Karl's Reading List

Published by B&H Publishing Group: Nashville, Tennessee, 2020. This is a truly beautiful book, telling the Christmas story from the Bible in a ' Where's Wally'  type style. Each page introduces part of the story, which a short summary of what is going on, and then has a large, beautifully illustrated tableau, with a list of things to look for. Some of the things are directly from the Bible story (find Mary riding a donkey), some are things that  could  have been happening at that time (find a Roman soldier) and some of the things are a little more abstract, anachronistic, off-the-wall, or even humorous (find someone flying a kite). There are also various 'Names of God' hidden throughout the book, with a section on each page telling the reader which two are hidden within the current image. This is a book with lots of re-readability, and enough little details to keep parents as well as kids engaged on the twentieth read. It also highlights certain parts of the Chr...

Published by The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago/Moody Press: Chicago, USA, 1977. A few months back we had a Jewish trainee teacher arrive at work. We got along well, and I was interested to learn more about her faith. During her time here, the annual Founders Book Fair happened, and among the books on offer, I found this one. I read half of it at that time, but when Elise and I went to Australia, I put it down. This week I finally picked it up and finished it. Zola Levitt is a Jew himself, but one who has accepted Jesus as Messiah. This gives him an 'inside perspective' on Jewish culture and faith, along with an understanding of the main reasons why Jews can struggle to accept Christ. The history of Christians persecuting Jews is a big one(!), and is rightfully seen as a blot on our record. But even the fact that we call Jesus by a non-Jewish name can make things difficult. After all, Levitt points out, in Hebrew Jesus's name would actually be " Yeshua Hamashiah (...

Published by Victory Press: London & Eastbourne, 1976 (1962 - fourth edition). First published in 1957. Wow, it's been five years since the last time I read a book by Watchman Nee ! Time flies! I got this book from a box gifted to me by my late grandpa's wife, Leone - very generously. I think I have another copy of it somewhere, by it jumped out at me, and I decided to have a browse. A browse turned to a read quite quickly. Sit, Walk, Stand is based on a series of sermons that Watchman Nee did, which were inspired by the book of Ephesians. From that book, Nee draws the titular words out as key: "1. Our position in Christ - 'Sit' (2.6) 2. Our Life in the World - 'Walk' (4.1) 3. Our Attitude to the Enemy - 'Stand' (6.11)" (page ix). The rest of the book is broken into three chapters (sermons?), each of which focuses on one of those keys, unpacking them in the insightful and slightly foreign (culture) style that I have come to recognise as Nee...

Published by Penguin Books/The Penguin Group: London, England, 2005. First published as Frygt og Baven in 1843. Translated from Danish by Alistair Hannay, 1985. If I told you I "got" all of this book, I would be lying. There are definitely aspects that went over my head, even if I thought I got the gist of them. It is not an easy book. It is interesting, though. Which makes sense. Søren Kierkegaard is a philosopher who fascinates me, because of the way in which he chose to write: under different pen-names that each took a different position on what he was writing. This book, for example, is written under the name 'Johannes de silentio' (John the Silent), and is a meditation on the faith of Abraham, particularly regarding the sacrifice of Isaac. It is also the only Kierkegaard book I have ever successfully read the whole way through (so far). I think this is because "John the Silent" is a writer that appeals to me, being interested in what we can learn about ...

Published by Regal Books/Gospel Light: Ventura, California, 2005. Having previously read and enjoyed Matt Redman's 2004 book on worship, Facedown , I was happy to pick up the 2005 book he and his wife Beth wrote together, also on worship, entitled Blessed Be Your Name.  Anyone who has been in Christian circles for long enough will recognise that the title of this book comes from the song of the same name, that Matt and Beth wrote in 2002. It is a powerful song, in part because it not only focusses on worshipping God during the good times (eg. "When the sun's shining down on me... When the world's all as it should be" ) but also on worshipping God in the hard times (eg. "On the road marked with suffering...Though there's pain in the offering" ). The book itself - which is only five chapters long - has a similar focus; each chapter title comes from a lyric in the song, and focusses on the ways in which we can still worship God during each season of our...

(title continues) "...With the Necessary Preparation Required For the Benefit of Young Communicants, and of Such as Have Not Well Considered This Holy Ordinance. To Which is Annexed, The Office of the Holy Communion, With Proper Helps and Directions For Joining in Every Part Thereof With Understanding and Profit." Published by the Society For Promoting Christian Knowledge: Northumberland Avenue, Charing Cross, London. First written 1734. First published 1807. This (physically) little book with the massive title has been sitting on my shelf at home for ages, and at times I've picked it up, curious to have a read, but then haven't gotten into it. Recently, Ezekiel came across it, and pulled it down from the shelf. Because it is an older and perhaps more fragile book than some, I moved it to my bedside table to keep it safe, and in the process, finally got into it.  I'm glad I did. Bishop Wilson writes in an old-fashioned style, occasionally seeming like his faith mi...

Published by Hodder & Stoughton, 2014. Audiobook published by Penguin Audio, 2014. Narrated by Sean Pratt. Usually when I finish an audiobook I remove it from my phone, in order to create space for the next one.  ...Yeah, my phone is a little old. I'm trying to not replace it for as long as I can... With this book on prayer, I'm holding off. I have considered a number of times simply starting it again and re- listening to it, because of how inspiring and insightful it has been. Keller is a good author - I already knew this - but Prayer is a really good book.  Keller admits at the outset that he was not good at prayer, and that this book arose from his desire to have a deeper prayer-life himself. In sensing my own stirring to pray, I relate to how he felt, and also find myself being challenged and stirred along with him throughout the journey of this book. In different sections, Keller looks at the history of prayer, prayer in other faiths, some of the great theological wo...

Published by Tyndall Momentum/Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.: Carol Stream, Illinois, 2017. Devotionals, to paraphrase Forrest Gump, are like a box of chocolates. Sometimes you get one that is super sweet and a bit sickly. Sometimes you get one that takes a bit of chewing to get through. And depending on your taste, you can sometimes find one that ticks all the right boxes , really satisfying your palate. Often, a single devotional will have days in it that get the flavour combination better than others, days that really speak to your soul (as only the best chocolate can), while others ever-so-slightly miss the mark.  Yet, a good quality box of chocolates will still be strong even when you find those slightly 'lesser' flavours. You can still appreciate the quality, flavour and craftsmanship that went into that coconut rough, and you eat it happily, knowing that tomorrow you'll get that salted caramel you were secretly hoping for. On the other hand, sometimes you get an expe...

With Dean Merrill. Published by Zondervan: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2018 (1997). I recently did a sermon on prayer and fasting, and borrowed a number of books from our church library shelf that seemed to have some connection to the topic. I browsed a few for research (and read the entirety of Fasting by Derek Prince) and then took most of the rest back to church when the sermon was done. A handful, however, I kept to read later, and Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire was the first of these that I picked up post-sermon. I'm so happy I did, because this is an inspiring book, with a far more biographical bent than I was expecting.  The author, Jim Cymbala, is the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle, quite a large church in New York that - aside from my parents-in-law playing some musical clips - I've had no exposure to. Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire tells the story of the growth of that church from a small handful of people to a congregation numbering in the thousands, but (rightly) is far less focuse...

Published by Whitaker House: New Kensington, PA, 1986. Quite a short book, I actually read this in a few hours while I was putting together a sermon on the topic of prayer and fasting. I have read a longer work by Derek Prince on this topic in the past ( Shaping History through Prayer and Fasting ), and wonder if this little book might actually be excerpts from that, but either way, it provides a good foundation to the biblical principle. The primary reason for (Biblical Christian) fasting, reminds Prince, is not to gain the health benefits that can come, nor to try and twist God's arm to do what we would like Him to do. Rather, "Primarily, the purpose of fasting is self-humbling." (page 6) Prince points out that throughout the Bible God promises blessings on those who are humble, and stresses that "We cannot transfer that responsibility to God. To pray, "God, make me humble," is unscriptural, because the reply of God in Scripture is always, "Humble y...

Published by Passio/Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group: Lake Mary, Florida, 2011. This is a book on discipleship that my mentor recommended I read, and I am glad I did. It will take me quite a while to unpack it, but the insights will be helpful as our church seeks to grow in this area. Murrell is a pastor at Victory Church in the Philippines, a church which saw a large growth in numbers during his time in leadership, but Murrell points out, firstly, that numbers are not as important as lives changed and people growing, and secondly, that a lot of what has happened at Victory isn't directly to do with him. He takes the example of wikipedia (which the book title is based on), and points out that originally the creators of wikipedia had attempted to make an online encyclopedia written by - and checked by - experts, but that this slowed the project down to the point that it was untenable. When they opened the project to amateur writers, it grew rapidly, in numbers of articles an...

Published by Moody Press: Chicago, 1988 (1984). First published 1900. A short but challenging book on prayer that I began a while ago, and then picked up again more recently, How to Pray is a loud call to, well, pray! There are moments when Torrey (writing at the turn of the 20th century) leans slightly into semi-legalism - he attacks the idea of Christians going to the theatre, dancing or smoking, for example - but considering the heart of his message I am quite prepared to forgive him this; to call people away from apathy and into a passionate relationship with Jesus will sometimes mean attacking much loved idols! The word 'passionate' is an apt description for this book. There might not be many 'wow, I never thought of that!' moments, but there are a lot of 'so true!' moments instead. For example, in a chapter on Praying in the Spirit, Torrey writes: "When we feel least like praying it is the time when we most need to pray. We should wait quietly before ...

It's been a while since I've acknowledged Ezekiel, so here is another list of picture-books we are reading to him, most of which he is enjoying quite a bit. Now that he is beginning to 'interact' with things a bit more (he's almost a year old!!!), you will notice that a lot of these books have a common element... Karl's List: Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct - Mo Willems. Published by Hyperion Books for Children: New York, NY, 2006. This one is almost a cheat. I have known about this book since it was first published, and love its humour, so recently purchased a copy just so I could read it to Ezekiel and put it on this list. I've only read it to him once so far, and probably won't read it to him much until he's a little older, but I like it, and so here it is! The basic story of Edwina, the Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct is that Edwina is (surprise) a dinosaur who doesn't know she is extinct. She is friends ...

Published (as an e-book) by YorShi Publishing, 2024. So, I won a book! An e-book, but still!! In order to keep track of the books I own  (numbering over 1000 now) I used to have a particular book app. However, when that became obsolete I joined a separate app/website called LibraryThing, which - among its other features - has a monthly book giveaway competition. Living in New Zealand, I am not eligible for physical books, sadly, but I am able to apply to receive a copy of an e-book, as long as I review it when I get it. Gosh, what a sacrifice to make. So, anyway,  My Name Is Nkechukwuọma is the debut novel of a Canadian-Nigerian author named Gloria, and follows a young Canadian-Nigerian woman as she deals with the usual older-teen issues of dating, rebellion against parents and family dynamics. She also has to deal with the traditional Nigerian elements of her upbringing, including aunts that have quite a large deal of influence over her choices in life, as well as gradually ...

Published by Futura Publications/Macdonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd: Hampstead Road, London, 1986 (1984). First published 1980. Brother Cadfael is a monk in an English monastery in the 1100s. He tends to his garden, makes poultices and various other medical concoctions, and honours his vow of obedience to the abbot. He also, apparently, solves murders. This is the first Cadfael book I have read, but there are apparently about 20 of them (I think this is book 3). Having read this one and liked it, I imagine I'll hunt out some of the others before too long. In this particular book, Cadfael is horrified when a particular oil he has made, with one ingredient being the poisonous Monks-Hood plant, is used to commit a murder. Because of this connection he is keen to find the culprit, and more so because the widow of Gervase Bonel, the man murdered, turns out to be Richildis, the woman Cadfael considered marrying years earlier before taking his vows. Richildis's young son, Edwin, is t...

Published by Marshall Pickering/Marshall Morgan & Scott Pickering & Inglis: London, 1989 (1984).  Part of the 'Heroes of the Cross' series. Elise and I started this book together some time ago, but didn't stick with it. Recently I picked it up and finished reading it. The book is a fairly short (96 pages) and simple version of the life of someone that deserves a lot more recognition, but to give this book credit, it manages to highlight some of the most challenging aspects of Müller's life in a straightforward (and probably kid-friendly) way. To give the basic gist of what made Müller so inspiring: he believed that God had called him to run a number of orphanages, looking after those children who had nowhere else to go. This was during the Victorian era, when workhouses like those mentioned in Charles Dickens's novels were more the norm, and in fact, Dickens himself came to visit Müller at one point.  As part of his belief that God was directing him to do th...

Published by Collins: London and Glasgow, 1963. I had the wrong idea about what this book was to begin with. Not drastically wrong, but just wrong enough that there were points I began questioning whether I was reading what I thought I was reading. What I thought I was reading was the book that inspired the movie Bridge on the River Kwai. I've never seen that movie, but I know it was popular when it came out, and it is one I'd like to see eventually. It turns out, though, that Bridge is a fictional story based around the building of an actual bridge on an actual River Kwai by British prisoners-of-war, and that Miracle is the non-fiction account of one of those prisoners. The bridge itself is only mentioned briefly. At points it is quite intense, as many prisoner-of-war stories (and, sadly, especially prisoner-of-war stories set in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps) can be. And this intensity is added to by the way the author describes the spiritual journey of the prisoners in ques...

Published by Collins (Wm. Collins and Co. Ltd.): London and Glasgow, date unknown. First published in 1871. The sequel to ' Little Women/Good Wives. ' Followed by ' Jo's Boys. ' Two random points of information to note regarding this particular entry on the list: 1) This is the first book that Elise and I have finished together this year! I think this is the longest we've taken to finish something since we've been married, and that reflects mostly on the busy-ness (and resulting lack of energy) of life with a baby. 2) When we finished this book, I read out 'The End' and Elise queried my pronunciation of the word 'the.' This led us down a rabbit hole in which we suddenly realised that we all pronounce 'the' differently depending on whether it is followed by a vowel or a consonant! How have I reached this age and not realised that before!! Anyway... Little Men is the sequel to Little Women (and Good Wives, if you count Good Wives as a s...

Published by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.: London, 1956 (1947). Some books are quick reads. Some are not. Some only take me a day or two. Some take a lot longer... I can estimate almost to the day how long this book took me to read, because I started it a day or two after I put up my post about finishing my previous 'devotional' book, The One Year Worship the King Devotional , posting on September 25th last year. So, about 214 days (including February 29th). This might imply that I didn't enjoy The Way, but that is definitely not the case. E Stanley Jones is a very interesting writer, but is just not a quick read. He was widely travelled, and spent a large amount of time in India, where he set up Christian 'ashrams.' This is important to note, because at times Jones sees things in a very non-Western way, pulling out gems of truth from scripture I had never considered before, or life-lessons that are very a pplicable while being quite 'foreign.' Two examples f...

Published by Simon & Schuster, 2022. Audiobook uploaded to Audible 2022. Narrated by the author. In reviewing this book, I find myself strangely glad that I have such a small readership for my blog. Why? Because in seeing how Scientology attacks those who speak up against them, it would be more intimidating to publish this review if I was well-known! I mean, I still would ... but I'm not sure I'd enjoy being picketed and torn apart in the media for it. I kinda doubt they'll bother for me presently. This was a free book on Audible. It tells the life story of the author, Mike Rinder, who grew up in Scientology, rising to various prominent positions, before eventually leaving the organisation and turning whistleblower. When he joined it was still the early days of Scientology, and many of the 'higher-level' beliefs of Scientology (such as the existence of the evil alien Xenu) were either not-yet-developed or were closely guarded secrets, only revealed to members on...