"Faithful Politics" (Miranda Zapor Cruz)

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

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

"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." 

"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.

"Servants for His Glory" (Dr. Miguel Núñez)

TITLE: Servants for His Glory: Cultivating Christlikeness in a World of Performance
AUTHOR: Dr. Miguel Núñez
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2021, (299 pages).

How do we serve in the Church? Why do we serve? What exactly are we trying to accomplish when we serve? In this marvelous handbook for anyone wanting to serve, author Miguel Núñez goes back to the fundamentals of being before doing. In a world where we like to see action first, we have used performance as the primary measure of our success. As Jesus has said, good fruit comes only from good tree. Núñez helps us go back to the foundations of what it means to be a good tree as we serve God. Based on his own experience as a medical professional, a pastor, and a counselor, he cautions us repeatedly about running ahead of God's work in our inner selves. We do not let our works define us. We let Christ in us to define us. Núñez writes that before we can truly serve God's family, we need God's sanctification, which also means the need to let God heal us from the inside, that we can grow up well. Otherwise, we become vulnerable to our sinful nature to let the world outside deceive our sense of identity and worth. He debunks some erroneous measurements of success before giving us several important ways to evaluate ourselves. Instead of being one who depends on approval from the external world, he assures us that as long as we get our inner house in order, we will not easily fall prey to the temptations of perfectionism, insecurity, and fear.

"The Voices We Carry" (J. S. Park)

TITLE: The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One, True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise
AUTHOR: J. S. Park
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Northfield Publishers, 2020, (288 pages).

Many of us have heard about the differences between the head and the heart. The former popularly refers to the intellect while the latter describes the emotions. Using the head means we let our thinking and rationalizing decide our next steps. Using the heart means we allow our emotions to lead the way. Truth is, we need both head and heart for authenticity. Instead of separating the head and the heart into two entities, how about looking at it from the perspective of voices that speak to us, regardless of whether it is to the head or heart? This makes sense because the line between the intellect and the emotions is not easily distinguishable. What is more important is how we listen to the voices, both from outside and from the inside. Author JS Park writes this book with honest inquiry and personal experience about the many different types of voices that come at us, both voluntarily and involuntarily. In an age of social media, we are susceptible to all kinds of comments, both positive and negative. Even the most well-intentioned posts could trigger a whole spectrum of criticisms and trolls. One may claim to communicate facts but others would be quick to clothe all kinds of feelings and judgment on them. External voices create all kinds of inner ripples, some good, some bad. The best way forward is to discern the facts, determine what's helpful and what's not, and to find our own voices. Don't cave in to lies.

"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.

"Zeal Without Burnout" (Christopher Ash)

TITLE: Zeal without Burnout
AUTHOR: Christopher Ash
PUBLISHER: Purcellville, VA, The Good Book Company, 2016, (112 pages).

The word "burnout" is a commonly used term to describe people who had worked so hard to the point of physical and spiritual exhaustion. It is also a good reminder to us that even good works and zeal for doing good have their limits. Being human, we are susceptible to false perceptions and flawed expectations. By ensuring that we take steps to take care of ourselves and our souls, we can exercise what Christopher Ash calls "Zeal without burnout."

Christopher Ash is the Director of the Cornhill Training Course, a two-year course from the Proclamation Trust. He is author and has served previously as a pastor and has seen people burn out from their service in Church. Recognizing that there is a better way, he writes this book with a deep concern for ministry workers and those serving passionately week after week. Why do people get discouraged over time? How do we support fellow workers in the Lord? How can one sustain zeal and joy in service? For Ash, there are seven "keys" to ensuring that our zeal in our service will be sustained over the long haul.

Part of the healing process involves recognizing that only God is God; we are dust. The seven keys are meant to keep us grounded in the reality of our human limitations and to keep up uplifted in the understanding of God's truth and love.

Key 1 - Sleep
Key 2 - Sabbath Rest
Key 3 - Friends
Key 4 - Inward Renewal
Key 5 - A Warning not to seek the praises of peopleKey 6 - An Encouragement
Key 7 - A Delight.

"The Most Excellent Way to Lead" (Perry Noble)

TITLE: The Most Excellent Way to Lead: Discover the Heart of Great Leadership
AUTHOR: Perry Noble
PUBLISHER: Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2016, (288 pages)

What defines good leadership? If you have attended one of the many leadership conferences, courses, or classes, you might have heard about traits such as vision, influence, confidence, courage, and other impressive characteristics that make the leader looking like some hero from the movies. While many of these leadership gurus are not necessarily wrong in highlighting these leadership features, the questions for us are: Are they the most excellent things for leaders to have? What is the heart of great leadership? Is there a more excellent way? What should be the biblical approach? What makes leadership Christlike?

Perry Noble is pastor of Newspring Church, one of America's fastest growing churches. Beginning with a group of 15 individuals with no budget, no employees, and no buildings, the Church has grown tremendously to 19 campus locations, with an average attendance of 35000 people, and a $50 million annual budget! Having experienced humble beginnings, he leads with conviction with the following principles:

1. It is not titles but voices people want to listen to that matters
2. The most excellent way is also the most difficult way
3. Leaders do not make declarations but are servants through and through
4. Leaders will do whatever it takes to turn a vision into reality.

"Volunteering" (Leith Anderson and Jill Fox)

TITLE: Volunteering: A Guide to Serving in the Body of Christ
AUTHOR: Leith Anderson and Jill Fox
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015, (112 pages).

The Church is the Body of Christ made of people, not a building made of bricks. Volunteerism is essential to the running of the Church. No Church can every hire enough people to run all the ministries. It either does not have the financial muscle nor administrative resource to mange or of them. Even for large churches, there is always a need to have a pool of unpaid individuals who feel a calling to serve and to follow after the footsteps of Jesus who showed the way to serve rather than to be served. Written as a guide for those who want to serve, this is more like a "companion guide" to another book entitled: "The Volunteer Church" plus a few more initiatives like:

• Giving past volunteers an additional motivation to volunteer again
• Gently persuade the fence-sitters to take the plunge toward volunteering
• Be affirmed once again on the merits of volunteering
• To empower volunteers to find the right fit
• To train others to volunteer

"The Volunteer Church" (Leith Anderson and Jill Fox)

TITLE: The Volunteer Church: Mobilizing Your Congregation for Growth and Effectiveness
AUTHOR: Leith Anderson and Jill Fox
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2015, (160 pages).

Every member is a servant in the Kingdom of God. For the Church is not a building made of bricks and stones. It is a Body of Christ made of people serving God and one another in the love of Christ. Volunteerism is in. Compulsory work is out. This is particularly so in a ministry that requires us to put our faith into action. If there is any group of people who deserves more encouragement and praise, it would be the group of people who willingly offer to serve at their own time and own resources. Weekly, they work without official pay. They do their best despite not having the best tools or training. In fact, the best form of leadership development is to increase the level of volunteerism in any organization. A Church grows not on the basis of attendance numbers but volunteer numbers. The challenge for any church is not only to encourage the volunteer numbers, but to increase the cheer among all. This book is written for three groups of people.

1. For leaders exhausted by lack of volunteers
2. For volunteers wanting to have more to join them
3. For ministry staff wanting to train and to cultivate a culture of volunteerism

"Connect" (Nelson Searcy)

TITLE: Connect: How to Double Your Number of Volunteers
AUTHOR: Nelson Searcy
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012, (240 pages)

Have you ever wondered about the 80/20 pareto principle, where 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people? If you're like me, you will probably be familiar about situations whereby there are so much to be done, and so few volunteers to help share the workload. What if there is a way to increase the number of workers in any ministry? What if the harvest is plentiful, and there is an opportunity to help groom many more workers for the harvest? Will you jump at that chance?

Enters this book by Nelson Searcy. Filled with years of hard-earned experience and disappointment, Searcy shares some of the ideas and methods that he has used to increase the number of volunteers in any ministry. There are four phases to this adventure of connecting volunteers with ministry work. First, a ministry mindset must be instilled. Ministry is about servanthood and all ministers serve. If we believe in the priesthood of all believers, than every believer serves in some way. This ministry mindset and servant system is made up of 8 biblical principles.

1. Ministry means to serve
2. Serving is an act of putting the needs of others before our own needs
3. The goal of the ministry system is to help people become more like Jesus
4. You cannot become more like Jesus Christ unless you learn to be a servant
5. Serving opens people's hearts to God and therefore is part of worship
6. If people aren't serving, they aren't truly worshiping and growing in their faith
7. Mobilizing people for ministry is part of discipleship
8. The role of the pastor is to equip people for ministry.

In Phase Two, we Create Service Opportunities to mobilize new servers for existing ministries, move experienced servers to newer ones, and not to be too caught up about the need to believe first before we belong. There are several ideas shared in this book, such as the idea of a ministry/volunteer fair, mobilizing new members immediately after membership or baptism, preaching about it, making it easy for volunteers to sign up, and making known all the ministry opportunities available. One of the best ideas is for a personal invitation to volunteer.

In Phase Three, Searcy talks about the Ministry Ladder, which is a clear path that encourages members to grow slowly and aspire toward leadership. After all, service is about discipleship. Knowing how easy it is for volunteers either to fall off the ladder or get discouraged, Searcy provides four structural reliefs.

1. Ministry ladders are made for growth, not control
2. Allocate places for stress and release
3. Measurability
4. Climbing the right ladder according to giftings.

Phase Four talks about celebration and reproducing servants. It encourages leaders to help volunteers get a Good Experience (GE). Volunteers need a clear idea of the timeline of their length of service (TL). They are to be challenged to reproduce their own ministry areas, to teach a new volunteer (CTR). They are challenged to be accountable for ministry positions and motivated to continue serving with joy (AM). They are encouraged to form good networks of getting new people into the ministry flow (GN). Clarity, consideration, caring, and courtesy are the four ways to empower volunteers.

My Thoughts

This is an exciting book and holds lots of promise for tired ministry workers, wondering when they can pass the baton so that they can take a rest. The story is far too common for people who work so much till they burn out. This need not be so, says Searcy. In fact, as I think about Searcy's model, it is quite a creative way to practice discipleship in churches. Rather than to wait and see, or to sit and rot, we can volunteer. We can serve. We can encourage people to do something as a way to learn and to grow. The role of the pastor is to equip people for ministry, to care and to encourage ministry workers to delight themselves in the Lord. The point about meeting needs in the Church is well-taken. When we fill ministry positions on the basis of needs, it only highlights the lack of preparation and foresight in the leadership of that ministry.

This book may very well save your ministry from collapsing. For churches that are not sure of a discipleship model, perhaps, this book can be a start to your discipleship program. As I reflect on this book, I can offer up these three thoughts.

• If you want to grow but do not know how for now, then serve.
• If you want to serve but do not know what, then ask.
• If you do not know what to ask, then pray.

Richly practical and moderately theoretical, the ideas in this book are not only tried and tested in Searcy's church, it will excite leaders in other churches to try at least some of it. Great resource!

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Baker Books and Graf-Martin Communications in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"The Greatness Principle" (Nelson Searcy)

TITLE: Greatness Principle, The: Finding Significance and Joy by Serving Others
AUTHOR: Nelson Searcy with Jennifer Dykes Henson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012, (112 pages).

What makes a great life? What does it take to move from mediocrity to exceptional? Many management gurus have consistently taught that success is only one part of the equation of life. There needs to be more. Like the late Stephen Covey, who has advocated a movement from success to significance, this book points to a similar direction. The greatness principle in the book is simply this: "When you bless others, God blesses you."

We all have a deep longing to do things that really matter, to be significant, to have a life that is beyond mere happiness or self-satisfaction. We want purpose. We desire to make an impact. The author begins by doing a quick survey of what makes the great men throughout history such great people. All of these point one toward the discovery of one "dominant guiding principle." This book is to encourage readers not only to discover that, but to live that out to the full. Greatness is not some coincidental happening or luck in action. It is the disciplined and intentional practice of one key personal principle. This can be discovered in the process of becoming more observant of life, in particular, to be more conscientious of opportunities, especially those that we can make a major contribution of impact. Simply put, if we are not noticing enough, we will be missing opportunities. Searcy points out six different ways Jesus teaches about noticing life.

1. Hunger: opportunities to feed the hungry
2. Thirst: opportunities to quench the thirst of others
3. Stranger: Opportunities to show hospitality
4. Naked: Opportunities to clothe others
5. Sick: Opportunities to care
6. Imprisoned: Opportunities to visit

Then there are the five primary ways to bless others.

1. Give of one's time to others
2. Sharing one's talents
3. Investing one's treasures
4. Encouragement
5. Proclaiming one's testimony.

Then there is the practice of "positive expectation," one that expects God to work mightily, and bless richly. Then there is the affirmation that love is the highest motivation for good works. There is also an interesting Princeton "Good Samaritan" study that tracks the kinds of people who stopped to help a disheveled homeless man. The three groups of people have different levels of urgency on their assignments. It was found that 63% of people who had extra time in their presentation, stopped to help. Of those who had just enough time for their own assignments, 45% stopped to help. For the third group who were told that they were already late, only 10% stopped to help the man who pretended to be helpless and homeless. The study highlights how our self-interests tend to downplay the greater needs of others. 

Finally, Searcy gives a list of helpful practical steps to start with.

1. How to encourage people?
2. How to help someone in need?
3. How to invite people to church?
4. How to connect with our family?
5. How to pray for others?
6. How to serve our city?
7. Why attending church is vital to growing the greatness principle?

My Thoughts

The book looks deceptively simple and small. Boy it packs a wallop in terms of practical steps to be more other-centered. There are many inspiring examples of people who have actually done that. It shows readers that it is possible. There are plenty of steps to do some good in our society. It gives readers no excuse about not knowing where to start or what to do. There are biblical bases for the teachings in the book. It gives readers the assurance that the book is biblical. There is an opportunity for everyone to be great according to what they have been created. It gives readers an encouragement to search for it. There is a great need in this world for more people to live significantly for others. It inspires readers to be that person.

Searcy has given us a quick start guide to awaken our sleepy lives into action. Far too many people are living either lives of desperation or simply going through lifestyles of mediocrity. Some of us need a kick start. Some of us need to kick ourselves. Yet, others may need a kick on their backside. This book provides that kick. It can be read in one sitting, because, when you read it, you cannot just sit there and do nothing. You want to get up and do something. Maybe, its small size is also meant not to bog down any reader into inaction, but to spur one to greater service for others.

Rating: 4 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Baker Books and Graf-Martin Communications in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.