I recently read two books. They are very different, yet they share a common theme of stepping out of one’s comfort zone, traveling to new and different places, and learning about oneself and one’s world. The first book is The Courage to Go, by Emily Dobberstein. (Creating Space for Wonder, 2020). Emily is a twenty […]
Book Review
An Informative Introduction
The Hidden Gospel of Thomas, William G. Duffy (Silverwood, Bristol, UK, 2020) An Informative Introduction William G. Duffy shatters this decades old tradition, with his book, The Hidden Gospel of Thomas. Duffy provides his readers with the complete text of the Gospel of Thomas—a collection of 114 sayings of Jesus—and commentary on each saying. The […]
A Common Miracle
The Miracle, Nathan Monk (Abby Publishing, 2020). Nathan Monk has spun an engaging tale in his book The Miracle. It is a story of a third generation pastor in a fundamentalist mega church. He’s a square peg in a round hole. His gifts and talents are not the same as those of his father and […]
A Practical Peace
A Practical Peace — Book Review The World is about to Turn: Mending a Nation’s Broken Faith Rick Rouse and Paul O. Ingram, (Chalice Press, St. Louis, 2020). Rick Rouse and Paul Ingram have given Christians and people of all faiths a useful gift in their book, The World is about to Turn: Mending a […]
Small Business Book Helpful to Congregations
The church is the church and should not be viewed as a business. At the same time, church leaders can learn a great deal from the business world in terms of leadership and team building. My friend and brother in Christ, Jerry Houston, has written a book entitled The Eccentric Entrepreneur. I was privileged to […]
The Light Way–Helpful Health Tips
The Light Way: God’s Tools for a Healthy, Happy, Long Life, Jessica Mutunga, FDN-P (2019, Jessica Mutunga). Jessica Mutunga has written a delightful, little book that is filled with tips for a healthy, happy, and long life. Her book, The light Way: God’s Tools for a Healthy, Happy, Long Life offers a wholistic approach to […]
Encouraging Discussion and Change
We Love You, But You’re Going to Hell: Christians and Homosexuality Agree, Disagree, Take a Look, Dr. Kim O’Reilly (New York, Elm Hill, 2020). One of the hot button issues currently dividing Christianity is homosexuality. Traditionally the church has been against same sex relationships and its various permutations. In recent decades, however, there has been […]
Lessons on Mental Illness
Lessons on Mental Illness On Satan, Demons, and Psychiatry: Exploring Mental Illness in the Bible, by Ragy R. Girgis, M.D. (Eugene, OR, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2020.) Stories of unclean spirits and demonic possession catch the attention of readers of the Bible. The faithful rejoice over Jesus’ authority over evil and his ability to cast […]
Search for Authenticity
Authentic Christianity: Why It Matters for Followers of Jesus, Peter E. Watts, Charleston, Create Space, 2018. There are times in our lives, as followers of Jesus when we have felt that our light has flickered and almost gone out, or our saltiness has lost some of its taste. We have questioned the validity of calling […]
An Examination of Christian Ethics
An Examination of Christian Ethics Honest to Goodness: an Ethical and Spiritual Odyssey, Martin Prozesky, Eugene, OR, Resource Publications, 2019 The Christian church is in a quandary. Our disagreements and arguments have changed from communion and baptism to same sex relationships, the widening gap between the rich and the poor, the treatment of refugees […]