The Return

Review: Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ Mark Driscoll Thomas Nelson 2013 I didn't know quite what to expect from this book.   I had not read any of Mark Driscoll's work before and knew him only by some of the press he had received from various sources.   So I tiptoed into this hesitantly, but soon was totally immersed in this book. Driscoll looks at the letter to the Ephesians as Paul's effort to encourage the believers in and around Ephesus.   This is not a full commentary, happily, but an examination of the true identity of a believer in Christ.   After some introductory remarks about the book, Driscoll begins in earnest on the different aspects of the believer's identity.   He starts with "I am in Christ” and ends with "I am victorious."    The material in between follows the text of the letter.   His writing is crisp and clear.   It is not a read at one sitting book, however.   He...

Review: Finding God in the Hobbit Jim Ware Salt River 2006 What a nice surprise this book was for me! I was expecting the usual allegory and not much else, but I can say happily that I was disappointed. And I am glad of it. Disappointments aren't all bad, it seems. What delighted me was watching (reading) how a person steeped in the word of God and the other areas that Tolkien knew so well allowed those interests rise to the surface almost effortlessly and to shape the entire work. Ware captured me from the first page as he identified possible connections that Tolkien may have made, connections that totally eluded me when I read The Hobbit. This is not a book that could be classified page turner. Instead it reminded me more a meditation by Ware. In fact, if you read large portions of this at one sitting, you will not enjoy this at all. The style will begin to annoy you and you will put it down. There’s the nit for those that need one. So sit back and think a littl...

Review: The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters Albert Mohler Bethany House Publishers 2012 This seems to be Dr. Mohler’s foray into the plethora of leadership/management books available to the public. His stated goal from page 20 is to “redefine Christian leadership” related to held beliefs, and “to motivate” those with those beliefs to preparation for leadership. Worthy goal and hopefully one that has defined his twenty years as the president of a denominational seminary. His 25 principles are a list of what he thinks leaders should be. He draws heavily from those he considers to be successful leaders of the past in business, political, and military fields. Martin Luther, Francis Schaeffer, and Stephen Colbert are also mentioned. The principles here are not new or innovative if the reader has read any of the works published in the business field within the last thirty years. His presentation of the principles is brief and in some cases he m...

Review: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rick Warren Zondervan 2012 It’s been 10 years already? Yes, it has, and in that time another generation has grown up and is asking what life is all about. So it’s time for an updated edition of this book. The first thing I noticed when I received this book was the crisp clean design for the dust jacket. Much nicer, cleaner look than the earlier edition. Inside there’s a new font, paper and page setup. Then there’s those nifty little QR links. Yes, I did check them and they work just fine, as did the other links related to this study. It’s all free, too. Except the book, of course. There are even listening guides to download if you want to follow along with the discussion that accompanies each week’s focus. So far I am impressed with this anniversary edition. The original text was maintained here with the addition of a couple of new chapters at the end. Those two chapters are helpful. They cover a couple of the major pitfalls th...

Review: Jesus: Pure and Simple Wayne Cordeiro Bethany House Publishers 2012 I have to admit I had not heard of this author until I received this book for review. Judging from this list of his other titles I have been living on another planet recently. All that is corrected now. Jesus: Pure and Simple reminds the reader about what is most important in his relationship with Jesus. Jesus, Himself. The basis of this book could be from either a verse from the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 6:33) or one from Revelation 2 (the letter to the Church at Ephesus). The focus is the same. And this is serves as a good reminder of focus. Throughout the book the author speaks of different distractions that distort or blur our focus on the “things above.” Dissatisfaction really spoke volumes about the climate today. The quote that stuck with me was “staying near the door” and related to that Cordeiro’s reminder to focus more on how many are not within the Church (read “Kingdom of God”, o...

Review: When to Speak Up & When to Shut Up Dr. Michael D. Sedler Chosen Books 2003 The title says it all in describing this book. The author looks at different examples of keeping quiet when you shouldn’t have and speaking when silence would’ve been the wiser choice. This is a primer on effective communication techniques. Each chapter looks at that from a particular perspective, and generally how the subject messed it up first. Just like we all do. It’s OK to admit that. The author’s style is gentle and easy to read. Maybe too easy, even, since I found myself just speeding passed some important points. Slow down a bit with this one and learn. He’s been at it professionally long enough to know what he is talking about. One of the big points I missed was have a plan. If peer pressure is an issue, learn how to say no. If you know you are having a conference with your boss that might be challenging, think about what you will say before the event. Overall, I recomme...

Yes, this is the Open Bible from years ago that has been re-issued. It was great then and it still is now. My favorite helps are the Biblical Cyclopedic Index and, believe or not, the maps. The index lists a word, defines it, and then covers the uses or occurrences by category. That opens lots of new areas for consideration from the very beginning. The maps are readable, colorful and color coded, and are assembled in chronological order from the Genesis period to modern times. There is so much more there to explore. This Bible makes study fun. There are other study helps too that included the Jewish feast dates, the Maccabean period, and brief summaries of the Apocrypha. I don’t think they published a version of this that includes those books of the Apocrypha, but the summaries give the reader some insight into them. Each book starts with a helps section and an outline. Throughout the reading notes give alternate readings. Cross references? Of course. There’s so much...