"Who is an Evangelical?" (Thomas S. Kidd)

TITLE: Who Is an Evangelical?: The History of a Movement in Crisis
AUTHOR: Thomas S. Kidd
PUBLISHER: New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2019, (200 pages).

A few decades ago, evangelicals were understood as people who were Bible-believing church goers of the conservative stream. As more of them engage in politics, they have become associated with Bible-thumping activists pushing the Republican agenda in the name of Christianity. Due to the sizeable influence of such lobbying to tilt the results in their favour, many see with disdain the mixing of politics and religion. In contrast to the born-again believer affirming the fundamental tenets of the Christian faith, the evangelical label is going through a unpleasant public perception, especially in North America, thanks to the Trump. However, according to author Thomas Kidd, historically, evangelicalism was never defined by partisan politics, unlike today's climate.

"40 Questions about Heaven and Hell" (Alan Gomes)

TITLE: 40 Questions about Heaven and Hell (40 Questions Series)
AUTHOR: Alan Gomes
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2018, (384 pages).

What happens once a person dies? What kind of afterlife is there? What about the questions surrounding the intermediate state of being between death and resurrection? What about the final judgment? What does the Bible say about the eternal state of believers and the eternal state of hell? These questions are part of 40 well thought-out questions and answers about heaven and hell. Written in a way like the catechism of old, this book categorizes the questions in four parts:

1. Overview of the Afterlife (9 questions)
2. The Intermediate State (5 questions)
3. The Final Judgment (6 questions)
4. Eternal State for Believers (9 questions); Unbelievers (11 questions)

Some of the questions may not reflect the way the sections are named. For instance, the part about eternal state for animals don't exactly fit into the believers category, but the authors put the question there. At the same time, some questions do cover across different categories. Thus, I would say that the categories are mainly to be used as a general guide. A more accurate guide would be the the question set forth. The style reflects a catechism style of questions and answers. A key difference would be the length of answers. Catechisms give brief answers. This book provides much more. The answers look more like detailed articles to teach and to serve as a resource for anyone interested in the topic. Some of the very interesting topics for me are:

"Leveling the Church" (Micah Fries and Jeremy Maxfield)

TITLE: Leveling the Church: Multiplying Your Ministry by Giving It Away
AUTHOR: Micah Fries and Jeremy Maxfield
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2019, (192 pages).

Ministry is more about people and less about programs. It is more about serving, less about receiving. It is about directing people's attention to God more than anything else, through discipleship and multiplication of more of such 'directors.' Church leadership is precisely called to do that. After a long period of serving in church from youth pastor to senior pastor, authors Micah Fries and Jeremy Maxfield reflect on their ministries and if they had to do it all over again, they would focus on the multiplication of people to do the ministry instead of doing everything themselves. In rethinking leadership and how to lead in Church, they acknowledge that the "biblical plan for church leadership is to develop a culture of multiplication: to not only see people come to faith, but also help them grow into maturity." Examining Ephesians 4:11-16, they are convinced that God is calling the Church to enable the people in Church to serve. That's what the spiritual gifts are there for. Growth is not just about numbers. It is about growing the fundamental trunk of servants. Teaching good sermons is not enough. We need to train servants to serve. Growing numbers is not enough. We need to grow in maturity. Being faithful in service is not enough. We need to bear fruit. The three key thrusts in this book are: Discipleship, Leadership, and Mission. At the onset, the authors take time to examine the way of Jesus, how he was investing his time with his disciples. After putting forth the biblical stance, he goes to show us the barriers that prevent many churches from practicing that. One could get bogged down with history and traditions that hamper the introduction of new ideas. A key problem is the mindset of running church with paid professionals. Another problem is with the wrong expectations placed upon the functions of church. This is followed closely by the problem of "applause" where leaders serve on the basis of pleasing people. Naturally, these three erroneous barriers create a poor measurement scorecard. The authors propose a better one: 1) Deliver the Word; 2) Disciple the Believer; 3) Deploy the Church.

"Intensional" (D.A. Horton)

TITLE: Intensional: Kingdom Ethnicity in a Divided World
AUTHOR: D.A. Horton
PUBLISHER: Carol Stream, IL: NavPress, 2019, (224 pages).

Different groups describe justice differently. For some, it is about retaliation. For others, it is about making sure the culprits are brought to justice and punished accordingly. Then, there are those who would use perceptions of injustice to do other forms of injustice. In a divided world, it is not just definitions or perceptions that are divided. People are deeply divided over matters of religion, political stance, language, looks, and especially ethnicities. If there is one thing that is badly needed, it is reconciliation. It is about building bridges instead of walls. It is about learning how to live and to accept one another's differences with grace and humility. This is what the kingdom of God looks like when it comes into the world. The biblical story is divided into four seasons: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration. As Horton works through the process of conciliation, he guides us with a theological principles of how the Church should practice and embody Galatians 3:26-28, the part about all people baptized into Christ, regardless of human distinctions. He warns the Church, especially the American Church about the "sin of partiality." If we take sides among our human race, then we are sinning against God. Looking at James 2, we learn about the dangers of using poverty and social ranks to judge people. We need to apply the golden rule. We need a "Color Blind Christianity," one that affirms a person's ethnicity. Affirmation is neither idolizing nor ignoring. Accepting one another's ethnic differences means we don't make it superior nor inferior.

"Paul's Idea of Community, 3rd Edition" (Robert J. Banks)

TITLE: Paul's Idea of Community: Spirit and Culture in Early House Churches
AUTHOR: Robert J. Banks.
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (240 pages).

Many people have pretty positive views about the word 'Community.' It is a good way to deflect attention from self toward others. We have all learned the importance to be in it for the greater good. Unfortunately, this word has been overused, even abused. It can also become a cliche for political correctness or to score points with our support base. For many Christians, the word 'community' has become a part of their Church or non-profit names. Lest we diminish the true meaning of community, it is good to come back to the biblical definition and understanding of community. The prime example: The Early Church. This book takes a look at community using references from his epistles to the various churches at that time. The third edition thoroughly revises and updates the material for a new generation. Also include is an article with a catchy title: "Going to Church in the First Century." However, the crux of the book is the same: to highlight the key themes of community from the many epistles of Paul in the New Testament, the apocrypha, Jewish writings, and extra-biblical sources. The main source will remain the New Testament epistles. Although Paul did not proceed step by step to build on his theology of the community, Banks actually did by arranging the book according to themes. He begins with a sociological and religious settings to give readers a context from which Paul's ideas were cultivated. This will give us a better understanding on the origins and nature of community in the first century. The goal of community was not some kind of altruism or harmony, but Christian maturity. This is important because it points us back to Christ. A community that is Christian in the first place must lead us toward Christ. It cannot become an end in itself. A community is visible through its interactions and members' behaviour toward each other. Through meals and signs of fellowship, the body of Christ is a unity of body, mind, and spirit. The acts of baptism, communion, fellowship, the sharing of possessions, gifts, and ministry support of one another allow the gifts of grace to be evident. The gifts of God to the community are there to help members edify the body.  They are there to promote unity and diversity at the same time.

There are some chapters on specific issues such as women's role in the community, especially on Paul's prohibitions on women. At least on a relative scale, Christian communities at that time give women more rights than societal norms. Paul also takes time to dissolve any legalistic distinctions that threaten the fabric of unity. That was why he takes pains to tell the communities that neither male nor female; slave or free; Jews or Gentiles; priests or laity; or any distinguishing status in society should ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Paul also argues for the abolishing of all kinds of discriminatory practices; in particular, gender, race, and class distinctions. On leadership in the community, Paul teaches leadership by function rather than by position. There are also teachings about how communities ought to welcome visitors, guests, and missioners. Paul makes an important point about a community that needs to look outward more than inward. The chapter on the link between mission and the Church does exactly that. The community of Christ is both local and global; centralized and decentralized. This is a powerful reminder that structures don't define communities. It is the reverse that is true.