Posts Tagged ‘Faith’

Books I’ve Read Recently

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

After I publicly promoted the new book, Radical, by David Platt, I was asked what other books I have been reading lately. I highly recommend Platt’s book. It is life-changing. I have read more than two dozen books this year, including some old hard-to-find biographies and World War II stories. But here are some available books I recommend:

I’ll Make You an Offer You Can’t Refuse, by Michael Franzese – He is the South Florida mobster who came to Christ. His writings are fascinating and clearly affirm biblical convictions and the change Christ has made in his life. His style is entertaining.

A Table in the Presence, by Lt. Carey Cash – We have this book in our church library. It is an exciting book and an easy read, as Cash tells about his ministry among our troops in Iraq. God was clearly at work!

Current church growth and leadership books I have enjoyed this year include: One Church Four Generations, by Gary McIntosh; The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John Maxwell; and, Can We Do That?, by Andy Stanley & Ed Young Jr. All three are excellent books.

Some of the old biographies I’ve enjoyed this year included the lives of missionary John Paton, General Douglas MacArthur, and Patrick Henry. The best book on Henry I have read was, Give Me Liberty, by David Vaughan. The late Henry Mayer’s book on Henry was good also, but Mayer did not seem to have an understanding of Patrick Henry’s  faith. Vaughan did. Paton wrote two books, both of which were autobiographical. They are a bit tedious and old-fashioned in style, but I loved them both! As for MacArthur, I have been reading the bio written by Frazier Hunt, a close associate of MacArthur. It is an outstanding book. I could hardly put it down.

Labor Day

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

This week we celebrate the Labor Day holiday. It is a wonderful American tradition. It is said that Napoleon, whenever he saw a man at work, tipped his hat.

Our media and political world act like the only truly “working” people are what we call blue collar workers. Thank God for our blue collar workers! But in this day and age we also have a lot of white collar workers. And thank God for them, too!

Where would we be without the men and women working who help make America great? We have much for which to be thankful to God!

Wow, what a book!

Thursday, August 19th, 2010

I just returned from vacation.  I attended my high school class reunion in Ohio, and a small family reunion for those who still live in North Central Ohio.  I had a great time at both!

As a rule, when I fly, I read books.  Before I took off, a friend handed to me the new book entitled, Radical, by David Platt, senior pastor of the mega-church, The Church at Brooks Hills, in Birmingham, Alabama.  What a great book!  Platt challenges us to replace our goal of attaining “the American dream” with a goal to live sacrificially  for the Lord Jesus Christ.  His challenge was thoroughly supported by Scripture.  I will not dilute his thesis by sharing it second-hand here.  I highly recommend the book.  You will not be disappointed if you read it.  You can get it at almost any Christian bookstore or order it online.  It was published by Multnomah.

The Blood of Christ

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

A pastor friend of mine has had as the theme for his church for many years, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” I could not agree more. That is our goal here at Delaney Street.

This Sunday we observe the Lord’s Supper, with a focus on the Blood of Jesus Christ. Through the years ministry changes. We have new avenues and new models of ministry not available in years past. Certainly style and flavor of ministry change, as life, culture and society change. But our focus on the truth of God’s Word does not change. Our biblical doctrine does not change. Our salvation is only through the Blood of Jesus Christ. We need to “keep the main thing the main thing!”

July 4

Thursday, July 1st, 2010

My favorite patriot in American history is probably Patrick Henry. Elected governor of Virginia no less than four times, he was offered higher office by President George Washington, but he declined because he did not trust federalism.

Patrick Henry is famous for his words in the Virginia assembly prior to the Revolutionary War, “Give me liberty or give me death!” But he also took a strong stand in other areas. When the state of Virginia tried to require state approval for preaching, it resulted in the arrest of a Baptist preacher named Rev. Jeremiah Moore.  Patrick Henry, a lawyer, defended the Baptist preacher. Said Henry, “Great God, gentlemen, a man in prison for preaching the gospel of the Son of God!”  Jeremiah Moore was acquitted.

In his final will and testament, Patrick Henry wrote, “I have now given everything I own to my children. There is one more thing I wish I could give them, and that is Christ. Because if they have everything I gave them and don’t have Christ, they have nothing.”

Patrick Henry, a dedicated Christian, was a great patriot!