"Under the Wings of God" (Cornelius Plantinga)

TITLE: Under the Wings of God
AUTHOR: Cornelius Plantinga
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2023, (192 pages).

Ordinary believers honour the Bible. Church-goers read the Bible. Academics analyze the Bible. Devotees meditate on the Bible. Pastors preach the Bible. Authors write about the Bible. It would seem like the Bible is used in so many different ways. Those seeking a closer walk with God will not be content with any form of superficial reading. They will also meditate and contemplate the Word of God. As purposed in the cover of this book, renowned Professor Cornelius Plantinga shares 20 reflections to help us grow deeper in faith. In each chapter, he begins with the full Bible passage and a brief description. This is followed by a reflection which occupies the bulk of the chapter. Ending each chapter is a prayer. Plantinga starts with Ps 91 where a cursory reading would say it is about security in God. A deeper reading would be an exhortation not to worry. He takes the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37 and applies it powerfully to the intellectual pursuit of God, something that some ordinary believers tend to dismiss as a mere academic exercise. The key lies in the reason for the study: Loving God more with the mind. We read about Colossians 3's exhortation to patience and how the author connects it with other attributes like anger management. Some of the most powerful reflections happen to be the way conventional beliefs are turned on their heads. For example, in Exodus 32, the text describes how the Israelites turned away from God and worshiped the golden calf. Plantinga describes the episode in such a way that we can all see the dangers and pain of adultery. While most people would dismiss Israel then as the adulterous nation that is only bent on disappointing God, a closer reading reveals that was not the case. They may have worshiped other gods but they still have the desire to worship the True God. They simply are people who practice spiritual polygamy. While the Bible condemns adultery in its strongest terms,  there is also grace that overwhelms punishment for sin. Following this thread, in Genesis 4:1-16, there is the story of Cain and Abel where jealousy turned to murder. This led to the banishment of Cain who became cursed to be a restless wanderer. Further reflection points to a man though tarnished by sin still desires a close relationship with God. This is not something that we can pick up unless we observe the way the text was written. 

"How to Read Daniel" (Tremper Longman III)

TITLE: How to Read Daniel (How To Read Series)
AUTHOR: Tremper Longman III
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (190 pages).

This is the sixth book of the "How to Read" commentary series. Bible books of the apocalyptic genre are generally more challenging for the layperson to read and to comprehend. There are visions, dreams, and multiple symbols that pose some level of difficulty when it comes to interpretation. What can we make of these ancient visions? What do they mean then and now? How can we understand the message of Daniel for today? These questions and more are covered in this volume. Part One deals with the literary structure of the book such as the genre, the structure, the language, history, background, and the main theological messages. In Part Two, readers could dive into the six stories and four visions; and the lessons Daniel had experienced from. In Part Three, we read Daniel to learn about applications for our modern context.

Some people avoid the apocalyptic books simply because they think it is too difficult to understand. They might have thought about studying it but shy away for lack of guidance and background information. Others study it but due to the lack of foundation about biblical theology, they might miss the forest for the trees. For both categories, this book can fill in the gaps. It is easy to read as far as the layperson is concerned. While not as technical as some other commentaries, this book can provide compelling guidance for scholars and seminarians. In other words, this book is not too difficult but do not let the simplicity of the language used deceive us. Some of the terminology and concepts used in the book are what biblical scholars would be most familiar with. "Apocalyptic" is one. "Chiasm" and the interpretation of numerology are others. These are however kept to a minimum.

The author leaves no chapter unturned. Through helpful citations and interesting observations throughout, readers will not find this book dull at all.

"Small Groups Made Easy" (Ryan Lokkesmoe)

TITLE: Small Groups Made Easy: Practical and Biblical Starting Points to Lead Your Gathering
AUTHOR: Ryan Lokkesmoe
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2019, (160 pages).

As the saying goes, "No man is an island." We all need community. Whether it is a family related community, or having a group with people of common interest, it is the very nature of human beings to connect and be connected to one another. Sometimes, when the desire is there but the know-how is not, it can be crippling. This book is written to address that very need. How do we start a small group? What are the logistics and practical challenges? How do we go about addressing the personal and spiritual aspects? Four chapters of this book summarize the principles behind the need for small groups. Here, author Lokkesmoe talks about the need for leadership to be like Jesus. It is less about competence or knowledge; more about serving and relying on God. This is indeed a good reminder for us as leading small groups is a spiritual calling. He has good pointers for logistical matters as well, helping us think through factors for attendance; appropriate communications; raising up co-leaders; timing and place; and other practical matters to help make small group meetings a fruitful one. He then guides us through some sticky matters such as managing conflicts; gossip; and the four types of people (needy; monopolizers; silent; and the disinterested) that present unique challenges to a successful small group.

"How the Body of Christ Talks" (C. Christopher Smith)

TITLE: How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation in the Church
AUTHOR: C. Christopher Smith
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2019, (224 pages).

We are made for conversations. Even our body cells reflect our inclination toward community and communal living. Unfortunately, individualism and privatism have taken over much of society. People are increasingly isolated. Even church people are no longer able to converse as well as they ought to. Calling our bodies as conversations "among proteins," author Christopher Smith aims to bring back the lost art of conversations in the Church, beginning with ourselves. For the healthiest people are those in active conversations with one another. The strongest communities are those that frequently communicate and talk to one another. In this book, Smith has a passion to help churches cultivate this art of talking and to build relationships through conversations. He even calls it a "transformative power of conversation." Smith invites us along in the three phases as follows:

1) Setting Out the Journey
2) Spirituality for the Journey
3) Sustaining the Journey

"Building the Body" (Gary L. McIntosh and Phil Stevenson)

TITLE: Building the Body: 12 Characteristics of a Fit Church
AUTHOR: Gary L. McIntosh and Phil Stevenson
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2018, (204 pages).

The Bible mentions several metaphors on the spiritual life. In the gospels, we have Jesus reminding us about the parable of the four types of soils. Without the right growth conditions, we cannot see fruit. In Jeremiah 2:15, we learn about perseverance that, "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?" Timothy was exhorted to fight the good fight (1 Tim 6:12) while Paul himself confessed to completing the race and keeping the faith. These highlight one common principle: Fitness. Just like the human body needs to be fit in order to be fruitful in our works, the Church as a body of Christ needs to be fit. How does the Church go about it? How do we measure a fit Church? The fitter the Church, the further she could go. A healthy human body would have a healthy cardiovascular endurance; robust muscular strength; sturdy muscular endurance; able flexibility; and balanced body composition. All these components are to be present. A healthy heart pumps fresh oxygen to nourish the whole body. Robust muscles help overcome resistance. Firm endurance provides strength to push on ahead. Flexibility enables one to embrace new challenges when they appear. A balanced body composition brings all these together in appropriate ways. In this book about spiritual fitness, readers get to hear 12 characteristics, compositions that would make a fit Church. Written by two experienced church leaders, Gary McIntosh and Phil Stevenson, we learn of fitness described through the characteristics of:

"Interrupting Silence" (Walter Bruggemann)

TITLE: Interrupting Silence: God's Command to Speak Out
AUTHOR: Walter Bruggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2018, (108 pages).

We must speak out. We must not sit back and let chaos and injustice run amok. There is a time to be silent and a time to speak out. Alas, many are guilty of keeping quiet when there is a need to speak up; and speaking up when there is a need to be silent. This book about interrupting silence is a call to all to bear the arms of vocal activism in the midst of unholy forces seeking to silence our witness. As one who has consistently spoken out against the excesses of powers and the abuse of the weak. There are many quotables about many different things:

• "The church at its most faithful is allied with artistic expression from the margin that voices alternatives to dominant imagination."
• "Prayer—beyond conventional polite prayer—is an act of breaking the silence."
• "In the institutional life of the church, moreover, the breaking of silence by the testimony of the gospel often means breaking the silence among those who have a determined stake in maintaining the status quo."
• "Prayer is a refusal to settle for what is."
• "The parable exhibits the relentlessness of refusing silence, the unwavering resolve to continue to speak and to ask."
• 
  

"The Simplest Way to Change the World" (Dustin Willis and Brandon Clements)

TITLE: The Simplest Way to Change the World: Biblical Hospitality as a Way of Life

AUTHOR: Dustin Willis and Brandon Clements
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2017, (176 pages).

Change the world? Is that really possible? Would that require a lot of money or human resources? For many people, changing their own neighborhood might be a miracle already. Rather than launching gigantic projects or to pour huge sums of money into some huge infrastructural plan, it is actually quite simple. It takes one to start. It takes one to invite another. It simply takes one individual to share love and goodness with another, one at a time. For authors Dustin Willis and Brandon Clements, it is possible one neighbour at a time. More importantly, it begins with one's heart of hospitality. After all, hospitality is a biblical exhortation. Indeed, the world is changed by the Living Word and how the Word lives in the people who claim to believe it.

They first describe the potential of biblical hospitality. Opportunities lurk at workplaces; hobby locations; social environments; homes; etc. It could be as small as inviting someone over for a cup of coffee or being welcoming in how we greet people. It is about engaging people intentionally. Unfortunately, we have become misinformed or misguided about what hospitality means. For some it means coming up against some of our comfort activities like isolation with our own digital devices. We give excuses that hospitality runs against our need for personal relaxation and entertainment. Busyness could also hinder our cause. These four cultural currents need to be overcome. It begins with God to know that God has created a home for all people. This home is to be shared. This home is to be occupied by a hospitable people who see opportunities rather than obstacles in the establishment of a culture of hospitality. Opportunities such as:

"Hollywood Jesus" (Matt Rawle)

TITLE: Hollywood Jesus: A Small Group Study Connecting Christ and Culture (The Pop in Culture Series)
AUTHOR: Matt Rawle
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2015, (128 pages).

How is pop culture influencing the world? Are Christians able to counter this pervasive reach of Hollywood with the gospel? If all things were made through Christ, and Christians called to reach the world for Christ, why does it seem that more people know about Hollywood stars than the person of Jesus Christ? How do we reach a people who have been so thoroughly indoctrinated with Hollywood philosophy that oozes worldliness? According to author Matt Rawle, we are not called to reject the pop culture around us. Instead, we need to "re-narrate" them. Just like Jesus who did not reject the cross but endured the shame and transformed something very bad into something so powerful. The purpose of this four-session small group study is to learn to engage the culture around us by opening our eyes to the "spiritual truths" flowing through many different channels of communications today. Key to the whole book is the question: "How are we portraying Jesus to those in our circles of influence?"

One common theme throughout pop culture is the story it tells. Many Hollywood movies depend on good stories that moved from books to screens. In fact, Rawle asserts that the story of Jesus Christ has been portrayed from explicitly Christian titles like "Jesus of Nazareth," "The Gospel of John," "The Passion of the Christ," "Jesus Christ Superstar," to other less obvious titles like "Tommy," "The Matrix," "Ratatouille," "Man of Steel," and even "Star Wars." The sessions are entitled as follows:

"Leading Life-Changing Small Groups" 3rd ed. (Bill Donahue)

TITLE: Leading Life-Changing Small Groups-paperback
AUTHOR: Bill Donahue
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2012, 3rd edition (208 pages).

This best selling small group guidebook is now in its third edition. Filled with great ideas and teachings about small group leadership, it is not only a resource for teaching, it is a practical ready to use tool for growing the small group ministry. Written to be used intuitively, with ready answers to anticipate reader questions, this book shines in terms of clarity, comprehensiveness, and creativity.

Chapter One sets out some biblical principles, with the conviction that beliefs precede actions. The essence of growth is relationships through community living. This is where small groups shine. Being a disciple means learning how to live and grow together. This leads to the group developing a group mission, meeting, and practice.

Chapter Two looks at the area of leadership. It provides four biblical principles of leadership that are, Christ centered, servant-led, shepherd-style, and cooperative leadership. The author talks in depth about the qualities of leadership and the selection process. It is also practical in which leaders are encouraged to cultivate active listening, learning, loving, leading people, and leaning upon the support of a leadership community. There is also a wonderful segment on spiritual practices for leaders which I feel is critical for leaders to adopt.

Chapter Three stresses the need for leaders to develop new leaders. This can be done by sharing the leadership role, through cultivating values.

Chapter Four reminds us about the purpose of small groups: Growth greenhouse style and not factory style. This is done using three essentials, namely the process of living, the basic structures like ground rules and behaviour expectations, and a strategy for growth. Of particular help is the framework for identifying the stage any group is in. If there are in the "forming stage," people need time to get to know one another. In the "norming stage," ground rules and expectations can be established. In the "storming stage," differences of opinions need to be appropriately handled. This part frequently determines how a group learns to live together. In the "performing stage," groups learn to look beyond themselves to grow other groups or to reach out to other communities.

Chapter Five touches on the actual small group meetings, the skills needed, and a guide to structure a good group meeting. It brings together four desired outcomes:

• HEAD: "What do I want the group members to learn?"
• HEART: "What I hope to help members experience?"
• HANDS: "What can members do together or individually?"
• HOMEWORK: "What assignments are needed in between meetings?"

Chapter Six measures the health and progress of the group. It is a good chapter to check how well the group is doing. Using feedback, qualitative and quantitative measurements, readers are invited to ask what works and what does not work. At the same time, the search for reasons will enable greater understanding of the dynamics in each group.

Chapter 7 shows how leaders can care for members.  The primary vehicle is through encouragement and support.

Chapter 8 deals with mission and outreach. It even contains four ways to launch new groups.

My Thoughts

I love this book. Not only is it very practical, it is highly readable. The practical tips and advice are easily worth the price of the book. Whether you are a leader, an apprentice, or just a participant, this book promises not only to give a sense of purpose and direction to any group, it energizes one to cultivate care and growth within the group as well as outreach beyond the group. Kudos again to Zondervan for coming up with this excellent resource. A must have for anyone leading or concerned about small groups in their various faith communities.

I highly recommend this book.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.


conrade

---

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