"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Are missions outdated?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. 

"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.

"Pentecost" (Emilio Alvarez)

TITLE: Pentecost: A Day of Power for All People
AUTHOR: Emilio Alvarez
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (144 pages).
 

What is Pentecost? What is the meaning of the word "Pentecostal?" Why do Christians celebrate this event? Has this event any connection to the Old Testament? What is the significance of such an event? These questions are dealt with in this book. Pentecost Sunday is one of the most important days in the Christian calendar. Celebrated 50 days after Easter, it commemorates the day the Holy Spirit came down upon believers in Jerusalem as recorded in Acts 2. With the coming of the Holy Spirit witnessed by thousands, the full identity of the Trinity has been revealed to all. The key events in the Church Calendar are Advent, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. This book focuses on the latter, to show us the significance and provides us basic things we ought to know about Pentecost. Calling it a "Day of Power," author Emilio Alvarez takes time to unwrap the meaning of what Pentecostal power means. It is not a power about race to the top echelons of society but about the grace of God given to all believers. It is about that spiritual renewal that we need. Pentecostal power proclaims the work of Christ and the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Alvarez asserts that believers should see themselves as pilgrims rather than tourists when celebrating Pentecost. What's the difference? One is about entitlement and the other is about growing in spiritual experience. Beginning with the meaning of the Pentecost festival, Alvarez shows us how Pentecost and the Old Testament are connected through three festivals: Festival of Weeks, First Fruits, and Harvest. He tells us that we do not have to wait until the Day of Pentecost to celebrate. We can be celebratory in the days leading up to the Day itself. 

"Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God" (Gordon D. Fee)

TITLE: Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God
AUTHOR: Gordon D. Fee
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (240 pages).
 

The Holy Spirit is God's Empowering Presence. Paul teaches and lives it. He urges the people of God to do the same. How do we not only learn more about the Holy Spirit? Is it possible to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit, maybe like what the Early Church had experienced? Perhaps, before we move into the actual application, we need to learn more about the continuity and discontinuity gap between the Old and New Covenant. Recognizing the struggles to link these two important truths, well-respected professor, Dr. Gordon Fee has written his Magnus opus on the Holy Spirit from the perspective of Pauline theology. From Paul's window into the Holy Spirit, he draws out the connection between what Paul says and what we experience in our present life in Christ, before extending it to the relevance of the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of the Church. For that to happen, we need to draw a series of connections between the past and the present. This includes relationships between:

• Understanding and experiencing the Theology of the Holy Spirit;
• The old covenant and the new;
• The Individual and the Community;
• Present and Future
• Soteriology and Eschatology;
• Conversion to Covenant;
• and more...

"Three in One" (William David Spencer)

TITLE: Three in One: Analogies of the Trinity
AUTHOR: William David Spencer
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022, (248 pages).
 

One of the most foundational dogmas in the Christian Church is the doctrine of the Trinity. This distinguishes the Christian faith from all other religions, especially unitarians who could not comprehend how God is one but yet three. Through the ages, this has been a challenge which our forefathers had faced and boldly addressed in many creeds to aid our understanding of what we believe. Creeds such as the Apostles Creed; Athanasian Creed; the Nicene Creed; and modern confessions like the Anglican's 39 Articles, Westminster Confession of Faith, or the Lausanne Covenant, all proclaimed God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Statements are one thing. Understanding what they mean is yet another. Who is God in Three Persons? How do we understand the Holy Trinity? How can we possibly believe in something that we cannot understand? These questions can often be a stumbling block in both the teaching as well as the defense of the faith. This book aims to tackle the challenges of trying to describe who the Trinity is. The author acknowledges the impossibility of the taste and hopes to use this book to help us discern the flaws of the human analogies as well as to push the limits of theological application. For author William  David Spencer, this book is essentially about pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of some of the most common illustrations used to describe the Trinity. He begins by anchoring the discussion on the "Eternal Trinity Position," which is the Trinity as One God in Three Persons, forever equal, united, and co-existing. Spencer gives a substantial introduction that looks at the theology and historical treatment of the Trinitarian doctrine. This is not to be skipped. He then moves on to discuss the various images and words used throughout history. Words like "perichoresis" and "aseity" describe God as equal dance partners and self-existing Persons. Analogies using images of music, nature, light, water, and other common objects are then put to the test. Generally, there is a pattern that the Eastern mindset prefers to treat the Trinity as a mystery to behold while the Western mindset tries to analyze and deconstruct the theology for clarity. Spencer's model is to adopt Jesus' use of imagery to describe the things of God. 

"Preaching: A Simple Approach to the Sacred Task" (Daniel Overdorf)

TITLE: Preaching: A Simple Approach to the Sacred Task
AUTHOR: Daniel Overdorf
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2022, (pages).

Preaching is one of the most challenging tasks for those of us in ministry. That is why many seminaries teach students about the science and art of preaching. The curriculum includes practice sessions to incorporate academic learning with actual practice. Unfortunately, it is another challenge altogether to help students bridge theory with practice. If there is something in-between, like a simple framework to remember, that will help students of preaching. Recognizing a need for a simple framework for beginner students of preaching, author Daniel Overdorf has written a simpler approach to preparing and deliver sermons. There is a total of eight steps:

1. Conviction about Preaching the Word
2. Researching the Text
3. Focusing on the Single Idea
4. Shaping the flow of thought
5. Developing each segment
6. Bookend with Introduction and Conclusion
7. Polish with descriptive language
8. Embody the sermon

"Josey Johnson's Hair and the Holy Spirit" (Esau McCaulley)

TITLE: Josey Johnson's Hair and the Holy Spirit
AUTHOR: Esau McCaulley, with LaTonya Jackson as Illustrator
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (32 pages).
 

What has a little girl's hair got to do with the Holy Spirit? Readers might find that intriguing but with patience and openness, one would quickly connect the dots and see many themes important for today. Josey Johnson is a little girl who loves her hair. Some days, she would have it braided while other days she would prefer pigtails or curly afros. Some days, it seems like her hair could very much take a life of its own! Like many young Church-going families, Josey goes to Church every Sunday morning with her parents. She would dress well for the occasion, but for that Sunday, it was a special occasion: Pentecost Sunday! Gradually, the author connects the different types of hair, the diversity of people gathered, and the meaning of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit comes. There are several themes that the author put out that readers (and children) could pick up quickly. The key theme would be the celebration of diversity, just like the Holy Spirit who gave different gifts to different people. When the Holy Spirit comes, He unites people from all walks of life, starting with believers. 

"Honest Worship" (Manuel Luz)

TITLE: Honest Worship: From False Self to True Praise
AUTHOR: Manuel Luz
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2018, (224 pages).

Why do we worship? What is the meaning of worshiping God i Spirit and in Truth?  How do we do away with any pretense in the house of God? How do we worship? In this impassioned plea for honesty and integration of heart, mind, soul, and strength, we are challenged to lay down our masks and artificial ways and take up the cross of sacrifice and service. We are challenged to let go of self and see God for Who He is, so that we can see ourselves for who we truly are, from God's perspective. Worship is not just about music and songs. It's about truth. It's not just about us. It's about God. It's not just about feelings. It's about honesty from us to God, and of God toward us. Beginning with an observation about smoke, techniques, and drama in a modern worship setting, author and worship pastor Manuel Luz reflects on his journey from "false self to true praise." With state of the art audio-visual systems, it is easy to let the externals wow our fleshly senses to the point of ignoring our spiritual needs. All this is because of the influence of the culture over us. As we let the externals dictate the way we worship, we become tempted with sensational techniques and expensive technological tools to feed the fleshly desires rather than authentic worship. As the late AW Tozer has said it so aptly that:

"Worship is no longer worship when it reflects the culture around us more than the Christ within us."

"Spiritual Gifts" (Thomas R. Schreiner)

TITLE: Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter
AUTHOR: Thomas R. Schreiner
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing, 2018, (192 pages).

Spiritual gifts are important for us, individually as well as for the  Church. While there are different interpretations of what they are and how they are used, the general agreement is that they are from God and are used for the edification of the body of Christ. Unfortunately, many churches and believers have unwittingly allowed their differences and interpretations get in the way of seeing the bigger picture of what spiritual gifts are essentially about. What are the essential and non-essential aspects of spiritual gifts? How do we disagree without tearing our communities apart? In this book, author Thomas Schreiner deals with one of the most contentious gifts in the history of the Church: What about the gifts of apostle, prophets, and tongues? Have they ceased? Schreiner argues from a "nuanced cessationism" perspective. Healing and miracles still exist but are increasingly rare because all we need are in the revealed Scriptures already. More importantly, he wants us to focus more on the "nuancing" rather than the "ceasing." For once we understand the nuances, we will understand why he is arguing for the cessation perspective.

"Spirit-Led Heart" (Suzanne Eller)

TITLE: The Spirit-Led Heart: Living a Life of Love and Faith without Borders
AUTHOR: Suzanne Eller
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2018, (208 pages).

What does it take to have a heart that is Spirit-led instead of self-led? In a world where Christianity is increasingly seen with disdain, and even Christians seem to feel God is far away from them, we need guidance from time to time regarding things of faith. Jesus has promised us the Holy Spirit coming to us. Even when we feel God is far away from us, we cannot let feelings dictate reality. Just like the presence of the sun. Just because we are in a dark room does not mean the sun is not out there. We need guidance to sense the presence of God in more ways than one. This book is one resource to help us do just that. In addressing each emotion that arises out of fear, weakness, and a sense of insecurity, Eller helps put things in perspective to help us recognize that God is Sovereign and He is in control. We need to trust His leading. Spurred by the prayer of her friend, Jennifer Dukes Lee, she feels a sense of relief and is released to trust God more. From uncertainty and self-doubt, she seeks out faith in God via a promise from God. Instead of relying on our own power, we learn that the Spirit-led heart is empowered by God for the greater good and purpose. Our lives are not defined by opinions or mass appeal but by truth alone. She shows us the lies that we often fall prey into and replaces them with truth; with direction; and with boldness. I like the way she describes Spirit-led direction.

"Teach Us to Pray" (Gordon T. Smith)

TITLE: Teach Us to Pray
AUTHOR: Gordon T. Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018, (112 pages).

One of the most popular prayers used in churches and many Christian communities is the Lord's Prayer. Many churches use them in their Sunday rituals. This prayer has also spawned many books. Almost every major preacher and theologian has written something about this famous prayer. Jesus' curious disciples must have been piqued by Jesus' constant desire to pray and to seek God. What is it that made Jesus so earnest about prayer? What can we learn from this prayer? Author and theologian Gordon T. Smith helps us to see this prayer from a community perspective which in turns helps us in our personal prayers. In the title, "Teach us to pray," the question is posed on behalf of a community. Smith hones in on the "us" word, showing us the frequency of this pronoun in the prayer itself. The power of united prayer show forth the power of togetherness under the common identity of citizens of the Kingdom of God. It is a prayer as a community to God to bless the communities on earth. He also notes the active word "participant" instead of mere observers in the prayer. Adding to this, instead of us trying to pray according to our present circumstances, why not pray to alter our lives? In other words, pray not according to our circumstances but according to how God wants us to live. The Lord's Prayer is great in forming us in this attitude. We pray as grace receivers desiring to share grace with others. We see prayer as "recalibration" our our souls to be in sync with the will of God. Praying in the Spirit essentially means abiding in Christ. He encourages us with a different take with regard to the rising secularism in our society. Instead of lamenting the lack of public prayer or the difficulty of sharing Christ in the public squares, why not see the hidden opportunities that require us to seek God's Eye rather than our own eyes? Rather than fighting the world with the weapons of the world, why not take up the spiritual armour of God? There is a powerful weapon we have: The sword of the Word of God. Letting the psalms inform us, Smith shows us the richness of Scripture and the evidence of praying in the Spirit. For when we pray in the Spirit, we cultivate character. We obtain "vocational clarity and patience." We receive joy.  The Lord's Prayer is a powerful way to focus our attention on God, to seek God fully and to have God's will manifested fully in our being and in our doing.

"The Holy Spirit" (Christopher R. J. Holmes)

TITLE: The Holy Spirit (New Studies in Dogmatics)
AUTHOR: Christopher R. J. Holmes
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015, (224 pages).

Who is the Holy Spirit? According to Augustine, it is essentially about the "Trinitarian first principles" according to John 2:23-3:21 that show us how they generate our understanding; of new birth; and how the Holy Spirit directs us to new and greater things. Saint Thomas Aquinas also talks about the Trinitarian but focuses on the interactions among the members instead. How the Holy Spirit relates to both the Father and the Son. Karl Barth instead of talking about the 'who' focuses on the freedom of God, where the Triune God is full and sufficient. He highlights the divinity of the Holy Spirit and how it impacts the Christian community. By engaging these three theologians, author Christopher Holmes anchors his thesis on three main themes: regeneration; the Church; and tradition. All of these are based on the Person of the Holy Spirit, His Identity; and His activity. The key point that author and theologian Chris Holmes makes is that God's activity is bound in the identity of the Holy Spirit. We receive not simply a gift that is distant and unknown, but the Presence of God Himself that is up close and personal. The Holy Spirit is fully sufficient, which is another way of saying He does not need a purpose in order to exist. The Holy Spirit is Being, a Person and not some impersonal force. The Holy Spirit is constantly extending the work of God to build up the community of faith. The Holy Spirit is not a lower ranking person of the Godhead. The key idea in this book is about the theology (processions) and economy (missions) of the Holy Spirit. He advocates the alternative approach to understanding the Holy Spirit, using Sarah Coakley's thesis (théologie totale) as a launchpad. Calling it a "Spirit-leading approach to the Trinity," this thesis is based on Romans 8:9-30 where she advocates the Spirit as awakening us to the works of Christ, in particular salvation. This avoids the "linear way" of understanding the Spirit so that we can focus on the ontological aspect. This has implications for prayer because it no longer becomes a spiritual request for things but a personal longing for relationship. It gives us a fresh impetus toward seeking God through the Holy Spirit experientially. At the same time, the work avoids false dichotomies between theology and spirituality; and moves toward integration and unity. Most of all, she draws us in with the promise that a rich understanding of the Holy Spirit would lead us to a more profound understanding of the Father and the Son.

"The Shack" Movie Review

TITLE: THE SHACK MOVIE
AUTHOR: William P Young
PRODUCER: LionsGate
CAST: The film stars Sam Worthington (Avatar, Wrath of the Titans, Clash of the Titans), Academy Award®-winner Octavia Spencer (Best Supporting Actress, 2012 –The Help; The Divergent Series film franchise), Grammy Award® Winner Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), Radha Mitchell (Olympus Has Fallen), Alice Braga (Queen of the South, Elysium), Aviv Alush (The Gordin Cell) and Graham Greene (Longmire). The screenplay by John Fusco is based on the best-selling faith-based book, “The Shack,” by William Paul Young in collaboration with Wayne Jacobsen and Brad Cummings. Stuart Hazeldine (Exam) directs the film, which is produced by the Oscar-nominated Gil Netter (Life of Pi, The Blind Side, Marley & Me) and Brad Cummings.

This movie is based on the bestselling book of the same name, written by author William Paul Young. You can read the brief synopsis from the official resource page here. That would help readers who have not read the book to get a gist of the story.

I watched the preview on Wednesday evening, thanks to the gracious invitation of Graf-Martin Communications. Right from the start, we were asked to be prepared to shed tears. A Kleenex box was also provided for those who needed it. We were shown a brief video from one of the show's advocates, followed by a 2 hours and 12 minutes of heart-gripping story telling about God, the struggle of man with the issue of pain and suffering. and many theological matters that the Christian would be familiar with. Some of the themes include:

• Justice and Love
• Pain and Suffering
• The Trinity
• The Persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
• Freedom and grace
• Forgiveness
• Family
• Tragedy and Grace
• New creation
• Visions of heaven
• Wisdom 
• Human limitations
• ... and many more

"Pentecostal Outpourings" (various authors)

TITLE: Pentecostal Outpourings: Revival and the Reformed Tradition
EDITORS: Robert Davis Smart, Michael A. G. Haykin, and Ian Hugh Clary
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2016, (280 pages).

The timing of release for this book couldn't have been more apt. For the Sunday (May 15th, 2016) is Pentecostal Sunday! Most resources and materials are produced by Pentecostal and Charismatic circles, and given the title of this book, it may appear that this too is another book published by the same. No. It is in fact about revival from a Reformed Perspective. In the tradition of the late Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the authors are convicted that the Holy Spirit is the reason for revival. This work of grace from heaven is much needed for this age and every age. Through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, people will not only know and experience God at a deeper level, they would also be spurred on to good works. The three emphases in this book is about increasing the knowledge of God, spreading the gospel of Christ, and experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. It is also an apt preparation for Trinity Sunday following Pentecost Sunday.

What makes this book even more interesting is the multiple flavours of Reformed views that bring out the beauty, the unique perspectives, and the many different ways the Holy Spirit works. In the British Isles, Eifion Evans looks at "Welsh Calvinistic Methodism and Revival" where preaching and teaching are Spirit-inspired rather than preaching revived; that reformation is about God bringing about purity and power of His Truth to Christianity. This comes about through Spirit-inspired teaching. Ian Hugh Clary describes the Irish Revival, in particular two Ulster revivals and the Irish Dissent. The 1625 Six Mile Water Revival occurred along the river that runs through the towns of Ballynure, Ballycare, Templepatrick, and Antrim. Lesser known preachers were used mightily by God to spread the gospel. The Methodists and Baptists in 18th Century Ireland also had their revivals. The second Ulster revival in 1859 came about after the Great Famine. Like many forms of revival, it has prayer meetings as foundational to waiting on God. The revivals were unplanned and came about after long periods of prayer and waiting. Michael A. G. Haykin describes the revival in the early 1640s on the Calvinistic Baptists which grew from 7 congregations in 1644 to around 300 by 1689! He describes the rise and influence of Andrew Fuller, John Sutcliff, and A Coda whose heavy dependence on prayer and preaching in the power of the Spirit led to a revival in Baptist circles. Iain D. Campbell looks at the Presbyterian revival in Scotland and points out three different perspectives of Scottish revivalism: Historiographical; Social; and Denominational; before concluding with four lessons about the sovereignty of God; the supernatural work of God; our role as servants; and recognizing that revivals are not the only means God can bring about the renewal of the Church. It is the beauty of the gospel in itself that should be the purpose of our endeavours.

"Holy Spirit I Pray" (Jack Levison)

TITLE: Holy Spirit, I Pray: Prayers for the morning and nightime, for discernment, and moments of crisis
AUTHOR: Jack Levison
PUBLISHER: Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2015, (120 pages).

Christians have been praying to God in the Name of Jesus since the days of the Early Church. The Holy Spirit came down upon the Church in Acts, sparking a Pentecostal revival that has helped spread the gospel from Jerusalem to Judea, Samaria, and the outermost parts of the earth. Jesus prayed to the Father in Heaven and encourages us to do the same. He also urges us to pray in His Name. What about the Holy Spirit? It is one thing to be praying in the power of the Holy Spirit, but what if one prays to the Holy Spirit? For that, it is interesting that not many books have been written with regard to this. It is not something explicitly mentioned in the Bible about praying to the Holy Spirit. In this book, Jack Levison, author of Fresh Air: The Holy Spirit for an Inspired Life, not only makes a case for prayers to the Holy Spirit, he shows us how to do it. Readers learn of prayers to allow one to rest, not escape; fly, not flee; and brood, not rush.

There are sample prayers for the morning and the evening. The prayers of discernment top the list of my favourites. What I really like about the prayers is the format of prayers on the left, and a scripture passage on the right. The prayers are written with the Holy Spirit as the focus of prayers. The scripture passage gives us a specific Bible reference to the working of the Holy Spirit. There is also a prayers for anytime section for all occasions.

This is a rare book on prayers to and about the Holy Spirit. I understand some readers may be uncomfortable about the relative lack of reference to Jesus and Father God, but the thrust of the prayers is the same. When one prays to the Spirit, one also prays to the Triune Godhead, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. In all honesty, I think the Holy Spirit is most shy of attention, and like Jesus, will always want to direct attention back to the Trinity. At times, I wish the format of the book be reversed. That is, the Scripture passage begins first, followed by the prayers. In this way, anyone unsure of the direction of the prayers will have the comfort of the Holy Scriptures to guide.

I warmly commend this book for your collection of prayers. It is a wonderful resource for prayer coordinators, prayer warriors, and anyone desiring to grow close to God in prayer.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of Paraclete Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"The Face of the Deep" (Paul J. Pastor)

TITLE: The Face of the Deep: Exploring the Mysterious Person of the Holy Spirit
AUTHOR: Paul J. Pastor
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook Publishers, 2016, (304 pages).

Why is the Holy Spirit so least understood? Why is it so difficult to grasp the significance of the place of the Holy Spirit? One reason is because the Holy Spirit has often been described in impersonal terms, like "it" instead of "he." That means it is hard to relate to a "thing." The other reason is because we tend to see the Holy Spirit more as a helper rather than a Full-Member of the Triune Godhead. This book sets out to put to rest the misconceptions.

Using fourteen essays to describe the Holy Spirit as a Person and Presence, author Paul Pastor makes use of the "seven stars" and "seven lampstands" in book of Revelation to help readers reflect on the work of the Holy Spirit in both Old and New Testaments. The Holy Spirit is best experienced rather than explained. It is not about one dramatic encounter but a constant awareness and the knitting together of different experiences. This is the approach taken by Paul Pastor, author, grassroots pastor, and contributing editor to Leadership Journal. In this fascinating book that contemplates on the Person of the Holy Spirit, Pastor shares about his exploration of how he got to know the Holy Spirit more intimately. Using the image of the Seven Stars and Seven Lampstands mentioned in the Biblical book of Revelation, Pastor hopes to guide readers on visualizing the work of the Holy Spirit as a personal God.

"Strange Fire" (John MacArthur)

TITLE: Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship
AUTHOR: John MacArthur
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2013, (352 pages)

What exactly is strange fire? What makes worship a counterfeit one? In what ways can the Holy Spirit be offended? According to author John MacArthur, he targets the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement as the culprit for a lot of things. He lumps all three waves: the classical Pentecost; the Charismatic Renewal; and the Third Wave all together. First, on classical Pentecostalism, he blames Charles Parham as the source of the four marks of Pentecostalism: salvation; baptism; healing; expecting Christ's second coming. He is adamant that Parham is the source of false teachings about the Holy Spirit, pointing out several deficiencies in Parham's character and track records, failed prophecies and the misleading of many believers into error. Second, he blames EW Kenyon for the rise of Charismatic Renewal which essentially puts experience above all, and using gibberish languages that are nothing near the tongues of the Bible. Third, he says that the Third Wave is even more "devastating" because it infiltrates churches at large. Pointing a finger at Peter Wagner, efforts to restore apostolic offices is actually a disguised way to grab power and authority over others.

MacArthur spends two-thirds of this book to confront the counterfeit revivals and to expose the counterfeit gifts. Using selected examples of abuses of apostolic authority, the trickery of the prosperity gospel, the many moral failures of some prominent Pentecostal ministers, and how people fake healings and gifts, MacArthur does not mince his words, reserving his heaviest artillery on people like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Charles Parham, among others. He even makes a reference to a Wikipedia article that lists the "fifty well-known, publicly disgraced church leaders." I don't know about you but quoting from Wikipedia is not exactly wrong, but it is poor scholarship. He then leads readers through the different ways to identify the gifts and work of the Spirit. This is among the most commendable part of the book, and bears a powerful witness to MacArthur's biblical knowledge and theological grasp. Unfortunately, the way that he applies these knowledge to the Charismatic movement is at best over-generalizing and at worst condemning well-intentioned and genuine believers touched and moved by the Holy Spirit. The examples that he had explicitly named are also likely to be shunned by a lot of my charismatic friends. Benny Hinn for example is not as widely accepted as what MacArthur has rebuked him to be. In other words, many of my Charismatic and Pentecostal friends will also avoid people like Benny Hinn, the excesses of prosperity theology, and the fraud healers.

"Fresh Air" (Jack Levison)

TITLE: Fresh Air: The Holy Spirit for an Inspired Life
AUTHOR: Jack Levison
PUBLISHER: Brewster, MA: Paraclete Press, 2012, (218 pages).

How well do we understand the scope of the Holy Spirit's work in this world? Have we restricted the Holy Spirit to only fruit of the Spirit, or to tongues or great biblical signs and manifestations? Definitely not, says Jack Levison, a Professor at Seattle Pacific University. In fact, the Holy Spirit is present in more ways than one, in more people than we thought, and in more ways than we can even imagine.

This book is a breath of fresh air. Written by one who has one foot on a mainline Protestant denomination and another foot on the Pentecostal persuasion, the author hopes to share a fresh air of spiritual wisdom with both camps. The hope is that the attempt will share biblical, radical, and practical values for all. The Holy Spirit (Note: for reasons explained in the book, the author prefers to use small caps. I use capitalization to conform to common usage). Some of the "radical perspectives" that Levison has proposed in his book are:

• The spirit being in EVERY human being, both Christians as well as non-Christians;
• The spirit is present in all situations, including social upheaval and during our status quo
• The spirit inspires whole communities
• The spirit drives faithful people into hostile places
• The spirit inspires both "ecstasy and restraint, study and spontaneity."

Key to the understanding of this book is our openness to letting the Spirit work as freely as He wants. Levison argues that the Holy Spirit manifests Himself through routine awakenings, our routine listening, as well as routinely encouraging us. With frequent biblical references to the Hebrew 'ruach' (which means spirit-breath) as well as the Greek 'pneuma,' the author prefers to use the English translation "holy spirit" in small caps because he does not want to constrict or restrict the nuances of the words in Scripture. Then the author shows readers how the Holy Spirit has been working in the lives of various biblical characters, and how the biblical characters have become inspired to live spiritually dynamic lives. Of Job, Levison shows us how this famous character of suffering manages to avoid idealistic optimism (like Elihu) or depressing pessimism (by Qohelet), by retaining a sense of realism, that complains of one's torment on the one hand, and yet retaining a belief in God's goodness. Of Daniel, we discover how the Holy Spirit is with Daniel for the long haul, throughout the reigns of King Nebuchadnezzar, King Belshazzar, and King Darius. The spiritual life is not a short-cut solution strategy, but a long journey of discipline. Of Simeon, we learn the importance of regular devotion, to a disciplined life and routine maintenance to train our senses toward three major things:

• Routine awakening
• Routine listening
• Routine encouraging

In doing so, we grow beyond ourselves toward letting the Spirit move without any artificial borders imposed by the world. Of Joel's dream, we see how the Spirit stretches horizontally to become an outpour to all people, all nations, and all communities. Likewise, we also see how the Spirit reaches vertically through all echelons of societies, to be poured out "indiscriminately." This is also similar to how the Spirit speaks to Peter that the gospel is not only for Jews, but for Gentiles, and all people.  Then there is Chloe's complaint about some immoral matters happening in the Corinth Church, that let the Spirit leads the people toward a renewal and redemption of the community. Of Ezekiel, we see how the Spirit brings life to dead people, fully and totally. Jesus is a great example of how the Spirit has moved. Finally, in "Peter's Praise," Levison concludes with a call for unity, to all parties to see the Church or their version of Christianity beyond schisms and dividing lines. The Spirit unites. The Spirit brings people and communities together in truth. When that happens, there will be joy and ecstasy, peace and goodwill, Pentecost and Praise.


My Thoughts

While I appreciate Levison's stance of using the "holy spirit" in non-capitalized manner, I think there is some inconsistency in the book too. For example, in the front cover of the book, it is used in capitalized manner. Even the endorsements by Nichole Nordeman, Walter Brueggemann, William Willimon, and others, have used the Holy Spirit in its conventional capitalized fashion. Personally, I am not convinced of Levison's reason, but I can understand why he does it. Another special feature is the wide spaces on the sides of each page, that calls readers to remain open to learning and to write down inspired thoughts on the generous margins. This flows from Levison's conviction that the Spirit is in every person and can still speak to each one of us today.

This is not only a brilliant exposition on the work of the Holy Spirit in the Bible. It is useful for preaching, for teaching the expansiveness of the work of the Spirit. Far too often, we have hemmed down the possibilities on the basis of man's limitations. We have restricted the flow of the Holy Spirit on the basis of our own fear and insecurities. We have even used the name of the Holy Spirit in vain, thinking that we can form our individualistic enclaves, to mind our own business, when it is the Holy Spirit that is constantly prompting us to reach out, touch lives, and to let the Spirit unite. This book is powerful for three reasons. First, it gives us a fresh understanding of how the Holy Spirit still lives in us today. Second, it urges us not to be too fixated on worldly boundaries that can often quench the Spirit. Third, it can renew our own spiritual lives and lifts us up from spiritual mediocrity to a dynamism that only God can instill. We all need a dose of fresh air from time to time. For Christians, especially those who feels they have been mediocre, this is the fresh air that will revitalize your walk in Christ.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Paraclete Press without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Spirit Hunger" (Gari Meacham)

TITLE: Spirit Hunger: Filling Our Deep Longing to Connect with God
AUTHOR: Gari Meacham
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012, (208 pages).

Are you hungry? Do we love Jesus as we claim to be? Do we really want to know Him more? How much do we long for God? This book touches on three movements of the spirit: A heart that longs; a heart that seeks; and a heart that moves, to WANT to connect with God. Popular speaker and Bible teacher, Gari Meacham seeks to help readers do exactly that. These words essentially captures the essence of the author's heart. Note that "i" is intentionally in small letter to symbolize the author's view of smallness in oneself when compared to God.

"i believe there is a deep place of engaging God — of needing him, wanting him, and enjoying him. i don’t want to be a committed Christian; i want to be a desperate Christian." (15)

Meacham argues that we long for purpose, for affirmation, for intimacy, but often, we do not get them. By ourselves, we fight the spiritual warfare, poorly equipped, and greatly outgunned.  Our desire for self-control instead of surrendering to God, is one of the biggest culprits for our lack of spiritual connection with God. We wander around on our own strengths. We wonder why God is not near us. We fail to see the presence of God as we bask in the world of worry and anxiety. It is because we fail to connect with God, we deal with pain in ways that are unhelpful to ourselves. Men tend to deal with it outwardly through indulgence in worldliness, while women deal with pain inwardly through worry and regret. Thankfully, a makeover is possible. A heart that longs is good, but it needs to long for God for true fulfilment.

Part Two brings in what it means to seek God with our whole heart. We need to engage God in frequent and earnest prayer. We need to replace formula, stale and repetitive praying with simply the notion of simplicity in asking. Just show up with God. Bang on doors. Want God so bad that we will spend time with Him. Know how He talks and stays silent. Pant for God like a deer. Then hear God speak. The process of a breakthrough is helpful.

"I am afflicted.
Remember me, Lord. Don’t forget me.
I cry out my request.
I will have a role in this commitment.
I don’t care who is watching.
I have been pushed to a point of desperation.
I am no longer sad. I have release as I trust you, Lord." (85)

Part Three moves from this breakthrough point, toward God. In listening, one needs to adopt a humble posture that deflects focus from ourselves toward God. The "reviving posture" summons one toward a new life. The "expectant posture" provides the promise that we can hang on to. We are urged to be still, be open, be bold, and be listening to God. Meacham reminds us that prayer is not for sissies. It is for men and women who take God seriously. It requires one to be like clay, placed under the hands of the Master Potter. Her three "potter principles" are insightful for us to note.

1. We are the clay. God is the Potter. Don't mix them up.
2. We are unique, and we need to make sure we don't demand God to make us like some other person.
3. We must be ready to be shaped, or reshaped, even when it means pain, slow, and mysterious.

Finally, we need to move from becoming a mere spectator at a parade, to becoming a disciple helping to create the whole parade. We need to move away from the outer circle of ACQUAINTANCE (friendly, interested only) to the next circle of PERSONAL (relational, interactive). Best of all, move toward INTIMATE where we are bound together in the love of God. We are urged to move from "bystander to partaker, from fan to teammate."

My Thoughts

This is a practical book about Christian living, of urging believers to be more desperate for God, to long for God like never before. Meacham does a great job in identifying with the perils of worldliness and the nature of self-seeking desires. With great understanding of how women thinks and feels, she shares the struggles which many can identify. She opens up her own life and shares with lots of teaching illustrations. She brings in biblical examples and teach clearly with conviction. The way she is able to weave in simple ideas through expert teaching is a mark of an effective communicator. If you are sick and tired of an aimless spiritual life. If you are ready to do something about it. If you are ready to forget about memorizing or following set prayers, but to simply ask, to seek God from a position of weakness, to knock, pound, and plead for God, this book will be a good companion for your journey of faith.

Rating; 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Zondervan and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

Book Review: "Chaos and Grace"

TITLE: Chaos and Grace: Discovering the Liberating Work of the Holy Spirit
AUTHOR: Mark Galli
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2011, (203 pages).

When Mark Galli writes, he makes me ponder. Most importantly, he has the ability to rummage through my comfort zones and to rake up any leaves of comfort and complacency. This book is no different. In "Chaos and Grace," Galli points his guns at our human tendency to want to control our lives. When men tries to control their lives or the lives of other people, they will be tempted to even try to control God. The result is emotional chaos and spiritual pandemonium. Until one learns to submit to the Holy Spirit prompting us to relinquish control to God, we will learn to see grace and to live in freedom to God.

Galli argues rightly that Christianity is more than a religion, more than inspiration, more than programming, and more than a 'religion of comfort and encouragement' (17).  He writes:

"But this God seems addicted to risk rather than religion, to freedom rather than control, to love rather than law." (33)

Going through the Old Testament and New Testament, Galli breezes through the beginning of the Bible with an insightful look at the intentional way God injects chaos in his creative act of revealing his goodness. He points out the deteriorating level of human control addiction from Adam/Eve to Shinarian's Tower of Babel; from Abraham's trying to control his future and yet unable to control his offsprings. In the New Testament, Galli describes how sin is essentially a refusal to trust God. He says:

"Sin is fundamentally a desire for order where God does not want order and to control that which God does not want us to control." (75)

The second part of his book goes into specific applications with regards to how we can learn to relinquish control from ourselves, to release control to God. This is true freedom, where the Holy Spirit will be free to act, and human beings free to obey.  Galli provides at least eight ways to do just that.

1. We need to move away from the 'horizontal' focus on the needs of people, to the 'vertical' focus of what Christ has done, is doing, and will be doing.
2. We need to move from our self-centered versions of justice, reasoning, and controlling to the Holy Spirit's act of grace.
3. We need to move from wilful optimism of our human wisdom to a sharp hope on the Resurrection of Jesus.
4. We are not called to be 'Christian marketers' but we are to be 'witnesses for Christ.'
5. We need to get away from enslaving ourselves with trying to manage our spiritual lives, to letting God manage us.
6. We need to move away from a fear-driven control that tries to hide our human shame, TO an obedience that is laced with 'risk-filled' commands.
7. We need to move away from the seductions of power to live simply on the simple promise of God.
8. We need to snap out of worldly imagination of utopia to a godly embrace of church.

My Comments

Galli shines in his critique of the controlling disposition of many church people. With his keen understanding on contemporary church life, and deep awareness of the prevailing American context of comfort, security, and control, Galli tries hard to wake the Church up. He does a brilliant job to remind readers not to be too one-dimensional in their Christian living and thinking. Living a Christian life cannot be limited only to the human emotions of good feeling, great preaching, or professional programming. He is spot on about the nature of human addiction to control. Using powerful stories from the Bible, he argues convincingly that God often use 'chaos' to rough us up, in order to bring us back to God. In fact, while many believes that mercy, peace, and blessings continue to be seen as evidence of God's grace, Galli is wise to point us about the other dimension. Chaos can also be seen as a grace of God. This particular insight is certainly worth the price of the book. The Grace of God is present even when Chaos Reign or Grace Shines.

Ratings: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group".