Category: books

Is Church Designed for Sissies?

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Manhood, Ministry1 Comment

  Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow is a compelling book about the gender gap that is growing in congregations world-wide.  Women outnumber men in some congregations with the differential ratios as high as 63 to a measly 37 percent.   In his newly revised ground breaking book Murrow attempts to explain the feminization of the church and what pastors and leaders can do to restore the masculine appeal.

The thing that piqued my interest most about Why Men Hate Going to Church is that way that Murrow lines out his argument for masculine church being a Biblical model.  According to Murrow (and he has some interesting stats and historical data on his side), the church (in general) has slowly drifted into a feminized form of Christianity which by nature appeals to women and excludes men.  The most damaging element of the slide into gender favoritism is that Church has historically appealed to men.

I really enjoyed reading this book and give it a full five stars. I can see it being useful to pastors and ministry leaders who are looking to restore some of the biblical and redeemed cultural initiatives that appeal to men.  For women who are interested in helping men find their way back to church, David Murrow has written another book that you may find helpful as well, How Women Help Men Find God.  You can find out more about author David Murrow and the book Why Men Hate Going to Church on his website: churchformen.com

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wait No More (A Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

Wait No More: One Family’s Amazing Adoption Journey by Kelly and John Rosati is the tale and open disclosure of one families struggle with God’s calling to adopt.  I was impressed with the candor with which the Rosoti’s write about their life and how they came to build their family.  The book is gripping and emotional.  Stories of love and forgiveness fill each page as the Rosati’s recount each painful, akward, and joyous moment that filled their lives as they carefully sought to add each of their children to their family.

I applaud the Rosotis in sharing details for personal weakness. Their candor in  sharing their struggles through some of the less joyful moments and emotions helped paint a realistic picture of the life of adoptive parents. Though at times one wonders if perhaps they have shared too much? Never-the-less I was deeply appreciative for a glance into this families life, especially as it concerned adoption.

I found the book inspiring and encouraging.  I highly recommend Wait No More to anyone who is looking to adopt or just loves to hear stories about how God is moving in families to adopt. .

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Fourth Fisherman on Sale in Bookstores this Spring

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I was blessed to get an advance reader copy of the The Fourth Fisherman this last weekend in the mail. The book is available for purchase on March 13. 2012.  You can read what others are saying over at the Fourth Fisherman’s official website as well as hear from author Joe Kissack.

The Fourth fisherman is drama woven from the fabric of two real life stories.  The story of Joe (the author) lost and drifting in a downward spiral of empty success, alcohol and drug addiction and the story of 3 Mexican fishermen who set out to sea in hopes of bringing in a large catch only to end up lost at sea for over nine months, drifting nearly 6,000 miles across the Pacific Ocean.  The two stories are juxtaposed against each other as they play the common notes of grace and redemption to crescendo when Joe’s life mysteriously intertwines with the surviving fishermen.

There are many things to praise about this story and the way it is told. I was deeply impressed with the details of how the Mexican fishermen survived.  I was also amazed at Kissack’s authenticity and openness in exposing his thoughts and attitudes throughout the story, especially the fragile moments of self-doubt and second guesses along the way. His high regard for his wife is evident throughout the book and he shares moments of marital conflict in a way that is both transparent and respectful.

However I do have a few reservations about the The fourth fisherman that prohibit me from fully endorsing the with a five star rating.  The narrative of the book often appears mystical without explanation or authentication.  While gut feelings are powerful, the Holy Spirit leads by truth.  In many cases the veracity of the nudges, bumps, and feelings expressed by the author was never fully developed.  The book also seemed disjointed at the end.  The theme of God’s sovereignty and love seem to never be fully realized.  The story climaxes abruptly and dissipates too quickly.  The abstracts need to be fleshed out and tied together more completely near the end of the book.

Overall I really liked The Fourth Fisherman.  I think it’s a great read for anyone interested in real life stories of mystery, adventure and survival. I give it 4 Stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“Be The People,” by Carol M. Swain (A Review)

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To be sure, Be the People by Carol M. Swain is a political book. Ms. Swain writes from a solidly conservative and solidly Christian view point.  My interest was piqued when I learned a bit about Ms. Swain’s background from her website, Carolmswain.com. She has experienced childhood poverty, being a high school drop-out, and a teenage mother, yet found a way to overcome her obstacles and writes now as a Vanderbilt University Law Professor and accomplished writer.

The book is fascinating in its own right. Swain does a fantastic job of fleshing out the positions held by conservatives with Christian values.  She does a great job providing the facts while maintaining a journalistic edge making the book both easy to read and informative.

Generally speaking both conservatives and liberals overstate and oversimplify issues.  I was glad to see in that in this book Swain went through great rigors to avoid oversimplifying and overstating.  I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to gain insight into the political system and reasoning from the conservative side of the issues.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

We Shall See God (A Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

  Recently my Grandfather passed away and We Shall See God: Charles Spurgeon’s Classic Devotional Thoughts on Heaven made it into my hands at a much needed time.  Each chapter is a devotion on Heaven.  The first part is taken from one of Charles Spurgeon’s sermons and the second part is written by Randy Alcorn a much loved an appreciated author.

Though I am already a great fan of Charles Spurgeon, I can see how this book would be a good introduction the the mind and influence of one of history’s greatest preachers.  In light of my grandfather’s recent death I found the devotions both very real and powerful as my mind was naturally drawn to eternal things. Each day was packed with meaning and I was drawn to dwell on the greater things of eternity.

The book is small and has a hardcover making it easy to handle.  There are fifty devotions included in the book with updated language and additional comments by Randy Alcorn who acted as the editor and junior author on this project.  I highly recommend We Shall See God to anyone interested in devotions about Heaven.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

You Were Born for This By Bruce Wilkinson (A Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

  I was excited to get a copy of You Were Born for This by Bruce Wilkinson. The book’s subtitle is “7 Keys to a Life of Predictable Miracles.”  Though I agree with the principles of the book, I am of the opinion that the subtitle is a little exaggerated. The book is basically about placing your self as a usable servant of God.  The “miracles” refer to the instances where God uses you to meet a real need for someone at the right time.  The keys are more or less steps that you must take to be used by God.

I’m really not a fan of the language of “keys” that “unlock” stuff in your life. In my estimation such language really distances the reader from the point… God uses people like you and me in seemingly small ways to impact the lives of others.  I also found the book to be lacking in that it never really offered many practical helps to segway from met needs to gospel grace.

My prayer is that the book will be rewritten in a few years to highlight a relationship with God in both the steps to being used by him and how to share with others in that process.  I gave the book 3 Stars because there are some redeeming qualities and the principles are basically helpful. This is a book I’d read if I had nothing else to do (indeed it took me 3 months).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Ever Wonder How The Bible Shaped The World In Which You Live?

On By pastorjonathanIn books1 Comment

The Book that Made Your World by Vishal Mangalwadi is a fascinating book about the impact of the Bible on Western Society.  Written from a journalistic perspective Vishal shares the story of how the Bible has shaped the conscience of the west. While the book isn’t academic in nature, Mangalwadi does provide several footnotes and references to more academic works in almost every chapter of his work.

To be honest the cover looks boring, yet as I dug into the book I was propelled to keep reading. Vishal’s writing style is engaging and keeps the readers attention from chapter to chapter. I really appreciated that Mangalwadi’s perspective as a native of India commenting on what appears obvious to him as a cultural outsider.

After reading this book I have come to the conclusion that Vishal Mangalwadi is one of those engaging personalities that I would enjoy getting to know and over a cup of tea or coffee. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding how the Bible has shaped and influenced even “secular” life in America.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Is the New Atheism Empty?

On By pastorjonathanIn books1 Comment

  A while back i posted a comment on another blog about science and religion. I took a few minutes to make three solid and well reasoned points as well as to call into question the legitimacy of some of the points made by others who commented (I made no attempt to identify myself with a religion in general or Christianity in particular, but simply made textbook statements about the nature of science).  Because of the nature of the forum I expected a well reasoned defense as a  response… I was mistaken. The response I received was to be called an idiot in a variety of ways, over and over again by a variety of different people. Up to this point my experience with atheist friends of mine was of cordial disagreement and rational argument.

My experience on the blog and a previous comment on my blog where I got lambasted for being a dad piqued my interested in the New Atheist movement. So I decided to investigate Hitchens, Harris, Dawkins and others to see what was at stake. I was surprised to find that most of their material was really baseless work and that a lot of what they were getting by with in debate was disputable historical data, easily refutable analogies, and character assassination on anyone who didn’t agree with them.

I marveled at how such sloppy argument would be accepted and when I saw Why God Won’t Go Away: Is the New Atheism Running on Empty? by Alister McGrath I jumped at the chance to read the perspective of a man who had debated some of these men in the public forum.  I really like the book and especially appreciated Dr. McGrath’s politeness in handling the dogmatic worldview of New Atheism and his candor in pointing out that not all modern day atheists belong to this movement.  Many, indeed wish to distance themselves from this more “fundamentalist” arm of atheism.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson as part of the BookSneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A Review of “The Treasure Principle” by Randy Alcorn

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn is a quick and easy read that addresses the issue of giving from a Biblical perspective.  I really appreciate Mr. Alcorn’s candor and straightforward style.  His transparency is ultimately what makes the book so good.  He is asking the reader to join him on an adventure that he has already undertaken.

Throughout the book Mr. Alcorn manages to artfully prod at the heart of the reader on how to give from a biblical perspective.  The material is both factual and persuasive, theological and practical, sensitive and pointed. Overall it is a fantastic non-fiction book with just the right amount of motivation and practicality.  The fact that it is about giving with a biblical mindset makes it even more stunning.  I was both convicted and challenged to follow God more surely with our finances through this book and I highly recommend this book to you.

The Treasure Principle is only around 120 pages, small, and hardcover making it an excellent gift book even for those who don’t read much.  This is one of those books that I wish someone had handed me at 18. The retail price of The Treasure Principle is $9.99 (Hardcover), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com. I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“Out of the Far Country” A Compelling Story of Hope and Freedom in Christ.

On By pastorjonathanIn booksLeave a comment

Out of a Far Country: A Gay Son’s Journey to God. A Broken Mother’s Search for Hope. By Christopher Yuan and Angela Yuan is by far one of the most intriguing books I have ever read. From start to finish it was a compelling story of two intertwined spiritual journeys.  This is a candid story of how God brought an over-controlling mother and her resistant homosexual son to repentance and joy in Christ.

I really appreciated the style in which this book was written.  The chapters oscillate between mother and son both sharing their thoughts and feelings at different points along the journey.  This allowed me to sympathize with both sides of the story through their struggles and made the book quite unique.

The story was well told and carried the voice of authenticity all the way through. I really appreciated Christopher’s openness in sharing his thoughts and struggles concerning how he viewed homosexuality as a core part of his identity. Angela was also very open about her struggles for her son.

I highly recommend Out of the Far Country to anyone interested in a great autobiography of a mother and son wrestling to find fulfilment only to be left empty by what they were chasing and to be awakened to new life in Christ. The retail price of Out of A Far Country is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available around the web in places like Amazon.com for $9.25. I gave it five stars (and would give it more if I could).

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”