"Business By the Book" Book Review

~Posted by Ben

As assigned reading for school, I have been reading “Business by the Book” by the late Christian economist, Larry Burkett. Since Business is one of my main career interests (politics being the other) I was really looking forward to reading this book! It was published in 1990, right on the heels of a time in business known as “the greedy eighties.” This term used in business circles describes a time of economic prosperity following Ronald Reagan’s tax cuts on the wealthy in the early 80’s. These tax cuts caused a resurgence in small business investment that sparked an unprecedented interest in entrepreneurism and “climbing the corporate ladder.” This effect was the backbone of the “Reagan recovery” from stagflation.

Such changes had both positive and negative consequences on American culture, especially the culture of American Business. Although the 80’s were a time of great economic growth, blue collar cities like Detroit and Flint experienced a grave economic downturn due to disinvestment and deindustrialization. Sadly, many businesses came to the harmful conclusion, “profits over people.”

It was at the pinnacle of this time period that Burkett wrote “Business by the Book.” In it, he presents the “radical” idea that it is entirely possible to conduct Business in such a way that is profitable, productive, and Biblical. He cites the reconstruction of Japan after World War II as his prime example. When General Douglas was appointed by President Truman as the military governor of Japan, he instituted laws for business largely based off Biblical truths. This, combined with the Japanese inherit respect for authority, as well as their strong unity and national pride, propelled them beyond their teacher to become one of the largest economies in the modern world. Burkett also gives a variety of positive examples of Christian businesses in the US that have based their business plan off of the scriptures and have experienced great profit for it.

In this book, Burkett deals with a lot of required decisions in modern business, including decisions on hiring, firing, borrowing, lending, management selection, employee pay, discounting, and many others. He also, using scripture, provides answers to many questions common among Christian businesses; questions such as, “Should I hire women to be in management over men?” “Should Christian businesses hire non-Christians?” “Is it acceptable for Christian businesses to borrow money?” “Can Christians sue people and/or other businesses for money?” “What do I do about an insubordinate employee?” When addressing all these questions, Burkett constantly goes back to scripture when giving his final answer on the subject.

I would highly encourage anyone interested in business and entrepreneurship to read this incredible book! My dad and I are now doing it as a weekly study, as many of its principles apply to everyday situations we both experience at work. I’m so grateful for Larry Burkett and all the wisdom he was able to share over the course of his life!

"God's Not Dead" Movie Review

“Josh Wheaton ([played by] Shane Harper), a devout Christian and freshman college student, enrolls in a philosophy class taught by a dogmatic and argumentative atheist. Professor Radisson ([played by] Kevin Sorbo) demands that all of his students must sign a declaration that "God is dead" in order to get a passing grade. Faced with a choice between passing the class and betraying his beliefs, Josh refuses. And so the professor strikes a bargain: Josh must defend his position that "God's not dead" in a series of debates with him. If he loses, he flunks. When Josh accepts the challenge, he gets more than he bargained for — jeopardizing his faith, his relationships, even his academic future.” (Plot summary taken from Wikipedia)

This past weekend, our family had the opportunity to see the movie “God’s Not Dead.” We had heard a lot of good things about the film and were excited to finally get to see it!

We were not disappointed. The film was well done in terms of acting, visual quality, etc. The story line was also quite good, with several unexpected twists. There are lots of positive things about this film, but I’ll just name a few that stick out to me. First, it offers an inspiring example of someone (Shane Harper’s character) standing up for their faith in Christ no matter what it costs him personally.

Second, the film shows the little things God uses to connect our lives to others. We have no idea how He is orchestrating events so that we have the opportunity to minister to others. While we often call events “inconveniences,” God may be opening a door for us to minister to someone else! We must always be prepared.

Third, and finally, this film is a reminder that our God is NOT dead! He’s alive! How exciting it is to serve not only a living God, but a personal God. He sent His Son down to this earth to restore our relationship with Himself. No other religion claims to have a god who did that. We are incredibly blessed with the opportunity to serve such an amazing God!

Duck Dynasty Review

Several months ago, a friend gave us Season 1 and 2 of the popular reality show “Duck Dynasty.” We started watching a couple of episodes at a time as a family during our Friday pizza and movie nights. We had heard a lot of positive things about the show. So we were quite interested in seeing it for ourselves!

We just recently completed all the DVDs we have. My thoughts on the show are mixed, so I want to present the positives first, followed by the negatives.

Positives—the Robinson family is very outspoken about their Christianity. They have a firm sense of values that is displayed well, especially by the kids. They have been very adamant about keeping their faith in the show as well, despite pressure at times to back off on expressing their faith.

Each show ends with the family gathered around the dinner table, praying, laughing, and eating together. The show is very funny, and basically follows the lives of the big Robinson clan!

Negatives—probably the biggest negative for our family was the crude language. There is no cursing on the show, just some words used frequently that we try to avoid as a family. Along with crude language is some crude humor. Some people wouldn’t be bothered by it, but our family is sensitive to that kind of thing.

Sometimes the shows are honestly a little over-the-top, and maybe stretch the “reality” part of the show. But again, that’s more of a personal preference thing.

So all in all, there are a number of positives about the show, along with some negatives (at least for our family.) With all that in mind, I would recommend some of the episodes but probably not all of them. I really admire the Robinson family for what they do, but the show may not be best for younger kids who might copy some of the crude language.

"Same Kind of Different as Me" Book Review

Over the past several months, a book title kept coming up amongst friends: “Same Kind of Different as Me” by Ron Hall & Denver Moore. Initially I wasn’t that intrigued by it, but the more I heard, the more curious I became. Most of the story takes place in Fort Worth, Texas and knowing my friends and the types of books they read, I decided to go ahead and read it. So I borrowed it from the Family Pastor at church (the one I’m interning for.)

I got the book on a Tuesday afternoon, and I finished the book by Saturday morning. Yes, that’s how good it was!

Each chapter alternates authors. In one chapter, Ron Hall will be telling the story from his perspective. In the next, Denver writes his point of view. Ron Hall grows up in a fairly average American home, but as an adult, becomes a very wealthy art dealer. Meanwhile, Denver grows up as a modern-day slave on a share-cropping plantation in Louisiana.

The book shows their back stories, and how one woman—Deborah Hall (Ron’s wife)—brings them both together. Ron and Denver are perfect opposites; yet God drew them together in an amazing way and used them to change a city.

This book has you laughing one minute, and nearly in tears the next. It’s a story that reads almost like a novel. It’s that incredible!

One of the reasons I really enjoyed this book, was for the inspiration it gave me. Denver and Ron’s relationship is an incredible example to me. My natural inclination would be to overlook people like Denver (i.e. homeless, elderly, criminal background, etc.) But I need to look at people the way God does! I need to love them, reach out to them, pray for them, and commit to having a relationship with them.

I would highly recommend this book for ages 16 and older. Some of the themes in the book, as well as some negative racial language, make this book too mature for anyone younger. But I would highly recommend it for adults! It’s a fairly easy read (you just get drawn into the story!) and has so much food for thought!

"Accelerated Distance Learning" Book Review

I knew one of the first books I wanted to read after I graduated high school was “Accelerated Distance Learning” by Brad Voeller. Not only did Mr. Voeller co-found College Plus (the college coaching program I will be starting in January), he also earned his fully accredited, 4-year college degree in less than six months for less than $5,000. That is no small feat!

As the subtitle says, this book articulates a new way to earn a college degree in the twenty-first century: via accelerated distance learning. The foundation of the book is laid by first discussing WHY a new trail is/should be blazed in higher education.

In the second part of the book, Voeller talks about the different facets of distance learning. These include chapters on credit-by-examination, portfolio assessment, internships, taking online and correspondence courses, and more.

The third section of the book shares important skills related to accelerated learning. These include speed reading and memory strategies. The fourth part of the book pulls all of these elements together and makes it all practical and applicable.

I would highly recommend this book to several groups of people. First would be parents of children who are in middle or high school. Accelerated Distance Learning is an excellent way to earn a degree while saving LOTS of time and money. I would also recommend this book to students in middle and high school as well. What appealed to me so much about Accelerated Distance Learning is the fact that I can earn my bachelor’s degree quickly, efficiently, and at the same time that I’m doing so many other “real life” things! I am not tied to a college campus for four years, and I will not be strapped with an enormous amount of debt afterwards. There are so many positives to this method!

Anyone can benefit from reading the portions on speed reading and memory work. Those are valuable skills that can be used in everyday life!

"God's Smuggler" Book Review

As part of my internship at our church, the Student Ministry Pastor has given me a few books to read. The first book he gave me was “God’s Smuggler” by Brother Andrew. Instantly intrigued, it’s needless to say that I had no trouble working my way through the book quite rapidly. J

The book is an autobiography of a Dutchman known as “Brother Andrew.” The first few chapters of the book talk about his upbringing and his conversion to Christianity. The rest of the book takes place in the years following WWII, when communism rapidly expanded in Europe and Asia. Brother Andrew was told that it was impossible to minister behind the Iron Curtain.

But Brother Andrew did not allow that to stop him. He knew he served a God of miracles, and he relied soley on His strength to minister for over 35 years, smuggling millions of Bibles into communist countries. His prayer at every border crossing was “Lord, make seeing eyes blind. Do not let the guards see those things You do not want them to see.” And they never did.

This book was a thrilling and convicting read for me. Brother Andrew never asked for funds, yet God always provided. Brother Andrew’s ministry—Bible smuggling—could have cost him his life, but he was willing to sacrifice that for Christ. He had the incredible faith that if he honored and obeyed God, He would protect and guard him. “God’s Smuggler” is truly an account of all the miracles God worked to bring the gospel to dozens of closed communist countries!

I would highly recommend this book for anyone ages 13 and over. It is a thrilling read, and just might leave your jaw on the floor at the incredible God we serve!

"The Explicit Gospel" Book Review

Back in May when we had a graduation celebration at our church, our Student Ministry Pastor gave each of the graduates a book. I had never heard of “The Explicit Gospel” by Matt Chandler, but it certainly looked like a good book and held a lot of great endorsements. I didn’t actually pick up the book until our missions trip to Guatemala.

Once I did, I was drawn in. Although it took me awhile to finish it (I would only read a portion of a chapter at a time, so I could “digest” it a bit better), it is one that I believe I will be re-reading periodically. And that is coming from someone who almost never has time to reread books anymore!

Chandler’s main premise is that Christians hear the gospel so often, that most of us have become desensitized to its meaning and power. His book is broken into three simple sections: The Gospel on the Ground, The Gospel in the Air, and Implications and Applications.

In the first section, the chapters are about God, Man, Christ, and Response. Chandler goes through each of these topics methodically and meticulously, clearly explaining each of them in a way that is fresh even to the person who was raised in church. One of my favorite quotes from this section is found in the “Response” chapter: “Am I stirred up toward obedience, or is Jesus becoming cliché to me? Am I becoming inoculated to Jesus, or do I find myself being more and more stirred up to worship him, to let other people know him, to submit my life fully to him?”

The second part of the book talks about Creation, the Fall, Reconciliation, and Consummation. This is known as the gospel in the air. Basically, it is the gospel on the cosmic level. This is probably the best-marked section of the book for me. It was an excellent reminder that the gospel is so much bigger than me. God is reconciling ALL things to Himself. One of my favorite quotes is this: “The scope of Christ’s reconciling work on the cross spans the brokenness between man and God and the brokenness between earth and heaven.”

Part three deals with the dangers in a gospel on the ground too long, the dangers in the air too long, and moralism and the cross. We must guard against an extreme focus on either facet of the gospel. If we focus on the gospel on the ground too much, it can become “me” focused, because we lose the big picture of God’s reconciling power over all creation. But if we focus on the gospel in the air too much, the gospel becomes less personal. We must strike a balance between these two, as well as not fall into the trap of focusing on moralism over the cross.

One of my favorite quotes from the third section—and from the book in general—is this: “Sealed in my heart that day was the truth that unless the gospel is made explicit, unless we clearly articulate that our righteousness is imputed to us by Jesus Christ, that on the cross He absorbed the wrath of God aimed at us and washed us clean—even if we preach biblical words on obeying God—people will believe that Jesus’ message is that he has come to condemn the world not save it.”

The gospel is central to the life of a Christian. It’s absolutely critical that our understanding of it is accurate! This is a book that I truly believe every Christian needs to read. It is so dead on, so theologically sound.

It is also chock full of scripture references! That is one of the reasons it took me so long to read it (I wanted to look up all of them.) I also spent a good amount of time underlining, circling, and starring passages of the book. J This is definitely a book I plan to reread in the future!

"Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half" Book Review

One of the things I wanted to learn as part of my post-high school education was budgeting. One specific area of budgeting is grocery budgeting. Everybody has to eat, and everybody has to buy groceries. I wanted to learn not only how to grocery shop, but how to save money at the store (a big deal when you’re feeding a family as large as ours!)

I had received “Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half” by Steve and Annette Economides as a Christmas gift a couple of years ago. It sat on my bookshelf for a good while, because I wanted to read it when I would actually be able to put some of the principles into practice. So it was the first book I read post-high school! J

Steve and Annette Economides are true veterans in the area of finances. They have raised five children, are New York Times best-sellers, and have appeared on many national TV Shows including Good Morning America and the Today Show.

For me, the biggest draw to this book was that the money-saving techniques do not rely on the use of coupons. To be perfectly honest, I have never been able to wrap my mind around all the couponing principles, and really just didn’t like the idea of constantly clipping and stacking coupons. Once I started reading the book, I liked it even more because each chapter can stand virtually on its own. This makes the book so much easier to put into practice! You can implement a couple of simple steps at a time, and once those are mastered, move on to another principle.

The book covers everything from meal planning, taking stock of what you already have in your pantry/freezer/fridge, stocking up, organizing, time-saving equipment, once-a-month shopping and cooking, feeding your kids on a budget, and lots more! Each chapter ends with a section that has three different levels of application, depending on your personality and your level of commitment to saving time and money.

I am very excited about implementing some of the strategies I have learned from reading this book! Even if our grocery bill isn’t cut in half, I will be happy if it can be reduced by a good amount! Saving time is also a big perk for a busy family. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!

"gods at war" Book Review

It’s virtually impossible for me to go inside the Christian bookstore and not come out with a new book to read. J Recently, I went into our local store because I had received a gift-card for my graduation. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted when I walked in. A couple of weeks earlier, I had noticed that three of my favorite authors—David Platt, Francis Chan, and Kyle Idleman—had ALL released new books! I could hardly wait to purchase them and start reading.

 

I began with Idleman’s book, “gods at war.” I had previously read “not a fan” by Idleman, which I found to be very convicting and poignant. His new book caught my attention because I ran a column in my monthly newsletter for 2012 entitled “Conquering My Idols.” I had felt convicted that there were a lot of things in my life that were pushing their way to the top, and that I needed Christ to be on the throne of my heart.

 

Idleman’s first important point in the book is that we all worship. There is no such thing as true “atheism.” God created us to worship, and we WILL worship *something.* The question isn’t “will we worship?” but rather “who or what will we worship?” In addition to this, Idleman contends that idolatry isn’t an issue, but rather, THE issue from which all other sins/struggles stem.

 

After establishing the foundations of idolatry, Idleman discusses many common idols that we worship today. Some of these include food, entertainment, pleasure, sex, money, achievement, romance, and family. At the end of each chapter, he has a segment called “Idol ID” which includes questions to determine whether or not you worship the idol the chapter discussed.

 

One thing I liked about this book was that it named many idols that I hadn’t really thought about before. Anything in our lives can become an idol if it takes the throne of our heart. Christ will not share His throne with anyone else. He demands complete and utter worship. This book was an excellent reminder of that.

 

I would recommend this book for anyone ages 16 and up.

"Kingdom Journeys" Book Review

Earlier this year, our family attended a Christian music festival. At the festival, there were lots of tents and booths with vendors and ministry display tables. As I perused those tables, I came across a booth for “Adventures in Missions.” I got to chatting with the man working the table, and we talked for quite awhile.

I came away with lots of reading material, including a book written by the founder of AIM, Seth Barnes. “Kingdom Journeys: Rediscovering the Lost Spiritual Discipline” sat on my shelf for a couple of months before I picked it up recently.

I never would have imagined how quickly I would go through the book! Once I cracked it open, I was amazed at how many times I wanted to nod an emphatic “yes” after reading a paragraph. J

While I think it’s important to note that I don’t agree with everything in the book, I found it to be a very valuable read. Barnes’ words resonated deeply within me. I think that there is such great value in taking what Barnes terms a “Kingdom Journey.” So many people in our culture—both young and old—are never truly stretched and forced out of their comfort zones. Entering into another culture with a clear mission really shakes your world! Jesus and the disciples modeled “Kingdom Journeys” for us in the Bible. Our world will never be the same because of those 13 men!

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“I wanted to fully respond to God’s call, but my faith was shallower than I realized. I had trusted Jesus to save me from hell, but I hadn’t begun to understand the life He offered before death.”

“It took a physical journey to complete a spiritual one.”

“When people go on a pilgrimage to a holy shrine, they go to discover God. But in so doing, they find that God is not in the destination, but the journey. . . A kingdom journey removes the scales from our eyes and allows us to see God all around and even within.”

“Somewhere in the midst of our journeying, we begin to wake up to spiritual reality. What was blurry, starts to come into focus. And when it does, we can’t help but ask, ‘Why? Why does a journey do this? Why do I have to leave when all I need is already around me?’ A journey is an act of leaving – a process of physical abandon that teaches us how to do the same spiritually. Perhaps, to find your true identity you need to abandon everything else.”

“Where is your life headed?

What is the purpose for your existence?

When will you really be satisfied?”

“We yearn for something more, a hardwiring to search for the kingdom of God itself. That’s why, for all of its consequences and pitfalls, restlessness is not a curse. Restlessness is a gift.”

“Kingdom journeys may differ in their details, but share similar stages. The two-month kingdom journey to Guatemala may take you down the same spiritual road as the two-year Peace Corps trip to Burundi. They all involve a commitment to go. The difference is why you go, what you do when you get there, and how your life changes because of the journey.”

“What sets a kingdom journey apart from gap years, road trips, and volunteer jaunts is the central focus on Jesus’ kingdom. A kingdom journey is first and foremost about expanding God’s reign in the world and increasing it inside our hearts.”

“We go to work, endure traffic, eat our breakfast, lunch and dinner; and go to bed at the same time every day. Routine is normal, even healthy, but if the ruts go too deep, our spirits begin to whither. If we never get out of our comfort zones, we can’t grow into the places God has prepared for us.

“A kingdom journey is most effective when we abandon what we think we cannot abandon. With less, we discover the core of who we are. Our true self emerges from the rubble of the false self.”

“This is the point of a kingdom journey: to learn that life, itself, can be filled with such radical dependence on God that you will never want to return to a “normal” life ever again. You will be wrecked for the ordinary.”

Having been on several missions trips—which I would consider small-scale “Kingdom Journeys”—I can attest to the last quote. Every time I go on a mission trip, I find that returning to what we consider “normal” in America gets harder and harder. What I yearn after is the closeness in my relationship with Christ that comes when I am stripped down to the necessities of life. The more we have of Jesus, the more we will want of Him.

I would highly recommend this book for ages 16 and up. I think you will find it inspiring, convicting, and—hopefully—life-changing!

"Glaucia the Greek Slave" Book Review

I read 75% non-fiction books. I consider fiction books to be a “break” in my routine. After I’ve read 4-6 non-fiction books, my brain usually feels like it needs a break. J But I’m also pretty picky about the fiction books I read. If I’m really in need of a mental break, I reach for Nancy Drew. J Other than that, the only fiction books I normally read are historical fiction books (but NOT historical romances.)

Most of my favorite historical fiction books have come from Vision Forum. I highly trust their company and the appropriateness of their materials, and have never been disappointed. One book I received as a Christmas gift from their catalogue is called “Glaucia the Greek Slave” by Emma Leslie. It is the first in a series of 6 books on the history of the early church. The series was written in the late 1800’s, and thus uses “older” language.

The story follows a young Greek girl named Glaucia. It begins with Glaucia and her brother in the market, being sold as slaves. Their mother had abandoned their family years before, and when their father passes away, they are sold to pay off his debts. Glaucia is sold to an elite Roman family headed for Athens, while her brother escapes and also begins to make his way to Athens to free his sister and find their mother.

During their respective journeys, they become aware of the early church movement. A man named Paul is preaching about a God who loves even slaves. Both Glaucia and her brother become curious about this “Christianity.”

The main reason I enjoyed the book, is that it brought to life part of church history. I learn and retain history through stories. Books like “Glaucia the Greek Slave” help me see history through a different perspective than what comes through a text book. I would definitely recommend this book for ages 10 and up (because of the older style language. It could be read aloud to younger children, but parents use discretion.)

I will close with my favorite quote from the book:

“‘Nay, I possess nothing,’ answered Glaucia. ‘The Lord hath taken my empty heart and filled it with His love, and I—I have nothing to give but this love, His own gift, in return.’”

"Wait No More" Book Review

Back when part of our family went to an adoption conference, we came away with a bag of materials, including the book called “Wait No More” by Kelly & John Rosati. Kelly Rosati is the Vice President for Community Outreach at Focus on the Family and oversees the Adoption & Orphan Care Initiative. She and her husband have adopted 4 children from the Hawaii foster care system.

Once I flipped open the book, I knew it would be a quick read. Biographies like this always intrigue me. I guess we all have—to some degree—an interest in other people’s lives! J I was especially interested in learning more of what life is like “behind-the-scenes” in an adoptive family, since I hope to adopt children internationally and domestically one day.

I was not disappointed by the book. Rosati does a great job of sharing the emotional rollercoaster of the adoption process. There are great joys and victories followed by crushing defeats, disappointments, and setbacks. Behavior issues come up. Health problems persist. But in the end, fighting to be a family is always worth it.

I would highly recommend this book to ANYONE who is considering adoption. Sometimes a picture is painted which is a bit too rosy. A couple or family goes into the adoption process thinking they will “save” a child, and that the child will respond in overwhelming gratitude to the love you show them. But that’s not normally the case. There can be major setbacks, because every child in the foster care system, every orphan, has experienced some type of trauma.

There is no “safe” age to adopt. They will all have struggles. But the rewards are immense!

*(Due to some thematic elements related to child abuse and drugs throughout the book, I would recommend it for ages 16 and up.)*

"The Essential Guide to the Short Term Mission Trip" Book Review

When I became the missions trip coordinator for A Child’s Hope, I started reading one of my Dad’s books called “The Essential Guide to the Short Term Mission Trip” by David C. Forward.

Chock-full of valuable guidance, information, and counsel, this book gives a great overview of a mission team leader’s responsibilities. There were so many things that I wouldn’t have thought about which are covered in the book. One of the greatest nuggets I gleaned from this book is “You cannot possibly be responsible for all aspects of a mission trip yourself.” J

This book addresses everything from the very baby stages of planning a mission trip, to presenting the trip to the governing church bodies, forming a team, developing the team, team meeting schedules and samples, dealing with conflicts during a trip, travel essentials and information, debriefing, and lots more!

My only complaint about the book would be that the information is slightly outdated, as it was written in the late 90’s—early 2000’s. But aside from that, this book provides a great wealth of beginning information for a mission team leader, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone considering leading a short-term mission team.

"When Helping Hurts" Book Review

As part of our pre-Guatemala missions trip training, Ben and I were assigned a book to read called “When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . And Yourself” by Steve Corbett & Brian Fikkert. While I can’t remember the first time I had heard about this book, I know the first time I added it to my mental reading list was when it was recommended to me by the board of A Child’s Hope.

The only reason I hadn’t read the book was because we don’t have it! So when our Family Pastor handed me a copy, I was quite excited to start reading it! Poverty Alleviation is an issue that has become closer and closer to my heart this past year.

I thought I knew what to expect in reading this book. After all, I come from a family that is heavily involved with world missions on many levels. Don’t I know most everything there is to know? (Ha!) But I was amazed at how challenged, convicted, and inspired I was after reading the book!

The book is broken down into four sections. The very first section is called “Foundational Concepts for Helping Without Hurting.” This section was the most difficult to wade through. The following key questions are addressed: Why did Jesus come to earth? What’s the problem? Are we there yet?

The second section jumps into general principles of helping without hurting. The authors carefully analyze the most common ways the American church has been “helping” the poor. They tastefully—but very honestly—point out where our methods have failed and done more harm than good to the poor.

The third section shares practical strategies for helping without hurting. This was probably the section I was most interested in. It dealt with short term missions trips, missions in the United States, and missions in other cultures.

The fourth section was added more recently, and is titled, “Getting Started on Helping Without Hurting.” This section further expands how to take the ideas expressed in the book, and actually put them into practice.

I’m not quite sure where to begin in talking about the lessons I learned from reading this book. I think it’s the type of book I’ll reread several times and come away with new ideas every time. A couple of thoughts stand out above the rest:

1.) How we view Jesus and why He came to earth, affects our view of the world and our responsibilities in it. Here are two quotes on this issue from the book:

“At its core, evangelical Gnosticism fails to understand who Jesus Christ really is, replacing the biblical Jesus with ‘Star Trek Jesus,’ who beams our souls up out of this world, a world in which He is fundamentally disinterested, a world from which He is fundamentally disconnected.” (If we believe in a “Star Trek Jesus,” this earth doesn’t really matter because we’re just going to heaven anyway. But Christ calls us to more.)

“We are to embody Jesus Christ by doing what He did and what He continues to do through us: declare—using both words and deeds—that Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords who is bringing in a kingdom of righteousness, justice, and peace.”

2.) Missions is a long-term responsibility to all Christians. We cannot pursue “quick-fix” methods of missions; we should be pursuing long-term solutions with a “Big Picture” outlook.

When we think of the “great” missionaries, they all have one important thing in common: they gave their LIVES to declaring the gospel in a foreign country. We have to have a long-term vision and work towards that end, no matter where we go on mission.

“We are the richest people ever to walk the face of the earth. Period”. . . . “We do not necessarily need to feel guilty about our wealth. But we do need to get up every morning with a deep sense that something is terribly wrong with the world and yearn and strive to do something about it.”

3.) I need to humbly examine the methods of missions work I think are “right.” How are they affecting those I’m trying to serve? What makes them “right” or “wrong?” Can they be done better?

Ultimately, missions work is first about Christ, secondly about others, and lastly, about myself. I want to see lasting impact occur in missions! But that requires humility, and a willingness to admit that we don’t always go about it in a very beneficial and effective way.

I am really looking forward to implementing some of the lessons learned from reading this book. It will take time, lots of thought, and lots of prayer. This book truly is a “must-read” for all Christians, not just “missions-minded” Christians. Because we’re ALL called to love and care for the poor. How are you doing in that? I truly believe every Christian will benefit from reading this book!

"Orphan Justice" Book Review

Back in April, I went on a date with Daddy. After a nice dinner, we found ourselves browsing the Christian bookstore (big surprise, I know. J) As I walked past one of the shelf-end displays, a book caught my eye, entitled “Orphan Justice” by Johnny Carr. The subtitle really jumped out at me: “How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting.” Caring for orphans is something I’m passionate about and adoption is the number 1 way to help that pops into most people’s minds.

But for teens like me, adoption won’t be an option for a number of years. But I want and feel called to help NOW. When I opened the book and saw page after page of endorsements from people like Katie Davis and Jim Daly, I knew I had to read the book. While I’m not usually a spur-of-the-moment shopper, I couldn’t get to the register quick enough. J

I was definitely not disappointed! Johnny Carr starts off with his story, and how he went from never wanting to adopt, to now being the adoptive father of 3 special-needs children. The book then takes one topic related to orphans and discusses it in one chapter. Some of these topics include orphans and human trafficking, orphans and HIV/AIDS, orphans and orphanages, orphans and poverty, orphans and foster care, and more.

One thing that I really appreciated about the book is Johnny Carr’s honesty. He’s not afraid to ask the hard questions and point out the flaws in current orphan care systems. The problems related to orphans are complex, and do not have easy answers. About half-way through each chapter, I would have to set the book down a minute as my mind reeled from the complexity of our broken world.

That might make you think you don’t want to read this book. But the best feature of the book is the end of each chapter. After discussing the deep problems of a certain subject, each chapter ends with a section called “What You Can Do.” There are 3 different paragraphs; something ANYONE can do, something MANY can do, and something that FEW can do. Johnny Carr does a great job of writing in a way that makes you want to jump out of your seat RIGHT NOW and do something to help orphans. These 3 options at the end of each chapter are a great way to give guidance on how to help out a specific problem related to orphan care. There is no excuse NOT to help after reading this book.

I would highly recommend this book for ages 12 and up, particularly those who may already be involved in some type of orphan care, or who are passionate about serving orphans. Another good reality this book points out, is that EVERY Christian has a RESPONSIBILITY to care for orphans. It’s not some optional command in the Bible. While our levels of commitment will be different, we’re all called to do SOMETHING.

"Walking in Broken Shoes" Book Review

Recently, my Mom was spending some Amazon gift cards she received last year. She was so sweet and bought a little something for each of us. J She gave me a choice between 4 or 5 different missions-related books. I was so excited when my copy of “Walking in Broken Shoes” by Susan Magnuson Walsh arrived! I had never heard of the book until Mom mentioned it to me, but it sounded like my kind of book.

Susan Walsh—a pediatric nurse practitioner—led many short-term medical missions trips to Haiti prior to the earthquake in 2010. The first half of the book describes these trips. The book is written mostly in journal form, with lots of email updates and personal stories.

While I found the book interesting up to that point, my interest really piqued half-way through the book. Susan Walsh was in Haiti with a team when the January 2010 earthquake hit. She gives an incredible first-hand account of what the tremor felt like, the emotional responses to the quake, and the devastation felt in Pétionville. Thankfully no one on their team was hurt, but immediately following the quake, they found themselves serving at a hospital where they saw every injury imaginable.

Susan Walsh describes their experience as that of a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH unit.) People were missing limbs, losing blood at life-threatening rates, and so much more. Many of the people in the hospital were dead. Her team did the best they could to treat injuries for 6 or 7 hours after the quake, but the number of people requiring treatment was enormous.

Because of the condition of the airport and the chaos, their team—which was supposed to leave the day after the quake—was stranded in Haiti for several extra days. Their ordeal of trying to get out of the country was nightmarish.

She also goes on to describe the trips she made back to Haiti following the quake. The very last chapter gives a very good analysis of where things stand in Haiti today, including the issues that have been dealt with, and the issues that have not been resolved.

I really appreciated the book because it not only gave an excellent first-hand account of an earth-shattering (literally) event that nearly every person in Haiti bears scars from, but it also gives a great look into the tremendous needs of the Haitian people. The issues are complex, sticky, and difficult to deal with. At times it feels like the mess has gotten so big, it can never be cleaned up.

But God is still sovereign over all. He will use tragedies such as the 2010 earthquake for HIS glory and to make HIS Name famous in Haiti. Susan Walsh does a great job of sharing her personal testimony and how God worked in her life through all the situations she was a part of in Haiti.

I definitely recommend this book for anyone high-school aged and up, particularly those who are considering medical missions work. Parts of the story are heartbreaking, but I think our hearts need to be broken more often, because brokenness brings us to a point of action.

"Monumental" Movie Review

“Monumental” is a powerful documentary created by Kirk Cameron. In it, he takes a hard and honest look at America’s past and our forefathers. The documentary starts off looking at the current state of our society. The picture is pretty bleak. Families are falling apart, divorce is becoming more common, and things like teen pregnancy, suicide, and drug use are on the rise. We are $15 trillion dollars in debt. He compares America to the Roman Empire. America has reached the top, and is standing on the brink of her fall.

Cameron says that we have forgotten what made our nation great in the first place. The Pilgrims knew what a bad culture was like, but they didn’t duck and run. Cameron then travels back to England to take a good look at who the pilgrims really were and why they really left England.

What he discovers is not the history lesson you received in school. They weren’t a merry little band of families that wanted a new adventure and new land. At the time, you could be burned in England for possessing an English Bible. The persecution was coming from the government which controlled the church, which then controlled the people. Leaving the church was tantamount to treason.

The pilgrims decided that if the church in England couldn’t be made holy, then they should separate themselves (why they were called Separatists.) They tried to escape to Holland, but the ship captain was double-dealing and they all ended up in jail. But they didn’t allow that to stop them. Time and again they tried to escape the tyrannical rule of the King of England. They ended up in jail many times and their families were broken up and separated.

Over and over, doors kept slamming on their attempts to leave. They weren’t simply trying to escape the persecution; they wanted to have religious freedom so they could freely read and study the word of God (in their own language) and then RETURN to England and set the people there free!

They finally make it to America, by the grace of God alone. These people were incredible! As one person in the documentary put it, the parents were willing to lay face down in the mud so their children could walk over them to a better future. They sacrificed everything so that their children would benefit later. They truly possessed generational vision!

The movie documents the incredible faith of not only our forefathers, but also our founding fathers. You will be amazed at the revision of our history in schools today, and the attempts to downplay the faith of our ancestors. These were men of incredible courage and deep faith in God.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the film:

“If we are to lose our lives in this endeavor, at least we know that our cause is just and our cause is honorable.” –William Bradford

“Their perspective was ‘Do the right thing over the long haul and in the long run, God will bless it.’” –Marshall Foster

“There’s nothing like bones to remind you of your heritage.” –Marshall Foster

The movie culminates at an incredible monument that clearly shows the beliefs of the Pilgrims, and their formula for forming America.

One of the ending quotes of “Monumental” says that people think the American culture cannot be reversed. But the Renaissance and Reformation did just that centuries ago. They moved forward by going back. The American culture is not lost. But the change begins in our own homes. Are we living like the Pilgrims, with a generational vision for our children and for the United States of America?

This is a documentary that I would highly recommend for ages 13 and up. It gives an excellent overview of American history from a Christian perspective, and how we can return to the principles our country was founded upon.

"Two Hats" Movie Review

“Lord, Lord, I want to make a difference. But how? How can I make a difference? And do they need change? Do they want change? And if they do, where do I start? What right do I have to burst in on their culture and expect them to change? What are they thinking? Why do they do what they do? Hmm, I guess I need to make some changes too. Lord, help me to understand . . . so that I may be understood and make Your message clear.”—Brad Wells

I was instantly gripped when I heard the opening quote of the film, “Two Hats.” This 86-minute documentary quickly became one of my absolutely favorite films, and that’s a stamp of approval that not many movies have from me. J

Here’s some background on the film: In 1998, Brad and Deborah Wells left their home in Idaho to become missionaries to Papua New Guinea. At the time “Two Hats” was filmed, they had started the first Christian Radio station in PNG. They have 7 children starting in kindergarten through the 8^th grade (they had 6 children in 6 years!) They homeschool their children, and do ministry together.

Some interesting facts about PNG: 80% of people live in the rural areas, and live off the land. The practice of exacting a Bride price is still practiced in PNG. Hugs and hand-holding among good friends (even men) is quite common in PNG. One quote from a native Papua New Guinean made me stop and think: “Time is different here. It’s unlike [time in the] USA. USA people have a lot of watches but not much time. Papua New Guineans don’t have watches, but we have plenty of time.” That quote really sums up the difference between Western American culture, and almost any other culture in the world.

The documentary follows the Wells family, and gives a general overview of what it’s like to be a missionary. There are many different scenarios that are dealt with in the movie including a drive to another village on the treacherous roads, an interview with a missionary pilot, a confrontation with a man holding them up for money on the drive (it’s actually a hysterical conversation), a tour of their radio station, a look into their church, kids camp at their church, and a knife attack on Brad Wells.

I think the reason I was so drawn to this movie is the transparency of the Wells family. They ask and address hard questions in the documentary. Also, their family is a picture of what I hope my family will be like one day. It would bring me such great joy to do what their family is doing.

Here are some of my favorite quotes and thoughts from the movie:

“My desire is that they [her children] will become addicted to it [ministry.]” –Deborah Wells

“As Christians, God has saved us not just so that we could go to heaven, but so that we can serve and bring others to Jesus Christ.” –Rick DeMichele (Pastor of Treasure Valley Baptist Church [Sending Church of Wells Family])

When confronted with a false prophet who is threatening curses on the family and demanding to meet with Brad Wells, he asks the question very honestly, “Do I go or do I not go?”

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to be a missionary (in Papua New Guinea). But you have to love the people.” –Dennis Wells (Brad’s father, also a missionary to PNG)

“What if I go and I die?” “What if you stayed and you died?” –Conversation between Dennis Wells and his wife, Dee, before they became missionaries in PNG.

“You have to wear 2 hats--if you want to live here and understand--you have to have 2 hats. You can have your white man’s hat and you can have your Papua New Guinean hat.” –Bob Hargreaves

“It’s not really about me, it’s just about my willingness. Not about my skills and not about all the things that I can offer. But it’s really about just being willing and allowing God to work.” –Chad Wells (brother of Brad Wells, also a missionary in PNG.)

“I’m a missionary because it’s the most wonderful thing in the world. It is all that God created me to be.” –Brad Wells

This documentary was very well done, and really inspired me. For anyone who feels called to foreign missions work, I believe this movie is a must-see. I highly recommend it for all ages!

Click here to watch the trailer for “Two Hats.”

"A Night to Remember" Movie Review

Back in February, we watched “A Night to Remember” on a Friday night (our weekly pizza and movie night.) One of the twins had received the movie as a Christmas gift and we had yet to watch it.

“A Night to Remember” is a movie based on the book of the same name by Walter Lord. It chronicles the infamous sinking of the Titanic. The movie was filmed in 1958 and as the other movies of that era, it is pretty long at 123 minutes. While I have never personally seen the more recent “Titanic” (with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet), based on what I’ve heard and read, “A Night to Remember” is far more historically accurate than James Cameron’s movie.

The movie is almost entirely a blow-by-blow account of the sinking of the Titanic, and it is well portrayed/dramatized. The viewer feels like he was really there watching these events unfold. Unlike the modern version of the movie, this classic rendition accurately portrays the attitude of chivalry present. The phrase “Women and Children First!” was repeated over and over in the film. They also accurately portray the men who tried to get in the boats, as cowards.

Whenever I ponder the story of the Titanic, I think of the great tragedy of it all. The consequences of pride are great. The designers of this ship deemed it “unsinkable” even by God. Thousands of people had to pay the price for their arrogance against Him. Out of the approximately 2,200 passengers, around 1,500 of them drowned with the ship. There were many sad twists to the story, including the fact that the Californian was within only 10 miles of the Titanic, and that many of the life boats left only half full of people.

*Important Note:* While this film was very well done and very historically accurate, there were a few unfortunate instances of mild language. With the thick British accents it is a bit hard to notice it, but they are there. For that reason, I would recommend this movie for at least ages 13 and up, but parents may want to preview the movie first and determine whether it’s appropriate. The film also deals with a very horrific incident, and while done tastefully, parents should keep this in mind.

While not 100% historically accurate, this film does an excellent job of giving a great overview of the sinking of the Titanic, and imagining what it was like to be there.

Not a Fan Book Review

At the recommendation of a friend, I started reading “Not a Fan” by Kyle Idleman about a month ago. It falls into the same sort of category that books like “Crazy Love” and “Radical” fell into for me: books that I would have passed over and never read had they not been recommended to me. But I am so thankful that I did read it!

 

The subtitle of the book is “Become a completely committed follower of Jesus.” Idleman contends that Jesus has fans and followers. Fans want to be close enough to Jesus to receive the benefits of following Him, but they’re not willing to pay a price for their relationship with Him. One of my favorite quotes from the book is this one: “. . . I think Jesus has a lot of fans these days. Fans who cheer for Him when things are going well, but who walk away when it’s a difficult season. Fans who sit safely in the stands cheering, but they know nothing of the sacrifice and pain of the field. Fans of Jesus who know all about Him, but they don’t know Him.”

 

Another quote on fans: “But Jesus was never interested in having fans. . . . My concern is that many of our churches in America have gone from being sanctuaries to becoming stadiums. And every week all the fans come to the stadium where they cheer for Jesus but have no interest in truly following Him. The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but aren’t actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them.”

 

Idleman’s challenge in the first part of the book (titled “Fan or follower? An honest diagnosis) is to determine what you are: a fan or a follower of Christ? Do we simply know about Him, or do we have an intimate relationship with Him? Is He one of many important things in our lives, or is He the ONLY One we serve?

 

The second part of the book (“An invitation to follow [the unedited version]”) digs into some passages from the Gospels. He takes a look at several examples of people who wanted to follow Christ, but they weren’t willing to pay the price. He really digs into the last part of Luke 9 where three people are called by Christ to follow, but they make excuses for themselves. They wanted the benefits but not the sacrifices.

 

The third part of the book was what made me squirm the most (“Following Jesus—Wherever. Whenever. Whatever.”) Idleman asks the hard questions of “What about there? What about now? What about that?” It was really convicting to me to honestly think about the areas of my life that I’ve been holding back. I think my favorite quote from the whole book was this one: “Fans are happy to follow Jesus as long as that doesn’t require any significant changes or have negative implications . . . There is no way to follow Jesus without him interfering with your life. Following Jesus will cost you something. Following Jesus always costs something.”

 

Are you willing to sacrifice and pay the cost to be a fully committed follower of Christ? Stop living like a fan, and start following!

 

(I would recommend this book for ages 13 and up.)