Middletree

What is it like to be fathered? I really don't know. I didn't realize, growing up, the cost of not having a relationship with my father. It's only in recent years that the weight of the impact on my life has become evident to me. This new realization comes to me for many reasons. Becoming a dad is the obvious one, but in addition, it's helped that I have read several books which emphasize the importance of a dad. Finally, I've noticed several films where the main character fathers his kids, and the children have an understanding of their father's role that I never did. I have learned of a father's importance by watching dads ranging from good ones, as in "The Pursuit of Happyness," to ones who fell way short, like in "Shine", "The Great Santini", or "Up". The benefit of gaining this new understanding is that it forces me to pay special attention to my role as father. I'm pretty sure I would have been too self-a...

Jesus Manifesto, by Frank Viola and Leonard Sweet, aims to, as the subtitle states, "Restoring the Supremacy and Sovereignty of Jesus Christ." It does an admirable job of just that.  I'm not familiar with the work of either Sweet or Viola, but read this book because it was provided to me by tghe publisher, Thomas Nelson. The writers have turned out something that is impressive, and which has the potential to be a timeless work. The point of the book is simple: our focus as Christians should be on Jesus. Not causes, not personalities, not politics, and certainly not ourselves. Scriptural proof is offered in the form of Paul's' constant references to his desire to preach Christ. Key passage: "So many Christians are blissfully unaware of His vastness. They have settled for so much less and have known Him so little.  But...when the people of God get a sighting of their incomparable Lord...every idol will be forced to the ground. The clouds of doubt will par...