Tag: book

Book Give Away!

On By pastorjonathanIn books11 Comments

I have an extra copy of Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis’  new book, Tea With Hezbollah.  Quite frankly it is one of the most eye opening an amazing books I have ever read.  (I’ll post my review next week on the 25th when it comes out).

In the mean time if you would like a chance to win my extra copy of the book, just leave a creative and convincing comment about why you want the book. I’ll pick the most creative and convincing comment and announce the winner on January 25th.   If you win I will need to be able to contact you via e-mail (so make sure you fill that part out when leaving a comment).

Since my review is not out yet.  Here is a tidbit about the book…

Tea with Hezbollah combines nail-biting narrative with the texture of rich historical background, as readers join novelist Ted Dekker and his co-author and Middle East expert, Carl Medearis, on a hair-raising journey. They are with them in every rocky cab ride, late-night border crossing, and back-room conversation as they sit down one-on-one with some of the most notorious leaders of the Arab world. These candid discussions with leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, with muftis, sheikhs, and ayatollahs, with Osama bin Laden’s brothers, reveal these men to be real people with emotions, fears, and hopes of their own. Along the way, Dekker and Medearis discover surprising answers and even more surprising questions that they could not have anticipated—questions that lead straight to the heart of Middle Eastern conflict.

Book Review: “Dug Down Deep,” By Joshua Harris

On By pastorjonathanIn books1 Comment

Dug Down Deep: Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters by Joshua Harris is a great book  for anyone interested in knowing God.  Harris brings the reader along on his own personal journey through the world of evangelicalism to the places and times in his life when he learned the most about God.  He humbly presents theology and doctrine where they meet at the cross-road of life.  Harris shares his struggles to not only to know God, but to live the faith that he professes providing a very vivid and practical edge to the book.

I appreciated the author’s writing style.  When reading Dug Down Deep I couldn’t help but come away feeling as though we had met several times over coffee and he was just sharing about his life.  I got a glimpse not only into theology and doctrine, but into how he practically seeks to walk with God.  The chapters were very readable and put complex issues on a simple and easy to understand level.

This is one of the most practical books on theology and doctrine I have ever read.  I really liked this book and would highly recommend it to anyone.   Dug Down Deep is an excellent resource. The retail price is $19.99 (Hardcover), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $13.49. I gave it five stars.

Disclaimer:  This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.  There was no requirement to give the book a good review.  Just to review it and tell you what I really think.

5 Tips for Becoming a More Disciplined Reader

On By pastorjonathanIn books2 Comments

So you haven’t done so well at finishing a book once you start.  Or you are a little sporadic in your reading.  Here are a few tips to help you become a more disciplined regular reader.  Whether you are reading a book a day or a book a year, hopefully these tips will help drive you further along in the process.

1. Set a realistic deadline.

I found the syllabus in college very helpful in providing a daily or weekly schedule of reading.  If you have trouble starting and finishing a book, why not take a few minutes, flip through the book you want to read and set out a realistic reading schedule.  Maybe a chapter a day or a chapter a week.  Figure out a deadline and work your way back from there.  When you find yourself getting behind, double up until you have caught up.

2. Read at a set time.

Maybe you have time in the morning before work or Tuesdays at Lunch or for an hour on the treadmill in the gym.  Find a time and place that work best for you and fit into your regular schedule and start reading.  Incorporate reading into your daily routine

3. Read good books.

Check out a few book reviews before you read a book.  See what other readers thought after reading the book.  Try and find both favorable and unfavorable  reviews to read.  Once you have found a good book that still piques your interest after reading the reviews… read it.

4. Don’t move on until you have finished.

If you are an undisciplined reader, don’t start a new book until you have finished the last book you were reading.  This will help you press on through the later chapters of the book once you have already been well introduced to the topic.  Otherwise you will end up with several half-read books.

5. Have a reading list at least 2 or 3 books deep.

This will motivate you to finish the book in front of you.   Go ahead and plan the next book or two out.  That way when things begin to lag, you will have an incentive to finish the book you are reading to get to the next book that you are highly interested in.

Book Review: “Living Life in the Zone” by Kyle Rote, Jr. & Dr. Joe Pettigrew

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Devotional, Manhood1 Comment

Living Life in the Zone: A 40-Day Spiritual Game Plan for Men by Kyle Rote, Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew is a great book  for men who are looking to jump-start their devotional life.   Through out this book the authors challenge the reader to be a real man of Christian Character. The authors share keen insights and interviews from legendary sports figures from around the world of sports.The book is intended to be read in 40 days.  Each section is comprised of seven days worth of material that follows a common theme for the week.  Sections are geared around the various relationships in a man’s life such as his wife, children, friends, and work. ( The last section is noticeably shorter at 5 days.)

The author’s have taken careful pains to maintain a rigorous order of steps for each day’s reading.  Making each devotional similar in style, but unique in substance.    Overall the book is very readable, very organized, and authentically sports oriented.

I especially enjoyed reading this book as a devotional in the morning.  It took only a few minutes to read and provided real insights with great questions.  I can see it being used as a stand-alone devotional or used by a group of men for accountability purposes.  My over all impression was that it was a great book.  The only reservation that I have is that the scripture section at times can seem a bit light due to the topical nature of the book.

This is a very practical and readable devotional book for men.   Living Life in the Zone is an excellent resource. The retail price is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $10.19. I gave it four stars.

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a free review copy from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program  (http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ ).  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

My Top 5 blog Posts of 2009

On By pastorjonathanIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

I’ve been blogging right at a year now.  I really didn’t get serious about it until later this year some time around September.  My original purpose was to open the door to share the gospel and encourage others in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  So far I have been blessed beyond imagination to start conversations and interact with people I haven’t seen in years or have never met face to face.  I have lots of plans about blogging in the new year, but before we go there, I thought I would do a little research and share some of the most popular posts of this past year.

1. 3 things I’d tell my teenage daughter after watching “New Moon”

2. A Few thoughts on Fatherhood

3. My Story (An introduction) … You can catch the rest of the series by following the links

4. Why Santa Clause Doesn’t come to Pensacola

5. 3 keys to a good Disciple Now Weekend … You can catch the rest of this series by following the links

My goal for 2010 is to refine my blogging to three main areas.  Based on the response to these blog posts and others I hope to focus on Family, Ministry, and Book Reviews.  While none of my book reviews independently made the top 5, I had several that were close and book reviews do make up a great deal of my traffic.  Hopefully I’ll get a chance to try some new things in 2010 like contests and giveaways.  I look forward to the new year and all that it has in store.

Review: “Made to Stick,” By Chip Heath & Dan Heath

On By pastorjonathanIn books4 Comments

Have you ever struggled to make a presentation?  Do you preach, teach or present on a regular basis and wonder how long what you are saying is being retained by your audience?  Have you ever wondered why some things are easier to learn than others?  Question no longer, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by By Chip Heath and Dan Heath is a book of answers.  The authors skillfully guide the readers through urban legands, successful marketing campaigns, and teaching styles that have found the secret of stickyness.  

I picked up the book to improve my communication style when I preach and teach and I am glad that I did. This book is easy to read, easy to remember, and easy to impliment in everyday conversation as well as important communication like preaching and teaching. I was blessed beyond measure through reading it and highly reccomend it to anyone intent on becoming a more effective communicator.

This is the best book on speaking or communicating that I have on my shelf.   Made to Stick is a agreat read with an easy to read, easy to access, and easy to remember organizational style. The retail price is $26.00 (hardcover), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $17.16. I gave it five stars.

The Greatest Stories of the Bible, published by Thomas Nelson

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Devotional, spiritual disciplinesLeave a comment

The Greatest Stories of the Bible by Thomas Nelson Publishing is a remarkable book.  It is a well crafted and organized compilation of 250 of the classic stories told in the Bible.  The Bible stories are shared in the New King James Version and scripture references are provided for further study.  Each story fills about one to three pages. Though it is not a full Bible it does contain the biblical text and provides an excellent resource for families.

The Greatest Stories of the Bible is an attractive book and is decorative enough in nature that it can be left out on the coffee table for regular use. It’s greatest value is its devotional appeal.  The stories are compact enough to be read in families with young children and larger stories are spread over two or three readings.    We will most likely use this as a guide for family devotions over the course of 2010.  The only thing missing for families with really young children are the pictures.

This book makes an excellent resource for family devotional time. If you are looking to share the classic stories of the Bible with your family The Greatest Stories of the Bible is a great resource. The retail price is $29.99 (Hardcover), and is available at places like Amazon for $21.59.

Disclaimer: As a blogger I received a free review copy from the Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program  (http://brb.thomasnelson.com/ ).  There was no requirement to give it a positive review, just for the reviewer to call it like they see it.

Review: “Spectacular Sins” By John Piper

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Kingdom of GodLeave a comment

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend the Florida Baptist Convention where I got a chance to buy a copy of John Piper’s book, Spectacular Sins at the Lifeway store.   Being a Piper fan and having read most all of his works I set out to read this book this past weekend.  I was refreshed with the candor and diligence with which Piper writes in this book.  The introduction alone is worth the price of the book.

After establishing a need for a more vigilant Christianity and pleading with the reader to be prepared for the advancing darkness Piper launches into an exposition of several of the spectacular sins that have been recorded in the scriptures.  He writes of sins such as the fall in the Garden of Eden, rebellion at the Tower of Babel, selling of Joseph, and betrayal by Judas and how through each rebellious act God was in control, turning evil on its nose and causing great good to come out of acts that were intended for evil.

You can find the book in hard cover it normally goes for $15.99, but you can find it on Amazon.com for $10.87 and even cheaper from Desiring God in paper back for $6.49.  You can find our more about John Piper and resources he has written and produced here.  The original sermons that have been recorded in print in this book can also be found free of charge here on the Desiring God ministry site.

I highly recommend this brief book (128 Pages) to anyone interested getting a glimps at how God can cause good to triumph over plans that were intended for evil.  It is an urgent message that is much-needed in our day.  I give it 4 stars.

7 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Alfred the Great

On By pastorjonathanIn leadershipLeave a comment

Okay So I read this amazing book about the life of Alfred the Great this weekend an wrote a short review that you can find here.  Then it came time for me to find a spot on my shelf and I started trying to figure out which section of my shelves it needed to be stored under and three categories came to mind.  Obviously historical biography because that is the genera in which it is written, but Alfred also demonstrated unwavering Christian Character and sought to evangelize viking leaders who were tearing into his territory and then there are the amazing leadership principles I gleaned from reading the book.  In the end I put it in the leadership category due to the amazing leadership characteristics that I saw displayed in Alfred throughout the book.

7 Leadership Lessons from the Life of Alfred the Great

 

1. Never give up on what really matters.

Even when he was betrayed by some of his countrymen and forced to flee to the swamp with his family, Alfred sought out ways to demonstrate that he was still the king and would defend his homeland.  He never completely abandoned hope, gave up, or ran away.  He stood his ground despite dismal circumstances.  He rallied troops to come to his aid and eventually fought back the viking hoards and won victory. Yet even in fighting back the vikings, he demonstrated a noble and Christian character in dealing mercifully with a savage enemy.

2. Don’t Ask People to do What you are Not Willing to do.

Alfred lead his troops to battle time and time again.  This was normal practice for an Anglo-Saxon king.  He demonstrated valor in the midst of battle.  He asked his men only to go so far as he was willing to go himself.  This was true both on and off the battle field.  Even in the sweeping reforms he would make concerning literacy in his nation, he first modeled by taking it upon himself to learn Latin as an Adult.  Furthermore when it came time for his scholars to translate Latin works into Anglo-Saxon, Alfred was the final translator.

3. Learn from your Mistakes.

Alfred made a few mistakes early on.  One was not pursuing the vikings once his men had them on the run.  The vikings soon learned that they were not being pursued, regrouped, came back and attacked Alfred’s celebrating troops and won the victory.  Never again did Alfred allow his troops to celebrate before they had definitively routed the enemy troops.

4. Raise the Level of Leadership around You.

One of the main concerns for Alfred was the enforcing of the law.  He was discouraged to know that many of the men in positions of power under him were illiterate and unable to read the laws of the land.  Alfred insisted that every leader learn to read.  Those who learned well were honored and given gifts.  Those who were not able to learn surrendered their posts.  Alfred also revised the laws and did his best to ensure justice was done.  He placed a great deal of importance on keeping an oath.

5. Pass on Leadership  Lessons to the Next Generation.

Alfred’s sweeping reforms also provided that children would learn to read.  He also provided ample opportunities for his sons and daughter to see his leadership in action.  His son assumed the throne and carry his father’s initiatives forward.  Alfred’s grandson would eventually route the vikings completely and send them all home saving his motherland from their onslaught.  Alfred’s daughter would outlive her husband and benefit the people of her subkingdom by leading them out to battle against the Danes.

6. Seek Expert Help on New Projects, (even if it means going outside the organization).

Alfred sought the help of naval experts outside of his Anglo-Saxon kingdom to build a navy that would eventually patrol his shoreline.  He also sought scholars from beyond the border of his kingdom when he set his heart to learn Latin and to prepare Latin works to be translated into the Anglo-Saxon tongue.  Alfred got the help he needed from the experts rather than trying to start something from the ground up.

7. Meet Challenging Goals with innovation and Invention.

Alfred created a system that allowed a standing army to be ready year-round.  He developed fortified cities with in a days travel of one another.  He developed larger boats for his navy to combat the viking forces before they ever landed on Anglo-Saxon soil.  When he set his heart to trying to raise the piety of the people in his kingdom he realized that Latin would be forgotten within a generation and set out to translate the Latin works into English.

Alfred the great was truly an amazing man and an amazing leader.  I encourage you to get the book.  You can read my brief review here.

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.”

Review: “The White Horse King” by Benjamin Merkle

On By pastorjonathanIn books, leadership1 Comment

The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great
by Benjamin Merkle is an amazing book filled with great detail about the awe inspiring life of Alfred the Great.  Alfred was the fifth son of AEthelwulf  king of Wessex (AD 839 – 858) and by all accounts was unlikely to ever assume the throne.  Yet, through a series of unfortunate events aided by the viking raids on the Southern kingdoms of what is now called Britan, Alfred found himself wearing his father’s crown and tasked with finding a way to forge peace and prosperity for his people in the midst of viking rampage.  Alfred was eventually not only successful in repelling the viking onslaught but was able to initiate several military, cultural, and societal reforms that have set the baseline for Western civilization.

Admittedly I did not know much about Alfred the great before I picked up this book, I was just looking for an inspiring and challenging biography.  I found that and so much more in this book.  I was greatly blessed to glean several leadership and life lessons from how this noble Anglo-Saxon and decidedly Christian king handled adverse situations, dealt with his enemies, inspired a literary revolution, and raised the quality of leadership in his kingdom.

This is one of the best and most inspiring historical biographies I have read to date.   The White Horse King is an amazing book. The retail price is $14.99 (Paperback), and is available at places like Amazon.com for $11.24. I gave it five stars (and would have given it more if I could).

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.”

Here are some other book reviews: