Book Review: When We Say Father

This is the final manuscript work of the great preacher Adrian Rogers before he died in 2005. Since he wrote it, his son Steve took it, edited it, and got it published. This book has been a great encouragement to me in growing my prayer life.

Rogers beautifully points out the significant elements of the Lord's prayer that we see today. The person, priority, provision, pardon, protection, praise, and promise of prayer are all present here in this book, as it is organized almost like a long alliterated sermon. This, for me, increases the readability of it because I can remember the previous points of the book better.

I love this book. Its principles are simple and yet still very much challenging as it digs into the model prayer set for us by the person who has the best relationship with God of any man-- Jesus Christ. 5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/When-We-Say-Father-Unlocking/dp/1462771300/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522269100&sr=8-1&keywords=when+we+say+father

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Rogers, Adrian, and Steve. When We Say Father: Unlocking the Power of the Lord's Prayer. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2018.

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: Kingdom Collaborators, by Reggie McNeal

Another book on leadership. Some new concepts, but relatively average.

Many books have been and will continue to be written on leadership. This book, Kingdom Collaborators by Reggie McNeal, is another such book. McNeal's desire in this book is to truly see leaders who will take the world by the reins and collaborate with God to bring about revival and show people how to follow the ultimate leader-- God himself.

McNeal does a good job of relaying leadership principles, but if you have read any Christian books on leadership in the past, then you have no doubt seen them before. McNeal adapts some of them so there are good things that anyone can learn from this book. Ultimately, it is a good book with good principles, but we have heard this all before. 3 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Collaborators-Signature-Practices-Leaders/dp/0830841431/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1522175604&sr=8-2&keywords=kingdom+collaborators

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

McNeal, Reggie. Kingdom Collaborators: Eight Signature Practices of Leaders Who Turn the World Upside Down. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2018.

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

Book Review: The Baker Compact Dictionary of Biblical Studies

Good, short resource

This dictionary is not necessarily a dictionary of the Bible. Rather, it is a dictionary of Bible doctrines, extra-Biblical terms and events, and Bible scholars. This makes it a bit different than other Bible dictionaries that you will find, but it is a good resource because of it.

This small dictionary gives some good definitions of what are often some terms that do not have definitions found in other places. It's easy to keep in a pocket of a bag to go along with your Bible, especially if you're going to be taking Bible classes and don't understand some of the terms used. 4 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Baker-Compact-Dictionary-Biblical-Studies/dp/0801019079/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522089454&sr=8-1&keywords=the+baker+compact+dictionary+of+biblical+studies

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Longman III, Tremper, and Mark L. Strauss. The Baker Compact Dictionary of Biblical  Studies. 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: 8 Hours or Less, by Ryan Huguley

Need more time? Here's some help finding it!

Having prepared sermons now for a couple years, I know how time-consuming this process can be. And yet it can seem impossible to cut down on the quantity of time without sacrificing the quality of the sermon. In this book, Ryan Huguley suggests a week-long preparation process that can help the pastor "redeem the time" on a daily basis and still have strong, faithful sermons.

For each day, Huguley has set aside 1 or 2 hours at the most to be devoted to a specific area of sermon preparation:

• Monday: 2 hours or less to develop a clear and concise frame for the sermon (strong, yet rough outline).
• Tuesday: 1 hour or less to meet with trusted people to receive feedback on the sermon frame.
• Wednesday: 1 hour or less to develop an attention-getting introduction.
• Thursday: 1 hour or less to develop a purposeful conclusion.
• Friday: 2 hours or less to fill the frame developed earlier in the week and finalize sermon notes.

What I really enjoyed about this book was Huguley's emphasis, not on being new, but on being efficient. He does not seek to completely change how one writes a sermon, but to take the process that is currently in place and refine it, so one can, as Paul wrote to Timothy, make full proof of their ministry. The only element of this process that I do not currently do in another form is meeting with people to discuss the sermon frame, yet I can see the value in this and will seek to do this going forward. Huguley's book, while not new, is certainly revolutionary in its efficiency. 5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Hours-Less-Writing-faithful-sermons/dp/0802415083/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521944082&sr=8-1&keywords=8+hours+or+less

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Huguley, Ryan. 8 Hours or Less: Writing Faithful Sermons Faster. 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: Together on God's Mission, by D. Scott Hildreth

I have never had the opportunity to read much on the Southern Baptist Convention, so this book was a first for me. This book presents the history of the convention and a proposal to continue and grow the cooperation in the convention today. 

For me, I felt that this book was informative, but that was about it. It really did nothing to challenge me as a believer. It is a good resource to be sure, but I was kind of disappointed in the application portion of the book. 3 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Together-Gods-Mission-Cooperate-Commission/dp/1433643944/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1521822727&sr=8-1&keywords=together+on+god%27s+mission

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Hildreth, D. Scott. Together on God's Mission: How Southern Baptists Cooperate to Fulfill the Great Commission. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2018.

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: Everyman's Bible Commentary--Revelation, by Charles C. Ryrie

My study of the book of Revelation has spanned a good part of my life. I am a total Bible prophecy nerd. So when I was given the opportunity to review a commentary on the book of Revelation, I immediately jumped at the opportunity. 

I think that Ryrie did an excellent job at outlining and commenting on the book of Revelation. The main purpose I put into my reading was to find areas that are often problems in studying Bible prophecy and to see how he handled those issues. Ryrie did an excellent job of covering those problem passages, most notably the idea of salvation in the Tribulation, often a highly debated issue. This commentary did a good job of fulfilling its purpose: making the teachings of the Bible understandable for people of all different backgrounds, not just the pastors of the world. 

I look forward to seeing the new cover that will be coming out for this commentary series. It will, I am sure, bring new life to a very good commentary. 5 stars out of 5.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Ryrie, Charles C. Everyman's Bible Commentary--Revelation. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 1996.

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: 8 Great Smarts, by Dr. Kathy Koch, Ph.D.

A Smart Resource

"You smarty pants!" "You smart cookie!!" Parents use these names rather loosely with their children. Whenever a child brings home an "A" test or paper, parents will often reward their child for being smart. But what about other kids who never bring home an A? Kathy Koch here presents 8 different ways that a child may be smart. She also attempts to show how parents can help their children grow in all the different smarts and thrive in them.

The 8 smarts that Dr. Koch lists here are:

• Word Smart (thinking with words)
• Logic Smart (thinking with questions)
• Picture Smart (thinking with pictures)
• Music Smart (thinking with rhythm/melodies)
• Body Smart (thinking with movement/touch)
• Nature Smart (thinking with patterns)
• People Smart (thinking with people)
• Self-Smart (thinking with reflection)

When going through this list, there are so many different things to consider that I don't have the time to list them out for each of these. But this book does an excellent job at what it set out to do: it provides parents and teachers with ways to help their children and students grow in all the different kinds of smarts. The biggest thing that this book does well is teaching how to encourage children to grow in smarts that are not their primary smarts. It's an excellent tool to assist parents in helping their children grow. For these reasons, I give this book 5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Smarts-Discover-Nurture-Intelligences/dp/0802413595/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520960450&sr=8-1&keywords=8+great+smarts+kathy+koch

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Koch, Kathy, Ph.D. 8 Great Smarts: Discover and Nurture Your Child's Intelligences. 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. 

Book Review: Resurrecting Religion, by Greg Paul

Resurrecting Religion-- almost alive, but still searching.

What has happened to religion today? True religion that is pure before God? Do we practice a true religion that honors Him or is our religion dead? In this book Resurrecting Religion, Greg Paul attempts to make different cases for doing just that-- resurrecting true religion.

Unfortunately, this book did not live up to its billing for me. While I was expecting the book to be a bit more practical, it turned more factual. It presented some good points, but overall it failed in reaching its ultimate goal of resurrecting true religion. I would still recommend this book for more factual purposes, but as far as a practical resource, it missed the mark. For these reasons, I give this book 2.5 stars out of 5. 

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK: 
https://www.amazon.com/Resurrecting-Religion-Finding-Back-Good/dp/1631466666/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520880143&sr=8-1&keywords=resurrecting+religion+greg+paul

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK: 
Paul, Greg. Resurrecting Religion: Finding Our Way Back to the Good News. Nashville, TN: 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: Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot, by Mo Isom

Convicting Conversations for All

When I requested this book to review, I had no idea what to expect. I hoped that I was not getting an average look at an issue that has become so commonplace for pastors, youth pastors, and Bible teachers to deal with. I was not disappointed!! This book by Mo Isom is one of the most comprehensive, open, and revealing resources that I have ever read on the issue of sexual purity.

The reason why Isom's book is so good is that it recognizes God's design for sex. She recognizes that "We are sexual beings because sex is a deep and instructed desire in our hearts. God placed it there (24)." BUT furthermore, Isom's book is great because it recognizes God's desire for us to live our lives with purity at the front of our minds, not necessarily virginity. To be sure, virginity is the standard of the Bible, but it can be lost, to never be restored. "But spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional purity can (50)." Purity is a matter of the heart (Matthew 5:8). If we strive for purity, then virginity will follow.

Mo Isom presents us with an eye-opening book that is a must-read for pastors, youth pastors, and parents alike as we seek to educate the church and the future generations on God's designs for sex. Sex is a good, God-given thing. We must realize this. This book easily gets 5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY THIS BOOK:

https://www.amazon.com/Sex-Jesus-Conversations-Church-Forgot/dp/0801019052/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520457388&sr=8-1&keywords=sex+jesus+and+the+conversations+the+church+forgot

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Isom, Mo. Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot. 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: Daring to Hope, by Katie Davis Majors

Daring to Hope-- Dares to do so, and gives that hope

I have not yet been privileged to read the first book by Katie Davis Majors, but I was greatly impressed by her writing in this book. Her story is incredible, bringing many girls into her home as a missionary in Africa is truly commendable and an act that follows exactly what Christ was intending for us to do. Each of us will have a different role in the plan of God. Not all of us will be called to do what Katie did, in moving to Uganda and adopting many children. But each of us has been called to be a shining light to all who we have the opportunity to impact.

I really enjoyed reading the stories that are featured here. I really enjoy missionary biographies and this one was no exception. Each of the stories presents a deeper perspective on life in Uganda as a missionary than the last. I am going to look for the original book to gain a full perspective of the ministry that Katie has had in Uganda, but greatly enjoyed the perspective that I have already received. I cannot wait to read more. For these reasons, I give this book 4.5 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Daring-Hope-Finding-Goodness-Beautiful/dp/0735290512/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1520192538&sr=8-2&keywords=daring+to+hope+katie+davis+majors

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Ford, Adam and Kyle Mann. How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living. New York: 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: Always Fall Forward, by Todd Gerelds

Always Fall Forward-- Helping Christians Move Forward.

Many of us have learned lessons from great men. Todd Gerelds learned from his father, former coach of Woodlawn High School. In this book, he features these lessons in a weekly devotional format-- 52 "coachisms" that feature special lessons from a man very special to Gerelds.

What I really enjoyed about this book was that it gave practical phrases that are easy to remember-- things that a person can easily put into practice. The other thing that this book did a good job of was putting in good scripture passages to read that followed the application of the "coachism." Finally, good application questions to put some reflection in the reader's mind are also good helps to the reader.

Gerelds did a good job of creating a devotional here. I would have liked to have seen a schedule for Bible reading for each week, to make this a stronger devotional book. But otherwise, it is a good book. For these reasons, I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Always-Fall-Forward-Lessons-Forget/dp/1496424808/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520192299&sr=8-1&keywords=always+fall+forward+todd+gerelds

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Gerelds, Todd. Always Fall Forward: Life Lessons I'll Never Forget from "The Coach." Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 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: Being a Christian, by Jason K. Allen

Being a Christian-- all about the Gospel

This book by Jason Allen, Being a Christian, is a book that I was looking forward to reviewing. It's a very good book. So many resources out there talk about the Christian life. There's a whole genre of literature that is dedicated to "Christian Living." But this book takes a different approach than many of these books. It gets back to the basics.

The very basic foundation of our Christian life is the Gospel. Each chapter of this book focuses on how the gospel impacts a different part of our life, beginning with how the gospel affects us personally and dealing with other parts of our life, such as marriage, family, money, and the church.

It's a shorter and simpler book than some "Christian Living" books, but that made me enjoy it more. It put principles right where anyone could reach it. This is low-hanging fruit, as some would call it, a basic help to any Christian on living out the gospel in different aspects of their lives. I would have liked more issues dealt with, but that can be done in other books. For these reasons, I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

WHERE TO PURCHASE:

https://www.amazon.com/Being-Christian-Jesus-Redeems-Life/dp/1462761933/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519928007&sr=8-1&keywords=being+a+christian+jason+allen

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF THIS BOOK:

Allen, Jason K. Being a Christian: How Jesus Redeems All of Life. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2018.

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.