Recently Noted
Terry Waite: Man With a Mission, Trevor Barnes, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, 1987, 142 pages, paper, $4.95.
Terry Waite, the archbishop of Canterbury's special envoy, gained international attention as a negotiator for the freedom of hostages in the Middle East until his disappearance. This is the story of Terry Waite the man. A man of deep devotion to God and a childlike trust, Terry "would always walk where nobody else would go." Though lacking foreign languages, he managed to establish an easy rapport with peoples of differing cultures.
This book gives a rare insight into the character and background of one of the most extraordinary churchmen of modern times.
The Lion and the Honeycomb, The Religious Writings of Tolstoy, A. N. Wilson, ed., Harper & Row, San Francisco, 1987, 158 pages, hardcover, $14.95.
Very few know that the author of War and Peace was an absorbing Christian thinker. His faith was all that counted for him in his last 20 years of life. Tolstoy's death came when he went out into the snow on a spiritual pilgrimage. The book ends with a moving paragraph from a letter he had written to a relative. "I write, above all, because it is desperately, desperately painful for me to see how you and many others are perishing, perishing terribly and in vain, while salvation is so easy and lies so close at hand." This valuable anthology of Tolstoy's religious writings gives new insight into the character of this great literary figure.
The Prayer Factor, Sammy Tippit, Moody Press, Chicago, 1988, 142 pages, paper, $5.95.
What brings about real qualitative church growth? Is it motivational programs, clever strategy, encouraging statistics? No, says Tippit, a well-known international evangelist. He claims that phenomenal church growth experienced in some parts of the world is the result of prayer movements.
Tippit's book is both informative and motivational. He sees a direct correlation between prayer movements and spiritual awakenings that result not just in larger quantities of believers but quality. Such awakenings are seen throughout history, and they generally follow five steps: (1) it is perceived by a few that they are living in a period of moral and spiritual darkness; (2) these few begin to seek God fervently through prayer; (3) as a result, they are revived and experience a purity of character that reflects Christ; only then comes (4) a renewal of preaching and (5) the resultant church growth.
Desktop Publishing for Congregations, A Guide to Getting Started, Charles Austin, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1988, 47 pages, $4.95, paper.
If you have a personal computer and a good-quality printer and would like to produce a newsletter, booklets, brochures, bulletins, inserts, and announcements, this booklet can serve as a guide. It tells you about computer compatibility, how to get started, laser printers, software, formatting copy, laying out pages, and adding graphics. Though not a comprehensive guide, it outlines steps that a pastor or church secretary can take to become a production manager.
