Reviews

Paperback, ‘One Accord’ 70 pages (can be ordered from bookshops, www.amazon.co.uk or One Accord (admin@oneaccord.org.uk) Tel 01798 345222   

£2.99

The aim of this short and simple book is to help couples to pray together for the first time, encouraging couples who have stopped short to start again and inspire those already praying together. The authors write enthusiastically from personal experience and the testimonies of others, underlining that praying together enables a husband and wife to develop a deeper relationship with God and each other. A needful, quickly read book.

Janine Bryer

Paperback, Nexgen, 128 pages   

£5.75

ISBN 0-7814-3942-6

I love this book, because it deals with a seldom taught but vital subject (forgiving the unrepentant); because it deals with it scripturally; and because it is pastorally sensitive. It’s also very well-written. The key thesis, which is utterly true to Scripture, is that the Lord’s command to forgive our enemies rests not on the suspension of justice, but on trusting God for it: “Your ability to forgive anyone, especially the unrepentant, is directly tied to your emotional confidence in God’s willingness to accomplish justice on your behalf.” A must-read, especially to those who are hurting.

Jon Garvey

Paperback, Monarch  190 pages  

£7.99

ISBN 1- 85424-516-3

Michael Moynagh, on the staff of St John’s College, Nottingham has produced a book on the new forms of church and examines both the cultural setting and the long term decline in church going in the U.K. He challenges us to think what church is all about and identifies new directions for the future – including the ‘re-invention of the church’. The book is ‘essential reading for all church leaders and every Christian committed to Christ’s mission’(Rowan Williams) but many will feel uncomfortable with its findings. Alpha, Willow Creek model, Church planting, St. Tescos, Midweek Church, Church at Work, Cell Groups, Neighbourhood groups are all discussed alongside a number of examples including failures. Unfortunately the author does omit the work of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of the Cross – surely the stumbling blocks for 21st century Britain.

Mike Balmford

Paperback, Hodder and Stoughton  208 pages  

£6.99

ISBN 0 340 86247 5

This fascinating and informative book was first published in 1978, but it is very relevant for today. Rabindranath (Rabi) writes about his childhood, he was the son of a revered Brahmin priest, who died when he was eight, and because of the vows he had taken, never spoke one word to Rabi. After his father’s death Rabi was considered to be his successor, and virtually worshipped as a god, until he discovered the power of Jesus, and, after a struggle, renounced Hinduism and turned to Christ, and so did other members of his family. He gives very telling insights into the dangers inherent in Yoga and Eastern Mysticism, elements in the New Age religion. There is an excellent Glossary of Hindi terms at the end of the book. Rabi came to Europe and was led by the Lord to share the Gospel wherever he could, especially with hippie drug-users, and he later joined Operation Mobilisation. He felt the need to know more about his faith and so he went to theological college in London. The last chapter relates what has happened since his book was first published. The final paragraph says: ‘I am grateful to God for having granted me the privilege of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ not only on university campuses and in churches and auditoriums, but also on radio and television, in 56 countries in this needy world. It is my determination to continue to do so as long as there is breath in my being – or until Jesus returns for his own.’

Sue Pheasant

Paperback, Monarch  384 pages  

£10.00

ISBN 1- 85424 671 2

At first glance the world of William Wilberforce and his friends in the village of Clapham just outside London two hundred years ago seems a long way from us today. This book shows clearly the very striking similarities. It challenges us how urgently we need the same mixture of personal salvation and social action (“vital Christianity” they called it) that they employed so effectively to transform the values of society. While the focus of the book is on the achievements of the Clapham group and their wider circle of friends, it is also fascinating to read of the tensions within the church at the time, with the Wesleyans and other nonconformists, Irvingism and a very traditional Anglican church. Relations within the church were by no means perfect, but that did not stop the Clapham Group working with other groups on specific projects, and God blessing the results. I would recommend this as a “must read” book for anyone who can see the true state of Britain today, and longs for it to be transformed. If I could make a single comment of personal disappointment, it is that the book said very little about gambling and lotteries, which was a major concern of the Clapham group, and of course is another parallel with today.

Michael Baker

If ever a book needed to be written, this is it! The author has taken an overview of the history of the last 400 years and given a balanced verdict of the spiritual state of the nation alongside political and social conditions. He highlights the Clapham Group, led by Wilberforce and the fight for abolition of slavery but also puts into context the roles of Wesley, Berridge, Venn, Hannah More in saving the nation from revolution. The book comes right up to the present day with discussion of John Stott, David Watson, House Church and Charismatic movements and looks forward to how the Church might transform our society and its ills. This is essential reading for all Christians – we all need reminding of our spiritual heritage, and challenging on how our faith should ‘work’. Clifford Hill insists that we must change the church if we are to change the nation. We must face the future by tackling the present liberal theology and social attitudes through emphasizing ethical values, relationships, community and a wider world view including mission. This includes challenging our church leaders as well as political forces and praying for the removal of the scales from their eyes.

Mike Balmford

Paperback, Zondervan  224 pages  

£7.99

ISBN 0-310-25909-6

The author is the Founder and President of Mums in Touch International, which encourages mothers to meet together weekly to pray for their children. They follow 4 steps to the Throne of God – Praise and Worship, confession of sin, thanksgiving and intercession. Great emphasis is put on praying the scriptures, and many telling examples are given from rel-life testimonies of children being saved, delivered from drink, drugs, alcohol and illicit sex, protected from accidents, healed from disease and depression. BUT not without struggling to hold on for dear life to their children in prayer, battling and persisting, sometimes for years. There are excellent chapters on Praying According to God’s Promises, One Accord Praying, and Warfare praying, which are applicable to all areas of life, not just children. The ‘Let’s Pray’ panels dispersed throughout the book are particularly helpful scriptural summaries of how to pray in the different scenarios of life. Many gold nuggets of teaching. Very upbuilding and encouraging. Easy to read.

Janine Bryer

Paperback, (Available from Mission Encouragement Trust 01903 500464 OfficeMERT@aol.com) 

£5 + pp

This is truly an amazing book! God brings together two women, one of whom is disabled, and calls them to travel in a mobile caravan to many countries to encourage missionaries. ‘Mission Encouragement’ is born out of Jan & Mintie’s weakness to meet the deep needs physical, material, emotional and spiritual of those on the field. The stories of God’s leading through His Word and His marvellous provision are a real challenge to us to ‘partner in the Gospel’. There is excellent teaching on how to get alongside them with visits, parcels, letters etc and how to pray with scripture. A most inspiring, informative and helpful book, and different from any other!

Janine Bryer

Paperback, 210 pages, Phoenix Books 

£9.99

ISBN 0-9545809-0-7

 

While the concept of “the priesthood of all believers” is widely accepted (in principle if not always in practice), the specific ministry of “a Priest” is more controversial in the church. However, this book accepts without question that there is such a ministry and it is acceptable to call someone a Priest. Thankfully it never loses sight of the “all believers” type of priesthood also. It goes into the subject of priesthood from every angle imaginable, with quite a bit of personal testimony included. It could prove useful reading for anyone contemplating a leadership ministry in the church (whatever it was called).

Mike Baker

Paperback, from office@globalfocus.freeserve.co.uk (tel: 01554 7806580) 

£6 + p&p

ISBN 0-9531440-3

 

Globalisation is an ‘in’ word....But what does it mean? The authors of the book write: ‘Put simply, it describes the situation in the world today whereby country boundaries are having less and less significance and individual nation-states are increasingly becoming units ruled by emerging global systems.’ ‘Globalisation is a reality that is transforming the way the world operates before our very eyes! It is a political, economic, religious, social, legal, environmental and physical fact. Hand in hand with globalisation we see the formation of ‘global gates’ – global gathering points where elders from the nations make decisions that increasingly determine the destiny of nations and peoples across the globe.’ ‘Through worship with prayer ‘warfare’, the Church must work to weaken the hold of the principal global demonic powers controlling each global gate institution. At the same time we must seek to advance the kingdom of God within the global gates by engaging with the global diplomatic community, Heads of State, and a developing group of global influential players.’ The Church needs to be prepared for the next Heads of State Gathering at the global gate of the G8 summit which will be held at Gleneagles, Scotland in July 2005. This important book should be widely read in order for us to be able to intercede from an informed position. It is highly to be recommended for clearly stating the position of the world today, both politically and spiritually, and how the church can respond effectively. 

Janine Bryer

Paperback, 242 pages, El Shaddai Publications, 41 Warkworth Street, Cambridge CB1 1EG 

£7.00 + £1.30 p&p

ISBN 0-9531440-3

 

As always, Alf’s book is full of fascinating facts, dates and figures and careful deductions. He is never afraid to alter his conclusions in the light of further study and revelation. He may or may not be right in his prediction of The Rapture in 2007, to which he is looking forward with keen anticipation, but the great need to be ready for it or for our own death is essential. Regularly many of his predictions come true, if not always at the proposed date. There’s another batch due before Easter 2005. Although the reader will tend to go for the future prophecies, there is much of value in the rest of the book, as Alf takes us through the Bible right from Creation, and fills in some intriguing gaps. He often pauses, usually in long footnotes, to make social comment with which the reader will go along wholeheartedly. Alf also charts his own walk of faith, reasoning and study. Worth a(nother) read. 

John Robins

Paperback, 175 pages, Authentic Lifestyle 

£5.99

ISBN 1-86024-443-2

 

While Deborah Lycett details her loss, including graphic details of the delivery room, and her deepest emotions, her book is an exceptionally well-balanced account of personal tragedy. The author’s strong faith in God- and her relationship with her husband Tim and both sets of parents – offer comfort and hope to anyone who has been similarly bereaved. Her story shows how God deals through sadness, fills emptiness, provides hope in despair. The book will help hurting people and those who walk the journey through pain with others but I would be very wary of passing it on to friends who have just lost their daughter stillborn. Maybe this is almost too frank, too Christian, and the happy ending of another baby exactly two years later too much for some folks to handle, yet still it should give hope. 

Mike Balmford

Paperback, 229 pages, Zondervan 

£8.99

ISBN 0-310-25029-3

 

The message of this book is wrapped in a fantasy novel in which our hero travels to the future and sees what has become of the church in 2040. To his horror it has almost disappeared, apart from a small number of cell groups who retain a witness. I found the framework did not work for me – and I’m a fan of Science Fiction and Fantasy – if only because the characterisation was weak and the dialogue was a series of mini-preaches. Do not let this put you off the meat, however. This book carries a serious health warning that the church is becoming irrelevant and a possible alternative or interim future, to being overwhelmed by a one-world government of humanists, new-agers or Muslims – is to simply turn up our toes. Hope is still present, however, in the cell groups Page portrays which still work to feed the poor and comfort people and enact the gospel. This is an encouragement to look again at where the church is going – and perhaps to wake up to reality before we reach the future the story portrays.

Alyson Hogarth

Paperback, 302 pages, Isaac publishing 

£7.99

0-9547835-0-6 302

 

This is a scholarly work, but very readable and essential if we are to understand the current conflict between militant Islam and Western ‘Christian’ culture. Patrick Sookhdeo, who lectures to the British armed forces and NATO on the subject of Islam, takes his argument from Islamic sources, and gives us an overview of the relevant teachings in the Qur’an, the Hadith as well as history to show that warfare upon non-Muslims is expected and even required. It would make scary reading especially given the gung-ho posturing of some Western regimes if we did not read this in the light of the Bible. His advice? Moderate Muslims should be encouraged to continue their internal debate regarding moderate theology and behaviour, but this should be done in a way which does not look like Western pressure. Perhaps we should be praying for this. 

Alyson Hogarth

Paperback, 291 pages, Paternoster 

£12.99

 

This pertinent study, edited from the author’s recent PhD thesis, expresses deep concern at the contemporary church’s unbiblical and near-obsessionary focus on size and numbers, and the desperate grasping at the latest ‘fad’, be it power evangelism, prayer warfare, the Toronto Blessing, or ‘soft’ evangelism methods such as seeker-sensitive services and ‘Alpha’ (though most of these approaches are not in themselves condemned). Emphasis on such works-centred revivalism, argues Stackhouse – who writes from within the UK renewal movement – displays a lack of confidence in the power of the gospel itself, and he cries for a retrieval of more ‘classical’ means of grace such as ‘indicative’ preaching (in distinction to the purely exhortatory nature of much revivalist preaching), baptism, the Lord’s Supper and praying the Psalms/Lord’s Prayer, each of which he examines at length However, the most vital means of grace in today’s post-modern society is surely willingness to listen to others and the expression of true love and understanding. Still, this is an important if hard-hitting work; recommended reading for every serious charismatic leader.

Tom Lennie

Paperback, 144 pages, Athena Press 

£6.99

ISBN I-84401-364-2

 

I have known Carol for over thirty years, and realise what courage and truthfulness it has taken to record this journey of discovery about the importance of recognising anger within oneself. Indeed she shows that, although unresolved anger can be deeply destructive, its acknowledgement and channelling into positives directions can be life-transforming. Many will gain a deep sense of liberation from some of the insights here.

The root situation that prompted the book was the emotional abuse that churches can inflict on the imaginative and creative mind. It will therefore strike a chord with many who, like me, have experienced this, but will trouble those who rejoice in new life and fellowship among God's people.

This to me is the main weakness of the book - it is strong on the self-discovery of the individual, but weaker on the fact that, like it or not, the call of Jesus is to become part of a new community. This is partly explained by the author's dependence on psychoanalytic theory, which is notoriously individualistic - but then I'm biased towards the social psychology I trained in.

Jon Garvey

Paperback, 21 pages, The Genesis Agendum

£2.50

ISBN 0-9547825-1-8

 

Beautifully illustrated and presented, written in simple style, but brilliantly clear in its explanation, this book would be ideal even for medical students to cut their teeth on. But it is far more than that, it is a meeting place of science with faith. The author presents the facts as scientists have discovered them, allowing the facts to speak for themselves – and they do. To see should be to believe.

This book may not be a book everyone will want on their bookshelf, but it would be a useful resource for anyone who wants to make the point that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. This is science to build faith. It is hard to resist the truth.

Marion Davies

Paperback, 188 pages, New Wine Press

£6.99

ISBN 1-9037-2532-1

 

Various aspects, ideas and questions, surrounding the Messiah, who He is, when He will come, and what He will do, are covered and ably dealt with, in this excellent read.

Problematic viewpoints arising from ancient traditions and rabbinical arguments are examined and discussed, and each major theme is treated in the light of the Old and New Testament Scriptures.

Significant insights will satisfy the serious Bible student, as well as anyone searching for a comprehensive sweep of a vital topic.

Sandy Shaw

Paperback, 144 pages, Zondervan

£5.50

ISBN 0-310-25246-6

 

This book helps you understand the complex man the apostle Paul was, and understanding him brings you closer to God. His prayer life was moving and powerful. The reader accompanies him through the book and at the end feels compelled to start it again. I am tempted to carry this book around at all times and dip in and out of it for guidance and help. Wonderful prayers in words

that I’m sure Paul used in his own uncompromising and down-to-earth way... inspiring and comforting at the same time.

Dianne Core

 

Cassette tapes, from P.O.Box 35, Coventry CV1 2DN

Donation suggested $20

ISBN 188154166S

 

This teaching on Spirit, Soul and Body is the foundational truth that is missing from the church today and has, as Andrew says, ‘unlocked the door to understanding how God could love me and how I could believe what the Word of God said was mine and who I was.’

Andrew Womack will be known to those who watch ‘God Channel’ and his refreshing teaching is desperately needed today. The series covers the basics: eternal redemption, the Faith of God and Mind of Christ, The Spirit versus the Flesh. Because it covers four separate topics, there are summaries each time on what has gone before.

The Church today has gone off track – so we have either heavy teaching on sacrifice, discipline or froth on the charismatic side. Andrew Womack corrects these two imbalances. I look forward to his teaching tapes coming out in book form. They have been the finest teaching I have heard this last year, reminiscent of David Pawson and Clifford Hill on Spirit and Word.

Mike Balmford

 

Paperback, 128 pages, Scripture Union

£5.99

ISBN 1-84427-060-2

 

Subtitled A Journey of Discovery for the Hurting. A soothing knowledgeable book for us all as we limp through life. It helps us to get to know God and then how to communicate our feelings to him. A very informative and practical book, pointing us in the right direction, at times when we get lost.

Dianne Core

Paperback, 372 pages, Bridge Logos publishers (USA)

£9.99

0-88270-727-2

 

Jessie Penn-Lewis is known for her book ‘War On the Saints’ and for her friendship with Evan Roberts during the welsh Revival 1904-5, but little is really known of her life. This book is the story of Jessie and her husband William and their contribution to the work of the gospel at the turn of

the century – of a forty year old married lady who visited Scandinavia, America, Canada, Egypt and India to hold public conferences. The most interesting sections are of her ‘salon’ meetings with the members of the Russian Imperial Court, her organisation of Keswick conventions and her support for hundreds of missionary workers worldwide.

This book is part of a series by Brynmor Pierce Jones on the spiritual history of Wales and sets to right the contribution by this much maligned lady as a spiritual giant.

Mike Balmford

Paperback, 98 pages, Barratt Ministries, 2004

£4.99

1-904592-10-4

 

A highly readable little book, which carefully advances from Scripture the strong case for believer’s baptism. A brief history of the origins and progress of infant baptism is presented, as too the fascinating evidence of some early Reformers, who, despite their stated opposition to this tradition, failed to practise what they preached. A ‘questions & objections’ chapter provides further insight, as does a section outlining the true meaning of ‘repentance’ – a necessary pre-requisite to baptism. I did however, find the author’s short explanation of why Jesus was baptised unsatisfactory. All in all, a most helpful resource for a believer or non-believer who is showing interest in this important sacrament.

Tom Lennie

Paperback, 102 pages, SPCK 

£6.99

ISBN 0-2810-5623-4

 

This is an interesting and thought-provoking book, which makes the case that we have a God-given responsibility to care for the earth. When Adam was told in Genesis, ‘Till and keep the earth’, the Hebrew word has its roots in ‘to serve’, so we are accountable for our consumption of the earth’s resources. Christians are turning to pages of the Old Testament for guidance on environmental ethics but James Jones makes a study of Jesus as saviour of humanity, of the planet and of the

whole cosmos which came into being through Him and for Him.

The book touches on many subjects such as centralisation of the church rather than Christians connecting with their local communities, the ‘earthiness’ of Jesus’ ministry and end times theology. There are practical guidelines on how churches and individuals might become environmentally responsible on waste, energy, pollution, water, transport, purchasing Fair Trade goods, GM-free products.

This thin book will challenge us all to look at our lives in the light of scripture. I fully recommend it.

Mike Balmford

Paperback, 176 pages, Life Journey

(Cook Communications Ministries) £6.99

ISBN 0-78144-079-3

 

 

Robert Stofel has a very disarming style. You sense that he is chatting to you about practical instructions that will lead us to God’s ultimate satisfying direction for our lives.

We are let into lots of incidents in his family life, with Jill and daughters Blair and Sloan. This is the journey of our lifetime and the author had come to a saving faith from drug and alcohol abuse. We follow him through university and seminary. This book is crammed with spiritual anecdotes and modern day parables and has a useful reader’s guide at the back – a study guide for group discussion or personal reflection.

Mike Balmford