✓Total Church: A Radical Reshaping around Gospel and Community by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis
"In Total Church, Chester and Timmis first outline the biblical case for making gospel and community central and then apply this dual focus to evangelism, social involvement, church planting, world missions, discipleship, pastoral care, spirituality, theology, apologetics, youth and children's work. As this insightful book calls the body of Christ to rethink its perspective and practice of church, it charts a middle path between the emerging church movement and conservative evangelicalism that all believers will find helpful." (From amazon- they could explain it much better than i)
I personally loved this book! I yearn for this kind of real community and commitment to the church above all. I think in American culture we are the exact opposite- we seek to find our real community outside of the church and we put church as the last priority! I am still pondering alot of things from this book and how to incorporate them into my life. Would definitely recommend you read it!
✓ Be-With Factor: Mentoring Students in Everyday Life by Bo Boshers and Judson Poling
I have already written about this one a little here, but I would recommend it to anyone in youth ministry. If you are strapped for time I would recommend just skipping to the last two or three chapters, thats where all the practical part is.
✓Handbook on Counseling Youthby Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler
I had planned to read this one cover to cover, then when I got it I realized its just not that kind of book. It is a reference style book that is meant to be a go to when you have youth struggling with a certain issue. Good to have on hand and be familiar with.
✓ Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving by Randy Alcorn
I loved loved loved this short book. It really focuses on the heart of giving and grasping the understanding that its all God's anyways. It was a very quick read (and I am a slow reader) so I would say everyone should read it. It challenged me to, in the words of Elizabeth George, "hold nothing tightly and everything lightly".
✓My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme
It was fabulous! After seeing Julie & Julia this summer and finding out that part of the movie was based on this book, I just had to read it! She just had such a drive and passion for life. And just hearing about their lifestyle in France, with days spent in the markets and time reading and writing, made me yearn for the days of slower life so bad! Reading this book makes you get lost in another time and place. Also I loved how much she loved Paul and vice versa, it was beautiful. Read it!
A Handbook for Ministers’ Wives: Sharing the Blessing of Your Marriage, Family and Home by Dorothy Patterson
Notice this one doesn't have a check-mark, because I didn't finish it. I just couldn't. It was painful! I went into this book thinking it would be full of challenges and tips on how to better minister as a family. Well, it is a detailed account on how to be a 'first lady" in ministry, which means how to be a minister's wife. She had some good points, but it was just like overload for me. Everything she shared rubbed me as a "how to be prime and proper and perfect". It just wasn't for me, I like to wear jeans to church and serve people off of the stove... so sue me.So i finished half of it and decided i just didn't want to waste my time with the other half. Wouldn't recommend it.
Those are all of the books I have read so far. I am currently working on Life Together and Julie &Julia.
You have definitely been reading a lot lately! Your reading list is good...especially all of the parenting books! :-) You will be such a great mother someday. They will be lucky kiddos, for sure (and spoiled!).
ReplyDeleteTo answer your questions about scripture memory, it is going good! I memorized those two verses last week, and this week I am working on 2 new ones. Thanks for the accountability and encouragement! This week will be hard because I have 3 exams and a paper due...eek! Haha, but I'll survive, hopefully with 2 new verses stored in the ole noggin! :-)
Your description of the last book cracked me up. What, you like to wear jeans to church and serve people from the stove?! (Insert horrified look here.) I haven't read this book so it's not a comment on that, but I have to agree wholeheartedly with you, that stuff like that just doesn't matter. And I have a hard time believing that it would matter to our Father in Heaven, either, who just tells us to come and follow Him.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on all your reading, by the way. Love the posts about Julia Child. My mom hosted a Julia Child dinner party a couple weeks ago and we had a grand time. You'd probably enjoy doing something like that, too. Serving from the stove, perfectly acceptable ;)