Book Review- Culture Shift:The Battle for the Moral Heart of America

Culture Shift: The Battle for  the Moral Heart of America by R. Albert Mohler Jr. . (Multnomah Books, Colorado Springs, 2008,2011).  185 pages reviewed.

Culture Shift is a thoughtful and challenging collection of essays written by the author that address numerous areas of cultural interest. Addressing “shifts” in the moral view of issues like the law, political correctness, terrorism, education, evolution and others, Mohler offers an informed perspective on the changes occurring in how Americans view these issues. The book, written from a Christian worldview, addresses culture “head-on” and gives insights worthy of consideration for thoughtful Christians. Mohler brings a historical perspective and writes as a “balanced advocate,” meaning he advocates a Christian worldview and response, but is careful to present culture accurately…and does not shy away from “weaknesses” in the traditional “Christian” position on issues.

This is not a minister’s “rant” on the demise of culture; rather, it is a thoughtful analysis of culture, influence, and the Christian’s responsibility. The tone is cordial. The assertions are gracious. The assumptions are limited and well documented.

As a pastor, I picked up the book as part of my research for an upcoming project. It has stimulated my thinking and inspired me to action in a couple of key areas of my work. I recommend the book to professional minister and lay person alike. It sounds a clarion call to action without taking an alarmist tone.

Thank you Dr. Mohler! An asset to my library.

You can purchase a copy from Amazon HERE.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review as part of their blogger’s book review  program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review: No He Can’t!…by Kevin McCullough

No He Can’t: How Barack Obama is Dismantling Hope and Change (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2011). 219 pages.

Kevin McCullough has done our country and discerning readers
a great service in writing this book! In an accurate and “no holds barred”
manner, the author offers analysis of some of the President’s leadership
decisions and then analyzes those decisions to shed light on the President’s worldview.
Often times in the world we live in, the voice of criticism is so rampant and
the ideal of politeness is so sought after, that social commentators are
marginalized or dismissed. It can be assumed that a word of disagreement is
simply an outworking of personal dislike or agendas. McCullough works to simply
point out statements and policy decisions of the President’s administration in
order to bring a common theme to light. Individually, one can choose to agree
or disagree with this author; however, when taken in their entirety, the reader
will not be able to ignore the author’s clarity and conclusions.

Whether you are a fan of the President, one of his
administration’s many critics, or a neutral onlooker who is simply desiring to
understand more of “where we are going” as a country under President Obama’s
leadership, this book is for you.

I recommend this book!

You can purchase a copy at your local bookstore or through
Amazon HERE.

Disclosure of Material
Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of
their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not
required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR,
Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of
Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A perspective regarding Bin Laden

Late last night, I was having trouble sleeping so I got up to read. My son, Dillon, shared with me that I had just missed a Presidential news conference announcing that the United States had conducted an operation and “killed Bin Laden.”

Now as I put my cards on the table here…let me try to communicate clearly…especially since I haven’t had any coffee yet.

I watched some of the coverage last night and saw celebration and rallies over his death outside of the White House. Honestly…it was a bit “creepy” to me. It reminded me of images of “Black Hawk Down” or some other less civilized response from people toward the death of another.

Now I am not some Birkenstocks wearing hippie peace activist. (If you know me…you know that). I am a Christ-follower…which means I represent Jesus in my actions and I reflect Him in my thoughts and words (at least this is my goal).

I am thankful that this man was brought to justice (Prov 21:15). I have many friends who have been, are, or will be “down range” fighting the war on terror. Bin Laden was a religious fanatic who saw in his religious creeds a justification to kill people not like himself and then to hide in a hole while telecasting that there would be more killing (the textbook definition of a terrorist). I am thankful that one of the more evil figures of human history will no longer terrorize people by his actions or words.

This being said…Bin Laden’s problem was that he was unredeemed…a lost man…far from God. He died separated from God…meaning that God will not receive his worship and Bin Laden will never know the mercy and love of God. This doesn’t make me want to celebrate…it grieves me. Were it not for the grace of God…I would be far from God.

I am not saddened that justice was served. For this I am thankful. I am thankful for the men who stepped into harm’s way to hunt him and bring him to justice. They left their families and risked their lives to protect the freedom I enjoy. They continue to do so…since their mission is far from over. Other…evil men…will rise up. I am thankful for the sense of closure and comfort from it that some will receive in the furtherance of justice.

I am saddened that the images of the American response to the news might communicate that all are rejoicing and celebrating in the streets. I do not celebrate in the streets that a man will be eternally separated from God. He is no more and no less deserving of the GRACE of God than I am.

I close with a Proverb:

Proverbs 24:17–20 (NASB95)

¹⁷Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;

¹⁸Or the Lord will see it and be displeased, And turn His anger away from him.

¹⁹Do not fret because of evildoers Or be envious of the wicked;

²⁰For there will be no future for the evil man; The lamp of the wicked will be put out.

God is just and He is righteous and He holds all evil to account. Others…and our own.

What say you?

Reflections on Giving: What motivates Generosity?

I just came across an article by Judy Keen of USA Today on the psychology of giving or generosity.

The writer notes that Notre Dame is undertaking a new study to determine the cause of generosity. The ARTICLE is an interesting read. A quick note from the article:

There are some well-established theories about generosity. More than two decades ago, economist James Andreoni theorized that people who give experience internal satisfaction that he calls the “warm glow.” Other researchers call it “helper’s high” — a physical sensation that increases feelings of self-worth and makes people want to give again.

Smith says some facts about generosity are known:

• There are different kinds of giving. People give for strategic, altruistic, sentimental, impulsive, habitual or ideological reasons.
• People who are religious tend to give more.
• People who have more money don’t necessarily donate more. The opposite is often true.
• Generosity is good for you: Senior citizens who volunteer live longer.
• Holiday giving often is strategic and motivated more by year-end tax deductions than the sentiments of the season.
• People who plan donations give more than those who don’t.
• Guilt isn’t a great motivator.

Those conclusions, based on studies that ask people why they do or don’t give, are the easy part. Understanding what’s going on in people’s brains or their environment that prompts them to act the way they do is more complex.

I have some thoughts on this as well, but would love to hear from you: Why do you give? Is it the tax advantage? The good feeling? Habit or duty? A response of thankfulness for what you have received? A perception of acceptance in the eyes of others?

A pastor friend said several years back…that he thought that removing the tax deductibility of charitable giving to churches…would cause giving to be reduced dramatically. (Obviously he thinks that giving is motivated by guilt or tax advantage…or something similar). Another pastor stated that he thought removing tax advantages would “purify” the gift and make it more of an expression of worship. (Apparently he agreed somewhat with the first guy on motives).

Your thoughts are important to me. I hope you’ll comment on this post and then I will share some more thoughts in a couple of days.

Book Review: Jungle Warfare: A basic field manual for Christians in Sales, by Christopher Cunningham

Jungle Warfare: A Basic Field Manual for Christians in Sales, by Christopher A. Cunningham. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2010). 211 pages.

In a world that sees a dichotomy between a person’s spiritual life and his or her “professional” life, this book seeks to shift the opinion and bring about a view that all of life, for a Christian, belongs to God. The format is a 22 day devotional and reflection guide. It contains Scriptures, prayer, brief and non-technical commentary on applying a biblical principle…as well as space for note-taking or journaling.

As a pastor and former corporate sales professional, I was intrigued by the title and was curious as to how the author would treat the subject. His efforts were admirable. While I did find a theological point of error as it relates to Christian doctrine, the overall book was good.

Particularly valuable is the last section of the book which functions as a collection of questions, concerns, and ethical challenges that every Christian salesman faces from time to time. The author’s treatment of these questions was very helpful and the book is worth the time to read…if for no other reason than that.

I recommend this book to a salesman who seeks to honor God in the performance of His duties. At the same time, I would encourage a reader to be very discerning when evaluating the author’s interpretation of biblical passages and his assertions about orthodox Christianity, as they are somewhat lacking. As someone once said…”Eat the watermelon but spit out the seeds.”  

You can purchase a copy at your local bookstore or through Amazon HERE.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Article on “Southern Religion,” by Dr. Alvin Reid

Dr. Reid is one of my heroes. I love his writing and his passion for evangelism. I was reading on his site recently and ran across this article which spoke to a few things I have been thinking about recently. I found it to be challenging and helpful. He speaks of the “Southern Religion” sub-culture that exists in the deep south “bible belt.” I have been keenly aware of this since moving back tot he South after 3 1/2 years as a church planter in New York. (Until then…I was admittedly naive to many of these observations.) I am not saying that “southern is bad” or “church” in the south is bad; rather, I am saying that we must understand our religious heritage in context and seek, not to further our heritage…which may be fallible…but further the gospel and Christ’s Kingdom which certainly transcends culture.

One of the tests of a sub-culture, is to examine what is “important” to the people in that culture. What consumes their conversations. What will they “fight you for.” Notice Reid’s comments (which I pulled out of a larger context) and see what I mean:

Southern Religion means well. It talks a lot of Jesus. It sings about Him with passion. It values the institutions associated with His movement.  But in too many ways it has also missed the point. And today it often gets in the way of the gospel. Let me be clear: Southern Religion today is part of a greater problem of cultural Christianity that has been too prevalent in the past and in other places…

Southern Religion sees Christianity from a MINIMALIST view.  It defines a “great” Christian by the big 3: Show up in church, be a steward and give, and serve in the church. No matter that you are a racist, or cheat on your taxes, or practice shady deals in your business, just be active at the church house. Such a minimalist approach creates a “good guys vs bad guys” mentality with the bad guys being those who disagree, not with essential doctrine, but with your preferences. I lost count of how many times someone in the South told me they are sure Southern Gospel will be sung in heaven around the throne. With all due respect to my friends who love SG, music in heaven will be much better.  When we start deciding from our preferences what matters most, the gospel gets pushed to the periphery. And that is exactly what has happened. We are reaping a lot of what we have sown.

This minimalist view relates to theology and morality. Your views on eschatology and the prohibition of alcohol had better line up. By the way, mine do, but I do not think either is quite as important as the Atonement. “I don’t smoke, drink, cuss, or chew, or run around with girls that do.” Make no mistake: the Scripture is clear in its call to holiness. But when Southern Religionists get passionate about alcohol but remain silent about racism, or get more vocal about their SEC football team than the good news found in Christ, even lost people see the disconnect.

You can read his full post HERE, and I would encourage you to do so. Even if you disagree it can be helpful. Then drop back here and share your thoughts. I really want to know!

Book Review, From the Shop Floor to the Top Floor:Releasing the CEO Within

Book Review: From the Shop Floor to the Top Floor: Releasing the CEO Within, by Wes Cantrell. (Bloomington, IN: Crossbooks, 2009), 133 pages reviewed.

In his latest book Wes Cantrell shares his personal “rags to riches” story of his career at Lanier Worldwide. To declare a bias, I am a personal fan of Mr. Cantrell, having worked for his company several years back.

The book details leadership principles that Cantrell learned and applied throughout his career. Each one is accentuated with a personal story and the context of family. He speaks with the tone of a caring friend who seeks to empower the reader to make wise choices in seeking to achieve success in life’s endeavors.

A particularly interesting characteristic is the fact that Cantrell makes no apologies for his Christian Faith and the formative influence it had on him is his career and leadership decisions when guiding a successful public company. In a culture when one can likely “sell more books” by leaving out details of “faith,” Cantrell continues his unfiltered but gentle position of allowing his faith to inform his decision.

For any leader who seeks to understand how to cast vision, maintain balance between work and home, or simply act appropriately with difficult personnel decisions, this book is a must! For the Christian who believes that his faith is somehow disassociated from other pursuits in life, be prepared to reconsider as you take the journey with Wes “From the Shop Floor to the Top Floor.”  

You can purchase a copy from Amazon HERE.

AP Article on Pastor Matt Chandler’s Testimony

For those who do not know, Matt Chandler, Pastor of the Village Church was diagnosed with stage 3 brain cancer. He is a great leader, powerful communicator, and loving pastor. This weekend, MSNBC ran a story on him. You can access the story HERE. What struck me the hardest was the final paragraphs of the story.

“The human experience commonly shared is suffering,” said Mark Driscoll, pastor of Seattle’s Mars Hill Church and a friend of Chandler’s. “If he suffers well, that might be the most important sermon he’s ever preached.”

Chandler would rather this not have happened. But he is drinking life in — watching his son build sandcastles at the park, preaching each sermon as if eternity is at stake — and feeling a heightened sense of reality.

“It’s carpe diem on steroids,” he says.

At the dinner table on the sixth day of radiation, new normal looks like this: Reid in Spiderman pajamas. Peanut butter and jelly dipped in honey for the kids, turkey chili for the adults.

And peppermint ice cream.

It is a diaper changed, dishes done.

Matt Chandler takes his chemo pills and goes to bed, grateful for another day.

My question is twofold:

How do you suffer? Is your life the greatest sermon the world has ever heard?

Second, if you had a concept that the clock was counting down on you…would it change anything? If so, should you or would you live like it is and trust God for this day…and ever how many “next days” you get?

I hope you will join with me in praying for Matt and for God to continue to strengthen him and glorify Himself as Matt makes the Lord known…with everything God has entrusted him with today.

Grace and Peace.

Article by Ed Stetzer on “Statistic Abuse” in CT

Hi guys,

Since 10% of all people 70% of the time quote 50% of statistics correctly, and 18% of people under the mean age of 25 who wear socks and shoes and go to the dentist to get flossing lessons have left the church…I though this article might be timely.

(If the statement above which I “made up” confused you…you have a chance of understanding this next post.)

Ed Stetzer, a leading voice in Christianity and in our denomination, has written a great article for Christianity Today on Statistic Abuse. You can read it HERE. Hopefully, as you read it, you will be impressed (as I was) to redouble your efforts to understand statistics about culture and the church before repeating them to others. Everything has a context.

One that I found particularly interesting was his conclusion on American Attitudes toward Organized Religion.

We do not want to be considered “alarmists” in our culture. We want to understand truth and speak it with kindness and love. We also don’t want to “blunt” the edge when we do sound the alarm. As such…we should be good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us…including statistics and research which allow us to be more effective in understanding and reaching those in the culture who are far from God.

Drop back by and share your thoughts here. You may want to read more on this subject and you will find other interesting articles at Ed’s Site HERE.

An Article from Baptist 21

Hi Guys,

Here is a link to an article from Jed Coppenger (a great friend) which he wrote for Baptist 21. It is a good background article related to perspectives on the Cooperative Program and a Great Commission Resurgence. I enjoyed his post, so I thought I would give you a link to it HERE. I also commented on his post, and you can find my comment there.

If you enjoy his article, drop him a note, and then come back by here and tell me what you learned, thought, or was impressed with.

Grace!