Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines, Adam B. Dooley

Passion in the Pulpit by Jerry Vines, Adam B. Dooley ISBN-13: 9780802418388 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: July 3, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It's easy to let our own personalities dictate the emotional dimension of our sermons, but the best preachers mirror the Bible's emotive intent in their sermons. When we elevate the Bible's emotional intent above our own, we preach truth rather than personality. In Passion in the Pulpit, Jerry Vines and Adam Dooley will teach you how to exegete not just the verbal content of Scripture, but its emotional appeal as well. They show you the role the Bible's emotional intent should play in each stage of sermon prep, and offer exegetical steps to discern the biblical pathos, teach you how to avoid manipulation while making your sermons emotional, help you determine the appropriate limitations of emotional appeal, and give you verbal, vocal, and visual techniques to help convey the biblical emotional intent in your sermons


My Review:
Passion in the Pulpit explains that what you say matters, but so does how you say it. The two authors argue that we need emotion in our preaching--not to manipulate with it but to bring out the intent of the passage and impart that emotion to the audience. One author explained the reasoning and the how-to while the other author gave examples of how he's done those things with his sermons in the past. They talked about the importance of determining the mood and tone conveyed by the text and conveying that through your preaching (tone of voice, movements, what you say, etc.). They suggested looking at the genre of the passage, the words used, the background and big picture, and the intent of the writer. While I found the information interesting, I discovered that I'd already been doing much of what they suggested when I prepare my Sunday School teaching for elementary age children. Maybe children just draw out a more emotion-engaging style. (This book is aimed at preachers for adults in the main church, but I thought I might get something useful out of it, too. And I did.)


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Whole Armor of God by Iain M. Duguid

The Whole Armor of God by Iain M. Duguid ISBN-13: 9781433565007 Paperback: 128 pages Publisher: Crossway Released: August 13, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The Christian life is a battle. We are in a daily struggle against the world, sin, and Satan. But God didn't leave us to fend for ourselves. He gave us his own armor--armor that Jesus has already worn on our behalf all the way to the cross. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is now at work inside of us. This book unpacks each of the pieces of spiritual armor Paul describes in Ephesians 6, inviting us to take up the armor each day, all while resting in the finished victory of Christ and the assurance that our strength for the battle comes from him.


My Review:
The Whole Armor of God examines the pieces of spiritual armor found in Ephesians 6. The author was easy to understand even though he dug deep into what the different pieces of armor were and how to use them. He drew in references to this same imagery in the Old and New Testament to help gain insight into the spiritual armor. He also pointed out how Jesus used this same "armor" and how that should encourage us. He ended by also talking about prayer and how prayer pulled all these pieces of spiritual armor together. I gained new insights into Ephesians 6. Overall, I'd highly recommend this interesting, encouraging book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Chosen for Christ by Heather Holleman

Chosen for Christ by Heather Holleman ISBN-13: 9780802416872 Paperback: 192 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: Oct. 2, 2018

Source: review copy of this book from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
As we pursue a sense of purpose and scramble to be the ones chosen for internships, graduate schools, marriages, careers, or some special honor, we often tie our identity to people, places, and clear plans that leave us frustrated and unfulfilled. We feel like we’re missing the life we’re supposed to live and we somehow veered off course. We ask questions like, “Is this God’s plan for me? How do I know? What is His plan, anyway?” What if Scripture not only answered these questions but also taught us an entirely new way of living? Instead of waiting for the perfect person, place, or plan, what if we lived, above all else, as chosen for Christ?

Chosen for Christ invites you to step into the life you’ve been missing. You were chosen for a Person, not a plan. Now it’s time to live out your calling to: worship Jesus, live as His treasured possession, belong to a new household, become like Jesus, display God’s power, complete the good works He designed for you, and live differently from the rest of the world. Each chapter includes discussion questions that will help women embrace their identity as chosen ones and step into a new way of living each new day.


My Review:
Chosen for Christ explores what it means to be chosen by God and chosen for His purposes. Understanding that you are chosen (even if you don't feel like that's true) helps you combat the fear of rejection and fills your desire for significance. The author explored Scripture to find out what it means to be chosen by God and what God chose us for: to worship Jesus (with a look at what worship is), live as His treasured possession, belong to a new family, complete the good works He designed for you, display God’s power, become like Jesus, and live differently from the rest of the world. And we're a chosen priesthood. Each chapter included four discussion questions that help you process and apply what you learned in that chapter. Overall, I'd recommend this insightful book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Acts by Charles C. Ryrie

Acts by Charles C. Ryrie ISBN-13: 9780802418227 Paperback: 112 pages Publisher: Moody Publishers Released: June 5, 2018

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The book of Acts is a thrilling account of the early church discovering what it means to be Christian. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they lived out a triumphant faith in the face of opposition and persecution, established order for the growing movement, and took the gospel to the ends of the earth. Encounter Acts through enlightening verse-by-verse commentary from Charles Ryrie that’s both straightforward and insightful.


My Review:
Acts is a slim book that basically summarized (in the author's own words) what happened in each group of verses. There's no point in reading this with Acts as you pretty much just get want's in the book of Acts. The author did include some background information about the book of Acts (when it was written, by whom, etc.) and occasionally included small bits of background information in the "commentary" on the verses. Still, it seemed more an overview of what happened in Acts rather than author comments and insights into the verses.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Fearfully and Wonderfully by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey

Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God's Image by Dr. Paul Brand and Philip Yancey ISBN-13: 9780830845705 Hardcover: 264 pages Publisher: IVP Books Released: Aug. 6, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
Discover this updated and combined edition of two bestselling books!

The human body holds endlessly fascinating secrets. The resilience of skin, the strength and structure of the bones, the dynamic balance of the muscles--your physical being is knit according to a pattern of stunning purpose. Now Gold Medallion winners Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and In His Image have been completely revised and updated to offer a new audience timeless reflections on the body.

Join renowned leprosy surgeon Dr. Paul Brand and bestselling writer Philip Yancey on a remarkable journey through inner space--a spellbinding account of medical intervention, pain and healing, and the courage of humanity. Discover here the eternal truths revealed by our seemingly ordinary existence. The human body is a window into the very structure of God's creation and a testament to God's glory.


My Review:
Fearfully and Wonderfully is a combined and updated edition of two of Dr. Paul Brand's previous books: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made and In His Image. I've read other books by Dr. Brand, but not these two, so much of it was new to me. He talked about various parts of the body (bones, blood, brain, skin, etc.) and each of the senses. His descriptions create a sense of wonder at how marvelously God designed the human body. He also told stories about people he has helped that didn't have a properly functioning sense of pain (like his leprosy patients) or hearing or kidney or whatever. For each body part, he connected this information to references in the New Testament to the Body of Christ. He explained how understanding the human body has helped him better understand how the Body of Christ should function, and he shared theses interesting insights. I'd highly recommend this interesting and insightful book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.