Well, I finished up some books I was reading and wanted to fill you in on a some others that I have cracked open this week. I will list them and in italics lprovide a few take-aways.

Paul for Everyone 1 Corinthians by Tom Wright

This is a commentary that reads like a book. I love using Wright’s guides to the New Testament for as tools for devotionals and study. Here’s a take-away from this past week:

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

  • In Judaism and Christianity the thought has always been that everything God creates is good. So, when God created the world, and everything in it, it was good. But, evil is a strong, powerful and horrible pollutant into God’s good creation.
  • At some point, God will make things right and restore His creation in a final judgment and second coming of Christ. NT Wright says, “Believing in God’s final judgment is actually part of believing that God is the good and wise creator, and that his kingdom will one day come on earth as in heaven. And when the final judgment come it will be seen to be just. It will bring to light everything now hidden, including the thoughts and intentions of people’s hearts. (pg. 48)
  • Since God is a wise and good creator, and since our hope is in a resurrection and restored earth, shouldn’t we trust that God will make things right and correct all of the injustice, corruption and sadness that have stained His creation? Even better…God will correct any damage I have caused, through my own sinful actions, against God’s creation.

The Be With Factor by Bo Boshers & Judson Poling

This book is all about mentoring students in everyday life.  Mentoring is not a new invention obviously…but something many people in student ministry quickly forget about.  So far, this book has been very practical and helpful.  Here are a few of my thoughts:

  • Bo Boshers provides a simple definition of mentoring: “Simply being-with students in daily life.”  Over the past several years, I have totally felt the need to be engaged in heavily investing in a few students.  There is so much pressure to build a big, program-driven ministry.  However, pastors to students must recognize what will leave a better legacy and example to students: How many people came to our dodgeball event?  Or How many lives did we truly change? How many leaders did we build? How many disciples did we create?

    • As I read The Be With Factor, I recognize a few mistakes I am currently making with the 4 young men I am trying to mentor: 

      I struggle NOT to make my times with them a Bible study.  God has made me a teacher and I love it…but I must be intentional to NOT make this a small group time.  Bo Boshers says this, “It’s not just a formal small group time or giving the student lessons from a planned syllabus.  It’s spending time with individual student, taking them along with you as you go about some of your daily tasks — or accompanying them while they do theirs.  In those experiences, common and everyday as they are with you, you keep an eye on them and an ear tuned to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.  They watch you and learn how a maturing believer does life.”

  • As I venture into the mentoring world, the results have already been amazing (even though I have a lot to learn about mentoring).  The students that I am mentoring have already shared their deep struggles, cried, laughed and said things like, “I want to be like  you Dan (the most humbling thing I have ever heard in ministry).” One of the students I  mentor wants to be in ministry and I plan to have him help me with a summer camp and also stop by my office a few days a week just to hang out and see what I do.  Another student is a kid I coached in football and will coach again this fall.  I am trying to pray through some ways to mentor him better through football.  Honestly, EVERY TIME I am with these kids and doing mentoring right, it gives me so much life.  Sure, I enjoy teaching the large groups…or running a big event…but honestly, there is nothing like INTENTIONALLY investing in a few.  With all of the struggles/failures/disappointments that can come with ministry, mentoring sure is right.

The Sabbath by Abraham Joshua Heschel

This book is a classic of Jewish spirituality and was originally published in 1951.  Obviously, this book attacks the profound meaning of the “Seventh Day.”  Below are some takeaways:

  • Modern civilizations desire to conquer space.  By doing so, we often sacrifice a huge aspect of our existence — time.  This is what Abraham Joshuah Heschel says, “To enhance our power in the world of space is our main objective.  Yet to have more does not mean to be more.  The power we attain in the world of space  terminates abruptly at the borderline of time.  But time is the heart of existence.”
  • This is what I have learned about the Sabbath so far: The Sabbath is a day for us to recognize the holiness of time.  Why?  Because in Genesis, with the Creation account, we see that God establishes time as holy first — not space.  God did not create a temple, a mountain or a shrine and say (all elements of space), “This is Holy.”  Rather, God created and said, “This is good.”  Then on the seventh day, God blessed the seventh day…an element of time…and declared it holy.  Therefore, we can conclude that six days a week we focus and live under the “tyranny of space (this reflects the creation account).”  But, on the seventh day, we are called to focus on the holiness of time and, as Abraham Joshua Heschel says, “It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation; from the world of creation to the creation of the world.”
  • This book is heavy reading.  I’m hopeful I can gain a better understanding of the Sabbath from the Jewish mind.