Brief comments on three books that I have read recently:
God in the Whirlwind: Stories of Grace from the Tornado at Union University
Tim Ellsworth
Broadman & Holman, 2008
My Rating: ****
Super Tuesday, 2008. I was watching with great interest the election results when the political coverage was interrupted by the news of a devastating tornado at Union University. Looking at the pictures of destruction, I was shocked that no one was killed.
Tim Ellsworth compiles the stories of more than a dozen Union students and faculty, documenting the harrowing experience of living through the storm as well as the unshakable faith of the survivors. This is a gripping book that will cause you to thank God for his goodness.
David Dockery writes in the Foreword: “Hope is not escapism, but is an energizing motivation for faithful living in the her and now. In the midst of our many challenges, hope stabilizes our lives, serving as an anchor to link us to God’s faithful providence.”
Choosing to Cheat: Who Wins When Family and Work Collide?
Andy Stanley
Multnomah, 2003
My Rating: ***
My dad recently bought several copies of this book and gave them to me and my siblings. Choosing to Cheat is about establishing priorities in line with God’s will. Stanley’s book is filled with stories that illustrate the danger of cheating your family by pursuing success in other areas.
Stanley creatively mines the Old Testament story of Daniel for examples of establishing priorities. While I might not agree with the details of this exposition of Daniel, I found this book to be a refreshing call to live in a way that pleases God and protects the family.
The New Shape of World Christianity: How American Experience Reflects Global Faith
Mark Noll
IVP, 2009
My Rating: ****
World Christianity is looking more and more like American Christianity. But this development is not caused primarily by American missionaries or the direct impact of the American church. Instead, it has come about largely because of key changes in the world scene which have led to increasingly Americanized forms of society.
The statistics that open Noll’s book will make your jaw drop. The demographic shift of Christianity in the past one hundred years is mind-blowing.
This is one of the most important books of the year. Anyone interested in the future of world Christianity will benefit from Noll’s research and conclusions.