Good Books
While taking a box of books over to the SFOT today, it occurred to me that I was saying good bye to some good friends. I know these texts are inanimate, but in a curious way I have developed an appreciation for them. As I read, I mark the margins and sometimes speak out loud to the pages. They speak to me…and sometimes I speak to them…in a friendly sort of way.
I recall when I bought them and where. I remember in some cases where I was when I read the book in not only a geographic way. These are for the most part, good memories, not to mention the actual value the books have had on my life and ministry.
What are you reading? I just finished, “Leading From The Second Chair”It was great…and came at a perfect time. You?
Acts 17:3 (MSG)
3 “He opened up the texts so they understood what they’d been reading all their lives: that the Messiah absolutely had to be put to death and raised from the dead-?there were no other options-?and that this Jesus I’m introducing you to is that Messiah.”
Hey If your not doing anything Saturday night you should come on down to Railton Hall! We are have a Be A Hero Fund-raiser. There will be sining, dancing, acting, brass band! It is going to be an AWESOME night! It starts at 5pm in Railton Hall if your interested :)
I’m reading “Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Community in Postmodern Cultures” by Eddie Gibbs & Ryan K. Bolger. It’s a great book. If you haven’t already, I recommend checking it out.
Also, Ryan Bolger has a blog at http://thebolgblog.typepad.com/
Blessings,
Bret
Books are great friends, they are part of life’s journey and help to form the path we walk. We need to continue to exercise our brains. Books just finished or presently reading:
“Slavery and the Making of America”
“1776″, “1812-the War the Forged a Nation”, “Cure for the Common Life” by Max Lucado, and “Love Beyond Reason” by John Ortberg.
All stimulating.
I just finished the new Wm. Booth bio by Roger Green and now I’m working on “Soldier Saint”.
Green’s book was great and I have only read a couple pages of Solider Saint, so I can’t really comment on that one yet.
In His Grip,
Dave
I have just have just finished, Brian McLaren’s “Generous Orthodoxy” and Donald Miller’s “Blue Like Jazz”
For the last 10 years I have been wading through “The Cost of Discipleship” by Dietrich Bonheffer. Everytime I think I have a passage down. The Lord just pierces my heart again with this book.
I too just finished Blue Like Jazz, and am starting the HEAVY The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. Any Louie Giglio fans out there I Am Not but I Know I Am Welcome to the Story of God was good though the dumbed down version of Augustine’s The City of God. Augustine is considered the greatest writer after the apostle Paul, though the one book City of God is about the size of the Bible. Some of it is heavy philosophy but lots of great stuff about the church if you can wade through it. I recommend a readers guide.
A great quote from Blue like Jazz, in one of the chapters on love and a great lesson for reaching out to those evangelicals consider untouchable( gays, liberals, any other relgion) I’m paraphrasing “People will only listen to you if they think you like them” He told this in reference to a person who he was very judgemental about, truly a lesson for us all.
I’m into “1776″ right now but fairly recently finished a re-read of P. Yancey’s “What’s So Amazing About Grace.” Always a timely, provacative word there, like anything else from Mr. Yancey. Next up – Larry’s recomendation, “Generous Orthodoxy.”
Coincidentally, Chief, I have an old book of yours I picked up at a book fair at the SFOT when I was a cadet. It was a gift from someone to you – I’ll name neither the title nor the giver, lest they should read this & take offense to your cavalier attitude toward their generosity :-)! I’ll vouch for your reading it, though – your notes are in the margins!
I Just finished “Blue Like Jazz” and now I am tearing through “searching For God Knows What” Donald Miller is refreshing
These are some good references. I have read some of them as well. Keep reading and praying and living in holiness.
Giving books away? NO!
Anyway, I’m struggling through Volf’s Exclusion and Embrace, partway through Newbigin’s The Open Secret, and revisiting Brueggemann’s, the Prophetic Imagination. My head is swimming . . .
Now that’s a list. I just gave the Newbigin book to my son at the SFOT in a box he’ll share as a fund-raiser for his session. I have five more boxes to donate…Time to reduce.