A Review of When Helping Hurts

Cover photo of When Helping Hurts from Amazon.com

It has been said, “The pathway to hell is paved with good intentions.” Good intentions are not always good enough. In attempting to help others with our good intentions, we can actually do more harm than good. This is the issue Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert address in their thought provoking and challenging book, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself.

We must be thoughtful and intentional in the ways that we seek to resource those who are in need. As Christians we are called to be restoration agents in the world, but we are also called into intentional and loving relationships. We are called to healthy relationships and investment in people over projects. This is not always easy, but it is essential if we are to be truly helpful, without doing more harm than good. Due to the fallen nature of humanity and the world, even the very systems through which we try to help people are fallen and broken. It is not enough that we have to navigate our own fallenness, and the fallen nature of the people we are trying to serve and help, but we must also navigate the fallenness of systems, government, infrastructure, culture and the like.

When doctors set out to do their call to serve the sick, their first rule of thumb is to “First, do no harm”. This is part of what is called the Hippocratic Corpus. As those who are called to serve others in need and to reflect the love of Christ, we too should practice, at minimum, “First, do no harm”.

There is an old proverb, which states, “Give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will eat for a lifetime.” The issue of truly helping someone, as Christians are called to do, is a complex issue. We must look at problems systematically and for the long term. A short-sided view of help, relief, is not as affective as looking at long-term solutions, which address systematic breakdowns. It is important to see beyond relief and to rehabilitation and restoration. Poverty alleviation is better than mere poverty pacification.

Poverty and need is a relational and structural breakdown and is a result of sin. This sin has caused us to be fallen in our relationships with God, ourselves, others and creation. Helping people can be difficult as we navigate our own sinfulness and is further complicated through the fallen nature of creation and the fallen nature of those we serve. We should not do for others what they can do for themselves. We do not want to enable people in our helping them, nor do we want them to become dependent on our aide.

Relief is a simpler and an easier solution than the larger investment of time and resources that it takes to do rehabilitation, development and restoration. Sometimes quick relief is appropriate, but often times what is needed and what is best requires much more effort, time and resources to help those in need when providing assistance. As Christians, our call is a high calling and should be focused on people and loving our neighbors in selfless service. We must consider others and engage the community.

As Americans we can be tempted to move toward the quick fix. We can also be tempted to throw money at problems rather than time, thought and relationships. The importance of the book When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself cannot be overemphasized.

Any person who is interested in appropriately meeting the needs of people and impacting the community and the world for Christ should read this book. Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert have identified and addressed the issues that lead to helping actually hurting the people we are trying to serve. They offer valuable insights and suggestions of how to navigate the complexity of helping, how to honor God in our helping and serving, and how to truly help those in need to move toward reconciliation and restoration.

Bibliography

Corbett, Steve and Fikkert, Brian. When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself. Moody Publishers, 2012.

A review of AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church

Cover photo of AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church, 

from Amazon.com

AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church is a great follow up to Tangible Kingdom.

In their book AND: TheGathered and Scattered Church, Hugh Halter and Matt Smay address the balance that every church must strike between gathering together and scattering outward into the world in mission. While the church is supposed to meet together in corporate fellowship, congregants are also supposed to be scattered. The church is supposed to be missional and leave the corporate gathering and fellowship for going out in mission.

Simply put, the church is supposed to both gather and scatter. The church has left the building. The church is more than a building that we go to. We are the church, and as the church, we must not only gather together, but we must also go out into the world in mission.

AND: The Gathered and Scattered Church is an excellent book to balance out mission and fellowship, the gathering and the scattering.

Bibliography

Halter, Hugh and Smay, Matt. AND: The Gathered and ScatteredChurch. Zondervan, 2010.

A Review of Get Off Your Donkey

Cover Photo of Get Off Your Donkey from Amazon.com

“He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him.” –Luke 10:34

“The moral of the [Good Samaritan] story is that you have to get off your donkey to help somebody.” —Reggie McNeal

There is an old saying, which you may have heard, it goes something like this, “You should do what you can, not what you cannot.” The point is simple, there are some things that we can do to make a difference and these are the endeavors that we should focus our time and attention on, instead of placing our focus and energies on what we cannot do. There are actions we can take in the contexts of our lives to make a real difference in the world to help others and to love our neighbors.

Reggie McNeal highlights this idea of making a difference where you are in his book Get Off Your Donkey!: Help Somebody and Help Yourself. In this book McNeal highlights the reality that we are all, ultimately, in the people business, especially if we are in church ministry and leadership.

In his introduction McNeal highlights this issue, “I’m trying to help them [church leaders] get out of the church business and into the people business” (McNeal, p. 14). Like the priest and the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan, too often the church “has passed by on the other side of the road when we should be the ones showing the way” (McNeal, p. 15).

Oftentimes we can get trapped in over analysis and in paralysis concerning all of the need and brokenness surrounding us in the world. The needs and the problems around us are great, but we cannot afford to allow these to bring us to inaction, depression or fatigue. McNeal encourages his readers with the following, “We can’t afford to let this negative vibe paralyze us into inactivity while people are bleeding out all around us” (McNeal, p. 23). We must take action and help our neighbors. There is plenty we can do to make a difference in our world.

We must be the church in the world and not just be on our way to a church building with all of our religious activities, neglecting our neighbor who is beaten and bloody on the roadside. McNeal says it this way, “The problem is, religious activity is still getting in the way of our being good neighbors” (p. 38).

As the church, we must move away from religious piety and toward a Biblical model of discipleship. According to the book, “The litmus test of discipleship is ‘follow-ship’! Are we doing what Jesus commanded, or are we just really good at recalling his commands?” (p. 39). We cannot be all talk in our service to the Lord and His church. We must put our faith into practice and get off of our donkeys.

Get Off Your Donkey!: Help Somebody and Help Yourself is an excellent book to light a fire under an often apathetic, complacent and lazy church. Church leaders of every level and church members, and laity at every level, should read this book. The church could use a good kick in the donkey to get us back to our mission in the world.

Bibliography

McNeal, Reggie (2013-02-01). Get Off Your Donkey!: Help Somebody and Help Yourself (p. 13). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

A Review of The Present Future

Cover Photo of The Present Future: 
Six Tough Questions for the Church, from Amazon.com

Reggie McNeal’s book, The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church, addresses the need for the church to move from program driven buildings and bureaucracy back to missional service and disciple making.

In this book, McNeal looks at how the church has been inwardly focused and more like a “club” with a “club mentality”, seeking its own good and interests above the mission of reaching the unsaved and those who are “outside the club.” The local church has become something that is antiquated and far removed from its life giving vitality of mission and service toward dead ritualistic programs and facilities.

It has been said that the church is the only organization that exists for its non-members. McNeal asserts, in so many words, that this is no longer the case concerning the church in North America. We, the church, have become more inwardly focused and have done less and less for those who we should be reaching out to in selfless service, evangelism and discipleship. As the church, we must move away from the “country club” mindset and move back toward our mission—people.

The future of the church lies in the present. The old ways no longer work for a new generation with a differing culture and a diversity of need. Old models of ministry and church are ceasing to function and work as they once did. New methods of relationships and decentralization must be put into action. Disciples must be made and leadership must be developed and sent out.

The church is not something we go to, the church is who we are in the world. We must move from an attractional model of church buildings and programs, with the idea of “if we build it, they will come” and move toward being a people who integrate our faith into our work and into every area of our lives. We must be the church in “the present future.”

In The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church, Reggie McNeal addresses six serious topics, which include the following: The church culture, as we know it, is over; we must move from church growth models to kingdom growth thinking and initiative; a new reformation will begin once the church releases equipped people into the world for mission; spiritual formation and development must be at the heartbeat of the church; church leaders must move from planning to preparation so they will be equipped for every good work; and finally, church leaders need to be trained and equipped, not to do programing, but to do mission, and to be missional, as sent people into the world.

The Present Future is an excellent book for anyone in church and ministry leadership. This book is relevant in addressing real concerns with the current state of the church and is motivational and inspirational in addressing real issues with real solutions of mission and focus.

Bibliography

McNeal, Reggie. The Present Future: Six Tough Questions for the Church. Jossey-Bass, 2003.

Who’s in Charge of Bob?: A Book Review

Who's In Charge of Bob?: The Key to Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary, cover photo from FredGrooms.com and Amazon.com

In our current cultural climate it has become the norm to abdicate responsibility for one’s self, or to shift blame and responsibility onto others. This is why it is refreshing to see the release of Fred Grooms’ new book, Who's In Charge of Bob?: The Key to Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary. This exciting new resource provides practical tools and insights for students to take charge of their lives, to take responsibility for their lives and to focus on their strengths, as well as managing their weaknesses, for greater outcomes and transformation.

Fred Grooms does a fantastic job of weaving his own story together with the testimony and stories of others to give examples of how to overcome obstacles to success and growth. Fred addresses strengths and weaknesses in his book through the following chapters: A Glimpse into Personal Strengths, You Are Talented, Discover and Uncover Your Talents, Investing In and Utilizing Your Talents, Dealing with Your Weaknesses, and Who’s in Charge of Bob? Learning to Take Charge.

In the back of the book, Fred gives practical insights, advice, tools and resources in his closing thoughts and in the appendix on Strengths Assessment. The appendix provides valuable links to StrengthsFinder®, through the Gallup organization, as well as StrengthsQuest®, through Clifton Strengths Assessment. Fred provides program ideas and offers his speaking and consulting services through FredGrooms.com and Barnabas Consulting.

Who's In Charge of Bob? is a solid resource for students who are not only looking to understand who they are, but who are looking to understand how who they are will shape who they are becoming and how they will impact the world. As life long learners, we must seek to understand who we are, how we will be shaped, and how we can shape the world around us—from ordinary to extraordinary. As Fred says at the beginning of Who’s in Charge of Bob?: The Key to Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary, “There is no investment you can make that will pay you as well as the investment you make in discovering more of who you were made to be.”

To visit the book’s launch page click here.

To order your copy of Who's In Charge of Bob?: The Key to Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary, go to Amazon.com here.

Visit Fred Groom’s website here: http://www.fredgrooms.com

To read this review on Amazon.com, click here.

Grooms, Fred (2014-03-11). Who's In Charge of Bob?: The Key to Moving from Ordinary to Extraordinary (Kindle Locations 1195-1196) Barnabas Consulting. Kindle Edition.  (http://www.amazon.com/Whos-Charge-Bob-Ordinary-Extraordinary/dp/0991462807)

I Am A Follower, A Book Review

I Am A Follower, book cover from Amazon.com

I Am A Follower is a solid book on following Jesus in a world of "leaders".

Leadership is as much, if not more, about following than it is about "leading". We do not need more leaders we need more followers.

Sweet does a comprehensive job addressing following verses leading in this work, I Am A Follower, and refocuses our attention away from leadership and towards following Jesus, our true and ultimate leader, who models and exemplifies servant and selfless sacrificial leadership.

This is an important leadership book for all leaders who are leading in this self-promoting and self-absorbed culture of being first and "in charge". We would do well to get back to the roots of leading through following. I highly recommend I Am A Follower to anyone interested in learning more about leadership and discipleship.

Get your copy of I Am A Follower fromAmazon.com here.

A Review of One Year to Better Preaching

One Year to Better Preaching, cover photo from Kregel.com

One Year to Better Preaching is an excellent book for pastors and communicators who want to improve their preaching, communication skills, and teaching. The book provides the reader with fifty-two experiential exercises designed to hone the craft of preaching and communicating the gospel effectively.

As communicators and teachers of the gospel, we must take our calling and craft seriously and seek to improve and do our jobs with excellence. Continued professional development is essential. This book offers fifty-two helpful exercises, one for every week of the year, to help develop the necessary skills needed to execute an effective sermon or teaching time.

Communicating and preaching is an art, but is also a skill that can be developed. One Year to Better Preaching provides an assortment of engaging, diverse and creative exercises, tools, suggestions and resources for the following eight categorizations of preaching: Prayer and Preaching, Bible Interpretation, Understanding Listeners, Sermon Construction, Illustrations and Applications, Word Crafting, The Preaching Event, and Sermon Evaluation.

The versatility of the book’s use is described on the publisher’s website; “Readers can complete the exercises in the order presented, which address different categories week to week, or they can sharpen their skills in a particular category over a period of weeks by using the chart provided. They might also work through the exercises in collaboration with other preachers.” The author, Daniel Overdorf, really seeks to serve pastors with this work and caters to their need for versatility.

The author, Daniel Overdorf, who has a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and over ten years of pastoral experience, is well positioned to speak with authority, clarity, accuracy and skill on the subject of homiletics, the art of preaching. He presently teaches preaching and pastoral ministries and is a member of the Evangelical Homiletical Society. He has also previously written on the subject of preaching in his book Applying the Sermon.

Kregel Publication, the book’s publisher, has the following description of Overdorf’s book, One Year to Better Preaching, on their website:

The book is designed particularly for those who preach each week—and have been, perhaps, for some time—to help them get out of the rut of the routine and infuse their preaching with new sparks of creativity, fresh approaches to sermon preparation and design, and sharpened verbal and nonverbal communication skills. Novice preachers, also, will find the exercises useful in developing their preaching abilities.

I highly recommend One Year to Better Preaching and think it is a wonderful resource that will serve any pastor, Bible teacher or communicator well and agree with the publisher that “One Year to Better Preaching will leave a preacher reinvigorated and better equipped to proclaim the Word of God skillfully, passionately, and effectively.”

In exchange for this non-biased review, the reviewer received a free copy of the book, One Year to Better Preaching. This review is also published on My Two Mites, Examiner, Amazon, and Christian Book.

Teaching Redemptively: A Book Review

Cover photo from Amazon.com

“True Christian educating immerses students in the grace of the gospel.” -Donovan Graham

“The grace of Jesus is radical, unlike anything else we have seen or known.” -Donovan Graham

Teaching Redemptively, by Donovan Graham, beautifully addresses our need to be participators in God’s redemption and restoration of all things, as His image bearers, in the classroom. According to the book, there are “two bases that form the foundation of redemptive teaching—teaching according to biblical norms and teaching within the framework of grace” (Graham, Donovan (2009-01-01). Teaching Redemptively: Bringing Grace and Truth into Your Classroom, p. 224).

Donovan Graham suggests what we should all be striving for as teachers in the preface of his book when he says, “The mere process of creating a learning experience for others that flows from one’s deeply held beliefs is a picture of redemption at work in itself” (Graham, Donovan). In Teaching Redemptively: Bringing Grace and Truth into Your Classroom, we learn how we are participating in God’s redemptive purposes as Christian teachers who have been redeemed. As teachers, we are actively participating in God’s redemption of our students and we are participating in His redemption of the world.

Graham captures this thought best at the beginning of his book, in the acknowledgements, when he says, “If teachers are rightly to become disciple makers, their own walk with God must reveal what the redemptive grace of the gospel is all about. It is imperative that they be able to live redemptively in order to teach redemptively” (Graham, Donovan). We bring our own relationships with Christ into the classroom. This walk with Christ should express His redemptive work in all we do, especially in our teaching. Living redeemed lives that express God’s grace in the gospel will lead our students to the God who is redeeming them and who is redeeming all of creation.

Teaching Redemptively is divided into three major parts: Beginning Considerations, Biblical Beliefs that are Foundational for Redemptive Teaching, and Beliefs About the Teacher.

In Part 1, Beginning Considerations, Donovan Graham looks at four foundational considerations: 1. The Complaint: All That Claims to Be Christian May Not Be, 2. Building Something Biblical, 3. Creation-Fall-Redemption: A Framework for Building, and 4. The Grace of the Gospel and Redemptive Teaching.

In Part 2, Biblical Beliefs That are Foundational for Redemptive Teaching, Graham looks at Beliefs About Purpose through the following: 5. Biblical Norms for Educational  Purpose, 6. Secular Distortions of Purpose, and 7. Distortions in Christian Thinking About Purpose.

Then, Graham looks at Beliefs About the Learner through the following: 8. God’s Image in Individuals, 9. God’s Image in Relationship to Others, 10. The Image Marred, and 11. The Image Restored.

Next, Graham looks at Beliefs About the Teacher. Here he explores the following beliefs about the teacher: 12. An Image Bearer Who Is Also Fallen, 13. Personal Characteristics of a Redemptive Teacher, and 14. The Roles Teachers Fulfill.

Then, he looks at Beliefs About the Learning Process, looking at these beliefs: 15. Basic Ideas About Learning, 16. Motivation and Learning, 17. A Conceptual Framework for Learning, and 18. Engaging in Learning.

Finally, Graham looks at Beliefs About Subject Matter, looking at the following: 19. Perspectives on Content, and 20. Content and the World Around Us.

In Part 3, Redemptive Teaching at Work: Building on Norms and Teaching with Grace, Graham explores the following aspects of norms and grace: 21. A Different Kind of Place: Omega Christian School, 22. Curriculum Design, 23. Learning Activities, 24. Measurement, Evaluation, and Grading, 25. Classroom Behavior and Discipline, 26. The Heart of a Disciple Maker: Walking with God, and 27. Bringing It to Life—Individually and Together.

In Teaching Redemptively Donovan Graham addresses many important considerations for teaching redemptively. As Christian teachers, we must bring God’s grace and truth into our classrooms. God’s grace does not exclude His truth, nor does God’s truth exclude His grace. These two fundamentals are to be held in balance and in tension. Graham says this about grace and truth: “Some people think that if grace is true, justice and discipline must then be eliminated. Justice and mercy cannot seem to coexist. This is not so, however. Justice was accomplished at the cross. God did not overlook our sin; He emptied His full wrath toward it on Jesus. The price was paid, but by God, not us. At the cross, justice and mercy kissed” (p. 45, Graham). It is this grace, and this “kiss” between justice and mercy, that we bring to our classrooms as Christian teachers.

As educators, we are to be incarnational with our students. We are God’s image bearers who are teaching students who bear the very image of God. We are to see the reflection of God in our students and should reflect Christ to our students. Our job as teachers is to live out the incarnation with our students. Donovan Graham captures this well when he stated, “God Himself identified with His people and came to them to live in their presence. The incarnation is a marvelous lesson in how we are meant to live out the image of God in the current age” (p. 114, Graham). We are to be incarnational, in that we embody Christ in our classrooms.

Because we are interested in shaping students, the culture and the world toward restoration and redemption, we should create “assignments that expect reconciliation, renewal, deliverance, justice, and peace” (p. 118). Teachers are demonstrating, modeling and facilitating redemption in our students and in the world. As Graham points out, “God will one day redeem the material creation from its bondage to decay” (Romans 8:19–21) (Graham, p. 190). This is an awesome and powerful truth, which God invites us into as teachers who are being redeemed and who are participating in His redemption.

One of the most helpful sections of Teaching Redemptively can be found in Part 3, The Bible as a textbook. In this section, Graham looks at the importance of the scriptures as a framework for education. He emphasizes the truth that the Bible is not our textbook for our subjects, unless, of course, that subject is Bible. However, the Bible does provide an essential framework by which we understand all of God’s truths. Graham says this about Biblical truth as a framework: “The Bible lights our path so that we can understand reality. It should neither be removed from relevance to the academic endeavor nor should it be viewed as a textbook source for any part of the curriculum, except the Bible course itself. The Bible also provides us with the norms and themes necessary to enable us to explore the academic disciplines” (Graham, p. 204).

In this same section, an essential truth of Christianity and of Christian education can be found. This essential truth is that there are “No sacred/secular dichotomies” (p. 206). Graham asserts, “While much of our cultural tradition forces us to separate life into the sacred and the secular, they should not exist as such in a biblical framework. All that we do has a spiritual basis, and earthly endeavors have heavenly significance. We cannot allow any part of life or study to exist apart from its Creator” (Graham, p. 206). Part of our jobs as Christian teachers, is to ensure that our students understand this reality and that they integrate their faith into every area of their lives and integrate their lives with their faith. We must ensure that these false dichotomies are not perpetuated and our students have a Biblical understanding and worldview. We want our students to think Christianly.

It is essential that we teach, and our students know, that “all truth is God’s truth.” God has revealed Himself in all of His creation. As Graham states, “God’s revelations in His living Word (Christ), His written Word (the Bible), and His spoken Word (the creation) are all taught in such a way that students may experience them integrally. God’s revelation of Himself through all three of these sources is the foundation of study” (Graham, pp. 215-216). We must teach God’s complete revelation, both His special revelation and His general revelation. 

Scripture should be integrated carefully and thoughtfully into our teaching. When considering the Bible and curriculum, we must recognize, as Graham says, “major biblical themes form the foundation for the study of various subjects and units. The teachers [should] weave themes such as stewardship, community, environment, worship, and the purpose of life into the study of the academic subjects” (Graham, p. 220). We do this as Christian educators because, as said before, we believe “All truth is God’s truth.” Graham goes on to say, “When we look at the materials used and the subjects studied, we [should] find that … God’s truth is not limited to what Christians think and write. Students [should] read books by authors whose ideas are not consistent with Christian thinking” (Graham, p. 223).

This review is posted on my blog, My Two Mites, and is also published on Amazon.com, goodreads, CBD, and Examiner.com.


Bibliography

Graham, Donovan (2009-01-01). Teaching Redemptively: Bringing Grace and Truth into Your Classroom (p. 45). Purposeful Design Publications. Kindle Edition.

Teaching Redemptively: Bringing Grace and Truth Into Your Classroom on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Redemptively-Bringing-Grace-Classroom/dp/1583310584/ref=pd_cp_b_3

A Review of Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul

Cover of Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul, 

from Kregel Publishing

One of the best kinds of Bible study helps, or tools, are chart books. Chart books can be extremely helpful in condensing complex and exhaustive information into bite-sized chunks of readability and easy comprehension. The assimilation of valuable information into clear, easy to read and visually appealing formats is so important. Many people learn visually and the structure of a chart becomes very helpful in seeing the flow of important concepts and information.

This being said, Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul should have been a great addition to so many other chart books that are out there on the scriptures, which help us discover and to better understand the Bible. However, this book is more plain text than it is charts and it reads more like a dry commentary than a visually appealing chart book, leaving the reader disappointed and busy sifting through an over abundance of text. There are over 100 charts in this book, but they are small, not always self-sufficient in the information they present, they are secondary to the text, and are not the primary content of the book.

The concept of covering the letters of Paul in a chart book is a great idea, but it does not appear that the author has met the goal of covering the letters of Paul solely using charts. If you are looking for a chart book on the life, letters, and theology of Paul, you will be disappointed with this book. However, if you are looking for a great survey of Paul’s life, letters, and theology and background information and contextual information concerning Paul’s letters, and some commentary on Paul’s letters, and you do not mind a lot of reading, then this book could be for you.

Here is what the publisher has to say about Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul:

Paul's letters have fascinated and challenged most every reader of the Bible. As a result, many general introductions and specific studies on Paul are available, but none are like Charts on the Life and Letters of Paul, which provides over 100 charts to explore the apostle's background, life and ministry, letters, and theology. The charts visually offer clarity on:

1. Basic insights (e.g., "Autobiographical Information")
2. Comparisons (e.g., "Parallels between Acts and Paul's Letters")
3. Advanced tools for further study (e.g., "Key Words in Romans")
4. Analysis (e.g., "The 'New Perspective' on Paul")
5. Research (e.g., "Key Texts and Their Interpretations") 

Comments on the charts and discussions of significant theories-with leads for further exploration-are offered together with an extensive bibliography that includes references to past and current Pauline scholarship.

Interested Bible readers as well as students of Paul's life, letters, and theology will find plenty of material to deepen their understanding. Teachers will find the charts to be a valuable teaching resource. This book is an excellent supplement to any general introduction or specific study on Paul.

In exchange for this non-biased review, the reviewer received a free copy of the book, Charts on the Life, Letters, and Theology of Paul. This review is also published on My Two Mites, Examiner, Amazon, and Christian Book.

A Review of Charts on the Book of Hebrews

Cover photo of Charts on the Book of Hebrews 
from Kregel Publications

Kregel Publications’ has just put out Charts on the Book of Hebrews, by Herbert W. Bateman IV, as part of their series of Charts of the Bible and Theology. If you have not used chart books before, they are very helpful in seeing main theological ideas and in getting an overall sense of a book of the Bible. Chart books are perfect for the visual learner and help systematize concepts in a clear and tangible way.

As a High School Bible teacher, distilling complex ideas into simple visuals is very important. Communicating overall themes, authorship theories and theological concepts, in easy to read and understandable charts, helps Bible readers to be able to better decipher the scriptures and to see the structure of a book more clearly as they study it.

Hebrews is an excellent book, which connects the Old Testament with the New Testament, and this book of scripture is a great tool to study the Pentateuch and the tabernacle. Charts on the Book of Hebrews has detailed charts, which map out the tabernacle and connects the book Hebrews’ passages with the Pentateuch. Charts on the Book of Hebrews is an excellent resource for teaching and for understanding the book of Hebrews.

Charts on the Book of Hebrews is very detailed and comprehensive and offers a scholarly, yet simple and accessible, approach to studying the book of Hebrews. As a teacher and as a student of the scriptures, I highly recommend this book.

For more information on Charts on the Book of Hebrews, or to purchase a copy of this book, please visit Kregel Publications’ website here. This book is also available on Amazon.com here.

Kregel Publications’ website also offers the following description of Charts on the Book of Hebrews:

The book of Hebrews presents interpretive challenges and theological comparisons unrivaled in the New Testament. Charts on the Book of Hebrews puts this demanding yet rewarding information in an accessible and useful format. The charts fall into four categories:

1. Introductory matters (e.g., authorship of Hebrews)
2. Influences in Hebrews (e.g. Second Temple messianic figures)
3. Theological issues (e.g. words of exhortation)
4. Exegetical concerns (e.g. figures of speech)

Students will find this an invaluable companion to classes on Hebrews. Pastors and teachers will benefit from these insightful charts to quickly clarify difficult concepts while teaching. And all visual learners will find that these charts make Hebrews more comprehensible.

In exchange for this unbiased review, I received a free copy of Charts on the Book of Hebrews, by Herbert W. Bateman IV, from Kregel Publications.