Mission Minded

 

If you feel your church needs a wake-up call and some practical help in reaching out to the community, this book is for you.

Short and punchy, Mission Minded contains a number of helpful tables to practically organise your church activities into:

• Evangelism
  Reaching out to non-Christians and telling them the gospel.
  
• Edification
  Building up the body of Christ (continuing to preach the gospel to Christians).
• Support to Ministry
  This kind of follows on from edification - when maturing Christians participate in valuable behind-the-scenes support work to facilitate the spread of the gospel.
  
  Then the Evangelism category can be further broken down into:
• Raising Awareness
  Some people are totally unaware about Jesus, Christianity, or where the local churches are. An example of raising awareness could be promoting church events via mailbox drop, social media, newspaper ads etc.
  
• Initial Contact
  The first contact a non-Christian may have with a Christian.
  
• Pre-Evangelism
  Inviting a non-Christian to an event run by the church, but it is more a social event, not one where the gospel is preached.
  
• Evangelism
  Telling someone the gospel, either in person via a 1-1 conversation, or at an event where it is preached.
  
  The difficulty is that churches struggle with either two many activities, resulting in burn-out of its members and not much evangelism actually happening, or do nothing. You could argue that any event is worthwhile, but churches and people need to be strategic and wise with their limited time. It's not about what we enjoy, but about what will assist in spreading the gospel. Unfortunately many pre-evangelism activities are mistaken for evangelism i.e. having a ladies' morning tea to build relationships with community members is not evangelism unless the gospel is actually being preached there.
  
  Churches really need to take a hard look at their activities to decide which category they fall into. For example, door knocking would come under Initial Contact. Carols by Candlelight would be Pre-Evangelism. Some activities overlap. Then they need to wisely prune some activities and seek to find a balance between evangelism, edification and support to ministry. This doesn't mean we aren't trusting God - He is the one who ultimately brings the fruit - but we need to be good users of our time.
  
  There are blank tables in the book to help your own church start the process.
  
  You can order this book from the Matthias Media Australian online store here.
  

Courage in a Hostile World

I have to admit, before I read this book, I was more of the opinion that Christians should just show the love of Jesus by the way they live their personal lives, and not get so involved in politics. This book helped change my mind and get me to see that God's people need to call the world back to living for Him.

Courage in a Hostile World is the story of FamilyVoice Australia, or, as it was originally called, Festival of Light. It documents how the group grew from South Australian to nation-wide, weathered many changes in staff and directors, and celebrated many victories by the hand of God in halting acts and bills which would have caused great harm.

Like the Old Testament prophets called God's people Israel back to Him, and had to endure much persecution in the process, FamilyVoice Australia (and other groups) have persisted in calling our wayward nation back to the God who made us all. The difference is that many people now do not know God at all, and see it all as 'morals'.

One of the issues explored in the book is the devastating impact of no-fault divorce on family life. in 1988, during an inquiry into the growing number of street children, an Aboriginal woman was quoted as saying:
"Twenty years ago you'd never see an Aboriginal kid on the streets. Our families were strong then. There was always a home of some relative who would take you in. But that doesn't happen as much these days. The Aboriginal family unit has broken down, just like the white family." (page 51)

One chapter which really made an impact on me was the story of Linda Watson (then Coyle), a former Perth brothel madam who came to Christ. She later founded Linda's House of Hope to encourage and help prostitutes leave the industry, and also lent her voice to the fight against legalising prostitution.
She had been deeply affected by Princess Diana's death on 31 August. "If Diana with all her beauty and wealth can die, what hope is there for me?" she cried. "Where am I going to be when I drop dead? God, please help me!"
What happened next was a powerful miracle - Linda was touched by God's hand. She said it was 'as if I had a new mind'. (page 114)
Linda exposed the lies of other madams who insisted it was a safe and clean industry. A street survey exposed the public's hypocrisy. Many believed brothels should be legalised, but did not want one in their street, and would certainly not want their daughter to work as a prostitute. Why not, if it's such a safe and clean industry? Hmmm.

This is quite a fascinating book. It is the stories of men and women of true courage and faith, who endured much ridicule and abuse in standing up for the honour of God's name and protection of people and how we created His world to be. One thing I was glad of is that it isn't morals which drive their work (one thing Christian groups are often accused of), but the gospel of Christ and the true hope and transformation only He can bring. No-one can 'legislate Christianity', nor should we want to become a theocracy. But this book showed me that Christians have an important part to play in politics as much as everywhere else.

Transgender

This is a controversial topic and I bought this book mainly to get some help on how to speak to non-Christians about it should the opportunity arise.

Vaughan Roberts is a British minister, who has admitted that he struggles with same-sex attraction, but has chosen to remain celibate. He writes with great compassion while remaining faithful to what God has said in His Word. I think this makes the book more likely to be read by Christians and non-Christians struggling with gender dysphoria, knowing that the writer can empathise with what it's like to deal with unwanted feelings.

In just 74 pages, Vaughan Roberts explains the meaning of gender dysphoria and transgender as well as a host of other terms, while taking the reader through a whirlwind tour of the biblical worldview. He shows how Christians' objection to changing sex is due to how God designed and created the world - how we made men and women in His image, equal, yet different. This is one thing those who push for a genderless society try to erase.

Yet, he also says we mustn't try to make the Bible say what it doesn't say. While there are fundamental differences between men and women, there are also many differences between men and men, and women and women. Part of the confusion many people feel is when they don't fit into a gender stereotype. The Bible is silent on many of these issues.

Roberts also shows how sin has affected the world in exchanging the truth for a lie:

Our culture says: Your psychology is your sexual identity - let your body be conformed to it.

The Bible says: Your body is your sexual identity - let your mind be conformed to it. (page 43)

We mustn't see the body as something evil which needs to be changed. God made us physical creatures. The future resurrection when Jesus returns will be physical one. When the Bible talks about the 'flesh', it's not saying our physical bodies are evil. It's the mind which has been darkened.

One thing I was pleased to read that in order to reach out to transgender people, Christians should call them by their preferred name, even though they disagree with it. It's pretty hard to build a relationship with someone if you won't even call them what they want to be called.

This is not an exhaustive study of transgender issues - in 74 pages it can't be. It's a Talking Point Book, written to raise issues and help people gain a basic understanding. I felt as though this book didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know. It would be good for new Christians, and those who haven't really thought much about the topic before. It would also be a good book to give away after an evangelistic conversation, if transgender issues were a barrier to faith.

We might think transgender issues are a new topic that has got the church into a spin about how to respond. But this book reiterates that there is nothing new under the sun; the gospel remains the answer for everything.

Joyfully Spreading the Word

This was a book I was looking forward to reading with eager anticipation, as spreading the gospel is not really one of my strengths. It has been said that 'evangelism' is in the same category as 'cancer' when it comes to words which provoke intense fear. At times, my fear of evangelism and rejection has crippled my life to such an extent, I began to seriously doubt the power of the gospel I was afraid to speak was able to save me from this sin. Other times, I have been blase, and neglected to see the urgency that the people around me needed a Saviour.

I needed to read this book!

To be honest, I found the first few chapters rather boring and frustrating. The book opens with reminding us of what the gospel is. While you could argue that ALL Christians need to be reminded of the good news they are commanded to tell, I felt it was a bit ho hum, been there done that. I get their point - we do need to know the 'what' before the 'how' - but I just wanted real-life examples of evangelistic life in the trenches. Will there be anyone who is faced with similar people I know with similar objections to Jesus and the Christian faith? Will there be any encouragement for me in my specific context?

The book is a collection of experiences of different Christian women, in different situations around the world. Therefore, each chapter has its own 'voice'.

One of the chapters which impacted me most powerfully was the one by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield, author of The Secret Life of an Unlikely Convert. She speaks of her experience as a lesbian, university academic who came to Christ through the loving hospitality of a pastor and his wife, who invited her into their home and church for years, gently and patiently witnessing to her. This, she believes, holds the key to reaching out to the LGBTQ community. The LGBTQ is a real community, constantly in each others' lives and homes, supporting each other. For Christians, our idea of community is often just church on Sunday and Bible study one night/morning a week. We need to do more in this area if we are to reach out to people whose worldview is often on a collision course with our own. Rosaria reminds us that LGBTQ people's greatest sin is not sexual sin, but unbelief - just like everyone.

I also gained a lot from the chapters on evangelising children (something on my mind right now as a parent and Sunday School teacher), and also on evangelism in universities and workplaces (two former stages of my life). Often people fit into four categories:
- The Interested
- The Uninterested
- The Curious
- The Churched (people who have been raised in the church, and may know a lot about Jesus and the Bible, but are not actually trusting and following Him).

There are plenty of encouraging stories of how God is powerful and can change even the hardest of hearts. There are also plenty of doses of realism and heartbreak - people who received the Word with joy, but later walked away. It is a reminder that we have a role to play, but only God can save. He is sovereign over all.

This book is such an encouragement and I recommend all Christian women read it.

The Happiness Effect

If you see that I’m reviewing a fair few books on social media usage it’s because it’s my pet topic at the moment.

The Happiness Effect is a study of the attitudes of American college students towards social media. While some of it was extremely interesting, I found some was not relevant to me. Unfortunately I’m not in that young twenty-something demographic anymore, and chapters on sexting, selfies and nude photos are not really my thing. I don’t need to worry about what my future boss might think of my posts and photos as my profile is set to private and there is nothing incriminating there anyway. There was also discussion of apps that I have no idea about; I’m really only familiar with Facebook and blogging.

The main point of the book is that there seems to be no place on social media for sadness or overt seriousness, and there is great pressure to only post happy, positive things. Whether it’s pressure that friends will cut you off, or that a post will affect your future employment, people of all ages feel they must edit their lives. I’ve found this to be very true. There is pressure to post things for ‘likes’ and the thrill of acceptance and validation that gives. There is no place for vulnerability, hence some insensitive twit will use it against you. Yet, if you’re too positive, you get accused of being fake. You can’t win.

These are some of the points which really stood out to me:

• There is a real love-hate relationship between young people and their smart phones. They long to be free of them, but feel disconnected to their peers and the world without them. Nowadays, smart phone users are expected to be on-call like they were doctors or other emergency workers. There is a fear of being out of phone range if there is an emergency and they need to be reached. Yet, previous generations survived without this technology. Those who have deactivated their social media accounts have noticed they tend to get less invitations to things and it’s the fear of being left out that often makes people reactivate.

•  In the past, you’d hear about a party you weren’t invited to via overhearing conversations. Now the photos are plastered all over social media to rub it in your face (often deliberately).

• Being on platforms which allow you to post or comment anonymously is freeing because you can be your authentic self. I’ve found this with blogging; I can be much more honest than I can on Facebook. However, this has led to the rise of trolling, and people showing their nasty sides.

The book didn’t address all of the areas I wished it had and I suspect that is mostly because it’s not aimed at my demographic. What I want to read is a book about social media usage by women around my age – the subtle nastiness women often display, such as tagging all of your mutual friends but you in a ‘best friend meme’, posting photos or ‘checking in’ at an event you were excluded from, liking everyone else’s posts but yours. But you can’t pull them up on this behaviour as they’ll just deny it and you’ll look like a crazy person.

My hunt continues….

Living Free

Another book that resides in my in-laws' Perth holiday house....

This is actually two books together in one volume - Walking in the Light and Living Free in Christ. Neil T. Anderson is an American Christian counsellor, who specialises in helping people in spiritual bondage. He writes that sometimes these people are Christians who KNOW the gospel in their heads, but are having trouble living out the freedom Christ brings due to lies they've believed in the past. Sometimes they are non-Christians who have dabbled in the occult, or are demon-possessed.

The books themselves are actually a really sound overview of living the Christian life. The volume is quite exhaustive as it covers everything from our acceptance, security and significance in Christ, to spiritual discernment (especially as it easy to become influenced by New Age practices) and walking in the Spirit. They would be great to give to a new Christian, or someone struggling in their faith. You'd think such a book would be captivating for all Christians, but I really struggled to get through it. It actually took me a few attempts of reading a bit, then switching to a novel, then picking it back up again. I think this is more of my issue, rather than an issue with the book itself. Perhaps it was Satan trying to thwart me in reading biblical truths? Perhaps it was my own laziness? Or a combination of the two?

The most helpful bit for me were the 'Steps to Freedom' bit at the back which covers all sorts of areas which Christians might be struggling, everything from unforgiveness to bitterness, to addiction and self-righteousness. The sample prayers he included were really good to be able to get that help to pray what I was feeling. Often I know how I feel, but I don't actually spill it out verbally to God.

Chasing the Dragon

I was very sceptical when I first picked up this book (it was one that was at my in-laws' Perth house) and I thought it would be sure to end up in my recycling bin.

I ate my words!  Wow, what a book!

Chasing the Dragon (an expression which means smoking heroin) is the story of Jackie Pullinger, but really it is God's story of how He transformed the lives of people far from Him, using Jackie in the process. Jackie, a British missionary, arrived in Hong Kong in 1966 and ministered among drug addicts, gang members, and prostitutes in the Walled City. It what seemed like an overwhelmingly hopeless place, God used Jackie to spread the gospel. Many believed and lives were transformed.

I think the way Jackie arrived in Hong Kong was a bit unwise - she arrived by herself. With the recent death of John Allen Chau - killed on North Sentinel Island by an unreached people group - it shows the danger of lone missions. Jesus sent His disciples out in pairs to show we NEED each other. We aren't meant to go alone. Jackie said God led her there, and while there's no doubt He used her tremendously, and later she teamed up with other Christians, it doesn't mean she did the right thing by going alone; it means God brings good out of foolish decisions.

Being from a conservative, evangelical background since becoming a Christian, I'd often been influenced to think critically about speaking in tongues. It generally gets dismissed a lot, or explained away among Christians I rub shoulders with. I still don't agree with hardline Pentecostals, who insist a Christian MUST speak in tongues, otherwise they don't have the Holy Spirit. That is a dangerous false teaching. Rather, I was challenged by how God works in the world, among people who have never heard of Jesus, have no Bibles and are illiterate. In some ways, it mirrors The Heavenly Man and shows nothing is impossible for God. In our suspicious, Western mindset, we too often forget our God is an awesome God of miracles.

More Than A Carpenter

This is the last of the evangelistic books I'll review this Easter.

Josh McDowell was a hard-headed sceptical university student when, confronted with the evidence, surrendered his life to Jesus in 1959. Since then he's been speaking on university campuses in the US, trying to persuade others of the truth of the gospel.

This is a book for your sciency friends, the ones who like to argue and debate, the academic ones. Whereas A Hell of a Life is more for your average, everyday Aussie, More Than A Carpenter will resonate more with those who want proof.

That's one of the key points of the book - Christianity is a not a blind faith. So many people demand proof and scoff that it can't be proved by science. Well, not everything CAN be proved by science. But they can be proved by history, by reliable documentation of the past. Nobody alive today was around when Queen Elizabeth I reigned, but we all believe she existed. How? We believe the accounts of those who were there and recorded it for us.

Josh McDowell's evidence-based approach is balanced with his own moving testimony at the end. You can mock Jesus, but He changes lives.

Quote of the Day

At this point, many people ask the question, "Why couldn't God just forgive?"
An executive of a large corporation said, "My employees often do something, break something, and I just forgive them." Then he added, "Are you trying to tell me I can do something that God can't do?"
People fail to realise that wherever there is forgiveness, there's a payment. For example, let's say my daughter breaks a lamp in my home. I'm a loving and forgiving father, so I put her on my lap, and I hug her and I say, "Don't cry, honey. Daddy loves you and forgives you."
Now usually the person I tell that story to says, "Well, that's what God ought to do."
Then I ask the question, "Who pays for the lamp?" The fact is, I do. There's always a price in forgiveness. Let's say somebody insults you in front of others and later you graciously say, "I forgive you" Who bears the price of the insult? You do.
This is what God has done. God has said, "I forgive you." But He was willing to pay the price Himself through the cross.
- Josh McDowell in his book, More Than a Carpenter (pages 115-6)

A Hell of a Life

This is one book I'd recommend to the Average Joe wanting to find out more about Jesus.

John Dickson writes in a very down-to-earth way, as if one might when talking to a mate. He uses plenty of analogies to make his point. Although the book is a bit outdated (it was written in the 1990s and refers to Madonna and Michael Jordan as the big superstars of the time), it still manages to convey its message that Jesus is bigger than any celebrity. He's had more books written about Him, more websites dedicated to Him...and it was His life that defined the modern calendar. At the end of the book, there are testimonies from people from all walks of life, saying what Jesus means to them and how we can trust Him, too.

It's Dickson's own testimony that really resonates. Raised in a single parent, non-Christian home, it was his Scripture teacher in high school that made a big influence on the self-confessed ratbag teenager and his mates.

This book shows the real Jesus, recorded in the gospels - not the love and peace, robe-wearing hippie that many people tend to think He is.

5 Hopes For 2018

It's mid March already, so I'd better post this. Here goes nothin'.....

1. Press on with my dream of becoming a published author. I plan to submit short stories to competitions to hopefully build my writing 'resume', as well as not give up on getting my novel published.

2. Start riding my bike.

3. Build my fitness. I've already been swimming laps at the local pool on my childfree day once a week (man, I'm unfit). When the pool closes for winter (it's an outdoor pool), I'm going to go to Zumba once a week.

4. Go hardcore on DIY projects. I'm in the middle of fixing up my verandah railing (cutting off old wire, sanding, repainting, and putting up new wire). Then I hope to paint the verandah surface with some non-slip stuff I saw in Bunnings. Our verandah gets terribly slippery when wet, and despite my continued warnings, the little fellows run on it, slip over and hit their heads. After that, my scungy outside laundry needs repainting, as well as some of the doorframes and window frames inside the house.

5. Make a serious dent in the huge pile of unread books next to my bed, on my shelves, in my bookcase, and in the drawers of my bedside table. I love books, but I feel like I'm drowning in them (note to self: STOP BUYING BOOKS). Those that I don't like will either be sold, given away, or placed in my in-laws' Perth house (where we stay when in Perth) for other guests to read.

Forging a Real World Faith

It took a while for me to put into words what this book was about. At times it seems disjointed and disconnected, but at the end, everything really clicks into place.

It's about how to live as a Christian in the real world - beyond the church, beyond the 'safety' of any Christian gathering.

What we can do to sharpen our faith, like a refiner of silver. This takes guts and effort.

Our responsibility to grow our faith, and not remain stagnant.

Gordon MacDonald frequently examines the life of Daniel in the Bible, as the example of someone who made a real impact on the culture without compromising his faith in God.

It's a challenging book, but a bit dry in parts. The use of the term 'self-mastery' throughout irked me, until I realised he meant self-discipline. I think it falls short a bit on God's grace and the power of the Spirit in changing us (it's not all up to us).  Possibly a bit more balance was needed here. But it's worth a read, and for those Christians living in a bubble (it's easy to do), it's good shake-up.

The Five Love Languages of Children

This is another book a friend lent me. It is the children's version of Gary Chapman's bestseller among the Christian and secular world alike - The Five Love Languages. I have the original book, but it is another one that's been sitting in my bookcase, waiting patiently to be read (I'm hoping to read it with Duncan one day). Even so, I consider myself quite well acquainted with the love languages - physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, and acts of service. The idea is that we give and receive love in different ways, so that while we may think we're being loving to someone, they may not feel loved, because we aren't speaking their love language. We usually have a primary love language, although often enjoy giving and receiving using more than one. Just as we need to speak our spouse's love language, we also need to with our children.

There were a few things I learned/were reiterated from this book:

• A child's primary love language often changes. At the moment, I think Rory's receiving love language is quality time and Flynn's is physical touch.
•  If their behaviour is not great, it is often because their emotional needs through their love language are not being met. We need to fill their 'emotional tanks' with love.
• Using someone else's love language might not come naturally to us (because we have a different love language), but we need to persevere.
• If you aren't sure of your child's love language, you should observe them carefully and ask them questions which may show which way they're wired. For example, for a five-year-old (Rory's age), I might ask, "Would you like for me to bake you an apple pie (acts of service) or for us to take a walk in the park (quality time)?" "Would you rather wrestle (physical touch) or read a story together (quality time)?" "While I am out of town for two days, would you rather I bring you a present (gift) or write you a poem about what a wonderful boy you are (words of affirmation)?" (pages 111-12)
• When you keep your child's love tank full with unconditional love, you will be able to discipline them with the best results. For example, if a child's love language is quality time, punishing them by isolating them may crush their sense of being loved.

I felt some of the book was a bit guilt-trippy in places, and this is something most parents don't need as we are sincerely doing our best in this very tough gig. There is a chapter about anger (which I struggle with). Overall, I felt as if this book was mainly what I already know.

The Case for Christmas

We have a book nook in our local park.  It's like a mailbox where you can put books and take some that are in there - kind of like a free book exchange.  It's not policed at all, so it relies on people's generosity.  Recently I've been wondering and praying about what to do with the evangelistic books in my bookcase. I've been hanging onto them in prayerful hope that one day I'll have such a conversation with someone that it will lead to me being able to offer them a book (and hopefully a Bible).  Sadly, these conversations have not progressed to this stage, but God, in His kindness, prompted me to put them in the book nook.  Of course, there are hundreds of tourists who stop at the park on their travels.

This is one of the books I've recently put in the book nook.  I reviewed The Case For Easter a couple of years ago, and this book is much along the same lines.  In fact, Lee Strobel has written a whole series of short books (The Case For a Creator, The Case For Faith etc.)  Personally, I wonder why he has written so many books which must surely cover the same things?  His best known work is The Case For Christ (and there is now a movie of the same name, based on his journey from atheism to faith in Christ).  Perhaps it because they are short and strategically written for unbelievers.

Part of this book answers the usual questions (such as how do we know the Christmas story is true, how reliable is the Bible?), but another part surprised me. It was about a Jewish man who had become a Christian and now has a ministry among Jews. He said that many Jews have never read the Old Testament prophecies about Jesus, and have been told by their rabbi that the prophecies are not about Him. One of the key ways to challenge Jews is to convince them to read the Old Testament prophecies on their own.  There is no chance that all of them could be about someone else; they are so clearly about Christ.

I pray my copy of this book will make its way into someone's hand and point them towards Jesus - the one who Christmas is all about.

Like A Queen

I'd been wanting to get my hands on this book for a while when I found it in an opshop last month for....the grand total of 20c.  Bargain!

For those of you who don't know who Constance Hall is, she is a blogger from Perth, who shot to fame a couple of years ago when her post about 'parent sex' went viral on social media.  She could be classed as what you would call a 'mummy blogger', but she is more well-known for being a champion of the sisterhood, uniting mothers together and encouraging them to support each other, rather than tear each other down.

I realise this book will not be everyone's cup of tea, but there were some great things I gleaned from it.  Part biography, part opinion, the structure of the book is frustrating as it seems to leap all over the place.  I'd much prefer some kind of chronological order when she is talking about events in her life.  And she has had a very interesting life!  The saddest thing was that I read the book in hindsight....since it was published last year, she has split with her husband and is now engaged to someone else.

There are many opinions of hers that I don't agree with: I don't think it's necessary for every second word to be a swear word, and while there are many ways to parent, I don't think having an abortion is one of them.  These differences come from having such contrasting worldviews.  While some may be offended by how she writes openly about bodily functions, I have no qualms about it.  I live in a house with all males...talk about bums, farts and poos (from the four-year-old) doesn't bother me.  I loved out loud at some of the stuff she writes.  She is a brilliant writer.  Easy to read and her honest descriptions are hilarious.

Even though I don't agree with everything she says, I have always admired the way she focuses on what brings us together and that she practices what she preaches in trying to create better communities of mothers.

Quote of the Day

Drop the competition, forge a oneness between women, break down the barriers, stick it to society by saying: "No. I will not tear down other women anymore, no matter who they are or what they are doing. I will not be a part of this vicious cycle of mum shaming, bitching, stepping on a fellow woman to make myself feel valued or worthy. Because I am valued and I am worthy. I do not need to validate myself with other women's hardships."
- Constance Hall in her book, Like a Queen

Books and Chooks

Rory's school celebrated Book Week this week, and on Monday, all of the children (plus teachers) dressed up as a character from a book.

Of course Rory wanted to go as Thomas.

Since I knew I wouldn't be able to drive for a fair while after surgery, I needed to get a head start on it.  I told Rory, "No changing your mind."

He didn't win a prize, but had a fantastic day.  Thomas is looking a bit worse for wear though.

Later that afternoon, I made a sad discovery.  Marilyn, my White Leghorn hen, was dead behind the perch.  It seems that she must have died during the previous night and fallen off her perch.

Of course, Rory had to get on the bus the next morning and announce loudly, "Marilyn fell off her perch and broke her neck."

I'm not sure what the bus driver thought....

Me Before You

I finished this book during my 'sabbatical after surgery' in Perth.  With euthanasia still a much-debated subject, this book is very relevant.  I'd also heard a review of it and thought it sounded very interesting.

The plot centres around Will, who is 35 and has been a quadriplegic for two years after being hit by a motorbike.  Feeling very depressed about all he has lost, he tries to take his own life before asking his parents to take him to a clinic in Switzerland where he can end it.  Devastated, his parents hire Lou, a 26-year-old woman, to be his personal carer and companion, with the hope she can cheer him up and show him life is still worth living (I will not reveal the ending).

While I am a Christian and strongly against euthanasia, this book helped me see just how difficult life is for people like Will, or those who are in chronic pain and terminally ill.  The last few years have been so dreadfully difficult with my mental health that I have longed to end it all on numerous occasions.  On of the upsides of my suffering is that I have become more compassionate and able to see other's viewpoints in these matters.  I agree that the argument to let someone 'die with dignity' makes sense in a worldly point of view.  To be honest, if I was in Will's situation, I would struggle to want to live, too, and I'm a Christian with the tremendous hope that Jesus brings.  Will doesn't have that hope, so I can see that his life looks bleak to him.

This book led to some...ummm....'interesting' discussions with my mum after I told her what the book was about (she is reading it now).  She is not Christian and said that if she was dying and in pain, she would ask me to take her to an overseas clinic, too.  I told her that although it would devastate me to see her suffering, her life is not mine to take, or to assist in taking.  She said, "Fine, I'll ask Tim, then."

I'm hoping to read Joni Eareckson Tada's biography to hear about how a Christian person has dealt with becoming a quadriplegic and how the hope they have in Christ has made a difference.

Ultimately I'm still very opposed to euthanasia...but I think Christians can be so and still understand why people like Will would consider it.

The Shack

When I first finished it, I honestly don't know what to make of this book.

Like no other Christian fiction book I've ever read (although I haven't read many), it's interesting, but not the amazing work so many Christians rave about.  I've had friends say it's the first book they'd recommend to non-Christian friends wanting to find out more about Jesus, particularly if their objections to Christianity centre on the issue of why God allows suffering.  Personally, there are many other books on Christianity and suffering I'd recommend before this one.

The Shack tells the story of a man called Mack whose youngest daughter, Missy, is abducted and brutally murdered.  Mack has had some experience with church etc., but was largely doing his own thing, while being consumed with his grief, when he receives a note, supposedly from God.  The note told him to go to the shack in the middle of the wilderness where some of Missy's belongings had been found stained with blood and God would meet him there.

One of the things that I felt most uncomfortable about was how God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were portrayed.  God is represented as a jovial African-American woman called Papa, Jesus is a carpenter (which is the truest to Scripture out of the three), and the Holy Spirit is an Asian woman called Sarayu.  The issue I have with these representations of the Trinity is that not once in the Bible are they described in this way.  Why is God depicted as a woman?  Is it to make a particular point?  To be controversial?  It's easy to say that it's just fiction and it doesn't matter, and that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe portrays God as Aslan the lion, so what's the difference?  But the difference is that Scripture does describe God as like a lion (and many other things).

I think the book does a reasonable job of portraying the close relationship between the three beings of the Trinity.  The three in one concept is not easy for any human mind to grasp, but it does display the distinctiveness, yet the unity of Father, Son and Spirit quite well.

While the book is sad, given the deep pain Mack is dealing with, I didn't find myself feeling overly emotional while reading it.  Some people have told me they were moved to tears.  Maybe I am just an unfeeling sort of person, or maybe it was because I was focused on analysing it for its biblical faithfulness and theology.

I think the main flaw of the book is that it focuses on Jesus coming to end our pain, rather than Him coming to save us from our sin.  We are not innocent victims of sin, we ALL are sinners in need of a Saviour.  Our suffering may not be the direct result of our own sin or someone else's, but the state of the world is a result of all of us having turned away from God to rule our own lives.  The book does address Mack's own need for a Saviour towards the end and his need to forgive the man who murdered his daughter, but it should have been a more central theme as that is the gospel - a God, who came to earth Himself to die and rise again to reconcile us to Himself.

It's not enough to just say that The Shack is fiction and it is not intended to replace or sit alongside Scripture.  That may be true, but the writers of Christian fiction have a responsibility to ensure their theology is grounded in Scripture.  The Shack is enormously popular and now there is a movie version.  As I intend to write Christian fiction, I would hope that people would be wise and discerning in reading my stuff, not just swallow it blindly because it's what their itching ears want to hear.  I think The Shack shows the intimacy of the relationship with God we all crave and it is by no means evil.  It's not my book of choice.

Born This Way

Earlier this year I read on Facebook that a Christian acquaintance had decided to 'come out' and reveal himself to be gay.  I heard through a mutual friend years before that he had said he was gay, but this was the first time he'd announced it publicly.  Some Christians were applauding him, while others were concerned.  He kept throwing around phrases like, "We need to have a new conversation" and mentioning that he'd been to a conference for gay Christians in the US.  I'm not sure if he's declaring himself to be a 'practising'  gay, or if he's saying that he has homosexual feelings, but intends to be celibate.  This raises a very important question....can you be a Christian and gay?

In the light of the current push to legalise gay marriage in Australia, this is an important and much-needed book.  One of the reviews I've read of it is critical that it doesn't take into consideration that homosexuality is an emotive subject, that there are Christians struggling with these issues (or have family who are gay), that the author himself has no experience in ministry with gay people. and that the book should be more 'pastoral'.  There's no doubt that the subject will trigger all sorts of feelings, but there needs to be a place where we TRY to put that aside and look at what the Bible says about homosexuality - not our experiences, not our feelings, not our pre-conceived ideas, and certainly not what the world says.

Born This Way addresses both what the Bible says and challenges the world's commonly-held beliefs about homosexuality:

• How the mainstream view of homosexuality has gone from 'homosexuality is a disorder, but now it's considered normal and natural. It used to be that homosexuality was opposed and suppressed, but now it's celebrated and nurtured.  If you don't agree with this view,  then you are likely to be verbally opposed and ostracised.  You may be called intolerant, a bigot, a homophobe or a redneck.  Almost every Christian I know who has expressed any disagreement with the mainstream view of homosexuality - however carefully expressed, however nuanced their views - has experienced persecution at some level. (pages 15-16)  This is the intolerance of 'tolerance'.
•  The use of the word 'homophobia' - how what traditionally meant 'irrational fear' or hatred, now includes even simply questioning or disagreeing with homosexual practice.
• The belief that homosexuals are 'born this way' (hence the title of the book).  There is no evidence for the existence of a 'gay gene'. Many gay people have expressed their dislike of the term 'sexual preference', because it implies sexual orientation is a choice.  Someone who experiences same sex attraction may have 'some biological or hereditary factors that play a role in causing this attraction - but to a much smaller extent than is often claimed.' (page 51)  It is certainly not in the same category as eye colour, hair colour etc.  'There are many psychological or behavioural traits that are only partly determined by genetics.  In those kinds of cases, a wide range of other factors will come into play to influence how a person ultimately lives or behaves. (page 51)  Some people are more inclined to smoke, overeat etc. and these are CHOICES that people still make, that should be resisted.  The book uses the example of a person born more inclined towards violence, but they couldn't claim being 'born this way' as an excuse.  The issue of bisexuality, dispels the argument that someone is either born gay or straight.  Studies have been done on identical twins, where one is gay and the other is straight.  Surely if it was genetic, they both would be one or the other.

The book emphasises that there is a big difference between ATTRACTION and ACTION (although lust is sinful, no matter what orientation you are).  Every single human being faces temptation - from Satan, from our own desires, and the world.  That is why Steve Morrison, the author, prefers to use the term 'same-sex temptation', rather than 'same-sex attraction'.  The Christian doctrine of original sin says every person is born with a 'motivationally twisted heart' (page 99).  Although some people are more prone to homosexual temptation, given the right circumstances, any of us be tempted this way.  Vaughan Roberts is an author and a minister at a church in the UK, who has admitted in one of his books that he has battled same-sex temptation'.  But he refuses to let this become his identity.  He sees himself as a sinner, saved by grace - like all Christians.  Although it is a temptation for him, he says it must be resisted, like all sins.  He says a supportive and loving Christian community is vital for him, as it is for us all, no matter what our personal temptations are.

So, who is this book aimed at?

Morrison says he wrote the book primarily for Christians who are being swept along and confused by society's opinions.  I have seen a number of Christians, who either have homosexual temptations themselves, or who have gay friends or family, try to redefine what the Bible says about homosexuality.  They try to say it's ok to be a practising homosexual, as long as you're in a committed 'marriage-like' relationship, that the verses against homosexuality are for homosexual rapists, or those who are promiscuous.  But it simply isn't true.  Despite this being such an emotion-charged topic, we need to look at what God says in His Word about His design for the world, not water down His truth.

I think this book would also be very helpful for a non-Christian who wants to know what Christians believe regarding this issue.  The gospel message is well-articulated about why God designed the world the way He did, and why ALL people, gay or straight, need a Saviour.  It reveals a loving God, who died for all.  No-one is beyond His grace.


 You can order this book from the Matthias Media Australian online store here. Or the US store here.