Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections between Sexuality and Spirituality Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, this book is not so much about that, despite the title. The title almost immediately sets you up for an anti-climactic rest of the book. The title is good marketing, but not necessarily truth in advertising. This is ok. Buying this book is not about that.
Think about why you bought it first. You bought it because you really like Rob Bell, and in your mind you run through conversations that you'd like to have with him when you two are hanging out at Starbucks, which I'm sure he'll have time for. Given that that's what this is about, just realize that you're getting the next best thing. You're hanging out with him. He's talking about what's on his mind. You get to listen in. Even though it's a monologue, it kind of scratches that itch that all of his fans have been having.
So for that reason, it's a pretty good book.
In keeping with the postmodern, emergent ethos, which Bell leads while disavowing, the book is not linear. He starts out with a provocative introduction which broaches the sacramental without using that word, and then a powerful first chapter that reaches into our deepest longings for the dignity for which we were created. Immediately we are on board and want more. Particularly in hopes that he gets to the s-e-x.
The second chapter skirts around our "disconnection" from the created order, which makes me wonder if we're walking through a systematic theology of creation, sin, salvation (I was soon dissuaded). I'm also wondering if we've taken on a neo-Tillichian doctrine of sin-as-victimization, but I don't think the book's theology is quite so intentional.
The third chapter I like even better, as a modern discourse on the first three chapters of Genesis and the thoughtful suggestion that our sexuality is poised between our place as animal and angel, as physical and spiritual beings. Now I'm really into this book. Chapter four plays with the temptations and addictions that throw us off course from that dignity we wanted at first. Chapter five looks at our reaching out for love to fix the hurt, portrayed through the clever and playful illustration of a little girl running away from Rob Bell when he asked her to dance in Junior High. I think we're supposed to say, "Oh, good choice, girlie, look where you'd be now." The cross is God's act of making himself vulnerable to our rejection in the same way.
Now here's the break. From here on out, the structure is not too clear to me, and, from what I read, to other reviewers. Six is about couples needing to submit to each other rather than women to men. Seven is (subtly) about retaining the mystery of sex within marriage. Eight is about loyalty, nine is an implied analogy between heaven and marital intimacy, and ten is an offer of forgiveness for those who have failed.
Then I realized what I was reading. It's not systematic theology; it's the emergent "Why Wait?" program. Which is fine. I just wanted to hang out with Rob Bell, and when I got the chance, he had sex on his mind. Cool. I like listening to him, whatever he's talking about.
My only two suggestions for his third book are these. First, the endnotes are not cute, and it is not impressive to see how many books you can recommend. They perforate a book that already requires attention. Secondly, pensees do not need to be released in hardback at twice the cost of a paperback.
Those aside, it's a worthwhile recommendation for the religiously exposed who don't really understand Christian mores regarding physical intimacy.

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Evangelism Is . . .: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence Review

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(More customer reviews)If you love the Lord, call yourself a Christian or simply want to live a better life, you need to read this book. It might sound like it's simply about telling people about Christ, but it's so much more than that. Reading it makes me want dozens of copies just to hand out to everyone I know. It's that good.

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Evangelism Is . . . contains forty brief chapters of high-octane, rut-breaking equipment, empowerment, and encouragement for all who are ready to share Jesus more passionately and confidently with others. Each call-toaction entry stands alone but can easily be connected to other chapters, all of them finishing the sentence that begins with the book's title. For example, Evangelism Is . . . "Joyfully Intoxicating," "The Real Business of Life," "The Supreme Challenge of This Generation," "Leading People to True Conversion," "Washing Feet," "Praying Prodigals Home," "Empathy with Action," "Giving a Logical Defense of Your Faith," "A Family Affair," etc.The book's appendix also includes articles on what evangelism is not, evangelism in the early church, and sharing Jesus, plus sample plans for sharing one's faith.

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Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God Review

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(More customer reviews)Monday, February 8, 2010
Beautiful Things Happen When a Woman Trusts God by Sheila Walsh
The opening illustration of the book is quite personal, as the author thinks of herself as a child on a swing, being pushed by her mother higher and higher. Oh, how she loved to go so high! One day at the park through unforeseen circumstances, the neighborhood bully began to push her on the swing. He wasn't pushing her any higher than she had gone before, yet she was terrified. It wasn't about the swing or the experience. It was completely and totally about WHO was pushing. This is defined as trust and is what I felt to be the foundational premise for the book.Sheila Walsh provides twelve chapters with topics such as fear, pain, and darkness; then gives us a Biblical glimpse of how God turns them into courage, prayer, and vision. A few of the Bible characters discussed in the book are Moses, Gideon, Joseph, and Abraham. The author outlines how each character's trust in God or lack of was displayed in their lives through different avenues and circumstances and then God's revelation of beauty in their walks with Him is unfolded.My favorite quote: "We don't always see it, are tempted not to trust it, but the fact remains that God is always making a way for you that's according to His grand plan." This book spoke to me personally on so many levels. I loved every minute of reading it.
In the conclusion, the author returns to her example of the swing and lists some amazing insights. I'll not list them here; you need to read the book!

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C. S. Lewis and the Catholic Church Review

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(More customer reviews)In picking up a book like this, the most obvious question is "why read it?" The most obvious answer is given in the title: to explore Lewis's views of, and relation to the Catholic Church. I picked up the book with that idea in mind, but instantly discovered a much wider appeal. More interesting than Pearce's attempt to answer that question are the many byways he treads to get there. What impressed me was his skill as a researcher: in turning over stones to find things others have overlooked, in drawing odd, if plausible parallels between things that seem disconnected, in tracing some of the rich streams that fed Lewis's imagination and flowed into his works. In particular, Pearce looks at The Pilgrim's Regress and The Great Divorce, two widely-read works of fiction, and Mere Christianity, Lewis's most popular nonfiction work. Pearce probes into the "troubles" of Lewis's native Belfast and the later atmosphere of inquiry and debate at Oxford, following him from an atheist to a convert and well-known Chrstian apologist. Would that road have eventually led to Rome? he asks. Why or why not? One can only speculate, and Pearce imaginatively considers the question. Interestingly, he notes, the Anglicans of Lewis's own denomination less and less read him, while he is becoming more and more popular among two other groups: Catholics and Evangelical Protestants. A Catholic convert himself, Pearce naturally leans towards the former readers, but it would be unfortunate if the latter group missed this book by an author in so many ways in sympathy with them, and which sheds so much light on what both groups find in common in an author they both love.
For more on Lewis' relationship to the Catholic Church see my interview with Richard Purtill, author of C.S. Lewis' Case for the Christian Faith (available through Amazon) at Ignatius.com in the Ignatius Insight online magazine.

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There are many Protestants and Catholics who have been deeply affected and spirituality changed by the writings of C.S. Lewis, including many converts to Catholicism who credit C.S. Lewis for playing a significant role in their conversion. But the ironic and perplexing fact is that Lewis himself, while "Catholic" in many aspects of his faith and devotion, never became a Roman Catholic. Many have wondered why. Joseph Pearce, highly regarded literary biographer and great admirer of Lewis, is the ideal writer to try to answer that question. The relationship of Lewis to the Roman Catholic Church is an important and intriguing topic of interest to both Catholics and Protestants. Pearce delves into all the issues, questions, and factors regarding this puzzling question. He gives a broad and detailed analysis of the historical, biographical, theological, and literary pieces of this puzzle.His findings set forth the objective shape of Lewis's theological and spiritual works in their relation to the Catholic Church. This well-written book brings new insights into a great Christian writer, and it should spark lively discussion among Lewis readers and bring about a better understanding of the spiritual beliefs of C.S. Lewis.

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Savvy Senior Singles: Navigating the Singles World from Age 50 and Beyond Review

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(More customer reviews)As I Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner, I have heard the cries of many who have not followed the advice in the Savvy Senior Singles book. Some haven't pursued their dreams; some have lived in fear, others added another person to their lives without wisdom, or never thought they would get a sexually transmitted disease. Samantha Landy devotes chapters to each of these situations. At the end of each chapter is a "Points to Ponder" page which highlights the main points. Many survivors have sat with me and sobbed because they have no idea where anything is or whom to contact. Readers who complete the Living Network in this book will provide tremendous help to surviving family members and eliminate this problem. Married or single, if you're age 50 or older, you will profit from reading Savvy Senior Singles.
Yvonne Ortega, LPC, LSATP

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Who likes being called a Senior Citizen?Not many. Even though the reality of age may demand the description, there is a more accurate way to speak of many older people who find themselves alone.Author Samantha Landy prefers the phrase Savvy Senior singles for those who are mature but still very much young at heart and living without a partner. Her practical insights give you the nudge needed to live a successfully fulfilling second-half of life.This optimistic but practical view of life addresses issues that affect your emotional, physical, spiritual, and financial health.

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The Meaning of Mary Magdalene: Discovering the Woman at the Heart of Christianity Review

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(More customer reviews)"The gospel narratives leave us with a powerful icon of the deep and pure soul love between Mary Magdalene and Jesus..a deep and mystical bond between them, stronger than physical life or death,(which) becomes profoundly engendering to the whole subsequent unfolding of Christianity" ( C. Bourgeault 2008 The Wisdom Jesus). Picking up themes from earlier work which are at the heart of her teaching and Thomas Keating's, and further exploring her own almost life long interest in Mary Magdalene, this book, takes us on a journey through an imaginal ( not the same as imagined) consideration of the relationship between Jesus and Mary. The Rev. Bourgeault takes us on a journey, informed by faith, experience and a sparkling intellect through an ages old consideration of the relationship between eros and agape. Before taking us on this journey with her, she first visits what we know of Mary in history referring to the bible as well as the gnostic gospels (but not the Pistis Sophia or the Jesus Sophia) and very logically in very human terms points to the evidence that the relationship was deeply personal, intimate and loving and that Mary most likely had her own .spiritual gifts. Rev. Bourgeault tells us that the meaning of Mary is not as sophia incarnate, that the recovery of Magdalene is not a recovery of Sophia, the feminine divine. There is only one ordering principle,not a masculine and a feminine,she says with compelling clarity. The real meaning of Mary Magdalene to Christianity is in her human being..in her being the first Christian..the first to understand and model Jesus' transparency ( not as God but as Human (sic))There is obviously much more experience, thought and revelation to be shared than could be accommodated in these few pages. There is no question that The Rev. Bourgeault's voice is an authentic one on the subject of Mary Magdalene..she tells us she has been drawn to Mary Magdalene for more than 40 years. Readers and students interested in further exploration or deeper understanding of the themes in this book might also want to read, or re read, Wisdom Jesus and Love is Stronger than Death. Her bibilographies are always a treasure trove and a work of hers cited in this book is well worth a read for further background on eros as divine love (Spring 1999 issue of Gnosis..available through Field Books, San Francisco) Sardello also speaks very movingly to the transformative power of the sacred in relationship, to the emanation of a third and sacred presence from such relationships, in Chapter six of his book, Silence. Athough a very different kind of book, oustide the garden wall of wisdom teaching for contemplatives, Jane Norton's "The Mary Magdalene Within" is a plain English version of the imaginal relationship Bourgeault conveys in her book which may make what Bourgeault is saying here more accessible to you. Reread..a few times. ..and do explore other sources, especially those she recommends.
It is possible that some of what the Rev. Bourgeault asks us to consider may be rough going.( mostly things mentioned in passing and not developed)but she is only asking us to consider and not for the sake of persuasion but to provoke a search for clarity within ourselves.


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Mary Magdalene is one of the most influential symbols in the history of Christianity—yet, if you look in the Bible, you'll find only a handful of verses that speak of her. How did she become such a compelling saint in the face of such paltry evidence? In her effort to answer that question, Cynthia Bourgeault examines the Bible, church tradition, art, legend, and newly discovered texts to see what's there. She then applies her own reasoning and intuition, informed by the wisdom of the ages-old Christian contemplative tradition. What emerges is a radical view of Mary Magdalene as Jesus's most important disciple, the one he considered to understand his teaching best. That teaching was characterized by a nondualistic approach to the world and by a deep understanding of the value of the feminine. Cynthia shows how an understanding of Mary Magdalene can revitalize contemporary Christianity, how Christians and others can, through her, find their way to Jesus's original teachings and apply them to their modern lives.

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Feasting on the Word, Year A,: Season After Pentecost 2 (Propers 17-reign of Christ) Review

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(More customer reviews)Very intelligent, thought provoking and inspiring as one prepares to preach the Scriptures week after week.
One of the best I have seen in a long time.

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With this twelve-volume series, Westminster John Knox Press offers one of the most extensive and well-respected resources for preaching on the market today. The twelve volumes cover all of the Sundays in the three-year lectionary cycle, along with moveable occasions. The page layout is truly unique. For each lectionary text, preachers will find brief essays--one each on the exegetical, theological, pastoral, and homiletical challenges of the text. Each volume also contains an indexof biblical passages so that nonlectionary preachers may make use of it.

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I Am Not But I Know I Am: Welcome to the Story of God Review

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(More customer reviews)Louie is an excellent communicator, and this book was no exception. It's easy to read and makes its point clearly. He also draws on Scripture without making the reader be too weighed down by Scripture references and theology.
The message Louie brings in this book is one that most churches (at least the ones I've been to) gloss over. Here's a basic summary of what he's trying to say:
- Everything in this universe is all about God (whose name is I AM, from the verb "to be").
- The story of God is an eternal story of everlasting significance.
- The story of you is a brief story like a wisp of vaper that disappears.
- So, if you want your life to count, you should join your story with His story.
It's a good book, and a fairly quick read; it'll only take a couple hours to finish. However, it's an excellent reminder that this universe is not about me; creation is all about God.

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We wear ourselves out trying to be smarter, bigger, the center of attention. But dynamic communicator Louie Giglio's latest book puts success back in perspective. When John the Baptist said that he must decrease while Jesus must increase, he was expressing the secret to astonishing freedom…and incredible rest. This book will teach you the rich, meaningful lifestyle of being small. Free from the worries that used to strangle you, you'll radiate the power of the God who is all the things you aren't! I am not, but God knows my name.I am not, but He has pursued me in His love.I am not, but I know the Creator of the universe.I am not, but I know I AM! If you see life as your own one-act play and history as your story, you could be in for a rude awakening when the curtain finally closes on your tiny tale—and you discover that life wasn't all about you after all.The real story of life is God—I AM—the main character and true star of time and eternity. He is at center stage in all of Creation, and He wants you to know Him by name. Knowing I AM means embracing your smallness in light of His greatness.Savor the true meaning of life as you learn to work and rest in His power, spending your life for what lasts forever—the unending glory that is God's alone.Story Behind the BookLouie Giglio recognizes a world and culture that keeps pushing us to be bigger, to be known, to be on top, to be at the center of everything. He encourages those who know how to right-size it all. Instead of pumping up their own programs, agendas, ideas, and plans, their goal is to keep getting smaller in order for Jesus to get bigger. Regarding themselves in relation to Jesus, they have the same goal John the Baptist had: "He must increase, I must decrease."

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Walking from East to West: God in the Shadows Review

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(More customer reviews)While the Donald Millers of the world have brought new vitality and honesty to writings on the Christian life, others, such as Philip Yancey and Ravi Zacharias, continue to dig deep into the intellectual side of the modern Christian's struggle. This depth makes their writings less accessible, yet so vital for many who are searching for answers.
In this gracious autobiography, Zacharias gives us doses of his trademark apologetics and wisdom, while providing a chronological view of his journey from suicidal teen to world-renowned evangelist. He offers glimpses into his cultural roots in India, along with helpful understanding of the eastern mindset. He shows restraint in his accounts of his family's issues, but he still manages to be honest with faults. He challenges his readers to move beyond their own search for fulfillment into a greater comprehension of who they are created to be.
As a missionary kid, I spent six months in India, experiencing some of the sights that Zacharias grew up around. I savored his anecdotes. This is a thoughtful, inspiring account of what God can do through those who are willing to "live, because he lives." Be patient, soak in the philosophical and theological musings, and see if you aren't nudged by the content of these pages.


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'Outside were stray animals and people, each about some pursuit. Sometimes it was a beggar at the door, sometimes a leprous hand reaching for a handout with a plea for compassion. Life with all its hurts and pains squinted at you, squatted before you, and stared you down daily. This was the street where I grew up.'Ravi Zacharias has lived an extraordinary life. He has walked with great leaders, slept in the villages and homes of the poor, and crossed continents to bring the good news of the gospel to the world.Already a man of two worlds by the time he was twenty, Ravi never dreamed that God would lead him from his birth home in India to Canada and the United States, and eventually to a platform on the world stage. For thirty-three years he has spoken all over the world. He has addressed writers of the peace accord in South Africa, the president's cabinet and parliament in Peru, and military officers at the Lenin Military Academy and the Center for Geopolitical Strategy in Moscow. He has given the keynote address at the National Day of Prayer in Washington, DC, and has spoken twice at the Annual Prayer Breakfast at the United Nations in New York. Walking from East to West is Ravi's life story, a deeply personal journey into his past. Dr. Zacharias invites you back to the southern India of his early childhood, and into his troubled youth in the sophisticated capital city of Delhi. He recalls the importance of a mother's love and his difficult relationship with his father. He tells about his long search for truth in wrestling with Eastern thought and the newer ideas of Christianity, the cry for help in a dark moment when he tried to take his own life---and the dramatic turning point that led to a life lived for Christ. Zacharias recalls his early days as a new convert, what it was like to find a new life in the Western world, and the eventual birth and growth of a worldwide ministry.This is a story about an amazing man. Yet it is also everyone's story about belief---how it begins, how it grows, and the struggles associated with it. Walking from East to West is a heartfelt personal story of one man's discovery that God is the author of our destinies, no matter how dark the shadows that hide the light.

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New England Primer Review

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(More customer reviews)David Barton has done this country a great service by reprinting the 1777 A.D. edition of this beginners' textbook that was used by American students up until the early 1900's. This was the beginning textbook for students in all types of American schools: public, private, semiprivate, home, dame, parochial, etc. The foreward states:
"The New England Primer was one of the greatest books ever published. It went through innumerable editions; it reflected in a marvelous way the spirit of the age that produced it, and contributed, perhaps more than any other book except the Bible, to the molding of those sturdy generations that gave to America its liberty and its institutions."
The Founding Fathers of this country and other Americans learned to read from this little treasure. There is much that we can learn about them and the way they thought by examining its contents. The true study of history should incorporate the study of what motivated people to do the things they did. This reprint makes for great classroom discussion. It makes for an excellent addition to any American History class at all grade levels and all ages. It is pocket-size, and kids and adults love it. I highly recommend it!

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The Good and Beautiful God: Falling in Love with the God Jesus Knows (The Apprentice Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very interested in reading this book after hearing James Bryan Smith speak at the Divine Conspiracy Conference. Upon reading the first few pages, I learned that his mentors were none other than Richard Foster and Dallas Willard! I was even more interested and fortunately I was not disappointed.
If you are familiar with Dallas Willard and Richard Foster, this book has similar imprints of these writing, but Smith has his own distinct style.
His style of writing draws you in, entices you to let down defenses, and shares his life experiences with you.
The book is laden with stories about his life and others. How real people are being conformed to the image of God. He talks about trust, by comparing the trust his son has in him. He affirms the Goodness of God even while talking about how he suffered through the loss of his daughter. The book is good, not only because it content, but because it is utterly realistic.
The book has 229 pgs, which consists of 9 Chapters. Each chapter has an addition with a spiritual discipline that should be practiced that week. Furthermore the book has questions associated with each chapter at the back.Which is very useful seeing that one of the purposes of the book is to be used in a group!
How is the content of the book? Here is an excerpt below:
"God loves us so much that he longs for us to be pure and works tirelessly to make us pure. MacDonald points out how God is against sin and thus for humans: 'He is always against sin; in so far as, and while, they and sin are one, he is against them-- against their desires, their aims, their fears, and their hopes; and thus he is altogether for them.'
God is against my sin because he is for me. And if I am for sin, God stands against those desires, MacDonald is saying, because they cause my destruction. I would not have it any other way. To be sure, I am prone to excusing my sin or rationalizing my weaknesses, but God is not in that business. Though we are now reconciled through Christ, God is not indifferent to my sin. It hurts me, and therefore it hurts God--because God loves me."
There are many other ah ha moments, which gives you a new perspective on certain things such as the will, or your identity in Christ, or even the nature of God. To Smith's credit, the book was never dull or boring. At the end the book just left me longing for the next book in the series: The Good and Beautiful Life.
I recommend this book and I think it would work well with other excellent books on spiritual formation such as renovation of the heart, longing for God, the spirit of the disciplines or even celebration of discipline. Buy the book and like me, you will be awaiting the next book of the series!
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Table of Contents
Introduction
How to Get the Most Out of This Book
1. What Are You Seeking?
Soul Training: Sleep
2. God is Good
Soul Training:Silence and Awareness of Creation
3. God is Trustworthy
Soul Training: Counting Your Blessings
4. God is Generous
Soul Training: Praying Psalm 23
5. God is Love
Soul Training: Lectio Divina
6. God is Holy
Soul Training: Margin
7. God is Self-Sacrificing
Soul Training; Reading the Gospel of John
8. God Transforms
Soul Training: Solitude
9. How to Make a Pickle
Soul Training: Slowing Down
Appendix: Small Group Discussion Guide
Notes
Acknowledgments
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Reviews & Endorsements
"The Apprentice Series is the best practice I have seen in Christian spiritual formation."
--Dallas Willard, author of The Divine Conspiracy
"I know from our long relationship that Jim Smith is a fine and trustworthy man, who authentically knows 'the good and beautiful God.' I can think of no higher compliment than this: I would happily trust the care of my soul to Jim and the good and beautiful God he commends to us."
--Todd Hunter, author of Christianity Beyond Belief and pastor of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Costa Mesa
"This first book in The Apprentice Series, The Good and Beautiful God, is a treasure. Dr. Smith has thought long and hard about the process of human transformation into the likeness of Jesus. I urge you to buy this book immediately! Read it and apply it. Then live it out in the context of a loving community. You will not regret doing so."
--Richard J. Foster, author of Celebration of Discipline and coauthor of Longing for God
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Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus Review

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(More customer reviews)If you are looking for a book that preaches a comfortable, easy, complacent version of Christianity, then this isn't the book for you. This book will hit you between the eyes. Kyle Idleman pulls no punches. If you are open to it, this book is like a giant mirror. It will help you take an honest look at yourself and realize what is truly in your heart. Jesus was never interested in drawing a crowd. He was interesting in gaining followers. Not of religion or legalism, but followers of Him. Idleman goes to great lengths to help the reader understand what it means to truly follow Christ. We live in an age where the Gospel and cost of following Christ are often softened and watered down. I think there are many people in American churches who have chosen to "follow Christ" with little or no consideration of the cost. Following Christ is about much more than just a "Get Out of Hell Free" card. It involves sacrifice, dying to self, and surrendering everything to Him. He may not ask us to give up everything, but a true follower is willing to do so if He does ask.
I think we all know someone who is obsessed with a particular celebrity. For example, say someone is obsessed with Britney Spears. A true fan probably is a fan on Facebook, has every CD she has ever made, and possibly even a scrape book of every magazine article ever written about her. If something new comes out, they will go to great lengths to attain it. But Jesus has never been interesting in having a fan club. He wants all of us. If you read this book with an open heart and mind, and are willing to be honest with yourself, this book will help you know if you are really a follower of Christ or if you are merely a fan of His. It is one thing to CLAIM to be a follower, it is an altogether different thing to actually LIVE like a follower of Christ. Jesus is not interested in mere lip service.
I have to ademit, that I spent a lot of years as a fan of Jesus. I knew all the right lingo, all the rules (don't drink, don't swear, don't have sex before marriage) and I knew a lot of knowledge about Jesus and the Bible. But what I didn't realize is that Jesus is interested in the heart. It is entirely possible to look great on the outside and be rotten on the inside. After awhile, I started going through the motions of prayer, worshiping God, and reading in the Word, but my heart wasn't really in it. I cared more about looking good on the outside than the state of my heart. I claimed to love Jesus, but in reality, it was all about me. I realized I wasn't following the Jesus of Scripture, I was following a false version of my own creation. A version that didn't demand too much, expect too much out of me, or expect total, unconditional surrender. I honestly believed that I could have Christ and my own way. Looking back, I can see now how completely self-centered I was. Even when a close friend cared enough to point this out to me, I didn't listen. Instead, I got angry and defensive. I claimed that Jesus was Lord of my life, but when it came right down to it, I was Lord of my life. But no more. Now, I can honestly say "I am not a fan of Jesus."

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Are you a follower of Jesus?Don't answer too quickly. In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Consider it a 'Define the Relationship' conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn't ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you're not into Jesus, period.In any case, don't take the question---Are you a follower of Jesus?---lightly. Some people don't know what they've said yes to and other people don't realize what they've said no to, says Pastor Kyle Idleman. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers.Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.

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I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist Review

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(More customer reviews)THE BOOK:
I am an agnostic who is looking for something to believe in. I have searched for years now, and generally am met with lukewarm explanations and radical fundamentalism from both camps. I am not self-righteous or pig-headed enough to categorically dismiss atheist or religious arguments simply because their tone bothered me, but it does get tiresome to be on the receiving end of what is usually more bitterness and dogmatic posturing than any kind of intelligent thought or reason.
Again, I'm talking about atheists as well as religious zealots.
Which is why I enjoyed this book so much.
This is a concise, well-crafted, thoughtful and thought-provoking piece of work. There is real insight to be gleaned from the pages, and although the sum total isn't what any open-minded person would call 100% convincing, it definitely gets much closer than anything else I've discovered.
There is much talk about this book setting up straw men to be knocked down, and although the book does do that on a few occasions, it is by no means what the ultimate premise is based on. In fact, although there were some sketchy arguments and hastily covered bases, and although there were explanations missing and topics omitted, I still felt, on the whole, that it was one of the more successful books I've read from either camp.
The tone (while every once in a while devolving into brief moments of snideness and cockiness) is generally quite intelligent and emotionally removed. There is little here that is bullying or smug, and for that I was grateful. It leant the text, with its vast array of debates and discussions, a snappy and no-nonsense delivery that helped elucidate the more hazily understood, philosophical explanations.
Although, in the end, I wasn't entirely convinced by the book, I was pushed much closer to being convinced than I have yet by any book, religious, atheistic, or otherwise.
THE CRITICS:
In the course of my research, I read the reviews and the comments made by consumers on Amazon.com in order to determine how best to spend my money. I don't want to buy an atheist or christian apologetic book if what I'm going to get is watered down theories and trite cliches.
At this point, I think it would be appropriate to point out that this is, in fact, a forum for discussing the merits of the product, and not the merits of the beliefs or arguments espoused within. I understand that it's hard to remove the deeper values of the work from the work itself, but it can be done. So, if, for instance, if you are an honest consumer, you can point out the cinematic brilliance of films like the Last Temptation of Christ in spite of what that film may or may not say about the religion you may or may not adhere to.
I was dismayed by how many inflammatory and rather pointless criticisms I found for this book. I'd never read it, but I could tell by the tone and stance of the reviews that they were reacting more out of indignation toward the subject matter than out of any knowledge of the text itself. One reviewer scorned the book for being written by David Limbaugh, when the man only wrote the forward. Another person decried the book for being "all about politics," when, as far as I could tell, there wasn't a word about politics, just beliefs or the lack of them.
If you are a critic of christianity, that's fine. Trust me, I understand your point of view. But your clumsily summarized view points and your indignant rebuttals do little to enlighten people who may be interested in buying this book. There are forums in which you can openly discuss and debate these topics, but this is not one of them. This is about saying whether or not the book is worth buying. Instead of doing that, most of you have instead attempted to explain your own beliefs, as if you want to write your own book in response to Christianity, but can't be bothered.
For someone such as myself, looking for intelligent and candid help with the question of Larger Purposes (or their absence), your poorly worded rants and emotional appeals -- especially those of you wearing your rage on your sleeve -- do nothing to help me. For future reference, if you really want to help someone like me understand your points of view, instead of typing out some sloppy summation or more key-worded dismissals (argument from ignorance! straw men!), perhaps you could actually RECOMMEND A DIFFERENT BOOK.
I am always on the lookout for some way to increase my knowledge of the world, and my knowledge of what that world may do to better explain the validity or non-validity of any religion. Unlike many of you, though, I haven't been convinced yet, either way. I read your reviews in the hopes that you may be able to point me down the same path that led to your own enlightenment of absolute certainty, but all most of you did was make vacuous complaints about the book and then insult people who might actually believe or buy it.
So, if you've come online to write a scathing review or to tear apart the praisers of this book, go right ahead. But keep in mind that your own viewpoints -- as right or wrong as they might be -- are less welcome than your criticisms of the actual book in question. And if you DO think you've got it all figured out, and if you DON'T think this book does, you could at least try to share that knowledge by pointing someone like me in the right direction, and by doing that without the same snobbish condecension that you sometimes find in the relgious believers whom you so adamantly decry.

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Setting Boundaries(TM) with Your Adult Children: Six Steps to Hope and Healing for Struggling Parents Review

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(More customer reviews)One day I was sitting in my recliner, not having a pity party, but just evaluating my life. I have a son who is a successful doctor. Another owns his own plumbing company. Another is sought after in the field of computer programming.
I also have two grown children that I sometimes refer to as my "gifts- that just keep on giving". These 'kids' are 32 (my youngest son) and 36 years old (my husband's bipolar daughter who is also on street drugs). If ever the Lord has spoken to me (and I know He has)..it was this day. Thoughts were flowing. "I don't know what NORMAL is. I tried to envision what it would be like to have a family gathering where my functioning kids could interact with the two 'outsiders'. What would it be like to not cringe when the phone rings with the next drama, to plan a vacation for me and my husband where we could just go and have a GREAT TIME without worrying about which one of them were having a crisis! I went on to the realization that "I am all USED UP. There is no more. There is NO joy in my life. No smiles. No laughter. No fun. No hope". Just me, waiting for the next round. My functioning children don't even KNOW me anymore because I have been so consumed with the two that require my time, energy, money and support.
Keep in mind, this was NOT a depressing awakening. It was LIBERATING! But I realized I needed a support system because it wasnt going to be easy to keep from falling back into my routine of "fixing" everything for every one else. I started looking for reading material and am so thankful that I ran across this book. I empathized with the author about her son - she and I shared the same feelings and some of the same experiences. The entire book just clarified to me what I needed to do to REALLY help these children. It reinforced the fact that this is not a selfish thing I am doing- it is the MOST GIVING,MOST LOVING, MOST UN-SELFISH thing I can do for my grown children - to quit trying to protect my grown kids from themselves and their consistent poor choices. I had been giving them just enough leash to see them get close to the fire and then I'd step in and try to salvage their lives. That day, I unhooked the leash and my grown kids are free to go. They know I love them but I am not available for any more drama caused by their irrational behavior and their poor choices. I am starting to live a life where I actually laugh a lot, I smile a lot, I am a fun, kind, thoughtful, interesting person and I have a LOT to give.
This book gives you the reinforcement you need wherever you presently are on your road to 'recovery'. I can honestly say that I have never read a book on this subject that so captivates me - every single page has reinforcement or encouragement or useful suggestions or motivation on how to make life begin again for YOU and also for the grown child who is getting ready to find out that it is time for him/her to grow up and take responsibility for their own decisions. I'm smiling as I write this because I know I'll never go back to those days and I have great hope for my son and step-daughter. They are in the shock stage right now - we're watching for signs that they will catch the next wind and soar like eagles. If they don't soar the first time, we'll be happy with just a flapping of wings. But they're going back to their OWN nest this time.
GREATEST OF GREAT BOOKS FOR THE PARENT WHO IS AGONIZING OVER THEIR GROWN KIDS CHOICES!

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What Can Be Found in LOST?: Insights on God and the Meaning of Life from the Popular TV Series Review

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(More customer reviews)What Can Be Found In Lost:
Insights on God and the Meaning of Life from the Popular TV Series
by John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs
I admit it! I spend way too much time on trivial stuff. Like TV shows. Like Lost.
Premiering with an eye-opening (literally) plane crash on a lush, South Pacific island, it has many intriguing characters. Jack, the brilliant surgeon, is a man of science. Kate is a beautiful criminal on the run, but can be counted on in a time of crisis. John Locke, a man of faith, apparently is healed of his paralysis. He believes the island on which they've landed influences their destiny. Sawyer, a con man, searches for the man who destroyed his family. Other characters include Charlie, a former rock-star addicted to heroin; Claire, a young very-soon-to-be single mother; Sayid, a former Iraqi soldier; and Hurley, who won the lottery and was in an mental hospital.

They soon discover they are not alone on the island. The Others, a group who have been on the island for many years, are led by Ben Linus. Ben calls himself a "good guy," but uses the "Losties" for his own (good-evil?) agenda.
Into it's fourth season, Lost presents many more questions than answers. I keep watching, hoping to find more pieces of the puzzle to solve all the inter-connecting mysteries of the characters and circumstances.Many internet sites have sprung up to help keep all the facts straight.Web logs (blogs) and online magazines such as tvguide.com and ew.com (Entertainment Weekly) have columnists that recap the show each week and give spoilers for what's coming next.

Aside from the action and good characterization, are the issues of faith that are such a huge part of the mystery. "What Can Be Found In Lost" looks at the issues as they are dealt with in the show. Then the book looks at them from a Biblical perspective.
These issues include:
the existence of God
miracles
the nature of good and evil
redemption
forgiveness
destiny
For example, the first chapter, Lost On God, relates a conversation between hero Jack and Other's leader Ben about the existence of God.
Ben: Do you belive in God, Jack?
Jack: Do you?
Ben: Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky. If that's not proof of God, I don't know what is.
Ben's need was met, thus "coincidence (a spinal surgeon falling out of the sky) equaled purpose (to remove his life-threatening tumor)."
Referencing Francis Schaeffer, the book gives three possibilities for "Where did everything come from?" 1. nothing; 2. an impersonal random source; 3. a personal beginning by a creator, thus we have a purpose. The authors state, "Lost presents a worldview in which the everyday occurences of life have a purpose. Purpose, because it is intentional, suggests that someone is orchestrating these intentions." At the end of the chapter, the question is asked, "How can what seems like coincidence offer evidence for God's existence?" Also, "In what ways do the Bible's assumptions regarding God seem narrow or intolerant? In what ways do they make sense?" This would make a great small group study!
One character, Rose, a born-again Christian, asks the question, "What does God have to do to get your attention?" The show focuses on deep spiritual issues that our world (and the Lost castaways) must address in our everyday lives. It is not a "Christian" show, but deals with things we should know how to discuss.
"What Can Be Found In Lost" discusses the issues from the world's perspective, a Christian's perspective and includes questions for further speculation. It also includes a character guide and other show info to help explain what has happened so far in the story.

If you are a fan or just want to know more about it, I highly recommend "What Can Be Found In Lost" by John Ankerberg and Dillon Burroughs.

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What can Christians learn from one of the most popular TV series of all time?

In its first season, LOST averaged 15.5 million viewers per episode. The show features a cast that struggles withthe eternal issues of identity, conflict, relationships, and spirituality. Though the show does not have a Christian foundation or theme, there is much believers can learn about social and cultural attitudes and perspectives through its episodes-such as...

the selfish bent of human nature
the darkness of evil
the hunger people have for acceptance and success
the realization of our need for God
the hope for a positive future

Many of the problems and difficulties of everyday life are captured succinctly in LOST-making it a useful 'point of reference" for understanding how different people view issues of a spiritual nature. Ankerberg and Burroughs offer practical suggestions for Christians who desire to talk effectively to others about the various themes in the show.

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Mother Teresa's Secret Fire: The Encounter That Changed Her Life and How It Can Transform Your Own Review

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(More customer reviews)When we come upon the life of Mother Teresa of Calcutta we are accustomed to hearing about her ministry to the "poorest of the poor". Her legacy is well known to people throughout the world for her globe trotting work helping the poor in the slums of Calcutta, AIDS patients, and other unfortunate people. Much is known about her life from Skjope of the former Yugoslavia to the streets of Calcutta, but far less is known about her inner life and motivation.
From Joseph Langford's `Mother Teresa's Secret Fire' we get a revealing portrait of her interior life. Centering on an intimate encounter with God on her way to a retreat while taking the Darjeeling train on September 10, 1946, Mother Teresa received a singular message from God about "His thirst" for souls. Noting that Jesus cried out "I thirst" before dying on the cross, Mother Teresa with a singular passion and who described herself often as the "pencil of God," elaborated about that thirst being not so much for water as a thirst for our souls.
Langford also expounds on this thirst. Tying the familiar events of Mother Teresa's life, including winning the Nobel Peace Prize, he gives light to her speeches, her journals and other writings which illustrate and elaborate what this divine thirst (or longing or ardent desire) for mankind entails. But once he establishes the prime mover of her inner life, he elaborates less about her life and more about her message. Having the support of scripture and the writings of formidable saints, Langford makes the case that divine thirst has been a theme of many a mystic's writings. (Who would not be taken by their metaphorical take on thirst from Psalm 42 "My soul thirsts for God, for the living God."?) Cogently, Mother Teresa's writings still convey God's message at a time when spiritual indifference and crisis seem to be coming to a climax.
Always returning to that ineffable encounter Mother Teresa had with God on the Darjeeling train, Langford manages to anchor his writing without seeming fragmented. The focus only improves during the reader's own journey which is enhanced by a meditation on the love of God and how our relationship to Him is seen as quenching Jesus's thirst when we return our love to Him. Sometimes he is too repetitive in the beginning about ideas that are sometimes hard for anyone to convey, but his clear improvement makes the sublime even more readable as the pages go on. One of the best passages comes late in the book where he reveals her written meditations about the Samaritan woman's encounter with Jesus at the well.
For its import and impact, this is clearly a five-star book, but for the presentation, I subjectively dock one star, yet I highly recommend this spiritual journey even for a few bumps along the way, which undoubtedly even Mother Teresa herself encountered on that Darjeeling train.

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Celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa's birth with the book she wanted written.The great frustration in any national crisis is the sense of impotence, the inability of the individual to make a difference. And yet, we do have power, our choices do matter. In the end, Mother Teresa showed us the power of one the power of a single person, clinging to the Creator, to handle enormous change and turn it to good, and to become a luminous force in the darkest of times. Her lessons can prepare us, as no political plan or economic program ever can, to navigate the trials that await us with grace, and even to turn them into blessing. This is true change that lasts. This is genuine recovery, from the inside out."Anyone wanting to live and love without fear will want to read Secret Fire." ----Jim Towey, former Director, White House Office of Faith-Based & Community Initiatives"Secret Fire speaks to Mother Teresa's deepest motivations." --Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, M.C., Postulator, Director, Mother Teresa Center, Editor, Come, be My Light

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How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: An Invitation to Oblate Life (Voices from the Monastery) Review

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It seems like the fad of the day is for aspiring Christian authors to visit monasteries and write about their experiences. It is almost as if the very surroundings of a cloister will rub off and increase one's spiritual depth. But something about the call of the monastery is more than just a fad. An increasing number of people are adopting monastic spirituality for themselves. According to Br. Tvedten there are currently an estimated 24,155 Oblates of St. Benedict in the world. I am among their number. This almost equals the 25,255 vowed Benedictine men and women. The invitation to Oblate life is being answered by many people today. This book was written for them.
This easy to read book offers an excellent introduction to the vocation of the Oblate. The book is straight forward, respectful and unpretentious. Oblates who read this book will come away with a warm inspirational glow that their calling is appreciated. Those who are interested in lay monasticism will learn enough from this volume to understand what the movement is all about.
Several have commented that this little book (111 pages) is aimed more at those interested in formal ties with a monastic community than those who wish to practice Benedictine spirituality on their own. There is a reason for this, private Benedictine monastic spirituality is an oxymoron. To be Benedictine is to be part of community. This is even true of Benedictine hermits. One may be a contemplative or a mystic alone. One might pattern a personal devotional life after Benedict's Rule. One might even create a private prayer chapel. But these are not the same thing. I played around the edge of monasteries for years before I realized I had to take the plunge or forever be on the outside peeking through the windows.
Is this book for you? The answer is plain. If the title is catchy enough that you are reading this review then you should also read the book. You have already passed the "interest test".


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