"Sermons That Sing" (Noel A. Snyder)

TITLE: Sermons That Sing: Music and the Practice of Preaching (Dynamics of Christian Worship)
AUTHOR: Noel A. Snyder
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (208 pages).
 

For many preachers, giving a sermon is often done as a solo effort. Yet, some of the most powerful preaching are done through a team effort. There is the pair comprising of D.L. Moody and Ira D. Sankey, and through their teamwork, they have touched many lives in ways that no single person could have done. Even the televangelist like Benny Hinn at the height of his popularity, has his worship leader such as Terry MacAlmon to thank. Some people might say that the preacher gives the food for the mind, the worship leader provides fodder for the emotion, and the Spirit uses them to minister to the hungry soul. Whatever it is, I believe that worship with Scripture and song is powerful beyond measure. Yet, there is a cautionary note that if we are not careful, one might manipulate the other subconsciously. Knowing the balance is tricky and the author Noel Snyder knows it full well. As a musician as well as a preacher, he understands the uniqueness from both angles and is well suited to demonstrate to us sermons musically and music in accordance to Scripture. It reminds me also of Jeremy Begbie's amazing lectures on how music and Scripture could work together hand in hand. it is apt to see Professor Begbie giving an eloquent foreword to this book that emphasizes that point. The key thesis of this book is to utilize the unique qualities of music to guide and enhance the message at the pulpit. By marrying the art of music into the homiletical practice of preaching, it is hoped that congregations would hear more "sermons that sing."

"First Nations Version" (Editor Terry M. Widman)

TITLE: First Nations Version: An Indigenous Translation of the New Testament
AUTHOR: First Nations Version Translation Council (Editor: Terry M. Widman)
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (512 pages).

A missionary to a faraway native tribe had tried to share the gospel to the natives for many years but to no avail. Each time he brought up the story of God and Jesus, the locals would dismiss him and maintained that they already had a god, and they don't need another new one. This went on for a long time and the missionary was naturally frustrated. Then came an insight. What happens if he does away with the semantics and focuses on the shared concepts: that there is Higher Power, a Divine Being of Love and Goodness, and that there are more similarities than differences? So,  he started sharing the gospel using common terms that the locals would understand. By contextualizing his message, his audience became more receptive to the gospel message. One of the major ways of contextualizing a message is via translation. The Bible is the Word of God for people in this world. The original languages used are Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. In the history of the Church, the Bible has been translated into many different languages so that people could read it in their own language. The name "First Nations" is widely used in Canada to refer to the indigenous people of the land. It is also recognized in the United States. Thus the "First Nations Version" is essentially a translation in English using familiar culture, linguistics, and relevant meaning to those who are First Nations people. The translation council comprises many representatives from over 25 First Nations tribes. It aims to be both faithful to the original texts and clear to the present audiences. It uses English because it is a more common language among the many different tribal groups. That is also because many new generations of the First Nations are not as fluent in their native languages compared to their predecessors. With the support and expertise from people with translation work experience, this collaborative effort is impressive. Some of the important terms used include:

"The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narratives" (Steven D. Mathewson)

TITLE: The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative
AUTHOR: Steven D. Mathewson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (288 pages).

In many Sunday School classes, teachers would use Old Testament stories to teach Bible lessons. There is the Great Flood in Genesis; how the Israelites escaped Egyptian slavery in Exodus; the story of Gideon in Judges; how David defeated Goliath in 1 Samuel; and many more. For adults, sometimes we make it sound a little more sophisticated by substituting "stories" with "narratives." So, what Sunday School teachers call stories, adults would call them narratives. While it is relatively easy to summarize and tell simple stories like how Noah built the ark and invited cute animals into it, it is quite a challenge altogether to ponder upon God's message and the theme behind it all. For preachers, not only must they understand the stories per se, they need to figure out the big idea behind the narratives, and to deliver them clearly and faithfully. They need to distinguish between literary style against literal interpretation. They need to be curious like a child and be diligent as an adult. Written in 2002, this book is now in its second edition. Inspired by Robert Alter's "The Art of Biblical Narrative," author and pastor Steven Mathewson began learning about the nature of Old Testament narratives and eventually wrote a thesis on preaching OT Literature under the mentorship of the late Dr. Haddon Robinson. He incorporated a lot of his knowledge and wisdom in this book. In the first edition, he incorporated basic approaches in interpreting this genre, how to preach on it, as well as five sample sermon manuscripts. In the second edition, recognizing the wide availability of "sample sermons" on the Internet, he has reduced the sample sermons to just one, and added in an additional chapter entitled, "The Christ-Centered Preaching Debate." The three parts of this book are as follows:

"Tongue-Tied" (Sara Wenger Shenk)

TITLE: Tongue-tied: Learning the Lost Art of Talking About Faith
AUTHOR: Sara Wenger Shenk
PUBLISHER:  Harrisonburg, VA: Herald Press, 2021, (256 pages).

Why are people "tongue-tied" about religion? Probably, it is due to the lack of Evangelism and evangelistic fervor. Maybe, there are many layers of reasons ranging from disinterest to downright persecution. Perhaps, our culture has become increasingly anti-Christian and it is no longer "safe" to just speak about religion. As author Sara Wenger Shenk notes, "faith talk rarely shows up unless we’re at church." We have lost the art of sharing faith in the public arena. We need to recover not just the skills of sharing the gospel, more importantly, we need to bring back the conviction that the Great Commission is what Jesus has called us to do. We need to recover the language of love. Addressed primarily to her peers in North America, Shenk hopes that we will not let any spiritual malaise or apathy make God into our own image. Instead, we are encouraged to intentionally cultivate a "heartfelt, biblically enriched, and morally grounded faith" that will influence others for Christ. 

"Handbook on the Gospels" (Benjamin L. Gladd)

TITLE: Handbook on the Gospels (Handbooks on the New Testament)
AUTHOR: Benjamin L. Gladd
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2021, (464 pages).

This is the third volume of Baker's Handbook series on the New Testament. The first volume deals with Acts and Paul's letters while the second covers Hebrews to Revelation. With space dedicated to just four gospels, author and professor Benjamin Gladd is able to go more in-depth compared to the other two. Some of his basic presuppositions include:

• Seeing the four gospels as unique and complementary to the description of the Life and Person of Jesus Christ;
• The gospel of Mark was written first;
• Two-Source Theory (Mark and Q);
• In the synoptic gospels, Matthew and Luke copied materials from Mark and Q;
• Advice for readers to start with the gospel of Mark.

This handbook locates itself between a detailed verse-by-verse commentary and a birdseye view introductory volume. It is written to enable readers to quickly grasp the essential themes of the gospels without getting bogged down by details and endless footnotes. Written for people ranging from professors of theology to laypersons, it is an easy-to-use reference book. Aimed to be both theological and pastoral, the key feature is to enable faithful understanding of the text with "clarity and accessibility."  Readers get to read the gospels by situating themselves within the context of the first century Jewish, Graeco-Roman culture and life. The framework of the chapters is as follows:

"Hinge Moments" (D. Michael Lindsay)

TITLE: Hinge Moments: Making the Most of Life's Transitions
AUTHOR: D. Michael Lindsay
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (176 pages).
 

College paths. Career choices. Marital options. Life-changing moments. Even moving addresses. Some moments are exhilarating while others are plain tragic. Some call it a fork in the road. Others call it a choice among many. Christians often describe it as discerning one's calling. Historians call it turning points. Still, many would call it transition moments. For author Michael Lindsay, he calls it "hinge moments." After recalling his own hinge moments, he shares his findings on leadership in America, based on a ten-year study of 550 top leaders in America. He calls these people "Platinum Leaders" and notices a common thread going through the lives of these people: they responded by converting crisis into opportunity. He shares about the early life of Oprah Winfrey, who rose from poverty to stardom. Along the way, she encountered isolation, rejection, even abuse. Prashan De Visser left his war-torn country in Sri Lanka, found a new passion for peacebuilding at Gordon College, and eventually started an organization for reconciliation called "Sri Lanka Unites." He interviewed Jamie Dimon, former CEO of JP Morgan Chase Bank on how he felt when he was fired involuntarily. Another successful CEO, Bruce Kennedy of Alaska Airlines voluntarily walked away from his job to transition toward spending more time at a non-profit. When Condoleezza Rice changed her major from Music to International Relations, her career soared. These stories and many more show us that hinge moments happen to people across all kinds of economic and social strata.