When Heaven Comes Down - Book Review

I like Che Ahn. I first read his book, Into the Fire, back in 2000, I was drawn into a hunger for the supernatural...the supernatural fire of God, the ways He works. He opens that book, and this one, describing the night angels were seen at Mott Auditorium at one of his meetings. It was glorious!

I suppose he's trying to stoke my hunger fire again with this book, but it didn't happen. Maybe it's me, and where I am in my spiritual walk right now. My heart always wants the presence of God in my life, but I must admit that sometimes I get in my own way. Don't take my current cynicism as criticism of Che Ahn. I like him, but I just wasn't able to get what I wanted from this book. Don't let me keep you from getting this book if you're hungry for God. I believe it will help you.

A teacher and preacher, Che Ahn gives you his point-by-point advice about how to experience more of God's glory in your own life. He explains what is meant by the glory of God. He explains how to pursue God. For those who are hungry and don't have a clue about how to pursue the Lord, this book is for you! You'll enjoy it. It just seemed kind of 'elementary' to me, something we should already know how to do. Like I said, maybe it's just me.

For most readers, here's what you're looking for in Chapter 8: How to Receive More Glory. He has a five-step plan, that if you follow, you'll feel closer to God and experience His presence in a greater way. 1) Repent & Consecrate; 2) Hunger & Thirst; 3) Receive an impartation (from someone in national/international ministry)*; 4) Give it away; 5) Build the church. Should we not always be doing these things whenever possible?

* This supposes that you are in a position to receive a direct and personal impartation from someone in national/international ministry. His was from Billy Graham, and he asked Dr. Graham to pray for him and impart to him. Not everyone is in that position.

I would recommend this book for anyone who does want to experience more of God in their lives. Read it when you're hungry, not when you're stressed or cynical.

The Silent Gift - Blog Book Review

The haunting image of the young boy on the cover, coupled with the name Michael Landon Jr. was enough to intrigue me to read.

"Jr. Landon," as I call him, with Cindy Kelley, successfully turned the first two of Janette Oke's "Love Comes Softly" series into great films for television. They co-wrote the scripts on at least the first two, if not three.

I think they should stick to making movies. This is their first novel and the story seems very contrived to me. One element I've noticed about "SR Landon" storytelling is that sometimes, for dramatic effect, one had to strain their incredulity just a bit too far. I remember one "Little House on the Prairie" episode that had Laura and Almanzo losing their crop, then losing their house, then they both got really sick. And all this happened at once.

This story about a sweet deaf mute boy sometimes stretches incredulity. Set in the 1930s, during the Depression, the boy and his mother are forced to flee the father. They live at the Salvation Army for a few days, then on the street. Finally, a big break comes, or so it seems. The plot goes downhill from here, and doesn't turn around until the very end. Almost as an afterthought, the last chapter is from the boy's point of view.

I had high hopes for this story, and at times, I was touched, but overall, well, like I said, I think they should stick to adapting others' works for the screen. That's what they're good at.

Book Review - Knockout Entrepreneur

All I can say about Knockout Entrepreneur is that if you need motivation, encouragement, and a pep talk, George Foreman is good at that.

I was fairly skeptical when I first read through the book, I thought, what does a former boxer have to say to me? After all, he didn't have 'formal' education, right? Then, I realized I was being educationally snooty. As followers of Christ, we should be able to learn from anyone, no matter their station in life. So, I determined to read forward with an open mind.

Because George knows boxing better than anything else, much of his terminology and examples come from his world of boxing. As I continued to read, I became a bit more impressed. Ok, the guy does know what he's talking about. That was important for me, because he has taken his principles into the world of business, and has become a success at that, too.

It's not a 'deep' book, but it's motivational. Then, I learned that George is also a featured speaker with "Get Motivated" which fills indoor stadiums up nationwide.

I score this book about 3-1/2. It's got good encouragement, and generic business advice for anyone who is in business. Since I am in business, I was hoping for more concrete help, but it's a start.

Teachers - Parents Part II

A month ago, I had some pretty definite thoughts about differences between parents and teachers. I still feel the same way and these posts are to help me process my still developing feelings as well as delineating and defining some things in my own mind. I hope these posts will be thought-provoking to you as well.

Since I'm not a 'parent' in the natural sense of the word, as I have never had children, I am somewhat limited in my understanding of who a parent is, what they do, and how they act. As I said in my last post, I feel the main difference is one of nurturing.

Teachers impart information, parents impart love and nurture. Teachers can encourage, correct, exhort and impart something of themselves into our lives. That is their main function. They are to help us learn information. They are to educate us on the subjects they are expert on and are qualified to teach us. They have us for a limited season of time. During that time, they 'teach' us whatever we can learn.

Parents, on the other hand, are there for the long haul. They are always there for us. They nurture us as they 'teach' us other things. They encourage, correct, and exhort us, but they do it with love. They do it with our best interests at heart. They see our long-range potential, and once we are 'adults,' they are still there for us to give us the benefit of their wisdom, because they are older than we are.

Some teachers are special though. Some of them seem to 'nurture' us over a longer period of time and sometimes seem more like parents to us. The Body of Christ has many teachers. It has always been so. The Apostle Paul, in I Corinthians 4:15 says, "For though you may have 10,000 instructors in Christ, you do not have many fathers..."

Wow. For though, we as modern day Christians, have many 'instructors' or teachers in Christ, who can teach us the Word, who can impart of their spirit to us, who can encourage, correct, and exhort us...we do not have many fathers.

That means, few Christians in the Body of Christ are "spiritual" parents. This is as true today as it was when Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Larry Kreider, founder of Dove Fellowship International, has written a book on it, and this issue is beginning to come to the forefront of Christianity.

I believe it's a call to spiritual parenting. It's a call to not just teach information for the short-term, but to spiritually develop 'children' in ways that will nurture them and help them to grow in the Spirit. Children are reproductions are their parents. So, in order to 'spiritually' reproduce ourselves, we need to be in relationship with those whom we can help, and whom can help us.

There are many Old Testament examples of this. David and his mighty men, Moses & Joshua, and Elijah & Elisha. If you study their stories, you'll see long-term relationship, impartation, and learning.

Timothy was a spiritual son to Paul. We don't know if Paul had natural children, but he surely had one spiritual son in Timothy. It was a long-term relationship.

My main observance in especially the last 1o-20 years is the preponderance of teachers...and how we 'students' tend to put them on pedestals and pretend they are our spiritual parents, when, most of the time, we learn by tape, CD, TV show or book. We must recognize this as teaching, but it's not parenting.

A parent is not a parent if they are not IN the person's life. Period. I've heard people say that so-and-so is their spiritual dad, their pastor, etc., when they are a nationally known evangelist or teacher, and this person does not have any kind of relationship with the evangelist or teacher other than they have their CDs and support the ministry financially.

I myself have had a real spiritual parent, but most were very anointed teachers who have imparted to me a great deal. I've had a couple of teachers who seemed like a spiritual father to me. Oral Roberts was one such. Being a student at ORU, following his ministry for years, and accepting his mandate to go into every man's world where God's light is dim and His voice is not heard well, made him seem like he was a spiritual father to me. He was very dear to me, but I did not have any kind of relationship with him other than being an ORU graduate.

There have been several ministers locally who have seemed like spiritual parents to me, but the relationship was only for a short season, or at the most a couple of years.

I am processing my feelings towards all of this. There are some great teachers I wish could have been like a spiritual parent to me - but alas, they were only teachers because the relationship was one-sided.

My point: consider asking the Lord to help you become a spiritual parent...to help you 'reproduce' yourself spiritually by helping others in a nurturing relationship and in a local body of believers. That's where you'll find the best parents, and the best 'children.'

Those are my thoughts. I welcome yours. Post a comment and let me know.