Author: admin

[rating:4.0]

(New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2013)

305 pgs

Malcolm Gladwell has a knack for making his readers think. His previous books, The Tipping Point, Blink, and Outliers have all examined common life experiences from a fresh perspective. He continues that tradition in this book.

Gladwell is a staff writer for The New Yorker. He was born in England and grew up in rural Canada.

Gladwell begins this book by re-examining the biblical story of David and Goliath. The miracle of the story is that an idealistic teenager is able to defeat in mortal combat a fully armed giant named Goliath. It’s one of the most unequal contests in history.

Yet Gladwell points out that David was not nearly as disadvantaged as we generally think. Goliath may well have been suffering from acromegaly, a tumor that causes an overproduction of the human growth hormone. This would account for his immense size. But the side effect was that he had blurred vision. He could not see his enemy when he was far away. Thus he angrily demanded that David come close so they could fight at close range. David, however, used his speed and firepower to his advantage. Rather than assuming he had to play to Goliath’s strengths, David took what appeared to be a weakness, his youth, speed and agility, and used it to win a victory over a much larger opponent. One commentator concluded: “Goliath had as much chance against David . . . as any bronze age warrior with a sword would have had against an [opponent] armed with a .45 automatic pistol” (12).

Gladwell’s point is that we often have misconceptions about what is an advantage and what is a disadvantage. He cites various studies that demonstrate that, “When an underdog fought like David, he usually won. But most of the time, underdogs didn’t fight like David” (31). He claims this is because “underdog strategies are hard” (32).

Throughout the remainder of the book, Gladwell cites studies and examples of people who used their perceived weakness to actually be a strength. He does not argue that weaknesses automatically are strengths. It all depends on how you use them and grow from them.

Gladwell cites Vivek Ranadive, who coached his daughter’s basketball team, even though he had never played basketball himself. The girls on his team were far less talented than those on other teams. But as he studied what was happening, he realized that by playing a full court press the entire game, he could neutralize most of the other team’s advantage in skill. His team began winning. Any team can play the full court press, but because it is so exhausting to implement, few do. His team had to embrace the reality that they did not have as much skill as other teams, before they were desperate enough to sacrifice what was required to be successful. Gladwell’s point is that, even though people do have certain limitations, they prefer to do things just like everyone else, rather than using their disadvantage, to their advantage.

As is customary of Gladwel books, there are plenty of interesting stories and statistics that highlight his point. Some will certainly be controversial. For example, he cites the belief that smaller classroom sizes enhance better learning (40). He claims that no profession has had more money thrown toward it by well meaning politicians than teachers. Yet he claims that studies do not substantiate the claim that smaller classroom sizes lead to better education (42). Gladwell shows that, to a certain degree, smaller class sizes is beneficial. But, at a certain point, the benefit ceases, and, in fact, education can be harmed by classes that are too small. As always, Gladwell is challenging conventional thinking.

Gladwell also demonstrates that larger household incomes do not necessarily lead to greater contentment in life. In fact, he suggests that $75,000 per year in household income is optimum (49). After that amount, there is a law of diminishing returns. He also shows how suicide rates are actually higher in countries where citizens are generally happy and content with life, versus countries where people generally have difficult lives. This is because people compare themselves with those immediately around them. If you feel depressed in a country filled with happy people, you suffer more, knowing that in a land filled with happy people, you are unhappy. He also demonstrates, statistically, why enrolling in an Ivy League school may not be best for certain college students. He demonstrates that being at the top of an average school may lead to greater success than being in the middle of a highly ranked institution (87). This is because people compare themselves to their immediate context. An average student at MIT or Harvard may feel that they are not very smart (compared to their fellow classmates), yet they may be far brighter than many of the top students in lesser-ranked universities. It is called the Big Fish Little Pond Theory (80). Well meaning parents generally desire to send their child to the best university possible. Yet they may be inadvertently harming their child’s career possibilities rather than helping them. As Gladwell repeatedly argues, what we assume is an advantage may in fact, be a disadvantage (93).

Gladwell then embarks on a discussion of perceived disadvantages that, in some cases, can actually be an advantage. He labels this section, The Theory of Desireable Difficulty. He looks at case studies of people with Dyslexia. He shows that, depending on how people dealt with it, it could actually propel people to great success (99).

He also discusses the theory of the “remote miss” (130). This was experienced during the bombing of London in World War Two. Experts assumed that the citizens of London would be demoralized by incessant German bombing. But the opposite happened. Because the people survived the bombing, they came to believe they were invincible and that even the most horrific human suffering was survivable and therefore not as bad as it was made out to be. Gladwell cites British studies that demonstrate that a high percentage of successful people as well as political leaders suffered the loss of a parent at an early age (141). As these children suffered this terrible loss, they learned they could survive, and even thrive. By learning at an early age that they could overcome difficulty, they gained confidence that enabled them to thrive, even when facing adversity. He notes: “Courage is what you learn when you’ve been through the tough times and you discover they aren’t so tough after all” (149).

Gladwell cites additional examples from Northern Ireland and from Vichy France to demonstrate that adversity can actually motivate people to rise to acts of greatness. He also challenges the theory that tougher laws reduce crime. He cites the example of the murder of Wilma Derksen in California and the “Three Strikes Law” that resulted from it (232). Though California passed some of the toughest laws in the country, the success of such laws has been challenged.

I don’t agree with all of Gladwell’s conclusions, but I do enjoy the way he challenges me to think. He is a great storyteller and he cites interesting scientific studies to back up his theories. In the case of this book, he is not saying that all adversity is good or that all conventional thinking is bad. What he is arguing is that, certain situations that we would normally assume to be bad, might actually, result in much good. Likewise, what we would normally assume was good, might in fact, be harmful. We are all compelled, therefore, to think deeply about what we are doing to determine its true benefit.

Certainly for those who are leaders, it is not enough to let conventional thinking or popular opinion do our thinking for us. And, if we currently are experiencing difficulty, we might not be too quick to assume that no good can come from it. The key is how we adapt our thinking to the situation. As long as David assumed his only alternative in fighting Goliath was hand-to-hand combat at close range, he was a dead man. But when he thought about his problem differently, he became resoundingly successful. In our day, as we face so many difficult challenges, this may well be a timely word for us all.

by Richard Blackaby

[rating:3.0]

(New York: Harper One, 2014)

200 pgs

It is undoubtedly not a surprise when an artist believes that God intends for everyone to be an artist. From their vantage point, this would appear self-evident. It would be equally understanding for a doctor to assume that God intended for everyone to bring healing to others or if an engineer believed that God intends for everyone to build something with their life. So it is not a surprise that Raphael McManus, an artist, believes that there is within each person, an artisan soul.

Erwin McManus is the founding pastor of Mosaic, a church located on the Hollywood strip. He has authored numerous books, including Soul Cravings, Chasing Daylight, and The Unstoppable Force. I will be visiting his church next month. His ministry intrigues me because he is seeking to bring the good news of the Gospel to an extremely secularized society to which he ministers.

McManus argues that the church has for too long presented Christianity as if faith and creativity were adversaries rather than allies (6). He also notes that society tends to view creativity as the domain of extraordinary people, rather than as the possession of those who are ordinary (4). McManus argues that God is the ultimate artisan, and, being made in God’s image, people are never more like God than when they create as well (22). His book is a call for people to have the courage to free their artisan soul.

McManus is an artist and this book reflects that. He has a number of interesting, thought-provoking quotes. However, one of the downsides to twitter-like quotes in a book is that statements can be made that are all-inclusive without providing adequate context or support to make them convincing.

Some of these statements include: “The creative act is an act of courage” (7). Obviously I agree that it does take courage to create, sometimes. But does it always require courage? Or, “We cannot create without risk” (9). Again, I am drawn to ask if this is so in every circumstance. Or, “Jesus’s early followers formed a movement of dreamers and visionaries” (17). Here I would challenge that the apostles were not following their dreams or their visions, but God’s. Throughout the Gospels, whenever the disciples pursued their dreams, Jesus rebuked them! (See Luke 9). McManus states: “Artists love without reservation” (35). This type of generalized statement trips me up and makes me begin thinking of the exceptions to this rule. I don’t mean to be overly critical, because I liked this book. It is just that, as an artist, McManus offers some broad strokes that may produce an overall pleasing effect, but can often break down upon closer examination.

I found that McManus has one general message in this book and he promotes it in various ways throughout his book. I do think he makes some interesting points. He states, “To create is an act of worship” (10). I felt like this could be a beautiful depiction of our God-called vocation, whatever that might be. I was also intrigued by his comment, “Sometimes we get trapped in the past rather than at the beginning” (23). He poignantly suggests: “We cannot live a life of passion and not know sorrow. To pursue a dream is to invite a nightmare!” (35). Sounds a bit pessimistic, but does give one pause for thought. Some other interesting comments were: “Our demons rarely come at us from the future; most often they chase after us from our past” (42); “Far too often, we are more afraid of silence than we are of emptiness” (43). These statements often make us think for a moment, but they often pass along to the next theme without providing much supporting evidence for the point just made.

McManus provides an interesting challenge in urging people to take the pen or brush into their own hands and refuse to allow other people to tell their story. He urges people to let their Creator define them, rather than other people. He notes that, “Every other voice will either make us less than we were intended to be or convince us that we are more than we really are” (59). He humorously comments that the difference between a sane man and an insane man is that the sane person knows that the voices he is hearing in his head are not his own! (64).

McManus also has an interesting discussion about developing our own story. He observes: “We don’t see people for who they are; we see them through the filter of everyone we’ve ever known” (73). He adds; “Truth is not nearly as powerful as interpretation” (72). He also claims that our experiences are not nearly as powerful in our lives as our memories (85). He argues that we must interpret our experiences for them to have meaning. Therefore, how we choose to interpret our experiences determines the joy as well as the success of our lives.

McManus claims that the human imagination is the most profound and unique aspect of being human (95). I might challenge this point. Generally the possession of a soul or the ability to reason has been recognized as humanity’s most unique trait. Nonetheless, he suggests that, “Everything that exists began as an idea” (93). Therefore, we must cultivate our imagination as it has the power to create much beauty in an often, colorless world. He suggests that every creative act ought to bring life to others (109). This is certainly a noble view of art, as opposed to a much more self-focused view of an artist.

I liked McManus’s discussion of dealing with limitations. As an artist, I know personally how limited I am! But he notes that “We aren’t limited because we have limitations; we are limited because we haven’t embraced them” (149). He challenges readers to not allow themselves to be defined by their limitations (152). His ongoing challenge to his readers is to refuse to be buttonholed into a dreary, unfulfilling life. Rather, to imagine what God might do through their lives if they let Him write the script of their lives, rather than accepting the critical and negative interpretations that others have made of them.

As in so many books like this, there are times when it appears that readers are being encouraged to write their own story for their life and to take the brush firmly in their grip for whatever becomes of their life. Yet at other times McManus clearly encourages readers to allow their Creator to narrate and unfold their life as only He can. Clearly it is best to allow our Creator to define us, and our purpose, rather than to spend our entire lives searching, unaided, for meaning.

This book was easy to read. McManus is a good writer and makes a number of interesting comments. Because he makes some broad sweeping statements and because he views life through his own artistic perspective, he invites a certain amount of push back from the reader. Nevertheless, his style also causes readers to consider a perspective they might never have thought about before. Certainly in an age of political correctness and trends, we all need to be challenged to let our Creator guide us to become the masterpiece He designed us to be.

This book is good for more logical, linear type thinkers like me to read, on occasion. It adds texture and beauty to what can at times be a drab, uninspired perspective on life. Nevertheless, you may also want to pick up a more rational, systematic work next to garner further support and biblical foundation for such an artistic view of life.

by Richard Blackaby

[rating:5.0]

(Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus Publications, 2002 [originally published in 1737])

159 pgs

I found this book to be a thought-provoking, inspiring read. I enjoy reading Puritan authors. They have a way of digging deep into practical subjects and bringing the weight of biblical testimony to help readers understand issues common to the human experience. This book is a classic in this regard.

The Crook in the Lot is an intriguing title and one that, at first glance, seems so antiquarian as to be of no use to modern Christians. The “lot” refers to our condition or lot in life. Since Puritans were generally Calvinist in outlook, they assumed that their condition in life, for good or ill, was the direct result of God’s sovereign will. The “crook” is the crooked parts of life. These are the discomforts, pains, trials, and tribulations. If a trouble-free life is perfectly straight, the “crook” is the disagreeable portions of our life that go contrary to what we would desire. Job’s life was going splendidly for a time. He was enormously wealthy and he had delightful, carefree children. Then God allowed a “crook” into his life!

Thomas Boston was splendidly qualified to explore the reason why a loving, all-powerful God should allow crooks into the lives of His beloved children. He served as a minister in the Church of Scotland. His wife had paralyzing bouts of depression. Boston himself suffered painful kidney stones. He died at age 56. His friends ultimately completed the work he had begun and published it in 1737.

Boston, like a good Puritan thinker, takes a primary verse of Scripture and digs deep into it. In this case it is Ecclesiastes 7:13: “Consider the work of God; for who can make that straight which God hath made crooked?” Boston takes the essential Puritan view that human affairs are determined by Providence. If our lives experience trials, it is ultimately because God determined that we should. That then raises the difficult question: If God loves me and He is all-powerful, why would He allow me and my family to suffer grievous trials? The book sets out to answer this question. Further, Boston deals with the issue of how we should respond to difficult circumstances.

I will not try and lay out all of Boston’s arguments. Rather, I’ll give you a sampling of his thinking and approach. He begins by declaring: “As to the crook in the lot, God hath made it so, and it must continue while He will have it so. Should you ply your utmost force to even it, or make it straight, your attempt will be in vain . . . only He who made it can mend it, or make it straight” (19). Further, he notes: “Wherefore, the greatest crook of the lot on earth, is straight in heaven: there is no disagreeableness there. But in every person’s lot there is a crook in respect of their mind and natural inclination” (24).

Boston’s point is that everyone has a crook of some degree in their life, due to sin. Some crooks are severe and last a lifetime. Others are much more mild and can dissipate when God’s purposes have been accomplished. Boston’s counsel is not to focus on the crook, for it can only make us bitter and cause is to miss the divine work for which it is intended (25). Boston notes that crooks come in many forms. They might occur with our health, or in relationships, or in our finances. He cautions that often we find our greatest cross where we expected our greatest comfort (32).

God uses crooks in our lives for various reasons. It might be to reprove sin, or to correct us, or to prevent sin (42-45). Boston offers hope: “Let them know that there is no crook in their lot but may be made straight, for God made it, surely then he can mend it. He himself can make straight what He hath made crooked, though none other can” (52). Boston encourages people to trust in God’s wisdom and timing. If He chooses to allow the crook to remain in our life, He must have a divine purpose. He notes: “There are many now in heaven, who are blessing God for the crook they had in their lot here” (56). Boston concedes that it is not sinful to seek to address your crook, if you do not use sinful means and if you keep your focus on God (58). He concedes, however, that “God’s time . . . is seldom as early as ours” (59). He cautions: “Fruits thus too hastily plucked off the tree of providence can hardly miss to set the teeth on edge and will certainly be bitter to the gracious soul” (62). He urges people to trust in God’s wisdom and not to be too hasty in seeking the removal of their crook before God’s work is fully done. He suggests: “What is not to be cured must be endured, and should be with Christian resignation” (69).

One of the primary reasons God allows crooks in our lot is to teach us humility and to free us of pride. Yet despite lowering our circumstances, we may not choose for our spirit of pride to be broken. He notes: “Many a high spirit keeps up in spite of lowering circumstances” (84).

Boston suggests that righteous people will be reluctant to cut the work of God short in their lives, however painful it might be, while the unrighteous will believe that their discomfort should end immediately (89). He also makes the interesting observation that the pride of a person’s heart will subject them to greater crosses than will the humility of a humble spirit (90). Pride leads to humiliations that a humble person would not even notice.

Boston suggests: “Let all the afflictions in the world attend the humble spirit, and all the prosperity in the world attend pride, humility will still have the better: as gold in a dunghill is more excellent than so much lead in the cabinet” (93). Boston makes this keen observation: “What therefore betters the man is preferable to what betters only his condition” (97). He also observes: “The subduing of our passion is more excellent than to have the whole world subdued to our will: for then we are masters of ourselves (Luke 21:19)” (98).

Much of the work of crooks in our lot is for the suppression of our pride. Boston notes: “bringing down our spirit is our duty, raising it up is God’s work” (105). He also observes that God may bring down our lot, but only we can voluntarily bring down our spirit (113). That is, God can bring us into humble circumstances, but only we can choose to humble ourselves in the midst of our circumstances. That is why there will be fierce pride among the residents of hell. Even the most humiliating circumstances cannot crush a prideful spirit unwilling to bend.

Boston concedes that at times, we cannot see the wisdom of our crook. Yet, he cautions that “if at any time you cannot see that need, believe it on the ground of God’s infinite wisdom, that does nothing in vain” (120). Boston also offers hope that even if we should never be freed in this life from our crook, still we have heaven to look forward to in which God makes all things straight. He declares: “I would ask you, is it nothing to you to stand a candidate for glory to be put on trial for heaven?” (122). He adds, “What a vast disproportion is there between your trials and the future glory! Your most humbling circumstances, how light are they in comparison to the weight of it! (122). Much of our suffering on earth is but our being made ready for heaven. Yet Boston argues that many insist on ease on earth in preparation for glorious comfort in heaven. He asks: “Pray, how do you think you are made meet for heaven, by the warm sunshine of this world’s ease, and getting all you will there?” (123).

Boston also urges readers not to be in too great of a hurry to be done with God’s work in their lives. He notes: “Humbling work is long work” (128). He adds: “A few days might have taken Israel out of Egypt into Canaan, but they would have been too soon there” (130).

Boston adds, “That is the pattern Providence copies after in its conduct towards you. The Father was so well pleased with His method in the way of His own Son, that it was determined to be followed, and copied over again in the case of all the heirs of glory” (134). Boston notes that if the Father, in His infinite love for His Son, chose a crook, then surely we should expect no less.

Boston notes: “God gives worldly men their stock here, but His children get nothing but a sample of theirs here” (144). He adds, that when we look back upon our troubles on earth from the viewpoint of heaven, we will declare, “He hath done all things well!” (146). Concerning God’s promises, Boston acknowledges that we must at times wait long for them to come to pass. Yet he notes: When God pays His bonds of promises, he pays both principal and interest together, the mercy is increased according to the time they waited” (147).

Incredibly, perhaps, Boston suggests: “There is not a child of God but would, with the utmost earnestness protest against a lifting up before due time, as against an unripe fruit cast to him by an angry father which would set his teeth on edge” (149). The true child of God is also differentiated from an unbeliever by the way he handles adversity. Boston notes: “. . . there is readily a greater keenness to vindicate our honor from the imputation the humbling circumstances seem to lay upon it, than to vindicate the honor of God in the justice and equity of the dispensation” (152). Pride will cause people to protest their innocence, as Job did, when evil befalls them. Humility will ardently protest God’s righteousness instead.

One area I disagreed with Boston is in his contention that Christians carry the memory of their trials with them to heaven so that heaven is all the sweeter. He cites the example of the rich man and Lazarus, pointing out that the rich man in hell remembers his brothers left behind (157). However, it is the rich man in hell who remembers his life on earth, not Lazarus. I would contend that it will be our memory that will make hell all the more bitter, while heaven would not truly be heaven if we still remembered those on earth who did not join us.

I appreciated this book because Boston had the courage to take on one of the most controversial topics of theology: why do good people suffer? Boston goes deeper and deeper in his discussion and draws in many wonderful Scriptures along the way. Boston uses Scripture in such a way that he makes you want to look up those same verses while making you wonder why you have never seen what he so clearly makes clear in the text. His Eighteenth Century English may make for slow reading for some, nevertheless, it also forces the reader to go more slowly, which considering the depth of the writing, is a good thing.

If you are not accustomed to reading from the Puritans, this is a great entry point for you. I strongly recommend this book. It is a work that ought to be on every Christian’s bookshelf.

by Richard Blackaby

[rating:4.0]

(New York: Harper Collins, 2010)

238 pgs

This is a supremely practical, and much needed book. Most books, especially on leadership, tend to be positive, and fall within the self-help, “you can do anything you put your mind to” camp. But I am finding that the more I read and study about leadership, the more I am convinced that the greatest decisions leaders make have more to do with what they choose not to do, rather than what they choose to do. That is what this book is about.

In a nutshell, Cloud suggests that we cannot fully embrace the future God has for us until we first bring to a close those relationships, activities, and commitments in our life whose usefulness (if they ever had one) have expired.

Henry Cloud is a clinical psychologist who works as a leadership coach to CEOs and business executives. He has written several books including the helpful, Boundaries.

Cloud observes: “It’s been said that some things die hard and some things need to be killed” (7). He also declares: “Good cannot begin until bad ends” (8).

Cloud notes that, “There are endings to be had, needing to be had, yet unexecuted” (10). Cloud notes that people often instinctively know they need to end an unhealthy relationship or fire an underperforming employee, yet for various reasons they cannot bring themselves to do it. As a result, they languish in an unfulfilling relationship or their organization is held back due to a weak team member.

Cloud uses the analogy of pruning. He states: “Pruning is the process of proactive endings” (15). He encourages people to not allow their reluctance to “hurt” someone to prevent them from bringing about an ending. He notes: “There is a big difference between hurt and harm” (21). He also notes that sometimes a leader keeps hoping that a person will change, so they delay bringing about a much-needed ending. He suggests that, “Sometimes, the best thing a leader or anyone can do is to give up hope in what they are currently trying” (26).

Cloud draws the controversial conclusion: “So if no one ever leaves your organization or your life, then you are in some sort of denial and enabling some really sick stuff all over the place” (27). Cloud draws on the lesson from Ecclesiastes 3 and the seasons of life. I saw many parallels with what he describes and what I outlined in my book, The Seasons of God. He claims that winter comes in relationships and in seasons of our life and it signifies that endings are a natural part of life’s cycle. He also cites brain research that indicates that the human brain can only handle between 140-150 relationships (47). This suggests that when we add new relationships, we need to downgrade or end other ones.

Cloud posits: “Some people are not going to change no matter what you do, and still others have a vested interest in being destructive” (48). He suggests that a wise leader will determine what is motivating someone not to change and then develop an appropriate strategy. He adds: “I have watched well meaning people literally waste years and millions of dollars trying to bring someone along who is not coming” (49). He notes that the greatest hindrance to bringing about a necessary ending is people’s hope that someone will eventually change. He cautions; “Hope buys time, and spends it” (85). He also states: “If you are in a hole, rule number one is to stop digging” (89). Cloud challenges people’s false hope that positive change will occur. He asks: “What reason, other than the fact that I want this to work, do I have for believing that tomorrow is going to be different from today?” (90). He quotes the well-known axiom: “The best predictor of the future is the past” (93). He concludes: “By and large people do not change without new structure” (103).

Cloud suggests: “The best performers know how to fail well” (50). He also claims there are three kinds of people:

1. Wise
2. Foolish
3. Evil

Cloud suggests that the key to effective leadership is recognizing what kind of person your people are. Cloud claims, “The fool tries to adjust the truth so he does not have to adjust to it” (133). His prescription is to stop talking to the fool, for he will refuse to take responsibility anyway. Cloud suggests: “Whenever someone is not taking responsibility, there are always consequences. The question is, who is suffering the consequences?” (140).

Cloud also claims, “Playing the movie forward is one of the best known motivators in human behavior” (151). He also suggests, “A deadline without a consequence is not much of a deadline” (164). By putting consequences before people, it either provides sufficient motivation to change, or it brings about a much-needed ending.

Cloud suggests that leaders must embrace a certain level of “detachment” (178). They must ask: “What particular outcome are you willing to sacrifice to realize your vision of the future?” (178). He claims that, if we are unwilling to face the pain of loss or of difficult conversations, then we may not be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve our goals. Finally, he urges the reader: “Hold on to your power, the power of self-control” (208).

I enjoyed this book. Perhaps it helped that it aligned with a book I previously wrote! But it is also preeminently practical. Cloud laces his book with keen psychological insights along with examples from his own coaching practice. He offers some scriptural support for his approach, but this book is not heavily Bible-supported. I suspect he is writing to a broader audience, many of whom are not looking for constant biblical support. Nonetheless, this book is extremely helpful and one I will be recommending to others. Whether you are dealing with difficult relationships, a troubled employee, or an outdated practice, you will find the discussion concerning necessary endings to be extremely helpful.

by Richard Blackaby

[rating:4.0]

(Downers Grove: Intervarsity Books, 2008)

284 pgs

This book is not a new release. It was published in 2008. I discovered it after I formed a book-reading club with my three adult children. They are all incredibly smart and highly educated, and they currently all live close by. So I suggested we select books that would challenge our thinking and then once a month, we would meet for lunch (not surprisingly, paid for by me) and we would discuss it as if it were a Ph.D. seminar. This book is the first one we will tackle. My son Daniel, who specializes in Christianity and Culture, suggested it.

To be honest, I had several books on leadership I was eager to recommend. But we settled on a book about culture. I’m glad we did. For years I have studied how to be a better leader in organizations I led as well as my family and church. But it is becoming increasingly apparent to many people (not just Christians) that American culture needs to change. Yet, few people are teaching people how to impact their culture for good.

Andy Crouch is the executive editor of Christianity Today. He was also the student director of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship at Harvard University for ten years.

Crouch offers some interesting views on culture and what is involved in creating, as well as changing it. While I am not widely read in this field (at least yet), this appears to me to be a solid effort to address some of the key issues in this field. He challenges some conventional thinking and conjectures about others.

Crouch defines culture making as: “people (plural) making something of the world” (40). He claims: “We do not make culture, we make omelets” (28). By this he means we can only make cultural “artifacts” that impact and become culture. He notes that the family may be one of the smallest, yet most powerful centers of culture we will ever deal with (46). He repeatedly encourages readers that it is not enough to critique or reject culture. Rather, Christians must create culture in order to replace and supersede the distorted and sinful culture we presently have. He suggests: “The only way to change culture is to create more of it” (67).

Crouch notes that, “Culture requires a public” (38). He argues that too often Christians have looked for the “knock out blow” that will dramatically impact culture, such as a widespread revival (59). Yet, he argues that it takes much longer to affect culture. He cites the Resurrection as the greatest culture-changing event in history, yet it took centuries before it truly began to change Roman culture to its core (59). While I might challenge Crouch on the immediate affects that widespread revivals such as the Second Great Awakening can produce, his point certainly is worth careful consideration.

Crouch makes a number of interesting observations. He points out that “creativity” is the only viable source of change (73). He argues that, though terrorists might destroy cultural artifacts, they cannot create culture merely with violence. There must be something that is offered to take the place of what they destroy. He also notes that many Christian activities center on critiquing culture or focusing on world views. Yet he argues that too many people assume that by discussing or studying culture that they have hanged it (69). He notes that followers of Francis Schaeffer were better at creating art critics than at creating art (86). He states: “It is difficult to think of a singular instance where condemnation of a work of art produced any result other than heightened notoriety for the work and the artist” (92).

Crouch observes that Jesus spent more time absorbing and learning culture than He did in His public ministry (136). He also notes that the cross “refutes progressivism” (141). It is an interesting thought that Jesus devoted more years of His life to carpentry than He did to preaching and teaching.

Crouch delves into a discussion on heaven and eternity that is interesting. He suggests that “souls” are not the only thing that is eternal (170). He suggests that the “best” that humanity has created in art, music, and other creative endeavors will somehow follow them into heaven. I am a little skeptical of his line of thought (as well as his exegesis!). Though it is true we will bring our talents with us to heaven, I am not sure Crouch fully appreciates the delights of the “spirit” world we will discover there. It seems to me that even the best of the physical world will be far exceeded by the spiritual.

Nevertheless, Crouch has numerous intriguing things to say. He has a good discussion of the use of power to create culture. He contrasts Mother Teresa with Lady Diana, who both impacted culture in their lifetime. Crouch comments: “Why are so many trying to become a celebrity and so few trying to become a saint?” (219). He defines cultural power as “The ability to successfully propose cultural good.” (219). He notes that, “No matter how many it goes on to affect, culture always starts small” (239). He also adds: “Cultural goods cannot be imposed-they can only be proposed” (220).

I liked his quote of Frederick Buechner who suggested: “Calling is focused ‘where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.’” (263). It is hoped that there will be many Christians in the coming days who sense God’s call to create something positive, godly, and beautiful that will eventually displace that which is currently evil, harmful, or ugly. Crouch cautions us, however, “If there is one thing cultural creators cannot do, it is to control their creation” (199). That means we must create compelling cultural “artifacts” and then launch them into society, watching to see how they are received, over time.

I enjoyed this book. It made me think as a leader in a broader sense than merely leading my organization. To leave a legacy of good may involve more than just leading your organization effectively. It might involve creating “good” that, in time, affects the way people think and live. It is a noble challenge for us all.

by Richard Blackaby

[rating:3.0]

(San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2013)

128 pgs

Mark Miller is the Vice President for Organizational Effectiveness at Chick-fil-A. He is a leadership practitioner, consultant, and communicator. He has written this easy-to-read, leadership parable to communicate five key principles he believes are the key to being an effective leader.

Miller makes use of a fictional story to teach leadership issues as Patrick Lencioni has popularized. In fact, Lencioni writes the Foreword to this book. In it, he states: “But maybe it’s not something new that we need. Maybe we only need to take a longer, harder look at what we already know but failed to grasp—the simple but painful truth that if your heart is not right, no one cares about your leadership skills” (ix).

 Miller tells the story about Blake, a young man who is passed over for a promotion in his company. Blake is talented and ambitious and he assumes he is in line for the next promotion. Being passed over becomes a wake up call to discover what it is about him that is failing to win the trust of others. In his search, he discovers five fundamental truths to successful leadership. These are:

1. Hunger for wisdom
2. Expect the best
3. Accept responsibility
4. Respond with courage
5. Think others first

 Miller argues that leaders can have abundant skills, yet lack what he calls “leadership character” which is essential to effective leadership (17). In this short volume, Miller has some great quotes. Here are some that stood out to me:

“And do not associate leadership with a position. You can lead with or without a title. If you wait until you get a title, you could wait forever” (13)

 “Forming, transforming, or reforming character is difficult—extremely difficult—but it is possible” (18).

 “Leaders rarely fail because of a lack of skills” (24).

“To expect the best is an attitude, a belief, a choice, a lifestyle and a trait that virtually every successful leader possesses” (42).

“Each action requires a measure of courage” (59).

 “Your missed opportunities are often no big deal in isolation. They are, however, cumulative” (61).

“If you feel the need to make everyone happy, you should be a wedding planner not a leader” (64). I particularly enjoyed this one!

“Leadership is a privilege, but it is not free—it comes at a price (82).

“The best leaders don’t blame others. They own their actions and their outcomes” (91).

I enjoyed this book. It is an easy read. I read it on a flight between Dallas and Atlanta. Because Miller uses a fictional setting, it is more difficult to challenge his teaching, as it ostensibly represents the beliefs of fictional characters. Nevertheless, I felt that there were some great leadership truths here. I have always enjoyed Lencioni’s writing, and so I enjoyed this book as well. I would say though, that Miller does not write fiction with Lencioni’s skill. The fictional story is not very believable in places and often seems stretched. Of course, with such a small page count, Miller does not take long to develop the storyline, as it is simply a vehicle to get his leadership principles into play. So, I would say this method makes it easy reading, but at times the fictional storyline seems to get a bit thin on the credibility side.

Nevertheless, Miller offers some great insights. His focus on character versus skills is important. His emphasis that leadership can be a character trait is also interesting.

I’d encourage you to read this book. It is an easy read and has some helpful quotes. Just be aware that it is not a weighty presentation and you must read through fictional material to find the nuggets of leadership truth that are scattered throughout.

by Richard Blackaby

[rating:4.0]

(New York: Dutton, 2012)

287 pgs

Timothy Keller is a great author. He is creative, insightful, and biblical. His church, Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, is a leader in urban ministry. Focusing on people living and working in New York City, it is not surprising that Keller addresses the critical topic of connecting faith and work. There is a growing interest among people in understanding how their Christian faith connects with their work. In this book, Keller offers a comprehensive overview of the key issues related to our profession and our faith.

Keller suggests that a job is a vocation “only if someone else calls you to do it for them rather than for yourself” (19). A clear understanding of the difference between a job and a vocation is important. People can toil away at an unfulfilling job all their adult life and yet never experience the fulfillment of fulfilling their vocation. A vocation is a calling, particularly a divine calling. This is key, because in the past, it was assumed that God called ministers and missionaries while He left “ordinary” people to earn a living and to support the Church through “secular” jobs. Keller makes an excellent case that God calls individuals to all manner of work.

Keller asks: “How does a Christian world view affect the type of shoe you make, or the way you play the Moonlight Sonata?” (23). Throughout the book, Keller presents an interesting discussion on how Christians ought to approach their work, and how being a Christian affects the work that they do.

Keller is known for his biblical and theological approach. In this book, he does an excellent job of studying what the Scripture teaches about work. He provides a good overview of God’s original work in Creation and the design for the seven-day workweek. He notes that, “God left creation with deep untapped potential for cultivation that people were to unlock with their labor” (36). Though God created the earth, He left much to be developed, explored, subdued, and cultivated so people could model the behavior of their Creator. Keller notes: “Work is so foundational to our makeup, in fact, that it is one of the few things we can take in significant doses without harm” (37). He adds: “The loss of work is deeply disturbing because we were designed for it” (38).

Keller notes that the goal of humanity ought not to be the absence of work. Being “free” from work is not true freedom. Rather, “Freedom is not so much the absence of restrictions as finding the right ones” (39). Keller describes work as “cultivation.” He notes: “Whenever we bring order out of chaos, whenever we draw out creative potential, whenever we elaborate and ‘unfold’ creation beyond where it was when we found it, we are following God’s pattern of creative cultural development” (59). Keller points out that the root word for culture means to “cultivate.” He argues that it is the role of mankind to cultivate society and thus bear the image of their Creator.

Keller cites Lester Dekoster who said, “The difference between [a wilderness] and culture is simply work” (76). Culture is developed as individuals work. Eric Liddell observed: “You can praise the Lord by peeling a spud, if you peel it to perfection” (80). Keller makes the strong case that as individuals do their work well, they bring glory to God and they make their world a better place.

Keller also notes that, though we may be working in the exact place God has called us, we can still expect to experience frustration (94). He also notes that God can, and often does, call us to new assignments (95). This is an important discussion for there are many people who may feel that they have lost their way in their career or that they are no longer experiencing fulfillment in their job as they once did.

I liked Keller’s discussion concerning Queen Esther. Her case, as a queen, and not a minister, demonstrates the strategic nature of being “in the palace” that God calls us. He claims, “In such a morally, culturally, and spiritually ambiguous situation, does God still work with us and through us? The answer of the book is yes” (118). He also notes that, while Esther is called “Queen Esther, 14 times in the book, 13 of those times occurs after she concludes: “If I perish, I perish” (127). In other words, only after Esther decided to fulfill her calling, regardless of the cost, did she truly become queen. God had placed her in her position for a purpose. It is when she stopped fearing the loss of her position [and her life] that she truly fulfilled her calling in that position.

This book is filled with rich insight that demand careful study. A couple of other interesting points include Keller’s claim that “It could be argued that everything we do wrong—every cruel action, dishonest word, broken promise, self-centered attitude—stems from a conviction deep in our souls that there is something more crucial to our happiness and meaning than the love of God” (131). He goes on to note that, “an idol is a good thing turned into an ultimate thing” (137). Keller claims the challenge for many Christians is finding meaning and purpose from their work. Most Christians realize that simply earning money and accumulating promotions and stock options is not ultimately fulfilling or satisfying. Yet modern society promotes “self” as the modern god. Work is designed to satisfy self, not to glorify God or to express God’s love for others.

One of the interesting discussions Keller enters is into the Christian understanding if evil. He notes: “The media’s ‘bad apple’ thesis no longer works. We’re seeing systematic corruption in banking—and systematic collusion.” He makes a good case that, “Without an understanding of the gospel, we will either be naively utopian or cynically disillusioned. We will be demonizing something that isn’t bad enough to explain the mess we’re in and we’ll be idolizing something that isn’t powerful enough to get us out of it” (162). Instead, Keller suggests that the Christian worldview sees that: 1) The whole world is good. 2) The whole world is fallen. 3) The whole world is going to be redeemed. We have all seen a secular media that either downplayed sin and then was unable to explain the evil rampant in society, or else they put someone on a pedestal even though it was clear they had feet of clay. It is the Christian who has the most accurate view of reality because they have a realistic view of sin as well as redemption.

Keller addresses key questions such as, why can unbelievers produce great works of art, or even greater accomplishments than do Christians. It would seem that sinful people could not accomplish God’s work as well as Christians, but that is not necessarily so. Keller offers a helpful discussion on “common grace.” He claims: “Without an understanding of common grace, Christians will have trouble understanding why non Christians so often exceed Christians morally and in wisdom. Properly understood, the doctrine of sin means that believers are never as good as our true worldview should make us. Similarly, the doctrine of grace means that unbelievers are never as messed up as their false worldview should make them” (190).

There are numerous helpful discussions throughout this book. He argues, rightly so, that the typical Christian response to culture over the last 80 years has been disengagement (192). His call is for Christians to embrace their vocation and to make a positive difference in their world. He notes: “Therefore, human culture is an extremely complex mixture of brilliant truths, marred half-truths, and overt resistance to the Truth” (194). Keller also suggests that the Christian’s view of the image of God in every person gives them the proper perspective on the workplace (208). This means that we treat fellow workers with the respect and concern they deserve as a divine image bearer. Such a belief calls us to strive to do our best, while living in the knowledge of our accountability before our Creator for our behavior.

Finally, Keller offers some helpful insights on work and rest. He suggests that, “there is a symbiotic relationship between work and rest” (233). He argues that, “anyone who cannot obey God’s command to observe the Sabbath is a slave, even a self-imposed one” (236). The Christian worldview provides people with a proper, healthy view of rest, work, and health.

I enjoy Keller’s writing. He takes a theological perspective on key issues that are relevant to people’s daily lives. As he says at the end of the book: “Redeemer has found that people are seeking far more theological study in order to navigate the challenges of their vocation, and they long for their pastor to be interested in learning more about the situations they face on a daily basis” (253). I think for too long pastors have lived in “ivory towers” and preached sermons to their people, answering questions that they weren’t asking. If I were a pastor today, I would have an ongoing group where I taught people how to embrace their vocation as well as how to be salt and light in the marketplace.

This is a great book! Keller provides a good overview of many of the most pressing issues people face as they live out their Christian life in a secular setting. Keller cites some helpful sources as well as provides examples from his own church members to undergird his thoughts. I recommend you read this book!

This book as a valuable resource for churches. Whether you work in the marketplace or you minister to people who do, you will find this book helpful.

by Richard Blackaby