Book Review: Surprise the World

Me and a friend have been working our way through some pretty good books. I'm just a little more ahead of him, but he is plowing his way through slowly and making some amazing discoveries in the works of Scott McKnight and NT Wright among others. We have both had our theological worlds shredded–and for…

Re-Thinking Refugees

I've been thinking a lot for the past several days or so and the Lord has really convicted me of something. This morning he cornered me and left me no other option but to surrender.   It's far more complicated than simply changing my mind and agreeing with another person's idea. Fact is, some people…

Book Review: Thriving in Babylon

I love when a book just sort of 'shows up' and it has immediate relevance to my life or ministry. Such was the case with Thriving in Babylon. I was searching through the David C Cook offerings on NetGalley and this book just appeared…I'm fairly certain I heard the sound of 'ahhh' sung by angels…

Book Review: The End of Me

Back in the day when I was still invited to stand in the pulpit each week and preach, I once had a crazy idea after reading a book by Eugene Peterson. Actually, Peterson's book began sparking little fires in me that I simply could not control. He eventually wrote five volumes in a series of…

Book Review: God for the Rest of Us

Can you imagine if Karl Barth sat down to write Church Dogmatics and began with an exceptional account of how wrecked his life has been by sin, how disturbed his family is/was, and other unsavory and sordid details of his confusion, pain, and suffering and then told us the story of how God redeemed it,…

Book Review: Help My Unbelief

Every time I get ready to write a book review, I start to feel like I'm about to do something huge–like lead worship with feeble guitar skills, or send out the starting line-up for a little league game, or get in the ring with a prize fighter. It's always nerve wracking and it's always a…

Book Review: Messy Grace

Many, may years ago when I was still young, I felt I was being led to be the preacher of a certain church. I began going through all the motions–sending a resume, sample sermon, meeting families and members of the church, preaching trial sermon(s), and finally submitting to a vote of the congregation. During the…

Book Review: Unoffendable

I have a friend who pretty much believes that even when Brant Hansen breathes it is funny. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but in truth, Brant is funny and I am grateful to my friend who 'introduced' me to Hansen several years ago. (To be sure, Brant doesn't know me, didn't ask me to…

Book Review: Possible

Title: Possible Possible @Amazon.com Author: Stephan Bauman Publisher: WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers Year: 2015 Pages: 205 World Relief "These principles apply equally to us, to our own families, churches, schools, and organizations. Without a biblical understanding of wealth in its full array…"–140 In my mind, this quote, albeit shortened but not wholly out of context, sums…

Book Review: Think, Act, Be(lieve) Like Jesus

Title: Think, Act, Be(lieve) Like Jesus Author: Randy Frazee Publisher: Zondervan Year: 2014 Pages: 263 Additional links: Believe the Story [Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this book by Zondervan Publishers in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.] The problem with this book is that there is nothing necessarily wrong with it.…

Book Review: Engaging the Christian Scriptures

Title: Engaging the Christian Scriptures Authors: Andrew E. Arterbury, W.H. Bellinger, Jr., Derek S. Dodson Publisher: Baker Academic Year: 2014 Pages: 286 Kindle Price: $14.57 Paperback: $20.33 [Disclaimer: In exchange for my fair and unbiased review, I was provided an ARC by the publisher through NetGalley. The views expressed here are mine alone. I was…

Renewing the Mind, Lenten Reflections #4

Another of my theme verses during this Lenten season is Romans 12:1-2. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and please to God–this is true worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing…

Why Don’t I Just Give Up on the Church?

The other day I made an announcement on my Facebook page about some exciting things happening in my professional and personal life. The announcement involves the church and a Bible College where I will be doing some teaching next year. A friend of mine later commented that my willingness to 'trust in spiritual institutions gives…

Book Review: Killing Lions

Title: Killing Lions Authors: John Eldredge & Sam Eldredge Publisher: Thomas Nelson Year: 2014 Pages: 188 Killing Lions at Ransomed Heart [Disclaimer: I was provided with a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson BookLook Bloggers program in exchange for my fair and unbiased review of this book. I am required only to be…

I’m Glad Mark Driscoll Quit, but I Hope He Gets to Start Again

I am a Christian. I am a preacher–I just don't actually have a pulpit right now or a church or a Word from the Lord. It's not always easy–being a Christian, that is. I'm not always honest–which means that sometimes I am a hypocrite. I am not a strong-always-faithful-kind of guy. I am a weak-my-grace-is-sufficient-for-you-kind…