Religion Books

Super book! This is a detailed account of the cycle that the vulverable party creates by continually accepting/condoning inapproprriate behavior!

It gives a detailed description of the hard choices that must be made - to invoke "Tough Love"

Lots of examples from real life!

While the main points of this book seem sound, the heavy Christian emphasis may be too much for some people. Basically, the book deals with infidelity and says that in order to save the marriage, the wronged party must stand firm on what he or she wants. It is time to stand strong on what you will not tolerate. Seems like good sense to me, but to someone who is not that involved in a church, the religeous overtones may overshadow some of the common sense approaches in the book.

I have lived a year with a spouse engaged in infidelity. Shock and despair have been my constant companions. All the crying, pleading, yelling, begging, and reasoning did no good at all - my spouse kept relapsing into the affair. At last he was talking of moving out and really taking up with the lover. Once I took the advice of the book, that very first week my spouse went into a tailspin and I felt much more centered and stronger. It was a week from hell for my spouse and a week where various people told me how great I looked! I have discovered that you really have to act in the opposite way that your feelings are telling you to act in this kind of a crisis. Be calm and firm in expressing your boundaries (you are free to leave or stay as you like but if you stay you cannot be in contact with the lover). Open the cage door and have backbone. You have to be willing to back it up. My process in not finished but things are looking up for the first time in a year. It has been almost a month since I took the advice and my spouse is still at home, appologised for all he has put me through and says he thinks he can resist the tempation to be in contact with the lover while he lives under the same roof with me. I read this book together with the book "Not Just Friends" by Shirley Glass which helped me to understand extramarital affairs very clearly. I strongly recommend reading both. I am not a practicing Christian and this orientation in the book is not a problem - the advice is very sound from a psychological standpoint.

I encourage you to read this book if you are willing to fight for your marriage, no longer fight with your spouse! If your life has been touched by any addiction,this book will be a great guide for you! It sure has been for me, Thanks Dr. Dobson!!

I bought this book while my wife was having a 9 month affair and it's basically bought when someone is grasping for straws trying to save something that's worthless. I learned from my mistakes and filed for divorce instead! When their spouse cheats on you, file for divorce, your marriage isn't worth saving! So save your money and get a good attorney instead! If you are not married, keep it that way!

This book will really help you know and understand the different types of worship that people experience. Like the "love languages" many have learned about, I would say this explains the various "worship languages".

This book is valuable in both self discovery and in communicating with other Christians. When speaking with others they give clues to their dominate pathways thus, an insight of where they are 'coming from'.

If you are trying to find a way to connect better with God, then this little guide may point you in the right direction.

Having already read Thomas' "Sacred Marriage," I had extremely high expectations for this book, and I would say that they were largely met. Gary Thomas manages to write in a style that is both intellectual and personal, challenging the reader to ponder at a deeper level than many Christian books while never allowing his style to seem distant or arrogant. It's a tricky balance, but Thomas manages to strike that balance.

"Sacred Pathways" sets out to establish the reality that Christians do not naturally connect to God in identical ways and that this is not only acceptable but part of God's plan. It's the type of message that many of us need to hear, as we play the dangerous game of comparing our spirituality to other esteemed believers and realizing that we don't measure up to them. Thomas instructs us to consider that we are not meant to try to mirror anyone else's walk with God. Rather, we need to identify how we have been created and head down that "sacred pathway" with all diligence to "cultivate and grow" our relationship with God.

Thomas managed to tell very personal stories from his own life about every one of the nine sacred pathways, while managing to explain which ones came more or less naturally for him. This articulates the crucial point that though we may be bent toward one pathway more so than another, none of us have the right to ignore any of these sacred pathways as somehow irrelevant in our lives.

One particularly commendable component of Thomas' writing is his respect for the history of the church, and he constantly refers to our spiritual predecessors to gather their thoughts from the past centuries on so many different topics. What a refreshing approach to contemporary Christian writing! How much richer would the spiritual vitality of the church be if we were able to better learn from the past two thousand years of collective wisdom and experience?

I look forward to reading more of Gary Thomas' books. I would recommend "Sacred Pathways" to any Christian interested in learning more about the diverse ways that God has created us to seek after Him.

Thomas provides a keen analysis of the various pathways we use to relate to God. He also provides insights that all believers need if they are to be tolerant of other peoples pathways. This is a much needed resource for those experiencing a disconnect due to changing worship styles. Traditionalists can better understand those desiring a contemporary experience and "Contemporaries" would be well-served to seek understanding of the validity of the traditionalist's preferences.

A great book that simplifies keys to building a small group culture in any size church. Our Small Group Ministry Team has found it most helpful.

This book was mailed to me in a timely manner and it is an excellent reading for busy people!

Looking for a way to think about how to design your small group ministry? That might be the most helpful thing about Creating Community: Five Keys to Building a Small Group Culture. Although it's a short book (190 pages), it contains some very important keys to building a small group culture in your church. Most important? North Point's fundamental bias is to be intentional about the what and the how of everything they do. This is a huge lesson for the rest of us...one not to be missed.

Like the Seven Practices of Effective Ministry, Creating Community takes you sequentially through the process of making some challenging decisions as you begin to develop a small group ministry. Learning to ask three questions can provide a good foundation: (1) What do we want people to become?, (2) What do we want people to do?, and (3) Where do want people to go? These questions are all about "clarifying the win" and "thinking steps not programs" (two keys to the Seven Practices).

While Creating Community doesn't tackle how to take apart your existing program, it does a great job of providing a way of thinking about what a better approach might be. For all of us who are wrestling with systems that are less than effective, this is a good addition to the arsenal. At the same time, if you've got the tough work of taking apart a preexisting structure, you may want to consider John Kotter's Leading Change as a companion!

wow! Though I'm not a fan of the "7 steps to..." "5 ways to...." etc. books, I LOVED this! It starts off a little slow, but develops into a PERFECT plan for building community in your church. My husband and I are church planters and we were so grateful for every single piece of advice in this book. Amazing!

This book is not, perhaps, for the standard layman, but wonderful for anyone who wants to understand better in inner workings of their church and why some programs fail and others succeed. The questions at the end of each chapter are very thought provoking. The book is an easy read, but very powerful.

This is a collector's item and a must read for everyone who gives (and want to give) themselves the permission to open, and feel, and bleed "all over the place" (if you have to) - to really live. It invites you to God's place inside you.

I love it.

As a product of a profoundly legalistic upbringing (20 years at a very condemnational fundamentalist Christian university in SC), with tremendous wounds that remained hidden and denied for 45 years, I was given this book by my godly and wise counselors during the most significant crisis of my life. To the legalists who read this review, I just want to offer that there is no other way to freedom in Christ than Truth. It is the Truth that will set you free. And if you find this book offensive, I can assure you, you are not free. Please set aside your preconceived notions about the "acceptable" ways God chooses to heal His children and RUN to get this life-changing, prayer-bathed, wisdom-filled and HEALING book. Although I ADORE The Bible and have experienced firsthand its power to heal, strengthen and bless throughout my lifetime, God personally used THIS book to speak to me at a time when nothing else could speak to my specific pain. (Yes, He does use unexpected people, events and means to get through to His hurting kids ... just read the book of Judges if you don't believe me.)

The five-star rating that I give this book would go on into infinity if it were an option. For all you sufferers out there, if you choose one "secular" book to get you through the valleys and dungeons of life, let it be this one!

I read one or two as meditations in the morning. They are so insightful you can feel the anguish.

A friend of mine has recently "relapsed" into depression and so I have sent this link as a resoure for his reference, which I believe will help. I'm sharing here since I want to arm more people against not the agony, but the decapacitating debilitation, of depression.

While struggling to walk out of my depression, I gained immense strength once I had received Henri Nouwen's The Inner Voice Of Love as my companion.

As a popular spiritual author and Catholic priest, he was supported not only by his spiritual training but also by personal guides who accompanied him every day throughout his months of anguish --- and so I can understand why he had only had 8 months of anguish :)

I am truly grateful that we can now have his book and CD as our companion.

He was someone who truly understood the Past (the triggers, grief, guilt, unforegiveness, regrets, disappointments, rejections, exhaustion ), the Present ( the love & agony, shamefulness & authenticity, helplessness & generousity, despair & conviction, fear & courage, worthlessness & worthiness, tears & humor ) and the Future ( Freedom, Clarity, Purity/Nothingness, Power & Serenity, Centredness/Wholeness, Grace & Compassion ) of "Being" in and through the depression.

This is probably one of the best, if not the best book I've read in a long time. Henri Nouwen's journey through anguish and depression--straight from the heart and every single chapter illuminating!! His words helped me to change the way I look at others, myself and God. I highly recommend this profound book!

Since she first glimpsed Buddhist lives and practice over 40 years ago at age 19, Lama Tsultrim has devoted herself not only to her own practice but also to finding ways to bring this joy, compassion and devotion to others. In this jewel of a book she offers those experiences to benefit people who may never resonate with Buddhism or Tibet, but who do notice our lifes' continuing struggles, the world's distresses, and our deep longing for ways to nurture less conflict and more hope. The book offers a way for anyone to turn toward that distress and longing, elegantly and skillfully placing this remarkable meditation practice in a modern, Western framework. So whatever your own spiritual inclinations are, whatever form your personal 'demons' may take, however you're thinking about war and peace and disharmony in the world, you'll find an ally here - in the practice, in the stories, and in the remarkable woman who brought us this book.

I'm 51 and found it very useful. I also bought it for a 24 yr old friend of mine and she thought it was wonderful too! I highly recommend it.

Reviewed by Vicky Burkholder
on 07/08/2008

Tsultrim Allione was one of the first Western women to be ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist nun. In this book, she presents an eleventh-century woman's wisdom to non-Buddhists in simple, easy to understand language that anyone can follow.

According to Tsultrim, we can all overcome whatever demons are causing chaos in our lives, whether they be weight, illness, anger, or whatever. By following her five steps, we can supposedly overcome these problems.

In the first part of the book, we are given an overview of Tultrim's life - her journeys into spiritualism, her marriages and divorces, her children, her tragedies and her triumphs. It is an interesting biography, if somewhat brief. But this book isn't supposed to be a biography - and it's not completely. The next section delineates the five-step program to overcoming whatever ails you. It is clearly written and easily understood.

The third part of the book deals with specific types of demons. Each demon - illness, fear, addiction, abuse, etc. - comes with case studies allowing you to read about people who faced these problems and overcame them. Each one is different, and interesting to read. The last section of the book gives you information on how to deepen your work.

In the grand publishing segment that encompasses self-help books, this is one of the more interesting ones I've read. It is brief, to the point, easy to understand, easy to follow and deals with problems that plague almost all of us. Does it work? I'll have to get back to you on that. But I can't see where there's any harm in trying. If nothing else, you've spent some time meditating and that's always a good thing. If you're into spiritualism, Buddhism, or any of the mediating practices, definitely pick this one up. If you're just into reading about obscure spiritual readers, this would be a good buy.

4.5 Books

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com, 5/08
In her book, Feeding Your Demons,with much authority and personal experience, Tsultrim Allione, shares ancient wisdom from the Buddhists. Allione defines demons not as a Gargoyle type spirit but as an obstacle or hindrance that holds us back from living a full life. Depression, anxiety, illnesses are a few of the obstacles she calls demons. She adapts Buddhist methods into a simple 5-step process.
1. Find the demon.
2. Personify the demon and ask what it needs.
3. Imagine yourself as the demon.
4. Feed the demon and meet the ally.
5. Rest in awareness.
I understand the principles behind the 5-step concept even if I do not agree with it. My liberation comes from above. However, Allione takes a mysterious subject and simplifies it. All in all, Feeding Your Demons is an unique concept. Its basis is ancient, but practiced by many New Agers.

Lama Tsultrim Allione has masterfully adapted the ancient Tibetan practice of chod and it's powerful gift of transformation so simply and directly that it will serve those who might be drawn to the book's evocative title, while also providing support and a fresh approach to long time spiritual practitioners. Simple, concise and carefully honed through Tsultrim's own many years of practice, this book and the practice which it transmits is a liberating gift for all those whose lives are devoted to freedom. Blessings and Gratitude...

I went back and forth on how many stars to give this book, and I finally decided on four, perhaps against my better judgement. The first chapter of the book was amazing and that chapter, for me, alone made the book worth the time. In this one chapter he was able to formalize a lot of ideas that had been swirling around in my head from the other books I have been reading. It was a great chapter dealing with US concepts of what Muslims are and how those concepts influence our actions but are really based on a flawed and one-sided perspective. A "good" Muslim is considered someone who supports US actions even though those very same actions could be detrimental for the "good" Muslim, while the "bad" Muslim is the one who defies the US. The problem with the concept of the "bad" Muslim is that it lumps all Muslims who disagree with US policy into one group, but the fact is that some of these people are not terrorists hell bent on destroying us but instead are people who have legitimate grievances with US policy. The first chapter was excellent.

After the first chapter, though, the author flies off topic and never returns. Instead of following the first chapter's theme and the tile's theme the author spends the rest of the book critiquing US foreign policy of the last forty years. While a lot of the author's critique is legitimate and well detailed, it has nothing to do with the title of the book. The author doesn't even focus any of the remaining book on Muslims or Islam but instead focuses on US policy and only writes of Muslims in an ancillary way. Muslims and Islam is put on the periphery. This would be fine if the title of the book was "US Foreign Policy" but it isn't.

The reason why I still give the book a good rating is that the information is good. This book is the first I have read that focuses on the CIA and US interventionist policies and carries that focus to its contemporary conclusion in this way. It's linear which gives the reader a clear picture of where we were and how we got here.

At the same time the author treats US policy as if it operates in a vacuum and is not affected by other factors domestic and foreign. Of course it is difficult to take that broad of a picture and condense it into three hundred pages, but I still see this as a flaw.

All in all I do recommend this book. A lot of the material will be rehash for those well versed in the history of US foreign policy, but the way the author connects the dots I found to be worth the effort. Also the copy I read the notes were not numbered or identified in any way in the text, so the note section was completely worthless for me. I am assuming this was a mistake in my copy and not something that every other copy had as well.

Whoever wants to talk about Islam, its political and religeous implication on modern world should read this book
The reader learns much about the origins of terrorism, which often has been orchestrated and initiated by
US-Politics and by powerfull US-organizations. I have bought this at amazon.com in it's original english-language version as well at amazon.de in a very satisfying german translation. The german paperback-edition is even much "worthier". This important book should be translated in other languages, also in arabic and hebrew.

Here is a book that will show you what is important about scholarship: not facts, but how they are interpreted and put in the right context. In explaining the roots of "modern" terrorism, Mamdani's main thesis is an anti-thesis to Huntington "Clash of Civilization" which has dominated Western and especially American scholarship. He develops this by using almost exclusively, secondary sources. The book goes above the journalistic approach of most writers who are influenced by the superficial and ideological (good versus evil) analysis of most in the media.

Throughout the book, Mamdani explains (as he has done it elsewhere as in When Victims Become Killers for example) that students of conflicts must learn how to put an emphasis on "political identities" and move away from the almost non-important cultural side of identities. This is important in understand conflicts and other political processes such as terrorism, but as in When Victims Become Killers, Mamdani fails to connect the political dimension of identity politics discourse to its underlying economic dimension. In essence, he overpoliticizes the events he discusses at the risk of forgetting economics and the global economic context in which those events occur. (May God protect us from the fear of being blanded "Marxists"?) For this failure, which is also prevalent in his When Victims Become Killers, I lower my score. But for his success in refuting the anti/a-historical culture and civilization-centered arguments in the discussion of terrorism and for his global perspective in his analysis, I am forgiving and give him a 4. Perhaps I should be a little more generous when I think about the book's scope. But at the same time, I am attempting to cure what I have come to identify as chronic absence in his analysis: economic analysis! The book could have been more important had Mamdani discussed deeper the dangers (or advantages if any) of political Islam. But to this he may answer that it wasn't his point. And I would agree with him because political Islam has been disscussed extensively (under different names) elsewhere.

What an interdisciplinary son Africa has given to the world!His books should be required reading for all students interested in a global perspective of global conflicts. The so-called "Third World" students of "international" politics will find his intellectual ability very inspiring. He shows how American education (Mamdani is a Harvard educated scholar from those early times when American education was serious, but seriously ideological, too--but is it different today?) can be good to Africans, Asians and other "developing" area students.

I recommend two more books from him, namely, Citizen and Subject and When Victims Become Killers (The first few chapters will be enough if you're not interested in learning about Mamdani's interpretation of the Rwandan history and genocide. It goes without saying that the later is perhaps the most important explanatory work you'll ever read on the Rwandan genocide despite its errors in facts!) for those who want to know where he comes from.

Of course the book and (sadly) the author have been and will continue to be attacked by those who are not ready to move way from the non-sense idea or ideology of "American Exceptionalism" and "The City Upon a Hill" slogans. Perhaps a reading from John Dinges' The Condor Years and Stephen Kinzer's Overthrow will help refute those who are not yet convinced about the ideology behind the so-called goodness of America. Every good American patriot should learn that America cannot be helped by self-denial, self-congratulatory and crooked histories.

Every student who attempts to understand violent human events has always been attacked. It is as if we, human beings, prefer to keep those events obscure and classified among the "irrational" actions that are "demonic" in nature. However, without an attempt to understand what such violent events mean in the history of humanity, humans are headed towards distinction. Let Mamdani's work be critiqued and criticized, but let's refrain from using "uncivilized" attack toward this intellectual.

I highly recommend this book. It will revolutionize the way you study and more importantly the way you watch the news.

Yours trully from the Greatest City in America,

Student Forever

Labeled Good Muslim Bad Muslim and with an introductory chapter concerning the misconception between fundamental and political Islam in Western discourse, I ASSUMED this book would have something to do with that. Unfortunately, it dissembled as a genealogical history of modern Islamic terrorism which, undeniably, in Mamdani's case, has purely Western, and specifically, American and Israeli roots. In reality this book is nothing more than a indictment of American history, Israeli history, Spanish history, British history, Dutch history, French history, but never Afghani history, Nicaraguan history, Sudanese history. Nothing but diatribe, although, and why I give it three stars - it is incredibly well-written, engaging, beautifully cited, authenticated, and accurate (you know, on that scholarly level which though causes it to be a compact thesis and self-sustaining, doesn't really cover the whole truth).
student,
amherst college

This is a tough book to review--while it does have some valid points to make, it descends all too often into polemics. And even polemics aside, the book has problems at times. Some problems that caught my attention were:

1) While Mamdani criticizes several writers for characterizing Muslims into the "good" and "bad" camps, he can equally be accused of not recognizing the differences in foreign policies between the Nixon, Reagan, Clinton and Bush administrations.

2) Mamdani takes stance that religion, politics and culture must be viewed separately and are not linked. While I would not disagree that politics can be separated from religion and culture, I have a hard time understanding his stance on separating religion and culture--the way many of us learned anthropology, religion is considered part and parcel culture. (But then again, Mamdani avoids defining culture and what constitutes it.)

3) The historical context of America's proxy wars is told in a very one sided fashion. Missing is the activities of the Soviets, and to a lesser extent the Chinese, in a variety of Third World countries. Furthermore, in terms of the rise of political Islam, terrorism and the modern concept of jihad, his account differs from Kempel's Jihad.

4) The section on the rise of al-Qaeda and the Taliban has a heavy reliance on newspaper articles from the Los Angeles Times and Rashid's book on the Taliban. Missing from his story is Burke's book on al-Qaeda (or his articles from the Guardian), and use of other American, and British or French newspaper sources.

5) The presence of endnotes gives the book a scholarly air, but the reader needs to realize there is a lot missing on a variety of topics. Not only are works like Burke's and Kempel's missing, Mamdani has the tendency to make statements, assuming that they are facts as such and not opinions, need to be referenced and footnoted. One example is on page 92 dealing with how long the South African government could have supported Renamo without US support.

6) Mamdani contradicts himself at times. Probably the best example of this is his critique of co-existence/tolerance on page 173, and his call for it in the closing pages of the book.

While this book does make for compelling reading on America's proxy wars and America's selective use of terrorist groups against its opponents, it is far from a scholarly account. Mamdani's book ends up reading like a set of cobbled together sound bites that are trying to counter a sound bite. A much more nuanced and better referenced book on the topic is Richard Bonney's _Jihad: From Qur'an to bin Laden_.

This book is a work of Christian Spiritual Art for those who want to navigate past the superficial into a truly intimate relationship with God. Adele writes, "Spiritual disciplines that do not help us partner with the Trinity in worship are "empty worthless acts and a perfect waste of time." I am sharing these disciplines in my weekly Christian meditation group. Christian Meditation CD: Taking Control of Your Thought LifeChristian Meditation and Relaxation Four Cd Set Highly recommended.

This book is a valuable resource with spiritual exercises which enhance spiritual formation. I'd highly recommend it for ministers, counselors, pastors, spiritual directors/mentors and small group leaders. Exercises can be used in a group or with individuals.

We have been using this book as a basis for a Lenten Study Group on Spiritual Disciplines. The laity and myself have found it to be engaging and like the format which suggests practical applications for each spiritual discipline. GREAT BOOK!

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun does the world a great favor with this handbook. She takes the often esoteric world of spiritual disciplines and provides a means to meaningfully engage them. However, she does this without diminishing the disciplines by making them easy "steps to maturity" or the like. This book is accessable. It can be followed from front-to-back, or simply used to engage specific disciplines. Anyone who takes the Bible seriously sees the importance of spiritual discipline in the life of mature followers of Jesus. This handbook is the place to start on such a path.

I have read this one through, (college course) and I have found that it is probably pretty good for just that. I would not expect a person (even a moderately knowledged Christian)to pick this one up and understand the kind of word usage that Adele uses. It's alright some times but at others borderlines mysticism, in practices "Inner Healing," "Labyrinth Prayer," and "Contemplative Prayer" (this ones pretty much the same as Transcendental Meditation which is a Mystic/Occult Practice)There are several others that i would simply chew and not swallow especially if it asks some form of meditation or "inner peace." I can't blame the author for not having knowledge in mysticism of course but somebody has to point this out (remember not all the glitters is golden just because this meditation may feel good, that doesn't make it healthy) . Other than that the rest of these practices are well.. practical. I wouldn't throw this at a fledgling "disciple" but it is a better guide for living for those Christians who are little bit further in their walk.

Excellant! Both in content and editorial applications. Here is an example of a fine book to purchase from Kindle. I have the printed copy and this Kindle copy is an exact reproduction. Bruce knows his subject well, and truly does explain Church in simple, yet understandable terms. Thanks for a job well done.
Thomas H. Snyder

To anyone interested in Church history, this book is a very quick, easy to understand read. It's also a great primer or refresher on Western Civilization as the Church and the West are traced together by the author through the history.

For non-Christians reading this book, I'm afraid it was a bit lacking for internal citations, but did reference other more scholarly texts at the end of each chapter. The author did a good job of treating each controversy within the church as it arose in an even-mannered way, but in general the book seems to be written from a present-day Evangelical Christian perspective looking back.

I like history in small doses. I believe its an important subject but its difficult to package historical events. If one keeps listing facts, a book can get bogged down in boring detail. If one just looks at individual people's stories, I have to ask if your representing the necessary stories that show how events happened. Are you forgetting too much?

Shelley does a nice job of giving us surveys in this book which covers 2000 years. Like a bird in flight, we see Christian church history from way over head. Then, at times, Shelley swoops down to take a closer look at the grass and soil before soaring up the next historical event. To make the book very readable, this technique does work.

Shelley does a nice job of covering certain people very well. He also does a nice job of explaining how intellectual thought is developed in different periods of time. However, certain events do get left out like the Salem witch trials and some events don't get as much attention as you might want. I wanted to know more of how French intellectuals responded to Blaise Pascal. Still, this is a good solid history book.

Its funny after reading it. I was left with a strange sense of hope and disappointment. The church has certainly had its share of messing up and hurting itself. (I am wise enough to know you don't measure worldviews by their abuses. Every worldview has their deep chest of skeletons.) It was saddening to see how much damage the church has done. But, out of every generation, from some unexpected place, the church would be altered by some amazing soul who could bring something promising back to a life of faith.

This book can't be everything to everyone, also, it lacks much history on the Orthodox Church, but I do think its a fair representation of the chuch history it covers.

Excellent introductory source to the world of Christian history. Shelley writes in a historically accurate, approachable way without becoming too bogged down in the more minute details of Church History. Definitely not exhaustive in scope, but it is written in order to show the reader the importance of the history of the church regarding spirituality, culture, and world history in general. Great flow from chapter to chapter, and an easy read for the beginning student.

Among the first things that should be noted in writing about Church History is Shelley's purpose in this work. Shelley states clearly that this book is an "introduction" to church history and is designed for the everyday Christian; layman and congregant alike. If we were to evaluate this book with the same rubric as collegiate books on the topic, we'd find this book severely lacking. But if we grade this book according to its own claims, we'll find a rich source of encouragement to further understand the earlier branches of our faith.

In the interest of readability, no references are found anywhere throughout the text, however recommendations for more scholarly reading can be found at the end of each chapter. For me, this helped keep the reading liquid. It helped me to engage the history as a story that I was interested in hearing and on some level felt a part of, as opposed to something dry and sterile.

I began reading Church History before I had become more confident and consistent with my extra-biblical reading, so coming at about 550 pages this endeavor was an ambitious one for me. However, besides being a novice at reading anything this scale, the writing made it easy to glide through while still understanding the text.

In Church History Shelley takes us though 2000 years of church operation, starting right after the ascension of Christ all the way through to 1996. Church history can become a sticky subject, with heresy after heresy, then division after division. Things can quickly become confusion. Any writer planning to take on 2000 years ecclesial webs is either going to have a very, very long book when their done, or is going to need excellent organizational skills to scale so vast a wall. In this instance, Shelley just so happens to be a well organized writer. In the text, after the first four centuries of history things began to get a little bit confusing. Simple the sheer madness of political and religious shifts could send anyone's head spinning. But Shelley does a better job than many at keeping things straight.

The practical organization of the text is such that it helps a reader forget the size the literature he's taking in. The book is broken down into "ages" (i.e., The Age of Jesus and the Apostles, The Age of Ideologies, etc.), each one coming in at around 50 - 75 pages. Each age is broken into much smaller, more digestible chapters of around 8 pages. In the interest of clarity, not all chapters are strung together in perfect chronological order.

Throughout history, there have been many disagreements in the church. The most notable probably being during the time of the reformation. In that context, it is easy for folks to fall to one side of theological lines or the other. In this instance, most of Shelley's words read unbiased, simply retelling the history, with little of his own commentary.

Here's the skinny on this book: you're not going to finish this book and be a church history genius (well, maybe you will, I don't know). But what likely will happen is when you put this book down you will most likely have a more cohesive snapshot of church's history. It will probably help you to understand how we got from the time of the Apostles and the church in Acts, to today. For me, it helped to challenge my ideals as far as church organization and methods are concerned. Seeing, quickly, how things were spread out helped me not to see myself as being the first to try and figure this stuff out, but in a way, knit me together with the people who have gone before me.

This book was encouraging, and enriching. I recommend it to anyone desiring to enrich their faith and more specifically, anyone interested in the subject.

This book is trite, poorly-written, and is premised on harmful misconceptions about the role of so called "gender differences" in a healthy marriage. It was required reading for our premarital counseling sessions and, although we went into it with open minds, we actually thought relying on the advice in this book would be harmful to marriage! Finally, it seems clear that the male author doesn't respect his wife, from the dismissive way he discusses her. Worst of all, the notes page of the book reflects studies that refer not to actual studies but to unsubstantiated claims made by other self-help authors or in other self help books. Skip this one, and if your church requires it, speak up. It's garbage.

Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts is the pre-marital book and companion workbooks our church uses with all our couples who plan to be married. A "season" couple goes through the book with the engaged couple, meeting many times the 6 months prior to their wedding. This mentoring process has proved to be a wonderful experience for both couples, and times together carry on well past the wedding day. The newlyweds now have a couple that have invested time with them, other than their parents, which has been a blessing to them.

I was a little on the fence about this book because I really didnt think it would help. We are not married yet, but this book has helped a lot to see each other out in the open. It has also showed us what the other thinks about us and what we can work on as a couple.

Have read many books on leadership. This one tops them all. Useful at home as well as at work. Focuses on who's vision we are really following.

This is one of the best books on leadership today. It teaches leaders at every level how to get Christians from focusing on a personal agenda to getting on God's agenda. One of the best books on leadership ever written. I use it for small group leadership training.

Henry and Richard Blackaby (father and son) are leaders the Southern Baptist denomination, with leadership demonstrated in the business and academic realms respectively. "Spiritual Leadership" is an attempt to tempter the current crop of leadership books, which focus on the American concept of rugged individualism and creating vision. Blackaby and Blackaby, in "Spiritual Leadership" recognize the practical wisdom contained in such books, yet seek to ground their arguments in the foundational concepts of service to Christ and fervent prayer.

Indeed, prayer and submission to God are the central elements around with the rest of the book turns. The authors argue that "creating a vision" and reliance upon human wisdom are foreign concepts Biblical teachings on leadership. They argue that man does not determine his own paths, but rather God prepares activities for his servants, works through them to accomplish these tasks, and then follows up to produce the success (defined by God himself) of the endeavor. To determine what this pre-determined activity is, Blackaby and Blackaby argue that prayer is essential.

The message is simple--seek God's will in strengthening your faith, in your major life decisions, and even in your day-to-day activities through prayer, then (once God's will is determined) humble yourself and faithfully carry out that will. Yet, the message is not simplistic. The authors present the concept thoroughly, addressing growing prayer life and leadership style; showing what spiritual leadership is and is not; addressing short-term issues and long-term ones; showing how this style of leadership plays out in a variety of settings; and providing pastoral encouragement. Although the simple message is consistent, the book never becomes repetitive or boring; rather the prose is fresh and stimulating throughout.

Now, I must admit skepticism based on certain doctrinal and practical principles. On the doctrinal side, I confess my belief that God communicates and communes with man through means--Scripture and Sacraments. On the practical side, I fear that people will simply imagine that God is "telling" them what they want to hear anyway--that is, that people will ascribe to God their man-centered ideas.

Although I still believe both hold water, I decided to follow Blackaby and Blackaby's advice and pray more fervently in the way they recommend to see if any change comes about. Indeed it had. Consistently praying (both prayers common to the church like the Lord's Prayer, Luther's Morning Prayer, and the weekly collects as well as idiosyncratic prayers), I found that my perceived connection to God strengthened, stress reduced, major decisions made with a strong sense of peace as I acknowledged God's direction, and even new, exciting opportunities presented.

While I would have liked to see this book focus a little more on holistic spirituality (e.g. the role of worship, daily Bible reading, Sacraments, etc) in the thorough way they presented holistic leadership, the fact remains that "Spiritual Leadership" is a positive, paradigm-changing book. This is true on the intellectual level (faithful servant versus rugged individual paradigms) and the spirituality level (my spirituality has deepened as a result of following the advice of the book).

How the arguments of "Spiritual Leadership" will play out in my life beyond the month trial or how my opinion of the book will shift as I increase in my understanding of prayer remains to be seen. Nevertheless, the command of our Lord to pray fervently remains, and Blackaby and Blackaby do a great service in showing how this command can be practically lived in a variety of situations.

The Blackablys have done a thorough job in researching and summarizing today's secular leadership teaching then contrasting it with spiritual leadership. They point out that many of the principles of secular leadership are of value but the underlying principle of spiritual leadership that differs from secular leadership is that we are to seek God's agenda and not our own. To make their point, early in the book they discuss Jesus as the model for spiritual leadership. Jesus, the very Son of God, did not seek His own agenda, but rather spent hours in prayer to align himself with God's agenda.

The Blackabys also do a great job teaching that spritual leadership is not just for leaders in the church. Spiritual leadership is also required of Christians that are in secular leadership roles. They give us many examples of US Presidents as well as military and corporate leaders that have aligned themselves to God's agenda and have been effective.

We are living in a world that is growing in complexity and the demands on leadership are ever increasing. The Blackabys have shown what an advantage spiritual leaders have in being able to align ourselves to the agenda of a wise and loving God rather than attempting to create our own agenda.

I found this book very engaging and was able to read through it without multiple pickups. By this I mean, that I didn't put it down for a few weeks and then pick it up again. Instead, I read through it in about four days. Overall, the book was very good. The only area I would have liked to have seen greater depth was in the decision making process. This was one of the shorter chapters and I felt the authors could have gone a little deeper here.

From a Christian perspective on leadership, this book would definitely be in my top five choices along with The Revolutionary Communicator, The Book on Leadership, Lead Like Jesus, and Christian Reflections on the Leadership Challenge. These other four are fine reads as well.