Result of Jesus making the mute speak, the lame walk, the blind see - glory! Matt 15:30-31

The Life of God in the Soul of Man - Review

365: day 265
Originally uploaded by Nick in exsilio.

The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal (1650-1678, bio)

What can someone who barely lived to see his 28th birthday in 1678 have to say? Enough that George Whitefield said he never really understood what true religion was till he had digested Scougal's treatise (from ccef.org).

Found off of a friend's recommended book list, I loved this book. Loved it. I was reading it with other people, and while they didn't like it, I kept enjoying it more and more.

The language is old and the sentences are long, but there is great reward in sorting through this treasure.

In describing the divine life:

It is a real participation of his nature, it is a beam of the eternal light, a drop of that infinite ocean of goodness; and they who are endowed with it may be said to have “God dwelling in their souls, and Christ formed within them.”

The Rise of Christianity - review

The Rise of Christianity by Rodney Stark is a sociologist's look at why Christianity grew in the few centuries following the death and resurrection of Christ.

Stark addresses how Christianity advanced by looking at several factors: class distinction, the mission to the Jews, epidemics, social networks, elevation of the status of women, urban outreach, ancient urban structure and culture, martyrs, and virtues held by the believers.

On the one hand, this is an aggravating book for me. Stark is not looking at the growth of the church as a work of the Sovereign Lord. He sees the growth of the church in purely horizontal (read: human relationships) terms.

On the other hand, this is a profound book. The contrast in the lives, actions, and community of the believers to the pagan culture they lived in was incredible. The Christians stayed during the plagues, they valued women, they had tight community that was deep and thick. Believers gladly went to their deaths in the face of persecution.

Stark's bibliography is long and he frequently references primary sources. His presentation is rather powerful even if there are portions that I disagree with. Given some caveats, this was a great and encouraging read.

The Jesus Storybook Bible - review

The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones is a children's Bible. But it is more than that. Not only retells certain portions, but it points us to where these portions are heading. It is great book for anyone (any age!) who wants to understand the Bible and how it points to Christ. I can't read certain parts without getting choked up. I thought it was amazing.

For example, take the ending of the story of Abraham after he was about to sacrifice Isaac (p 69):

"One day Someone will be born into your family," God promised them. "And he will bring happiness to the world."

God was getting ready to give the whole world a wonderful present. It would be God's way to tell his people, "I love you."

Many years later, another Son would climb another hill, carrying wood on his back. Like Isaac, he would trust his Father and do what his Father asked. He wouldn't struggle or run away.

Who was he? God's Son, his only Son - the Son he loved.

The Lamb of God.

History Makers - review

St Mary's at Night
Originally uploaded by Lochinvar1.

History Makers, edited by Paul Hostetler and Grazyna Kozusznik (translated from Polish), is compilation of essays about church planting in Poland. Each of the articles is an autobiographical sketch of the church planter and the church plant.

These accounts seem to be quite honest and humble, yet expecting God to do great things. Many of the ministries have very small churches, have gone through difficult transitions, but have a deep love for Christ and His people.

I got this book from a missionary to Poland and was very intrigued. Carrie and I have both done church planting work in Poland so I was eager to see if I knew anyone. And I did, Piotr Zaremba from Poznan. I took this book with me when I taught at Seaside Missionary Training Center in Odessa and two of the Polish students were related to church planters in the book.

If you can find it, it is worth obtaining. It is real - failures and successes both are given in the book. It can stir the heart.

Not Under Bondage: Biblical Divorce for Abuse. Adultery & Desertion - review

Not Under Bondage: Biblical Divorce for Abuse. Adultery & Desertion by Barbara Roberts is a defense of biblical divorce for marital abuse, immorality, and abandonment. For full-disclosure, Roberts states upfront that she has been the victim of abuse and eventually divorced.

Roberts is quite clear that she is arguing for a distinction between "disciplinary divorce" - divorce because of abuse, adultery, and desertion which allows for the offended party to biblically remarry, and "treacherous divorce" - unbiblical divorce. She defines abuse, what the church and people involved should do in a situation of marital abuse, and provides a biblically-based defense of abuse as a sanctioned reason by Paul. Roberts spends most of the book on the issue of abuse since adultery and desertion have been well-served other places.

Most of her case centers around 1 Corinthians 7, where Paul allows a Christian to let an unbelieving spouse leave. Roberts argues that an abuser has become like an unbeliever and the believer can recognize that the offending spouse has already left. While Roberts gives a good argument and opened my eyes on a few passages, I feel her argument from 1 Corinthians 7 is wanting.

Roberts is quite thorough in her argumentation, similar in depth as to what one might find in Feinberg and Feinberg. She analyzes most of the important passages and gives some detailed commentary for them. Aesthetically, the print in this book is small and goes to the margins, so the text is a bit irritating to look at. That being said, this is a good volume to have if you'd like some interaction on what you think about biblical divorce and remarriage.

Teaching Cross-Culturally - review

Teaching Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Learning and Teaching by Sherwood Lingenfelter and Judith Lingenfelter is to help the western-trained Christian educator to work well in a non-western or multicultural educational setting.

The authors take a look at many things a westerner might assume when teaching. This is then contrasted with learning styles, cultural expectations, and how the various roles in the teaching process are understood.

As I first read this book it initially seemed like blah, blah, blah. But it really is a gem. Great insight for teaching, whether in a western setting or not.

Deep Church - review

Deep Church by Jim Belcher

Well.

Everyone seems to love Belcher's clarity on the issue of emerging/Emergent/traditional churches. His endorsement list is rather unbelievable. Most that are in the know regarding emerging church issues, feel that Belcher has really pegged the history and the current situation. The question is does his third way, his "Deep Church," provide common ground?

Sheepishly, I don't feel like I can give a good answer.

As an audio book, I have mixed feelings. It was great in the parts where Belcher was recounting some of the backdrop for some of the current emerging church debates. It is not good (as an audio book) where you need to stop and chew on something. Many good things have been said about this book and I remember enjoying it, but I can't hardly tell you what some of the author's thoughts are on a way forward for a church. With the audio book, I had a bit of trouble getting a larger sense of where we were going.

Buy the book to really chew on Belcher's third way, unless you just want a good listen on the dynamics of emerging, Emergent, contemporary, or confessional churches and related debates.

Unless you are a better listener than me. If given truth serum, my wife might put a good 98% of the human population in that category. So there you are.

For some good reviews of the book, try here (positive) and here (negative)

Have a Little Faith - review

Have a Little Faith by Mitch Albom is about the lives of three individuals:

*Albert Lewis, a rabbi who was dying and asked the prodigal congregant Mitch to do his eulogy.

*Henry Covington, an ex-con, former drug-addict/dealer that came to Christ and began preaching and addressing social needs in Detroit.

*Mitch Albom, a journalist that is going through the struggles of performing this eulogy and reckoning his own spiritual life. He tells the story of these two men.

Mitch is a good writer, very easy and entertaining to read. And this is a feel-good book. I got this book free for doing a review in return. While I have been out of country and not feeling well, I was hesitant as to what to say about this book. There is a tension that this book does not resolve concerning faith - what about truth? There is a sense of "we are all OK" but it isn't brought to full blossom. In fact I imagine that Mitch might be the only character (if any) pushing for that position. It seems that the important thing is to believe, without much regard as to it's object.

The stories of these two people (and Mitch) are superbly told. It is heart-warming, but incomplete as a treatise on faith. I'd probably enjoy Tuesdays With Maurie.

The Pomodoro Technique - review

The Pomodoro Technique by Francesco Cirillo is an exercise to help one focus in their work. It is rather simple, you set a timer for 25 minutes and work without interruption according to your sheet, take a 5 minute break, and repeat three more times, when you take a longer break. There is more to it, but not much.

It has helped me to stay focused and I think it is worth a read. Don't buy the book. Just get the pdf. It is super helpful.

Seeing with New Eyes - review

Seeing with New Eyes by David Powlison guides us through counseling and the human condition through the lens of Scripture. This book "focuses on the conceptual. It unfolds Scripture's view of people and problems. It reinterprets common counseling phenomena through God's eyes, as revealed in Scripture." (p 7)

The book is divided into two parts: (1) Scripture opens blind eyes and (2) Reinterpreting life. Part 1 centers around opening various passages of Scripture to issues we face in life - Ephesians, Psalm 131, Psalm 10, and Luke 12:22-34. Part 2 looks at issues such as how to ask good questions, addressing desires, the "contraconditional" love of God, God as our Father, and weaknesses of following our feelings.

Powlison is a good writer and his robust explanations of how God's Word unfolds in a person's life has been very helpful for me. A recommended volume for anyone that either has a need for God's gracious Word or knows someone who does.

Grimm's Fairy Tales (Fun books) - review

Sometimes I 'review' fun reading just because I think that some would benefit from it. I don't know what sort of person benefits from Grimm's Fairy Tales, but if you want to step into bizzaro world, here is the door.

One of the best ways to die? Get stones sown into your belly and then get thrown into the river. A girl marrying a giant rabbit? Not a problem. There are a couple of people put into iron caskets with nails and rolled down the hill. And there's the guy that takes his leg off because he runs too fast with both legs.

It is insane. It is classic literature.

Growth Groups - review

Growth Groups by Colin Marshall (Mathhias Media) outlines important aspects of leading a small group.

Marshall uses a very broad purpose statement for small groups (receive Christ as Lord, live with Christ as Lord, p 12) and then outlines the dynamics of this group. The book gives some excellent discussion on the practical parts of a Growth Group but doesn't spend as much time providing a comprehensive vision for these groups in the context of the broader church.

This is a simple and easy to use book. There is a training program at the end so that you can begin training your new leaders. Excellent for what it does.

In a Sunburned Country - review

In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson is humorous travelogue on Bryson's trip throughout Australia.

Bryson journeys to the corners of Australia detailing the various sights, local history, and his own humorous encounters. He is quite entertaining (a bit crude at times), but much of the book is about Bryson himself on this journey. As an author, he moves you along quite nicely.

A snippet from a conversation between Bryson and a park ranger about the disappearance and presummed drowning of former Prime Minister Harold Holt (they were at the beach where he was swept to sea):

But as I (Bryson) was leaving he called to me with an afterthought. "They built a memorial to him in Melbourne," he said. "Know what it was?"

I indicated that I had no idea.

He grinned very slightly. "A municipal swimming pool."

"Seriously?"

His grin broadened, the nod was sincere.

"This is a terrific country," I said.

"Yeah," he agreed happily. "It is, you know." (p 143)

Life as a Vapor - review

Life as a Vapor by John Piper is a series of 31 meditations about our life in light of eternity. Piper tells us clearly the purpose of this book: "my prayer is that these meditations on the Word of God will link you with eternal joy, and make the vapor of your life an everlasting aroma of praise to the glory of Christ." (p 12)

Excellent stuff here folks! In doing many of these together as a family, I greatly appreciated the prayer at the end of each meditation - succinct, meaningful, passionate. Here is one to get a taste:

"Lord, You have been our dwelling

place in all generations.

Before the mountains were brought forth,

or ever You had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting You are God."

But we are like grass:

we flourish for a moment and then wither.

We are like a vapor:

we appear from the mouth,

and two seconds later we are gone.

Give us a mind to know the past,

lest we waste our fleeting lives

repeating its mistakes.

In Jesus' never-changing name,

Amen. (p 97)

groundswell - review

groundswell - winning in a world transformed by social technologies by Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff answers three questions: (1) what is groundswell, (2) what to do about it, and (3) how you can use it to succeed in your company.

So, what is groundswell?

Ans.: a social trend in which people use technologies to get the things they need from each other, rather than from traditional institutions like corporations. (p 9)

Ex.: Brian Finkelstein filmed a Comcast technician who fell asleep on his couch in 2006, waiting on hold for help from the Comcast home office to fix an Internet problem. Now this video is the top result when searching "Comcast" on YouTube. (p 7)

Some of the technologies that create groundswell are blogs, social networking sites (Facebook, MySpace), wikis/open source, forums & ratings, and rss. The authors then go through describing the impact they have on the groundswell. They then detail how this can be used to a company's advantage.

The examples are excellent (Digg and the HD-DVD key, P&G's beinggirl.com, Loblaw and the BBQ cap), but it tended to get a bit dry by the end (a Social Technographics Profile isn't the most interesting thing in the world). Clearly pointed for business people and not just theoretcial ponderings about future of technology. This book either educates those who are newer to some of this tech or it helps bring focus to some of what we already experience. This is a valuable resource for those that interact with the outside world.

The Holman Illustrated Study Bible - review

The Holman Illustrated Study Bible combines the Holman Christian Standard with maps from the Holman Bible Atlas and lots of photos.

Each book begins with an overview including major themes, purpose, Christ, canonical setting, and literary features. Notes, aside from the few text critical footnotes, are topical and sporadic but the photos and vivid maps are quite helpful. There is an appendix that has various charts (millennial positions, canonical lists, measurements) and an abridged concordance.

What really hinders this study bible are aesthetics. The deep yellow for the footnotes is very distracting and the colors for the charts can be a bit grating. The first few pages include space to record births, deaths, etc. To me, those kinds of pages are curious enough, but there is a fake Hebrew type writing underneath each heading.


Notice how they make the Hebrew letters look like the English equivalents above. There is a mutilated Qof and several upside down Shins, to note a few of the errors. This is a perplexing choice - you wouldn't appreciate the line underneath unless you realized that they are Hebrew letters. But, if you knew they were Hebrew letters, you would know that Hebrew is read right to left, Hebrew letters (or words) don't simply correspond one to one with the English phrase above, and that many of the letters are adjusted, flipped, and twisted. If you didn't realize the silliness immediately, you'd figure it out with the helpful Hebrew alphabet acrostics printed with Psalm 119 and Lamentations.

If you don't mind a few visual quirks, this isn't a bad study bible. Unfortunately, there isn't much in the way of content that separates this from better study bibles. My recommendation is the ESV Study Bible - great content and helps.

Silmarillion - review

Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien fills in the history of the events before The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings.

This was for pure fun. I liked it, but I can't imagine many that would - lots of names and relationships to keep straight. If you don't like pouring over a map, this is not the book for you. If you didn't like LOTR, then this really isn't the book for you. You might even like maps and LOTR but still not get into Silmarillion.

However, I did. Thanks Carrie!

The Shack - review

The Shack by William Young is a fictional story about Mack: his loss and his subsequent encounter with God.

Well I read it. If you want a detailed review, you can look here or here or even here (with a few disagreements). If you'd really like a deeper look, I have a friend that has corresponded with author about his concerns with the book. Yes it is fiction, but the author is trying to say something true about God. That's why you have people getting all up in arms about this book.

Actually, I didn't really enjoy it, but it is so popular that I felt I should read it. The hype didn't help. The event that precipitated Mack's journey to the 'shack' was so awful and random that it lost a real connection with me. Parts struck me as hokey. Yes, some things were good, but certain notions were just wrong. Others have said this in a much more eloquent and convincing manner.

If you'd like to read fiction, you could do better. If you'd like to read about God, you could do quite a bit better. For some better books on evil, God, and our response, I'd recommend How Long O Lord? and Where is God? (a true account).

Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees - review

Don't Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees by Thomas Hale is about a missionary family's journey to Nepal.

Thomas and Cynthia Hale felt the call to serve in Nepal as medical missionaries from 1970 to 1980. This book tells of how God provided for their trip, some of the unique challenges that stood before them, successes, failures, and sitting on long bus rides.

This is a very enjoyable book. It isn't a hagiography, but an honest take on their time (with all of the messy details) while serving in the missionary hospital. It was very real and motivating. Serving the Lord is humbling, it shatters our expectations, and it is the most glorious we could ever be blessed to do!

Hale writes in a readable manner - this is no chore to get through. Personal stories aside, the observations about Nepalese culture make this book worth picking up. Reading this is time well spent.