BookPastor >> "Slow Kingdom Coming" (Kent Annan)

This review was first published on June 22nd, 2016 at Panorama of a Book Saint.

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TITLE: Slow Kingdom Coming: Practices for Doing Justice, Loving Mercy and Walking Humbly in the World
AUTHOR: Kent Annan
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2016, (149 pages).

Just like the action movies, our busy lifestyles and activities that we do make us look like people constantly on the move. If we are not putting anything in motion, we may even be accused of idling. For believers who want to let their faith make a difference in their lives, the pressure is on to do something quick, lest we be accused of hypocrisy. If we open our ears and eyes to see what is before us and what is beyond us through the news and media, we will know that the injustice in the world far outstrips the amount of justice we see. Maybe, the bad news receive greater publicity than the good. There is so much to do that we do not know where or how to start. There are racial discrimination all over the world with the rich and poor often separated by privileges both explicit and implicit for certain people groups. There is human trafficking that despicably enslaves women, children, and vulnerable people. There is violence; violation of human rights; lack of basic resources; and immoral practices throughout the world. Besides that, there are needs closer to home, like the lonely people in our neighbourhood, people experiencing unjust treatment; and the ever growing rich and poor divide. How can we see God's kingdom come when the world seems to be heading toward greater brokenness? Where is the healing and the shalom of God? When we pray "Thy Kingdom come and Thy will be done," where are the results? The key thesis of this book is that the most effective way to ensure the long-term development of developing societies is when we spend time and resources defending, promoting, and cultivating their freedom and their rights.

Compassion Before Coffee

This is a heartwarming story of how a small team of coffee baristas from Dutch Brothers in Vancouver Washington, coming together to bless and to comfort a needy soul.


 



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BookPastor >> "Just Show Up" (Kara Tippetts)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on November 4th, 2015.

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TITLE: Just Show Up: The Dance of Walking through Suffering Together
AUTHOR: Kara Tippetts
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook Publishers, 2015, (192 pages).

This book begins with a somber greeting: "Hi. My name is Kara Tippetts, and I may not be alive when you read this book. I hope so, but I don’t know. That decision is in the hands of the Author of my life—His name is Jesus. I trust Him with every ounce of who I am."

With these words, Tippetts begins this book with hope, that even when she does not know what to do, what to say, or what to answer, just showing up is already a blessing in itself. It is also a step of humility to come as we are to say: "I'm here. I may not have the answers, but I'm here." With "Just Show Up" as her principle of perseverance through the ups and downs, and especially the suffering moments of life, cancer patient Tippetts shows us what perseverance means amid the pains and sorrows of life. Tippetts died on March 22, 2015, but not without touching the lives of many. Through this book, her life continues to influence many even after her death. Written with Jill Lynn Buteyn, author of inspirational novel, Falling for Texas, this book is an honest down to earth retelling of the struggles through the tough times of life by simply walking together and being present for each other.

BookPastor >> "The Practice of Pastoral Care" (Carrie Doehring)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on July 28th, 2015.

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TITLE: The Practice of Pastoral Care, Revised and Expanded Edition
AUTHOR: Carrie Doehring
PUBLISHER: Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2015, (232 pages).

Pastoral care is a critical part of any Church ministry. The word "pastor" is synonymous with "shepherd." Unlike some places that sees the pastor as the leader-CEO, the true biblical basis of a pastor is to shepherd the flock. How we practice pastoral care however have changed, partly because of changing needs. In this book, the way is to adopt a "postmodern approach" toward the practice of pastoral care. Calling it an "intercultural approach," pastoral care in this book means not just listening to the stories of the people but also to create meaning of them. It means learning to piece together the broken pieces of life. It means learning to help people tell their stories. It means cultivating trust. For Carrie Doehring, it is the heart of pastoral care where people are willing to open up their lives to caregivers. It is about creating opportunities for "care conversations" and relating real-life to theological truths and biblical principles. Doehring goes a step further to advocate for a care that brings back individuals from a de-centered sacred bearings due to suffering and painful circumstances. How can one show compassion and understanding toward those questioning their faith and religious values? This calls for a "theological, cultural, and psychological expertise" that can help care for parishioners and people in such need, what Doehring refers to as "the compassionate art of intercultural care." Carers essentially enter into the lives of others, sharing in their pain, walking with them in the valley of questions and celebrating with them in the answers of joy. It is about intermingling one's lives with another so as to build a bridge that aids integrative moments and shared stories. It is collaborative exploration of new and strange emotional territories. The author attempts to use a "trifocal lens" which comprises of a precritical, a modern, and a postmodern approach.  As a first-order language, a precritical lens looks at the world from a divine perspective. The modern lens is a second-order language that adopts "text critical methods" and social sciences to include empirical analysis and rational judgment of knowledge. The postmodern approach is the third-order language that nuances all of these in the light of present contexts. This approach involves the meaning making and the response of individuals to the earlier two orders of language. She summarizes the book's structure in six parts.

Midweek Meditation: "Going to School on a Wire"

Many of us living in developed countries have it all easy. Some of us walk to school. Others have parents to drive them. Many take the bus or public transit. For people living in rural areas, they do not have all these modern luxuries. Living amid splendid mountains and gushing rivers, going to school may take hours. The journey there can even be a matter of life and death. In a rural community in Nepal, about 200 children goes to school daily by crossing a "wire bridge." In order to cross the river, they would need to bring along a special sling rope strong enough to carry their weight and a roller to go across from one end to the other. Many have lost their fingers.

This video is quite troubling. On the one hand, it can remind us to be thankful for the convenience we have. On the other hand, we may start to ask: What can we do? It is a moment to pray, to think, and to ask God what we can do.


Kids on a Wire from World Report Viewfinder on Vimeo.
In rural Nepal, these children literally have to do a high-wire act, just to get to school.

Writer/Director: Keshab Pandey
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BookPastor >> "Passion for the Fatherless" (Daniel J. Bennett)

When we look at Paul's letter to the Ephesians, especially chapter 1 verse 5, we would realize one thing: We are all adopted. Some have gone on to say that the very gospel thrust is about adoption and the Church ought to be the prime force behind adoptions. This review was first published on November 17th, 2014 at Panorama of a Book Saint.

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TITLE: A Passion for the Fatherless: Developing a God-Centered Ministry to Orphans
AUTHOR: Daniel J. Bennett
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Academic, 2014, (240 pages).

Experts estimate the number of orphans globally stands at 163 million. In the United States alone, there are 425,000 of which 115,000 are waiting to be adopted. We may shudder at the numbers or be horrified at the huge quantity of fatherless. What about our compassion? Is it not God's will for us to care for the poor, the weak, the vulnerable, widows and orphans? Bennett believes that it is not only what God wanted the Church to do, it is also a very powerful "apologetic" when believers stand together to support the fatherless. Whether it is fostering, adopting, mentoring, or simply supporting, the transformation can go much more. Not only will orphans be reached and cared for, the ones who reached out will also be transformed.

Daniel J. Bennett is Senior Pastor of Bethany Community Church in central Illinois whose passion for orphans accelerated after his stint as a Family Pastor in 2005. He has adopted a child too. He notes how people caring for foster children are able to open up conversations about God as well. He describes his convictions as follows.

"My compassion for orphans flow from the fact that I know God and know that he passionately cares for the fatherless. I love orphans because I love God. If I did not have this theological understanding, my passion for orphans would be commendable but ultimately worthless." (19)

Father's Day 2014 - A WestJet Special

This special video made me tear up. I like the way it ends: "Sometimes the best thing of being a dad is just being able to be a dad."



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BookPastor >> "Darkness is My Only Companion" (Kathryn Greene-McCreight)

TITLE: Darkness Is My Only Companion: A Christian Response to Mental Illness
AUTHOR: Kathryn Greene-McCreight
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2006, (176 pages).

Mental illness is one of the biggest challenges facing societies today. While there has been huge advancement in medical sciences for medical research and breakthroughs in general, investment in the study and care of mental patients seems lacking. Resources are so scarce that the author of this book, a person with clinical depression, bi-polar disorders, and manic behaviours, had to write her own book. That was because she could not find any material that touches on mental illnesses from a religious perspective, in particular Christianity. How do we medicate mental illnesses? Where is God in all of these? How can we make sense of objectivity, subjectivity, and to know what is real and what is not?

This is made even more challenging as the author herself is a theologian, used to academic objectivity. At the same time, with her own mental and emotional condition, how is she able to consistently express her thoughts in a truthful and coherent way? Amazingly, she did. Written in three parts, Part One chronicles her journey through facing mental illness. It is a very personal one as she hangs on the the promises of Scripture such as Psalm 88 on the one hand, and stares at darkness in the face on the other. He hangs on to the three cords of sanity: "religious (worship and prayer); psychological (psychotherapy); and medical (medication, electroconvulsive therapy, and hospitalization)." In doing so, she invites readers, especially those with quite similar circumstances to walk with her. With deep understanding, she recognizes depression not as a problem to be eradicated but something to be understood first, treated second, and lived with during the process. She struggles with thoughts of death, symptoms of confusion, episodes of emotional swings. Acknowledging the difficult of cultivating friendship with the mentally ill, she says that one of the best things anyone can do is to pray. Not just praying for something, but prayer.

How to Spend $25000?

We have seen movie trailers on TV, in cinemas, on Youtube, and other places. These trailers do cost quite a lot of money to make. For 20th Century Fox corporation, they decided to ask Casey Neistat
$25000 to make a short movie trailer to show the concept "Living your dreams." He decided instead of spending the money on his own personal ventures, he flew to the Philippines to spend every penny there. The result is this amazing, creative, and compassionate move.



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Midweek Meditation: "Thanksgiving Prayer"

This prayer by the late Samuel Pugh (1850-1922) is a reminder that we need to be good stewards of what we have, to be mindful of those who do not have, and to do something about it.

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BookPastor >> "Why Not Today?"

Ever hear of the Dalit people? This book is not mean to guilt-trip you. It is meant to open our eyes to see that there are many in this world who are needy. It's time for some of us to grow beyond our petty issues of life. This review was first published on August 7th, 2013 at Panorama of a Book Saint. 

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TITLE: Why Not Today: Trafficking, Slavery, the Global Church . . . and You
AUTHOR: Matthew Cork and Kenneth Kemp
PUBLISHER: Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2013, (288 pages).

Freedom is good. Freedom is great. Freedom is desired and even framed in nice sounding words in the United Nations. Yet, the very freedom that many in the developed world have often taken for granted is still very much out of reach to a group numbering more than 300 million. For more than 3000 years, this group has been oppressed, discarded, and considered as "untouchables" by many in the land. Blame it on a caste system that has managed to suffocate this race of people. Blame it on the aftereffects of reincarnation beliefs that these people are getting what they deserved. Blame it on apathy. More importantly, in this book, the focus is not simply on the outcasts, the spot light is also on those who know about it, and still refuse to do anything about it. Welcome to a book that highlights the plight of the people in South Asia known as the "Dalits."

A) The Discomfort

It begins with the Cork's discomfort over the "safe" environment he lives in. An environment that is predictable; that minds one's business; that toes the cultural line; that competes and lives like any other neighbour next door; that basically goes through life that maintains the status quo. Then one question (attributed to Bill Hybels) pops up that deepens the discomfort: "Do you have a vision with dying for?" Gradually, the conviction grows with the author finding Scriptural exhortation to speak up for the silenced, and bring about justice for the weak. This book is a story of how the author has found meaning and compassion to serve God through the Dalit Freedom Mission. Flying from California to Andhra Pradesh, Cork experiences not just a culture shock, he endures a tsunami of people in the poorest living conditions, with pleas for money and relentless cries for help. It is the sight of the children that is most unbearable. Poverty, hunger, dirty, helpless, just seeing the conditions of these "untouchables" is gut wrenching. Of all the reasons for the state of the Dalits, the one that is most targeted is the dreaded caste system where the Dalits are ranked at the lowest level to the point that they are not considered humans. What then can be done for these Dalits? How is justice going to be fought on behalf of these "untouchables?" This book reveals an American pastor's journey from discomfort to convert; and from convert to effort. Each discomfort leads him to prayer and faith. These words sustain him: "Do What You Can. Where You Are. With What You Have."

B) The Energized Convert

Seeing the real thing speaks more than words. Imagine seeing numerous beggars, mostly children who are hungry, uneducated, lost, poor, and being cast aside by the rest of society. Some children especially girls are sold away as slaves. Many are belittled, ridiculed, and treated in a manner that is less than humane. As long as one is a Dalit, justice seems to never be on one's side. Yet, seeing how education can bring about better livelihood and future for the Dalit people, Cork realizes that the most practical goal is to create an educational culture: Build schools. Those who have broken through the ranks are those who have benefited from education, such as Udit Raj who is a Dalit with a PhD, who in his early years, tell of the unfair treatment by his class, who simply assumed that because he is a Dalit, that he has to do all the chores and the cleaning up.  There is also the legendary Dalit, Dr Ambedkar who spends his entire life battling the chief cause of the Dalits' plight: Hindu Caste System. Understanding the history of the Dalit fight, and recognizing that his Church needs to wake up to the challenge to break the cycle of injustice, Cork is convinced that the rewards is far greater than the costs to bear. The 'converted' Cork learns that ministry is not about getting his Church on a balanced position with regards to worship, governance, and purpose. Neither is it about blending contemporary culture with biblical ministry. For him, the vision is about global freedom, in particular, how he can harness his Church's resources toward helping the Dalit Freedom Network. It leads to the starting of a new Church with Cork as the lead pastor. Just as his new Church finds liberation in a new vision, likewise, they increasingly realize, together with their partners from Dalit Freedom Network, that it is the gospel that will truly liberate the Dalits.

C) The Continuing Effort

On and on, the book flows with pages of wake up calls that will cause readers to have the same kind of discomfort as Cork. Education is not about helping the Dalits. It is also targeted at the powers of the land of India, and the outside world. It is also tackling the horrible divide of the rich and the poor, where the rich in India are profiting from the cheap labour of the poor and the outcastes. It is a most unfair system, tightly held and believed by millions of Hindus, including the Dalits themselves. Those who fight the system also do so at their own risk. Fighting injustice is often not so simple. For instance, it touches on religious sensitivities across the country. Certain Hindu radicals will basically use the fight to free the Dalits as a religious provocation too! Converting into the Christian faith is also a risk, and violence has been common.

So What?

It takes only less than 24 hours to change a man's view of the world. It takes a first hand look at the horrors of poverty, injustice, and a fatalistic religious system in order to wake one man out of his slumber. More importantly, what has happened to one man, can also impact us. It reminds us that Christians everywhere must stand up for the weak and the marginalized everywhere. If your Church or organization is going through a dry patch, or suffering from spiritual lethargy or a general lack of vision or purpose, what is needed is not more programs or more activities to keep one's members busy. It is also not about trying to maintain our churches' status quo, to become a church that is on "maintenance mode." What is needed is a vision from God about what the Church with all its people and resources can do: Make a difference.

The question that has arrested Cork can also be a wake up call for us: "Do you have a vision worth dying for?" If you do not have, or if you feel your church do not have one, start praying. Start seeking. Start seeing. Start visiting places. Start to venture beyond your comfort zone. Let one's prayers guide the way. Let the reading of the Word, and the examining of Jesus' outreach to the poor in the gospel energize us. Let the Holy Spirit guide us to do the right thing. The title of the book is a direct challenge to all of us: Why Not Today?


Rating: 4.5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Moody Publishers and NetGalley without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

BookPastor >> "Awake" (Noel Brewer Yeatts)

How do we wake ourselves up from any spiritual slumber? What does it take to stay awake to the compassion of Christ for the world? If you do not know where or how to start, begin by reading this book. This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on March 18th, 2013.

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TITLE: Awake: Doing a World of Good One Person at a Time
AUTHOR: Noel Brewer Yeatts
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2012, (176 pages).

Good works that flow out of the Good Word in the heart. Doing good to the world one person at a time. Reaching a larger world regardless of how small or how limited one is. All it matters is a big heart and willing hands. This is exactly what Noel Brewer Yeatts has done. Spurred in part by Timothy Keller's book, "Generous Justice," Yeatts attempts to help believers "wake" up to the reality of a world that needs us more than we can ever imagine. She makes a bold call to try to take readers through various shifts. I summarize some of my seven reflections as I read the book.

First, we need to move from guilt-driven kind of a help toward a justice minded perspective. Using the example of Mother Teresa and the story of the Tuohy family who helps a boy get back on his feet, Yeatts points out the need for a kind of help that will aim to make a difference one person at a time. If one is guilt-driven, one may only get to help on a knee-jerk manner that does not last. If one is led by justice, one will persevere in being creative and convicted about helping a person a long way.

Second, we need to move from sleepy knowledge toward wakeful action. So often, we allow our accumulation of knowledge bog us down to inaction. Like Aquinas, we need to choose to "feel compassion than to know the meaning of it." It is not enough simply to be aware of what is going on. We need to take responsibility for this knowledge and to do something about it. The trouble is, far too many people o not think their participation will make any difference. This is tragic not only for the needy, but also for us. So what are the rich of the world, who as a minority possess the majority of the world's wealth, doing about the rest of the world, who not only are poor, but seem to exist only to serve the desires of the rich?

Third, we need to move from a mentality of handouts to compassionate action. Giving handouts is a cop out to reduce one's guilt feeling. Action that stems from a deep compassion will resemble Jesus' being moved by compassion to action. That means learning to move from mere giving to actual serving, distant awareness to up close and personal human touch.

Four, our giving and helping need to move from haphazard help to strategic assistance. Women in general are more vulnerable. They are also more influential. Like the saying in Ghana, that if a man is helped, it is just one man; but if a woman is helped, the nation is also helped. One strategy then is to pay special attention to the needs of women and to train them to develop help channels in their respective contexts.

Five, move from vague ideas about help toward crystal clear ideas. Take the issue of the lack of clean water. It spawns a host of problems with regards to diarrhoea, malaria, typhoid, as well as the good health. Without good health, one cannot have a good quality of life. Helping the poor does not mean just addressing symptoms. It also means addressing root causes.

Six, we need to move from a boring but safe lifestyle to a bold and significant form of faith. It means radical plans with our own lives. It means learning to make our lives count. It means living a worthwhile life for others. Helping the poor is not simply just wearing a T-shirt. It means wearing the needs of the poor through active engagement with the rich AND the poor. We need to evangelize the former and to be an agent to touch the latter. We need to speak up for the voiceless, listen to the silenced, see the marginalized, and to feel that the world as it is right now, is moving toward injustice.

Seven, we need to move from a sense of complacency to a sense of urgency. I think it is an apt reminder that the biggest tragedy for many people is not because they are successful, but when they are successful in things that ultimately do not matter much. Yeatts urge readers to actively join groups that advocate for the poor and vulnerable; to invest in a child; to be an active part of infrastructure improvements in the needy world; and even to make a trip to the poorest of the poor to experience first hand the reality of injustice, poverty, and suffering.

This book is about changing the world, beginning with changing the hearts of anyone who wants to do some good in the world. The primary audience is essentially the rich West, but the scope can be easily enlarged to include other groups. Containing many stories of faith and trust, success and disappointments, Yeatts encourages us not to look at the problem, be discouraged and then do nothing. Instead, she urges us to look at what is possible, be encouraged, and then do something, even if it means just one life or one small situation at a time. Three thoughts come to mind as I marvel at the resilience and the industry of Yeatts. First, we are not responsible to solve all the problems of the whole world, just part of it. Second, we are not meant to help everybody in the world, just who we can reach. Third, we are not responsible for the ills of the world, but we are responsible if we do not do anything about it. If any of these thoughts can be planted in the reader, this book will have done its job. I'm sure readers will be moved. It is a fitting reminder that while we are not responsible for solving all the problems of the world, we are responsible for those things that we can do something about.

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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This book is provided to me free by Baker Books and Graf-Martin Communications without any obligation for a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.

WWYD - Homeless Scenario

One of the most important ways anyone can connect is based on their own personal experience. This phrase captures the essence of compassion: "If you have never been there, you don't know what it's like." ABCNews put together a small cast of actors, one a Good Samaritan, one a homeless man, one a bartender, and many acting as 'customers' in a high heeled bar breakfast joint, and to film some common reactions by customers and people, when a homeless man walks into the bar asking for a sandwich with $20 given by a good samaritan. What then would you do? This video is nearly 9 minutes long but is well worth a watch. The last scene is a moving scene. Don't miss it.

It is a well-made video of how the homeless are treated, and the condescending attitudes so prevalent in society, especially toward the homeless.

 

Jesus has said:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,f you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:31-40, ESV)

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Simple Gift of Compassion

By now, many of us would have seen the simple story of a NYPD cop buying and putting on a pair of boots on a homeless man. Officer Lawrence DePrimo has been hailed a "hero," a "good cop" and "one of New York's finest." All because of a single act of compassion, of selfless giving, and a reminder that there are many less fortunate than he is. This caught the eye of an Arizona tourist, Jennifer Foster who snapped a picture and posted it online. The rest is history.

You can watch the interview here or below.

 

Since the picture was posted at the NYPD Facebook page here, it has been viewed millions of times. In social media terms, the photo has gone viral. Here are some of my thoughts.

#1 - Compassion begins with Self-Awareness

Knowing that the weather is cold, one experiences the reality of what it means to be shivering. In life, we all know that our human body is susceptible to the fluctuations in temperatures. Whether it is too hot or too cold, or when our bodies are subjected to sudden changes in temperature, we fall ill easily. Officer DePrimo recognizes how cold the weather was, and personally knows how it feels not to have socks or boots. He is aware of the conditions he is in.

#2 - Compassion Needs Action

Seeing and knowing that it is cold is not enough. What then are we doing about it? In truth, Officer DePrimo could have just walked past and do his own duties. Yet, he did something that is out of his own initiative. He talked to the homeless man lying on the street. He asked questions. He reconnected to his own reactions to cold. He remembered that there is a shoe store nearby. He went to the store asking for Winter boots. He returned to check the shoe size with the homeless man. He paid $75 for the boots. He took the boots, knelt down, and put on the boots on the homeless man. One action leads to another.

#3 - Compassion Thrives Unnoticed

For all the nice things that have been said about the NYPD good cop doing a good deed, I feel that there is a danger of people blowing things out of proportion. For that matter, cops around many cities will be hard-pressed to follow the act. Moreover, how are we to distinguish copycat acts? How do we distinguish a genuine compassionate act, instead of one that is being acted out for the purpose of fame? True compassion must always be something done quietly, unnoticed, and covered with an utter reluctance to be famous or for anyone to know about it.

Jesus has said that we need to learn to give in such a way, that we let not our good deeds be publicized too widely. Let our left know not what our right hand is doing. True compassion is done in the name of God, not in the name of self. True compassion is practiced for the good of men, not for the reputation of self. True compassion must be willing and honest.

#4 - Do a Good Deed Yes, but Give from the Heart, not for the Camera

Finally, let me encourage all of us to give from the heart during this Christmas season. It is not the quantity of things we give out. Neither is it whether it was appreciated or not. As long as we give from the heart, let God take care of the rest. Whether our acts go viral or not, we will continue to show kindness.

Let compassion lead to action. Let action lead to the betterment for all.

conrade