From the Pastor's Heart...

From time to time I recommend a book for its encouraging message or special insight into the Christian life.  In addition to the Bible, many books have shaped my thinking and general outlook on the Christian life.  Instead of creating a reading list, I thought you might find it helpful to know the kinds of authors I

                                                  read.  This is a short “author” list, in no particular order. 

Dallas Willard.  Presently Willard is Professor of Philosophy at Southern California University.  As a Christian philosopher and author working on a secular campus, his teachings are always deep, well developed, and incredibly powerful.  Some of his works require steadfastness of will to wade through the rich material.  Willard will not give you a trite, traditional book, but a biblical, challenging book.  Willard represents one of the best Christian minds related to discipleship and character reformation today. 

John Ortberg.  Ortberg is currently pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in the Bay Area of California.  He used to serve as the Teaching Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.  Ortberg is an excellent author because he combines biblical stories with dry humor and psychological perspectives for amazing insights into God and people.  His works are solid, encouraging, yet not difficult to read. 

Mark Buchanan.  Buchanan is pastor in Vancouver, British Columbia.  You can tell that he spends much of his winter months writing, while spending his summer months enjoying the beauty of the Canadian Rockies and seascapes.  His books are similar to Ortberg’s:  biblical, insightful, but slightly more theological and less psychological. 

Watchman Nee.  Nee served in China in the mid-20th century.  His simple and biblical teachings and illustrations are profound.  His book “The Normal Christian Life” introduced me to practical, biblical theology.  This brother from the East and another era has many applications for us living in the West today. 

C. S. Lewis.  In addition to being a lecturer at Oxford on Renaissance literature, Lewis was an exceptional Christian apologist and fiction writer.  As a former agnostic, Lewis’ insights into arguments for God, good and evil, and the reason for belief are invaluable.  Lewis’ two main fictional series, “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “The Space Trilogy” are always good to read on a cold night by the fireplace. 

Ted Dekker.  A relative new-comer to the scene, Dekker writes fictional stories that take biblical themes, such as redemption, good and evil, and love, and weaves them in an adrenaline-laced story set in modern times.  His “Circle” series will catch you up into the heart of Elyon and His Great Romance for humanity. 

And for the record, the next two books on my “must read” list for myself are:  “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan and “The Me I Want to Be” by John Ortberg.  I’m just finishing up Dallas Willard’s “Knowing Christ Today.” 

My prayer is that in addition to regularly reading your Bible, you’ll make time for good books (and good authors) that will help you in your walk with Christ. 

Blessings, Andrew

City of Owasso Character Trait for March

Tolerance: Realizing that everyone is at varying levels of character development