Church Books

What I like especially about this book--and I like a lot about it--is that it corrects an imbalance in the thinking and feeling lives of fervent Bible-believing people.

For a long time, what we've gotten is a lot about what Paul thinks about things. And as a consequence, we've gotten a lot of emphasis on sin, sin lists, sin avoidance, sin management, sin identification, sin angst, sin taking over the world, sin in the schools, sin on TV, sin in the newspapers and magazines, sin on the Internet, sin in our neighbors, and so forth. A sense of the Christian life as a battle against sin.

But this book reminds us that Jesus and the love of God and the love of our neighbors are where our hearts should be. It reminds us to expect God's power in our lives. To open our hearts and minds to this. And this is welcome. Most welcome. Highly welcome. It is indeed good news.

Empowered Evangelicals serves as an excellent resource to help dispell fear in seeking MORE of God's presence and power in a more experiential way in church life. Coming from a conservative evangelical background, the book helped me feel more comfortable with the new wave of renewal and the resulting manifestations. A satisfying discussion of two worlds that need not clash but merge to be one burning church on fire to reach the lost and heal wounded people.

I enjoyed the thoughts of both Nathan and Wilson. I was a member of the church that R. Nathan pastors at, when I left it was to take a staff position at the church I currently am at. When at Nathan's church, I became very trusting of him because of his preaching the Truth in humility. Therefore, as a result of my deep appreciation for Nathan's faith in Christ, I may be a bit bias in my review. The book gives sincere examination of both classes, Evangelicals, and Charismatics. The examination is performed with the purpose of unifying the body of Christ. A kind of "best of both worlds" approach. My friends, Jesus desires much more unity among believers, and this book is a service to that desire. I reccomend this book to all. Peace.

Within Evangelicalism exists many branches. In this book, the authors contrast Pentecostal Evangelicalism with classical Evangelicalism, looking for common ground for the future. Often these two groups are at loggerheads. The authors are trying to get beyond the various "straw man" cariacutures that overgeneralize and stereotype each others' camps. They appeal for fresh reasessments of thorny theological issues like spirit-baptism, healing, Christian scholarship, and supernatural manifestations. The most interesting part of the book is when the authors discuss paradigm shifts. A paradigm is an accepted assumption, a relatively unchallenged "given". Our reading of scripture, our management of emotions, our theological assumptions are so firmly entrenched that we often cannot see an issue clearly. Think how much paradigm shifting was done to in Acts to blow away cherished theological constructs. Saul was struck down by Jesus on his way to persecute Christians(and becomes Christianity's chief spokesman!). Peter finally gets the message that the gospel is for Gentiles also(but only after much supernatural intervention by God!). Are we immune from such a state? Do we have no blind spots? Admittedly, there is already some cross-pollination betweeen these two groups. The future for the church may well be a sort of hybrid betweeen classical Pentecostalism and classical Evangelicalism. If the issues are approached in humility, perhaps Nathan and Wilson are right: we could have the best of both worlds. Perhaps God still has some paradigm blasting to do in our age!

Nathan and Wilson score on this collaboration! Great for pastors and church leaders looking for guidance in how to have a church that is both strong in Word and strong in Spirit. This book, along with Doug Banister's Word and Power Church, argues convincingly that the best of the Evangelical and Charismatic worlds can be mutually embraced. The authors write carefully and thoughtfully as they strike a balance between the often characterized two extremes: mind and emotion.

The only weakness of this book is that it is difficult to keep up with who wrote what. I frequently found myself thumbing back several pages to try to place who exactly was sharing a personal story (Nathan or Wilson?).

If you are extremely Pentecostal or extremely anti-charismatic, you will probably disagree with the conclusions drawn in this book, but if you have an open mind, "Take up and read!"

This book covers a wide array of African-American spiritual songs across a variety of genres. It starts with spirituals from the slavery period and interprets the literal and hidden messages in these moving songs. It then moves succesively onto sacred compositions by such luminaries as Thomas Dorsey and interpretations of standard hymns. It ends with a review of modern sacred songs with impressive scores from writers like Andrae Crouche, Kirk Franklin, etc. I am enjoying it immensely!

This is a good book for the worshipper who wants devotions or to know the back story behind their favorite hymns. And the author's piano/vocal arrangements are for the most part playable and error-free.

That being said, this is a selective not a comprehensive collection of Gospel Music. I found myself wondering "is this song in here?" looking and being disappointed that it was not included. Especially the older Spirituals (out-of-copyright). There should have been more of these, instead of the traditional Hymn section, which is duplicated in many Hymnals. If the Hymns had to be kept, it would have been instructive to see the original and the "gospelfied" versions in print, side-by-side. That and the lack of footnotes and skimpy historical info (definitely more on the appropiation of Spirituals in the Civil-Rights era and the controversy concerning Dorsey's Blues-Gospel style in the 1930's-40's) make this book more for the casual reader than a resource for the serious student of the genre.

The newer Gospel and Contemporary songs are a nice touch, although I wondered at putting the copyright and publisher information in the back of the book.


Also a spiral binding would be good for those who wish to play the music...

In Ephesians 5:19, the Apostle Paul urges Christians to "speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in our heart to the Lord." Author Gwendolin Sims Warren follows this comprehensive arrangement in "Ev'ry Time I Feel the Spirit."

For Christians growing up in Church over the past half century, she answers the question, "I wonder about the history of the composition of this song . . ." Warren's contextualizing of these favorites provides an emotionally and spiritually moving interpretation and celebration of these songs that deepens their impact on the hearers.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction, and Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care And Spiritual Direction.

This is a splendid book, written in an personal, informed, deeply intelligent and moving way by a wonderful woman. It is a perfect resource for those who want to know the history and inspiration of the songs it contains, which are, by themselves, inspired and inspiring.

In this collection, Ms. Warren presents straightforward and faithful arrangements of 101 psalms, gospel hymns, and spirituals. She relates brief histories of the songs and places them in the context of her Christian faith and experience.

Generously, Ms. Warren includes a couple of dozen Euro-American hymns and presents them in a similar context. Undoubtedly, these hymns stand in relation to and have even influenced some twentieth century black composers.

But it is the presentation of the songs from the Afican-American tradition that is most important here. The Euro-American hymns aside, this is a marvellous introduction to black American spirituals and hymnody.

I agree with another reviewer that this is a wonderful work to browse at random, but it is also rewarding to sit down and read it through. As you please.

Either way, when you come to the end of the book, if you've got a soul it will thirst for more...

I hope you'll be able to satisfy some of that thirst by hearing some of this music sung live by a choir and congregation that knows its business. Even if you're not a Christian, you may still find it rewarding to experience this aspect of Christianity first-hand.

After all, you've already heard this music many times before. It is the cornerstone for American blues, jazz, soul, and rock 'n' roll. It began in Africa, survived the Middle Passage, grew up fast in hard times in the American South, and lived to tell the tale. It's been around the world and back a million times.

And, speaking on behalf of the planet, the world can't wait to see where this music takes us next.

I really can't add anything to the reviews that have been written. This is an informative work that reinforces what many of us have learned about the early Christian church by reading the New Testament. However, the biblical account/history is placed against the backdrop of the Roman empire and enhanced by citing secular historians from the era who commented on the earliest Christians. Mr. Snyder intermixes some commentary throughout the book. This seems necessary since many questions about this era remain unanswered. The commentary gives the book an essay quality that in no way detracts from the history provided. Thank you, Mr. Snyder, for an enjoyable, scholarly read.

Researched and written by writer, journalist, and Presbyterian elder James D. Snyder, The Faith And The Power is an informed and informative history of the early Christians who struggled to survive a series of bitter and lethal persecutions in Rome during the first century A.D. Highly recommended reading for both scholars and non-specialist general readers, The Faith And The Power integrates Biblical text with historical accounts by early Jewish, Roman, and Christian writers forming the basis of a scholarly, chronological documentary that accessibly explores the fascinating era of nascent Christianity.

The reader is given a chronological time table of events (somthing I appreciated) that puts the world of the early Christians in perspective as they deal with the turbulent politics of the first century. I came away from this very readable account with a more personal understanding of, and a deeper appreciation of the men and women who survived and kept the faith. It will have a permanent place in my bookshelf.

What a long overdue book! I wish I had access to all this information in one place 40 years ago when I was studying theology.
Mr Snyder has succeeded in placing, in parallel, both the great sweep of Roman and Judaean military and political history and also the rise of the struggling Early Church. Christian or not, the reader will be enriched and enlightened by Snyder's careful placing of major events with the people who lived in their shadow. The heroes of the Early Church, Peter, James, John, John Mark, Paul become intensely human in their following of the Way; so also do the rulers.....Herod, Tiberius, Nero, Caligula,Claudius, etc.
Snyder's account of the fall of Jerusalem is full of suspense, even though we know the outcome.
And Paul's journey to Rome is written so that we more fully understand how it came about and how Paul may have endured his trial. We experience the shipwreck, imagine the sights and wonders of Imperial Rome, smell the fetid and noxious aromas of a city of one million people, and imagine the daily life of Christians living in the belly of the beast.
Read this book! It will answer questions and provide insights you never even knew were available from the original sources.

Considered solely as history or literature, the story of Christianity has an odd form to it. It's shaped something like an anaconda that ate a calf a few weeks ago. There's several thousand years of Jewish pre-history, then the brief span of Christ's birth, mission, crucifixion, and resurrection, then a couple thousand years of epilogue. After all, what--before or after--can compare with the story of the Savior?

But if we take the longer view we begin to see just how remarkable the rest of the story is. Consider that at the time of the Crucifixion Christ was denied by even his own followers, a sect within an oppressed minority religion in a discrete portion of the mighty Roman Empire. Yet, from these rather inauspicious beginnings grew a religion of near 2 billion people, or one in three people in the world. For the believer this may have an air of inevitability--after all, how surprised can we be that the Word prevailed? However, even we must marvel that it spread so far, so fast. Here, surely, is a story worth telling.

Well, James D. Snyder details the years from A.D. 30-71 in a masterful narrative that follows the post-Christ missions of the Apostles against the backdrop (though it's often in the foreground) of a hostile Rome and equally hostile Judea, which were meanwhile in conflict one with the other. He weaves the three strands--Roman, Jewish, Christian--into one compelling tale that sweeps the reader through a pivotal, but easily overlooked, period in history. If the madness of Rome makes for disturbing but fascinating reading and the heroic struggle of the Jews proves ultimately futile, the successive martyrdoms of the Apostles pack an emotional punch. the climax, though not quite the end, of the book comes when Peter tries to escape from his captors in Rome but meets Christ on the road and asks: Domine, quo vadis? ("Lord, where are you going?):

Jesus replied: "I am going to be crucified once again."

Then Peter repeated himself: "Lord, you will be crucified again?

And Christ replied: "Yes, I will be crucified again."

"Then, Lord," answered Peter, "I am returning to follow you."

No sooner had Peter turned around than Jesus vanished. After weeping and collecting his thoughts, Peter understood that the words were meant for his own martyrdom, that the Lord would suffer with him as he would all who lived and died in his name. And so, Peter, bursting with new strength, returned to the prison glorifying God and singing praises to the risen Christ. [...]

It is said that Peter asked only one thing of his executioners: "I beg you crucify me in this way--head down--and no other way." And he explained that he was not worthy to be executed as had his lord and master.

That's strong stuff and goes some way to explaining the survival and triumph of the Gospel.

We got no small number of self-published books through here and titles from smaller publishers. For the most part, even when they're worth reading you can see why a bigger house didn't pick them up. Not so with Mr. Snyder's fine book. I'm not familiar enough with Pharos Books to know what kind of distribution and publicity they could generate. But this is a text that belongs on your shelf along with the much more widely-known Pagans and Christians by Robin Lane Fox and The Barbarian Conversion: From Paganism to Christianity by Richard Fletcher. Taken together they carry the story of Christianity's rise from the First Century to the Fourteenth in immensely readable and enjoyable fashion.

When I got involved in Youth Ministry, we were at a crossroads with a shrinking program. This book was recommended to us, and everyone in youth leadership roles at the church read and discussed it. That was at least five years ago and the book is still impactful to me as a youth advisor in what is now a larger and growing ministry. You'll learn what success really means, and it's not how many kids come each week. Devries argues convincingly that nothing's more important than connecting youth to the adults in the church family, and putting the youth program into the context of overall family ministry. If you think you're successful because you offer a lot of activities, you need to read this book. I learned that a successful youth ministry is one that results in life-long discipleship.

I got this book a while back and am planning to get another for the youth leaders in our church. By far this is the best and most sensible approach to youth ministy I have ever seen. In making the church body a family as the Bible teaches, each young person will have not just their peer group influencing them but other mature Christian adults in the church mentoring them as well. Just keeping kids busy with lots of fun activities without discipling them and teaching them how to be Christian adults is just that, keeping them busy without regarding the eternal value of who they are and what they do. That's not the real world, and it's not what the Bible teaches regarding how we are to raise our children and young adults.

Our parenting Sunday School class is reading this together and we are currently in the process of changing our youth ministry at the church. It has already generated parental involvement in the process.

Mark DeVries insight into youth ministry is exactly what needs to be heard and then put into practice. This book is a must-read by anyone involved in youth ministry and considering being involved in youth ministry. This book should open eyes in regards to the Church's responsibilty to our youth and their families!

This book is a wonderful companion for all who are involved in youth ministry. It focuses on the importance of relationships in the success of the ministry. It doesn't mislead by asserting that all the answers are on the pages of this book. You will be challenged to move your ministry into a more lasting phase in which the adults of the congregation become integral parts of the foundation of the teens.

All youth ministers, youth deacons, and youth volunteers should own a copy of this book.

Kierkegaard is more personality, more energy of being, more outward agony, than nearly anyone who has ever lived, and to read Kierkegaard for treatise more than his infectious spirit is to miss the cornerstone of his treatise: Life's enduring ecstasy is synonymous with personal involvement, even when that involvement is partially or inaccurately informed. In other words, Abraham may have been willing to kill his son (so, stop, apologetic churches, reading this story as Abraham's faith that Isaac would mysteriously be salvaged!) and definitely didn't give a damn about your religious/philosophical platitudes in such a case. In a post-9/11 universe, this story, or its darker interpretations, is particularly unpopular, but policy without a pinch of Kierkegaardian humility devolves the lot of us into people of spiteful assumption rather than devotion.

I am not able to comment on the accuracy or flow of the translation--the only Danish I know is the one that the kid from the mailroom used to bring by every morning--and so I am only able to engage the main ideas: faith. sacrifice. ethics. Each one negating the other, or at least any pair negating the third. Kierkegaard emphasizes that for faith we must sacrifice ethics because--as Job learned the hard way--God transcends morals. But it is also true that faith in ethics leads us to abandon sacrifice, as does an ethical interpretation of faith, and--perhaps most importantly--ethics can require that we sacrifice our faith.

I interpret this as meaning that on the one hand, we may find ourselves breaking our own laws to follow what we believe. For if you are pursuing something worth pursuing, and it happens to run beyond the law, are you going to abandon the chase?

But it is easy to break laws, and hard to break hearts (at least, that is, you must be hard to do so). And so doing the right thing in regards to your ethical understanding of action can lead you to sacrifice the mutual faith that you have with other people. In some ways, this is what Isaac confronts. The man on the way home sure of a steak dinner isn't a knight of faith--he is at best a pawn. Abraham too is not impressive here. What Isaac gave up was, so I have come to think after years of thought on the matter, much more weighty. He went up the mountain with faith in his father and in God; he was forced to sacrifice one to maintain the other. We will never know which. And that is the nature of love in a world in which doing the right thing is sure to involve breaking SOMEONE's law. [17]

be my father!" those hongs really know how to edit a book, wow. still i think most of the credit has to be given to johannes de silentio for writing it. i haven't read repetition yet. it'll probably a really brain teaser.

This edition of 'Fear and Trembling' is an excellently produced and translated edition, with the interesting and helpful prefaces and selections of journal quotes typical of the Writings series.

'Fear and Trembling' presents a very penetrating, and ultimately disturbing, investigation into the personal and 'existential' implications of the religious concept of faith, as illustrated by the story of Isaac's sacrifice in Genesis 22.

Reviewers like to analyse the text either in respect to the biography of Kierkegaard, or of his literary output (or in relation to the other book in this collect, 'Repetition'), which are fair enough, but nevertheless, this book stands on its own with the question of whether religious faith can be a 'teleological suspension of the ethical.' This sounds like it could be a tendious philosophical excercise, but his erudition and literary skill constantly defies ones attempt to reduce or domesticate the paradoxes which he throws forward to his reader. The text still today offers each reader a choice of his own.

In addition to the parallels between this story and SK's relation with his father mentioned by previous reviewers, another important parallel is his failed engagement with Regine Olsen. She is his Isaac, who he must sacrifice. Perhaps he thinks his own calling, means that he too can "teleologically suspend" the ethical (duties to Regine). Its remarkable, that we now should be so concerned about the private live of a pseudonymous author. Is Johannes de Silentio a poetic side of Kierkegaard? Poetic yes, but paradoxically he also says he is purely dialectic.

The different takes of the Abraham story, remind me of Rabbinical midrash. The four different accounts did not happen, but they might have. It is a way of stretching the story, and a way to introduce his "faith by virtue of the absurd". The tragic hero remains in the ethical, but Abraham is different that this, and is related to the Absolute. Very thought provoking!

The history is very imformative and gives insight to Scottish struggles for independence. The love story helps to break up the history - and it is continued in another book, The Banks of Boyne. High schoolers and up will love it.

This is the first book of it's size I've managed to read through in over 20 years. Having recently visited some of the places in the book, such as Iona, I was captivated by the book.
It's well written, easy reading, accurate in most of it's facts, absolutely inspiring.
My only negative comment is about a pro-catholic bias of some characters such as Columcile, who was portayed as catholic while he was not, and the glowing account of Queen Margaret who in fact did enormous harm to the Celtic church.
Still worth reading!

I found out more about Scotland's history in this book than I ever have in history classes. It was captivating and I was deeply engrossed in the history as I read. The only reason I don't give this a 5 star rating is because I could have done without the modern day portions of the book.

Being of Scottish descent, I was thrilled to find a novel which provided the meat of historical fact in such a palatable format. Anyone who saw Braveheart and wants to know more about the endless struggle for Scottish independence from England will be rewarded with total understanding by reading this book. Don't be put off by its length... it is very easy reading. Crow makes the characters come alive, and you find yourself engrossed and involved in their lives as history unfolds before you. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has any interest in exploring their ancestry and the heritage of faithful Scots.

I want to go to Scotland! The Fields of Bannockburn was totally engrossing. I was caught up in the book, by its history and its geography. I just had to know where all these places were! I'd read for a while, and then a placename would send me to the Scotland sections of Nicholson's Guide to Great Britain. The storyteller, Hamish, as the vehicle for the history of Scotland, was very believable as were the other characters. I had no trouble relating to Mary's quandry between her fiance back home in the States and Gareth in Scotland; it could have been me. Were I still teaching Language Arts in junior high school, I would and could recommend this book to that grade level. It would be a great adjunct to history, reading, and creative writing. What discussions one could have! What dreams of travel it could inspire: it would make one want to see the historic sites. My travel plans definitely will be guided by this book. Give it a try-you might want to go to Scotland, too.

For a first novel, this book was very well written. Great subject--learning to understand and respect horses as individuals, rather than just treating them as showing machines. I'd definitely read more by this author. Could a sequel be in the works?

As a follower of natural horsemanship this book really helped me to understand more of what Tom Dorrance means with "all it is is feel, timing and balance". I bought this story for a fun read so was pleasantly surprised to learn so much.

At about 12:30 this morning, I found myself awake and decided to start "Finding Pegasus". Needless to say I never returned to sleep because it was a cover to cover read.

Although this is a work of fiction, written for broad audiences, it shares the genuine wisdom of Tom Dorrance, allowing the reader insight to this extraordinary man's thought process in a manner I have never read up until now. The real lesson is not just in the work he does with horses, it is the success he has with the human in enabling self awareness.

The subjects of the tale, Blackie (aka Mozart) and trainer/owner Tara are richly portrayed through Terry Church's words. Terry peppers the tale with realities many can relate to as the central figure, Tara, faces her own childhood demons that have shaped her adult life. Blackie, who was purchased as Tara's Olympic hopeful and competed quite successfully, defies and refuses to submit willingly to the rigors of training any longer. As Tara realizes things are not working between horse and rider, and finds herself dominating her horse using methods shaped by her less than ideal upbringing, she begins her journey with Tom Dorrance.

Terry Church's book was a refreshing change and I whole heartedly recommend it.

This book is a wonderful tribute to a great man, Tom Dorrance, who lived his life in a way to which most of us can only aspire. Reading Finding Pegasus was for me, a wake-up call to look again at myself, my horses, and other people and animals more carefully and with more awareness than I had previously. The book shows the importance of slowing down in movement, thought, and life in general. It shows how life can be more meaningful when you keep an open mind, give the horse or other person the benefit of the doubt, and look at situations from different points of view. It also teaches about the value of kindness and forgiveness. Finding Pegasus does all this and more for the reader without being a bit preachy, but instead teaches within a fascinating story that makes it hard to put the book down. Finding Pegasus is a book about hope - hope for each of us. Change your way of thinking and start to change your life. Change your life and start to change the world. This book is a fun read as well as an uplifting experience for the reader.

A great read and an incredible story. It is a gripping, emotional story of Tara's journey, revealing personal lessons that have found a way into my own life. Not just for horse lovers, but the insight into Tom Dorrance's life and teachings is fascinating. I've already read it several times, and come away with new insight each time. Intelligently written, and touches the heart.

When you look at my copy, almost every page has large portions covered in highlighter. If I had to make a list of 10 lifechanging books, this would be in it. It gives simple (but not easy) explanations on how to bring the Spirit into your life by obedience, and goes trough the path you might expect as you do so. Almost every page has incredibly profound wisdom in it. Trust me, it will take you a lifetime to fully live up to the knoledge this book brings.

This book teaches us how to use the Gift of the Holy Ghost among other things.
Explains how the light of Christ is in us all, is amplified by baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost until we are baptized with Fire!

Excellent read.

Pontius take us through the things we must do (which we already know but are not doing) in order to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion. As you study the gospel further and more deeply, you will find it so logical and simple to understand. Pontius' book is a good addition to the religious library for that person seeking for a deeper understanding of having your calling and election made sure as well as becoming the type of person you know you can be.

A must read for one and all.

I turned 50 in 1987 and decided I wanted to learn more about making my calling and election sure. So I entered into an intense study of this subject over the next several years. And then in 1997 I discovered Pontius' book on "Following The Light Of Christ Into His Presence". It had all the answers I had been looking for and I have since faithfully followed the precepts I learned with amazing results. For anyone who wants to make a spiritual advance in their eternal progression I highly recommend this book.

How does one review a life-changing experience? I was skeptical at first, but knew in less than a chapter that I would owe more to John Pontius by the end of his book than I know how to convey. Its message is simple and powerful, its presentation straightforward and engaging. This book belongs to a very small and select group: Texts that I feel honored to have read.

Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom is an authentic and beautifully written book. Fr. Ryan's style brings the journey to spiritual freedom within the reader's grasp. One of the concepts that stayed with me is the idea of letting go of what others and the "world" think you should be to find what makes you unique. When you are who you were meant to be and live the life you were meant to live, from integrity and in harmony with the universe, you will feel the presence of God. As daunting as this may seem, Fr. Ryan makes it real by disclosing experiences from his own life and the lives of others who have inspired him on his own spiritual journey. This book resonates with honesty and sincerity as I could relate it to various experiences in my own life. It is a book that I didn't want to end.

Fr. Ryan's book Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom is a beautifully insightful reflection on the challenge to find freedom for our souls as we journey with God. The many stories about himself and others that he incorporates throughout the chapters breathe life into his ideas, resonating deeply and memorably because they are so real. I was particularly struck by the spiritual director's wise counsel: "Learn to be at home in the mud!" I felt that Ryan offered a thoughtful balance between practices such as prayer that strenghten our faith and the sheer grace that is the root and source of our spiritual freedom. Most meaningful and captivating to me was the second step to freedom, "Live Your Calling to the Full." Never before has anyone given me such a strong impression that desire should be a central aspect of the way we seek and answer God's call. Indeed, there is not only freedom but great joy in contemplating that God uses our desires to direct and guide us. I read Ryan's book twice; I am aware that I could easily go back to read it again and still learn from it. My friends are buying the book and discovering the same thing. This is a rich resource for people who want their spiritual lives to grow and be renewed.

I savored this book-forcing myself to read only a little bit each day when in effect I didn't want to put it down. Father Ryan writes/instructs with gentleness humility, and great compassion, honestly sharing his own life's experiences and faith processes.

His book is theologically respectful of the teachings of the Church while inviting us to understand how good aspects of other faiths can help us to create a deep, personal and meaningful relationship with God. The anecdotal stories of others' personal "dark nights of the soul" often spoke so directly to me that I was able to work through many of my own hang ups that were interfering with my personal relationship with God and with others.

I have not often had success in centering prayer/meditation but Father Ryan's "Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom" enabled me to meditate and reflect on my life and my connection to God in a way that I have not been able to do before.

This prayerful book, allowed me to achieve a real breakthrough in my life, in my faith and my ability to pray in a more meaningful, deeper and mature level. It brought me through a difficult time in my life. I continue to refer to various passages and to reflect on them.

Some of my most concentrated reading time happens on Metro (subway) as I travel from home to work and back again. I read Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom that way. It was like having a 20-minute retreat every day. I looked forward to each day and the new insights as well as tough questions that could force growth.

This spring I went through an illness that was a new and disturbing experience for me. Reading this book helped me to consider recovery ... and how much of my old schedule and patterns I want to recover and which it is time to let go of. The questions about passion and living as centered in what God wants rather than the more noisesome demands of everyday have been enticing me to take stock. This book is a perfect companion for those seeking renewal, regeneration, or recovery of meaning.

Excellent book for anyone who takes their spiritual development seriously, or for those who desire to develop ongoing spiritual practices. Fr. Tom Ryan's examples from his own life, and those of people he knows, help illustrate the impact serious spiritual reflection and practices can bring to discovering meaning in life. Can also be used for self reflection, or a book club, with the questions Fr. Ryan uses at the end of each section.
As a lay person with a regular spiritual practice for some time, Fr. Ryan's book helped me step back and look at what is essential in my practice. It also gets to the heart of what is important in simple language.
The last chapter provides guidance on specific practices, in the Christian traditions.

I read this book while spending a week at a Young Life camp facility, and found it very inspiring and challenging. It is the biography of Jim Rayburn, Jr., written by his son. Mr. Rayburn confronted many obstacles in his life, but pressed on in serving the Lord in spite of the adversity. He was apparently a very winsom, energetic, charismatic individual and the book conveys his personality well. I finished reading this work inspired to let God be greater in me.

This is a must read for any person willing to examine the life he/she leads. What a great way to delve into the questions: "Does God exist?" "How does he work in people's lives today?" and "Is it worth it?" It's not only a first-hand look at Jim and Maxine Rayburn from the inside, but a beautiful glimpse of the workings of Christ in modern times. Whether Christian or not, this book promises to deliver on every level: it will make you laugh, cry, examine your own life, and challenge your thoughts. Jim Rayburn III hit the nail on the head with this amazing story of his father, the founder of Young Life, the legacy he left behind, and the torment he went through due to his humanness. As a former Young Life kid, I owe a lot to his first convictions. You will, too.

This book was one of the more "impacting" pieces of literature I have picked up in a long time. It's the inspirational story of a man's desire for rich intimacy with God, and his burning love affair with The Savior. Throughout the story, miracles unfold one by one before the readers eyes. This book played a significant role in my desire to join the Young Life staff four years ago in Littleton, Colorado. I have been inspired by Jim's love for kids as I continue to invest my life in those at Columbine High School. As I reflect on this story, it makes me regretful-that I have only one life to give for Christ.

Kevin Parker Young Life Area Director South Jefferson County, CO

If the mission of Young Life played a role in your life at any level; whether as a "club kid", camper, committee member, staff, or volunteer, then Bondage to Liberty, Dance Children Dance is essential reading for you. To understand the mission, you must understand the man God chose to initiate it, Jim Rayburn Jr. His son, Jim Rayburn III, provides the means to understand that man in this book. Primary source materials including personal journals, "club talks", and first-hand observations shed light on Jim's character and internal thought processes, personal relationships, incredible prayer life, and personal spiritual highs and lows. Photographs and expanded captions add much to the painting of Jim's portrait. More than a simple biography, Bondage to Liberty honestly examines the lives of Jim and Maxine Rayburn, their human struggles, frailties, shortcomings, and the miraculous work accomplished through them. In the process, it opens a window into Jim's relationship to his Heavenly Father and his God-sized vision for reaching teens with the message of the Christian faith in terms they could relate to. More than just documenting a work with youth, Bondage to Liberty reveals the varied spectrum of Young Life's history from its conceptual beginnings in the rural Southwest, to the anointed growth and impact during its early decades, through its tumultuous social and corporate growing pains, and on to its current condition today. In the context of the story of this man and his work, we are reminded that making an impact with teenagers, or anyone in this world, has more to do with love than it does logistics, requires availability more that it does capability, and demands faith rather than fancy formulas. Just as with the mission it documents, Jesus Christ and knowing real life in Him isn't just one thing Bondage to Liberty is about, its all Bondage to Liberty is about.

Jim Rayburn III has captured the spirit of a great movement that has made the world a better place to live. Jim Rayburn, the author's father and founder of Young Life lived a life committed to sharing God's love with young people. This is an important book for anyone who wishes to know the inside story of a person dedicated to serving God. It is a life high "highs" and low "lows". It is a life of pain, tragedy, disappointment, felt betrayal and a life of joy, faith, love, compassion and humor. It is a life of prayer and close commumion with the Almighty. Jim III has openly shared the inside struggles of his family as well as the inside struggles of the organization of Young Life. This book will be an encouragement to any unafraid to confront a great truth, that great accomplishments can be experienced in the middle of great pain.