Monthly Archives: February 2024

PRACTICING THE WAY BY JOHN MARK COMER

I have benefitted from listening to John Mark’s sermons and interviews. He has much good to offer the church.

My expectations for this latest book were high, but I was disappointed.

It is not easy to convince others that a popular book may be lacking in some critical areas because the sheer success in sales makes most wonder what the heck you are yapping about.

Since I am sure John Mark would want me to register these thoughts as he seems to have a genuine desire to honor God, I plow ahead with this review.

There are certainly some wonderful insights and turns of phrase that we have come to expect from the author, but the punchy and provocative style failed to deliver this time. Here are some of my concerns:

On page 140 he approvingly cites John Wimber’s longing to do miracles. Like John Mark and Wimber, I believe miracles happen today. However, quickly citing Wimber’s famous question about being antsy to see miracles was careless. Wimber’s “When do we get to do the stuff?” meaning his eagerness to see miracles, needs more warning about the abuses inherent in such desires.

Comer says that he does not care much about whether you attend a megachurch or house church. He doesn’t think forms matter much. As he says, “…they each have pros and cons.” What matters is whether formation (or apprenticeship to Jesus to use his language) is taking place.

Here there needs to be an honest conversation that perhaps some forms stymie formation from taking place. I’m increasingly convinced that form is not neutral. Forms matter. For example, if your church is so big that it is impossible for the elders to be known by the body (I Pet. 5:1-3), then the form is keeping you from fulfilling the clear teaching of Scripture.

John Mark says that “Love is the metric of spiritual maturity, not discipline.” Again, I wish John Mark had written more. I wish he had brought Gal. 5:22,23 into this discussion where both love and discipline are fruit (not fruits) of the Holy Spirit. He leaves the reader assuming a false dilemma.

One final example comes from the short discussion on prayer (pp. 183-85). In an effort to encourage us to start praying, John Mark writes, “There is no bad way to pray and there is no one starting point for prayer.” I know John Mark believes the warning Jesus gives about “bad praying” in Matt. 6:5-15 is very much applicable today. Jesus makes it clear that there are in fact “bad ways” to pray.

 

BUILDING A LIBRARY AND A FEW THOUGHTS ON WRITING

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Here is a picture of our home library. There are more books downstairs, but this is the main library. 

As promised, I wanted to offer the various ways you can build a great library without spending too much. Here in no particular order are the things we’ve done:

Check out your local library sales. They happen on a regular basis. When we lived in Palo Alto, we got a 19th century hardback edition of Baxter’s The Saints’ Everlasting Rest for fifty cents! It deeply impacted both of us. In between her discipleship meetings with students, I vividly remember my wife reading it (many times with tears in her eyes) in the student union at Stanford.

Used bookstores. You never know what you might find. I found a first edition of God and Man at Yale by William F. Buckley for $5 in Annapolis. A few months back I found an old biography on H.L. Mencken for $1. While thumbing through to make sure it was clean, out fell two personal letters from Mencken. They got appraised for $250 and $150. I was already thrilled about just getting the book for $1!

Garage sales. Many people don’t know what they have. Yes, there is usually an abundance of pulp fiction, but I have found some incredible and valuable books.

Amazon has many partners who sell new and used books. I have ordered several and rarely had a problem. I typically look for used books which say there are no markings/like new. And I look at how many good votes they received as a carrier.

Write reviews. Publishers will send you free review copies if you have access to a solid platform. For example, if you want to write for a blog with decent readership, here is how to get started:

*Familiarize yourself with the blog by reading it on a regular basis.

*Don’t comment too often and don’t make your comments long. I am amazed how many people still violate these simple tips. When I see a long comment on a blog post, I always pass over them. The only exception is when someone comments who is an expert on the topic under discussion.

*Thank the blogger for their efforts with the blog. If you have been posting thoughtful and brief comments, they will probably have some vague idea of who you are. If you write them a personal note (again keep it brief!), you will definitely separate yourself from the masses! A younger pastor recently sent me a hand-written note of thanks for one of my articles. Putting pen to real paper makes a big difference.

*Pick books to review the blogger would appreciate.

*Approach them about the possibility of doing one.  

*If they say no, know that real authors don’t lost heart.  Persevere. Perhaps your writing is not as good as you think. Perhaps the blogger does not connect to your style.  Whatever the case, real writers keep writing. Real writers don’t write simply to get published. Real writers write because they must whether many or a few are listening.

*If the blogger says yes, work very hard to do a great job writing the review.  

So this is kind of a twofer: how to build a library and a few thoughts about getting your work noticed.

Finally, if a book makes a big impact on you, and if the author is still alive, write him or her a short note of thanks. Believe me, no matter how famous the author, it is a great encouragement. And yes, I’ve had authors send me books as a thank-you for my thank-you, but that of course should not be one’s motivation for writing.  

 

 

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY AS A WAY OF LIFE

There is a good chance that your assumptions about philosophy are mostly wrong. There is even a better chance that you believe little to no “practical” benefits come from thinking philosophically.

Well, Ross Inman is here to gently correct you on both counts.

In short compass (173 pages) Inman packs a lot in. He writing is consistently clear, and he offers wonderful illustrations along the way to drive his points home.

Inman is an enthusiastic salesman for the glories of thinking and living with a philosophical bent.

This is a wonderful book and a delight to read. I will be recommending it with gusto.