Category: Ministry

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BOOK REVIEW: Called to the Fire by Chet Bush

Called to the Fire: A Witness for God in Mississippi; The Story of Dr. Charles Johnson by Chet Bush

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


There are only a handful of books that can say they caught my attention enough to be read in one sitting. Called to the Fire, the story of Dr. Charles Johnson, by Chet Bush is one of them. From the mesmerizing first chapter to the heartbreaking, yet hopeful, ending, I simply could not turn the pages fast enough. Even before I dive into the rest of my thoughts on this book, this is certainly a must read.

Dr. Charles Johnson is a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene who found himself embroiled in a civil rights murder trial as a witness for the prosecution in 1967. The Mississippi Burning Trial has been the subject of film, documentaries, and other books, but this is the book that takes on the biography of Dr. Johnson, one of the pivotal figures in the small towns of Mississippi where racism and the Ku Klux Klan reigned supreme in the 1960s. From Dr. Johnson’s work in educating African Americans to his dynamite preaching, God called Dr. Johnson to the fire so he could be a beacon of hope in the storm.

Multiple times while reading I teared up, and the events of one of the final chapters broke me. I won’t spoil it here, but it was perhaps one of the most powerful moments I have read in any biography ever. The ability of this man of God to stand up even when threatened to continue to do what God had called him to do is inspiring.

The book is not a long read, and there are photographs of key events and places from the narrative. There are also copious notes in the endnotes that point to more sources and information not only about the Mississippi Burning Trial, but also about Dr. Johnson’s life.

We need more stories like this one. We need to remember the heroes of the past and today, and to remember that sometimes we are called into the fire. The purposes and reasons of the calling may not always be apparent, but looking back we will see what God has done in the wake. Pick up a copy of Called to the Fire. This one is a must read.

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BOOK REVIEW: The Post-Quarantine Church by Thom S. Rainer

The Post-Quarantine Church: Six Urgent Challenges and Opportunities That Will Determine the Future of Your Congregation by Thom S Rainer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


It’s no secret that 2020 has been a difficult year in many ways. One way 2020 has impacted the world has taken place in our churches. As a Children’s Pastor, I’ve seen the way that COVID-19 has specifically affected kids: delaying crucial social developmental steps, creating distance between families and friends, and introducing a low-simmering trauma into their lives. That’s not even to mention the kids who have gotten sick from COVID-19, and even those who have died. This has been a tough year all the way around.

In the midst of 2020, Thom S. Rainer brought us The Post-Quarantine Church. This short book is trim and packed with thoughts, reflections, and steps forward for the church (specifically in the United States) as it seeks to look at what comes next. Rainer focuses on six different challenges for the church including: what it means to gather now, the impact of the digital world on the church, the local community and its connection with the church, prayer, facilities, and the business of fast-paced change during this season.

Part of the downfall of this book is that even though it was released in September 2020, some of the language sounds as though Rainer thought the quarantine and perhaps even the pandemic might have been completed by that time. He often uses “While we were in quarantine…” types of sentences, when the reality is that even as of the writing of this review in December 2020, many places across the world are still in a quarantine mode or even returning to their homes due to the rise in cases in many areas across the globe. However, if one you can set this aside, you’ll be able to see some very helpful advice, thoughts, and questions that certainly lead to self- and church-reflection.

Perhaps one of the most important chapters here is the chapter on managing change during this season. Even in my own ministry, we have had to pivot multiple times as we moved from in-person services to online services back in March 2020 and then in April 2020 talked about drive-in services, and then in July 2020 moved to in person services with social distancing and masks in place, and then navigated the space issues, quarantined volunteers and staff, and continuing digital presence for families at home Sundays and Wednesdays. Rainer lays out the fact that this is a time of fast-paced change as information constantly comes at us, as we navigate the difficulties of all the feelings and theories surrounding the pandemic, and even what moving forward in the short term looks like.

Also relevant for many here is the literal instant expansion of online ministry that has taken place in 2020. Children’s ministries around the world suddenly adapted to a new online format they had never used before. Even as some churches returned to in-person services, figuring out ways to do online content for families at home has been challenging in the Children’s ministry realm. It is much more difficult to livestream an in-person kid’s service with kids present due to seeking to protect the privacy of kids in relation to the internet. This has brought double work to many Children’s Pastors seeking to create online and in-person content each week.

I wish Rainer had looked at Children’s and Youth Ministry in particular within the church as those two have had to create many new ways of doing ministry during 2020 in order to accommodate social distancing and in some places capacity guidelines. Rainer is certainly focused here on lead pastors and the church as a whole rather than zeroing in on any specific types of ministry.

All said, this is certainly a helpful book and a very quick read. If you’re in ministry at a church and still struggling with how to move forward into 2021, this is worth a read.

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BOOK REVIEW: Let Earth Receive Her King: An Advent Devotional by T. Scott Daniels

Let Earth Receive Her King by T. Scott Daniels

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I have to admit: I’m always a little bit nervous when it comes to devotional books. I’ve read some that I absolutely love and some that I really didn’t care for, and then many, many devotionals that seem to fall in the “That was okay” category. Am I little picky when it comes to devotionals? Probably. I’m always looking to be inspired and encouraged, but also to be left processing in a thought-provoking way. When it came to the season of Advent this year, I picked up Let Earth Receive Her King by T. Scott Daniels, and honestly read it much faster than the day to day layout of the book prescribes. This was exactly the kind of devotional reading I really enjoy.

The book is divided into four sections, each one covering one week and providing a daily devotional from the first Sunday of Advent all the way through December 24th. The devotionals themselves provide a daily Scripture reading, a devotional, a blessing, and questions with space to record answers. The first devotional of each week also contains a hymn for the week, which I definitely found myself humming as I read.

The devotional content is superb. Each day’s reading is thought-provoking, and provides historical background, insight into specific language, as well as anecdotes from the author’s own life. I never felt as though the stories overtook the devotion or became too loose to connect to the leading thought of the day. The questions are also very engaging and provide some excellent self-reflection.

Perhaps the only downfall of this book is that it is specifically dated for the 2020 year, so unless you do some creative date-swapping in future years, it might be difficult to read according to each week as presented here. Otherwise this is certainly worth the devotional read. I found myself highlighting throughout the book as Daniels really made me think and contemplate the meaning of this season, which I always appreciate when it comes to devotionals.

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BOOK REVIEW: Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition by Stephen J. Lennox

Nbbc, Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition by Stephen J. Lennox

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Joshua: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition is the first Bible Commentary I have ever sat down and read from cover to cover. Dr. Stephen J. Lennox brings the book of Joshua to the 21st century and helps modern day readers ask tough questions (and I do mean tough questions) of the text, grapple with theological themes, and understand the background culture and composition of the book.

One of my favorite aspects of the New Beacon Bible Commentary series is the copious amount of sources included in the bibliography and throughout the text that leads readers to discover more scholarship on various specific topics brought up through the book of Joshua. An extensive bibliography is included here, and a must-go list for anyone studying the book in depth.

The book of Joshua is a complicated one, especially in light of the amount of seemingly God-sanctioned violence throughout the narrative. Dr. Lennox takes time up front to address many of these concerns in an entire section dedicated to the question of what to do with the violence in Joshua. Throughout, the author presents multiple theories from multiple angles in an effort to best present all the possibilities and allow readers to draw conclusions for themselves.

Each chapter is broken down, outlined, and presented in a three-part structure: Behind the Text, which showcases background information, framing, and other considerations before entering the text of the chapter; In the Text, which takes the reader verse by verse, addressing key issues along the way; and From the Text, which gives concluding thoughts, application, and tie-ins to the rest of Scripture. Along the side of every page are little “guide verses” that show what passage that page covers, which makes it easy to go back and flip through and find the section needed.

If you are looking for deeper study on the book of Joshua, Dr. Lennox’s commentary is a must-have.

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BOOK REVIEW: Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church by Soong-Chan Rah

Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church by Soong-Chan Rah

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


During 2020 in the United States of America, we have seen our fair share of difficult, traumatic, and horrifying seasons. Between global pandemics, political fervor at a fever pitch and ready to explode, the saga of what is truth and what is fake, and natural disasters from tornadoes to hurricanes to wildfires, this has been quite the year. But it has also been an important year because this was the year that racism and cultural identity came to the forefront of public discussion after the tragic deaths of several African-Americans. This conversation was not able to be had in person due to social distancing and quarantines that have affected our country and disallowed people to have this important conversation in person rather than over social media, blogs, podcasts, and the news.

Soong-Chan Rah’s Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church will not solve these issues. It will not be the sudden revelation that leads to widespread heart change across the United States. It really only scratches a tiny surface of space and allows readers to enter in to the discussion with a toe. But it is an important scratch, especially for those who are in ministry, and for those who are new to the culture conversation.

Let me begin by defining what I mean and what Rah means by culture. “Culture” is a buzz word in many evangelical circles that conjures up images of an oppressed church by a “wicked culture” that seeks to destroy the foundations of Christianity at every turn. While this may be the way some view culture, this is not what Rah is presenting. When he talks about Cultural Intelligence, he is talking more in terms of the ways that groups of people operate in their daily lives: from the types of food that a group may prefer, or music, or film, or ways of communicating. For example, some cultures communicate very directly, with facts and numbers, and seldom tell stories to illustrate an idea, while other cultures are the exact opposite, and will never tell you directly what they are thinking and love stories as way of communication.

Throughout the book, Rah talks about the vast lack of cross-cultural intelligence existing in the United States in particular. Most groups tend to stick together and rarely find ways to cross into each others’ worlds. This is what the book is all about: answering the question of how we extend a hand to others within the body of Christ and respect their culture by seeking to understand, experience, and even embrace it. This is a difficult, difficult task, and Rah starts there by saying it will be hard. It will cause many to have uncomfortable feelings and emotions as they process their own culture, the history of the United States, and then find ways to bridge the gaps that need to be bridged.

Rah doesn’t sit only in theory, as some books in this genre do. The last third of the book is dedicated to practical ways to seek to love one another through hospitality, the telling of stories, journeying together through difficult experiences, and looking at the ways our churches in particular operate and how they may or may not be welcoming to others.

For those who have read other books on the topic, this will not necessarily be new information. Much of the beginning two-thirds may seem repetitive against other works that have spent more time with the subject. However, the last third is particularly helpful, and relevant to the current social climate in the United States as a way forward to discussion, understanding, and bridging the gaps in culture between races.

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BOOK REVIEW: All-Consuming Fire: Object Lessons from the Book of Acts for Kids by Anne Marie Gosnell

All-Consuming Fire: Object Lessons from the Book of Acts for Kids by Anne Marie Gosnell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am always looking for great ideas, object lessons, experiments, and even simple activities that will allow kids to discover who Jesus is, who they are, and then lead those same kids to a place where they can respond to God’s love for them. Having used Anne Marie Gosnell’s object lesson books in the past and seeing the way kids in our Children’s Ministry had those “Aha!” moments after watching and hearing her object lessons, I knew I needed to get this latest one on the Book of Acts.

All-Consuming Fire: Object Lessons from the Book of Acts for Kids contains 24 lessons from the Book of Acts, walking from Acts 1 all the way through Acts 28, and even including one lesson on the letters of the New Testament. Each chapter gives you an overview or main idea from the Scripture passage, as well as a list of materials needed, some background information, an object lesson, Bible lesson, and a life application section including discussion questions throughout the chapter to use with the kids in your ministry. There are also tips for teaching kids sprinkled throughout the book, as well as extra resources on leading a child to Christ and how to be an excellent Bible teacher. There are also additional resources you can access once you purchase the book, including verse posters for each lesson.

What I love most about these object lessons is the way each one really helps kids to connect the dots: from the Bible story to the objects to the life application point. Anne Marie Gosnell’s ideas are a lot of fun too, and sometimes a little “explosive,” which really gets the kids’ attention! Most of the objects used are things you can find in a local store, online, or in your Children’s Ministry closet at church.

All said, if you are taking the kids in your Children’s Ministry through the book of Acts anytime soon, this book is a must-have. It’s really like getting twenty-four great messages dropped in your lap! This book truly is the most comprehensive Acts Teaching Guide for Children’s Ministry I’ve ever seen.

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BOOK REVIEW: Why Holiness? The Transformational Message That Unites Us by Carla Sunberg

Why Holiness?

Why Holiness? by Carla D. Sunberg

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


We often begin with the “What,” when we should really be focused on the “Why.” This applies to so many things in life: goals, visions for the future, projects, and certainly theology and doctrine. When we stop to ask “Why?” it can change the course of the conversation from one of religious duty to something that steps into transformation by the Holy Spirit’s power.

In Why Holiness? The Transformational Message That Unites Us Dr. Carla Sunberg gathers articles on holiness from seven different authors, professors, pastors, and students of theology to ask the Why question. Why does God call us to “be holy for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:6)? What is holiness and why does it even matter?

Holiness is not merely being good, perfect, or following all the rules. Jesus summed holiness up in the two greatest commandments: Love God with everything you’ve got, and love others as yourself (Matthew 22:36-40). This is what holiness is: loving God and loving others. When we truly love God and love others, putting them first, having this same attitude as Jesus, being patient, faithful, gentle, kind, burden-bearing, and encouraging, this is holiness. This is living out life as Jesus does.

From this view of holiness, Sunberg and co. set out to answer seven distinct questions:

1. Why Reflect God? – Dick O. Eugenio
2. Why Spiritual Formation? – Jacob Lett
3. Why Revival? – Filimao Chambo
4. Why Have a Right Heart? – Diane Leclerc
5. Why Engage the Margins? – Deirdre Brower Latz
6. Why Practice Holiness in the Wilderness? – Danny Quanstrom
7. Why Dialogue with the Past? – Olga Druzhinina

These articles on holiness are equal parts academic treatise at an accessible level, challenging rhetoric, and pastoral exhortation. Not one disappoints, as each author approaches holiness from a different perspective, both practical and theological.

Perhaps the most challenging chapter was Dr. Leclerc’s on having a right heart. She puts forward this idea that for so long we have measured true “holiness” either by orthodoxy – having all the right beliefs – or by orthopraxy – doing all the right things. The church as a whole has been quick to push aside anyone they believe is not acting rightly within one camp, when really there is perhaps a third way, a better way: orthokardia — the idea of having a right heart. Throughout Scripture we see God so much more concerned about heart transformation than storehouse of knowledge or hours of right practice under our belts. The Holy Spirit’s transformational work is an internal reality affecting our external lives. It begins with the heart, and works it way out through our attitudes, thoughts, words, actions, and ways of being.

If you’re looking for a short and concise volume on holiness, Why Holiness? is a tremendous work to explore. But be warned, not only will you leave smarter for having learned so much, you might just be challenged in your own life along the way in all the right kinds of ways.