Monthly Archives: February 2012
Blogging For Books- “Jesus+Nothing=Everything” by Tullian Tchividjian
The title of this book grabbed me the first time I saw it. It’s a great turn of phrase and makes for a catchy book or sermon title. But does a catchy phrase equal a helpful book? In this case the answer is yes. Tchividjian shares that his inspiration for the book was a difficult time in his ministry during which he encountered the power of the Gospel and the sufficiency of Christ in a deeper way. From that low point in his personal life and ministry he began to see that with Jesus he already had everything he needed and that once Christians recognize the sufficiency of Christ in their lives it will provide the anchor that a person needs keep them grounded through life.
The Good-
- Tchividjian grounds everything in Scripture. He spends a lot of time exploring Colossians and I came away from the book wanting to really spend some time in Colossians. It’s always a good thing when a book makes you want to read the Bible more!
- It’s easy to read. This is not a book written for a theology class room. It’s accessible to anyone and the subject matter is of vital importance so Tchividjian should be commended for keeping the book at a level that is so easily accessible but that does not compromise the message.
- Tchividjian relates everything to real life. He does a great job of showing how powerfully the Gospel should impact our lives and challenges the reader to act.
The Not So Good-
- Portions of the book felt repetitive. Maybe this was just me, but I felt that he rehashed a lot of the same themes and ideas multiple times.
- This is not necessarily a negative, but to really appreciate this book you would do well to read Colossians just before you read the book. Tchividjian references Colossians so often that I think a reader will get much more of this book if read immediately following a read through of Colossians.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
100 Movies to See Before You Die- “The Maltese Falcon”
The Maltese Falcon is a 1941 mystery/noir film directed by John Huston (see also The African Queen) and starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George, Peter Lorre (see also, M), and Sydney Greenstreet. The film was a critical and popular success upon release and even had a short lived sequel in the works. It was nominated for three Academy Awards in the categories of Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Greenstreet), and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Huston) The film continues to be held in high regard having made a number of AFI lists. So does this dark mystery deserve to be counted among the all time greats? Read on!
Should this film be considered a classic? Most definitely. I only need two words to describe why this film should be a classic. Sam Spade. Humphrey Bogart brings this character to life in such a way that all through the film I couldn’t figure out whether to cheer for the guy or hope he got arrested. Bogart imbues the character with a level of cool and intrigue that has often been imitated but never duplicated. It is worth seeing this film just to see a great actor like Bogart in his element. Not only that, but he is surrounded by a great supporting cast. The great actor of many “creeper” roles, Peter Lorre is the polar opposite of Bogart’s Spade and the scenes where the two of them share the screen are incredibly engaging. Greenstreet’s “Fat Man” is also a well played character and his quiet sophistication isa great contrast to the more hard charging Spade. The film also has some great cinematography (lots of noir elements) and some great scene chewing by all involved. I could go on but that would take all day. Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my first viewing of this film and I think it certainly deserves the label “classic.”
Would I own this film? The Blu-Ray is on my Amazon wish list and I plan to pick it up in the near future. This film is so full of great moments and memorable characters that it is one that simply begs to be revisited regularly. Do yourself a favor if you haven’t seen this great film and find a copy of it to watch this weekend. You won’t regret it.
Protected: Adventures in Fatherhood- “Across the plains and over the border…”
Protected: Adventures in Fatherhood- “Mobility”
Blogging for Books- “Family Shepherds” by Voddie Baucham
As a relatively new parent and a definitely new pastor I’m always on the lookout for books and resources to help with family discipleship. Family Shepherds is a book that is practical, accessible, and will be very helpful to parents (especially dads) who desire to disciple their families well.
The book is divided up into five parts which I’ll list and briefly describe so that you can get a feel for the content of the book.
- The Need to Equip Family Shepherds- This introductory section deals with the move away from the family as the primary source of discipleship and theological knowledge towards a “leave it to the professionals” mindset. Baucham encourages a return to practices of family worship and toward a view of the family as the primary means of discipleship rather than a children’s minister or a youth pastor.
- Family Discipleship and Evangelism-Here the emphasis is placed on the importance of dads being the spiritual leaders in their homes by proclaiming the Gospel at home and educating their children in the Scriptures.
- Marriage Enrichment- Discipleship at home starts with a strong marriage built upon the Biblical foundation for what a marriage should look like.
- The Training and Discipline of Children- This section explores the Scriptural mandates to discipline children and how best to do it in a redemptive fashion.
- Lifestyle Evaluation- This section digs into everyday life and asks men to examine their lifestyle choices and make family discipleship a priority.
This book is decidedly old fashioned but in a good way. Not everything from yesteryear is worth returning to but there are many things to be learned from how Christians in the past engaged their families in discipleship and how we can recover that practice today. This book is a good starting point for beginning that journey.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Mat Kearney- “Hawthorne” Lyrics
This is one of those songs that always gets to me every time I listen to it. I love the two main implications of it: Jesus pursued me and Jesus ministered to the outcasts of society that many people completely rejected.
I’m chasing lions, and goblins and angels at night
With a barrel and a bottle by a grandfathers knife
There’s blood on my collar, I wish it was mine
With less friends before me and more left behind
If you run to the moon
You’re running alone
If you wait for the moment
It’s coming too slow
Preacher the prophet
I’ve never known
But the Jesus of prostitutes is chasing my soul
But the Jesus of prostitutes is chasing my soul
With oceans before me and oceans to grow
The price of this freedom has cost me my home
Stood on the mountains of mint fields of gold
I wish I wasn’t here standing alone
If you run to the moon
You’re running alone
If you wait for the moment
It’s coming too slow
Preacher the prophet
I’ve never known
But the Jesus of prostitutes is chasing my soul
But the Jesus of prostitutes is chasing my soul
I remember on Hawthorne the rain and the smoke
I wish that the last words weren’t the last we spoke
I was burning on fire from earlier years
The bitterness burns with regret in my tears
If you run to the moon
You’re running alone
If you wait for the moment
It’s coming too slow
Preacher the prophet
I’ve never known
Well living for bread ain’t worth living at all
Suffer the darkness and wait for the dawn
This letter I’m writing won’t find a home
Burning the thunder
And cold to the bone
Cause the Jesus of prostitutes is chasing my soul
Cause the Jesus of prostitutes is calling me home
