Books, books, books

This last six months I've managed to finish a number of books - I just haven't written about them!
Here's a list of the books I've managed to complete this year so far. Click on the post title to for short synopsis and opinion.

1. Wild at Heart, John Eldridge
2. The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren
3. Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels
4. Einstein's Heros, Robyn Arianrhod
5. A Bridge Across Forever, Richard Bach
6. The High Impact Church, Linus Morris
7. Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Currently Reading: Inside Indonesian Society: Cultural Change in Java, Niels Mulder

Click the post title to continue reading...

1. Wild at Heart, John Eldridge

I've posted on this previously. Whilst at times Eldridge goes a little off track, I still think this is a vital read of Christian men.


2. The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren

At the time, I was preparing to lead a (new) home group in The Purpose Driven Life. I'd previously studied PDL with (old) my home group, and this time felt the need to get some more background on Warren's ideas. As it turns out, PDL is really just the personal application of the PDC. I'm not sure that all of the growth potential of PDL can be realised without the support of a PDC.

This is mostly good stuff. It is fairly American based, drawing on and being most easily applied to American society. However, he does encourage exploring how best to reflect the purposes using your own societal, cultural, and church expressions. Useful stuff.


3. Too Busy Not to Pray, Bill Hybels

This was our home group study before the 40 Days of Purpose began, and I continued reading it alongside the PDC. I think its what they call a "modern classic".

Hybels writes in a very easy style. At times he is instructive, at times he reflects on personal experience, whilst acknowledging that what works from him, may not work for me or you. This is sensible as much as it is useful, and make the book far more worthwhile as both a discovery in the need for paryer, as much as of prayer itself.

Hybels presents many different methods of prayer, including life, journaling, and ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication (or Stuff, as I like to call it!) I have found this most useful, especially as Hybels goes on to the very important next stage: Listen. Once you have poured your heart to God, listen and look for His response. Prayer can be, but is often not, a two way communictation.

Very worthwhile. You may be put off by the lack of instruction, and emphasis on discovery.


4. Einstein's Heros, Robyn Arianrhod

My sister-in-law gives me the most interesting books. I hope she appreciates how important she is to me, and how well I regard her. We haven't had much of a chance to do so, but I'd love to sit down over a good beer (or something stronger!) and solve the world's problems. It would be a fun conversation.

Apparently Einstein had on his study wall pictures of the great and influential physcists that preceeded him. They were his heros. This book is not about Einstein himself, but about these men and their discoveries.

Popular science books have to tread a fine line of scientific accuracy and general appeal. Too technical a book, whilst accurate and encompassing, will not be embraced by the public. Yet if the science is presented too simply the meaningful impact and ramifications will certainly be lost. Arianrhod treads this line very carefully, having at least as much historical context and anecdontes as scientic content. At times she goes far into details, but only long enough to give an awe-inspiring appreciation for the work these men have done, and how they have shaped our modern world.

A good read. Don't be concerned about the physics; it is well explained.


5. A Bridge Across Forever, Richard Bach

Years and years ago I read Bach's breakththough title, Jonathon Livingston Seagull. This book is a few down the track, and chronicles the search for this soul mate and eventual marriage. Although autobiographical it is mostly written as story rather than fact, making it an easily approchable light read.

That is, until the last part of the book. Bach starts off self absorbed, self centered and he knows it. He openly warns his lovers that he will only look after himself, and not to be too concerned should they never see him again. It's his way. For the 1970's west coast Amercian setting this makes perfect sense. How he eventually comes to commit to a (standard) exclusive marriage is the bulk of the story. The last part describes his and his wife's exploration into alternative lives, spiritual oneness and other New Age fantasies (although not acknowledged as such). At this point, I just wanted him to stop. The tone moved from story telling to preaching, and I found his lack of credit and explanation both frustrating and annoying.

A nice read, ruined by the last 50 pages. Richard Bach is a fruit cake.


6. The High Impact Church, Linus Morris

When we lived in Amsterdam we were members of Crossroads International Church. Being part of that body of believers was one of the most enriching and growing experiences I've ever had. At one time we even looked into joining their parent missions organisation, Christian Associaties, the president of which is the author of The High Impact Church.

This book is similiar in intent to The Purpose Driven Church. Both attempt to answer the question, how do we present Christ to people today, in a way that they will understand? HIC answers this by looking at church structures and programmes, as well as the underlying philosophies of reaching people, and the way to "do" church. I felt that this book, whilst useful, was sometimes too ingrained in a particular mould or set of expectations. At times Morris seemed to allow for local interpretation but more as a variation of the standard theme, than a different expression of the same theme. He seemed to often get bogged down in details of structure.

I'm sure that in many churches this will be a useful tool. It does give a lot of good "kick off" points for transforming a church into a more modern, approchable, relevant community. Worth taking a look at it.


7. Hamlet, William Shakespeare

I posted on this one a few days ago. A wonderful read. Shakespeare is so enriching. If you've studied Shakespeare in high school, I'd really encourage you to pick it up again. I think as you learn more about life, your appreciation the characters situations and how they chose to resolve them changes and deepens.

Well, that's about it. I may at some point expand on each of these - particularly The Purpose Drive Life and The High Impact Church. A comparison of thier approaches to modern church life and structure would, perhaps, be quite interesting.

Blessings,
pk