M Taylor

In a day and age when church attendance and involvement is declining and those in the church spend too much time pointing their fingers at the world instead of humbling ourselves before God Almighty, “What If Jesus Was Serious About The Church?” is a great read. The writer, an evangelical Christian does not write with an ax to grind but is…[Read more]

Just finished reading “Reogranized Religion” and believe the book to be very enlightening and a fair representation of today’s evangelical church. Some of the topics addressed include:

– Stories of people who have been disappointed by the church (feel like they’re really not accepted because of their political beliefs).

– Reasons why people are…[Read more]

“From Prisoner To Prince” is a great read on the biblical character of Joseph in the biblical book of Genesis and how the importance of Joseph’s story is throughout the Bible. Since Joseph is one of my favorite Bible characters and Joseph is my middle name, I wanted to read and review the book.

Just under 150 pages, the book addresses many topics…[Read more]

“The Analog Christian” by Jay Kim is a good read for the Christian believer (and those interested in Christianity) wanting insights on living in today’s age of technology. Indeed, while technology can be a good thing, it can also be bad if we are not careful and let it run our lives. Around 180 pages, the author suggests the types of decisions we…[Read more]

Whatever your political affiliation or view on America, “How To Be A Patriotic Christian” by Richard Mouw is a balanced and thought-provoking read in today’s hyper-partisan times. A quick read, the title is around 150 pages and covers many applicable topics, including:

– Similarities between Psalm 72 and the purposes of government.

– Being…[Read more]

“40 Questions About Prayer” is another great entry in Kregel Publications’ “40 Questions” series. As the title mentions, this book focuses on the many questions people have about prayer. Some of the questions include”

– Various types of prayer.

– What it means to pray in “Jesus’ name”.

– Why should we pray.

– Reasons why we don’t receive what…[Read more]

“The Connected Life” by Todd Hall is a great read for improving relationships from a Christian perspective. Some of the many topics covered include:

– Today’s society experiencing a decline in trust, socializing, and other factors leading to a decrease in quality relationships.

– Various reasons for the increase in spiritual disconnections.

-…[Read more]

As you may assume, the title “Going Higher With God In Prayer” by AW Tozer focuses on the importance of prayer for a closer relationship with God. Around 170 pages, some of the many great points made include:

– The closer we get to God, the farther away we are from the world (and how many true believers in Jesus Christ are willing to do…[Read more]

As the Christian church grows in parts of the world, “The Shape Of Christian History” is a great read on how the church and Christian faith has grown over the centuries. A little under 200 pages, the book addresses many topics on the subject, including:

– Different views on creation that contrast with a Christian worldview.

– Historical threats…[Read more]

“Doing Church As A Team” is a good title for anyone seeking encouragement and insights for serving in a local church. Just over 200 pages, the book addresses many topics, including:

– The need for members to move from being a consumer to being a servant and contributing time and talent in a church.

– Being careful to not compare yourself with…[Read more]

“Kingdom Values” is another good title by Tony Evans and focuses on living out true character (in the power of the Holy Spirit) in a world that wouldn’t know the Holy Spirit if it bumped into Him in a broom closet! Indeed, I am sick and tired of “virtue signaling” (i.e. – giving the impression that you really care about things when in actuality…[Read more]

“Associate Pastors” is a great read for current or aspiring church associate pastors who, by virtue of the position, pastor between the church senior pastor and church members. Some of the many important topics covered include:

– 3 common aspects of an associate pastor: relation with the senior pastor, working as managers in the church, and…[Read more]

“Inalienable” is a great read for anyone interested in the current state of the evangelical church in America. The authors bring several years’ experience and different perspectives and yet agree that the American evangelical church needs a wakeup call and bring people of different ethnicities and backgrounds to the table without compromising…[Read more]

“The Characters Of Creation” is a nice read on people and events around the creation story in the Book Of Genesis. Around 170 pages, some of the topics covered include:

– What creation reveals about God.

– While we need to live in community with other people, our greater need is a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

– Doubting God’s…[Read more]

In a day when the emphasis in church is “casual” (clothes, music, etc.), the old and reverent hymns seem to be on the way out. “Our Hymns Our Heritage” is a great read on how the old hymns came about. The book is over 250 pages, covers over 100 hymns and is organized by chapter (hymn):

– Name of hymn.

– The actual hymn itself.

– How the hymn…[Read more]

“On Worship” is a great read for anyone interested in corporate worship in the church. Around 170 pages, some of the great points covered include:

– The importance of worshipping God on His terms (He is God and we are not!).
– Instead of making an idol of God, we must see Him as He is.
– Engaging our whole being (mind, emotions, will, body,…[Read more]

“What’s Big Starts Small” is a good read for anyone wanting to strengthen and grow their faith in Jesus Christ. The book focuses on 6 threats to our faith and practical strategies for overcoming them. While not a self-help book that floods the “Christian” market, the author does make it clear that the reader is responsible for the quality of their…[Read more]

“The Complete Bible Commentary” by George Williams is a great read for anyone looking for a one volume commentary. Indeed, any commentary recommended by Billy Graham has to be considered! I recently used this commentary to help me prepare for a Sunday School lesson on 1 Kings 11 – Solomon’s many wives and concubine and God’s eventual judgement.…[Read more]

“The Beast Or The Lamb” is a great read on the importance of staying close to Jesus Christ in today’s age. The book centers around history’s latter days and the choice everyone has to make: Jesus or the antichrist?

Just over 200 pages, the book addresses many topics, including:

– 3 marks of the antichrist.

– Examples of the spirit of antichrist…[Read more]

The “Discover Your Gifts Workbook” is an excellent supplement for the “Discover Your Gifts” book and a great aid for better clarifying your gifted areas. A quick read, the workbook gets right to the point about 12 areas of gifting, some of which include: leadership, financial, civic, technical, and others. The book may be completed fairly quickly…[Read more]