Review: Sensitive Preaching to the Sexually Hurting

Summary: Sensitive Preaching to the Sexually Hurting walks preachers through a variety of topics related to human sexuality. Dr. Sam Serio offers practical suggestions and language to use while discussing these sensitive topics.

Review: For six years, I served in a sexual abstinence program through my local pregnancy support center in upstate New York. In retrospect, we should have been named a sexual design program. So, I was very interested to read this book with my background biblical sexuality and my current role as a pastor.

Serio explores sexual topics with an openness that’s needed in the Christian church. He covers the topics of Casual Sex, Abortion, Sexual Assault, Childhood Abuse, Same-Sex Attraction, and Sexless Marriage. His categories are helpful, and he highlights some topics that had not occurred to me.

At the end of each topic, Serio gives text suggestions to talk about these individual topics. I did not find these terribly helpful. However, the main sections of the chapters are very helpful. He offers terms, phrases, and great insight on how to present these sexual issues to congregations in a gentle but biblically truthful way.

My one major criticism with the book is the chapter on Same-Sex Attraction and Homosexuality. While I appreciate Serio’s balanced and loving concern for individuals, he puts too much emphasis on the parents as a root of same-sex attraction. He highlights four types of fractured parental relationships that lead to this type of attraction but fails to address what happens when none of these fractured relationships is present and a person still experiences same-sex attraction.

Ultimately, I was surprised with how helpful I found this book. There are areas I disagree with his approach, but Serio offers pastors an image of gracious, biblical conversations from the pulpit.

Find it on Amazon here.
Find it on Kregel here.

Rating: 4/5 Stars (I really liked it)

"Our math classes tell us 1+1+1=3, but 1x1x1=1. God is "the three times God." When you talk to Jesus, you are talking to God. When you talk with the Father, you are talking to God. And when you talk with the Holy Spirit, you are talking with God." - Rodrick K. Durst, Reordering the Trinity
 
Summary: Recognizing the deep importance of the doctrine of the Trinty Rodrick K. Durst identifies six orders of the Trinitarian persons in the Scriptures and demonstrates what the biblical authors are emphasizing in these orders.
 
Review: Reordering the Trinity focuses on historical, contemporary, and practical issues, but its main thrust is to identify the six orderings of the Trinitarian Persons, then interpret the significance behind these particular ordering.
 
The orderings are as follows:
1. Father – Son – Spirit
2. Son – Spirit – Father
3. Son – Father – Spirit
4. Spirit – Father – Son
5. Father – Spirit – Son
6. Spirit – Son – Father
 
I am indebted to Durst for pointing out these different orderings. While I have observed these differing orders in Scripture before, I never thought much of it. Durst argues throughout the book that these different orders actually communicate different things. The biblical authors very intentionally selected the order the Trinitarian Persons to communicate specific themes.
 
For example, the classic “Father – Son – Spirit” order is what he calls “The Sending Triad.” It has a missional purpose behind it.
The “Father – Spirit – Son” is what he calls “The Shaping Triad.” There is a spiritual formation process in this ordering.
 
The data Durst provides is comprehensive. He explores each Bible passage in extensive detail. I think in general he’s onto something. Some of the specific passages are a bit of a stretch when it comes to Durst’s thematic categories. Largely, though, I found myself in general amazement seeing how the biblical authors (under the guidance of God the Holy Spirit) used these orders to convey God’s work in humanity and his church.
 
I wish the practical side of this book was stronger. Durst is intentional at the end of the major chapters to offer “Sermon Starters”. He also has a closing practical section. These all contain helpful material to glean from, but I found the analysis sections more practical than the practical sections.
 
Reordering the Trinity was extremely helpful to me. In my personal and professional life, I have seen a number of Christian leaders and organizations deemphasize the Trinity, or dismiss the doctrine altogether. This trend caused me to update some of my submission requirements on my podcast, and required other organizations I work with to do so as well.
 
I have a deep affection for the Trinity. I have a deep desire to delve into the mysteries of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This desire is coupled with an understanding that many of those mysteries will still remain mysterious.
 
Durst has revealed something about the Trinity I have never seen before.
As I wrote before, I am indebted to him.
 
Rating: 4.5/5 (I Really Liked It)

Summary: In the near future, suicide is a constitutional right. Tom Galloway is just an ordinary single parent, trying to keep his rebellious and depressed teenage daughter from going to the Happy Endings Clinic. If there's one thing he doesn't need, it's a tenth century Viking time traveler dropping into his world. But Tom is about to begin the adventure of his life, one that will change the whole world.

Review: Lars Walker crafts a chilling dystopia in Death’s Doors. Unlike many contemporary stories with similar settings, this novel goes into the grim details of what this future-version of America looks like and why. Religion is heavily regulated so-as not to cause discomfort to others. Infants may be disposed. Autonomous persons, even children, can opt for physician assisted suicide. People will do anything to avoid pain. There are no heroes anymore. Everyone is looking for comfort.

Greatness does not arise from comfort.

And in this context, Walker utilizes an old speculative fiction device. He brings a man of the past into the present. I almost skipped over this book because of this plot point. I’ve seen it done too many times. Walker, however, turns the device on its head. He doesn’t bring a good man back to the present. He brings back Haakon, a tenth century Viking. Haakon hates Christians. He is brutal and violent. He treats women like objects to be won or used.

Haakon isn’t a complete villain, though. He brings perspective into this comfort-obsessed dystopia. He is a complex character who I found myself simultaneously applauding and condemning. By coupling this Viking with our well-meaning but powerless protagonist the character dynamics become quite dramatic.

Death’s Doors contains aspects of both science fiction and fantasy. I dare not say more than that, lest I ruin the plot.

I found myself highlighting numerous passages in the book. Like C.S. Lewis I find Lars Walker quite quotable. Typically, I don’t go out of my way to notate fiction. I marked twenty-nine passages in this book.

My only complaint is that the book is available only in an electronic edition. While I enjoy reading digitally, I also like to place great books on my bookshelf. Death’s Doors should sit right next to my Charles Williams collection.
Even though the novel is a work of speculative fiction it is grounded in reality. Death’s Doors was so wonderfully crafted that I would love to sit down for a meal with Lars Walker someday just to pick his brain.

I’d even be willing to eat Lutefisk to do so.

Rating: 5/5 (I Loved It!)

Find it here on Amazon.

Summary: Aaron Lunsford, drummer for the indie Christian rock band As Cities Burn, writes a memoir following the band's pursuit of success, bitter failures, and difficult relationships.

Review: I have enjoyed As Cities Burn for a number of years now. In particular, Come Now Sleep and Hell or High Water. The brutal honesty of this group's lyrics resound with me. They are transparent with their spiritual struggles with Christ, as well as their struggles with the Church. Their instruments are the perfect vehicle to communicate this struggle.

And then, in the midst of the difficult relationships, the lyrics and music explode the grace of God on the listener. We see a glimmer of the light of things hoped for.

For me, As Cities Burn gives a pretty honest and typical portrayal of the Christian walk:
Struggle. Struggle. Struggle. Beauty. Struggle. Beauty. Beauty. Beauty. Rest. Struggle.

So I snatched up this memoir as soon as it came out.

The book spends most of the time exploring the difficulties of touring, starting a band, and the interpersonal conflicts that arise as a result of it. Lunsford gives a chaotic glimpse into the lives of a bunch of (mostly) Christian guys trying to find an audience for their music. There is very little reference to their faith, or walk, but when Lunsford does go there he has a fair amount of criticism for Christians and himself.

One poignant passage explains these young guys' dilemma:

As Cities Burn's work has moved me incredibly at times. And I think it's because these guys are doing the very difficult task of living out their imperfect faith within a church-culture that has largely encouraged believers to pretend to be perfect in their walk with Christ. I certainly don't agree with Lunsford in all areas of orthopraxy (right actions), but I do appreciate his honesty.

Backstage is rather vulgar (not terribly profane, though). This doesn't bother my literary sensibilities too much, but it certainly isn't for everyone. And there were points where the vulgarity muddied the flow of text and detracted from his narration. (Oh! And he offers one band-hijinks image I would have been happy to have gone to my grave without ever visualizing).

Fans of the band will enjoy this fun and quick memoir. More than just a band book, though, voices like this are important in the Western Church these days. So much of our focus is on our actions as believers rather than the object of our belief, Jesus Christ. American Christians need to become much more honest disciples, who constantly point to their need for Jesus Christ.

Lunsford does a great job in the honesty department. The need for Jesus is only dimly implied.

Rating: 4/5 (I Really Liked It)

Find it here on Amazon.

Watch one of my favorite moments from As Cities Burn:

No Joke! A Fun and challenging memoir.

Summary: Dr. John S. Hammett explores the two ordinances of the Church, the Lord's Supper and Baptism, from a scholarly Baptist perspective.

Review: As Hammett acknowledges in the beginning of the book, there is an irony found in the rites of the Lord's Supper and Baptism. Whereas these practices should bring about Christian unity, they have historically caused division among the universal Church.

40 Questions About Baptism and the Lord's Supper does not try to reunify the Church, but it does spend quite a bit of time offering presentation of the various perspectives rather than an ongoing polemic against every non-Baptist understanding. I found this refreshing.

Additionally, Hammett explores the terms for these rites (i.e. ordinances or sacraments) with a balanced perspective.

Now, being an ordained Southern Baptist pastor, I generally find myself in agreement with Hammett's conclusions. I'm not a hard-nosed Baptist, though. My theological convictions don't arise from historical Baptist roots. And because of this, I found Hammett's approach to the viewpoints on Baptism and the Lord's Supper intellectually and biblically honest.

I never got the sense that Hammett was out to prove the Baptist viewpoint, and demolish the Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed theologies. On the contrary, Hammett approached the rites looking for as much common ground as possible, and only offered his evaluations after the common ground was affirmed.

I found the following questions of particular usefulness:
- Are Baptism and the Lord's Supper Sacraments or Ordinances?
- Is Baptism a Divine Means of Grace or a Human Act of Obedience?
- What Is The Correct Term for [the Lord's Supper]?
- What Is the Meaning of the Lord's Supper?
- In What Sense Is Christ Present in the Lord's Supper?

One last note, I began reading this book while waiting to have my tonsils removed and assumed during my recovery I would turn toward a more simple form of leisure. I returned to this book however. While Hammett is quite scholarly in his presentation, he's also very enjoyable to read.

Rating: 5/5 (I loved it)

Find it at Kregel here.
Find it at Amazon here.

Summary: Randal E. Pelton presents a concise textbook for "Big Idea" preaching, which focuses on connecting the big idea to Christ-Centered sermons.

Review: In general, I agree with Pelton's preaching philosophy. I am a "Big Idea" preacher from the school of Haddon Robinson. Much of Pelton's book interacts with Robinson's philosophy of preaching, and like minded persons. He uses slightly different terminology, but at its core (or big idea) it flows from that same school of thought.

For this reason alone, I must commend it as a solid work on homiletics.

The book itself, however, is conflicted with what it wants to accomplish. On the one hand, it wants to present itself as an introductory, one-stop shop, for preaching sermons from the text. But on the other, it is trying to make an argument for bringing Christ into every sermon and how to do that. The book is fairly short, but in comparison to the other sections the chapter on "Canonical Big Ideas" is rather long. But it is too short to make a winsome argument, or equip the homiletician with the various options of Christ-centered preaching that Pelton offers.

The book is built off of the "Big Idea" preaching philosophy, and adds onto it this Christ-focused concept of a "Canonical Big Idea." There is simply not enough time spent on this concept, though. In this extended chapter Pelton juggles the tasks of arguing the need for this step, while simultaneously trying to teach how to do this. He doesn't quite succeed in either.

I would like to see his thoughts on this "Canonical Big Idea" presented in a longer work on its own. There just didn't seem to be the space to present what needed to be presented.

Finally, Preaching with Accuracy felt much more abstract than a book like this should feel. There certainly needs to be a philosophy presented, but the suggested big ideas, and sermon help never felt concrete. I looked at the suggested big ideas and without thinking began working on them to simplify their wording. To move them to a more concrete place.

So, while I agree with Pelton's preaching philosophy overall, I feel this book had dual foci which shifted the attention away from the concept of "Canonical Big Ideas" Pelton wanted to present.

Rating: 3/5 (I Liked It)

Find it at Kregel here.
Find it at Amazon here.