Read Any Good Books Lately? - Austin

I spoke at the Church Library Association of Ontario Spring Conference in Orillia on Saturday, May 7th. I felt I communicated effectively for the most part. Yet one concept, cut from my notes because it was poorly articulated, somehow demanded expression. My words on that issue proved clumsy and inadequate. That has compelled me to wrestle with it a bit more.

As a church librarian I have the joyful privilege of connecting people with wonderful resources collected over the years. Many truths are timeless, but somehow find fresh expression every few years. Many truths that seemed self-evident a generation ago must be expressed in new language for this generation to grasp. And perhaps most significant of all, knowledge of the Bible, common even among people who did not embrace its message a generation ago, has become more and more rare within the church itself. Most North American churches have many people in their congregations who have not and do not read their Bibles. The most careful, Bible-centered preaching cannot bridge that gap. All the accumulated wealth of biblical truth found in a wonderfully stocked library cannot bridge that gap. A librarian's skill, with intimate knowledge of the collection, cannot bridge that gap.

Sometimes I feel an almost aching need to shout at people as they come in to our library: "Ignore every book on these shelves. Sit down with your Bible. Get to know it. Then come back."

Sometimes I feel the need to shout to myself: "Put down that book. Turn off the computer. Spend time in the Bible for itself alone. Quit pretending the eight translations within one step of your computer, drawn from often as you write -- are read for their own message. Take time to draw closer to God. Hear Him. Know His voice."

My reading time has dwindled with eyesight problems. How much priority do I put on God's Word within that now limited time? Some questions prove much more comfortable to ask of others. As I have celebrated small improvements in my eyesight over the last three months, my reading has increased once again. Yet I cannot claim to have gone oftener to my Bible. So I dare not challenge others without challenging myself. As a librarian, caretaker of wonderful resources, I MUST remember that these are a supplement to Bible knowledge, never a substitute. I MUST remember that for myself as well as for those I minister to.

I believe strongly in inspiration for today's writers, myself included. I am convinced God speaks through the words His followers wrestle with and commit to print. Yet the inspiration of the Bible is -- I am fully convinced -- somehow of a higher nature, with a necessity and an authority far beyond anything I have ever penned.

Is there a way, in a well-stocked church library, to point people to the Bible and ask one simple question. . .

Have you read any good books lately?

The Risks God Takes - Arends

Here is my newest Christianity Today column, which, judging by the online dialogue at CT's site, was much more controversial than I expected.  I'm going to resist the urge to defend my points or explain where I feel folks might be misunderstanding me, because I'd love to hear what YOU think.  Thanks!

The Risks God Takes
Why a little church history is a necessary--and dangerous--thing

From the June issue of Christianity Today
Posted online on 06/17/10

My kids are growing up in North American evangelicalism, just like I did. My husband and I load up the family wagon every Sunday for primarily spiritual reasons, but as a byproduct, we are also marinating our offspring in a specific cultural broth. By the time they leave for college, they will have spent 18 years in a Reformational stew.

Church culture is the norm for our kids. They have no reason to believe that Christendom has ever been different, although they do recognize progress in that they can wear jeans on Sunday mornings.

One of the quirks of growing up in certain streams of evangelicalism is a lack of historical context. In my youth, a church father was a dad on the deacons' board. If we had to summarize Christianity's history, we would probably reference the apostle Paul, Billy Graham, and our congregation's building committee.

I would have remained ignorant if it weren't for books. G.K. Chesterton cajoled me to respect tradition as a way of "giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors." My ancestors, it turns out, are a lively bunch. I discovered them scattershot—Augustine's introspection, Eckhart's mysticism, Therese of Lisieux's humility, Benedict's organizational genius. I began to see church history as a trove of devotional information, a 2,000-year stream to be mined for the golden testimonies of saints who pursued God and recorded what happened.

Hungry for context, I delved deeper—and soon realized why we don't share much church history with our kids.

Yes, there are bright lights in the story. But there are also dark moments when the church and state joined hands to form one iron fist. Sacramentalism (the teaching that God's saving grace comes only through the sacraments) was often turned from a means of grace into a way to secure power (for only the church could perform the sacraments). To challenge official church doctrine meant consigning your soul to hell—and the church would likely help you get there quickly.

When Tertullian claimed that "the blood of the martyrs is seed of the church," he could not have dreamed how much blood would be spilled at the hands of other Christians. Like that of Jan Hus, a Bohemian preacher who argued that Scripture should be available to the masses and have the ultimate authority in doctrinal matters. Seeking church reform, he preached against corruption.

When Hus refused to recant his positions before the Council of Constance in 1415, he was condemned as a heretic, strangled, and burned. But a century later, his blood helped to seed the ideas of Martin Luther and Menno Simons. Out of the pain of their difficult labor, my own church tradition was born.

Then there's the case of Michael Sattler, a 16th-century Anabaptist who was pronounced an "arch-heretic," tortured, and executed for concluding that Scripture did not advocate infant baptism. A few days later, Sattler's wife was drowned for holding the same view.

How do we process these stories? I open my Bible, and I recognize my debt to those who fought for the accessibility and authority of Scripture. My church holds a baptismal service, and I think of those who were drowned for claiming the right to be baptized as adults.

I recognize, too, that without dissenting voices, there would have been no Reformation. This tempers my response to fellow Christians whom I believe are doctrinally unorthodox. I disagree with them as my conscience dictates, but I must also respect them as potential sparks in a reforming fire. As long as the church is made up of humans, it will need reform, and reform will require dissent from the status quo.

The story of Christianity ultimately leaves me shocked at the risks God takes with humans. Even the greatest lights in church history were dishearteningly imperfect. For all his heroism, Luther attacked the Jewish faith so polemically the Nazis later misappropriated his writings for their anti-Semitic cause. Reformer Ulrich Zwingli advocated justification by faith and concern for the poor, but he also endorsed the executions of two of his brightest disciples because they became Anabaptists. Simons was an inspired Anabaptist leader, but he overzealously excommunicated many who did not live up to his pious standards.

Yet God did great things through these flawed people, much as he did with Abraham, Isaac, Peter, and Paul. As long as there is a human element in his church, it will be prone to corruption. But as long as his Spirit moves, there will be reform and renewal.

When our kids are ready, we will give them context for their religious heritage. For now, they do not understand that the church they file into on Sunday mornings is a place as dangerous as it is holy. But if God is willing to keep taking a chance on it, so are we.

Copyright © 2010 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

What do YOU think?  Please comment below ...

The Writing Life - Eleanor Shepherd

As writers, we receive encouragement from many different sources. Being raised in a home where I was surrounded by books, nurtured my love of reading. Before I went to school, I had already learned to read. I loved the sounds of words and the magical way when they were put together they could tell a story.

While reading became a passion while I was still quite young, it was in the sixth grade that the possibility that I might also be able to write began to dawn upon me. That year we had a teacher who required from us an essay every Friday. She assigned us a different topic each week. This first exposure to deadlines, also called forth my creative capacities. The adrenalin pumped as my pen flew across the page hardly able to keep up with the thoughts tumbling over one another that I tried to capture before they fled. What fueled my passion was the commendation of this teacher who really believed I had some writing ability.

Throughout the rest of my schooling, the curriculum often offered opportunities for creative writing. I enjoyed these and knew that I could anticipate a decent mark for such endeavors. With the confidence this success engendered, I had no hesitation in signing up for a creative writing course my first year at university. I still am not quite certain what happened that year, but the professor and I were on entirely different wavelengths. I learned some valuable lessons about developing journalistic and writing skills, but I barely passed the course and concluded I was not cut out to be a writer after all. The experience was so devastating that I even doubted by ability to write a research paper, a problem that dogged me for the rest of my university career.

Although I still loved to read, my writing was limited to the prayer journals that I kept. They mostly recorded names and prayer requests.

In my early thirties, I needed to take an elective course to complete my requirements for ministry in our denomination. I gathered up my courage and enrolled in a journalism course that was being offered by correspondence. Though I doubted my ability, the desire to write persisted. I was amazed when each of my lessons was returned with such positive comments and good grades. Maybe I could write after all.

The clincher came when the editor of the women’s magazine for our denomination came to lead a women’s’ ministry Sunday service for our congregation. As we visited together over lunch, she asked about my interests; I mentioned the journalism course I was taking. She asked to see something I had written. I showed her a couple of articles. She requested that I send them to her for publication in our denominational women’s magazine. That was the beginning of my writing for publication and I have not looked back.

I still struggle with my fears. I write and rewrite and rewrite, and wonder if what I have written will be helpful to anyone; yet, I sense that to write is to exercise a God-given ability. Currently my book about listening is on its way to publication. The typeset proofs were sent to me last week, so I could check for errors and get them back to the publisher again by the end of the month.

This past weekend, I attended a conference in Phoenix related to my work. On the flight west, I began to read over the proofs and mark any corrections needing to be made. My goal was to finish this task on the flight home. I really wished someone else could also read it. I feared there were things I would miss since I am so familiar with the manuscript. I have been working on this project for ten years.

When we boarded the plane in Phoenix, I began chatting with the woman next to me. She had been in Phoenix to receive her PhD that weekend. When she saw the manuscript and pencil in my hand, she said, “It looks like you have some work to do.” I explained what I was doing.

To my suprize, she asked if I would like her help. She enjoyed doing that kind of thing and would be glad to read it over for me. I was delighted and handed her the first section of the book. This included the table of contents, foreword, acknowledgments, endorsements and introduction, along with the first chapters. She began to read and put her markings on the pages. I figured she would soon tire of this, but I was glad she was willing to help.

When she completed the first section, she handed it back to me and asked for some more. By this time, she was beginning to ask me the odd question about the book. She seemed intrigued by some things I say about listening. I handed her another bunch of pages and thought that I would be fortunate if she was willing to do even that much. By the time we arrived in Chicago, where we both were changing flights, she had read and marked about sixty pages. I thanked her and offered her one of my daughter’s CDs as a token of my gratitude.

Our connecting flights to Montreal and Syracuse were leaving from adjoining gates at O’Hare airport. Instead of taking the shuttle, between terminals we walked together and chatted about the book. When we got to my gate, we still had about an hour and a half before our flights. My new fiend sat down beside me and offered to proofread the next section of the book. Her interest in the book affirmed for me it is now ready to touch the lives of people in the way that the Lord intends. That is why I write.

Got Scripture? - Bob Scott

How is your daily Bible reading going? I'm sure many have been able to maintain their resolution to get into the Word every day. But, if you are like me, you may have bogged down in a geneology somewhere and now, you are a little behind in your resolve.

Let me offer a solution for those who have tried and failed many times. This is not to say that some parts of the Bible should be skipped. But once you have got through it once, and have some basics, you will be less hesitant to go at it with more intensity the next time.

Nelson Publishing's NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible just might be the answer. Try it with the expectation that you will graduate to the full Bible, geneologies, Levitical laws and all.

This is not your children's Bible story book. NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible is a collection of scriptures which are the foundational stories (two hundred fifty of them) of God's interaction with His creation. A handy Table of Contents and an index help the reader locate favorite stories.

Because it is, throughout, the text of the NKJV, it might not be your first choice for younger children. It is, though, a suitable introduction to the scriptures for those who are mature enough to handle the rhythm and syntax of this particular translation. Because it is text from the Bible, there may be stories that some would find unsuitable for those of more tender years.

Though a suitable introduction to the scriptures for new believers, it is well to remember that NKJV Greatest Stories of the Bible is not the full Bible text.

This new publication offers the opportunity read again the great stories of the Bible in a modern translation without editorial intrusion.

Published in hard cover, with the appearance of an heirloom volume, it is a book that will be cherished and passed down to others. But, you may want to hold on to it for awhile.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Intentional Life - Fox

(The following is a guest post by Grace Fox, national co-director of International Messengers Canada, a popular international speaker and author of four books including Moving From Fear to Freedom: A Woman’s Guide to Peace in Every Situation. She has written hundreds of magazine articles for publications including Focus on the Family and Power for Living. Grace can be found at www.gracefox.com )

The word intentional has become a key word in my vocabulary. For me, it implies deliberate, thoughtful action in every aspect of life. One of those areas is physical well-being.

A year ago I learned that my body can’t properly metabolize wheat and dairy products. By becoming intentional about following a recommended diet, I found freedom from debilitating pain and lost more than 20 pounds. In order to become more physically fit, I also became intentional about exercise and began working out at a women’s fitness centre several days each week. Focused effort produces results.

The same is true for spiritual health. Several years ago, I struggled to find time for regular Bible reading and prayer so I asked God to wake me when He wanted to meet with me each morning. The next day…and the next…and the next, I woke at 5:15. This has since become my favorite time of day, and it’s a precious time indeed as the Holy Spirit shows me truth from God’s Word and teaches me how to apply it to real life.

With the dawn of 2010, I believe the word intentional presents me with a new challenge. Between Christmas and New Year’s, I had the privilege of attending Urbana ’09 – a triennial missions conference sponsored by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. One of the keynote speakers told the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4). This woman – despised for her ethnicity and gender – was empty and broken, rejected, and hungry for love. Everyone in her neighborhood avoided her. But one day Jesus showed up, and everything changed.

Jesus’ meeting the Samaritan woman was not coincidental. He knew she needed love and healing, and He took deliberate action to see her needs fulfilled. Rather than skirt Samaria to avoid the ethnic outcasts, He entered the woman’s space to meet her. That’s intentionality at its height, rooted in love for the woman’s well-being.

Every day we cross paths with people whose lives are hurting and broken, people hungry for love and acceptance. Do we consider them a nuisance? An inconvenience? Do we avoid them because they make us feel uncomfortable? Or do we take deliberate action to bless them, to show love, and to splash them with the living water?

This year, I resolve – with God’s help – to be intentional about loving other people as Jesus did. That might happen through words aptly spoken; it might be through acts of kindness. Opportunities are endless, and they’re often simple.

For example, I recently baked banana-chocolate chip muffins for a neighbor who left a Christmas card and bottle of wine on our doorstep during the holidays. I don’t really know this gal – we’ve only chatted twice since we moved here two years ago. Surprise registered on her face when she opened her door and saw me standing there, plate in hand. I thanked her for her kindness, gave her the muffins, and asked if she’d had a nice Christmas.

“Oh yes,” she said. “It was lovely.” That was it. She stepped back inside, smiled, and closed the door. Not exactly what I’d expected, but that’s okay. I’ll keep my eyes open for future opportunities to show kindness and see where it leads.

What does the word intentional mean to you? How might your life change if you applied it in various areas? Let’s resolve together – with God’s help – to be intentional and see what happens. Focused effort produces results!