BookPastor >> "HomeRun" (Travis Thrasher)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on August 10th, 2013.

 conrade

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TITLE: Home Run: A Novel
AUTHOR: Travis Thrasher
PUBLISHER: Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook Publishers, 2013, (416 pages).

There is a price for success. For some, public accolades come with private sacrifices. For Cory Brand, he learns first hand that winning consistently at a high level is a great feeling and is often rewarding. The feeling of getting attention with rising fame; the feeling of being mobbed by fans; the feeling of getting easy interviews; and the constant happiness of being given headline news by the mass media. For one who has lived through a terrible childhood, especially in terms of his traumatic relationship with an abusive father, the success he has gained as a top baseball hitter accelerated not only his own career and stardom, it also gives him a bloated ego and a heightened sense of the world owing him a living. By filling an emptying inner self with outer fame and winning games, he realizes at a personal level that success can come at a great price.

Brand’s relationship with baseball begins at an early age. Growing up with an abusive father, he becomes infatuated with trying to make great hits at the balls coming at him. Once his talent was discovered, his rise to stardom is nothing less than spectacular. Just seeing how people cheer him on whenever he hits a homerun is sufficient adrenaline for the day. Unfortunately, one homerun is not enough. As his skills tank, so too his demand for more great runs he had previously experienced. He just loves the stadium cheer. He loves the limelight. He loves it when the whole world centers its attention on one man: Cory Brand. Unfortunately, fame like a narcotic, has its side effects. When the performance on the field fails to match his personal expectations, he finds self-gratification in imagining homeruns and great hits. Out of such a bad patch comes a bad personal call. Without controlling his temper, he lets out his frustration, hurting a young boy, not knowing that that boy is the adopted son of his younger brother, Clay.

As we all know, all it takes is one silly mistake, and people will easily forget the glorious past of the most cherished heroes. All the successful runs and the games won because of Cory Brand are suddenly forgotten. All the great smiles and proud looks are substituted with a Youtube viral video of the badly executed tantrum. For all his achievements, Cory Brand has set himself up for a major downfall. The rest of the book shows how Cory is able to recover and to be reinstated not only as a baseball player in recovery, but a new man, transformed by grace. Piece by piece, the author shows how Cory Brand rebuilds himself as a person; how he starts afresh by coaching junior league baseball; how he recovers from his addictions to alcohol; and how he make amends in his relationships with people, especially with Emma, the woman he ran away from after getting her pregnant with Tyler. 

Now made into a movie, this book is an inspirational that gives readers hope. It also shows us the power of faith and love. Just like Cory Brand, we all deserve a second chance at life. We all need to give one another chance to try again. The author goes much farther. He shows how the protagonist is given opportunities after opportunities, revealing to us in a very insightful way, that that is also how God is treating us. God gives us chances after chances, over and over again. Until we like Cory, get it, fully and perfectly. If you love baseball, this book will be a captivating read. If you do not like baseball, this book will make you want to learn a bit more about the sport. 


Rating: 4.75 stars of 5.

conrade

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

Final Act of Kindness

It's mind-boggling that living at home can be more dangerous than far away in a war zone. Officer Jeremy had who had served two tours in Afghanistan recently returned back to the US. Taking on the job of a police officer in San Diego, he was fatally shot. The media managed to pick up his final act of kindness which is touching. It reminds me that every second we live on earth, can be a second that makes a difference to the lives of people around us. Don't waste it. Watch the video here or click below.




conrade

Midweek Meditation: "Wait Upon the Lord"

This is one of the most popular songs currently being used in worship times at Christian circles. Based on the beautiful passage in Isa 40:31. You can check the link here.

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EVERLASTING GOD 

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
As we wait upon the Lord
As we wait upon the Lord

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
As we wait upon the Lord
As we wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign for ever
Our hope, Our strong deliverer

You are the everlasting God,
The everlasting God,
You do not faint, You won't grow weary
You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need,
You lift us up on wings like eagles

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord...

BookPastor >> "Sunday School That Really Excels" (Steve Parr)

This review was first published at Panorama of a Book Saint on July 18th, 2013.

conrade

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TITLE: Sunday School that Really Excels: Real Life Examples of Churches with Healthy Sunday Schools
AUTHOR: Steve R. Parr
PUBLISHER: Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2013, (208 pages).

Many experienced educators know that learning is something more caught than taught. For such a practical topic like creating Sunday Schools that excel, we cannot simply talk about theories and strategies. We need to learn from various real life examples as well as tested methods. Simply put, this book is a book of stories and storytellers, of how different churches put into practice their sense of God's will for their Sunday Schools. Instead of reading the book straight through, and then teaching the concepts to others, the author suggests another approach. Encourage all the leaders to have a copy. Read a chapter or more together. Then gather again to discuss it and apply it if necessary. Seventeen stories from thirteen contributors are put together about Sunday Schools that excel. Sunday school is the Christian Education arm of any Church, from kids to adults.

Thom Rainer talks about the state of the Sunday School today. Backed by years of research and familiarity with the North American Church scene, Rainer emphasises the strong link between Church health and a strong Sunday School. He calls Sunday School an "open group" ministry where anyone can join at any time. SS has become more infused with the need for a "worshipful experience." There is a shift toward missions and ministries. There is also a rising inconsistency in materials being used. Following that snapshot of the current SS climate, readers can then dive into 16 stories of SS excellence.

1. Normal Church: Josh Hunt shares that normal Church is one that has a growing Sunday School. Through the example of Pastor Roger Radliff, we learn that a growing Sunday School has the elements of a caring leader. There is a vibrant Visitation strategy. Churches with a strong visitation program are double likely to grow.  
2. Rural Church: Tim Smith shares the example of how Corinth Baptist Church continues to thrive despite being in a rural area, and the majority of the residents earning below the national average household income.  On top of that, there are four major challenges: mindset; long commute; family power structure where a negative leader will mean the whole family not go to Church; perceiving the pastor more like a chaplain rather than a leader. Excelling means to have a clear mission and vision. It means reaching outward as well as inward. It means commitment to a Sunday School strategy. It means leadership. 
3. Established Ministry: Every Church ministry needs to be re-vitalized from time to time. Ben Pritchett thinks so. Keep working at it is a good reminder.
4. Small Congregations: J.D Tucker mentions four factors behind thriving SS in small congregations. Strong in evangelism; wide in fellowship; deep in prayer; and broad in welcoming.
5. Hands-On Missions: Bob Mayfield talks about a rare aspect of SS: Missions. It is the paradigm of missions emphasis that drives the entire SS strategy. It is what members do AFTER the class that makes for a successful SS.
6. During Crisis: Learn to find God and then find friends, especially during a crisis situation. Each crisis brings about an opportunity for positive change.
7. Equipping Leaders: David Francis and Gary Jennings talk about equipping leaders through shared vision, regular communications, clear processes, and team work.
8. Volunteer SS Director: Even 'normal' individuals can excel. Five critical leadership factors are identified. Teachers need to be valued, and known personally. Regular teacher meetings are held. Making guests feel at home is needed. Regular recruitment.  
9.  Attendance Campaign: Whether the Church is small or large, SS can be an outreach program through 'Friend Days.'  
10. Declining Church: Stressing the need for the pastor to champion the SS, churches can arrest any decline through promoting the importance of SS. Interestingly, the author indicates that growing churches have growing SS rather than growing numbers in worship services. 
11. Multicultural: Leaders need to have a multicultural understanding as they try to be as welcoming as possible to all. 
12. Small Groups: Elmer Towns talk about how SS classes can transition to small groups, like how a weekday group can supplement Sunday group.
13. Innovative Home Groups:  Tim Smith discusses the traditional SS structure with innovative ideas like home groups. While the SS serves as an initial entry point, the home group cultivates an environment for community and growth. 
14. Teaching God's Word: Ken Coley affirms the need for excellence in teaching the Word of God. The fruit is in the transformation of believers' lives outside of the classroom. For where there is no change, no teaching or learning is done. Engaging members is key, through knowing the learning styles of each member and tailoring the teaching accordingly.
15. Examples: Steve Parr gives more glimpses of some SS that excel. One starts care groups within each SS. Another involves the casting and the executing of a clear vision.  
16. Excelerate: Some best practices are then considered. 

The SS is here to stay. Whether traditional or non-traditional, large or small churches, thriving or declining, there is a way in which SS can excel. The traits are common. Every successful SS has:

• The pastor as the primary advocate;
• Training of lay leaders;
• Elevating SS as key ministry of Church
• Leadership;
• Growing relationship among members;
• Communications and teamwork;
• Missions

This collection of stories, strategies, best practices is a ready resource for any Sunday School leader, pastor, volunteer director, teacher, or simply an interested member. Filled with so many great ideas and ready illustrations, one can turn to any page and there will be at least one idea to take to our home churches and apply them. That is most important is that many of these ideas and stories are real tested ones. I recommend this resource highly for anyone involved in all things Sunday School, Church School, Education Ministry, or whatever names chosen. Let me close with this very passionate plea.

"A church can have more than one priority. On the other hand, if you have a dozen priorities you might as well have none. Vibrant churches usually have three to five key priorities and Sunday school or their small group strategy is clearly communicated as one of them. Can you have six or seven priorities? You can, but the others become more and more diluted and ultimately devalued. Your Sunday school ministry must be elevated as one of the churches priorities through the pastor’s preaching, pastor’s verbal affirmation, the affirmation of the staff in larger congregations, through written communication, through calendaring, and through commitment as a key priority." (Steve R Parr, p195)

Rating: 5 stars of 5.

conrade

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

Sharing Resources: Mission

This split screen short film captures two worlds and slowly meshes them into one. It is very well made and more importantly puts in a very important message about how those of us who live in the prosperous countries can play a part to bring some goodness and healing to the less privileged societies of the world.


With regards to missions, the key to revival and missions is to personally for the haves to experience what it means to live in the world of the have-nots.

 conrade

Touching Testimony on Christian Love

What is Christian hospitality? It is simply sharing the love of God with people who come among us. It is receiving them as a fellow brother or a sister who may be visiting. It is caring for a fellow human being, just like Jesus cares for strangers. This video begins with some shocking video footage of how some Muslims were taught to infiltrate and to overthrow the anti-Muslim regimes, especially the US. He was sent to the US to do "cultural Jihad" to try to change America from inside. Moving to the Bible Belt in the US, he considers himself the "sword of Islam" and to raise a group of cultural jihadists to change the US from the inside. Instead, God touches Kamal Saleem with an unexpected source: Christian love. He came to Christ.

conrade

Midweek Meditation: Are You Too Busy?

For this midweek meditation, I like to invite us to reflect on the following twelve questions to diagnose ourselves. The list is taken from Tim Chester's book, "The Busy Christian's Guide to Busyness." I like us to ask ourselves this question: Are we too busy for our own good?

1. Do you check work emails and phone messages at home?
2. Has anyone said to you: “I didn’t want to trouble you because I know how busy you are”?
3. Do your family and friends complain about not getting time with you?
4. If tomorrow evening was unexpectedly freed up, would you use it to work or do a household chore?
5. Do you often feel tired during the day, neck and shoulders aching?
6. Do you often exceed the speed limit while driving?
7. Do you have enough time to pray?
8. Do you have a hobby in which you are actively involved?
9. Do you eat together as a family or household at least once a day?

If you mainly answered ‘yes’ to questions 1-6 and ‘no’ to questions 7-9, you may have a busyness problem.


conrade