The Tabernacle (DVD Format) by Shawn Barnard

The Tabernacle (DVD Format) by Shawn Barnard

“But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; …” (2 Chronicles 6:18) and yet God pitched His tent among us (John 1:1-18).

“Everything in Scripture points to and finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.” –Shawn Barnard.

We often talk about the study of theophany: the manifestation of God that is tangible to the human senses. In its most restrictive sense, it is the visible appearance of God in the Old Testament period, often, but not always, in human form. Some would also include the term “Christophanies” (pre-incarnate appearances of Christ).

In just six sessions, lasting about twenty minutes each, I wish that there were more graphics to show in each of them. I will just touch on “Session 1: Dwell ~ The Tabernacle”: we see that God’s Tabernacle was with Israel in the wilderness, and we see this in the New Testament as well, where God still dwells among His people (Matthew 28:20).

In this study, we are not just looking to see Scripture and find its fulfillment in Jesus Christ; we live a life that reflects the image of Christ to the world. We must remember this—that the world will not initiate a relationship with God because God is the One who initiated first by tearing down the veil to allow those whom He initiates  to enter the Holy of Holies before the throne of grace.

 

As Christians, it is our duty to show the world that God is truly living among His people by preaching the Gospel and make disciples of all nations.

If you are looking for an introductory study on the Tabernacle, this video series is a great start for a small group study. You and your small group will benefit from this as you learn and discover that we are the true tabernacle—the dwelling place of God (Ephesians 2:22).

Session 1: Dwell ~ The Tabernacle

Session 2: Sacrifice ~ The Altar of Burnt Offering

Session 3: Clean ~ The Bronze Laver

Session 4: Illuminate ~ The Lampstand

Session 5: Presence ~ The Table of Bread and the Altar of Incense

Session 6: Separated, Exposed, and Covered ~ The Veil, the Ark, and the Mercy Seat

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these DVDs for free from the Rose Publishing 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.”

Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace By: Heath Lambert

Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace

By: Heath Lambert

This book is not about pornography (p. 11). This book is about something much better than pornography. This book is about the amazing power of Jesus Christ to free you from pornography (p. 12). By now, you know that this is not the book Finally Alive written by John Piper.

When it comes to “confess[ing] your sins to each other …”, I believe it is safe to say we will confess almost every sin, but when it comes to our “addiction to pornography”, this will be a hard one for us to confess to others because we deem it as a very shameful thing to do (James 5:16).

Perhaps you might be struggling with pornography and don’t know how to fight it. You keep on telling yourself, “This will be the last time.” and you keep on coming to the throne of grace to ask for forgiveness and might even think that you are not a true Christian because you are committing the same sin over and over again (habitual sin).

Be of good cheer and let Heath Lambert take you through this book with just 9 chapters in the “Fight against Pornography” (of course, this is not the final answer to your struggle with pornography). With the Conclusion chapter “A Call to Holiness and Hope”, I encourage you to let Heath take you through this book because he himself was introduced to pornography when he was an “eight-year-old boy … [by his] creepy uncle [who] was completely enslaved to porn” (p. 156). I will let him finish it up for himself in this book.

Chapter 1: Grace as the Foundation in the Fight Against Pornography

Chapter 2: Using Sorrow to Fight Pornography

Chapter 3: Using Accountability to Fight Pornography

Chapter 4: Using Radical Measures to Fight Pornography

Chapter 5: Using Confession to Fight Pornography

Chapter 6: Using Your Spouse (or Your Singleness) to Fight Pornography

Chapter 7: Using Humility to Fight Pornography

Chapter 8: Using Gratitude to Fight Pornography

Chapter 9: Using a Dynamic Relationship with Jesus to Fight Pornography

Don’t skip the last chapter.

I received this book for free from Zondervan via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. 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."

Did the devil make me do it?: And other questions about Satan, demons and evil spirits By: Mike McKinley

Did the devil make me do it?: And other questions about Satan, demons and evil spirits

By: Mike McKinley

This book is one of few titles in the series “Questions Christians Ask” by the Good Book Company.

As a Christian, there is nothing that frustrates me more than when critics, cults, and skeptics ask us “to give the reason for the hope that we have” and we cannot “do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15). This book is an excellent tool to help Christians to have a better understanding of who the devil is.

“A 2009 poll of American Christians revealed that 60% of them didn’t believe that the devil was real” (pg. 6). Think about this for a moment. More than half of your church members don’t believe the devil is real. Do those whom you spend time with in your community groups have the same view?

As long as Christians don’t believe the devil is real, they will not have a fighting spirit in their Christian lives. I’m afraid many churches are giving up their battles due to a lack of understanding of who the devil really is and what the Bible teaches about him.

I highly encourage Christians to have a good Biblical study on who the devil is, because when we have a good understanding of that, we will not blame the devil for every sin committed under the sun. I will leave readers to find out more from this book. Here are the chapters from this book:

1: Origins: Where did Satan come from?

Why does Satan have so many names?

2: Activity: What is Satan like and what does he do?

3: Control: What is demon possession?

Are demons just a way of explaining mental illness?

What is spiritual warfare?

4: End: How did Jesus defeat Satan?

Was Christ’s death a ransom payment to Satan?

5: Walk: How should we live in a world where Satan still prowls?

What should I do if I encounter something that looks like demonic activity?

Is C.S. Lewis an accurate guide to the devil?

Please buy a few of these books and give them to your community group and church members and place one in your church library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Good Book Company 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.”

Christian History Made Easy (12 DVD Sessions) Presenter: Dr. Timothy Paul Jones

Christian History Made Easy (12 DVD Sessions)
Presenter: Dr. Timothy Paul Jones

What happened after Acts 28? One topic a Christian often lacks to study, I must admit, is Christian History. Most Christians cannot name more than five Christian Theologians who had great influence in church history, but can easily name more than five players in the NBA or NFL Hall of Fame.

I greatly appreciated the fact that in these 12 sessions, Dr. Timothy Paul Jones opened and closed with Gospel-centeredness, that it is God’s will to bring the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to His people.

I have learned how to answer those who ask me about church persecutions by watching one of the videos. I have learned that during the times of persecution in the early church, God opened more doors for Christians to continue their mission in bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

I have read so many books on the Calvinism vs. Arminianism debate that I was not told in any book that Jacob Arminius was asked to defend Calvin’s view on God’s sovereignty in salvation, but he was defeated before the debate even began because he could not agree with Calvin. I have learned this valuable history lesson from one of these videos. Personally, it is well worth the price for just this information.

Another eye-opener for me is that at one time, the Roman Catholic Church was ruled by three popes. This must be an embarrassing fact for modern Roman Catholics to learn because they believe there is only one pope, who is the shepherd of the Church.

These 12 video sessions last about 30 minutes each, so it is perfect for any small group Bible Study and Sunday School class. You may have heard people say that if there is one thing they could do, they would want to go back and rewrite history. In these 12 DVD sessions, you will want to go and learn from history what God has done for His Church for His glory.

If you want to know what happened after Acts 28, get these 12 DVD sessions and learn for yourself and share them with your church and community group. You won’t be disappointed; you will be glad you have these DVDs in your library.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received these DVDs free from the Rose Publishing 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 Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God By: Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow

The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God

By: Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow

If you Google “The Return of Christ”, you will get 98,700,000 results as opposed to 9,500,000 results if you Google “The Ascension of Christ”. You can see the high level of interest in that the return of Christ is discussed much more than the ascension of Christ. However, the doctrine of the return of Christ cannot exist without the ascension of Christ. “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).

“This is where the doctrine of the ascension can help us. The ascension secures our royal identity and locates it with Jesus in the presence of the Father” (p. 79). If you don’t believe or know anything about the ascension of Christ, then there is no need to talk about Ephesians 2:6 (“and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”).

I’m so glad to see such a book written about the doctrine of the ascension of Christ for Christians. In my humble opinion, I believe we need to study and understand more about Christ’s ascension before we share with the world about the return of Christ.

I received this book for free from Christian Focus Publications via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. 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."

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey into Christian Faith

By: Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

(If I may borrow John Barber’s word “bragamony” from his book My Almost for His Highest.)

This book is not about the “bragamony” of an English Professor’s journey into Christian faith. It is about God’s grace being manifested in a sinner’s life.

“When I was 28 years old, I boldly declared myself lesbian. I was at the finish of a PhD in English Literature and Cultural Studies. I was a teaching associate in one of the first and strongest Women’s Studies Departments in the nation” (p. X).

What would your church do if someone like Rosaria came to your church for help? There are churches out there that don’t believe that gay people can be transformed by Christ (p. 25), there are churches out there that would encourage her to think that it is okay to “have Jesus and her lesbian lover” (p. 16), and there are churches that would have farmed her out to para-church ministries, “specializing” in “gay people”, in which Rosaria was thankful that her pastor did not do, but remained faithful in shepherding (p. 24).

This is a book I highly recommend all pastors, church leaders, and those who serve in the mercy ministry to read. I have learned this from my personal life—that many church leaders are quick to write off anyone that comes to them for help, and they will send that person elsewhere (i.e. professional help) or make quick decisions without thinking about how to help that person in the long run.

It is sad to see that there are churches that have sublet their Sunday School classes to so-called “Psychotherapy Specialists”. Please buy a few copies of this book and pass them out, first to your pastor and church leaders, and then to those who serve in the mercy ministry.

The Sin of Forgiveness By: Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.

The Sin of Forgiveness

By: Edward F. Mrkvicka, Jr.

"Spending eternity in hell isn't the worst thing that can happen to a person. The worst thing is to spend eternity in hell having believed throughout your life that you were going to heaven" (p. 44).

The above quote is not to scare you but to let you know how much Edward cares about getting our understanding right about true forgiveness from the Bible’s point of view.

How strange it is to conclude this book with this question: “What did you think the first time you read the title of this book?” (p. 114). Most people read it and think that forgiveness is a sin, but it is not.

Here is another question: Is forgiveness a sin? Edward answers, “It depends on what kind of forgiveness you’re talking about. Worldly forgiveness is a sin as described repeatedly in the Bible. Conversely, righteous forgiveness is a holy thing that changes lives and eternities” (p. 100).

Have you heard of “easy believism”? Here, Edward points out how many Christians believe that they are “easily forgiven” without having to repent. “So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them” (Luke 17:3). Most of the time, we will just accept “I’m sorry” and move on with our business (p. 50).

If you are looking for the book besides the Bible that talks about true forgiveness, look no further because Edward backs up lots of Bible verses in this short book and cites plenty of verses on “repentance”.  If I had the choice of adding a subtitle, it would be: “Without repentance, there is no true forgiveness.” Please read this book and you will learn something from Edward.

I received this book for free from Crosslink Publishing via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. 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."

Journible The 17:18 Series: Acts By: Rob Wynalda

Journible The 17:18 Series: Acts

By: Rob Wynalda

I wish I had this series twenty years ago as I studied the Bible. I could have written the entire book of Acts on the right side and then answered questions to the left of what I had written.

I love this series because it brings back so many memories of when I first started to study the Bible by using NavPress materials. I have memorized over a hundred Bible verses up until now. I praise the Lord at the same for giving me a mind that can memorize His word so easily.

This book reminded me so much of my kindergarten days when I talked in class and my teacher would have me write 100 times on a sheet of paper: “I will not talk in class.” Writing out each verse of the book that you are studying will help you memorize them more easily. We try so hard by reading and rereading the verse that we want to memorize, but I believe that writing out the verse will help us more effectively memorize God’s word.

This series is a great tool for personal Bible Studies or personal devotions. I use this series for both. One thing I enjoy the most out of this series is just writing the Bible verses on the right side and answering questions on the left side without having to use a commentary. It’s just me and God’s word.

If you happen to study or do personal devotions on other books of the Bible other than Acts, you can find more titles of this series here: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3Ajournible&keywords=journible&ie=UTF8&qid=1368323100

I received this book for free from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. 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."

Heaven Hears: The True Story of What Happened When Pat Boone Asked the World to Pray for His Grandson's Survival By: Lindy Boone Michaelis with Susy Flory

Heaven Hears: The True Story of What Happened When Pat Boone Asked the World to Pray for His Grandson's Survival

By: Lindy Boone Michaelis with Susy Flory

If you are at a bookstore reading the title, subtitle, foreword by Pat Boone, endorsement by Rick Warren on the front cover, and endorsements on the back cover by bestselling authors Stormie Omartian, Larry King, and Jack Hayford, hopefully you don’t turn to page 36 and read that the Boones had been attending Hal Lindsey (author of The Late Great Planet Earth)’s weekly Bible Study.

This book is supposedly about Pat Boone’s grandson’s survival, but you will find that this book talks more about Lindy (Ryan’s mother) than Ryan. And don’t expect to read much about Pat Boone either.

This book is a story about Ryan’s survival from a 30 to 40ft fall (p. 92), and all the conditions described on page 90 would overwhelm anyone who reads this book. I would have felt the same as Lindy did in what she went through during the time that Ryan was still in intensive care.

My main concern with this book is Chapter 4, where Lindy (the author, Pat Boone’s daughter and Ryan’s mother) talked about her divorce, and then dated and married an unbeliever. I would have a problem if anyone’s daughter read this book and got the idea that Pat Boone’s daughter can get divorced, and then date and marry an unbeliever (p. 52). She married an unbeliever whom even her parents didn’t approve of (p. 53). Despite the fact that her second husband later became a Christian, it was through a response card where he checked off box “B” (box “B” said, “I’m placing my hope in Jesus today, trusting him to save me and give me a fresh start and new life.”) (p. 84). He can check off boxes “A” through “Z”, but that still would not make him a Christian (p. 84).

Evidently, Lindy doesn’t have a good understanding of what saving faith is according to the Bible when she said, “So I decided to approach the Lord from my heart, because that’s where faith comes from…” (p84). It completely contradicts Romans 10:17.

Disclosure: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a copy of Heaven Hears: The True Story of What Happened When Pat Boone Asked the World to Pray for His Grandson's Survival; however, all views expressed in this post are my own.

Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory By: Jeremiah Burroughs

Contentment, Prosperity, and God's Glory 

By: Jeremiah Burroughs

Edited by: Phillip L. Simpson

1.      Introduction
2.      What Learning to Be Full Means
3.      The Difficulty of Learning to be Full
4.      The Necessity of Learning to Be Full
5.      The Excellency of Learning to Be Full
6.      The Mystery of Learning to Be Full
7.      Lessons for Learning to Be Full
8.      Increasing the Guilt of Sins of Abundance
9.      Applications for Improving Prosperous Conditions
10.  Concluding Words on Contentment

This is a very short book that is just 119 pages, but I have sticky notes on almost every page. I can’t write every word from those notes here for this review because if I did, then you would not need to read this book.

Have you noticed that almost every chapter title in this book contains the word “learning”? I saw a great deal of Chapter 4 played out when the company that I work at passed three promotions to others. Here is the lesson: “God gives things to His own people, He cares about them after He has given it. ‘I will give it to them,’ He says, ‘but I am concerned that this might turn out to their hurt’” (p. 60).

I will leave you with this quote, and I pray that you will read this book and LEARN TO BE FULL: “You say of some rich men that they have certain possessions; the truth is that their possessions have them rather than they have their possessions. Their possessions rule over them” (p. 21).

I received this book for free from Reformation Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. 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 Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters By: R. Albert Mohler Jr.

The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters

By: R. Albert Mohler Jr.

This book has 25 Principles for Leadership that Matters, and I will briefly write a short review on the following four Principles that I believe, in my personal, humble opinion, every leader must learn.

Chapter 16: Leaders as Stewardship

I suggest that you read this two-part series from Albert Mohler’s blog as well:

http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/04/08/leadership-as-stewardship-part-one/

http://www.albertmohler.com/2013/04/12/leadership-as-stewardship-part-two/

Our first impression of the word “stewardship” might bring to mind “The Parable of the Talents” in Matthew 25:14-30. Most think of God as someone in this parable who only cares about what He gains when He returns. If that’s the case, you might want to read Chapter 22.

Chapter 22: The Leader and Time

“…success or failure depends upon the right deployment and stewardship of time” (p. 184).

Even in the downside of economic periods, you don’t hear people complain about not having enough money, but about not having enough time in a day. Some even wish that there were 48 hours in a day.

In “The Parable of the Talents”, one can make the excuse that the other has one or four more talents than he or she does, but when it comes to “redeeming the time…” (Ephesians 5:16, KJV), no one can claim more or less because we all have 24 hours every day. This leads me to Chapter 12 and talking about what leaders do with their time.

Chapter 12: Leaders are Readers

“There is no way to gain the basics of leadership without reading” (p. 99). It really hurts when you see Christian leaders waste so many hours a week on watching sports on television. I’m not a hater if a leader spends more time studying God’s Word than watching sports.

On average, basketball games take two hours, and baseball and football games take three hours each (this is not including Monday Night Football, video games, and news). I can spend about eight hours a week on television, but in those same eight hours, I can read a book and be “…prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks [me] to give the reason for the hope that [I] have…” (1 Peter 3:15, NIV). Someone once said, “Where you spend your time now tells others where you will spend time in the future.”

I’m ashamed to mention here that I have not heard many so-called Christian leaders recommend any good books for others to read. This leads right into Chapter 8. Chapter 12 alone is worth the money and time you spend on this book.

Chapter 8: Leaders are Teachers

A leader can’t be a good teacher unless he is a reader. I have sat in many Bible Study groups and Sunday School classes where the teacher talked mostly about his personal experiences on the lesson that was supposed to be taught. When a teacher doesn’t read up on what he is supposed to teach, he will talk about his own experiences the majority of the time. Chapters 12 and 8 go well together for all leaders.

In my personal, humble opinion, I believe we have so many youths and Christians who are walking away from “…the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3, KJV) due to leaders who don’t look at themselves as “stewards” of God’s grace and don’t know how to manage their time in a way that allows them to read and prepare themselves to be great teachers of God’s Word.

This book is a must-have for leaders. I will buy a few and give them to all your church leaders. It will be the greatest investment for your church’s leaders and future leaders. We spent thousands of dollars on building, signs and programs and yet neglected a few dollars on books for leaders.