"Letters and Life: On Being a Writer, on Being a Christian" (Bret Lott)

TITLE: Letters and Life: On Being a Writer, On Being a Christian
AUTHOR: Bret Lott
PUBLISHER: Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013, (192 pages).

What is life like as a writer, in particular a Christian writer? It is not simply writing that has Christian label on it. It is also not primarily about an author who happens to be a professed Christian. Describing literary fiction as writings that confront us as human people and to cause introspection and reflection, this book examines both the "letters" of authors as well as the "life" of the authors themselves. Do Christian writers believe that God is working through their writings?

Right from the start, the author's awareness of God is as simple as praying for enough gum for an oversubscribed children's program, or sufficient T-shirts for all. On the one hand, one finds it hard to explain what is happening. On the other hand, there is something inside that seems to tell us that God is behind all the supernatural acts. Letters is about what is written. Life is about reflecting what has been written, and how our own person plays out in the open field of life. For the sake of clarity, Lott helpfully defines some of the important words, like epiphany, enlightenment, compassion, even paganism. He reflects on Christian publishing industry, how it strives to balance between financial sustainability and stated mission; the place of novels and life.

He reflects on the relationship between the artist and the public. For the artist, it is a time of being blessed to bless others. From the crafts described in Exodus 31, Loft reflects on the different skill sets among Israel who combine their talents to build the tabernacle. It is an act of worship that comprises creativity, diversity, shrouded in activities to honour God. Lott argues that we relate with the public through our faithful proclamation of God in our lives through our works, and for writers, through their literary or artistry skills.  Instead of writing in a manner that says: "What Would Jesus Write?" we ought to adopt a mode of "I know who I am" and to let that identity, seen through the richness of this relationship with God overflow through our works of art.

Precision is an art. Aim to write something that challenges ourselves to go beyond our perceived limitations. More importantly, precision's starting point is something real, preferably from our own experiences. Writers too can face moments in which they question if their works are truly making a difference at all. Lott urges patience, for precision writing is about waiting too. Then, there is the part about writing that influences people, just like how the questioner can influence the answers, or the observer influence the ones being observed. Lott makes a criticism of "Creative Writing" workshops, accusing them of being most "unreal." The irony is, it is less impromptu and more restrictive in terms of creativity. It is like taking a very private matter into public spheres. In other words, such workshops alter the results and make it less authentic than desired. Truth is, creative writing can only be cultivated through a life of continuous writing. A good workshop is one that gets out of the way between budding writers and their writings. Using the example of Flannery O'Connor, the "de facto patron saint of creative writing," readers are treated to a good dose of the power of O'Connor's writings. Like the "dethroning of the writer," a kind of the writer must decrease that the writings may increase. O'Connor is also a testimony of humble writing, as it is quite often she is condescending upon her own self, making fun of self in order to bring out the influence of the writings. Just like the art must be above the artist, so the writings about the writer. Humility is the essence of good creative writing, the kind that touches readers and lives. More importantly, for Christian writers, it is about letting our writings exalt the divine God.

So What?

I was blown away by the insightful observations of what creative writing is, and what it can generate. It is so true that writing needs to grow out of the seed of personal experiences, and be bathed with much humility and precision. In many ways, writing is about telling the story of self, in words. The three words that the author had written on a student's paper, "will have had" is a delightful invitation for me to ponder about the future, the present, and the past, all in three words. As I see Lott taking these three words personally to share about his late father, I am also led to think about my own father, who had passed away three years ago. Writing is not about words. It is about storying one's life. I learn that it is necessary to have literary mentors, just like the writer's respect for Flannery O'Connor, Raymond Carver, John Gardner,  and others. Writing is not simply about putting words on paper. It is about putting our life in black and white, in a very colourful world. Good writers will not only aim to write well, they will write as often as possible, with respect for life, for people, and for words. More importantly, even as writers seek to write as best as they can, to put right stuff as much as possible, there will also come a time where they need to confess they have been wrong. Humility is about learning. It is about admitting we are wrong when we learn of it. It is about keeping humble even when we are right.

Thank you Bret Lott, for reminding writers at large, how important it is not to be worried about quantity, but to concentrate on quality; not to be worried about the lives of other people, but to let our writings direct any anxieties to God above, to shine a light into the crevices of our soul, that through our writing, our soul lights up to bless others, especially our readers. May our writing shine a torch of clarity and hope for readers all over the world.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"This is Our Love"

TITLE: This is Our Love (with contributions from 16 recording artists)
AUTHOR: Jody Cross and others
PUBLISHER: Mississauga, ON: World Vision Canada, 2012 (160 pages / 16 songs CD).

This devotional cum CD is a series of reflections surrounding the heart of God for the world. Through worship we embrace the love of God. The outflow of worship leads us to engage with the needy all over the world. Worship is not simply music and words in song. Worship is about the heart of God, that as we lift up the Name of Jesus, we live out the love of God through to the rest of our communities near and far. Jody Cross says: "Worship is a lifestyle involving all we are and all we do, all the time."

Indeed. Out of 33 songs from gifted musicians and worship leaders throughout Canada, and with 35 members of a song selection committee drawn from BC to New Brunswick, Alberta to Ontario, and various churches and Christian organizations, 16 songs are chosen to make this collection both devotional as well as worshipful.  Jody Cross's moving "This is Our Love" kicks off the remembrance of God's great love for us, and how the grasp of God's link is intricately linked to the needs of this world. I appreciate the words of Carolyn Arends's song, "Something to Give," which is a rousing wake up call for a typical Church that is sleepy to the needs around the community or the world. I like the chorus that chimes on and on:

"There's nothing so rude
As a gift you don't use
On a life that you choose not to live
Cause you're blessed to bless
And the best of possessions is
Having something to give."

The group Downhere's "Break My Heart" is a cry to God to break the things that break God's heart. Boldly, the song leads worshipers to seek to see the world from God's perspective. In the same light, Andy Park's "Revive Us Again" is a call for zeal and renewed passion for evangelism.  Jacob Moon's "Children of the World" is a prayer for the children living under the poverty line, the abused, and the enslaved. It pleads with God to give us a compassion that is fully in line with what it means to be human and to care for the young and weak. Brad Guldemond's "Real Life Offering" is more than just a song. It is to be reminded that we who are healed from our brokenness, needs to go beyond our infatuation with our own healing, toward being channels of healing to touch the rest of the world. Toward the end, the final three songs represent a send-me- out-Lord cry of hope. It reminds me that worship is not something to be locked in between God and us. Worship is in catching a larger vision of God, that we become worshipers inside, to live a life of worship outside. Dan Schutte and Chris Bray render "Here I Am Lord" with a growing awareness of an awakened heart. Steve Bell's performance of "Kindness" is a reflection on Teresa of Avila's "Christ Has No Body." The words of the song remind us one more time that to be a Christian is not about arguing or talking about the truth. It is living it, and kindness is a powerful manifestation of God's love. Steve Mitchinson's "Answer the Call" is a no holds barred determination not to let the worshiping become an end in itself. For at the end of worship, there is the beginning of living a life of worship.

So What?

I love this CD and cannot help but play it over and over again. There is something about the music that is pulsating with passion and conviction. The first song leads the way to show listeners what the album and book is all about. It brings to life the powerful use of music to stir the people of God to action. The motivation is not one out of pity or guilt. Neither is it out of obligation or strict observance of a religious law. Instead, whatever we do, we do out of our love for God. Whatever we say or sing, we say or sing out of our devotion to Jesus. Whatever we do or not do, we lift the Name of Jesus up high , and engage the world at every opportunity. For that glorifies God.

I find this an amazing set of songs that powerfully bridge the love of God and the needs of the world, with us as an active participant. You may be asking. How is it possible for a book, let alone a music CD help us to do that? My response will be three ways. First, the words and music plant a seed of love in our hearts. This seed is to be cultivated in the worship of God, letting God do the tender care for us and to draw us close to his heart. Second, as we listen to God's heartbeat of love, we let our hearts slowly resonate with his love for the rest of the world. We begin to see that life is more than our measly individualistic world. We see that God's vision is much bigger. Third, we will feel compelled to do something about it all. There is no point in singing beautiful songs without much action after that. We love because we are first loved by God. Our response to God's love is to share God's love far and wide.

Great resource for worship leaders!

Other Resources You Can Check Out.

• Chords and lyrics can be found here. 
• You can purchase the book and CD package here. 
• You can also check out the Youtube videos individually, but if you want to support the Christian music industry, especially Canadian ones, go to the website here and make a purchase at World Vision Canada.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by World Vision Canada and Graf-Martin Communications without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"A Reasonable Response" (William Lane Craig)

TITLE: A Reasonable Response: Answers to Tough Questions on God, Christianity, and the Bible
AUTHOR: William Lane Craig
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2013, (416 pages).

Apologetics is getting more popular by the day, for the questions never truly go away. While there are many different Internet sites offering all kinds of perspectives to anything under the sun, few come close to the kind of learning and authority of William Lane Craig, an American apologist, trained in theology and philosophy in England, Germany, and the US. Currently a research professor at Talbot School of Theology at Biola, one of the world's leading schools on apologetics, WLC puts on paper what he has often done face to face in public engagements. Calling this book a "reasonable response" is already a give away, that this book is about the process, the problem, and the promise of answering tough questions facing both Christians as well as non-Christians. This book may very well be WLC's most personal book on how he engages the tough questions surrounding Christianity today.

Calling "questions" as friends, Craig and Gorra helpfully helps us to see questions not as threats but as invitations to learn and to build friendships. Readers need not be afraid of questions, even those they cannot answer. People who ask questions need to be respected and gently engaged with honesty and integrity. There are several distinctiveness in this book's approach to apologetics. Firstly, it goes beyond mere Bible answers to see the bigger picture of the Bible vision. Secondly, without wanting to wear people down with heavy textbook answer, the authors put forth a compelling concise and fairly comprehensive way to engage the questions without missing the questioner's beat. Thirdly, there is the "doing of apologetics" approach, instead of just talking about it. In other words, apart from just learning the answers toward learning to answer them. The rest of the book represents the authors' take on six major groups of questions.

1. Part One: Questions on Knowing and Believing What is Real
2. Part Two: Questions about God
3. Part Three: Questions about Origins and Meaning of Life
4. Part Four: Questions about the Afterlife and Evil
5. Part Five: Questions about Jesus Christ and Being His Disciple
6. Part Six: Questions about Issues of Christian Practice

Fourthly, the selections of the questions are not haphazardly done. All the questions are selected on the basis of three criteria.

• Is it interesting?
• Is it insightful?
• Is it instructive? 

Fifthly, there is a participation style that invites readers to come alongside the authors to learn about engaging the question itself. It begins with a simple reading of the question. It then considers the question from the perspective of the person asking the question. Finally, it gives readers an opportunity to compare their approaches with that of Craig's. At the same time, WLC shares with readers some insights from his Biola colleague, JP Moreland on how to cultivate both a Christian mind and spiritual formation.

1. Growing in mental fortitude via truth-seeking, honesty, and wisdom;
2. Growing in trust and hope
3. Growing the inner soul through humility, open-mindedness, non-defensiveness, and circumspection;
4. Growing holistically in ardor (zeal), vigilance, and fortitude;
5. Growing in our relationship with God in fidelity and dedication to God's mission.

Sixth, the book is comprehensive, covering six major parts of the doing of Apologetics. Part One touches on the reality of life, the place of knowledge, and essentially about epistemology (big word for knowledge). Lessons are given on how people learn, the basis for truth, the Bible as foundational to the seeking of truth, and how to persuade. Readers will learn of how WLC phrases and resits the questions in a way that is clearer but also appreciative of the questioner's concerns. He shows the way for readers not just to know the answer, but to learn how to answer the questions. For example, in addressing the question of the Authority of Scripture, WLC mounts a powerful defense via explanatory notes, showing the different critieria and the thinking processes that led to the canonization of the Holy Bible.

Part Two covers the very big topic of God and in particular Christian Theology. In explaining the existence of God, WLC draws on a wide beliefs of religion in general and adopts a personal approach in answering the question. Weaving in his own thinking and based on biblical references, he makes a distinction between mere intellectual enquiry versus honest searching for faith. Our apologetics need to be geared toward the latter and less toward the former.

Part Three is a hallmark of WLC's cosmological approach in his form of apologetics. It goes back all the way to argue that the existence of life is because of God, the ultimate cause (Creator) of the universe.  For God is not an impersonal force but a personal Being. For example, he highlights the importance to see the "is" in "God is the cause of the universe" as a predicate, that is, the second part cannot exist without the first. In other words, "God is good" is not to be understood merely the goodness of God, but without God, nothing is good. With this idea, one can begin to appreciate creatio ex nihilo (creating something out of nothing). WLC exposes how the philosophy of Hawking and Mlodinow contradicts their physics. In one brilliant example, he takes to task Hawking and Mlodinow's argument for determinism, that free will is an illusion since by twitching something in our brain, the arm can be move. WLC then goes on to say that it is wrong to presuppose that even if one can scientifically move the limbs and bypass one's freewill to choose how to move the arm, it fails to acknowledge that one can choose to move his/her arm freely on other occasions too. WLC also makes a keen distinction between "methodological naturalism" and "metaphysical naturalism," that many physicists like Hawking and Mlodinow are more about the former. The way he answers the question on time and timelessness is also a fascinating clarification to the question of eternity. He carefully touches on the question of life's meaning, arguing with passion that without an ultimate purpose, value, and destiny, there is truly no ultimate meaning in life. We need to move beyond constructing meaning about meaning which leads to nothingness and absurdity, but toward discovering meaning after meaning, leading to the Greatest ultimate purpose. For me, this part alone is worth the price of the book.

Part Four deals with the afterlife and the problem of evil. It deals with morality and to discern the goodness and the fairness of God in all things. WLC argues that the burden of proof for the problem of evil lies not with theists but with atheists! By separating the "emotional" and the "intellectual" components of the problem of evil, he makes it clear that atheists who argue against God using the problem of evil argument are merely mixing up the two. Once we separate the two, we can easily see that issues of morality and emotion cannot be easily explained from an atheistic standpoint. At best, they can argue from an intellectual capacity, which is why the burden of proof lies with the atheists, when it comes to emotional trauma. He touches on other critical topics like genocide in the Old Testament, that God has absolute right to do anything; that God is preserving Israel's spiritual health for the sake of the whole world; that the Canaanites are deserving of such judgment; that God is the ultimate Judge; and many other reasons.

Part Five comes to Jesus, the New Testament, and discipleship. WLC argues that Jesus is a real person, and not some mythological allusions. He gives a history of the Jesus scholarship movement, casts doubts on those who doubts the authenticity of Jesus, and explains how the pagan culture of the times has influenced the understanding of Jesus's life. Again, WLC argues that anything casting doubt on the authenticity of Jesus themselves have to bear the burden of proof. Christians have already stated their proofs through multiple witnesses and documented testimonies. WLC defends the resurrection of Jesus, debunking some of the common arguments that say just because they do not see more historical evidence, that Jesus' resurrection is untrue. WLC turns it around and say, just because we do not see more historical evidence does not necessarily mean Jesus' resurrection is false. In fact, Jesus' resurrection is not about proving the theory of the resurrection, but to give hope to all and to prove Jesus' claims of saving the world. On the part of being a disciple, WLC shares a powerful personal story of his own conversion, his intellectual challenges growing up in an environment of skepticism and cynicism, and how he finally comes to faith. On difficult questions, WLC poses an interesting challenge for readers, that the secret of dealing with doubt is not to have all our questions answered, but to be able to live victoriously in faith, even when not all our questions are answered.

Part Six is about Christian Practice. WLC deals with seven questions that covers issues in our modern culture; postmodern environment; unequally yoked marriages; homosexuality; physical stamina; and marriage.     For any solution, a good diagnosis is essential. He sees that it is the bed of modernism that has spawned the growth of relativism and pluralism. This version of modernism grows out of a culture that sees no big picture of life, no historical meta-narrative, and subsequently forgetfulness of historical traditions of the past. It is thus easily diagnosed that without a common story, people make up their own. Secularism, relativism, and all sorts of isms are society's ways of trying to build some meaning. He urges Christians not to marry non-Christians. He persuades people not to use "homosexuals" as genders but a sexual preference, arguing that it is more choice than genetics at stake here.

So What?

Although this is a big book to digest, the authors have made it more palatable by giving readers several useful guideposts when reading this book. First, each part has a helpful introduction to give readers a road map and the main points in the chapters that follow. Written in easy to follow point form, readers will be able to read the flow of arguments with this end in mind. Second, there are boxes of "Insight" that highlights at a glance the core arguments that WLC has to make. This is extremely helpful for readers who may find it hard to follow some tough philosophical arguments being built up. Third, the resources shared have been separated into three categories: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced. Interested readers will find it very helpful for further research. A good book will generate greater interest among readers to find out more, which makes this book itself a gem to have. Four, there is a gentle movement that happens when one reads this powerful book. One moves from mere intellectual reason to a passionate desire to want to believe. Five, the questions selected in the book are some of the most frequently asked questions. One may say that the issues are old, but the fact that it continues to be asked shows us the nature of the human person to be curious about the issues of life. Six, the value of the book is not the content but the process in which the reader can be trained to be a good apologist. Each step of the way, the authors do not just tell readers. They show readers what to do and how to do it.

Finally, I appreciate WLC's sharing of some of the most personal questions posed to him. If you notice carefully, WLC takes a personal interest and appreciation for every question posed, keeping at the forefront the personal concerns and struggles of the questioner. In answering the question, WLC does not beat around the bush or to meander in circles. He is very direct and keeps the reader attentive.

These reasons and many others have given me a renewed respect for William Lane Craig. If you cannot afford to take a course at Biola where he teaches, reading this book as well as checking out ReasonableFaith.org can perhaps be your next best alternative.

This book has certainly moved me from mere reasonable faith to more resolute belief.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"Sabbath in the Suburbs" (MaryAnn McKibben Dana)

TITLE: Sabbath in the Suburbs: A Family's Experiment with Holy Time (The Young Clergy Women Project)
AUTHOR: MaryAnn McKibben Dana
PUBLISHER: St Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2013, (144 pages).


What do you do on the Sabbath? This question itself is easily asked but not easily answered. It can also be easily planned but not easily executed. Tell that to the author and her family. As young parents, with both holding on full-time jobs, observing a 24-hour Sabbath day of doing nothing seems crazy in a oft-called 7/24 world. Just think of it. For anyone already complaining about not enough time to do all they ever wanted to do, slicing off 24 hours per week just to do nothing is absurd, even unproductive. Yet, it is the very busyness and frantic lifestyle that drives the family not just to observe the Sabbath, but to want to redeem their lives from the busyness of life. The author declares right from the start that Sabbath is not just about stopping from work, it is about freedom from work. What does it take to move from a hurried and harried week toward an unhurried and casual Sabbath day? The whole book is a testament to the gradual appreciation of the ancient practice of Sabbath for modern times.

The Danas learn quickly that keeping the Sabbath is no easy matter. Wiring the Sabbath mentality into the whole family is even more challenging. Chronicling 12 months of intentional Sabbath observance, the family begins with deciding exactly which common day to keep the Sabbath. With some flexibility to set the day, they then work on the actual things that they can do and not do.  In doing so, they learn to simplify meals. It means trying not to change things, working on self-improvement, or anything that is considered "productive" over the other six days. It means being more casual about activities. It means timeless moments. They call it "Sabbathly" which is to do things in the manner of Sabbath. It is caring and yet remaining care-free. It is taking a break from the routine. It is a focus on delight.

Reflecting on Scripture, it is about learning to count our days; bringing things back to balance; appreciating the creation of God; doing things slowly; and many more.

So What?

This book is a practical look at how one family battles the pressures and frenetic pace of life with the ancient practice of Sabbath. Done with a light-hearted touch, it carries an essential message for us to observe the Sabbath more faithfully and fully. Instead of rushing to tie up loose ends, push the family to do more and more, for one day a week, do not simply do less. Either do nothing or do something else completely different from the other six days. It is an experiment that invites the experience. The first few chapters will be appreciated by most of us familiar things crazy and busy. Readers will easily identify with the struggles of the demands on a young family. In fact, things do not seem to turn out right initially. For instance, the struggles with what exactly can and cannot be done, which in itself can be quite a challenging exercise for the newbie. On top of that, with heavy work demands (the author is a pastor), it can be tough to carve out a chunk of 24 hours just to do nothing. After all, the family needs to be fed, and household chores still need to be done.

Halfway through the book, it is a pleasant surprise to see that not only the author's family gets used to the Sabbath routines each week, they actually look forward to it. I think this is the biggest value in reading this book. For Sabbath is something often talked about in religious circles but seldom practiced. One reason why people shy away from keeping Sabbath is because of erroneous paradigms in the first place. For instance, some may think keeping Sabbath amounts to religious legalism. Others may suppose that Sabbath keeping is too ancient for any modern practical usage. This is precisely the point why we need Sabbath keeping. Let me offer five thoughts on the Sabbath.

First, Sabbath is about coming back to recognizing God knows best. If God has set forth an example for us to follow, we better follow it well. By resting on the Seventh Day himself, God has shown us what it means to work and to enjoy the fruits of our work. In fact, God has on a daily basis looks back at the day of creation and says it is good. On the Sabbath Day, God actually says "very good."

Second, it is about freedom. The Fourth Commandment is essentially about freedom from slavery. The author recognizes this quite early in the book. Our modern world is stuck on progress and productivity so much that we have become enslaved by it. Too much of a "good" thing is not necessarily good. Sabbath is that opportunity to become more aware and more appreciative of what we had done.

Third, it is about trust and restoration. Just taking a day off per week is a demonstration of trust that we are not masters of the universe. God is. Can we by rushing through another day save the world? Probably not.

Four, the author's observation of "observing scarcity" is something worth pondering more about. Our modern world is more comfortable with progress, with greater possessions, with faster and better advances. We have unconsciously become more electronic like rather than human like. The price of progress is high. When keeping the Sabbath, we can learn to limit ourselves to the bare essentials. There is no need to rush or to grow at any cost. We grow at the speed of love. We move at the speed of care. We travel at the speed of trust.

Finally, what the author has shown is that keeping the Sabbath is possible. It is possible all twelve months of the year, once a week, and every week. If you want to know more about the ups and downs, and the candid but wise sharing of this family's experiment, you need to read this book!

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"God in my Everything" (Ken Shigematsu)

TITLE: God in My Everything: How an Ancient Rhythm Helps Busy People Enjoy God
AUTHOR: Ken Shigematsu
PUBLISHER:  Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (256 pages).

Can we escape from the world without escaping from life? In a world where everything seems so busy, so frantic, and so crazy, is it really possible to find peace and solace in a noisy and sometimes cruel world? What can modern people learn from the ancients? Surely, their times are different from our times, right? This book begins with an impromptu fill-in for one of his preaching colleagues. Without much time to prepare, the author decides to speak about the rhythm of life. It is a rhythm of life that seems to be taking refuges away from the world, and at the same time still close to the heartbeat of the world we live in. This is only possible when God is in our everything, so says the author, the  lead pastor of a flourishing Church in Vancouver, BC. Using the Greek word "trellis" as a way (or rule) to hone his idea of a rhythmic support system, Shigematsu proposes five key ideas: Rules; Roots; Relate; Restore; Reach Out.

1) Rules
Beginning with a description of his pilgrimage in Glendalough, Ireland, Shigematsu shares how he is intrigued by the Celtic monks like St Kevin, St Patrick, Bridget of Kildare, and others, who contrary to what many people think, built monasteries close to settlements so that they can share Christ's hospitality with whoever that comes by. Instead of a perceived solitary monastic life, they are actually very intentional about a community, about sharing and caring for people amid their devotional lifestyle. Shigematsu leaves the place with a renewed sense of how prayer informs practice, and how practice reforms prayer. One of the things that he feels more compelled to grow in is the idea of "Bushido," a set of rules and practices that lead to growth in "wisdom, fortitude, loyalty, compassion, and service." Just like the 12th Century St Benedict, who helps spread the idea of monasticism within a community setting. The idea is that when God is in our everything, "the world becomes our monastery." Shigematsu goes on to show that following a set of rules is not necessarily a bad thing, even though rules and regulations are more despised nowadays. It is biblical. It is not about "trying" but about "training." In other words, spiritual discipline is very much a part of the Christian life. He also argues for a "centered" life more than a "balanced" perspective, something that resonates with my philosophy too. Yet, the author is quick to point out that such a rhythm is not rigid but flexible. He reflects on the biblical character Daniel, who is able to adopt a pattern of prayer and work, with God as his center.

2) Roots
The three key "roots" are Sabbath; prayer; and sacred reading. Firstly, one finds a "Sabbath" time for body and soul. For the Sabbath is a gift of one day in seven where we can live truly free especially when the week is fully busy. While keeping the Sabbath does not necessarily mean we be more successful on the other six days, it leads to greater trust in God. What then do we do? Do something that we do not normally do during the week. Secondly, one also lets prayer be the bridge between God and person, cultivating friendship with God. Contrary to what many people think about prayer being something less than work, prayer is actually the very essence of work, for true work is about relationships. Shigematsu shares some tips with regards to the Lord's Prayer, ACTS, Psalms, and seasons of prayer. Thirdly, one grows strong roots based on God's Word through sacred reading. Meditate on the Word. Memorize the Word. Visualize Scripture.

3) Relate

In a social media world where technology and gadgets seem to help more people connect, it may seem strange even to read about people feeling disconnected in a highly connected social media world. Research has shown that close relationships play a big role in psychological well-being. What more about spiritual well-being? Spiritual friendship is not about drawing attention to one another. It is about helping one another grow closer to God. Spiritual friends can also be called upon to help one draw boundaries in matters of sex and purity. For our characters are formed within the crucible of family. This is not just about the spiritual family, but the very family that we live with.

4) Restore

Learning to take care of our spiritual lives also means addressing the needs of our physical bodies. In doing so, we not only learn to take care of our physical health, we are re-invigorated in our perspective of the resurrected body in Christ. Eat well. Sleep well. Exercise well. Play well. Think well, especially with regards to money and our use of money. Let giving and generosity outweigh any desire for selfish accumulation and devotion to Mammon. Being restored means becoming more and more conscious of eternity.

5) Reach Out

It is common to come across people who simply hated Mondays. It takes a fresh perspective to see Mondays not from the eyes of mundane work, but from the mind of God whose mercies are new every morning. In prayer, work is sanctified. In prayer, we discern life. In prayer, our life as a ripple, can be used to make an impact in the communities we live in. Serving our communities is a calling for the servant of God. Reaching out is about praying for people; being present for people; and sharing the gospel like a four-sided pyramid: life, deed, sign, and word. Life is about our testimony of living. Deeds is about works of love in action. Sign is about letting the world know of God's power at work in us. Word is about proclamation of the gospel.

So what?

This is a very comprehensive book on Christian living, covering many important aspects of the spiritual life. Through stories and keen observations of life in a city, Ken Shigematsu is able to weave in spiritual practices of the ancient world with the contemporary needs of the world. Having gone through personal struggles of frantic living, relationship challenges, as well as ministry work as a pastor, Shigematsu has put into words the sermons that he has given for his own congregation. I have heard him speak before, and so am able to mentally visualize his voice through the words in this book. It is very much a personal story by the author, given passionately and yet having a gentle demeanor about it all. I appreciate the very comprehensive aspect of his treatment of the rhythms of life, so reminiscent of Mark Buchanan's book on "Spiritual Rhythm" or Wayne Mueller's work on Sabbath. Let me offer three thoughts about the book.

First, I think it is an apt corrective for a world addicted to freedom of choice. The idea of rules and regulations can often rile the modern man so used to freedom and free speech. People are put off when it comes to anyone preachy or giving words of advice. Yet, disliking something does not necessarily mean we do not need that, just like a sick child disliking bitter medicine. If we do not drink it, we may become worse off. Thus, Shigematsu's teaching about "Bushido" is highly relevant for our modern Western society.

Second, structures are helpful. Despite the culture's dislike of structures and institutionalized religion, we cannot do away with structures. The words of Jesus with regards to Sabbath is appropriate here. Know that the Sabbath is made for men and not men for the Sabbath. Thus, structures are made for humans and not humans for structures. That is why the better way is to redeem institutions and structures, instead of throwing them out altogether.

Third, spirituality is more relational than what some people think. This contrasts with some versions of spiritualities that tend to be self-centered; focused on nothingness; or simply energy consumption. No. Christian spirituality is basically about living relationships. The spiritual practices mentioned in this book have a strong sense of communal living and community responsibility. Whether it is Sabbath time with God; coffee time with people; prayer for and with people; or accountability sessions with trusted friends; spirituality is less of something private and confidential, but more of something connecting and communicating.

I love this book!

Rating:  5 stars of 5.

conrade

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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.

"Clean" (Douglas Weiss)

TITLE: Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity
AUTHOR: Douglas Weiss
PUBLISHER: Nashville, TN: Thomas-Nelson, 2013, (236 pages).

Do we realize that men are more vulnerable than we think? Are we aware that even during peacetime in our country, the sexual war has continued unabated? Are we tolerating sexual promiscuity and as a result, failed to be the men that we have been called to be? Do we know that our sex organs do not belong primarily to us? These questions and many more are dealt with in this frank, powerful, and blunt book about the need to be clean, and to stay clean. For the author, as far as our sex organs are concerned, we have only peeing rights! Weiss is adamant that it is God who is calling a "clean nation to rise up and reclaim our unclean culture." This is not an easy task, but not impossible either. So convicted is Weiss that he also insists that there is a tight connection between our sexual integrity and God's destiny for us. For it shows who is our true authority: Ourselves or God?

The book presents a convicting look at the state of unhealthy sexual lust and the problem of pornography. Beginning with some depressing statistics about the state of spiritual cleanliness and how pornography has choked, suffocated, and even killed marriages and family, author Douglas Weiss is on a mission to bring men from filthy thoughts and foolish dabbling in pornography, toward sexual purity in God. For we are not meant to be sexual objects or be participants in objectifying another person.  We are called to sexual integrity. Weiss makes a formidable statement in the book. He calls it a "proven plan for men committed to sexual integrity." Some readers may feel a little ambivalent about this level of confidence. I admit. I was initially skeptical, but reading farther along the book, I begin to share his sentiment and his conviction. For his "proven plan" is anchored on the Word of God, and his convictions rose out of many counseling and personal encounters with men who ought to have known and chosen better. If I can summarize the book, I will describe it in three ways. Stop. Strategize. Stay Clean.

A) Stop

It is one thing to say that pornography is bad. It is yet another to allow lingering thoughts of some sexual objects to remain in our brains, lodged somewhere in our thoughts, only to breed wildly when triggered by an image or a pornographic encounter. While it is impossible to stop the proliferation of dirty thoughts and Internet sharing of porn on the outside, we can certainly do something on the inside. We stop by declaring war on pornography. Don't buy it. Don't patronize it. Don't watch it. The statistics are alarming. For example, based on 2006 data, the porn industry rings in more than US$3000 each second. China. South Korea, and Japan share the top three spots in terms of porn revenues per country. This calls not only for decisive action to stop, but to point our weapons constantly against porn. One way is to attack lust at its root. Another is to draw firm boundaries. Yet, another is to draw up a plan and be accountable to one another. Remember the formula U (You) + P (Porn) = D (Destruction). For if we do not take this seriously, not only will we hurt our own self-esteem, we hurt our family and loved ones too.

B) Start Strategizing

Bring your weapons with you all the time, especially when venturing into a world of sexual connotations and Internet porn. Have a plan that stops any evil lust from even taking root. Adopt a covenant prayer such as:

"Lord Jesus, I am 100 percent committed to love all women today as your daughters and my sisters. I covenant with you to protect all women at all times, in every circumstance today, even in my mind. I hate lust of any kind of all women, and I covenant to protect them all this day."

This is followed up by a firm determination to protect and to cover anyone who is undressed or disrobed. See people with a "holy hologram" to see them as what God had intended them to be seen. Part of the strategy also requires us to have a proper perspective of our own sexual organs. The ownership priorities go as follows. God owns us first. Our spouses own us next. We are the third owners, and our rights are limited to peeing only. Be bold to question leaders on their sexual integrity. Share the program with men in the Christian community. Protect the Church.

C) Stay Clean

Like the gospel story of the room swept clean, only to be occupied again by evil, we need to remember that being clean does not mean we are not vulnerable. If there is anything, we may very well be even more vulnerable. Weiss recommends eleven ways to stay clean.

1. Fear God, letting our actions stem from a reverence for his holiness.
2. Be honest, and do not hide our failings
3. Be truthful to our spouses in our marital relationships
4. No secrets absolutely
5. Fantasize not, but anticipate the worst. In other words, keep the consequences visible at all times.
6. Recognize the exit signs in every temptation situation and exit when necessary.
7. Be praised and touched by our spouses, to be accepted rather than rejected
8. Cultivate respect in our marriage
9. Daily declaration for a life of purity
10. Prayer
11. Be the hero of integrity to our wives and family.

Recognize the threats of sexual addiction.

So What?

Never overestimate our ability to resist temptation. Neither should we underestimate the power of pornography. Readers may not find in the book anything that resembles "Seven Habits" or nicely concocted formulas to address the problem of pornography. It all starts with a recognition of the problem and to stop the porn habit. It continues with an awareness of the seductive allure, and to start strategizing both our defenses and our offenses. It continues with regular education, accountability, and utter honesty to ask for help when needed, and to help others when required to ensure that we stay clean. Weiss has given us a whole book, backed by biblical stories and teachings, letting readers see the problem as it is, so that they can do something about it. The book forms a great launching pad for us to start our road to cleanliness, beginning with God, proceeding with humility, and engaging with courageous determination not to lust with our eyes, or to sin with our thoughts.

Gender differences are many, and none more so than the area of sexuality. Sexual sins have caused the downfall of many powerful people in society. Whether one is a President of the most powerful capitalist country in the world, or the most prestigious Ivy League University don, or top positions in corporations or various organizations, men are essentially "born into a sexual war." In biblical times, people like Judas, Samson, Ahab, King David, even Solomon have all been tempted and failed in this area. If one follows the story of King David, one can sense that after his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, things appear more downhill for David thereafter. If great men of old have fallen, what makes anyone of us think we can fare better? That is why this book is so important. For those who have fallen, it represents a form of hope and recovery. For those who have not fallen, it is a reminder that they are not immune, that we are all vulnerable. Most importantly, it is an opportunity to be clean and stay clean, knowing that every time someone, somewhere determines to keep their sexual integrity pure and holy, there is one LESS person in this world for our children to worry about.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Thomas-Nelson under the BookSneeze blogger program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

"The Surprising Grace of Disappointment" (John Koessler)

TITLE: The Surprising Grace of Disappointment: Finding Hope when God Seems to Fail Us
AUTHOR: John Koessler
PUBLISHER: Chicago IL: Moody Publisher, 2013, (176 pages).

We do not need to make an appointment with God in order to meet Jesus. Often, even in the midst of disappointments, Jesus is there to meet us. This entire book is about debunking the errors of superficial theological thought, renewal of our understanding of grace, and anticipation of a bright and future tomorrow with Christ in us. Koessler, a professor at Moody Bible Institute writes with a pastoral heart in this very personal book. He begins with some observations of how childish and shallow some of our Christian expectations are. Stuff like the victorious Christian life being the norm once a person receives Jesus. Or a believe in Jesus and all our problems will strangely go away. Such ideas give false hope and unrealistic expectations of God.

Can Jesus heal us when we ask him to? Surely he will, but sometimes not in the manner or timing we want. There will be times when God will disappoint our deepest hopes, but that does not mean God loves us any less. Koessler even states that if the gospels are any indication, we too will be disappointed by Jesus, just like the early disciples and followers were disappointed when Jesus fails to summon celestial army to wipe out the enemies and make Israel a strong and mighty military Power. Even our prayers are bound to produce awkward results when what we ask fail to produce much fruit according to our specific requests. Calling prayer as an "awkward conversation," Koessler does not downplay the importance of prayer. Instead, prayer is essentially a rising dependence on God, and not a magical utterance of holy words to bring about results.

Koessler brings in lots of reflection on biblical passages. For instance, he reflects on how the disciples panicked when faced with windy storms that threaten to sink their boat. In a way, they take Jesus' sleeping stance as ignoring their concerns. As a result they draw erroneous conclusions based on their lack of faith. Faith is not in the answers to prayers but in the person of Christ. It is not in the disappointments in our expectations but the presence of God in both our appointments and disappointments. Before we can grow in grace, we need to weed away more expectations of us that will stagnate our faith. Expectations that are often delusions that the Christian life will mean less problems. Expectations that will create spiritual myopia and narcissistic hopes. He uses a personal story, the parable of the kite to show us that our achievements in life are not exactly ours to begin with, but God's.

Along the way, there are other insights pertaining to daily living, about using hunger and food as a way to hunger after God. There is also that truth that true fulfillment lies not in getting stuffed up but in hungering for more of God. Koessler also reflects on the world of work, our jobs that often are less satisfactory than we want. What do we do when we feel our work is not rewarding enough? He concludes by saying that job satisfaction or the lack of it is less about the job, but more about our perspective. He also talks about Church and worship, asking why we feel kind of disconnected during Church worship. Likewise, what is needed is not the style or the content of music, but the perspective we bring to it.

So What?

Why should we read this book? So what if we have read this book? Is there anything new or groundbreaking? Probably not. For the things in the book are not exactly rocket science. What is relevant however, is the need to make our faith as holistic as possible, that God works in both good and bad times. God is present with us not just in our highs but also in our lows. God cares for us, even when we feel God is farthest away from us. When we can learn to encounter God on a daily basis, in times of light and darkness, then we will better appreciate the words of Ps 139, which is a confession that God knows all of us, our past, our future, our present, and all our works and intent. The point of this book is this. Grace does not mean God is present only in our perceived answers to prayers. What it means is that grace is independent of our moods and feelings. For grace is essentially God with us, through the thick and thin of life. It is when we feel God is most distant from us, God may very well be carrying us. Now, that is a surprising grace of disappointment.

Read this book and be encouraged again in your faith in God.

Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"The 40 Most Influential Christians" (Daryl Aaron)

TITLE: The 40 Most Influential Christians
AUTHOR: Daryl Aaron
PUBLISHER: Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2013, (304 pages).

This book brings together 40 people who have shaped and "influenced" the world of Christianity for over 2000 years. Twenty persons have been selected for the first 1000 years, and the other twenty for the next 2000 years. All of them are dead, but their legacy remains, especially in this latest collection of famous people and their stories that have impacted the Christian world. The author is a pastor-turned-professor of religion at Northwestern College in Minnesota. He attributes his interest in historical theology to one professor at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Behind the writing of the book lies five reasons to read the book. First, seeing how these Christians have fought heresy and false teachings (especially during the first thousand years), teaches us to be constantly discerning what is being said or taught. Like how Ignatius of Antioch fought the threats of docetism and other heresies, making him a fervent defender of Christ being fully human as well as fully divine. Or how Irenaeus fought gnosticism, and how Clement of Alexandria fought paganism.

Second, we learn to distinguish what is a passing fad versus timeless truth. Despite his unorthodox philosophy in the 18th Century, Friedrich Schleiermacher provides the Christian world with one of the most powerful responses to the rise of deism in that era. Instead of rejecting traditional orthodox beliefs, Schleiermacher re-interprets the doctrines for the times, and becomes the father of modern Protestant liberal theology. He may not have defended the orthodox doctrines and traditions like some of the forefathers of old, but he certainly makes it more difficult for detractors to deny it. His successor, Albrecht Ritschl continues this rather "human-centered theology" and is able to teach widely the universal sinfulness of the human race. Seeing how these believers wrestle with traditions of old and the contemporary cultures of their times, helps us understand how challenging the contexts were at that time.

Third, we learn God is sovereign across all eras. This is the point made by people like Augustine of Hippo, and Gregory the Great; as well as Ulrich Zwingli, the Swiss Reformer who lets the sovereignty of God be his linchpin for all his theological works.

Four, reading the lives of these people shows us the importance of humility. The Cappadocian Fathers (Basil, Gregory of Nyssa, and Gregory of Naziansus) in fighting against the heresy of Arianism and the confusion over the Trinity, unite against the heretic teachings of Arius and confusion over the place of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. While protecting the majesty of God on the one hand, they stress the importance of humility as a human response. This is also what John Calvin insists upon, that true Christianity results in a response in humility.

Five, as we live in a world where relative thought and all kinds of philosophies are being taught, we need reminders that there is such a thing as truth. Several of these influential persons grapple with relative thinking and the need to come to grips with cultural nuances in their land. For instance, Gustavo Gutiérrez, in his liberation theology, shows how important it is to contextualize the gospel and apply them to culture at large. The advantage is that it brings the gospel alive to the needs of the poor, the powerless, and the helpless. The disadvantage is the vulnerability of the theology to other influences such as Marxism, and worldly philosophies.

Each chapter begins with a description of the contexts each person lives in. Whether it is through a particular era; a pressing theological issue; cultural integration; or reactions to unorthodoxy; it sets the stage for understanding how the person and his work makes its significant mark at that time. This is followed by a description of the key contributions given by each person, ending with a personal conclusion by the author of the highlights of that person's life work. In one book, Daryl Aaron has given us a brief sweep through history from the first century to the Millennial times; from theological giants to martyrs; from orthodoxy to liberation theology. Like Mark Noll's work of history according to turning points, Daryl Aaron gives us a work of history through people who help create great moments of history. We can then join the dots of history together and formulate a pretty good idea of how wonderful and creative God is when He moves among men and women both then, now, and the future.

So What?

For a book like this, it is a given that we ask how these people have been chosen. What is the criteria? So what if they have been "influential?" Are we then supposed to follow them, or what then do we do about this book? Maybe, it is to inspire us to be the best person of faith that we can be, just as these 40 individuals have done in their exercise of faith. Deciding who to put in is probably harder than actually writing this book. Well, for every one name included, we can argue why another is excluded. Books like these need to be understood in the light of the author's perspective. Don't expect to see Billy Graham, JI Packer, or some of your Millennial Christian heroes. That said, when reading about these men of faith, I am impressed for five good reasons. Firstly, these men are powerful voices who stood up for truth, so necessary when the people either needed an affirmation of the old, or a fresh new direction in Christian thought and culture. We can recall how Martin Luther stood against the entire Roman establishment, birthing the Protestant movement; or how John Wesley helped spur the holiness movement during a time of social unrest. Also, there are people like Thomas Aquinas who stood in the gap between intellectual scholastic theological world and the pastoral care of the flock in his parish.

Secondly, whether it is the affirmation of orthodoxy or the introduction of new thought, these men fill in a specific need at a specific time. Tertullian in the second century was the first theologian to write in Latin rather than the Greek, and is able to defend Christianity in the language of the people, during a time of massive cultural change or adaptation.  Another example is Theodore of Mopsuestia, one of the earliest proponents of literal interpretation and the contextual studies. This is a powerful step against an increasingly allegorical way of understanding the Bible. The over-spiritualizing methods are simply too radical and too liberal for him. The method he had proposed continues to be widely practiced in our modern day and age.

Thirdly, it reminds us that each generation needs to fight its own theological battles. Whether it is heresy in the early centuries; reformation in the middle ages; or cultural adaptations in the modern age; we need to read our Bibles on the one hand, and read the times on the other. In both cases, we need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us.

Fourthly, these people are powerful advocates for the Christian faith, and in some ways can be seen as heroes of the faith. We may not agree with their exact doctrinal positions, but we can surely identify with their  passion in the pursuit of truth. Together, they form a compendium of truth seekers in a world of false religions and deceitful philosophies. In standing up for the Christian faith, they are doing their form of battling evil principalities with the best they can muster up with.

Finally, the book gives more prominence to some of the lesser known figures (compared with famous names like Augustine, Martin Luther or John Wesley). People such as Cyril of Alexandria, Philip Spener, J. Gresham Machen, Albrecht Ritschl, and Rosemary Radford Ruether, just to name a few. It reminds me that for every visible name mentioned, there are hundreds, even thousands more theologians, martyrs, pastors, teachers, scholars, servants of God, who had remained under the radar for various reasons. It is like a reminder that the heroes in Hebrews 11 only represent the tip of the iceberg, as far as faithful believers are concerned.

Read any one chapter and be inspired! Better still, be motivated to do the same for your own generation, in your own community, according to God's perfect timing, as you let Him.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"Finally Free" (Heath Lambert)

TITLE: Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace
AUTHOR: Heath Lambert
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2013, (176 pages).

There are many books that have been written about the dangers of pornography, the statistics, the horrible stories, and all kinds of information that can wow the reader but do little to stem the tide of this major cultural temptation. There are also lots of resources that talk about the do's and don'ts of pornography. Yet, the number of people addicted to pornography seems to rise unabated. Recognizing this, based on his many personal encounters from his ministry, Heath Lambert states right from the start that people do not need more information about pornography. Instead, what they need is something better. The power of Christ to free them from this addiction. For the Apostle Paul, even when he condemns a sin, chooses to move toward confidence in God, and faith in Jesus. Instead of creating guilt in the consciences of people and prevent them from pornography, Heath hopes to help free people toward grace that will drive people toward purity and desiring holiness. For the power of God is deeper and wider than obeying a set of rules or don's and don'ts. Based on the foundation of grace, one needs to come under the auspices of forgiving grace, and then to be embraced in transforming grace. From this, grace can be unleashed through eight ways to be finally free from pornography.

First, there needs to be a genuine sorrow about the sin and regret. It is no good to just say it. One must also mean it. He compares worldly sorrow with godly sorrow and makes a case for the latter providing six marks of true godly sorrow. The marks of earnestness; eagerness to be cleansed; indignation about the sin; genuine alarm; longing for restoration; and desire for justice.

Second, there needs to be accountability when fighting pornography. Through the biblical passages of how brothers need to be accountable to one another, Heath gives seven principles to build accountability structures.

Third, radical measures need to be adopted in the fight against pornography because of its formidable power over the human heart. It is as radical as plucking out the eye when the eye lusts after another woman. The three radical measures work on the basis of thought life, Word focus, and seeking for outside help. Other radical measures include how we use time; knowing our weaknesses enough to chop off passages that will cause us to stumble; and take whatever legitimate steps necessary to buffer us from temptation.

Four, confession is a major step when fighting pornography, especially confessing to the ones who are hurt the most. It is acknowledging we need help from above. It blesses and restores the relationship. It releases the channels of mercy and grace. More importantly, it brings about humility and healing. Heath highlights six critical guidelines on how to make a helpful confession.

Five, instead of focusing on the bad, start focusing on the good. This is the principle behind "using your spouse" to fight pornography. While the title of this chapter badly needs revising, it definitely grabs attention. Heath uses Proverbs 5 to warn us against letting temptation turns to threat. Instead, turn away from danger toward delight in our own spouses. Three suggestions are given on how to do that. Heath also makes a case that Proverbs 5 can also be applied to those who are single too. Point to Jesus.

Six, humility attacks one of the major weaknesses of people who "love to be first." Arrogant people look at pornography. They struggle against pride so much that sometimes, they prefer to take the easy way out to hide away and fantasize in their pornographic activities. The key is to let humility reign. Let arrogance go.

Seven, gratitude is an important way to fight pornography. This is because immorality, lack of self-control, and greed, can be arrested with pure thankfulness. Gratitude results in gladness that will free us to appreciate what God has given us, instead of eyeing on things that God has not given us.

Eight, dynamic relationships, healthy fellowship, and community living is a powerful weapon against pornography. Like seeking bread from heaven, we learn to cultivate a dependence on God for our daily needs. Only when our relationship with Jesus is bigger than everything else, will we stand a chance against the tentacles of pornography. In other words, do not consume porn. Consume Christ.

So What?

The book has given eight ways that grace can empower us toward holy living and godly intent to refuse to view or to entertain thoughts of pornography. The main weapon in the fight against pornography is not locks and chains that tie us down in terms of what to do or what not to do. Instead, the arsenal of spiritual warfare is grace. For it is by grace through faith in Jesus that we are saved, it is also by grace through God's help that we are continually rescued from the clutches of temptations, especially pornography. I find the book heavily aimed at the male population. In this sense, it is quite lob-sided, though I understand the reason Heath has done so. The thing is, pornography affects both male and female, albeit in different ways. Maybe, Heath can have a co-writer who can present a female perspective to this very important topic. After all, women's porn does exist. So, in order to reach out to a wider audience, the book will need to be written with both genders in mind.

Having said that, I applaud the author for this approach that begins with grace. That is most Christian. Most people will already know that pornography is bad. Otherwise, why do hotels try to do a favour to guests who view adult movies, by saying that whatever they watch will not be recorded? Or why is there a sense of lingering guilt whenever X-rated movies are viewed? Freedom is for us, but first we need to surrender to the grace of God. Surrender our pride. Surrender our weaknesses. Surrender any warped or deceiving rationalizations that project any need for visual stimulation or satisfaction. No. Pornography is like visual heroin. Once addicted, it is very hard to escape it. This book is a strong antidote to prevent the problem from happening.


Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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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.

"The Calling of Congregational Leadership" (Larry L. McSwain)

TITLE: The Calling of Congregational Leadership: Being, Knowing, Doing Ministry (TCP The Columbia Partnership Leadership Series)
AUTHOR: Larry L. McSwain
PUBLISHER:  St Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2013, (288 pages).

Leadership is a calling. It is a ministry of being, of knowing, and of doing. Larry McSwain is a Professor of Leadership at the McAfee School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia. The main idea in the book is about how congregational members can "model communities of obedience to the lordship of Jesus Christ in who they are and what they do." Aimed primarily at congregations that are local and autonomous, and structurally not as hierarchical or connectional, the author believes that God's power flows through the local congregation of the Church as they touch each other's lives, through the practices of being, knowing, and doing ministry.

Part One deals with the being aspect of a congregational member. This is linked with a response to the calling of each member. For people are meant to be unique, not uniform. There are four ways to understand calling. Firstly, calling is beyond the self. God must call the person. Secondly, the calling involves an experience from within, to generate purpose and passion. Thirdly, the call to leadership comes from the Church. This has implications for pastoral leadership and the ecclesiastical call, where serving the Church is not about an employment contract, but about vocation. Such a vocation is that deepest desire to serve. Fourthly, it means learning about vocational calling and discernment remains a core responsibility of the Church leadership. The response to the call is then through deeper self-knowledge, deeper growth in spiritual disciplines, and deeper responsibility in leadership.

Part Two is about knowing the mission of God. It requires the leader to know the cultural realities of the church community. It needs the leadership to understand the uniqueness of their DNA, and live intentionally God's mission for their unique contexts.

Part Three is the most practical part of the book. Congregational leadership is demonstrated through eight ways, all of which are interconnected and important.

1. Dreaming: This is important for hope is tightly connected to dreams. Just like the Christian lives in anticipation of the promises of God, the Church leadership must adopt "pastoral imagination" that embodies the call of the people, the needs of the neighbourhood, the mission of God, and the strategic vision of the Church.
2. Caring: It is the art of compassionate ministry that distinguishes Church leadership from other kinds of leadership. The three circles of care are pastoral care, internal congregationalcare, and external community care. Pastoral care involves friendship, comfort, confession, and teaching. Compassionate preaching can be done over the pulpit. Caring preaching can minister to the hurt and needy. Grief ministry to the suffering. 
3. Proclaiming: The purpose of the gospel is basically to be made known to as many people as possible. The Church's mission is to declare it to their neighbourhoods. 
4. Organizing: If there is no people to plan activities, there will be nothing for the people to look forward to. Activities in the Church include worship services, learning programs, liturgy, hospitality, social, evangelism, and so on.
5. Resourcing: This is essentially about stewardship. Out of the need to practice holistic stewardship, education, training, and giving structures need to be attended to.
6. Conflict Management: With change so prevalent everywhere, people do come into conflict from time to time. Various conflicts and the responses are suggested on how to deal with each.
7. Evaluating: In order to improve, one needs to evaluate themselves.
8. Celebrating: Serving well also means celebrating well together.

So What?

This book presents a comprehensive picture of what a Church needs. The objectives are clear. The flow is logical. The suggestions are practical. It is a powerful handbook for Church ministry and leadership, and congregation members can benefit from the book in many different ways. The three parts of the book shows us that every leadership consideration must involve recognizing the who we are created (the being). Then, we  need to be clear about the mission of God in our Churches (knowing). Know who we are. Know what we are supposed to do. Then, go ahead and be equipped for the work to be done. Churches that are aimless often do not know who they are and where they are supposed to go. It is because they lack knowledge in these, they are unable to be trained or seek education. In other words, they start barking up all kinds of different trees in search of something to do. The tragedy is that they may end up doing things that are totally out of sync with their calling. Finally, the doing aspect of the book contains many practical advice and program steps. Many of the ideas can be easily adopted by any congregation.

My suggestion is that readers should not jump too quickly to the last part of the book. Instead, they need to spend a 40-30-30 percentage. For 40% of the time, pray and fast to discover their being, their calling, and to affirm one another their uniquenesses. For the next 30% of the time, take time for knowing the self, the congregation, and the community at large. Finally, the last 30% is about implementing all of the above in specific ways. For any Church, certain ministries will be more developed than others. So, different ministries will be at different phases at any one time. Thus, it is important to take a step back and not presume the whole Church is stuck at any one phase.

Even though the author has indicated the book as meant more for congregational members of churches that are non-hierarchical and non-connectional, I think the ideas in the book can benefit the Church at large.

Great leadership resource!

Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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

"The Gospel Disciple" (David Putman)

TITLE: The Gospel Disciple
AUTHOR: David Putman
PUBLISHER: Exponential Resources, 2012.

[Free ebook available here.]

This ebook seeks to answer three fundamental questions.

1. What is the Gospel?
2. What is a Disciple?
3. What is the Church?

Beginning with a frantic phone call from a Church leader in Haiti, to help disciple the workers there, Putman starts to wonder about the rediscovery of the gospel mission not just in his own Church, but the American Church context. The big problem he identifies is this. Belief is one thing. Be willing to follow and put that into action is another. Thus, the order in answering the three questions become very significant.

A) The Gospel

This announcement of good news need to be RE-discovered. The gospel is not something earned but given. It is redeemed in Christ. We are saved by grace. It also renews us. We grow when the truth of the gospel transforms us. When the gospel is written into the hearts of people, we will be excited to tell our story, our testimony, and our lives of these three things: How we are redeemed in Christ; how the Spirit continues to restore us; and how we ourselves can be agents of restoration for others. Being a gospel disciple is about sharing this journey with others.

B) The Disciple

Our mission as gospel disciples is to make disciples. That is also the mission of the Church. It is not a program. It is a way of life to become the disciple that you want others to become. In other words, live by example. Live like Christ. Live for Christ. This calls for a constantly renewed focus to learn, to live, to loge, and to lift up the Name of Christ. Just like the saying: "Hurt people hurt people. Loved people love people." We need to let our mission for God flow out of God's love for us.

C) The Church

The third question is about living together as a community of Christ. The body of Christ is the Church, and not the institutional structures that many of us have come to refer the Church as. It calls for prayer for one another in the faith. It calls for caring for the least of the people. It calls for planting the gospel, just like Christ. For Putman, to be a "Gospel Disciple" means building the Church around the disciples, instead of building disciples around the Church. Let the Church be the strengthener of the relationships. Build a gospel community and link up with other gospel communities. Here are some of the suggestions in "rediscovering Church."

• "Re-discovering church is less about gathering and more about scattering."
• "Re-discovering church involves shifting power from the center to the edges."
• "Re-discovering church involves hitting the reset button."

In other words, let the Church be one that is more concerned about reaching out, about touching outside, instead of worried about inner church life and about internal concerns. Let the Church empower others who are serving people at the edges. Let the Church constantly be renewed, and not try to keep things status quo.

The instructions are short and sharp, and will be useful for Church leaders, planters, and laypersons to read and apply straightaway. The pointers can also be good conversational starters.

conrade

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

"Liturgy as a Way of Life" (Bruce Ellis Benson)

TITLE: Liturgy as a Way of Life: Embodying the Arts in Christian Worship (The Church and Postmodern Culture)
AUTHOR: Bruce Ellis Benson
PUBLISHER:  Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013, (160 pages).

What has philosophy got to do with art? How does postmodern theory affect the way we do Church? What are the connections between theology, art, and postmodernity? How do we better appreciate the ecclesiological and theological differences among various branches of the wider Christian community?  Perhaps, instead of being a light to the world, the Church at large has become a world where postmodernity has directed their formation instead of the reverse. Not necessarily, says Bruce Ellis Benson. What theological knowledge does for the head, the liturgy and the arts do for the whole body. True liturgy is not institutionalized religious acts, but a way of life. The author is a professor of philosophy at Wheaton College as well as a jazz musician himself.  In this book, he manages to weave together his expert knowledge as a theologian, his love for the Church, as well as his deep fondness for the arts. For Benson, life is about constant improvisation, and improvisation is by itself a work of art. Such a philosophy changes the way we do liturgy and the way we do art and life. The key idea in this book is that "we are all artists, that our very lives should be seen as art, and that we should live liturgically in service to God and neighbour." Thus, the most basic call for us is to present ourselves as living sacrifices, to let God mold us into his work of art. By this, Benson is arguing that this molding is in being transformed more and more into the image of Christ. That is why we "improvise." Our improvisional vocation means a life of creative activity rather than monotonous strain. We are called to be artists, and our artistic vocation is about responding to the call of God. He acknowledges that seeing life as a work of art is nothing new. Great theologians from the 2nd-5th centuries, like Clement of Alexandria and John Chrysostom have mentioned it. More modern philosophers like Frederick Nietzsche and Michael Foucault have resurrected it. Now, Benson has published it by infusing art with liturgy. For art is not simply for genuises or add-ons. It is essentially a way of thinking and a way of living. That said, the author is mindful that any work or works of art can themselves become an idol. That is why he makes a distinction between icon and idol. Our works of art can be iconic, to point people toward God instead of idolatry which points people, including ourselves away from God. How we can cultivate an iconic lifestyle of art is essentially the thrust of the entire book.

First, Benson links the call with the need to respond. Every call needs to be met with a response, making it a liturgy of life that interacts both ways. The alternative is a non-response where there is no connections, and no work of beauty. For every work of beauty stems from a response to a call. Such connections allow the meeting of transcendence and the existential. It ties in the beauty of nature with theological truth.  It streamlines the relationship between man and God, and God with man. This in turn leads to much improvisation that has positive implications not just for oneself, but also for the community.

Second, before one can start liturgy and arts as a way of life, certain misconceptions have to be debunked. One major one is the separation of art from theology, like how some people separate sciences from the arts, and call them mutually exclusive. That is not so. Another challenge is how to innovate amid a system of rules, rituals, and regulations. Benson uses the example of Bach as a way to show readers that genuises of innovative abilities are also craftsmen in their own rules and rituals. He makes a case that there are primary as well as secondary artists. While the former creates something, and the latter makes a derivative out of the works of others, artists are participants of a wider community, even when they have been perceived as lone creators. Interestingly, Benson observes that artists do not usually remember the how-to after creating their masterpiece.

Third, after the deconstruction of art in the previous chapter, it is time for reconstruction. From the many example of classical composers and artists, Benson brings in more familiar cultural icons like movies, blues music, and of course, the author's favourite: jazz. The important point to note is that there are no lone stars, for all great works of art are indebted to tradition, history, and derivatives of the works of other artists. Alas, there is a whole legal matter of copyright issues that can derail any creative attempts to innovate. Society walks a tricky balance between protecting the rights of artists and their works, and the need for others to innovate and improve. If the law is too rigid, then copyright matters can strictly inhibit creativity.

Four, Benson brings readers face to face with the dichotomy between art and sacred living. Based on the Chaim Potok's work, "My Name is Asher Lev," we are reminded of the warning to Asher Lev not to become a whore. Essentially, people who deceive themselves are whores. Artists live in a tension between creativity and conformity. My reflection is that we need to be creative when we are able to, and to conform when we need to. At all times, affirm both, with truth as the guiding light. This is tough, considering that often, we are forced to conform to what our audience want, even when we see that what people want is not necessarily what the truth is. This is a practical problem. Do artists paint the real world as is, or should they draw up something pretty because everybody expects it?

The last part of the book brings everything together, that we all grow and live, to become living works of art for the glory of God. We become living works of art when our "intensive liturgy" meshes with our "extensive liturgy" on a daily basis. The former is what happens when the people of God come together in worship. The latter is when believers leave the assembly to live out in the world. What is helpful is Benson's dissection of the word "liturgy" comes from the Greek word "leitourgia" which itself is a combination of two other words, "leitos" (people) and "ergon" (work). It can be translated as public worship or service to God. This one word can nuanced both the intensive and extensive liturgies that Benson has been talking about all along. Originally, liturgy is about how people lived. Unfortunately, over the years, it has become too specialized into a series of acts or rituals, to the point that the original meaning has been forgotten. It is time to bring back both the public and the private, the community and the works of service, all of which are to be done to the glory of God, Creator of heaven and earth.


My Thoughts

Considering the fact that words like "liturgy" are increasingly out of vogue, even despised in this postmodern climate, it is heartening to read a book that personifies a work of art. More often, liturgical practices fall out with many modern folks for sheer ignorance of the richness of history and tradition. Benson says it well, that liturgy is not just for Sundays, but ought to be a way of life that presents our live as living sacrifices all days of our lives. Our call is to simply listen and respond. We are already called. 

This book has challenged me about how art can powerfully teach us theology, and how theology can influence art. In order to improvise and innovate any work of art, we need to remember that we ourselves are in the first place, works of art. It is like the biblical notion of love, where we love because God first loved us. Likewise, we create because God first created us. God has empowered us to do great things, and our living on this earth is a direct outworking of this calling.   This may be a small book but it surely packs a big punch. As I read the book, I am left with a sense of awe at how my own life can be a work of art. Under the guidance of the Spirit of God, and the instructions of the Word of God, my life need not be simply a single note on a piano keyboard. I can be creative not just to use all the black and white keys, but to creatively improvise from the simplest to the most profound musical scores, utilizing both major and minor keys, pedals on or off, echoes in and out, and endless combinations of keys.

What really makes this book stands out is the author's humility to acknowledge the contributions of many others, even suggesting that there is truth in birthing the reader even if it means "death of the author." The path to the realm of arts is about improvising one's giftedness, that all of life can be a beautiful piece of art, with ourselves as paintbrushes, our fellow people as contributors of ideas, the world's resources as our tools, with the Spirit as our guide, and our creative work as a glory to God. Let me close with this brilliant reminder.

"Thus, each of us is an artwork in the making. Art flows from us precisely because we ourselves are works of art. Our souls and bodies are artworks that are far more fundamentally art than anything sketched on a page or painted on canvas. We are God’s sculptures and we are called to join him in that task." (Bruce Ellis Benson)

Great book!

Rating: 5 stars of 5

conrade

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