In a land without decent cheese or chocolate and when working with a church which frowns upon alcohol, it was obvious that either Lent would pass me by this year, or I would have to do something a bit different than give up a luxury for 40 days, as I can't get many of those luxuries anyway!
Instead of giving something up, I decided to mark Lent by reading some good books which would challenge and grow my faith and try to bridge that tricky gap between reading what God said in the bible, thousands of years ago, and understanding how we should apply it in our twenty-first century lives - whatever country or culture we live in. Interestingly, none of the following were books which I necessarily chose to read; two were lent to us by a friend who strongly recommended them to us, and two appeared in the book swap at Jambo Café (which usually only has a dozen books) just as I'd finished the other two. Therefore as I felt that these books were placed in my hands, I will pass on the favour and recommend them to all of you:
"Diamond Geezers" by Anthony Delaney, (Integrity Media Europe, Eastbourne, 2011).
Despite the corny title this is a practical book about "living gloriously as a man". Noting that the Christian faith in western countries seems to have many women followers, but to confuse or scare away many men, Delaney, an ex cop from some dodgy estates in Manchester, has written a thoughtful book of practical guidance for Christian men, and those who work with them, structured around six defined themes of "fitness, failure, finance, family and father", all meeting around the teachings and example of Jesus.
"God on Mute" by Pete Greig, (David C Cook, Eastbourne, 2007).
This is one of the most challenging, interesting and helpful books I've probably ever read. It explores the whole mysterious world of prayer and suffering (and occasional miracles) with unflinching honesty, good research from CS Lewis and others who've already delved these depths, and relevant use of scripture, particularly around the events of Holy Week from Jesus' fervent prayers in the garden of Gethsemane on Maundy Thursday through the pain and despair of Good Friday, the emptiness and isolation of Easter Saturday, to the eventual joy of Easter Sunday. Paraphrasing this excellent, but also challenging book doesn't do it justice, so all I can say is "read it"! If you're put off because you think this might be some heavy tome of deep theological confusion, then don't be. It isn't. Pete Greig is a very real Englishman with a very real family who have experienced suffering, anguish, and confusion and reached out for God in the process, often without feeling they were being answered. If that sounds familiar to you, then read this book, preferably close to Easter.
"Nevertheless" by John Kirkby, (Christians Against Poverty Books, Bradford, 2011 Edition).
This is an auto-biography by the guy who started "Christians Against Poverty" (CAP). CAP started from his spare room in Bradford in 1996 and now has over 250 centres in the UK, plus many in Australia and New Zealand which offer debt counselling, debt re-packaging and simple budgeting advice through a network of affiliated churches. Based strongly on Isaiah 61/Luke 4 "I have come to bring good news to the poor, to release the oppressed etc etc " this charity has followed its calling and released thousands from the oppression of unmanageable debts and introduced many of them to a new life in Christ in the process. What really challenged me about this book is the essential irony about the way that Kirkby pursued his vision. Whilst teaching people to budget and live within their means, he ran a charity that was constantly working beyond its means, short of money and continually expanding to reach more clients without ever knowing how they would afford this expansion other than acting by faith. I was brought up with a solid protestant work ethic, savings accounts, insurance policies and much emphasis on prudence, so I found it very uncomfortable reading about a man whose practise of his vision meant staff rarely receiving their wages on time and a constant atmosphere of financial desparation. Yet, perhaps this meant that CAP and all its staff can truly empathise with the plight of those they seek to help. Surely the proof is in the pudding however, if Kirkby was wrong about his vision then CAP could have folded or collapsed a thousand times in its precarious history, instead it has boomed and is reaching thousands of people. Perhaps yet more proof that "Your ways are not mine" (Isaiah) and that God still calls people to drop everything and follow him, with no more than the shirt on their back and the sandals on their feet, relying on him to provide what they will need to fulfil his purposes.
"Don't eat the goats eat the loquat trees" by Thomas Hale, (Zondervan, Michigan, 1987).
This account of a couple of doctors who worked in a mission hospital in a remote village in the hills of Nepal is not nearly so profound as the other three books, but it is full of amusing stories (such as the trials of manually transporting a piano into the mountains of Nepal) and inspiring incidents. It is a strong reminder of the spiritual dimension to healthcare in developing countries - no matter how good your medical knowledge or equipment, if people won't come to your hospital, or accept your treatment, then you can't heal them. If we refer back to Isaiah 61/Luke 4 again about releasing captives from oppression, then this book shows how the stranglehold of superstition, propagated by the extortionate business of witch-doctoring, can cause terror and financial collapse amongst those who are already suffering from physical ill-health. The successes of mission hospitals all over the world come not only from good doctors, professional treatment, and honest and compassionate staff; but also from presenting an alternative belief system to being captivated by the fear of spirits and witches. More than 25 years later, this is as true as ever in so many parts of the world.
Enjoy reading!
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