Book Sharing for 060514

Name	Author (Year) Title	Message	Question	Answer
Tong, Ivy	巴刻Packer, J.I. (1996): 生命的重整 Hot Tub Religion	作者為信徒闡明基督教信仰的一些基本信念，如神的計劃、神與人的關係、基督徒與樂趣、神的引導、喜 樂、成聖、神的醫治、失望、抑鬱及教會問題等，他指出信徒錯誤的觀念，提供正確的神學思想，讓讀者得到啟發，信仰生命得以重整。	聖經在成聖方面起什麼作用呢？	聖經讓我們知道：(1) 成聖的本質是神的工作，(2) 成聖的標準，(3) 成聖是必需的。
Lee, Agnes	Lee Strobel (2000): The Case for Christ	Jesus died for us on the cross in order to cleanse our sin. This is our fundamental Christian belief !	Was Jesus’ death a sham and his resurrection a hoax? Was Jesus’ body really absent from his tomb? Was Jesus seen alive after his death on the cross?	There was credible evidence that Jesus died on the cross: buried in the tomb, resuscitated after 3 days, appeared to his disciples and a large group of people.
Fan, Anita	Joyce Meyer (2005): Approval Addiction— overcoming your need to please everyone	The author tackles a lack of self-esteem and the need to please others as a major problem in relationships and offers guidance via Christian beliefs and values.	What are the ways to overcome approval addiction?	(1) accept who we are, (2) address your approval addictions, (3) break the pattern for the future
Tong, Johnny	S. Maxwell Coder (1996): First Steps to Knowing God’s Will	God has a plan for every life. This book intends to guide Christians into a clear understanding of what the Bible teaches about God’s desires for our attitudes and lifestyles.	God plans a wonderful life for us but He needs one thing from us. What is it?	God needs our cooperation. Our cooperation with the divine program is required, “For we are God’s fellow workers.” (1Co 3:9)
Lam, Ernest	Rick Warren (2006): Rick Warren’s Bible Study Method	What is the best translation of the Bible? “The best translation is when you translate the Word of God into your daily life.”(page 16)	What is ultimate goal of Bible study, Application or Interpretation?	The ultimate goal of all Bible study is application, not interpretation, as God wants us to change our lives through His Word.
Lam, Irene	Patty Anglin (1999): Acres of Hope	Through adopting 8 special-needed children, Patty and Harold Anglin reveal God’s love for them. They’ve proved that God’s grace and power can overcome the most difficult circumstances. God has faithfully supplied all their needs and the children have flourished in the warmth and love of their Christ-centered home. “And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Mt 18:5)	What make Patty and Harold commit themselves to those children?	By God’s love and grace, nothing is impossible.
Lee, Philip	John Maxwell (2005): 25 ways to win with people	(1) Mine the gold of good intentions, (2) Give others a reputation to uphold, (3) Create a memory and visit it often, (4) Do for others what they can’t do for themselves	How to make others feel like a million bucks?	(1) Add value to people, (2) Be the first to help, (3) Remember a person’s story, (4) Listen with your heart
Chan, Agnes	Stanley C. Baldwin (1982, 1984): How to Build Your Christian Character	It is important to build our Christian character. Method: adding Peter’s seven great traits (goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love) to our faith. This book gives us the tools, points out the checkpoints, and brings to our awareness of the pitfalls, to help us get on with our character-building work.	Why is it so important to build Christian character?	(1) Lining up with God’s purposes – growth in Christlikeness, (2) Christian will be judge on character, (3) It is the nature of a believer to grow toward Christlikeness, (4) It is the root of a fruitful life.
Zia, Karl	George Barna (2002): A Fish out of Water	A Christian leader ought to lead people to God’s vision. It is important for him to develop skills to mobilize and empower the followers, but the most important a leader should look for is his relationship with God and a heart of obedience.	What are the four leadership styles/aptitudes? ------------------------------ (4) Operational: tying everything together, making sure things are executed smoothly, but scared at facing conflicts or bad news, and may be easily bound by rules or existing structures.	(1) Directing: casting visions, encouraging followers, making tough calls, but don’t bother much with details on executing the ideas. (2) Strategic: data analysis, planning and objective in their judgment, but watch out for perfectionism (missing deadline), mistrust and insensitive to feelings (self and others). (3) Team-building: interacting with people, gathering people with right skillsets, but watch out for tendency to undermine structure and rules, or easily hurt by people.
Chan, Stephen	C.S. Lewis (1940): The problem of Pain	In the 2nd half of his book, C.S.Lewis describe in great detail of human and animal pain, and the concept of hell and heaven.	Does pain do any good to us?	Pain may provide the only opportunity that human may have for amendment. It is hard to turn our thoughts to God when things are going well. To ‘have all we want’ is a terrible saying when ‘all’ does not include God.
Lo, Oscar	Philip Yancey (??): The Bible Jesus Read - Psalms	The 150 psalms are as difficult, disordered, and messy as life ifself. Different psalms appear to contradict each other and don’t make sense. Yet, Psalms offers us a windows to the thoughts and soul of the psalmists (i.e. the great believers before us). It gives us the vocabularies for expressing our different feelings and emotions towards God: praise, lament, anger, joy, thankfulness, regret, confessions, crying out for help, etc.	What practical use can we make of the Psalms?	Psalms leads us see not only the bright side but also the shadow side of faith which are what every Christian has to gone through as they grow and mature in their faith.
Kwan, Louie	1 and 2 Timothy	From instructing and encouraging, Paul provided Timothy how to administering the affairs of the church. He also encouraged Timothy to concentrate on his own spiritual progress and care.	How to build up a brother to be a church leader?	Teaching is only a portion of the building up a leader. Paul demonstrates to us that it is by God’s grace and it comes naturally for leaders to commit wholeheartedly to invest time to help and grow others to expand God’s kingdom.