgrimage as a Christ centered journey. He does not imagine pilgrimage in
metaphorical terms. Pilgrimage is actual
foot-on-path spiritual growth. Foster
writes from both experience and understanding.
He offers the skeptic adequate reason, the reasonable adequate zeal, the
zealous adequate caution, and the cautious adequate temptation. With real-time tips and practical helps,
Foster extends invitation for pilgrimage to all willing souls. I suppose you may choose this book if you are
heading out on the road. I suppose you
may also choose this book if you’re like me and have never even given the idea
a second thought.
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| Read - January 2016 |
“Wooden:
A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court” by
Coach John Wooden (McGraw Hill, 1997).
When my son began playing basketball, I became a coach. Since then two basketball legends have
inspired us both: Pete Marivich and John
Wooden. Wooden was one of those public
figures whose faith in Jesus was so rich and deep he didn’t need to lace his
every statement with Christian verbiage.
Rather it was seamlessly woven into the fiber of his life lived out. This book is a compilation of Wooden’s
personal proverbs, poems, and principles; along with biographical sketches, short
stories and timeless axioms, all beginning with his childhood and extending
through his seasoned years of coaching and retirement. Wooden engages issues of family, faith, virtue,
achievement, competition, leadership, and of course his Pyramid of Success. Add a
few scripture passages to many of the entries in this lifelong journal and one
could proceed devotionally through the pages.
The temptation of a book like this is to read swiftly, gulping in as
much as you can. If you choose this
book, however, my suggestion is that you slow down and read with a paced out rhythm
that allows you to learn from basketballs foremost Rabbi.
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| Read - January 2016 |
“Living As A Christian: Teachings from First Peter” by A.W. Tozer
(Regal, 2009). A.W. Tozer was
one of the 20th centuries preeminent pastors, authors, and spiritual
theologians. In this “never before
published” work compiled and edited by James L. Snyder, Tozer meanders through
the biblical book of First Peter with both exegetical and pastoral appeal. My sense is that the text is transcribed from
sermons Tozer preached on First Peter.
Given that, the book reads with a few snags and hitches. These are easily overcome by slowing down and
soaking in the message more than the text on the page. (I suppose we ought to do that with this type
of literature anyway.) Whether for lack
of resource or space between the covers, there are a few texts from First Peter
missing from these pages. Among them are
Peter’s opening comments of chapter 1 on being born again and his handling of
the wife/husband relationship in chapter 3.
Though these were sorely missed by this reader, the book is still
commendable; if not because of the masterful illustrative material or the
careful exegesis, for the authorship alone.
My Reads and Reviews for 2015:
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| Read - December 2015 |
“The Spire” by William Golding (Harcourt,
1946 & 1992). In 1954 William
Golding published a little novel that gained strong reputation in the literary
arts over the years. So much so, that in
1983 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for it. The novel was Lord of the Flies. I did not
come upon this book, The Spire,
because of that book, however. I came
upon this book as it was quoted in a Eugene Peterson book I had read earlier in
the year. Knowing nothing of Golding’s aforementioned
accomplishments in literature, I bought the book and figured it couldn’t hurt
to mix up my reading with a classic novel.
Upon learning of Golding’s accomplishments, my excitement for the book leapt. Well, I wish I could say I couldn’t put it
down. Reality is, I could. So much so that it became hard to pick it up. I found the opening not very compelling. It was difficult to track the developments of
the setting and characters. And any plot
engagement was overshadowed by the effort it took to pay attention to the
story. I put it down three chapters
in. That said, these issues may be my
own, and not that of the book. I don’t
read much fiction. And when I do, rarely
is it a story that’s 70 years old. I’m a
Gen-xer. I had television growing up. Openings need to grab me by the neck. Characters need to flash onto the scene. Settings need to be descript. Plot needs to be steep. I may come back to this book. It is in me to read more classics. Perhaps I’ll begin with those that are more
timeless than this though.
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| Read - December 2015 |
“Tithing:
Test Me in This” by Douglas Leblanc (Thomas Nelson, 2010). Talking about tithing in the local
church feels a bit like stumbling barefoot into a day-old campfire where the
surface is warm to the touch, but buried below are red-hot embers ready to
burst into flame with a sudden stirring.
Well, Douglas Leblanc has come to the campfire, not with a stick to stir
the embers, but with wood to kindle a flame.
And, as a good journalist ought, he has summoned the voices of eleven
others to join him for some heat.
Leblanc was given freedom to craft a book on the ancient practice of
tithing however he may see fit. He
assembled testimonies from folks that breach denominational and religious bounds
to share of the joy found in giving at least ten percent. Names like Ron and Arbutus Sider, Randy
Alcorn, Ed Bacon, and Yisroel Miller (to name a few) come forward from the
crowd to generate hope and enthusiasm for reviving a flame of generosity among God’s
people again. Though the book is driven
by personal testimony born from many hours of travel and interviewing by
Leblanc, his years of editorial work add an enjoyable understanding to this
work. As it turns out, this is one of several
books on ancient Christian practices, each of which I have ordered now; each of
which I’ll pass on review as I read.
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| Read - November 2015 |
“Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology” by
Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans, 2005).
I had hoped to read more Eugene Peterson books this year. This was only my third, and it turned out to
be my last. I assure you, more by
Peterson will pop up on this list in 2016.
This book is a masterpiece work by Peterson. I suspect this will, unless it already has, become
a landmark volume on the topic of spiritual theology (if one can call it a
topic). Peterson is doing so many things
in this book, but in the simplest and most succinct way imaginable. He is exploring the biblical themes of
creation, history, and community. (These
become the fields of Christ-play.) He is
preaching the truths of Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection. He is cautioning against Gnosticism,
Moralism, and Sectarianism. And all
these he deals with respectively.
Further, Peterson grounds his theological understandings in biblical
narratives from both Hebrew scripture and the New Testament. Finally, he mingles both sacrament and
discipline into the conversation. The
result is a volume, lengthy by page count (the subject at hand requires this),
though friendly in its readability. I would
commend this book to anyone, in particularly those with well worn thinking caps.
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| Read - September 2015 |
“The Stories We Live: Discovering the True and Better Way of Jesus”
by Sean Post (GCD Books, 2015). Perhaps
since time began, story has been the greatest means by which to convey
meaning. These lives we live day-in and
day-out follow all the features that make for great story, though many of the
pieces miss in our understanding of their meaning. Post has written a deep-hearted volume to
advise that God’s story is grand enough to not only envelope these stories we
live out, but as well, to give them meaning.
God’s story sets the bar for goodness, authenticity, mystery, and
meaning. Therein we discern these in
accord with the stories we will live.
Therein we are enlivened by God to live for a goodness and authenticity
and mystery and meaning Higher than ourselves.
Post is not telling the world anything new in writing this book. He has assembled insight from many of our
present day cultural thinkers and story tellers, whose names are all too
familiar, and assimilated them with his own insights. However, what Post has done uniquely is
offered up a readable volume that will lead you through the scattered fray of post-modern,
post-Christian jargon straight to the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
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| Read - August 2015 |
“Finding God in the Land of Narnia” by Kurt
Brunner and Jim Ware (SaltRiver/Tyndale, 2005). For anyone who grew up watching the base-budgeted
BBC productions of “The Chronicles of Narnia” or remember the days when The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
were required reading in public schools, have I got a book for you. Brunner and Ware skim the surface of each of
the seven books in C.S. Lewis’s epic Narnia series, pausing at the high points
to look more closely at the story and notice evidence of God and biblical principles
of application for our spiritual lives. This
timely volume – published on the heels of the Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media
release of The Lion, the witch, and the
Wardrobe movie – was wonderfully insightful and uniquely detailed. Each chapter opens with a near quoted account
of the Narnia narrative being considered.
Then Brunner and Ware reflect on the story, finally blending scripture
passages and applications with the story for the reader to walk with. From “Aslan’s Song” in The Magician’s Nephew to the whole company of Narnian characters’ journey
home in The Last Battle, you’ll find
yourself taken “further up and further in” in the most sincere sense.
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| Read - August 2015 |
“Your Mind Matters” by John Stott
(InterVarsity Press, 1972). John
Stott will long be respected as one of the great theologians and thinkers of
the 20th century (and the first decade of the 21st). With hundreds of top selling books and
articles published under his name, this book is not Stott’s magnum opus. However, it issues a call to Christian
culture that has proved timeless: Your mind matters to God. Originally a lecture given in the early 70’s,
this book has become a monumental apologetic against Christian
anti-intellectualism. With grace and
truth front and center; a trademark of Stott’s writing, he systematically decries
the argument that considers Christian experience as paramount in the faith,
over and above Christian doctrine. As
the pages of this slim volume (a mere 80 pages) turn, Stott is careful to make
no claim to the opposing extreme either (doctrine over experience). Rather, as only Stott can do, by the end of
the book the reader is left with a finely tuned understanding of the balanced seamless
union between Christian knowledge and Christian action.
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| Read - July 2015 |
“Spiritual Rhythm: Being With Jesus Every Season of Your Soul”
by Mark Buchanan (Zondervan, 2010).
With all the wonder of a wordsmith, Buchanan has captured the daily-ness
of our lives in the framework of yearly seasons. Winter, spring, summer, and fall mark off the
annual rhythm of life on earth. As well,
these four seasons can characterize spiritual rhythms for these lives we live
personally. You and I experience seasons
of growth and seasons of decay; seasons of live vibrant color and seasons of
dull listless gray. How shall we
understand and maneuver these seasons? Buchanan
uses story and discourse in tandem to give meaning to the events and
experiences that make up the days of our lives, all the while pointing us toward
Jesus. Buchanan drops asides (Time-in’s)
throughout the text to cause the reader to stop and think. He includes “seasonal” activities to awaken
the reader to what God may be stirring in them.
And further still, He adds a part two to the book for understanding various
spiritual rhythms, which really become the powerful undercurrents that move us
through these seasons we live by.
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| Read - July 2015 |
“The Three Signs of a Miserable Job” by
Patrick Lencioni (Jossy-Bass, 2007).
This is the sixth book by Patrick Lencioni that I have read. The number one thing I have appreciated about
his leadership fables, and the number one reason why I’ll commend yet another
to you, is the universality of these principles on being a leader. I am a pastor/leader in a local church. None of Lencioni’s books (that I have read so
far) are framed in a setting of church ministry. All of Lencioni’s books (that I have read so
far) have been invaluable to me in learning to lead well. This particular volume speaks primarily to
managers, though the principles are as universal as ever; useful for anyone,
manager or employee, pastor or parishioner, parent or child. The title reveals only half the point of the
book. Indeed, here is a compelling tale offering
three particular indicators of a miserable job.
However, Lencioni is never content merely calling out the problem. Of greater value, and perhaps the reason one
might pick up this book, is his model of leadership that brings resolve for the
miserable job, or really any setting that requires some measure of responsibility
and submission to another. That said, be
advised at the outset, this story has less to say about the job in question,
and more to say about you and I. If you
aren’t prepared to bend a bit, leave this book alone.
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| Read - June 2015 |
The Call:
Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life” by Os Guinness
(Thomas Nelson, 1998, 2003). Os
Guinness is really smart. I read a
couple of his books when I was working on my undergraduate degree, and I
remember thinking then that he was out of my league. Generally, I suspect he is still out of my
league. However, this particular book
was found by this reader to be very readable.
“The Call” is perhaps the most well know of Guinness’ books, and after soaking
in all 237 pages, I understand why. In
every one of us there is the pressing question of life purpose and direction;
what is all of this about? Early on Guinness
calls this “the ultimate why.” Then, page
after page, he gently guides the reader on a journey of discernment and
discovery of far more than the reader imagines at the outset. Guinness deals biblically and fairly with
issues of time and money, relationships and individuality, the will of God and
free choice. I would commend this book
most fully to emerging adults (18-30ish year olds) who are willing to be
vulnerable and receptive to the challenge of reading. As well, this book is well suited for those
of older generations who may be sensing a major life shift soon. To whoever, Guinness’ manner of writing will
do for you what it did for me: Force you
to slow down – you will need to read and live slowly – but in slowing down find
yourself being far more honest as you reflect on the reality that life purpose
and direction may be found in a source much higher than ourselves.
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| Read - May 2015 |
“The Contemplative Pastor: Returning to the Art of Spiritual Direction”
by Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans, 1989).
The vocation of pastoring is unlike any other vocation. I suppose you could say that about other
vocations as well. But Peterson has produced
four volumes, of which this book is one, that argue fairly convincingly that
the former stands alone. In this
relatively short (170ish pages) book Peterson has assembled a compendium of
literature for any pastor desiring to move away from a model of ministry that
is increasingly pressing toward trendy dynamics and programs and bright-light
leadership. As I read these pages, each
quote and story and poetic rumination drew me nearer to the heart of my
vocation as a pastor. Much of the time I
felt as though I was sitting in my living room having coffee with Mr. Peterson,
and I don’t even drink coffee. He did
not hesitate, over the course of our “conversations,” to call me out or lay me
down or lift me up. Some chapters are
short. Some chapters are long. Each chapter is rich with contemplative
insights that are sure to bless and inspire.
If you’re not a pastor, this volume may be valuable to you in
understanding the heart of those who pastor you. If you are a pastor, you’ll find this volume
to be a resource that will refresh your soul and enliven your passion to pastor
all over again.
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| Read - May 2015 |
“Balanced Christianity” by John Stott (InterVarsity
Press, 1975, 2014). Life often
feels lived near one extreme or the other.
The life of faith is no different.
And the Christian life of
faith is no different as well. John
Stott, ever the theological pragmatist, has written a small book (just 94
pages) that offers short insights to long standing issues that have
historically polarized the church, and sourced some of the hardest and darkest schisms
the church (local and universal) has ever seen.
This book is really two books in one, though without them both they
would stand alone incomplete. Combining
them fills out Stott’s purpose well, and give credence to a principle of
brevity that suggests often times less is more.
The first half is dedicated to exploring balance in key areas of
Christian existence, such as Intellect & Emotion, and Evangelism &
Social Action to name two of the four.
The second half is dedicated to an interview from 1995 with John Stott. The title of the interview is “Life in the
Spirit of Truth,” and compliments perfectly the former chapters on
balance. If you’re looking for a book
that won’t take long to read, but will incite rich thinking, here you go.
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| Read - April 2015 |
“Under the Unpredictable Plant: An Exploration in Vocational Holiness” by
Eugene Peterson (Eerdmans,1992).
This is the first of several Peterson books I hope to read this year,
and I couldn’t have begun with a better one.
Not necessarily because it represents outstanding literature, but rather
because it reached me where I was at.
Peterson has long been referred to as a pastor to pastors, and here is
an offering that reflects that well. By “vocation”
Peterson means the pastoral calling in particular, though the savvy reader may expand
his principles into the marketplace as well.
Peterson launches from the book of Jonah and, through more than mere
exposition, reflects on the unique calling of Jonah in comparison with the
pastor and proceeds throughout the book to gain an understanding with the
reader on issues of obedience, the gospel, suffering, prejudice, and place
among others. I have read better books
by Peterson and I cannot recommend this book on the level of literary magnitude. However, if you have ever struggled to catch
a higher vision for yourself in your calling, pastor or otherwise, this may be
a meaningful read found purely in the principles it puts forth.
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| Read - March 2015 |
“Problems of Christian Leadership” by John
Stott (InterVarsity Press, 2014).
This little gem of a book was born from the transcripts of four talks
given by John Stott in 1985 at a conference in Ecuador. It was originally published in Spanish. How thankful I am that it is now available in
English for all of us mono-linguists. If
you are looking to borrow this book from me, you’ll find it on my “best-books-ever”
shelf. In his usual unassuming manner,
Stott humbly deals with issues of discouragement, self-discipline, relationships,
and youth among leaders in Christian circles.
He aptly calls out any sin associated with these and ushers the reader
into a quiet study where he then engages you with encouragement and principles
that are pure gold. Here is less than
100 pages packed full of Stott’s personal stories and experiences blended
nicely with biblical exposition for leaders specifically, and everyone else
generally. I truly hope you’ll pick this
book up.
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| Read - March 1015 |
“Love Into Light: The Gospel, the Homosexual, and the Church”
by Peter Hubbard (Ambassador Int’l, 2013). Homosexuality is a hot topic right now, in
secular and religious circles alike. The
spectrum of understanding is broad and cumbersome to maneuver. Acceptance feels black and white. Well, Peter Hubbard has assembled a short
volume on the topic of homosexuality that seems to build some helpful bridges
of understanding for those in the church that are sickened by the sign waving polar
views and are compassionate toward the people torn up by the issue. Hubbard opens by placing common assumptions
on homosexuality beside the common truth of the gospel and allows that grid to
guide the remainder of his book. He engages
plenty of important considerations throughout, however, somewhere near the
middle of this book I began to skim read it.
Not because it is uninteresting or poorly written, but because I wanted
to get on with other books. I suspect
there is better stuff out there on this topic that may be more in depth. Yet, if you are hoping for an easy to read
volume on this topic, I suppose you might pick this one.
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| Read - February 2015 |
“Dogwood” by Chris Fabry (Tyndale, 2008). I have said it before, I’ll say it
again: I’m not good at reading
fiction. Honestly, I’d rather watch it
then read it. But Fabry has been one
fiction author I have enjoyed. Some time
ago I picked up a book of his because it was noted as a Book of the Year by a
popular periodical. I couldn’t put it
down. Same thing here. The small town of Dogwood, WV is less than
eager to welcome home one of their own due to a past tragedy that has been well
paid for. However, the town’s folk learn
in time how little they actually know about the past or the present. As the pages turn, Fabry unfolds a plot with twists
and bends that make for a great story, all the while weaving in a tale of
redemption that will compel the reader to consider the gospel and just how wide
and long and high and deep the love of Christ really is.
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| Read - January 2015 |
“Vanishing Grace: What Ever Happened To the Good News?” by Philip
Yancey (Zondervan, 2014). Reading this book came on the heels of a four
year hiatus from reading Yancey. He’d
been a favorite author of mine, but I set him down to engage a few others I’d
been watching from a distance. I am glad I picked him up again. Yancey is back in full form akin of several
of his earlier works. Through personal
reflection, social attention, and biblical exposition, he moves through a four
part discussion on the why, who, what,
where, and how of grace in our culture today.
Yancey seamlessly builds the need, identifies the people, dismantles the
argument against, then assembles the argument for. Here is a splendid volume for all readers, with a healthy and readable dose of theology and philosophy to boot.
My Reads and Reviews for 2014:
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| Read - November 2014 |
“Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairy Tale”
by Frederick Buechner (HarperOne, 1977).
Frederick Buechner has done far more in this book than merely
contribute to an already considerable stock of Christian books. Buechner has produced a marvelous literary
work. I haven’t read much in the way of
mainstream and/or classic literature.
However, based on what I have read, Buechner’s manner of writing ranks
right up with some of the greats. Here
(and in his other books) he writes with a pure and unashamed pen. Every word tells a bigger story. Every sentence conveys a bigger idea. Buechner leaves publisher fluff out and
allows real life stuff to pervade his pages.
His thoughts are direct and tend to hit the streets of my life like a
piano falling from five stories up and crashing down on the pavement before me. Somehow his writing becomes unavoidable right
in front of you. He writes loud and
fierce, yet patient. You’ll stand back
and pause for a bit and realize that the least of your worries is the giant
mess of crumpled up piano in front of you.
Rather, you’ll want to be amazed you weren’t two steps further along in
your journey before you encountered these words.
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| Read - November 2014 |
“The Knowledge of the Holy” by A.W. Tozer (HarperSanFrancisco,
1961). Aiden Wilson Tozer has
become a classic favorite of mine.
Earlier this year I read “The Pursuit of God”. Here is a literary contribution that reaches
to equally as great of depths. Remaining
within the confines of 100 pages, Tozer considers 20 attributes of God. Each attribute is handled within 4-6
pages. The length of the book allows the
subject at hand to remain manageable for virtually any reader. Tozer masterfully explains the explainable,
illustrates the illustratable, and leaves mystery alone to be admired and to
move the reader to worship. This was my third
time through this book and judging by my notes in the margin it was equally as
valuable this time as it had been in the past.
At this point I would commend anything by Tozer to you for your enjoyment. Though be warned that anything by Tozer will
move you to places far beyond mere enjoyment.
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| Read - October 2014 |
“The
Jesus Way: A Conversation on the Ways
That Jesus Is the Way” by Eugene Peterson (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2007). Jesus
said in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life…” Peterson leaps off that first step with grace
and gusto. Here is a full volume on the
various ways Jesus demonstrated himself to be the Way. A genuine conversationalist, Peterson writes
in a manner that elicits dialogue. On
more than a few occasions I caught myself talking out loud to…well, to whoever
was on the page to talk to. And by “whoever”
I mean Moses and Elijah and Isaiah and others whom Peterson exposes to have
lived in ways that align with the Way of Jesus.
Intrigued? Well, equaling intriguing
was the roster of those who lived in ways contrary to the Way of Jesus: Herod, Caiaphas, and Josephus, as well as
their extreme counter sects. Peterson
marvelously involves the reader in both biblical principle and cultural
background by filling in gaps with well founded historical information; adding
color to the picture. Upon completion I
am found humbled by the rich tradition of the Way in which we are called to
walk when Jesus says, “Follow me…” More
than just one foot in front of the other, Jesus has always intended a full-life
following. Are you in?
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| Read - September 2014 |
“Shaping
the Journey of Emerging Adults:
Life-giving Thythms for Spiritual Transformation” by Richard R. Dunn and
Jana L. Sundene (InterVarsity Press, 2012). Here is
the best book I have read on emerging adulthood (18-28ish years old) to date,
and as a pastor of emerging adults, I have read many. Dunn and Sundene clearly worked hard on
sorting through piles of social and psychological research. They held onto the best stuff and seamlessly wove
it into a gospel-centered approach for serving and leading emerging adults
through the curious rhythms and often confusing journey that is emerging
adulthood. This duo begins at ground
zero, helping the reader understand the world of emerging adults. They move from there into developing a fresh
vision – not new for many – for spiritual transformation as a life-generating
model of discipleship. Further, they
demonstrate the model to be a whole-life means of grace that pieces together
the fragmented lives of emerging adults:
Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Relational, Sexual, etc. Finally, they speak heart to heart with those
who are called to disciple. Two things
that you’ll not want to miss about this book:
1. Chapter 10 is the best chapter on sexuality I have read in a long
time. 2. Chapter 14 is a transcribed
dialogue between the authors on how writing the book has crossed the path of
their lives and changed them. My
recommendation of this book is for anyone who has a junior higher or
older. Begin now learning about emerging
adulthood and how to love emerging adults.
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| Read - August 2014 |
“Sabbath
As Resistance: Saying NO to the Culture
of NOW” by Walter Brueggemann (Westminster John Knox, 2014). Sabbath
is a topic I like to come back to in August each year, or around the times I
take holiday from pastoral work. This book
caught my eye because it was thin and appeared a short read on a favorite
topic. It was in fact thin at less than
90 pages, but by no means was it short.
Bruggemann is a theologian, and I knew that going into this book. But how he is able to pack this much rich insightful
content into so thin a book is beyond me.
Bruggeman deals particularly with Sabbath in relation to God’s
commandments and carefully surveys four key passages in Hebrew Scripture that
deal with Sabbath. With skilled
hermeneutics and textual exegesis, he ties each passage to modern cultural decoys
that all too easily ensnare us, stealing our pursuit of and obedience to
receiving Sabbath. If issues of anxiety,
coercion, exclusivism, and multitasking have ever torn your soul away from the
rest God made for you, this book may be a worthy read. Just be willing to take your time.
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| Read - August 2014 |
“C.S.
Lewis: A Life” by Alister McGrath
(Tyndale, 2013). I have enjoyed a good C.S. Lewis book from
time to time. From his Chronicles of Narnia series to The Screwtape Letters to Surprised by Joy, Lewis’ writings are
diverse and rich, and are around to stay for centuries to come. Curious about the man Lewis, I searched around
for a good biography and was led to McGrath’s 400 page compilation, including a
timeline, exhaustive source list, end notes, and index. 100 pages in I’m shelving it for now and open
to other suggestions. Obvious from the
get go is McGrath’s extensive research, which included careful perusal of
private or personal writings, letters, and journals from close friends, family,
and Lewis himself. This research ought not
to go without applause. However for
everything about us that will be remembered well beyond our passing, there are
numerous other things that will be forgotten.
And if we’re honest, that’s probably okay. Those we love who have passed on before us
had secrets that lived in dark dusty corners of their lives that, if we published
them, would only work to dethrone the joy of memorializing all that makes us
smile about them. Well, such is the case
with Clive Staples Lewis in McGrath’s biographical work. Unfortunately, he has seen fit to drudge the
deepest hollows of Lewis’ life and repaint him as…well, human. Lewis was not a god, I get that. But he was more than a man. His writings have preserved for Christians a
way of thinking about the transcendent and using imagination that somehow
clothes him in a saintly glory unlike you and I. What I learned within the first 100 pages
darkened that glory. Of course I am
mature enough to recognize the amazing grace of God at work in Lewis’ life and
thus I still esteem Lewis greatly. I’m
struggling to do so with McGrath. My
feeling is McGrath’s cutting room floor could have been far more littered with
excerpts than what it was upon publishing this work.
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| Read - July 2014 |
“Journey to Joy: The Psalms of Ascent” by Josh Moody
(Crossway, 2013). The Psalms of
Ascent have been a go-to text for me when I need a prayer or song to match any
number of emotions I may experience.
There is something about imagining the Israelite people marching toward
the temple for a feast, singing these songs with measured pace, and remembering
all God has done for them – it holds me.
Reciting these ancient words as such draws me into the presence of God
and into the jovial mass moving toward Jerusalem. In this book, Moody becomes the commentator;
a line leader if you will. He has done a
wonderful job capturing each of these 15 Psalms with well thought exegesis and practical
importance for life today. They read
like sermon manuscripts, which was not as distracting for me as it may be for
some. That said, I suspect most will
find each chapter’s flow of thought to be easy to follow and enjoy. There are other books out there on these
Psalms. This may be the best one to
begin with though.
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| Read - June 2014 |
“Living
the Lord’s Prayer: The Way of the
Disciple” by Albert Haase, O.F.M. (Intervarsity Press, 2009). Albert
Haase is a Catholic Priest and Friar, and on the backside of trying this book,
I wish I would have dug a bit into his bio.
I put the book down after three chapters, unable to pick it up
again. There is little, if any,
exegetical relationship between the chapter heads (titled using phrases from
the Lord’s Prayer) and the subheads and following content. Chapter two is headed: “Our”
Father. The subhead is: Recognizing
the Family of All Creation. The
subsequent content built off an African understanding of “Ubuntu” (yeah, I’d
never heard of it either), and continued in pushing a treatise on creation
care. The plural “our” for Haase,
appears to include all creation. We pray
along with all creation because God is Father of it all; you, me, and the
tree. I guess this is nice for mystical
spirituality and creation connectedness, but it doesn’t fit biblically or
exegetically with the other plural pronouns in the prayer. Chapter three followed a similar suit. Haase has taken a sacred prayer of our Lord
and turned it into a tangled web of spiritual formation. He draws from spiritual mysticism in the
early church, of which he would be familiar as a Franciscan. Yet, I was disappointed by this book. I can’t commend it to you as a book on the
Lord’s Prayer. I can’t commend it to you
as being biblically sound. I don’t even
feel I can commend it to you as a resource for spiritual formation. (I would suggest “Living Prayer” by Dennis
Fuqua instead.)
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| Read - June 2014 |
“The
Singer Trilogy: The Mythic Retelling of
the Story of the New Testament” by Calvin Miller (Intervarsity Press, 1975,
1990). It is certain this book is not a secret. Yet, perhaps you haven’t heard of it. I heartily commend it to you if you tend
toward analogous fare in writing. This
volume combines Miller’s three books: The Singer, The Song, and The Finale. It strays from Lewis and Tolkien’s genre in
that, where Lewis and Tolkien draw principles and themes from biblical
narrative (albeit Lewis more than Tolkien), Miller keeps to the actual
storyline itself…ish. The “ish” because,
though this trilogy relates the life of Christ from the Gospels (The Singer), the spread of the gospel
through the early church in Acts (The
Song), and the culmination of all things in Revelation (The Finale), it does not linger long in
biblical details or attempt to convey any theology. It truly is a pure creative spin on the New
Testament story. That said, Miller does
not push creative boundaries into areas of heresy or otherwise. He remains biblically faithful in his
retelling. How does he do that? Miller brilliantly twists together the
ancient narrative with medieval imagery, and places it in a framework of music;
from his use of a Singer or troubadour as Christ who brings to earth the “Star-Song”
or the gospel message, to the rhyme and rhythm of his writing. It won’t take you long to catch on to Miller’s allusions to Trinity, Christ, Satan, Pharisees, the Cross, Apostles, Paul, Rome,
Heaven, Hell, etc. Once you do, your
enjoyment will soar as you imagine the biblical story alongside Miller’s words.
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| Read - January-June 2014 |
“Praying the Names of God: A Daily Guide” by Ann Spangler (Zondervan,
2004). This book came to me
after the passing of a man who served with me in ministry as a volunteer. As I browsed through the books he’d left
behind, this one stood out as one he would have appreciated based on who he
was. Spangler has written the book as a
devotional to accompany regular Bible reading.
As devotionals go, and as I have mentioned in the past, I am always
drawn more to those that afford room for the reality that most Christians are
terrible at cultivating a regular daily habit of Bible reading…like we’re often
told to do. Spangler has afforded
room. There are 26 chapters in this
book, each takes a name used of God in scripture and expounds on it briefly. Each chapter offers a reading and meditation
for five out of the seven days in a week.
One day is often an introduction to the name itself. A few days give examples of passages where we
find the name, along with Spangler’s personal thoughts. A final day offers several other passages for
your own personal reflection. Besides
the room Spangler affords for this fallible guy to miss a couple days a week, I
appreciated the repetition of particular passages in each chapter to drill the
name of God down deep into my life. As
well, and perhaps even more so, I appreciated the breadth of coverage Spangler
shares in respect to the names of God.
Many people would never know our God’s reputation is characterized by so
great a number of names.
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| Read - May 2014 |
“The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament” by
Edmund P. Clowney (P&R, 2nd Ed. 2013). Edmund Clowney has written a marvelous
contribution to classic Christian literature.
Originally published in 1988, this book continues to inform a new
generation of intellects on the centrality of Christ in scripture, particularly
for Clowney, in the Old Testament. I will
admit at the outset I had higher hopes for this book. I’m not sure what they were now, after having
read it. Perhaps twenty-five years ago
the idea of Christ Jesus being present in the Old Testament was quite new. The reality of it was well enforced for me
through my Bible training over the last 15 years. Never-the-less, the book is a standout in respect
to Biblical accuracy and exposition. And
that may be precisely the value of Clowney’s book over others written more
recently on the same topic. Though it
may feel like he bounces around the storyline within the context of each
chapter, be assured he is developing biblical ironies that place Christ Jesus as
the front and center theme of all of Hebrew Scripture. Those reading or referencing Clowney’s volume
with academic intentions will appreciate the extended index of scripture
passages in the back. Those reading with
other intentions will simply appreciate the readability of the text. For either or both of these intentions, I commend
this book to you.
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| Read - May 2014 |
“Good Mood, Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar
Disorder” by Charles M. Hodges M.D. (Shepherd Press, 2012). Hodges is a medical doctor. He is not a psychiatrist or psychologist. His information is based heavily on two
things: His experience with patients that
come to him with physical effects before being referred, and a measure of
research that felt a bit incomplete. (“Incomplete”
because, though well footnoted, the book is short and exclusive in research
material.) The feel from the outset is
that Hodges does not assume the diagnosis of depression or bipolar disorder on
nearly as many people as have been diagnosed. In fact, he cuts the numbers down considerably
before you’re halfway through the book.
He addresses issues of behavior, drugs, medically determinable testing,
etc. Most helpful for me, however, was
not these things. Rather, I felt Hodges
did a fine job differentiating and delineating the various levels of mood
disorders and their severity. Within
these levels, he suggests manners of address, favoring a biblical counseling
model for those conditions other than manic depression or bipolar I. This book will not be for everyone reading
this blog page. That may be obvious by
the title. I read it to be informed on mood
disorders so I may be more helpful upon encountering those who suffer such. I am informed. I will read more to be prepared though.
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| Read - May 2014 |
“The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer
(Christian Publications, 1993).
A.W. Tozer has contributed much to classic Christian literature. While open for debate, I would suggest “The
Pursuit of God” may be his strongest.
Tozer was one of the first Christian authors to build a literary bridge
over the deep historic divide between spiritual formation and theology. The book is only 70 pages long (there are
several other copies out there in print), and yet Tozer has captured a massive
subject with clarity and concision. This
was my second time through this book. I
used a different copy than the first one I read. Looking back over them both, they are equally
marked up and noted. For this reason, if
you choose to pick this book up to read, find a copy with wide margins. I commend this book to you for devotional
purposes, study purposes, summer-afternoons-in-the-sun purposes, late-night-can’t-sleep
purposes, etc. Though, which ever
purpose you suppose you’ll read it for, be aware it is God’s purpose that will
prevail.
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| Read - April 2014 |
“Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual
Transformation” by Ruth Haley Barton (Intervarsity Press, 2006). I gave up on this book. In short, Barton has contributed little, if
anything, new to the area of spiritual formation. There is very little here that others such as
Foster, Willard, Peterson, Willimon, even Gire, haven’t already suggested. And I would say your time may be better spent
in their works first. The introduction
attempts to establish conflict for the reader by calling for more in the Christian
life than mere rules and self-help principles.
Barton sets up each chapter as being less about skills and techniques
and more about practice and process. As
the chapters play out, however, her set up begins to feel more like simply
mixing synonyms, as even the title of chapter 9 suggests: A Rule
of Life. The tone is not self-help,
but the practice is born out of need, which fosters a self-help mentality in
humankind. This is often the thorn sticking
out of much that is written on spiritual formation, and it is hard to not get
pricked by it as we try to mimic what we read.
Barton covers the major areas of spiritual formation: solitude, prayer, scripture meditation, self
examination, etc. Each area felt predictable,
like I’d read it somewhere before. Her notes
revealed I had. The chapter on prayer
was particularly disappointing. To be
fair, though, I commend Barton for including a chapter on honoring the body as
part of spiritual formation. She also
included a chapter on Sabbath, which, as an area of interest for me, was a nice
reminder of importance.
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| Read - April 2014 |
“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick
Lencioni (Jossey-Bass, 2002). This
is Lencioni book number two for the year, and I was pleasantly entertained and
informed as usual. His books are divided
into two parts: The Fable, which is the dramatization of the book’s point, and The Model, which is the information of
the book’s point. Lencioni well-handedly
writes so both parts become equally instructive. Here his fabled adaptation of dysfunctional
teams everywhere is written with a clarity that jabs sharply at anyone who has
ever worked in a team setting. Using each
element of a great story line, Lencioni calls out five critical areas of
healthy team dynamics by framing them in the negative. The conflict that ensues as these five areas
become apparent not only generates surprises in the narrative, but as well, it keeps
the reader engaged in personal reflection and anxious for resolution. As with any of Lencioni’s books, there is a
much broader appeal that goes out from these pages than merely to those seated in
high-rising corporate America. He deals
with issues of trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results; all of
which have application in lots of areas of our lives.
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| Read - April 2014 |
“Hannah’s Child:
A Theologian’s Memoir” by Stanley Hauerwas (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2010). Fifteen
years ago I found a book of theological essays by Stanley Hauerwas at the local
Christian bookstore. I had no idea who
he was, but the book was on clearance and I was trying to diversify my reading repertoire,
so I bought it. (The book was called “Christian Existence Today: Essays on Church, World, and Living In Between.”) Then I consumed it. A year or so back I found his memoir for an
equally good price. I was nary the bit
disappointed. Hauerwas relates his story
with candor and grace. Each page is rich
with foreshadow, driving the reader forward with anticipation. He seamlessly weaves together conflict and
harmony, gently tossing the reader back and forth between theological and
experiential understandings of real life issues such as cancer, death,
pornography, mental illness, addiction, calling, and so on. I hope you won’t allow the title to scare you
away. It may be a theologian’s memoir. But it is an “everyman’s” read. (And “everyman’s” is intentional as I am not sure women will necessarily love
it.)
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| Read - March 2014 |
“Called
to Stay: A Comprehensive Mission to Save
Your Church” by Caleb Breakey (Harvest House, 2013). A pastor
friend of mine gave me this book. Some
people like to read the book before they watch the movie. With this book I decided to talk to the
author before I read the book. Caleb
Breakey lives near where I live and he runs in some of the same circles I do (perhaps
literally even), so it made sense for me to touch base with him and talk about
church life and personal responsibility in leading up to cracking these
covers. Our dialogue uncovered a similar
passion; to see young adults become leaders in their local churches. That passion emerges from the pages of this
book with increasing intensity the further you read. Breakey writes (and speaks) from
experience. He was dissatisfied, to put it
lightly, with his local church and was ready to bolt. God wouldn’t let him though. Over time he resolved to infiltrate his church instead of escape it. This book is his story on how he did that
framed in bite sized steps and tips for the reader. Be warned, however, there is a flavor of “how
to” in this book. If you trend toward
blog posts that offer 5 things to do for this or 10 ways to do that, you’ll eat
this book up. If not, you may consider
another source on this topic, or you may still give it a read and be encouraged
by Breakey’s assiduous use of scripture.
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| Read - March 2014 |
“A
Public Faith: How Followers of Christ
Should Serve the Common Good” by Miroslav Volf (Brazos Press, 2001). I think
this was a book on Christian ethics. But
I’m not sure. Volf is an academic scholar
and I can generally track with the thought flow of scholarly works, though I
tend to have to look up words frequently.
I would love to review the scholarly logic of Volf’s argument for you,
but I struggled to track with his thought flow.
The chapters themselves were well written and meaningful, but they felt
like individual essays and therefore a bit disjointed as a completed work. That said if you saw my copy, you would find many
notes and highlighting, and plenty of pages dog-eared. One section in particular that was
marvelously thought out and communicated was on the malfunction of faith in
relation to human flourishing. He
accurately identifies and explains the historical trend of shifting human
happiness away from its rightful center on God to the arrogant center of
ourselves. He develops that further as a
conflict that establishes a need for resolution if Christians are to step to
their call to “serve the common good” of global culture. All told, you’re welcome to pick up this book
and make more sense of it than I was able to.
But I would caution those looking for lighter fare to consume.
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| Read - February 2014 |
“Name Above All Names” by Alistair Begg
& Sinclair B. Ferguson (Crossway, 2013). Alistair Begg was the keynote speaker at a
pastor’s conference I went to recently.
This book was given to each person who attended. Though I am not often inclined to pick up a
free book and read it so quickly after receiving it, I was deeply impressed by
Begg’s simple yet comprehensive manner of expositing from the conference, so I
thought I would give it a go. I was not
disappointed. Begg and Ferguson
demonstrate masterful exegesis and theology in this comparatively brief (180
pages) peak at the various biblical names of Jesus Christ. With clarity and concision, they aptly handle
seven names given to our Lord from Genesis to Revelation. In so doing, whether by accident or (more likely)
by intention, they offer a sweeping view of the biblical story and how it
points to Jesus Christ, the One and Only.
Here is a book that will shore up your understanding of the Bible, give
credibility to your faith in Jesus Christ, and encourage you to live in a
manner that exalts His Name…which is above all other names.
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| Read - January 2014 |
“The Four Obsessions of an Extraordinary
Executive” by Patrick Lencioni (Jossey-Bass, 2000). I try to read one of Lencioni’s books each
year. Upon looking back at last year I
realized I missed him in 2013. Just means
I get to do two this year. I suppose
Lencioni writes his books specifically for those in corporate leadership. Certainly the fables he crafts reflect such a
setting. As a pastor in a rural
community, I am as far away from corporate America as a carpenter. However, the principles that emerge from
Lencioni’s books are always applicable on some level for anyone in
leadership. Here Lencioni focuses in on
absolute clarity and order among leaders in any organization as a primary ingredient
for organizational health. Of course you’re
wondering what the four obsessions are.
And of course I cannot give them to you here. But I assure you, if you decide to pick up
this book and read it, you’ll not only learn the four obsessions, but you’ll
also be pleasantly entertained.
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| Read - January 2014 |
“David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling
Giants” by Malcolm Gladwell (Little Brown and Company, 2013). This book was my first encounter with
Malcolm Gladwell. I am now a fan. Gladwell writes in a way that invites the
reader gracefully to the edge of their seat while not pushing them off. Here Gladwell takes on the cultural giants of
various assumptions about social and cultural disadvantages. The well known story of David and Goliath
gives Gladwell his footing. While not
dismissing the power of God, he suggests David’s victory to be far more
calculated than we often imagine. He
takes the angled calculations of David and applies them (as I have never seen
before) to these assumptions about disadvantages. Is your child’s class of 27 students really academically
deprived in comparison to another child’s class of 15 students? Should your lifelong struggle with dyslexia
really be labeled as an undesirable difficulty as many have suggested? Is the coercion and cruelty of power-hungry
leaders really as limiting for the oppressed as we often think? Drawing from an obvious wealth of knowledge
and research, along with delightfully compelling stories, Gladwell establishes fine
arguments in unexpected directions and leaves the reader with fresh encouragement
to overcome life’s obstacles.
My Reads and Reviews for 2013:
 |
| Read - December 2013 |
"The
Saint Who Would Be Santa Claus: The True
Life and Trials of Nicholas of Myra” by Adam C. English (Baylor University
Press, 2012). Ever wondered just who brings you gifts on
Christmas morning? [SPOILER ALERT] Well, it ain’t Santa Claus… At least not the rosy round jolly Santa created
by Haddon Sundblom and commissioned by Coca Cola in 1931 and aptly marketed
every year post to present. But it just
may be the Santa Claus born out of the life and trials of Saint Nicholas of
Myra (d. 335ish)? Adam English humbly
offers for your consideration this remarkably detailed, yet nicely concise
historical biography of one of the world’s most beloved and yet most mysterious
figures. And consider it you ought,
whether curious or serious about getting to the bottom of the many legends and
stories. English digs far deeper than
many popular writers, sighting antiquitous biographers such as Michael the Archimandrite and Symeon Metaphrastes. As a photographer may zoom in and out several
times to keep a contextual bearing on his subject, so English marvelously zooms
in and out keeping the life of Nicholas himself tightly tied to the context of world
of Church history, as well as the much broader context of the history of the
Roman Empire and beyond. I would,
however, say this book could perhaps be enjoyed by a popular audience if it was
laid out a bit more clearly chapter and subtitle wise. Yet, as it is, it is nicely readable, and if
you are one who is savvy with screenplays, like Luther and Wilberforce, here is
a subject that is readily adaptable and culturally compelling.
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| Read - Throughout 2013 |
“Ancient
Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly
Readings: Lectionary Cycle B” edited by
Thomas C. Oden & Cindy Crosby (Intervarsity Press, 2011). I so
appreciated the first lectionary cycle of this book in 2012, I decided to pick
this up for this past year. This book follows
a liturgical Church calendar year, which is why I am already done, as it begins
with the season of advent and ends the week of Thanksgiving. Each devotional includes a short thematic
introduction, an opening prayer, three readings from Scripture (generally one
from OT, one from NT, and one from the Gospel accounts), a Psalm of response,
and a closing prayer. After each reading
from Scripture there are three to five reflective quotes from the early Church
Fathers, most of which date back to the 3rd, 4th, & 5th
centuries AD; guys like Augustine and Cyprian and Marius Victorinus. The opening and closing prayers are mostly
from early church liturgies and are both deep and wide, and meant to be prayed
with sincerity. But the thing you’ll
love most about this devotional is the thing I have loved most about it: It is NOT daily, but rather weekly. In other words, if you miss a day or three,
you aren’t behind for the year. Each
weekly devotional takes about an hour.
Spread it out over four days…or move through it all in one day. Either way, equally rich. I think there is a cycle C as well, if you
were wondering.
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| Read - November 2013 |
“An
Unhurried Life: Following Jesus’ Rhythms
of Work and Rest” by Alan Fadling (InterVarsity Press, 2013). We read
the word “unhurried” and immediately we’re drawn toward the sidelines of our
hurried lives to catch a tip on how to slow the game of life down, huh? Well, this book will not leave you unsatisfied
there. Though I am not sure it will
leave you totally satisfied either. With
many turned corners on many pages, this book offered up lots of principles on
slowing life down. The principles are
certainly drawn from the rhythms of Jesus’ life and ministry, as the title
promises. My sense, however, is they may
be lost amidst what felt like a fair amount of filler content. The first half of the book moved along well
and introduced me to new concepts, as well as confirmed several I’ve held for
some time now. The latter half drug it’s
heals in an effort to get to 200 pages and the final chapter, which was a
fantastic chapter I might add. All said,
though my feeling is the book could have been cut down to 100 pages, I would
commend this book to you…all of it.
Reality is any one of us could benefit from an unhurried read through several
pages of fluff in an effort to prove to ourselves we need more than bulleted principles
(as is the trend with so many blogs now days) and abridged versions. (As well, you’ll love that Fadling leads
right into chapter one without an intro!)
 |
| Read - October 2013 |
“Transforming
Prayer: How Everything Changes When You
Seek God’s Face” by Daniel Henderson (Bethany House, 2011). About a
year ago a family in our church gave this book to our family as a gift. My wife picked it up within a month or so and
loved it. I must admit, it did not fly
to the top of my “To Read” list. A book on prayer, I thought to myself, Huh, that’s new…not. (I’m being overly sarcastic to set up the
punch line, as you may have guessed.)
Eleven months later, with a dozen other books screaming at me from the
top shelf, I picked up this one. The
last book I read on prayer took a unique approach to praying your desires and
pursuits to God; what Henderson may call, “seeking the hand of God,” a nicely
American way to pray. Here, Henderson
shifts the whole thing; turns it upside-down really. He presents a nicely biblical way to
pray. And I don’t say “biblical” to
imply the other book wasn’t that. I say “biblical”
because, as Henderson moves the reader away from seeking God’s hand, he insists
on the use of scripture in seeking God’s face.
Henderson suggests a model of prayer that looks more like worship than intersession
or request. He does not exclude these
latter two valid forms of prayer, but he presses them into a context of
scripture-based worship-centered prayer.
My feeling is this idea doesn’t take much convincing. However, Henderson uses no less than 2/3 of
the book to establish credibility. My
opinion is that was too much. I was sold
on the model much earlier. The final
third of the book is very good stuff. He
gets brass-tacks basic and practical. He
outlines the model with several example prayers, and then follows up the
chapter schedule with several helpful appendices and a chapter-by-chapter
question guide. A worthy read if you’re
interested in a change-up in the way you pray.
 |
| Read - October 2013 |
“Somewhere By Chicago” by Miles Finch
(BonMotMedia, 2009). You’ve never heard of this book because it
wasn’t published by a major publishing behemoth. And you’ve never heard of this author because
he spent his life pastoring a small Assemblies of God church in Polson, Montana. But if you’re a pastor, especially a young
one (and by young I mean new) like me, you’ll want to get your hands on a
copy. I actually didn’t read this
book. I listened to it on mp3 while I
drove about for various reasons. I
thought it was going to be an autobiography-memoir-ish book. And I guess it was that, sort of. But more, it was a book of stories; case
studies almost, on redemption. Everyone
of them highly insightful and inspiring.
Everyone of them tied neatly and properly into scripture. Everyone of them richly entertaining…even for
my kids who were often stuck listening to it as they rode along with me in the
back seat of my car. If you’re not a
pastor, I would still commend this book to you if you love reading stories of
lives being changed and molded by God’s hand.
 |
| Read - September 2013 |
“Flowing Streams: Journeys of a Life Well Lived” by Stuart
Briscoe (Zondervan, 2008). As streams begin from the headwaters of a
mountain spring and continue toward a rushing river, so Stuart Briscoe’s life
proceeds. Here is a finely written and
plenty exciting memoir of a rock solid man of God. Over the course of 16 chapters, some more
captivating than others, Briscoe recounts the many trickles and tumbles and
tributary joints of his (and his wife’s) life journey, along with his many
years in various ministry roles. Briscoe
does far more than merely tell stories though.
If you’ll choose to stay the course of this book, you’ll be encouraged
at heart to “cut your own channel” through the landscape of life, finally to end
up nicely placed at the mouth of chapter 16, where you’ll find five smooth
stones; that is five practical and heartening principles that fit neatly into
anyone’s pocket for life.
 |
| Read - June-September 2013 |
“The
Cross of Christ” by John R. W. Stott (IVP, 1986, 2006). Perhaps
Stott’s magnum opus, this book lays the firmest foundation next to scripture for
the centrality of the cross of Christ in Christianity. This book has become a classic in Christian
literature. By classic, of course I do
not mean old. Rather, the principles
that emerge are so biblically and theologically sound they have spoken and will
speak volumes for decades. The book is
thick; nearly 350 pages, with small-ish text.
It is comprehensive, including a chapter by chapter study guide, a 12
page bibliography, and an extensive subject and scripture index (all these in
addition to the 350 pages). That said,
don’t be scared. As daunting as the book
may appear given size and subject, it is surprisingly easy to read. Not quick, but easy; understandable. Be warned, however, though easy, it will take
you some time to maneuver through the whole thing. The chapters are not just open and close chapters. You’ll be pressed to think and form
theological opinion. You may even find
yourself with a Bible at your right hand.
With more dog-eared pages than any book on my shelf, I cannot commend
this book more highly to you all.
 |
| Read - August 2013 |
“7
Men and the Secrets of Their Greatness” by Eric Metaxas (Thomas Nelson, 2013). A SUPERB
BOOK!!! Need I say more? Oh, but I will… Metaxas is quickly becoming my new favorite
author. (My current fav hasn’t shown up
with a new book for three years now, and I miss him.) Here Metaxas pursues answers to two questions
that are increasingly plaguing the local church in America: What is a man? And what makes a man
great? And in answering these questions,
Metaxas introduce the reader to seven men, real men worthy of role model
status; another thing our culture is in desperate need of: George Washington, William Wilberforce, Eric
Liddell, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, & Charles
Colson. Admittedly, he had a head start
on this book having treated both Wilberforce and Bonhoeffer in extensive
biographies already. In fact, I was
skeptical of his treatment of these men in mini biographies. How
will he capture in 30 pages what it took him 300+ and 500+ pages (Wilberforce
and Bonhoeffer respectively) to capture before?
Ahh, but part of what is drawing me more and more to Metaxas’
writing is that he did it, and in wonderfully compelling manner. He caught the essence of these men’s
greatness, all seven of them, in the length of a standard book chapter. I think anyone will appreciate this book
richly. A great reference resource for
further historical study or simply for bedtime pleasure reading. I hope you’ll give it a read.
 |
| Read - July 2013 |
“The
Moviegoer” by Walker Percy (Vintage, 1961). So,
thought I’d change things up a bit and sink into some fiction. Walker Percy’s name came up in a Eugene
Peterson lecture once, and I understood him to be a rather allegorical author. Some investigating turned up this short novel
as his first and greatest work. I picked
it up with eagerness and expectation.
Now, here my opinion means little, because I’m not usually reading
fiction stuff. So if you read fiction
and believe, as some do, that The
Moviegoer is one of the best novels of the 20th century, I’ll
concede this review to you. As for me,
it bored me. It started slow. Character development didn’t pull me in. In fact, I gave up halfway through –
literally – feeling like it should have gripped me by then. The plot has missed on me and the setting,
frankly, isn’t interesting to me. BUT,
it may be that the genius of this book is in the slow pace set in the
south. It may also be that Percy is so
brilliant a writer that his prowess flew way over my head. As well, as I suggested, it may be that my
inexperience in fiction fails me here.
And lastly, it may be that 50 years ago, when the story was originally published,
the pace and narrative details of the story were more culturally accepted and
received. Whatever the case, I failed to
appreciate this one.
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| Read - June 2013 |
“Weakness Is The Way: Life with Christ Our Strength” by J.I. Packer
(Crossway, 2013). This book was
not what I anticipated it was going to be.
That said, I’m not sure what I
anticipated. However, it was still a
great little read. This book is
short. It’s small in size and a bit more
than 100 pages. The diligent reader will
close the back cover in an afternoon or evening. And I suppose you could do that. Though, the content lends itself to a slower
read. Packer establishes precedent of what
he understands as weakness:
Inadequacy. With a definition as
simple, yet broad, as that, Packer allows it to leak into all areas of our
lives. You’re in this book, as am
I. Where we may be strong
intellectually, we are weak relationally.
Where we may be strong spiritually, we are weak socially. Packer then leaves all that to lay and moves
into a biblical theology of 2 Corinthians; Paul’s letter of demonstration for when he is weak, then he is strong. He covers three critical areas in the
Christian life; areas where, if we’re honest, we are plenty weak and in need of
genuine strength: Calling, giving, and
hoping. All these are kept tightly
associated with Christ Jesus and the text of Paul’s second letter to a church
which thought no great thing of him. I’ll
recommend this book to you. Packer is
always a sound choice. But I suspect there
may be other stuff out there that captures the principle of weakness in a
manner that is a bit more organized.
 |
| Read - June 2013 |
“Paul Harvey’s America: The Life, Art, and
Faith of A Man Who Transformed Radio and Inspired A Nation” by Stephen
Mansfield & David A. Holland (Tyndale, 2009). “And now the rest of the story…” about Paul
Harvey. This book is a must read. This is far more than a biography of radio’s
first news commentator. Almost without
the reader even realizing it, the authors brilliantly sneak a history lesson between
your ears. Covering the year’s most high
school text books spin off, this book offers the reader a stable and concise
look at the news events of the 20th century (plus a couple years) as
they intertwined with the man behind that voice you heard on the radio while
munching on Cheerios at the breakfast table before school. I was particularly drawn in by the authors’
portrayal of Harvey’s realness and down-to-earth-ness. This book covers Harvey’s faith journey
alongside his career journey (and many of his ensuing views) alongside his
personal relational journey. The book
isn’t long in pages, but it can be as long or as short as you want it to be in
reading, depending on how you digest solid writing. A few features of the book that many will
love are the “appendices” covering Paul Harvey’s life maxims and well loved
quotes, a comprehensive list of Harvey’s lifetime awards and achievements, and
a “suggested reading” list for those interested in reading some of Harvey’s
first hand stuff from years back.
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| Read - May 2013 |
“The Way of the Pilgrim” translated by R.M.
French (Harper One, 1965). Last
year I read a book on prayer called “Kneeling with Giants.” In it the author transports the reader to
centuries past and remembers various models of prayer used by Christians who
have gone before us. One such model was
that of the early church fathers of Eastern Europe known best as interior
prayer. The model certainly leans toward
the Christian mystical, to an uncomfortable degree for many western
readers. But I was curious enough to
track down this book; “The Way of the Pilgrim,” originally published in 1884, and
mentioned by the author of “Kneeling with Giants.” It is a narrative recording the wanderings of
a pilgrim in mid-nineteenth century Russia who is in pursuit of what it means
to “pray without ceasing,” or interior prayer.
Early in the book he encounters a knowledgeable monk who turns him onto
the Jesus prayer as found in a collection of writings by the Fathers of the Eastern
Orthodox Church. The prayer goes like
this: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on
me.” The intent is to become so
accustomed to reciting this short and profound prayer that it becomes as
familiar and natural to one as breathing is, thus you have interior prayer or
prayer without ceasing. I know, I know, I
bet right now you can’t wait to pick up a copy of this book for yourself! Well, slow down. Though interesting in its principles on
prayer, it was a challenge to read. It
is not written like a modern day narrative.
In fact, I would say it is not written like a mid-nineteenth century
narrative. Perhaps verbiage gets thicker
in translation, but reading this book felt only slightly simpler than if I was plodding
through the rich robust prose of a seventeenth century narrative. The book is divided into two parts and I had
to call it quits after the first part.
Which is fine, since the prayer principles are mostly revealed already
by then. And as far as that goes, the
principles are great. In as much as the
Bible does tell us to pray without ceasing (2 Thess. 5:17), here is as good of
model as any to assist in pursuit of such a lofty truth. As a bonus, if you choose to pick up this
book, don’t miss the principles on how to treat travelers on the road; both
actual and metaphorical travelers. We
are all, after all, on a pilgrimage toward Christ-likeness.
 |
| Read - April 2013 |
“Five Smooth Stones for Pastoral Work” by Eugene
Peterson (Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1980). Here is a book that has been around for
awhile. And it has been around for a
reason. Peterson has some solid points
to share with pastors. Obviously then,
this book is not for everyone. It is for
pastors. Though it is not for any pastor
either. Eugene Peterson is an
imaginative writer. Though he is as solid
as concrete in his biblical and theological understanding, he is less than
concrete in his written visual portrayals.
That might make it difficult for some pastors to track with Peterson’s
thought flow here. What he has basically
done in this volume is sought to understand the pastoral works of
prayer-directing, story-making, pain-sharing, nay-saying, and
community-building within the biblical context of Hebrew scripture and
writings. Particularly and respectively
the books of Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Ester. Again, Peterson does a masterful job in
relating these pastoral works with these biblical contexts. Some, in my opinion, he does better than
others. One felt like a pretty lengthy
reach. He certainly hits on areas of
pastoral work that are not covered as proficiently in recent publications. But be warned, if you are not a pastor or if
you are a pastor who is less idealistic or poetic in character, you may want
to skip this book for something by Piper.
 |
| Read - April 2013 |
“Once
An Arafat Man: The True Story of How A
PLO Sniper Found A New Life” by Tass Saada (Tyndale, 2008). Taysir
(Tass) Saada was born in Gaza and grew up as a Palestinian refugee out of
country. Hate was circumstantially
inbred. By seventeen he had joined the Palestinian
Liberation Operation (PLO), was promoted to sniper, and was found often enough
to be killing Jews. His hate embroiled
him. Long and edge-of-your-seat story short, his life was transformed by Jesus Christ;
a Jew mind you, which both wrecked him and emboldened him at once. And today he lives…amazingly he is still
alive…as a “minister of reconciliation” with a “message of reconciliation” for
Jews and Palestinians and
Christians. The narrative of this book offers
a unique inside peak into the last 60 or so years of Palestinian & Israeli
conflict. But it does not wind out
without hope. Saada moves from hate (his
younger years) to love (his middle to later years) to a hopeful strategy rooted
in Jesus Christ as the Word of God for
reconciling people to God, not just Palestinians to Israelis or Christians to
Muslims. This book proved to be very
difficult to turn the light out on at the end of the day. I highly recommend it to you.
 |
| Read - March 2013 |
“Multiply:
Disciples Making Disciples” by Francis Chan and Mark Beuving (David C. Cook,
2012). And here, the fourth and final book in my
Francis Chan book marathon. Multiply was a joint effort between Chan
and Mark Beuving, a college professor at Eternity Bible College. The shortest thing I can say about this book
is it is FULL! It is twice as long as any of Chan’s other
books, though it reads just as quickly in some respects. (It is more interactive than his other books,
including questions and outlines, as well as online video links for every
chapter.) At first glance, the book
appears highly programmatic. From start
to finish it is basically a discipleship course. The goal of the book is to read it, do the
hard work, reflect on it, be increasingly transformed, and then share it with
another who may experience the same journey, and so on with others. Hence, Multiply. The book is both basic and comprehensive in
scope. It deals less with doctrine and
more with biblical knowledge and understanding, including sections on “Living
as a Disciple Maker,” “Living as the Church,” “How to Study the Bible,” and two
survey sections on the Old and New Testaments.
If the number of dog-eared pages in a book can serve as commendation,
then you may want to pick up a copy for yourself.
 |
| Read - February 2013 |
“Erasing
Hell: What God Said About Eternity and
the Things We Made Up” by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle (David C. Cook,
2011). Pressing
on in my Francis Chan book marathon, I come to the third book he has written. Chan joins Preston Sprinkle, a Bible college
professor, with this venture in an effort to add credible scholarship to a book
that tackles a monster of a theological issue.
Admittedly, this book will feel like the least compelling of his books
so far, if you are reading them in order as I am. This is, in large part, due to the subject
matter – Hell. But I commend it both to the
novice disciple, for its Chan-like readability, as well as to the closet
scholar, for its sound biblical theology.
You’ll notice immediately that the authors begin, right out of the gate,
by establishing the high value of biblical context for right and good biblical
exegesis. They proceed by keeping this
value front and center by taking on the hardest question about Hell and
eternity. They deal with Hell’s
multi-faceted cultural descriptions, linguistic variations; both biblically and
extra-biblically, the history of understandings, as well as what Jesus and his followers
said about Hell. Of note, chapter 6;
where they deal with the questions that arise from Romans 9, could not have
been written more courageously and graciously.
But take heed as you read, especially chapter 5. You may want to cover your toes, as they
authors are not shy about calling out the responsibility of the reader and how
it all relates to the streets of our lives.
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| Read - February 2013 |
“Forgotten
God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the
Holy Spirit” (by Francis Chan (David C. Cook, 2009). I
suspect, if this book falls into the right hands, and perhaps it has on many
levels already, the impact may be profoundly visible...visible in its effect on
the Church and visible in its effect on the world. In the introduction Chan writes: “[The people of God] are not all we were made
to be when everything in our lives and churches can be explained apart from the
work and presence of the Holy Spirit.”
The statement is not all that different than the one I quoted from Crazy Love. At least the point is the same. If who we, as a people redeemed and called
out by the God of the Universe, are not different in a cosmic sort of way; that
is, our actions and attitudes, than we have likely and unwittingly reduced the
power of the Holy Spirit. Can we do
that? Chan helps us in understanding that
very issue. He proceeds slowly by
generating the obvious need for the Holy Spirit, then meanders through a 100
level biblical theology on the Holy Spirit, and finally draws out principles
and practice regarding the Holy Spirit.
And he does it all with probing challenge and a disarming grace. There is much about this book that is
quotable. However, there is much more
about this book that is applicable. I am
confident this book will appeal to both the armchair theologian and novice
Christian alike.
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| Read - February 2013 |
“Crazy
Love: Overwhelmed By A Relentless God”
by Francis Chan (David C. Cook, 2008). Quote
from the top of page 115: “Something is
wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers.” There’s the book. Chan’s pursuit is to share God’s love as more
upside-down backward and crazy than any other love we’ll know that our lives
cannot help but be changed from the inside out to the degree our love becomes
just as crazy. Chan moves, over the
course of 10 well written and easy to read chapters, from standing in awe of
God to moving in action for God with as much grace and patience as I have ever
encountered. This is the first book I
have read by Chan (in an effort to read all four of the books he has written)
and I was properly stirred up. He writes
in a manner that first disarms you, then wrecks you, then picks you up, dusts
you off and sets you in the right direction…with a good kick in the butt to
move you. Inwardly I am conflicted as I
look toward his next book on the Holy Spirit.
On one hand, it seems a fine sequel to this book. On the other hand, it seems as though the
wrecking ball is simply going to swing back the other way and take me down again. I’ll let you know how it goes.
 |
| Read - February 2013 |
“Protégé: Developing Your Next Generation of Church
Leaders” by Steve Saccone (InterVarsity Press, 2012). Right
from the get-go, let it be said, Saccone is well suited to write this
book. A director/specialist/founder/staff/etc.
of multiple leadership development programs and entrepreneurial courses, Saccone
comes to the table with strong repute. I
picked up the book eager and willing. I
devoured the first two of five parts. By
the time I got to part five I was reading bold headings and skimming the text. So what happened in between? Best I can tell is personal stories got long
and publisher push material got thick.
It began to feel like I was reading a transcript for a seminar or a
filled in outline. But hold on…the
points from the first two sections were rock solid. Saccone calls out the deadliest sins of
emerging leaders and pressed in on the tensions they’ll manage. His pursuit is to create a Kingdom culture of
spiritual depth, character transformation, and relational health. It’s just that this, being a really valuable “how
to” book – and I am becoming more and more convinced of this with all really
valuable “how to” books – could have been published in a booklet format with
fewer than 50 pages and still made the same points present. The book is commendable, but you’ll need to
be okay with being choosy.
 |
| Read - January 2013 |
“The
Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of
the Christian Faith” by Timothy Keller (Riverhead Books, 2008). I know,
I know…you’ve already read this one. The
popularity of this book spun wildly when it came out and, admittedly, that had
at least something to do with why I hadn’t read it until now. I have listened to Tim Keller preach, but
until now, I had not read anything he has written. I will likely read much more. Fifth sentence into the book… “Nevertheless, one of the signs that you may not
grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you
do.” Did you catch that? How’d that feel? Yeah, me too.
The book proceeds in like form; though full of grace and faithfulness,
like Jesus. This book expounds the
gospel from the story of “The Two Lost Sons” in Luke 15. You may know it as the story of “The Prodigal
Son.” Keller makes a profoundly
brilliant, yet understandably reasonable case for God as the real prodigal in the story and the two
sons as representative of two extremes of lostness. You and I are found somewhere on the continuum
between the extremes.
 |
| Read - January 2013 |
“The
Good and Beautiful God,” “The Good and Beautiful Life,” & “The Good and
Beautiful Community” by James Bryan Smith (Intervarsity Press, 2009-10). This
trilogy of spiritual formation books, each with telling subtitles, comes with
pretty high accolades from guys like Richard Foster and Dallas Willard, both
mentors of sorts for Smith. My knee-jerk
opinion is worth far less than two cents in comparison with these men of the
faith, but overall, though full of good spiritual insights/reminders, I felt
the author missed a certain degree of humility in many personal
illustrations. The first book is a 101
level introduction to several attributes and characteristics of God. The second book is a lightweight exposition of
the Sermon on the Mount from Matthew 5-7, detailing life in the Kingdom of God
here and now. The third and, in my
opinion, best book is a primer on living differently as a follower of Jesus, in
community with other followers of Jesus.
Now admittedly, I was not using this series according to its intended
purpose. It is best used as a small
group weekly study or personal weekly devotional. I was reading for familiarity sake and to
assess it for purposes of small group use.
Each book includes a leader’s guide at the back (for small group
purposes) and helpful “Soul Training” exercises at the end of each chapter (for
small group participants or the individual reader). Personal opinion aside, I can recommend these books…with these
suggestions: 1. The “Soul Training”
exercises are the source of depth and growth in these books; take full
advantage of them. 2. Rather than using
the author’s insights as your base of study, back up to his outline; the topics
and Bible passages for each chapter, and study them out for yourself, and lead
from there through the material. 3. Be
willing to re-write or re-phrase material from the leader’s guides to fit with
what you have studied and found to be truth.
I would imagine you’ll encounter material that you both agree and
disagree with in this book, as in virtually any book, so proceed with both
openness and conviction of heart.
My Reads and Reviews for 2012:
 |
| Read - November & December 2012 |
“The
Mission Of God: Unlocking the Bible’s
Grand Narrative” by Christopher J.H. Wright (Intervarsity Press, 2006). This
review will be short because you’ll need the extra time to read all 530 pages
of this book. The impetus to write this
volume was born from a question posed to Dr. Wright regarding the validity of
using a missiological framework for interpreting the Bible. Wright’s answer in short: Highly valid!
He begins his work “in the beginning” and moves through key themes, or pillars,
established by God for Israel, and indeed for all those who would be His people
– pillars of election, redemption, covenant, and the relationship between these
and biblical ethics. It sounds a bit
heady perhaps, and at times it is. The
size of the book alone tempts one to leave it for a scholar. However, if one can move past the 30-50 page
chapters, one will find a very well written book about the story of God’s
pursuit of a people to call His own.
Wright gets practical with issues of ethics and creation care as well,
which keeps the book rooted in issues of our day. All wrapped up, the book is biblically sound
and a solid read…just give yourself a few months to read it.
 |
| Read - Throughout 2012 |
“Ancient
Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly
Readings” edited by Thomas C. Oden & Cindy Crosby (Intervarsity Press,
2007). This book came as a free gift when I began my
subscription to the Ancient Christian Commentary series in fall 2011. With no other devotional guide in hand or on
shelf I decided to give it a go for 2012.
Win! The book follows a liturgical
Church calendar year, which is why I am already done, as it begins with the
season of advent and ends the week of Thanksgiving. Each devotional includes a short thematic
introduction, an opening prayer, three readings from Scripture (generally one
from OT, one from NT, and one from the Gospel accounts), a Psalm of response,
and a closing prayer. After each reading
from Scripture there are three to five reflective quotes from the Church
Fathers, most of which date back to the 3rd, 4th, & 5th
centuries AD; guys like Augustine and Cyprian and Marius Victorinus. The opening and closing prayers are mostly
from early church liturgies and are both deep and wide, and meant to be prayed
with sincerity. But the thing you’ll
love most about this devotional is the thing I have loved most about it: It is NOT daily, but rather weekly. In other words, if you miss a day or three,
you aren’t behind for the year. Each
weekly devotional takes about an hour.
Spread it out over four days…or move through it all in one day. Either way, equally rich.
 |
| Read - October 2012 |
“The
Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears” by
Mark Batterson (Zondervan, 2011). The title and the premise of the book were
born out of a 1st century BC Jewish legend, which Batterson
effortlessly ties to the story of the fall of Jericho. Compelling?
Well, allow me to save you some time and money on this one: Pray
more often than you are now…about stuff you’ve only dreamt of…and don’t stop…even
when God answers. There’s the book
in one sentence instead of 215 publisher required pages, which, makes sense
because after all, if you’re going to charge twenty bucks for a book, it better
have some pages in it. And there was plenty
of good biblical moraliz…I mean quoting going on throughout those pages. But, more often than not, even the good stuff
got tangled up in lots of anecdotal stories and cliché commentary, fluff...I
mean stuff that, for me, was a distraction from learning more about
prayer. (I suspect many readers will
love the stories and commentary, so don’t let that dissuade you.) Never-the-less, I can tell you I have plenty
of highlighting throughout and chapter 15 on creating a list of goals was
inspiring for me, even though it produces more of a Christian bucket list then
a prayer guide. At the end of it – well,
my feeling is prayer is not about getting what you want, but rather about
giving God what He deserves. Much of the
book feels like it leans toward the former and I’m simply not certain that
aligns with what I understand from scripture.
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| Read - October 2012 |
“Almost
Heaven” by Chris Fabry (Tyndale House, 2010). This
book is fiction…but don’t stop reading this.
I’m not a fiction reader either. In
fact, the last fiction book I read was in high school, and if I’m honest with
you, I probably didn’t even read the whole thing. (I have read a couple Francine Rivers books
from the Son’s of Encouragement
series, but they feel less like fiction and more like good biblical
exaggeration.) I have simply not made a
point of picking up fiction. I guess I
have assumed I can learn more from non-fiction.
So why did I pick up this book?
Did I like the cover? Was it the raving
review in Christianity Today? How about
the ECPA Medallion of Excellence book award it has won? Maybe a combination of all those. However, again I’ll be honest with you, if my
assumption is I learn more from non-fiction, then I picked up this book to give
my brain a break from learning and allow it to get lost in someone else’s world
for awhile. Well, that didn’t
happen. Billy Allman (the main
character) taught me plenty about love and life and success and money and God
and how to find forgiveness and healing for old deep wounds. And Malachi (Billy’s observing/protecting
angel) reminded me – even taught me – there is far more to the story than what
I see on this side of the eternal veil.
Fiction lover or not, I would commend this book to you. Admittedly, when it comes to fiction, I don’t
have a lot to compare it to, but – allow me to press my tongue firmly into my
cheek here – but it beats a Driscoll book hands down.
 |
| Read - September 2012 |
“Kneeling
with Giants: Learning to Pray with History’s Best Teachers” by Gary Neal Hansen
(Intervarsity Press, 2012). A masterful book! How’s that for an opening statement? Well, it’s true. Prayer as a Christian discipline has been
around for a long time. Only in modern
years has prayer been viewed as “conversation with God,” which, if we are
honest, is generally a pretty one sided chat.
For centuries prior the prevailing understanding of prayer has been far
more mysterious (I avoid the term mystical because of modern connotations,
though it may be a more apt word); less conversation and more contemplation. Hansen draws out the richness of this more
historical understanding of prayer while maintaining a solid evangelical
footing throughout. Beginning as far
back as St. Benedict’s Divine Office,
Hansen moves through the centuries combining his great knowledge of history with
a deep compassion for the struggling, yet desirous prayer warrior. He keeps things practical and, where a prayer
may not be personally applicable, he is quick to point the reader to others we
might prayer for. I could spend pages
offering quotes from this book, but I will simply commend it to you for your
own reading. This book is full of resources
and texts for further reading. I will
certainly acquire more than a few now that my interest has been well sparked,
even lit up.
 |
| Read - August 2012 |
“Biblical
Theology in The Life Of The Church” by Michael Lawrence (Crossway, 2010). Two
years ago Michael Lawrence spoke at my seminary graduation. He was very clear and articulate in his charge
and I was richly blessed. I sought out
his book to glean more insight from him.
The book sounded interesting but turned out to be basically a text book
on Bible study methods, at least the part I plowed through; which should
suggest to you that I did not read this book cover to cover. The book is separated into three
sections: Tools for doing Biblical
theology, example results of doing Biblical theology, and some practical
application for the local church. I
suspect he could have flip-flopped these sections around and used the tool of
suspense to keep the reader involved in the writing ending with tools. He warns in the introduction for certain
readers to skip the first section on tools and begin with the second section on
examples. I did not heed his warning and
burned out in the tool section. I did
skim the examples section and appreciated what I read. They read like sermon manuscripts adjusted
slightly for print, but they appeared engaging:
“The Story of Creation,” “The Story of the Fall,” “The Story of Love,” “The
Story of Sacrifice,” “The Story of Promise.”
Each seems to trace the given theme from Genesis to Revelation, which is
indeed good Biblical theology. Thus, I
suggest, if you choose to pick up this book, listen to Lawrence’s warning and
start in chapter 6. You can always come
back to the tools later.
 |
| Read - July 2012 |
“Run
with the Horses: The Quest for Life At
Its Best,” by Eugene Peterson (Intervarsity Press, 2009, 2nd Ed.). Eugene
Peterson has never disappointed me in anything I have read by him. And this book was no exception. In fact this book came as a pleasant
surprise. With a title like this, what
do you imagine the book to be about? Well,
you’re wrong. Or you may be right, but I
doubt it. Jeremiah 12:5 says, “So,
Jeremiah, if you’re worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you
can race against horses? And if you can’t
keep your wits during times of calm, what’s going to happen when troubles break
loose like the Jordan in flood?” (The Message).
Did you catch the namesake?
Peterson has written a profoundly insightful and inspiring volume on
Jeremiah like nothing I have read before on one of the prophets. He has singled out the biographical snapshots
of the man Jeremiah amidst the broader prophetic context of the book and
demonstrated the realness of who Jeremiah was; his strengths and deficiencies
and his victories and defeats, and finally binds the principles that have been
mined out to the life of the reader. I
won’t say more on this book, simply that you read it…really. Particularly for people in leadership roles,
and especially for those in ministry leadership roles.
 |
| Read - July 2012 |
“Love
Does: Discovering A Secretly Incredible
Life in an Ordinary World,” by Bob Goff (Thomas Nelson, 2012). I have a
wonderful story about when I first met Bob Goff. You’ll have to ask me to tell you
sometime. Suffice it to say that my
experience with Bob and the stories related in this book align perfectly. In other words, what you read is who he
is. That point emerges as a particular
value of this book; that of reading an author who is genuine and authentic in
approach. Goff writes from a well of
whimsy and joy, which again appropriately reflects the nature of the topic he
is pressing into…and pressing toward us.
His whole thesis is that real
Love is active. There are hands and feet
on the Love Christ Jesus entrusts to us upon trusting in Him. And those who really Love Jesus in return, get this and shape their lives around
Christ’s model of Love. The stories Goff
includes mount with enthusiasm and generosity.
At times you’ll pause mid-sentence, smile, and shake your head at what
you’re reading. You may even question,
based on the expense and grandiosity of some of the “capers” Goff has
instigated, whether this lifestyle is for you.
After all, you are not a high profile lawyer or founder of an international
Justice ministry or an honorary Consul for the Republic of Uganda. However, press on, for at the end of it all, Goff
reveals this “secretly incredible life” is really just a dedicated willingness
to eclipse generosity with actual sacrifice.
I have a case of this book and I am giving them away because it truly is
a joy to read about this manner of Love…and then go do Love.
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| Read - June 2012 |
“Souls
in Transition: The Religeous &
Spiritual Lives of Emerging Adults,” by Christian Smith (Oxford University
Press, 2009). This book is a follow up to Smith’s previous
book “Soul Searching” in which he personally interview half-dozen or so
teenagers and assimilated the data into a study. Now, at the time of writing this book, those
teenagers are “emerging adults,” a term Smith credits Jeffrey Arnett with
developing (see below). This book is
thick and the font is small. If that
scares you, don’t pick up this book. It
is think with small font for a reason.
The reason is because the extent of the research data recorded demands
it. I did not read this book cover to
cover. I would have stalled out around a
third of the way through. What I found
to be most helpful was the personal testimonies and the breadth of research. I’ll come back to the personal testimonies,
but what I mean by breadth of research is the categories Smith considers are
virtually exhaustive. He covers the
lives of emerging adults in their entirety.
From religions to relationships to drug use to sex to work to school to
insurance, Smith has numbers on it all.
And I do mean numbers. He has a
chart or graph for all of these categories and more. Helpful for some. Boring for others. Coming back to the personal testimonies
though, you’ll have to mine through the statistics to find them, but when you
do, you’ll be moved. Smith is as candid
in record and the interviewees were in person.
You may have to plug your ears at times, but it is all real life for
emerging adults. For those who read the
Arnett book and are still skeptical about the legitimacy of emerging adulthood
as an age/stage of life, this book will convince you. And further yet, it will demonstrate the
cross-cultural mission field that it is.
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| Read - June 2012 |
“Emerging
Adulthood: The Winding Road from the
Late Teens through the Twenties,” by Jeffrey Jensen Arnett (Oxford University
Press, 2004). Jeffrey Arnett is a psychologist. He is the guy who coined the term “emerging
adulthood” (the term I have parsed and adopted for the ministry I lead) and
legitimized it as a field of study.
Arnett does a brilliant job making a case for this new and unique stage
of life between adolescence and adulthood (18-30ish yrs. old). He keeps a historical perspective and grounds
his arguments in actuals and realities, which he turned up in some highly
extensive research. Arnett suggests
multiple reasons for the legitimacy of emerging adulthood, the best of which is
the simple fact that there has been a seismic shift in how young people
18-30ish view the “meaning and value of becoming an adult and entering the
adult roles.” Frankly, it doesn’t take a
genius to notice this in our culture today.
There have emerged in the lives of young people, according to Arnett,
five defining components that indicate living as an emerging adult. In brief they are: identity exploration, instability,
self-focus, feeling in-between, and possibilities. He says much more on these, but I wouldn’t
want to spoil the read for you. I will
note at this point that much of this book is research driven. There must be 50 pages of end notes,
references, and various indexes to close out the book, as well as lots of
charts and graphs throughout. If lengthy
quotes and statistics aren’t your piece of pie, you may want to skip much of
this read. As well, Arnett is not
religious in a strict sense, so if you are looking for an evangelical Christian
perspective on this subject you might consider something by Christian Smith
(see above). Never-the-less, if you are
interested in learning a bit and can find a copy cheap or on loan, read the
first three chapters. They are the most
helpful and readable chapters in the book.
 |
| Read - May 2012 |
“Shaped
By The Cross: Meditations on the Sufferings of Jesus,” by Ken Gire
(InterVarsity Press, 2011). I first encountered Michelangelo’s Pietà in Portland, Oregon…at a Western
Seminary staff/faculty appreciation gala.
The seminary president had reserved a particular art gallery in the
Pearl District of downtown Portland for a gala event that would honor a former president
of the seminary. The plans for that
event fell through, so it became an appreciation gala instead. We arrived, and out of the corner of my eye,
I saw a hulking mass of bronze figuration in the front window. It was a full size bronze reproduction of the
Pietà. It captured me in a way other sculptured art
has not. At the time I could not put my
finger on it. Ken Gire helped me do just
that. This book was my devotional of
choice for a men’s retreat I went on recently.
Gire successfully spends ample time reflecting on the image of Christ,
the wounds of Christ, and the body of Christ, among other images, all generated
by his encounter with Michelangelo’s Pietà. This will not be a book you read
quickly. There are seven chapters in
this book, not to mention a rich prologue and essential epilogue, and they each
deserve proper space for your personal reflection. Thankfully, Gire assists the reader in
reflection at the close of each chapter with a prayer (which I suggest you pre-read
and then pray out loud and with earnest) and half-a-dozen or so questions. These questions for me became the source of
deep consideration and concern, filling more than a few pages in my
journal. They will certainly do the same
for you.
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| Read - May 2012 |
“All
Is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir,” by
Brennan Manning with John Blasé (David C Cook, 2011). This
will probably be the last we hear from Brennan Manning. That sense will evolve as you read. And if this is the last we hear from him, we will certainly have straight
record and he will certainly have come as clean as possible. Manning has written much in the vein of “heart
on sleeve” vulnerability (i.e. “Abba’s Child” or “Ruthless Trust”). However, in this, his memoir, he swings the
door of his life wide open for all to view.
He begins early with a raw reveal of his childhood in Brooklyn and his
chaffing relationship with his mother.
He proceeds from there up and down, over victories and through defeats,
throughout the entirety of his life. I
personally was most interested and impacted by the ministry season of his life;
the season he entitles “Brennan.” This
season is preceded and succeeded by “Richard” and “Me” respectively; seasons
you will quickly come to realize as “who he was” and “who he really is.” This book is masterfully laid out in an order
that apparently means more to Manning than chronology does. The storied manner of writing, along with the
wide margins and line spacing, made this a quick read. The dozen or so testified accolades, Philip Yancey’s
“Forward,” and half-a-dozen letters from the “Notorious Sinner’s” all commend
this book to you. As for me…make it a
weekend getaway read. Don’t let it drag
out.
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| Read - April 2012 |
“Your
Church Is Too Safe: Why Following Christ
Turns the World Upside-Down,” by Mark Buchanan (Zondervan, 2012). You may
have heard of the book “Your God Is Too Safe?”
Same author, this one his newest venture though. And I am now officially a Mark Buchanan fan. Not just because I “liked” his facebook page
either. More so because his books are
written to a deeper part of humankind than many books on the shelf right
now. This was the second Buchanan book I
have read. (The first was “The Rest of
God” on the topic of Sabbath.) And this
was the second Buchanan book that has stirred me up to change. The joys of this book are numerous, not the
least of which is its invitation to readability. The chapters are concise, but rich. Almost like a devotional, but more wrecking
than that (18 chapters in about 200 pages).
Each dances around the issue of living missionally in our communities…as
a community of faith. But he never drops
the m-word as I recall, which many traditionalists are tired of hearing. But even traditionalists will appreciate
Buchanan’s mainstay expositions on passages from the book of Jonah and the
gospels, as well as curious expositions on passages from Zechariah, Joshua, and
Nehemiah. In these Buchanan presses ever
so gently on the increasing need for hospitality and other issues of Christian
virtue to surface again in our little world.
All with the Christ-like pursuit of turning the world upside-down to the
glory of God. I highly commend this book
to readers of every age and skill. I
have two more Buchanan books waiting in the wings for me, which I will as well
likely commend to you upon completion.
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| Read - April 2012 |
“The
Road To Missional: Journey To the Center
of the Church,” by Michael Frost (Baker Books, 2011). Michael
Frost is a missiologist and he comes to the missional table with much
experience. He writes in a manner that
evokes a response similar to that of those who heard Jesus and “were astonished
at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.” (Luke 4:32) Frost levels the playing field in the
introduction by broadening the idea of missional to being a top down idea; that
is, an idea inaugurated by God more than an idea conjured up by the Church as a
replacement for evangelism. Thus, it
becomes something we can’t control. For some,
this may be frustrating; even alarmingly to the point of battling the
book. Well, keep reading. Because he proceeds from one chapter to the
next to disarm your frustration and alarm and to woo you, not into a corner or
a belief that you don’t believe, but into a posture that grants you a grander
view of God himself; a view that keeps His long running mission (The Missio
Dei) in proper perspective: “The
alerting of people to the reign of God.”
This then becomes the trump task of those seeking to be missional. Frost draws from a deep well of sources as he
thinks through his ideas with you. Frost
develops a solid biblical theology on evangelism, takes a bold position on cruciformity, and subtly suggests an
eschatological view that may take you by surprise. I commend this book to anyone looking for a
good biblical/theological case and understanding of the role of missional
living in the Church; that is living incarnationally.
 |
| Read - March 2012 |
“Missional
Small Groups: Becoming a Community That
Makes a Difference in the World,” by M. Scott Boren (Baker Books, 2010). This is not the first book Boren has written on
the topic of missional living. As a
pastor/trainer/consultant, much of his ministry pursuit apparently revolves
around the trend of “being missional.” (I
don’t use “trend” as a means of suggesting being missional to be passing, but
rather presently significant and culturally shaping.) I appreciated Boren’s practical approach in
the latter half of this book, appropriately titled “Practicing.” He moves missional as a life approach into
the realm of small groups and presents a very clear model of how to be
missional as the church personally, communally, and culturally. There is much to glean from this latter half
of the book and I will likely return to it often as a resource. The first half of the book, however, lost me
a bit, but not for lack of inspiration or content. The first half is titled “Listening,” and it
is likely that I wasn’t listening close enough, but I found myself having to
work pretty hard to keep up with his analogies and the like. To page through my copy, you’ll find much highlighted
throughout the first half. Proof that
there is considerable value in his manner of setting the stage for the
practical. Similarly, should you choose
to peak through this book as a small group leader yourself, you’ll find lots of
help in his appendices at the end.
Overall, a good book. Personally,
a good resource more than a good read.
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| Read - March 2012 |
“Missional
Communities: The Rise of the
Post-Congregational Church,” by Reggie McNeal (Jossey-Bass, 2011). McNeal
by no means introduces the phrase “Missional Community.” The phrase has lingered around the outer
circle of evangelicalism for more than a few years now. What he does do is bring an understanding of
missional communities, their place in the broader scope of evangelical Christendom,
and several reviews of missional community models. This book as a whole was very helpful and a
joy to read. He opens by establishing
the need for something more than the traditional church as a congregation
gathered. He purports well the purpose
and posture of missional communities as coming alongside the church as
congregation. McNeal does not suggest an
out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new thesis here.
Each has value. One simply needs more
attention given our present culture. He
spends just enough time discussing the conversation of missional communities
and their validity – one chapter – and moves into proven examples of how,
where, why it has been done. From a
thoroughly European model turned stateside to a gospel-centered model for
urban/suburban America to a college campus model to a Mega-church
deconstruction model to a whole community/whole person approach, McNeal covers
the field with what has been done already.
What I appreciated most about this book is McNeal is generous and gentle
and concedes the reality that the models mentioned are just that, models. The varieties are many and certainly contextualized
to particular communities. His primary
pursuit is to see people motivated to be creative in reaching their communities
with the good news of the Kingdom of God; that is Jesus Christ.
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| Read - March 2012 |
“The
Gospel Commission: Recovering God’s
Strategy for Making Disciples,” by Michael Horton (Baker Books, 2011). Horton does
a wonderful job at introducing his book.
From his vantage point, the church has gone into maintenance mode. This is a generalization to be sure. However, he sets the stage well for the
greater point that the church and mission are virtually synonymous. The church was born out of mission and
mission continues to be born from the church.
They are not mutually exclusive details to the Christian faith. They are help-mates at least. His pursuit then, beyond the introduction, is
to clarify an understanding of the churches mission based primarily on the
Great Commission passage in Matthew 28, though he works hard to keep a Biblical
Theology position and expands his insights to the whole of Scripture. Horton has divided up this book into three
parts. I stayed with him through the
first two parts; The Great Announcement and
The Mission Statement. Though he is solidly Covenant in his theology
(and I am not as much), I found myself nodding more than a few times as he
exhorts the reader unto a full and practical understanding of just how “great” Jesus’
commission is…great both in its scope or breadth and in its awe-some-ness. He lost me, however, in the third part on The Strategic Plan. I guess I felt he could have been done at the
end of part two. There was enough
practical “strategery” in those two parts that I was motivated to “Go,
therefore…” The third part felt
loaded. Horton became rather verbose and
agenda-ized. I pressed on as long as I
could but finally had to give up on page 238 of 308.
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| Read - February 2012 |
“The
Sabbath,” by Abraham Joshua Heschel (FSG Classics, 1951, 1979, 2005 w/
introduction). Just about two years ago I became interested
in the subject of Sabbath. Last year I
read a couple books on the subject that proved to be very helpful for me in
understanding rhythms of life and both the biblical imperative and life
necessity for Sabbath. Heschel’s book
has been my first one this year so far, with at least one more on the
docket. Heschel may be described as a
Jewish mystic in the sense that he is a wonderfully unique combination of Jewish
orthodox and spiritual. His book
launches from just such a posture. From
the prologue to the epilogue, Heschel institutes a sort of dance between time
and space. Time has been the eternal
mainstay and space has sought to usurp time on varying levels. Sabbath, for Heschel, becomes a time that
particularly works to sanctify the space we occupy during the daily-ness of
life. Heschel writes, “To gain control
of the world of space is certainly one of our tasks. The danger begins when in gaining power in
the realm of space we forfeit all aspirations in the realm of time. There is a realm of time where the goal is
not to have but to be, not to own but to give, not to control but to share, not to subdue but
to be in accord.” One more quote from Heschel, among many I appreciated: "Six days a week we wrestle with the world, wringing profit from the earth; on the Sabbath we especially care for the seed of eternity planted in the soul. The world has our hands, but our sould belongs to Someone Else." The read itself is delightful and places your
imagination in a posture of Sabbath, which will compel you to seek out a
Sabbath of your own.
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| Read - February 2012 |
"The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable...about restoring sanity to the most important organization in your life," by Patrick Lencioni (Jossey-Bass, 2008). I
have thoroughly enjoyed reading Lencioni’s leadership fables. You may have as well. This one caught me off guard. Generally Lencioni writes on issues of leadership
in business, organizations, and corporate sectors. Here he touches in on the family…yours and
mine…with a book that hit all too close to home. In his typically masterful manner, Lencioni
crafts a story around an upper-middle class family that is caught in the turbulent
waters of life’s varying demands; busy-ness, work, school, sports, faith
events, extended family, etc. Even still,
while appearing to keep from drowning, they are all too aware of the need for a
change in the home; the need to slow way down and be a family. Using principles of business re-organization;
those the main character may use for his job as a corporate consultant, a
family’s life is completely re-organized using a “Family Scorecard” that
revolves around a single “rallying cry.”
This “rallying cry” reflects, among all the things that seem important,
what is most important at any given time.
What precipitates from the “rallying cry” are varying objectives and
action steps that unify the family. Lencioni
has produced another wonderful read…a quick read to be sure, as it reads like a
short novella. This book produces a
system of organization for the busy family that is as user friendly and hands
on as it gets.
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| Read - January 2012 |
“Man
Shoes: The Journey to Becoming A Better
Man, Husband & Father,” by
Tom Watson (Advantage, 2011). This is not Tom Watson the professional
golfer. I thought it was. This is Tom Watson the business entrepreneur,
international speaker and coach/consultant.
Yeah, I know, I hadn’t heard of him either. But he wrote a pretty good book. “Man
Shoes” is really Watson’s life story; a memoir perhaps, though not in the strict
sense of memoir. Advice from Watson’s
dad shapes the trajectory of the book: “There
are a lot of good guys out there, son, but there aren’t a lot of great men”
(pg. 109). Watson, a Christian, moves
through his years reflectively, mining out life lessons and traditions that may
encourage the reader to pursue manhood. Not
manhood in the popular sense. Rather manhood
in the real sense. He goes deep and digs into the soul of a man,
pressing in on real manly issues like
faith, love, generosity, devotion, leadership, tradition, etc. He deals at length with these issues
primarily in the context of being a husband and dad. I should note that after chapter nine the
books takes a bit of a dive. The writing
is less engaging and it feels like Watson is trying to meet a publisher
requirement. But, by that time you are
three-quarters of the way through the book, so you may as well stick it out
until the end. His stories will have you
laughing and, yes, even crying (watch out for chapter 6); which I suspect
Watson specifically determined to include in an effort to demonstrate his point
that being a man is more about character than personality. Some features I think you’ll appreciate: Each chapter begins with a credit of
inspiration; a song that motivated his writing.
Each chapter closes with a few axioms and a challenge to begin
traditions. And, the book features a
ribbon sewn into the binding to keep your place between reads.
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| Read - January 2012 |
“The
Purity Principle: God’s Safeguards for
Life’s Dangerous Trails,” by Randy
Alcorn (Multnomah, 2003). Randy Alcorn has produced a timeless little
gem that is well worth reading and keeping on hand. He has done a couple of these small hardcover
pocket-size books and they each have particular solid value. This book is a quick read. It will take you less than half a day to
read. There is no fluff in this
book. By “fluff” I mean the needless
verbosity that publishers often require of authors to bulk a book up to a
particular page limit for retail purposes.
Nope, none of that. Every word in
this book is straight up applicable. The
basic principle: “Purity is always smart;
impurity is always stupid.” Though
particularly applicable for men, I wouldn’t want women to miss out on these
insights. Women may be surprised at the
overlap of temptation in respect to issues of pursuing sexual purity. Alcorn is highly biblical; theological even,
in his approach, but not to the exclusion of real “streets-of-my-life” relevance. I read a lot of articles and blogs on this
material, given my role as Pastor of Emerging Adults. This little book stands head and shoulders
above most everything else out there. You
will find yourself nodding in affirmation the whole way through; both in exposition
and example.
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| Read - January 2012 |
“Words
Made Fresh: Essays on Literature &
Culture,” by
Larry Woiwode (Crossway, 2011). I had never read anything by Larry Woiwode
before…that I could remember anyway; no essays, no articles, no other
books. I was wooed to this book through
an advertisement in Christianity Today
magazine. I was looking for something
less theologically, even biblically, driven.
The idea of a book by an evidently highly acclaimed and experientially
refined author that covers a broad range of topics in essay format was just
what I realized I was looking for. And
it did not disappoint. Woiwode
unashamedly states in the first line of his introduction, “My title is meant to
echo the incarnation, because it was with the incarnation that writers outside
the scope of the Hebrew or Greek texts began to understand how a metaphor of
words could contain the lineament and inner workings of a human being.” And so goes the whole of the book. Each essay has appeared in some format prior
to the publication of this book.
However, Woiwode “revised and reworded” them in a manner that presents
them here and now in these pages as fresh and new; new themes, new
understandings, new echoes of the faith throughout. Woiwode has included several essays
remembering both author’s of old and author’s of new. He has taken up words with issues of politics
and ethics. He has a wonderful essay remembering
Bob Dylan as a Christian and another wonderful essay on education and its
deconstruction of God. The whole book resounds
with an echo of discipleship in the most unlikely places and is full of snapshots
of Woiwode’s journey of faith himself. I
often dog-ear the corner of the first page of chapter’s I want to remember and
perhaps even revisit someday. I could
have just as well dog-eared the hardback cover of this book if that were
possible.
 |
| Read - January 2012 |
“Death
by Love: Letters from the Cross,” by
Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears (Crossway, 2008). Of the
four books I have cracked open by Mark Driscoll, “Radical Reformission” (Zondervan, 2004) remains the only one I have
read cover to cover. “Death by Love” is about Christ’s
substitutionary atonement. Each chapter creatively
relates a particular theme that emerges from the cross of Christ, the central
symbol of His substitutionary atonement, to the storied lives of people
Driscoll has interacted with in ministry.
Each chapter begins with a review of an aspect of sin found in an
individual’s story/life situation that necessitates a response generated by
themes from cross of Christ. From there,
Driscoll writes a “letter” to the individual that explains the particular theme
and relates it to the individual’s sin and subsequently their life. Finally, presumably Breshears, closes each chapter
with “Answers to Common Questions” about the particular theme treated in the
given chapter. The fact that I did not
read this book cover to cover is not reflected in the subject by any
means. Rather, as was the case in two
other books I started by Driscoll, I tire of his writing voice. The sarcasm and edge that pervade his stories
exhaust me and I end up stumbling from comment to comment instead of catching
the breadth of each chapter’s theme. By
chapter three I found myself skimming the “letter” part of each chapter, and by
chapter four I was skipping the “letter” part altogether. The “Answers to Common Questions” became the
jewel of this book for me. The questions
were those you may actually be asked in real life and the answers were clear
and practical without missing a step theologically. To be fair, the book as a whole (or that
which I read anyway), including the “letter” portions that I did plow through,
was finely and carefully God-centered and biblically well supported. Driscoll, in all his sarcastic array, and
Breshears both are well founded theologically and have produced a book that, despite
its occasional linguistic failing, is rich in its resource quality. (Additional features to note: The “Helpful Information” at the end of
several chapters and “Recommended Reading on the Cross” in the appendix at the
back of the book were great resources.
The book also features both a “Subject Index” and a “Scripture Index.” Very helpful indeed.)
