Tag Archives: book review

From Outside the Camp to Inside… then back out again….

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Carl Simmons

Shame is a crippling thing, whether it comes in the small-s or capital-s form. Throughout this book, Ed Welch reminds us that Jesus not only came to remove our shame but literally carried it to the cross for us—then reminds us … Continue reading →

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Believe Who You Are, Do What You Must

Posted on May 8, 2012 by Carl Simmons

As I read David Alves’ book, a thought came to me… and roll with me on this. I wonder if… a) our current unwillingness to claim and live out of our status as sons and daughters of God is, in … Continue reading →

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Bullet-List the Blue Sky

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Carl Simmons

This book, regarding the idols we have in our lives, has gotten some serious props from other sectors (not the least of them being Rick Warren, who contributes the foreword). But it won’t be getting much of that here. Perhaps … Continue reading →

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The Joy of Scandal

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Carl Simmons

To be honest, I liked this far more than I expected going in. Then again, knowing nothing about the author, I was expecting a book coming out of a “bunker mentality.” Thankfully, this (and he) is nothing of the sort. … Continue reading →

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…Because He First Loved Us

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Carl Simmons

The premise of William Smith’s latest book is a simple but profound one: We can only love others as well as we can receive and recognize Jesus’ love for us. The rest of the book is a matter of learning … Continue reading →

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It’s a Church PLANT, Not a Church PLAN

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Carl Simmons

If you know anything about me, you know that church plants are near and dear to my heart. And if you know anything about church plants, you know that no two are alike, no matter what books on church planting … Continue reading →

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Past the Beauty, and to The Beautiful

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Carl Simmons

It starts kind of slow, but bear with it. Because, after all, this book is about slowing down enough to recognize God’s reflection in all of creation—as well as in our own creations, as we too reflect the Creator. Steve … Continue reading →

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Going to God Like a Cigarette

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Carl Simmons

Our rather provocative titular reference above is nonetheless a good place for us to start, because this is a book about pursuing God with a single-minded passion. And you’ll have to discover the story that goes with it for yourself. … Continue reading →

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Naming and Un-claiming Your Idols

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Carl Simmons

“So much of life comes down to the following three questions,” says Ed Welch: “Who is God? Who am I? Who are these other people?” The answers to those questions reveal what we truly care about and who we trust, … Continue reading →

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Remembering Our True Example

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Carl Simmons

To be fair, I went into this expecting something more like a far more orthodox The Last Temptation of Christ—i.e., something that really focused on Christ’s humanness rather than His divinity. And the introductory material—especially the opening salvo “Did Jesus … Continue reading →

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