Just Another Leadership Book

Take Command - Lessons in Leadership: How to be a First Responder in Business by Jake Wood is, as the title says, just another leadership book.  Practically, the book can be summarized into four simple words (which just happen to be his main topics):  prepare, analyze, decide, act.  These are not earth-shattering concepts by any stretch, yet the author does link personal experiences to appropriately explain what he means. 

The explanatory language of the book is slightly misleading.  Yes, the author was a military sniper and headed Team Rubicon; however, the book does not explicitly tie the military training to the leadership lessons.  There are some anecdotal stories, but that is not the main focus of the book.  If you are looking for a book that highlights the military training and leadership lessons that are gleaned from those experiences, well, this book is not the right one for you.  If you are a rabid Wisconsin Badgers fan, then you should probably read the book. 

I do commend the author, and his colleagues, for founding the humanitarian organization Team Rubicon.  This organization serves as the primary focus of the book -- how the four principles mentioned above were utilized in various scenarios of Team Rubicon's creation, expansion, and missions.  If you have some funding that you wish to give to a philanthropic organization, this one should be considered.

Again, it was another run-of-the-mill leadership book; but do not think I believe it is worthless.  Leadership books are a dime a dozen and this one is no different.  It does have solid suggestions and some great quotes.  The key for you as a leader though is simple -- know who you are and why you exist.  From that point onward, the correct strategy is easier to identify and implement. 

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Modern Day Book of Martyrs??

The Global War on Christians by John L. Allen, Jr. could be described as a modern-day Foxe's Book of Martyrs.  He makes a valiant attempt at documenting the war on Christians (that term is used loosely to capture many evangelical groups across multiple denominational lines) and provides world-wide evidence. The first part of the book provides a short overview of the anti-Christian efforts around the globe and then he digs in to the major areas:  Africa, Asia, Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. 

Rather than simply telling story after story in gory detail, he provides enough evidence to convince the reader of the actual existence of such persecution.  Then, he shifts into the mode of dispelling myths while talking about results and specific responses.  For instance, many blame the victims - Christians - for the "war" because it's really their fault for trying to tell and convert others.  If they would only stop talking about their faith and getting into the lives of others, things would be just fine.  True Christians cannot live out their faith in private; so despite the persecution, positive results can be seen from Christians that view their struggles as joyful service to Christ. 

The greatest impact of the book is found on the back cover as it contains these simple words -- "it's time to wake up."  He correctly and perpetually hammers home the point that Christians ignore this occurrence.  He posits several reasons and practically all of them focus on apathy due to comfort in the Western world.  It is a clarion call that these types of experiences will soon be knocking on our own doors and that we best be prepared to live out our lives according to God's Holy Word.

While there is much information of value here, I struggled with the introductory parts of the book; and I completely understand that this is not MY book.  The whole discussion regarding the use of the term "war," in my opinion, opened the book slowly for most, modern readers.  Absent an immediate dive into the content, many readers will simply stop reading or lose the entire premise.  I also struggled with the persistent use of contractions throughout -- can't, don't, won't, etc.  His introductory components and overall structure grounded his work as a more scholarly bent; however, the lack of formal writing detracted from that very aspect. 

This book deserves a read and is interesting; however, I just have to put it as an "average" rating. 


Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from the Blogging for Books Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

A New NKJV Study Bible

Thomas Nelson has come out with a new study Bible that they are calling "the complete resource for studying God's Word."  Anytime I see claims of being the complete or entire package, I am immediately skeptical.  I can say, however, that they have come about as close as you can to fulfilling that statement.  This Bible includes Nelson's complete cross-reference system, which is something I thoroughly enjoy.  It also includes detailed -- not scant -- information on Biblical cultural and timelines.  Further, the book includes many word studies based upon Strong's numbering system.  All of those factors are in addition to an index, concordance, statements about key doctrines, and charts related to Biblical units of measurement (which are extremely helpful).  a harmony of the Gospels

Not only does this study Bible (mine was a hardback) come packed with study helps, but the formatting is visually appealing.  There are new maps, full color charts, appealing book introductions, and prophetic timelines as well.  The back flap of the cover indicates that this is the "full color edition," and it meets that without issue.  The Bible also comes with a free download and the impressive Thomas Nelson lifetime guarantee.

While I do really like what I see as a valuable tool for drawing closer to God, I do have two complaints.  First, if you are going to call this the "full color edition," why are the words of Christ not red lettered?  I understand that my personal preference for a red letter edition is just that -- a preference -- but it only makes sense to go "all out" for a full color.  Second, the back flap claims to have a "Harmony of the Gospels."  Unless I have totally missed it, I do not see this Harmony at all.  When I think of a Gospel Harmony, my mind immediately goes to John MacArthur's One Perfect Life.  I do not see anything remotely resembling that version of a Gospel Harmony, so I do not fully understand their intent.  

Regardless, I rate this study Bible the highest that I possibly can.  It is a valuable resource for you, but remember, the resources cannot be a substitute for reading God's Word alone.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

A New Look at King Saul

Whenever you think of the Biblical King Saul, it is often a fleeting thought.  Most people view him as simply the prefix to the Davidic monarchy.  Leadership Lessons: Avoiding the Pitfalls of King Saul by Ralph Hawkins and Richard Parrott offers a different view.  They perform an extensive review of the King and show very clearly that he was a logical choice to become the first king of Israel.  This book has forced me to go back and reevaluate my views of this first Hebrew monarch.

The authors extrapolate principles of leadership and success from the examination of his failures.  They indicate that this "negative study" is done for a very specific reason -- wise people learn most from their mistakes, errors, and shortcomings.  Both men afford the reader a deep understanding of the Biblical and historical context of Saul and provide a clear explanation of where Saul went wrong.  Then, the authors turn to the application of the lessons to the modern day.

My gripe with the book is that the majority of it focused on modern scholarship and psychological theory rather than continuing a Biblical exegesis.  The historical books of Scripture contain a wealth of information that could have further developed their ideas without so quickly turning away from the textual details. 

Nevertheless, I like the books for its unique perspective and depth of understanding with the first Hebrew king.  He started out well and finished horribly.  That very same pattern could occur in all of our lives; however, we must learn from these past mistakes so that we may glorify God in all that we do -- wherever He has placed us. 


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Worth Our Time

Did you see what I did there?  Yes, that was an intentional typo!

In honor of the book Just My Typo, I decided to start off with a little humor myself.  Without a doubt, this book will make you laugh out loud; and at other times, will make you scratch your head (trying to find the typo because your eyes and mind automatically correct them.  Once again, I have deviated from my normal blogging on Christian books to cover this neat little one.  In all honesty, you will be able to breeze through this book in a short amount of time; yet you will want to keep coming back to it for future laughs.

This work is a compilation of the best ha-ha moments in print, and you have the ability to contribute at the end.  I highly suggest that you do because they may appear in future versions.  Stop for a moment and think about it -- we've all done it.  No matter how hard you try to find those errors, they still make it through.  I had multiple readers go through my dissertation and was so proud to finish.  As I received my bound copy, I opened it and, "BAM," right there on that first page was a simple typo.  Your heart just sinks.  How about omitting a letter in a word that makes an everyday word -- public -- into one that is more crass.  Yep, done that one too.

This work showcases the humanity of....well, humanity.  Life happens and you just have to roll with it.  The sections and divided into neat areas, and I would have never imagined these types of issues occurred (as the book described and I'm not going to spoil it for you) in the legal system.  Get a copy of this book and just enjoy it.  It is a breath of fresh hair from some pretty smelly mistakes (did you catch that typo?).

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Nixon's Resurgence not a Resurrection

Normally, I blog about Christian books that I've read; however, I departed from my modus operandi when I saw the possibility of Patrick J. Buchanan's book The Greatest Comeback.  Whenever the name Nixon is invoked, everyone quickly thinks of Watergate, but Buchanan deals with a rather unknown part of Nixon's career -- he rebuilt the atrophied Republican party base and overcame his label as a "loser."  It was deliberate, intentional, and strategic steps that led to his resurgence.

As an aside, the author uses a last line teaser to indicate that he may already be working on a book dealing with Watergate.  If he does so, I would be interested in how he characterizes the President differently than he has done the Candidate.  It is for this reason that my review is entitled resurgence not resurrection.  I can only think of one individual that rose from the dead to never die again, and that was Jesus Christ.  Nixon regained a following but flushed it down the drain with horrible choices in a cover-up.  Had he come clean immediately, the drama that we know as Watergate may never have occurred.

The book is delightfully written and easy to understand.  To be honest, it was the fastest 350+ page book I've ever read.  Buchanan has a reputation of being a partisan, but that side does not emerge front and center on every page.  Yes, it can still be detected, but he writes more from an admiration of Nixon standpoint than a partisan one.  He does capture the cultural struggles of the day that helped foster the resurgence of Nixon, and this historiography further enhances the work itself.

My biggest gripe revolves around the end of the campaign where Nixon was losing ground as Wallace's supporters flooded to Humphrey.  Buchanan utilized significant and meticulous details throughout every section of the book until this final piece.  The drama of what was really happening and the response was deficient.  He took great pains to describe the blunders of the Democratic National Convention but not so much of Nixon's "safe" campaign at the end.  I believe these additional details would have completed the book in a more full and rich manner.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 25:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Raising Daughters Isn't a "One Time Event"

Be the Dad She Needs You to Be, by Kevin Leman, is appropriately titled.  Far too often, fathers become the dad they want to be -- it is much easier -- with the end result of children that have missed out.  For instance, fathers will put so much effort into the acquisition of stuff because they believe those things are what their children want and need.  Instead, children need our time and our presence.

Leman challenges the belief that the most important relationship in the home is same gender -- moms teaching their girls and dads teaching their boys.  Yes, those connections are important, but the cross-gender relationships -- dads and daughters or moms and sons are the critical factors.  Fathers, by their example in the home, show their daughters how a man should truly love their wives.  The author says the greatest compliment a little girl can provide her father is this statement -- "I want to marry someone just like daddy."  Fathers, by their time and presence, create a secure environment that does not force a daughter to go outside the home to find "love" through an intimate relationship outside of marriage.  Fathers, by their words, teach the truth of God's Word and how it applies in every situation of life -- success, failure, discouragement, risk-taking, sharing, etc.

This book has the same straightforward Leman-esque style.  He does not sugar-coat anything but lays it all out there for you.  After some tough sections, he turns it around and then asks you questions about your relation to that section.  He also endears himself to any reader through his use of humor - namely his own mistakes with his family.  These literary tools help him relate to us because it reveals that even the author does not "have it all" figured out all the time.

My only compliant with the book its regurgitation of his other works.  If you have read his book Have a New Kid by Friday, then you will see a great deal of that information rehashed -- "B doesn't happen until A does" or "Say it once and then walk away."  If you have read The Birth Order Book, then you will hear the same explanations of the firstborn, middle, and youngest children.  If you have read A Chicken's Guide to Talking Turkey to Your Kids about Sex, then...well...you get the picture.  While he does apply these topics specifically to daughters, I was hoping for something brand new from Leman.

Regardless of that gripe, which in the scope of things is really minor, this book does have solid information necessary for any dad with a daughter.  I also appreciate his introduction where he says this is primarily for dads with daughters but can be read by single moms or just daughters.  If you currently have a daughter, or have one on the way, get a copy of this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”