Reading to Escape - And Come Back #LeadersAreReaders February 2023

My leader once asked me, “You read a lot of books. Is this a form of escapism for you?” My answer was (and is): “Yes, in one sense it is for the purpose of escape, but not so much as escapism. I’m not reading to avoid reality, but I do read to temporarily escape to another world.” For me what’s dangerous is when we read to escape from responsibilities. What I’m promoting is that we read to escape to another world where we get help, encouragement, and inspiration in order for us to return home to reality and live responsibly.

Good - Christian or non-Christian, fiction or non-fiction - books can bring glory and honor to God, the Giver of Thought and Word when they help us to see more of God’s greatness, beauty, creativity, and reality. Books that help us to understand and appreciate His creations and providence in history. Spark our imagination and critical thinking. Bring awareness to things visible and invincible. See good versus evil. Light conflicts with darkness. These are the kind of books that I want to escape to. Nora Ephron writes, "Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it's a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it's a way of making contact with someone else's imagination after a day that's all too real."

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #ReadingIsEscape

To read my other book reviews/summaries, CLICK HERE

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

What Love Is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God (2018 Revised Edition) by Dave Hunt, Sort-of Review

 What Love Is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God (2018 Revised Edition)
by Dave Hunt

I can't remember clearly when was the first time I was exposed to Calvinism. Come to think about it, perhaps it was through books that I read (seem obvious) or sermons that I heard, or both. For sure I was reading lots of books by avid Calvinists in the past such as C.H. Spurgeon, John Piper, J.I. Packers, R.C. Sproul, and my all-time favorite John MacArthur (a.k.a. JMac). God has used - and continues to do so - their books and teachings to shape my mind and understanding of the Scripture. But I have this against them: the core teachings of Calvinism, especially on soteriology (the doctrine of salvation), are incompatible and inconsistent with Scripture. By core teachings, I'm referring to five points that can be summarized by the acronym TULIP. Having said that, I do believe (for now) that Reformed Theology is the closest to biblical Christianity as compared to other major theological systems. We must keep in mind that all theological persuasions are not perfect. It is the Word of God alone that is inerrant, infallible, and perfect.

I'm friendly to the Calvinists but I'm not one. So, am I an Arminian? No (By the way, Jacob Arminius was a good guy. And the opposite of Calvinism is not only Arminianism. Grow up!). How about a Provisionist? Interesting but not yet fully persuaded. For now, although it is helpful to know where ones stand theologically, I have no affiliation with any label. To say, I'm a Biblicalist is a cliche. But I do want to say that there is no biblical mandate or obligation for us to make the decision. Maybe the best way, for now, is to either ignore the label or settle with one or continue to learn and explore. I choose to be proactive. I've been listening to dozens of debates, podcasts, and talks to wrap my mind on these matters. I would like to encourage you to do the same (except for not being too obsessed). On the topic of Calvinism, I highly recommend the late R.C. Sproul's What Is Reformed Theology? Understanding the Basics book and talk series on Ligoniers Ministry YouTube Channel. R.C. was a good teacher, theologian, and communicator. On the other hand, if you want to read on the topic against Calvinism, then, I highly recommend the late Dave Hunt's What Love Is This? Calvinism's Misrepresentation of God. I have other recommendations too but for basics, try these two as your introductions.

I love Dave Hunt. He was the embodiment of "zeal with knowledge" and "logic on fire" on par with Walter Martin. He addresses many topics and wrote numerous books on theology, the church, prophecy, cults, occults, New Age, and other religions and critiques of Catholicism, Islam, and yes, Calvinism, among others. You will either love him or hate him but think you must! In this book, Dave Hunt hopes to show how Calvinism misrepresents God's love, decrees, sovereignty, will, foreknowledge, grace, nature, character, gospel, and, of course, the Scripture. Some things I agree with, some statements I disagree with, and many times I hold my judgment. There are strengths (for example, quoting well-known Calvinism proponents to define their own terms) and weaknesses (for example, the tone of his writings, if you're not familiar with him, seems angry and very critical) as any provocative book would have. If you're a Calvinist, you will be triggered by the chapters on the (other) "horrific" beliefs and practices of John Calvin and his early followers of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. And not to mention that of Augustine of Hippo. So, read this book at your own risk!

NOTE: Btw, there are other good (some are better!) non-Calvinist teachers and writers that you should explore too such as David Pawson, Chuck Missler, A.W. Tozer, Adrian Rogers, C.S. Lewis, Michael Heiser, Frank Viola, John Stott, Hwa Yung, etc. Read widely.

To read my other book reviews, CLICK HERE

#ServeToLead #LeadersAreReaders #DaveHunt #Calvinism #Reformed #GodsLove #Theology #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.

Charles Spurgeon: The Prince of Preachers (1988) by J. C. Carlile, Book Review

 Charles Spurgeon: The Prince of Preachers (1988) by J. C. Carlile
An edited and abridged version, 1997, by Dan Harmon

Once in a while, when I thought that I’ve done so many works and sacrifices for the Lord in my own small, faulty, ignorance perspective, and craving for people’s appreciation and attention, I will think of two mortal men who will have none of these and puts me - and all of us - to shame. First, the indisputable apostle Paul. “For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace” (1 Corinthians 15:10). And secondly, Charles Haddon Spurgeon. He was called to be a preacher when he was 16 years old. It was recorded that in his entire life he preached nearly 3,600 sermons (“The collected sermons filled 63 volumes equivalent to the 27 volume ninth edition of Encyclopedia Britannica,” observes John Piper), and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, illustrations, and devotions. Every week he preached 4 to 10 times, read 6 meaty books, revised sermons for publication, lectured, edited a monthly magazine, and in his spare time, he wrote about 150 books! Not to mention, he shepherded about 6,000 church members (legend says that he knew all members by name), founded and directed a theological college, an orphanage, and oversaw 66 Christian charities.* Remember too, he was a family man with a godly wife and a healthy relationship with all his children. There are more but I think you get the point.

David Livingstone, a famous missionary, once asked Spurgeon, “How can you accomplish so much in one day?” He replied wittily, “You forget, Mr. Livingstone. There are two of us working.” No doubt, he meant the presence and grace of the living God. Reading the biographies of such godly men and women like Spurgeon is a good reminder for every Christians, especially Christian ministers, to remain faithful to His Word and be productive in doing His works. This book, under the Heroes of the Faith titles from Barbour Publishing, is a good introduction to the life, ministry, and legacy of Charles H. Spurgeon. The story of Spurgeon’s childhood and conversion are very fascinating. He was a very curious boy who love nature and learning. One of his biggest influences in my life is his thirst for knowledge. Mind you, he had no formal theological training [nor being formally ordained as a minister] but he was very well-read in Puritan theology, natural history, and popular literature. This gives me hope because I too don’t have any formal theological training (Spurgeon wrote to his father who urged him to apply for college, “You know what my style is. I fancy it is not very collegelike.” Fist bump! Although, this is not an excuse if you need one) and also a sense of unworthiness because Spurgeon is Spurgeon and he is one of a kind (to compare oneself with Spurgeon is to compare a kitten with a lion). The book outlines various aspects of his life including his development as a preacher, minister, writer, educator, and defender of the Truth. A special chapter on his belief in Calvinism is also very interesting. He famously declared: “I am never ashamed to avow myself a Calvinist; I do not hesitate to take the name of Baptist; but if I am asked what is my creed, I reply – It is Jesus Christ.”

But not all of Spurgeon’s life was bright and sunny. He shared his portion of Christ’s suffering, betrayal of friends, physical pain, and emotional depression especially due to the tragic fire incident at Surrey Gardens Music Hall and the energy-sapping ‘Downgrade’ controversy (R.J. Sheehan’s C.H. Spurgeon and the Modern Church, 1985, is an excellent short book to know more about this great battle). At the end of the day, Spurgeon is still a mortal man with flaws, and very much in need of the Saviour like the rest of us. Only by God’s grace, Spurgeon was used by Him mightily. I’m thankful for Spurgeon’s service and praise God forever. As the apostle Paul puts it: “It was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.” Amen!

#ServeToLead #PreachTheWord #LeadersAreReaders #LetsMakeReadingCoolAgain #CharlesHSpurgeon #PrinceOfPreacher #ChristianBiography

Here are a few other related #1Book1Week reviews:

1) Spurgeon on Leadership (2010) by Larry J. Michael, CLICK HERE

2) C. H. Spurgeon and the Modern Church: Lessons for Today from the ‘Downgrade’ Controversy (1985) by R.J. Sheehan, CLICK HERE

3) Words of Counsel: For All Leaders, Teachers, and Evangelists (Updated 2018) by Charles H. Spurgeon, CLICK HERE

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Five (5) Lessons I Learned from William Carey: Pioneer Missionary (this edition 2000) by E.A. Annett, Book Review

 

William Carey: Pioneer Missionary (this edition 2000) by E.A. Annett

Reading biographies of heroes of the faith like William Carey never fails to inspire me to continue to serve the Lord and stop complaining. As much I admire his accomplishments, I'm encouraged the most by his passion and perseverance amidst difficulties. If only young* people nowadays are exposed to great men and women of God of old (not perfect, of course) like Carey, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Sung, Corrie Ten Boom, Catherine Booth, etc. and not to be soo obsessed with K-Pop idols, they will grow stronger in the faith and maturity in the mind. When today's depression causes many youngsters to self-destructive behavior, Charles H. Spurgeon, who was battling with depression until the end of his life, by the grace of God, was able to change the world of Christianity during his time and beyond. How do I know it's possible? Read Christian biographies.

Now, there are lots of things I can say about Mr. Carey and so many lessons I have learned. Let me briefly just share five (5) of them:

1) Evangelism: Winning Lost Souls for Christ. After his conversion, he grows rapidly. He studies the Scripture diligently and has a great interest ("fierce energy of love for the heathen") to reach the lost. One of his first book or booklet that he wrote to share his conviction for reaching the world outside England was entitled, An Enquiry Into the Obligation of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathen ("heathen" is an old word for the ungodly or pagans or unbelievers). The local church wasn't ready for this, but he was very persuasive about it and see to it that God's given-dream be done.

2) Calvinism: Theology on Fire. Now, to be clear, the book doesn't mention his Calvinistic view but simply said that he was a Baptist preacher in England before he went to India. Other biographers, however, stated that he was a devout Calvinist in the matters of a systematic approach to Biblical hermeneutics. And because of his high view of God's sovereignty, he sparked the people's consciousness about their responsibility to share the Gospel to the lost, when he preached a sermon from Isaiah 54:2-3. Two great principles were recorded from this sermon: "Expect great things from God; Attempt great things for God." God alone can do it; God will enable us to do it.

3) Vision: Don't Give Up. From England to India; from a fairly good European life to poverty-stricken missionary life; from suspicious and reluctant support by the Baptist Missionary Society at home to doubtful locals of India; from unreliable partners at first to most faithful brothers (thank God!) like Joshua Marshman and William Ward. In all of these challenges and more, Carey doesn't give up. Only after 6-7 years of ministering tirelessly, then he and his friends saw the first fruits of conversion. Then, as they gain momentum, they started Serampore Mission school, college, and literature classes. When God gave the vision, don't give up... "attempt great things for God" (P.s: The cost of the vision also very heavy for Carey, especially for the family).

4) Bible: People Must Know God's Written Word. E.A. Annett writes: "In early days, while still engaged at his shoemaking, Carey hammered out his system of evangelization. With sanctified genius, he had recognized that the main instrument in the great work must be the Bible translated into the vernaculars of the peoples." With no formal education or any language-grammar training, Carey and his friends - the trio - learned the Indian languages through self-taught and by practice. They, together with Indian pundits, have translated the entire Bible and/or in part into 29+ languages and dialects. One time their printing house was on fire but the next day they started all over again. Just like Martin Luther and William Tyndale, when the people understand the Bible in their languages, reformation - spiritually and intellectually - will unavoidably happen. Such is the power of God's Word unleashed!

5) Humility: In the End, to God Be the Glory. Mr. Carey was the most industrious man. He teaches in the university, he translates the Bible daily, he preaches in the public, he trains new preachers, he studies always, he leading prayer meetings, he wrote letters, he wrote books and pamphlets, he devours every morning to reading and meditating, he defends and protects the Mission from the enemies (both from within and without), he loves to examine insects, birds, and plants, he takes care of his garden and more. Of course, as he gets older, he can't do most of these things. And yet, with all that he has done for God, he never takes off his eyes from the Lord, the One who has done everything through him. One day he responded to his guest, "Mr. Duff, you have been speaking about Dr. Carey, Dr. Carey; when I am gone say nothing about Dr. Carey - speak about Dr. Carey's Savior." Wow! In the little cemetery where he was buried, there is a simple inscription (chosen by himself) that say:

WILLIAM CAREY
Born August 17, 1761
Died June 9, 1834

"A wretched, poor and helpless worm,
On Thy kind arms I fall."

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