"Living the Resurrection" (Eugene Peterson)

TITLE: Living the Resurrection: The Risen Christ in Everyday Life
AUTHOR: Eugene Peterson
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2020, (160 pages).

Eugene Peterson is one of the most loved authors in the evangelical world. What makes him most readable is his creative use of words and how he crafts ideas together in a manner that helps us see ordinary things in extraordinary ways. Most of all, he is Bible-centered. He is what I call a word-smith, and a teacher of the Word of God. What is the book about? It's about the resurrection of Jesus. Here, Peterson shows us at least three things that help us incorporate the reality of the resurrection into the reality of our present lives.

First, he helps us take a closer look at the particular aspects of Jesus' resurrection. Beginning with the gospel narratives of "wonder, astonishment, surprise," there is a sense that the resurrection is beyond our biggest imagination. All four gospels give a unique perspective about the state of wonder. Matthew's narrative looks at the women's perspective that reveals the shift from wonder to worship. Mark shows us how the women were stunned beyond words. Luke gives us a sense of awe and confusion rolled into one. John invites us to see and to be thoughtful about the truth being revealed. Pointing out six references to the common fear, and helps us see the difference between human fear and holy fear. Peterson gives us the biblical perspective of holy fear: fear of the Lord. In doing so, he shows us the beauty of heavenly encounters that transcend human paranoia. How do we connect from earth to heaven? How do we comprehend the meaning of the resurrection? Simply put: It all starts with wonder. Refuse to let our human intelligence and desire for control interfere with the working of the Holy Spirit. He shows us five ways to do that. We should not be afraid of mystery but be open to God showing us the beauty of the resurrection. After all, he describes life on earth as "not a vacation paradise" but a "war zone."

"The Whole Counsel of God" (Tim Patrick and Andrew Reid)

TITLE: The Whole Counsel of God: Why and How to Preach the Entire Bible
AUTHOR: Tim Patrick and Andrew Reid
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2020, (256 pages).

One common question among preachers is this: "What should I preach?" As one who preaches regularly, this is a weekly encounter. Some would preach topically while others insist on going through a Bible book at a time, something we call expository preaching. There is the the Big-Idea Preaching, the Christ-centered preaching, the Gospel-Centered Preaching, the Expository preaching, etc. Many preach on the Bible with selected passages but few advocate for preaching the entire Bible. This is understandable from a length-wise standpoint, for the Bible comprises 66 books altogether. Reading through it alone is already daunting but to preach through it? This is exactly what the authors, Tim Patrick and Andrew Reid are convicted about. It is only through preaching the entire Word of God that listeners will be adequately fed. For many, the problem is not about desire but about even entertaining the possibility of preaching through the entire Bible. After all, just reading through the Bible is already a huge feat, let alone preaching it. The authors are well aware of this challenge and takes pains to explain that it is far more profitable to try than to be bogged down by details. In fact, they go further to show us how to preach through the entire Bible. This is perhaps the key reason to get this book.

"Following Jesus Christ" (John K. Goodrich and Mark L. Strauss)

TITLE: Following Jesus Christ: The New Testament Message of Discipleship for Today
AUTHOR: John K. Goodrich and Mark L. Strauss
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2019, (392 pages).

The big problem with the modern Church is that it is far more apt at receiving the gospel of grace but less prompt in following Jesus. Perhaps, that is why discipleship is often considered secondary among many believers. Discipleship is essentially about following Jesus. When asked to describe what the Bible says about discipleship, many believers would point to the gospels about Jesus' tough call to discipleship. It is so demanding that the famous WWII martyr, Dietrich Bonhoeffer even titles his book as "The Cost of Discipleship." Apart from the gospels, when asked about how the rest of the New Testament talks about discipleship, it becomes more challenging. Editors John K Goodrich and Mark L Strauss have gathered a team of scholars to contribute an essay for each of the New Testament books. They show us the concepts of biblical discipleship. They consistently remind us that discipleship is not simply something embedded in a few verses in the gospels but throughout the New Testament. By broadening our understanding of discipleship throughout the New Testament, it is hoped that readers will be able to go beyond the gospels. More importantly, they will see the process of following Jesus is the consistent messaging of discipleship. Matthew's gospel talks about discipleship from a narrative angle. Mark emphasizes the cost of discipleship. Luke summarizes the link between discipleship and the Great Commandment. John's gospel is an invitation to readers to "come and see." In Acts, we see how discipleship is lived out as the early believers venture from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the outer parts of the earth. Paul's epistles are consistently Christocentric, with traits on a Christian disciple (1 Corinthians); presence of Christ (Colossians); Community (Philippians); Holiness (1 & 2 Thessalonians); Church leadership (Titus and Timothy); etc. Hebrews recovers the lost concept of discipleship while James reminds us of the need for single-mindedness in following Christ. Peter's letters exhorts believers toward the themes of holiness, orthodoxy, resurrection, and hope as we follow Christ. Revelation shows us the prophetic vision of discipleship. By looking at the New Testament from the angle of discipleship, we get to see a fuller picture of the purpose of Christ.

"Our Good Crisis" (Jonathan K. Dodson)

TITLE: Our Good Crisis: Overcoming Moral Chaos with the Beatitudes
AUTHOR: Jonathan K. Dodson
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019, (192 pages).

The word "crisis" nowadays is very much an understatement. With the recent pronouncement of the Covid-19 as a pandemic, many people are living in a state of an emergency. There are chaos in many places, though some may say organized pandemonium. Author Jonathan K Dodson brings clarity to the meaning of crisis. He presents a whole potpourri of moral conundrums that are fast becoming confusing and troubling. He compares and contrasts the difficult choices behind abortion, sex, financial scandals, and various forms of injustice on age, gender, ethnicity, etc. He also questions the way the society at large have been using (or abusing) the word "crisis." How can it be good? In order to answer that, author Jonathan Dodson adopts three approaches. The first is the etymological approach, to study the origins of the word 'crisis.'  He goes all the way back to the original mention of trees in Genesis, namely, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. Secondly, he traces the history of how the word crisis has developed through the ages. What was originally used for moral judgment, the word has evolved to describe "momentary uncertainty." This parallels the rise of relativism and comes at a time where there is increasing dilution of moral clarity. He laments how this leads to the confusion surrounding the essence of what is good and what is not.

"A Public Missiology" (Gregg Okesson)

TITLE: A Public Missiology: How Local Churches Witness to a Complex World
AUTHOR: Gregg Okesson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (272 pages).

Has the Western Church becoming too individualistic for her own good? Can a privatized religion do justice to the very identity of the Church? How relevant is missiology to ecclesiology? What does it take for the Church to live out an integrated sense of mission instead of delegating the work of mission to outsiders? These are some of the issues discussed in this book. The main thesis of this book is to rouse up the sleeping Church to move from passive talk about mission to active witness. Some people used to say that we can change the world one person at a time. In this book, the focus is not on that one person, but on the "we" as a community or congregational witness. This is because our vision of the gospel has become too self-limiting, to the point that it has made people hesitant about public witness.  He says that the "thinness of our faith struggles to penetrate the thickness of the public realm." In other words, we cannot evangelize on our own. We need to evangelize as a community. Whatever negativity that has been associated with Church cannot be allowed to undermine the calling of the church. Do not throw out the proverbial baby (Church) with the bathwater (negative perceptions). Author and Professor Gregg Okesson integrates three key things in his model for public missiology: Congregations, Publics, and Witness. After some qualification, he then defines a public missiology as "congregational witness that moves back and forth across all “spaces” of public life in order to weave a thickness of the persons of the Trinity for the flourishing of all of life." 

"Mission 3:16" (Paul Borthwick)

TITLE: Mission 3:16: God's One-Verse Invitation to Love the World
AUTHOR: Paul Borthwick
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (176 pages).

Sermons have been preached about it. Conferences have been organized to promote it. Books have been written to describe it. Yet, nothing beats a one-verse definition of the mission of Christ. Arguably the most famous verse in the Bible, we are talking about John 3:16 as that one verse definition of God's mission to love the world. It is the gospel wrapped up in one crisp and concise statement. Author Paul Borthwick calls it Jesus' "Elevator Speech." In order to understand that verse in context, he takes us through chapter three of John's gospel, and points us to the larger picture of God's love. There are themes of "born again," "light," "life," "the world," which all are linked together in John 3:16. God is the initiator and motivated by His love for all the world. His love is so deep that He offered the deepest expression of love, his sacrificing his only Son. The beneficiaries are the world at large, that whoever believes in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life.

"Lent in Plain Sight" (Jill J. Duffield)

TITLE: Lent in Plain Sight
AUTHOR: Jill J. Duffield
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (169 pages).

It is popularly said, "Seeing is believing." Faith reverses the paradigm to say that belief is seeing. In the Bible, especially the book of Hebrews, we read of people of faith who believed even when they have not seen the results. Having eyes of faith essentially means we believed even when our eyes do not see God. Having said that, it is entirely appropriate to use signs to point us to God, just like Jesus's seven signs in the gospel of John, that all points to Him and His working out of the will of God. Without derailing our minds on the need for faith to be fixed on the invisible God, we can use objects as reminders of that very focus. We don't worship the things or focus our devotions on these things. Like a prayer mat to enable us to kneel or a quiet room to help us focus on prayer in silence, objects can enhance our remembrance of Christ's journey to the cross. Enters this Lent devotional with ten objects to help us do just that.

Dust reminds us of how we have been created. This is most appropriate as Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, where believers are reminded that "ashes to ashes, dust to dust," we were created from dust, and our bodies will return to the earth as dust. Dust reminds us we are mortal; that we are limited; and that we are created beings made in the image of God. Bread reminds us of gratitude to God, and about the Lord's prayer where we ask for our daily bread. The Cross is about self-denial, and has much to do with the call to discipleship, to caution us of the cost of discipleship. It entails the suffering and pain that we all experience from time to time. Coins prompt us of the various episodes in the gospels; how Jesus answered the Pharisees with regard to paying taxes; how the poor widow's donation of two copper coins exceed the giving of the rich; and the parable of the lost coin. They also warn us about the betrayal of Jesus, because of Judas Iscariot's greed and self-interests. Shoes point out the holiness of God, how Moses was specifically told to remove his shoes as he was standing on holy ground. They emphasize our mission for Christ; humility to tie other shoelaces; wearing the armour of God with shoes as instruments of peace. Oil is for anointing; for preparing our lamps in anticipation of Christ's coming; for generosity; for compassion, healing, etc. Come Holy Week, the author introduces four more objects to guide us through our Lenten journey. The Coat marks the entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The Towel brings us back to the Upper Room where Jesus washes the disciples' feet and asks them to do the same for others. The Thorn is a reminder of the crown of thorns Jesus had to bear. Finally, Stone is about the tomb where Jesus was buried; albeit a soon-to-be- empty tomb.

"The Voices We Carry" (J. S. Park)

TITLE: The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One, True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise
AUTHOR: J. S. Park
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Northfield Publishers, 2020, (288 pages).

Many of us have heard about the differences between the head and the heart. The former popularly refers to the intellect while the latter describes the emotions. Using the head means we let our thinking and rationalizing decide our next steps. Using the heart means we allow our emotions to lead the way. Truth is, we need both head and heart for authenticity. Instead of separating the head and the heart into two entities, how about looking at it from the perspective of voices that speak to us, regardless of whether it is to the head or heart? This makes sense because the line between the intellect and the emotions is not easily distinguishable. What is more important is how we listen to the voices, both from outside and from the inside. Author JS Park writes this book with honest inquiry and personal experience about the many different types of voices that come at us, both voluntarily and involuntarily. In an age of social media, we are susceptible to all kinds of comments, both positive and negative. Even the most well-intentioned posts could trigger a whole spectrum of criticisms and trolls. One may claim to communicate facts but others would be quick to clothe all kinds of feelings and judgment on them. External voices create all kinds of inner ripples, some good, some bad. The best way forward is to discern the facts, determine what's helpful and what's not, and to find our own voices. Don't cave in to lies.

"Living Into Lent" (Donald K. McKim)

TITLE: Living into Lent
AUTHOR: Donald K. KcKim
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013, (160 pages).

Lent is here again. The word "Lent" means "fortieth" in Latin. IT is 40 days to Easter, starting from Ash Wednesday. Traditionally, we exclude Sundays in the counting, so Lent concludes with that great Resurrection Sunday. What do we do during these forty days? Some believers fast from something as a constant reminder about Christ's journey to the Cross, how He offered Himself up to do the Father's Will.  Other believers spend more time in prayer or in various spiritual disciplines. The key themes of Lent are prayer, meditation, contemplation, silence, resisting the world, faithfulness, obedience, fasting, sacrifice, etc. One helpful way to observe Lent is to use devotionals to help us through each day. This book is one such devotional. There are several features that make this book stands out.

First, it is biblically referenced. Each theme is centered on the Bible. The author does not flood us with chunks of Bible to overwhelm us. Instead, he takes selected verses and guides us through the Word. Depth is key. As a devotional, it should be simple and focused, rather than to be expounded and analyzed. As a devotional, the Word is used to guide our mind to think deeply of God and to make our hearts bigger for God. McKim does well to give us brief notes without too much explanation, giving readers ample time to pause and to pray.