Book: "A Man Called Peter," by Catherine Marshall

This is an incredible read about an incredible man and written by a loving wife who is a gifted author. During a recent move I realized I noticed and realized I had never read this book. Reading this when I did was a Godsend. We had just moved from a home I'd expected to die it (and almost did). Reading about the love Peter Marshall had for God, his intensity to his calling and how God brought him along a very unusual path.....well, it was just a good time to read such.

7 Levels of Communication by Michael Maher

Short note - great book about building relationships and turning into referrals. Maher has written a very compelling story and brings other authors/books into his writings (I love that part).

He does leave a bit of his process undone, but that could very well just be me not following him.

To that end...make a difference / make a profit.

Blessings

Shrewd and Innocent by Steve Collier

Reading Steve Collier's Shrewd and Innocent brought to mind John Morely who said "a book worth reading once is worth a second."

If Collier's intent was to write a good book about life, work and practicing Christianity he did well. The author is an engineer, small businessman and has undoubtedly learned a bit about Proverbs 25:2 - "The glory of God is to conceal a matter. The glory of kings is to search matters out".

Shrewd and Innocent is part biography, part theology and all good. Collier tells bits and pieces of about his work, life and family while weaving in Biblical scripture to balance the peaks and valleys. One of the first stories Collier tells is about being recruited in 1974 by legendary Darrell Royal as a running back for the University of Texas. That by itself would have been quite an adventure, except, that same year Coach Royal recruited another young man named Earl Campbell.

Reading of Shrewd and Innocent will take you from a 20 thousand foot view of the author's story to a rapid descent into the day-to-day life of a son, husband, father and businessman. And back again.

This is a great write and worth the second read (with pen in hand) from a real life practicing Christian.

To that end....
Danny Smith
danny@dannylsmith.com
512-773-6528

Everyone Communications, Few Connect

Update on original post in 2009; The book has been published and I was listed as one of a couple hunderd contributors. My daughter, Sunne, is getting me the book for my birthday (hint, hint).

------------------------------------


From original post -

This is going to be an interesting read. John Maxwell is writing a new book titled "Everyone Communicates, Few Connect" and is posting his manuscript, one chapter every other week or so, on the web for review and comments.

Now, about the book; what a great title! Personally, I can't imagine a better idea for a book in such a culture as we have today. Personally, I feel, much of the time, like a talking-head and have recognized for years that I communicate my head and fingers off, yet..... it's often to deaf ears, skipped emails, and other agendas.

Here are more comments I've had about the book and chapter 8 in particular http://focusandreflection.blogspot.com/search?q=maxwell

To that end.... http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/

Book: "How The Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In" by Jim Collins

Good and quick read, which is unusual for this type of book.

Jim Collins (Good to Great) takes time out from 6 years of research for his "next" book to write "How the Mighty Fall..."

I'm "tweeting" the highlights @DannyLSmith and will post here later.

New Postings...

Slow year for reading new books but I do have 11 new postings to put up.

Book: "Good Christians, Good Husbands" by Doreen Moore

This is an update on a post from 8/05/2006 to include a couple of additional reviews and comments.

First the additional reviews about this outstanding book:

http://www.theologyforthechurch.com/1/post/2010/12/good-christians-good-husbands.html  and

http://abedis.posterous.com/a-review-good-christians-good-husbands

For this latter review, I include his final thoughts:

These questions and more are asked and answered in this short but profound little book. I read it in one setting and was positively convicted, wrecked and challenged to live my life with intentionality unlike before. I recommend - no, plead that every minister, layperson, wife and husband read this. Rarely will I tag a book with "must-read," but this is a MUST READ. Robbyn Abedi

I could not agree more with Mr. Abedi's encouragement. As a hobby, and as a coach, I regularly recommend books to people and there isn't one I point towards more than this one.

Author, scholar, mom, and wife Doreen Moore has done an incredible job portraying the most important part of any man's Christian life; his marriage, his ministry. But Ms. Moore did so while comparing not just marriage and ministry, but the lives of three of history's most visible Christian preachers: George Whitefield, Jonathon Edwards, and John Wesley.

This book will be one that will gradually catch on and talked about for years and years.

It is a must read for every Christian husband. Too many of us have bad viewpoints of our family life vs church life, even concerns about the balance, as if there is one. A friend and mentor once told me that when Jesus said to "go ye therefore..." He particularly meant "as you go about." We men, if married and/or with children, "go about" as husbands and dads more than we want to believe.

Doreen Moore does an great job telling the good, the bad, and the ugly truth of their impact and its legacy.

To that end...read well!

Danny

Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty

Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding The Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty by Patrick Lencioni

I was asked by someone a few weeks ago if I'd read this book and I had not. I've read all of Lencioni's other books and had read some of the white paper he had published on this subject, but had not purchased the book.

After being told "you'll enjoy the book," I did buy it. It fit my style to the "T."

Lencioni continues to hit homeruns.

Book: "If you Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get Out of the Boat" by John Ortberg

Having just finished the 1st four Sackett novels and not feeling drawn to finish 4 other books I have started (see other posts below), I started looking through my bookshelf for what I thought was going to be another old fiction to re-read. My focus was drawn, pulled hard actually, to this book Cathy had given m 4 or 5 years ago.

Now, my attention might have been drawn to the pretty blue cover because of either the cover, or the fact it had a cover (I remove and throw away covers once I begin reading a book).

In any event, reading it I began. It's great how one can "just happen" to come upon something one needs at the right time. At 55 years old and after over 25 years in the mortgage buisness, I'm in the process of changing careers and I've struggled with many aspects of what is driving that decision. It is with bated-breath (bated, not baited) I read and learn from this book. Writing this intro after reading the Preface leaves me with the feeling that this book will make a purposeful difference!

My thoughts and margin notes are in italics while the rest are abbreviated take-aways from the author's words:

Note - if you've read much of my blogs, you've figured out that I'm a Christian. If that bothers you, just read past that and pick up on the high points of the author's point (or rather, my take-aways)

9/4/2010 Preface - the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:25-32

• pg 9-10.
• The Bible is, among other things, a list of unforgettable walks.
• Let Peter's walk stand as an invitation  to everyone who, like him, wants to step out in faith, who wants to experience something more of the power and presence of God
• There is a consistent pattern in Scripture of what happens in a life that God wants to use and improve;
• There is always a call
• There is always fear
• There is always reassurance
• There is always a decision
• There is always a changed life

If the rest of the book is as good as the first two pages, this is going to be an exciting read and a book that will undoubtedly re-shape my thinking (and thus my life).

9/5/2010 Chapter 1; On Water-Walking

Great quote from T. Roosevelt about critics, credits, and cold timid souls

What goes into the making of a water-walker?

• Recognize God's presence. There is a pattern to these stories about people who walked with God and in each case God had to get people's attention.
• Discern betweed faith and foolishness
• Get out of the boat. Normally we have to really figure out "what are boat is."
• Expect problems. If you get out of the boat, you will face the wind and the storm there. But you might as well know now, there is no guarantee that life in the boat is going to be any safer.
• Accept fear as the price of growth. Fear will never go away as long as I continue to grow. Karl Barth said that confort is on of the great siren calls of our age. We have become not just couch potatoes, but pew potatoes, and boat potatoes (I'll add "job potatoes).
• Master Failure Management. Failure is not an event, but rather a judgment about the event. This is good. I've always quoted Zig's "failure is an event, not a person" and this adds a bit of depth to that thought. Failure is an indipensable, irreplaceable part of learning and growth. Failure does not shape you; the way you respond to failure shapes you.
• Learn to wait on the Lord. Most of us need to learn something about waiting. We have to learn to wait on the Lord to recieve power to walk on the water.
• Brings a deeper connection with God. God uses real-world challenges to develop our ability to trust him. We tend to seek a life of comfort and construct manageable lives with some security and predictability to maintain the illustion we are in control.

Chapter's highlight (for me). Fear and being wishy-washy. Why do we not get out of the boat? For me it is fear. Fear and being unsure of God's path for me. The part about "faith or foolishness" hit home. Sometimes I don't do something I want to do because I'm afraid I'm being reckless or foolish. Or, I do it but keep second guessing myself, and leaving myself a back door, or a window slightly cracked.

09/10/2010

Note - this book is proving to be one that I'll be putting in the Pondering and Re-reading stack and thus, my true underlines and notes would be too much for a single posting (I've messed up and done that before!). Thus, these are highlights of highlights.

Chapter 2: Boat Potatoes


I'm assuming you get the chapter title. Ortberg has a great sense of humor and does a good job bringing real life stories into his writings. I particularly like what I call chapter sub-titles.

• the price you pay for being a boat potato...."growth"
• the tragedy of the unopened gift; It's as if I've lived half my life waiting for life to begin, thinking it's somewhere off in the future.
• the chance of a lifetime is not something to take lightly
• all human beings, including you and me, give their lives to something...the only question is, what will you give your life to? Will it be worthy?
• so many people blame their refusal to get out of the boat on some external circumstance
• I must ruthlessly refuse to compar my talents with anyone else
• I must come to identify, cultivate, invest, prize, and enjoy the gifts that have been given to me
• Fear....the author wrote a lot about what fear does to be one becoming, and staying a boat potatoe
• If you've read much of this blog, you recognize why I like this book so much!

 Here's a question Ortberg asks at the end of the chapter: In what area of life (vocational, relational, or intellectual, etc) are you experiencing the most growth these days?

Chapter 3: Discerning the Call

• water-walking requires not only the courage to take a risk, but also the wisdom to discern a call.
• interesting to note that in most self-help book, risk-taking is highly praised. But in literature on psychological research, it is mostly a danger sign. Type Ts (thrill, risk seeking personalities), although they can do great things, are also more prone toward potentially destructive behaviors.
• author has good stuff on how to discern the difference between an aughentic call to get out of the boat from your own rash impulses
• calling is not so much choosing as it is listening
• calling often involves pain

 Good stuff.

09/17/2010

Chapter 4: Walking on Water

• Is it worth the risk?
• God really will honor truth-telling
• If I am going to experience a greater measure of God's power in my life, it will usually involve the first-step principle. It will usually begin by my acting in faith-trusting God enough to take a step of obedience.
• Faith is not the sort of thing that can be acquired by trying harder
• A great story told by Martin Luther on page 81
• We might be comfortable in our current job, but anxious about the possiblility that God wants to do some vocational realignment
• The indicator of fear
• The Indicator of frustration
• The Indicator of Compassion
• The Indicator of Prayer

Chapter 5: Seeing the Wind

• Resilient People Exercise Control Rather Than Passively Resign
• Resilient People Remain Committed to Their Values When Tempted to Compromise
• Resilient People Find Meaning and Purpose in the Storm
• Study questions that sticks out for me -
• What role have problems played in your growth in the past?
• How, with regard to a particular problem, could you move from passivity to exercising control and initiative?

Book: 4 Sackett Books of Early Years by Louis L'Amour

Barnabas to Kin Ring, Yance, and Jubal Sackett.

I read ALL of L'Amours' books in my teens and everyone afterwards as they came out until he died in 1988 at the age of 90. Recently, just looking for something to read, I picked up Jubal Sackett to read again after 20 years and was captivated by the rich history involved in L'Amours' words. Though I know much of L'Amours' "ways" shaped some of my own ideas about reading, I did not really appreciate the depth of his research and historical focus.

There was a reason that all of his 105 works were still in print at the time of his death.

Book: "Linchpin" by Seth Godin

Review and thoughts forthcoming.

Book: "The War of Art" by Steven Pressfield

Book: "Radical" by David Platt

Review and thought forthcoming.

Book: "Open" by Andre Agassi

Review and thoughts forthcoming

Book: "Death on a Friday Afternoon" by Richard John Neuhaus

Review and thoughts forthcoming.

Book: "The Long Snapper" by Jeffrey Marx

Second chances, stuggles, and giving it to God. Brian Kinchens, LSU standout and 13 years in the NFL did not prepare Brian for the phone call one morning while teaching Bible to his 7 graders. The call led him to the 2003 New England Patriots with 3 games left in the season and a lifetime of memories.

Marx did it again.

Five Cities that Ruled the World: How Jerusalem, Athens, Rome, London, and New York Shaped Global History by Douglas Wilson

Book recommended by Dave Moore (Twitter @DGEMoore). He used this book as part of his extensive paper on American History title "What Can We Really Know About History."

I like the book, it has some good antidotes and pieces of information, but it did not do justice to it's title. The author and publisher seems to be ashamed of the Christian and religious emphasis the of our history. I say ashamed not because of the lack of it in the book, but in the descriptions about the book. They neglected to mention anything about the theological part of the book at all.

Without a doubt, Wilson knows his history, and I especially like what he did have to say about the Christian impact to our history. The introduction to the book was really good also.

I'm behind on posting, but I've been reading!

Assassins (Left Behind, Book 6) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Apollyon: The Destroyer Is Unleashed (Left Behind No. 5) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides (Left Behind No. 4) by Jerry B. Jenkins and Tim LaHaye

Book: "When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan" by Peggy Noonan

What a great book!! I try and read a book about Reagan every two or three years and this has to be the best yet with God and Ronald Reagan in a close second.

This isn't just a good read, but a pleasant read. If the author's intent in writing this book was to show how much she, Ms. Noonan, really cared about Mr. Reagan, she gets an A+.

Obviously, it helped that Ms. Noonan knew the Reagans and those close to them for years, but even so, few people can make words seem so real. This is the first of Ms. Noonan's books I've read and it will be interesting to see if she can accomplish such a feat again.

Thanks to David Smith for having the book laying out for Melinda Grace to mention, and thus, my buying and reading it.

To that end....

Nicolae: The Rise of Antichrist (Left Behind No. 3) by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Book: "God in Work" by Christian Schumacher

I'll update the notes later, but this is a very good book about bringing Biblical principles into the workplace in such a way that they literally make a diffence in a person's day-to-day job.

Explanations later, but some of this is along the lines of Bakke's Joy at Work. And like Bakke, this has a lot of hands-on experience over many years of practice.

This book is part of the reading in my Theology of Work studies.

Book: "Tribulation Force: Left Behind Series" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Comments later, but part of what I'm using to keep my thoughts critical and purposeful.

Book: "Mark's Story, The Gospel According to Peter" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

See comments on "John's Story." Ditto

Book: "Annointed for Business" by Ed Silvosos

I've been slowly rereading and taking more notes since my orignal read in Oct 2007.

From the Introduction:

The marketplace.....is to a metropolis what the heart is to the human body. Yet millions of men and women who have been called to ministry in the marketplace feel like second-class citizens when compared to those who serve in a churhc or missionary context, and they often fail to rise to their God-appointed position. It is time to give marketplace people their rightful validation as full-fledged ministers, because the last revival - the one prophsied by Joel and quoted by Peter in Acts 2:17-21 - will take place all over the city and not just inside a church building.

This book is part of the reading in my Theology of Work studies.


More notes to come...

Book: "When God Prays" by Skip Heitzig

I'm not sure how long this book has sat in my "to read" pile, but it surfaced and I'm glad it did. About this time every year I try to read, or re-read, a book on prayer and I'm sure blessed picked this one up.

Heitzig uses the real Lord's Prayer, John 17, as his base for the book and expositorily moves forward.

That I picked this book up to read I don't believe to be accidental. This past year I've read the Book of John numerous times and have studied what many pastors and writers have had to say about the 26 verses of John 17. I'm not disappointed in the least about this author's commentary and teaching points.

As a bonus, there is some great material in this read for those searching out the "ministy of work" worldview.

To that end...Read Well.

Book: "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan

A few dozen, or even hundred, of Crazy Love was being given away at the recent Austin Christian Business Summit. A book about Love at a business function! I love it. Tom Morris would be proud (reference to his book "If Aristotle Ran General Motors").

After reading half of Crazy Love, I decided to slow the read down with the intention of reading it slowly over the next few weeks...more of a few paragraphs to go to sleep on type thing.

But, I finished it after 3 or 4 pick-ups. Chan has some extremely important things to say. His focus on Christ's demand that we love, coupled with disciple, baptize, and teach is hitting some points with my own thoughts and beliefs.

My two criticisms are about the title and a reference to what seems to be an indication of a "higher" calling of full-time vocational ministry (page 172). The critism about the title is more of a cultural thing I guess; why is it so crazy to love like Jesus said to? But, there is too much good material in this read to get hung up on either of these.

So, and though Chan mentions in a subsequent book he's written that this is not a book he's gone back to....to the Ponder list it goes.

I give the book Four Stars because
1. it is in my Ponder stack
2. not one I'll likely talk much about to others, though I will recommend (I know, wierd)
3. many good points about love
4. the subject matter itself, and well written along the lines of the subject

To that end...read well.

Book: "John's Story; The Last Eyewitness" by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

If you enjoy scripture and history you'll likely love this read. LaHaye and Jenkins have seemed done an excelent job in writting about the historical Gospel of John.

This is one of 4 in a series entitled The Jesus Chronicles in which the authors put the lives and writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John into a "fictional" but "historical setting and what might have been going on in their thoughts and lives as they wrote their respective books of the Bible.

I use "likely" and "seem" because there is much about the historical and theological settings that I don't know, and some reviewers have given John's Story, or I should say, the authors' writing of it, some very critical reviews. Yet, I notice that these reviewers invariably give very favorable reviews to what I believe some very far-fetched fiction.

From my limited experience LaHaye and Jenkins don't do anything to wrongly depict scripture and known historical facts and the books reads well.

I think it is important to consider the Biblical writers circumstances and the hisorical backdrop of the times.

Great Read, though this reveiw might be a bit wishy-washy! But it's worth you reading and deciding for yourself. Undoubtedly, 999 or 1,000 people will walk away with more real knowledge and insight into the Gospels, scripure in general, and Jesus than they have now.

To that end....Read Well.

Book: "God at Work" by David W. Miller

Subtitle: The History and Promise of the Faith at Work Movement

This is a subject near and dear to my heart, and my attempted habits.

I read the book in preparation of hearing the author speak briefly at the Austin Christian Business Summit. Britt Harris, an acquaintance, knows Dr. Miller personally and brought him in for the evening. Thanks Britt.

The book seems to be written in a very "mainstream" academia manner and a brief visit with Dr. Miller confirmed that was the purpose.

Comment on inside front cover: Secretaries to CEOs do not turn to their cleargy for guidance in bringing their faith to work, but to their peers and a burgeoning cottage industry on spirituality at work.

Some of the my margins notes, underlines, and comments:

• lack of scripture is obviously due to the audience (mainstream academia)
• Chapter One - good, solid, and transparent about how the church is not equipping itself to minister to its average member (this theme continues throughout the book with suggestions to the church in Chapter 8)
• Lack of Biblical history on God at work
• mentions R. Paul Stevens' definition of work: simply as "purposeful activity involving mental, emotional, or physical energy, or all three, whether remunerated or not" - I emailed Stevens to see if I could get a dialog going about the book. So far, he has just commented that he has not read the book but did read Miller's doctrinal thesis.
• Interesting points about pre vs postmillennialists and how that can shape one's view (pg 25-)
• manufacturing, demand for labor in cities, and family unit being torn apart (pg 27)
• very interesting how he lays out his "Social Gospel Era" and the conservative, radical, and progressive types
• Author mentions "laity, layperson" quite a bit; doesn't seem to have any real emphasis on priesthood of the laity and doesn't present any argument for or against the lack of New Testament usage of the work "clergy"
• Nothing mentioned in book about Doug Sherman and his book "Your Work Matters to God"
• Miller does a good job telling about his departure from his partnership at private equity firm in order to go to seminary to study theology and how his peers and clients responded. He sent out 150 faxes and letters and struck a deep cord among many, if not all. Responses indicated many of the executives where experiencing a deep emptiness and disconnect.
• Pg 75 - The demand for faith at work may best be understood by identifying and analysing the needs that businesspeople and other workers feel.
• Pg 76 - Research of this book suggests......integration of faith and work can be seen in 4 major types of faith issues; Ethics, Evangelism, Experience, and Enrichment (Four E's)
• Pg 79 - Among the many roles and functions of both the church and theological academy is to think theologically about the nature and purpose of humanity
• We think the church would be interested in being present in the whole of life, including the workplace.....and the academy through research would support such a view
• Comments on Chapter 5; author does a great job describing how unprepared the church is to not only help their members on work-related issues, but their sermons are not relevant to our day-to-day lives and what we REALLY deal with - to the point, we don't want to go to the church for help when we need it.
• Great stuff on page 85, 91, 94
• Chapter Seven lays out the Four E's.
• Pg 145: Pastors and churches that wish to respond seriously to the Sunday-Monday gap will need to develop new strategies of equipping laity ministry of integration that connects the Christian faith to the workplace in meaningful and constructive ways....yet an intentional ministry to businesspersons and the workplace must be more than a laundry list of programs
• Pg 145: Clergy should go to their parishioners' places of work for short visits as regularly and naturally as they make hospital and home visits.
• Pg 146-149: Clergy who wish to equip their people to integrate faith and work effectively will first need to develop an ministry of presence and listening, of public preaching and prayer, of teaching, spiritual integration, of gatherings.

Dr. Miller wraps the book up by outlining the promise and then commenting that the book "while perhaps providing a foundation for future research into the FAW movement, is hardly complete." He concludes by stating the goals of the book which includes "to raise questions for further research."

Good book and while not exhaustive it is a very important read.

And.....If it takes more research to get the vocational ministers to get it together to properly minister to their members, then I pray for more research.

To that end.....

Book: "Embrace the Struggle" by Zig Ziglar

The subtitle sums up the book; "Living Life on Life's Terms."

What a pleasure it is to read such a transparent and real book.

I heard Ziglar say years ago, "I'm not gonna ease up, let up, give up or shut up...until I'm taken up!" About the same time, he pointed at me and said, "if you want life to change, then change - I dare you to answer the phone, every time, with 'it's a great day Danny Smith.'"

That was around 1991 and he was telling me back then to live life on life's terms. Thanks Zig.

Great read, very timely.

Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of The Holy Spirit

This is my second audio book. I like to touch and feel the paper, but at the recommendation of friend Nolan Egbert I've downloaded the audio. The author, Francis Chan, is a pastor whose sermons I regularly listen to (again, at encouragement of Mr. Egbert).

Topics and discussion about the Holy Spirit are as frequent as those about Jesus' ascension to Heaven; rare.

Chan correctly begins the book, and revisits at times, the challenge in the American culture when discussing the Holy Spirit, the Person. He, Chan, even has the courage to ask "if you had the choice, which would you choose, Jesus in the flesh or the Holy Spirit?"

I've not purchased the book yet, but I have listened to this audio at least 3 times; sections 3 and 4 double that...powerful information.

To that end....A needed read.

Book: "Three Feet from Gold" by Sharon L. Lechter & Greg S. Reid

If you read Think and Grow Rich, you'll enjoy this read, and if you haven't read Think and Grow Rich, you'll enjoy this read.

The authors have tied facts, real people, fiction and time tested principles of perseverance into a well done story about changed lives.

Those of us who don't know when to quit will love this book because it will fuel our fires, those who don't persevere so well can gain some insight.

In any event, the book reads well and has a great story line.

To that end.....

Book: "Life and Holiness" by Thomas Merton

Comptemplative? Absolutely.

Merton gives the reader plenty to ponder, to consider, and to agree or disagree with. I was most surprised with how much he related life and holiness to one's vocation.

Here are some key points I've taken away:

In progress....

Book: "The Preacher and The Presidents" by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy

This-is-a-great-read. If you appreciate biographies and American history, you'll appreciate reading about Billy Graham and his relationship with Presidents Truman through George W.

I've read many other biographies and stories of these Presidents and this preacher, but Gibbs and Duffy have done an excellent work in bringing this important story to those that will take the time to read it.

Further evidence that Graham wasn't just a great leader, but a courageous follower. Here is more evidence that Graham truly wanted to bring the gospel to everyone he could, to disciple, to baptize, and to teach others to observe all that Jesus commanded.

Even in times of trouble, and mistakes.

What a great read!

Book: "Confessions" by Augustine

Non-Fiction/Biography/Confession - This is going to be a slow read for me; depth is foggy, if not mirky...but good to search such as this out.

As the slow read goes, I've posted on Twitter (@DannyLSmith ) some of Augustine's conversations with God. Those posting themselves have brought about a few good conversations and are great thoughts for ponderings.

Here are those postings (Tweets)..as of 10/3/2009:

I came to Carthage..as yet I had never been in love, longed to love, sought an object for my love, in love with love...

....my hunger was internal, deprived of inward food, that is of you yourself, my God

Hortensius' opinion was "philosophical study had no social utility & does not contribute to human happiness." @TomVMorris would disagree?

Any book which lacked His name, however well written or polished or true, could not entirely grip me....

I therefore decided to give attention to the holy scriptures and find out what they were like....

I found the Bible was composed in such a way that as beginners mature, it's meaning grows with them....Augustine

.....I disdained to be a little beginner ~ Augustine in Confessions

Augustine's "Confessions:" a prose-poem addressed to God, intended to be overheard by anxious and critical fellow-Christians

Choice of free will is the reason why we do wrong & suffer just judgement - a Plato theme heard in Ambrose's sermons

Augustine-the older I became, the more shameful it was I retained so much vanity..to think there was more than the eye normally perceives

Augustine-I made an effort to lift my mind's eye out of the abyss, but again plunged back. I tried several times, but again..again sank back

Augustine-...these reflections depressed me once more and suffocated me.....In this way I made an effort to discover other principles

Augustine -such questions revolved in my unhappy breast, weighed down by nagging anxieties of the fear of dying before I found the truth

Augustine practiced well the discipline of Proverbs 25:2 "....and the glory of kings is to search the matter out." and to that end!

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Ecclesiastes

I've read a couple of other editions of Ancient Christian Commentary and again, I'm intrigued by what these Sages, church fathers (old guys) had to say about the scripure; more evidence that what we are experiencing today is not any different than men before us. A wise king once said something about "there is nothing new under the sun." ;-)

My notes are a bit different this time. As I read and pondered this book I posted some of what these old guys had to say on Twitter @DannyLSmith which in turn posts through to my Facebook account. It brought about a few interesting comments.

The quotes can be reviewed in their Tweet form at http://acc-ecclesiastes.blogspot.com/

Book: "Season of Life" by Jeffrey Marx

Another biography and another great story. Marx, adopted ball boy turned journalist retraces his roots and he finds a giant amoung men in the ex-pro lineman he lost track of some 18 years ago.

I'm not sure if Marx intended this story to be about his journey or Joe Ehrmann's, but it is about both and the ending wraps the entire book into the purpose.

Here are some Tweets I made @DannyLSmith while reading the book:

Be inclusive, not exclusive ~ Biff Poggi

Have empathy; feeling "with" someone, not feeling "for" someone ~ Biff Poggi

The guiding force behind being a Man Built For Others; "what can I do for you?" ~ Biff Poggi and Joe Ehrmann

Empathy: the single greatest trait of humanity that seperates us from other animals ~ Joe Ehrmann

If your dad was still alive, what questions would like to ask him? What conversations would you have? - @DannyLSmith - question I posed while reading the book

Some of the great tragedies happen when the decision "men built for themselves" is made ~ Biff Pioggi in "Season of Life" by Jeffrey Marx

When you have a cause, it should never be about trying to measure the so-called impact of what you are doing ~ Joe Ehrmann

When you start counting the impact your cause is having, it becomes 'you-centered' - Joe Ehrmann

An 'other-centered' cause is about connecting to others; for them. It's about making changes to help alleviate pain ~ Joe Ehrmann

Book: "First Family" by David Baldacci

A great read to escape into for a few hours. Baldacci brings the adventures of Michelle and Sean to the backwoods of Alabama while connecting to the streets of D.C. and no one does it better than this trio.

The story is about politics, history, racism, corruption, family, roots, hate and love.

Again, a great read.

Book: "Strength in What Remains" by Tracy Kidder

This is an extremly well written biography of Deogratias.

Kidder is to be commended for his connectivity to Deo's plight through genocide in two countries, life on the streets of New York, the pursuit of a medical career, and beyond (what an incredible journey).

Yet, as well as Kidder has connected to Deo, his life and the telling of the story, Deo's life itself is remarkable.

Deogratias, means "thanks be to God." His story is heartbreaking at the same time inspiring; simple survival while stretching the limits, grasping for existance while reaching for more.

Thanks be to God for Deogratias.

Thanks be to God period.

Book: "Alex Cross' Trial" by James Patterson and Richard Dilallo

While some reviewers of this book have been dissappointed, I find Alex Cross' Trial to be an excellent read - even if it is large font and quick chapters.

In addition to giving the Alex Cross reader/follower insight into his (Cross') personal history, the "Trail" gives a real feeling for what was going on in America at the turn of the 20th Century. A bit of research myself and I find that Patterson talks a great deal about his research into the book and the reason for writing it.

The setting is Washington DC and Southern Mississippi; Teddy Roosevelt is President and a key character in this not-so-fictional book. And any reader of American History knows that T. Roosevelt was politically motivated by almost everything he did - case in point is Franklin Roosevelt's wedding.

Patterson and Dilallo have touched heavily on the epitimy of man, and woman's, ability to ignore the well being of another human because it does not fit our purpose. More of that "what's-best-for-MY-family" syndrome. Not much had really changed from John Newton's time to the early 1900's, or for that matter since the time of Cain and Able to now.

A good read. An important storyline.

To that end....

Manuscript: "Everyone Communicates, Few Connect" by John Maxwell

This is going to be an interesting read. John Maxwell is writing a new book titled "Everyone Communicates, Few Connect" and is posting his manuscript, one chapter every other week or so, on the web for review and comments.

Now, about the book; what a great title! Personally, I can't imagine a better idea for a book in such a culture as we have today. Personally, I feel, much of the time, like a talking-head and have recognized for years that I communicate my head and fingers off, yet..... it's often to deaf ears, skipped emails, and other agendas.

Here are more comments I've had about the book and chapter 8 in particular http://focusandreflection.blogspot.com/search?q=maxwell

To that end.... http://johnmaxwellonleadership.com/

Book: "The Unlikely Disciple" by Kevin Roose

Great read. Assuming Roose is honest and trustworthy in his writing, I have to say the book, and Roose's intentions and determination, is just plain remarkable.

Kevin Roose, a college freshman, has been culturally bred, born, raised, and educated to be highly liberal democrat. He is studying journalism at Brown University and to the amazement, astonishment, and even fear of his family and many friends Roose decides to spend his a semester at one of the strictest, bible thumping, conservative, evangelical schools in the world. Roose is sincerely curious about how people can live such lives as those at Farwell's Liberty University and intends to write a book about it.

While one might not agree with some of his thinking and nor completely understand his feelings, you have to admire Roose for his honesty and deliverance. Roose's transparency is admirable and I agree with the jacket cover's statement about the book being thought-provoking, heartwarming, and respectful.

A great read no matter which side (Brown vs Liberty) you're on.

To that end....

Book: "Vanished" by Joseph Finder

Philosopher and fellow Twitterer Thomas V Morris (TomVMorris)recommended this book and author recently and a good recommendation it was.

Attacked outside a DC resturaunt, Roger Heller dissappears while his wife Lauren is almost killed. Their son calls his clandestine uncle Nick to help find his dad and the plot thickens and twists.

After thanking Tom for the recommendation I was tweeted a few days later by a NickHeller that "he trusted I would follow more of his exploits." The name, NickHeller, was familiar but I first assumed it was just some solicitation until later when I remembered that Nick Heller was the main character in Finder's book.

I then began following NickHeller on Twitter and what a great tie to the character Finder is building for his next book!

Book: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture - Ecclesiastes

Excerpts

Page 190: Didymus - in one sense, though, the Spirit is the real author of this book.

Gregory of Nyssa - the book of Ecclesiastes must be understood spiritually and in light of other passages of scripture.

1:1 The name Ecclesiastes

Origen-Preacher / Didymus-Soloman / Jerome-the Church / Gregory of Nyssa-about the church and the one who leads it / Evagrius of Pontus-Christ the Author of True Knowledge

1:2 Vanity of Life

Evagrius of Pontus-for it is futile for medicine to sek a final cure, so it is useless to seek after knowledge of the Holy Trinty in the ideas of the present ages and worlds.

Jerome-If everything that God made is good, then how can everything be vanity?

Ambrose-Accordingly, let the person who wishes to be saved ascend above the world, let him seek the Word of God, let him flee from this world and depat the earth. For a man cannot comprehend that which exists and exists always, unless he has first fled from here.

Augustine-the reason why corporeal beauty is the lowest beauty is that it's parts cannot exist simultaneously.

1:3 Vanity of Human Labor

Augustine-So true life is be laid hold of, our investments are to be transferred to the place of true life, so that we may find there what we give here.

Book: "Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr," by Nancy Isenburg

Ms. Isenburg promises a totally new look at Aaron Burg with this biography. She claims that he has been railroaded through the halls of American history and intends to set the record straight.

Burr, the grandson of Jonathon Edwards, was indeed a spectical, if not committed to his cause; educated, patriot, womanizer, and crude. His father, a college president, and grandfather both died before Burr's 5th birthday and I'm sure would have been much more productive role models.

The author doesn't have much to say, possibly because of the lack of material, about Burr's upbringing and why he was so unprincipled. There was thought during this period of American history that common sense one would increase with education, and I supposed that depends upon one's definition of common sense.

8/30/2009: This being my 7 biography of this era, I'm finding myself trying to skip over the historical events. So, I'm reading it a few pages a week to insure that I allow Ms. Isenburg to get her point across.

As I read Burr's exploits, I do continue to wonder how much different he would have turned out if his father and grandfather had of been a bigger part of his life. Or the difference if he and Alexander Hamilton's paths had not of crossed as many times as they did! Having said that...what if his wife had not been taken from him so soon.

The author, unknowingly or not, shows that Mr. Burr was definitely influenced by certain people and events in his life.

Federalist Paper #10, by James Madison

Published in 1787 in a prominent newspaper Federalist Paper #10 was written by James Madison.

Madison, recruited by Alexander Hamilton and joined by John Jay to promote their political views.

The main purpose of this particular paper was to guard against "factions," or as we know them to be "special interest groups."

An interesting note is that James Madison was very much a part of factions in his college days and early in his career. Obviousy, he came to realize that such activity was self-serving and not good for the Union.

Yet, it seems that our constitution, for which the Papers were a foundation, did not fair as well as our Constitutional Constructors would have hoped. Hence, the Republican and Democratic special interest groups, err "parties."

Book: "Paths of Glory" by Jeffrey Archer

Awesome story, true, of a man and his calling. Yet, a man that followed his call and did not know the caller.

Did he reach the top? I want to believe he did. Otherwise, the picture would have been in his pocket.

Book: Glenn Beck's Common Sense, Inspired by Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine 1st penned Common Sense in January, 1776, and published as a 50 page pamphlet under a false name. This British citizen with only a basic education was shocked a what he had found in his two years in the Colonies and decided to do something about the oppression heaped upon the people by a government (England) out-of-control.

Glenn Beck now brings this to our attention with his own version of Common Sense: The Case Against An Out-of-Control Government.

A few excerpts

ix: If you believe that it's time to put principles above parties, character above campaign promises, and Common Sense above all - then I ask you to read this book, declare yourself a creative extremist, and then pass these words along to others who may agree with something else Martin Luther King, Jr., once said:

The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict."

Page 17: I seriously believe that no discussion or debate is un-American. I agree with the Founding Fathers that it is only on the battlefield of ides that the best ones can be recognized and ultimately prevail.

Page 106: DO NOT WAIT FOR OTHERS TO SAY AND DO THE THINGS YOU FEEL. The American Republic will not be seept into the dusbin of history if good men come forward now....Stand shoulder to shoulder and arm in arm unafraid. Listen, learn, and lead. Renew that promise first made during a hot summer in Philadelphia and mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.....I believe that is still true today. Great and powerful miracles are about to unfold before us....Once we dedicate ourselves to the new dawn and experience a restoration of our founding principles, we can be secure in the knowledge that future generations will enjoy the same liberties that we reserved for us.

Page 107: But until then, the sense that something just doesn't feel right will linger.

"....until an indipendence is declared, the Continent will feel itself like a man who continues putting off some unpleasant business from day to day, yet knows it must be done, hates to set about it, wishes it over, and is continually haunted with the thoughts of its necessity." Thomas Paine (and Glenn Beck's) last words of a call to action.

Those words find their roots in an idea that seems to have been all but abandoned....Common Sense.

Page 109: The 9.12 Project (9 Principles and 12 Values)

Visit http://www.the912project.com/ for more information

Book: Ludlum's "The Bourne Deception" by Eric Van Lustbader

Good book to just spend the day in, which is what I did. Author had an interesting "sub-agenda" with his
eesages about eastern religions and thoughts about truth and lies.

Page 128: "Human beings, it became clear to him, thrived on lies; they needed them in order to survive, be happy, even. Because the truth is often unpleasant, and people didn't care about that. Furthermore, it didn't suit many of them. They'd much rather lie to themselves, have those around them to lie to them to perserve the illusion of beauty. Realty wasn't pretty, that wasn't the truth.

Book: "Predictably Irrational" by Dan Ariely

This book might make my "top 5 read again and again" list.

It looks promising. http://www.predictablyirrational.com/

Book: Traitor to His Class by H. W. Brands

Book: God's Outrageous Claims by Lee Srobel

I'm struck by how easy Strobel is read. While having having read a couple of other of his books, this one has caused me to realize how much I enjoy his writing.

Strobel was a news reporter for years and I suppose that training has helped in his ability to make the story so enjoyable.

Page 111: Strobel tells of Newton's story of two angels given distinctly different duties yet neither felt the other was favored. Why? Because the joy was in being obidient to God.

There's the essence of the following God's will, His calling.

Page 182: Matthew 7:12, so in everything do unto others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. ......if you want the Cliff Notes Summary of the Bible's entire teaching on relating to others, this outlandish and revolutionary statement is it.

Page 188: when we see people from God's perspective, all of a sudden we have the inspiration to treat them with the same dignity, respect, and honor that we desire for ourselves.

Page 191: Loving God is what enables us to love others.

Moses on Leadership

Gone Stale

I've been a bit stale over the past few months. Not much reading, but lot's of listening; scripture, sermons, songs, and a classic audio book or two.

But, maybe I'm coming out of it.

We'll see.

Book: "The Courageous Follwer": Dynamics..by Ira Chaleff (3)

Page 13: The Common Purpose and Core Values - Any organization is a triad consisting of leaders and followers joined in a common purpose. The purpose is the atomic glue that binds us. It gives meaning to our activities.

• Followers and leaders both orbit around the purpose; followers do not orbit around the leader.

Page 13: If the purpose is not clear and motivating, leaders and followers can only purse their perceived self-interest, not their common interest. The process of clarifying purpose can mobilize a group, heal painful rifts, and help the group steer through treacherous passages. It is a critical act of strong leadership and courageous followership.....Clarifying core values validates the purpose and determines how we will and how we won't pursue it.....A common purpose pursued with decent values is the heart of the healthy leader-follower relationship.

Page 13: The Paradox of Followership -We are responsible. Whether we lead or follow, we are responsible for our own actions and we share responsibility for the actions of those whom we can influence.

Page 14: Followers have great capacity to influence the relationship....Just as a leader is accountable for the actions and performance of followers, so followers are accountable for their leaders....If we amplify our leaders' strengths and modulate their weaknesses, we are the gem cutters of leadership, coaxing out its full brilliance. If we amplify our leaders' weaknesses, we may stress existing fracture lines in their characters and these fracture lines may become fatal flaws. Followers who are closest to a leader carry pivotal responsibility; they markedly shape the tone and outcomes of a leader's tenure.

Page 19: If we are to be effective partners with leaders, it is important to remember that as followers we possess our own power, quite apart from the reflected power of the leader.


Because of the importance of "Following" to the topic of Leadering and Succeeding-in-the-Box, I've chosen to write the excerpts on the book in multiple posts. The first posting can be read by clicking below while all others are at later date.

http://leadingwellbyreadingwell.blogspot.com/2009/05/book-courageous-follower-by-ira-chaleff.html

Book: "The Courageous Follower" by Ira Chaleff

I originally saw a review of this book on the following blog link - http://linked2leadership.com/2009/05/01/the-courage-to-follow/

While I find the subtitle a bit, Standing Up to Our Leaders, out of place, the review and my first glance at the book looks promising.

Here are the authors Five Dimensions of Courageous Followership:

1. The Courage to Serve

2. The Courage to Challenge

3. The Courage to Participate in Transformation

4. The Courage to Take Moral Action

5. The Courage to Listen to Followers

Update 8/01/2009 and 12/21/2009: The book is promising and I've posted some quotes from this book on my Succeeding-In-The-Box blog @ http://focusandreflection.blogspot.com/ .

Here are some take aways -

Page 2: It is difficult to appreciate the external pressures on leaders....If these pressures aren't managed well, with adriot help from followers, they can distort the leader's decision-making processes and interpersonal dynamics. Usually, the distortion will be in the direction of more authoritarian behavior and away from the partnering we desire.How does a follower effectively support a leader and relieve these pressures?How does a follwer become a "shaper" rather than simply an "implementer"?How does a follwer contribute to leadership development rather than become a critic of leadership failings?Most of us are leaders in some situations and followers in others. On one level we understand and fully accept this.Page 3: But on another level there seems to exist the deepest discomfort with the term "follower."....The sooner we move beyond these images and get comfortable with the idea of powerful followers supporting powerful leaders, the sooner we can fully develop and test models for dynamic, self-responsibile, synergistic relationships in our organizations.

Page 3: If we are to attain the empowerment we crave, we must accept responsibility for both our own roles ang the roles of our leaders...

There are three things we need to understand:

1. we must understand our own power and how to use it...the sources of our power, whom we serve, and what thools we have to carry forward the group's mission from our unique vantage point...


2. we must appreciate the value of leaders and cherish the critical contributions they make to our endeavors. We must understand the forces that chisel away at their creativity, good humor, and resolve. We must learn how to minimize these forces and crate a climate in which a leader's strengths are magnified, so a leader can better serve the common purpose....


3. we must understand the seductiveness and pitfalls of the power of leadership.

Page 5: The danger in the leader-follower relationship is the assumption that the leader's interpretation must dominate. If this assumption exists on the part of either the leader or the follower, they are both at risk. The leader's openness to.....and being challenged and learning from followers will drop precipitously. Followers will abandon their unique perspectives and healthy dissension, which are at the heart of the creative process and innovation.....I believe that courageous followers can and must be agents of change for such leaders.

Page 13: The Common Purpose and Core Values - Any organization is a triad consisting of leaders and followers joined in a common purpose. The purpose is the atomic glue that binds us. It gives meaning to our activities. Followers and leaders both orbit around the purpose; followers do not orbit around the leader.

Page 13: If the purpose is not clear and motivating, leaders and followers can only purse their perceived self-interest, not their common interest. The process of clarifying purpose can mobilize a group, heal painful rifts, and help the group steer through treacherous passages. It is a critical act of strong leadership and courageous followership.....Clarifying core values validates the purpose and determines how we will and how we won't pursue it.....A common purpose pursued with decent values is the heart of the healthy leader-follower relationship.

Page 13: The Paradox of Followership -We are responsible. Whether we lead or follow, we are responsible for our own actions and we share responsibility for the actions of those whom we can influence.

Page 14: Followers have great capacity to influence the relationship....Just as a leader is accountable for the actions and performance of followers, so followers are accountable for their leaders....If we amplify our leaders' strengths and modulate their weaknesses, we are the gem cutters of leadership, coaxing out its full brilliance. If we amplify our leaders' weaknesses, we may stress existing fracture lines in their characters and these fracture lines may become fatal flaws. Followers who are closest to a leader carry pivotal responsibility; they markedly shape the tone and outcomes of a leader's tenure.Page 19: If we are to be effective partners with leaders, it is important to remember that as followers we possess our own power, quite apart from the reflected power of the leader.

Page 15: Who Does A Follower Serve?....A follower shares a common purpose with a leader, believes in what the organization is trying to accomplish, wants both the leader and organization to succeed, and works inergetically to this end.Page 16: If serve also ourselves and not the leaders or the stakeholders, we are not followers but opportunist shiphoning off the energy of the group to serve our own agendas.

Page 35 - leaders want their staff to assume more responsibilty, initiate ideas, and take action of their own.....they don't want to be the only one leading.
http://focusandreflection.blogspot.com/2009/08/courageous-follower-taking-action.html

Page 39 - Challengin a specific leader on a specific subject may be healthy, but a pattern of challenging leaders on all subjects is not......A follower who is too subservient and eager to please authority cannot provide the balance a leader requires to use power well.....Clamming up when a leader interrupts us in a raised voice serves us and the leader poorly.

Page 40 to 41 - (see Quadrant chart) A follower operating from the first quadrant (high challenge/high support) gives vigorous support to a leader but is also willing to question the leader's behavior or policies. This individual could be said to be a true partner with the leader and displays many of the characteristics identified with courageous followership in this book.

Page 45 - A key to self-management is personal organization. A follower who is not well organized will too often be unprepared, miss deadlines, submit faulty work, or otherwise fail to meet the leader's expectations.

Page 45 to 46 - Self-management encompasses the nuts and bolts of effective leadership or followership. It is mundane. It is pedestrian. Yet self-managment is a critical skill and a courageous follower must be prepared to do the hard work involved in being personally well organized.....if we are not naturally strong is these areas we assume responsibility for improving our skills.

Page 47 - Management of our life and health are even more fundamental than management of our work if we are to be reliable team members and a source of support for our leaderes....We must do our jobs, not become our jobs.

Page 48 - Successful followers care passionately about their work and the people it serves.

Passion...springs from genuine connection to the common purpose.


Page 49 - Willingness to initiate action without being instructed to do so is a distinguishing characteristic of the courageous follwer. Courageous followers assume responsibility for events in their vicinity - whether it be a customer service complaint or an opportunity that, if seized, can produce a quantum leap forward for the organization.

Page 57 - If you bother leaders with too many matters will squander their energy; if you fail to bring things they need to know to their attention, you may blindside them, causing embarrassment, or calamity.

To that end.....

Book: "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy" by Jane Leavy

The author, Jane Leavy, wanted to tell Koufax's story against the backdrop of American history and culture of the times and she did it well.

This was a very enjoyable read about a man committed to who he is and his cause. Ms. Leavy did a great job bringing out not only a bit of Koufax, but the culture of the times.

Good read.

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: 1 Peter

Book: "The Truth Wars" by John MacArthur

MacArthur begins his Introduction with..."Who would have thought that people claiming to be Christians - even pastors - would attack the very notion of truth?"

He ends with... "As vital as it is for us to enlist in the Truth War and do battle for our faith, it is even more important to remember why we are fighting - not merely for the thrill of vanquishing some foe or winning some argument, but out of a genuine love for Christ, who is the living, breathing embodiment of all that we hold true and worth fighting for."

MacArthur doctrinally expects this battle, this war, to be fought and to ignore and not fight it is not what Jesus wants of His soldiers. He fully expects there to be false teachings taught by men and women who refuse to accept a real truth and MacArthur expects the believer to fight the good fight.

Where MacArthur differs from many, even most, is his desire and willingness to fight the war on truth....The Truth War.

My first encounter with Dr. MacArthur was with his book The Gospel According to Jesus where he was willing to take on some well established institutions in that Truth War. When MacArthur sees the truth being attacked, he brings the battle home to the offender, and he names names. He'll bring it into their backyard and will unashamedly go toe-to-toe.

I don't know if MacArthur battles first in a more private arena before bringing it out in such a public venue, but I would think so, I hope so. In any event, MacArthur engages again and the war is on again in Truth War's 200 plus pages.

The book is rich with history, stories, and scripture. I'll be writing excerpts from the book while also looking on the internet for any counters and rebuttles to his assertations. Any comments from me will be in italics.

Page ix - x: A recent issue of Christianity Today featured a cover article about the "Emerging Church.".......One dominant theme pervades the whole article: in the Emerging Church movement, truth (to whatever degree such a concept is even recognized) is assumed to be inherently hazy, indistinct, and uncertain - perhaps even ultimately unknowable.

Page x: McLaren is quoted in the Christianity Today article, saying at one point: "I don't think we've got the gospel right yet...I don't thing the liberals have it right. but I don't think we have it right either. None of us has arrived at orthodoxy. Elsewhere, McLaren likens the conventional notion of orthodoxy to claim that we "have the truth captured, stuffed, and mounted on the wall." He likewise caricatures systematic theology as an unconscious attempt to "have final orthodoxy nailed down, freeze-dried, and shrink-wrapped forever."

Page xi: The idea that the Christian message should be kept pliable and ambiguous seems especially attractive to young people who are in tune with the culture and in love with the spirit of the age and can't stand to have authoritative biblical truth applied with preceision as a corrective to workldy lifestyles, unholy minds and ungodly behavior. And the poison of this perspective is being increasingly injected into the ebangelical church body.

Page xi: But that is not authentic Christianity. Not knowing what you believe is by definition a kind of unbelief.......Refusing to achknowledge and defend the revealed truth of God....Advocating ambiguity......or otherwise diliberately clouding the truth is a sinful way of nurturing unbelief.

Page xi: Every true Christian should know and love the truth.....The clear implication is that a genuine love for the truth is built into saving faith. It is therefore one of the distinguishing qualities of every true believer.

5/17/09 - most everything about "Truth Wars" on the internet is about the war in Iraq or the war on drugs. One blog with this name had some good stuff, but the author is extremely stealth, which causes me to wonder what he's hiding. Googling "Truth Wars" brings up some 28 million hits.

5/22/09 - http://books.google.com/books?id=T6nt7lLz1gsC&dq=truth+war&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0


to be continued....

Book: "The Top Ten Mistakes Salespeople Make and How to Avoid Them" by Tod Duncan

4/19/2009: I met Tod Duncan in 1993 at a seminar. Tod was a mortgage loan officer turned mortgage trainer, now aurthor, speaker, and coach and had a great impact on my life. I used his mastery program with a number of loan officers back in the mid and late '90s. Tod's testimony as practicing Christian has been inspiring.

Being a good sales organization is important to the restructuring of our business and vital to making a difference and making a profit.

It is with great anticipation that I begin this read.

To that end.........

Book: "Under God" by Toby Mac and Michael Tait

As I said in postings about a few other books, I've been reading American history biographies for a few years. This is an excellent addition to that list.

From the Introduction...

While our forefathers set forth the ideal of what this natin could become, it was immensley more difficult to carry out and ensure this ideal for all men and women. It is a profound task that continues to this very day.

When studying the founding of the United States, one thing that you can't help but encounter is the faith of our forefathers. Time and time again our forefathers recognized God's hand in the shaping of this nation. You will find Him mentioned repeatedly in their words and documents.

When we decided to embark upon creating this book, we decided to use King David from the Bible as our model. He as a man afer God's own heart, but he was also a murderer and adulterer. And though David repented of his errors, they haunted him the rest of his life. In the same way, our forefathers left wome things undone, and along the way our nation plunged into some dark traditions.

This book is a collection of short stories about our heritage. Each short story could have - and has had - entire books written about its subject. .......It is our hope that you enjoy reading these stories as much as we did discovering them.

Read Well..............

Book: "Facing Your Giants" by Max Lucado

I've not read any of Max Lucado's writings in 4 or 5 years and it was refreshing.

Lucado does an excellent job of telling about David, how he faced not just Goliath, but giants throughout his life, and he kept relying on God. This biography of David is woven in with stories of people like you and I and how we also can rely on God to nurture, guide, and shield us when we are facing our own giants.

Bravo Mr. Lucado.

Well done.

To that end....

Book: "Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: James, 1-2 Peter, 1-3 John, Jude"

5/17/2009: I'm some 15 weeks into my study on 1 Peter and reading these "old guys" during their time (100-800 or so) continues to be enjoyable. Their fresh perspective helps to keep me balanced as I read and listen through more recent sermons and commentaries about Peter and his letter.

4/11/2009: This slow read, coupled with numerous other readings and sermons on 1 Peter, has been by far the best study I've ever done on any book of the bible. What these old guys, these sages, have to say is incredible. And how fresh the letter was when they were commenting.


2/15/2009: For my original comments on these "Ancient Christian Commentaries on Scripture:" go to...Proberbs/Ecclesiastes/Solomon.

This read on 1 Peter is part of the study I'm doing with my church life group as we follow our Pastor, Brad Thomas, through his 16 weeks of sermons on the same - 1 Peter.

Reading what these old sages have to say about this letter is remarkable. It gives me an entirely new perspective on the words. Seriously, think about it...Ignatuis of Antioch was alive during the time Peter penned this letter and wrote several letters of his own while being taken to Rome to be martyred. And here are some of what he had to say about the scripture itself.

Or Justin Martyr and Polycarp who were born soon after the letters were written.

Over 90 of these sages.... words so fresh.

To that end...read well.

Book: "Twelve Ordinary Men" - Chapter on Peter, by John MacArthur

I orginally read this book back in 2005, but picked it up again in my study of 1 Peter.

Page 49-50: Submission is an indispensible character quality for leaders to cultivate. If they would teach people to submit, they must be examples of submission themselves. And sometimes a leader must submit even when there might seem to be very good arguments against sumbitting.

Peter learned the lesson well. Years later, in 1 Peter 2:13-18, he would write,

Therfore submit yoursleves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, wheter to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those whold do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men; as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God, Honor the king. Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh.

Note: reading MacArthur's rendention of Peter's life has been a great addition to my study of his letter to God's elect.

To that end....

Book: "Pilgrims Progress" by John Bunyan

I've picked this book up before and attempted to read. The first time in 1995. I'm almost a third through it and think I might make it this time. There are some men, writers, sages I highly respect that read it numerous times throughout their life, even yearly and I'm determined to read it once before I die.

Of course, if I don't, it won't make that much of difference. Or will it? The writer of Hebrews did say "let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity..."


To that end...Read Well.

Book: The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization" by Peter Drucker with Collins/Kotler/Kouzes/Rodi/Rangan/Hesselbein

Book: The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization

By Peter Drucker, with Jim Collins, Philip Kotler, James Kouzes, Judith Rodi, V. Kasturi Rangan, and Frances Hesselbein

(Notes are from the AudioTech Book Summary)

Explore….the five simple, yet essential questions first posed by Peter F. Drucker, who is widely considered to be the world’s foremost pioneer of management theory. (In this issue column)

Analyze….your organization’s mission, which should be a short, sharply focused statement that tells everyone why you do what you do, not how you do it. (In this issue column)

Assess….who your target customers are, who and what influences them, what they value, how you can create satisfying experiences for them, and which customers you should stop serving. (In this issue column)

Determine….what specific results your organization should be striving to achieve, and where you should focus for future success. (In this issue column)

Develop….your organization’s plan, which must define the particular place you want to be as well as the budget and action steps that will enable you to get there. (In this issue column)

These five simple questions will help you to assess what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what you must do to improve the organizations performance. (page 1)

What is our mission?

Who is our customer?

What does our customer value?

What are our results?

What is our plan?

The questions then guide you through the process of assessing how well you are doing, ending with a measurable, results-focused strategic plan to further the mission and to achieve the organization’s goals, guided by the vision. (page 1)

The ultimate beneficiaries of this very simple process are the people or customers who are touched by your organization and by others like you who have made the courageous decision to look within yourselves and your organization, identify strengths and challenges, embrace change, foster innovation, respond to customer feedback, look beyond the organization for trends and opportunities, and demand measurable results. (page 2)

The danger is in acting on what you believe satisfies the customer. (page 2)

All the first-rate decision makers that Drucker observed had a very simple rule: If you reach consensus quickly on an important matter, don’t make the decision. A fast agreement means nobody has done the homework. The organization’s decisions are risky and important, and they should be controversial. (page 2)

Every organization needs a healthy atmosphere for dissent if it wishes to foster innovation and commitment. Open discussion uncovers what the objections are. (page 2)

Self-assessment should convert your mission and your knowledge into effective action – not next year, but tomorrow morning. (page 2)

Question 1: What is Our Mission? (page 3)

A mission cannot be impersonal. It has to have deep meaning, be something you believe in – something you know is right. A fundamental responsibility of leadership is to make sure that everybody knows the mission, understands it, and lives it. (page 3)

An effective mission statement is short and sharply focused. It should fit on a T-shirt. The mission says why you do what you do, not the means by which you do it. The mission is broad, yet directs you to do the right things now and into the future so that everyone in the organization can say, “What I am doing contributes to the goal.” It must be clear, and it must inspire everyone to say, “Yes, this is something I want to be remembered for.”

Demographics change. Needs change. You must search out the accomplished facts – things that have already happened – that present challenges and opportunities for the organization. Leadership has no choice but to anticipate the future and attempt to mold it. (page 3)

The question of mission has become even more important as our world becomes increasingly disruptive and turbulent. (page 3)

Every truly great organization strives to preserve the core mission, yet stimulate progress. The core mission remains fixed while operating practices, cultural norms, strategies, tactics, process, structures, and methods continually change in response to changing realities. It is the glue that holds an organization together as it expands, decentralizes, globalizes, and attains diversity. (page 4)

In fact, the great paradox of change is that the organizations that best adapt to a changing world first and foremost know what should not change. They havea fixed anchor of guiding principles around which they can more easily change everything else. They know the difference between what is truly sacred and what is not, between what should never change and what should always be open for change, and between “what we stand for” and “how we do things.” (page 4)

One cautionary note: Never subordinate the mission in order to make money. If there are opportunities that threaten the integrity of the organization, you must say no. Your mission provides guidance, not just about what to do, but equally about what not to do. (page 5)

Keep the first question – What is our mission? – in front of you throughout the self-assessment process. Step by step, you will analyze challenges and opportunities, identify your customers, learn what they value, and deliver your results. When it is time to develop the plan, you will take all that you have learned and revisit the mission to affirm or change it. (page 6)

…..start with the long range and then feed back and say, “what do we do today.” The ultimate test is not the beauty of the mission statement. The ultimate test is your performance. (page 6)

Book: "Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God" by J.I. Packer

My friend Nub Donaldson gave me this small, but incredibly powerful, 135 page paperback and I thank him for thinking of me.

Dr. Packer originally published Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God" in 1961. In the new release Mark Dever's Forward asks, "If God is in control, why should we do anything at all? Why should we work? Why should we pray? And especially, why should we evangelize?"

Why? Packer explains, very bluntly, fairly clear, a bit repetitive, but you won't have any doubt as to the author's intentions.

Here are some bullet points taken directly from the book;

Book: "Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Proverbs"

I first came acquainted with this book in 2005 while reading Christopher Hall's "Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers." Hall's book was assigned in Dave Moore's book club and included an interview between Moore did with Dr. Hall in which Hall talked about the editing involved in with the series "Reading Scripture....."

From the General Introduction (included in all volumes)... The Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture has as its goal the revitalization of Christian teaching based on classical Christian exegesis, the intensified study of Scripture by lay persons who wish to think with the early church about the canonical text, and the stimulation of Christian writers.

The time frame of these documents spans seven centuries......from the end of the New Testament to A.D. 750.

It seems that the older I become the more I'm drawn to what men before me have gone through. This has led me to reading about my country's founders, those who've fought for it's freedom, and now those who've defended the my faith. As yet have I found "nothing new under the sun" and that helps me in working out my salvation.

We live too much in today, this moment, and don't enough, if at all, realize what men and women have been thinking, and writing, and experiencing trials and triumphs since the beginning of time.

What Ambrose and Didymus and Bede and Augustine and all these old sages have to say about the scripture and life is so relevant to today's living.

It is going to be such a pleasure to see them in heaven.

God Bless and Read Well

Book: "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House," by John Meacham

Draft.....

Sunne and Curtis (my daughter and son-in-law), gave me this for Christmas. They know I've been reading the past 5 years biographies on our founding fathers, presidents, and signers of the Declaration of Independence (only gotten through 8 or 9......probably won't live long enough to get them all!). This is part of the "old guy" reading I'm doing.

I'm disappointed that I'd not read about Andrew Jackson before.

Book: "Wordly Saints: The Puritans As They Really Were," by Leland Ryken

This book is on Dave Moore's Oxford Reading Tutorial. Special thanks to Dave.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The author, Professor Leland Ryken, states in Chapter 11 that his purpose, in part, for writing this book was:

1. to present the truth about what the Puritans thought and practiced and

2. he, Professor Ryken, was interested in what the Puritans can teach us.

I believe Ryken did a great job in laying out the good, bad, not-so-ugly, and the truth & beauty of who the Puritans were and what they've meant to today's culture. Providing, of course, that what he wrote is true, and if the number of pages of end notes and source material is any indication, then I assume it is, there is a wealth of information in these pages.

Anyone that believes in the priesthood of the laity will do good reading this book to understand how to not just believe but in how to practice such.

Professor Ryken accomplished his goal in writing the book.

Thanks Dave for the recommendation.

Book: "The Prodigal God," by Timothy Keller

This book was a Christmas gift from my friend Nolan.

If you thought you know all about the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:1-3, 11-32, well, so did I.

Dr. Keller gives an entirely new meaning to this story Jesus told. To help me with what I was reading, I went on line and listened to 3 lessons Dr. Keller taught January, 2008, on this same subject.

If Dr. Keller's goal in writing this book was to open the reader's heart, mind, and soul to the entire story Jesus was telling here in Luke 15, he accomplished that with me.

The most profound statement in the lesson I listened to, though quoted a bit different in the book, was...

"it's not sin that keeps people from fellowship with God, but their damnable good works." (see page 77 in book).

Thanks for the book Nolan. It's going in the re-read stack.

Update: 2/1/2009 - still pondering Keller's writing. Cathy and I had a great discussion about parts of it yesterday. She is reading the book and I had to ask her if there were any "notes to self" I had made in the margins were embarrassing? She claimed....not too bad! The book continues to be provocative in my thoughts.

Update: 2/28/2009 -To listen to sermons related to Tim Keller's book The Prodigal God, from the series The Fellowship of Grace, click below -

http://sermons.redeemer.com/store/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=32

Lincoln: "The Biography of a Writer" by Fred Kaplan

Some new things, for me, this author presented about Lincoln;

• Lincoln's use of God, the Bible, and Christianity
• According to this author's writing, Lincoln was not a Christian believer
• Lincoln's purposeful planning; short and long-term
• Lincoln spent a great deal of time on the legal circuit in order to be away from his wife. Lincoln met a lot of people during this time and develop a recognition that would not have probably happened otherwise. He was also able to speak before more groups and test his thoughts.
• Lincoln wrote out his thoughts and planned almost everything he said publically

The book had more about "non-writing" based upon its title, but it does cause me to think more about how much Lincoln wrote and maybe read more about that aspect of his life. Mr. Kaplan is a Lincoln scholar and has written much about the subject of Lincoln. I would have rather read a smaller and more intense book just about Lincoln's writing style and subject matters than to have had to sort through all the history also.

Mr. Kaplan probably has a tilt of some sort about other, and more recent Presidents, that I'll look into. I say this because in his comparison's of Lincoln to other Presidents he left a gaping hole about Ronald Reagan. I'll check my source and confirm, or not, and make a comment back here.

I've read 3 or 4 other books about Lincoln and this, by far, but none of the others had much, if any, about Lincoln's thoughts and beliefs about God. Mr. Kaplan stepped out and was willing to discuss, at least a bit, openly.

So, did Mr. Kaplan succeed in what he set out to accomplish by writing this book?

In my opinion....No; not according to the title.