"Becoming by Beholding" (Lanta Davis)

TITLE: Becoming by Beholding: The Power of the Imagination in Spiritual Formation
AUTHOR: Lanta Davis
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2024, (240 pages).
 

When young, our parents tell us fairy tales and other bedtime stories. In school, we learn through play and imagination. At home, we love watching cartoons with happy endings. Tales often begin with the familiar words "A Long time ago..." and end with that memorable phrase "... And they lived happily ever after." As we grow, imagination seems to take a backseat. Life then becomes a crazy rat race that leaves little room for imagination. Fantasies dissipate. Realities mandate. Imagination stagnate. Author Lanta Davis asserts that it is time to restore a healthy sense of imagination, in particular, to Christian Spiritual Formation. This is done by learning from our forefathers of the faith through tradition and the historical expressions of the faith. If we unearth the treasures of Christian artistic tradition, we can rediscover the rich legacies of the past. We can renew a fresh imagination to breathe creativity into our present world. We can also restore our understanding of identity and beyond. From an archeological dig into history and tradition, the author develops for us a three-pronged approach: "Right Belief," "Right Practice," and "Moral Character." 

"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.

"Hebrews" (Amy Peeler)

TITLE: Hebrews (Commentaries for Christian Formation)
AUTHOR: Amy Peeler
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2024, (448 pages).

There are plenty of commentaries on the Bible today. There are the technical ones such as critical, exegetical, and expository types which can be rather academic. There are also the more practical types such as the Application and Devotional ones which are more appropriate for laypersons. We are spoilt for choice. Recently there has been a growing desire among many to incorporate spirituality into the heavier theological texts. This commentary is one such contribution. It not only incorporates theology with practical applications, but it also helps in faith formation. In other words, the commentary is a way to spur spiritual growth via constant communal conversation with the text. Due to the mysteries and lack of certainties, Hebrews is one of the most challenging books to understand. This calls for patient study and repeat readings. Genre awareness can also help the interpretive process. The way to learn from the text is to practice what it says. For instance, Hebrews spoke about endurance and perseverance. We should also cultivate these virtues in understanding and applying the text. It gives several warnings that we should heed diligently. Throughout Hebrews, we learn of the interplay between comfort and warning, and no matter what phase we are in, a Christological perspective guides us through the long and narrow way. Amy Peeler calls this book a "Christian sermon." 

"Loving Your Adult Children" (Gaye B. Clark)

TITLE: Loving Your Adult Children: The Heartache of Parenting and the Hope of the Gospel
AUTHOR: Gaye B. Clark
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2024, (176 pages).

Parenting is a life-long endeavour. Even though the means change over time, the nature of parental love will remain. When the children are dependants, parents take responsibility for them. Once they become adults, the way parents care for them will also have to change. As a parent myself, I often tell my friends that parenting is like flying a kite. When they are young, we hang on tightly when dangerous winds try to blow them off-course. As they grow older, we loosen our grip so that they can learn how to make their own decisions. Eventually, we need to let go of the kite completely as they embark upon the journey of adulthood. As the children become adults, the way parents love them will have to change accordingly. For author Gaye Clark, the primary goal of Christian parenting is to teach children to place their hopes in life on God alone through Jesus's finished work. When the children are young, parents pay and pray for their daily needs. When they become adults and become independent, parents can continue to love them by praying for them. Besides that, Clark shows us even more ways to love them. Putting first things first, if we want our children to have faith in God alone, we need to practice what we are going to preach. The way to love our children is essentially to lead by example. We do this through the practice of faith, repentance, grace, hope, Church, patience, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness, Self-Control, Peace, and Love.

"The Practice of Remembering" (Casey Tygrett)

TITLE: The Practice of Remembering: Uncovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life
AUTHOR: Casey Tygrett
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (216 pages).
 

"Memories light the corners of my mind," so sings Barbra Streisand in one of the most cherished classics of the modern age, "The Way We Were." As author Casey Tygrett writes, "Without memory, there is no formation," that we are "memory-made people," and that without memories, "we cannot become." We are who we are by learning and remembering. Whether it is writing a memoir or penning a journal, our acts of recalling something are crucial aspects of being. Using the various aspects of "experiences, memories, stories, and scripts," Tygrett guides us through an amazing journey of the practice of remembering. 

He helps us explore the four movements of remembering: 

1. Like shells that possess incredible memories, we first bring forth these shells;
2. Honest engagement with the implications;
3. Create stories out of these implications;
4. Explore how God is molding us through these.

All these can be sparked with one prompt: "I remember the moment when ________."

"Tending the Fire That Burns at the Center of the World" (David F. White)

TITLE: Tending the Fire That Burns at the Center of the World: Beauty and the Art of Christian Formation
AUTHOR: David F. White
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2022, (192 pages).
 

There is a saying that claims in a subjective sense, that beauty is according to the eyes of the beholder. In other words, if one thinks it is beautiful, then it is. Otherwise, it is not. That is how many love relationships begin. What if beauty is not just something that is subjective? What if the revelation of Truth is beauty in itself? What if admiring beauty draws us closer to Truth and the Giver of all Truth: God? In a book that goes beyond criticizing subjective mindsets, author David White shows us the real issue of how modernity has reduced the search for Truth into pieces of facts and tangibles that have little bearing on the significance of faith, mystery, and transcendence. This book's premise is that beauty is "a way of attending to God’s speech that awakens, empowers, and forms us in Christ’s lovely way." The author laments how modernity has alienated mankind by suggesting a limited form of objectivity. Descartes and Kant popularized the Enlightenment as "I think  therefore I am." Pragmatists claim that "I do, therefore I am." Some modernists even teach us about the primacy of feelings, "I feel therefore I am." All these philosophies are reductionists at their very core. White asserts that the Christian faith pushes back against all of these frameworks by recognizing the importance of  the "hallowing of all incarnate matter." Using art and beauty as ways to inculcate Christian formation, the way forward is toward wholeness and holistic living. Christianity encourages aesthetic spirituality that leads not only to awareness but an encounter with the living God. Thankfully, White does not commit the same errors of reductionism by reducing spirituality to the domain of aestheticism and beauty. Beauty inspires, not replaces the need for spiritual exercises or abstract theology in tending the spiritual fire. White begins with a description of beauty as the start of any "social imaginary" or initial assumptions, against the widespread use of rational analysis. 

"Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community" (James C Wilhoit)

TITLE: Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community
AUTHOR: James C Wilhoit (2nd edition)
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022, (288 pages).

A key purpose of the Christian life is this: How do we become more Christlike in all we say and do? What does it take to grow deeper in Christ? At a time in which the image of the church is undergoing tremendous cynicism, how do we recover from the negativity in order to live as salt and light of the world? For author James Wilhoit, the answer lies in the revival of local congregations to make spiritual formation their key goal. This goal must be manifested in all activities and programs of the Church. The how, the why, and the curriculum for doing it are all described in this book. More importantly, it reminds us that the best crucible for spiritual formation is not the individual disciplines but the Church. Now in its second edition, this book has been updated with positive psychology based on an Augustinian formation perspective. Readers are reminded that spiritual formation is not another kind of self-help project but an expression of the gospel given to the Church. Using the metaphor of public health by providing clean drinking water and vaccinations, Christian Spiritual Formation is about providing the best possible communal environment for individuals to flourish. Wilhoit sets the stage by affirming how spiritual formation need not be something extraordinary. Instead, using ordinary means and ordinary contexts, we can cultivate our souls within the ordinary environment of church and community. He then gives us some principles and patterns that we could adopt. Based on various Orthodox faith traditions, he combines them with some of the modern psychological practices such as Robert Emmon's work on gratitude and reducing anxiety. He uses mostly the spiritual traditions of orthodox theology. He takes inspiration from recent spiritual practitioners like the late Dallas Willard, Thomas Oden, Adrian Van Kaam, etc, as well as the spiritual masters of old. Before presenting his CSF curriculum, he helps us clear the decks about what CSF is and what it is not. This helps sets expectations. 

"Feathers of Hope" (Sharon Garlough Brown)

TITLE: Feathers of Hope: A Novel
AUTHOR: Sharon Garlough Brown
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (384 pages).

Hope. This world needs hope more than ever. Not only is the world we live in constantly changing, but we too are also changing. As we age, our perspectives, our physical abilities, and our perceptions of our needs will be strangely different. One can either resist the change for as long as possible or embrace change as soon as one can. The former reclines in fear while the latter nudges forward in hope. What better way to describe these transitions through a novel that spells out the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of change. Centering around the lives of three women, this book offers readers many insights into life transitions, losses, and love. Like birds that molt gradually, eventually, one has to face up to a "dramatic shedding of the old." Recognizing how many people are creatures of habit and largely resistant to change, sometimes, we just need to learn to let go and let God, as the popular saying goes. Katherine Rhodes (aka Kit) has been serving as spiritual director of "New Hope Retreat Center." She has helped many people through many spiritual retreats, giving wise guidance as well as spiritual direction. As she prepares to transition to retirement, she makes a bold request for the board to look for a replacement with a dramatically different skill set in order to keep up with the times. This might seem easy to say but to surrender the comfort zones of one's past successes to another is another challenge altogether. Katherine was bold to ask for an "upgrade" from what she could offer. The board managed to find a promising candidate who checked all the boxes. Whether it checks Katherine's insecurities remains to be seen. Even as she prepares to do her last retreat, she has to deal with requests for more retreats by her. 

"The Good and Beautiful You" (James Bryan Smith)

TITLE: The Good and Beautiful You: Discovering the Person Jesus Created You to Be (The Good and Beautiful Series)
AUTHOR: James Bryan Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2022, (240 pages).

From writing about what is good and beautiful about God, the life we could have, and the community we could cultivate, we have the fourth book in this series about the Good and the Beautiful: You. Many self-help books begin with or are aimed at readers as the first person. The key assertion in this book is about the kind of people we could become rather than mere beliefs and practices. That is not all. In order to become the person we are called to become, we need to shed away false selves. Such false images are created when we link our identity with our jobs or things we do. They are also created when we confuse the self with the soul, that we are "selves" rather than "embodied souls," something that modern psychotherapy and our cultural narratives tell us. 

How do we distinguish the differences between the self and the soul? Firstly, recognize our narrative. Smith shows us how the self has become defined in terms of self-reliance; self-dependence; and ultimately; self-idolizing. He pushes back against this type of self which is less about authentic spiritual growth and more about self-absorption, self-accumulation, and self-accomplishment. He lists out several differences between the self and the soul, focusing on the longings within our souls and how only in God can we find true fulfillment. One exercise we can do to distinguish our soul's need from self-needs is an exercise of restraint.

"Prayer in the Night" (Tish Harrison Warren)

TITLE: Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep
AUTHOR: Tish Harrison Warren
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2021, (208 pages).

For many of us, we learn prayer as a manner of talking to God. From the pulpits, we learn about the importance not only of praying but also to pray without ceasing. The Bible says so. The ancients say so. The pastor says so. Many books have been written about prayer. Those who are starting up the journey of prayer might have been influenced by popular books such as Bruce Wilkinson's "The Prayer of Jabez," the prayer books for specific people by Stormie OMartian, and devotional books that help us learn the steps toward God. These books might teach us the techniques of prayer, but they often don't go far enough or deep enough. It didn't take long for many to desire fewer books on techniques and more on what the essence of prayer is about. Enter the ancients. For a time, advanced readers and pilgrims would gravitate toward the early ancients such as St Augustine, St. Clement of Alexandria, St. John Chrysostom, to medieval saints such as St Benedict, St John of the Cross, Julian of Norwich, Teresa of Avila, etc. Readers who prefer something more modern would appreciate prayer books by James M. Houston, Philip Yancey, Richard Foster, Tim Keller, etc. Yet, there are very few books that teach us the compline, or prayers of silence. Enters a powerful prayer book that speaks to us about the latter. In a book that is birthed through personal pain, author Tish Harrison Warren shows us the importance and beauty of praying in the silence. Although the book was written just before the pandemic lockdown in early 2020, it was not inspired by the pandemic but a reflection on the "personal stories of pain, vulnerability, anxiety, and loss that will continue long after the current crisis ends." What a revelation! Just like how the author did not know how her first book won the popular vote, she probably didn't know how this second book speaks to a generation gripped with pandemic worries and concern.  Warren begins the book with a flashback to her time in hospital needing surgery two days after her miscarriage. The first thing in her mind was to pray the Compline. It wasn't simply a prayer for some bleeding to stop or some pain to numb. It's about seeking the peace and comfort of Christ in the midst of growing darkness. Warren learned the necessity of Compline even as she endures two devastating miscarriages and the dark night of the soul where she didn't know how to pray anymore. These and other struggles form the backdrop of her journey into a new prayer dimension. Instead of starting prayer off as a form of daylight ritual, the Compline teaches nighttime prayers. Instead of beginning our journey of prayer, the Compline forms the "last prayer office of the day." Instead of something that hopes only for the best, the Compline enables us to prepare our hearts even in our worst moments. Prayers of Compline could be found in the Anglican Book of Common Prayers online. 

"Charitable Writing" (Richard Hughes Gibson and James Edward Beitler III)

TITLE: Charitable Writing: Cultivating Virtue Through Our Words
AUTHOR: Richard Hughes Gibson and James Edward Beitler III
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (248 pages).

We have been told that love is the greatest. The Bible says so. Our culture also asserts that. We all believe so. We are taught to love our neighbour. We all want love but the truth is, love is often more easily said than done. This applies equally to the field of writing. Authors Richard Gibson and James Beitler helps us understand what it means to apply the expression of love in our writings, via charitable writing. Being a Christian is not just about speaking or living out the good news in public. It is also in how we write and express our love in writing. It is also a way of spiritual formation. It is discipleship. It is using our writing to paint the art of love. The central theme of this book is that "charitable writers listen humbly, argue lovingly, and keep the time of writing hopefully." Without going into the details of how to write or not to write, the focus is on the "big picture," to imagine, to relate, to respond, and how to express our neighbourliness in our writing. In other words, we write not for the sake of writing but for the purpose of showing we care and we love. These can be done through applying "spiritual threshold concepts," which are concepts to help integrate academic disciplines, including the discipline of writing. They engage the wisdom of ancient as well as modern writers to help us along. Through imitation, we learn from the practitioners in the past. Through practice, we apply the process over and over again to solidify the habit. This dual rhythm of imitation and practice are incorporated into the three key parts of the book. I appreciate how the authors remind us once again that writing is not only social and spiritual, it is also communal. The best way to integrate all of these is to begin with humility. Using art and images to supplement this manual about writing charitably, the authors show us the significance of our humble words. It begins with "humble listening." This is most appropriate because charity begins with humility. Being charitable needs to begin with us receiving charity from others. We are reminded that while most writers would write alone, there are wise companions that we can tap upon. Nicolas Frances calls writing a social activity. We cite others. We build upon the works of others. There is also the spiritual component to it when writers pray before writing. 

"Beyond Burnout" (Amy O’Hana)

TITLE: Beyond Burnout: What to Do When Your Work Isn’t Working for You
AUTHOR: Amy O’Hana
PUBLISHER: Eugene, OR: Harvest House Publishers, 2020, (208 pages).

Even in the most enjoyable jobs we do, once we over-exert ourselves, we experience exhaustion leading to burnout. What then can we do about that? How do we sustain our energy levels without wearing ourselves out? As one who has experienced what burnout means, even writing a dissertation about it, there is much to learn from Amy O'Hana. In order to keep us all on the same page, she begins with a description of what burnout is. Externally, it means physical and mental exhaustion. Internally, it involves questions surrounding "meaning, fulfillment, and passion." For Christian ministry workers, the expectations are higher because of the desire to want to please God (and people!). Realizing a wide variety of material and resources in the market that prescribe solutions to burnout, O'Hana wants to help us begin a conversation about the things that really matter to us. Generally speaking, the three types of burnout are physical exhaustion, emotional exhaustion, and loss of meaning. Most people would have a combination of the three that change at different stages of our life experiences. Before we spiral out of control into a crash-and-burn scenario, it is important to take heed by being self-aware and to take steps toward self-care. This is different from selfishness or ego-centric behaviours. It is about caring for the caregiver in us, that we may continue to serve and help others. As the saying goes, "too much of a good thing is not good." For all our good intentions, we can become lost in the busyness of good works. We need a way to be rested. Otherwise, we will become entangled in an unhealthy cycle of "performance, disconnection, and renewed fervor" to do more. We are to remember that we are human beings, not human doings. Through a five-step intentional process, O'Hana teaches us to grow beyond burnout toward spiritual connection with God.

"John" (Brian Chung, Bryan Ye-Chung, & Jan Johnson)

TITLE: John (Alabaster Guided Meditations)
AUTHOR: Brian Chung, Bryan Ye-Chung, & Jan Johnson
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2020, (116 pages).

This is a whopping eBook with a tonne of illustrations on the gospel of John. Filled with incredibly beautiful photos and pictures of daily life, it brings to life the gospel of John by inviting us in via the spiritual practice of lectio divina. For those who don't know what that is, the authors of this book make use of the classic definition of lectio divina by St John of the Cross: "Seek in reading and you will find in meditation; knock in prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation." The authors expand this by incorporating a 4-step process: Read; Reflect; Respond; and Rest. By pairing photos with the gospel of John, the hope is that it will not only illuminate Scripture in a unique way, but also evoke an inner response within our hearts. That as we read the gospel, the photos will prompt us to reflect on the words and to respond accordingly. This is followed by a gratitude in rest. Each guided meditation not only gives us the steps, it shows us the way to read, to reflect, to respond, and to rest. The reader is never left to figure things out alone.

"What Does Your Soul Love?" (Gem Fadling and Alan Fadling)

TITLE: What Does Your Soul Love?: Eight Questions That Reveal God's Work in You
AUTHOR: Gem Fadling and Alan Fadling
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2019, (220 pages).

In order to grow, one needs to change. In order to change for the better, one needs to be willing to be formed. In order to be formed, one needs to be transformed from the inside out. If we want to grow, we need to be changed from the inside out. Often, we need to be challenged into making a decision to be changed. It does not come easy, as Gem shared her struggle with the question whether she would be willing to give up her husband. The the question represents the dark room, the answer provides the light waiting to illuminate the room. Using Thomas Kelly's reflection as a guide, this book essentially helps us connect our mental levels with a more profound inner level through "fruitful interplay." The eight questions proposed by the authors form the framework to enable such interactions. Authors Gem and Alan Fadling lists a few other questions to expand on this. These eight probing questions are:

1. What do you really want? (Your Desire)
2. What is getting in your way? (Your Resistance)
3. Where are you hiding? (Your Vulnerability)
4. What is most real to you? (Your Truth)
5. How are you suffering? (Your Pain)
6. What are you afraid of? (Your Fear)
7. What are you clinging to? (Your Control)
8. What does your soul love? (Your Joy)

"The Magnificent Journey" (James Bryan Smith)

TITLE: The Magnificent Journey: Living Deep in the Kingdom (Apprentice Resources)
AUTHOR: James Bryan Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2018, (176 pages).

Many classics have described the Christian life using the metaphor of a journey of faith. John Bunyan writes "Pilgrim's Progress" to show us the Christian experience from condemnation to redemption; and from redemption to unification with God. Richard Foster also uses the journey motif for his book, "Celebration of Discipline" on spiritual formation. St Teresa of Avila's "Interior Castle" also describes the life of prayer using the journey from where we are toward union with God. There are many others from famous authors such as Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton, and St John of the Cross, the latter writing "The Dark Night of the Soul." This book begins with the author describing his struggle about being stuck at a particular phase of his spiritual life. He desires to seek more of God, to receive greater spiritual insights, and to deepen his knowledge and understanding of the Word of God. So he goes off to an Episcopalian monastery in the Northeast to do just that. After a period of frustration, his mentor asks him a few basic questions to help him to be relaxed before God, and to learn to receive instead of digging for spiritual gems. After all, the deep things of God are patiently received. We cannot control God. We need to let go and let God speak to us, and not allow our agendas to define how we learn spirituality. The author soon realizes that the way forward is to be like Mary who had said: "Let it be with me." This posture marks the start of a great journey called "The Magnificent Journey." This is the road less traveled. It begins by the way of surrender. It is the spiritual art of letting the Word of God speak to us instead of us mining it for spiritual information. It is experiencing the presence of Jesus through the gospels. It is about intentionally setting our minds on things above by focusing on the person of Jesus Christ. It is about listening to God and discover the art of spiritual discernment and prayer. Smith shows us the importance of cultivating the conditions of seeing God instead of using our own efforts to reach God. This requires intentional prayer and contemplation.

"Stages of the Soul" (Nancy J. Kane)

TITLE: Stages of the Soul: God's Invitation to Greater Love
AUTHOR: Nancy J. Kane
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2019, (176 pages).

In our age of anger, arguments, disputes, violence, and war, the word 'love' appears to be some form of wishful thinking. We speak of love but instances of love are generally few and far between. While we are creatures made in the image of God, we are also sinners who constantly defy the work of the Spirit. Love in its essence does not appear out of nowhere. We don't simply invent love. It must first be received. That is why Christian Theology teaches us that love begins with God. Without God, we can do nothing. Just like God who created heaven, earth, and us, we need God to initiate love. This He had done and is continuing to do so daily. We cannot help ourselves. We need God. In a nutshell, if we want to grow in spiritual formation, we need to accept God's invitation to His Divine Love. If you desire a deeper and growing relationship with God, this is an excellent book to read, to reflect, and to ponder upon how to put love into action. The five stages of the soul are:

Stage One - Our First Love
Stage Two - Obedient Love
Stage Three - Persevering Love
Stage Four - Sacrificial Love
Stage Five - Intimate Love

"Calling All Years Good" (Kathleen A. Cahalan & Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore)

TITLE: Calling All Years Good: Christian Vocation throughout Life's Seasons
AUTHOR: Kathleen A. Cahalan & Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids. MI: William B. Eerdmans, 2017, (208 pages).

What is calling? Is a person called only with regard to a particular career or vocation? If that is so, what about people who have retired? What about those who are unable to work for some reason? Do they not have a calling as well? Addressing this is a powerful expansion of calling to address this conventional lopsided understanding of calling. We tend to think of vocation as some kind of a question that could be answered once and for all. Whether it be a Full-Time ministry engagement or a particular career work, people have tended to restrict their understanding of vocation only in one particular part of their life. What about transitions in between vocations? What about life stages? What about retirement? Is there a different calling for each life stage? Or is there only one calling for all of life? These questions are boldly dealt with in this collection of articles that reflect on six phases of life: Childhood; Adolescence; Younger Adulthood; Middle Adulthood; Late Adulthood; and Older Adulthood. No one phase should be allowed to define one’s whole life, for each phase comes with unique challenges and specific contexts. Questions asked during one phase would either be asked differently or be irrelevant altogether in another phase. The key question being asked “What would a lifelong perspective do to our understanding of vocation?”

"Spiritual Maturity" (J. Oswald Sanders)

TITLE: Spiritual Maturity: Principles of Spiritual Growth for Every Believer (Sanders Spiritual Growth Series)
AUTHOR: J. Oswald Sanders
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2017, (288 pages).

We grow not because of our efforts and programs. We grow because of God's grace and mercy. More importantly, we grow according to the holy character of God Himself in the Triune Godhead: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The key thesis in this book is that spiritual maturity is about growing in holiness according to God the Father; growing in conformity to the image of Christ; and growing in obedience to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Written in three parts, each part is devoted to describing the unique ways we can grow in accordance to God's Personal Character.

In Part One, we learn about trusting in God's providence; revering in God's holiness; gratitude about God's Perseverance; accepting of God's disciplines; hoping in God's ultimate deliverance; and looking forward to God's ultimate promises in time to come. Part Two reveals to us the vision of God in Christ; the humble sacrifice of Christ as Lamb; the way Christ prayed for us; the costs of discipleship; the personal pleas for us to follow Him; and learning to live victoriously in Christ. Part Three is about the ways of the Holy Spirit through the transforming power; the purging fire; the powerful outworking of God's will in gifts and signs; and the evangelization of the world. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse followed by a passage to be read. Sanders then launches into a devotional cum reflection on the Character of God as described in the passage. With vivid illustrations and powerful images of God's Personhood, Sanders does not simply show us the light to spiritual growth, he lets God be illuminated through the pages to teach us the ways of God and the path toward spiritual maturity.

"The Magnificent Story" (James Bryan Smith)

TITLE: The Magnificent Story: Uncovering a Gospel of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth (Apprentice Resources)
AUTHOR: James Bryan Smith
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2017, (192 pages).

The Bible has sometimes been referred to the Story of stories. It tells of a Big Story that we are all part of. Stories have a way of revealing life as they are without the need to explain every little detail. Stories are less about facts but more about life as they are. They could be dissected and analyzed but stories go beyond the dimensions of exegesis and analysis. They are pregnant with meaning and spiritual significance. For author James Bryan Smith, these stories are also opportunities for spiritual formation. According to Smith, there are four ways to use these stories individually. We can prepare a notebook with empty pages to be ready to answer questions. We can read each chapter thoroughly to let the content seep into our hearts. We can do the weekly soul training exercises. We can journal our reflections on the notebook. He encourages us to use the content to interact, to encourage, and to connect with others to make the writing of our own stories as part of our communities. We cannot do this on our own. The best way forward is to be formed into the likeness of Christ, which is what the magnificent story is all about. This magnificence is described in three ways. It is beauty magnified; goodness magnified; and truth magnified. These are the "three transcendentals" to help us live out the divine story of our lives.

"Teaching the Next Generations" (Terence D. Linhart)

TITLE: Teaching the Next Generations: A Comprehensive Guide for Teaching Christian Formation
AUTHOR: Terence D. Linhart
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2016, (352 pages).

It has been often said that the young is the future of our society. In churches all over the world, the young are also the future of the leadership of the Church. How the children and formed when young often becomes the way they help lead the Church in the future. What then are the factors to guide them? How can the leaders of today help the formation of the leaders of tomorrow? How can we navigate the complex realities today for an unknown tomorrow? If adults are already facing difficult challenges, how can we expect the young to tackle their generational challenges if we do not lead by example? This book's premise is that teaching Christian Formation is an imperative, not an option. We need to help them understand spiricual formation and that learning happens at all ages. We need to be guided by important theologies and appropriate theories. We need a repertoire of creative methods and to be committed to the spiritual disciplines like prayer, and spiritual transformation. We need to teach not merely to download information but to work toward spiritual transformation and growth. This means working toward maturity and be anchored in Christ. It also means discipleship. The book is subdivided into five sections.