BOOK REVIEWS

State Missionary Rick Lance is executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.

Other Recent Blog Entries:

The Caleb Spirit in 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
In my mind, Caleb is the Barnabas of the Old Testament. When others seemed to lose hope, he offered encouragement to them.

A Year to Remember
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
This can be the most wonderful time of the year if we allow the Christ of Christmas to guide us through the experience. Rather than being caught up in the routined frenzy of long lines at stores shopping for gifts and the endless social gatherings during the season, we can focus on what is called the Advent.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Thursday, December 8, 2011
This can be the most wonderful time of the year if we allow the Christ of Christmas to guide us through the experience. Rather than being caught up in the routined frenzy of long lines at stores shopping for gifts and the endless social gatherings during the season, we can focus on what is called the Advent.

Finishing Strong
Monday, November 21, 2011
I do not pretend to be a football coach, but I do believe this "sports experience" translates into our everyday lives, most notably in our Christian lives. There are times when we have seemingly given our all and we feel spent, emotionally, physically and even spiritually.

Be Encouraged!
Thursday, October 28, 2011
In periods of history like the one we now face, Christians have often done some of their most effective service for Christ. But in order to be an effective servant, we must find our source of encouragement in the face of these discouraging situations.

SBC Today: An Interview
Thursday, October 16, 2011
Managing ourselves means more than controlling the calendar, staying morally and ethically pure, reading the latest books, keeping family time balanced, and running things smoothly in one's ministry. I am convinced this means staying in touch with Lord and with yourself in such a way that you make the right decisions and lead in the right direction.

Have you read any good books lately? That is a question I love to pose to friends and colleagues. Their answers stimulate me to add another book or two to my reading list. Allow me the opportunity to share some recommended reading.
Two pastors have teamed up to write a timely book concerning the challenges the evangelical church faces in this changing culture. Jay Dennis, pastor in Lakeland, Florida, and veteran pastor Jim Henry have shared their insights in Dangerous Intersections. This work spotlights the 11 crucial crossroads facing the church in America. Interestingly, both pastors – one representing the younger generation of pastors and the other, Jim Henry, giving the voice of the more experienced pastors who saw all the transformations of society in the late 20th century – agree on the crucial challenges that presently confront the church of today. This kind of collaboration is needed so that the differences between generations can melt away in the face of these critical crossroads. Yes, this is a good, practical book for pastors and lay leaders alike. It will help you find your way at the crossroads where churches must make crucial decisions.
C. S. Lewis: Creator of Narnia, by Sam Wellman, is yet another biographical treatment of the life of this famous apologist and Christian thinker. As biographies generally go, this account is brief but thorough in scope. The marriage with Joy Davidman was treated in only two chapters. An overview of the plethora of writings by C. S. Lewis is reasonably covered in terms of content and chronology.

For those who want to better understand the often referenced and quoted author will find this a welcomed addition to one's library. Wellman has done a very good job of introducing this giant of Christian thought to the general public.
Rarely do I see a book that has such an eye-catching title as Evangelism for the Tongue-Tied, by Chap Bettis. This book was sent to me by a longtime friend, Ed Massey. Ed was Chap's pastor when he was growing up in Alabama.
Chap Bettis has done everyone interested in evangelism a favor by writing a book with the more timid among us in mind. The focus of this work on personal evangelism is relational in nature.
The author has rightly concluded that the secular culture has in many ways intimidated Christians into becoming “tongue-tied” about the gospel message.
When Chap Bettis left Alabama as a young man he went to Brown University. Following his graduation he answered the call to ministry and since 1991 has served as the teaching pastor with Lincoln Christian Fellowship in the Northeast. Therefore, Chap knows first-hand the challenge of reaching people who are hard to reach.
This book would be a good resource for ministers and lay people as they share the gospel. It is published by Pleasant Word and may be found in some local Christian bookstores in Alabama.
Erich Bridges and Jerry Rankin have collaborated in writing a touching account of the lives and deaths of missionaries who have given their lives in service to our Lord. The book is aptly titled Lives Given, Not Taken: 21st Century Southern Baptist Martyrs book. One detailed chapter is devoted to the story of Martha Myers of Alabama. These testimonies of our missionaries will encourage and inspire anyone who takes the Great Commission seriously. It would be especially good reading for the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering season.

This article by Rick Lance was originally published in the August 2005 edition of 'FOCUS on One Mission', a monthly supplement to The Alabama Baptist newspaper.