C.H.E. Sadaphal's Blog, page 3
June 22, 2017
PREACHING THE PSALMS by STEVEN J. LAWSON
The bottom line: If you preach God’s Word and want to excel, you are incomplete without this book.
This book is deceptive. Why? Because it markets itself as a book that will equip you to preach the Psalms but this gem does so much more than that. It equips you to preach with power, clarity and precision in general (that is, expository preaching) with an emphasis on the Psalms. It also is a brief guidebook on Bible interpretation and exegesis.
First, Dr. Lawson spends the first 100 pages emphasizing the magnanimous task at hand for the man who is called to preach the Word of God. He offers advice on preparing the messenger (the preacher) before the expository message, makes the reader aware of the high standard required for anyone who seeks to preach, and then offers suggestions for the appropriate tools and references that an expositor will find useful. The first 100 pages of the book alone are worth the cover price.
Next, Preaching the Psalms gives a general overview of the Psalms with a concise explanation of the different types, form, structure, grammar and language. It then provides an overview of the Biblical realm in which the Psalms were written so that the reader is not only knowledgeable of the words on paper but the world in which the Psalms were composed. This is remarkably helpful in unlocking the deeper meaning of the text. The last two units of the book detail how to “bring it all together” and prepare the manuscript to be preached. Without a doubt, the last two units are the most subjective because, generally speaking, Dr. Lawson advocates preparing a word-for-word manuscript. He is a powerful preacher so heeding his advice is beneficial.
In my humble opinion, this Preaching the Psalms has one glaring omission: it needs a Scripture index at the back of the book. Certainly, I will be using this book whenever I preach the Psalms, but a difficulty arises since there no way to quickly reference where a particular Psalm in mentioned. This text is so rich in content, it would benefit the reader tremendously to be able to navigate all the tools Dr. Lawson has so carefully procured.
One parting note: Reading Steven J. Lawson pales in comparison to hearing him live. He is magnetic and ignites the fire in your bones. If you can attend any of his preaching conferences (One Passion Ministries) you owe it to yourself to go.
From one preacher to another, Preaching the Psalms will have a permanent place in my library.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
June 15, 2017
THE DEATH OF EXPERTISE by TOM NICHOLS
The bottom line: A timely and biting examination of a culture where the inept self triumphs over the competent other.
You are an expert. You are competent, knowledgeable, and have the experience and training as proof. But, people still treat you like (for example) a ‘medical valet,’ an ‘education valet’ or a ‘science valet.’ And, non-experts seem to have an unshakeable bravado in their witlessness. Why is this? The Death of Expertise explains in unfiltered terms.
Ultimately, this book will be treasured by experts seeking clarity on why the world has gone mad. It will be demonized by the delicate who think fervent volume can vanquish logic and substance (hint: it doesn’t).
The book’s central thesis is that the cause of society’s rejection of experts is multifactorial, and the willful ignorance of some portends adverse consequences for society as a whole. The book begins by clarifying what an expert is and then details (“How the Conversation Became Exhausting”) the psychological forces at play that animate and maintain misinformation. Here, the author makes his most unsettling revelation, based on former research: that those who are the least informed are actually the most confident that they are not ill-informed. In essence, this upgrades ‘being incompetent to a ‘being incompetent with a zealous passion and a lack of self-scrutiny to curb your own fervor.’ Next, each chapter tackles a different factor that has contributed to the demise of expertise: higher education, instant access to information on the Internet and the explosion of niche-focused journalism. The book devotes one chapter to detail what to do and what happens when the experts are wrong. In its final pages, The Death of Expertise guides readers to answer the question, “Where do we go from here?”
As an expert (M.D.) I frequently found myself nodding in agreement as the author makes a clear case for why people trust themselves, however misinformed they may be. I would go as far to say that any expert would derive the most benefit from The Death of Expertise because it so neatly clarifies why your expertise is often minimized or overlooked.
Sadly, the book ends without a clear resolve and instead predicts an exacerbation of the current dilemma.
I gave this book 3.75 stars for two reasons. (And yes, after reading this book I must first admit that I am a not a book review expert and am critiquing a published author). (1) At times, the book sneaks into a style of writing that reads like a frustrated man going on a rant. This is particularly evident in chapter titled, “Higher Education” that describes the many institutional variables that encourage over-protected and entitled college students to treat their professors more like a McDonalds drive-thru teller than a distinguished professor. In such digressions, the book reads like one man’s subjective commentary on society-at-large and thus carries less objective weight. (2) The book has solid points which are surrounded by lots of “fluff.” Indeed, this book began as an essay and a lot of material within the chapters is repetitive and draws out the point.
Ultimately this is a book worth reading because it encourages everyone to take responsibility for themselves, what they think, and why they think that way. After all, an engaged, well-informed population is integral to the functioning of a democracy. The Death of Expertise also compels people to gain an education on what matters most to them. Certainly, this is something experts and laypeople alike can agree on.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
June 8, 2017
DARWIN’S BLACK BOX by DR. MICHAEL BEHE
The bottom line: Science reveals the falsity of Darwin’s theory of macroevolution by natural selection.
The power of Darwin’s Black Box rests in its persuasive and compelling argument against the explanation for the gradual development of life based on Darwinian evolution by natural selection.
What the reader gets is a powerful, evidence-based, data-driven book that exposes Darwinian macroevolution as an archaic idea that lacks explanatory power and ultimately is scientifically bankrupt. Dr. Behe’s negative argument stands on its own, so even though he goes on to make a case for intelligent design, he never draws a conclusion of, “Therefore, it must be God.” Rather, after being educated on the falsity of Darwin’s theory, in the second part of the book the author makes an inference to the best explanation (design) while leaving the door open for science to make contributions in the future.
As a biochemist, Dr. Behe clarifies that at a molecular level, life is not only astronomically complex but irreducibly complex, and thus any plausible explanation for life must have a clear and precise elucidation of how this complexity arose. Science triumphs because it provides an explanation for “How?” If something fails to clearly and specifically answer that question, then it fails to be scientific. (And no, exclusively critiquing alternatives will not suffice). Hence, Dr. Behe marvelously explains that (1) Darwin’s theory is deficient when it comes to explaining the “elegant complexity of molecular machinery,” (2) irreducible complexity forms an near-impregnable barrier to the notion that natural selection acts to facilitate evolution and (3) the more intensely we look at life (that is, at a molecular level, which is more scrupulous than biology) the harder life is to explain because of the appearance of design. The last point means that the more we discover about how life works (science) the demand placed on a Darwinian explanation astronomically increases.
After laying the groundwork in Part I, each chapter in Part II of Darwin’s Black Box describes a unique system (e.g. the “cilium” or the swimming device that some cells use; the human blood-clotting cascade and the human immune system). Each chapter analyzes if the system could have developed in gradual Darwinian fashion. In addition there is a discussion about what the scientific community has said about the possible evolution of the system. Part III discusses why, in spite of evidence to the contrary, so many scientists invest in Darwin’s theory. There is also a discussion about intelligent design.
The 10th Anniversary Edition is very helpful because in the “Afterword” Behe interacts with some of his most prominent critics in the decade after Darwin’s Black Box was published. Here, the author effectively counters a myriad of the objections evolutionists made to his work, particularly his discussion about irreducible complexity. The Appendix contains a brief summary of the biochemical principles involved in the operations of a cell.
This book is tremendously well-written by an author who able to captivate his audience with language and analogies that whisks your biochemical imagination into shape. His use of comparison is so wonderfully executed that I wish I had Dr. Behe teaching me biochemistry in medical school. Even if you disagree with the author’s central thesis, what you are left with is a wonderful introduction to the beauty and wonder of life on a molecular scale.
In the end, just because everyone believes something is true does not make it so. Consequently, in spite of a scientific consensus that evolution is true, Dr. Michael Behe is brave and courageous enough to ask, “Was Darwin wrong?” This soaring pillar of rational insight shouts a resounding, “Yes!” with the empirical proof to back it up.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
May 6, 2017
WHAT CHRISTIANS SHOULD KNOW (#WCSK) VOLUME II PART XII: ADOPTION
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105)
How this biblical principle applies to your everyday life: Christians do not serve an impersonal God who is distant and far removed from us. The Lord is also our adoptive Father and, therefore, wants to have a deep, personal relationship with us. This realization persuades not only our vertical relationship with God but also our horizontal relationships with other adopted members of our Christian family.
Emphasis is added to the following Bible verses:
[God the Father] predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:5–6)
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God. (Galatians 4:4–7)
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. (Romans 8:14–17)
What is the doctrine of adoption?
In a natural sense, adoption refers to rearing a child that is not yours. In the United States, adoption often involves a rigorous legal process after which the adoptive parent(s) assume(s) full legal responsibility for the child. Of course, the resultant personal reality of being an adoptive parent or child transcends a legal transaction because adoption is best characterized by novel relationships that are not only transformative, but also enduring. The principle of novel relationships also applies to the biblical doctrine of adoption. That is, in a supernatural sense, adoption refers to a sovereign act of God whereby He “adopts” those who have faith in Jesus and makes them members of His family.
May 4, 2017
FAITH: WHAT IT IS AND WHAT IT ISN’T by CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON
The bottom line: Know what legitimate biblical faith is with clarity and precision.
At the core of Christianity is the crucial doctrine that we are saved by faith in Christ alone. Indeed, faith is simple yet it is often misunderstood, leading to crippling results.
Faith: What it is and what it leads to is a concise and coherent analysis of what genuine faith is, our reasons for it, its reliability and it misconceptions. By no means is this a dry book as the reader is treated to a master of language—Charles Haddon Spurgeon—who wonderfully clarifies his ideas with provocative prose and inspiring imagery. Although this booklet contains a “collection of thoughts” on the subject, each brief chapter reads like a sermonette that invigorates the reader with the power of God’s Word.
Faith moves through nine very quick chapters that each approach the issue of faith with a practical lens so that reader is well-quipped with a robust working knowledge. Spurgeon navigates you through some challenging questions and common traps. He also spends a significant amount of time on the assurance of faith, thus giving Christians the security and certainty they need to press ahead through perilous times.
For those who are unfamiliar, Charles Haddon Spurgeon is arguably one of the greatest Christian orators to have ever lived. As a Reformed Baptist preacher, he proclaimed the truth of the gospel in England in the 1800s, yet his words still inspire countless Christians of all denominations in the 21st century. Spurgeon lead one of the first modern “mega-churches” where he routinely preached to audiences in the thousands each and every Sunday. In fact, Spurgeon was so popular that newspapers reprinted the text of his sermons the following day. He books never disappoint and you can have “faith” that these pages are filled with power, strength, razor-sharp thought, and awe-inspiring theological imagination.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
April 27, 2017
CLEAN: A PROVEN PLAN FOR MEN COMMITTED TO SEXUAL INTEGRITY by DOUGLASS WEISS
The bottom line: At last, get equipped to boldly declare, “I am clean!”
As the book explains, sexual immorality is a pervasive problem and overcoming this formidable enemy requires the purposeful commitment to a “sexual war.” Clean will guide Christian males on the frontlines of this war in order to reclaim lost territory (offense). In reality, the book also does a great job of describing the dynamics of war and the variables that got you into this mess in the first place so that you can stay clear from potential traps (defense).
Clean begins with statistics and data to reveal that sexual immorality is a huge problem that is multidimensional. The problem is not only destructive of the self but those around you as well. Clean takes a while to get into the actual “plan” of how to achieve sexual integrity—accordingly, this discussion doesn’t begin until page 58 and descriptions of precise principles to be used begin on page 119. However, once Weiss gets started, his advice is powerful, impactful and based on timeless biblical principles. In fact, what this book does best is ground its advice in expositional Bible teaching. Weiss even devotes one chapter (“Holy Hologram”) almost exclusively to an elucidation of select verses to illustrate how the Bible guides men on how to deal with their lust. Possibly, the chapter called “James and John” may enlighten many on the power of confession and how that relates to healing.
This is the fourth book I have read by Dr. Weiss. He is very open and honest about the fact that he was once a sex addict, so the advice that the reader gets is from an author who is not only a trained professional who has helped and counseled others, but who has also struggled with the real issues himself. Hence, Weiss delivers very practical advice from the perspective of someone who has been “on the frontlines” and is a veteran of the battlefield. Certainly what you will get is guidance that is both faith-based and of tremendous practical good without being neither too “churchy” nor too “worldly.”
Finally, the greatest benefit from Clean is its wide range of applicability. If you are a man that struggles with lust, the spouse of man that seeks to live with integrity, or a non-professional friend, accountability partner or church leader, this book will equip you with some basic tools to chart a path toward healing.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
April 20, 2017
LIVING YOUR STRENGTHS by ALBERT L. WINSEMAN et. al.
The bottom line: An unsuccessful attempt to stuff faith-based productivity into the StrengthsFinder model.
Living Your Strengths is the ‘Christian version’ of the acclaimed StrengthsFinder 2.0 . The bottom line is that if you have read SF 2.0 or Strengths Based Leadership (the ‘executive version’) then in my humble opinion, you have absolutely no need to buy this book.
A brand new book gives you access to the StrengthsFinder online assessment, which computes your top five “themes” or those natural, born-with-it talents that you productively apply the best. The book then claims that it will reveal to you how you can leverage your innate gifts to build up the church, Christian communities, and faith-based groups.
Ultimately, Living Your Strengths does not accomplish what it sets out to do because (1) at its core, it does not draw a clear map of how people with specific gifts can engage their communities in specific, meaningful ways. (2) It fails to make a plausible connection between how the spiritually committed can enrich their faith communities; instead it offers superficial advice on how devoted people may add to groups in general.
Living Your Strengths is not a book that you read cover to cover. Rather, after getting through the introductory material, you will tend to focus only on those talents that apply to you. Chapter 4 has a 1-2 page analysis of each theme that gives you (i) a paragraph long description of your talent (ii) Bible verses that relate to your talent (iii) action items that will help you better understand your talent. Chapter 5 then details about a dozen action items that you can employ in your personal life and your faith community for growth and service. Chapter 5 is where the potential “money is” in that it has the greatest prospects for actionable guidance. What you are left with, however, is “advice” that largely equates to common sense and things that you could easily think of on your own. For example for one of my themes (Futuristic), one suggestion was to talk to other people in my church about the future or read the Bible and pay attention to when it talks about the future (pg. 187).
Moreover, this book feels forced. It seems like a marketer was looking for another segment to sell an additional StrengthsFinder book to, and this was the result.
There is no legitimate connection between the themes and work in faith communities other than offering some Bible verses and general advice that is equally applicable in secular vocations. I can’t read God’s mind, but I sincerely doubt, for example, He had the “Intellection” theme in mind when He inspired the writing of Luke 2:46-47 (pg. 117).
What this book does manage to do well is open your eyes to what you should be doing in your faith community: that is, scaling up what you do best and not fussing over your weaknesses (that’s what teams and delegation are for). Again, this is a point more clearly explicated in StrengthFinder 2.0 and Strengths Based Leadership.
In closing, a word of advice to all potential buyers: Unless you have already taken a StrengthsFinder quiz and know your dominant themes, you must buy this book new. A new book comes with an exclusive one-time access code in the back that unlocks an online survey. Your unique survey results will then calculate what your strengths are, so that you can get the most value out of Living Your Strengths, however small that may be.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
April 13, 2017
A TESTAMENT OF HOPE by DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
The bottom line: A beacon of hope that enlightens the mind and inspires the heart.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a contemporary prophet who radically changed not only the course of American history, but whose legacy continues to influence the lives of people all the around the globe.
A Testament of Hope opens to door to Dr. King’s deep, personally held convictions as he explains the guiding principles of his liberating, humanitarian ethos through an assortment of essential writings.
Dr. King was inspired by his Christian beliefs, his life experiences (especially in India) and a compassionate concern for the welfare and dignity of humankind. This animated his zealous advocacy for equality and justice, and this book subsequently invites the reader to share in his triumphs, tribulations and optimistic vision of the future through sermons, essays, personal reflections, and speeches. Truly, there is transformative power contained in the pages of A Testament of Hope.
Eerily, the words that King spoke 50 years ago still ring true today and are as easily applicable now as they were then. Essentially, a person reading A Testament of Hope is learning both about history and how to constructively navigate the ills that plague modern society. So whether you are a community activist, a church leader, an advocate for social change or a political reformer, you will find tremendous value in this book.
Readers should be aware of the amazing value that this book delivers. “Part I: Philosophy” is a collection of essays that Dr. King wrote which highlight the guiding principles that supported his core ethos of non-violent resistance. It includes essays and speeches on the common humanity of man, non-violence, social integration and political movements. Part II includes famous sermons and speeches including, “I Have a Dream.” Part III includes historic essays including, “Letter from Birmingham City Jail.” Part V includes five full-length books from Dr. King including Stride Toward Freedom and Why We Can’t Wait. The fact that the reader gets all of that for less than $20 (April 2017) is mind-boggling. In my opinion, if this collection were priced at $100 it would still be a bargain.
A Testament for Hope gave me a new breadth of imagination for the present and a new hope for the future. A must-read for anyone who believes there is a better way and that way is worth fighting for.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
March 30, 2017
THE COMPLETE FREELANCER GUIDE by IAN BALINA
The bottom line: Actionable advice to make your freelancing “hustle” a fulfilling, lucrative reality.
Freelancing is what happens when a person with a portable, unique and marketable skill leverages their talents into work for hire. The question then becomes how does a person make a successful transition into freelancing, either from scratch or from being a salaried employee? Peer Hustle provides readers with meaningful answers on a number of ways to make a fresh new start.
The book is divided into sections in order to better organize the content: Freelancing, Hustling and Finding Work, Sales and Marketing, Things to Avoid and Client Relationships. The Resources section at the end of the book describes helpful books, techniques, productivity apps, and other online tools that will equip you in your freelancing “hustle.” The book ends with two guides for photographers and models.
In my opinion, the biggest value that Peer Hustle delivers is that it grants the reader with a clear plan of action in order to get their freelancing up, running, and moving in the right direction. The blueprint provided by the book persuades you to consider pertinent, introspective questions as well as raising crucial matters that the average Joe may overlook (e.g. “How to Ensure You Get Paid On Time, Everytime” and “1099 vs. W2: Which is Better?”). A large portion of the content in the book applies to a broad base of people (e.g. “4 Mistakes You Should Never Do as a Freelancer”), whereas some of the content (e.g. “How to Hire a Graphic Designer”) will apply to different individuals in varying degrees. There are even some niche chapters (“Freelance Writers: How to Find More Marketing Channels) that are very specific to targeted groups.
Generally speaking, this book is very easy to read. All of the chapters are taken directly from prior blog posts on peerhustle.com, so each chapter is quick with 3-5 important points to remember in bold. Notably, Peer Hustle is at least in part a promotional tool for the associated app, podcast and website, and the frequent links to the company’s homepage testifies to this fact. If you are a writer, designer, photographer, videographer or programmer, then Peer Hustle will be very relevant to equip you to take deliberate action and transform your talents into something profitable on your own terms.
Disclaimer: I agreed to post an honest review in exchange for a free copy of the book.
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
March 23, 2017
LUST FREE LIVING by DR. DOUGLASS WEISS
The bottom line: Men: get equipped with a reliable arsenal to defeat lust and its lies.
Lust Free Living equips men with the tools and strategies they need to “fight the good fight” and live a life free from the shackles of lust (e.g., carnal thoughts, wandering eyes, pornography, masturbation, adultery, etc.).
Dr. Douglass Weiss clarifies how, through the power of Christ, every man can be set free to be who God has called them to be instead of merely settling for who they are now. Ultimately, as the author explains, lust is no match for an almighty God. Consequently, this encouraging book reveals how to exit a lust-plagued life and explains how to maintain a lifestyle free from rampant covetousness.
The book proceeds in a systematic fashion: there is a “Lie” chapter (1-2 pages) that describes a specific lie that lust tells you and then details how the lie deceptively harms you, your family and your life in general. These chapters are quick, informative, and offer many pearls of wisdom that allow you to see lust for what is really is. The “Lie” chapters end with 3-5 questions that are triggers for self-reflection and growth. What follows are the “Tip” chapters (1-2 pages) that clarify how to battle and overcome lust by giving practical day-to-day strategies and insights that will help you map the road to recovery.
This is the third book I have read by Dr. Weiss (Addicted to Adultery and Intimacy Anorexia). I have been very satisfied with his works and find that he delivers on what his books claim they will do. Dr. Weiss is very open and honest about the fact that he was once a sex addict, so the advice that the reader gets is from an author who is not only a trained professional who has helped and counseled others, but who has also struggled with the real issues himself. Hence, Weiss delivers very practical advice from the perspective of someone who has been “on the frontlines” and is a veteran of the battlefield. Certainly what you will get is guidance that is both faith-based and of tremendous practical good without being neither too “churchy” nor too “worldly.”
Finally, the greatest benefit from Lust Free Living is its wide range of applicability. If you are a man that struggles with lust (which means nearly all honest men) it will enable you to become more self-aware, clarify specific deficiencies that require growth, and guide you toward other outlets to assist you in repairing yourself. If you are the spouse of man that seeks to live lust free, it will open your eyes to the unique variables that influence him. If you are a non-professional friend, accountability partner or church leader, it will equip you with some basic tools to assist, counsel and guide those under your care.
Dr. Weiss is a proud Christian and often grounds his advice using Bible verses and referencing Biblical principles. Thus, Christian males who desire a faith-based approach will likely derive the greatest benefit from Lust Free Living .
Dr. C. H. E. Sadaphal
