Book Review - A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue

A Bird, a Girl, and a Rescue by J.A. Myhre

Set in Africa, this fictional chapter book gives children a glimpse into the culture of another part of the world including topics such as poverty, gender treatment, education, and conflict.

While the book does not give an outright Christian message, it does weave in some biblical themes such as bravery.

One thing that would have been helpful to add is a pronunciation guide for all of the names. Some of the names may be hard to pronounce consistently if reading aloud, such as "Mbega" or "Njili."

This book will lead readers on an intriguing adventure that will have both children and adults eager to know what happens next.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Cross Focused Reviews.

Review: His Kids United Christmas Vol. 1

The “His Kids United Christmas” album contains 12 Christmas songs featuring the voices of children. I consider this CD a blend of traditional and contemporary music. The CD includes some traditional Christmas carols with traditional sounds that will bring back memories of Christmases past, as well as some new songs with lyrics about today’s Christmas traditions, all while still pointing to the same ancient true meaning of Christmas – the Savior born in Bethlehem. While some songs are slower paced, many of the songs have a nice upbeat sound that makes you want to move, dance, and tap along to the music. After the tracks were finished playing, I wanted to turn the CD on again to listen to it some more. The lyrics are powerful and will inspire listeners to let their light shine and share the true light and love we celebrate at Christmas.

Click here for a free download of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” 

Disclosure: I received a free digital download of this album as part of the His Kids United Christmas Vol. 1 blog tour with Cross Focused Reviews.

Book Review: Awakening Faith

Awakening Faith contains 366 daily devotional readings on various topics. Each day’s reading contains a Bible verse along with a one-page passage taken from the writing of an early church leader. I really like the short and manageable length of each day’s passage, allowing even busy readers to easily keep up with the daily readings and gain exposure to the thoughts of these Church leaders from history. In this collection, you will find writings from Ambrose, Augustine, John Chrysotom, and other Christian thinkers and Church leaders from the first eight centuries (0-800 A.D.). The back of the book includes a section containing short biographies of each writer, which I really like, telling who they are, what they are known for, and when they lived. The short passages along with the brief biographies provide a good and digestible introduction to the early church leaders and their writings, giving us a glimpse at how our brothers understood the Scriptures in ages past. God’s Word truly stands firm throughout the ages, and this book is a great reminder of that.

The hardcover book is very attractive in subtle earth-tone colors and contains an attached brown ribbon bookmark. This would make an excellent gift for anyone interested in learning more about our Christian heritage and the legacy left by these early Church leaders.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of the Awakening Faith blog tour with Cross Focused Reviews.

Book Review: Christmas Uncut

Christmas Uncut: What Really Happened and Why it Matters was written by Carl Laferton. According to the publisher’s website, the book would make a good gift. The book is less than 70 pages long and available for under $5. I feel that it would be best suited for the young adult crowd, both Christians and non-Christians alike.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I like the author’s intention to focus on the details of the authentic Christmas story as described in the pages of Scripture. However, his way of going about it bothered me a little. Throughout the book, he mocks the traditional children’s nativity play, beginning each chapter with a story of an acting scene gone wrong. He then continues each chapter by relating the true historical events of the Christmas story and their importance. I agree that some Christmas performances may not always be entirely faithful to the biblical text, but I do not think they are all bad either. I believe they can be a great way to introduce children to the true story of Christmas. As a children’s ministry leader, I couldn’t help but take offense.

With that aside, the book does help to correct false ideas that have become part of the Christmas story as it has been idealized over time in our culture. The author seeks to reveal truth and help readers look at the Christmas story in a new way, thinking on details often overlooked. Near the end of the book, readers are given ideas of ways they can explore more, and the closing sections seek to provide a rebuttal to some objections readers may raise. I appreciate the author’s desire to point people to the true hope, joy, and love found in the real Christ of the Christmas story.

Disclosure: I was provided with a free copy of this book from the Good Book Company as part of Cross Focused Reviews’ Christmas Uncut blog tour.

Book Review: How to Be a Bible Princess

How to Be a Bible Princess was written by Catherine Mackenzie. The book's pink cover featuring flowers and glitter is sure to appeal to young girls. The book helps girls understand how they can be part of God's royal family, clearly presenting the gospel message of salvation through Jesus. Each chapter begins with a quiz that introduces that chapter's focus. The book features stories of women in the Bible, both good and evil, including lesser known figures such as Jehosheba and Michal. Each chapter points to a passage in the Bible that girls can look up and read to discover more about these women. Each chapter also contains a section of princess tips to help girls learn what it means to really be a princess who lives according to biblical standards. Each chapter ends with a section relating to that chapter's theme that points to Jesus and gives additional relevant biblical passages to read. The book is written in a conversational style and has some illustrations throughout. One thing that I did not like was the use of the word "idiot" in one chapter; I do not consider that an appropriate term to use in a book for young girls in the intended age range of 8 – 12. As a note for American readers, the book was published by a company in the United Kingdom and contains some English phrases and spellings that may be unfamiliar to girls in the United States. 

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of the Christian Focus 4 Kids blog tour.

What is Family Ministry?

The 2012 Olympic Games have come to a close. Team USA walked away with the gold in some of my family's favorite events, including women’s gymnastics, men’s basketball and women's water polo. The hard work, training and dedication of team members paid off as they reached the goal they had all been striving for: the gold medal!

Sports competitions are a great reminder of the importance of teamwork. Each member of the team must fulfill his or her unique role in order to help the group accomplish their aim. Teammates must be on the same page as they cooperate and work together toward the same goal. 

This summer, the Family Ministry Blog Tour has asked individuals to consider the question, “What is family ministry?”

To me, family ministry is about a TEAM – church leaders, congregations, parents and families all working together with the same goal in mind: the salvation and spiritual growth of individuals.

Family ministry acknowledges that children are under our care at the church for approximately an hour or two each week, while they are with their family for many more hours per week. It acknowledges how much of an influence family members have on one another, and that the family is the bedrock of society. Family ministry considers the whole of the family unit, not just one individual in that family. Family ministry looks at the needs of the family and ministers to the whole family – parents and children. We must be praying for them, encouraging them and equipping them.

I believe that family ministry seeks to break down those walls that may have separated and segmented our ministries in the past. Children are often downstairs in the church basement learning and doing activities while their parents are learning something else upstairs. When church is over, parents pick their children up, ask if they had fun, and the conversation about church ends there.

Family ministry is intentional about keeping parents informed and involved. I want the families of children in our ministry to know what their kids learned on Sunday morning, so that they can continue to talk about it and review and reinforce that message with them throughout the week. We should partner with parents as part of the team to help children grow and develop in faith. Church leaders have a responsibility to teach and train these children, giving them a solid foundation in the Scriptures, but the responsibility for spiritual training also must belong to the parents and family. Part of our calling as leaders is to equip God’s people for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Some parents may not feel qualified to teach their children about biblical matters or may not know where to start. As church leaders who may have the professional training in Christian education and child development, we must be equipping parents to daily guide their children to grow in faith in the Lord. We can help provide families with the tools, resources, training and encouragement they need to help their children grow and learn and to help them survive the ups and downs of family life. In today’s busy culture, we can also provide special family times, opportunities that encourage families to spend time together and talk about their Christian faith with one other.

Of course, the success of these kinds of family ministry efforts requires the cooperation of the parents to accept and embrace their God-given roles as spiritual guides for their children. Sadly, this does not always happen in our congregations. Many children attend church on their own, and their family may not share their faith. Nevertheless, we must continue to encourage and love both the children and their families, reaching out to them and continuing to cultivate the children’s faith as they are in our care. Perhaps the child’s life, faith and behavior will be a witness to their own family members.

Family ministry is about a team. As church leaders, we are one part of that team and must work wholeheartedly as we seek to see children and families grow in the Lord. With continued love, prayer, patience, and the power of God’s Spirit, families will be transformed through Jesus.

Click here to visit the FamMin Blog Tour page and find other views on family ministry.

Book Review: A Theology of Luke and Acts

A Theology of Luke and Acts, by Darrell L. Bock, is part of Zondervan’s Biblical Theology of the New Testament Series. The hardcover volume is divided into three sections. Part One gives readers an overview of the context and content of Luke and Acts, and the unity of these two biblical books. Part Two takes a closer look at some of the major theological themes in Luke-Acts including the role of the three Persons of the Trinity, salvation, Israel, the Gentiles, the Church and ecclesiology, social dimensions, the Law, eschatology, and the Scriptures. Part Three looks at the inclusion of Luke-Acts as part of the canon and its comparison to other New Testament books.

I decided to focus my review on chapter 9, which looks at the integral role of the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts. In the book of Luke, there are 16 references to the Spirit, more than either of the other Synoptic Gospels. The book of Acts contains almost four times as many references to the Spirit as does Luke, with a total of at least 57. Obviously, the Spirit's role is central in Luke's writings.

From the beginning of Luke's gospel, the Spirit is present. The infancy narrative contains references to the Spirit including John's being filled with the Spirit from birth and the coming of the Spirit upon Mary, resulting in the birth of Jesus. Bock cites Luke 3:16 as a key verse that is alluded to several times throughout Luke's writing, and he examines various views regarding this verse in great detail. The endorsement of the Spirit is given at the baptism of Jesus. Throughout Luke's writing, the Spirit is seen to provide encouragment, help in times of persecution, direction, revelation, wisdom and enablement, and is associated with power. At the end of the gospel of Luke and the beginning of the book of Acts, the disciples are told to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the gift of the Spirit, power from on high. The Spirit transforms and enables believers to complete the work to which God has called them, equipping them to be bold witnesses. The Spirit now dwells in all believers, not just a select few, but all who come to God through Christ Jesus. The gift of the Spirit is poured out among the community of believers at Pentecost, and later the Spirit comes on Gentiles as well. Believers receive forgiveness, cleansing, the Spirit and life. According to Bock, the Spirit's equipping signifies the salvation of an individual, as well as the coming of the new era ushered in by the Messiah. The conclusion of A Theology of Luke and Acts highlights what Bock considers to be the six most important theses about Luke's theology, one of which is "the Spirit as the sign of the new era." The important role of the Spirit in Luke-Acts is evident.

A Theology of Luke and Acts presents a thorough look at these two books, with Scripture references throughout and a Scripture index at the back. The book also contains bibliographies and footnotes referring to other sources used in Bock's study, which could also be consulted for those desiring to study more on each topic. After reading the chapter on the work of the Spirit in Luke-Acts, I myself have been encouraged to dig more into the subject.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan as part of the blog tour for A Theology of Luke and Acts.

Book Review: Love without Walls

Love without Walls was written by Laurie Beshore, leader of local and global outreach ministries at Mariners Church in Southern California. The book is part of Zondervan’s Leadership Network Innovation Series. It contains practical ideas for any church that desires to reach out beyond the four walls of their church building and change their communities and the world.

The book shares the journey Mariners Church has taken as their outreach ministry has grown over the past 25 years, allowing readers to learn from their mistakes and successes. According to the book, the foundation for effective outreach must be to understand the community and the culture being served and to develop positive relationships with those individuals. The book mentions that we must listen, learn and love. With that foundation, the world will take notice of the radical love they are experiencing as we seek to share the gospel. The world is need of Christians who truly listen, learn and love as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission. There are many people hungry to experience a true incarnation of God’s love and truth, and we must be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.

This week, our church has been hosting our annual Vacation Bible School for children in our community. We are a smaller church, but VBS is one of our major outreach events of the year. So many children are in need of positive relationships, knowing that someone cares enough to listen and to love them. But the benefits are mutual. The relationships built during VBS benefit both children and volunteers, and God’s love continues to spread to more and more people. Children too are being developed as leaders, as they learn to reach out with God’s love to their community.

One part of the book discussed developing volunteer leaders, a subject of interest to me. The journey of Mariners Church began with just one volunteer, but their team has since grown to more than 7,000. I was encouraged by how the book mentioned that it all still takes place “one relationship at a time.” Whether your ministry is to a single person or an entire community, you are still changing the world. Keep at it; the work must continue.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan as part of the Love without Walls blog tour.

Book Review: The Envy of Eve

The Envy of Eve: Finding Contentment in a Covetous World was written by Melissa B. Kruger. The book, geared for women, takes a closer look at the sin of coveting, one that I believe is often overlooked and misunderstood.

Coveting, like all sin, keeps us from truly loving God and our neighbors. With personal stories and biblical examples, the book describes what coveting is, the root of the problem, and how to overcome it in Christ. Several chapters are devoted to looking at different types of coveting as well as specific examples of coveting from the Scriptures. The book also includes questions for the reader to reflect on personally or discuss with a group.

As part of this blog tour, reviewers had the opportunity to ask the author a question related to the book. Below is my question to the author and her response.

Q:  Recently, we have been teaching the children at my church about the Ten Commandments. The children were not familiar with the term "covet." Do you have any suggestions on how best to explain this concept to children? 

A:  I love this question. I find that when I can explain something to a child, then I really understand it myself! I teach Children’s Church and usually find it easiest to teach using visual aids and asking questions. So, my lesson on coveting would probably go something like this:   

• Good morning children! I want to ask you to help me. I am going to pass out different flavored lollipops (or markers, pieces of colorful paper, or musical instruments if you didn’t want to use candy) to everyone in the class. Hold them in your hand and wait until everyone gets one.   
• Can someone show me what it looks like to whine and complain about the lollipop they received? (Usually, the children will have fun with this one!)  
• Now, can someone show me what it looks like to be content or happy with the lollipop they received? (Hopefully, they will say something like “thank you” as an example of contentment.)  
• Well, I want to teach you a new word today. Please repeat after me: COVET  
• Children, when we covet, we whine and complain about what we have and want what someone else has. Can everyone show me what a whiney face would look like again? Can everyone show me what a content face would look like?  
• And then I would tell the story of Achan in Joshua 7 as an example of someone in the Bible who coveted. At the end I would review the word and the definition.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Christian Focus Publications as part of The Envy of Eve blog tour.

Book Review: Think Christianly

Think Christianly, written by Jonathan Morrow, takes a close look at culture and describes what it means to have a Christian worldview. How do we apply the Scriptures in a postmodern culture that claims that truth is relative? How do we respond to issues of importance in our 21^st-century world? This is the intersection of faith and culture.

Various chapters in the book address issues relevant to our world today, including topics such as abortion, cloning, evolution, the environment, politics, economics, pornography, homosexuality, media, and other issues that some Christians are uncomfortable addressing in the church today. But shouldn’t the church be the place that people can come with their questions? Instead of being afraid to acknowledge doubts and questions, the author encourages congregations to discuss such topics on Sunday morning, creating a safe spot for individuals to explore their questions and beliefs and helping them to think on these issues and how they will engage with these cultural issues each day. The book offers ideas to help churches engage the culture and become the embodiment of truth and love.

At the end of each chapter, the author suggests a list of resources related to that chapter’s subject. There is also a short interview at the end of the chapter with an individual regarding the topic at hand. Since I serve in children’s ministry, the chapter on training the next generation especially captured my interest. The author interviewed Reggie Joiner, founder of the reThink Group and leader of the Orange movement, connecting church and home. Developing a Christian worldview needs to start at a young age. As we prepare children to enter the real world and face these cultural issues, how can we best equip them to know God and experience a daily relationship with Him? How can we help them grow as they navigate through their questions and develop an authentic faith? How can we help them connect the truth they are learning and discovering to everyday life? Check out Think Christianly to learn more.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan as part of the Think Christianly blog tour on the Engaging Church site.

Common English Bible Giveaway - Ends Saturday, May 5

As a member of the Common English Bible "Change Your Heart and Life" blog tour, I have the opportunity to offer my readers the chance to win their own softcover copy of the CEB! Congratulations to Vincent, who was last week's winner! If you did not win last week, don't worry! Another giveaway for a softcover edition of this Bible begins today! Here are the ways in which you can enter this giveaway:

• Leave a comment on this post telling your favorite book of the Bible and why it is your favorite.
• Tweet the following and leave a comment stating you have done so: "Enter to #win a copy of the @CommonEngBible @letthemcome1014 http://letthemcome1014.blogspot.com #CEBtour #giveaway"
• Read one of the Psalms (your choice) and then leave a comment stating which one you read.
• Join this site (see link at the bottom of the page) and leave a comment stating you have done so.

Each task you complete counts as one entry. You must leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to count. This giveaway is only open to U.S. addresses. All comments must be posted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, May 5, 2012. Check back the following Monday for a reply on this post to see if you are the winner!

"Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good." - 2 Timothy 3:16-17 CEB

Common English Bible Blog Tour: 24-Hour Giveaway

Over the past couple months, I have been participating in the Common English Bible "Change Your Heart and Life" blog tour. The Common English Bible is a new translation that seeks to use language that is understandable to the 21st-century reader. The translation work was completed by 120 individuals representing 24 denominations.

To discover more about this translation, visit the following: 

• Website: http://CommonEnglishBible.com
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/CommonEngBible
• Facebook Group Page: http://facebook.com/groups/CommonEnglishBible
• Facebook Bible Like Page: http://facebook.com/LiveTheBible
• Video: http://vimeo.com/CommonEnglishBible

As a member of the blog tour, I received a free leather-like thinline edition of the Common English Bible. Today, you have the opportunity to enter to win your own softcover copy of the CEB! Here are the ways in which you can enter this giveaway:

• Leave a comment on this post stating your favorite Bible verse.
• Tweet the following and leave a comment stating you have done so: "Enter to #win a copy of the @CommonEngBible @letthemcome1014 http://letthemcome1014.blogspot.com #CEBtour"
• Read one of the Psalms (your choice) and then leave a comment stating which one you read.

Each task you complete counts as one entry. You must leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to count. This giveaway is only open to U.S. addresses. All comments must be posted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday, April 28, 2012. I plan to announce the winner on this blog on Monday, so be sure to check back to see if you are the winner!

"Your word is a lamp before my feet and a light for my journey." - Psalm 119:105 CEB

Think Orange

Today is the first day of the Orange Conference! That means ministry leaders are gathering to network with other church leaders, attend workshops and gain insight from great speakers, and think Orange! The Orange strategy is all about churches and families partnering together to aid their children's spiritual development, uniting the light of the church (yellow) and the heart of the home (red).

For those like me who can't be at the Atlanta conference in person, you can get a glimpse of the happenings, including the opening session, backstage interviews and more. Click here to learn more, and follow the official hashtag #OC12 on Twitter.

The Eric Trap, a new book for ministry leaders from Jim Wideman and his team, officially releases today at the Orange Conference. Click here to read my review of the book.

Book Review: The Eric Trap

The Eric Trap was written by a group of children's ministry leaders under the leadership of Jim Wideman. The book presents an insightful, engaging and honest look into the daily, real-life experiences, struggles, thoughts and emotions of a children's pastor. This book reveals the reality of what it's like to serve on a church staff and details Pastor Eric Newman's relationships with fellow staff, volunteers and family.

Although Eric is a fictional character, I believe many leaders will relate to his experiences and struggles.

The book was an easy and enjoyable read. The chronicles of Pastor Eric are presented in the form of a story. Integrated into the book are chapters with practical ideas and commentary drawing on principles presented in Eric's story. The end of each chapter contains questions to help readers apply the principles to their current life and ministry situations.

These chapters cover important topics including:

• Relationships with Volunteers - the importance of delegating and equipping others for ministry, allowing them to develop as the people and leaders God desires them to be.
• Relationship with the Senior Pastor - understanding and aligning your visions for ministry, and submitting to the senior pastor's leadership for the benefit of the church as a whole.
• Relationships with Parents - equipping parents to guide their children's spiritual development, since their impact goes much deeper than the one hour or so a week the children spend under our influence at church.
• Relationship with God - abiding in Him and relying on Him, not our own strength in ministry, and measuring our growth and success in His terms.
• Relationships with Family - keeping priorities in line and maintaining balanced and healthy family relationships.

I currently volunteer as a kidmin leader and am looking to possibly be in that role of a full-time children's pastor someday. I believe this book is good for current leaders, who can likely relate to Eric's experiences, realize they're not alone, and hopefully find a way out of any traps into which they have fallen. The book can also serve as a warning for future workers of the snares that may be ahead so they can avoid falling into those traps.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of The Eric Trap blog tour.

Want to learn more about Eric and his book? Check out TheEricTrap.com, and follow Eric's Twitter account @e_newman and hashtag #erictrap.

Book Review: Your Church is Too Safe

Your Church is Too Safe was written by Mark Buchanan, a Baptist pastor from Canada. This book was written as a wake-up call for the church to live up to its mission and to live as an embodiment of the kingdom of God here on earth.

I can’t say I completely agreed with everything written in this book. There were some things I didn’t agree with, such as referring to Jesus’ cries to His Father in Gethsemane as “complaints,” or referring to Peter, James and John as Jesus’ “favorites.”

There were times that it seemed Buchanan went to the extreme to make his point, but perhaps that was his purpose. He seeks to address the complacency, apathy and even hypocrisy of individuals in the church today. He challenges Christians to live as a radical and authentic incarnation of God’s love and be the Church we ought to be, full of grace and truth.

I believe the real test of this book isn’t Buchanan’s writing; it is the reader’s response to it. What will we do in response to the issues Buchanan raised? How can we step out of our comfort zone and show love to the least of these? It might make us uncomfortable. We might have to interact with and love people who are different than us. We might have to change the way we do some things. We might have to challenge our traditions. But we might just discover that living as Jesus called us to live truly is the best way.

A side note – I know you can’t judge a book by its cover, but I had some trouble with the dust cover of this book. I’m not sure if it was just my copy or if it was the material the jackets were made of, but the inside flap didn’t want to properly lay flat.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan as part of the Your Church is Too Safe blog tour on the Engaging Church blog.

Book Review: How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens

How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens was written by Michael Williams. This guide takes readers on a journey through each book of the Bible, while focusing on how Christ is revealed and pointed to throughout the Scriptures and how each individual book relates to the larger redemptive narrative of the entire Bible.

Each biblical book is covered in a chapter of the Jesus Lens book. Each chapter includes an introductory overview of the biblical book(s); a statement describing the theme; a verse or passage to memorize; a description of how the teaching of the book(s) relates to the Person of Jesus; as well as some contemporary applications and questions to help readers connect the message of the biblical book(s) with their own experiences in today's world. These components are also summed up in a handy chart at the back of the book covering all of the Old and New Testaments.

The overviews in each chapter give readers a short introduction to each biblical book, which is especially helpful for books with which they may not be as familiar. Williams' book also is helpful in getting readers to understand that the messages of these biblical books are still relevant in today's world. This book can help readers to cross the cultural divide and apply the messages and principles of the Scriptures to life today. Although I believe it is important that we do not neglect the original meaning and context of the Scriptures for the original audience, seeing how each book relates to Christ is helpful for us as Christians today, living under the new covenant. Jesus Himself acknowledged that the Scriptures testify about Him (see John 5:39).

I decided to focus my study and review on the books of Psalms and Hebrews, two that I have been studying this year.

Old Testament: Psalms

The Old Testament is sometimes seen as irrelevant in today's culture. However, Williams' book helps readers to see how the prophecies, teachings and laws in the Jewish Scriptures were ultimately fulfilled in Christ. It also provides contemporary applications for the teachings found in these books.

In the book of Psalms, we get a glimpse into a genuine, intimate relationship between a human and God. We learn that we too can pour out our honest feelings before God. Williams' book described the movement of the psalms from lament to praise. Because of God's goodness, we can always end up in praise.

The Jesus Lens: According to Williams, the relationship with God we see depicted in the Psalms was exhibited in Jesus' own relationship with His Father. Christ, who has revealed the Father to us, is also the Way by which we can have this relationship with God as well.

New Testament: Hebrews

The New Testament book of Hebrews was written to an audience of Jewish Christians. These believers were struggling somewhat with this new faith. It seems that the author of Hebrews is trying to get his audience to see the ancient teachings they knew through the "Jesus lens." He seeks to help them realize that the teachings of the Scriptures have been fulfilled in Christ. He wants them to understand their need for continual faith in Jesus, so that they will not give that up and turn back to the legalism of the old covenant.

The Jesus Lens: The Law and its teachings and observances were only a shadow of things that were to come, but Christ and His sacrifice are far better and eternal. In the book of Hebrews, readers are reminded that Christ is the mediator of our relationship with the Father and we must continue steadfastly in our faith in Him.

In the application section for Hebrews, Williams wrote that contemporary readers may not be struggling with the idea of turning back to Jewish practices as the original audience was; however, there may be other things to which we may be tempted to return. Yet, we too must hold firmly to our faith in Christ.

Conclusion

I believe that Williams' book provides a good introduction to each book of the Bible and is helpful for readers who are interested in digging into the Scriptures and discovering how they can be applied to the lives of Christians today.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan as part of the Jesus Lens blog tour.

Book Review – Eric Liddell: Finish the Race

Eric Liddell: Finish the Race, written by John Keddie, is a biographical account of Eric Liddell. The book relates the story of Eric’s life including his family background, childhood, education, athletic accomplishments, missionary work, death, and legacy that continues.

Eric Liddell was a humble man committed to following the Lord and leading others to do the same. An outstanding runner, Eric became an Olympic gold medalist and world record holder. He is well known for holding to his conviction regarding the Lord’s Day (Sunday). When an Olympic event he was supposed to run in was held on Sunday, he gave up the opportunity to participate. He participated in an alternate Olympic event and won a gold medal anyway. Eric remained true to His beliefs and did not allow his Olympic fame to deter him from carrying out the work God called him to do. Although Eric was not an outgoing or eloquent speaker, the Lord used him and his experiences to influence many for Christ. Throughout his life, Eric was involved in speaking in evangelistic meetings, teaching young boys, preaching, and doing missionary work in China.

Through the story of Eric’s life, children will learn truths about Christian beliefs and who God is. They will also be inspired in their own Christian journey. As children are growing, it is beneficial for them to have good Christian role models and heroes to learn from as they are learning more about themselves and what it means to live as a Christian in the real world. This book is part of the Trailblazers series, which presents the stories of other Christian heroes including Gladys Aylward, Amy Carmichael, Hudson Taylor, and Adoniram Judson, among others.

The book’s chapters were short, and each chapter left the reader wanting to know what would happen next. Chapter discussion questions are given near the end of the book to help readers dig deeper into the truths presented. I think that this book would be ideal for home-schoolers as part of a unit study. Published in Great Britain, the book contains some expressions that may seem a little awkward to American readers, such as dates printed in a different form (e.g., 21 January instead of January 21). Nevertheless, the focus on sports and athletic competitions is something that would appeal to young readers of different backgrounds. The intended age groups printed on the back cover of the book are ages 7-9 (someone reading to them) and ages 9-14 (reading by themselves). I personally feel that this book would be better suited for the upper end of this range.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book as part of the Christian Focus 4 Kids Blog Tour.

Check out these Bible verses for inspiration in your own Christian journey: Acts 20:24; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 3:14.