"Three Pieces of Glass" (Eric O. Jacobsen)

TITLE: Three Pieces of Glass: Why We Feel Lonely in a World Mediated by Screens
AUTHOR: Eric O. Jacobsen
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (288 pages).

Relationship is the glue that bonds a society together. Driven by a desire to belong, we live in a challenging environment to navigate between our inner needs and outer cultural climate. Author Eric Jacobsen calls refers to this as "the crisis of belonging." Why a crisis? It is because of three key challenges or barriers that are keeping people from one another: Relational; Place; and Narrative. Throughout the book, readers will see how these three challenges constantly prevent people from finding their sense of belonging. Written in four parts, Jacobsen skillfully guides us through the reasons why we are increasingly lonely. Beginning with the scene from Cheers where the chorus chimes, "You want to be where everybody knows your name," he paints a picture where we all long to belong. With rising fragmentation of society, the diminishing common spaces to gather, and the loss of a common story that we can share in, it is becoming harder to build relationships.  The irony is that, while we all want to have our own private spaces in life, we hide that innate desire in us to want to connect publicly. Jacobsen looks at the problem of relationships and belonging through several different angles.

"Practicing" (Kathy Escobar)

TITLE: Practicing: Changing Yourself to Change the World
AUTHOR: Kathy Escobar
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (247 pages).

We have often heard of pleas to walk the talk; to put ideas into action; and to put theories into practice. Whatever the expressions, the common theme is that people are sincerely wanting to live out their faith authentically and tangibly. Practice is also about change: Not more but deeper; not bigger but stronger; not better but integrated. For faith is not a static belief but active practice. For author and pastor Kathy Escobar, it is not just one but ten practices that we can do to change the world beginning with ourselves. In a powerful introduction, she gives several reasons why all Christians need this book. Generally, in a world where people talk more than they walk, we need to do the reverse, to declare faith as a verb to be practiced instead to be passively talked about. That does not mean that we do not talk. It simply means that whatever we talk, be ready to apply. So the word "practice" is the active verb throughout the book. She explores the nature of practicing via several dimensions. It is about being "tangible" to make our faith visible. It is about walking with people, to mourn with those who mourn, and to rejoice with those who rejoice. It is about becoming like Christ before others. It is about "improvement," where we move from popular words like "more, bigger, or better" toward "deeper, stronger, and more integrated." This improvement begins from the inside out. While emphasizing the practicing more than the talking, she admits that conversations are still necessary. She even gives us six broad sets of ground rules to begin the conversation process. In summary, we are called to be Christ's physical ministry to others. The ten practices are:

"Post Christian" (Gene Edward Veith Jr.)

TITLE: Post-Christian: A Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture
AUTHOR: Gene Edward Veith Jr.
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishers, 2020, (320 pages).

There has been lots of talk about postmodernism, so much so that it has become a catchphrase to simply represent anything after modernism. While the theologian Thomas Oden sees modernism as post-Communism and "hyper modernism," and the rise of relativism thought, the author feels that it is more about the loss of moral clarity in an increasingly "spiritual but not religious" climate. In this context, author Gene Edward Veith Jr has chosen to discuss the shape of Christianity in the midst of this postmodern atmosphere. Using the term "Post-Christian," he is careful to explain that it is not the end of Christianity per se, but a "new Christian guide to contemporary thought and culture." With great care and astute observation, Veith highlights the nature of the "universal wolf" having the tripartite of "power, will, and appetite":

• POWER: Many institutions and movements have become "masks" for power; The fight for power is shrouded as a form of resistance against any form of transgression; (eg. push-backs by LGBTQ against traditionalists, racial minorities against whites, pro-choice against opponents, etc)
• WILL: The will is higher than "moral meaning." Choice is the ultimate over all other things, feeding on the legislation of human rights.
• APPETITE: We all have a right to what we want, what we feel, and what we desire.

"Seeking Him" (Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom)

TITLE: Seeking Him: Experiencing the Joy of Personal Revival
AUTHOR: Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth and Tim Grissom
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2019, (275 pages).

Do you want to restore your first love for Jesus? How can we deal with our conflicts and repair our relationships? What does it take to remove bitterness? What are the things needed to rekindle a desire for God? What about refreshing our spirit for a deeper experience of God? These and many more are some of the topics covered in this book under one goal: Seeking God earnestly. Before jumping into that, the authors give us a clearer definition of what kind of "revival" they are talking about. It is not a series of religious meetings that comprise all kinds of activities, including motivational seminar types we see in the corporate world. Neither is it outreach evangelistic campaigns nor seasons of fervour. Rather, it is a planned, intentional, and sustained process of seeking God from the inside out. It can also be used as a group study. Over a 12-week period, this book helps readers do just that. Each lesson comprises a common framework. The typical week comprises:

• Day 1: Faith-Builder Story
• Days 2-5: Truth Encounter / Making It Personal
• Days 6-7: Seeking Him Together.

"Materiality as Resistance" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: Materiality as Resistance: Five Elements for Moral Action in the Real World
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2020, (120 pages).

Like many of Brueggemann's books, this book is a corrective against the excesses of the past. It is not about materialism which is bad. It is about materiality, which is the rightful understanding and constructive use of material things. There was a time where the Church has played a key role in "sanitizing" material things. In the sixth century, many people were overly preoccupied with all things spiritual to the detriment of material things. With dualism and gnostic beliefs, people were quick to segregate the material from the spiritual. Taken to the extreme, they consider all material things bad and all spiritual things good. "Materiality as Resistance" is about resisting such dualistic beliefs and to redeem the creative use of material things, without compromising on our spiritual beliefs. The five elements are: Money; Food; Body; Time; and Place.

On Money, Brueggemann begins with a push-back against John Wesley's popular maxim: "Earn all you can; give all you can; save all you can." While generally accepted by believers, especially Methodists and those from the Wesleyan tradition, this common saying about earning, saving, and giving has often been accepted without much critique. Yet, Brueggemann boldly pushes against this by asking three formidable questions:

"Character Matters" (Aaron Menikoff)

TITLE: Character Matters: Shepherding in the Fruit of the Spirit
AUTHOR: Aaron Menikoff
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2020, (208 pages).

A ministry not marked by the fruit of the Spirit is doomed to fail, if not sooner than later. Most people who read the Galatians 5 passage would readily apply it generally to the Christian life. For author Aaron Menikoff, he specifically applies it to ministry leaders such as pastors and church leaders. More specifically, this book is about pastoral sanctification. They should model such a process of fruit-bearing for the people they shepherd, and to be an example of abiding in Christ and becoming more Christlike. The way to do so is to work through the fruit of the Spirit one by one, which is exactly what this book is about. Character matters enough for any leader or believer to do something about it. For the sake of the kingdom. Menikoff says it well, that "abiding in Christ isn’t just about becoming a Christian; it’s about growing as a Christian. Spiritual fruit is the believer’s sanctification." When working through the nine virtues in Galatians 5:22-23, we are reminded that they are meant to lead us along a path, and are not meant to be an end in itself. The goal is holiness. Along the way we need to deal with our own blind spots. The first is the misplaced notion of self-importance that corrupts what God's love is all about. Good sermons do not replace the need to love people.

"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.

"When Narcissism Comes to Church" (Chuck DeGroat)

TITLE: When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
AUTHOR: Chuck DeGroat
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 2020, (208 pages).

Self-love is not entirely a bad thing. After all, Jesus did tell us to love our neighbour as ourselves. So, what is the problem when it comes to self-love? The one word answer is: Narcissism. Self-love beomes bad when all the focus, or most of the focus is on ourselves. Someone has said that love is not love until it is given away. Narcissism fits that description of the kind of love that is not given away. How do we recognize it when it arrives? This is what this book is about. Chuck DeGroat has pointed out the major prognosis: It must start with the leadership, in particular, the pastor. The Church of today is swimming in the cultural waters of narcissism. Whether it is a #MeToo or #ChurchToo taglines, many are increasingly impatient about matters pertaining to their needs. More astutely, the author takes us to a deeper level of understanding the roots of narcissism. Taking a leaf from Christopher Lasch's definition of narcissism as "the longing to be free from longing," it is a critical look at narcissism as an unhealthy desire to be dehumanized superhumans. In other words, narcissism makes us "less human." Written over a period of twenty over years, DeGroat shares his experiences with people who had gone through brokenness, pain, and healing. We need to be careful not to carelessly apply labels on people. While we are all capable of narcissistic behaviour, it would be inappropriate to call anybody a narcissist. I think that makes sense. Keeping it as an adjective is more redeemable. Some of the observations about narcissism in the church do offer food for thought. These include:

"The End of Youth Ministry?" (Andrew Root)

TITLE: The End of Youth Ministry?: Why Parents Don't Really Care about Youth Groups and What Youth Workers Should Do about It (Theology for the Life of the World)
AUTHOR: Andrew Root
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020, (240 pages).

What is youth ministry for? What is its purpose? Some say it is for helping young people not waste their lives, to learn to be good people. Others say it is for God. Still, others, especially parents would want them to learn something good for the soul, on top of other priority activities. Still there are those who think that youths need their own space. So they carve out a ministry for young people and call it youth ministry. Does it work? According to Andrew Root, he thinks that times have changed. The youth ministries we have known in the past are now dwindling fast. Not only is it difficult to sustain the model of the past, it is impossible to see it growing in the future. Rather than to immerse ourselves into some archaic dying model, we are challenged to rise above these things of old to embrace the central motivation for ministry: Joy. Author and professor of youth and young adult ministry, Andrew Root has seen many signs of the "somewhat directionless" youth ministry. The title of the book is essentially a challenge for all to re-examine the implications of such a shift in the ministry. The purpose of such a ministry is clear: To reach out to the young for Jesus. Yet, the methods and strategies need to be adapted in order to meet the needs of changing times. By understanding the reasons behind the cultural changes, it is hoped that not only will we refresh our outreach to this generation, we will also learn about what it means to live a good life. The central concern of this book is two-fold: First, it is to refresh our understanding of the purpose of youth ministry. Second, it is to tie together parents' vision of a good life and how such a vision influences and impacts their children. Root's central thesis is that any such ministry must be led by joy and to progress toward true joy. This whole book is thus an "ode to joy."

"Five to Thrive" (Dr Kathy Koch)

TITLE: Five to Thrive: How to Determine If Your Core Needs Are Being Met (and What to Do When They're Not)
AUTHOR: Kathy Koch
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2020, (240 pages).

The popular cliche says: "Don't just try to survive, thrive!" It is a nice way to inspire one to grow beyond the status quo. Yet, there is also a sense that such motivational phrases might have become too common, or overused. Strangely, many people still pay lots of money to go to motivational seminars and lavish conferences to get a new kick at life. The trouble is, once the initial hype is over, everything goes back to square one. What happens next? Another motivational project? If only there is a proven way not only to get a motivational impetus, but to make it sustainable. This book acts on that principle, not just driven by our human determination, but linked intricately to divine dependence. At the same time, there is sufficient qualitative and quantitative data to support the way to thrive. Thanks to Kathy Koch, we have one helpful avenue to improve our lives. The way to do that is to determine our core skills in our journey to being whole persons, fully in tune with who we are and what we are created to be. We cannot be less than who we are. The moment we are able to be the best of ourselves, that is where thriving begins. Author Kathy Koch lists five things that can make us whole. She calls these the "five core needs."

"3 Words That Will Change Your Life" (Mike Novotny)

TITLE: 3 Words That Will Change Your Life
AUTHOR: Mike Novotny
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2020, (192 pages).

Is God far away? How can we experience God more intimately? All you need are three words: "God is Here." Sounds too good to be true? Perhaps, but author and pastor Mike Novotny has creatively used this phrase as a powerful catchphrase to connect us with our relationship with God. It is simple and easy to follow. Before that, he shows us some "life killers" that could derail us from properly following God. Some of these warnings include treating God like some kind of a distant "vague higher power." Some people are mystified when they think about God. In fact, many young people don't even think about God when asked about their life goals. They don't even live with any thoughts of God as they make their life decisions. Apart from thinking God as some distant irrelevant being, the other danger is to see God as some future celestial coming, which is another way of pushing away God's relevance in our lives. For if God is only God of the future and not for the present, then is He really God? Another mistake is to see God as relevant for others but not for us. This is a sad misreading. With Novotny putting to death the three erroneous "life killers," we are set to see God as Someone who is here for us now, in the present, and also in the future. God is here always. The author shares about how Ps 73 saved him and guided him to a deeper and personal relationship with God. God is bigger than any of our problems. Our biggest problem is that we don't think much of God in the first place. This needs to be corrected because it is simply not true. The Lord's Prayer is a reminder to us that we pray to a Living God who is here. Otherwise, that prayer has no meaning.

"I've Seen the End of You" (W. Lee Warren)

TITLE: I've Seen the End of You: A Neurosurgeon's Look at Faith, Doubt, and the Things We Think We Know
AUTHOR: W. Lee Warren
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook, 2020, (272 pages).

What do you do with a tumour that has a 100% fatality rate? How do we cope with situations where there is no more hope for survival? Hope is one of the most cherished and necessary virtues for life. With hope, we can still grind through life. Without hope, it is a completely different story. He writes his experiences with patients, family, and loved ones with regard to life, faith, doubt, pain, gratitude, and hope. In a book that reads like a personal memoir, author and neurosurgeon, Dr Lee Warren shows us what he had learned from the experiences of people nearing death and losing hopes for survival. Many things he thought he knew, only to be humbled to realize that there are still many things he did not know. He shares these experiences in this personal revelation of faith, doubt, despair, and hope. The key question throughout the book is the very question the author wrote to Philip Yancey: "How can I pray for my patients when I already know how God is going to answer?" This is with regard to the type of brain cancer called "Glioblastoma Multiforme" (GBM), where from his medical experience has 100% fatality rate. For Warren, it is also a question of faith. "What happens when our messy lives mess with what we think we believe?"

"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?"

"Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians" (James Emery White)

TITLE: Christianity for People Who Aren’t Christians
AUTHOR: James Emery White
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2019, (240 pages).

What does it mean to share the gospel? What about those who don't understand the Christian language or common lingos? Is there are way to share the gospel simply without expecting pre-requisite knowledge from the hearers? Yes there is a way. Author and pastor James Emery White shows us the way to answer common questions that non-Christians ask, and how we could answer them.

He tackles the question of God by asking: "What kind of God do you believe in?" Going into the sciences and the question of origins, White raises question after question from the perception of the seeker. How do life begin? What made it come together? Is the idea of supernaturalism realistic? White approaches the topic from a scientific angle, asking probing questions to show readers that all of the human race begin with significantly common ground. Things happen from something. We are more than simply a body of DNA. He makes a strong case that without God, explaining life does not make sense. He asks questions about morality, about family, and things which society at large are concerned about. Science is great but it can only cover limited ground.

"Following Jesus" (Henri J. M. Nouwen)

TITLE: Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety
AUTHOR: Henri J. M. Nouwen
PUBLISHER: New York, NY: Convergent Books, 2019, (144 pages).

We are restless people easily given to fear and driven by anxiety. In a tired world, we gravitate toward doing too much or doing nothing. How can we make sense of our calling in the midst of such a stressful and anxious culture? The simple words of Jesus beckon us: "Follow Me." This is the main idea in this small book about discipleship and spirituality. More important than simply finding a solution to be less anxious or stressful, we are gently encouraged to look to Jesus at every step of the way. Under the teaching of Henri Nouwen, one of the most famous spiritual guides of our age, we have a little gem of spiritual direction. Nouwen sketches six steps in the process of following Jesus. Each step builds on the other to give us a journey to look forward to. The book starts off with a plain questions: "Are you following Jesus?" For many Christians, it would be far too obvious a question to answer. Some might even think it is sarcasm. For Nouwen, it is an essential question that ties together six aspects of spirituality.

"Understanding Transgender Identities" (James K. Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy, eds.)

TITLE: Understanding Transgender Identities: Four Views
AUTHOR: James K. Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy, eds.
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2019, (272 pages).

As Western society becomes more liberal, traditional and conventional forms of understanding sexuality will be challenged in more ways than one. Editors James Beilby and Paul Eddy observe that since the 60s, sexuality and gender have become more openly discussed and debated. While many have spoken about women's rights and issues; marriage; homosexuality; there is little mention about transgender identities. This book aims to provide a platform for scholarly and respectful discussion and debate. Five contributors are invited to give their views. One of them in particular, Justin Sabia-Tanis "transitioned from female to male more than twenty years ago." This gives the book a more unique perspective into the inner struggles of transgenderism. Like most "four views" books, the editors invited scholars, theologians, researchers, educators, counselors to offer their views on transgender concerns. Unlike books that focus on just the pros and cons of each view, this book takes the approach of examining the underlying reasons for each view. Beilby and Eddy set the stage up by looking at the issues from a historical angle; contemporary concerns; and how to promote conversations to engage different views.

"From Judgment to Hope" (Walter Brueggemann)

TITLE: From Judgment to Hope: A Study on the Prophets
AUTHOR: Walter Brueggemann
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2019, (140 pages).

What comes to mind when we think about the biblical prophets? Perhaps, a cursory reading might make the reader think that they were mere judgment prophets, always giving bad news to kings and leaders of corrupt nations. While they do pronounce judgments from God on evil kings, they are also prophets of hope, and in the words of the author, they are "emancipated imaginers of alternative." This vision of hope per se needs something else: Their realization from loss to restoration. Thus, the main thrusts of the prophetical books are two-fold: 1) "from judgment to hope"; 2) "from loss to restoration." Not only is this the prophetic thrust, it is also the gospel emphasis as stated in the Eucharist: "Christ has died. Christ is risen, Christ will come again." The prophets are more than mere judgment or statements of hope. It is the whole revelation of God from judgment to redemption; and from loss to restoration. What a holistic view of the prophets. Filled with gems for interpretation and many insights to the major and minor prophets, readers are in for a treat in this book.

"The Soul of Wine" (Gisela H. Kreglinger)

TITLE: The Soul of Wine: Savoring the Goodness of God
AUTHOR: Gisela H. Kreglinger
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2019, (144 pages).

What has wine got to do with God and spirituality? How does wine appreciation and faith matters relate to each other? What is the soul of wine? Author and wine-lover Gisela Kreglinger leads us through the vineyard of spirituality to connect the beauty of God's creation of wine to the profound meaning behind God's intent, purpose, and goodness. Instead of letting spirituality speak into the world of fine wine, Kreglinger goes the other direction to let wine speak to us about spirituality. Jews believe wines gladden their hearts. Many cultures throughout the world hold wines in a special albeit with a mysterious awe. Going back to the Bible, we learn about Jesus's encounters with wine. From the wedding at Cana where He turned water into wine; to the Last Supper where He served his disciples with bread and wine. Even the apostle Paul mentions wine for medicinal purposes. There is also a lot that we can learn about wine itself. It not only reveals God to us, it leads us to God's gifts for us. This is what the author aims to do: "help us rediscover wine as a spiritual and cultural gift." We need to sip it bit by bit in order to savour the goodness of the colour, the smell, the taste, and the overall experience. This cannot be rushed. When we are thirsty, we often gulp down a glass of water. Sometimes we do the same with wine. This reduces wine to simply a liquid to be swallowed instead of a gift to be savoured. This is the author's second book on wine and faith matters. Her first was "The Spirituality of Wine" which links the whole process of wine-making, wine-tasting, and wine-drinking, with the ordinary things in life. This book continues that orientation but with a more personalized focus on God and His desire to reach out and touch us. Her thesis is this: "Wine is an affair of the heart. Savoring wine can and should be an affair of the heart where we are moved and touched and elevated." This affair is essentially about God reaching out to us. Thus, this book goes beyond mere spirituality toward an encounter with God. How does wine teach us this? Kreglinger describes this in 14 chapters. I like to mention a few highlights.