Encouragement: The Key to Caring
Lawrence J. Crabb, Jr., and Dan B. Allender, Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1984, 144 pages, $8.95. Reviewed by Kenneth R. Wade, assistant editor, MINISTRY.
If you've ever been challenged by the concept of the caring church as a place where Christians gather to stir up one another to love and good works, and to encourage one another (Heb. 10:24, 25, R.S.V.), but haven't known how to bring it about, this book is for you.
Starting from the Hebrews text, the authors explore the problems and hang-ups that hinder us from being effective encouragers, examine various solutions, and then point to a solid Biblical basis for beginning an encouraging ministry. Their keen insights will help you understand your own needs as well as your congregation's.
But there's more. Not content to remain in the realm of theory, they go on to chapters on discovering and responding to opportunities to encourage, and two chapters on techniques. This book could prove especially valuable as a starting point for discussion in small groups.
Beyond Rejection: The Church, Homosexuality, and Hope
Don Baker, Multnomah Press, Portland, Oregon, 1985, 95 pages, hardback, $7.95. Reviewed by Ella M. Rydzewski, editorial secretary, MINISTRY.
Beyond Rejection is a powerful story of God's deliverance and His people's love. It is more about love than sin. It is a book not only for those who seek to understand the complexities of homosexuality, such as the pastor who is counseling the homosexual, but also for those who have difficulty wanting to understand, and whose emotional responses to this sin are different from their response to other sins.
It is a story of Jerry, a church leader living a secret life. One day he and his wife seek the help of their pastor, who is the author of the book. Pastor Baker tells of Jerry's incredible pain, guilt, and suffering. With the help of a wife whose forgiveness knows no limits and the supportive concern of friends, Jerry gradually finds his way to wholeness. It is a long journey—there are no quick remedies. Jerry progresses from depression and attempted suicide to healing, and he and his wife begin an organization to minister to homosexuals. (The book lists organizations where interested persons can find help for themselves or others.)
We see in Jerry's struggle one that is not so different from other battles with ingrained habits, addictions, thought patterns, and destructive behaviors. The pain is all too familiar when we compare it to our own special frustrations.
According to the author, there are two lies about homosexuality that many Christians believe—(1) that this orientation cannot be changed, and (2) that it is one that is chosen. "Homosexuality is not the worst sin. . . . But it is sin. Like any other sin, however, it is forgivable."
Whose Church Is This, Anyway?
Robert John Versteeg, C. C. S. Publishing, Lima, Ohio, 1985, 169 pages, $5.95, paper.
Versteeg's humorous viewpoint on parish life is captured in 130 imaginary letters from people like Atilla D. Hunn, D. D. S.; Hulk Hagarson, the sports enthusiast; and Henrietta Peckingham, the lady who refuses to come to a church where the pastor doesn't stay behind the pulpit. Most of the letters will give you a smile. All will give you a spiritual tweak.
The Smaller Church in a Super Church Era, edited by Jon Johnston and Bill M. Sullivan, Beacon Hill Press, Kansas City, Missouri, 1983, 152 pages, $5.95, paper.
Written under the auspices of the Association of Nazarene Sociologists of Religion, this book grew out of the realization that most Nazarene congregations have fewer than one hundred members. The book deals with both plusses and problems of small churches. Discussion questions at the end of each chapter facilitate its use in study groups.
At the Lord's Table, Ralph G. Tumbull, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1967, 141 pages, $4.95, paper. If you find it challenging to bring new thoughts to the quarterly communion service, this book may provide the help you need. Recently reprinted (1985) in a paperback edition, it contains twenty-one communion meditations.
Pastoral Care With Children in Crisis, Andrew D. Lester, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1985, 143 pages, $9.95, paper. The author touches on areas overlooked by many pastors. He suggests practical ways to help the young members of families in crisis. His ideas are useful for anyone wanting to minister to children, whether or not they are undergoing crisis.
