Non-fiction
‘Holy Rewired,’ book review
Dr. David Phillips has been a friend for several years. In the SBC blogosphere of yore, he usually went by the name “Tech Support” since he was the only one in our little group that understood the technology behind “Edit Post” and “Publish.” He saved my bacon many times along the way and gave... »
‘Flirting with Faith,’ book review
At my wife’s suggestion, I recently read her copy of Flirting with Faith: My Spiritual Journey from Atheism to a Faith-Filled Life. Written by professor Joan Ball, it is the engaging, humorous and revealing story of how an affirmed atheist with no problems to speak of, searching for nothing and experience no spiritual doubts,... »
‘The Devil in Pew Number Seven,’ book review
Anyone who has ever pastored or attended a small town church can appreciate the reality of the “one who runs everything.” Those closed communities where the same folks have lived on the same land for generations are sometimes situated around those churches that I call “family owned and operated.” Everyone in the church is... »
‘Green Like God,’ book review
The new book Green Like God: Unlocking the Divine Plan for Our Planet, by Southern Baptist leader Jonathan Merritt, is likely to ruffle more feathers and garner both more praise and more criticism than any book by any other Southern Baptist author in 2010. That’s because Merritt holds the unusual position of being Southern... »
Leadership library give away
Up for grabs is a group of ten (10) leadership books to keep or give to leaders around you. Most of these are used having been picked up at various sales or thrift shops over the last few months (not everyone actually reads them, you know) or books that were given to me for... »
‘When Helping Hurts,’ book review
I’m not sure what the literary equivalent of disruptive technology is, but When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . .and Ourselves by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert would certainly fit the description. Perhaps cognitive realignment could be suggested. In the wake of the recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile combined with... »
‘Travesty in Haiti,’ book review
When I returned from Haiti on February 8, the first thing I started doing was looking for books that could help make sense of some of the things I had seen that obviously predated the earthquake: the extreme poverty, regularly being asked for money or things, and nightmarish logistical situations that seemingly prevented needs... »
Loretta Napoleoni and the global economics of terrorism
Loretta Napoleoni gave the following talk at TED last summer. Napoleoni, a macroeconomist whose introduction to terrorism and money came through interviewing the Italian Red Brigades, demonstrates the intricate linkage of world finance and terrorist moneymaking. She also suggests the primary activity of terror networks is not politics or violence, but the raising of... »
Radiation oncologist claims proof of the afterlife
January 25, 2010—Near-death experiences have long been a fascinating phenomenon, prompting more questions than answers. According to a Gallup poll, between 8 to 12 million Americans—around five percent—say they have had a near-death experience. Despite these substantial numbers, most scientists are at a loss to explain these events. Dr. Jeffrey Long, a radiation oncologist,... »
‘Game Change,’ excerpts part 3
[A necessary disclaimer: I did not vote for either Obama or McCain in November. My preference was not to choose between the lesser of two evils and I would not cast a vote for either of them in a future face-off. The first two posts in this group (Parts One and Two) focused on... »