Gaining by Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches that Send by J. D. Greear

“Our God is a sending God” (pg. 33).

“Sending means giving away some of your best leaders and letting go of needed resources” (pg. 45).

I believe most Christians are guilty of this when it comes to missionary work: We believe that the mission field belongs to trained missionaries. Our Lord made it very clear in John 20:21— “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Yes, He is sending you and me into this mission field. If you ever wondered why He said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few,” it’s because most of us believe that those whom God sends are the ones that are listed in our church’s Sunday bulletin (Matthew 9:37).

When it comes to “sending”, most of us think so little of whom God sent into this world to rescue sinners from their sin. The Father—through the Holy Spirit—sent the Son. Yes, that is right, His only begotten Son, and not one of His many angels He created.

This book is a must-have for your church’s missionary deacons, and every church member must read this book for membership class. I’m asking my teenage daughter to read this book for herself. Don’t leave out children in this mission field because the Lord of the Harvest is sending them as well.

Due to my reading schedule, this is my shortest review. I pray that our Lord will use this book to encourage us and get us out into the mission field to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

I received this book for free from EP 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.”

A Well-Ordered Church: Laying a Foundation for a Vibrant Church
By: William Boekestein and Daniel R. Hyde

The authors organized the book into four categories:

1. Identity. What is the church in general?
2. Authority. How does a church make decisions?
3. Ecumenicity. How should one church relate to other churches?
4. Activity. What is our mission? What should we, as a church, be doing?

There are so many good things in this book in less than 162 pages. I will spend much of this review on Part Four, where “a well-ordered church is a teaching church, a worshiping church, a witnessing church, and a repenting church” (p. 80).

The Need for being a Teaching Church
Many local churches don’t even have a men’s Bible Study Group where a minister may teach and train godly men about God’s Word. I’m sad to say this—that many of our pulpits, Bible Study Groups, and Sunday school Classes are no longer the central places where Christians gather to discuss theology. It is more of a gathering “based on common interests, personal friendships, [and] socio-economic status…” (p. 24). I’m in total agreement with both authors by citing Phillip Ryken in that “the only church that will survive in post-Christian times is a church with a passion for God’s Word” (p. 82).

A Worshiping Church
The Practice of Our Worship
A Witnessing Church
The Practice of a Witnessing Church

After all, it is not just “a teaching church, a worshiping church (the practice of our worship), a witnessing church, and a repenting church” (p. 80). The practice of a witnessing church is where I believe most churches believe that “financial involvement, relational involvement, and prayerful involvement” are the end of their duties (p. 128-129). These involvements are excellent for all Christians, but most leave out “congregation witnessing” (p. 129).

There are three ways of describing how the church engages in missions:
1. The Attraction Model
2. The Incarnational Model
3. The Lackadaisical Model

The Attraction Model is about getting people into the church; the Incarnational Model is about bringing the church to people. The sad truth is that Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons are knocking on more doors than our local churches. And these are most likely the local churches that call others “Hyper-Calvinists”.
The last Model where both authors point out one fact that I believe is so true is the “lack of method.” Aside from the “lack of method”, most Christians don’t even know what the gospel is. If our men think that J. I. Packer is the Green Bay Packer’s owner, Heaven, we have a problem.
A Repenting Church
I will make this short. I have attended more than 20 churches throughout my life, and the one I currently attend is the one my family and I have been at for the longest. I have not heard one of these churches pray for a repentant heart, and yet, Christ in heaven is saying, “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (New International Version, Rev. 2:5). If you think that your church has not sinned against Christ, please read the first three chapters of Revelation.
If you are looking to read a short book that is centered on our Triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—don’t look any further.
In closing, this is just a minute matter: the subtitle on the front cover is “Laying a Foundation for a Vibrant Church”, but the first page has a different subtitle—“Laying a Solid Foundation for a Vibrant Church”.

I received this book for free from EP 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.”

Bitesize Biographies: Ulrich Zwingli by William Boekestein

Hebrews 11 is the main chapter from the Bible where I read about Christian’s lives. I developed this habit of reading Christian biographies and autobiographies in my early years as a Christian because it gave me a sense of refreshment in my faith in the Lord.

This Bitesize biography caught my attention from the very beginning. In a letter to his family, Zwingli wrote, “Those alone are the true soldiers of Christ, who do not fear to bear in their body the wounds of their Master” (pg 10) Ulrich Zwingli was a Christian soldier.

What comes to mind when we hear the word “soldier”? BATTLE. We have many Christians who profess faith in Christ only to use the Christian name for comforting themselves in times of trouble and have never encountered the good fight against their invisible enemies.

Whether we like it or not, if we call ourselves Christians, we are in an invisible warfare every single day of our lives. We are constantly attacked by enemies that we cannot see with our physical eyes.

It is good to know that we are Christian, but at the same time, we also need to know that we are called to be Christ’s soldier as well (2 Timothy 2:3). If you don’t know what it means to be a soldier of Christ, I encourage you to read about Ulrich Zwingli’s life as a Christian soldier.

As Christians, we are called to “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Timothy 6:12), and I pray that, as Christian soldiers, we can say what Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” It is not about how you begin your testimony as a Christian; it is about finishing the race as a Christian soldier.  

I received this book for free from EP 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.”

Acts (EP Study Commentary) by Guy Prentiss Waters

Guy Prentiss Waters asked, “Why one more?” Perhaps one way to answer this is to highlight three features of this particular exposition of Acts. It is, first of all, relatively brief. Guy Prentiss Waters follows John Calvin’s principle of “claritas et brevitas”—‘clarity and brevity’.

Commentaries on the book of Acts can range from 100 pages to as much as 4,000 pages. “Readers can easily get lost in a welter of detail, missing not only the ‘big picture’ or the ‘main point’ of a particular text, but also a sense of what holds the biblical book together.” You don’t have to worry about this because Guy Prentiss Waters dealt with the ‘main point’ of each particular text with clarity, by citing Greek text (you don’t have to be a Greek scholar) and other Christians (pg. 32-33 and throughout this Commentary). He paints the ‘pig picture’ by pointing to what the author or the person is saying, and not what others are saying.

The second feature is that this Commentary “strives to offer exegesis in the service of exposition”. For those who want to understand the text better, and especially for those who are called to explain it to others, look no further—this is the right commentary for you.

The third and final feature of this Commentary is that it is Reformed in its orientation. You don’t have to be Reformed in order to own this Commentary. You will find plenty of footnotes from Reformed Christians.
I personally own about 30 commentaries on Acts, as I mentioned earlier that these commentaries can range from 100 pages to as much as 4,000 pages. However, I found that this Commentary has kept me intrigued page after page.

I want to close out my review by pointing out one more feature: I personally believe that the “APPLICATION” portion at the end of each section is very helpful. The application brings out not only clarity but also application you can apply what you have just learned. For those who teach a Small Group or Sunday School Class, you will want to have this Commentary on your shelf for your own study.

I received this book for free from EP 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 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.”