Our community group read through this book together over the last few months.  I had previously read it when it was first published and had enjoyed it, so I was looking forward to reviewing it with the group.  Overall I would say the experience was good.  The simple truths about Jesus’ nature, message, work, and impact are explored and explained in blunt Driscoll style.  It was refreshing to meditate on the uniqueness and glory of the God/Man.  In addition it was thrilling to see some in the group discover different truths, perspectives and implications about Christ for the first time.

I used to be one of those guys who would rush to Driscoll’s defense whenever his unorthodox methodology was under attack (which is often).  I find myself compelled to defend Driscoll less and less these days.

When I read Vintage Jesus as a young youth pastor, I delighted in the funny and shocking stories Driscoll uses to illustrate his points (“the kids will think I’m cool when I use this one!”).  I won’t go into detail describing these illustrations, that would make me guilty of the same borderline filthy talk that I am accusing him of.  Suffice it to say that I believe his points could have been made without the explicit details of child sexual abuse, MTV, details of the contents of supermarket magazine racks, and postulations about Jesus farting with his disciples.  I know that Driscoll would (and has) said that he is just trying to make the timeless truths of Scripture relevant to the wicked culture in which we live, however the longer I walk with the Lord, the more I see that the purpose of God’s condescending revelation of Himself is not to drag Him down to our level but to call us up to His.  The ultimate purpose of the incarnation was not for Christ to become more like us, or even more palpable to us, it was for Him to make a way for us to know Him, be known by Him and be conformed to His likeness.  The revelation of Christ’s light shows us the depth of our darkness and displays the true relevance and irrelevance of all else.  Driscoll seems to be trying to illustrate the brightness of Christ’s light by detailing more of our darkness – effective up to a point but ultimately counterproductive in my opinion.  For example, to end the book with a reference to Sean “Puffy” Combs instead of exalting the glorious Risen Christ about whom this book is about is a dumb distraction at best.

Perhaps the reason Driscoll’s crassness so clearly bothered me this time around is that “coarse jesting” is a sin with which I am increasingly being convicted of in my own life.

With that rather large caveat (which could probably be applied to most of Driscoll’s ministry, although he has seemed to tone things down the older he gets) I would recommend this book to you for the purpose of expanding your understanding and awe of the person and work of the One King to whom every knee will eventually bow.

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Wanting to read a book that explicitly discusses the need for raising boys, I first thought of this volume. I know that raising a boy has specific challenges than raising girls because—gasp!—boys and girls are different. Contrary to what society has to say on the matter, there are differences in gender. Along with these differences come the different needs for these children. James Dobson addresses some of them well.

The part of the book I enjoyed the most is the need for boys to have a father. On many television shows and movies, the father is the dork or imbecile compared to the wise, all-knowing mother. This picture damages what the role of a man is in boys’ eyes. Dobson points out that a boy needs a father in order to grow up as a healthy man in society. With the many fatherless families in America, this results in a problem for all of society, but especially for that boy.

This book reminded me not only what my son needs, but also of what I need to give. He watches me and will become the man that I am. He will treat his wife the way I treat mine, he will talk the way I talk, and he will lead his family spiritually the way I lead mine, and he will trust Christ and pray the way I do. This is a tall order, one that I need grace for daily.

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In 2002, when Pat Tillman left a lucrative career in the NFL at the peak of his athletic prime to enlist in the Army, many  journalists, sports fans, politicians, and ordinary people took notice.  Since Pat refused to do any media interviews regarding his decision, the public was left to merely speculate as to the motivation of such radical actions.  In my own mind, I figured Pat Tillman was merely an uber-patriot, all-American boy  who saw it as his duty to serve his country.

In this book, author Jon Krakauer uses his well developed journalist skills to uncover the depth and mystery of the background, history, philosophy of Pat Tillman.   Using journal entries from Pat’s diary, and interviews with Pat’s wife and friends, Krakauer shows that Tillman was not a shallow-minded jock, but rather a complicated man with deep emotions, thoughts, and beliefs.

As most people know, in 2004 Pat Tillman died from ‘friendly fire’ while serving in Afghanistan.  In the days, weeks, and months following his death, Army officers and officials attempted to cover-up the incident and spin the story to showcase Pat as an example of an American war hero.   In regards to both personal details of Tillman as well as the details of his death and subsequent cover-up, Krakauer showed his strength as a journalist.

However, on several occasions, it appears that Krakauer deliberately went off-script to make known his own personal political position.  Repeatedly, Krakauer attacked the Bush administration – even going into details surrounding the 2000 vote recount in Florida. On several occasions, Krakauer points out Tillman’s disdain for any attempt by the government to use his service or even his death as a propaganda point, yet it seems that Krakauer often does just this for his own political agenda.  It was at these points, where this book losses its objectivity and begins to sound more like an editorial than an unbiased work of an investigative journalist.

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Here is another school book that I reread to prepare for teaching it. Tartuffe is a hypocrite who deceives Orgon into betraying his family. It’s Moliere’s massive suck-up to King Lois XIV with the worst Deus ex machina I’ve read. It’s almost as bad as if it ended with waking up from a dream.

My last review is here.

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Whether you are a Christian or a non-Christian, Greg Gilbert’s What is the Gosepl? is one of the clearest overviews of what Christians believe. In about 122 pages, Gilbert discusses God, Man, Sin, the Cross, and Redemption. For the Christian, knowing the Gospel is pivotal in one’s sanctification.

Here is an overview of the Gospel and the book using Gilbert’s quotations:

“An emaciated gospel leads to emaciated worship. It lowers our eyes from God to self and cheapens what God has accomplished for us in Christ. The biblical gospel, by contrast, is like fuel in the furnace of worship. The more you understand about it, believe it, and rely on it, the more you adore God both for who he is and for what he has done for us in Christ” (20).

“We are accountable to the God who created us. We have sinned against that God and will be judged. But God has acted in Jesus Christ to save us, and we take hold of that salvation by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus. God. Man. Christ. Response” (32).

“A common view of God is that he’s much like an unscrupulous janitor. Instead of really dealing with the world’s dirt—its sin, evil, and wickedness—he simply sweeps it under the rug, ignores it, and hopes no one will notice. In fact, many people cannot conceive of a God who would do anything else. “God judge sin?” they say. “Punish me for wickedness? Of course he wouldn’t do that. It wouldn’t be loving” (43).

“Ultimately, it means that I’m the one who should have died, not Jesus. I should have been punished, not he. And yet he took my place. He died for me. They were my transgressions, but his wounds. My iniquities, but his chastisement. My sin, his sorrow. And his punishment bought my peace. His stripes won my healing. His grief, my joy. His death, my life” (68).

“Faith is not believing in something you can’t prove, as so many people define it. It is, biblically speaking, reliance. A rock-solid, truth-grounded, promise-founded trust in the risen Jesus to save you from sin” (73).

“Even as we slog through the trials, persecutions, irritations, temptations, distractions, apathy, and just plain weariness of this world, the gospel points us to heaven where our King Jesus—the Lamb of God who was crucified in our place and raised gloriously from the dead—now sits interceding for us. Not only so, but it calls us forward to that final day when heaven will be filled with the roaring noise of millions upon millions of forgiven voices hailing him as crucified Savior and risen King” (122).

Here is a link to Mark’s previous review of this book.

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I had to read this again before I taught it this year to my 10^th grade Honors class. It is not in the top of Shakespeare plays that I’ve read, but I do like the theme of exile, and the aspect that Prospero is a representation of Shakespeare himself.

Last year at this time, the movie version of The Tempest was released, changing Prospero to Prospera. I cannot figure out the reason for the change, except a political/ideological agenda. The movie was a critical and commercial flop, as it should be. This will prevent future Hamleta and Romea and Julieto films.

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I need to read more about the art of teaching to help me stay out of the ruts that I often create the longer I teach. Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College is one of these books to help keep my classroom fresh, challenging, and engaging.

As the subtitle states, Doug Lemov collects 49 techniques that can easily be added to a classroom routine or a teacher’s repertoire to engage students in lessons. These are easy-to-implement strategies that will improve student learning. Here are a few examples:

Technique #1: No Opt Out A sequence that begins with a student unable to answer a question should end with the student answering that question as often as possible

Technique #5: Without Apology. If teachers aren’t on guard, they can unwittingly apologize for teaching worthy content (“Sorry, but this is boring but you need to know it.”). Kids respond to challenges, so instead of apologizing, say: “lots of people don’t understand this until they get to college, but you’ll know it now. Cool.”

Technique #22: Cold Call. In order to make engaged participation the expectation, call on students regardless of whether they have raised their hands. Cold calling is an engagement strategy, not a discipline strategy.

Technique #26: Everybody Writes Set your students up for rigorous engagement by giving them the opportunity to reflect first in writing before discussing.

Technique #45: Warm/Strict. Teachers must be both: caring, funny, warm, concerned, and nurturing – and strict, by the book, relentless, and sometimes inflexible. Teachers send the message to students that having high expectations is part of caring for and respecting someone.

I have already implemented a few of these in my class with great success. In fact, my profession goal this year is to try a minimum of ten techniques per quarter, and reflect on the dozen or so that are the ones that work the best for me. It will be a challenge, but I think that trying these can add to my growth in teaching.

The book also comes with a DVD showing the techniques in action. I anticipated that I would enjoy the DVD more than I actually did. It is an added bonus to purchasing this book.

If you are a teacher, I really think that this book is worth a look.

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In this small, practical book, Erwin Luzter (pastor of Moody church in Chicago) speaks Gospel truth to a situation that we all have experience in – sin – or  “blowing it”.

This book was an encouragement to me as I tend to be the kind of person that easily focuses on the weight of sin and when I “blow it” I am prone to let the cloud of my sin eclipse the sun of God’s grace and forgiveness.  This book was great reminder that not only is that foolish, but compounds my problem by thinking that by wallowing in misery I am somehow able to earn God’s favor.  Truly realizing the seriousness of sin should not push us away from God but push us to to the Cross.

While it does not even come close to plumbing the depths of the Gospel and its implications for our daily lives and relationships – and here and there where a few cheesy catch phrases that I found unhelpful and misleading -  I was routinely impressed with how concisely Lutzer was able to illustrate and explain powerful truths and their applications in this short book.

For that reason I would commend this book to any and all who have ever felt that their sin is beyond forgiveness and that they have “blown it” one time too many.

(speaking about the Prodigal Son) “…the father’s love cuts both ways:  It beckons him to return, but also magnifies his own rebellion.  If the young man returns, he will have to face his own guilt and shame in the presence of undeserved love.  Grace is often more difficult to accept than the law wielded with a heavy club.” – p.20

“In light of God’s grace, it is sheer arrogance for us to hang on to our guilt.” – p.45

“Grace should create within us a passion for Christ that is greater than our passion to sin.” – p. 67

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“Almost all men are infected with the disease of desiring useless knowledge. It is of great importance that we should be told what is necessary for us to know, and what the Lord desires us to contemplate, above and below, on the right hand and on the left, before and behind.

The love of Christ is held out to us as the subject which ought to occupy our daily and nightly meditations, and in which we ought to be wholly plunged.” –John Calvin, as quoted in Lit! p. 96.

I love books on the power and importance of reading. I saw Lit! reviewed somewhere, and I thought it sounded like something I’d like to read. The subtitle tempered my eagerness to read the book (“A Christian Guide to Reading Books”), but I still bought it, and I was glad that I did.

Tony Reinke focuses on the importance of reading, how to choose books, and how to read books. It is NOT, as the subtitle suggests, a book list of terrible yet “religious” books to read. Rather, he begins with the premise that Christians are to be people of the Word and of words. God reveals Himself through the written word, and we ought to strive to understand what words mean.

I liked his list of the six priorities that decide what books to read:

1. Reading Scripture

2. Reading to know and delight in Christ

3. Reading to kindle spiritual reflection

4. Reading to initiate personal change

5. Reading to pursue vocational excellence

6. Reading to enjoy a good story

He offers ways to increase our reading time, along with a small treaty on how the Internet cripple book reading (chapter 11). Given my heavy reading recently on the problems with my time on the Internet, I especially enjoyed that chapter. He and I seem to be kindred spirits on this issue. Reinke even realizes that his Kindle often interferes with reading time. This is something that I recently noticed in myself, and I have backed off from reading books on screens when a physical book is available.

I highly recommend this book is you want to read more, read better, or read with a larger purpose. I heavily marked my copy of this book because it will be one that I’ll want to review when I forget.

As the ultimate Book in authority and power states, “So, whether you eat or drink [or read], or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor 10:31). Tony Reinke’s Lit! helped me to see how this is done.

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Earlier this year, I read Erik Larson’s book In The Garden of Beasts. It was with that book that I experienced Larson’s ability to bring the details of history alive.  In The Devil in the White City, Larson does the same thing through his meticulous research and engaging prose.

This book feels like two books sort of smashed together as one.  Sure there are significant overlaps in time and geography, but for the most part I was alternately mildly amused and creeped out.  I was amused by the details, planning, politics, architecture, and accomplishments of the World’s Fair of 1893 in Chicago.  These descriptions of the lives, struggles, technological advancements, inventions, and lasting legacies born out of such a grand event was. To mention a few; the Ferris Wheel, Shredded Wheat, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the first widespread use of AC electrical current.

I was creeped out by the other portions of the book which follow the life of America’s first true serial killer H.H. Holmes (born Herman Webster Mudgett).  Here was a fairly intelligent, persuasive, handsome man who posed as a doctor and an entrepreneur.  His gentle and persuasive manner lured dozens, perhaps hundreds of mostly young single women.  As he took advantage of the booming business opportunities the Fair provided, Holmes ran both a hotel and a pharmacy in a large building near the Fair grounds.  Using his medical knowledge, along with various gasses and acids, Holmes took great pleasure in murdering people.

However, I did not take great pleasure in reading about his murders, or the seemingly endless details of the fair grounds and its buildings.

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