book review: Soul among Lions

I love Will D. Campbell. Born in MS in 1924, Campbell became a prophetic preacher in the South before/during/since the Civil Rights movement. Never one to mince words, Campbell just told it like it was and how Jesus wants it. His book about Mercer college's integration (The Stem of Jesse) and his autobiography (Brother to a Dragonfly) cut to the core of one's faith.

For a time, Campbell did a short radio show. The topics were really anything he was thinking about. The best of this show became the book Soul among Lions: Musings of a Bootleg Preacher. It's a short read but I found the 3 page rifts a welcome change from lengthy discourse. From theologies 'of certitude' that exclude others to humor-laced defenses of women to the 'faithlessness of the steeples,' Campbell provides raw commentary. It's a short read that I'll pick up again.

book reviews

The family spent a few days in San Antonio in early August. We found a suite at a reasonable price with a pool--we were there. To make my theological/biblical reading more poignant, I decided to read some non-fiction.

Stephen Ambrose provided lengthy fodder: D-Day which chronicled the planning and implementation of Operation Overlord as well as its execution from the paratroopers dropping into France before dawn to the invasion at Juno, Gold, Omaha, Sword and Utah beaches. Saving Private Ryan offered a realistic picture of Omaha beach but Ambrose provides great detail as plans got thrown out the window and execution faltered.

Following this, I read The Victors which details the European theater of WWII. He borrows passages from his other books, including D-Day. However, he skillfully tells of war plans after the Normandy invasion to Berlin and German surrender.

I appreciate that Ambrose offers a critical perspective to the war plans, leadership (Eisenhower's handling/mis-handling of Generals Bradley, Patton and Montgomery), supply lines and infantry training. In my history classes, we usually patted ourselves on the back for winning. Ambrose goes to the domestic factories and inventors and to the soldiers in the trenches and foxholes.

With his descriptions and testimonies from G.I.'s, he provides clarity to war. Aside from the deaths, the soldiers that survived came home emotionally or physically broken. No one went through unscathed. I understand very plainly why so many don't want to share those memories.

If you are interested in this type of material, I recommend these works.

dublin dispute

Dublin Dr. Pepper no more?

piece on Adam & Eve

Interesting piece on NPR.

Kwame has a church

This from our friend Kwame Acheampong in Ghana:

Hi brethren in Christ,

I am happy to announce to you that the church has called me to be their pastor effective this Monday. Glory to God in the highest. Although there are a lot of challenges yet I am hopeful that the Lord will do HIS own thing through me to bring the needed change. Thanks for your prayers.

Book review: Radical

I had high hopes for this book. Platt is the pastor of a SBC mega-church in Birmingham, AL. Reviews I had read his book shortly after its publication implied that this book was a clarion call to a consumption oriented Americanized Christian culture, akin to Luther nailing his theses to the door at Wittenberg.

I can't blame Platt for my disappointment. Rather than a call to devotional sacrifice and a reorienting of one's entire life, it seemed like the author suddenly found some previously overlooked pages in the Gospels. I was struck by the author's incredulity that Jesus actually had things to say about the poor and how disciples should react to them. Interspersed with exegesis of these new found passages were anecdotes about Platt's many mission trips overseas. All well and good but i have to reject any notion that we rich believers need to go rescue poor believers. It might be the other way around.

As well, the idea of devotional sacrifice seemed dumbed down. The relevant image from the author was the removal of pew cushions from their sanctuary.

I expected more and perhaps that says more about my own needs than the author's. He wrote what he wrote. Perhaps what was left unwritten needs another author to voice it.

a word from Lebanon

I received the following from Brent Hamoud who administers Kids Alive Lebanon in Beirut. Kids Alive hosted Calvary's Lebanon trip earlier in July.

Dear Pastor Coston and Mallory,

On behalf of all the children and staff at Kids Alive Lebanon I want to extend a grateful thank you the Calvary Church. We were greatly blessed this month to have members of your church join our family for a short while. This was a significant thing for us since it has been decades since a we’ve hosted a volunteer team from the U.S. so the church did something a bit groundbreaking!

Everyone was very encouraged and impressed by the team. They were outstanding individuals who worked very well together as a group. Each one had gifts and abilities that they put to effective use. I was personally impressed by the willingness to jump in and participate. Nothing was ever quite organized or prepared, yet they easily caught the flow of the ministry and did their part comfortably. Most important was the teams heart for the boys. They loved well and reflected Christ’s character to our boys. I know they boys will hold on to the experience well into the future.

Lebanon presented a fair host of challenges from strange foods and bacteria, hot summer weather without air conditioning, fatigue and jet lag, and difficult boys routinely test boundaries and patience among other things. Then there was the personal loss for Les and Lanna that added stress to already stressful circumstances. Through it all they all were troopers, enduring through challenges with perseverance and a positive attitude. As the staff member responsible for the team I was extremely relieved to experience the graciousness and kindness of the members. They put so little demands on me. It was a true pleasure to serve them as they served us. Our only complaint is that they only stayed for one week, we would have loved two!

I appreciate the role you and the entire Calvary family played in this mission trip. We acknowledge it was an extension of your church’s ministry and we are thankful for the support and fellowship of our Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. Clearly God’s hand has directed this all. I remember sitting last summer with Tim and Sheila dreaming about the possibility, and this summer we experienced it in a way that superseded our expectations.

We are very greatly for the Calvary’s faithfulness to answer God’s call to missions and partnership with the global church. We will pray that God continues to direct your ministries local and global, and we will hope that your partnership with Lebanon continues into the future.

Perhaps you may able to join us someday too! Inshallah (God willing!).

Salaam Aliekum

(Peace be Upon you)

Brent Hamoud