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Books that have impacted your life or ministry


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Hello to all, borrowing 1611's idea of a thread for books that have impacted our lives and ministries I thought I would make the first post and invite others to join us.  The suggestion was for each to present five books but for me I thought I would post just one at a time and write a little of why it was impactful in my life.  Below is the first book.  BTW; it is not my intention to steal the post from "Mac1611" I just wanted to make sure a post got started. 

I love the thought of sharing books that have impacted one’s life and ministry for the cause of Christ.  It could not prioritize my list since I have literally read several hundred books during my ministry and like most you, my frame of mind and what I was looking for when I read these books has much to say about what I was open to receive.  None the less here are five books which impacted my life greatly. 

 

Seeing the spiritual in every day struggles can be difficult for everyone and at the time I read this book (1997) I was pastoring in small church wondering what was going on in the life of our church members and in my personal life.  In looking for answers for the intense struggle both spiritually and socially I turned to the bible and books and the title “Born for Battle 31 Lessons on Spiritual Warfare” caught my attention.  R. Arthur Matthews was one of the last two remaining “Inland China Missionaries to leave China” in 1953.  His last few years he was placed under house arrest with his wife and daughter it was during this time (like Bunyan of old” he wrote the lessons in the book. 

 

In lesson one “The Soldier of the Cross” he makes this statement which I have committed to memory. “The history of the saints in every age is one of conflict. The path the disciple treads is one of certain warfare.” There are many wonderful insights into the life of one who truly lives for Christ.  A powerful book!

 

One more quote to whet your appetite in lesson eleven Matthews talks of our prayer life being the leading edge or “Cutting Edge” of accomplishing anything in ministry.  He writes, “Considering the importance God attaches to prayer for the carrying out of his purposes on earth, we must be alert and sensitive to common habits and tendencies that impair the effectiveness and blunt the cutting edge of our praying.  Prayers that have blunt edges have no power of penetration, so not many get through to the throne.”

 

The book is 162 pages some of the lessons a mere two or three pages long but in my mind, it is a classic, written at a time when many protestants still had a passion and fire for God.

 

I will write about the four other books that impacted my ministry later this week.  Enjoy the Lord today. 

 

Here is a song from our choir from our A.M. service I hope you enjoy it.  http://cbcponca.blogspot.com/2017/02/choir-special-there-is-power-in-name-of.html

 

Edited by Orval
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15 hours ago, Orval said:

Seeing the spiritual in every day struggles can be difficult for everyone and at the time I read this book (1997) I was pastoring in small church wondering what was going on in the life of our church members and in my personal life.  In looking for answers for the intense struggle both spiritually and socially I turned to the bible and books and the title “Born for Battle 31 Lessons on Spiritual Warfare” caught my attention.  R. Arthur Matthews was one of the last two remaining “Inland China Missionaries to leave China” in 1953.  His last few years he was placed under house arrest with his wife and daughter it was during this time (like Bunyan of old” he wrote the lessons in the book. 

I was not previously aware of this book or author.  However, upon your recommendation I have looked it up on Amazon, and have placed it on my book with list.

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2 hours ago, Pastor Scott Markle said:

I was not previously aware of this book or author.  However, upon your recommendation I have looked it up on Amazon, and have placed it on my book with list.

Pastor Markel,

 

This book is not of the same context as books written in the last twenty-five years.  I have read Anderson and Logan and a couple of others whom I cannot remember, there is no hyper excitement about doing battle with Satan the book is much more down to earth and reminds the reader that we are in an age-old battle, and the battle is not unique to our age, yet we have the same mandate that believers in all ages have had.  Put on our armor, pick up our Sword and prepare for war with the enemy. 

 

I have been asked a few times in the past 40 years this question, “if you were stranded on an Island and you could only have your bible and 1-5 books what would they be” without doubt Born for Battle and Pilgrim’s Progress would be on my list?

 

Please let us know what your thoughts are on the content of the book.   

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14 hours ago, 1611mac said:

- The Genesis Flood by Morris and Whitcomb  - One of the first books I read as a new Christian (outside of Bible study books) and it convinced me from day one that I could believe a literal Genesis/O.T.  account.
 

Brother 1611mac,

 

I have read portions of the Genesis Flood, but not the whole book.  I have been to the Institute of Creation Research which I believe (I could be wrong ) was in part sponsored by Scott Memorial Baptist in El Cajon California in its early years.  Though I have never met Morris or Whitcomb their collaboration on the book and its impact on the Young Earth movement is greatly appreciated.  Happy to see it on the list.

 

   

 

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Here is my presentation of book number two concerning five books that have impacted my ministry, and my testimony of how God used the book in my life.

 

I got saved in 1976, I was a 26-year-old man who had spent the last two years looking for answers to life.  My wife and I had four children, but our marriage was far from strong or even good immediately upon salvation our pastor spent like to months preaching and teaching on family relationships and as my wife and I changed toward God we changed toward one another as well. 

 

By, 1978 I felt the Lord dealing with me about ministry, I was teaching the 3rd and 4th grade children but knew God was moving me in a different direction.  I approached my pastor about my feelings and he gave me a book that would challenge me to the core of my being.  The title, “The Perfect Will of God” by G. Christian Weiss, my pastor said to me “read this book and come back and talk to me about it”.  I devoured the book, finished it in a couple of days, but the truths of God’s word and the requirements of the servant of God as pointed out by Mr. Weiss crushed my thoughts of entering the ministry.  I thought to myself there is no way I can meet all those requirements the bible talks about. 

 

So, I did not go back to pastor, instead I just taught my class for the next several months, but the call lay there in my mind nearly every day.  Then a man came to our church (who I will not name) and preached a famous message of his simply titled “Duty” I have the date marked in my very first bible April 23, 1978. Beside it I have the words don’t quit.  I reread The Perfect Will of God, and an illustration Mr. Weiss used has never left my mind. This is a paraphrase; “a farmer was walking through his apple orchard one fall day and as he came to each the apples would get excited, oh boy said one I shall be picked and be made into an apple pie, another stated oh here he comes perhaps today I will be made into apple butter and my taste shall cheer up the children, and so on as the farmer walked in his orchard all the apples wanted so much to be picked and put to great purpose by the farmer.  But the apples did not know what the farmer was thinking as he walked through his orchard and looked at each apple.  The Farmer was saying to himself hurry up and ripen so I can use you for the purpose you were created”. 

 

I came away from my second reading with these thoughts, if God is choosing me for ministry it must mean that I am ready for my next step and that God has purpose for choosing me.  The first time I read the book it scared me the second time it assured me.

 

A marvelous book that I shall be forever thankful for its impact on moving me from point A to point B in my journey to serve God.

 

Kindle has the book for 1.99 and you will not be sorry you read it.

 

 

 

 

          

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Like you, it's hard to pin down just 5 out of the plethora on the shelf, but these are what came to mind when I thought about memorable/impactful reads...

Forever Settled by Jack Moorman -- Really framed the KJV issue logically thoughtful way. While faith is my lens, I'm a facts and details guy so if you want to change my position on something, you have to give me a sound argument based on those facts/details. This book offers amazing detail on theological implications as well as the textual evidence that sent me down a rabbit hole of studies that galvanized my conviction on the KJV.

Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream by David Platt -- This was a great book about reorienting how success in ministry is judged (primarily from the perspective of the ministry worker). It talks about how our ideas on successful have been clouded by the idea of the American Dream wherein success is indicated by the increasingly unattainable descriptors of "more x", "bigger y", "benchmark z." Radical is essentially about dropping those notions and getting back to the idea of radical abandonment of self and personal goals in favor of pursuing God's goals and mission. It's about winning souls and training disciples; that's it.

Grasping God's Word by J. Scott Duvall -- This was one of my hermeneutics textbooks in seminary. It's one of those I can't endorse wholesale mostly do to sections on Bible texts and translations, but they were largely unimportant to the overall purpose of the book, which was principles of interpretation and being consistent. While it wasn't overly inspirational or paradigm-forming, it laid a solid foundation for consistent biblical interpretation.

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl -- I actually just finished this book, so I guess the impact is still TBD; but it was just that good. The premise is just like the title sounds. It is one of the best resources I've seen for defensive apologetics (i.e., when you come across a challenge to your faith in everyday life situations) and is suitable for Christians of all levels from newly saved to the well-studied.

Refuting Compromise by Jonathan Sarfati -- When I finally began to really take my faith seriously, I was undergoing an investigation into the whole creation vs. evolution argument. Truly, it was the topic that reignited me and sent me into earnest ministry. Like I said above, I'm a facts and details guy. I believed the Bible account was true, but I didn't know how to reconcile it with what I had been taught as "fact" my whole life. After a lot of investigation and reading, I came across this book by a PhD Chemist who was equally well-versed in the Bible and it all really sank in. If you are scientifically-minded, this book and the other two written by this author (Refuting Evolution and Refuting Evolution 2) are excellent resources on the topic.

 

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Brother Sword,

 

Thanks for posting the list, I substitute teach practical apologetics at heartland when our pastor is out of the classroom.  Book four Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Christian Convictions would be something I might enjoy.  I have not heard of Gregory Koukl but I did order the book and will let you know what I think of it in the next month or so.  Thanks for contributing to the discussion.   

 

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As I mentioned earlier, "The Lotus and the Cross" by Ravi Zachariah is at the top of my list. The Lord brought it to me when I was coming to a very bad place in my life and ministry, I had been "beset on every side" by fellow brethren for so long as I tried to serve and do right, and I was getting so weary of the fight that I was getting mean. I badly needed this little book to remind me how to speak the truth honestly while remaining gentle and gracious to the broken sinner. No book has ever affected me and brought about a change in me like that one.

"A Tale of Three Kings", again a book about brokenness and humility in the face of adversity in the church. Read it multiple times.

"Dispensationalism Truth" by Clarence Larkin, I always just eat the meat and spit out the bones.

"Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop. Some have problems with it, but Im a history nut, and I get it. And it burnt out of me so much of today's empty, modern church traditions.

"Mountain Rain" by Eileen Crossman. A biography of missionary James Fraser. Strongly impressed upon me practicle simplicity and sacrifice in the Lord's service.

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To all contributors,

I am greatly enjoying this thread.  I AM a reader, and the various book "reports" are providing many suggestions for purchase and reading.

As far as my own contribution, I really do NOT have a top five most impacting books for my life (other than God's Holy Word, obviously).  For me, I would be more likely to present most preferred authors, or to present the top three book preferences within various categories (such as, the subject of humility, the subject of Biblical counseling, the subject of the Holy Spirit, the subject of the Spirit-filled life, Christian biography, Baptist history, etc.).

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Everyone is free to post as they wish... Top 3 in categories would also make great posts.

9 hours ago, weary warrior said:

"Dispensationalism Truth" by Clarence Larkin, I always just eat the meat and spit out the bones.

Yes... I've always been intrigued by Larkin.  As a young Christian I sat and spent hours studying his charts and drawings. But you do have to watch for bones..

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11 hours ago, 1611mac said:

On the KJV issue it was Edward Hills, Burgon, and Miller for me. 

1611,

I have never gotten deep into the KJV issue, I use and will always use the KJV, but my interest in the debate is only surface at best.  I have read God’s Secretaries by Adam Nicholson which takes in the political climate and the men who wrote translated the KJV.  I have read R.B. Quellette “A More Sure Word” and Final Authority by William Grady. 

I am thankful for the men and women who, like yourself see the complete landscape and the issues of the battle before us.

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9 hours ago, weary warrior said:

As I mentioned earlier, "The Lotus and the Cross" by Ravi Zachariah is at the top of my list. The Lord brought it to me when I was coming to a very bad place in my life and ministry, I had been "beset on every side" by fellow brethren for so long as I tried to serve and do right, and I was getting so weary of the fight that I was getting mean. I badly needed this little book to remind me how to speak the truth honestly while remaining gentle and gracious to the broken sinner. No book has ever affected me and brought about a change in me like that one.

"A Tale of Three Kings", again a book about brokenness and humility in the face of adversity in the church. Read it multiple times.

"Dispensationalism Truth" by Clarence Larkin, I always just eat the meat and spit out the bones.

"Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop. Some have problems with it, but Im a history nut, and I get it. And it burnt out of me so much of today's empty, modern church traditions.

"Mountain Rain" by Eileen Crossman. A biography of missionary James Fraser. Strongly impressed upon me practicle simplicity and sacrifice in the Lord's service.

Wearywarrior,

 

I am a fan of Ravi and have a few of his books in my library but not the “Lotus and the Cross” I will keep my eye out for it.  I just finished “Why Jesus” which offers some great insights into Eastern Mysticism and my wife and I both enjoyed greatly “The Master Weaver”

 

The Three Kings I read many years ago, as well as Hyslop and Larken.  I have not read Mountain Rain but suspect that when I tell my wife about it she will order it. Ha

 

Thanks for contributing I am surely enjoying this thread.

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