Chair of EQUIP, Isobel Lin, previews some books we are profiling at EQUIP12:
God’s Good Design
WHAT THE BIBLE REALLY SAY ABOUT MEN AND
WOMEN
Claire Smith
This book has a history with EQUIP as many
of the chapters began their life as afternoon electives at EQUIPwomen
conferences. We’re really excited that
these helpful lectures have become a useful resource beyond the conference.
This book is a detailed look at what the
Bible says about men and women and how the sexes relate. Smith states in her
preface that her main aim was to hear God’s Word clearly and to obey it well. She manages to do this by covering, in a straightforward manner, Bible passages
which are often touted as too difficult to be understood.
Smith says in one chapter: “I was raised to
think that a woman could do anything a man could do (and she could do it better), and that the differences
between the sexes were only matters of biology.” (p. 220) I think many of us were
raised in that era. I remember buses and trains being plastered with posters of
women dressed in hard hats and overalls with the slogan “Girls can do anything.”
This is a ‘must-read’ for women and men.
The Envy of Eve
FINDING CONTENTMENT IN A COVETOUS WORLD
Melissa B. Kruger
A book on contentment - no need to say any other reason to read it
– we need all the help we can get - in a society based on consumption – it’s a
lifelong struggle against the grain.
If it weren’t for the niceness of
alliteration in a title – this book should more correctly be called "The
Covetousness of Eve". Kruger tracks down the source of our discontentment -
whether with material possessions, relationships, or the way we look – to
coveting. Her definition of coveting covers quite a long list of sins including
envy, greed and lust. Practically speaking – she brings it back to that
activity which we women are so at home with – comparing ourselves with others.
Her examples and insights are so helpful
because they ring true. We feel we share
a sisterhood with Kruger in struggling for contentment. In the chapter ‘Concluding Thoughts’, she
tells the story of receiving a friend’s email telling of how God had answered
her friend’s prayers. She shares with us
all – “I would love to be able to tell
you that I immediately praised God for her situation and went contentedly about
my day. Truthfully, I got in my car, put
my head on the wheel and cried. While I
was sincerely thankful for her good providence, it brought to light the
difficulty of my own situation.” (p. 249)
In her book Kruger uses some well and
not-so-well known biblical characters as examples, for example we learn about
the sin of Achan, relating this to contentment.
There are also questions at the end of each chapter for personal reflection
or group discussion, making this a possible resource for a Bible study or home
group.
Suffering Well
Paul Grimmond
George
Orwell said, “Most people get a fair
amount of fun out of their lives, but on balance life is suffering, and only
the very young or the very foolish imagine otherwise.”
In the
last chapter of this book, Grimmond tells the story of a pastors' conference
where they were discussing what key truths to teach new Christians. A missionary from Argentina said, “We need to teach them to suffer”. It wasn’t the answer that the author or
probably we would expect. However,
experience tells us that the longer we live, the more likely we will experience
suffering of some form.
So,
everyone should read a book on suffering.
Grimmond describes this book as an
‘inoculation’ rather than a ‘remedy’. He
says it’s to arm us with God’s truth so we can suffer well when our time comes.
This book is an easy read on a difficult but important topic.
Little Black Books
Scott Perry
You’ll find these books under Youth
Resources on the Matthias Media website. But I think they’re great at any age!
On the back cover it says they are a series
of books that get straight to the point on the topics that Christians always
have questions about. Not too big, not
too fancy and not at all boring.
The series titles so far are a roll call of
hot topics: Sex, Predestination, The Holy Spirit, The Bible, Suffering and
Evil, What’s Life All About, Science and God.
They’re easy to read and understand, and they
certainly point you in the right direction.
Their small size is their pro and con.
When you’re time-poor or not a good reader – they look very manageable. But they’re not going to be a thorough
treatment. Fast food, but not junk food, when you don’t have time for a slow-cooked meal.
I’ve found them extremely useful for busy
mums and dads who want some quick answers.
The last one I lent out was the one on Sex – to a busy mum of 4 teenage
boys.