Which Wolf Will You Feed TODAY? #LeadersAreReaders November 2022

A familiar story but let me put a twist on it. An old man is teaching his grandson about reading good books. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy, "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One holds ignorance, sameness, comfort, passivity, laziness, distraction, and impatient. The other loves knowledge, new ideas, creativity, imagination, empathy, and good thinking."

"One is trying its best to make excuses not to read books. The other knows the magical potential of reading good books. One says, 'Someday'. The other says, 'Today.' The same fight is going on inside you and every other person too," says the old wise man. The grandson asks, "Which wolf will win?" Pointing his finger to his heart and then to his white-grey hair head, "It's the one you feed."

Which wolf will you feed TODAY? Mark Twain said this: “The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the fellow who can't read them.” I think it's okay if you don't read books, there are other ways of learning and improving yourself. But you might miss out on a lot of things. The world is moving forward so fast, so hectic, and so rushing. I believe the way to smartness and peace is by slowing down, stepping back a little, and pausing time by reading good books. Have you ever wondered why God gives us The Book a.k.a. The Bible instead of graphic manga, smartphone, YouTube videos, and audio recordings? The main means of His communication is the BOOK. Woff! Woff!

#ServeToLead #ReadersAreReaders #FeedTheRightWolf #TheBook #SlowingDown #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Message of Hebrews: Christ Above All (1982) by Raymond Brown, Not-A-Review

Every time you hear or read something insightful from someone, you got to ask the question, "Where does she get that?" I believe that there are no good - or great and godly - insights that are totally original. It is not ex nihilo. Creative people or creativity, in my opinion, is just mastering the art of combining ideas. In the case of spiritual insight, it is the combination of life experience, personal reflection, and the Holy Spirit's inspiration (except for divine revelation and/or prophesy). If you hear or read something insightful from me, for example, be sure that I get that from other sources either directly or indirectly, consciously or subconsciously. If it sounds convincing, it's because I make it my own. The style, articulation, and language perhaps are mine but it's not original. The same goes for everyone else that we labeled as 'insightful' persons.

In the same way, when I preach and teach the Book of Hebrews, my insights come from many sources. I rely on the Holy Spirit as my main Teacher (see John 14:26) and the Scripture as my main Text. I also get help from other people and books too. It is arrogant to say/think, "I only need my Bible." I love The Book of Hebrews because of its obvious Christocentricity. But for those who aren't familiar with the Old Testament narratives and themes, Hebrews can be very difficult to understand. Preachers like John MacArthur, David Pawson, and David Guzik have helped me greatly. Bible commentaries such as this one, Donald A. Hagner's Encountering the Book of Hebrews: An Exposition (2002), and Leon Morris's The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Hebrews (1982) are good companions for the journey. These I treated as references only. The first rule of hermeneutics is "Let Scripture interpret Scripture." So, reading and interpreting Hebrews from the Scripture itself is essential.

A brief words about Raymond Brown's commentary on Hebrews. This commentary is part of my favorite The Bible Speaks Today Series. It is easy to read and follow especially if you want to see the big picture of Hebrews. Not too detailed but also not too simplistic. The Series is characterized by a threefold ideal: 1) To expound the biblical text with accuracy; 2) To relate it to contemporary life, and 3) To be readable. This book has all these ideals. His outlines are divided into three major themes: a) God's Son (Hebrews 1:1-6:20) focusing on the person of Christ; b) Christ's Work (7:1-10:18) focusing on the work of Christ, and c) Our Response (10:19-13:25) focusing on Christian ethics. Hebrews "illustrations are certainly drawn from a different world, but their message is timeless. Far from escaping into the past, it beckons us on to a better future, with its firm assurance that the eternal Son of God is supreme and sufficient." And then Brown concludes, "The message of Christ's uniqueness is always relevant." Amen!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #BookOfHebrews #BibleCommentary #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Increase Your Personal Intellectual Capital #LeadersAreReaders October 2022

When I was working in management, I use to read monthly articles by the late Peter F. Drucker (1909-2005) in the business magazine. My workplace was near the bookstore. At the age of 90, he was more active than most 25-year-olds. As a consultant and an author known as 'the father of management thinking,' he was continually working on new books, most of which became bestsellers. Yet, midst his massive accomplishment, he still found time to read three to five hours a day on a wide range of subjects - a habit he first cultivated as a young man. Like Charles H. Spurgeon, one of my heroes of faith, you just have to admire them but don't need to emulate them.

"Every few years I pick another major topic and read in it daily for three years," Drucker once said candidly. "It's not enough to make me an expert, but it's long enough to understand what the field is all about. I've done this for 60 years." When I enter the full-time ministry, I somewhat learned this strategy from Drucker (and Spurgeon): read widely, from many different fields NOT just Christian books. Drucker is the epitome of the 'knowledge worker,' a term he coined to describe the most valuable resource in the new economy - intellectual capital. "Your knowledge and your experience are your new wealth. They belong to you, not your company. Leave an organization and you take that wealth with you."

Learning how to learn and increase your intellectual capital with practical skills. Be valuable. One of the best ways (meaning, not the only way) to do this is by READING BOOKS and/or through good literature. It takes curiosity and also discipline. In the Information and Digital Age, like the late Peter Drucker, the discipline of reading will be well rewarded. Wherever you go, you take that wealth with you.

#ServeToLead #PeterFDrucker #LifeTimeLearner #ReadersAreReaders #IntellectualCapital #KnowledgeIsWealth #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Disappearing Act: The Impossible Case of MH370 (Mudlark, 2021) by Florence de Changy, Book Review

I checked the internet, how much can I quote from a book without permission? The answer is various from which sources and publications. On average, less than 300 words is safe, I estimate. Let me take the risk, assume ignorance, and quote this book at length without giving the gist and juice of the book that we - reasonable Malaysians and perhaps the majority of informed people in the world - don't already know: "The key to a successful disappearance is diversion: grab the audience's attention and make them look elsewhere while you execute your sleight of hand. If MH370's 'disappearance' is indeed a sleight of hand on a massive scale, there has been a fantastic simultaneous effort of diversion, and seemingly more than one.

"The world's media has been complicit in the affair, mostly passively, by not questioning enough, and occasionally actively, by spreading unchecked, erroneous, or false information. Public opinion is not and is not supposed to be, that gullible. Everyone knows the MH370 story does not add up. Everyone knows a Boeing 777, possibly the safest plane in the history of civil aviation does not disappear without a trace in one of the most politically sensitive regions of the planet. So rather than being incredible, the official narrative is simply not credible. Yet the idea that we are being blatantly cheated by the governments we are supposed to trust is so uncomfortable and so problematic that, for the sake of our mental comfort, we choose to look elsewhere and welcome any alternative explanation, including one that makes no sense and falsely accuses a decent man of being a mass murderer" (Taken from Epilogue: The Disappearing Act, page 345-346)

To quote Ms. Changy again and as she always said in all of her interviews [check YouTube] sometimes casually, sometimes frustrate, "To me, claiming that Flight MH370 could have disappeared sounded like an insult to human intelligence." I agree wholeheartedly by underlining this phrase in the book with a 1.5mm black ink pen! Reading this book near Malaysia's 15th General Election is adding to my already lack of truth in the government. By the way, I enjoy reading Ms. Changy's 400+ pages of investigative journalism and gripping account of one of the most profound mysteries of the 21st century (although the word 'mystery' is unnecessary because there are people who knew!). I like that she provided as many facts as possible (of course, sometimes I questioned her sources), outline the incident well, explain some alternative scenarios, when into the testimonies of the families of missing passengers, interviewed interesting people, and quite a vast knowledge on current political situations, military arrangements and some aviation technical lingo (which I have to admit my limited comprehension in this area).

As any journalist would do, as much as she wanted to be objective, she is not without personal biases and interpretations. Read this book not with an open mind but with a critical mind. Focus on the obvious and always ask good and right questions. This is one of the lessons I learned from Ms. Changy. Because only with good and right questions we can get answers. Although, with MH370, it may take some time. As my favorite childhood TV series, The X-Files tagline says, "The truth is out there." Buy this book!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheDisappearingAct #MH370 #FlorenceDeChangy #CurrentAffair #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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I Don't Have Enough Faith the Be An Atheist (2004) by Norman L. Geisler & Frank Turek, Book Review

David Limbaugh in his forward writes, "[This book] is the best single book I've seen to prepare believers to give the reasons for their faith, and for skeptics who are open to the truth. This book will serve as an indispensable evangelism tool, especially when dealing with nonbelievers with 'intellectual' obstacles to the faith. As we know, the intellectual obstacles are just an excuse for nonbelievers, but when you remove the substance of their excuse they are left naked to confront their real obstacles, their real demons." I agree with Limbaugh but with the exception that it is NOT "the best single book." There will be new 'intellectual' obstacles ahead of us (although principally "there is nothing new under the sun"), so, we have to always need new, fresh, and better books to tackle future issues with the same effectiveness as this one. Always preparing the way for the Lord and His Word to touch people's lives with the never-changing Gospel. Having said that, for me, this book is one of the best apologetic tools so far (probably next after Josh McDowell's Evidence That Demands a Verdict).

Between the two authors, I'm more familiar with Frank Turek because I subscribed to his podcast and YouTube channel with the same name as this book and frequently listened to his talks and interviews. Norman Geisler, now deceased, is the giant of apologetic who wrote and co-wrote many amazing books. Together they present the essential information needed for readers either to stand firm in their faith in the God of Christianity or to make a decision to come to the God of Christianity with a reasonable faith. For believers, your faith will be strengthened; for honest seekers, your beliefs will be challenged. Some people will read this book and yet remain an atheist or skeptical but they will have no excuse that they never knew. "One beauty of God's creation is this: if you're not willing to accept Christianity, then you're free to reject it," explain Frank and Norman. "God has provided enough evidence in this life to convince anyone willing to believe, yet he has also left some ambiguity so as not to compel the unwilling." I like that. It is consistent with the character of God that I read in the Bible. No one - especially mine - can claim absolute certainty about anything. Everything requires some amount of faith. Questions such as "Is truth knowable?", "Does God exists?" and, "Is the Bible the Word of God?" even with a fair amount of evidence, in the end, require faith. Vise versa, to reject them also requires faith. But as the book argues, it takes a lot more faith to be a non-Christian than it does to be a Christian.

Let me share five (5) reasons why I recommend this book (I could share more but, to misquote the Book of Hebrews, "time will not allow me"):

#1 The Logical Flow - At the outset, they outline 12 points starting from a general but crucial one "No.1 Truth about reality is knowable." What is truth? Can truth be known? Can truths about God be known? So what? Who cares about truth? Then, they progressively move to the last one "No.12 It is true that the Bible is the Word of God." Is the Bible historically reliable? Who is Jesus? If Jesus is who He said He is, what He taught about the Bible? They begin with general revelation to special revelation.

#2 Not Using the Scripture to Proof the Existence of God - In the first 5 out of 12 points, they argue about the existence of a theistic God not by using the Scripture but by science and reason. They use the Cosmological Argument (Beginning of the universe), the Teleological/ Anthropic Argument (Design of the universe, design of life), and the Moral Argument (Moral law). These arguments alone are enough for me to say that "I don't have enough faith to be an atheist"!

#3 Uses History, Philosophy, Logic, and Biblical Theology to Establish Their Arguments - For example, when they try to prove that the New Testament is reliable, they do not simply say that "The Bible tells me so" but give evidence from external and internal sources, historical and philosophical supports, logical and theological based. "We came to believe through evidence," they said, "...the fact THAT we are Christians is not the issue: WHY we are Christians is the important point."

#4 Anticipating Counter-Arguments and Answer Them Clearly - In the past, I almost lost my faith in Christianity. I figured, if Christianity is false then all religions* must be false too. I don't want to be an agnostic because I think the issue is simple: whether God exists or not. So my next best choice was to be an atheist. When I'm trying to explore the possibility of the non-existence of God, I have lots of questions. Every time I heard or read Christian's positive arguments, I always have counter-arguments or objections. Authors of this book anticipate objections as they presented their arguments. For example, take the case of the reliability of the New Testament again. They know those common objections such as "history cannot be known", "The New Testament documents contain miracles", "The New Testament writers were biased", and "Converted people are not objective" would be in the back of the reader's mind like I was. With vast experience, knowledge, and humility, they answer these common (not all) objections clearly.

#5 Provide More Than Enough Facts - To me, three reasonable facts are enough to change my opinions; five strong facts are enough to convince me to reconsider my beliefs; seven undisputed facts are enough to change my mind and make me a convert. Throughout the book every time the authors make a case they always give more than two reasons or facts. For example, in the question of "How do we know the moral law exists?" they give eight compelling reasons. In Chapter 11, they give "The Top Ten Reasons We Know the New Testament Writers Told the Truth" which is also the title of the chapter.

The authors acknowledged that "evidence alone cannot convince someone to become a Christian. Some atheists and non-Christians may reject Christianity not because the evidence is inadequate but because they don't want to accept it." It seems oversimplified but in the final analysis, it's true. They continue, "Some people choose to suppress the truth rather than live by it. In fact, we humans have a fatal tendency to try to adjust the truth to fit our desires rather than adjusting our desires to fit the truth." Don't do that. This is about your eternal destiny. This book cannot answer ALL your questions. In fact, we will never have ALL the answers anyway. But this book - by God's grace - has more than enough answers to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Christianity is true. The Scripture says: "[If] you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." Lord, give the reader enough faith to believe and confess! Amen.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #IDontHaveEnoughFaithToBeAnAtheist #FrankTurek #NormanGeisler #Apologetics #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Lead Like Christ: Reflecting the Qualities and Character of Christ In Your Ministry (Audiobook, 2021) by A.W. Tozer, Book Review

I like to think of A.W. Tozer (many have called him a modern-day prophet) as a very bold and manly writer. We need more men of God like him. I'm not comfortable calling a living person a "man of God" anymore because the last time I said that to the late Ravi Zacharias, I was frustrated and ashamed of myself after the exposè. Of course, it's not wrong (if due respect) to call someone a man or woman of God, it is safer for the soul and faith, in my opinion, to reserve that title or honor to the long-gone, time-proven, faithful Christ followers such as A.W. Tozer. Although he passed away in 1963, his influence - writings and Christian living - is critical today. My first encounter with Tozer was through his classic book, The Knowledge of the Holy and also a biography by James L. Snyder entitled A.W. Tozer: In Pursuit of God. I have some issues with Tozer's mysticism but his love for God and His Word surpassed my judgment and is remained central in his life and writings.

Lead Like Christ edited by James Synder for modern readers is a compilation of Tozer's sermons on the Epistle of Paul to Titus which particularly focus on spiritual leadership. If you're looking for a management-side or practical method of leadership, this book is not for you. For that, as I see the importance of knowing how to lead, I would recommend other books. But if you, as Tozer puts it, have "an incurable hunger and thirst for the deep things of God" you will be blessed by this book. His insights on the Scripture, particularly the Letter to Titus, are admirable. His thoughts on the impact of spiritual warfare, the urgent need for sound doctrine, the call of servanthood, the three words he uses to describe Titus (integrity, discretion, and enthusiasm), and more are skillfully articulate to connect to the topic of spiritual leadership. He gives examples of Paul, other apostles and prophets, his contemporaries, and chiefly the Master, our Lord Jesus Christ.

There were times when I have to pause and reflect on what he said and consider my own walk with God and the people I try to lead. As Paul said to another of his mentee, Timothy, "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching" (1 Timothy 4:16), that is, teach "accords with sound doctrine" (Titus 2:1). We need more leaders today. But not the worldly kind of leaders. We need Christ-centered leaders that can turn the world upside down with silent obedience and loud character that bring glory to "our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). This is a high calling, Holy Spirit, help us! Amen.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LeadLikeChrist #AWTozer #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Take the Cue From Mark Zuckerberg! #LeadersAreReaders September 2022

In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg shared his New Year's resolution to focus on books. The founder of Facebook decided to read one book per week (I did it a few years ago). To show his commitment, he created a special page, "A Year of Books", where he initially share the books that he read and where other readers can find new books and participate in discussions about them. The picked books help to learn about different cultures, beliefs, histories, and technologies.

This is how Mark Zuckerberg explains his decision in a Facebook post on 3rd January 2015: "I’m excited about my reading challenge. I’ve found reading books very intellectually fulfilling. Books allow you to fully explore a topic and immerse yourself in a deeper way than most media today. I’m looking forward to shifting more of my media diet towards reading books." I guess that also includes social media like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp... how ironic.

Steve Jobs won't let his kids use an iPad, Bill Gates limited screen time for his kids, and Mark Zuckerberg said reading books allow us to go deeper on a topic than most media. Maybe we should take the cue: Reduce social media and device usage, and increase your time for reading books.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Unleash the Power Within: Personal Coaching to Transform Your Life! (2020 edition, audiobook) by Anthony Robbins, Book Review

My main problem with Joel Osteen is that he says that he is a pastor but he didn't preach the Gospel - and thus, a false teacher. If only he quit being a pastor and become a motivational speaker full-time instead, I think I'm going to like him. Anthony Jay Robbins is a motivational speaker and although he at times called himself a Christian (most probably a cultural Christian or pluralistic one and definitely New Age), he never claims to teach Christian motivational talks. With a little effort, Google his name, and you can find many controversial issues surrounding the man, his personal life, methods, and teachings. But I love Tony Robbins. Why?

About a decade ago, I read his book Awaken the Giant Within (1991), and in the chapter about goals, there are exercises that you need to write your goal for each critical area such as relationships, finance, and contribution. On personal development goals, I wrote about reading one book per month and especially the Bible in one year. These commitments (or "massive actions"), especially on the latter goal are what God uses to continue to inspire me to read my Bible consistently. The goal becomes a habit. Habit becomes a lifestyle. Tony Robbins famously said, "It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped." This audiobook is a good reminder for me and it solidified some of the best lessons that I learned from him. The 6 hours 20+ minutes of listening while walking is what I call The Hour of Power.

Read and listen to Tony Robbins with caution, applied critical thinking, and filtered everything through a Biblical worldview (As children of God, the Holy Spirit is the power within us!). If you can do that - by grace, prayer, and humility - you can get the best from any informed books that you read or audiobook that you listen to. You can read books by atheists like Richard Dawkins and be amazed by biology; you can read books by agnostics like Carl Sagan and wonder like a child at the cosmos, and you can read books by Muslims like Imam Al-Ghazali and be inspired by the practicality of philosophy and intellectual life. Beware of reading Christian books ONLY!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #AnthonyRobbins #TheHourOfPower

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Don't Give Up, Don't Give In: Lessons from An Extraordinary Life (2014) by Louis Zamperini & David Rensin, Book Review

Have you watched the movie Unbroken (2014) directed by Angelina Jolie? If not, then you should watch it. Now! If yes, then you will know who is the late Louis "Louie" Zamperini (1917 - 2014). A remarkable man. An athlete in the field and life. A survivor. I love to read stories from people who endure hardship and yet do not come out as bitter but inspirational. Read autobiographies of those like Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning (1946), Elie Wiesel's Night (1956), Richard Wurmbrand's Tortured for Christ (1967), Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl (1947), Zamperini's Devil at My Heels (2003) and see if you still can complain about the little things in life. They show us how we can find hope amid suffering, love amid hatred, and radical forgiveness amid evil acts. They are not perfect, and that's good because we can relate. When a graduate from the school of hard knocks like Zamperini gives advice, I think and take notes.

So many good lessons I've learned from this book. It's not that these lessons are new and revolutionary (self-help books, for example, are saying the same things only with different packages) but because Zamperini's life and integrity back up most of his words, I find that they are refreshing... and real. Everyone can say something profound about forgiveness but when Zamperini - who was captured, tortured, and abused both physically and psychologically by the Japanese soldiers during World War II for more than 2 years - say it, the lesson goes from my head to heart. After his conversion under Billy Graham's preaching, Zamperini writes: "My faith grew. A year later I returned to Japan. I asked to meet my prison guards - now incarcerated as war criminals - determined to forgive them all in person. The hardest thing in life is to forgive. But hate is self-destructive. If you hate somebody you're not hurting the person you hate, you're hurting yourself. Forgiveness is healing." His wife, Cynthia Applewhite, agreed. She said, "Louie truly became a different person, able to forget the bitterness and sincerely forgive."

This and many more. Other of my favorite lessons is commitment and perseverance. Very uplifting! It's a short book, only 238 pages. I bought it cheap only RM19.90 from Popular Bookstore.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LouisZamperini #Unbroken #DontGiveUpDontGiveIn #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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The Real Christ: Reevaluating How We See Jesus, According to Scripture (1920, 2020, audiobook) by Reuben A. Torrey, Book Review

Any book by the late R. A. Torrey is worth reading and listening to. Like Charles Spurgeon said about John Bunyan, "His blood is Bibline," meaning to say read anything of his, and you will see that it is almost like reading the Bible itself. In this book, Mr. Torrey desires to portray the real Christ, the Christ of actual fact, in all of His many characteristics and complete love, holiness, zeal, and glory. That portrait is from God’s own Word, the Bible. My favorite chapter is Chapter 8: His Manliness. Here are some quotes that I would like to highlight:

"While Christ was more gentle than the gentlest mother, He was at the same time the strongest and most vigorous of all the sons of men."

"To be a true follower of Jesus, one must be a fearless fighter as well as a gentle comforter."

"Remember, meekness is not weakness, and humility is not servility."

"The manliness of our Lord Jesus was manifested in His unhesitating acceptance of torture and agony in order to save others from suffering and ruin, rather than yielding one iota of the truth. Our Lord Jesus could have escaped the cross if He had been willing to compromise with the religious rulers of the day who oppressed the masses. Yes, He could have escaped easily, but He would not. He pursued the path of absolute allegiance to God and His truth though the cross loomed black and threatening in the path. He did not deviate one step in order to avoid the cross."

Chapters on His Holiness and His Prayerfulness are also very good - and challenging. As I said earlier, any book by R. A. Torrey is worth reading and listening to. You can read the PDF updated version online and listen to the audiobook on YouTube by Aneko Press HERE: https://anekopress.com/product/the-real-christ/ 

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheRealChrist #ReubenATorrey #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business - and What To Do About It (2020) by Jason Dorsey and Denise Villa, PhD, Book Review

"All of our interactions with Gen Z," writes the authors, "have led to a key conclusion: the ways in which leaders typically recruited, managed, and marketed to older generations will NOT work with Gen Z." Many companies, organizations, and businesses know they need to adapt to Gen Z (a.k.a. iGen, approximately born between 1996 to 2012) but they feel paralyzed. They don't know how or what to change or where to even start. Plus, Gen Z's expectations are so different because THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT from other generations. We need help and this book is helpful.

Although I realized that Zconomy is more relevant to those who own businesses, are active in sales, marketing, and product strategy, and work in the marketplace leadership positions, I find that it is helpful too for me as a Christian worker to be more informed about Gen Z's behaviors, preferences, and motivations. Part 1: The Making of Gen Z is profound and clear; Part 2: Meet the World's Most Influential Customers gives me lots of engagement ideas and info on their consumer psychology; and Part 3: How Gen Z Is Changing the World of Work shed light on the employment world from the Gen Z's perspectives. They are the fastest-growing generation of employees (churches and NGOs take note too) and so it is crucial for leaders to change - or die.

I agree (but not all the time, of course) with the authors when they point out that this generation has so much to learn from other generations, and at the same time, there is so much too we can learn from them. They have great potential! "Gen Z offers a huge opportunity for leaders and organizations to grow, strengthen, innovate, and outperform - if leaders like you are willing to adapt to the generation" 

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #Zconomy #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Introducing Christian Doctrine (2nd edition, 2001) by Millard J. Erickson, Brief Review

Finished reading this book last week but I don't think I can write a proper review due to lots of work this month. Here is a brief one: This is an abridged, less technical version of Erickson's classic Christian Theology. When I was a new staff, this is one of the books that we use for theological training. Back then I read it just for reference but this year (that's after so many years!) I decided to read it from cover to cover. It was life-giving! Perhaps due to an increase in understanding or Christian experience or growth in the knowledge of the Scripture or all of it and more factors, although it is still somewhat academic and formal, I find that this book is enjoyable to read.

Why you should study doctrine and theology? Here are the first two (2) reasons that the late Erickson points out: 1) "Theology is important because correct doctrinal beliefs are essential to the relationship between the believer and God" and, 2) "Theology is necessary because truth and experience are related. While some would deny or at least question this connection, in the long run, the truth will affect our experience. A person who falls from the tenth story of a building may shout while passing each window on the way down, 'I’m still doing fine,' and may mean it sincerely, but eventually, the facts of the matter will catch up with the person’s experience."

I have other things to say on this subject, and perhaps recommend other theological books for beginners... But time and space won't permit it. Until then!

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #TheologyMatters #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Kidding: Childlike Solutions to Bullsh*t Adult Problems (2018) by Laura Jane Williams, Brief Review

I decided to make a very brief review of this one. I bought it from BookXCess last week and finished it during my wait for a delayed and turbulent flight from KL. It was a good read. Fun, light, and direct, and I already believe the core thesis of the book, namely, connect with your "inner child to make your mundane, complicated adult life much simpler (and happier)." At least, on the non-life-and-death stuff, I say, why so serious? It's NOT about being childish but childlike.

What I like: The author's storytelling ability, conversational writing style, vulnerabilities, and practical wisdom. Simple writing/thinking exercises inside the book are also very helpful for self-discovery. And, of course, hardcover.

What I dislike: Feminist-bend is obvious on this one, although very mild. Fault language. Very minimum backup research to support her claims, most are based on her experiences.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #Kidding #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Reading Can Activates Your Potential #LeadersAreReaders August 2022

Without reading and writing, there will be no progress to speak of. Without reading and writing, we'd be stuck in the Stone Age. Without reading and writing, there will be no civilization as we know it. These gifts of God to humankind are keys to unlocking our hidden potential. These gifts, writes Burke Hedges, author of Read & Get Rich, "liberates us and activates our dormant minds, much like a catalyst activates an inert chemical solution. Without the catalyst, the chemical just sits there. Add the catalyst and - boom! - there's an explosion of activity."

This reminds me of an old, true story. A young Italian sculptor named Agostino had a huge block of marble delivered to his studio. He had great plans to sculpt the block into a marvelous statue but unfortunately, he found the marble hard to work with. Frustrated, he had the marble removed to make room for a different project. About 40 years later, another Italian sculptor named Michaelangelo spotted the marble block hidden in an abandoned garbage heap. When he saw it, he ordered it sent to his studio. You know what happened next, right?

In case you don't... For many years, he studied the marble block, sizing up its potential, measuring it over and over again, testing its hardness with his chisels, making endless sketches, etc. Slowly but surely he gently smoothed his completed status with his chisels. The result was a masterpiece, the famous statue of David! You see, my fellow social media friends, Michaelangelo did what Agostino failed to do: he saw the full potential of the marble block and released that potential with his talent, patience, genius - and his chisels. Like that marble block, we are rough and unrefined at first (otak pun keras!) but we have such great potential! Reading (and writing) is the chisel that releases our potential and reveals the work of art within.

Ernest Carr puts it this way, "Not to be able to read is like one world with one door to enter and nothing is there... Because of literacy, I have been freed from this dark world. Because of literacy, I have 1,000 doors that I can enter now." So you see, reading not only activates your POTENTIAL but also POSSIBILITIES. Read! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Give Thyself To Reading #LeadersAreReaders July 2022

 At this writing, I'm finishing a book by Jason Dorsey and Denise Villa entitled Zconomy: How Gen Z Will Change the Future of Business — and What to Do About It (2020). It is obvious from their research that Gen Zers are more attracted to visuals and videos than words. The immediate implication is that reading actual books are in decline. With social media, Netflix, and video games competing for our attention (not just Gen Zers), the side effects include a shortened attention span and a limited ability at deep and critical thinking. I wrote "our attention" because I'm fully aware that the temptation of consuming content for the sake of entertainment only and mindless viewing are real. If I'm not careful (or don't control it), I can be sucked into the vortex of shallowness. I'm horrified by the thought of not being able to think deeply and critically. God forbid!

One of the best antidotes (not the only one, of course) to this deathly sin is by reading books. I can quote lots of positive research that has been done to prove this but let me choose the most authoritative of all: The Bible. Particularly, the example of the apostle Paul. When he was in prison, waiting for his sure execution, he wrote to Timothy. His last request in the letter is to ask Timothy for a cloak to keep him warm and to bring his books! (read 2 Timothy 4:13). Charles Spurgeon, my favorite preacher of the 19th century, reflected on Paul's request:

"He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He has had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up in the third heaven and had heard things unlawful for a man to utter, yet he wants books! He has written a major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! The apostle says to Timothy and so he says to every Christian, ‘Give thyself to reading.’ The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains proves he has no brains of his own.”

Be inspired by Paul's love of books (actually, I'm also inspired by Charles Spurgeon's love of books too. Read his biographies!). Protect your mind. Think deeply and critically. Love knowledge. Savor God's wisdom in His Book and enjoy His general graces in human books too. Give thyself to reading! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #LifeLongLearner

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Gay Girl, Good God: The Story of Who I Was, and Who God Has Always Been (2018) by Jackie Hill Perry, Audiobook Review

Regardless of who she is becoming or her theology may have been shifted a bit today, objectively speaking, judged by this book alone, I love it! Jackie Hill Perry writes in a very poetic way. It is not just beautiful but also truthful too. With compassion and conviction. Lots of vulnerability and yet not self-centered. As a poet and rapper, Jackie is no doubt an expert storyteller. Although a bit preachy in the end and in between, as a reader, I know her origin story as an ex-gay girl a.k.a. lesbian but above all, I know the good God that she is writing about, "To tell you about what God has done for my soul is to invite you into my worship."

Jackie grew up fatherless, a marijuana user, a pornography addict, and experienced gender confusion. The back cover states: "She embraced masculinity and homosexuality with every fiber of her being. She knew that Christians had a lot to say about all of the above. But was she supposed to change herself? How was she supposed to stop loving women, when homosexuality felt more natural to her than heterosexuality ever could?" This book tells her journey toward change and wholeness. I can imagine what the LGBTQ+ people might think about this book: it's a cliche. A gay girl found a good God, let go of her old lifestyle and married a man, etc. But it's more than that. For one, Jackie admits that temptation does come and go. Yet "I don’t believe it is wise or truthful to the power of the gospel to identify oneself by the sins of one’s past or the temptations of one’s present but rather to only be defined by the Christ who’s overcome both for those He calls His own." Amen!

I have a few unresolved issues about the book though: What happened to her girlfriend after she ended the relationship? After a few years of marriage with Preston, does same-sex attraction (SSA) occur again? How about non-practice SSA who wish to be celibate, any words for them? (or maybe I missed it). Overall, it is a good book to understand how one person can be changed by the good God. "Because a good God made the woman, then being a woman is a good thing." For sure, Jackie writes from the 'tradition' view, not from the 'progressive' view. Some people might disagree with her interpretations, and some will affirm her Biblical view (I'm one of them). This is a story of one person, so, don't use this book to be the standard to measure and judge all SSA or LGBTQ+ people. There is no one size fit when it comes to the sexual issue. It's messy. Continue to listen, learn and explore - and read the Scripture, that is, the Word of God, rightly.

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #GayGirlGoodGod #JackieHillPerry #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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Why You Should Finish A Book? #LeadersAreReaders June 2022

Last month [June 2022] I only managed to finish two books. Since the relaxation of quarantine, the works of ministry are getting momentum - and then some. Most of the time, I read for references, and not enough space for leisure reading. I hope for the months to come, I can catch up with other books that I've bought during The Hills Book Fair. Before I share why once you start a book you should finish it is a wise rule, I want to confess that I sometimes break this rule myself. Quitting a book is not a sin. This is a wise rule, not a divine law. Having said that, here are FOUR (4) REASONS why you should finish a book:

1) SURPRISES. When you stop short, you risk missing something incredible. I can’t count how many books have bored me in the beginning only to later amaze me with their insights and thrills. I experienced this when I read Dan Brown's Origin (2017) and James Garvey's The Persuaders (2016). Also, when I first read the Book of Leviticus I find it very boring and irrelevant. But after I endure to the end and studied a little more on the subject, I find that is a very enriching book of truth!

2) PLEASURE. Finishing a book is like completing a mission or a race. The sense of accomplishment and a small win will motivate you to want to read more. It's like you have done something great amid never-ending challenges in the world today. I remember when I finished reading a big volume of Martyn Lloyd-Jones's Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (1984), I felt like a champion and filled with awe by Lord Jesus's teachings and Lloyd Jones's expositions. The intellectual pleasure makes me happy and the spiritual pleasure makes me glad.

3) DISCIPLINE. Perhaps this is not a popular word nowadays. But to start a book means you want to acquire the discipline, to begin with, and it requires discipline to finish it. What I mean is this: You need the discipline to begin and you will gain discipline when you finish it. It's like reading the Bible. As Christ believers, you know you should read the Bible but most of the time you don't feel like you want to read it. So what's the solution? After asking God to give you spiritual hunger for the Word of God, the most basic way is to JUST read it. Once you discipline yourself to start to read it and do it daily, the habit will start to form and soon or later you just can't live without it for more than a week! You'll start to love it and finish it.

4) RESPECT. "Never judge a book by its cover", right? Hmmm... sometimes I do. I think we can bring that a step further in a much more practical way: Never judge a book by some bad chapters. Yuval Noah Harari, I think, has written two very important books, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2011) and Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow (2015). I recommend both. I enjoy Harari's insights, intelligence, and train of thought. But I do not necessarily agree with some of his theories and conclusions. In fact, there are chapters and sentences that I just can't tolerate. Yet, out of respect, I need to judge his books as a whole. Never give up a book just because you disagree with some of their arguments. Trying to understand other people's opinions without compromising your values is the key. Even if you want to criticize the author, make sure you read the book to the end.

There are more that I wanted to say but the four reasons above should be enough, right? May you find a book or two or more that can make you say what Lailah Gifty Akita wrote: "I wish I could fall asleep. But with a good book in my hands, I stay awake to finish reading.” #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #FinishABook #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

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I Remember John Sung (1976) by William E. Schubert, 2nd Book Review

I read this for the fourth time because it is so inspiring and challenging book. Dr. J. Edwin Orr writes, "John Sung was one of the most colorful characters of all time, an evangelist of striking spiritual power as well as a prophet whose eccentricities matched some of those known through the Old Testament." Perhaps the last statement is putting John Sung too highly than he really was but it's not without merit. If you read this together with the other biographies and some of his sermon samples in the appendix, you can see why John Sung should be on your list of heroes of the faith.

Too often, churches and seminaries in Asia make much of the Reformation figures - yes, they are important and should be known - like Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, etc. but lack excitement when it comes to Asian heroes of the faith like John Sung, Watchman Nee, Sadhu Sundar Singh, etc. People like these men (and oh, wonderful Christian women too!) must be rediscovered and highlighted because young Christians nowadays need actual heroes beyond the MCU and DCEU fictional superheroes! What's amazing is that, if you read Christian biographies, you can see how flawed women and men like John Sung can be used by God for His glory and to extend His Kingdom on earth. Their shortcomings can make you relate to them and their passion and zeal for our Lord Jesus Christ and His Word can put us to shame, which if you let the Holy Spirit works in you, can become a source of challenge and inspiration.

In the closing remark, William E. Schubert says: "As we remember John Sung, we pray that God will produce another, perhaps even greater, evangelist in this century. God often calls His leaders from the ranks of Jesus' persecutors. When this man, or men, come on the scene, then China and the Far East will be aflame for God with the preaching of the irresistible Gospel." In the same way, may God raises such leaders in Sarawak, Malaysia, Asia... again! #ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #JohnSung #HeroesOfFaith #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

Read my previous book reviews about John Sung here:

1) I Remember John Sung, 1st Review
2) A Biography of John Sung (2004) by Leslie T. Lyall
3) I also like to recommend Asian Awakening: John Sung (1988) by Timothy Tow

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