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Harry Reeder’s 3D Leadership: Book Review

Reeder III, Harry L. 3D Leadership: Defining, Developing and Deploying Christian Leaders Who Can Change the World. Scotland, UK: Christian Focus, 2018. For too long, when it comes to making leaders, the church has been held captive by the ways of the world. “Genuine, effective leadership must be learned from God’s Word, nurtured in God’sContinue reading “Harry Reeder’s 3D Leadership: Book Review”

C. John Miller’s Outgrowing the Ingrown Church: Book Review

Miller, John C. Outgrowing the Ingrown Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1986, 1999. Where’s the focus of your church? A church’s gaze matters. Is your church an inwardly or outwardly focused church? The focus of your church ultimately ends up shaping the character, identity, and mission of the church. Identity shapes mission (42). This isContinue reading “C. John Miller’s Outgrowing the Ingrown Church: Book Review”

“Faces” – a poem by my son on gun violence

Calvin wrote this poem about gun violence and was invited to present it at Girard College’s MLK Service Day. I’m biased, but it’s good. ——————————– In this city, life’s fragile, everyone’s vulnerable A warzone can arise from any block or empty lot There are casualties, and not just the fighters Kids, teens, even baby girls–allContinue reading ““Faces” – a poem by my son on gun violence”

Review: John Newton’s Wise Counsel

Gordon, Grant. Ed. Wise Counsel: John Newton’s Letters to John Ryland Jr. Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 2009. It is with much sadness that my reading of Wise Counsel has come to an end. I began in May of this year and slowly worked through the 83 letters of John Newton written toContinue reading “Review: John Newton’s Wise Counsel”

Review: Jose Humphreys’ Seeing Jesus in East Harlem

Humphreys, Jose. Seeing Jesus in East Harlem: What Happens When Churches Show Up and Stay Put. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2018. I first heard of Jose Humphreys from an IVP Podcast on gentrification. I’m a church planter in Philly who is deep in the mix of a neighborhood in transition. There are drug dealersContinue reading “Review: Jose Humphreys’ Seeing Jesus in East Harlem”

Some reading for over the holidays

My focus will primarily be on the Image of God, but I will most likely take a brief excursus into slavery in the NT and early church.

Remember Death: a brief review

I still remember the cold and indifferent eyes of the two young men who just walked past me. Maleek* was just shot seventeen times in front of our house. A crowd had gathered as we waited for the cops to give another scoop and run. The shots ringing out, the blood-stained shirt, the lifeless body.Continue reading “Remember Death: a brief review”

Part 3 of my D.Min. Proposal: Ministry Model

This is the section of the proposal which outlines how I will go about implementing the proposed ministry. This is what makes the D.Min. different from the traditional PhD. It has a focus and termination in the local church. That’s what I appreciate about the D.Min. as opposed to the PhD. Ministry Model The goalContinue reading “Part 3 of my D.Min. Proposal: Ministry Model”

Quest: A Portrait of An American Family

Meet the Raineys. Quest: A Portrait of An American Family is an intimate documentary that follows a north Philadelphia family over the span of almost a decade. Watch the Trailer: https://youtu.be/B2MSj93suYA It’s worth pausing to hear some of the comments from Director Jonathan Olshefski. This is how he describes his project:[1] Philadelphia is often atContinue reading “Quest: A Portrait of An American Family”

Thought’s on Eric Mason’s Woke Church, part 1

*These are just a few initial thoughts taken from ch. 1 Mason, Eric. Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice. Chicago, IL: Moody, 2018. The church is asleep when it comes to issues of race and injustice. Well, it certainly seems awake given all the rancor swirling around,Continue reading “Thought’s on Eric Mason’s Woke Church, part 1”