Christian athletes who feel compelled to pray for outcomes in sports contests, then, are caught in this trap: they must either ask God, in a most un-Christian-like way, to limit his blessings by granting them the victory; ask God to allow opponents to win and work to achieve that end, thus undermining the spirit of the game; or ask God to grant victory to their opponents but work hard to prevent that from happening, thus making a mockery of their prayers. It seems to me that the only way this puzzle can be solved is for athletes to refrain from praying altogether about the results of contests other than that they will result in profound joy being brought to the players’ lives.

- Good Game, p. 259

Synopsis (taken from publisher): In recent years the United States has seen an influx of Christian athletes and coaches into big-time sports, as well as a heightened importance placed on sports in church programs and at Christian schools and colleges. However, as Shirl Hoffman critiques, a Christian vision of sport remains merely superficial—replete with prayers before free throws and praises after touchdowns but offering little, if any, alternative vision from the secular sports culture.

In his new book Good Game, Shirl Hoffman, Executive Director of the American Kinesiology Association, retells numerous fascinating stories from the world of ancient and contemporary sports and draws on the history of the Christian tradition to answer “What would it really mean to think Christianly about sport?” He challenges Christians to thoughtfully consider topics like:

• The Killer Instinct—what is the true cost of competition?
• Building and Sacking the Temple—why Christians should avoid violent sports…including football!
• Sport and the Sub-Christian Values—do competitive sports really develop character?
• Touchdowns and Slam Dunks for Jesus—how sports evangelism alters the gospel
• Prayers Out of Bounds—why the athletic field is not the place for prayer

Review (mine): This is a very long (300+ pages), dense and thoughtful book. I didn’t always agree with the arguments Hoffman set forth, but he does an excellent job at thinking critically about a topic that needs further exploration – namely the intersection between Christian faith and sports.  A point that Hoffman often comes back to is that Christians have been influenced by sports more than the other way around.

The first half of this book is a history of the church’s relationship with sports. This was an important section, though I found it hard to get through at times. It felt more like a book I would read for class rather than for pleasure. The second half of the book was more contemporary and tackled the issues bulleted above. I enjoyed this section much more and would recommend reading it first if you are interested in this treatise and don’t have time to go through the whole thing.

Overall, I found this book well-researched (the bibliography is massive) and necessary. Hoffman is an expert on the topic of faith and sports. He uses many stories and anecdotes across generations that I had either never heard or were buried in my mind and does a masterful job weaving it all together. Sports need to be brought into the conversation between Christ and culture. Hopefully, this book will open some much-needed dialogue regarding some insidious aspects of sports and competition. It gets into some solutions at the end, but just being aware and surfacing issues is an important first step.

Rating: 5/5 (Would be excellent required reading for seminary classes.)

The book was provided for review by The B&B Media Group. To learn more about this book or purchase on Amazon, click here.

Now, go back to your list of priorities, commitments and time. Look closely at each thing on the list and consider this:

• Does this add meaning/value to my life?
• How important is this to me?
• Does this conflict with or enhance my priorities?
• Could I eliminate this from my life?

- The Rewards of Simplicity, p. 66

Synopsis (adapted from publisher): In today’s fast-paced, high activity and technology-driven times, Christians need to be empowered in living a spiritually and materially clutter-free life. Weaving biblical teaching with personal experience and practical tips, Charismatic leaders Chuck and Pam Pierce show how you can simplify your life, your house and your soul. In part 1, Pam speaks on practical and spiritual simplicity. In part 2, Chuck speaks on simplifying life by overcoming anxiety.

Review (mine):  After reviewing a wide range of books, I’ve decided to start only reviewing books that look really interesting to me. This is a break from my strategy before where I reviewed anything and everything (check out this, this and this for instance). This book on simplicity marks the start of my new way of doing things and was chosen for its personal appeal.

Pam writes to an older audience (primarily mothers and grandparents). She has many good things to say, though I felt that the material could have been a bit better organized. Some of the topics she covers are fasting, possessions, the Sabbath, technology and eliminating clutter. Much of what she had to say were good and needed reminders for me rather than new concepts. I may have enjoyed her section more if I were in the target demographic.

Chuck’s section on anxiety was excellent in some places, but a bit convoluted in others. In particular, his section on a 7-year Earth cycle that he predicted back in 2001 seemed to come out of nowhere and distracted me from what he was saying about anxiety. Also, the meat of what he says are quotes and concepts taken from other books. One such expert he quotes is Archibald Hart. Hart has written some great books on adrenaline, stress and anxiety. If you are interested in the topic of overcoming anxiety, I would suggest going directly to Hart. The Anxiety Cure and Adrenaline and Stress are good places to start.

Summary: In the end, I thought the book was okay and liked the idea of the topic they were writing about more than the book itself. Also, going in I was not familiar with this couple. I was thrown off by a lot of references to dream interpretation and prophecy. I am not placing a judgment on this – it is just something to be aware of.

Rating: 3/5 (Good concept. Mediocre execution.)

This book was provided for review by Bethany House. To learn more about or purchase on Amazon, click here.

I have 9 of these booklets to giveaway. I will send one to everyone who leaves a comment, unless I run out. Update: These are no longer available.

The church calendar follows six seasons of varying length: Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost. Advent focuses on the anticipation of God’s coming into the world, both in the Incarnation and in Christ’s second coming. Christmas concentrates on the birth of Christ. Epiphany centers itself on the light of God’s presence shining in the world. Lent directs our attention toward human sin and God’s gracious solution. Easter celebrates resurrection life. Pentecost helps us to remember and participate in the ongoing activity of the Holy Spirit in the world. The annual rhythm of these seasons can have a powerful effect on your personal and communal spiritual growth.

- Devotions for Lent, Introduction

Summary: This booklet has been taken directly from Lent portion of the Mosaic Holy Bible. As their website puts it, “Encounter Christ by reflecting on the words of Scripture and the art and writings of Christians across time and cultures. Includes full-color artwork; contemporary and historical writings; prayers, poems, and hymns from throughout church history.”

Six weekly studies are included:

Week One – Identifying Discontent
Week Two – Dependence
Week Three – God’s Holiness and Grace
Week Four – Sin and Death
Week Five – Fasting
Passion Week – Hope

Approximately 30 pages are full text of each week’s Scripture readings.

Review: I’m not familiar with the Mosaic Holy Bible, but this is a good introduction to the type of devotional material that is included. I really like the idea of blending historical and contemporary writings with quotes, poems, artwork, hymns and prayers. I also like the idea of guided Scripture readings aligned with the church season (e.g. Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost). Finally, I thought the material they selected was excellent and engaging rather than dull and stale.

This 78 page booklet is very nicely put together. It is not the meatiest thing you’ll find, but is a great guide for persons looking to be in tune with the Lenten season. A few drawbacks are that the font is very small (8 point at most) and it may be a stretch to find a week’s worth of material for each section. Also, the Scriptures are taken from the New Living Translation and some people find this translation too simplified/fluffy.

Rating: 4/5 (Let me know if you live in the U.S. and want to check it out.)

These booklets were provided for review/giveaway by Tyndale. To learn more about or purchase on Amazon, click here. To learn more about the Holy Mosaic Bible, check out its website.

Elvis gave a superb performance that night, but the big story reported by the press was that he had split his pants. That was not uncommon. Elvis often “split out” because of the extended leg stretches and karate kicks in his routine. For some reason, the media preferred the “fat and forty” hook for their news stories. They had been using it that year since his fortieth birthday on January 8 as if it were some big scoop. That’s how Elvis ended 1975. He again achieved what no one before him ever had, only to be mocked for his imperfections.

- The King and Dr. Nick, p. 95

Synopsis (provided by Thomas Nelson): Dr. Nichopoulos spent a decade with Elvis on the road and at Graceland, trying to maintain the precarious health of one of the world’s greatest entertainers. But on August 16, 1977, he found himself in the ambulance with Elvis on that fateful last trip to the ER and eventually signed the death certificate.

From that day forward, Dr. Nick became the focus of a media witch hunt which threatened his life and all but destroyed his professional reputation. Now, for the first time, Dr. Nick reveals the true story behind Elvis’s drug use and final days—not the version formed by years of tabloid journalism and gross speculation. Put aside what you’ve learned about Elvis’s final days and understand for the first time the inner workings of “the king of rock n’ roll.”

Review (mine): This book was different from what I originally expected. I was thinking that it would be a lot of anecdotes about the life and death of Elvis that only those closest to him knew about. There was a great deal about the still mysterious death of Elvis, but not as many behind-the-scene anecdotes about his life as I had hoped. Over half of this book is about medical practice, challenges when dealing with a celebrity patient and the author’s attempt to clear his name in the wake of being made scapegoat in the death of Elvis.

The reader can easily empathize with Dr. Nick.  He is portrayed as a compassionate man who did his best to help Elvis as much as he could. I have no reason to believe that Dr. Nick isn’t telling the truth and it is awful to read about all that he went through (e.g. defamation, media witch hunts, the loss of his license and livelihood, etc). Dr. Nick also aims to reform and portray a more accurate image of Elvis. I sincerely hope that this book will clear up the misconceptions about Elvis as well as Dr. Nick.

Summary: This book ends up being more about the life of Dr. Nick than the life of Elvis. I found it to be dry for the most part and would primarily recommend it to people with an interest in the life of Dr. Nick as well as hardcore Elvis fans. To a lesser degree, I recommend this book to those interested in seeing how living a life of fame and stardom isn’t all it is often cracked up to be.

Rating: 3/5 (More for hardcore Elvis enthusiasts than the casual fan.)

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson. To learn more about or purchase on Amazon, click here.

Dear people,

I thought I would share with you places where you can join book for blog programs. The way it works is that you get free books in exchange for a review on your personal blog and a consumer website such as Amazon. Most of these are with Christian publishers, but the books offered aren’t necessarily explicitly Christian (e.g. Thomas Nelson offers business & culture books). Fiction & non-fiction are available. Click on the links below for more information or to register.

Thomas Nelson (Typically have a wide variety.)

Waterbrook Multnomah (Sometimes offer giveaway copies)

NavPress (Typically have four selections to choose from.)

The B&B Media Group (Represent many publishers, such as David C. Cook.)

Tyndale

The Ooze Viral Bloggers

Bethany House

Moody Publishers

Baker-Revell (Can’t remember how I signed up. I think I went through the contact form on their website. Mostly fiction.)

Zondervan (Went through contact form on their website. They often send yet to be released advance review copies. The only program where you’re not sure what they will send you and when they will send it.)

Strang Book Group

New Hope Publishers

LitFuse (Might inspect your blog before acceptance into program.)

I’ve found that a lot of publishers will send you a review copy if you ask for one. If there is a book that you really want to review, it’s worth a shot! If you’re aware of any other such programs (Christian or otherwise), I’d love to know about it in the comment area. Thanks!

I have a copy of this book to giveaway. Leave a comment with your favorite way to relieve stress for a chance to win. I will select a winner on Friday (3/5) at noon.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. - John 14:27

Summary: Author William Moss begins what he terms an essay with the question of whether it is possible to find inner peace in such a troublesome, complicated and difficult to understand world. He then asks how God fits into all of it. The next fifteen pages include some of the author’s personal thoughts, but are primarily scriptures from the Bible pertaining to peace. Every other page is intentionally left blank for the reader to write in thoughts and prayers. The final few pages of this short book (26 pages of writing with some pages only a paragraph long) include an afterword and prayer & meditation guide. Moss concludes that it is possible to find real inner peace and that this gift from God is meant to be shared with others.

Review: This is a very simple book (reads like a children’s story), but I found it to be calming and an effective way to release worry and anxiety. While the scriptures could easily be pulled from a concordance, the value added by this essay is the arrangement of scriptures, short meditation at the end, and space for journaling throughout. Aesthetically, it is quite bland.

Rating: 3/5 (Good scriptures. Short. Not the most bang for your buck. Gentle. Ugly.)

The book was provided for review by The B&B Media Group. To learn more about this book or purchase on Amazon, click here.

I was finally honest with myself: I hated the ministry. I was tired of the lies, the pretending, the guilt, the expectations. I wanted out. I’m sorry, God, I prayed. I gave it my best shot. I tried to do it in your power. It didn’t work.

- Pete Scazzerro

Summary: As I read this book, the same thought kept coming across my mind: I am so glad that I am not a pastor! These guys are pouring their hearts into their ministries and are often met with burnout, unfair criticism and pain that they don’t feel free to share. Like a slow leak in a gas tank, ministry killers slowly rob pastors of the joy and passion they once had until they are completely running on empty. When combined with factors such as isolation, pastor are especially susceptible to infidelity and moral compromise. The system is broken and it is no wonder that many pastors have fallen and/or left the ministry.

In the book 5 Ministry Killers and How to Defeat Them, Pastor Charles Stone identifies common “ministry killers” and how the pastor can protect him or herself. In doing so, he relies on research from over 1,900 pastors and 1,000 non-pastors in partnership with the Barna Group, LifeWay Research and NationalChristianPoll.com from Christianity Today, Inc. Stone distills the results into the following categories:

1. Head-in-the-sand mentality that denies existing problems
2. Emotional investment in the wrong issues
3. Unhealthy responses to ministry frustrations
4. A lone ranger attitude that says, “God and I can handle this”
5. Attitudes and actions that lead to lonely, hurting spouses

The book is broken down into IV parts. Part I presents the case that it behooves pastors to pay attention to what frustrates them before those issues fester and damage them, their families and/or ministries. Part II unpacks the research into 3 broad areas: what frustrates pastors most (killers), how they react and what that want most from people in their churches. Part III deals with how to defeat the ministry killers. Part IV is written directly for pastors’ spouses (addresses killer #5).

Positives: This is a much-needed book. The emotional health of the pastor will go a long way in setting the tone of the emotional health of the church. Rather than being blind-sided, pastors need to know what challenges to expect and how to overcome these challenges. This book also focuses on priorities and includes an eye-opening section on the unique challenges faced by the pastor’s wife.

The writing is current and includes many excellent quotes from other ministry leaders. Stone’s humility, humor and openness about struggles he has faced make him a likable writer who is easy to take advice from. As a pastor for over 30 years, he also has the experience from which to draw. In particular, Stone knows how to relate to pastors who had big dreams for ministry and ended up with small congregations. He doesn’t pretend to have never wanted more numbers.

Negatives: There was not much that I didn’t like about this book, but there were two things I might have changed. First, I felt that it could have been better organized. It seemed to jump around – especially for a book with such a clear title. Not until part 3 does Stone begin to go through the killers one by one. This made the beginning of the book confusing to me as I wasn’t sure if we were on a ministry killer, and, if so, which one.

Secondly, I didn’t see the need for Stone to relate so many of his thoughts to the research findings. As Stone acknowledges, statistics are subject to all kinds of problems. Though others will like the research, I felt like it bogged things down and would have preferred that he primarily spoke from what he has seen over his many years in ministry and what he believes to be the case.

Rating: 5/5 (Books like this one are must reads for pastors. If you are not a pastor, tell your pastor that you appreciate him/her. Chances are that your pastor can use it.)

About the Author: Charles Stone serves as the senior pastor of Ginger Creek Community Church, a church of over 1,000 attendees in the Chicago suburbs. His personal blog and website can be found at charlesstone.net.

This book was provided for review by Glass Road Public Relations. It is being published by Bethany House and will become available in May 2010. To learn more about or purchase on Amazon, click here. If you are a pastor and think you would enjoy reading this book, let me know and I will send you my advance review copy.

… when Jesus was questioned about which commandment was the greatest, He responded, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). Jesus is saying here that He wants us to love God with the total person that we are. If we can offer only emotional arguments for our faith and not solid intellectual ones, then we’re in trouble.

- Smart Faith, p. 18

Review: First off, this book on what it means to love God with all your mind is geared toward high school and college students. This was not clear to me going in.  It is only 171 pages, but covers a lot of ground. It goes into good depth on some subjects (e.g. identifying and countering fallacies) and provides an easy to understand introduction to other concepts (e.g. limitations of the scientific method). The back cover promises that the reader can learn to:

• Identify fallacies of logic – your own and others
• Embrace the mind’s role in spiritual formation
• Acquire new spiritual disciplines

Though mostly at an introductory level (especially in regards to spiritual disciplines), the book comes through. Although it contains a few too many “musts” and “shoulds” for my taste, it is well reasoned and makes sense. It will also give the reader confidence in knowing how to respond to common obstacles presented by culture such as moral relativism (e.g. your truth vs. my truth).

I particularly liked the emphasis on not arguing from the Bible to people who aren’t sold on its validity. It is kind of stupid to say, “I believe it because the Bible says so” to someone who doesn’t believe in the Bible. One of the exercises at the end of a chapter is to come up with 3 simple and intelligent reasons for what you believe without using Scripture or feelings. Here is the example they gave:

1. I believe because the evidence – historical, archaelogical, scientific, and so on – for Christianity is more credible than the evidence for other faiths (or no faith at all).

2. I believe because Christianity is the only philosophy that explains every aspect of the realities in our world: human beings and nature, evil and good, love and hate, liberty and bondage, creativity and ingenuity, and so on.

3. I believe because I have asked for God’s involvement in my life and, as as result, have experienced His responses, too many responses to be labeled coincidence.

Exercises like this help the Christian to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Peter 3:15). Also great were the case studies toward the back of the book on secluded or worldly Christians and what it would look like to become an “ambassador Christian” (based on 2 Corinthians 5:20).

Summary: Some parts of this book were more enjoyable to read and other parts felt like eating vegetables - not the best tasting but good for you. This is particularly suited for overachieving and motivated high school students who want grow in loving God with their minds and be able to provide well-reasoned arguments for their faith.

Rating: 4/5 (Eat your spiritual vegetables.)

This book was provided for review by NavPress. To learn more or purchase on Amazon, click here.

The greatest comfort, I believe, is found in remembering that we are in the hands of the most skillful surgeon, One who is intricate and detailed. He doesn’t leave things to chance. He is far too wise to stop in the middle of a design, too loving to leave a patient on the operating table without completing the surgery. He may seem to be going about it all wrong. But what do we know, really? Who are we, the creation, to tell the Creator what He could do better? What may seem scattered, random, or simply too difficult to grasp is actually the work of El Roi -- the God who sees. It is part of the intricate and purposeful plan of the Almighty. The plan is not often evident in the throes of our worst nightmares or our painful journeys. We may be aware that something is happening, but how it can possibly be woven together is beyond our scope. How fortunate for us that it isn’t beyond God’s scope.

- Desperate Hope, p. 161-162

Synopsis: Candi Pearson-Shelton is a worship leader, songwriter and independent artist. She is best known for her involvement with the Passion worship movement. She also wrote and performed the title track on the Dove-award-winning album Glory Revealed.

Five years ago, Pearson-Shelton lost her then 23-year-old brother, Rick, to cancer. In Desperate Hope, she recounts her struggle to find understanding, hope and God’s plan and glory in the aftermath of this family tragedy. This book reads like part memoir and part devotional. Pearson-Shelton remains fiercely devoted to God -- even as she wrestles to find hope in the midst of chronicling her pain.

The appendix contains a collection of blog entries and comments from friends and family as her brother fought for survival in late 2005. Also included is a code for the download of a song that was written exclusively for the book. All profits for the sale of Desperate Hope will go to the Rick Pearson Memorial Fund.

Review: I wish that I had read the appendix to this book first. Though Pearson-Shelton clearly adored her brother, it wasn’t until I read the blog entries and comments/prayers from around the world that I developed my own emotional connection to the loss. The writing isn’t the best, but is full of raw trust, devotion and heart. I was particularly touched by how much this sister cared for her brother and inspired by the legacy he left behind. I also appreciated the incredible story about how Rick’s sickness led to his father coming to faith.

Overall, I found this to be a worthwhile read even though I didn’t connect with the book as much as others probably will. It is particularly suited for Christians dealing with the loss of a family member or any event that has led to heartache and despair. However, it will also lead the reader to want to love like Pearson-Shelton and live a life that impacts others as much as Rick’s life did.

Rating: 3/5 (Took me until the end to develop an emotional response to the book.)

This book was provided for review by David C. Cook through the B&B Media Group. To learn more about or purchase this book on Amazon, click here.