Archive for August, 2007
Mark DeVine. Bonhoeffer Speaks Today: Following Jesus at All Costs. B&H, 2005. 179 pp.
Imprisoned and eventually executed for his opposition to Hitler’s regime, the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer continues to fascinate and inspire Christians across the world. His life epitomizes authenticity, commitment, and sacrifice. Devine writes, “When a man willingly exposes himself to suffering and death for his faith and for others, we take notice and with good reason. While martyrdom neither proves nor produces a spiritual giant, the possibility does arise, and this piques a distinctive longing common to followers of Jesus Christ.”
Continue reading ‘Bonhoeffer Speaks Today | Mark DeVine’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed 
.
Brad Stetson & Joseph G. Conti. The Truth About Tolerance: Pluralism, Diversity, and the Culture Wars. IVP, 2005. 207 pp.
We all want to be tolerant.
No one wants to be intolerant. But does that mean we have to accept all truth claims as true? Does this virtue rule out having any strongly held moral convictions?
In this book Brad Stetson and Joseph G. Conti explore the use and misuse of this important value in academic circles and popular media. They note that the pursuit of truth and the pursuit of tolerance are often taken to be mutually exclusive, and it ends with truth having to give way to tolerance.
Continue reading ‘The Truth About Tolerance | Brad Stetson & Joseph Conti’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Mac Brunson & Ergun Caner. Why Churches Die: Diagnosing Lethal Poisons in the Body of Christ. B&H, 2005. 216 pp.
We are all too aware of the damage poisons can have on our bodies. These ailments find their way into us, invading us, infecting us, and spreading throughout us until the illness is felt all over. There are spiritual poisons that work this way as well, except these ailments invade another kind of body-the spiritual body of Christ. Like the diseases of our physical bodies, these diseases slow the body down, crippling it to function at less than capacity. They limit what the body can do and the effectiveness it can have. If not treated, these diseases can lead to death.
Continue reading ‘Why Churches Die | Mac Brunson & Ergun Caner’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Gary L. McIntosh & R. Daniel Reeves. Thriving Churches in the Twenty-First Century: 10 Life-Giving Systems for Vibrant Ministry. Kregel, 2006. 224 pp.
An innovative approach to dynamic church ministry through recognition of spiritual health and energy as the basis of ministry vitality. Using the analogy of the human body, Thriving Churches in the Twenty-First Century explores the ten interlocking systems that make up a healthy church body, such as spiritual energy, corporate intercession, spiritual disciplines, mentoring, and team ministry. The result is a book brimming with insights and encouragement to help understand how the church can experience lasting spiritual growth.
Continue reading ‘Thriving Churches in the Twenty-First Century | Gary McIntosh & R. Daniel Reeves’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Rory Noland. The Worshiping Artist: Equipping You and Your Ministry Team to Lead Others in Worship. Zondervan, 2007. 256 pp.
A practical guide to help worship team members spiritually prepare for worship by providing practical advice with each chapter which addresses a key issue church artists face and gives slice-of-life scenarios, group discussion questions, applications questions, biblical perspective, and personal action steps.
Whether you serve as a vocalist, instrumentalist, technician, dancer, actor, or in some other role, you know what a blessing it is to serve on your church’s worship team. But you also know that some days you’re more technically prepared than you are spiritually prepared for the ministry of leading others in worship.
Continue reading ‘The Worshiping Artist | Rory Noland’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Mike Higgs. Youth Ministry from the Inside Out: How Who You Are Shapes What You Do. IVP, 2003. 158 pp.
Flash! Ping! Whiz! Pop! Boom! Bang! Crash!
Such are the sights and sounds of modern youth ministry. We look for the bigger, the louder, the brighter. And we work long and hard to make our ministry the biggest, the loudest, the brightest.
But look out and listen up: God is not caught up in sound and fury. And he doesn’t want to see youth workers disengage—letting the momentum define their purpose.
Continue reading ‘Youth Ministry from the Inside Out | Mike Higgs’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Joseph Bentz. When God Takes Too Long: Learning to Thrive During Life’s Delays. Beacon Hill, 2006. 160 pp.
One of the greatest frustrations of the Christian life is having to wait for God to act. We wait, sometimes for years, for our prayers to be answered, for our deepest longings to be fulfilled.
Some devoted Christians get stuck in dead-end jobs even though they feel certain they could serve God in greater ways if only He would open the opportunity. Why doesn’t He? Some wait for a godly spouse, some couples wait for the gift of children, and some, who have dedicated their lives to serving the Lord, wait in disappointed bafflement as their work seems to yield no fruit. Why?
Continue reading ‘When God Takes Too Long | Joseph Bentz’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Rick Richardson. Experiencing Healing Prayer: How God Turns Our Hurts into Wholeness. IVP, 2005. 248 pp.
One restless night Rick Richardson was disturbed throughout his sleep by an image of a man coming at him with a knife. Taking that image seriously set Rick on a profound journey of healing and prayer around issues of masculinity and relationships.
Sometimes we feel spiritually numb, find ourselves emotionally dependent, struggle with addictive behavior, or see a trail of broken relationships behind us. These can be signs that we are in need of God’s healing touch in our lives through prayer–prayer that we can learn and practice in community. In this biblical and very human book, Richardson walks us through the steps we need to receive this gift of healing from God as well as to begin praying for others in their pain.
Continue reading ‘Experiencing Healing Prayer | Rick Richardson’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Derek Prime & Alistair Begg. On Being a Pastor: Understanding Our Calling and Work. Moody, 2006. 320 pp.
Now in paperback, On Being a Pastor is an essential tool to help pastors fulfill their calling. A pastor’s responsibilities are unique, demanding that he nurture his own spiritual life as well as that of the people in his care. Derek Prime and Alistair Begg provide practical advice for both the spiritual and practical aspects of pastoral ministry. Topics include prayer, devotional habits, preaching, and specific ministry duties.
Continue reading ‘On Being a Pastor | Derek Prime & Alistair Begg’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
Kenneth Poppe. Reclaiming Science from Darwinism: A Clear Understanding of Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design. Harvest House, 2006. 320 pp.
Darwinism is a 150-year-old icon that has been propped up by unproven suppositions. The scientific discoveries of the last few decades are now kicking out the props.
Dr. Kenneth Poppe is convinced the icon is ready to topple. Providing extensive scientific evidence of Darwinism’s failures, this career biology instructor uses enlightening analogies and examples to explain the theory’s problems:
Continue reading ‘Reclaiming Science from Darwinism | Kenneth Poppe’
Like this post? Subscribe to our feed .
