Besides the Bible by Gibson, Green and Pattison

“Besides the Bible” is an enabler book. Subtitled “100 books that have, should, or will create Christian culture”, each chapter had me putting must read books onto my wish list. In fact, what I wanted to do was pull a “Julie and Julia” and read them all in one year. (2 a week!???) When my pulse stopped racing, good sense kicked in and a life-long goal seemed more rational.

We are, indeed, shaped by what we read (or watch or the people we hang with). So if my goal is become a stronger, more committed Christian, reading the books that strong, committed Christians wrote seems like a no-brainer. Alongside the Bible, this compilation would be a good guide to steering through the congested waters of Christian publishing.

Written by Dan Gibson, Jordan Green and John Pattison, the essays are not bland, boring reviews. These men are passionate about the written word and words written about God and the things of God, in particular.

I’m off to buy this book – a good start to a good year of reading.

Why Men Hate Going to Church by David Murrow

My head is reeling from the information contained in “Why
Men Hate Going to Church”. How could I be so wrong when I thought I was so right? So many things that I thought made church “right”, it seems, turn men off from going. They appeal to me as a woman, but men are from a different planet in some ways and aren’t attracted to the same things I am. Murrow presents the case, point by point, that many aspects of church as we know it today has been feminized and the very things that draw women in, turn men away. After speaking to the whys and wherefores of his argument, he goes into concrete ways that a congregation can make small or large changes that will bring a healthy balance back to their gender numbers. He talks about decor, music, preaching, children’s ministry, youth ministry, programs – there’s something in here for everyone. This is a book that should be read and taken to heart by anyone who loves God and wants all men to love him and find a church home where they can worship Him without feeling like they are in a foreign country. I highly recommend this book.

So Long Insecurity (leaders guide) by Beth Moore

"So Long, Insecurity - Group Experience" is a leaders guide to the book "So Long, Insecurity" by Beth Moore. There are 10 weeks of study and an introduction included. The introduction has suggestions for leaders as per time frame, getting through the material, tone of the group and dealing with problems. Each weeks lesson includes a warm-up, word from Beth, digging in (which has questions), in the light of the Word, wrap-up and on-your-own activities for participants to do. In the sidebar there are "before you meet" assignments as to the chapters to read for the following session and a few thought-provoking questions to think about while reading.

I haven't read the book this quide is based on , but am intrigued to search it out. As a linear person this guide was very comfortable to navigate. I could see myself using it in either a group situation or even on my own, although a group would definitely be more advantageous as more points of view would be raised. I would recommend this study to any women's bible study group or several friends who want to get to know one another better and help each other grow.

I received a complimentary copy of the book for review purposes from Tyndale House.