Tag Archives: book review

Living Out of Our Identity—for Kids

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Carl Simmons

(Let’s lead with the obligatory disclaimer: I was editor for this book. What of it? 🙂 Especially since….) It’s more than a little interesting that, more than a year after working on this, I’d be transitioning from being Adult/Small-Group Boy … Continue reading →

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Bringing New Life into Old Churches

Posted on April 21, 2014 by Carl Simmons

If you’ve been in a church long enough, you’ve observed that it goes through life stages just like anything else. However, every congregation belongs to a living Savior. Churches don’t need to die—but sometimes they need to be resurrected. That’s … Continue reading →

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Looking Ahead by Getting Back to Basics

Posted on April 14, 2014 by Carl Simmons

Although this book is built for those seeking a vision for their church (especially those in leadership)—and is quite helpful in that—the heart of this book is decidedly simple: Commit to actually living out the gospel, and just watch where God … Continue reading →

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Turning Your Chronos into Kairos

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Carl Simmons

I’m gonna lead with the good part here: At its best—specifically, throughout its exercises here—Daniel Henderson gives us some practical tools to work with, to indeed turn our chronos (measured time) into kairos (time truly engaged with God, and others). And … Continue reading →

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Aging with Grace — at Any Age

Posted on February 15, 2014 by Carl Simmons

A.W. Tozer once said, “Here’s a test to see if your mission in life is finished—if you’re still alive, it’s not.” That quote doesn’t appear in this book, but it easily could have. I’m getting to that age where I … Continue reading →

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From the Head to the Heart (but not quite to the hands)

Posted on December 9, 2013 by Carl Simmons

Even though this book comes up short on the how-to’s of spiritual formation, it does a good job of provoking you to get off your butt and actually pursue it. However, you’ll probably want to do that long before you … Continue reading →

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It’s the End of the World as Paul Knew It

Posted on December 6, 2013 by Carl Simmons

As C. Marvin Pate points out from the get-go, “[The apostle] Paul was a product of three worlds: Greco-Roman, Jewish, and Christian.” This collision of worldviews (and the sub-worldviews within — e.g., Caesar-worship, Stoicism, Platonism, and especially the “Judaizers” so … Continue reading →

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The Mystery in the Mess

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Carl Simmons

(Sounds like a Bones episode, don’t it? Anyway…) Some devotional books are dedicated to helping you feel better about your life each day…. My purpose here is to embrace the mysteries of God and then proclaim by faith that, despite … Continue reading →

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Ambition and Its Discontents

Posted on November 12, 2013 by Carl Simmons

Ambition is a tricky thing. It can be the “divine discontent” that drives us to accomplish great things for God, or it can be… well, we’ve all seen what it can be. And as a result, many of us don’t … Continue reading →

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Get Real, Get Right

Posted on October 21, 2013 by Carl Simmons

I think (hope?) that by now most Christians realize that evangelism isn’t about delivering some canned presentation—let alone about smashing nonbelievers to bits with our “unassailable” arguments—but about sharing the hope we have in Christ, the hope He has given … Continue reading →

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