Book: “Financial Peace”

Posted in Book Reviews1 Comment

dave-ramseyI just finished rereading Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey. The book is a must read for every young couple considering marriage and every couple struggling with their finances. Through the years, I’ve read a number of books like this one, but I like Dave’s straightforward, in-your-face approach the best.

Dave also has a financial training course that can be taught in local churches called Total Money Makeover. I hope to offer it at our church on a regular basis as a part of our discipleship program. I also recommend that you listen to Dave’s radio program for further information and inspiration. Radio program airing information can be found here.

This is book 9 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Book: “The Stewardship of Life”

Posted in Book ReviewsLeave a comment

kirk-noweryI just completed Kirk Nowery’s book, The Stewardship of Life. Nowery served as President of INJOY Stewardship Services. Prior to his role at INJOY, he served for 18 years as Senior Pastor of one of the nation’s largest congregations in Miami, Flordia. In addition to his many roles, he was Chaplain of the famed Miami Dolphins footall team from 1983 to 1995.

In the book, Nowery explores the need for Christians to be good stewards of all the resources God gives to them. Naturally, he talks about finances, but that is not the main focus of the book. He talks about stewardship in the areas of vision, influence, commitment, time, and opportunity. The final chapter is called The Stewardship of You.

I recommend the book to anyone wanting to examine the area of stewardship. One bonus for me as a pastor was the fact that I gleaned several sermon ideas for future stewardship-related sermon series.

This is book 8 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Grow Up

Posted in Discipleship, Life Happens2 Comments

baby4“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation….” 1 Peter 2:2 (NIV) 

A few days ago, Nadya Suleman, a 33-year-old in Southern California mother, gave birth to six boys and two girls ranging from 1 pound 8 ounces to 3 pounds 4 ounces. I certainly wish them well and pray that God will bless them to live healthy, productive lives for His glory.

As I was thinking about the octuplets, it dawned on me that they all have one thing in common besides having the same mother–they were all born as babies! That is true for all of us. We all begin the same way and we all end the same way. What we do in the middle makes all the difference!

As Christians, we all begin the same way spiritually as well. We all are born spiritually (John 3) through Jesus and begin as newborns in the Lord. Unfortunately, many believers never move beyond that point. Nothing saddens me more than seeing believers that should have long ago become spiritually mature still thinking and acting as spiritual newborns.

Where are you in your spiritual development? Frankly, God expects and commands us to grow up.

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18 (NIV)

Book: “Communicating for a Change”

Posted in Book ReviewsLeave a comment

andy-stanleyYesterday, I started and completed Andy Stanley’s book, Communicating for a Change. The book is directed mainly toward preachers, but it will provide lots of valuable information for anyone who is involved in public speaking.

Here’s an excerpt from the book that might get you interested:

“I’ve always thought of a sermon, or any talk for that matter, as a journey. You start somewhere, you go somewhere, and ultimately you end up somewhere. The question is, did you end up where you wanted to go? Now you can drive around willy-nilly and hope you end up somewhere interesting, or you can decide before you get behind the wheel–or the pulpit–where you’re going. I’m talking about taking your audience on a journey. Taking them to a place where they discover a truth that will change their lives.”

This is book 7 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.

Book: “The Case for Christ”

Posted in Book ReviewsLeave a comment

case-for-christAlthough Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Christ, takes some energy to read thoroughly, it is well worth the effort. Strobel, a former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune, retraces his own spiritual journey from atheism to faith.

In the book, Strobel cross-examines a dozen individuals who are experts in their fields. Strobel finds that the evidence is overwhelming that Jesus was God, died on the cross, resurrected on the third day, and was seen alive by hundreds of eye-witnesses. Faced with the weight of the evidence in the case for Christ, Strobel moves from his athiest position and becomes a follower of Christ.

This is book 6 of 52 of my quest to read 52 books this year. For more information on this quest please see One Book Per Week = 52 or this series of posts.