Against Nothingness

I would just like to take a moment to encourage you to read. I love reading, but I also know that it is good to do. I hope to inculcate the value of reading in all of my children and in as many other people as I can.  Reading is important. It is part of growing as an individual and a Christian. The central source of our beliefs is a book. Think about that, and remember again why reading is important.  Yes, I know, you have a reason. Something is stopping you from reading "as much as you want to."  Maybe you don't read, but wish you did. Maybe you just wish you spent more time reading. But, I am willing to bet that most of you would not tell me you have no desire to read more. I don't know why, but that seems to be the common response I get.  Then come the reasons.  I'm too busy.  Reading is difficult.  I get distracted by (insert electronic device here).  And so on.  Fellow Christian, do not let these things stop you! Do not be rob...

Vishal Mangalwadi .  The Book that Made Your World: How the Bible Created the Soul of Western Civilization . Thomas Nelson, 2011. 464 pgs.  Though many people seek wisdom, in recent times the bible has become one of the last places search. Vishal Mangalwadi seeks to reverse that trend by examining how the bible has impacted western civilization. The Book That Made Your World is a breathtaking tour of history looked at through the thesis that it was the bible which turned the west into the unique civilization it is: technical and tolerant, scientific and free, just and prosperous. Mangalwadi pursues this thesis through a dazzling, and perhaps overwhelming, array of topics; from rationality to heroism, technology to morality, and much else besides. Though this is a long book of history, I found it quite interesting coming from the perspective of an Indian philosopher who mixed in stories of his home with the history of western civilization. The perspective off...

Alan Hirsch and Dave Ferguson,  On the Verge: A Journey Into the Apostolic Future of the Church (Exponential Series)  Zondervan, 2011. 352 pgs.  The church is 'on the verge' of massive changes. It must be, or so these authors argue. The old ways of 'being church' in the west are failing and so we must strive for something new. Hirsch and Ferguson call this new thing a 'verge church'. That is, the church as 'apostolic movement', reproducible and missional, focused on the 'mDNA' of 'apostolic genius' (a concept from another one of Hirsch's books). In this book Hirsch and Ferguson bring forth a host of best practices, ideas, programs, and so on (one could insert descriptive words in here for quite some time) with the goal of helping church leaders become part of this new apostolic movement.  In terms of structure, On The Verge is divided into four parts: Imagine (which explores the vision of the apostolic movement), Shift (...

Dear Bruce Sanguin, Back in March I posted a book review of your book "If Darwin Prayed." Just recently, you contacted me about this review and brought to my attention two objections.  Your first objection was my characterization of your prayers as "mumbo-jumbo." You rightly pointed out that this goes beyond critical review into derogatory remark. And so, I apologize. As you know, I have already done so personally, but because my review was, and is, public I also need publicly apologize. I crossed the line, and I am sorry.  Your second objection was to my calling your book "not Christian." Again, as you know, we are currently in discussion about this point, and it is entirely possible that I will be offering another apology at a later date. For now, I will say that I do not make that statement lightly nor often. Nor do I intend it to apply to you, Bruce. It is more than possible that I overreacted to the differences in our theologies and so, for now, ...

Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch .  Faith of Leap, The: Embracing a Theology of Risk, Adventure & Courage (Shapevine) . Baker Books, 2011. 224 pgs.  In The Faith of Leap Frost and Hirsch encourage the reader to leave the idols of security and safety behind and live out our adventure with God. They remind us that faith always involves risk, that God calls us to make a leap for him and, in that leap, to have the "faith of leap". In order to develop these themes, Frost and Hirsch explore the difference between community and communitas, as well as liminality and how these things affect our churches and are lived out in our mission. Their final chapter then points us to our own communities as the places in which we live out this adventure through the "risk of neighborliness."  There is much to be praised in this book.  Chapter five is clearly the highlight, as Hirsch and Frost directly assault our idol of security in an argument and encouragement to get ov...

I often get asked how I know what books are worth reading. I also often get asked how I get all the free books I receive and review. Sadly, doing these two things is often at odds. Many free books are not that good. But, let me give you some tips for each of these categories anyway.  4 Way To Find Good Books 1. The Recommendation of a Friend/Person whose opinion you trust - literally nothing beats the recommendation of someone who knows you and whom you trust. This includes friends, authorities on the subject, and people who work at good book stores (like the Regent Book Store ... ahh, the shameless plug :) A word of caution: not all your good friends are people like this. I have regularly failed at filtering "good" from "entertaining" in the past and thus passed on several bad book recommendations.  2. Trace it back - This is the category for research. I put several things here. Reading books by authors you know you enjoy (duh), reading books that authors you ...

(Last month I wrote a post entitled  "It Sounds Good But..."  in which I spoke, briefly, on the need to exercise appropriate judgment in the face of bad ideas that sound good. If that topic had become a series then this post would belong in it.) I am sure that you, like me, have heard the phrase "spiritual but not religious." It appears on book covers, in magazine articles, and on the lips of people near and far. It embodies the pernicious idea of a divide between the 'religious,' epitomized in dead institutions with their rites, rituals, dogmas, and creeds, and the 'spiritual', visible and vibrant in our personal lives through heartfelt, passionate, subjective and real experiences. It has become a trend, a near automatically assumed position, to be 'spiritual' but not 'religious'. After all, who wants to wade through the legalism, hypocrisy, politics, and conflicts of an 'institution'?  What you may not know (and really, w...

I got nothing.  Top 3 Posts: 1. RCPC 2011 Day 1  - Great conference.  2. April Reflections - This was a surprise; my 'reflections' posts usually fall somewhere on the bottom of each months list of favorite posts. I guess it did include details about the whole hospital visit thing...  3. Books for Pastors  - If you like book recommendations then you have come to the right blog.  I hope you had a great May; I know I did. The highlight of my month was most definitely spending a week with my lovely wife in Kelowna while my parents took care of our kids.  Thanks Mom and Dad for a wonderful week away, and thank you Kristina for the seven best years of my life! I know we have many more to come :)