Book Review: Hooked, by Drs. Freda Bush and Joe McIlhaney

Our culture has become addicted to this thing called sex. Unfortunately, rather than countering the culture, the church has cowered behind standards that lack motivation for the people they are intended to care for. As a result, even the church is "Hooked" on sex. Drs. McIlhaney and Bush, both board-certified obstetricians, look at the effects that sex has on the mind. 

When I first picked up this book, I was impressed with the amount of and quality of the research that went into it. But as it went along, it became clear to me that this was all the book had to offer. While numbers, facts, and figures are great, I found the practical elements of the book to be severely lacking. I found one section that was specifically devoted to practical solutions. In a future edition, I would love to see this part of the book expanded, even if it means bringing in a third author to add this focus. For now, I give 3 stars out of 5 for a well-researched book that needs more practicality to make it a winner. 

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I have received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

WHERE TO PURCHASE:
https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-Science-Casual-Affects-Development/dp/080241835X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=HWZH2MKGYQQB&keywords=hooked+mcilhaney+bush&qid=1563469937&s=gateway&sprefix=hooked+mcil%2Caps%2C269&sr=8-1

Book Review: Lies Men Believe, by Robert Wolgemuth

The lies of Satan are a deadly thing. He specifically targets those who would choose to honour God and does what he can to make sure they don't. But he doesn't always create bold-faced lies to do this. He does this through the little lies, the lies that people will believe. 

Throughout the eleven chapters of this instant classic, Robert Wolgemuth divulges 40 specific lies of the devil. Some of these lies are more common, while others may reside in the heart of a few. One thing is clear through all of them, however: a heavy reliance on God is the only way to survive this journey of life. 

This book was so hard to put down yet so much to take in at one time. In my mind, this automatically makes it a classic of Christian literature already. When an author can point out truths in a way that makes one think, while doing it in a way that is intriguing, it is an incredible thing to see. 5 stars out of 5 easily!!

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/Lies-Men-Believe-Truth-that/dp/0802414893/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1549175888&sr=8-2&keywords=lies+men+believe

AUTHOR INFORMATION:
Instagram: @rdwolgemuth
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Robert-Wolgemuth-116574245034109/
Twitter: @robertwolgemuth
Website: http://www.robertwolgemuth.com/

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Wolgemuth, Robert. Lies Men Believe and the Truth that Sets Them Free. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2018.

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Pastoring Men, by Patrick Morley

What is pastoring supposed to look like? Specifically the pastoring of men. Men are supposed to be the leaders of Christianity in this world, yet often we slack off and don't even lead our homes, let alone in our local churches. In the award winning book Pastoring Men, Patrick Morley presents strategies and helps for discipling men into a more vibrant relationship with their church, their family, their community, and most importantly, their Savior.

I found this book to not only be spot on, but also very practical. Morley didn't just analyze men and leave it at that. He took the next step and gave helps for pastors to engage the men in their church and disciple them into the leaders that the church so desperately needs. 5 stars out of 5 for an award winning book that hits the nail on the head. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/Pastoring-Men-Works-Doesnt-Matters/dp/0802475531/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1545498434&sr=8-1&keywords=pastoring+men

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Morley, Patrick. Pastoring Men: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why Men's Discipleship Matters Now More Than Ever. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2016.

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: A. W. Tozer: Three Spiritual Classics in One Volume

Weird title for a book, huh? Not really though. This book is a compilation of some of A.W. Tozer's greatest works: The Knowledge of the Holy, The Pursuit of God, and God's Pursuit of Man.

There cannot be enough said about the quality of the works that Tozer has written. These classic books have stood the tests of time, still being relevant and profitable reads after over half a century since their original publishing dates.

I don't think that much needs to be reviewed about the books themselves. If you have any background in Christianity, Tozer's work has most likely crossed your path at one time or another. If you have not had any opportunities to encounter his works, I encourage you-- read it! It will honestly be a life-changing experience. Now what needs to be reviewed is the format of the book itself. 

The book is hardcover with a very well designed dust jacket. The book uses a standard font for easy reading, and a plus side is the font isn't too small either. The book is a convenient size for any backpack, purse, or even to just keep in the glove compartment of the car. 

I do not hesitate to give this book 5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/W-Tozer-Spiritual-Classics-Knowledge/dp/0802418619/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1534340582&sr=8-1&keywords=A.+W.+Tozer%3A+Three+Spiritual+Classics+in+One+Volume

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
See inside cover of the book for the bibliography on all 3 volumes.

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Passion in the Pulpit

Here we are again, back to the "Pulpit" series. Dr. Jerry Vines wrote the first two books along with Dr. Jim Shaddix. In this book, Dr. Vines turns to Dr. Adam Dooley to teach preachers about the use of emotion in preaching and in the study of the Bible. I would consider Dr. Dooley an expert on the topic, having written his doctoral dissertation on Biblical persuasion, one of the main uses of emotion in preaching.

The authors call the emotions of the Biblical text the "missing exegetical link." I would tend to agree with them. They clearly show that most preachers do not understand the emotions that we use. We should be striving to have our emotion in the pulpit line up with the original intent behind the text. If there is a desperate plea, our emotion should show that desperation. If the author is overjoyed, then our face, our tone, and our body language should show that. 

I have been blown away with the quality of the two previous books of this series and have once again seen my expectations exceeded. This series is an instant classic and should be a primary part of every preacher's collection. A strong 5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/Passion-Pulpit-Exegete-Emotion-Scripture/dp/0802418384/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1533566340&sr=8-2&keywords=passion+in+the+pulpit&dpID=51FtOJJ5AHL&preST=_SY344_BO1,204,203,200_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Vines, Jerry and Adam B. Dooley. Passion in the Pulpit: How to Exegete the Emotion of Scripture. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2018.

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Screens and Teens, by Dr. Kathy Koch

As you read this post, you are most assuredly using a screen, unless for some reason you print my blog whenever I post. And Dr. Kathy Koch deals with our exposure to screens, specifically, as the title suggests, teenagers with screens. 

For starters, Dr. Kathy's book is so full of practical truth and knowledge. When someone reads this book, he is going to learn something. It naturally happens. Each chapter provides a new lesson for the person who is willing to study and learn more about technology from a Biblical perspective.

However, for being such a practical book, it is written in a way that is very academic. Each chapter is written as more of a continued essay than a book that parents should be teaching their children with. I would have liked to see this book be a bit more personal rather than essay-ish. 

Despite my disagreement with how the author chose to write this book stylistically, there is no denying that it is a great resource for Christians and the church today. I do recommend this book to anyone, but especially to those who have teenagers in their life. 4 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/Screens-Teens-Connecting-Wireless-World/dp/0802412696/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531138543&sr=8-1&keywords=screens+and+teens

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Koch, Dr. Kathy, Ph.D. Screens and Teens: Connecting with Our Kids in a Wireless World. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2015.

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Book Review: Discerning Your Call To Ministry, by Jason K. Allen

When it comes to the ministry, perhaps no question is asked more than this: "Am I actually called to the ministry?" In this book, Jason Allen endeavors to answer this one difficult question with ten simple, Biblical questions. 

As I read this book, I reflected on my own call that God has placed on my life. Each of these questions reflected what I believe God has called me to do: preach His Word as a vocational minister and evangelize the lost. This book confirmed what I believed, but also helped me to see that I can help those who may be struggling with this call themselves. It is something that I will be challenged to do. 5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:
https://www.amazon.com/Discerning-Your-Call-Ministry-About/dp/0802414664

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Allen, Jason K. Discerning Your Call To Ministry. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2016.

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Martyrdom and Mission-- A Life-Changing Sermon (Preached by David Platt)

There may not be a more needed subject to talk about among our Christian faith in the world today than our dedication to the cause of Christ. When we think of the most dedicated Christians, I firmly believe that our minds should go to those who have given their lives for their faith. In this sermon, David Platt goes into why the martyrs of our Christian heritage were willing to give their lives for their faith, then asks us the question: How should we live in light of their example? I hope and pray that this sermon touches your heart as much as it has mine both the first time I heard it and every time I have heard it after.

For discussion questions on this sermon, go to--
http://s3.amazonaws.com/radical-net-assets/images/20180521155323/Martyrdom-and-Mission-Why-Reformers-Died-In-Their-Day-How-We-Must-Live-In-Ours-Discussion-Questions.pdf

For more by David Platt, go to-- 
http://radical.net/

Control Freak on a Roller Coaster

My ministry journey began at a young age. At age 3, I told my grandmother that I would take over our church when my grandfather, my pastor, retired. As the years have gone on, God confirmed in my heart His call on my life to the ministry. And yet. . . 

There have still been changes in my life. Twists and turns as I have prayed about what God would have me to do with my life. For a time, I thought missions. Then it was career youth pastor before becoming a youth evangelist. Then it was back to missions again. I constantly look at my life and see a roller coaster effect that has engulfed me. If you've known me for any length of time, you know that I absolutely detest roller coasters. I can't get on them at all. I hate the feeling of not being in control of how my body is moving—that some outside force could take my body and move it in a way that would destroy it. That's how my mind has felt about my future. 

I have thought that I want to plan everything that I do in my ministry. That I will have a plan and trust God to help me bring that plan to pass.  But that's not the way God works. He has His plan that He wants to work in my life. He wants to make my control freak mind and take over the controls.  

There have been times where I have let Him take control, and He has blessed me for it. There have been other times that I have kept control, and He has used me in spite of myself. Yet I have found that through following His plan and surrendering to His will, God is able to use me and bless me so much more than following my own plans. 

So where have I come from? I used to be a guy who said that I will be an assistant and youth pastor only. I used to be the guy who said that I'll be the number two man in a church. You know where God has me now? He's changed my heart and wants me to be involved as much as I can in church planting, one of the biggest roller coaster rides of ministry. 

I may never get on a roller coaster again. I have no desire to do so. My control freak body can't get past the fears that come with it. But my control freak mind and heart have been learning and will continue to learn to submit to the God whose will is better than mine and whose plan is more detailed than mine. He controls the roller coaster better than I can control my body.

1 https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Wl-Ap2yUjYQ/maxresdefault.jpg

Book Review: Student Ministry Essentials, by Steve Vandegriff & Richard Brown

Youth ministry is a unique part of the church's mission. There are so many angles that can be taken to reach teens, but only a few are very effective. Vandegriff and Brown lay out their philosophy for doing this here in Student Ministry Essentials.

The philosophy that these men take looks at three different parts of youth ministry: 1) leadership, 2) nurturing, and 3) reaching. In leadership, they talk about the developing of leaders in the church to help with the youth ministry, which includes the pastor, youth workers, volunteers, and especially the parents. Nurturing looks at understanding and developing the youths of today-- helping them grow to new heights. Reaching involves anything outside of your own services-- youth activities, partnership with other churches, and outreach into the community.

Each of these areas is a necessary one. There are so many charts, figures, and images to help one understand the concepts that are given in the book. I felt that the book was very basic at times, but that comes from giving the bare essentials of the message. For these reasons, I give 4.5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Student-Ministry-Essentials-Reaching-Nurturing/dp/0802412653/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524677458&sr=8-1&keywords=student+ministry+essentials

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Vandegriff, Steve, and Richard Brown. Student Ministry Essentials: Reaching. Leading. Nurturing. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2015.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL: I received a complimentary copy of this book through the MP Newsroom book review program, which requires an honest, though not necessarily positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.