Intentional Walk

by Rob Rains

As a fan of the St Louis Cardinals for over 50 years, it was a delight to read this “behind the scenes” look at many of the men who are on the team.  Too much of the media coverage today focuses on the accomplishments or failures of the players’ performances.  Besides the sports aspect the remainder of the news is usually filled with the unholy escapades of various rogue individuals who happen to be an athlete.

So it was very refreshing to know that the core members of the team are highly committed Christians who live out their faith first, and play ball second.  The book ends with a great insight into Manager Mike Matheny, promoted from the ranks of the players.  Perhaps the book should have begun there.  His years as a player formed the faith foundation for him to succeed as a manager, and it certainly sets the tone for the Christian faith to be lived in an everyday environment. 

Rains does not gloss over any weaknesses of the men, nor try to present them as beyond humanity.  Their struggles with their performances, their relationships, as well as external circumstances are addressed. 

As I’ve watched the 2013 team make a run to the finish, and make the playoffs, I am blessed by the stories of how faith plays a great part in them giving their best.  Their “intentional walk” with Christ translates into their everyday “intentional” play on the field.  I’m inspired!

Becoming God's Warrior

Fight:  Winning the Battles That Matter Most

Craig Groeschel

I remember as a boy that one of the favorite church songs was “Onward Christian Soldiers.”  In those post-WWII years, the concept of a war against Satan was still a regular topic of sermons.  As the culture has evolved over the past several decades, there is very little emphasis on men maintaining a “hawkish” attitude.  Blame it on the feminizing of society, or the anti-bullying of our day, but the effect has been to blunt the warrior like spirit that Craig highlights in this book.  Using Samson as an example of many men in current society was certainly apropos.

I remember the great evangelist, Leonard Ravenhill, declaring that what the church needed to confront the sinfulness of our day was a “baptism of holy anger.”  Craig seems to echo a similar theme.  Theologically, we understand that God’s nature is love.  But His holiness simultaneously demands justice and righteousness.  Those characteristics are not mutually exclusive, but are synergistically holiness.

Craig’s call for men to develop strong will is not out of balance.  He balances the presentation  with his insistence that men conquer their pride, lust and anger.  Many “world leaders” were abject failures in the end because they could not conquer themselves.  The book gives hope that regardless of the failures of our past that God can redeem us and change our hearts to holiness, which would form the basis for becoming God’s warrior.

God Makes Lemonade

When God Makes Lemonade

Don Jacobson

I primarily read books that challenge my mind.  I love learning new things and gaining insights into scriptural truths.  I read few novels.  Jacobson has compiled a great collection of stories who share a common theme.  Life often hands us unpleasant circumstances, and usually we attribute those negative factors to the devil. 

We would love to believe that we are intelligent enough to choose the path in life that would bring us the greatest success as well as satisfaction.  God is more concerned with developing our character and expanding our horizons.  In each of the stories, some kind of “tragedy” occurs.  Most of the time the people involved could not see how those events would be the things that would bring them great benefit.  But serving an all-wise and loving God we discover that God knows far more than we do about ourselves.

In our most difficult circumstances God not only shows His true character, but we discover a lot about who we are.  When we can embrace those disappointments, we discover that God had planned it all along to bring us into His plans.  We reap the greatest benefit when we accept those difficult circumstances with patience and joy.  “All things still work together for our good.”  Read with anticipation for you will be blessed.  I’ve discovered as I’ve aged that life stories touch me deeper than ever.  

Advanced Strategic Planning

Review of Advanced Strategic Planning

By Aubrey Malphurs

This third edition updates the monumental work of Aubrey, having first published in 1999.  The use of the word strategic is needed because planning does not always lead to progress.  The usual definition of strategy implies some type of trickery or surprise.  But in this context, strategy refers to developing a process that produces well-defined biblical goals by wisely and efficiently using the resources that God has made available to us.

Aubrey emphasizes the need for preparation and I hardily agree.  With the current state of decline of the church in the US, correctly assessing both the problems and the personnel are key to producing a forward-moving plan.  Most churches are simply not ready to change in order to re-invigorate the Great Commission into its programs.  I have seen so many that thought they wanted to grow, but no one understood the deep commitment necessary to make it happen.

This book underscores the need for adequate leadership, both from the pastoral staff as well as the laity.  The only motivation that ultimately succeeds is one driven from passion (the heart.)  We end up doing the things we like to do, so if God doesn’t rule the heart, we do our own things that please us, rather than what the Kingdom needs.

Aubrey provides great detail in the process of building teams, as well as making mature disciples.  In the Exponential Conference Orlando 2013, speaker after speaker emphasized the focus to which God had driven them.  That focus was “making disciples who make disciples.”  If the process does not lead to a deeper relationship with God, and closer ties with those with whom we work, it is faulty.  I believe this guide will help the readers to grasp a great understanding of the elements needed to succeed.  I give this endorsement with a deep prayer that God will illuminate your mind and overwhelm your heart with His knowledge and passion.

Godly Therapy

Defeating Anxiety
by Ralph Moore

Ralph Moore has written a "winner." I met Ralph many years ago in seminars and have visited Hope Chapel there in Hawaii. In each of those settings, it did not seem that anxiety would ever be a problem. This personal testimony is a common sense approach (and God gives us common sense if we let him.)

I strongly believe in divine healing, but God does not choose to give out miracles to everyone. As long as we are on this earth, suffering will be a part of our life--and those afflictions will be different for each of us. Ralph makes a great case for allowing various approaches to dealing with maladies.

Until 5 years ago, I had hardly taken an aspirin. I abhor the thought of medicine. But external circumstances put me in a hospital on an extended stay with major surgery and subsequent complications.

My opinion of Ralph has been great, and it is now even greater. Learning to trust God in our weakness is a great Pauline teaching. Living these truths touch many more lives than our successes. Thank God for this living example of overcoming grace.      

When the Truth Hurts

Accidental Pharisees

by Larry Osborne

Over the years various writers have tried to define Pharisaism.  It dates from prior to the time of Christ to the present.  It seems to simply have a different cultural context, but the foundations are the same in whatever generation it appears.  The pendulum swings, and humans react to religious norms by pushing back.  So liberalism is followed by conservatism, and vice versa.  It seems we can rarely achieve balance.

I agree with Larry that some of the more egregious sins of our day are the pride, exclusivity , and legalism.  There seems to be agreement that God expects his disciples to move toward holiness in their personal lives.  As with a lot of concepts, we have extreme difficulty defining it so that it fits every generation and culture. 

Larry tries hard and somewhat successfully not to get into religious ditches on each side of balance.  I do not know him personally, nor his journey, so I must try to understand his perspective gained from life experiences.  Having written a dissertation on a corollary subject (philosophical foundations for creating sects) I offer that Larry has a message that, if heard, could help to bring some balance to evangelical movements.    As always, our danger is to become the complainer about complaining.

Our Savior is our savior.  It is not in our definitions but in our dynamic relationships.  While our tendency toward institutionalization drives us to uniformity, the Holy Spirit emphasizes our unique personalities and giftings.  If you can’t say “amen” to this, you should cry “oh me” and pray for healing grace.

Heaven's Lessons

Heaven's Lessons by Steve Sjogren

Personal experience is the “proof” of whether we have incorporated biblical principles in our life.  As with many of us, we don’t usually discover who we are until we are pressed into a NDE.  Steve offers this sequel to “The Day I Died” and tells the rest of the story. 

Life’s lessons are sometimes overwhelming and it takes times to process them and make sense of them.  Steve is transparent in his struggle to accept not only the medical mishap, but the poor treatment he received from those who should have loved him deeply.  But processing these difficult times usually draws us closer to God as we are compelled to pray to survive.

Although my circumstances have been different, I can concur with Steve with each of the lessons.  My journey did include some major medical issues, and I spent five weeks in a hospital and about two years recuperation time.  The last lesson he shares is the greatest:  Be Thankful.  Scripture not only teaches us to “give thanks IN everything” (1 Th 5:18) but also to “give thanks FOR everything.” (Eph 5:20)  By human strength alone, that is not possible.  But with God’s great reservoir of grace, we learn not only to accept these afflictions, but to see how God uses them to enrich our lives as well as make us more effective for the kingdom. 

This book is not literary genius, but it is a life story of remarkable grace!