Tennessee Christian Reader

The X and Y of Buy by Elizabeth Pace

2009-07-12T18:27:00.002-05:00

Subtitle: Sell More and Market Better by Knowing How the Sexes Shop

I chose to review this book in my role as a Thomas Nelson book review blogger because I’ve done some marketing and sales work in addition to studying and writing about marketing. It’s an interesting read, although some of the information might not be news to marketing professionals. The use of MRI images to show the differences in brain activity between men and women verifies what most people realize---that men and women approach everything from a different perspective. And, according to this author, the differences are not the consequence of cultural indoctrination. They result from in-born differences in the way the male and female brains work.

Like some of the other female reviewers, I grew weary of the frequent references to women needing to verbalize their thoughts as they progressed through a buying decision. I didn’t find it so much insulting as just tiresome. But, men might also complain that males were portrayed as too proud to admit that the salesperson might be able to “help” them. Since I’m not male, I’ll ask some of them to speak for themselves.

Generally speaking, the book is a good resource for the general public to learn more about how men and women can understand each other’s thought processes in order to work better together. It’s one of the Nelsonfree selections. Buy the book, and you can also download the audio and e-book versions from Nelson. Buy it here.

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A Different Kind of Crazy by Lawrence W. Wilson

2009-07-06T06:53:00.000-05:00

Subtitle: Living the Way Jesus Lived

The title of this book gets your attention, and the sub-title tells you what the book is really about. Author Lawrence Wilson has been a writer, an editor, and a pastor. He uses real-life anecdotes and the basic outline of the Sermon on the Mount as he takes "What Would Jesus Do" to a new level . He points out that Jesus sometimes followed the rules, while, at other times, he bent them.

Wilson's anecdotes illustrate how hard it can be to know how Jesus would have handled a given situation. However, in Wilson's words: “To be a Christian is to live as Jesus lived, and, unlikely as it seems, ordinary people can do just that.”

The book is based on the Sermon on the Mount, which is included in near end of book. There's also a guide for small-group study.

I highly recommend this book as one that you will read and study over and over again. And---I suggest that you buy it right away because it's half-price at Wesleyan Publishing House right now through July 10th.

A Hop, Skip, and a Jump Through the Bible

2009-06-30T06:59:00.005-05:00

How many times have you started to study the whole Bible by beginning in Genesis intending to read or study all the way to Revelation? Did you get bogged down in Leviticus? Did you persist all the way but lost the big picture in all the detail? Well, this book is for you.

Author Ellsworth Kalas has crafted a skinny book with enormous value as an overview of the Bible story. He begins in Genesis to lay out the "plot," and he guides you through to the end with a big-picture summary of each book in the Bible.

This would be a great book for a short-term group Bible study. I'm not sure that a person not somewhat familiar with the Bible would understand it all, but it does have value as a way to get the grand sweep. By the way, The Grand Sweep is the title of Kalas' year-long Bible reading and study plan. I reviewed it on this blog here.

Published by Abingdon Press, this book is by J. Ellsworth Kalas, long-time Methodist minister, Bible scholar, and president of Asbury Theological Seminary (KY). I have had the privilege of hearing him preach and teach, and he is truly a knowledgeable, gifted writer and speaker. Buy the book at Cokesbury.com.

Christianity Today Recommends...

2009-06-15T20:27:00.003-05:00

Check out this article, Ten Theology Books for Your Beach Bag on Christianity Today's Web site.

Interesting topics, but some of them are definitely too heavy for my beach bag! My first pick would be Christless Christianity. What a provocative title.

Dred Scott’s Revenge

2009-05-20T11:43:00.009-05:00

Full title: Dred Scott's Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano

What a provocative title! At least it’s provocative if you know who Dred Scott is. If you don’t know, take a side-trip to The History Place now. Judge Napolitano traces the history of racism in the United States from its origin in the institution of slavery to the present day. He weaves a fascinating story of how the government (which is supposed to protect people) actually contributed to the establishment and continuation of slavery throughout the years.

The most surprising portion for me was the section on Lincoln and the Civil War. The judge points out that many other countries managed to abolish slavery without resorting to war. Why, then, was it necessary in the United States? The short answer is: POLITICS. Lincoln was motivated by politics like most others who manage to get elected to national office. He actually never completely denounced slavery during the time he was running for office or while he was in the White House. Political considerations always prevailed.

When I started reading this book, I expected a lot of legal lingo, and I was concerned that I might not fully understand it all. However, Napolitano’s writing style is very much like his speaking style (if you’ve heard him explain legal matters on FoxNews). It’s not the type of book you read for recreational purposes, but I highly recommend it to every American who thinks they understand how racism has affected American society.

You can read a sample and/or buy the book on the Thomas Nelson site. Click here.

Mastering Online Research

2009-05-11T15:30:00.008-05:00

Living and working in the information age isn't as easy as I thought it would be. There's just too much information available, and I get frustrated trying to sort through it. How do I find the proverbial needle in the haystack? How do I even find the right haystack?

I'm so glad I've found Mastering Online Research: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective and Efficient Search Strategies. Published in 2007, it's by Maura Shaw. I added this book to my Amazon wish list and later bought the book after I read a review of it in Terry Whalin's b log. In fact, I borrowed the photo from his blog for this review.

This is not a book that you would read all curled up in your easy chair with your hot chocolate at hand. This is a reference book that will help you learn how to search the Web in ways you never heard of before. The techniques described are useful to writers whether they write fiction or non-fiction.

Shaw covers Internet searches, from simple to advanced. You'll learn how to judge the quality of your search results and how to handle attribution and copyright issues. There are chapters specifically about searching for people, news, images, audio, and video files. One chapter applies to online research for writers. It's easier to read and absorb if you read a couple of chapters in a sitting.

I plan to keep my copy at my desk alongside my dictionary, my style manuals, and my phone book. I've already found it useful in a number of ways.

"Writing Basics for Beginners" by Jeanne Marie Leach

2009-04-28T13:16:00.007-05:00

Unpublished fiction writers, listen up! Have you wished for a simple, affordable, step-by-step guide to getting your work published? Well, your wish has been granted. Jeanne Marie Leach offers writing instruction and proposal-writing advice in one volume in her Writing Basics.

Leach first covers writing techniques, research, and editing in the opening section. Next, she delves into common mistakes made by novice fiction writers in the areas of grammar, style, and technique. Especially useful to word processing novices is the chapter on formatting your document in MS Word. She continues with details on writing the book proposal and includes sample documents. The book concludes with a Writer’s Helps section which includes a guide to using Christian Writers’ Market Guide.

Check out the book’s listing on Booklocker. It’s available in print or as an e-book. In my opinion, the book is well worth the price of the print version, but the $5.95 price of the e-book version makes it an absolute must for the unpublished writer.

Visit Jeanne's Web site for more about her writing and her editing service. She is also a writers' coach in case you need a mentor in fiction writing and publishing.

http://www.jeannemarieleach.com/

Common Ground by Keith Drury

2009-04-17T16:36:00.011-05:00

The subtitle for this book is "What All Christians Believe and Why It Matters." Drury is a professor of practical ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University. He has authored a number of books, and I have read a few of them. Common Ground is my favorite so far.

Christians often disagree over doctrinal details, but we should be able to agree on the core beliefs contained in the Apostles' Creed. There are people "out there" today who call themselves Christians but really have no idea what a Christian is supposed to believe.

In the introduction, Drury states the reasons why Christians should know and study the creed. In subsequent chapters, he treats each element of the creed, explaining the Biblical basis and why the particular portion is important to today's Christian. He ends each chapter with a prayer which affirms his belief in the doctrine just described.

Drury has set up a Common Ground blog for those who use this book as a group study resource. I found the book very easy to understand, and I think it would make an excellent small group study.

Find out more about Drury by visiting his Web site.

Faith and Pop Culture: Christianity Today Study Series

2009-04-01T09:37:00.007-05:00

“Can we find Jesus in popular entertainment?” That’s the question that this study attempts to answer. In a culture that values entertainment above all, Christians often just withdraw by turning off their TVs, home-schooling their children, or forbidding their families to participate in certain cultural activities that violate their moral standards.

Faith and Pop Culture, from Thomas Nelson Publishers, offers the opportunity for Christians to examine entertainment and evaluate it in light of scripture. Each of the eight chapters opens with an article from Christianity Today which deals with a single aspect of popular culture. The lessons include options for group discussion, a statement of the issue, and study questions. The “Let’s Explore” section provides Bible verses and discussion questions on what the Bible says about the chapter topic.

The study covers the visual arts, literature, sports, television, “family friendly” entertainment, violence, the Hollywood culture, and the role of entertainment in society. It is a good study to do on your own, but I think the real value would be in the discussion of these topics with others.

I recommend this study for anyone concerned about the effect of modern culture on society, but I think it would be especially valuable for parents attempting to make good decisions about raising their children in today’s culture. The cover price is $9.99, a reasonable price for a group study book.

Just As I Am by Virginia Smith

2009-03-19T16:04:00.005-05:00

Review by Cheyenne Fowler. Cheyenne and her husband, Barry, are pastors of a church plant called Emerge Church. They have two little boys and are expecting their third in 6 weeks. She has been involved in full-time ministry for 12 years.

A few months ago I began looking for a good Christian book for a ladies book study. I was looking for something that would grab the attention of young and old alike. Well, I found just that in the character of Mayla Strong.

We first meet Mayla as she reluctantly attends a Sunday morning church service with her momma. As the service draws to a close she feels drawn to the altar.

We follow our unlikely heroine from the altar at Salliesburg Independent Christian Church into all the twists and turns along the way as she learns what following Christ is really all about. From her nose ring and purple hair to her plain spoken demeanor, the reader slowly begins to be drawn into this young woman’s world.

Granted, Mayla would probably be someone we would all give a second look if she came walking down the aisle of our church. As the reader, you slowly begin to see what it means to “live it” through Mayla’s eyes.

Within a few weeks of starting our book study, most of our class had already finished the book. They said they couldn’t help themselves. We are now two weeks away from beginning the second book in this series, “Sincerely Mayla.” Our discussion group is eagerly anticipating the next leg of Mayla’s Christian journey.

This is a rewarding and stirring read. This is our first attempt at fiction as a book study. I can truly say, “Mayla has changed us forever.”

Visit Virginia Smith's Web site for more information or to purchase books.

Smith is on faculty for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, June 19-20, in Elizabethtown, KY. Check it out!

Glimpses of Grace: Stories of Hope by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress

2009-03-04T10:46:00.009-06:00

Guest blogger for this post is Melissa France, publisher of Hometown Magazine of the KenTenn Area (Obion and Weakley Counties in TN and Fulton, KY). She lives in a log cabin near Rives, TN, where she writes humor and Christian drama.

Glimpses of Grace is a collection of Burress's most reprinted stories. Her writing has appeared in more than 40 publications and seven books.

This collage of life-changing events and the lessons etched onto the heart while living through them will stay with the reader long after the book is set aside. Lettie freely shares her very personal seasons of deep despair and grief and the revelations of God’s presence in the midst of them. Her stories run the gauntlet of trials and imperfections--surviving a parent-less childhood, forgiving an alcoholic father, the life and death of a special needs daughter, parenting four sons, losing a spouse to cancer, opening her full house to an aging grandmother, finding love again, and more. The book also shares a few turning-point experiences of other families.

The scripture says God’s grace is sufficient. The accounts in Glimpses of Grace are testimonies to this truth that go beyond having the question “Why?” answered. Before the reader’s eyes, Lettie braids her experiences of despair, joy, and grace into an unbreakable life of hope.

Visit Lettie's Web site for more information.

Lettie is on faculty for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, June 19-20, in Elizabethtown, KY. Check it out!

Christianity in Crisis: 21st Century by Hank Hanegraaff

2009-02-25T17:13:00.005-06:00

Have you listened to TV preachers and wondered where in the world they were coming from? Hank Hanegraaff’s earlier book, Christianity in Crisis warned about a cultic movement within Christianity that would reject the very fundamentals of the Christian faith. This book is an update, providing follow-up on the people who initiated the movement as well as those who joined the movement since then.

The cult he seeks to expose is the Faith movement (or prosperity gospel), espoused by many well-known TV evangelists like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Paul Crouch, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Doll and many others. It is a hard book to read because it includes so much detail on the belief system of the “prosperity preachers.” He provides detail as to how their preaching and writing goes against even the most fundamental beliefs of historical Christianity. Hanegraaff is thorough in his documentation. The book has a scripture index, a subject index, a bibliography, and notes.

For me, the reading was as interesting as it was difficult. I don’t watch the “religious” channels regularly, nor do I read the books and study material put out by them. However, I have run across some of their services as I channel-surfed. I always felt that something wasn’t exactly right with their approach, but I did not realize that many of them follow the tenets of the so-called Faith movement and are in agreement among themselves on many points. Since I’m no theologian, I won’t try to describe their beliefs to you. However, the one common thread is the belief that you can, by cultivating positive thoughts and speaking positive words, you can create for yourself the life that you want. Put simply, God is at your beck and call. I suggest that you read this book, especially if you are under the influence of one of these “faith” preachers. It is a real eye-opener.

Order the book direct from Thomas Nelson.

Squeezing GOOD Out of Bad by James N. (Jim) Watkins

2009-02-18T10:38:00.008-06:00

Jim Watkins has cooked up a wonderful mix of conventional wisdom, humor, and faith to help us all through the tough times they keep warning us about on the news. Remember, the old saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade?" Jim confirms that wisdom and suggests ten other things you can do when lemons are your lot in life. My personal favorite is: "When life gives you lemons, sell them on Ebay."

Watkins is a writer, editor, conference speaker, pastor, and general threat to society (by his own admission). His writing always makes me laugh out loud, and that, in itself, was one of the reasons I purchased the book. Jim has had loads of lemons delivered to his doorstep in the form of cancer, job loss, and financial difficulties. However, he has squeezed plenty of good things out of those experiences, and he shares it all with us in this funny, yet helpful, new book.

Available in paperback or e-book format, you can buy the book here.

Jim is on faculty for Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, June 19-20, in Elizabethtown, KY. Check it out!

Lessons from the Carpenter by H. Michael Brewer

2009-02-16T12:38:00.008-06:00

This review is provided by guest blogger, Vanessa Cain. She is a staff reporter for The State Gazette, Dyersburg, TN. Her work has also appeared in Chicken Soup for the Working Mom's Soul and Hometown Magazine.

Lessons from the Carpenter reminds the reader that there are no coincidences in God’s great plan. Joseph, Jesus’ father, did not just happen to be a carpenter, and the Savior’s apprenticeship was not just a way to bide time until his ministry began. Using strong imagery, Brewer shares lessons learned at his own father’s workbench, observations from his 25 years in the ministry, and historical data to reveal another layer of understanding to God’s most awesome plan of salvation.

Though the scriptures compare Jesus to a fisherman, a shepherd, or a farmer, Brewer explains how the Savior’s apprenticeship as a carpenter was the only career that could prepare him for a mission that both builds in us a new beginning and restores what the world has broken. The blueprints for God’s plan were drawn before the dawn of time and required the touch of a master builder to be completed. This plan could be only completed by one unique and gifted carpenter, the one who still wishes to lay the foundation of our lives.

Come! Join Brewer on a walk along the dusty roads of Jesus’s childhood, apprenticeship, and ministry. Find out why our Savior was a carpenter first and how his gentle, scarred, and calloused hands can build in us a masterpiece.

For more on Carpenter and Brewer's other work, please see his Web site. Brewer will be on faculty at Kentucky Christian Writers Conference, June 19-20, 2009.

Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams

2009-02-13T13:25:00.006-06:00

When you want to learn how to do something, you want to learn from someone with experience and expertise in the field, right? Well, if you want to know how to get your writing published, I can think of no one more knowledgeable and experienced than Terry Whalin, author of Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams: Insider Secrets to SKYROCKET Your Success.

Terry is a professional writer/journalist who has also been an acquisitions editor and a literary agent. He has written over 60 books, and his articles have appeared in more than 50 magazines. He has recently joined Intermedia Publishing as Vice President and Publisher.

Jumpstart is a writers’ conference in one volume. Whalin provides a complete overview of how the publishing industry works these days. Because so many beginning writers don’t understand the business from the publisher’s point of view, he gives details on book sales to help writers understand why publishers are hesitant to take a chance on a “newbie.”

New writers, if you want a shortcut to getting your work published, you need to read this book carefully and understand that this man knows what he’s talking about. Published writers, things have changed in the publishing industry in recent years. Maybe it’s time to take a fresh look at how your work fits into today’s publishing scene. Terry’s book can help you do that. It will be the best money you’ve spent lately.

Get more details and/or buy the book here.

Cracking the Parenting Code

2009-02-11T15:53:00.002-06:00

Subtitle: 6 Clues to Solving the Mystery of Meeting Your Child's Needs

By Laura Lee Heinsohn

Are you clueless as to why you and your child don't get along? Do you have relationship problems stemming from experiences in your childhood? Are you a brand new parent striving to be the best parent you can be? If you can answer "yes" to these questions, you must read this book.

Heinsohn uses the FBI detective model to help solve the mystery of why so many parents just can't seem to get it right. She approaches the subject from a Christian perspective, and she draws heavily on personal experience to develop the six clues that are necessary to solving the mystery. I meant to read it in a hurry and come back later to really work through it. However, I found that it was so interesting on so many levels, that I found myself really poring over the material. The book has a resources list and a study guide for a 13-week study that would be especially beneficial to young parents.

My advice----get the book and "get a clue."

Check it out on Amazon.

This Is Your Brain on Joy by Dr. Earl Henslin

2009-02-05T10:45:00.006-06:00

This is the second book I've reviewed for the Thomas Nelson book review blogger program.

Subtitle is "A Revolutionary Program for Balancing Mood, Restoring Brain Health, and Nurturing Spiritual Growth." Dr. Daniel G. Amen, who developed the medical tests and treatments described in the book, wrote the foreword.

Do you know someone with ADD, ADHD, PTSD, or any other learning or emotional disorder? If so, you have to tell them about this book. The techniques and treatments described in the book have led to breakthroughs for many people suffering from a wide spectrum of brain disorders, from brain injuries to chemical imbalances. Unfortunately, the treatment is currently available only on the West Coast and in the D. C. area. However, if it is as promising as it appears to be, it shouldn’t be long before it becomes available in other areas.

I’ve read several books written by health professionals, and this is the first one that wasn’t a struggle to read. Although there is plenty of scientific information, Dr. Henslin manages to impart his knowledge without resorting to medical-speak. He mixes anecdotes with information in a manner that holds your attention. He also includes plenty of sources of additional information. And---he communicates his message with a thoroughly Christian worldview. He relates stories of Christian people struggling with emotional and behavioral problems who thought they had spiritual problems. What a relief to know that their struggles were caused by abnormalities in their brains!

I chose to review this book because I was attracted by the title, This Is Your Brain on Joy. It reminded me of the award-winning TV commercial: “This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs. Any questions?” In addition, who isn’t attracted to the word “joy?”

The book lives up to its title. The doctor is so happy to be able to help people with their seemingly insurmountable problems that he just exudes joy as he presents the material. My favorite story was that of one of the research subjects in the appendix, “The Day I Had My Head Examined.” She describes her experience candidly and with humor.

You can preview the book on Amazon with the “Look Inside” feature. Also, see more about the book on Thomas Nelson Publishers site.

What's Age Got to Do With It?

2009-01-12T12:35:00.007-06:00

What's Age Got to Do with It?: Living Your Healthiest and Happiest Life is by Robin McGraw, wife of TV personality, Dr. Phil. I'm reviewing the book as a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson Publishing. For more information on this program, check out the Web site.

I chose this book based on the title and author alone. I thought I would get advice on how to feel good about myself or find ways to add meaning to my life as I pass in the senior citizen age group. Surprise! It’ about looking your best, taking care of your health, and not feeling guilty about it.

Honestly, I doubt if this book would have ever been published if not for her role in her husband's show. She says that people don’t believe she is 55 years old and that they always want to know how she maintains her youthful appearance. She also insists that women should not feel guilty about spending time and resources on themselves since they devote so much of their lives to taking care of others.

This book tells us in great detail about McGraw’s fitness, nutrition, skin care, hormone, hair, makeup, and fashion regimens. It’s more than I want to know! She provides brand names of products and names of experts who help her develop her regimens. She states often that there is significant cost involved but that there are ways to do it without spending so much.

And, yes, in the last chapter she tells “what’s faith got to do with it.” She includes far less detail in the faith chapter than in the others, a great disappointment to me, especially since the book is published by Christian publisher, Thomas Nelson.

You may have heard most of this before from other sources, but it is useful to have so much detailed information in one volume. I recommend the book for those looking for practical advice on how to look and feel younger.

FYI---Thomas Nelson product page: http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/custom/top_titles/Whats_Age_Got_To_Do_With_It_Robin_McGraw.asp .

New Every Morning: A Daily Touch of God's Faithfulness

2008-11-17T15:34:00.007-06:00

New Every Morning, by Kate R. Thomas, is a compilation of 365 daily devotionals gleaned from the author's life as a minister's wife, kindergarten teacher, mother, grandmother, speaker, author, and retreat leader.

The format includes a Bible verse, a short meditation, an “application question” and a prayer. The devotional for January 1 is a meditation on Lamentations 3:22-23: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness" (RSV). From the very start, Kate reminds us that, although some of our days will be troublesome, those same days can be triumphant because of God's faithfulness.

The back cover blurbs contain high praise from people like Dr. Maxie Dunnam, President of Asbury Theological Seminary, and Dr. Evelyn Layock, a teacher and Bible scholar associated with the United Methodist Church. But, I think the highest praise comes from her son, David Thomas, a pastor, who wrote the foreword. He basically says that Kate shares in this book the “simple wisdom” gleaned from her own walk with the Lord.

And….it makes a great gift. There’s another review on her Web site. She does her own fulfillment, so e-mail her to order the book.

Fiction: Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins

2008-10-22T10:05:00.004-05:00

Please welcome guest reviewer Carlton Hughes, a community college professor, director of children's ministry, and member of Kentucky Christian Writers Conference steering committee.

I have a confession to make: I don’t like suspense.

I don’t like horror movies. Nor thrillers. I don’t like being on the edge of my seat for 90 minutes or longer. The same goes for books. I would be a prime candidate for Christian suspense author Brandilyn Collins’ Big Honkin’ Chickens Club (BHCC, for short), designed for those of us who don’t like the scary stuff (I prefer the term “suspense-challenged” to the “C” word).

I have avoided Collins’ work for a long time for this reason, but I finally relented and accepted a chance to read her latest release, Dark Pursuit. I’m glad I did.

There’s a reason Collins’ brand is “Seatbelt Suspense.” In Dark Pursuit, the action starts almost immediately and doesn’t let up until the whiz-bang finale. Interspersed among the action and tension are excellent characterizations and enough creative plot twists to fill two or three novels.
The story involves “King of Suspense” novelist Darell Brooke, who is attempting to write his 100th novel while battling physical and mental problems brought on by a car accident. His frustration with writer’s block is illustrated by snippets of his strained work-in-progress.

Enter Kaitlan Sering, Brooke’s estranged granddaughter who is caught in a web of deceit and murder and has nowhere to turn but to Brooke. Though his mental capacities are faded, Brooke hatches a plan to help his granddaughter, and much action ensues.

Collins has the gift of “tension,” of keeping the story moving at a breakneck pace with unexpected turns. Character development doesn’t suffer, as her characters practically leap off the page with their quirks and inclinations.

Brooke’s assistant, Margaret, serves as the spiritual center of the book, which illustrates the folly of the “dark pursuit of vain empires.” The spiritual side could have been a bit beefier, but Collins deftly weaves themes of grace and mercy through the characters of Kaitlan, who has made some unwise choices and has to face the consequences, and of Brooke, who realizes that he has sacrificed family relationships for fame and fortune.

The denouement is a bit violent for my taste, but it certainly keeps your eyes glued to the page with its many twists and turns.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, thrilling read, Dark Pursuit is for you. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it will keep you turning pages longer than you want.

This suspense thing might be okay after all. I may read more of Collins’ work—as soon as I build up my courage after reading Dark Pursuit.

I’m holding off on that BHCC Membership Card for now.

Thanks, Carlton, for a great review in a genre I have also avoided. You just might have changed my mind about giving it a try.

One More Long Term Recommendation: The Grand Sweep

2008-10-07T14:43:00.009-05:00

I rarely read anything twice, and I almost never work through a 365-day study book more than once. However, I've worked through this one twice before, and I'm thinking of doing it again come January, 2009.

It's The Grand Sweep: 365 Days from Genesis through Revelation by J. Ellsworth Kalas. He's been a pastor, a Disciple Bible study presenter and trainer, and author of numerous books on the Bible and the Christian life. The daily readings from the Bible might include multiple chapters, but the commentary/meditations are short and pithy. A daily prayer rounds out the design of this very effective way of reading the Bible through in a year.

There's a companion daily response book by the same title. It includes a daily question with a space for written response. Each week ends with "How the Drama Develops," a narrative in which Kalas summarizes week's Bible readings. Next is "Seeing Life through Scripture." This section offers commentary and questions for personal application of scripture concepts for the week. The "cherry on top" is the summary Bible verse which serves as a "synopsis of the Biblical story," according to the book's preface.

The study book and the response book are available as a set also. Buy them separately or together at Cokesbury.com by following the links given.

I've even considered starting an online Bible study group using this set beginning in January, 2009. If you have found your way to this blog and you're interested in doing this, please e-mail me at akinemily at gmail.com.

Also, I invite you to subscribe to this blog and share what you're reading by commenting on my posts.

Daily Dose of John Wesley: Renew My Heart

2008-09-30T08:31:00.007-05:00

To continue sharing my long-term reading projects, I want to tell you about Renew My Heart: Daily Wisdom from the Writings of John Wesley compiled by Alice Russie, published in 2002 by Barbour.

Since I use The Upper Room and Upper Room Disciplines for my daily devotional reading, I usually don't bother looking at "365 daily readings" books. However, this one caught my eye because it concentrates on John Wesley, founder of Methodism, and a great spokesperson for Arminian theology. I've tried to read his sermons in the past, but they are just too long and too involved for casual reading.

Renew My Heart presents highlights from some of Wesley's most popular sermons arranged in short daily readings accompanied by a Bible verse and arranged according to topic. It's much easier for the reader-who-is-not-a-scholar to absorb Wesley's concepts in these small doses. There's a scripture index and a sources list for those who want to go beyond the daily readings.

I agree whole-heartedly with this quote from the book cover: "Fresh, renewing blessings will be yours as Wesley's words of assurance penetrate your heart---and as you embrace, perhaps for the first time, the gift of faith."

Long-Term: The One Year Chronological Bible

2008-09-02T20:13:00.010-05:00

How many different ways can you read or study the Bible? Well, there's the Revised Common Lectionary approach where you read the selected readings each week. After three years, you will have finished the whole Bible. If you want to go faster, you can figure out how many pages per day you'd have to read to finish in two years or whatever time period you choose. Several Christian organizations have Bible reading plans. The Lookout magazine offers a good one. On About.com, there's a list of five excellent Bible reading plans.

I'm lazy when it comes to leafing through the Bible to read multiple selections in different parts of the Bible each day, though. A couple of years ago, I acquired a chronological Bible published by Zondervan. My edition is the New International Version published in 1995. A new edition came out in 2007, and there are several editions using other translations. Visit Amazon for a list of what's available.

The chronological arrangement helps you see the Biblical timeline like no other method I've used. You don't read the Bible straight through in the customary order. For example, Job was written much earlier than other books of the Bible, even parts of Genesis. So...you'll be reading Job in January rather than later in the year as you would in a traditional year-long Bible reading plan. Some events in Samuel are also mentioned in Judges, so the two accounts are usually presented in the same day's readings.

I really like the fact that I don't have to continually look up the readings. There's a list of daily readings, a general timeline in table format, and a timeline graphic among other study helps. I highly recommend reading the Bible this way at least once. Sometimes you can find used or overstock copies at http://www.half.com/ or http://www.abebooks.com/.

Long-term Reading: William Barclay

2008-08-27T09:23:00.011-05:00

Since kids are back in school and parents are back at work, it's time to drop the summer reading and forge ahead to the serious stuff. I've shared some of the things I've read recently for enjoyment. Now, I'll share what I've been reading or studying at a slow pace. I always have a long-term project going whether I get to it regularly or not.

For the past four years, I have been reading through the William Barclay New Daily Study Bible series. It's a New Testament commentary organized into verse-by-verse daily readings. The edition I'm using is paperback, 17 volumes, available online at Cokesbury or Amazon. I bought the books one at a time from different sources.

I went through the two volumes on the Gospel of John first. Then, I worked through the other gospels before going to Acts. I skipped to Revelation and back to Paul's letters and other epistles. Now, I'm in my final volume The Letters of James and Peter...400 pages to go. I may not finish it this year, but at least I'm in the last volume.

I've learned so much from this project. Barclay is revered as a New Testament/Greek scholar. Many seminaries use his work as textbooks or resources for their Bible courses. Not only do you learn about what the Bible says, you learn about the ancient world and how the culture shaped the mission and the message of the early church. Also, you are informed about the heresies that were festering within the church during Paul's ministry and beyond.

I don't read these books in the daily-reading method that it's designed for. I read a few pages, underlining in pencil things I'd like to look at in greater depth. I date each section as I read it so I can see how fast I'm progressing through the book. Periodically, or at least at the end of each volume), I go back through with pen and paper to make notes on the things I underlined just to firm up my memory and understanding.

It would be great to study this with a group so that I'd have opportunity for discussion. In a group, though, I'd have to follow the group's schedule, and I've been able to study at my own pace. Since it's taken me four years to get to the last volume, I probably would never have found a group that would stick with me that long!

Hot Apple Cider---in July??

2008-07-31T12:35:00.007-05:00

It occurred to me while reading my latest book that it doesn't make sense to be reading a book entitled Hot Apple Cider when it's been close to 100 degrees outside. But this book was not meant to warm the body. It's designed to warm the heart, and most of us could use a heart-warming story any day of the year.

The full title is Hot Apple Cider: Words to Stir the Heart and Warm the Soul. It's a collection of stories and poems by 30 Canadian authors edited by N. J. Linquist and Wendy Elaine Nelles, co-founders of The Word Guild. The book is similar to the Chicken Soup series in that the stories are short, and you don't feel like you have to make a big time commitment when you sit down to read a story or two. However, I found myself wanting to read another and another because they are so well-written.

All of the selections present a Christian worldview, but they are not necessarily evangelical or preachy. One story described a woman's struggle with drug addiction and her subsequent turning to Christ for final victory over her addicition. Heartwarming, educational, inspirational, and even entertaining---that's how I would describe this volume. You can buy the book on Amazon.