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Current Book Reviews
Another Country by Mary Pipher
"Community" is the latest fad in church life in America; we've "lost"
it, somehow, in the past two to three decades, and we’re desperately trying to
"find" it, or "create" it. "Small groups" are being embraced as the solution to
this huge issue of isolation and disenfranchisement, but an unlikely prophetic
voice from the secular world offers some ideas which tap into natural order vs.
contrived formation.
Mary Pipher (author of Reviving Ophelia) challenges the way we do
life in American culture that has contributed to the segregation of the
generations, the net result of which has created an aging population
disconnected relationally from other generations. Everyone loses in this
arrangement. With sensitivity and respect, Pipher describes the paradigm shift
which occurred around the 1950s, when community life was replaced with
individualistic life and the disconnection began. Fifty years later, the old
and the young have little interaction and the richness of doing life
intergenerationally has been lost. "A great deal of social sickness in America
comes from this age segregation," she writes (p. 18).
She captures the heart of true "family ministry" as she describes an
approach to life which connects the generations. She observes, "If ten
fourteen-year-olds are grouped together, they will fight one another. They will
form a 'lord of the flies' culture with its competitiveness, social anxiety,
and meanness. But if ten people aged two to eighty are grouped together, they
will fall into a natural age hierarchy that nurtures and teaches all of them.
Because each person has a niche, competitiveness will subside. Each person will
have something unique to contribute. Values will deepen and experience will
grow richer. For our own mental and societal health, we need to reconnect the
age groups." (p. 18)
We would add "spiritual health" to her statement. This well-spoken
statement reflects the driving vision of Home Improvement Ministries. Everyone
wins when the Body of Christ functions intergenerationally. Mary Pipher has
penned another insightful and relevant book; Another Country is well
worth reading. --- Virginia Friesen
Marriage on Trial by Glenn Stanton and Dr. Bill Maier
For the first time in the history of mankind, confusion reigns regarding
God's design for marriage. What has since the beginning of time, in all
cultures, been accepted as true (that the definition of marriage is the union
of a man and a woman) is suddenly up for grabs, unclear, too narrow, hateful,
or inadequate.
While most evangelical Christians agree that God's design for marriage
is clear, most also admit that articulating their belief is difficult. Part of
the difficulty is influenced by the reality that to take any stand apart from
acceptance of homosexuality as a normal lifestyle option is to receive the
judgment of being hateful, narrow and small minded, homophobic, etc. Sadly, in
a departure from a societal commitment to protect any group from being the
target of hate-language, it is okay for those labels to be assigned by those in
the pro-homosexuality camp to those who are not.
How do we respond? How can we express a Biblical view thoughtfully,
accurately, and compassionately? Marriage on Trial is an equipping book
which answers these questions. These men have done an incredibly thorough job
of researching secular data which corroborates Scriptural truth. With
sensitivity, they speak the truth in love and prepare us to have honest
conversations on this very relevant subject. If you've been stuck when your
child, your college student, or your neighbor asks you "why not?" regarding
Heather having two mommies, order this book now. It will prepare you to get
unstuck in those moments.
It will also challenge you to work to have the kind of marriage that
reflects the goodness of God's design. The dismal statistics regarding marriage
have certainly opened the door for criticism of this relationship. Stanton and
Maier address the reality that the clarity of the design of marriage has been
diminishing for decades as our culture has shifted from "commitment to the
covenant" to "commitment to my happiness." Healthy marriages are a great
advertisement for God's design in this unique and powerful relationship.
This book is a must read if we will be prepared to speak for truth about
this politically driven, culturally divisive issue. --- Virginia
Friesen
When God Doesn't Answer Your Prayer by Jerry Sittser
(Zondervan)
It's a question everyone asks at some point along life's journey and
Jerry Sittser, in his articulate, from the trenches point of view, gives some
helpful handles on how to come to a place of peace with this honest question.
Never one to produce formulas, Sittser reflects on the question with the honest
angst of one who has plumbed the depths of it following the personal
devastation he experienced after losing his mother, his wife, and his 4 year
old daughter in a head on car collision with a drunk driver. In the end, he
leaves us with no easy answers, but with a convincing and compelling position
of trusting in the sovereign God of the universe. "Ultimately, God's greatest
answer to prayer is something far different from what we could imagine. It is
not what God does for us that demonstrates God's greatest answer to prayer;it
is what God does in us. God wants to change us to His liking, not to change the
world to our liking." (p164) (Also by Sittser: A Grace Disguised and
Discovering God's Will) --- Virginia Friesen
Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth by Dr. Jeffrey
Satinover (Baker Books)
Confusion continues to swirl around the issue of homosexuality and the
Christian community is not immune from the distortions propagated by our media
controlled culture. What is true regarding this highly complex subject which
has taken a front and center seat in politics, education, and media? Is
homosexuality the result of genetics? Is it God designed and God ordained?
Though popular culture would answer those questions affirmatively, and quickly
label anyone with a differing opinion "homophobic and hateful", Jeffrey
Satinover presents a compelling position in this excellent resource book. He
has done his homework and presents research data and evidence from a pro-gay
media campaign which give a thoughtful analysis of the problem and a hopeful
proposal of some solutions. This book will give you a clearer understanding of
why America finds itself at the crossroads of redefining marriage and will
equip you with the truth needed to take a firm Biblical position on this
critical issue. Dr. Satinover writes with compassion, clarity, and hope; this
book is a must read for all high school and older who want to be better able to
articulate a God-honoring perspective on this controversial, watershed subject. --- Virginia Friesen
Mommy Paints the Sky by Danny Oertli (NavPress)
Faith is tested in the crucible of pain, and though none of us would
choose a path marked by suffering, we do choose how we will respond to it. That
response defines us much more than does our experience.
In Mommy Paints the Sky, songwriter and Christian recording
artist Danny Oertli reveals his response to the unexpected tragedy of his
beloved Cyndi's untimely death eight years into their marriage. Refreshingly
honest and disarmingly transparent, Danny allows us to enter his world, which
has been rocked by both unfathomable pain and joy. He chronicles his journey
with reflective insights about how he was met by God even in his darkest
moments. Absent are the empty platitudes often used in Christian circles to
explain God's goodness and sovereignty in the face of loss. Danny's grief and
sorrow are real, but are not without hope. His authentic relationship with God
removes pretense and permits him to personally wrestle with God's will.
This book will touch you on many levels. Though their love story is
beautifully written, the book is so much more than that. It's a book which
affirms God's very personal involvement with His beloved children and speaks
with clarity God's word to each one: "I love you. I am all you need."
Besides this compelling book, Danny has released a CD entitled,
"Everything In Between". The CD includes a song titled "Mommy Paints
the Sky". See www.dannyoertli.com for ordering information. ---
Virginia Friesen
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