Cross Vision, Violence, and the Warrior God

The best book I read all year was Greg Boyd’s The Crucifixion of the Warrior God. Two huge volumes dealing with the smiting verses in the Old Testament and offering a fresh way of viewing them through the non-violent work of Christ on the cross, our fullest revelation of God. Loved reading this book but…

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Lilith Redeemed

My friend Bob Beltz released a book today that I want to bring your attention to. Lilith Redeemed is a modern remake on George MacDonald’s classic fantasy Lilith, a book that greatly inspired C.S. Lewis’s Narnia series. Darker and more sinister than Narnia, Lilith has gothic ambience to spare; a black raven, a graveyard tended by a…

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Mission of God Study Bible and Itinerant Ministry

The Mission of God Study Bible has just been released. It carries the missional theme and  . .  what I really love about it . .  it honors the memory of the Baptist missiologist Dr Francis DuBose who brought the word “missional” back into play with his 1983 book God Who Sends. [see the video I recorded…

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Guys in dresses preaching to grandmas

What does a sex-drenched society need most of all? Another book on sex, perhaps? Some preachers think so. In Texas, Ed and Lisa Young are promoting their new book on sex from the rooftop of their house as part of a Sexperiment. [Sounds like “Buy our book or we will do something you will regret!”] And…

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Against the Tide, Towards the Kingdom

“We changed our language from a “simple lifestyle” to a “generous lifestyle.” We went with less in order that others could have more.” Jenny and Justin, Against the Tide New book that I highly recommend and just mentioned on my “Choosing to be homeless and poor” post. The book is called Against the Tide, Towards the…

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Book: Economics of Good and Evil

“Sedlacek’s groundbreaking work promises to change the way we calculate economic value.” Harvard I just started reading a FABULOUS BOOK called Economics of Good and Evil: The Quest for Economic Meaning from Gilgamesh to Wall Street. I love it! It might be my best book of 2011. Although, if I am honest, most books I have…

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Letters to the House Church Movement

Rad Zdero has released a new book today: Letters to the House Church Movement. Its a collection of ACTUAL, REAL, GENUINE letters. Almost sounds . . . biblical. My endorsement on the book says . . . "I am thrilled that Rad Zdero has released this series of insightful letters into book form… a timely,…

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Philip Jenkins on Jesus wars, heresies and orthodoxy

I just finished Philip Jenkin's latest book called "Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years" Funny title. Good content. Not a riveting book but quite a relevant one to read this week, with all the controversies about what is orthodox and what…

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Blogging Tip: Find your inner Luke and BLOG ON!

A few years ago I was asked to write a short thought for a book called The Blogging Church: Sharing the story of your church through blogs. I just noticed on Google Books that parts of the book are online, including my contribution. Here’s a screenshot of my suggestions for blogging pastors. Andrew Jones, from…

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How To Survive a Christian Bookstore: #1 EMBRACING THE FEAR

You need to buy a better Bible but you dont want to enter a Christian Bookstore to buy one. OK. I get that. Actually, I have a phobia of Christian bookstores myself. Last year I managed to avoid them completely, except for one quick appearance to buy a Bible for one of my daughters. And…

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Best Books of 2009

I thought the most readable and timely book, considering this years economic downturn, and the discussion of prosperity after passing of Oral Roberts, is Will Jesus Buy Me A Double-Wide (‘Cause I need more room for my plasma TV) by Karen Spears Zacarias. Its also a hilarious read and has the best cover art. By…

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Deep Church shifts over to USA

" . . . Deep Church is back with a vengeance. Get used to the term because you are going to hear much more of it." TallSkinnyKiwi, 2007 A few years ago the UK experienced a "Deep Church" wave. There were books, blogs, lecture series,  Now the USA is taking a look at this term that…

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Christianity’s Dangerous Idea, by Alister McGrath

I am mostly finished with Christianity’s Dangerous Idea by Alister McGrath, but not done yet. Its an enjoyable read about Protestantism – its origins and distinctives, in particular the dangerous idea that anyone can read and understand the Bible for themselves. Yesterday I was reading it in a park in France when some guys invited…

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150 Emerging Church Books

QUESTION: What have I done with the 150 emerging church books that used to sit on my bookshelf? ANSWER: I am setting them free to be read by my blog readers and Suddenly Seminary students. Let me tell you why and how. WHY? Heres the deal. In a month or so, our family gets back…

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Top 3 Books of 2008

Here are my top 3 books from 2008. I have read them all twice. 1. Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, by N.T. Wright. I had a gut feeling it would be the best book of the and guess what? . . I was right as usual. Even…

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Reforming or Conforming? Chapter 7

Church and Community or Community and Church? by Ronald Gleason From the book Reforming or Conforming? Post-Conservative Evangelicals and the Emerging Church This chapter by Ronald Gleason and Phil Johnson’s chapter, were the best ones in the book for me so I am responding to them before the others, in case I dont get to…

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Reforming or Conforming? Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – The Doctrine of Scripture: Only a Human Problem, by Paul Wells. From the book Reforming or Conforming? Post-Conservative Evangelicals and the Emerging Church Paul Wells discusses the divine-human relationship to Scripture and offers four models – witness, accommodation, the analogy between Christ and the Bible [incarnational] and the servant form of Scripture.…

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Reforming or Conforming? Introduction

Introduction by Gary L.W. Johnson. From the book Reforming or Conforming? Post-Conservative Evangelicals and the Emerging Church Bonus: MP3 with Gary Johnson in which Gary talks about the book and what lies behind it and the emerging church movement that he calls “a radical reversal of the reformation”. Gary Johnson kicks this excellent book off…

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