Currently, there are several books I have been reading from that I’d like to share with you here in this blog. Some I have just finished. One or two are long term reading—I pick them up for awhile, set them down for awhile, and pick them up again.
Right now, I am presenting a few short selections from one chapter per week in the book, Great Controversy by Ellen White to our office staff for Monday morning staff worship. This is a tremendous book with a powerful message for Christians living right now before Jesus’ second coming.
In my personal devotional time, I am reading from A.G. Daniels classic book, Christ Our Righteousness. In this, he details the all-encompassing message of righteousness by faith and presents quotes and selections from Ellen White urging the Adventist Church to make Jesus Christ the central point of every person’s life. She details that it is only in the presentation of righteousness by faith, that the message will go with power in the last days, and it is Satan’s studied effort to keep people from understanding righteousness by faith, for Satan knows that when people accept Christ’s righteousness by faith, Satan’s power over them will be broken. I am praying about the possibility of making this book available at a very affordable price for those attending the 2010 Pennsylvania Camp meeting.
Jeanne and I are reading (well, she is reading and I am driving) Story of Redemption, by Ellen White, each morning that we ride together from our house to the Conference office. This book is a wonderful telling of the Great Controversy/Conflict of the Ages in one shorter, easier to read volume. I am praying about also making this book available at a very affordable price for those attending the 2010 Pennsylvania Camp meeting.
Recently I finished reading John Ortberg’s book, God is Closer Than you Think. This book deals with a creative and yet compelling call to invite Jesus into every day and every part of our life. Several have shared with me what a blessing and also a conviction they have received from this book.
Another book I am currently meandering through is Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink. It describes how our brains are able to process and handle understanding certain things, and even lead us to decisions or conclusions, without our being conscious of a specific thought process. Gladwell is not describing some ethereal, or hypnotized, or out of control experience. He is saying that our brains have been created with the ability to organize and process data on a subconscious level and use that ability when we may not even be aware of it.
Ben Patterson has a volume entitled, Deeping Your Conversation with God. An Excellent book on personal prayer with God. I have shared this with all the Pastors and all the Teachers who came to the Spiritual Retreats this fall, where we followed Ellen White’s counsel to come apart and rest awhile, focusing completely on God’s presence.
A historical non-fiction book I enjoy reading snatches in from time-to-time is American Lion by Jon Meacham. This details the life of Andrew Jackson during the years he was an American President. This is also a book that James Cress,(a voracious reader) GC Ministerial Department Director was reading right around the time of his death last November.
Our Wednesday night neighborhood Men’s Group is reading Being God’s Man…By Standing Firm Under Pressure, by Stephen Arterburn, Kenny Luck and Todd Wendorff. This is a book for small group study and discussion, and focuses on the life of Daniel and his 3 companions as they demonstrated how not to compromise under pressure. They didn’t let misfortune, temptation, manipulation, intimidation or even death shake their faith into compromise. Instead, they faced each new challenging circumstance with courage and trust.
To grow as a Church leader, I have read, and am now re-reading portions of Patrick Lencioni’s book, Silos, Politics and Turf Wars. This book helps leaders work with the organizations departmental directors in discovering and joining together on a thematic goal, that every department can work together on, to reach the mission for the organization. Soon I will read Lencioni’s book, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, to continue growing as an effective organizational leader.
The last book I am listing here now is Dwight Nelson’s Creation and Evolution. Rather than being a definitive book on all the scientific theory for or against evolution, Nelson brings a spiritual study from the Scriptures, along with good solid questions for the evolutionary theory to address if it is to be seriously considered acceptable. He also brings an over-view of excellent current scientific thought and discoveries that cast significant doubt on the ability of the evolutionary theory to be the sole authority for origins of life. I enjoy Nelson’s treatment and believe this provides a strong case for Creationism and a Creator – God expressed in this book. Currently this book is available at an excellent price in the Adventist Book Center.
Come read alongside of me! And tell me what you are finding to be interesting reading!! I’d love to hear from you.
Ray
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