Christian Book Notes

Orr, Kevin. Love has Come: A Twenty-Eight Day Journey Through the Gospel of Matthew. Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2010. 132 pp. $14.99. Purchase at Amazon for $11.69.

Introduction

Kevin Orr currently serves bi-vocationally as the Orchestra Director for Meadowood Baptist Church in Midwest City, OK. He has served in music ministry in one capacity or another for 11+ years. He and his wife since 2000, Dawn, live in Oklahoma City, OK and have two children.

This work, Love has Come is rooted in the author’s own struggles during a crisis in his life where the Lord graciously showed him his need to look away from the trial and look toward Christ. As he writes, ‘[This book] was conceived in the early morning hours during my quiet time. With a Bible, a pen, a notebook, and a hungry spirit…”

Summary

As can be concluded by the title, Love has Come is a book of devotionals taking one chapter a day in the Gospel of Matthew. Each day looks at one verse from that day’s correlating chapter in Matthew. Mixed with personal and general reflections, you will join the apostle Matthew as he writes of Jesus birth, ministry, death and resurrection and Kevin as he discusses one or two practical points or thoughts that will help the reader on his or her own journey. At the end of each chapter is one question and a lined page to write your own personal reflections.

Review

The personal nature of this devotional is a two-edged sword. I respect Kevin’s willingness to open up and share about his own personal struggles and life through the pages of Love has Come. I fear, however, that this personal approach will limit the devotional.

Nonetheless, it is my belief that this personal touch will still speak to many people today where our culture tells us how personal we are with our social media and smart phones. Yet, and let’s be honest, have we really become more personal or have we become more distant from the things and the people that matter most? Kevin’s work can be an aid to get you back on track reading the Word. It will also help you to deal more intimately with what God is saying to you.

Recommendation

While I do remain concerned about the personal nature—times do change and the specifics in Kevin’s life may not apply to all—I still found Love has Come If you are married, this will be a good opportunity to read Matthew together and go through Love has Come. Who knows, it may stimulate some intimate sharing of your own with your spouse. to be a nice devotional. It is rooted in the Word and that in itself is timeless.

Choose a devotional carefully and do not allow it to replace your Scripture reading. Love has Come will enable you to reconnect with the Lover of your Soul—God and, if married, the lover He has granted you in your spouse.

Girardier, Marty.  How Shall We Feed Them? A Practical Guide for Organizing a Food Pantry.  Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2010.  68 pp. $11.99.  Purchase at Amazon for $10.19 or less.

Introduction

Marty founded the Cupboards for Christ ministry at her church.  Her prayer was to be able to revitalize the food pantry.  Her prayers were answered as the ministry tripled in size over the three years.  This book is an outworking of her experience.

Check out the video below for a better introduction:

Summary

How Shall We Feed Them? is comprised of seven chapters and a concluding section consisting of eight tools needed to run a successful food pantry.  She begins with the importance of where every ministry begins–is God calling you to this ministry? From there, Marty looks at the practical aspect of building a godly team and how to organize and stock your pantry.  She then looks at how you are to serve those in need and finally at how to multiply your ministry.

The “tools” section offers suggestions for your action plan and your check off list for both families and singles.  Many examples are included regarding contribution sign-up sheets and postcards to those you have ministered to in the past as well as those in need who have never been ministered too.

Review/Recommendation

I was amazed by the practical advice offered in How Shall We Feed Them? Marty offers suggestions that I do not think I would have considered.  Her insight garnered from revitalizing her own church’s food pantry comes out clearly and succinctly in each chapter.

The book is full of pictures to offer ideas as to how Marty’s church operates.  These pictures are definitely helpful as they enable the reader to legitimately visualize the concepts being shared.  Also, at the end of each chapter is an encouraging “Storehouse Blessing” that shows a local food pantry in action.

Perhaps what was most appreciated is that the entire book is squarely founded on Scripture.  Granted, there are passages used that do not speak directly to your food pantry, but the principle is there and can be extrapolated to meet this particular need.

It is important to note that there are particular situations that will require special changes to what Marty says depending on your ministry context.  That being said, the general principles outlined in this book are worth familiarizing oneself with.

This short and insightful book would be an excellent resource for anyone seeking to begin a food pantry ministry or revitalize an existing one.

DeShazo, Lynn. More Precious than Silver: The God Stories Behind the Songs of Lynn DeShazo. Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2010. 100 pp. $16.99. Purchase at Amazon for $15.29 or less.

Introduction

Lynn DeShazo is a singer/song writer who has been featured on recordings by Integrity Music. Lynn has been involved in the local church through worship ministry for over 25 years–this shows in her lyrics and stories. The title of this book, More Precious than Silver comes from her 2007 release of the same name: More Precious than Silver – The Songs of Lynn DeShazo. You can check out and purchase her CD’s at Amazon.

Summary

The book is divided into thirteen chapters with each featuring a different song. Each chapter is like a historical devotional. The reader is able to peer into the heart, mind, and life of a song writer to see what led to the writing of each. While reading through the pages of More Precious than Silver, you will be introduced to a woman of great faith and talent who has remained humble and amazed at the grace and mercy of God during her career as a song writer.

Review/Recommendation

I can testify to the truthfulness of the first sentence of the book, “When you see my name, Lynn DeShazo, bells probably won’t go off.” I had honestly never heard the name before. For the most part, the music wasn’t ringing any bells, either. After perusing my CD library; however, I did find that I recognized quite a few of her titles as being used of God to minister to me throughout my Christian walk.

Her stories behind the music were uplifting and very God-centered. What is more, they were saturated with Scripture. Something that is quite uncommon in “Christian music” today where many artists write about life and add God to appeal to a different audience while attempting to have a “cross-over” popularity. Yes, I probably opened a can there, but it is true.

Not being much of a musician (I cannot carry the bucket that some people can’t carry the tune in!), I was not really looking forward to this particular book. Once I started reading, it was a different story. It was amazing to actually see not only how these songs came together but how they ministered to the writer as well. I had never thought of that before though I do understand it as a preacher and a writer.

If you are a musician, you will love this book. If you have a collection of Integrity Music! CD’s go check them out. You will be surprised by how many Lynn DeShazo songs you recognize. After you see her music, you will want to pick up a copy of More Precious than Silver.

Fruehling, Robert Bruce.  The Revelation of King Arthur: Deceit, Intrigue, and the Guards’ Account.  Enumclaw:  WinePress Publishing, 2009.  180 pp.  $19.95.  Purchase at Amazon for $15.56 or less.

NOTE: For those who are arriving to this review via Mr. Ortiz’s website, grailcode.net., please be aware that his allegations of Mr. Fruehling’s book as being stolen research is an unfounded claim at best and a reckless charge that could very well lead to defamation of character charges.  This is simply a review of a book.  I, the reviewer, have no dog in this fight and have refused Mr. Ortiz from commenting on this website due to his vitriolic rhetoric and non-Christlike attitude.  In response to all the concern about the anti-christ, I would simply remind everyone that John 10:27 reminds us that we will know the voice of Christ and therefore will not be duped by the powers of the Devil.  Look to Christ!

Introduction

Robert Fruehling, an ordained pastor, currently ministers through aviv Ministries though I cannot find out much about this ministry.  What I do know is that he received and undergrad degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University and his M.Div from Ashland Theological Seminary all based in the state of Ohio.

Summary

The summary of this book is short and sweet and to the point:  every heresy that has ever been told regarding the resurrection of Jesus Christ is rooted in Matthew 28:11-15 where the guards of the tomb were paid by the religious leaders to lie about what happened. He spends the first few chapters showing how easily deceived we are as a human race.  He does so in a convincing fashion (and know I was not duped!).  Fruehling then argues that every “story” (from the swoon theory to the Christ’s actual death) of Jesus’ resurrection (or so-called resurrection as the case may be in these heresies) is based upon this passage.

However one understands the importance of Matthew 28:11-15, Fruehling takes it a step further in showing how it actually is the seed bed for one of the greatest legends of all time in King Arthur and his “side-kick,” Merlin.  He believes that there are markers all over the literary landscape that point to this conclusion.  He writes on page 134, “When secular writers mirror what is written in Scripture, perhaps we should give more than just a passing look.”  He does just that in The Revelation of King Arthur.

Basically, the lineage of King Arthur is purported to lead back to Jesus Christ which means, ultimately, that Jesus did not die.  Rather, Jesus ran off to France or Spain or somewhere in western Europe with Mary Magdalen and had children.  If that is too fantastic for someone to believe (because the tomb was, in fact, empty), then people can readily assume Jesus had impregnated Mary Magdalen before his crucifixion.  You get the picture.

Next, he shows how the King Arthur lineage (if there is one, but remember we can be easily tricked into believing just about anything) will, in his estimation, play a major role in the revealing of the anti-Christ.  Admittedly, this begins to sound a bit far-fetched, but he does substantiate his claims with historical analysis of the legend and its role in past monarchies.

The book concludes with an apologetic (defense) as to why we should not look to anything or anyone other than the Christ Jesus of the Holy Bible.  He alone crucified, dead, buried, and resurrected can give us any hope in this world and in the world to come life.

Review

Ok, I am not going to tee off on this book or the author.  While some would chalk Fruehling up to being a “quack” (and believe me, many who I talked to while reading this book did), I think he actually may be on to something.  I honestly had never really thought of Matthew 28: 11-15 as the genesis for all of the resurrection heresies.  Too be honest, I always wrote it off as people playing games with themselves to do anything so that they do not have to believe the obvious evidence before them.

I do not know much about the legend of King Arthur–outside of a round table and Lancelot and Guinevere.  Fruehling aids the readers understanding of the legend while also showing how the legend has been argued to be based on an actual person.  This “person,” it is said, is a distant child of Jesus Christ.  Thus, the importance of being able to prove the existence of King Arthur and one’s own claim to his family tree would easily set this person up as a world leader of “divine” proportions.

The one area I completely disagree with Fruehling on is his attack on The Inklings–a group of four men who met regularly to discuss their writings.  These four men were Charles Williams, Owen Barfield, C.S. Lewis, and J.R.R. Tolkien.  In essence, he calls these four men occultists or at the very least, as having occultic leanings.  He then calls out those who have argued against J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series while at the same time holding to the genius of both Lewis and Tolkien.  It is his estimation that Lewis and Tolkien have done more harm to Christianity than good.

His argument, while making sense, gives more of a feel that he has an ax to grind rather than a point to make.  Furthermore, I did not see clearly how these four authors (five if you count Rowling) have anything to do with King Arthur let alone the end times argument he is making.

Recommendation

The chapter on Lewis, Tolkien, and company, not withstanding, I actually enjoyed reading The Revelation of King Arthur.  It helped me to think a little outside the box and even helped me to understand the importance of Matthew 28:11-15.  While some would argue otherwise, I think his book is worth reading.  If anything, you will have a deeper appreciation of the legend of King Arthur than you had before.

Your certainly not going to agree with everything (I didn’t) but he will get you thinking a bit harder and a lot more different than you have in the past.  Any book that can do that while pointing the reader to faith in Christ is a worthwhile book in my estimation.

Flores, Gretchen. The Journey Out: Overcoming Attitudes that Hinder our Spiritual Growth. Enumclaw: Pleasant Word Publishing, 2008. 212 pp. $17.99. Purchase at Amazon for $14.03 or less.

Introduction

Gretchen Flores is Clinical Counselor holding licenses in both Illinois and Colorado. She currently works in Denver, Co (Go Broncos!) and lives nearby with her husband and two children. She has written The Journey Out to provide a teaching on how to get rid of the “weeds” that keep us from growing closer in our walk with Christ as believers.

Summary

Gretchen uses the analogy of gardening to detail for the reader the difference between weeds and plants in our garden. Obviously, the weeds are what hinders spiritual growth while the plants bare the spiritual fruit we are all seeking as children of God. One can’t help but think of the parable of the weeds in Matthew 13:25-30, 36-43.

Here, Gretchen looks at those weeds that distract us from fellowship with Christ of which there are many! Then, in the following thirteen chapters she details the methods by which we can “pull these weeds” so that the plants may blossom and bear much fruit. Some of the weeds are perfectionism, worry, entitlement, judgment, religiousness and selfishness. These are contrasted by the fruit of trust, peace, contentment, compassion, authenticity, and giving.

Rooted deeply in scripture, Flores offers keen insight into many of the issues we face today. What is more, she offers at the end of each chapter some concise points to summarize the topic along with discussion questions that will enable the reader to engage the material at an even deeper level. These questions are ideal for group studies in church or home or simply for one’s personal edification.

Also, at the end of each chapter is what she calls a “focus verse” which is perfect for memorization. She concludes the chapter with a “focus prayer” which offers a specific prayer for a specific weed.

Review

I appreciated Gretchen’s insight as she helped to de-weed my garden as it were. Sometimes it does take a pragmatic appeal to show you the importance of keeping your garden free from weeds.

Perhaps the focus prayers, while intended as a template, may cause people to simply recite something without ever really paying attention to what they are saying. This can easily be overlooked when one offers up something like this, but overall, I think the subject nature of The Journey Out will cause those reading it to think twice about what they are saying even if they are reading the prayer.

The analogy of the garden also shows that though the burden of being a Christian may be light (Mt. 11:28-30), it still requires us to work. That is not to say that we work for our salvation! Rather, it is to say that we must be diligent as the watchman in Ezekiel and constantly be on guard lest we create idols for worship.

Recommendation

I recommend this book to those Christians looking to grow in Christ. Gretchen Flores looks at those “respectable sins” that we tolerate and shows biblically how they not only hinder our spiritual growth, but also slowly kill our faith in Christ.

Ferwerda, Julie. One Million Arrows: Raising your Children to Change the World. Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2009. 175 pp. $13.95. Purchase at Amazon.

Introduction

There is a movement afoot within conservative Christian denominations regarding discipleship of children for kingdom purposes.  Julie Ferwerda has added yet another call to discipling your children with one caveat–she is taking it global.

Summary

The book is divided into three parts: Gather, Sharpen, and Launch.  Recognizing that the time is short, and the need great, Julie exhorts all parents to disciple their children to impact the world instead of the world impacting their children.  In her part on gathering, she lays out a plan for the parents to chart their own course with their families and to hop on board the one million arrows campaign and challenges each family to own the mission of discipling their children.

Part two guides the parents in gathering the arrows (children) to sharpen them.  She helps the reader to understand how to shape your arrows in your home and beyond.  In so doing, you will ultimately be able to send your arrows off into the world to impact the kingdom of God.

The final part of the book is how to launch your arrows.  This can be a difficult process for all parents while also being perhaps one of the most rewarding times in a parent’s life.

Throughout the book, you get to know Papa–Dr. M.A. Thomas.  He was the inspiration behind the book and the movement, One Million Arrows.  She shares about Papa that

God gave him the vision of gathering one million orphaned and abandoned children, sharpening them as “arrows for God,” and launching them to start one million churches in the these communities of India who had never heard the name of Jesus. He has been faithfully working toward the vision since, and today he has launched 16,000 orphan arrows as ambassors of Christ into India, and planted 21,000 churches.

Review & Recommendation

Julie Ferwerda has accomplished two great goals. First, she has penned a biblical call for discipleship to take place in the home. Second, she has given due honor to a man who influenced her life, ministry, and mission.

I believe she sums up best the heart behind the book. She writes, “I have underestimated what God can do through my kids now” (144). Most parents, myself included, grossly underestimate what their children are capable of at young ages.

With blurbs from Christians like Josh McDowell, Dr. Alvin Reid, and Franklin Graham, Julie has come out firing on all cylinders so to speak. One Million Arrows is an excellent book that deserves the attention of every parent. The book can be used in churches to challenge families to raise their children with the intent of impacting the kingdom in the future. You can learn more about the movement at One Million Arrows.

Julie Ferwerda has a special place in her heart for orphans and has designated that all proceeds from the sale of One Million Arrows be used for international orphan ministry.

Chapman, Jim. Illustrated by Jay Montgomery. The Night After Christmas. Enumclaw: WinePress Publishing, 2009. 21 pp. $19.95. Purchase at Amazon.

Review

The Night Before Christmas is a much loved poem written by Clement Clarke Moore that has captured the hearts of untold millions every Christmas. But, how do we feel about Christmas when all of the festivities go away? That is what the poem The Night After Christmas deals with. I am not going to give away the poem and its meaning, but I will quote from the preface to give you an idea.

The author of The Night After Christmas, Jim Chapman explains that this poem was inspired by Jim Elliot, the martyred missionary. He quotes Jim Elliot from a letter to his wife, Elisabeth, “In some post-holiday correspondence to his wife Elisabeth one year, he summed up his feelings with the following remark: ‘Seems to me we would have a better attitude toward the whole thing if someone would write a realistic poem on the ‘Night After Christmas’ to counterbalance the magical effects of the imaginative “Night Before.””

Jim Chapman does just that. Look closely at the cover of the book. It alone will intrigue you. Note the names of the reindeer: Charge It, Pay Later, Interest Included, Plastic Credit. Note also the trail of receipts blowing behind Santa’s sled.

From the inside flap of the dust jacket we read:

Does Christmas seem like a stressful, unsatisfying ritual? Why do we go through this annual exercise of decorating, shopping, wrapping, and over-spending— only to vow we’re going to do it differently next year? Was Christmas always this way? Or did our culture make it into something it wasn’t meant to be?

If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you may well need this book. Christmas does, indeed, offer something more. Obscured beneath the tree, hidden inside the gift wrap, buried under plastic debt lies an enduring enigma that beckons us to reconsider. Somewhere in all the clutter can be found the key to a merry Christmas. For those who take a second look, there awaits a gift that can make every day a holiday.

I highly recommend that this Christmas, you pick up a copy of The Night After Christmas so that you may be able to counterbalance the days and weeks leading up to the day of Christmas.

Hamer, David. American Patriots in Prayer. Enumclaw: Pleasant Word, a division of WinePress Group. 87 pp. $14.99. Purchase at Amazon.com at a discount.

Introduction

David Hamer is a speaker and author seeking to unite a network of prayer warriors across America through his ministry, American Patriots in Prayer. He is passionate about seeing the end of abortion in the world and especially in the United States. His wife, Carolyn, joins him in his ministry.

Review

American Patriots in Prayer is an in your face exhortation to get on your face before God in prayer. In 1989, he believes the Lord gave him a vision for ministry regarding the murder of the unborn. He wrote a poem entitled America, Fall on Your Knees! which introduces the book and the manner in which Hamer writes.

After introducing his subject matter of abortion, Hamer looks at the blood on Lady Liberty’s hands from the 50+ million abortions committed in the United States since 1973. He next looks at the ineffectiveness of government and other “weapons” against abortion that most Americans have used. Instead, he calls for all Christians, regardless of denominational affiliation, to join together in prayer to end abortion.

He clearly demonstrates how the devil is behind the abortions in a most crucial spiritual warfare that has yet to be won or lost. Hamer believes the problem is that most Christians have become apathetic to the abortion argument. The last half of the book is many exhortations to prayer for the unborn.

It cannot be said that David Hamer lacks passion (‘passion’ is not strong enough) for protecting the unborn. He does write with conviction and biblical authority and his voice needs to be heard; however, I do disagree with him in his main premise. He believes that all of the terrorist attacks and severe weather disasters (think hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes, etc.) are a direct result of abortion in America.

I do not agree with this. There is too much “other sin” prevalent in America today that to claim that abortion is the worst sin is to mock God’s holiness. For example, idolatry has run amuck—not just in making God a god, but also in our worship of celebrities, sports, and money. Matthew 24:6-8 explains that these things must happen before the close of the age. Are we living in the end times? I say emphatically, “Yes!” I also believe that the end times to be the period from Jesus’ ascension into heaven to His second coming.

Recommendation

Even though I disagree with David Hamer’s premise that abortion is the reason for the terrorist attacks and increase in natural disasters, I do believe that his voice needs to be heard. We do need more and more of God’s people on their face before the throne pleading for the unborn and repenting of the sin of murder. American Patriots in Prayer would be a nice addition to the church library or the pastor’s book table if either of those are in your local church. If you would like to join the network that the Hamer’s are bringing together, go to www.patriotsinprayer.org.