Book Review: Confident Identity, by Matt Pavlik

A good resource for counselors

For those who are not aware, there is a branch of ministry that is known as pastoral counseling. This is completely different from the way most people would view counseling, psychology, and therapy in modern society. Pastoral counseling is obviously based on the Bible. Confident Identity is a resource created specifically for pastoral counseling. 

Part 1 helps people look at their identity and understand the different parts of it: ashamed vs. confident, fearful vs. secure, doubtful vs. hopeful, rejected vs. accepted, and isolated and desolate vs. connected and fruitful are the areas that are specifically dealt with. Part 2 is all about discovering who you are in Christ physically, in gender, in mental and emotional settings, in general spirituality, in specific spirituality, and in personality. It also deals with using strengths that are in one's life. Part 3 talks about using who we are in Christ as we go forward in life. Our vision, concentration, and mission are all a part of this.

I liked this book as a resource. One aspect of my ministry going forward will be pastoral counseling, so having resources on that aspect of ministry will be huge for me. The charts, diagrams, and supplemental materials are good resources. I think that the formatting of this book could have been condensed a bit more. It's a rather tall book like a textbook, while it probably could have been brought down to a more convenient size to carry and use. But for all of these reasons, I give this book a respectable 3.75 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Confident-Identity-Christian-Strategies-Discover/dp/0986383155/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1517412648&sr=8-2&keywords=confident+identity

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Pavlik, Matt. Confident Identity: Christian Strategies to Forget Who You Aren't and Discover Who You Really Are. Dayton, OH: New Reflections Counseling, Inc., 2017.

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

Book Review: Power in the Pulpit, by Dr. Jerry Vines and Dr. Jim Shaddix

Truly a preaching encyclopedia.

In the fall semester of my Junior year at Pensacola Christian College, I had the opportunity to take a homiletics class. Our teacher for the class referenced two authors: Vines and Shaddix. The insights that he took from this book really spoke to me. So when I had the opportunity to review the book he was referencing, I immediately took it!

Power in the Pulpit is all about expository preaching. For those who don't know, expository preaching is the type of preaching that takes a passage of scripture and exposes what is in that one passage for the listeners. It lets the Bible speak for itself, rather than being the words of the preacher or teacher. Vines and Shaddix divided this book into three sections: the preparation for exposition, the process of exposition, and the presentation of the exposition. The preparation is everything that occurs before the preacher even cracks open his Bible. It develops a philosophy of expository preaching, a theology for expository preaching, and deals with the personal life of the man who will be doing the preaching. This background information and behavior is vital in the life of any preacher. The process is what happens behind the scenes of the sermon- the study of the text and the preparation of the sermon itself. The details given here on sermon preparation are immensely helpful to anyone, even if you have been studying the Scriptures your whole life. The presentation is what it sounds like: the actual preaching of the Word of God. From developing the preacher's personal style to the use of the voice to connecting the sermon to the audience down to effective delivery, Vines and Shaddix connect with the reader to give them a better understanding of what needs to be said.

I absolutely loved this book!! Despite being very deep at some times, this depth only enhanced my desire to read it. I could not put it down. Biblical methods and practical application flow from this amazing work. Anyone who is even remotely considering the ministry as a potential career should read this book. You will not regret it. 5 STARS OUT OF 5 EASILY!!

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Power-Pulpit-Prepare-Deliver-Expository/dp/0802415571/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1517253459&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=power+in+the+pulpit&psc=1

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Vines, Dr. Jerry and Dr. Jim Shaddix. Power in the Pulpit: How to Prepare and Deliver Expository Sermons, Revised Edition. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2017.

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. 

Book Review: Redeemed Sexuality, by Andrew Boa

Another different take on relief programs.

In the world that we live in today, nothing seems to be more prevalent than sexual brokenness. Everywhere you turn, there is another story. Someone who was raped. Someone who has battled pornography. Someone who has very bad misconceptions about what the Bible says about sex. In Redeemed Sexuality, Andrew Boa attempts to create a resource for 18-30 year-olds who have struggled with sex and sexuality. 

This 12 session study is split into 3 sections: vulnerability, identity, and intimacy. Vulnerability is all about facing the past. Each person tells his own story, deals with the wounds of his past, learns about discerning the truth and lies of sexuality, and learns a Biblical pattern of true confession. Identity tells the truth about who we really are and where our identity should truly lie if we are saved. In this section, Boa encourages individuals in their perception of their redeemed self, in who they are in Christ, in how to face temptation, and how to battle plan for the fights that will inevitably come. Intimacy is all about moving forward in a Biblical view of sexuality. Healthy intimacy in relationships, not necessarily sex, is needed. A Christ-likeness in sexual behavior is a must. To close out the series, Boa encourages participants to pursue wholeness and continue in the things that have been taught.

This book does a good job of balancing dealing with the personal wounds from past sexual experiences and the hope that one has in Christ. It gives verses to memorize, Biblical applications and questions, and truly cuts to the heart of the matter before dealing too directly with sexuality. One thing that I would have liked to see more of is outside accountability. This can obviously be tailored to each individual small group, but Boa only advocates for 15 minutes of prayer time outside the group. I believe that this should be increased. That can be decided by each leader if he so chooses.

An excellent curriculum on a difficult topic, Redeemed Sexuality can help Christians heal from the wounds of their sexual past. With some alterations in accountability set by each individual leader, this could be a curriculum that helps transform lives. For these reasons, I give this book 3.5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Redeemed-Sexuality-Sessions-Transformation-Community/dp/0830821279/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1517250583&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=redeemed+sexuality&psc=1

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Boa, Andrew A. Redeemed Sexuality: Healing and Transformation in Community (12 Sessions). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2017.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL: I received a complimentary copy of this book from InterVarsity Press for an honest, though not necessarily positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Book Review: Blessed Are the Unsatisfied, by Amy Simpson

Blessed are the unsatisfied, for they shall find freedom. 

What is true satisfaction? Where does it come from? Where can we find it? Some preachers would say that God wants us to be materially satisfied now. Others would say that God is who we can be 100% satisfied in right here and now. Amy Simpson advocates that neither position is truly Biblical. 

Simpson's perspective is that our life on the earth should be marked by an unsatisfied life. One of her main passages used for this is the story of the woman at the well in John 4. Jesus promises the woman living water so that she will never thirst again. But this is not just one drink. Rather it is "a well of water springing up into everlasting life (John 4:14)." This water being a well certainly leaves some interesting application. Simpson interprets this verse to mean that rather than having one drink to satisfy us forever, we have access to a well that will satisfy us through eternal life. 

I enjoyed reading the thoughts in this book. True Biblical satisfaction is a concept that is often misunderstood. Simpson does a good job of explaining what an unsatisfied life here truly looks like. My one main concern with this book is occasional word choice errors. There can sometimes be a word that is much better suited for the part of the sentence, or some may take a word to mean something different. For example, in her description of Jesus being unsatisfied in this life, Simpson wrote, "and lost His temper over corruption in the temple (21, emphasis mine)." Some may take this choice of words to mean that Jesus sinned in the temple. Word choice is powerful and it's something for all writers to consider deeply. 

Overall, this was a good book. The concepts presented reflect a good Biblical perspective. With better word choice in some spots, it may have gotten a higher score. For these reasons, 'll give this book 4 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO PURCHASE:
https://www.amazon.com/Blessed-Are-Unsatisfied-Spiritual-Imperfect/dp/083084497X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517098379&sr=8-1&keywords=blessed+are+the+unsatisfied

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:
Simpson, Amy. Blessed Are the Unsatisfied: Finding Spiritual Freedom in an Imperfect World. Downer's Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2018

FTC DISCLOSURE:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from InterVarsity Press in order to write an honest, though not necessarily positive review on this pre-release. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Book Review: The Hillsong Movement Examined, Edited by Tanya Riches and Tom Wagner

Often, when one talks about Christian Contemporary Music, there are several names that inevitably come to mind. Chris Tomlin. Matt Redman. Casting Crowns. Third Day. MercyMe. But one of the most polarizing and controversial of all these is Hillsong. This book is dedicated to looking at the different aspects of Hillsong’s ministry, from their early beginnings to their current status, and examining that ministry.

Section 1 contains three chapters on the history of the beginning of Hillsong, from their origins in Australia to the beginning of their global impact. It also contains an analysis of how they created their music, through the people and the sound. Section 2 contains three chapters analyzing the diversity of Hillsong. Women in their worship, Hillsong College, and their Brazilian expansion all receive chapters dedicated to looking at them. Section 3 looks even deeper at the global reach of Hillsong, with their impact on America, the United Kingdom, and even Hungary examined. It also looks at the social transformation of Hillsong online and in other similar aspects of life. Section 4 titled, “What Lies Ahead?” deals with just that. It looks at the vision of the future that Hillsong has to expand their ministry.

Ultimately, I feel that this book falls short due to its view of the Charismatic movement. The whole point of worship is not a feeling brought about by some experience. Rather it is the deepening of our relationship with Jesus Christ. This book does put into perspective, however, the history of what has become one of the most influential movements of our time. For these reasons, I give this book 2.5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO PURCHASE:
http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319596556

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:
Riches, Tanya and Tom Wagner, Eds. The Hillsong Movement Examined: You Call Me Out Upon the Waters. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2017.

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

Book Review: Antisemitism Before and Since the Holocaust, Edited by Anthony McElligott and Jeffrey Herf

When one considers the most despised people of all time, he cannot go far without reaching the Jews. Countries and people groups have attempted to eliminate the Jewish nation for centuries- millennia even. This hatred has become known as antisemitism and it has grown through the ages, up to what many would consider being the high point of antisemitic thinking, the Holocaust. This book, as the title suggests, is an analysis of antisemitism both before the Holocaust and after. 

The first part of this book is dedicated to 2 separate false viewpoints: Holocaust denial and Holocaust inversion. Denial is simply saying that the Holocaust never happened. Inversion is the belief that the Jews were the true villains of the Holocaust and deserved what “punishment” they received. Part two of this book looks at three major religions and their views of the Jewish nation: Christianity, Catholicism, and Islam. Part three takes a deep view of the historical and political views that contribute to or against antisemitism. From the USA to Germany, to Great Britain, to the other Middle Eastern Nations, antisemitism is analyzed from the past and the present. Part four deals with antisemitism in public conversation- how do individuals exhibit or not exhibit antisemitic qualities. Part five is two more observations of the Holocaust denial that has permeated our society.

This book was an excellent analysis of this issue. While some would deny that the Holocaust happened, this could not be further from the truth. The Holocaust was one of the most poignant events of human history in religion. This book did a good job analyzing antisemitism for what it is: racism. For these reasons, I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319488653

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

McElligott, Anthony and Jeffrey Kerf. Antisemitism Before and Since the Holocaust. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2017.

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

Book Review: Love Thy Body, by Nancy R. Pearcey

Standing absolute in a world with none.

The world we live in today is not a pretty one. And that is reflected in humanity's treatment of itself. As a Christian, I know that the Bible tells me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. This means that I can truly love and respect who God made me to be. This book follows this Biblical truth to deal with the issues of abortion, sex, homosexuality, and transgenderism.

I know that this would cause an uprising within the "LGBTQ community," but I most definitely agree with this book when it says their way of life is a dehumanizing worldview. It takes away from the very essence of who we are-- we have been created specially by God to serve His purpose. I love how Pearcey doesn't pull any punches, but goes straight for the jugular of culture. She calls herself a former agnostic, meaning that she was unsure if there even was a God, and as a person who had lived in unrighteousness she falls into the category of I Corinthians 6:9-11, where Paul writes, 

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Knowing this about Pearcey, and about every Christian gives  us a new perspective. We all were once in the shoes of Nancy Pearcey and of those who are living in these sins. This should give us the motivation to tell the truth about what that lifestyle is. Pearcey's book is an excellent apologetic resource to do just that- to teach on loving our bodies, respecting what is the temple of God after salvation. I highly recommend this book. For these reasons, I give this book 5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Thy-Body-Answering-Questions/dp/0801075726/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517005392&sr=8-1&keywords=love+thy+body+pearcey

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Pearcey, Nancy R. Love Thy Body: Answering Hard Questions about Life and Sexuality. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2018

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

Book Review: Religion, Philosophy and Knowledge, by Gregory W. Dawes

Any religion has a philosophy behind it and a knowledge in it. As one grows in his or her religion, that philosophy and knowledge are going to be engrained in their everyday life and into their being. This book is all about that philosophy and the knowledge behind religion.

Part 1 talks about religious language and thought. This is the lingo of religion and the thought that goes into and behind religion. Part 2 deals with what the essential goals are of any religion: sacred order, personal salvation, knowledge and skill, and an embodied knowledge. Part 3 discusses the different ways we can know things: signs (divination, dreams, and visions), acquaintance (mysticism and self-authentication), reason (ontological, cosmological, and theological arguments), and testimony (possession and prophecy, revelation and faith, and self-authentication). The book concludes by assessing one’s religious beliefs. 

This book is a good book on basic religious philosophy. While not dealing with any one particular religion, it finds basic principles on what makes a religion. For these reasons, I give this book 4 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319434995

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Dawes, Gregory W. Religion, Philosophy, and Knowledge. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2016.

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

"Be Sure Your Sin Will Find You Out"

If you follow any news sites at all, you have no doubt heard about the trial of the former Michigan State University and USA Olympic Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. While already convicted and sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges, it was later found that he abused some of the very girls that he was supposed to be helping to achieve NCAA and Olympic greatness.

This has been happening for years. Many of the women who were abused are now older. 156 women in total have made statements over the last few days in a hearing where Nassar was sentenced today to another 40-175 years in prison.

In all of this, while we rejoice that justice has been wrought, we all must realize that we are only a few steps away from becoming a Larry Nassar ourselves. We are all sinners. We all have done wrong. And while our actions may not be to the extent of Nassar's actions, our sin will still come back to find us in the end. The Bible says as I've written in the title, "Be sure your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23)."

Nassar had been taking these actions for years, and as the judge said at his sentencing, was "unable to control [his] urges." Nassar issued a statement of apology and accused the women of lying and manipulating him into pleading guilty to see him shut up in prison for good, but it was too little, too late. He did wrong and now he is facing the consequences. For him, that is life in prison. For us, this could be the loss of a friend or privileges. It could be a punishment from parents or even reach the point where we are being punished by the government for some wrongdoing.

What's more important is the punishment of our sin by a just God. Because God is just, righteous, and perfect, he cannot abide with sin. Our sins that we commit separate us from God. And while when we are saved we can never be taken out of God's hand or lose our salvation, when we sin, we lose our fellowship with God. And this punishment of separation from fellowship with God affects all other relationships, actions, and thoughts that we have.

Our sin will always find us out. Larry Nassar found that out, and if we have not already, we someday soon will find that out. 

Photo credits: https://www.si.com/olympics/2018/01/18/larry-nassar-sentencing-victims-abuse-stories-mckayla-maroney-statement-day-three, text on the photo from Numbers 32:23, all edits mine

Book Review: Enter the Ring, by D.A. and Elicia Horton

Taking on the boxing match of marriage and knocking it out!

The marriage of a man and a woman is a beautiful thing. But it is also a struggle. It's difficult. It is ultimately a fight. And much like a boxing match, each person in the fight needs to be willing to go every round. That's what the Horton's are attempting to emphasize in their book, Enter the Ring.

To show that they know what couples go through, the Hortons tell their own story- they had more than their share of struggles and fights before they were even married. They almost didn't get married. But through God's grace they did, and now they encourage others with their writings. What they first advocate for EVERY Christian marriage is for the couple to have a relationship that is "gospel-saturated." This quality of being completely filled with the gospel of Christ is vital to any relationship or life for that matter, but especially in marriage. 

One of the things that I loved about this book is its reliance on what is true- the scriptures. In a book about a topic that needs practical advice, there will be some opinions. That much is obvious. But the number of scriptures used to back up those opinions is amazing. One of the paragraphs (that I actually counted) contains 15 scripture references alone! This emphasis on the scriptures directly relates to their emphasis on gospel-saturated marriages.

This book is a knockout! A must read for every married couple. I am not married yet myself but know that the principles that I found in this book will be used to help my marriage in the future. For these reasons, I give this book 5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Enter-Ring-Fighting-Together-Gospel-Saturated/dp/163146695X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516816430&sr=8-1&keywords=enter+the+ring+da+horton

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Horton, D.A. and Elicia. Enter the Ring: Fighting Together for a Gospel-Saturated Marriage. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 2017.

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

Book Review: Talking About God, by Steve and Cheri Saccone

True Stories, Good Examples.

Talking About God, by Steve and Cheri Saccone, contains six different conversations about God that the authors had with individuals that they know. While some names and details have been changed or omitted to protect personal identity, these are real stories of real conversations. From a coffee house chat to talking to someone from work or school, this book presents situations that we all may find ourselves in.

Reading through these stories was a blessing to me. I loved how the authors remained human - they admit the mistakes they made and they ask questions that anyone can ask. That transparency is critical to any leader in ministry. 

While I was expecting a book filled with principles for talking about God, seeing examples in action really punched the points that the authors were trying to get across home. For these reasons, I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Talking-about-God-Conversations-Spirituality/dp/1631466992/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516735150&sr=8-1&keywords=talking+about+god+saccone

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Saccone, Steve and Cheri. Talking About God. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 2018.

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

Book Review: Poverty and Wealth in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Edited by Nathan Kollar and Muhammad Shafiq

When we consider poverty and wealth, we often consider it a matter to be dealt with socially- on Wall Street and in the government. But money is a religious subject as well, and Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all have much to say about wealth and poverty. 

I don’t have the time or space to analyze what each religion says about poverty and wealth. That is why this book was written. What I can say is that this book is an excellent comparison and contrast of each of these religions. They look at the major writings of each religion. For Judaism, this is the Torah and the Talmud. For Christianity, this is the Bible. For Islam, this is the Qur’an. Each of these religious writings contains specifics instructions about wealth and poverty.

Overall, the comparison and contrast were done well and from a purely unbiased standpoint. I think that everyone should understand other cultures and how they view the major aspects of society. This book helps every Christian, Jew, or Muslim understand the views that the others hold to. For these reasons, I give this book 3.75 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9781349948499

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Kollar, Nathan and Muhammad Shafiq. Poverty & Wealth in Judaism, Christianity, & Islam. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2016.

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

Book Review: The Burden Is Light, by Jon Tyson

Leave your burdens at the cross.

When I received this book, I had no pre-conceived notions about it. I barely knew the theme from the website where I received it. But after getting into it, I found Jon Tyson's book to be excellent. His main illustration is this: on a tombstone there are 2 dates-- a birth date and a death date. In between these dates is one small dash. This dash is our life. How will we make our dash count?

This book is 8 chapters with 8 different comparisons: comparisons of how we often live our lives with how we should live our lives in Christ. Comparison, competition, control, cursing, complacency, judgment, pride, and distraction all should be non-existent in the life of a redeemed Christian. Rather we should exhibit a calling, compassion, surrender, blessing, passion, mercy, humility, and presence. Exhibiting these characteristics leads us into a life of communion with God and others. 

As I read this book, it helped me to see where I am now. That was a bit convicting. I know that I'm not where I need to be as a Christian. I think that this book did a very good job of placing wrong parts of our lives in perspective and presenting an alternative. For these reasons, I give this book 4 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Burden-Light-Liberating-Tyranny-Performance/dp/0735290679/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1516636247&sr=8-1

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Tyson, Jon. The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success. Colorado Springs, CO: Multnomah, 2018.

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

Book Review: Death in the Early Twenty-first Century, Edited by Sébastien Penmellen Boret, Susan Orpett Long, and Sergei Kan

Death.

It’s coming, and each of us knows it. Yet each generation that has come and gone has viewed death in a different light. And the generation of the early twenty-first century is no different. This book is an analysis of how this generation views death and the remembering of those who have left this earth through death.

The introduction brings up several terms: agency, authority, and memory. The agency is what brings death, authority is who has control over what practices are performed concerning death, and memory is how the dead are remembered after they are gone. Section 1 deals with culture, religion, and tradition in death, looking at Chile, the countries of the old USSR, the United States, China, and Japan. Section 2 talks about the memory of each individual person who dies. From mortuary rights to the technology that we use today, each person is remembered a bit differently. Section 3 deals with the individual choice and the family choice of those who have gone on. This, again, talks about the memory of individuals, but more how the dead will be remembered over time than how they will be remembered in the present. 

This was a very interesting book with different perspectives on death. I think that the church should have a bigger part in reaching those who have experienced the death of a loved on than this book puts out. The church has the true hope of life after death, because Christ has given us eternal life, even after death. For this reason, I give this book 3 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319482699

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Boret, Sébastien Penmellen, Susan Orpett Long, and Sergei Kan, Eds. Death in the Early Twenty-first Century. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2017.

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

Book Review: Spurgeon Journal

Great Bible study tool.

This isn't a book review, but a product review, so it'll be a bit shorter. This journal is very nice. Both sturdy and convenient to hold, it contains quotes from some of Spurgeon's earliest sermons. This is an excellent notebook for sermon notes or sermon preparation. I only wish it had more pages!! 5 stars out of 5.

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

Book Review: Building the Body, by Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson

b

Be as fit as you can be!

When we look at the church, how do we describe it? Often the word used to describe a "solid" church is the word healthy. McIntosh and Stevenson advocate that being healthy is not enough. Their reasoning is this: someone who is healthy is not necessarily going to be able to run a 5K race, let alone a marathon. But a fit person can do this. A person can be healthy but not fit and in the same way, a church can be healthy but not fit. 

Just like exercise, this book is divided into 4 sections: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility. Each of these 4 sections is then broken down further into twelve specific areas that the church can improve on, such as outreach, personal ministry, Christ-exalting worship, and loving community. Each of these areas of ministry can be measured much in the same way that runners measure their progress: beginner, novice, intermediate, advanced, and elite. The authors encourage each church leader to evaluate their own church in the areas presented, to praise God for the areas where they are strong and to improve the areas where they are weak.

I absolutely loved this book. The theme and the analogy presented challenged me greatly. Life isn't about just getting by and being healthy. Rather we should be striving, pushing to be as fit as we can be. For these reasons, I give this book 5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Building-Body-Characteristics-Fit-Church/dp/0801019621/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1516563935&sr=8-1&keywords=building+the+body+mcintosh

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

McIntosh, Gary L., and Phil Stevenson. Building the Body: 12 Characteristics of a Fit Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2018.

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

Book Review: Post-Traumatic Public Theology, Edited by Stephanie Arel and Shelly Rambo

Has there ever been a time in your life where a traumatic experience has changed you? This doesn’t have to be you personally. You could no someone who lost a loved one in 9/11 or another terrorist attack. You may know someone who has battled cancer. The point is that trauma can affect everyone, and every one must decide how they will respond to that trauma. As the writer of the introduction says, “This volume argues that the work of theology offers something distinctive in the aftermath [of trauma] (3).” With that in mind, how do the contributors to this work see the work of theology after times of trauma?

Chapter 1 is an introduction to the terminology presented here: post-traumatic, public, and theology. Chapter 2 talks about times of war and how we remember those who have fought in wars. Chapter 3 looks at a view of trauma and reality tv, with the Eucharist (communion) being a point of concern at the end of the essay. Chapter 4 deals with the trauma that comes with or because of physical disabilities. Chapter 5 discusses how trauma has come from the racism that permeates our society. Chapter 6 is an analysis of the scriptural/theological response to trauma, specifically from looking at John’s writings. Chapter 7 is titled “Elegy for a Lost World,” and by definition is a poetic chapter meant for the dead world that we now live in. Chapter 8 deals with the body of Christ as it exists now and how we help those who have been traumatized by some form of cancer. Chapter 9 discusses the justice that rightfully comes to those who have inflicted trauma on another. Chapter 10 examines how the effects of the 9/11 terrorist attacks changed how religious classrooms run. Chapter 11 talks about the suffering of those who go to an immigration detention center and the trauma that they face. Chapter 12 discusses community violence, like school shootings and how we should respond as individual communities. Chapter 13 talks about the different “communities” that exist in the world: national, religious, and gender. 

This was an enjoyable book to read. I liked how each author of the essays was able to take their own topic and run with it. There is so much trauma in the world and we often do not know how to deal with it. Hopefully, this book, which I give 4 stars out of 5, will help us learn more about dealing with trauma. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319406596

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Arel, Stephanie and Shelby Rambo, Eds. Post-Traumatic Public Theology. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2016.

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

Book Review: Religion, Authority, and the State, by Leo D. Lefebure

When we hear about the state and religion, we often hear the words “separation of church and state” in our minds. But the state is what first gave religious freedom. This book of essays was developed from a series of lectures given at a remembering of the Edict of Milan, which had been proclaimed law 1700 years before in 313 A.D. This edict by Constantine gave religious freedom to Christians around the Roman Empire.

In this volume, the authors remember Constantine’s legacy, and how religious freedom in some places and the lack of it in others have been affected by that legacy. Section one deals with the international perspective on the edict’s legacy. Section two goes to Africa and Asia, where the church and Islam are the primary subjects. Section three moves to the United States of America, where religious freedom has been cherished from the beginning. Section four moves to Europe, the home of where the Roman Empire was and the most diverse area of the world regarding religion. 

This book was a very detailed and interesting read on religion throughout the world. It was informative and detailed. I would like to have a chance to do more research on this topic of religion when it is looked at considering the authority it receives from its government. For this reason, my rating is inconclusive. For now, I will give it 3 stars out of 5, with the possibility of stars added in the future, or potentially stars taken away if it does not live up to its billing. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9781137599896

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Lefebure, Leo D. Religion, Authority, and the State. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2016.

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

Book Review: House Church Christianity in China, by J. Kang

One cannot spend much time in Christianity without talking about overseas missions. And one of the country that is often on the radar of Christians is China. From J. Hudson Taylor to Eric Liddell, there have been many missionaries to this land of the Orient. When the Communist Party took over China, the church moved underground. This textbook is an analysis of what happened in Chinese churches.

Chapter 1 tells the history of the house churches in China, which has moved from strategic tolerance to suppression to relaxation over time. Chapter 2 tells the story of how the author connected with a house church and seminary in the city of Linyi through his connections in Beijing and chapter 3 goes farther back into the history of the Linyi house church. Chapter 4 delves into the entire network of house churches that exist in China and how those churches connect with each other. Chapter 5 talks about how the house church had to teach its members on the different aspects of the Christian life. Chapter 6 shows the bridging of the gap between pastoring the church and shepherding the church that every pastor must have. Chapter 7 shows the change that the church of Linyi had from being a rural-minded church in finances (poverty increases spirituality for the pastor) to being an urban-minded church in finances (financially supporting the pastor increases the spread of Christianity). Chapter 8 concludes the book and sums up all the changes that took place in this church.

This book is a good history of what has happened in Chinese Christianity. The one major discrepancy that I find between what this author believes and what I believe is that he highly advocates the Charismatic movement, and that feeling should be a huge part of our religion. For this reason, my rating is docked a bit lower, to 3.5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9783319304892

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Kang, J. House Church Christianity in China. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2016.

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

Book Review: The Apologetics Study Bible, CSB

If you are coming to this review for an analysis of the Christian Standard Bible, that will not be the topic of my review. I do not have the training in Biblical languages and Bible translation to even begin to analyze that. But what I can review is the physical book and the study resources included.

The book itself has a simple cover design, with a faint silhouette of the thinker statue in the background. The book has a small, but readable font. The pages are thin and some of the words from the backside of the page can be seen on the front side. This downside drops the book design to 4 stars out of 5.

The resources inside the book are excellent. Authors and apologists like Lee Strobel (The Case for Christ), Josh McDowell (Evidence That Demands a Verdict), and Ravi Zacharias (Why Jesus?) contribute to the articles within. And the articles are very good as well. They do not just focus on one topic but span all the different areas of apologetics, from abortion to religions, to the character of God. I give these resources 5 stars out of 5.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this study Bible. A simple layout and great resources make it a very nice addition to a collection of Bibles. I give this Bible 4.5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/CSB-Apologetics-Study-Bible-Hardcover/dp/1433644096

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

CSB Apologetics Study Bible. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2017.

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

Book Review: Create Vs. Copy, by Ken Wytsma

Creations created to create: it's who we are! 

In Create Vs. Copy, Ken Wytsma pushes the boundaries of what some people would call creativity. While many would say that the creative ones are the painters, dancers, and songwriters, Wytsma acknowledges that it is not only a God-given ability for us to create, it is a God-given command. Each person alive has some creativity. 

What I love about this book is its simplicity. From the book's design to the words within, Wytsma desires to help us see who we are in relation to creation. He pushes us to take our God-given responsibility to create and not just be a copy of someone else. 

Every little nuance of this book was created with that very goal in mind. I applaud Wytsma for his treatment of this topic and give Create Vs. Copy 4.5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Create-vs-Copy-Creativity-Imagination/dp/0802413498/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1515816579&sr=8-1&keywords=create+vs+copy

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Wytsma, Ken. Create Vs. Copy. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2016.

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. 

Hosea: The Forgiving Husband

Hosea 3:1-3 

1 Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. 

2 So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley: 

3 And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

In our series "A Portrait of Christ," we now begin what is often the forgotten section of the Bible- the minor prophets. I would say that Hosea is the book that is turned to the second most times out of the minor prophets, behind only Jonah and it's second because people flip past Daniel and land right on Hosea. But there are some great truths about God that we can learn from this book. 

Hosea married a prostitute. Not a phrase you would often say of a prophet of God, or any of God's followers for that matter. But God had commanded Hosea to do this to illustrate something to Israel. When Hosea married his wife Gomer, she would constantly go back to her old way of life as a woman of the streets. Eventually, she was put on the market as a slave, available to the highest bidder. God commanded Hosea to go and get his wife, bring her back to him. This is a beautiful picture of God's love for Israel.

Gomer kept trying to leave Hosea for other men. Israel kept trying to leave God for other gods. But despite the times that Gomer and Israel left Hosea and God, they were welcomed back with open arms. They were loved. They were forgiven. 

And that God that forgave Israel is still that same forgiving God today. The Bible promises that "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9)." Does this mean that we should constantly try to sin and run from God like Israel ran from Him or like Gomer ran from Hosea? Paul writes in Romans 6:1-2, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (emphasis added)" What it does mean is that no matter how many times we may stray, God will always forgive us. He will always welcome us home. 

Photo Credits:

1 http://s2.jcg.co/thumbs_small/prcas2037.jpg

Book Review: Animals in the Writings of C.S. Lewis, by Michael Gilmour

This book, one in a series of books on the ethics of human dealings with animals, deals with what the author calls a theology of animals. He says in his preface, “My aim is to introduce the already familiar C.S. Lewis as an animal thinker who invites a specifically Christian response to animals (xiii).” How is this possible? How can there be a Christian response to animals? The author here looks at the Genesis narrative and how Lewis used this to form his own opinion of animals.

To begin with, I would like to say that he leaves what we would classify as a Christian view of animals very ambiguous to begin with. He leaves this discussion merely by talking about different scripture passages that reference animals. I truly believe that what he is missing here is the view that man was created in the image of God. Our view of animals should be shaped by the fact that we are made in God’s image and they are not. We are to have dominion over and care for them.

He then looks at Lewis’s writings. He used Genesis to talk about animals in a peaceful co-existence with humans, humanity’s dominion over animals, the loss of paradise, animals as food, and the animal-human community.

Unfortunately, through all of this, though analyzing Lewis’s opinions superbly, the authors own opinions are misguided by not understanding the Biblical side of Lewis’s thinking. He thinks he does in some cases, but, again it is misguided. For this reason, I give this book 2.5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9781137552976

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Gilmour, Michael J. Animals in the Writings of C.S. Lewis. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International, 2017.

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