The Return

Review: The Blessing of Humility Jerry Bridges Navpress 2016 Humility.   According to this book we know it when we see it, but how do we recognize it?   That’s pretty much what this book covers.   What it looks like and how does it happen?   Bridges uses the verses known as the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 as his starting point.   Well that’s not entirely accurate---his starting point is the gospel and he returns to it regularly throughout this work.    This approach helps the reader understand his own person in relation to God.   Understanding who he is leads to humility, but not without some serious changes.   Bridges guides the reader along this path of discovery gently, but firmly.   Simple explanations and applications make this journey sound easy.   It isn’t and he admits that.    Here's a sample of his simple yet insightful work.   “I still vividly remember a statement I heard at a Bible stu...

Review: Your Best Destiny: Becoming the Person You Were Created to Be Wintley Phipps with James Lund Tyndale Momentum 2015 It has been several years since I’d seen a book similar to this, and there’s probably a need for it again now.   Phipps discusses eight pillars that support a person’s ethos.   Ethos according to Phipps is “a combination of our personality, character, emotions, guiding beliefs, habits, ideals, attitudes, fundamental values, and lifestyle.” (17)   All that describes who we are and especially who we are when the tough times arrive.   What are the pillars that support that and how can I keep them sturdy?   How does that help me find my best destiny?   Well, that’s what this book is about.     Phipps takes each of the eight pillars and examines them more closely.   Some of the chapters will speak to the reader more directly than others, depending on the individual’s current state of ethos.   Following ...

Review: From Tablet to Table Leonard Sweet Navpress 2014 I had not read Sweet in quite a while.   So I requested this book for review as a change of pace.   If you have not read Sweet be prepared to work harder and think more just to decide if you agree with his views or not.   His style is easy, but it is deep.   But, such a wealth of sources!   Just his end notes are worth the rest of the book. Yes, I like Sweet, but I do get frustrated sometimes trying to stay with him along the way.   This book is no exception in my opinion.   The tablet to table works metaphor, but he meanders around it in a variety ways while looking at the malaise of the Western church and society. The subtitle goes like this---where community is found and identity is formed. That gives the reader a place to start.   He has divided his thoughts into two basic sections both revolving around the meaning and practice of table fellowship with the table appear...