The Book and its Topic

After reading Peppermint-filled Piñatas, I have a hint that deep down Eric Bryant is a story teller. That much seems obvious. Now... is there anything that we need more than stories?

Especially stories that inspire us so much that we have no choice but to act upon what we learn. That is what’s on offer here.

Boy, would Leonard Sweet be proud of me for remembering that much from his books!

Eric goes on to admit to a love for sharing stories in the acknowledgements – at the back of the book. Sneaky!

Peppermint-filled Piñatas is more than an interestingly named book, with a couple of entertaining stories. I can sense God wanting the world to read this book and embrace its message. It is about breaking through tolerance and embracing love. In short, it is about love...

Eric uses his keen sense of humor and his story-telling ability to get across this important message. We really need to hear it. All of us.

He starts by looking at people and why they matter most. Here he explores how we can make more friends, party more to expand our influence, and how we can use common causes to relate to others.

The Book and its Topic

The Gospel According to Starbucks is a book about passion. If you frequent this website you would have noticed that I like passion and books about passion.

I believe we are to desire God, and that as John Piper says on the rear cover of Desiring God: “The pursuit of pleasure is not optional. It is essential.” What is more pleasurable than working on something you feel passionate about?

See, I reckon God gives us the desires of our heart (see Psalm 37:4), in a way, to guide us through our earthly life. If we delight ourselves in him, that is. It is very hard to go against what you want to do, what is enjoyable to you, those big passions, dreams and discomforts inside of you. God created you like that in order to reach His goals through you.

Leonard Sweet shows us that Starbucks is known throughout the world because people enjoy the experience. Starbucks and their baristas are passionate about coffee, and it shows. It rubs off on us.

Sweet explains that the Starbucks experience is an EPIC experience. It is Experiential, Participatory, Image-rich and Connective. These four elements of the Starbucks experience are the real reasons behind the Starbucks success story.

Far from giving Starbucks an appeal to authority, Len writes about the experience they offer "ad hominem". The book was not authorized by Starbucks.

The Book and its Topic

Brian McLaren’s little gem, More Ready Than You Realize, focuses on evangelism. There are few words less popular… Sadly, evangelism is the topic of endless debate and disagreement inside the church.

To those deciding not to believe in Jesus (who has the right to choose for themselves and the right to be respected as such) also dislike the word and the notion. The problem is that some Christians use their efforts to evangelize to move people God dearly loves and misses further away from God. The main reason for their failure is ignorance.

We all need to consider carefully what Brian shares here. It is important for the present day, postmodern church to get back to loving our neighbors. Back to forming authentic friendships and helping people move in the general direction of Jesus Christ.

Jesus used the parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate to us that our neighbors are those outside our little huddles, including those outside the church. Our neighbors are those people that God dearly loves and with whom He wishes to be reconciled. And guess who his agents of reconciliation are…

You guessed it! You and me.

Brian starts, continues and finishes More Ready Than You Realize by continual references to an email conversation he had with someone searching for God, for over 2 years. April met Brain at a book signing where she was the source of some background music. Brian then helped her load her harp back in the car afterward, and what followed was a long and meaningful conversation on faith.

The Book and its Topic

Velvet Elvis is like a painting. See, Rob Bell says that he is repainting the Christian faith. It’s the book’s slogan. And Rob painted a beautiful painting. One worth looking at.

I enjoyed looking at Rob’s painting. At times he had me laughing so hard that my wife just had to know what it was all about. At other times I was close to tears. But most of all, Velvet Elvis had me thinking. Long and hard my friend.

Christians are prone to accepting everything offered to them, as long as it is “Christian”. Rob tells us that we should be careful to not just accept everything “Christian” because it is “Christian”. People have been pushed away from God and badly hurt, just because of “Christians” being “Christian”. He says “Christian” is a great noun, but not such a nice adjective.

I think this might be easier for Rob than for the rest of us. See, Velvet Elvis illustrates that this man has a marvelous gift to think creatively. I think he has a gift to take a subject that has been taken apart many times over in the history of the church and think and argue about it in a new and original way.

The Book and its Topic

Flashbang by Mark Steele is a funny book. Mark is a comedian. But... he doesn’t think of himself as one. He prefers to think of himself as a comic. The subject of the laughter rather than the creator of the humor.

My wife likes jokes and likes to laugh. This caused me endless problems while reading Flashbang. See, there I would be reading and minding my own business when a funny part would come along. The result was spontaneous laughter, and then an explanation.

Everytime I laughed, I needed to explain what was so funny... This is no problem with most books where you laugh once or twice if at all, but with Flashbang I constantly had to share. It is really, hilariously funny!

Mark’s book deals with the Flashbang. Something that does not do much except cause a big noise and a bright light for a very short time. He says that he felt his impact as a Christian was much like that. Lots of noise, little impact. Real, lasting, positive impact.

He then goes on to explain (while you laugh) how to leave teethmarks on the world. Something messy, but visible. He shares how we can get back to loving the world in a way that leaves a crater. The impact that I referred to in the previous paragraph.

The Book and its Topic

Reviewing Erwin’s books is hard work. The Barbarian Way is no exception. I mean, this guy is being used by God. God works so hard through him, it amazes me. And that leaves me with a dilemma. As I write reviews of his books, how do I stay objective?

The truth is The Barbarian Way deserves a high recommendation. It shouts the message that I have in my heart about our modern, civilized Christianity so hard, that reading it was an absolute revelation to me. I couldn't believe that someone as influential as Erwin actually agrees with me.

Sometimes when you read a book that is very good, it is a challenge not to jump on the bandwagon and go around telling people that they need to read only one book on top of their Bible, and that is the one you have just read. That's not good. It is all just part of a necessary ongoing conversation. However, when coming across such a critical message it is important is that we sit up and listen. Then we need to go and apply what we have learned.

In The Barbarian Way, Erwin says that the modern Christian faith is smooth, trouble-free and that there is not much risk involved. Lots of opportunities, little risk. However, people that are close to God’s heart, like John the Baptist, could be described as barbarians. Such people embrace risk and refuse to be civilized. They have only one passion – that each of us might have a relationship with Jesus.

The Book and its Topic

Philip Yancey’s award-winning Prayer is best described as a journey. A difficult journey, into tough and demanding territory. He searches for an age-old answer. Does time spent on your knees make any difference?

I do not want to spoil your reading fun, but he does arrive at an answer. It makes a difference! Now if you have cancer and have been praying for healing to no avail, without receiving an answer or any form of deliverance, you might want to stone me for that comment.

But could it be that the time spent on your knees (or flat on your face) gave you the courage to carry on? Could that be whu you are still here?

Answers come in a variety of ways...

Philip has a style of writing that resembles a personal struggle with the subject matter. He is honest and has an ability to open his heart and that of others on the subject. That is why I describe the book as a journey. Philip does not pretend to have any answers, but he does invite you to explore with him.

The Book and its Topic

The Blogging Church is a long overdue book. To newcomers, the blogosphere can be a very intimidating place. What do you read? Why? What does Technorati, FeedBurner, del.icio.us, Digg This! and similar terms mean? How do you create your own blog? Why? Where?

Add to that the responsibility of communicating clearly as a disciple of Jesus, and you are almost sure to be petrified...

Enter The Blogging Church. This book will tell you all you need to know, and set you free to read blogs, create your own blog, and manage the whole process with confidence. You will feel like a native of the blogosphere, where now you feel like a tourist in a strange land, speaking the wrong language.

Brian starts off the conversation brilliantly by telling the story of blogs, and then giving the reasons for blogging, and thus, for this book.

Throughout the book he has little Q&A sessions with leading pastors, and other blogging disciples. These help a lot, and have the additional benefit of creating awareness to the reader. I didn’t know Mark Driscoll has a blog! And I am too scared to read ;-)