Renewal

I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of this book (due out summer of 2003) and cannot say enough. Written by a specialist in cross-cultural contemplative spirituality, psychotherapy, and herbalism, who for the past 30 years has spent regular time in wilderness in fasting retreat, and who's wife Trishuwa - a metis of Cherokee and Irish ancestry - and he have regularly lead fasting retreats, the book's poetry and deeply stirring language evoke the mystery and luminous spirituality of sacred fasting. It includes not only an amazingly comprehensive overview of fasting among all spiritual traditions but also the most comprehensive look at the emotional impacts of fasting in print. Additionally, the book offers the most complete look at the physical aspects and impacts of fasting available, including the most up to date exploration of the clinical trials, studies, and use of fasting for the healing of disease of any book in print. The heart of the book, however, is the author's deep compassion, understanding, and wisdom about the spiritual journey that all of us travel and the ability of fasting to facilitate the maturation and healing of the human soul. Frankly, I have never seen anything like this. It is a truly magnificient work. It will help you on your way, help you in your healing, but most importantly, give companionship when the journey is difficult.

"Fear No Evil" is pure gold! The 23rd Psalm has been a source of solace to millions over the years...invaluable in its ability to comfort. But I didn't really understand its true meaning, and had no idea of the power behind the words. "Fear No Evil" unlocks enormous power for mental and spiritual healing. It gives us the key to the restoration of serenity, stability and inner strength in the handling the challenges of life.

In addition to revealing the meaning and significance of the 23rd Psalm, Dr. Leichtman details a very powerful meditative exercise in the book. Its ability to renew and heal the mind and emotions is without equal--a veritable lifeline to sanity.

"Fear No Evil" is the antidote to depression...to fear, worry and confusion...exceedingly empowering!!

"I wonder if we have the time. Do we, who love our religious traditions and systems, have the time to redesign, reinvent, or redevelop them for the next generation?" This is the opening question from Loren Mead book. It is a small and very readable book which pulls no punches in giving the church of today five challenges for our once and future church. At times the writer is confronting and yet it told a common story of the church today: we are smaller, we are dwindling, we want to know why, we are hurting and we want to know what we can do so the church has a future. The five challenges push us to think about who owns the church, the relevance of our structures, our need for passionate spirituality and community, and finally how we can reach out beyond ourselves for the sake of the gospel. Despite being written for the American church I found his thoughts to be very relevant to our context. I highly recommend it for all people to read not just ministers. We all need to be challenged to think of our Once and Future Church.

Fool Me Twice is not just a novel, it is an exceptional read that cannot be missed! Once you pick it up, absorb the first word, you can't put it down until you have read the last word, and then, you are left wishing it continued.

Doug Carlson is a character that is exceptional in his own right. His mind, his actions, his thoughts, leap and bound off the pages right into your heart, mind, and soul! He takes you with him on a roller coaster ride of suspense and thrills that leave you sitting on the edge of your seat.

David O'Neal not only writes a masterful thriller, he hooks the reader from page one and never lets go, giving his readers the sense that they are right there with Carlson every step of the way.

Fool Me twice is a novel you will remember for a lifetime.

Barnett wrote the one book that seems to summarize all that I have read about contemporary urban planning issues. A hot topic everywhere- but especially in the Sunbelt- this book shows us all where we can go from here.

Lots of good examples and illustrations. Excellent suggestions for further reading in the back if you are interested. This is more than a psalm of New Urbanism.

This is a book to be read by everyone, not just city planners, not just ecologists, not just politicians or city administrators, but every city dweller all around the world. It is not too simple, it is not too complex; it addresses most important issues not just on the present problems of cities but, more important, on how to face them and on how to make more livable cities. It seems no one knows where urban growth is taking us or the world as a whole; no one can tell but there are tendencies that tell us we may be sailing on and into unchartered waters; the author explores several of such tendencies, maladies and possible remedies, but above all, tells us, finally, that everyone of us is responsible (and how we are and what to do) for the future of our own cities and that there are ways to overcome problems so to make cities a joy to live in the near and the not so near future.

Giant Awakenings; Nine Surprising Trends You Can Use to Benefit Your Church; by Thom S. Rainer

Thom Rainer, dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth, at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, has written an excellent book on the future of the traditional church. It will be a great encouragement to pastors of traditional churches.

Pastors of traditional churches often labor under the pressure of multiple expatiations. Many have been made to think effective ministry is out of reach if they cannot persuade their leaders to implement sweeping and radical changes. Rainer says "the best days of the traditional church are just ahead. The use of hymnals, traditional 11:00 AM services, Sunday School programs, and in-depth expository preaching do nothing to detract from the effectiveness of a church's ministry. To the contrary.., they actually enhance effectiveness..."

Though the non-traditional church is much studied and promoted and the non-traditional pastor is often given a high-profile, the average pastor leads a traditional church. Rainer has good news for him. He suggests; "The beleaguered and often-criticized traditional church may very well be making a comeback of major proportions in the twenty-first century."

The book is marked by thoughtful balance, and hopefulness. Rainer makes observations about the seeker sensitive model and its critics, calling for a blending of approaches within the traditional church.

Included in the book is a thought-provoking chapter dealing with the role of music in worship and examining the how the church has dealt with change in music through the centuries.

In typical Southern Baptist fashion, Rainer places a heavy emphasis on the traditional Sunday School. He has some convincing arguments for its viability, suggesting the strengths of small groups are best maximized in the traditional Sunday School format.

This is a book on future trends that will not call on pastors to be contortionists or leave them feeling frustrated and inadequate.

This is a comprehensive and well written book. I found it useful and interesting, and I think a book that can be of use to many who are either experiencing a problem with an addiction or want to learn more about addictions. It's also - and perhaps most important - a book intended to be used as a journal, so is also a very personal book that can help in many ways. Definitely recommended.

In Human Rights, Equality And Democratic Renewal In Northern Ireland, editor Colin Harvey has gathered ten knowledgeable and articulate contributors to survey several key aspects of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 which marked a significant departure from the incrementalism and dominate political logic of British constitutionalism. The contributors include Gordon Anthony, Andrew Evans, Colin J. Harvey, John Jackson, Stephen Livingstone, Christopher McCrudden, Kieran McEvoy, Linda Moore, John Morison, and Mary O'Rawe. Human Rights, Equality And Democratic Renewal In Northern Ireland is a benchmark publication and strongly recommended for students of the political complexities of contemporary Northern Ireland.

What a refreshing and practical read. This book will help all who love the church and want to make it all it can be. The reflection and study questions at the end of each chapter make this book a very useable tool, and MacDonald's practical application of Johnson's theology and theory is clear, funny, touching, and on the mark. I've recommended it again and again to friends and colleagues.