Month: March 2010

Book Review: The Sacred Journey

/ Steven Ruff / 1 Comment

 There is a statement made in today’s culture that goes something like this, “getting there is half the fun.” In The Sacred Journey: The Ancient Practices Series by Charles Foster, getting there, wherever “there” may be, seems to be the most important thing in life. Foster sets out to show that man was created to be a wanderer, a person on pilgrimage, and happiness can’t be found in just sitting still. He uses the writings of prominent belief systems (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism) to support his position that man, by nature, is a pilgrim on a journey. To me, it was not clear if Foster believes the journey itself is a means to an end to find a relationship with God, or if God expects a pilgrimage of some kind from us in order to be drawn closer to Him. As a result of this not being clear, I was left to debate that question throughout the entire book.

 I had a difficult time with this book. I hoped that I would like it, but I could not get there. In the beginning of the book, Foster deals with the story of Cain and Abel. The story was used to support the notion that God favors the wanderer more than others. Foster shares that God despises cities and that permanent structures indicate that man has stopped his journey. I found one statement to be especially hard to agree with. Foster wrote, “Throughout the Bible (with a crucial last-minute twist) God hates cities. He is much easier to find in the wilderness. He takes the side of the itinerant shepherd against the factory farmer.”

 The reader, as I was, is somehow left with the impression that if you never have the opportunity to leave the comforts of modern life and take a journey of some sort you will never be satisfied. Although one example is given to the contrary, the initial impression still stands. Although I did not like this book, I was challenged by it. The Sacred Journey is well written and well researched. Foster challenged me to remember that our lives as a Christ-follower is a journey: every day moving closer to Christlikeness. He challenged me to be active in my pursuit of Jesus Christ.

Book Review: Imaginary Jesus

/ Steven Ruff / 1 Comment

 Imaginary Jesus is a fast-paced, off-the-wall, not-quite-so-true story of Matt Mikalatos’ search for the real Jesus. The author goes to extreme and amusing lengths to show how believers today can easily create their own idea of what Jesus should be, based on their own need and desires. This can be seen in a need for his Imaginary Jesus to get him out of a parking ticket. Along the way, he exposes imaginary Jesuses such as Legalist Jesus, Magic 8 Ball Jesus, Free Will Jesus, Bargain Jesus, Testosterone Jesus and Televangelist Jesus (by far the funniest of all) in his pursuit to find the authentic Jesus.  Although these Jesuses have bizarre names and act strangely at times, Mikalatos does a great, through them, to show how easy it is to focus on the wrong thing and miss the joy of following the real Jesus.

 

The reader should know something up front. Imaginary Jesus is not a theological treatise on the person of Jesus Christ. It was not intended to be. It is however a light-hearted, fun and dizzying journey of one man looking for the real Jesus. This story takes the reader from a coffee shop in Portland to ancient Judea and a talking donkey. In places, this book is laugh-out-loud funny. In other places you can feel the pain of the author as he struggles with God’s goodness and will in the midst of a personal struggle. I highly recommend this book. As the reader, you have to make a decision up front to stay with it and keep reading. If you do, you will not be disappointed. Imaginary Jesus will challenge you to seek the true Jesus and refuse to settle for the imitation.   

Book Review: Everyone Communicates, Few Connect

/ Steven Ruff / 1 Comment

 How many times have you connected with the person to whom you were listening? Perhaps it was a teacher who made a difficult subject interesting and fun. Maybe it was a conference speaker who provided the motivation you needed to keep going in a less-than-glamorous job. What was it that moved them from simply talking to connecting? It was their ability to understand the listener and care more for their listener than for themselves. John Maxwell, in his new book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, offers solid guidance and real-life tools to help leaders and other communicators move from simply talking to an audience to making real connections by making every word count. Maxwell defines connecting as “the ability to identify with people and relate to them in a way that increases your influence with them”.

 I am a fan of Maxwell and a past-reader of his work. As usual his simplistic yet insightful style of writing makes this book an easy read. He does a great job of mixing his content with real-life experiences which add to the credibility of his writing. Maxwell offers five connecting principles and five connecting practices. He helps the reader to understand why connecting with the listener is important. He then goes on to give the reader the nuts and bolts of how to better connect. The highlight of the book, in my opinion, is chapter six where Maxwell talks about how crucial it is to find common ground with the listener. On the other hand, the book does have a low point that I struggled with.  In chapter five, Maxwell gives way to his writer, Charlie Wetzel, in order that he might tell how good of a communicator Maxwell is. To me, this section seemed out of place and unnecessary. I wish this portion had been left out.

I was challenged by this book. As a pastor, I speak to many people in many different settings. This book made me aware of the fact that speaking is not enough. As a communicator, I can’t assume that my words and messages are received by my listeners just because I share them. This book has led me to understand that I need to be more intentional in my speaking. Whether you are a communicator in the business sector, the educational field, or the pastoral ministry, I highly recommend this book to you as an aid to making every word count.

Seeking and Finding a Church Home

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We lived in Graceville, FL while I attended the Florida Baptist Theological College (now the Baptist College of Florida). Graceville is a mostly farming community that boasts a Baptist college. After moving and getting ourselves settled, we began looking for a church home. I figured that being a college student in a town with a Baptist college, finding a church home would not be that difficult. I was wrong. We visited four or five churches before joining Holmes Creek Baptist Church in Chipley, FL.

I think back to that time for me and my family and am thankful. I am thankful that we found a church home and am also thankful for what I learned in that process. If you have ever been through the process of seeking a church to call home, then you know how tiring and stressful it can be. As a pastor, I am sympathetic to those seeking a church home. When I see a guest at church and they declare “actively seeking a church home”, I understand what is involved.

Think about the process for a minute. You wake up on Sunday morning and prepare your family for attendance at a worship service where it is likely you will not know anyone. Introductions are made and you tell the story of what brought you to the community and to the church. While you sit and take in the service, you ask the Lord for a peace, one way or the other, about returning or not. Once again, you greet and speak with other members as you leave. Perhaps on your drive home, or over lunch somewhere, several critical questions run through your mind. “Is this the place the Lord would have me to be, or is this the place I want to be?” Another, “Does this church share my biblical beliefs and theological convictions?” Another question, “Can the spiritual walk of  my family be deepened by attending here?”  Still another, “Will this church provide for me the opportunity to utilize my spiritual gifts?” Lastly, “Can I positively impact this church so its mission and purpose will be fulfilled?”

The stressful point comes when the above process is repeated multiple times in multiple churches. It can be very tiring being “new” in church every week in a different church. It can be tiring investing time and energy seeing no immediate result. However, it is part of the process of seeking and finding. This is why I believe that seeking a church home can be one of the toughest jobs that a believer will do.

I believe in the local church. I am a fan of it. I serve there and have given my life to it. Pray for those who are seeking a church family to belong to. As members of the body of Christ, we each have a responsibility to make this process easier for them. Be intentional and purposeful in making this process a little less stressful.

Coming Attractions

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As my three-week time-out comes to an end, my mind is full of thoughts that I wish to put into words. Over the next few weeks I will be writing on topics such as church ministry, Southern Baptist life, and matters of inspiration and encouragement. Here is a preview of what is to come.

1. I will continue my weekly “Friday Is For Scripture” article.

2. I will be writing about the purpose of and effectiveness of the local Baptist association.

3. Over the past three weeks, the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force released their preliminary report. The task force shared six recommendations that will be presented to SBC messengers for approval in Orlando in June. I will be sharing my thoughts and reactions in a three-part series.

4. I am awaiting the arrival of two books for review. For Thomas Nelson Publishers, I will review John Maxwell’s “Everyone Communicates, Few Connect”. For Tyndale House, I will review Matt Mikalatos’ “Imaginary Jesus”.

Stay tuned.