Jerry Falwell was one of the larger-than-life people who seemed to dominate the U.S. in the 1980s. Many loved him, and some hated him with a vitriol that surpassed reason. In this biography of Jerry Falwell, his loving wife tells the tale of his life from his birth, through his youth to his conversion, through the many controversies of the 1980s and 90s, and through his death in his office.

I must admit I knew very little about Jerry Falwell. From this book I believe that he was a man who had a deep love for Jesus and a passion to tell others about Him. As I expected, there were chooses he made that I would not have mad. However, there were calculated risks he took that I may not take that I should.

Since the book was written by his wife, Macel, there were many stories that showed his role as a husband and father. These were the parts that most interested me. He would leave important meetings to rush home to be with his wife, Macel during storms because she was terrified. He would cancel meetings with the President at the White House to spend a birthday with one of his children. He was totally committed to them and thus, you see his legacy being played out as his sons have stepped in to lead Liberty University and Thomas Road Baptist Church in his passing.

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I thoroughly enjoyed Seth Godin’s newest book, Linchpin. It spoke about the subject that has most interested me that he has only gave hints to in his other best selling books I have read (ie Purple Cow, Big Red Fez, Tribes, The Dip, Unleashing the Idea Virus, and Permission Marketing). I have been waiting for him to write a book that talks about the type of person it takes to put these ideas into action. This is the book where he explains who will lead in the new market.

Seth states his goal for the book, “All I wanted to do in this book was sell you on being the artist you already are. To make a difference. To stand for something. To get the respect and security you deserve.” In this book he calls us to recognize that we all have capabilities as artists, to fight our basic instincts to blend in and go with the flow, and to give gifts.

Seth Godin, as far as I know, is not a believer. I so wish he would become one. For the obvious reason of giving the glory that is due unto His (God) name. Also, because I think he is missing a complete understanding of what drives us to be creative and to express ourselves in gifts.

I so desire to be “indispensable” as Seth Godin puts it. However, I do not want to do this for my sake or even to leave a legacy. The type of indispensability that Dorcas found in the book of Acts is what will should all strive for. She took her talents and abilities and poured herself into it. She gave and her “labor of love” made her seemingly small abilities became huge. She made a tremendous impact not because of what she did – but because of who she served!

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This past weekend I had the chance to go back to Kentucky to celebrate my mom’s 50th birthday. My wonderful wife was willing to do the majority of the driving so I had the chance to read several books. I will have book reviews this week for Linchpin, The Life & Legacy of Jerry Falwell, and Pushing to the Front.

The Well Behaved Child

I enjoyed and found this book very helpful. As the father of an eighteen month old boy I have quickly learned that raising a “well-behaved child” is quite the endeavor. John Rosemond takes a very practical approach in giving timeless advice to parents. I appreciate that he gives principles of discipline and not just case examples. The illustrations provided necessary tools to help implement the principles. The “Question and Answer Section” at he end of the book alone would make the book worth the purchase.

I have not read many books on this subject. However, with the birth of my second child I believe this will be a subject I will spend more time studying. Being a father is one of the things I will spend a lifetime doing – I better learn to do it to my best ability and through God’s strength.

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I typically read a book in just a few sittings. However, I took my pastors advice and chose some books to read over several days. As I would read the book and think about the methods of discipleship Booker T. Washington used in “raising a generation” my heart would become filled with excitement.

I am working with a group of young men who have two things against them in this harsh worlds eyes. They are young and come from minorities. I have been given a renewed vision of not building a ministry but of builiding men. Mr. Washington was more concerned about his young people learning to build then then having a building. He was involved in “manner of life” training. He took a holistic approach to training.

This should be mandatory reading for all youth pastors, missionaries, or anyone who desires to see a generation trained that would go beyond the status quo set before them. I will be saying more about his over the next few weeks as I discuss the book with a young man who has borrowed my copy to read.

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The Aquariums of Pyongyang

It begins with an introduction by co-author Pierre Rigoulot describing Kang’s new life in the Republic of Korea, then continues with a brief history of both North and South Korea since the Korean War in 1953.

It shows how a powerful family with money and material goods has everything taken from them by the Workers’ Party of Korea. Kang’s family, while of Korean ethnicity, originally lived in Japan before emigrating to the DPRK at the behest of his communist Grandmother. When Kang was nine years old, his grandfather was imprisoned for suspected activity against the State. As the policy at the time was to incarcerate the immediate family of political prisoners, Kang Chol-Hwan, his grandmother, father, uncle and younger sister Miho were all imprisoned at the Yodok concentration camp. There they suffered and viewed many atrocities over a period of ten years including disease, starvation, torturous punishments and at least one public execution.

Following his family’s release (presumably upon the death of his Grandfather, the original offender against the State) Kang worked in assigned occupations before becoming at risk of again being sent to a concentration camp. The end of the book details his subsequent escape to China and attempts to seek asylum before escaping to South Korea.

If you have heart for those who currently live outside the reach of the Gospel this book will reap your heart out! There are over 23,000, 000 people shackled to a country that keeps away from the truth.

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Paula Rinehart takes her 20 years of experience to produce a book that will help women understand the men in their lives better. She covers issues such as what to we think, why do we do what we do, and what are our struggles. She gives some insightful thoughts on the mind and make up of men. I believe and like her main thought or some might even say pretext that if women understood men better they would be better able to help us. I believe this probably is a very attractive idea to women. What’s He Really Thinking? is helpful for the woman who has just recently decided she should work harder at understanding her husband. However, for anyone who has spent anytime at a conference, small group, or read any other books on the subject it will be dull and unoriginal. This book would not make my top 10 list for books to help your marriage.

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An Alice and Wonderland of theology. By far one of the most unique and thought provoking books I have ever read.

The book starts off with “Welcome to His poem. His play. His novel. His comedy. Let the pages flick your thumbs.” N.D. Wilson takes you on a wild literary journey that ends with you worshipping our Creator. He helps you look at life and God from a different perspective. This life is a story. We are not the main characters. The drama was going on before we were born and will continue when we pass on. However, this story is not about us. It is the story of His glory.

Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl has challenged me to see the awesomeness of our God in things that I have been over looking. This world is filled with evidences or a conversation that is screaming that their is a God and He wants you to know him. His writing style was very odd and exciting. I look forward to more books by this author.

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I had expected this book to be a large pamphlet explaining the need for people to partner with World Vision. Stearns is clearly a man of vision and was able to look past his organization and personal agenda to cast a vision to all of us to do what we can and do it now! Stearns brings to our attention the words of World Vision’s founder “May our hearts break for the things that break the heart of God.” He presents a desire to glorify God as our motivation to reach out to those in need. He presented the acting out of faith in this world as the missing component in our Gospel witness. As it has been said, “They can not hear the Gospel over the growl of their stomachs.” Stearns spin on it would be that they will not want to hear what Christ can do for there eternity if they cannot see the impact He can make on this side of eternity. As expected I was not completely satisfied with Mr. Stearns explanation of what the Gospel truly is. As he comes to a clear conclusion that there is a “hole in the gospel” I believe their our some aspects of salvation he failed to cover.

My favorite chapter would have to be “Putting the American Dream to Death”. I live in an area where the American dream is even more evolved then in the small city I grew up in Kentucky. Parents feel their kids have to have paid programming for every minute of their lives. Mr. Stearns clearly lays out the fact that our entertainment is at the expense of millions around the world. Not only are we paying extravagant amounts for our amusement but kids around the world are involuntarily making a sacrifice. God’s plan for His believers is to large and wonderful to fit into the American dream. One must die. I want to follow the advice of Richard Stearns and let the American dream die in my heart, see the needs of the world, and begin to meet them on a local level.

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