Enemies of the Heart by Andy Stanley (2011, previously published in 2006 as It Came from Within) was an easy read - maybe too easy, since I found myself agreeing with just about everything in the book – without having to think about it. There are lots of positives about the book, but it’s still difficult for me to rate: I liked it; it was written in an easy-to-read style, scripture references were appropriate, and regardless of your theological preferences there is something in this book that will touch your heart, but... Having said that, I didn’t finish the book with an urgent need to encourage everyone I know to read it. I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it; the included study guide is well thought out and helpful, and I’ll probably use bits and pieces in sermons or counseling sessions from time to time, it’s just not as compelling as some of the other books I’ve read recently.
The book addresses an issue that every Christian has to deal with at some time: that attitude of the heart that so clearly gets in the way of the relationship that we want to have with God, that we want to have with others, and that God wants to have with us. In fact Stanley says these enemies of the heart are busy poisoning our relationships, our faith and our character.
Using metaphors concerning who owes who (‘I owe you’, ‘you owe me’, ‘I owe me’, and ‘God owes me’): Stanley addresses four major heart diseases: Guilt, Anger, Jealousy and Greed, he discusses the symptoms of each of the diseases, and he also offers some simple solutions to those heart problems: “Confess, forgive, give, celebrate. These are the habits that will change everything.
The section on forgiveness was particularly compelling, and if you read only that it would be worth the price of the book. Stanley teaches the reader how to reframe hurt as a debt. “you know what the person who hurt you did, but what exactly did they take? Until you know the answer to that question, you’re not ready to forgive.” And forgiveness, is all about cancelling the debt!
I was given a free copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.
4/5 stars
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The Idols Around Us - a review of EMPTY PROMISES by Pete Wilson
Empty Promises: The Truth About You, Your Desires, and the Lies You’re believing,(THOMAS NELSON, 2012) by Pete Wilson, Pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville, is a book which should strike fear into the heart of everyone who claims to be a Christian. In the interest of full disclosure, I have to admit that I serve as pastor at a church affiliated with a mainline protestant denomination, and I have preached about several of the same things Pete writes about. (Maybe that’s why I liked the book so much – he agrees with what I’m already saying). Many times a pastor doesn’t think that his current sermon is one he needs to hear when he starts writing it, but by the time Sunday evening rolls around, he has often changed his mind. I prepare sermons for the congregation and preach them to myself! This book is so scary to me, because it hits so close to home. I don’t know who Pete was writing too, but it was a sermon that I needed to hear again.
This book should cause us to tremble, not because it’s hellfire and brimstone, but because as we read we are invited, encouraged, nudged, prodded (and given an occasional headlong shove) to look at how, instead of following God, we are lusting after idols. Obviously they’re not figurines fashioned of metal or clay - we’re much too sophisticated for that, but somehow, as we head out on this thing we call our Christian walk, most of us seem to get sidetracked by those things that Pete calls ‘empty promises’ those things that would make our lives so much better if only we could obtain them. The problem is, as Pete so skillfully points out it that frequently we do manage to get them in our hot little hands, only to find that they don’t offer as much satisfaction as we were expecting.
Early on in the history of God's Chosen People, the rule is no idols and worship only God. Jesus appears on the scene, and is whisked into the desert to be tempted. Satan says “Worship me, and it will all be yours,” and Jesus wisely replies “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only”. (Luke 4:7,8, NIV) We think we’re doing just that, we say we’re doing that, but as Pete points out we really worship a whole lot of other stuff: money, possessions, power, beauty, relationships and more. The idols are out there waiting for us to find them! We find them , take them home and let them get between us and God.
One of the highlights of this book for me was chapter 10 (You are what you worship). In the name of God, in the name of Jesus, Christians across the centuries have done some pretty bizarre things: (think crusades). Today, in the name of worship, we continue to meet in outdated buildings, we sing unmusical songs with theologically incorrect lyrics - because they’re found in the preferred hymnal, and we lavish reverential awe on the Bible that has never been opened, much less read or applied to our lives. (We worship the physical book, rather than the Living Word of God) This is a wonderful reminder that we are to worship God continually, not just for an hour on Sunday morning.
Again I really liked this book. If you’re looking for systematic theology, go to the reference section of your library. This book probably wasn’t written for scholars, it was written for the people who go to church on Sunday morning and might have questions during the week. It was written for the people who want to get closer to God, not just learn to follow a set of rules dictated by a denomination or a local church.
Wilson quotes a number of the important ‘voices’ on the topics, and the variety of theological backgrounds included helped me see (again) that when it comes to worshiping idols as opposed to worshiping God, that people of every ideology have the right idea about what we’re supposed to do, and also that there is no monopoly on the lack of an exact system for putting what we know into practice.
This is a very readable book, (5 stars) and you can probably read it in just a couple of hours, however if you read it that quickly, you’ll be doing yourself a great disservice: take time to read and reflect, to savor the nuggets that are found throughout the book.
Check out the author’s web site, and the links to some video clips about the book.
Author Website: www.PeteWilson.tv
Video Book Trailer- Full: www.vimeo.com/39909473
Video Book Trailer- 60 sec: http://vimeo.com/39932930
I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of the booksneeze review program in exchange for posting this review. I was not required to give it a favorable review.
This book should cause us to tremble, not because it’s hellfire and brimstone, but because as we read we are invited, encouraged, nudged, prodded (and given an occasional headlong shove) to look at how, instead of following God, we are lusting after idols. Obviously they’re not figurines fashioned of metal or clay - we’re much too sophisticated for that, but somehow, as we head out on this thing we call our Christian walk, most of us seem to get sidetracked by those things that Pete calls ‘empty promises’ those things that would make our lives so much better if only we could obtain them. The problem is, as Pete so skillfully points out it that frequently we do manage to get them in our hot little hands, only to find that they don’t offer as much satisfaction as we were expecting.
Early on in the history of God's Chosen People, the rule is no idols and worship only God. Jesus appears on the scene, and is whisked into the desert to be tempted. Satan says “Worship me, and it will all be yours,” and Jesus wisely replies “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only”. (Luke 4:7,8, NIV) We think we’re doing just that, we say we’re doing that, but as Pete points out we really worship a whole lot of other stuff: money, possessions, power, beauty, relationships and more. The idols are out there waiting for us to find them! We find them , take them home and let them get between us and God.
One of the highlights of this book for me was chapter 10 (You are what you worship). In the name of God, in the name of Jesus, Christians across the centuries have done some pretty bizarre things: (think crusades). Today, in the name of worship, we continue to meet in outdated buildings, we sing unmusical songs with theologically incorrect lyrics - because they’re found in the preferred hymnal, and we lavish reverential awe on the Bible that has never been opened, much less read or applied to our lives. (We worship the physical book, rather than the Living Word of God) This is a wonderful reminder that we are to worship God continually, not just for an hour on Sunday morning.
Again I really liked this book. If you’re looking for systematic theology, go to the reference section of your library. This book probably wasn’t written for scholars, it was written for the people who go to church on Sunday morning and might have questions during the week. It was written for the people who want to get closer to God, not just learn to follow a set of rules dictated by a denomination or a local church.
Wilson quotes a number of the important ‘voices’ on the topics, and the variety of theological backgrounds included helped me see (again) that when it comes to worshiping idols as opposed to worshiping God, that people of every ideology have the right idea about what we’re supposed to do, and also that there is no monopoly on the lack of an exact system for putting what we know into practice.
This is a very readable book, (5 stars) and you can probably read it in just a couple of hours, however if you read it that quickly, you’ll be doing yourself a great disservice: take time to read and reflect, to savor the nuggets that are found throughout the book.
Check out the author’s web site, and the links to some video clips about the book.
Author Website: www.PeteWilson.tv
Video Book Trailer- Full: www.vimeo.com/39909473
Video Book Trailer- 60 sec: http://vimeo.com/39932930
I received a copy of this book from the publisher as part of the booksneeze review program in exchange for posting this review. I was not required to give it a favorable review.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
review of Healing Your Church Hurts
Healing Your Church Hurt: What to do when you still love God but have been wounded by his people (Stephen Mansfield, Barna 2010) is a book that should be required reading for church membership classes. We all know that the church is made up of imperfect people, and it’s just unfortunate that more of the congregation isn’t like each of us. But since we’re not all alike, all on the same page, all intimate family members, there are bound to be disagreements. Mansfield gives us some insight into how to handle those disagreeable times that happen in every church.
I was impressed with the profound concepts that were explained in simple words. Mansfield has a knack for pointing out the obvious, but doing so in a way that often left me feeling that I should have seen that before, and wondering why I hadn’t made the connection.
Early in the book, (p 1-3) we are treated to the story of Timmy, a screaming little boy with his hand stuck in a candy machine. Lots of noise, lots of tears, lots of suggestions on how to get the arm out, and finally someone gives a clear and concise directive: “let go of the candy bar.” And often the secret is right there: let go!
Mansfield walks us through several steps, including looking at our part, and helps us see that we’re not quite as perfect as we may like to think. But the good news is that we’re not alone. Several of the stalwarts of Christianity (George Whitfield for example) suffered some of the same things that churches, their leaders and their members still go through today.
Examples, suggestions, and a reminder from scripture (Paul writing to the church at Corinth, reminding them that his Apostolic authority was never intended to tear them down, but rather to build them up.
Hopefully you’re in a perfect church, where everybody gets along and agrees on everything, but if you’re not, reading this book may be the first step in reconciliation and healing.
To read the first chapter of this book, follow this link: http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-6560-2.pdf
Thanks to Tyndale publishers for providing me a review copy of this book.
comment on this blog and earn a chance to win a copy of this book. One winner to be selected on Friday April 6, 2012
I was impressed with the profound concepts that were explained in simple words. Mansfield has a knack for pointing out the obvious, but doing so in a way that often left me feeling that I should have seen that before, and wondering why I hadn’t made the connection.
Early in the book, (p 1-3) we are treated to the story of Timmy, a screaming little boy with his hand stuck in a candy machine. Lots of noise, lots of tears, lots of suggestions on how to get the arm out, and finally someone gives a clear and concise directive: “let go of the candy bar.” And often the secret is right there: let go!
Mansfield walks us through several steps, including looking at our part, and helps us see that we’re not quite as perfect as we may like to think. But the good news is that we’re not alone. Several of the stalwarts of Christianity (George Whitfield for example) suffered some of the same things that churches, their leaders and their members still go through today.
Examples, suggestions, and a reminder from scripture (Paul writing to the church at Corinth, reminding them that his Apostolic authority was never intended to tear them down, but rather to build them up.
Hopefully you’re in a perfect church, where everybody gets along and agrees on everything, but if you’re not, reading this book may be the first step in reconciliation and healing.
To read the first chapter of this book, follow this link: http://files.tyndale.com/thpdata/FirstChapters/978-1-4143-6560-2.pdf
Thanks to Tyndale publishers for providing me a review copy of this book.
comment on this blog and earn a chance to win a copy of this book. One winner to be selected on Friday April 6, 2012
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