"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Are missions outdated?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. 

"Churches and the Crisis of Decline" (Andrew Root)

TITLE: Churches and the Crisis of Decline: A Hopeful, Practical Ecclesiology for a Secular Age (Ministry in a Secular Age)
AUTHOR: Andrew Root
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (304 pages).
 

Saying that the Church in the West is on the decline is nothing new. The Church at large is in a crisis. Even before the pandemic, many churches are already in dire straits. Older people are decreasing with attrition. Young people are leaving because of disillusion. The majority of the rest in between is basically too busy with their own concerns to be worried about Church! Yet, what exactly is causing this? What are the roots behind this decline? Is there hope for the Church? What can we do about it? The problem: No pulse. That means the heart had stopped and the demise is declared. In a stark and shocking picture of the state of the Church, Author Andrew Root shows how a formerly thriving church had turned into a pub! This fictional story of a gentrified neighborhood commercial pub is called "Church Brewhouse" once it has taken over an old church building. How does a Church survive the secular onslaught? What is behind the disillusionment? 

He eases theological discussion with a story of people struggling to keep the faith. From John the Baptist to Karl Barth, sacred places to secular influences, Root poses several observations about life, faith, and what it means to be Church.

"What are Christians For?" (Jake Meador)

TITLE: What Are Christians For?: Life Together at the End of the World
AUTHOR: Jacob R. Meador
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (192 pages).
 

In a self-driven, self-seeking, and self-centered world, it is common to ask questions about one's identity, purpose, and significance. Who am I? What am I called to do? What is my purpose in life? These are all familiar questions about the self. What if we take some time to think about our role in the community we are in? What if we take it even further to think about our role as believers in Christ? What if more of us recognize that the individual is incomplete without the whole body of believers? What if we begin not with the self in mind, but with the people, the very people that God has called us to love and to be a part of? That changes everything. In a powerful reminder of how interdependent we truly are, author Jake Meador shares with us the simple but powerful effects of simply being faithful to our calling no matter where we are. Called the "whole life approach," Meador draws our attention to the need for believers to be active in social justice and everyday spirituality. Like how Father Ted played his part in supporting the persecuted during the apartheid in South Africa, or how Frederick Douglass helped battle slavery in the 19th Century. Why are not more people stepping up to do the good that they ought to do? Why are we not seeing more of such radical practices in our modern world? Why are we increasingly disenfranchised with society, with political divisions, and isolated? Meador uses the title of the book as a veiled challenge to all Christians to do something about authentic discipleship. This book is a guide to help us understand the reasons why we fail to live up to the expectations of our callings; to remind us once again of our need for interdependency, and the courage we need to step up. 

"No Shortcut to Success" (Matt Rhodes)

TITLE: No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions (9Marks)
AUTHOR: Matt Rhodes
PUBLISHER: Wheaton IL: Crossway Publishers, 2022, (272 pages).
 

In a quick-fix society, people want fast results and easy solutions. If there are short-cuts, take it. If not, make one. This has unfortunately impacted the philosophy of Christian missions. Thinking that modern methods could spark a quick and easy approach toward missions, many people are looking for ways to bypass traditional approaches by adopting quick-fixes and practices. This has appeared in various forms that seem logical at a superficial level but lack foundations. Author Matt Rhodes gives a critical analysis on the popular shortcuts being adopted in many modern approaches to missions. Some feel that professionalism is to be avoided in favor of relational skills. Others prefer speed or silver bullet strategies. Still there are some who are skeptical of anything too "intellectual" or "academic." The temptations are real. Just hearing about "amazing successes" from anecdotal sources might scupper any attempts to be trained in the traditional ways. Such sources tempt planners with numbers like some success story. Rhodes critiques the Church Planting Movements for their overemphasis on rapid growth instead of biblical shepherding. He questions the notion of a DNA for rapid growth, saying that they prioritize sociology over theology. In a nutshell, such approaches tend to be based on management over biblical principles; numbers over patience; results over means; and human expectations over spiritual movements. 

"Turning Points in the Expansion of Christianity" (Alice T. Ott)

TITLE: Turning Points in the Expansion of Christianity: From Pentecost to the Present
AUTHOR: Alice T. Ott
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (320 pages).

Ever since Mark Noll published his classic work "Turning Points" over two decades ago, it has become a popular framework to study the history of Christianity. Such "turning points" are essentially significant moments in time that have changed the course of history. In Noll's book, some significant moments include the Fall of Jerusalem (AD70); the Formation of the Council of Nicaea (AD325); the Monastic Period (AD530); the Coronation of Charlemagne (AD800); the Great Schism (AD1054); Rise of Protestantism (AD1521); The Second Vatican Council (AD1962-5); etc. These significant events helped shape the Church into what it is today. For all his valiant efforts, even Noll's latest edition of his classic only touches the tip of the iceberg of history. It will take many more volumes to uncover the multitudes of decisions that have shaped the many developments throughout the history of the Church. Using Noll's framework that covers events from AD70 to the 1970s, author and professor Alice Ott boldly apply the same methodology to events from Pentecost to the Present age. She defines her turning point as both the beginning of a "new trend" as well as the "climax and culmination" of mission work outreach. Some of the unique features in this book include:

• Anecdote or illustration to introduce readers to the impact of the turning point
• Five chapters cover Christian influence before the Protestant Reformation
• Seven chapters cover the turning points after the rise of the Protestant movement
• Additional material on East Syrian and Roman Catholic missionaries
• Themes of missiology, theology, and history highlighted throughout the book
• Methods and strategies for evangelization
• ...

"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:

"A Public Missiology" (Gregg Okesson)

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

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

"Mission 3:16" (Paul Borthwick)

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

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

"The Church on Mission" (Craig Ott)

TITLE: The Church on Mission: A Biblical Vision for Transformation among All People
AUTHOR: Craig Ott
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019, (160 pages).

What is the mission of the Church? There is a narrow view and a broad view. For the narrow view (or some would prefer to call 'focused view'), some like Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert would say that it is the Great Commission. When that is the case, as far as the Church's mission is concerned, the Great Commission is primary, and everything else is secondary. This perspective is important for any Church that is becoming confused about how their programs and activities work toward a single goal. In the broad view, one might even claim that everything they do will be based on their mission statement. That is usually more theoretical than practical. Many churches have already invested in many ministries that do not translate into such mission purpose. Just like what Stephen Neill once said: "If everything is mission, nothing is mission." That is to say that if we don't have a proper focus, then we are not aiming squarely at anything at all. In other words, if we are too broad, we could become all things to all people making the Church's mission overly diluted with different emphases. Author and professor Craig Ott has looked at a variety of mission definitions and focuses and proposes a new way of understanding the mission of the Church. He puts it as "to glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people."  The rest of the book is to look at this central statement from six perspectives.

"Seven Practices for the Church on Mission" (David E. Fitch)

TITLE: Seven Practices for the Church on Mission
AUTHOR: David E. Fitch
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2018, (144 pages).

Is there a relationship between Church and Mission? Many had said that the primary purpose of the Church is to exist for the sake of her non-members. Put it another way, she must be missional in all of her activities. The moment the Church becomes inward-looking, it is the beginning of the end. What does it mean to live for the sake of others? In one word: Mission. In fact, for author David Fitch, there are specifically seven ways to do just that. These seven practices are:

1. Being shaped for mission through the practice of Holy Communion
2. Being reconciled to one another is a key message of unity in a world of division and disunity
3. Proclaiming the Gospel means we first know what the gospel is and let the gospel speak through us in word, thought, and deed.
4. Being with the 'least of these' is about being Christ to the people in need.
5. Being with children is about not paying lip-service to the importance of children in our lives but to involve them in our lives and decision making.
6. Five-Fold Gifting of Apostles; Prophets; Evangelists; Pastors and Teachers; that put giftings above hierarchy. It is a powerful reminder of what it means to let the Bible (not the world) to show us the way to lead. 
7. Kingdom Prayer as foundation for all other practices. 

"Ministry Mantras" (J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt)

TITLE: Ministry Mantras: Language for Cultivating Kingdom Culture
AUTHOR: J.R. Briggs and Bob Hyatt
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2016, (269 pages).

A mantra is a short word, phrase, or a chant. It can be a proverb or a wise saying. Inspired by Guy Kawasaki's words "Don't write a mission statement, write a mantra," authors Briggs and Hyatt have taken up the challenge to do just that for the Church ministry and Christian ministries in general. Writing a mantra forces one to choose only the most appropriate and significant words to project a thought or a meaning. It brings clarity to the hearers by first bringing clarity to the writers. According to the authors, mantras need four elements.

1. It is wise and truthful
2. The message is clear
3. It is compelling
4. It is memorable

A ministry mantra is basically describing the organizational mission or vision in a brief statement. It is important because its simplicity promotes clarity; clarity encourages creativity; and creativity inspires ease of communications. Briggs and Hyatt call it "the proverbial seeds of kingdom values planted in local communities of faith." They structure this book in 80 short chapters, with each chapter titled with a mantra. They supply mantras in two parts: for leaders and for the community. For leaders, there are sections pertaining to leadership; vision; motivation; ministry; pastoral care; leadership development; opportunities; success; and Self-Development. For the community, they write on matters to promote community; formation; tips on responding to conflicts; learning to do outreach and stewardship. Many of the mantras have given rise to creative thinking and opportunities to think out of the box. Some of my favourites are:

• "Leadership is Purposefully Choosing Whom You will disappoint"
• "Structure must always submit to Spirit"
• "Don't Try to make Church relevant to the crowds; Make the Gospel Relatable to the Context"
• "If they know you love them, you can say anything to them"
• "Ministry is Meeting People where they are and Journeying with them to where God wants them to Be "
• "Ministry happens in the interruptions"
• "The essence of discipleship i snot knowledge, but imitation"
• "Quit looking for leaders and start building them"
• "It's kingdom, not competition"
• "We will let you down: If we're close enough to help, we're close enough to hurt"
• "Community is made, not found"
• "Rotate your crops"
• "Church is free, but it ain't cheap"

Mantras are languages spoken or written in a clear and brief manner. It cuts away the spaghetti of mass information to yield an important point. While we can always say that context is important, being able to communicate something is better than people disengaging completely. In an attention-deficit world, many are jumping on the bandwagon of short quips and easy quotes. They prefer abbreviations and straight to the point messages. They have no time to bother with long essays. Reading has also taken a beating, with more people choosing electronic media over print. This is why I believe books like this will reach a segment of readers in a way that traditional books could not. It is a great resource for leaders to learn how to do ministry without letting unrealistic expectations overwhelm them. The mantras does three things.

First, it challenges our set thinking. Just because things have been done a certain way in the past does not mean it must be so for the present and future. Indeed, churches that are struggling tend to look back at the good-old-days, forgetting that the past can never be repeated in new contexts. By shaking up the status quo, leaders are forced to be creative and innovative in their ministry approaches. This does not mean throwing the past away. It means being open to change. This openness enables us to humbly seek God for what is best for the Church or ministry. Second. it helps us think out of the box. The ideas like "disagreeing without disengaging" forces us to learn how to disagree without running away from the disagreement altogether. For every conflict, there is a chance to learn more about the other parties and ourselves. Learning to work together is a core need in the Church. If churches fail to work together, what kind of a testimony will that present to outsiders? Third, the book may comprise of brief chapters but what it lacks in depth it more than compensates in the breadth of coverage of issues in ministry. 

JR Briggs is founder of Kairos Partnership and calls himself the Pastor/Cultural Cultivator of Renew Community. He has previously written a book entitled "Fail." Bob Hyatt is author, coach, and spiritual director. He is pastor and elder at the Everygreen Community as well as a staff member with Ecclesia Network.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of Inter-Varsity Press and NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"The Mission of the Church" (various contributors)

TITLE: The Mission of the Church: Five Views in Conversation
AUTHOR: Stephen B. Bevans, Darrell L. Guder, Ruth Padilla DeBorst, Edward Rommen, and Ed Stetzer
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2017

What is the mission of the Church? Surely it is more than just setting up a mission department within the Church organization. It is also more than mere sending of missionaries to some faraway land. Others would say that all ministries of the Church have a mission, albeit in unique ways. What do we then make of the terms often thrown about like 'missional,' 'missio Dei,' 'missiological,' and the work of the Church? Knowing the plurality of opinions and perspectives out there, this book brings together five persons representing the different faith persuasions.

• Stephen B. Bevans shares from a Roman Catholic viewpoint, the "Prophetic Dialogue" approach.
• Darrell L. Guder shares from a mainline Protestant point of view, the "multicultural translation" approach.
• Ruth Padilla DeBorst shares from a Latina evangelical view, the "integral transformation" approach
• Edward Rommen shares from an Orthodox view, the "sacramental vision" approach.
• Ed Stetzer shares as a North American evangelical, the "kingdom community" approach.

"Faithful Presence" (David E. Fitch)

TITLE: Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines That Shape the Church for Mission
AUTHOR: David E. Fitch
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2016, (256 pages).

How do we manifest Christ's love in a world of brokenness and pain? Is there something Christians can do to counter the social injustice and poverty disparities? Can the Church do more than mere handouts? If there is a genuine desire to be part of the solution, how then do believers go about doing it? According to author David E. Fitch, the answer is in the title of this new book entitled, "Faithful Presence." He defines it as follows:

"Faithful presence names the reality that God is present in the world and that he uses a people faithful to his presence to make himself concrete and real amid the world’s struggles and pain. When the church is this faithful presence, God’s kingdom becomes visible and the world is invited to join with God. Faithful presence is not only essential for our lives as Christians, it’s how God has chosen to change the world. In this book I aim to describe what this faithful presence looks like."

"Sticky Faith Service Guide Student Journal" (Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin)

TITLE: Sticky Faith Service Guide, Student Journal: How Serving Others Changes You
AUTHOR: Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016, (144 pages).

There are many short-term mission trippers who had a great experience out there in the mission field. They prepared with enthusiasm, participated in the projects with fervour, only to return with an excitement that couldn't be sustained over the long haul. Memories may stay a while but the full experience is often forgotten over time. What if the experience can propel one not only to remember but to do better? It comes with proper reflections and journaling. This is where this book comes in. Meant to be used as a companion volume to "Sticky Faith Service Guide," the book contains many triggers for reflections and journaling.

The book gives readers a refresher of the basic concepts of Sticky Faith and the ideas introduced in the "Sticky Faith Service Guide." The Big Idea anchors the chapter to remind us about our trip and our thoughts. There are ample Bible references to help us along and it is a powerful way to see how the truth of the Word comes to life when we go on mission. The journaling actually draws our thoughts out clearly. This is perhaps the biggest benefit for all mission trippers. It is hoped that the reader will be able to summarize more concretely his/her experiences and learnings in one book. After all the resources and efforts spent on going for the mission trip, surely we should maximize our learning which should enable us to take our faith to the next level. More importantly, as we solidify our journaling skills, we are better able to share of our own experiences with others.

Kara Powell is Professor at Fuller Theological Seminary while Brad Griffin serves as the Associate Director for the Fuller Youth Institute.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"Sticky Faith Service Guide" (Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin)

TITLE: Sticky Faith Service Guide: Moving Students from Mission Trips to Missional Living
AUTHOR: Kara Powell and Brad M. Griffin
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016, (240 pages).

You've been to a developing country. You've participated in some building project; outreach programs; and lived with people from another culture. You've also learned a lot about cross-cultural missions and how to share the gospel in a different context. You've ministered to the mrginalized or the poor. You've contributed both money and time to a worthy cause. After the mountain high experience, you return to your home country. What next? Will your mission end after the mission trip? According to a missiology research journal published in 2013, over one-third of US congregations had sponsored 1.6 million churchgoers overseas. With such huge outlay of expenses, yet there is a troubling lack of 'career missionaries.' Materialism concerns continue to remain high. Most worrying, many mission-trippers never really go beyond what they had done at their mission trips. In other words, the mission enthusiasm doesn't seem to stick.

"Love in the Face of ISIS" (Lorraine Marie Varela)

TITLE: Love in the Face of ISIS: Seven Prayer Strategies for the Crisis in the Middle East
AUTHOR: Lorraine Marie Varela
PUBLISHER: Minneapolis, MN: Chosen Books, 2016, (160 pages).

With news of terrorism activities coming at us on a daily basis, it is natural to feel fearful about terrorists and the unending threats of violence. The killings and bombings do not simply occur in the Middle East troubled spots. Even in countries like France, Turkey, Belgium, Germany, the United States, and Thailand, the spread of ISIS is getting increasingly global. Mention ISIS and people would gravitate toward fear and uncertainty. Thus, many countries have come together to ally themselves against such terrorist organizations. From airports to border checks, from Internet chatrooms to Twitter messages; governments from all over the world are accelerating their monitoring of activities by terrorist groups such as ISIS. In such a climate, it seems like loving them is totally counter-culture. How can anybody love a group that kills innocent people? More importantly, what can Christians do in the face of such evil and violence? For author and professional photographer, Lorraine Marie Varela, the right response for all of us is prayer. The gospel of Jesus Christ is stronger, more powerful, and more effective than any strategies of man. For God wins through love. For in prayer, we will learn that what is impossible with man is possible with God. Now are these glib words uttered only by people in nice and safe places? Definitely not. For Varela has seen the pain and suffering of people through her many visits to the Middle East. The more suffering and impossible situations she saw, the more she had to cling to Christ. Out of the depths of helplessness and the heights of recognizing God's sovereignty, she shares with us seven strategies to live in the gap. All of them had to do with the Name of God. Briefly, the seven strategies are:

"The Justice Calling" (Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson)

TITLE: The Justice Calling: Where Passion Meets Perseverance
AUTHOR: Bethany Hanke Hoang and Kristen Deede Johnson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2016, (210 pages).

There are many instances where things are easier said than done. With compassion, people usually want to do the right thing. With passion one can press on to do the right thing. Put it another way, our talk and our walk must match each other every step of the way. The prayer to God to help us be the same person in thought, in word, and in deed is very applicable here. According to the famous Micah 6:8 passage, we are reminded:

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Why is there a need to call for justice in the first place? That is because injustice still reigns in many difficult parts of the world. How do we persevere in our quest and practice of compassion and justice? We need to go back to the source of all Justice. We must be anchored on solid ground, and in this book, the solid Rock is Jesus, the Person who embodies the full character of God. The authors do this by giving an overview of God's character from Genesis to Revelation through six movements of Scripture and five key words of God's character.

"Be You. Do Good." (Jonathan David Golden)

TITLE: Be You. Do Good.: Having the Guts to Pursue What Makes You Come Alive
AUTHOR: Jonathan David Golden
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2016, (224 pages).

I have heard people telling me that they dread waking up on Monday mornings. Some hated their jobs while others are simply doing it for the money. Rather than merely dragging our feet to work, or to simply try to make ends meet, what happens when a person catches his calling? What would we choose to do if money is no object? What does it take to heighten our boldness to pursue the very things that drive our inner beings? The core message in this book is that once we have discovered our inner selves, the outer actions are simply no-brainers. Our core identity determines our best activities. Better still, what if the very things we are motivated to do are directly or indirectly impacting lives and bringing goodness, goodwill, and even goodies! For we are created in the image of God, and we can surely do good. Lots of good. In this book, we learn of twelve ways in which we can be on our way to doing good. Golden calls them "twelve adventures" that will help us find our calling.

First, we clear the decks by letting go of the myths. The myth of equating our jobs as callings because former is more about money while the latter is beyond the financial considerations. Long task lists, grand positions, and erroneous thinking about the way calling works are dispensed with. Golden also makes a point to clarify that ministry is not necessarily a "higher calling."

"Unstoppable Gospel" (Gregg Matte)

TITLE: Unstoppable Gospel: Living Out the World-Changing Vision of Jesus's First Followers
AUTHOR: Gregg Matte
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015, (224 pages).

What causes ordinary people to embark on extraordinary adventures? What do we do with the negative perceptions people have about the Church? Can one really follow the path of Jesus that is completely independent of the Church? In a book that oozes with passion for the gospel, compassion for the people, and impassioned defense of the Church, author and pastor Gregg Matte puts into words what he normally speaks in this 224 pages book for the benefit of readers. After a firm affirmation of the place of the Church, he also acknowledges that the Church is not without her weaknesses. People in churches are also sinners and thus will have weaknesses that are symptomatic of sin. That does not mean we apply the label "hypocrites" indiscriminately on every single person in the Church. Anchoring this book on the book of Acts, Matte sees the story of Acts as a "spiritual earthquake" and how the Holy Spirit enables the disciples to go to the ends of the earth with the gospel. The mission in Acts 1:8 that inspires the Early Church is the same mission that can empower the Church to do the same today. In order to experience this "unstoppable gospel," begin with prayer and fasting. Acknowledge that it is God who inspires us. Have a global mission. Remember that all roads lead to the Cross of Jesus Christ. Recall how God moves the Early Church with three words: "Prayer, care, and share." The amazing thing is this: When we do our best to be generous and show grace to others, God uses the recipients of our generosity and blesses us in many different ways. In other words, the gospel's blessings are bi-directional or even multidimensional!

"Boundless" (Bryan Bishop)

TITLE: Boundless: What Global Expressions of Faith Teach Us about Following Jesus
AUTHOR: Bryan Bishop
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2015, (240 pages).

It is no secret that the Church in the West is losing her appeal. Statistics year on year show a general decline in Church attendance, especially among the young. Many long time Church members are disillusioned and divided by many factions, with one of the most polarizing being the gay marriage and ordination of gay bishops and ministers. Church people in America are not having a good time. If there is any one group needing a "faith-lift," it would be the Western Church at large. What if this bout of encouragement comes from fresh believers outside of the West? What if excitement about the faith comes not from within generations of Church goers but from people who were transformed from their non-Christian religions and backgrounds? What about God using amazing ways to touch people from all over the world in the most challenging situations? This book shows us that hope may very well be visible out there. While religions in the West are often perceived negatively, it is not that true in other parts of the world. Many believers in richer societies are preoccupied with first world problems. It takes an encounter with people struggling with real issues that bring a whole new perspective about faith and the cost of following Jesus. Using the C1-C6 (C-Scale Spectrum) first developed by John Travis, author Bryan Bishop hopes to shake up the complacency of Western believers by letting the testimonies of people from other cultures touch their hearts. In brief, the C-Spectrum are: