Elevating and Enriching

FOUR STAR

Prototype Group Experience DVD: What Happens When You Discover You're More like Jesus than You Think?

By Jonathan Martin

As a pastor, I have been witness to many DVD studies. Unfortunately, many don’t live up to their hype (or price for that matter!).

But this new DVD study is genuine and heartfelt.  And something about Pastor Jonathan Martin’s voice and presentation style just makes you sit back and allow the concepts to seemingly melt over you. The videos (each one only totaling about 15 minutes in length) are also not just a talking head—although Jonathan does have some face time.  The videos are well shot and produced, and you don’t feel like he is preaching to you, but rather having a conversation with you. The videos also tell a story and are more like a mini-movies expounding on the topic of the week.

And the topics Jonathan covers are very fitting for a Small Group setting, where people can come together and share concerns, like: roles and expectations that compete for our attention, how we sometimes feel alone, and how we can help others in our church feel God’s presence.

The leader guide that comes with the DVD is well laid out and offers an option for a shorter 30-45 minute class or normal 70-75 minute class.  Although, after watching the videos, the time frames given in the guide often did not match up with the video.  For example, the guide says: “PLAY SESSION 1 VIDEO, PART 1 (10 minutes),” but in actuality that video portion was only 6 minutes.  I guess being a few minutes off isn't too bad, but just a note for leaders—do your homework before and watch the videos ahead of time to help with your planning.

I also really liked that Jonathan included in each session a “Bible Focus” in the leader’s guide that gets students in the class away from the video and into Scripture and lively discussion. Often with video series, this can be left out. 

*Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this DVD study for my unbiased review.

Do not resuscitate

ONE STAR

REVIEW: A Call to Resurgence: Will Christianity have a funeral or a future? By Mark Driscoll

I was really excited to get this book, because I believe that Christians indeed need to have a resurgence in this world. Jesus Christ is the only hope this world has! 

However, while I liked the concept, I found the book less than adequate. I was expecting a motivating, get-off-your-butt inspirational charge for Christians. But, I didn't find that. 

Author Mark Driscoll is an unapologetic Reformed, complimentarian, continuationist, and missional pastor (if you are not for sure what those terms mean, he offers a whole chapter explaining them). While I can appreciate that he knows who he is, as a female pastor, I felt much of the book overly chauvinistic and aimed only at men since he believes solely in men being leaders. (By the way, we also differ on other theology as well.)

While there are a few nuggets of truth and wisdom found in this book, overall I personally would not recommend it.

If you want more information on Driscoll and the book, feel free  to visit http://theresurgence.com/

*Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for my unbiased review.

New Bible helps new Christians navigate easier

As a pastor, I often get asked about Bible recommendations. So, I was very intrigued by this newest Bible offered by Tyndale called The Wayfinding Bible. This is a New Living Translation version, and it would be wonderful for young adults, new Christians, and those who might like to take a journey through God’s Word in a new way. 

What makes this Bible different is that the reader is able to choose their itinerary. There are three main routes offered using an innovative Bible mapping system. Each route takes the reader through a series of chronological readings that capture the main storyline and God’s word. One route includes 54 readings to gain a chronological overview of the Bible. Another route takes the reader to 215 readings to gain a full perspective of the Bible. In the third route, through 366 readings, the reader will discover the depth and richness of God’s word as he/she wanders through various passages. [There is also a fourth route offered called the “thru-hike” which will take the reader chronologically through every word of the Bible.]

This mapping system gives new readers a choice of how they want to jump in and navigate the Bible, and encourages and directs them through Scripture with confidence as readers explore God’s alive Word in a unique way. 

Many people, when they start to read the Bible from beginning to end, can get hung up in chapters like Leviticus. But The Wayfinding Bible directs readers in a fun (yes fun!) new way giving them the big story of God and engaging them with key people, places, and teachings so they can begin to connect more fully to the Bible as a whole. 

There are beautiful color maps throughout, simple book introductions, scenic overlooks, and historical markers, as well as “side trips” on various topics.

If you know someone who is a new Christian or starting to explore the Bible but doesn’t know how, they will likely have fun and enjoy the journey they will embark on it The Wayfinding Bible!

For more information on The Wayfinding Bible, visit http://goo.gl/9qpoal 

*Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this Bible for my unbiased review.

Highly recommended read

5 STAR

REVIEW: Clear Winter Nights by Trevin Wax

This is a wonderful little book! Through a fictional fable, Christian theology comes to life through story.

This is a quick read, but packed full of powerful truths and takeaways.

The story centers on a college-age student who is questioning his Christian faith. But after a visit to his wise, pastor grandfather, things start to make more sense. This will likely hit home with most all Christians, as they have struggled with deep questions at one time or another in their lives.

This is a perfect book in which to grab a cup of coffee and curl up to read. It would also make a good book to pass on to others who are struggling with their faith, and even college students since the main character is a college student himself.

*I received this book for free from Blogging for  Books for this unbiased review.

For more information, check out:

• The Author’s website at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/
• A podcast on Clear Winter Nights at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/blog/2013/02/04/podcast-clear-winter-nights-by-trevin-wax/
• And more at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/catalog.php?work=226836

“Epic Grace” not an epic success

3 STARS
REVIEW: Epic Grace: Chronicles of a Recovering Idiot by Kurt W. Bubna

This book is true and based on a person's life, so it’s is hard to say it is not good. But, I found myself waning toward the middle and started to get a tad uninterested.
 
The book is filled with chapters based on small testimony stories of author Kurt Bubna’s life. Some are downright funny and some are sad. He tries to illustrate through each story how he has seen God’s grace in his life.
 
This book does show how we need to be on the lookout for testimony stories in our own lives of how God is always at work. For me, possibly adding practical, thought-provoking questions that could help the reader see and make sense of their own stories of God’s grace would have been helpful.
 
One thing I did like that is unique, is at the back of the book there are QR codes, that when read by a smart phone, offer seven videos of the author explaining the book on an even deeper level.

You can see one of those videos at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ_mE5vdx5E - Week 1 – What do you think about grace?
 
So, it wasn’t an epic failure, but it also wasn’t an epic success.

*Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for my unbiased review.

Unique and unlike any other devotional book

5 STARS

REVIEW: The One Year Holy Land Moments Devotional by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein & Tremper Longman III

This is not just a little devotional book.  It’s hearty and unlike any other devotional book I have ever seen. 

It is close to 400 pages and delves deep into explaining the history and culture of Israel. In doing so, the hope is that Christians will learn and discover more fully their Jewish roots of faith. 

The first part of each devotion is written by a Jewish Rabbi explaining the historic customs and history of Israel, and the second part of each devotion is written by a Christian theologian who brings out the relevance of the Rabbi’s comments.  This unique partnership not only melds each day’s topic together, but offers insightful perspectives from each viewpoint.  

Each week is focused on a topic, for example: biblical prophecy, forgiveness, and keeping the Sabbath.  In fact, at the end of each week is a page for journaling “Sabbath reflections.”  Here, the reader can reflect on what truths he/she learned during the week, as well as consider how those truths have affected his/her faith and how he/she can apply them to daily life. 

This devotion seeks to not just be another check off on your to-do list each day, but truly encourages Christians to dig deeper into their Christian faith beginnings and heritage. Because, as I have told my own church, knowing where you come from helps you know where you are going.

*Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for my unbiased review.

Mess not all that beautiful

1 STAR

REVIEW: This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley

               

I wanted to like this book.

The concept was engaging, and the cover is stunning, but it just did not give me what I expected.

Granted, the topic is heavy—explaining how the Kingdom of God is here among us yet far away—a hard topic for anyone to grapple and explain.  But, I came away from the book a bit more confused than when I started, wondering what exactly author Rick McKinley was trying to say.

He give some examples of things his worship community, Imago Dei, have done, but it did not seem to provide helpful inspiration or practical ideas for those reading the book of how to show the Kingdom of God breaking through their own context. 

There are a few questions at the end of the book guided toward conversation, and it is definitely for “conversation,” not a small group study, as there are only three or four small questions related to each chapter.

Again, I wanted to like the book, but it was too much of a mess for me.  Maybe you will see it differently.

*I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this unbiased review.