"Reviving Mission" (Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty)

TITLE: Reviving Mission: Awakening to the Everyday Movement of God
AUTHOR: Linson Daniel, Jon Hietbrink, and Eric Rafferty
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (240 pages).
 

Are missions outdated? Does God still speak today with signs and wonders? Is there any similar outpouring of the Spirit like the 20th-century Azuza Street revival? Are revivals a thing of the past? Are revivals in general considered anomalies? Inspired by the Asbury revival of 2023 which spread to several campuses in America, the authors of this book excitedly proclaimed that mission can be revived. This book is about reviving: a) our conceptions of mission; b) the impact of mission on the people we are sent to; and c) the impact of mission on the people who are sent. Instead of jettisoning the old ways of mission, the authors urge us to renew our old ways in terms of re-contextualization. Go back to Jesus as the root of all missions. Follow the ways of Jesus in everyday living. Be Christlike to all. Claiming that "The Old Way is an Everyday Way," they encourage us to follow Jesus' ordinary life in an ordinary society. Once we recognize the many similarities of first-century culture and our modern society, we can breathe new life into the ordinary. 

"The Prayer of Unwanting" (David Williams)

TITLE: The Prayer of Unwanting
AUTHOR: David Williams
PUBLISHER: Minneapolis, MN: Broadleaf Books, 2025, (176 pages).
 

Many have heard of the bestselling book "The Prayer of Jabez." Despite its attractive thesis, it is still a prayer contrasting sharply with the Lord's Prayer. The key difference is the focus. While the Lord's Prayer is how we yield ourselves to God's will, the Jabez Prayer's key thesis is about making God yield to our wants and needs. Enters this book about the essence of prayer. Entitled "The Prayer of Unwanting," it pushes back against almost everything the bestselling book on the Jabez Prayer is all about. Author and pastor David Williams gives us this book as a guide to the essence of what the Lord's Prayer is all about. As far as Williams is concerned, the Lord's Prayer is not a magical list of verses that we can use to bring God to our needs. Rather, it is an opportunity to think more of God and less about us. He guides us through the entire prayer with an exposition of the prayer snippets.

Beginning with "Our Father," he points out that prayer is a personal connection with God as our Heavenly Father. "Who Art in Heaven" lifts us above this finite world toward hope in the Infinite God. We learn to see the proximity of what it means to live heavenly thoughts on earth. "Hallowed Be Thy Name" focuses on holiness. Williams laments about the lack of holy awareness in this world even among believers. This prayer for holiness comes when we learn to let go of our earthly anxieties and gaze at God's holiness. The fourth snippet, "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done, on earth as it is in heaven" takes us to the heart of Jesus. 

"Discern" (Mark E. Thibodeaux)

TITLE: Discern: Listening for God's Whispers
AUTHOR: Mark E. Thibodeaux
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Loyola Press, 2024, (100 pages).
 

How do we listen to God? The Bible tells how Elijah could distinguish God's voice from the earthly elements of earthquake, wind, and fire? In a busy distraction-filled world, how do we discern God's leading? Based on the teachings of St Ignatius of Loyola, author Mark Thibodeaux leads us through the two key Ignatian themes: Consolation and Desolation. Consolation is feeling uplifted, peaceful, and connected to God. Desolation is a state of emptiness, restlessness, or inner turmoil. The way of discernment is the way of consolation over desolation. Each page comprises a subject to think, ponder, and pray about. Presented with a brief and concise description, the empty spaces let the subject percolate through our minds and encourage us to pray. We learn to distinguish listening to God versus listening to other voices of distraction. This requires fine-tuning our spiritual senses. It puts the being before the doing. Listening helps us detect the forces pulling us away or toward God. Each page shows us how to recognize the tensions between consolation and desolation. This includes questions to challenge ourselves. Discerning desolation are questions like: 

"Our Cry For Revival" (Nick Harrison)

TITLE: Our Cry for Revival: 365 Devotions and Prayers for an Outpouring of God’s Spirit
AUTHOR: Nick Harrison
PUBLISHER: Brentwood, TN: B&H Publishing, 2024, (384 pages).
 

"Revival comes only through prayer," so declares the author of this book of daily devotionals. Throughout history, prayer has been the common trait in any revival movements recorded. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, the Early Church to the present evangelical movements, God moves chiefly through the prayers of His people. The patriarchs touched God's heart through prayer. The prophets of old prayed constantly for God to intervene in their decaying world. The Pentecost event occurred when the disciples were praying together in unity. In our modern era, we have the First (18th Century) and Second Great Awakening (19th Century), the Azusa Street (20th Century), the Asbury Revival (1970), as well as the Asbury University blessing (2023), etc. All of these have one common thread: Earnest Prayer and Fast. How do we turn our prayers into desperate cries for revival? According to Nick Harrison, this devotional can be that guide. It is a daily guide through the whole year. Each day begins with a selected Scripture passage followed by a short devotion. Following that is a wise quote from a well-known believer, evangelist, pastor, preacher, professor, or spiritual writer. At the end of the devotion is a prayer prompt to kick start our prayer for revival. Written in an accessible and easy-to-read format, it takes less than a few minutes to read through the page. The reflection and prayer can last longer, perhaps throughout the day. 

The author believes that God creates a hunger in people for revival. Led by the Spirit, the people will start pouring out prayers in faith consistently and passionately. This is not a quick-fix solution. It is a call to sense God's calling, direction, and timing. With earnest praying comes various spiritual practices like confession, repentance, and obedience. As the popular song "Pass It On" says, "It only takes a spark to get the fire going." Our role then is to be spiritually flammable so that when God's spark comes, we ignite and become fire for God. We connect with God and with people. We then obey where the Spirit leads us toward. That is what revival is all about. 

Churches today need revival and they need it desperately. May this book spur more to join in the community of prayer for revival first in our immediate communities, then our neighbourhoods, our cities, our states, our nations, and throughout the world.

Nick Harrison is the author of more than a dozen books including Magnificent Prayer, The One-Year Life Recovery Prayer Devotional and five books in the One-Minute® Prayer series, including One-Minute Prayers® When You Need a Miracle. His books have been endorsed by Anne Graham Lotz, Jim Cymbala, Tony Evans, Sheila Walsh, Chip Ingram, and Lee Strobel. Nick has a background in the book world both as a bookstore owner and as a senior editor at Harvest House Publishers. Nick and his wife, Beverly are the parents of three grown daughters and grandparents to two boys and two girls.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of B&H Publishing via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"I Have My Doubts" (Philip Ryken)

TITLE: I Have My Doubts: How God Can Use Your Uncertainty to Reawaken Your Faith
AUTHOR: Philip Ryken
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024, (192 pages).
 

Faith and doubt are part and parcel of what it means to be human. Honest doubt can lead to deeper insights about Truth. Sarcasm or superficial faith can lead one away from Truth. In a world that is infatuated with certainty, doubts can sometimes be perceived negatively. Humanly speaking, doubt gives us a weirdness that cannot be easily dispensed with. Instead of letting doubt scrape away our layers of faith, why not let these doubts point us to deeper levels of faith and understanding? The central message in this book is to "retain the courage of one's doubts as well as one's convictions." Using ten challenging stories from the Bible that deal with the interplays of faith and doubt, author-professor Philip Ryken shows us to be bold with our doubts and how we can grow in our faith. The ten stories cover several pertinent concerns about Christian living and faith.

"Faithful Politics" (Miranda Zapor Cruz)

TITLE: Faithful Politics: Ten Approaches to Christian Citizenship and Why It Matters
AUTHOR: Miranda Zapor Cruz
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (216 pages).

Do we choose Republicans because the Presidential candidate carries a Bible? Do we choose Democrats because my Christian friends are there? Do we choose parties simply because their policies are more Christian? How do we practice our Christian Faith in our often heated political environment? What is the difference between heavenly and earthly citizenship? How do we know if our actions are serving God or Caesar? How do we live as heavenly citizens while on earth? In our polarized climate, how can Christians behave as peacemakers? Is there such a thing as a Christian political party? Should we vote for candidates who claim to be Christians? These are some of the questions that trouble many Christians. Before attempting to answer any of these questions, we might need to ask a more fundamental one: "What does it mean to practice faithful politics?" This one question is the basis of this book to show us what it means to be salty, prophetic, separationist, and social. Underlying these principles are biblical applications of dual citizens, first of the Kingdom and then of earthly citizens. Living as Kingdom citizens means recognizing the different approaches to politics as compared to what we see in everyday worldly affairs. For instance, instead of limiting ourselves to relationships based on our nationality statuses on earth, we learn a universal perspective of seeing people as fellow humans living under grace from heaven. Instead of fighting one another to gain access to limited resources on earth, we learn to share in the hope that the economies of God will always be more abundant. 

"Discipleship for Every Stage of Life" (Chris A. Kiesling)

TITLE: Discipleship for Every Stage of Life: Understanding Christian Formation in Light of Human Development
AUTHOR: Chris A. Kiesling
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (216 pages).

What have life stages got to do with discipleship? How do human sciences affect spirituality? Is it legitimate to connect Christian formation with human development? These questions should pique the interest of Christians who want to see discipleship expand and be applied beyond the regular youth and adulthood age groups. By bringing together curiosity about human sciences and the theology of Christian Spirituality, author and professor Chris Kiesling has given us a compelling work that engages the development of Christian discipleship for every stage of life. Using his thirty years of learning about human sciences, he maintains that discipleship strategies should adapt to the person's human development stage. It is hoped that not only will that help cultivate the path toward human flourishing, but it also opens up gospel-sharing moments at all stages of life. From birth to the end of life, readers learn about the stage of human development and the needed discipleship strategy. The purpose of this book is to allow the "wholistic, redemptive vision of salvation" to shine through each of the described human stages.

"Claiming the Courageous Middle" (Shirley A. Mullen)

TITLE: Claiming the Courageous Middle: Daring to Live and Work Together for a More Hopeful Future
AUTHOR: Shirley A. Mullen
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (200 pages).
 

"The nation is divided." "Society is broken." "Why can't we all just get along?" These are common phrases heard these days. From politics to religious matters; human rights to social justice; systemic racism to various inequalities; people are becoming more vocal about their stand. This has led to a host of problems never seen before in the previous century. Largely driven by social media's ease and speed of public expression, people are arguing not just in public places but also on private platforms. In such a polarized climate, there is a tendency for all sides to drag people and opinions either to the left or to the right. Diversity can be divisive. What about the middle? Up comes the notion of a "courageous middle." Seeing the deep divisions across America today, author Shirley Mullen sees the need for this position more than ever. As the world gets pulled apart by binary mindsets, it becomes a challenge to find a middle ground for all. Mullen urges the expansion of the middle space that sees the common good and also does not necessarily take sides. She aims directly at three groups of people. The first group includes those that stereotype the middle position negatively. The second group is for those who want to play the role of peacemakers and reconciliation. The third group is for those who tend to lament but seem helpless to do anything about it. Driven by her concern for the rising levels of polarization in society, media, and churches, she recognizes a sizable number of undecided people; who are on neither end of the poles; or unwittingly caught up in the middle. Mullen argues that taking the middle is "one form of faithful witness" for Jesus. 

"Loving Your Adult Children" (Gaye B. Clark)

TITLE: Loving Your Adult Children: The Heartache of Parenting and the Hope of the Gospel
AUTHOR: Gaye B. Clark
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024, (176 pages).

Parenting is a life-long endeavour. Even though the means change over time, the nature of parental love will remain. When the children are dependants, parents take responsibility for them. Once they become adults, the way parents care for them will also have to change. As a parent myself, I often tell my friends that parenting is like flying a kite. When they are young, we hang on tightly when dangerous winds try to blow them off-course. As they grow older, we loosen our grip so that they can learn how to make their own decisions. Eventually, we need to let go of the kite completely as they embark upon the journey of adulthood. As the children become adults, the way parents love them will have to change accordingly. For author Gaye Clark, the primary goal of Christian parenting is to teach children to place their hopes in life on God alone through Jesus's finished work. When the children are young, parents pay and pray for their daily needs. When they become adults and become independent, parents can continue to love them by praying for them. Besides that, Clark shows us even more ways to love them. Putting first things first, if we want our children to have faith in God alone, we need to practice what we are going to preach. The way to love our children is essentially to lead by example. We do this through the practice of faith, repentance, grace, hope, Church, patience, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Self-Control, Peace, and Love.

"You are Not Alone" (Jennie Allen)

TITLE: You Are Not Alone: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What's True
AUTHOR: Jennie Allen
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Waterbrook Multnomah, 2024, (192 pages).

Mental health is a big topic nowadays. Ever since the Covid pandemic, we continue to hear news reports and various mainstream articles talking about the need for proper mental healthcare. One of the best ways to cultivate good mental health is toward the young. Many problems arise out of a poor or traumatic upbringing. As the younger population becomes more exposed to the Internet, it is increasingly important to take steps to foster wisdom and tact when dealing with so much information, especially via social media. That is not the only concern. Children needs guidance in almost all areas of life. From discerning Truth from fiction to dealing with thoughts and all kinds of feelings, author Jennie Allen gives us tools and tips to guide the younger ones among us. It is easy to feel helpless with the continuing onslaught of information and mass misinformation out there. Thankfully, this resource helps us put things in perspective. Calling it a "Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxious Thoughts and Believing What's True," this book anchors readers on the foundation of all stability: The Bible. Written in three parts, Allen guides us with clear instruction and biblical wisdom on how to deal with life, and especially our spiritual upbringing.

"Listen, Listen, Speak" (Jay Y. Kim)

TITLE: Listen, Listen, Speak: Hearing God and Being Heard in a Noisy World
AUTHOR: Jay Y. Kim
PUBLISHER: New York, NT: Faithwords, 2024, (256 pages).

We want to be heard and understood. More often than not, people tend to mistake one for the other. In this social media culture, visibility is often linked to those who can speak the loudest, share the most, and attract the most attention. That is not always true. In fact, once the dust settles, we can see that there is more than meets the eye. Our world tends to be filled with all kinds of noises. Many clamour for attention but few bother to listen. In a wonderful push-back against the temptations of a noisy world, author Jay Kim has written an important book about learning to listen doubly hard before speaking. He calls us to distinguish "clarity" from "volume" by saying: ".. loudness often grabs our attention, it’s clarity that holds our attention. Grabbing attention is transactional. Holding attention is relational." Wise words. Listening is a key spiritual discipline. Elijah practices it. Jesus lives it. We are all called to do the same. Unfortunately, there are many barriers to listening. The author begins by helping us take down these barriers.

In Part One, he shows us the pitfalls of the lack of listening. With the rise of fake news and the malicious use of AI technology by scammers, we all need to learn the basics of discernment.

"The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation" (Kevin DeYoung)

TITLE: The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation
AUTHOR: Kevin DeYoung
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishers, 2024, (48 pages).

Many churches are clamouring for more young people in their congregations. The average age of a North American Church today is above 40, and greying fast. This is a statistical parallel to an aging society. That is why many Church leaders desire young people to step up in leadership for the next generation and beyond. Desires however is one thing. Designing an appropriate strategy is another. Along with that is the inter-generational gaps that often lead to clashes and misunderstanding between the young and the old. Whether it is about the worship wars, traditional vs contemporary music, the generational makeup of leadership boards, the various programs for the young and not-so-young, the common theme is similar: Reaching the next generation is easier said than done. Is there a secret to doing that in the first place? Author and pastor Kevin DeYoung realizes that there is no simple answer to that important question. In trying to explain his strategies that to him is not so secret, but not to others, he titles this book with a catchy "not-so-secret" secret.

"Walking the Theological Life" (Timothy R. Gaines)

TITLE: Walking the Theological Life: Discovering Method for Theology in the Lives of Biblical Characters
AUTHOR: Timothy R. Gaines
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Academic, 2024, (216 pages).
 

Mention the word "theology" and one will might see people roll their eyes. Some prefer to leave theology to the theologians, scholars, pastors, and seminarians.  Others might think it is simply an ivory-tower exercise with minimal practical use. Still, some people deem the study of theology as plain boring. This might have to do with some places that put too much stress on methodologies. What if theology is an invitation to ponder upon the revealed narratives in the Bible? What if it is to cultivate a sense of wonder from the lens of God? In this book, author Timothy Gaines invites us to ponder and wonder on how God leads 12 Bible characters through their ups and downs of life. Allocating a chapter for each character, Gaines unearths from it theological virtues and how God knew these people intimately. In Jeremiah, we learn about the mutual intimacy of God and Jeremiah in knowing each other. Sometimes addressed as a "weeping prophet," his humble life witnesses for God. In Jacob, we learn the theological virtue of wrestling, especially in times of grief and pain. Sarah is an interesting character. Gaines highlights her laughing incident as a way to learn of theological humour. Often painted in a negative light, Gaines expands our understanding of laughter as an act to trigger a reaction. I have heard people saying "Do not take life too seriously" as a way to lighten up or relax. It is tempting to view Sarah's laughter negatively. Gaines tells us to consider a broader theological perspective of the use of laughter in life.

"Crisis of Confidence" (Carl R. Trueman)

TITLE: Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity
AUTHOR: Carl R. Trueman
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishers, 2024, (216 pages).
 

Why should anyone take creeds seriously? Why do we need creeds when we have the Bible? Why should churches incorporate creedal statements especially when the words are not in the Bible? Are not the creeds some old-fashioned documents that are no longer relevant for our era? What will we lose if we ignore the creeds? What is the crisis of confidence all about? Essentially, this book is a vigorous pushback against the modern notion of "expressive individualism" that threatens to unseat the use of confessions, creeds, and many aspects of tradition. Author Carl Trueman spends some time unpacking what he means by this. He notes how "expressive individualism" has taken root in many aspects of life. Feelings have dethroned the importance of facts. Science assumes that the present and future are better than the past, which unwittingly creeps into the philosophical domain when understanding religious truth. Consumerism militates against historical truths. Other reasons against creeds include the state of antiauthoritarianism, rejection of authority, and the fear of exclusion just because one recites the creeds. He then makes a case for the use of creeds in churches today. He outlines the history of creedal statements, showing us the contexts behind each written creed. This is not something that only the Early Church had done. With the Reformation, even more creeds were published. Groups outside the mainline stream also possess confessions and creeds, even though they were not written in the traditional forms. One of the key things that enable us to worship in spirit and in truth is the use of creeds to remind us that worship is not about self-expression but about corporate confession to God and for God. The big truth is, that creeds do not necessarily take the place of Scripture but affirm biblical Truth in concrete ways. 

"Prayers for the Pilgrimage" (W. David O. Taylor)

TITLE: Prayers for the Pilgrimage: A Book of Collects for All of Life
AUTHOR: W. David O. Taylor
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (208 pages).
 

There are many different ways that Christians can pray. From Sunday worship time to daily thanksgiving over a meal, prayer is a sign of devotion to God. It is a reminder that for all of our talents and know-how, we still need God. Many Christians learn to pray using the ACTS acronym: Adoration-Confession-Thanksgiving-Supplication. Each of them helps us focus on a particular form of prayer. Whether it is for worship or prayers for forgiveness, gratitude, or request, we can connect with God in all circumstances of life. For the most part, people have understood prayer in terms of asking for things, especially when they are in dire need. Realizing this great need, author David Taylor has collected a series of prayers for all occasions and for all of life. He calls these "collect prayers." What is a "Prayer of Collect?" There are written prayers focused on a specific item. Traditionally, the mainline churches like the Roman Catholics, the Anglicans, and other Protestant churches have used the term "collect" as a way to describe collecting all forms of prayer requests, needs, and desires for God to take action. It recognizes that God loves His people and this world and the prayer is a way to connect us with God, trusting that He knows and will assure us that things will be well, even when we feel helpless and hopeless. 

"Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body" (Hilary L. McBride)

TITLE: Practices for Embodied Living: Experiencing the Wisdom of Your Body 
AUTHOR: Hillary L. McBride
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2024, (160 pages).

Our experiences do not define us. Our real selves do. Our bodies are not simply what we have but they are who we are. We are more than mere subjective people. We are valued for who we are and not what we do. All that we encounter in this life, the highs and the lows, can all be experienced in the very bodies we have. Unfortunately, many people still have not learned how to appreciate their bodies. In doing so, they fall victim to lies and myths that throw negativity to their physique or biological selves. Lies such as the need to subdue our bodies because they are inherently evil; that some bodies are better than others, or fat bodies are unhealthy, etc. As our bodies get devalued, we become disembodied beings. Disembodiment separates our physical selves from the rest of our mental and emotional faculties. Embodiment brings all of them together. More importantly, we are called not to learn or relearn what our bodies are or represent. We simply need to remember that. These and many more underline the premise of this book, which is to bring back a healthy appreciation of the bodies we have so that we can live well. This also means we need to see personhood in a holistic manner: Emotionally, Mentally, Physically, Socially, and even Spiritually. Besides helping us address lies we tell ourselves, this book also looks at the violence on our bodies, such as stress and trauma; illnesses, injuries, and pain; oppressive forces; self-esteem; etc. 

"The Practice of Remembering" (Casey Tygrett)

TITLE: The Practice of Remembering: Uncovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life
AUTHOR: Casey Tygrett
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (216 pages).
 

"Memories light the corners of my mind," so sings Barbra Streisand in one of the most cherished classics of the modern age, "The Way We Were." As author Casey Tygrett writes, "Without memory, there is no formation," that we are "memory-made people," and that without memories, "we cannot become." We are who we are by learning and remembering. Whether it is writing a memoir or penning a journal, our acts of recalling something are crucial aspects of being. Using the various aspects of "experiences, memories, stories, and scripts," Tygrett guides us through an amazing journey of the practice of remembering. 

He helps us explore the four movements of remembering: 

1. Like shells that possess incredible memories, we first bring forth these shells;
2. Honest engagement with the implications;
3. Create stories out of these implications;
4. Explore how God is molding us through these.

All these can be sparked with one prompt: "I remember the moment when ________."

"Hear Ye the Word of the Lord: What We Miss If We Only Read the Bible" (D. Brent Sandy)

TITLE: Hear Ye the Word of the Lord: What We Miss If We Only Read the Bible
AUTHOR: D. Brent Sandy and John Walton
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (192 pages).
 

We often think of the Bible in terms of a Holy Book. So we encourage people to "read" the Bible like a text, study the Scriptures like an ancient document, and interpret each verse with careful eyes. If we limit ourselves to such a view, we would have missed the very essence of God's message to us. The Word was first delivered to human ears rather than eyes. Right from the beginning, the standard form of communication was oral. The receivers were listeners. Plus, it was noted that, unlike today, ancient people had fewer authors and more speakers; more hearers than readers. How the world has changed. The key premise of this book is that if we want to read the Bible well, we need to remember the original contexts of the Bible given to us to listen rather than to read. It is ok to read texts but do not miss out on the importance of listening to the Word. So convicted is author Brent Sandy that he puts forth 18 propositions about the what, the why, and the what then. Categorized in four parts, Sandy urges us to understand the original stage of communications, understand God's agenda, learn about the implications of oral scripture, and practice listening on top of mere reading. 

"Faith Beyond Youth Group" (Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad M. Griffin)

TITLE: Faith Beyond Youth Group: Five Ways to Form Character and Cultivate Lifelong Discipleship
AUTHOR: Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad M. Griffin
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2023, (224 pages).
 

What about the rest of the week? Is there more the faith than the weekly meetings? In recent times, there have been questions about what Church-goers do beyond Sundays. In marketplace ministries, this concern comes in the form of Faith beyond Sundays. Paul Stevens coins this as "The Other Six Days." Laura Nash and Scott McLellan write about this in "Work on Monday, Church on Sunday." Several other authors such as Wayne Jacobsen, Maurice Johnson, and Tony Carvalho word prefer to describe such emphases as "Beyond Sundays." All of these authors want to encourage believers to practice their faith not just on Sundays but every day of the week. What these authors have done, Kara Powell, Jen Bradbury, and Brad M. Griffin want to do the same for youths. Faith should not be limited to a mere once-every-weekend or regular once-a-week youth group meetings. It should be daily, or as often as possible. When interviewing youth ministry leaders, Powell et al note a common occurrence, that after a while, the enthusiasm loses steam. The "We agree it's not working" feedback is sending alarm bells across churches with conventional youth program models. Factor in the high burn-out rate of youth workers, perhaps, it is a good time for leaders to look at some of the more specific areas of concern beyond the mere rest of the week question. Questions such as:

• Are the lives of teenagers improved because of their time at youth groups?
• How is their faith strengthened?
• Are they becoming a positive force for the gospel? 
• Have they become more engaged in the spiritual disciplines in their personal time?
• How do we engage kids in such a way to form their faith in Jesus?
• ........

"A Basic Guide to the Just War Tradition" (Eric Patterson)

TITLE: A Basic Guide to the Just War Tradition: Christian Foundations and Practices
AUTHOR: Eric Patterson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (176 pages).
 

In wars, there are generally no winners. All parties involved would have suffered losses regardless of the numbers. How can anyone quantify suffering? How do we measure the emotional trauma we bring back home after a war? How can we even justify the loss of a single human being? The costs of war go far more than mere soldiers and machinery. It involves many conflicts ranging from ethical dilemmas to mental distress. At a theological level, making justification for wars could be breaking the Sixth Commandment in some way. How then can we justify any war? CS Lewis believes that it is a Christian duty to fight evil. In order to preserve peace, order, and justice, states need to be vigilant against evil, for doing nothing is worse. According to author Eric Patterson, a just war is basically a means to achieving peace and justice. Ironically, just war is a quest for peace. Governments need to uphold their duty to protect and defend their people, and sometimes this means going to war. This book explains, describes, and defends the use of just war in the quest for peace and upholding justice. 

Chapter One defines what just war is and what it is not. Going back to the roots of WWI and WWII, Patterson uncovers the deficiencies of a pacifist or non-aligned policy that emboldened countries like Germany to invade other territories. The just war foundational premise is: "legitimate political authorities have a responsibility to protect and defend those in their charge (just cause) and should do so with restraint in motivation and action (right intent)." Once the decision has been made, the next set of criteria is about "military necessity, proportionality, and discrimination." Just war advocates include people like Augustine, Aquinas, Calvin, Luther, and Wesley.