"Where Goodness Still Grows" (Amy Peterson)

TITLE: Where Goodness Still Grows: Reclaiming Virtue in an Age of Hypocrisy
AUTHOR: Amy Peterson
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing, 2020, (224 pages).

The American evangelical image is going through an ugly patch right now. Believers are divided. Unbelievers are disgusted. The silent majority are shaking their heads. American evangelicalism is broken. It has split believers into more ways than one. More often than not, political allegiances dominate personal integrity. Standing up for values becomes more important than character of the person. The ends justify the means. Power trumps truth. Many people have used at least five things to demonize the perceptions of Christians these days: Judgmentalism, Legalism, Intolerance, Sexism, and Hypocrisy. Of all these five, hypocrisy has been something that haunted Christianity through the ages. Even during the time of Jesus, hypocrisy has been rearing its ugly head in the lives of the Pharisees and various religious leaders. Author Amy Peterson captures this state in American evangelicalism today. She notes: "Something has gone terribly wrong in the culture that taught me about virtue. I learned how to find truth in Scripture and orient my life around loving God and my neighbor from a community that seems to have stopped believing many of the things they taught me—things like the value of every human life, the importance of religious freedom, and the sanctity of marriage; things like hospitality, purity, modesty, truth, and love. I find myself now wondering if the ground I grew up in was radioactive all along and whether anything good can grow here. Does this hypocrisy mean I need to discard everything I learned growing up in the evangelical church?"

"A Different Kind of Fast" (Alicia Britt Chole)

TITLE: 40 Days of Decrease: A Different Kind of Hunger. A Different Kind of Fast.
AUTHOR: Alicia Britt Chole
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing, 2015, (272 pages).

This is a book of Lenten reflections. Instead of a cold turkey fast of some sort, there is a gradual "decrease" of sorts. Writing from a position of illness and weakness, author Alicia Britt Chole shows us a different kind of fasting, one that demonstrates a slow but sure approach to purifying our hearts. Here, we are urged to set aside 30 minutes to an hour daily so that we can prepare our hearts for an intentional fast from something. Each day, readers are introduced to a particular kind of fast, all for the common goal of softening our heart to be open to the moving of God. We learn that fasting is less about refraining from something and more about surrendering to God. The destination of fasting is not checking off items on our to-do list but that of love. It is not some kind of self-inflicted punishment but  an encouragement of forgiveness. It is about self-awareness that we are already small compared to a big God, and that through praise, we enter into the presence of God in awe and wonder. We learn about the use of light and how unplugging ourselves from modern conveniences ushers us into a more natural pace of life. We appreciate the messiness of faith and not be so worked up over the need to keep our faith tidy and neat. We fast from rushing past sorrow, a legitimate human emotion. We fast from rationalism, isolation, stinginess, and spectatorship. By noticing ordinary things that we can fast from, we are made more aware of the many things we have taken for granted, and to be thankful for what we have and NOT have. In relationships, we fast from criticism and judgmentalism. There is a comprehensiveness that I have not seen before in Lenten devotionals.

Chole is very perceptive and it takes one to know what to fast from. Perhaps, the author's struggle with illness has sharpened her ability to notice the little things in life, both visible and invisible. Each day, there is a Scripture passage, followed by a thoughtful description about a particular aspect of life. A "Reflection" ensues which is then followed by what we can fast for the day. Each day concludes with an opportunity to worship and to praise God.  For a small book of devotions, there is a respectable amount of citations and shared resources.

The author is founding director of Leadership Investment Intensives Inc, a non-profit organization devoted to soul-care to leaders in both the marketplace as well as churches. The multiple endorsements at the beginning of the book should give readers an idea of how revered and respected the author is. The interesting thing about the kind of decrease that Chole advocates is this: There is a strong sense of "Less is more" that as we seek to fast from some aspect of life, strangely, we find that we gain a new perspective, a renewed understanding of God, and a fresh appreciation of the things we have and not have. This is certainly a unique book. Every page oozes wisdom and spiritual guidance. It is a kind of fasting that leaves us not empty but filled. Each day, the author shows us something that we can fast from. It is altogether very manageable but also probes deeply into the things that can so easily entangle us. You would do well to use this book to supplement your Lent.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of BookLookBloggers and Thomas-Nelson in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Bandersnatch" (Erika Morrison)

TITLE: Bandersnatch: An Invitation to Explore Your Unconventional Soul
AUTHOR: Erika Morrison
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2015, (224 pages).

This is a book with a very unique name. What is "Bandersnatch?" Readers familiar with Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass may recall this as a mythical creature that is wild and ferocious. Morrison defines this as "a person with uncouth, or unconventional habits and attitudes, even as someone considered to be a bit of a troublemaker or nuisance" and applies it to transformed believers wanting to be a counter cultural force in this world. Instead of relying on what the world tells us what we must do, why not be liberated from the chains of worldliness and to let loose our authentic selves that God has created us to be. In other words, live not according to expectations but according to our identity. It is about being free, being our real selves, and not to be conformed to this world.

It all began with Jesus Christ, the one who defied the religious norms then; the one who braved the impending persecutions and suffered the eventual execution. Unlike popular books like the Prayer of Jabez's push toward triumphalism, the author manages to discern blessings beyond the high-fives to the lows. For "blessed" is a spiritual quality that comes from learning from the hard school of faith. Morrison calls herself a visionary and life artist who resides in the New University Town of New Haven, CT. In this book, she looks at life from four creative angles: Avant-Garde; Alchemy; Anthropology; and Art. From her research, "Avant-Garde" is defined as "lifestyle values that are informed by unorthodox and experimental methods, daring approaches, radical pioneering, and a push against the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or status quo." Her two examples of Avant-Garde are Dr Martin Luther King Jr and Lady Gaga. Surprise? Applying it to faith matters, Morrison believes that Christians are called to Avant-Garde, willing to push the boundaries of the world to usher in the kingdom of God. This can be cultivated through dancing;. through contemplating on the love of God; to improve our gaze on God as our dance partner. This means learning to accept what God has given us, and not impose "cookie cut spirituality" on others, like how the author relates her experience of being pushed by some to receiving the gift of tongues but frustrated in not receiving it. Learn to pray with your body. Be open to unorthodox parenting, like trying to find work for her 12-year-old boy in a society that only accepts those 16 and above. Be ready to let God's Spirit lead more than mere parental guides and pamphlets issued by community groups. Just because the statistics say so does not necessarily mean our kids have to follow them. Learning to be uniquely ourselves, being uncommon in a common world can be scary but experientially rewarding

"Unoffendable" (Brant Hansen)

TITLE: Unoffendable: How Just One Change Can Make All of Life Better
AUTHOR: Brant Hansen
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2015, (224 pages).

The word "community" has been thrown around quite a lot by many institutions, social help groups, corporate environments, as well as non-profits throughout the world. While trumpeting the merits of working together, the fact is that as people rush from place to place, and to work from dawn to dusk, tempers can easily flare when things do not meet our expectations. From rude behaviours in the workplace to aggressive drivers at the highways, all it often take is an unexpected event that can easily lit our fuses. For those with short fuses, the result is a terrible emotional outburst that can do a lot of damage. There are road rages and boardroom battles. There are even angry exchanges on social media that if picked up by the mainstream media, turn a petty dispute into an all-out war of words. This is what makes this book an extremely practical one. It is the author's contention that just by giving up our right to be angry is a significant change that can enable us to live better. On the area of "righteous anger," Hansen maintains that it is not supported in Scripture. He writes: "We humans are experts at casting ourselves as victims and rewriting narratives that put us in the center of injustices. (More on this in a bit.) And we can repaint our anger or hatred of someone—say, anyone who threatens us—into a righteous-looking work of art." On and on, Hansen advocates peaceful speech, gracious behavior, and a sustained emphasis on self-control, self-restraint, and self-denial. Using examples and teachings from peace rights activists like Dr Martin Luther King Jr, theologians like CS Lewis and Dietrich Bonhoeffer, pastors like Tim Keller, and popular writers like Philip Yancey and Henri Nouwen, Hansen makes his case that there is really nothing for one to lose but everything to gain as far as not being easily offended is concerned.

He deals with the important subject of injustice, while affirming the fact of injustices happening, he advocates that the way ahead is to let our actions be motivated by love. Whether it is tough love or otherwise, it is critical not to let anger have its way, or to let our human emotions take control. Rather, it is to let God work through us by stepping out of inner anger toward fighting injustice not with fighting, but with firm loving. The motives matter a lot. If it is simply a reaction, it may become a wrong trying to correct another wrong, which is wrong in itself. Readers are reminded that behind many angry acts is actually a person whose pride has been hurt.

Being angry is a choice. We can either choose to give in easily to anger to allow it to fly beyond rage, or to exercise self-control by giving up our right to be angry. This is the key message of Christian radio host and author, Brant Hansen. This one change of perspective is the rudder that turns the ship of uncontrolled anger and cultivates an unoffendable spirit. Very readable and tremendously applicable to modern day living, this book speaks about anger from a Christian perspective. In the Bible, we learn "in your anger, do not sin," which means that behind every anger moment is an opportunity for sin to grow. Believers must learn to look beyond the offending event and remember that the person who had hurt us is not the enemy. The enemy is somewhere else trying to make us sin against that brother or a sister, or that person that Jesus had died for. When we gain the bigger perspective of God's love for the world, we will learn to see from God's point of view and to live according to the teachings of Christ. Love your enemies. Pray for them. Love them the way Christ had loved them.


Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of W Publishing Group, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"Killing Christians" (Tom Doyle)

TITLE: Killing Christians: Living the Faith Where It's Not Safe to Believe
AUTHOR: Tom Doyle
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2014, (240 pages).

Persecution of Christians is the new normal, so says Tom Doyle, missionary to the Middle East via the e3 Partners, a global church planting ministry. Also a tour guide for the state of Israel, he puts together real life stories of persecution from Africa to the Middle East. While names have been changed, the stories they represent are very true to life. With ISIS grabbing the headlines in Iraq and Syria, one can easily forget that back in the 8th Century BC, the Assyrians were doing the exact same thing on God's people. Doyle tells the stories in a way to remind us that Christians ought not be surprised at suffering and persecution due to their faith in Jesus. If it is any consolation, Doyle asserts that any persecution of Christians usually result in the spread of the gospel message. In contrast, the Church in the West which is hardly persecuted like the ones mentioned above, is hardly growing. For if suffering propels the gospel message, comfort and luxury keeps one spiritually apathetic. Doyle makes several dramatic statements:

• "Persecuted believers are the face of genuine Christianity"
• "Because Jesus’ message of love and reconciliation thrives in a climate where hostility, danger, and martyrdom are present."
• "Persecution and the spread of the gospel are as inseparable as identical twins. " 
• "Suffering propels the growth of Jesus movements around the world."

"It's a God Thing Vol 2" (Don Jacobson and K-Love)

TITLE: It's a God Thing Volume 2: When Miracles Happen to Everyday People
AUTHOR: Don Jacobson and K-Love
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2014, (216 pages).

We often read about miracles in the Bible. Miracles like people being healed; water turned into wine; food getting multiplied; and miraculous signs and wonders from both the Old and New Testament. Are miracles real? Do they still occur today? This volume sings out 46 stories of miraculous events happening to ordinary people. The author himself is one living testimony. In 1980, Jacobson accidentally shot himself in the woods with a 12-gauge shotgun. For nine hours, he bled and death appeared imminent. Until he was miraculously found. This event spawned a desire to search and to collect miracle stories to remind us that God is still present today. Don Jacobson was formerly President and owner of Multnomah Publishers, and is well known in the Christian publishing world.

With the success of the first volume about miracle stories happening to everyday people, together with K-Love radio network, this second volume continues the stories. The miracles cover all walks of life, many different situations of dire needs, and the amazing results of how God works. Like how Steve managed to escape from a runaway truck; how Kellie White managed to retrieve a lost "special thing" for a stranger; Steve Nestor's story of being healed from Stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma; the inexplicable disappearance of cancer from a patient; about a Vietnamese refugee fleeing the Communist regime on land and surviving pirates in dangerous waters; and even the sight of "three perfect sunflowers" that amazing appeared to touch a special moment for people in grief.

Often told in the first person, the stories read like a "Chicken Soup" series of stories to encourage the weary and the discouraged. The difference is the way the stories are told. All the stories are seen human impossibility in sight. All occurred when individuals seemed to be in their wit's end. Then the impossible happened. Just like the moment in Mark 10:27 when Jesus said to the disciples after his saying about a camel entering the eye of a needle: "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

Let this book accompany the many stories through the ages of how God works. For those feeling a bit down and almost out, this book may give them a fresh dose of hope and faith. For those who are skeptical of the stories, learn to give the storytellers the benefit of the doubt. After all, miracles defy natural reasoning. Rationale and logic do not add up to explaining all the things in this world, let alone the unknown universe. As Christmas approaches, it is good to be reminded of what the Christian story is about. Quoting CS Lewis,

"The Christian story is precisely the story of one grand miracle, the Christian assertion being that what is beyond all space and time, what is uncreated, eternal, came into nature, into human nature, descended into His own universe, and rose again, bringing nature up with Him. It is precisely one great miracle. If you take that away there is nothing specifically Christian left." (CS Lewis, "The Grand Miracle" in God in the Dock, Eerdmans, 1970, p80)

May these stories point us more toward the God of the Universe, the Grand Miracle of miracles, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rating: 4.25 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me courtesy of the publisher and Shelton Interactive in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"The Hope Quotient" (Ray Johnston)

TITLE: The Hope Quotient: Measure It. Raise It. You'll Never Be the Same.
AUTHOR: Ray Johnston
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2014, (240 pages).

Many believers say that faith is the only thing we need. Others echo along with it that "All you need is love." What about the other aspect of 1 Corinthians 13:13, Hope? Why is faith and love relatively more talked about that hope when hope is the very thing the world needs more and more? Founder and President of Thriving Churches International, Ray Johnston aims to up our "hope quotient" (HQ) and inject this necessary attribute for the world at large, and for people from all walks of life. Johnston, an inspirational speaker and life coach had spent seven years researching the material for this book. It all began with a conversation with his daughter who told him that the greatest thing she can ever have is to be encouraged. Johnston in turn saw through it all, and learned that the greatest gift indeed is the gift of hope. This is because hope liberates one from the past; motivates one to bounce back from despair; initiates one's freedom to dream; and activates the making of the world into a better place. On the opposite end of the spectrum is discouragement which Johnston calls a "disease" that discourages, depresses, and destroys. The main thesis of the book is: "Raising these Seven Factors raises Your Hope Quotient which creates Fresh Vision which unleashes a Whole New Future."