Lack of discernment in strange places!!
It never ceases to amaze me how some people, who are otherwise spot on in their walk with God, can display a lack of critical discernment over the oddest things.
I know a Pastor (not one of my own) who has an excellent ministry and serves God faithfully and is respected not only in this country but overseas as well, yet seems to miss something in the occasional book that he will enthusiastically recommend.
An example would be 'Wild at Heart'. He thinks it is an excellent book for men and yet the author clearly states that God takes risks?????? God....risks, I'm sorry, but that is an impossibility and does not match the God I find in the Bible.
The book also makes for a very 'self' oriented approach.
One of my Elders took the men in our church through some of the book and it was a deeply unsatisfactory experience.
A book I can recommend for men which would be very fruitful for any man to go through either on his own or in a group is 'Disciplines of a Godly Man' by R. Kent Hughes and published by Crossway Books.
Now I am not trying to knock the guy because he made a mistake about 'Wild at Heart', the point I am trying to make is that considering his experience of many years, that he should make such a blatant error about something so fundamental.
I would recommend his preaching to anyone and his pastoral experience is an example to all. (No I am not going to name him)
I think that sometimes Elders can forget that just because they have the experience to sort the chiff from the chaff as they read, the people they recommend something to might not have the same innate ability and therefore could be led down blind alleys which could easily have been avoided.
I know a Pastor (not one of my own) who has an excellent ministry and serves God faithfully and is respected not only in this country but overseas as well, yet seems to miss something in the occasional book that he will enthusiastically recommend.
An example would be 'Wild at Heart'. He thinks it is an excellent book for men and yet the author clearly states that God takes risks?????? God....risks, I'm sorry, but that is an impossibility and does not match the God I find in the Bible.
The book also makes for a very 'self' oriented approach.
One of my Elders took the men in our church through some of the book and it was a deeply unsatisfactory experience.
A book I can recommend for men which would be very fruitful for any man to go through either on his own or in a group is 'Disciplines of a Godly Man' by R. Kent Hughes and published by Crossway Books.
Now I am not trying to knock the guy because he made a mistake about 'Wild at Heart', the point I am trying to make is that considering his experience of many years, that he should make such a blatant error about something so fundamental.
I would recommend his preaching to anyone and his pastoral experience is an example to all. (No I am not going to name him)
I think that sometimes Elders can forget that just because they have the experience to sort the chiff from the chaff as they read, the people they recommend something to might not have the same innate ability and therefore could be led down blind alleys which could easily have been avoided.
posted by Glennsp at 00:59
1 Comments:
Which is exactly the point I was trying to make.
If a young/new Christian started by reading such books, how do they know the meat from the bones or as I prefer, the chiff from the chaff.
Encouraging men to be less passive may be alright, but personally I think a book like Kent Hughes would be much better and more appropriate.
For me there was definitely too many bones in Wild at Heart and it was too 'Me' centred.
You don't encourage men to be less passive by undermining the omniscience of the Lord, bad move.
Be honest, there are much better materials out there.
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