Book Sharing for 060312

Name	Author (Yr) Title	Message	Question	Answer
Lee, Agnes	Andrew P.C. Kwong (1999): A Biblical perspective on how to live a happier life	The Bible contains the answers and examples on how to lead a happy life.	Why aren’t all Christians happy about themselves?	(1) We need to learn to fully reply on God’s word and pray to God. (2) We should be optimistic and think positively all the time. (3) We should resist temptations and reduce the desire for consumer goods.
Chan, Stephen	Philip Yancy (1997): What’s So amazing about grace	It is imperative for all Christians to show more of God’s Amazing Grace.	Why there is a shortage of grace within the church?	It is because we never experience God’s grace ourself.
Zia, Karl	蕭壽華﹙2002﹚：聖靈領導的教會管理	Church management and spirituality are not in conflict. In fact, it is necessary for Spirit-filled leaders to put their faith into action out of their reverence and submission to God.	What is involved in managing and organizing church activities under the lead of the Holy Spirit?	(1) It is to gather, organize, train and support Spirit-filled people to accomplish God’s tasks for His heavenly kingdom. (2) It is about understanding God’s will and humbly submit to it.
Lam, Irene	Dr. James Dobson (1993): When God doesn’t make sense	Have faith in God when you encounter any problems even with unanswered questions. Don’t fall into Satan’s “betrayal barrier” that make you feel victimized by God. We know that in “all things God works for the good of those who love him. “(Ro 8:28)	Does God really not make sense?	(1) God is present & involved in our lives even when He seems deaf or on an extended leave of absence. (2) God’s timing is perfect, even when He appears late. (3) For reasons that are impossible to explain, we human beings are incredibly precious to God. (4) Don’t try to argue with God for our arms are too short to box with Him.
Tong, Johnny	Timothy Smith (2003): The seven cries of today’s teens	Teens need mentors. Just like when they learn to drive a car, they need some guidance to help them learn to drive through life, especially the few years while they are on the teenage turnpike. Seven cries: cry for Trust, Love, Security, Purpose, To be heard, To be valued, Support.	A 17-years old kid said, “There is a lot of anger in my generation. You can hear it in the music. Kids are angry for a lot of reasons, but mostly because parents aren’t around.” Do you agree?	Teens are lonely. They have many friends but no connection. They need direction from parents. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers bring children up in the training and instruction of the Lord. The ultimate goal of Christian parenting is to have kids who have personal relationships with God and who believe God’s Word is relevant for every aspect of their lives.
Tong, Ivy	Philip Yancey (1988): Disappointment with God.	The author tries to find answers from the Bible for those people are disappointed with God.	What are the most common 3 questions people will ask when they are disappointed with God?	Is God Unfair? Is God Silent? Is God Hidden?
Lam, Ernest	Philip Yancey (1995): The Jesus I never knew	“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” Jesus said, his statement tucked almost casually between commands to love enemies and give way money.	Be perfect like God? Whatever did Jesus mean?	There are two aspects in the Sermon on the Mount, the aspect of absolute ideal and the aspect of absolute grace. The aspect of absolute ideal forces us to recognize the great distance between God and us, and any attempt to reduce that distance by somehow moderating its demands misses the point altogether. It also gives us a goal towards God’s Ideal which we should not stop reaching, but none of us will ever reach that Ideal. Having fallen from the absolute Ideal of God, we have nowhere to land but in the safety net of absolute grace.
Chan, Agnes	Calvin Miller (2002): Jesus loves me	God is Love and we are loved. Jesus reveals himself and his love to us in the Bible.	What are the foundational and abiding truths contained in the children’s hymn “Jesus Loves Me”?	(1) “Jesus loves me” forms the syllables of strength. (2) Jesus is our personal Savior for he is able to love us one at a time. (3) Letting go of the busyness of my life does not cause Jesus to love me more, but it does free me up to discover and enjoy his love. (4) Letting go of power: Whether we serve Christ or ourselves makes a vast difference in how we end up in life. (5) Love blesses those who give and those who receive it. (6) In his presence, we are unafraid; Christ’s love offers up peace in the midst of turmoil. (7) Faith in God’s future is the parent of self-confidence. (8) I read and God Speaks. Bible is the simplest of documents, always accessible to the common person. (9) Jesus loves children. (10) Self-sufficiency isolates our need from God’s supply. (11) Heaven is the grand liberation.
Lee, Philip	蕭壽華﹙2002﹚：聖靈領導的教會管理	聖靈領導的教會管理，基本上就是去呼召、招募、組織和支援被聖靈充滿的人去成就神的天國大業。	作為一個教會領導，牧養–屬靈事工和教會管理是不是可以分割的﹖	教會領導有責任使牧養–屬靈事工『關顧靈命、屬靈輔導、禱告、帶領崇拜和傳講神的話語』和教會管理在教會裡同樣重要，是不可以分割的。
Kwan, Louie	Bible: 1 and 2 Peter	A Living Hope. Peter reminds Christians of the imminent coming of Christ and encourages us to remain steadfast in different situations.	What do we need to make us active and effective in our knowledge of Jesus Christ?	Peter understood that our faith cannot be static. We do not merely have an epiphany then set back and wait for the Second Coming. Instead, we must work to perfect ourselves, and Peter here sets out a road map to help us do this very thing.