Philosophy & Religion
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by Jud Wilhite (Get the Book)
Pastor of a Las Vegas church that is one of the largest and fastest growing congregations in America, Wilhite (Pursued) fulfills a longtime desire to write a book on Ecclesiastes that draws on a text from the Apostle Paul: "For all of God's promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding 'Yes!' " (2 Cor. 1:20). This book is part of the sizeable subgenre of Christian self-help that reads like a sermon series put into print, and one could wonder if it were not better to hear rather than read the material. Readers have come to expect these pastor-written sermon-ish books to include many personal stories, rather than straight-line exposition about Bible texts, and one quality that distinguishes Wilhite is his willingness to be vulnerable and self-disclosing. Of his own quick-tempered outburst at a homeless person for complaining about food that had been served, Wilhite says, "Not exactly what Jesus would do." For readers who enjoy conversational, anecdotal discussion of Bible texts, this is an affirmative read. --Publishers Weekly
by Chip Ingram (Get the Book)
Ingram (Sex 180), president of the Walk Thru the Bible ministry, draws on personal experience in this book about confronting spiritual darkness. He succeeds in taking a balanced approach, challenging readers who either ignore spiritual warfare or see manifestations of it around every corner. Expounding upon Ephesians 6 (in which Paul talks about putting on the "armor of God"), Ingram gives most of his time to "the everyday schemes of the evil one" and daily defensive spiritual disciplines (prayer, Bible meditation, repentance). He stresses that we are all in the middle of an "invisible war," that we don't need to fear the enemy but respect him, and that God's victory can be ours in every spiritual conflict. As a pastor in Santa Cruz for more than a decade, Ingram confronted occult activity that he believed threatened his ministry and family. While these tales are fascinating, more enlightening is Ingram's description of the subtle attacks he and others feel they have experienced through discouragement and doubt during key periods of ministry. While well-balanced with useful information, the book often reads like a sermon series transcript and will prove most informative for pastors looking for detailed sermon outlines, which are included with each section. --Publishers Weekly
by Tony Dungy (Get the Book)
With a "he said/she said" format, former NFL coach Dungy (Quiet Strength) and his wife, Lauren, share lessons learned over more than 30 years of marriage. They are different in personality, but their deep faith and commitment to their relationship help them grow closer through career changes, multiple moves, the rearing of nine children, and family tragedy. They discuss the wide variety of incidents and factors that have strengthened their marriage, like working through different communication styles and learning the importance of praying together. They also share the difficulties through which they have walked together, like being in the public eye-Tony became the first African-American head coach to guide a team to the Super Bowl; dealing with the loss of a parent; and coping with the suicide of their son. They offer their thoughts in personal, conversational style with the hope that readers can recognize some part of their own marriage and be able to find guidance, hope, and encouragement. The book reads more like an enjoyable chat with longtime friends than the helpful marriage guidebook that it is. --Publishers weekly
