Recommended Reading
Below are a list of books Pastor Joe thinks would be of great benefit for our church family to read, so if you’re looking for a great book to take on vacation or enjoy at home, check out one of these.
Generous Justice
by Timothy Keller
Why should we look to the Bible for a vision of a more moral culture? Isn’t it full of socially backward views? Thoughtful, illuminating, and challenging, Keller’s guide helps seekers and lifelong Christians understand that God’s justice for the poor and marginalized is central to Scripture’s message of "love thy neighbor as thyself."
Washed and Waiting
by Wesley Hill
“Gay,” “Christian,” and “celibate” don’t often appear in the same sentence. Yet many who sit next to us in the pew at church fit that description, says author Wesley Hill. As a celibate gay Christian, Hill gives us a glimpse of what it looks like to wrestle firsthand with God’s “No’ to same-sex relationships. What does it mean for gay Christians to live faithful to God while struggling with the challenge of their homosexuality? What is God’s will for believers who experience same-sex desires?
Those who choose celibacy are often left to deal with loneliness and the hunger for relationships. How can gay Christians experience God’s favor and blessing in the midst of a struggle that for many brings a crippling sense of shame and guilt? Weaving together reflections from his own life and the lives of other Christians, such as Henri Nouwen and Gerard Manley Hopkins, Hill offers a fresh perspective on these questions. He advocates neither unqualified ‘healing’ for those who struggle, nor their accommodation to temptation, but rather faithfulness in the midst of brokenness.
Hill states, “I hope this book may encourage other homosexual Christians to take the risky step of opening up their lives to others in the body of Christ. In so doing, they may find, as I have, by grace, that being known is spiritually healthier than remaining behind closed doors, that the light is better than the darkness.”
Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life
by Robert D. Lupton
The urban landscape is changing and, as a result, urban ministries are at a crossroads. If the Church is to be an effective agent of compassion and justice, we must change our mission strategies. In this compelling book, Lupton asks tough questions about service providing and community building to help us enhance our effectiveness. Among the questions: What dilemmas do caring people encounter to faithfully carry out the teachings of Scripture and become personally involved with “the least of these?” What are some possible alternatives to the ways we have traditionally attempted to care for the poor? How do people, programs and neighborhoods move toward reciprocal, interdependent relationships? To effect these types of changes will require new skill sets and resources, but the possibilities for good are great.
Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian
by Gary A Haugen
Prepare to step off the well-trodden path of your spiritual journey, and take the road less traveled – one that’s also far more rewarding! In this book, Gary Haugen, president of Justice Mission, shares what the organization is doing to protect victims of slavery, sexual exploitation and other violent abuse. He’ll also challenge you to do what you can to fight oppression and serve all of God’s people.
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith
by Ann Spangler & Lois Tverberg
Gain a deeper understanding of Jesus by seeing his world through the eyes of first-century Jews! Journey back to ancient Palestine and explore the culture, customs, feasts, and prayers that shaped Christ and his disciples. You’ll discover how to enrich your own faith by gaining insight into the Jewishness of Jesus. Includes suggestions for reflection, prayer, and meditation at the end of each chapter.