In John 16:7, Jesus told His disciples that it was necessary that He leave so that the Comforter may come to them. He was speaking of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity. There is much confusion today, both inside the church and out, in regards to who the Holy Spirit is and the role He plays in the life of the believer. It would be almost impossible to calculate the number of books that have been written on the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit. You can add one more to that list. Dr. Charles Stanley, pastor of First Baptist Church in Atlanta has a new work entitled “The Spirit Filled Life: Discover the Joy of Surrendering to the Holy Spirit”. Arguably this is Dr. Stanley’s most personal work to date.

It is very clear that Dr. Stanley wants his readers to have an accurate biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit. Through proper use of Scriptural context and personal experiences, Dr. Stanley helps the reader navigate topics such as common misconceptions about who the Holy Spirit is, empowerment, discernment, the Holy Spirit’s role in gifts, and the capacity for real life change. I found two chapters especially insightful. Chapter Five: My Life as a Branch deals with our need to connect to the master vine in order to bear the fruit that demonstrates our belonging to Him. In Chapter Twelve: The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Stanley explains why a second baptism of the Holy Spirit is unscriptural. Best chapter in the book. If you are looking for a book that provides a no-nonsense explanation of the Holy Spirit, this is the book. Packed full of explanation and application, yet written in a personal conversational tone, this book is a winner.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

As Americans we enjoy one of the greatest privileges and responsibilities that can be afforded to any people: participation in the electoral process. The election process in our country is something we are very familiar with. With presidential elections held every four years and mid-term congressional election in between, we seem to be in a constant election cycle where we are inundated with campaigning and campaign promises. We have also been exposed to some great, and no so great, politicians who have produced some incredible highs and embarrassing lows. We tend to elevate politicians to movie-star status. (Actually, we have had a movie star become president) One such political figure was Richard M. Nixon. Nixon’s road to the presidency was littered with success and failure. In his new book, “The Greatest Comeback; How Richard Nixon Rose from Defeat to Create the New Majority”, conservative political commentator and former presidential candidate Pat Buchanan tells the story of how Richard Nixon ascended to the presidency of the United States.

Pat Buchanan was an editorial writer for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat prior to becoming an aide to Nixon in 1965. His book covers the three year period of 1965-1968. The bulk of the book begins with, and moves forward from, the election cycle of 1966 with Buchanan describing the state of the union under President Lyndon Johnson and the democratic-held Congress. Buchanan offers a look into the struggles the Republican Party had in voicing their opposition to areas such as the war in Vietnam and other social concerns at the time.

The subtitle to Buchanan’s book speaks of a comeback. For someone to have a comeback they had to have had past success and then lost it. This was the case with Nixon. He served as vice-president from 1953-1961. After suffering sound defeats in the presidential race of 1960 and the California gubernatorial race of 1962, Nixon declared he was finished with politics saying, “You won’t have Richard Nixon to kick around anymore”. However, Nixon did come back into politics. Buchanan details how tirelessly Nixon worked to get Republican governors elected in 1966. This investment of time and attention paid off with big dividends in November of 1968. He also reveals that part of Nixon’s comeback success was the advisors he surrounded himself with, his knowledge of foreign and domestic issues, and his ability to appeal to both moderate and conservative Republicans. This appeal was solidified as Nixon weighed in on the chaotic events of 1968. Buchanan wrote about this year saying, “America was falling apart as witnessed by the assassinations of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, the 77-day siege of Khe Sanh, the Tet Offensive, the worst race riots in history, anarchic violence at Columbia University and other campuses, and a President broken by Vietnam, where 200 to 300 U.S. soldiers were being killed every week.”

“The Greatest Comeback: How Richard Nixon Rose from Defeat to Create the New Majority” is a thoroughly researched, well-written, informative, and entertaining work. I especially enjoyed Buchanan’s enclosed memos that he sent to Nixon while he was a candidate, as well as Nixon’s hand-written notes. This really helped the book to excel. This book would appeal to history buffs and political junkies. Because Buchanan chose the conversational style over the documentary style, it is enjoyable read. Buchanan’s best work to date.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

I recently finished a book entitled “Dear Son; A Father’s Advice on Being a Man” written by Mars Hill Church’s Teaching Pastor Dave Bruskas. Bruskas lost his son at two months of age to a congenital heart defect. This book is a series of letters that Bruskas has written to his son saying the things he would have shared with him had he lived. These letters cover such as areas as Christian, Son, Brother, Young Man, Provider, Citizen, Member, Husband, Father, Vessel, and Mortal. After each letter, the author gives a picture as to what each of these areas look like when lived out practically. Through the application, Bruskas uses the letters of 1 and 2 Timothy as the basis for his application.

Dear Son is a tender book as you might imagine. The letters he writes to son are emotional, heart-felt, and sincere. You sense from the tone of his words the depth of the love for his son that he knew only a few short months. I encourage all fathers to read this book. I was challenged on what I might say to my son regarding these same areas. A good work.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

There is certainly no shortage of books written on the subject of leadership. Everything from principles for dealing with people, strategies to better manage time and goals, and guidelines for developing new leaders has been covered, at least once. In his new book, “Redefining Leadership; Character-Driven Habits of Effective Leaders”, pastor or Cornerstone University president Joseph Stowell brings an altogether different approach and viewpoint to the leadership conversation. Instead of asking questions centering on success markers and who should and should not lead, Stowell deals with the heart of a leader and what motivates him/her toward their goals.

Stowell puts forward two different kinds of leaders: outcome-driven leaders and character-driven leaders. The primary focus of outcome-driven leaders, as Stowell writes is “on motivating others to achieve great organizational outcomes” and “the power of their leadership is leveraged by the authority of their position instead of the credibility of their lives.” The primary focus on character-driven leadership, as Stowell writes, is to “empower those within the sphere of their authority to achieve great outcomes personally, spiritually, communally, and organizationally” and whose power is “leveraged by their moral authority that comes from the credibility of their lives.” The remainder of Part One, “A Redefined Priority”, is given to fleshing out the dynamics of these two leadership styles. Stowell highlights certain delusions that character-driven leaders should avoid.

In Part Two, “A Redefined Identity”, which is the best in the book in my opinion, Stowell introduces the term “followership”. As he describes the importance of following well before leading well, the author writes, “This is the deal-breaker moment in this book. The question is, ‘Are you ready to accept the identity of a follower…to fully surrender to Jesus as the final authority on life and leading?’” Stowell gives the three markers of followership. He says that Follower-leaders count it an honor to follow Jesus, actively pursue Christ, and are found in the “Way” with Him. In Part Three, “A Redefined Leader”, Stowell redefines the two types of leaders in light of the kingdom of God. Outcome-driven leaders are referred to as “instinctive” leaders and character-driven leaders are referred to as “kingdom” leaders. It is in this section that Stowell examines Christ’s sermons and teaching on kingdom and highlights the core competencies of the leader in light of following Christ as their primary example. Such competencies include humility, mercy, and meekness.

Redefining Leadership is an absolute treasure. With other leadership voices such as Al Mohler, John Maxwell, and Stephen Covey regularly instructing on the merits of effective leadership, Joseph Stowell must be included in these conversations. Although covering a deep subject, the book flows easily and never becomes “professional”. Stowell’s use of personal stories of victory and defeat, as well as the Scriptures themselves give this book a solid footing. Humbly and passionately written, Stowell has a winner here and should be required reading for all who occupy leadership positions whether secular or spiritual.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers and BookLook Bloggers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”