Honest Evangelism by Rico Tice with Carl Laferton

Honest Evangelism: How to Talk About Jesus Even When it’s Tough

Written by Rico Tice with Carl Laferton

(I received this book for review purposes.)

 

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 105

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-90991-939-6, $13.99

Honest Evangelism, by Rico Tice, is a short, information packed book about why and how we should evangelize to others.  This book discusses why we should be ourselves, why we do not do it (when we should), how to get started, and what we should say to others. 

Book Sample.

About the Author- Rico Tice currently lives with his family in London.  He is the founder of Christianity Explored Ministries. 

My thoughts- I thought Honest Evangelism, by Rico Tice, was well written.

It was a short book at 101 pages, but it was full of information discussing how we should evangelize to others.  I really appreciated this book, because I know we need to tell others about Jesus, but I was not sure how to get started.  I learned that it is mostly about being the best person I can be with Jesus (being myself) and just telling others about Him.  It is o.k. to be the one who plants the seeds.  I do not have to be the one who brings the person to Him.  There was an entire chapter dedicated to this.  Tice gave examples of different people (Peter, Paul, the blind man in John 9, and the woman at the well in John 4) who were brought to Christ or brought others to Him.

There was an excellent list of resource books in at the end of the book.  Topics covered were the gospel, apologetics, and more.

This was a very helpful book for me.  It helped me realize that what I am currently doing as a mother, wife, friend, and stranger is the right thing.

I highly recommend this book to you.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Honest Evangelism, by Rico Tice, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.  All links were current when posted.

Acts: EP Study Commentary by Guy Prentiss Waters (Book Review)

Act: EP Study Commentary by Guy Prentiss Waters

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction / Commentary

Published by- EP Books (Evangelical Press)

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 614

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, list price $44.99, ISBN: 978-1783970032

Acts: EP Study Commentary, by Guy Prentiss Waters, is a study commentary on the Acts of the Apostles.  It covers each of the verses in the book of Acts along with well documented commentary and an application section for each grouping of verses.

About the author- Guy Prentiss Waters is a professor at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi.

My thoughts- I have read other study commentaries, but I have never read one that was easy for me to read and full of useful information.  I really enjoyed reading and learning from Guy Prentiss Waters.

One of the best parts of this study was the application section in each chapter.  In that section I learned many ways to apply what I learned in Acts to my life. 

One part I was not sure about was the version of the Bible verses.  Waters rewrote each of the verses himself, so I spent time comparing what he wrote with my NLT version.  I found that what he wrote was accurate.  I was glad.  I did not want to be reading something, which was not accurate to the Bible.

I really liked the commentary, because it was written in a way I could understand and was not boring.  There have been so many times when I have read a book and I either could not understand what was being said or it made me sleepy.

I think this was an excellent book.  I highly recommend it to others.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Acts: EP Study Commentary, by Guy Prentiss Waters, for free from Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. All links were current when posted.

Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross by Colin S. Smith (Book Review!)

Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross

Written by Colin S. Smith

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- Christian Focus Publications

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 95

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-78191-558-5, $8.99

Colin S. Smith has written a very interesting book from the viewpoint of the thief on the cross.  Heaven, How I Got Here discusses what the thief’s life was like, how he ended up on the cross, and how we can become a faithful Christians.

Smith combines the thief’s old faith, new faith, and what can happen to us if we believe and have faith.

Book Sample.

About the Author- Colin S. Smith has a daily radio program and is Senior Pastor in Chicago.  His website is www.unlockingthebible.org.

My thoughts-  I thought Heaven How I Got here, by Colin S. Smith, was simply going to be about the thief’s experience on the cross and nothing more.  I was wrong.  There was so much more about how and why we should trust in God.

The fact that the thief was able to be in heaven with Jesus that day should give all of us great hope.  He had faith and a desire to know Jesus.  The thief was not perfect and we do not need to be perfect to join His kingdom.  That is the most important thing we need to remember.  Jesus will take us at any stage.  We just need to believe in him.

I think one of the best parts  of the book is the Q & A section at the end of the book with Smith, because it explains why he wrote the book.

This book is perfect for those who want to know more about Christianity or need to come back to Jesus.  I highly recommend it. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Heaven How I Got Here, written by Colin S. Smith, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.  All links were current when posted.

God’s Battle Plan for the Mind by David W. Saxton (Book Review)

God’s Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation

Written by David W. Saxton

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- Reformation Heritage Books

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 160

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-60178-371-4, $18.00

The Puritan pastors used to encourage their congregations to meditate upon God’s word.  David W. Saxton would like us to do the same.  He has written a book that shows us exactly how to do this based upon his ideas and those of other Puritans.

This book includes:

• learning what Biblical meditation is
• how to practice meditation
• what subjects to chose
• what benefits there are to meditation
• and more

Book Sample.

About the Author- David W. Saxton and his wife have five daughters.  He is a senior pastor of Hardingville Bible Church.

My thoughts-  God’s Battle Plan for the Mind, by David W. Saxton, has convinced me that I need to dedicate more of my life to Biblical meditation.  Until I read this book I did not realize how I had been neglecting my dedication to God and his word.  I need to make sure I get up early in the morning when my head is clear and spend my time thinking and studying upon the word of God. 

Saxton did a wonderful job in researching and including the most important quotes from Puritan resources.  I really appreciate the list of resources in the back of the book.  The quotes helped me understand how important Biblical meditation was to the Puritans and how it should be to us today.

One of the best parts of this book was how Saxton included the role that technology and day-to-day life has played in the decline of our meditation.  He also talked about how meditation is not a bad practice.  It is important.

I think this is a very important book for everyone to read.  We all need to meditate upon God’s word.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received God’s Battle Plan for the Mind, written by David W. Saxton, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.  All links were current when posted.

The Resurrection in Your Life by Mike McKinley (book review)

The Resurrection in Your Life

Written by Mike McKinley

(I received this book for review purposes.)

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- The Good Book Company

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 144

Age Group- Adult

Description of Book- paperback, ISBN 978-1-91030-703-8, $14.99

In a continuation from his first book, The Cross in Your Life, Mike McKinley discusses Luke 24 and Acts 1-2.  Each chapter begins with the Bible (NIV) text, continues with McKinley’s discussion and ends with a relevant poem written by different people, like Charles Wesley. 

Each chapter also contains relevant questions.

Book Sample.

About the Author- Mike McKinley is married with five children and currently lives in Virginia.  He has written The Cross in Your Life, Did the Devil Make Me Do It? and  Am I Really a Christian?

My thoughts-  The Resurrection in Your Life, by Mike McKinley, was a wonderful book.  There were many encouraging words to help me grow me in my relationship with God.

I liked the poems at the end of each chapter.  It would have been nice if they had been at the beginning of each chapter.  I feel that if they had been at the beginning of each chapter, they would put me in the proper mindset to read and study the chapter.

I liked having all of the Bible verses for the chapter in the chapter.  It helped the text flow into each chapter.  Using the NIV version was a good idea, because I find this version of the Bible the easiest to understand.  It also seems to be the most popular version.

As always I was grateful for the questions at the end of the chapter.  When there are questions, they help me think about what I read and how I can apply it to my life.

I think this book is perfect for new Christians and also for those who may want a refresh themselves on this important Bible text.  The death of Christ was not the end.  It was the beginning.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Resurrection in Your Life, illustrated by Mike McKinley, for free through Cross Focused Reviews.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.  All links were current when posted.

Ordinary by Tony Merida (Book Review)

Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down by Tony Merida

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- B&H Publishing

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- 140

Age Group- Adult (older teen)

Description of book- hardback, list price $12.99, ISBN: 978-1783970438

Do you feel the need to be a flashy Christian and go to a flashy church?  Tony Merida shows us a different way in his book, Ordinary.

As Christians we need to live humbly and fulfilling lives with acts of hospitality, service, and neighborly love.  Merida show us how to do that with chapters focusing on hospitality, orphan care, advocacy, and more.

About the author- Tony Merida currently lives in North Carolina with his wife and five adopted children.  He is the founding pastor of Imago Dei Church.  He has written several other books.

My thoughts- Ordinary might be small, but it contained more helpful information than many larger and longer books.  There are many books in the market that want us to be extrodinarely extraordinary, but Tony Merida wants us to be ordinary.  Do not worry, we can and should be ordinary in an extraordinary way.

We should be there for the widows and the orphans.  We need to be there for the less fortunate.  Merida gives us specific instructions and details on his life to tell/show us how to love our neighbors and care for those are unable to care for themselves.  There is a list of websites at the end of the book.  This list will give you a good place to start, so you will know who and how to support.

The one thing I would change about this book would be the addition of some awesome chapter questions to go with this awesome book.  The questions would help guide people in the right direction.  I know it would help me to know which way my family and I need to go.  I know there is a Bible study available from Lifeway, but questions would be able to help those who cannot afford the Bible study.

If you read one book this year, Ordinary is the one to read.  As Christians we need to help make this a better world and we can do it in very ordinary ways.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down, by Tony Merida, for free from Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. All links were current when posted.

Salt, Light and Cities on Hills by Melvin Tinker

Salt, Light, and Cities on Hills by Melvin Tinker

Genre- Christian / Nonfiction

Published by- EP Books (Evangelical Press)

Copyrighted- 2014

Number of pages- 119

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, list price $10.99, ISBN: 978-1783970438

Salt, Light and Cities on Hills, by Melvin Tinker, discusses social action and evangelism in Britain today.  He uses writings from John Stott and Tim Keller.  He also references Isaiah and the Sermon on the Mount. 

Some questions answered are:

• Can evangelism and social action work together?
• Did the disciples use evangelism and social action?
• Should we be doing what the disciples did?

About the author- Melvin Tinker is currently married and has three sons and six grandchildren.  He is the Senior Minister of St. John, Newland, Hull.  He is a speaker as well as an author.

My thoughts- I know this book is about the church in Britain, but I feel this book would work in any country in the world.  Our churches need to learn how blend evangelism with social action.  The disciples and those in the book of Acts knew exactly how to do it so all learned about Jesus.  This is something that we need to do as well.

I think this book would be good for ministers and those who are involved in evangelism and social action in the churches.  Some of the reading was tedious to me, but I knew how important it was and I kept reading.  I thought the last couple of chapters were the most interesting, because they involved Melvin Tinker’s opinions  I thought reading about his views were much more interesting than reading a discussion of the different view points of John Stott and Tim Keller. 

One of my favorite parts of this book were the notes at the end of each chapter.  I learned a lot of extra information about evangelism and social action.

I think Salt, Light, and Cities on Hills is a book that everybody who is involved with evangelism and social action in the church must read.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Salt Light, and Cities on Hills, by Melvin Tinker, for free from Cross Focused Reviews. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. All links were current when posted.