Monday, July 28, 2014

Monday Morning Quarterback 7.28.14


Monday Morning Quarterback 7.28.14




There is a blog that I follow on occasion written by a Presbyterian minister that I attended college with. Each week he writes a Monday Morning Quarterback post, reviewing the previous Sunday. I thought the habit might be helpful, both to look back on and to process through the previous week. I have kept several people's names anonymous here. I am not trying to keep secrets, but neither do I expect this to be read by very many people here in my church. I just need to begin thinking outloud about ministry in a way that people can offer input, and so I can see my journey in print on this blog. Here is the first installment

6:20  Wake up. I set the alarm for 6, but hit the snooze twice

6:30  Shower and shave the head. My weekly shave of my head takes a little bit of work. I recently bought a Flexball from Gillette, and after getting used to it, I am impressed with the job it does shaving my head.


7:00  Wake the wife up, who is already getting ready because the kids are beginning to crawl in bed and wiggle a lot.


7:30  The company begins to make their way upstairs as I am trying to help watch the kids and iron my clothes for the morning


8:00  I get out the door on time! This is good news and it feels good to get in the office by 8. I will need to work on the children's message, go over the sermon once more, unlock stuff, turn on the sound etc. Excited for the morning


8:30  Ushers and greeters begin to arrive. Communion prep people are also at work.


8:45 Steff shows up. She is a friend from college and will be doing one of two special music pieces. Her family is with her. I love those kids. I love kids more now that I ever have. My babies do that kind of thing to my heart.


8:50 Our friends from the Springs arrive. I greet people in the sanctuary. I watch for people to introduce themselves to our guests. Very few are doing so. I try to make the effort to make introductions with some people. But mostly after saying hello I greet and watch. We have set hospitality as a goal, and in recent weeks it is beginning to show that we do a piss poor job of even introducing ourselves and being polite, much less being friendly and hospitable. I file this in the back of my mind.

8:52 I go get the wireless microphone on. Check on the nursery. Take one of the guest kids back to the nursery. She wants to hug me and wants me to carry her. Very sweet


8:53 A member begins to vocally complain that she is going to be stuck helping the nursery attendant because there are so many kids. DEEP BREATHE.


9:00 Worship begins. Announcements are few. Attendance was mediocre. Will be after count is adjusted, in the 80s. Thank goodness all my friends are here. I have been praying for a monthly average of 100 by the end of the year.

9:05 The first hymn sounds great.

9:25 The prayer requests only last 10 minutes. Praise the Lord.

9:35 Sermon begins. I try to go with an outline, and having all my notes on one sheet of paper. I begin to notice who is gone and who is there. Will need to adjust the sermon as we go. 

I also wonder how many of them are attending worship with our former pastor, just out of town. The thoughts only make me angry. Why did the Conference place us in competition like that? For the last few years I have tried to get the D.S. to share what the boundaries are, and what the book of discipline says about former pastors and retired pastors and their relationship with the church. I have received mixed answers.

For the last few years I have dealt with a previous pastor that has had a difficult time detaching from the congregation, in my opinion. Is it appropriate for pastors that have left their appointment to continue to lead and attend Bible studies, attend and greet people at funerals (even if it is because he worked his way onto the funeral home staff after he left the pastorate here), to show up at church mission and birthday dinners, to attend Easter worship, to have a pastor's spouse lead disaffected members in Bible study, do solos in church, and be asked to participate in choir? Perhaps the Methodists realize that they are not going to have a pastor here for a while and are seeking to push people toward the town and country Methodist church? To offer input to the personnel regarding my job performance? I don't know. 

I have invited them back to the church. So far that invitation has been declined. So occasional visits are made, with the former pastor at one point getting up to leave when I got up to preach. The church doesn't see anything wrong with this. To me it feels like poor boundaries. But, I don't think I can deal with it until I am clear what the ethics of Methodist tradition include. All I know is that I have enough to deal with without having the former pastor in competition, which is now front and center with him pastoring a church less than 15 minutes away.

I don't want to be angry when I preach. I want to speak God's grace. Must push these thoughts to the back of my head. 

I see Mike and Lynn in balcony. This encourages me. They see me and smile. I look at Marce. She is smiling. I see Garry. He is a good listener. Appreciation of the people that are there replace my frustration with who is not. That is nice. I move on.

I try to preach, but I am dealing with a subtext. The parable is the parable of the wheat and tares. The parable deals with not trying to "pull the weeds out" (symbolizing unbelievers) until the harvest. 

Our church had made a stand to not let Mormons serve in our outreach ministry if they were going to make it their mission field. They were welcome to serve if they came as members of the community, but they were not allowed to wear their badges or promote their faith if they serve. When the missionaries heard this they decided not to serve. There are still people upset about our decision. They tell others I personally went not only to the Mormons but all the members to kick them out of the church. This did not happen. But the lies persist. 

So, in the service I want to teach the church not have an "us"/"them" mentality, but to still have covenant accountability and clear boundaries in our ministry and mission. But I don't want to focus there. So I don't. I try to focus on how God leaves us in the world among unbelievers and in the church among unbelievers so that his gospel can spread and we can grow. I think I got my point across.


9:49 I notice one of the kids falling asleep. Perhaps I need to wrap it up. I think I have done for hardly having looked at my notes.

9:52 Sermon finishes. Because of the air conditioning, I always feel like I am preaching in a tunnel. I feel spent and discouraged after the message. Did I really connect? I wonder. Now for communion. Decide it is better to switch the hymn to transition between the sermon and the Lord's Supper instead of the Lord's Supper and the offering. Hymn first will give me an opportunity to get centered as I lead the ordinance/sacrament.

9:58 Steff sings. I just close my eyes and let it soak in. It is well with my soul....it is well with my soul...I think of the history of this song, and listen to the beauty of her singing acapella. In this time of discouragement, I think of the context of the hymn and thank God for his grace in the middle of everything.

10:05 Lois plays Amazing Grace during the cup. It is also wonderful, but I am worried about the clock. 

10:08 Offering.

10:10 Closing song

10:11 Benediction.....YES

10:12 Greet people. Try and remember names. New couple says emphatically that they WILL BE back. Oh, I hope I hope.

10:18  Check attendance. Realize children are not counted. Amend attendance. Why don't they count kids. Hmm.

10:20 Go to Fellowship Hall for Refreshment time

10:40 Say good by to Steff's family

10:50 Go Home to say goodbye to the Martinez family

11:10 Martinez family leaves and I go get my stuff out of the office. 

1:00 Everyone naps but me. Ahhh quiet time.

1:15 I study for sermon #2--Nursing home. I usually do this in the form of three children's messages with a similar theme. This weeks theme: growth.

2:00 I head up to nursing home

2:10 I ask Trish (the nurse on duty) to make the announcement that church will begin at 2:30. She said that it was already done but that she will do it again. I am impressed with the changes at Castle Manor. People are actually helpful and friendly. But Trish is always helpful....

2:30 Worship begins at nursing home. 6 attendees. Best attendance of the month. This is my last week. I think about volunteering to do it every week. 

3:00 Worship ends

3:01 I visit with the residents that hang around for 15 minutes or so, and learn more of their stories. 

3:45 After running for groceries I get home. After the weekend and the day I am wiped out. Feel bad I am not playing with kids, so I try, but I am a million miles away

5:00 Go to get caught up at church. Meet someone on the way from the parsonage to the church that has a deep and important life concern. We talk until 5:50. 

5:50 I rush to get stuff from the office to the fellowship hall for the contemporary service. Then realize we have no A/V person. Worship leader makes hard copies of the songs. Attendance 15. Ugghhh. Back to where we started with this group when I got here.

6:10 Start service. Realize that we have not set communion up. We will do that during our greeting time after singing

7:05 Service gets done. Land speed record.

7:10 Talk w/ Chuck. He is such a good guy. Talk w/ Jenny too. Awesome couple. Wish they lived closer.

7:30 Everyone leaves and I can pick up

7:45 I get things locked up and can go home.

8:00 Love on kiddos

8:30 Put Karis to bed

9:00 Kiss Karis good night and veg out watching late night reality tv on TLC. Analyze villages that "Escaping Alaska" come from. Think about how they could have had greater diversity in participation of Alaska Natives...and mainly just try and not think.

12:00ish Go to Bed.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Book Review of Know the Heretics by Justin S. Holcomb



Know the Heretics
by Justin S. Holcomb
ISBN 978-0-310-51507-4
Zondervan
Reviewed by Clint Walker

What a wonderful tool. This book would be great for people who want to know a little more about church history, for those who want to know a little more about Christian doctrine, and for those who would like to teach a more in depth small group about Christian doctrine and why it matters.

Know the Heretics takes several key figures in church history, identifies where their doctrine went astray, why that heresy was dangerous to the church's life and ministry, and how the church dealt with the challenge of each particular heresy. There are also two small chapters on Judaizers and Gnostics, which were most evident from the text of Scripture than church history. The book for the most part, goes in chronological order. Most of the heretics are from the early church, but there are some later heresies that are dealt with as well.

The book makes one wonder, how will we identify heresy and false doctrine in our age? How will we deal with it in our churches? And, how should we deal with it in our churches?




Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Book Review of Know the Creeds and Councils




Know the Creeds and Councils
by Justin S. Holcomb
ISBN 978-0-310-51509-8
Zondervan
Reviewed by Clint Walker

I love the KNOW series from Zondervan. It is easily read, and yet each book in the series packs in some great information about both Church History and Christian doctrine.

Know the Creeds and Councils sequentially covers a number of creeds and confessions of the church through time, leading up to the modern day. Included in the study is both the documents of the early church, some confessions from the Reformation era, as well as the import of Vatican II and some evangelical gatherings that the author felt were important.

Some of these creeds and councils are important primarily for the doctrinal standards they set. Others in the series of councils and creeds are more important because they pave the way for how the Church functions and does ministry and mission in the world. Some were more familiar to me from my study of church history than others. All of them, however, are important.

Book Review of Acts: Reformation Commentary on Scripture, Vol VI


Acts


Acts: Reformation Commentary on Scripture
ed. by Esther Chung-Kim and Todd R. Hains
ISBN 978-0-8308-2969-9
IVP Academic
Reviewed by Clint Walker

This is the latest in the series that seeks to gather together Reformation perspectives on different portions of Scripture, and gather them together in a commentary. This particular commentary goes passage by passage through the book of Acts, drawing out what Bible teachers had to say about this portion of Scripture in this important epoch in church history.

Both of the scholars that have edited this particular commentary are fairly early in their academic careers. Esther Chung-Kim teaches at Claremont McKenna College in California. She is a student of church history, and appears to have a lot of experience with doctrinal history within the church, which comes in very helpful in compiling Reformation documents for a Bible commentary. Todd Hains is finishing his doctorate, but also has a career in editorial work at a Christian publisher. It is nice to see IVP empowering young academics in this commentary series. And, these two fine people did a fine job with this commentary.

The editors did a fine job of including a number of different Reformers, using quotes from both the "big guns" of the Reformation, as well as other resources that many people will know less about. This allows the reader to search a certain passage, and see quotes from Calvin and Erasmus next to quotes from Luther and the English Annotations.

The authors also do a great job of balancing certain schools of thought and interpretation that came about during the Reformation era. Some Reformers were more interested in one thing that another, or had local concerns that influenced their writing. The balance of perspectives helps us get a better picture of the Reformation, as well as of the Scripture as a whole.

I recommend highly adding this book to your collection, and considering a subscription to the Reformation Commentary on Scripture series.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Book Review of Virtuous Minds by Phillip E. Dow



Virtuous Minds: Intellectual Character Development
by Phillip E. Dow
ISBN 978-0-8308-2714-5
IVP Academic
Reviewed by Clint Walker

This book, as you might be able to tell from the cover, is a book on pedagogical philosophy. Specifically, the author wants educators to pay more attention to teaching students values that will help them grow throughout life instead of just facts that they will forget soon after learning them.

Virtuous Minds makes the case for intellectual character development through seven intellectual virtues. As the book description on the back cover states, "virtue is not just about doing the right things, it is about becoming the right kind of person."

Dow believes that this kind of education of persons can happen in churches, homes, and schools, but as an educator he has written this primarily as a resource for those seeking to formally educate young persons. There are 8 appendices in this book, and all of them have to do with implementing the program in the classroom.

The book starts off with a description of each of the seven intellectual virtues that should be cultivated. Dow then follows the virtues with the benefits of developing these character traits in young people. After that there are a few small practical guides on implementing the philosophy advocated in Virtuous Minds. Finally, there is a discussion guide for university students and church groups followed by appendices.

I think Phillip Dow has some interesting things to say here. I certainly believe that his goals are easier accomplished by charter schools and private schools than in our heavily regimented public school environment. I could especially see them into a classical education model.




Book Review of Justice Awakening by Eddie Byun



by Eddie Byun
ISBN 978-0-8308-4419-7
IVP Books
Reviewed by Clint Walker

Justice Awakening is a neat little book. It is simple. It is straight-forward. It is a passionate call to action.

Eddie Byun, through this book, argues for Christians to join God in being wholly committed to reaching out to help the forgotten who have lost the ability to fight for themselves.

This book begins with sharing the heart of God as it is revealed in Scripture. Byun looks at the themes of God's justice and compassion throughout history. He then exposes the scene today. He talks about the different ways that modern day slavery exists, from countries in the third world, to places that are next door or just around the corner. Some of the issues he brings up are well known, but others are less spoken about. After this, Byun shares why the church should care, and what the church should do in response to injustice and human trafficking in all of its forms.

Please pick up Justice Awakening. For some more aware of the issues involved, there will be sections of the book that will be review. For others, this book will open their eyes for opportunities for ministry that they had never thought of or discovered.


Book Review of Imitating God in Christ by Jason B. Hood



Imitating God in Christ: Recapturing a Biblical Pattern
by Jason B. Hood
ISBN 978-0-8308-271-7
IVP Academic
Reviewed by Clint Walker

Being a follower of Jesus is at one time simple, and then at the same time it takes a lifetime to figure out. Imitating God in Christ in a very academic, biblical, and theological way calls believers to imitate God in Christ. And in doing so, Jason Hood opens the eyes of readers to a beautiful way of understanding the journey of discipleship.

This book tracks this theme of imitation from Genesis (image of God), through the gospels (discipleship/apprentice language), and through the Pauline writings, where the imitation language is more direct and constant.

The book then goes on to describe a process for discipleship, and anticipate arguments against the thesis that is presented. It is a through, well-written book that is needed for our day and time. While the language of imitation is not new (see Thomas a Kempis for an example), in some circles it has been called into question for the tendency to describe imitation as a moral ethic, but not grounded in a relationship with Christ. Hood forcefully argues that this way of viewing imitation, from both sides of the theological spectrum, is short-sighted and fails to take into account the entirety of what Scripture has to say on the matter.

Read this book. Read deep. And begin to ponder anew what it means to be a Christ-follower.

Book Review of Balancing It All by Candace Cameron





Balancing It All: My Story of Juggling Priorities and Purpose
by Candace Cameron Burke
ISBN 978-1-4336-8184-4
B&H Publishing Group
Reviewed by Clint Walker

Candace Cameron Bure, the star of Full House and the sister of fellow thespian Kirk Cameron, has recently written a book that shares her story and offers advice about being a Christian mother. Her situation is unique because she is also doing some work acting, and her husband is a professional athlete.

This book is interesting and decently written, but will not be for everyone. Mrs. Bure has a more fundamentalist, conservative worldview, which makes its way into her decisions about parenting, marriage, and life. And while many women will relate to her struggles to balance responsibilities, not all of them will make the same decisions she has.

The book is interesting, and mixes biography and inspiration. I will most likely give it away to someone who can better relate theologically and personally to Bure's story.

The Perils of a Pastoral Staycation




I get 4 weeks of paid vacation a year. This is, for the most part, the standard vacation for ordained pastors in my denomination. My wife gets the equivalent of about 2.5 a year, but she also gets sick time and weekends. She also does not have a Masters Degree with 90 graduate hours of study. But I digress.

I am very thankful for my four weeks a year. I need them. There are folks I know, especially in the public sector, that get more. And there are folks I know that get less.

Our challenge, with Jennifer working part time, is that we don't really have the resources to travel for my time off. Nor does Jennifer have all of the time that I have to be gone, especially having just completed cancer treatment. Being on staycation though, is always fraught with challenges for a pastor, especially when one serves a church that compels the pastor to live in a residence provided by the church as part of their salary package.

One of the challenges comes when one tries to figure out what one should do during worship time on Sunday. Go to another church? Stay at the house? The problem with staying at the house is that it leaves you peeking out the window to see who is attending, and fearful that someone will want to drop by for keys. In the church we served in Fowler, our home was less than 15 yards from the sanctuary, which means that if we stayed in the house we not only were subject to the awkward sense of being home while people were worshiping next door, but we also heard worship next door from our living room.

This year is further complicated by me splitting my Sundays. I took Sunday night off last week, but Sunday morning off this week. My sister came into town on vacation, and I wanted to show her around the Hills for the week. So I did.

And because people know I am not far away, I am often drawn in to do things I otherwise could not if away on vacation. These things include:
  • Doing a funerals (this has happened at while on vacation more than once)
  • Answering questions about who to help with assistance vouchers
  • Going to church social events with family that I have been personally invited to
  • Continuing to "be the pastor" in the community even though I am not working which has impact on how I dress, what I say etc. Even though I am not working, the "weight" of ministry is still not removed 
  • Seeing everything that is happening at the church because I live right next door
  • Having garage sales for the church in my front yard
  • Responding to pastoral concerns via phone regarding illness etc.
  • Much more
Now, with some minor exceptions, there is no blame to be laid. This is part of the deal of the pastoral staycation, and why it is more difficult to leave work as a pastor unless one leaves town.

Perhaps pastors need to talk about home exchanges for vacation stays? I don't know. I just know that a staycation, although sometimes necessary in ministry, is never really completely time off.



Saturday, July 12, 2014

Book Review of Arms Wide Open


Arms Wide Open: A Call to Linger in the Savior's Presence
by Sherri Gragg
ISBN 978-1-4003-2346-3
Thomas Nelson
Reviewed by Clint Walker


This is an easy to read book about the life of Christ. Written to describe how Jesus personally encountered people with real needs in the real world, it can work both as a survey of Christ's life to read straight through, or as a devotional that slowly helps people encounter Jesus through the story of Scripture.

Each chapter begins with a title and few verses from other places in Scripture that further the author's point. The a portion of Scripture is read. After that the teaching tells the story in a more modern manner paying attention to the scene that must have surrounded the people when Jesus originally walked the earth. Some of these stories are first-person reflections. Others are told more from the perspective of an observer.

This book would be great both as a help for Christians wanting to deepen their walk with Christ, and for non-believers who might need to know more about what Jesus is all about.

Book Review of The NIV Fast Facts Bible


9780310432166


NIV Fast Facts Bible
ISBN 978-0-310-4316-6
Zondervan Publishing

Every year, publishers try to come out with a few new Bibles for study and purchase. Each of these Bibles has a different set of "extras" in it. Many of them are very well done. For instance, I got an "Outdoorsman" Bible that was perfect for a friend of mine that loves the outdoors. I have several different kinds of study Bibles, and each offer help in different ways. So, I was excited for this fast facts Bible.

I have to say, after looking through the Fast Facts Bible from Zondervan, I am really quite disappointed. Really they added a very brief book introduction, and a quiz at the end of every book of the Bible, and that is about it. I mean, I expected sidebars highlighting interesting facts, or perhaps the roots of some idioms that we use today, or something.

To add to it, this particular Bible is grossly overpriced. It is a paperback with average print, no study notes, and very little even in the way of a concordance or maps, yet it is being sold for well over twenty dollars. Look elsewhere for a translation to help you grow in your faith, or even just to have a Bible if you are seeking your first. There is a lot better out there.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Thinking about where I am, and where I am going...


I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, but I am afraid I have not been doing much thinking of consequence for this blog.

Much of my energy the last few years has been directed toward family concerns. Dealing with my wife's illness. Adjusting and readjusting to life with children. Adapting to perhaps the most demanding church I have ever served. Pondering how to get our church to grow, how to find friendships and live life here in Hot Springs. Trying to lose weight and develop healthy habits after bariatric surgery. That has left me with lots to ponder, but not much time to sit and write.

Well, that is not completely correct. What has happened is that I have not been able to structure and discipline myself well-enough to do some of the things that I want to do, and might even need to do. This is partly due to crazy circumstances, and partly due to not setting priorities. I need to set better priorities. I am not sure I have the strength to do that, because it will upset people who want me to do other things urgently. But if I don't set better priorities, I won't be able to do the important things well.

This idea of giving my life a backbone of structure is hard for me. I am not a "S" or a "J" on a Myers-Briggs Test or Kiersey Inventory. It works against my instincts. Yet, more and more I can see it is what I need. I need to use my day planner, of which I have several. I need to be more structured with my sleep time, instead of staying up late at night just attempting to de-stress from everything. I need to plan my exercise, my study and prayer, my writing, and even my work more rigidly. I don't know if I can do this and still be flexible, loving, and such. I tend to be less people-centered when I am task oriented. And I need to be more relationship-oriented than task-oriented in facets of my life. 

I suppose writing about this is the first step toward doing this...more to come.....

Book Review of the Eternal Generation of the Son by Kevin Giles


The Eternal Generation of the Son: Maintaining Orthodoxy in Trinitarian Orthodoxy
by Kevin Giles
ISBN 978-0-8308-3965-0
IVP Academic
Reviewed by Clint Walker

Kevin Giles, though relatively unknown in this part of the world, is a top-notch English-speaking theologian. This is perhaps one of his most important books to date, both for its explanation and defense of historic Christian teaching, and for its contemporary relevance in debates over gender issues.

Giles' argument, rather simply, is for the Trinity as an equal partnership of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each part of the Trinity is fully God and fully human. Understanding the Trinity as the three-in-one is essential for orthodox mainstream Christian theology.

One of the early heresies that the church tried to address is that there was some sort of hierarchy in the Godhead, with God the Father being at the top of the pyramid, and the Son and Spirit somehow being lesser part of the Godhead.

This heresy, called subordinationism, has made a comeback lately, especially among Calvinist evangelicals that espouse a "complementarian theology". In other words, using a few proof texts from the epistles of Paul, the folks that espouse women's subordination to men and denying them leadership in the church say that women should take on a subordinate role to men just like Jesus takes on a lesser role in relationship to the Father. Giles argues against people like Wayne Grudem and Bruce Ware, citing both biblical and historical evidence.

Whether one agrees with Giles or not, this is a landmark book in the debate between complimentarians and egalatarians regarding the Biblical witness on women's equality. And one that should certainly be read and critiqued by both sides.


Book Review of Why Church History Matters




Why Church History Matters: An Invitation to Love and Learn From Our Past
by Robert F. Rea
ISBN 978-0-8308-2819-7
IVP Academic
Reviewed by Clint Walker

I love history and I love theology. In my college education and seminary education, I took four classes that taught church history. Sadly, as I attended each of these classes, my interest in the subject matter taught slowly waned, and I occupied myself with other matters during my classes. It was not because my professors were not creative in how they communicated historical matters. Quite the opposite.

Where I think the professors fell short in capturing my interest is that they failed to communicate with passion why what happened in the past matters to the world and the church that I am living in today. In Why Church History Matters Robert F. Rea follows one very important issue throughout church history: the church's understanding of Scripture. The result is a fascinating read that should be adopted in college level church history classes everywhere.

The result of the book also brings up another challenging question, especially for evangelicals today. What is the role of tradition in our understanding how we interpret and understand Scripture? When should we look to tradition to guide our understanding today? When should we dismiss tradition because of its lack of biblical support? When is tradition healthy for Christian? When is tradition a hindrance to faith?

The issue of the role of interpretation of Scripture and tradition has several touch points in our life together as Christian evangelicals. How do we understand classical spiritual disciplines as evangelicals when several of them are more grounded in Christian tradition, and non-Protestant traditions at that? What version of Scripture do we choose to use and why? What happens when we have worship that is not rooted in the "cloud of witnesses" that have come before?

Rea has written a book that is both a history book and a compelling read. Much like the history of ideas that we find in secular literature, this book tracks a few ideas throughout church history and draws students and interested readers together on a journey of discovery.


Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Book Review of The Closer by Mariano Rivera




The Closer: My Story
by Mariano Rivera with Wayne Coffey
ISBN 978-0-316-40073-2
Little, Brown and Company
Reviewed by Clint Walker

I have to admit. I am generally not a Yankees fan. I am a West Coast guy first of all. I root for the West Coast team in any sport when I get any opportunity. Also, being a Yankees fan in baseball is like being a Cowboys fan in football. It is entirely too cliche for me. Having said that, I have long been a fan of Mariano Rivera, even when I rooted against him. His faith is inspirational. His story is compelling. His class is undeniable.

His story, his faith, and his class are all evident in this recently released autobiography penned by Mariano. Many of us might know Mariano was a believer in Jesus. Not all of us would know that his wife is the senior pastor of a Spanish-speaking evangelical church in New York. From his struggles in school as a child, to his up and down battle to make it in professional baseball, to his hall-of-fame career, readers will get an inside look in the professional and personal life of Mariano Rivera.

The Closer is clearly written in Mariano's voice. His perspective on the world around him is unique, as are his takes on many issues and people. Mariano is a reflective person, and that shows up in every page. Another thing that is clear is that Mariano has a deep faith in Jesus. He does not get awfully preachy, but his faith just pours out of him as he reflects on God's help in his life, God's blessings he has received, and how his faith guides his decisions and behavior.

As a Christian pastor, I was inspired by Mariano's testimony. As a sports fan, I am intrigued by his story. As his brother in Christ, I am excited to see what the next phase of his life and ministry brings, and expect to see God do even greater things in his "second half".

Book Review of Little Prayers for Ordinary Days by Katy Bowser Hutson, Flo Paris Oaks, and Tish Harrison Warren and illustrated by Liita Forsyth

Little Prayers for Ordinary Days by Katie Bowser Hutson, Flo Paris Oakes, and Tish Harrison Warren IVP Kids ISBN 978-1-5140-0039-8 Reviewed ...