New Books!

Now for a more lighthearted post. My last two posts on the Year of the Lord's Favor and Herod the Great were pretty heavy in NT theology. But I thought I'd share with you some of the new books that have made their way into my library:

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy - by Eric Metaxas
A friend gave this book to me and I'm so excited to read it. I've heard many good things about this bio. It comes highly recommended.


40 Questions About The End Times - by Eckhard Schnabel (one of my profs)
I have only read a few chapters in this book so far, but it is very well done! It is a helpful study tool for anyone interested in learning more about eschatology (end times). It's not just for pastors or seminarians! Plus, Dr. Schnabel is brilliant and he is one of my favorite professors.


Shepherds After My Own Heart - by Timothy Laniak
I have not read this book in its entirety because of time constraints. I used it for a recent project at school, but I am looking forward to reading the rest soon. This book gives a biblical theology of leadership, and the author argues that the primary biblical metaphor for leaders is that of shepherd.

That's Peachy

Do you know what your church's core values are? Can you name them off by heart? More importantly, are you actually living them out? Often, the understanding and fulfillment of the core values of the church is not done well. We need to know what our mission is before we try to be effective in ministry.

If you clearly establish your core values and common passion, then the people of the church will be free to do amazing things. The best thing a church could do in casting a vision is to create an easy way for people to identify those goals and apply them. Visual or literary metaphors are perfect ways for people to easily remember the vision of a church. When a vision is clear, then the people do not have to question if what they are doing is in line with the vision of the church.

The best metaphor for a ministry that is effective with strong core values is like a peach. It is all fuzzy on the outside, it has a juicy and meaty inside, and if you mess with the core you lose a tooth. It is the core that is solid and the foundation for the effectiveness of the ministry.

What the world needs is Jesus Christ. When Christ's followers can be free to fulfill their mission because of a clear vision, then the lost people will hear the good news of salvation. The people of God need to be empowered by a clear vision to be active in their faith and authentic in their mission. Core values are the best way to bring unity and purpose to the hearts of the church. Then, the church can go out and reach the lost.