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

TITLE: The Art of Preaching Old Testament Poetry
AUTHOR: Steven D. Mathewson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (256 pages).
 

This is an excellent book about preaching from the wisdom and poetic books of the Old Testament. Filled with lots of biblical insights, historical backgrounds, and illuminating observations, preachers will be excited when reading about the many ways to approach the Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. Written for those who preach and teach Scripture, author and professor Steven Mathewson takes us through these five books, to give us tips on teaching and preaching strategies. He typically begins with a description of what the texts are saying. He patiently elucidates the purposes of each book by ensuring that we do not put the cart before the horse. For instance, in Psalms, he shows us the emotive components of the Psalms, to ensure we are aware of the stance of each psalm and the emotional plot development. In Proverbs, he reminds us to be mindful of Proverbs 1:1-7, which shows us the purposes of the wisdom texts. In Job, he reminds us to discern the structure and flow of the arguments and counter-arguments. In Ecclesiastes, he calls us to first examine the structure, and understand its perspective, keywords, and concepts, before preaching it. He covers the general and specific structures of the book, taking care to supply the framework of the book before leading us through some powerful strategies for preaching. That is not all. He gives us helpful resources for studying and preaching, leading us to some of the most valuable resources for the Bible book concerned. For instance, in Proverbs, he recommends Bruce Waltke's monumental work on Proverbs. For Job, he highlights John Walton's NIV Application Commentary and Daniel Estes's Teach the Text series, etc. For Ecclesiastes, he takes guidance from Iain Provan, Craig Bartholomew, etc. Many pointers can also be gleaned from "The Big Idea Companion for Preaching and Teaching." Mathewson uses Dr. Haddon Robinson's Big-Idea expository Preaching throughout the book. This is no surprise given that the late professor was his mentor. (Dr. Robinson was my mentor too!) At the end of the book, Mathewson gives us six sample sermons, two from Psalms and one from each of the other Bible books concerned to illustrate his points. 

"Films For All Seasons" (Abby Olcese)

TITLE: Films for All Seasons: Experiencing the Church Year at the Movies
AUTHOR: Abby Olcese
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2024, (240 pages).

Films are often influenced by the culture around us. After all, moviemakers are familiar with the need for relevance. This is necessary to reach popular appeal. In the same way, Christians living in this world ought to be aware of the cultural appeal happening in their realms of influence. Yet, culture does not stand still. It changes rapidly with various fads, fashion, and trends. How do we interpret culture from a Christian perspective? One avenue is through films. Author Abby Olcese is an avid observer of film and popular culture. She believes we can better understand the mood of the times just by noticing the messages and stories behind the movies. Believing that "stories rule our lives," just like how stories in the Bible communicate central biblical themes, the stories in movies can reveal cultural trends that we can be aware of. 

Without intentionality, understanding culture is like asking a fish to explain what water is. The author's underlying conviction is that Christians should influence the world and not the other way around. By learning to engage people through understanding the things that matter to people in our community, we can better communicate the gospel in ways that they can understand. Instead of choosing films at random, the author follows the Western Church calendar according to the different seasons that Christians follow. These are:

"The Way of Belonging" (Sarah E. Westfall)

TITLE: The Way of Belonging: Reimagining Who We Are and How We Relate
AUTHOR: Sarah E. Westfall
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2024, (192 pages).

One of the paradoxes of relationships is that we can be together but still feel alone. Yearning for meaningful connections, many of us still struggle with maintaining relationships, let alone building them. Even families have problems with this. The Genesis story of how Adam and Eve hid from God after they sinned was a precursor to how we hide from one another today. Author Sarah Westfall admits that while we all desire deep relationships, we prefer to retreat to our shells of comfort. She describes this as "I belonged everywhere and nowhere all at once." Such conflicting push-pull experiences resemble a ubiquitous enigma in society. With this as impetus, Westfall embarks upon a journey to discover more about oneself before progressing toward how we relate to others. The author qualifies her work by maintaining that "belonging is not linear and cannot be prescribed." She gives us ten chapters on how we can relate to others. Hopefully, readers will find a relevant application in at least one or more. If we are honest, we will reject self-dependence in isolation and admit we need relationships with other people. Some ways to reimagine who we are and how we relate are:

"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. 

"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.

"Trust" (Dominique Shelton Leipzig)

TITLE: Trust.: Responsible AI, Innovation, Privacy and Data Leadership
AUTHOR: Dominique Shelton Leipzig
PUBLISHER: Charleston, SC: Forbes Books, 2024, (399 pages).
 

It is not easy to trust what we see today. From Artificial Intelligence to Deep Fake technologies, it is becoming easier to manipulate data for illegitimate ends. With innovation comes the tendency for cheating and criminal activities. Data security is critical to preserve the integrity of businesses and maintain positive public trust. All it takes is a data leak, hacking, systems malfunction, or an infiltration of ransomware, and the corporation's activities easily come to a standstill. According to Dominique Shelton Leipzig, the problem with modern corporate boardrooms is that data management is typically delegated to backroom staff, like data scientists or IT professionals. Some don't know the right questions to ask about their data in the first place. This calls for a more proactive approach when dealing with data and information in the company. Data stewardship cannot be left to consultants, or engineers in the data center, or outsourced to cheaper IT professionals outside. They need to be managed responsibly. Senior management needs to be held accountable. Data breaches and data security lapses cannot be blamed on data center staff. CEOs must take an active interest in the integrity and use of data in their organizations. With more businesses and information being collected and stored both inside and outside the organizations, there needs to be a heightened awareness and responsibility about its collection, management, protection, and usage. Companies of all sizes need a proper data strategy. The thesis in this book is that to re-establish trust in organizations, it is high time for senior management to take leadership of their corporate data as a critical asset. In Leipzig's words, one must "lead with trust." That means three things:

"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. 

"Gender as Love" (Fellipe do Vale)

TITLE: Gender as Love: A Theological Account of Human Identity, Embodied Desire, and Our Social Worlds
AUTHOR: Fellipe do Vale
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (272 pages).
 

One of the biggest contentions today in the Church has to do with gender. In the past, there used to be constant debates about what it meant to be male or female, and what roles they were supposed to be playing. Then we have the feminist movement that pushes back against male dominance. Those issues remain active in many parts of society but are increasingly eclipsed by debates surrounding multi-gendered definitions and nuanced multi-dimensionally. Today, the line between male and female is increasingly blurred. The core issue is not sexuality but what it means to be human. Realizing that gender issues are becoming more divisive each day, we need to have a way to talk about these matters rationally and theologically. Thus, this book probes the biblical understanding of gender sexuality and tries to make sense of it in an increasingly complex social construct today. Simply put, it is to shed light on the question: "What is gender?" and How do we understand gender theologically? With so many different theological interpretations today, how do we do "theological theology?" Author-Professor Fellipe do Vale kicks off by laying out the categories in terms of two "bifurcations":

1. Divisive Philosophy: Between proponents of gender as "Essence" vs that as "Social Construct."
2. Divided Theology (Methodological): One anchored on modern academic discipline and the other on traditional beliefs.

"Rethinking the Police" (Daniel Reinhardt)

TITLE: Rethinking the Police: An Officer's Confession and the Pathway to Reform
AUTHOR: Daniel Reinhardt
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (224 pages).
 

The general perception of the Police force has taken a beating these days. From Michael Brown to Breonna Taylor, Daniel Prude to George Floyd, instances of police brutality on minority communities are becoming far too common. Those who claim that the issue is due to individual racists will have to explain why in 2023, five African American policemen killed Tyre Nichols, a black. According to author Daniel Reinhardt, the problem is beyond individuals. It is embedded in a system that nourishes systemic discrimination. In other words, if the perpetrators are guilty, the environment that breeds them is worse. As a 24-year-veteran of the police force, Reinhardt knows the system from the academy to street patrols. The question remains. If law enforcement agencies, courts, the federal agencies are aware of the problem, then why is there so little progress for better policing? Reinhardt puts his finger on the lack of changes from the inside out. With so much attention on external factors, internal factors have unwittingly been minimized. These factors refer to culture, worldview, and "implicit social structures." He goes on to describe the three key cultural factors: "Social distance," "Unchecked power," and "social structures." 

"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. 

"Mind Your Manners" (Sara Jane HO)

TITLE: Mind Your Manners: How to Be Your Best Self in Any Situation
AUTHOR: Sara Jane HO
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Hachette Books, 2024, (304 pages).
 

Human beings are social creatures. Even for the most individualistic person, one cannot avoid interacting with another person, unless one lives as a hermit in some secluded part of the world. In general, we all need to learn some forms of social behavior and etiquette.  This is necessary for society to function well, and it is applicable for both children and adults. Unfortunately, schools do not often teach such stuff. Those that do often cover them at a superficial level. Etiquette is about connection, says author Sara Jane Ho, a vocal advocate for meaningful social communications in various settings. It is also contextual, meaning we need to adapt our understanding and practice of etiquette based on the geographical locations. In our globalized interconnected world, we also need to expand that to cultural settings. Popularized by a Netflix series with the same name as the book's title, this book is a print version of the streaming platform. In meaningful etiquette, we need "social fluency" which is essentially about reading people quickly and accurately as well as interacting with them confidently and effectively. Mindful of the growing mental health concerns globally, she helps us remember that therapy alone cannot solve issues related to social awkwardness. In a post-pandemic world, some might even need to relearn "social fluency" to help us relate to people.

"Persuasive Apologetics" (Jeffrey M. Robinson)

TITLE: Persuasive Apologetics: The Art of Handling Tough Questions Without Pushing People Away
AUTHOR: Jeffrey M. Robinson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2023, (152 pages).
 

Apologetics is not simply about facts or clever arguments. It has a lot to do with emotional sensitivity to the receiver. Like the age-old phrase, "People don't care how much we know until they know how much we care." In this book, the author's key point is that one needs to speak respectfully in order to persuade effectively. The mode and tone of communication matters because people matter. Instead of a typical comparative religion manner of argument, Robinson guides us through several levels of doing apologetics. One of the key reasons why people find apologetics difficult is because they lack anticipation of the objections thrown at them. Being able to explain our theological reasons is one thing. Responding in a manner that does not become combative is yet another. That calls for both self-examination and preparation. In self-examination, we are called to avoid positional pitfalls such as the "Church Curmudgeon" who does not care about the opposition. Neither should we go to the other extreme of compromise. In addition, we should not remain silent but need to be prepared to give an answer to anyone asking why we hope in Jesus. Anticipation also means understanding the worldviews the opposition might have. Many objections are often based on erroneous presuppositions. Dealing with these will help remove a major obstacle. Anticipation also means equipping, which is why Robinson gives an overview of various approaches one should learn of. From the abrasive classical methods to the use of Reformed Epistemology, there are many popular ways in which Christians tend to adopt primarily, at the risk of pushing biblical reasons to the secondary level. Respectable apologetics also means we learn to listen well without compromising our biblical faith. If there is one key point, it is the importance of biblical grounding for anyone who wants to do apologetics. 

"Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church" (Stephen T. Pardue)

TITLE: Why Evangelical Theology Needs the Global Church
AUTHOR: Stephen T. Pardue
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2023, (208 pages).
 

If one reads a typical newspaper in America, one would notice how skewed the mass media is toward American issues and perspectives. One might mistakenly assume that America is the world! The Church in the West also parallels this trend. A lot has been written about the Western Church. Relatively fewer talks about matters outside of the Western hemisphere. Sometimes it feels like all the experts happen to reside in the West. As the Church in the North-West continues to decline, churches in the  Southern and Eastern parts of the world are seeing remarkable revivals. In spite of this trend, many missionaries and ministry workers continue to be sent from the West to the East, and from the Northern Hemisphere to the South. One wonders, why then is the perception that the best professors and lecturers are from a place where the Church is declining and waning in influence? Perhaps, after zooming in on the Western influence for so long, it is time to zoom out into the wider world to gain a better perspective of reality. Based on his work and interactions with his Asian counterparts, Philippines-based Pardue helps us expand our minds beyond the West toward the global Church. He acknowledges the challenges that prevent the Western Church from learning from the rest of the world. These include the barriers of contexts, culture, language, philosophy, and theology. There are five theses in this book with regard to evangelical contextual theology. First, any evangelical contextual theology must be based on the authority of Scripture. Second, culture needs to be seen as a gift from God for the Church. Third, the ecclesiology of the Church should be a uniting factor for the diverse expressions of faith in the real world. Fourth, theology should incorporate Christian witness everywhere, both locally and globally. Fifth, the theology should engage the "Great Tradition of the Church." Each chapter will deal with a particular thesis and ends with a practical engagement with a global Church.  

"The Liberating Arts: Why We Need Liberal Arts Education" (Jeffrey Bilbro and Jessica Hooten Wilson, eds)

TITLE: The Liberating Arts: Why We Need Liberal Arts Education
AUTHOR: Jeffrey Bilbro and Jessica Hooten Wilson, eds
PUBLISHER: Walden, NY: Plough Publishing, 2023, (224 pages).
 

It is no secret that many of the world's most talented people choose the sciences instead of the arts. Just take a look at the richest people on earth such as Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, or Bill Gates. They are both in the science and technology industry. In fact, many of the biggest companies in the world are in the technical stream, like AT&T, Amazon, Apple, FaceBook, Google, Microsoft, Samsung, Tesla, Toyota, TSMC, etc. With money as a key driving force in the world economic system, no wonder many talented people are lured away into the sciences in search of monetary gains. Does that render liberal arts education irrelevant? Even professors in the liberal arts stream struggle with job insecurity. This is made worse by lower student enrolment in the liberal arts. If all the best people jump ship toward the technology sector, what would happen to the arts and liberal arts? While we are free to pursue any course of study up the tree of self-fulfillment, how about using that freedom beyond self-accomplishment toward the greater good? This book brings together a collection of essays to show us why liberal arts education remains highly essential and relevant to society at large. Not only that, the contributors attempt to show us that it helps model the conversations that we ought to have on a daily basis. Instead of providing "best practices," the articles demonstrate how the liberal arts open up opportunities for all spheres of life. It is time to highlight the importance of liberal arts education and this book argues for that through many different perspectives. They deal with the purpose of liberal arts.

"More Than Things" (Paul Louis Metzger)

TITLE: More Than Things: A Personalist Ethics for a Throwaway Culture
AUTHOR: Paul Louis Metzger
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (464 pages).

There is a worrying trend in society today. Socially, people are being reduced to statistics. Medically, the health and wellness of a person are defined by numbers displayed in life support systems. Individual identities are based on their social security numbers. In a paranoid environment about privacy, people give themselves anonymous avatars or reduce themselves to mere email addresses or Twitter handlers. Social media fame gets defined by the number of likes or viral streams. The list can easily apply to many facets of modern society. All of these come to the hilt when people start asking about who they are and why they exist. With a mixture of humour and seriousness, people might even be wondering if they are dealing with amber alerts about "Missing Persons." Author Paul Louis Metzger approaches ten "hot issues" with regard to the threat to personhood by arguing that these ten issues need to be constantly addressed with the maxim, "People are more than things."  Using his training as an ethicist, Metzger engages ethical theories with the ten issues to give us a moral compass to navigate from using things to appreciating persons. Before dealing with ethical issues, Metzger goes back to the fundamental truths about faith, hope, and hope. He reasons that a major cause for our focus on things is the onslaught of "cynicism, pessimism, and narcissism." The way to deal with these three impediments to human relationships is via the three core virtues of faith, hope, and love. Faith helps counter cynicism as it tries to navigate belief amid a culture of unbelief, largely because of a checkered past. Hope reminds us that we are made for more while things have limits. Love is the way we need to live in the present. In all these virtues, Metzger connects us to the Triune God who embodies timeless Truth and everlasting Faith, Hope, and Love. 

"Pastoral Identity: True Shepherds in the Household of Faith" (Douglas D. Webster)

TITLE: Pastoral Identity: True Shepherds in the Household of Faith
AUTHOR: Douglas D. Webster
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Ministry, 2023, (192 pages).
 

According to Barna research, the percentage of pastors considering quitting full-time ministry hovers around 42 percent. The pandemic only made it worse. Whatever the numbers, the trend is a worrying one. With enrolment at theological institutions down, and the rising attrition of pastors, churches continue to have a hard time hiring pastors. Perhaps, this is a symptom of a deeper problem, that the expectations of both churches and pastors are both misaligned. Author Douglas Webster recognizes the different expectations not only in the modern era but also through the ages. The one thing that is fundamentally important is the issue of identity. How do we understand the way pastoral leadership has changed? What kind of pastoral care is needed in a culture of nominal Christians? What if the gifts of the pastor do not match  the Church's expectations? 

In this book, Webster helps us wrestle with the differences of pastoral identity across two eras: Christendom and the modern household of faith. Thr former is based on religious tradition or Church denominational history (time-limited) while the latter on followers of Jesus who reflect the values of the gospel (timeless). Change has been happening even in the modern era. The challenge is to try to adapting gospel approaches to changing culture.

"World Religions in Seven Sentences" (Douglas Groothuis)

TITLE: World Religions in Seven Sentences
AUTHOR: Douglas Groothuis
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (150 pages).
 

One common accusation against Christians is their lack of understanding of other religions. They wonder how Christians can accept Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life when they have not explored the other religious angles. Is it fair to accept one without first considering the others? Plus, how could Christians relate to a person of another faith? How do we understand another faith perspective without misrepresenting them? This book is a resource to help promote better understanding in an increasingly pluralistic society. In a society that guarantees freedom of religion, it is crucial to be respectful of other beliefs. What better way than to get some basic understanding of others to facilitate goodwill and neighbourliness. For author Douglas Groothuis, this book is an attempt to equip us with a basic knowledge of the positions of seven common beliefs in our society. If we are to practice loving our neighbours, it would mean learning to be respectful of their beliefs in our civil interactions with them. Hopefully, that would translate into behaviours that display class and tact, without compromising the Christian faith. This is increasingly important due to the multireligious environments created by immigration, global movements, and connections via the Internet. Groothuis does this by addressing the central doctrines of each position and their versions of truth. He then responds from a Christian perspective.

"Centering Discipleship" (E. K. Strawser)

TITLE: Centering Discipleship: A Pathway for Multiplying Spectators into Mature Disciples
AUTHOR: E. K. Strawser
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (224 pages).
 

What is the difference between a regular Church and a Discipleship-Making Church? Of course, most churches will claim to be doing some form of discipleship. The difference lies in the emphasis. Is Discipleship the center focus or is it merely peripheral to the Church? Pastor-Author, Eun Strawser hits the jugular when she points out that most churches tend to put discipleship at the peripherals. By declaring that discipleship is the heart of the mission of the Church, Strawser shows us the way to turning the nominal Church into a discipleship-making Church. This book is about the way to move discipleship from the peripherals to the center of Church life. This calls for a transformation of the Church at all levels. First off, Strawser calls for a shift from programs to pathways, which is a framework for discipleship. This framework is about adopting a life abiding in Christ, to grow in building a discipleship-making community toward fruitful lives that beget others to do the same for Jesus. In brief, it is to do what we can to help others follow and imitate Jesus. The first part is about self-denial followed by some paradigm shifts. We learn the differences between fan vs follower. We learn the emphasis on imitating Christ instead of mere Sunday sermon instructions. The author gives us several differences between what discipleship is and what it is not. This helps us to clear up the foggy Church scene which often confuses actual discipleship with Church activities. We learn about the marks of a mature disciple, which focuses on character, theology, wisdom, and missional living. 

"The In-Between" (Hadley Vlahos R.N.)

TITLE: The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments
AUTHOR: Hadley Vlahos R.N.
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Ballantine Books, 2023, (288 pages).
 

Among the many kinds of phobia in the world today, the fear of dying remains at the top of the list. News of terminal illness can not only bring about depression to the sick, but it also stresses our family and loved ones in unimaginable ways. Whether it is cancer or some form of debilitating disease, as long as there is some hope of recovery, the fear of dying can be kept at bay. However, when it comes to incurable illnesses that involve entering into hospice care, the mood takes a traumatic turn. Imagine being a full-time staff working in such an environment. This is exactly what author and registered hospice nurse, Hadley Vlahos has experienced. She takes care of and walks with many people living their final days on Earth. Each patient can live up to six months. Sharing many powerful stories of courage, despair, hope, powerlessness, and many emotional moments, Vlahos takes us through the ups and downs of hospice ministry. She shares how she first became interested in end-of-life matters after the death of a personal friend. Through various twists and turns in her life, after some time in nursing school, she ends up working in hospice care. This book is about her learning, experiences, and journeys with individuals in hospice care. There was Glenda, an 86-year-old female whose metastatic melanoma had spread to other regions. She was the first person the author had to practice the checklist on "patient death." Carl who struggled with congestive heart failure seemed to have a sudden ad mysterious surge of energy toward the end. He had become like a grandfather to Vlahos. Then there is Sue who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and didn't want to speak to anyone at first but eventually opens up to Vlahos. Sandra, a 50-year-old breast cancer patient whose cancer had advanced to such a state that her doctor had to recommend hospice care. Sandra was able to maintain a smile despite her illness. Vlahos marvels at how simple things could make such a big difference. There are others with all other kinds of sicknesses like Edith's Alzheimer's; Reggie's end-stage liver disease; and Lily, a dying travel patient, etc.