FUTURECAST: what TODAY”S TRENDS mean for TOMORROW’S WORLD by George Barna

Book Review

Typically church leaders and their congregants are Left Behind when it comes to an understanding of the cultural milieu in which they find themselves. Before they know it, they get galvanized or pulverized in the milieus quicksand and are stuck, unable to pull themselves out or are crushed underneath it’s weight. But that does not have to be the case.

George Barna’s Futurecast helps all of us have an astute, deep and detailed view of what is going on with society, church, family, religion, faith education, books, music, technology and a host of other important topics and dynamics which when realized can help the church be pro-active and astutely Christ-active in the world, particularly our Western society.

I want to be a church leader who takes seriously the research that Barna presents. I don’t want to rely on the wisdom that God gave me for yesterday’s challenges and adventures, I want to rely on “the now wisdom”. The kind of wisdom that helps to foster creative, passionate, missional and Pneuma filled/inspired church environments that change ourselves and the world we live in. We can redirect trends that we find to be destructive and beautifully create trends that are Christ-conscious and constructive.
Barna asks a poignant question:

“There are three types of people when it comes to the future: those who will watch what happens, those who will make it happen, and those who will wonder what happened. WHICH ONE WILL YOU BE?”

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me a review copy of this book.

Small is Big: Unleashing the Big Impact of Intentionally Small Churches by Tony & Felicity Dale and George Barna

Book Review

Are you tired of the status quo and mundaneness of the institutional church? Are you bored by the monotony by the same-old, same-old: Song—announcements--more songs--monologue (usually boring and irrelevant)--a song--more announcements—go home? Do you even remember what last weeks sermon was on? Well, if you answered, “yes, yes and I don’t remember,” to these few questions above then you are not alone. As a matter of fact there is sacred seismic shift that is taking place and it is called, “simple church” (also known as organic churches, missional communities, house churches etc.). If you want to know more about this shift and what it looks like practically then Tony & Felicity Dale and George Barna’s book “Small is Big,” will rock your world!!

“Small is Big,” is a passionate book that beautifully articulates the angst in traditionally churched Christians and then discusses the common folk response of simple churches. Simple churches are not out to bash traditional churches but they are a different way of doing church that can radically change and transform people on a deeper level than the typical experience of getting lost in a sea of people and programs in many large traditional (or as they put it “legacy”) churches. “Small is Big,” provides wonderful examples of Simple Church practices and real life experiences of people who are doing this. “Small is Big,” wonderfully combines theory and practice and should be a must read for all pastors and those who are disillusioned about traditional mainline churches. This is a challenging and beautiful read.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Max On Life: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions by Max Lucado

Book Review

Did you ever wish you could have a bird’s eye view of an epic no-holds barred sit-down and candid conversation with Max Lucado? Well, now you can. Max Lucado is one of the most passionate, respected, creative, and prolific Christian author and teacher of our time. Max On Life is a book where Max Lucado answers provocative questions about life, death, heaven, hell, sex, managing money, raising kids and other poignant questions. Max’s answers do not disappoint. His responses are inspiring, artsy, biblical and leave plenty of room for more questions. This book would be great for those people with inquisitive minds and who struggle with questions of faith. This is a must read!!!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Story of The Bible: The Fascinating History of its Writing, Translation & Effect on Civilization by Larry Stone

Book Review


I am going to be honest. When I saw that it was another book on the history of the Bible, I cringed. There are so many books about the bible and its translation etc., that I thought, “What could this book have to offer that others do not?” Wow, was I wrong. Larry Stone’s The Story of the Bible is just a fascinating book that does not just give a boring historical account of the Bible but captivates you with great stories, amazingly graphic and stunning pictures and illustrations and even provides 23 life-sized pull-out pages from the world's most important Bibles. They are tucked away in folders throughout the book so it is like finding ancient treasures and makes reading the book that much more exciting.

This book would make an excellent gift to anyone who wants to learn the rich history of the most printed, provocative, and powerfully persuasive ancient text in the whole world. I think Larry Stone’s book really appeals to current postmodern sensibilities where image and story are the prime mediums in regards to communication and informational literacy. Way to go Larry Stone!!!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Your Whole Life: The 3D Plan for Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God" by Carol Showalter with Maggie Davis

Book Review


Most stressful experiences and crises have the possibility of birthing something beautiful and life changing and that is exactly what happened in the life of Carol Showalter. Because of her stressed out life as a church leader, wife and mother, Carol started her first 3D group in 1972 and what blossomed out of that was principles and strategies that have changed the lives of millions of people.

This edition of “Your Whole Life: The 3D Plan for Eating Right, Living Well, and Loving God,” is the culmination of years of prayer, insight, experience and research not only by Carol Showalter but by her dear friend and professional nutritionist, Maggie Davis. There is so much insight, gentle challenging and life changing wisdom in this book that I felt like it was a holistic boot camp for the body, mind and soul. It really is about transformation from the inside out and living out of a secure identity as a beloved, accepted and forgiven child of God.

The 3D’s written about in this book are: Diet (eating right), Discipline (living well) and Discipleship (loving God). The book is divided into a twelve-week program with a different challenge for each week. The book includes devotionals for each day within the twelve-weeks and encompasses sacred texts and sound wisdom from hymns and other spiritual readings. There is also an accompanying journal that goes along with the book that is extremely helpful in charting the amazing 3D journey.

Another fabulous feature of the book is that there are shaded sections throughout for men in regards to nutritional health and overall wellness. There are so many diet books out there that forget to realize that men struggle with weight and identity issues but thankfully this book is not one of them.

This is a timely book that can literally change and transform your life. Especially if you:
You have trouble coping with the demands of your life
You’re tired of being obsessed with your weight
You wish you could better enjoy life and the beauty around you
You desire the freedom that comes from self-acceptance
You want to experience the love of God

For more information about Your Whole Life 3D resources, check out, www.3DyourWholeLife.com.

The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers) by Mark Mittelberg

Book Review


We as Christians are living in an exciting time. We are living in what is called by some to be a postmodern or Google era. This current right-brained culture with its propensity towards creativity, intuition, subjectivity, the arts, narrative, feelings etc has so much to offer and teach us as Christians. At the same time this postmodern milieu is leaving many Christians susceptible to a left-brained deficit. I think this is where Mark Mittleberg’s book “The Questions Christians Hope No One Will Ask (With Answers) comes in.

Tyndale and Mittelberg, through the Barna Group, ran a national survey of one thousand self proclaimed Christians. They asked Christians what the most difficult questions they would be asked by friends and colleagues. The top ten questions formed the outline of Mittelberg’s book. Mittelberg’s book tries to navigate through these questions with biblical, philosophically and culturally astute answers. His responses are clear, concise and would be a wonderful asset for those who want to work their left-brains and be able to provide rational and well thought out answers to the difficult questions many of their friends and co-workers might ask concerning their faith.

Mittleberg’s top ten questions deal with topics such as: Existence of God, Evolution, Trusting the Bible, Jesus, Evil, Abortion, Homosexuality and Heaven and Hell. After each chapter Mittleberg wonderfully provides a: 1. Summary of the answers to the questions, 2. Tips for talking about the issues, and 3. Questions for group discussion.

Mittleberg’s book is a wonderful apologetic book for Christians to be able to adequately defend their faith but most importantly for removing intellectual obstacles for unbelievers to be able to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Sabbath by Dan b. Allender

Book Review


Christians are not exempt from the wild and fierce rapids of our busy, hustle and bustle culture that seems to leave our souls drained of desire, passion, and vibrancy. The Sabbath is a biblical antidote to the above dilemma. Dan Allender offers his remarkable and fresh take on the Sabbath and is by far a dry, reductionistic, theological and exegetical treatise on the subject. Certainly Allender’s approach on the topic is theological and biblical but his reflections on the Sabbath are drenched with Spirit, passion, and rich, practical life-giving wisdom. Allendar knows how to get to the heart of the matter.

Allender beautifully challenges his readers to accept the Sabbath as a biblically mandated delight that all Christians should embrace. Allender proposes that God didn’t rest on the seventh day as a person who rests on the couch after a long hard day of work but that God rested or “delighted” in his creation. The seventh day was a day of delight for the Lord and so should it be one day a week for us. Allender writes, “Our war is not with flesh and blood; our reluctance to Sabbath is not a fight with busyness, drivenness, or time. We are caught in and fight battles against delight. Delight unnerves us. God’s call to delight terrifies us. To surrender to delight is to hear God’s passionate extravagance spoken in a manner that is uniquely crafted for joy” (p.92).

It is a day to celebrate and delight in wildly awakening all of one’s senses. It is not merely an individualistic endeavor but it is a practice that is relational at its core. Sabbath can also be a day of justice, allowing the captives and captors to be set free to divine delight. Instead of being a dry, legalistic and joy-deprived holy day, I now see the Sabbath as something extraordinarily beautiful and God’s wooing us to a day of beauty, desire and the heart’s delight. I thought it was a wonderful book that drastically changed my perspective on Sabbath.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”