Week #16: Leadership 101 by Denise VanEck

The word quintessential comes to mind as I think of summarizing this book. For those (chauvinists) who cannot imagine reading a book on leadership written by a woman... get over it! Denise delivers powerful reminders in understandable language. What I most appreciate about her thoughts is that they are honest. Leadership is often talked about in terms of systems. VanEck takes a different approach in that she highlights the importance of the leader tending to his personal relationships with God and others as the main component in being a godly leader.

I especially enjoyed her fair (not overly-contextualized) use of Bible examples of leaders that had to "get their own house in order" so that they could be the leader that God intended them to be.

Also helpful were the exercises at the end of each chapter. These made the teaching practical and allowed for instant application of truths just discussed.

I'm not sure I learned anything new as I read this book. I'm not sure I need to. Leadership 101 reminded me of the simplicity of this scary position that Christ has called me to... to be a leader of people. And I was reminded of the fact that my weaknesses can be strengths as I handle them with honesty.

Week #15: Not Even A Hint by Joshua Harris

The fact that it is now Thursday and I am just now making time to talk about the book I read last week should give you some indication of the pace at which life has been passing.

This book is a must-read for every teenager (every man in fact)! I believe this so much that I am planning to teach from this material for an entire quarter to our Middle School guys.

The main reason I like this book is because it is honest and concise. Harris takes the high points of this reality and talks about them from a scriptural perspective succinctly. Without over-indulging in the specifics he gives us the details of the fight against sinful lust. He is not afraid to take a counter-cultural position... where Scripture does.

I particularly appreciate his emphasis on accountability. One of the first specific issues that we talk about in my weekly time of accountability is how we are dealing with the area of lust and pornography and such. To quote from the book... lone rangers are dead rangers.

Praise God for this eloquent addition to winning the war against our flesh!

Week #14: The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Fact: This is a novel. Fact: You should read it as such. Fact: Don't get hung up with the symbolism. Fact: You shouldn't critique any work until you have studied it firsthand. OK punny sermon over... you'll only get the laugh if you've read the book.

This is an unbelievably engaging drama. Brown is a brilliant writer who intricately weaves this 2-day story together. The characters he employs are captivating and make you want to know their stories. Every time I had to take a pause this week I really wanted to keep reading. I was at a conference in Oklahoma this week and brought several movies with me for evening entertainment... I watched one in 5 days. All I wanted to do was read this book.

So why are so many Christians in a huff over Da Vinci? Should they be? Many Christians seem to take the historical references in The Da Vinci Code as literal. There are entire books written to make sure that people know the facts of Christian history vary greatly with the accounts found in this book. My first caution (the one I mentioned earlier) is to remember that this is a work of fiction. As I was traveling this week the overwhelming feeling I had through casual conversations with people was that they understood that this book is a story. Thankfully the fact that it is about to become a Hollywood movie will likely help others to understand that this is a fictional work.

The other reality is that Dan Brown and others may well believe that there are conspiracy theories of church history. This gives Christian people an opportunity to have intellectual discussions with people on the truths of history. This demands that those of us who follow Christ must know those truths. So Da Vinci Code can be a reminder to know. Know why the New Testament scriptures are reliable. Know who Mary Magdalene and other Bible characters mentioned really were. Be able to use the questions of others as an opportunity to talk about truth.

Week #13: The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard

My most challenging book to date! I have read Dallas Willard previously and was looking forward to a more devotional read. This was not bagel and coffee reading. This was a 400-page think book.

The obvious first question... what is the divine conspiracy? It has everything to do with the fact that saving faith is about the here and not just the hereafter. Willard uses the whole of Scripture to remind us that it is less about "getting people saved" and more about "making disciples" of Christ.

The cornerstone of his argument is found in understanding the difficult (and sometimes misunderstood & misapplied) phrase - the Kingdom of Heaven. What is the nature of this kingdom? When does it begin? Who does it involve?

Through carefully exegesis we are reminded that we are indeed members of this kingdom if we have put our faith in Christ. And that leads to the second linchpin of the book... Christ. To understand the divine conspiracy - that God desires for each of us to rule and reign with Him - we must understand Jesus.

One of the masterful ways that Willard helps us to know Jesus is by taking us on a journey through the message in the book of Matthew that is often referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. Because of his helpful treatment of The Beatitudes I have decided to teach through them this coming fall with our high school students.

Hot Topic #4: When Bad Things Happen to Good People

Here is one for the ages! In almost any spiritual conversation I have (especially with non-religious people) it is this question (in some form) that comes to the fore... Why do bad things happen to good people? And really... is that not a fair question? If God is the loving, kind and fair God that Christian people like to say He is, wouldn't He deal more equitably with people?

My favorite book on the topic is Rabbi Harold Kushner's When Bad Things Happen to Good People. I like it for three main reasons: one, it doesn't try to answer all of the questions; two, it deals fairly with God; and three, it is written from a personal experience instead of an academic one.

There are no one-size-fits-all answers for this kind of thing. They don't teach you how to react to this in seminary (or anywhere else for that matter) and for good reason. There are no easy answers to these kinds of questions. One of the most frustrating aspects of this discussion also happens to be my answer. At the end of it all it's about control. Who's in charge? I want so desperately to be, but I know that ultimately I am not... and cannot... and truthfully... should not be.

I write from a firsthand perspective. Ten years ago this past January we buried our first son, Nathan. Without a doubt that was the darkest time of my life. I remember my initial reaction was extreme anger at God for taking my son. Here we were giving everything we had for "the cause" and God allows our son to die. We were serving at a Christian college making almost enough money to put food on the table and gas in the car. This made no sense.

One of my best friends has been plagued with seizures and it has affected his life in significant ways (that's him and me on the left)... why? He's a good person. He loves God and is doing his best to follow Christ. How is that fair?

So where/how does a person find any sense of comfort in these kinds of situations? Why do bad things happen to good people? You have to trust God. Trust that He is working it out (like it says in Romans & Philippians). Trust that all those parts you cannot see are being seen to by the all-knowing One who created not only you, but the entire universe as well. There are questions that I will never find sufficient answers for in this lifetime... questions I will take with me to Eternity. Until that day I must find rest in knowing that the answers may not be mine this side of heaven. I can find peace in knowing that a good God is watching over everything and even when it feels like I cannot handle another piece of bad news, He is true to His word that He will not give me more than I can handle.