Organizations Books

Fascinating book. It is an amazing story and very well written. I recommend it highly.

Very well written narrative, exploring the struggles understaffed, overworked, and in a lot of cases under-educated doctors who risk there lives to treat there patients during a time of war, often in EXTREME circumstances. It is a very striking story in that some doctors join the fight, some stay neutral, others just get lost in the horrible world that there previously beautiful home has turned into. It really make you think what you would have done in there position and question ones own moral fiber. It also makes one question governments and there priorities. In some places the book digresses into too much history which was hard in some places to get through, but it was necessary for the overall picture for this true story. I good read for anyone who is interested in medicine, ethics, history or a great dramatic narrative.

This is an important, gripping book about doctors in wartime. And it is an impressive, beautifully written first book by Sheri Fink. War Hospital is a powerful, haunting narrative presented in fast-paced, present time, first person narrative that unfolds like a Greek tragedy. This is the story of a group of very young, inexperienced doctors amidst the siege and eventual fall of Srebnenica that ended with genocide in Europe as the world stood by. The very fact that our protagonists - humanitarians and idealists-are trapped in the midst of the eventual ethnic cleansing of Bosnian Muslims by Bosnian Serbs poses the book's central questions. Is the traditional role of humanitarian medicine -- neutral, unarmed, detached - sufficient in the face of looming massacre? And are the similarly evolved views of sovereignty and non-intervention in the international community outdated? If so, how and where does one choose sides, decide to intervene, offer medical care, or seek armed protection?

But the strength of War Hospital ultimately lies in Fink's brilliant structural choice to save the analysis, the conclusions, the politics and policy dilemmas for an epilogue thus allowing the reader to become engrossed with the stories of Drs. Ilijaz Pilav, Eric Dachy, Fatima Dautbasic and a handful of others who serve as the only doctors for the 70,000 or so Bosnian Muslims surrounded in enclaves in eastern Bosnia. From the opening scene where Dr. Ejub Alic, a 32-year old pediatric resident with no surgical training, performs an amputation with a razor cleaned in hydrogen peroxide, you will find yourself caught up in a swift, compelling novelistic reconstruction of events worthy of a future film or television series. Like a special episode of ER, but with our cast operating in a very real dilapidated hospital without adequate equipment or supplies, War Hospital makes you care about Bosnians, makes you feel, see, and smell the fear, despair, humor, bravery, betrayal, and confusion that permeate war.

When Dr. Alic finally gets a surgeon to help him out, the new arrival turns out to be the even younger, 28-year old general practitioner, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, who has no surgical training either. He must brush aside questions on his past and training if he hopes to avoid creating despair or panic in Srebnenica. And so it goes. As our cast of young doctors is fleshed out, we watch their surgeries, their witness to massacres and gas attacks, their love affairs and infidelities, their arguments, and above all, their moral and ethical dilemmas as they try to live up to their calling to "do no harm" and to remain neutral as it becomes clear that active involvement, interposition with imperiled citizens and soldiers, and even occasionally taking up arms may be essential to survival and carrying out their medical missions. In this sense, War Hospital, in the best sense, resembles a high-toned TV survivor series where the outcome actually matters. As you watch some of our doctors join in fighting with Muslim forces, escape to rejoin families, get caught in ambushes, or leave overwhelmed and disillusioned, you will find yourself, if honest, frequently identifying with and then rejecting a number of moral stances and options. There are no easy answers here.

This combination, then, of vivid narrative with a setting and structure that raises the most important ethical questions of our time for doctors and civilians alike makes War Hospital indispensable reading not only for medical students, physicians, nurses and other health professionals, but also for ethicists, historians, psychologists, journalists, foreign policy analysts and more. I can see it used in many, many university courses and, with decent publicity, selling well and giving rise to that movie.

So. Go get War Hospital and read it now. If we had had it in 1992, genocide might have been averted. But its prose and powerful human insights and ethical engagement are as fresh and relevant today as the daily headlines from Iraq.

Whether you are interested in contemporary history, war, medicine, morality and hope, you should read War Hospital. This nonfiction book about the siege of single town is an inspiring chronicle of true heroism by physicians and nurses in the face of war and its assorted horrors including internecine carnage, genocide and malign indifference. However, I first looked at this site not to see whether others enjoyed reading the book but because I wanted to see whether War Hospital had affected anyone else as much as it had me. I see that it has, and so I feel it's important to acknowledge the achievement of this book because I want everyone to have the experience I had.

What was that?

Well, as a social worker I was always quite skeptical of people who complained of `compassion fatigue' or bemoaned their inability to care deeply about the unspeakable assorted cruelties and human rights abuse that scar the globe. I looked at such complaints as little more than excuses for choosing not to care. Yet I couldn't ignore the fact that I was becoming inured to the news of genocide in the Balkans, especially because it was being rapidly supplanted by genocide in other areas such as Rwanda. Although genocide is equally evil throughout the world and suffering itself has no color, I resented the fact that Africans were getting less press and global outrage. and because journalists were also tiring of the Balkans they began to desert it for the next hotspot du jour. In the age of information overload these were all competing for our attention and the surfeit of shocking details were producing a sort of ennui. I would never have admitted to compassion fatigue, but it was becoming harder to access my outrage and easier to fall into a melancholy desire to not know more.

War Hospital proved just the medicine for this sense of paralysis.

First, the book is no preachy lecture: It is entertaining and a gripping story, very well told, that quote effectively puts a human face and universalizes the experience of genocide. And this face is a heroic face, an inspiration. This taut story is as powerful and intoxicating as any mystery novel. It is the story of a group of heroes, but heroes not in the diluted newspaper sense of a fireman saving a child but heroes in the classic sense of people who survive seemingly impossible personal tests as they mature from naïve, idealistic youths to flawed but ultimately successful saviors.

A small corps of very inexperienced young physicians including Drs. Alic, Dachy, and Dautbasic find themselves trapped in the besieged city of Srebnenica, where they must care for an unstemmed flood of Bosnian Muslims. Worse, their patients are brought in suffering from gruesome traumatic war injuries-- shredded arms and legs, and devastating head injuries for which the pediatricians and internists are ill prepared to cope: There are no surgeons. Even anesthetics and disinfectants are in short supply. When the eagerly awaited surgeon finally cheats death through a hazardous odyssey to join them, he is revealed as just another young general practitioner, Dr. Ilijaz Pilav, without surgical training. This ill-equipped band faces the challenge of providing medical and surgical care, hope and inspiration to the remaining residents of the Eastern Bosnia area, including Srebnenica, a former resort town now physically ravaged by war, haunted by snipers and tottering on the brink of despair as it is seemingly abandoned by the world. And outside, the world remains mute as genocide overtakes the country and the city: When the former resort town falls, 8,000 people are massacred .

All this is just the beginning. As Dr. Fink takes us on the roller-coaster descent of Srebnenica's fortunes, she fully fleshes out the individuals, telling their stories and illuminating their characters, warts and all: We know and care for them all by the end of the book. One man stumbled onto medicine because the engineering program he initially wished to attend was in a dull area that would not give him, a village boy, the urban experience he craved. Another must battle his own professional crisis of confidence-- is he really skilled enough to help all these people?-- as he seeks to allay the skepticism of others.

Because we know and care about them, Fink's subtle gradual introduction of ethical and moral issues as the doctors and nurses confront them is very powerful. She avoids the pitfalls of introducing thorny medical ethics issues too early and in too much depth. This means that when characters with whom we empathize ask themselves how to triage the young vs. the armed, when they ask whether they will save more lives by arming themselves against aggressor or how they can morally justify treating an enemy soldier who will turn to genocide or massacre again these concerns become immediate moral crises, not abstractions. When some doctors decide that medical measures are not enough and they decamp to take up arms to rejoin former comrades or simply to abandon their work in the clinic as hopelessly inadequate, this becomes more than a political or ethical argument.

An unexpected virtue of the book is its luminous language. It is written in a clear forthright voice that eschews semantic tricks but unerringly chooses each perfectly apt word in fresh combinations that are at once lyrical and evocative of a disturbing atmosphere: For example, a ravaged leg is `filleted' by a young surgeon in preparation for amputation. A hazard-fraught nocturnal trek to freedom by the survivors is rendered in language that contrasts brute violence with wondrous depictions of the wondrous nightscape.

In the hands of a capable writer this gripping story would have made a rousing book: In the hands of this writer who achieves rich characterization, keen ethical insight, and lyrical prose, it is an inspiration, and the cure for compassion fatigue.

I don't think I really understood what the war in Bosnia was all about before reading Dr. Sheri Fink's fabulous new book. She has a marvelous narrative gift. This book reads like a compelling screenplay, yet is marvelously researched and documented. As Chris Hedges wrote in his glowing review in the December 22, 2003 New York Times, Dr. Fink dramatically tells the story of the war by focusing on a small group of brave young doctors trapped in the beseiged city of Srebrenica with about 50,000 civilians. Without access to supplies, equipment and even electricity, we struggle along with them to deal with the frustrations, ethical dilemmas, rivalries and romances of their lives, while the larger picture of the war, the shocking failure of the UN and the West to intervene, plays out. The targeting of medical aid workers in Iraq (Dr. Fink worked there recently, I have read) takes on new meaning after reading her book and seeing how aid is often another (albeit deplorable) weapon of war. This book deserves wide notice.

Bob Russell did a great job in writing this book and sharing these principles. We're going through it with the staff & leadership at our church right now. We are having great candid converations about our church and the ministries here in the light of the information. The book challenges you to rethink, reconsider, and analyze what you are doing and raise the bar to serve God with your best. Great insights into leadership in the church. I would highly recommend this for all church leadership. It's biblically solid and really shows you how to build a church God's way. The call is to church health, not growth. The growth follows the health. A must read for pastors and leaders.

Think of megachurch pastors and names like Bill Hybels, Mike Breaux, Rick Warren, and Joel Osteen come to mind. Rarely does one think of Bob Russell. Now that I have had the chance to get to know Bob Russell personally, I bet that doesn't bother him a bit.

Russell was at the helm of Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, KY, one of the largest churches in the nation for more than 40 years. His book, When God Builds a Church: 10 Principles for Growing a Dynamic Church tells the story of Southeast Christian, while distilling principles from Scripture for implementation in other churches.

When God Builds a Church unveils Russell's philosophy about church growth, as much by what it says as by what it doesn't say. It is rare that a pastor can give so much practical, godly counsel without his advice devolving into formulas to be replicated everywhere else.

Russell's principles for a dynamic church begin with Truth (he argues strongly for biblical authority, conservative theology, and a Bible-centured focus) and Worship (he avoids the "worship wars" by calling for selflessness). In the chapter on Leadership, he lays out the biblical case and practical rationale for a plurality of elders.

As one who has frequented Southeast on occasion (and even taught there several times), I appreciated the chapter on Excellence. Say what you may about the mega-church movement. No one can deny that everything at Southeast is done with a spirit of excellence. Would that more churches seek to honor the Lord by offering excellence in every part of church life!

Interspersed throughout the book are Russell's recollections from his forty years of ministry. In the chapter on Faith, he recalls the sacrificial giving of the congregation. In the chapter on Harmony, he tells of tough moments when the church exercised discipline (highly unusual for a megachurch). Two other chapters (Participation and Fellowship) outline practical ways to get members involved.

Perhaps the most unique part of Russell's contribution to church growth is his insistence on preaching the truth, even when it makes people uncomfortable. In the chapter on Stewardship, he argues for more preaching on money, even if people do not want to hear it. Russell constantly cuts against the prevalent megachurch mentality that avoids confrontation at all costs.

In the final chapter, Evangelism, Russell explains that being seeker-sensitive does not mean crafting a worship service with the seeker in mind. Instead, it means we should genuinely worship God and grow in our walk, while welcoming seekers into our midst. Southeast does this by having sermons crafted with Christians in mind, and also by serving Communion and baptizing new converts every Sunday.

All in all, When God Builds a Church is the best book I've read from anyone associated with the megachurch movement. It is practical and full of sound wisdom and its author is one of the godliest men I know.

When God Builds a Church: 10 Principles for Growing a Dynamic Church is Biblically solid and has the potential to revolutionize the way we do church...if we will apply them. Russell is easy and entertaining to read and will connect with anyone who is in the trenches trying to allow God to lead them in ministry and church leadership.

Our church purchased 40 copies of this book for an adult study group. We wanted to take a close look at the principles for growth as outlined by Mr. Russell and compare them to our local growth potential. We have been pleased with the discussions and results of that study. We have been encouraged by some of the things we have been doing and challanged to do better in some areas. We recommend using this book as a base to take a look at your local church and see how God might use you to reach others more effectively for His kingdom.

In this interesting and highly readable book, the author identifies and discusses "ten principles for growing a dynamic church." They are:

1. Truth: Proclaim God's Word as Truth and Apply it to People's Lives
2. Worship: Worship God Every Week in Spirit and in Truth
3. Leadership: Develop Christ-Centered Leaders Who Lead by Example
4. Excellence: Do Your Best in Every Area of Service
5. Faith: Be Willing to Step Out with a Bold Faith and Take Risks
6. Harmony: Maintain a Spirit of Harmony
7. Participation: Expect the Congregation to Participate in Every Area of Ministry
8. Fellowship: Continually Practice Agape Love for One Another
9. Stewardship: Give Generously of God's Resources as a Church and as Individuals
10. Evangelism: Commit Enthusiastically to Evangelism as Your Primary Mission

The author devotes a separate chapter to each of these principles in which he describes its scriptural basis and discusses its implementation in real life settings. This discussion includes a wealth of very practical information and advice on how to apply the principles effectively, and how to avoid or overcome stumbling blocks and problems.

Although one may disagree with the precise way in which the principles have been applied in the author's own "mega-church," the principles themselves appear fundamentally sound and can profitably be adapted in other congregational settings.

I only wish that this had been written even 5 years ago. The author definitely knows most teens don't like
books that are too wordy. It is concise with tabs, and does use a heavier grade paper for those with the tendency to toss books. Also, it is colorful and uses a bit of humor. I thought it was very well done by the publisher and authors.

Purchased this to assist a very disorganized boy! It has a lot of helpful hints and guidelines for making your life easier and keeping track of your stuff!

I am messy, theres no denying it. My mom is always on my case about my room or the kitchen or the living room and so on. But as a high school student I have so many more IMPORTANT things to do than to spend my time trying to clean up my house, only to have it get messy again. This book had so many good ideas about how to be organized, not only at home, but at school too! Now my mom doesnt yell at me anymore, and I have more time to focus of my life. This book rocks!

The moment I put this book down, I wished that I had found it befor emy Senior year. "Where's My Stuff?" contains nearly every little bit of study and and organizational wisdom I've picked up throguh my high-school career, and it would have been helpful going into it with all that knowledge condensed in one book, whick I'm quite glad this book does. The practical, step-by-step instriuctions on how to organize class materials were incredibly helpful, and this book does a great job of preparing you to manage your time and your personla space. With its diagrams, charts, and overall utility, I would recommend "Where's My Stuff?" To anyone entering high-school. I'm definitely keeping it for college.

This book has helped me to the extreme. I used to be the kid that turns up in class with the math homework from last week when the teacher is asking for the essay on stonehenge. Which i forgot about becuase my planner gets washed off my hands every time i took a shower. This book outlines easy and practical strategies that allow you to take control of your backpack. Worth every penny.

I think this book is pretty good. It helped me prepare for 3 interviews, and I landed three job offers in these tough economic times. This book helped stimulate my mind to prepare for answering various interview questions. Also it has a useful chapter for going through the salary negiotations that my wife used to negotiate an additional 3% increase in salary.

This book is very helpful if you are going through the interview process and have not done so in a while. Very insightful and real world.

Within the last few minutes, I finished reading this extraordinary book. I am currently employed and trying to upgrade myself so at first I didnt think the first part of the book i.e. job hunting would interest me much. Boy was I wrong! This book is so comprehensive and entertaining, I couldnt put it down. The sequence of the book could not be laid out any better. Upon completion of the book I already feel armed with a new sense of knowledge and empowerment about the whole interviewing and job changing process, that I am acutually quite anxious to start practicing. Even for someone brand new to the job hunting and interviewing process, this book is worth it's weight in gold. I honestly didnt know how much I didnt know about this thing called interviewing until now. And the worst part is I have conducted many interviews. Hows that for an oximoron. The section in the back of the book has several different tools for the reader and future interviewee to use as preparation for success. Its as if all a person has to do is connect the dots and the doors of knowledge will fling open. I will be wearing the pages of this book out over the next several days as I personally have what I consider one of the biggest interviews of my life coming up. And trust me I am already planning on how to make this one a great one. I will be updating this review as I practice and learn more. Which brings up another amazing point about this book. It provides the reader with a scope of reading that you can refer back to again and again. Anyone looking for a great interview/job hunting resource book. This is absolutely the one to get. Happy reading.

This book was definitely money well spent. I have interviewed and accepted jobs previously in my career (10yrs in my profession), but have never been as prepared as I was after reading this book. I used it from the start of the job hunt process to accepting the best overall offer. Reading the book helped ease pre-interview anxiety, and also helped me prepare for interviews by providing a good idea of what to expect, how to prepare, and how to answer difficult questions, etc. The sections I found most helpful were on generating multiple offers, and negotiating after the initial offer. I used Dr Powers advice on both, and was able to generate multiple offers and negotiate significantly higher salary and vacation time. Well worth the money and I would recommend this book to anyone currently on the job hunt.

I've been on both sides of the job interview process: as someone doing the hiring and also as a candidate for a job. It is amazing how being on the job hunt alters your view of the interview process. Did I develop some kind of "interview fever" which made me overly nervous and forget what it was like to hire someone? Maybe. But reading Winning Job Interviews allowed me to step back and put it all back into proper perspective so I could ace the interview and get the job. How cool is that?

Even though Fr Ciszek tells his story in a matter of fact and emotionless manner, the story is deeply moving. Fr Ciszek's trust in Divine Providence notwithstanding his 5 years of interrogation at the Lubyanka and his 15 years in a labour camp is an extrordinary manifestation of the grace of God. His story gives an important insight into the madness of the communist regime - its obsession with the "rule of law" (far from it!), the strange politness at times of the KGB - a monumentally evil and irrational regime which somehow tried to cover itself in a veneer of law and reason but which was ultimately rotten to the core. Thank God for Fr Ciszek's witness to the faith in the midst of such inhumanity. AMDG!!!

Incidentally, to get the full picture, one really needs to read the companion book: "He leadeth me". In this later book, he gives a commentary of his time in Russia and the hard spiritual lessons he had to learn (particularly in the Lubyanka) in order to learn to trust in providence. Without this later book, one might be tempted to just see Fr Ciszek as a man of unbelievable natural strength and see his faith as a gloss but in the later book he makes it crystal clear that at all times it was his trust in God that sustained him. God bless you, Fr Ciszek!

This book is one of the best I have ever read. I could not put it down, It is encourageing that a man like Fr Ciszek survived the torture and humiliation he endured and still survive. No wonder it was a BEST seller. A real must read, especially in the aftermath of 9-11.

I read With God in Russia after receiving a recommendation from a friend. It is a very readable book, which I had trouble putting down to do necessary chores. I highly recommend it to anyone who takes the spiritual life seriously. This book tells the story of Father Ciszek's life in Russia, while his book He Leadeth Me gives the spiritual side of the experience. I was totally moved by his ability to abandon himself to God in the midst of the tremendous difficulties he experienced. I am sharing this book with friends, so they can see how much more fortunate we are here in the United States.

Ann B

Both of Father Ciszek's books ring in the truth of a 'spiritual awakening' versus our pretense at holiness via the intellect. His premise, that we must endure suffering in order to 'let' God's presense into our life to guide us, is the bare bones reality of a spiritual life. Or as Oswald Chambers states we must come to the end of 'ourselves'. Father Ciszek came to the end of himself after years of 'stubborness' and one ups manship with his NKVD interrogators, and realized the spiritual nuance of being guided by God versus being guided by ego.
I feel I need not read anymore, but just experience my life as it unfolds moment to moment. These books along with Eckhart Tolle's books are essentials.
'He Leadth Me' is the best of the two in that he wrote it after his experiences in Russia had a few years to synthesize----both are brilliant and humble.
The Way of a Pilgrim is also a terrific book, but it was not written nor translated by Father Ciszek. He wrote an Introduction to the translation.
In short all three are necessary reads for a Pilgrim.

This is a good book, however I like his second book "He Leadeth Me" better. In this book, Father Ciszek does not go into much detail about what he learned from his ordeal. He mostly gives a chronology of all the events that took place during his 23 years in Russian work camps and prison camps.
In his other book "He Leadeth Me", he goes into detail all the spiritual lessons that he learned during his difficult years of imprisonment in Russia. His spiritual insights are very edifying and enlightening. He provides alot of hard earned spiritual lessons and spiritual direction in his other book "He Leadeth Me".
So, while I would recommend this book, in my opinion it is not as good as his other book.
Glenn Dallaire

This is a comprehensive view of Christian Worship; clearly demonstrates it isn't just about the music, and that Worship matters to God, so it should matter to us.

Great book!!! Packed with useful information on almost every aspect of worship. almost 300 pages and half of the book is highlighted yellow!! i would recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more on worship. Solid!!

This book is very insightful and practical. You will learn a lot of biblical truths about worship and how to be an effective worship leader.

I loved this book. I've quoted from it when addressing my team, and have used portions of it for lessons I have contructed for use with our youth group when discussing music and worhip. Absolute recommendation for any worship leader to read. This book has confirmed my own beliefs, challenged me in some areas of dogma, and opened my eyes to several personal faults. A wonderfully well-written and encouraging work for any worship leader.

Simply put, this book published by Crossway is from a music leader who clearly and convincingly asserts that music is not the most important thing during the singing portion of a Sunday service, or in his own life, for that matter. Instead of Worship Matters, Bob Kauflin, the director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries could just as easily have called this The Gospel Matters, for that is really what this book is all about.

Does Kauflin provide pointed advice, tips and instructions specifically aimed at the music leaders of churches? Sure he does. He even goes so far as to make suggestions to them on detailed (seemingly minor) things such as how to properly project songs on a screen so that the congregation can fully benefit from what is being sung. But his primary concern throughout this book is to make it clear that the gospel is what matters, not the quality of the performance or even the music itself. Here are some of Kauflin's remarks about the importance of lyrical content over musical preference:

Songs are defacto theology. They teach us who God is, what he's like, and how to relate to him.

We need songs that have substantive, theologically rich, biblically faithful lyrics. A consistent diet of shallow, subjective worship songs tends to produce shallow, subjective Christians.

Too often we can be tempted to choose songs because of the music rather than the theological content. We need to realize that when words are combined to music we can be deceived. Music can make shallow lyrics sound deep.

Kauflin says that, "the words we sing should also be clear, not obscure or subject to personal interpretation." Later in the book he uses as an example the song Draw Me Close to You by Kelly Carpenter, most notably (to me, anyway) sung by Michael W. Smith. Here are some of the lyrics to that song:

Draw me close to you, never let me go.
I lay it all down again, to hear you say that I'm your friend
You are my desire, no one else will do.

You're all I want. You're all I've ever needed.
You're all I want. Help me know you are near.

Kauflin reflects on how meaningful the song was to him and his wife back in the mid nineties, but that over time he stopped using it in services. He explains in the book that, "The intensely personal lyrics allow room for different interpretations, not all of them helpful. The overall impression of the song is one of uncertainty rather than faith."

The concern that Kauflin has throughout the book on making sure his readers understand that clarity of the truth is the single most important thing in worship (be it in music, preaching or praying, etc.) is what I found to be the most beneficial thing in reading Worship Matters. He also repeatedly emphasized the importance of the local church, which is such an important truth that is under attack in today's electronic/MP3 church world where guys like George Barna do their surveys and then mislead Christians by telling them it's okay and even right not to be actively involved in a local church body. Kauflin counters that notion when he says, "God has so designed the church that it's impossible to grow in godliness and know the fullness of his grace apart from the church."

While I disagree with his continuationist position regarding things like tongues, miracles and the gift of prophecy (he talks at various times about giving prophetic impressions and even presenting those impressions spontaneously in services through song), I must say that this book was very beneficial to me, and I am not even a music leader. I think that demonstrates the strength of this book and the fact that Kauflin, while writing a book primarily aimed at "worship" leaders (those who lead music), has produced a great work that all can benefit from because of its focus: the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I recommend this book to anyone who desires to see what the heart of every Christian should be in worship - to do so in spirit and truth. Bob Kauflin is a great example of how we are to approach the worship of our Creator, not just on Sundays, but in every aspect of our lives.

This is an excellent resource. I wish I'd had something like this early in my career. Not only is the book an excellent collection, but it is all on the accompanying CD to help you prepare bulletins, text for Sunday service, etc. Superb! A good investment.

This is the finest resource for worship planning I have read in years. The essays are very helpful. The prayers are written in good English. The inclusion of a CD makes the book especially useful. Although I am a United Methodist Pastor, I highly endorse this Reformed Church resource.

Excellent resource for worship leaders! Great selection of corporate and responsive prayers and readings, also includes lectionary in appendix.

very usefull. a good gift for persons who find themselves in the position of worship coordinator.

This is an excellent resource! Any pastor or worship leader who incorporates litanies, corporate prayers and unison readings in their worship services should have this resource. It is also a very helpful resource in providing written prayers and liturgies for lay readers.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone who has been retrenched, made redundant, involuntarily exited from the workplace or simply disillusioned with his or her workplace. A step by step manual on how to transition or transform yourself and make a comeback. Full of tips and suggestions, if you are a career hunter, it would be useful to have this text handy. Its got some stories of individuals' experiences and therefore this should be helpful in enabling you to make a move, if you are hesitating.

I found this to be an excellent read - a real motivational book, especially for someone coming out of the .com craze. This book told of all the mood changes and feelings of anxiety that come from being downsized or from a company that has gone out of business. It also contained a good list of resources relating to where you were in your search for a new career.

Loved it. Recommend it to anyone on the edge.

Are You a Corporate Refugee? is an excellelnt resource for people who are being downsized, EAP professionals, and Outplacement experts. This book proves to be a guide for preparing for an imminent layoff and describing steps to take after the layoff. The author, Ruth Luban, does an excellent job in not only presenting a very practical guide, but addressing the full range of emotions attached to such a major life changing event.

As a career counselor, I am always searching for resources that are both informative about the psycholological impact of change and pragmatic enough to provide concrete guidance for persons navigating a career transition. This is the book I most often suggest to clients who have been laid off or are otherwise in the middle of a job change under challenging circumstances. I highly recommend this book.

On the brink of layoff, I found this book at the library among the usual collection of books on resume' building, interviewing and job search. Reading the first chapters about downsizing I could see that this book was about my story, starting with the "On The Brink" experience of knowing something drastic is about to happen soon. Turns out the book is about the internal challenges and transitions involved in loosing a job, dealing with "what to do next" and how to make the journy to the next job a rewarding one.

Now I have my own copy from Amazon which I use most every day. It is very helpful.

I read this book while on a quest to reconcile the book of Genesis with the theory of evolution. The books I had read that specifically set out to do this failed to do it well. That was why it was so useful to me to read a book that simply lays out the truths that are important in Genesis. Schaeffer does this admirably.

Genesis in Space and Time is short, but engaging. In a clear, forceful style, Schaeffer describes the overarching Biblical themes in Genesis, as well as the nuances of various incidents. Although the Big Bang is mentioned, Schaeffer does not specifically confront evolution, either to embrace or refute it. His purpose is to make a positive argument for the theological importance of the first book of the Bible.

I'm excited to recommend this book to other Christians who are wondering whether or not it would be simpler to consign Genesis to the myth pile and move on.

This thorough but not exhaustive work (like the bible) of the flow of biblical history in the book of Genesis is hard to put down----it's that good. All main areas are covered. Where Schaeffer brings in controversy he gives us fair warning. This book should be read as a unity with "No Final Conflict". "If we won't listen, we won't understand."

There is a basic mystery that holds true, that we came into being: 1. from nothing to something 2. everything began with an impersonal something 3. everything began with a personnel something, or 4. there is and always has been a dualism; there are no other choices, and 1,2, and 4 quickly erode when analyzed. The bible gives us structure, without it we are only left with an "existential leap"----a blind faith. Schaeffer says, "we who are finite can never exhaust the finite". Yes, even the finite.

Wish you well and blessings
Scott

This was my first Schaeffer book, so I was unsure of what to expect. I consider myself rather picky with regard to religious subject matter. Mr. Schaeffer's book was enjoyable, and I will try another one. While "Genesis" did not really have any significant new ideas, it was well communicated and easy to follow, even for laymen or the casual reader.

If you are unfamiliar with Genesis and the conservative approach to its interpretation, this is a good book. It is not scholarly or philosophical, in my opinion, but it remains substantial - which many people will find refreshing.

This is a great book for all Christians to read. It puts creation back into perspective and establishes all the solid biblical proof for why creation had to exist in both space and time. Unbelievers will scoff but in this book believers will be reminded of who they are and where they came from.

Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-84) was an American Evangelical theologian and philosopher whose works were very influential on Evangelical thinking. In this fascinating book, Dr. Schaeffer takes a look at the first eleven chapters of the book of Genesis, which many Christian thinkers seem to find irrelevant to a truly Christian worldview. On the contrary, Dr. Schaeffer shows that the early history of man, as contained in the beginning of Genesis, is crucial to understanding why man is the way he is, and how God works with and through man.

I must say that this is a truly mind-expanding book that goes a long way towards giving the reader a truly Christian view of the man and the world that he inhabits. I mean, how is man "fallen," and what was and is his relationship with God? These are crucial questions to understanding the very foundational concepts of our religion, and the answers are contained in this book.

This is a great book, and a true classic of Christian thought. I do not hesitate to say should be read by all believers.

An excellent communication book. Building a reputation for a CEO is very important. Very insightful and easy to read. Very honest. The step by step approach is basic and easy to follow.

Immense credit must be given to Dr. Gaines-Ross who bravely and successfully takes on, notwithstanding the post Enron anti-CEO environment, the hypersensitive issue of CEO reputation. Yes, agrees Gaines-Ross, being a high profile, ego obsessed CEO is asking for trouble and is to be avoided like the plague. She refuses, however, to engage in the now fashionable tendency toward unrestrained CEO bashing, preferring instead a reasoned, astute and carefully researched analysis of the CEO's role.

While adding her voice to those who deride media hyped personalities, what she refers to as big "C" Celebrity CEOs, she cautions that old fashioned leadership is still desirable. When engaged in by talented CEOs, it may, indeed should, lead to the creation of an executive persona. Such a persona need not require media exposure and is entirely compatible with sound corporate practice. Such persona bearing CEOs are small "c" celebrated CEOs, who "by dint of strong leadership, discriminating vision, force of character and other admirable traits become celebrated by their employees, their industry, their peers, and occasionally (though not necessarily) even the media for jobs well done."

Gaines-Ross' book amounts to a much needed, intellectually honest warning not to let the anti-CEO backlash go too far. Refusing to jump blindly onto the anti-CEO bandwagon as have so many business pundits, she stresses that executive leadership is still necessary and if effectively and ethically rendered is something which should not be hidden under the rug but promoted openly. In pursuing the cause of sound, old fashioned corporate leadership, she lays out a roadmap, based on original research, on how CEOs may repair their reputations, stressing among other things the need to communicate internally, build a management team, develop a thematic stamp and a vision.

She deserves immense praise not only for her honest appraisal of the role of CEOs in today's business environment but also for presenting an immensely practical and useful format on how to lead ethically, energetically and effectively.

A major, original addition to the literature on leadership and reputation ... no doubt about it.

Immense credit must be given to Dr. Gaines-Ross who bravely and successfully takes on, notwithstanding the post Enron anti-CEO environment, the hypersensitive issue of CEO reputation. Yes, agrees Gaines-Ross, being a high profile, ego obsessed CEO is asking for trouble and is to be avoided like the plague. She refuses, however, to engage in the now fashionable tendency toward unrestrained CEO bashing, preferring instead a reasoned, astute and carefully researched analysis of the CEO's role.

While adding her voice to those who deride media hyped personalities, what she refers to as big "C" Celebrity CEOs, she cautions that old fashioned leadership is still desirable. When engaged in by talented CEOs, it may, indeed should, lead to the creation of an executive persona. Such a persona need not require media exposure and is entirely compatible with sound corporate practice. Such persona bearing CEOs are small "c" celebrated CEOs, who "by dint of strong leadership, discriminating vision, force of character and other admirable traits become celebrated by their employees, their industry, their peers, and occasionally (though not necessarily) even the media for jobs well done."

Gaines-Ross' book amounts to a much needed, intellectually honest warning not to let the anti-CEO backlash go too far. Refusing to jump blindly onto the anti-CEO bandwagon as have so many business pundits, she stresses that executive leadership is still necessary and if effectively and ethically rendered is something which should not be hidden under the rug but promoted openly. In pursuing the cause of sound, old fashioned corporate leadership, she lays out a roadmap, based on original research, on how CEOs may repair their reputations, stressing among other things the need to communicate internally, build a management team, develop a thematic stamp and a vision.

She deserves immense praise not only for her honest appraisal of the role of CEOs in today's business environment but also for presenting an immensely practical and useful format on how to lead ethically, energetically and effectively.

A major, original addition to the literature on leadership and reputation ... no doubt about it.

We have all been witness to the lionisation, and thereafter, the demonisation of CEOs.

As we watched some of the finest corporate reputations bite the dust, we also became acutely aware that there is no 'secret sauce' to brew a fine reputation. Yet there are some basic principles that apply and that is what this book sheds light on.

CEO Capital is not about impression management or building personality cults. Nor is it a simple 1-2-3 recipe for assembling a chief executive's reputation. It is for serious business professionals who recognise and honour the immensity of the chief executive's job, especially in today's complex business environment.

Over the past few years, Burson-Marsteller has contributed significantly to the body of knowledge through a series of research studies looking at CEO reputation and its contribution to broader corporate reputation. Those studies have found a significant - and growing - correlation between the credibility of the chief executive and reputation of his or her organisation.

The principal architect of that research is Leslie Gaines-Ross, B-M's chief knowledge officer, who joined the firm after serving as director of marketing and communication at Fortune magazine, where she was closely involved in the publication's Most Admired Corporations research.

In the book, Gaines-Ross builds on Burson's research and lays out a roadmap for CEOs who understand the increasing importance of both personal and institutional credibility. CEO reputation, according to this book, is dependent upon three 'C' factors -credibility, code of ethics, and communicating internally - and two 'M' factors - attracting and retaining a quality management team and motivating and inspiring employees.

So important are the CM factors that each one surpassed even wealth creation in importance according to the 2001 Burson-Marsteller study, she writes. Evidently, financial performance is important, but simply not enough.

Gaines-Ross makes a compelling case that building CEO capital is not about ego, but about good, old-fashioned leadership. And she shows that it has payoffs for the organisation. But before embarking on what Gaines-Ross calls "the CEO capital model of building reputation," the CEO must buy into the importance of building his or her personal credibility.

The most practical section of the book, based upon B-M's 'Seasons of a CEO' research, provides a roadmap for a new CEO seeking to build credibility inside and outside the organisation.

That task begins in the countdown period, before he or she takes office. The countdown is a time to cherish -a time when a CEO may quietly plan for the future, contact key shareholders, research the company, and do all those innumerable tasks for which there will be so little time later, says Gaines-Ross.

The first 100 days of a CEO's tenure are critical, and a time when the focus should be inward rather than on external audiences.

The media should be low on the list of priorities for a new CEO during the first 100 days, says Gaines-Ross. Media exposure without full opportunity to gain a thorough understanding of corporate workings is an invitation to disaster.

As the first year progresses, the focus slowly shifts. The CEO must establish a unique corporate persona in which the CEO's every action and deed reflects in some way the corporate values the CEO wishes to advance and the vision the CEO wishes to instil.

The first step is to engage in what Gaines-Ross calls "intense learning," from customers, from analysts, from alumni, from employees. Then, she says, CEOs can cultivate a persona, establishing those values that will drive the company, articulating a code of ethics.

The second year of a CEO's tenure can be even more challenging because this is when the change really gets binding and the stakeholders, including the board of directors, start to expect real, measurable results.

The CEO needs to demonstrate the company's new strategic vision, put stakeholders at ease - show them both financial results and a unified management team - and start to plan for the future.

The CEO also needs to demonstrate what Gaines-Ross calls thought leadership, something that "distinguishes and differentiates a company from its competitors... Thought leadership often breaks with business or industry convention, astonishes if not startles. Thought leadership reflects on the company and builds CEO capital."

Gaines-Ross ends the book with two appeals. The first is for a longer CEO timetable. B-M's research has shown that all stakeholders expect more of CEOs, and faster. But "the trend toward increasingly shorter CEO tenures is undermining business productivity and focus," says Gaines-Ross.

"Fewer CEOs seem to make it past the five-quarter mark and even fewer beyond their three-year anniversary. Such instability irrevocably and adversely affects a company's reputation and destiny. Chief executive departures have substantially adverse consequences, affecting too many employees, customers, partners, and investors." The second appeal is related, a call for a longer-term view.

This is substantial addition to the literature of our profession, a manifesto supported by compelling original research and informed by intelligent, sympathetic analysis. It is also a rare book about public relations that preaches not to the choir but to the choirmasters.

(The reviewer is Principal and Founder, Genesis Public Relations, India)

In CEO Capital, Leslie Gaines-Ross has written an insightful and enlightening book for those who want to increase the positive visibility and reputation of their CEO. It is a surprise to this reviewer that more books have not been written on the subject of how to master the art of building your reputation when both your own personal future and corporate future may be resting on it.

The celebrity hungry society of today looks to corporate movers and shakers especially the CEO as icons of a particular company. Think about Lee Iacocca, Jack Welch, Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs to mention just a few. How much of your opinion of these companies (and notice I don't even have to mention which companies they run/ran) is based on your perceived image of the CEO? The phrase `you are your company' has never been more true, especially in the post Enron & Arthur Anderson world. How has your opinion of Enron changed now that you know more about Jeff Skilling and Andrew Fastow? Despite any fraud at Enron being committed by the few and not the masses of the organization, our entire perception of Enron has shifted to the iconic few.

Part I of CEO Capital is a contextual look at CEO capital: what it is, where it comes from and how it can be built. Gaines-Ross draws us in by looking at the CEO Effect by citing some examples as far back as 1985 starting with Roberto Goizueta, then CEO of Coca-Cola and the whole `New Coke' revolt, that could have been a fatal disaster for the company. But Goizueta, trading on his CEO capital, not only avoided being removed but was able to bring the company back even stronger.

Part II is most interesting and is centered on the five stages postulated in the CEO capital model which take you by the hand, and step by step go through best practices (ed: hate that term but in this situation it is apt), principles and linkages to factors affecting the building of CEO capital. As the book says, `the reader may be left with the impression that the stages read almost like a manual on how to lead a company. This perception is quite acceptable and entirely reasonable because nothing is more conducive to building CEO capital than building a strong, high-performing company. Any similarity between the two is entirely intentional.' Which is indeed how it reads, but in doing so, broadens the scope of the content to be relevant to a wider audience of business managers and executives who may not be leading Fortune 500 type companies (yet!). In fact, they may be the very leaders who will gain most from this book, since they are not too arrogant to learn and may gain the most from any capital building opportunities presented to them.

Chapters in the book include guidance on the Countdown (the time before the CEO-elect takes office), the First One Hundred days and the First Year, and then of course the second year in office which is always much harder than the first.

Gaines-Ross has written a truly pioneering work - overall an excellent book on a little-written about subject. The book is practically written and you should not let its somewhat `user manual' style detract you from putting its advice into action. Recommended for CEOs and CEOs to-be of all sized companies, as well as other corporate officers and marketing/PR professionals who may guide along the process.