This is a powerful book, easy to read, and focuses in on an epidemic of new Christians being brought up in entirely different ways than their parents were. Christianity is meant to be shared, author Gabe Lyons argues, but it must be shared in a way that addresses each individual's talents, passions, while still hitting the mark of the sincere, fervent Christian.
There aren't many books like this on the market yet, which is a shame. More and more youth groups are seeing divides over the issues of petty faith: who says what, who does what, which mom will make pizza...PTA meetings all over again, anyone? But Lyons is as much an actionary as a visionary (and yes, I did just make that word up...Lyons exemplifies it). If we young people are to be honest with ourselves, how much of our time is spent in the Word, learning about the faith we claim to live out? And how many efforts of the church encourage that true spiritual nurturing?
This book frankly and dexterously deals with addressing the new generation, showing the older folks how to lead the younger folks in a pathway of righteousness and impact for the Gospel. It reveals seven ways to grab the world, and the new generation, for Christ...but to find out those seven steps, you'll have to read the book for yourself.
"The Next Christians" is a wonderful, powerful, and very overlooked, under-marketed book, and I would recommend it highly, to young or older readers.
I received this book for free from WaterBrook-Multnomah. Purchase this book on WBM or Amazon.com.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
"The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace" by Gary Chapman and Paul White
The subtitle of this book reads, "Empowering organizations by encouraging people," and that's really what this book is about--demonstrating affection in the workplace that is at once appropriate and appreciated by bosses and coworkers alike.
I know full well that the workplace can often be a hectic and discouraging environment; a coworker's failure to affirm the positive actions or words of a fellow man can be the defining point of success. I've had countless classmates at school come to me and complain about their job: they're overworked, underpaid (the state of blue collar America, it seems), discouraged because they are upbraided when they do wrong but never appreciated publicly when they do right, and a meager high five and a "Keep it up!" from the boss, with no specific point of entry from an actual action, can be more disheartening than a boss who locks himself away and never, or rarely, interacts with the worker.
Although not exactly typical leisure reading, this book does a good, thorough job on pinpointing the love languages in the workplace, or "languages of appreciation," for the sake of distinguishing between intimate appreciation and professional interaction. We so often hear words about keeping positive, contributing to a wider community than our neighborhood, and keeping the peace amongst each other that the methods of how are lost in all our Pollyanna optimism.
Gary Chapman, Ph.D. and founder of this love language revolution, causing us to rethink how we treat each other, has wisdom to share in this book. It is both a call to action for those being left in the dust to make known their language, and an encouragement to those stuck in a work environment that does not usually engender a feeling of friendship among the employees. Having a father who is sometimes caught in corporate cracks without the recognition his hard work deserves, this book was an opportunity for me to stop and ponder my own interaction with coworkers. A great book to have on the shelf (particularly at an office!).
You may buy this book at Moody Press or on Amazon.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I know full well that the workplace can often be a hectic and discouraging environment; a coworker's failure to affirm the positive actions or words of a fellow man can be the defining point of success. I've had countless classmates at school come to me and complain about their job: they're overworked, underpaid (the state of blue collar America, it seems), discouraged because they are upbraided when they do wrong but never appreciated publicly when they do right, and a meager high five and a "Keep it up!" from the boss, with no specific point of entry from an actual action, can be more disheartening than a boss who locks himself away and never, or rarely, interacts with the worker.
Although not exactly typical leisure reading, this book does a good, thorough job on pinpointing the love languages in the workplace, or "languages of appreciation," for the sake of distinguishing between intimate appreciation and professional interaction. We so often hear words about keeping positive, contributing to a wider community than our neighborhood, and keeping the peace amongst each other that the methods of how are lost in all our Pollyanna optimism.
Gary Chapman, Ph.D. and founder of this love language revolution, causing us to rethink how we treat each other, has wisdom to share in this book. It is both a call to action for those being left in the dust to make known their language, and an encouragement to those stuck in a work environment that does not usually engender a feeling of friendship among the employees. Having a father who is sometimes caught in corporate cracks without the recognition his hard work deserves, this book was an opportunity for me to stop and ponder my own interaction with coworkers. A great book to have on the shelf (particularly at an office!).
You may buy this book at Moody Press or on Amazon.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from Moody Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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