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The Wreck of the Ethie
Author: Hilary Hyland
ISBN: 1561451983
Reviewer: AliceEwers
This is the true story of the wreck of the steamer Ethie off the coast of Newfoundland in 1919. An unexpected tremendous storm arose off of the rocky, rugged west coast of Newfoundland on the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Patrick Logan was sixteen, had lived near the sea all his life and aspired to someday be the captain of his own ship. He shipped out on the steamer as a ship's boy, who could be assigned any of a multitude of tasks. He
was eager to learn all that he could. On this trip he certainly had that chance!
The hero of the story is Skipper, a large Newfoundland dog, who eventually saves all the people on the steamer, by his great strength and intelligence.
This is a book that keeps you reading and you don't want to put it down until you have finished it!
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Voices from the Last Supper
Author: Jamey Heit
ISBN: 0595294855
Reviewer: Mark Johnson
I was in Princeton for a conference, and I chanced upon a flier that talked about a new book that explored the Last Supper from the disciples' point of view. It was a good idea, I thought, so I bought one from Amazon, all the while maintaining a bit of skepticism. After all, I have read plenty of inspirational poetry collections that are preachy, or just plain sappy.
Not so with Voices from the Last Supper. It is good poetry, but the theology and spiritual value is beyond measure. If you read this collection several times, it seeps into your thoughts. The weird thing is that it seems to be pretty negative at first. But, when you realize that the poet is putting doubts and feelings that you have into words, you start to see the power of this book's message. I recommend this book to anyone.
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Streams of Living Water - Celebrating the Great Traditions of the Christian Faith
Author: Richard J. Foster
ISBN: 0060667435
Reviewer: Brian Cole
Foster’s book discusses the “six traditions of the Christian Faith.” These include: The Contemplative, or Prayer-filled Life, the Holiness Tradition, the Charismatic Tradition, the Social Justice Tradition, the Evangelical Tradition, and the Incarnational Tradition.
Foster achieves his goal of strengthening and enriching the lives of his readers with his exploration of the main traditions at the core of Christian practice. With each tradition, Foster provides both a Biblical example of someone who exemplified that custom and one of a Christian from the post-Apostolic, right up to the 20th century.
His exemplar of the Charismatic Tradition is William Joseph Seymour, who spearheaded the work at the Azusa Street Mission from 1906-1909, in Los Angeles. Florence Crawford is listed among four other women who took their Azusa-Street experiences with them.
Foster quotes Mrs. Crawford: “A big colored man (Seymour) got up on his feet. He said, ‘Hallelujah!’ I thought, ‘God, I have heard the voice from heaven. I have heard it at last.’ … He has the thing my heart is reaching out after.
“I forgot everything else, for I heard the voice of the great Shepherd of the sheep. … The one thing I wondered was, How could I get it? How could I receive that wonderful blessing on my soul that I had hungered for so long, and that this man had? … Oh, the hunger that God planted in my soul! It didn’t matter what my people would say — my friends and all that — but only, could I get it.”
She got it!
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Sketches from Church History: An Illustrated Account of 20 Centuries of Christ's Power
Author: S. M. Houghton
ISBN: 0851513174
Reviewer: Rick Olson
To many, the prospect of reading a history book holds all the allure of a pending root canal. However, twenty-first century Christians are deeply indebted to the faithful men and women of God who have given their lives, both figuratively and in many cases literally, to present us with the Gospel we enjoy today. Most modern day Christians can relate the history of the early church as presented in the New Testament, and those in our organization have a basic knowledge of our own denomination's twentieth century faithful followers, but the intervening nineteen centuries are for the most part forgotten. Beginning with the early Christian martyrs, and taking us through to the nineteenth century church in Europe and America, Mr. Houghton breathes life into these forgotten heroes. This is not a thirty-five pound musty tome, but a paperback edition with short chapters, and illustrated throughout with photos and engravings of pertinent places and people. Christians such as Polycarp, Wycliffe, Huss, Luther, Wesley, Edwards, and many more are remembered, and their lives serve as an inspiration to us today. Recommended reading for ages teenager and above.
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Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
Author: Adam Clarke
ISBN: 0529106345
Reviewer: Dan Barker
Of the various Bible commentaries which I have worked with over the years, nothing approaches the regard I have for Clarke's massive work. If you are interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the Scriptures, you will greatly appreciate this tool. With his extensive knowledge of the original languages and access to early manuscripts, along with relevant social and historical information, Clarke will lead you on a fascinating journey into a deeper appreciation for the Word of God.
Unfortunately, the unabridged version which I have is out of print, but at 1360 pages, the abridged edition obviously is no lightweight! If you wish to have access to all six original volumes, you can use the CD version if you have STEP-compatible Bible software such as QuickVerse, WORDSearch, or others. One distinct advantage of the latter is that when you can't recall where you found that great Clarke anecdote, you will be able to perform a search for it, something I many times wished I could have done.
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The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the Old Testament
Author: Henry, Clarke, Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
ISBN: 0871236176
Reviewer: Amy Scholes
The Bethany Parallel Commentary provides a convenient method of comparing comments and opinions from several different Bible scholars.
Particularly helpful is the background information and interpretation of words and phrases. One can research a passage without shuffling with three or four separate books.
I have found this to be a most valuable reference tool.
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The Bethany Parallel Commentary on the New Testament
Author: Henry, Clarke, Jamieson, Fausset, Brown
ISBN: 0871234742
Reviewer: Amy Scholes
Side by side in three columns are the commentaries of Matthew Brown, Adam Clarke, and Jamieson / Fausset / Brown. Sprinkled here and there you will find short commentaries on particular passages from Alexander MacLaren, F.B. Meyer, A. T. Robertson, Charles Spurgeon and the like.
It is three commentaries in one, and eliminates the need to shift from book to book. All are conservative in theology but present slightly differing perspectives.
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In the Beginning
Author: Alister McGrath
ISBN: 038549890X
Reviewer: Brian Cole
In the Beginning traces the events that led to the creation of the King James Bible-the lasting favorite in the English-speaking world. It describes the Reformation and events that led to it; it also tells about Gutenberg's invention of moveable type in 1452.
Although the King James Bible has undergone some revision since its 1611 debut, it still contains some 300 archaisms. That's okay—we've become accustomed to "temperance" for self-control, and "surfeit" for the lack of it.
A key to the King James Version's enduring popularity is its elegance and beauty. The English is masterful. And, because it is a literal translation, Hebrew idioms have come down to us unchanged, teaching us something about the rhythms of classical Hebrew. Examples include the phrases, "skin of my teeth," and "apple of my eye."
In the Beginning is a must-read for anyone who loves English and its development, the King James version, and the Bible itself.
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The King James Study Bible
Author: Published by Thomas Nelson Inc.
ISBN: 0785209158
Reviewer: Brian Cole
This edition of the King James Version has many helpful study features. The study system has nearly 6,000 detailed annotations designed to clarify key phrases, texts, and teachings.
The notes and other commentary material were prepared by a committee of conservative, fundamentalist scholars.
The full-size editions (in hardback and leather) provide the Scriptural text in clear, easy-to-see type.
Frequent sidebar material is organized in Doctrinal Footnotes. Each explains some aspect of a basic Bible doctrine. Introductions and outlines are provided for each Bible book, along with copious cross-references.
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750 Engaging Illustrations for Preachers, Teachers and Writers
Author: Craig Brian Larson
ISBN: 0801091551
Reviewer: Amy Scholes
This book contains 750 short, refreshing, contemporary illustrations geared for the modern listener. These are credible illustrations gathered from Christian and secular sources that have specific dates, places, and people's names, as well as documented sources.
The collection includes a topical index, a Scripture index, and space to record when and where each illustration was used.
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Church History in Plain Language
Author: Bruce L. Shelley
ISBN: 0849938619
Reviewer: Brian Cole
The book, Church History in Plain Language, tells the story of Christianity’s development from New Testament times through the 20th century. The book is engaging because it is written in plain English and because it shows the triumphs of the Church, without ignoring its setbacks, such as the Crusades.
The spiritual heritage of the Apostolic Faith Church is discussed from John Wesley to Azusa Street. Pages 438-439 state: “The spark of twentieth-century Pentecostalism was a three-year-long revival, beginning in 1906, at the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles. There were personal experiences of tongue-speaking earlier, but Azusa Street ignited worldwide Pentecostalism. Christians from all over North America, Europe, and the Third World visited Azusa Street and carried the fire back home.”
Of course, our heritage primarily includes the sojourn of our Lord Jesus upon the earth, along with Paul’s pastoral letters, and more.
There are many excellent books and multi-volume sets on Church history. Church History in Plain Language is great place to start.
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