Mark's #8 - Too Small To Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Dr. Wess Stafford (285 pages)

In preparation for our upcoming mission trip to serve orphans in Thailand, I assigned the team this book to read.

Dr. Wess Stafford is the president of the world's largest to poor and oppressed children across the globe - Compassion Internationl.  In this book Dr. Stafford not only makes a compelling case for God's heart for children in general, but for the poorest of the poor.   In so doing, he recounts his life growing up in the middle of Liberia, Africa.

For the first seven chapters, Wess leads the reader to believe that though he lived an isolated life with a small African tribe while his parents served as missionaries there, he loved every minute of his childhood.   However, in chapters eight and nine, Wess recounts the very painful experiences he and his fellow classmates had at the missionary kids boarding school each year, hundreds of miles away from his family.   Here he recounts nearly every type of abuse imaginable (physical, emotional, sexual, and spiritual).

I found myself getting very angry as I read these chapters.  Actually, rage might better describe my thoughts - even my heartbeat.   For years these abuses went on... most of which absolutely wrecked the lives of the students that attended the school.

By God's grace and mercy, Wess has been able to grow and heal from these dark experiences.   In  fact, God has used those experiences, along with his other first hand experiences with he world's poor (four years in Haiti for example), to shape Wess into a courages leader, and visionary for children everywhere.

There was one negative aspect throughout this book.  Though Dr. Stafford has a compelling history and a passionate drive to reach children, the writing does lack some substance, clarity and style.   In terms of substance, he does not do a good job of grounding his points in the Biblical text.  In regards to style, the book lacks clarity and creativity.

The book is decent... more than this though, I would reccommend you check out http://www.compassion.com/  - Perhaps God will stir your heart to invest in eternity through the ministry of Compassion International.

3  stars

Mark's #7 - Unfashionable: Making a Difference in The World by Being Different - By Tullian Tchividjian (224 Pages)

“In this windowless world, God, transcendence, and mystery have become less and less imaginable…. Everything’s produced, managed, and solved ‘this side of the ceiling,’ which explains why so many people are restless and yearning, as I was, for meaning that transcends this world–for something and Someone different.”

Winsome and witty, Unfashionable shows how the timeless truths of the gospel impact a lost and dark world.  I loved the repeated tagline throughout the book: "Against the world for the world".  What Tullian means by this is that Christians are to take their stand against the downward spiral of culture for the sake of the gospel and ultimately for the sake of the world.

ok... this is a lame review... but I'm sick and can't think clearly...

4stars

Mark’s #5 – Pirates: Latitudes by Michael Crichton (312 pages)

In November 2009, I was shocked and saddened when I heard the news that Michael Crichton had died.  For a long time now, Crichton has been one of my favorite authors.  I have enjoyed almost all of his books.  He does a great job of research before writing any book, which pays of in drawing the reader into the story.   Though most of his works deal with science fiction (Jurassic Park, Timeline, Sphere, Prey, State of Fear, etc.), occasionally Crichton wrote historical fiction (such as The Great Train Robbery, Pirates).

After his death, two complete novels were discovered on his computer. When I found out this out, I immediately purchased the first one: Pirates.

I was not disappointed.  As always, Crichton does a masterful job of developing interesting characters, with an even more interesting story line filled with twists and turns, and suspense lasting until the last page.   This was a fun story set in the Caribbean world of 1665.

The downside of the book was the high level of gore and violence along with occasional sexual references (not gratuitous descriptions) – Which I suppose I should have expected given that it was a story about pirates!

Though not my favorite Crichton book (that would be State of Fear or perhaps Timeline), I enjoyed the day and a half it took me to read this one.

4 stars

Mark’s #6 – The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis (211 pages)

“All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Greatest Story which no one on earth has read:  which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.”

Tonight I concluded The Chronicles of Narnia as I finished reading The Last Battle to my daughters before bed time.

I love how C.S. Lewis pictures the last battle, death, and eternity.   He once again reminded me of my short little life on planet earth, and how I am to live for a much bigger story than these ‘shadowlands’

My girls squealed with delight each time a character from the past books was brought back into the last book.   I love how my daughters’ faces light up each time Aslan comes on the scene.  I love how C.S. Lewis writes each chapter with a cliff-hanger which always prompts my daughters to plead, “please just read a little bit more! Please, please, please!”

However, if there is one book in the series that I had sharp theological disagreements with Lewis, it was this one.  In this book you see a kind of universalism that is espoused by him.  You see a devout follower of the false god Tash given entrance to Aslan’s country simply for his sincere devotion to Tash – and then he’s told that whatever good he did for Tash was really for Aslan, and whatever bad was done was really for Tash.

This creates so many theological problems and biblical contradictions, that I hardly have time here to confront.   Simply put, the Bible repeatedly calls people of all times, in all places, to repent and turn from their idolatry, and to turn to the truth found in Jesus Christ…  I could go one at length, but instead I will simply quote two passages from Scripture:

Acts 4:12Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Romans 10:13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Apart from this theological misstep, the rest of the book was great…. But for me, I am soured by the error.

3 stars.

Mark's #4 - Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson (448 pages)

"The murder of Abraham Lincoln set off the greatest manhunt in American history - the pursuit and capture of John Wilkes Booth."

I picked up this book when I saw that it was on the top-ten list of books read in 2009 by several other bloggers I follow.  This book on history reads like a fast paced novel.  Swanson does a great job of showing so many of the fascinating details surrounding the events leading up to Lincoln's assasination, his final hours of life, and the flight southward by John Wilkes Booth.  I had no idea that Booth had been on the run at all, let alone 12 days.  I was also shocked at the lack of security for the President, especially during a time of war.

I think most people would find this book very engaging and worthwhile - I did.

4.5 Stars.

Mark's #3: Why Johnny Can't Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers

“In my opinion, less than 30 percent of those who are ordained to the Christian ministry can preach even a mediocre sermon” – T. David Gordon.

When I received this book in the mail, I was initially disappointed by the relatively small size of it (108 pages).  I thought it would only offer some surface level assessment of the current problem of the state of the pulpit today.   Though brief, Gordon does an excellent job of diagnosing and analyzing the problem, and prescribing some first steps to recovering a Christ-centered pulpit.

Gordon argues that our culture no longer automatically prepares men and women to be clear thinkers, writers, and communicators.  Put simply, few people know how to read or write well.  Such technologies as the television, telephone, movies, Internet, instant messaging, are not conducive to deep thinking and clear communication.

As such, Gordon implores ministers and ministerial candidates to develop the discipline of reading slowly and thoughtfully, and to regularly practice meaningful writing (journaling, articles, blogs, etc.).    Those that do read a lot tend to speed read for information and miss the how and why of the composition of the text.  Subsequently, most ministers do not know how to think clearly, compose unified sermons with a clear point that is derived from and faithful to the biblical text.

As I read this book, I thought often how delighted our friend Ron (an English teacher) would be with Gordon’s solutions.   Gordon implores pre-seminarians to pursue a degree in English literature at the undergraduate level.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in pursuing ministry and any pastor interested in faithfully proclaiming the Word in a way that is Christ-centered and God glorifying.

5 Stars.