Book Review: Christian Academic Writing

Guide to Better Christian Writing

For those who are Christian writers, the challenge of writing academic papers and longer materials can be daunting. Where does one start? What should one write about? How does one have enough time to write? How does one know if their writing is good enough? Should one publish their Christian academic writing? Should one participate in professional conferences? All of these questions and more can plague the Christian writer, but Benjamin Merkle and Adrianne Cheek Miles have written the guide on how to improve and grow in success as a writer.

Christian Academic Writing

Christian Academic Writing is a great resource for high school and college students as well as anyone who would like to improve their writing skills. Each chapter has practical tips and advice on writing as well as reflection questions that will help you get to the next level of writing. Merkle and Miles share books that have helped them learn about writing, a weekly planner to help find more time to write, Another thing that Merkle and Miles share that is very useful is the list of Academic Religious Publishers in the Appendix; writers can find publishers whom they can contact to try to publish their work.

Tools for Writing and Reading

Overall, I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for being such a helpful resource on writing. I found the tools in the book to be very helpful not only for writing but also for reading; the list of Academic Religious Publishers can be used in looking up new books to read when looking at the publishers’ newest published books. Merkle and Miles include their own journeys in writing as well, which makes it more personal. If you are looking for a guide to better writing as a Christian, this one very well may be the one for you. Also, thank you to Net Galley for a copy of the e-book for an honest review!

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post or start a conversation on X.com/sarahderinger88.

• Are you struggling with knowing where and how to start writing?
• Do you find yourself wishing you could write better and more often?
• Have you read this book?
• What are some other resources that you would recommend for learning about Christian writing?

Book Review: Container Gardening: The Permaculture Way

Book Review: Container Gardening: The Permaculture Way by Valery Tsimba

Gardening – A new adventure

Gardening is something that can relieve stress and produce delicious food. When one has a small space or can only grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers in containers, it can be new adventure for those wanting to try gardening. This new adventure can be daunting especially when not knowing where to start.

Gardening Tips and Tricks

Valery Tsimba has proven it to be a worthwhile venture that can produce long-term. Tsimba shares her tips and tricks in Container Gardening: The Permaculture Way, which she says she started in the COVID-19 lockdown. Permaculture is where the garden is growing all year round, no matter the season. Let’s say that the grocery store ran out of produce but you have your own permaculture garden in container where you live; you would be able to continue getting produce as long as it was in season.

Hardiness Zones Matter in Permaculture Gardening

Tsimba does say in the book that this will work in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 and under; zones 6 and 7 will need to bring their containers inside to keep the plants alive over winter. Since I am in zone 6a, this book has less application to me; however, I know that there are many others who live south of where I live that could use these tips and tricks to grow a garden in containers year round.

A Valuable How-To

Tsimba showed how to transplant plants and save seeds. There was also a very handy chart about the average period of viability for seeds so anyone saving seeds can know how long they are good to plant. Tsimba also shared the value of gardening as a community. Container Gardening: The Permaculture Way is a valuable resource with 162 pages of material for the gardener who wants to start small and try gardening all year round. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. (Thank you to Net Galley for this book in exchange for an honest review!)

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• Are you struggling with knowing where and how to start gardening?
• Do you find yourself wishing you could grow things all year round rather than being stunted by the growing season?
• Have you read this book?
• What are some other resources that you would recommend for learning about gardening year-round?

Book Review: Make the Most of Your Productivity

Make the Most of Your Productivity by Ana Avila

The Want to Be More Productive

We all would love to be more productive in life; we would love to do it all. However, at some point in life, we understand that we cannot make the goal. Whether we are distracted or undisciplined, we do not make the most of our time. We could all use better time management skills.

A Resource for Productivity

Ana Avila shares many tips on how to grow in productivity for God’s glory in “Make the Most of Your Productivity.” Each chapter of her book includes Reflection questions and Action points that help you put productivity into practical action. Avila also shares an example weekly plan worksheet and weekly plan checklist to help your planning.

Quick Read to Make Quick Action Steps

Make the Most of Your Productivity is a quick read; at 169 pages, it is a book for the reader who wants to make the most of their time that they have left on earth; after all, we do not know what our last day will be. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who want to be more organized. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. (Thank you to Net Galley for this book in exchange for an honest review!)

P.S. Ana Avila has a blog on Medium if you are looking for another cool blog to read.

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• Are you struggling with productivity and time management?
• Do you find yourself distracted and lacking time to finish everything you want to accomplish?
• Have you read this book?
• What are some other resources that you would recommend for learning about productivity and time management?

Book Review: Light Up the Learning Brain

Light Up the Learning Brain by Jessica Sinarski

Burn Out

For teachers that are struggling with children who exhibit challenging behaviors, there is a high chance of being burned out quickly in the school year. There are many statistics on teachers leaving the profession early on in their careers due to burn out; some of those statistics can be found at Think Impact. With a lack of training on how to deal with extreme challenging behaviors and a lack of support from administration, teachers can feel helpless in the classroom.

A Resource for Learning about Brain Development

Jessica Sinarski uses brain development to show ways to help children learn and teachers have less burn out in her book, Light Up the Learning Brain. Her book features low-stress actionable tips to use in the classroom, motivational quotes to inspire teachers, and even downloadable resources that teachers and parents can use to help children understand their feelings. Light Up the Learning Brain shows how the upstairs brain and the downstairs brain work together to help children learn and how having Adverse Childhood Experiences affects brain development. Not only does Sinarski’s book talk about brain development, it also shows how sensory experiences and neurodiversity, such as autism, can affect learning as well.

Quick Read and Valuable Resource

This book is a quick read at 120 pages, and it is a valuable resource for teachers to learn some new techniques in supporting the children in their classroom. I give this book five out of five stars, and I do recommend this to any teacher who wants to learn more about how they can help the children in their classroom. (Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of the book for an honest review.)

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• Are you a teacher?
• Do you see any challenging behaviors in the classroom?
• Have you read this book?
• What are some other resources that you would recommend for teachers who want to learn how to help their children?

Book Review x 3

I am playing catch-up with my book reviews. I have recently finished three books:

• 5 Minutes in Church History by Stephen J. Nichols
• Budgeting for a Healthy Church by Jamie Dunlop
• The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ by John Mark Reynolds and Roger Overton

Recently I have been very interested in reading all the books I can to learn how to best help my church (First Baptist Church Paoli) to grow and share the Gospel. So my reading list has a lot of books about churches and church history.

5 Minutes in Church History by Stephen J. Nichols is written much like the really cool, informational podcast that Nichols does called 5 Minutes in Church History. The book has short chapters, and it covers the early Church, the Middle Ages, the Reformation, and the Modern Age. If you only have money to buy one new good book, this is the book that you should buy if you want to learn more about church history. It is a really well written book, and I enjoyed it.

Budgeting for a Healthy Church by Jamie Dunlop is a book in the 9Marks series. The book is focused on helping pastors prayerfully design a budget that will help your church’s ministry reach goals that grow god’s Kingdom. Church members can read the book, but Dunlop really had this book in mind for pastors as they lead the church. This book also offers a few examples and resources that can help your church as you all look at your church’s budget and where the money is going. I picked this book up because I would like to know more about how to help my church as a treasurer, and while this book is geared more for pastors, I think I learned a few things from it. If you are a pastor who wants to look more closely at the budget, this book may be a good resource for you.

The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ by John Mark Reynolds and Roger Overton is a good book for Christians and church leaders who want to get the basics of social media and how to use social media to share the Gospel. Since I help with my church’s social media and website, I thought I would try reading this book to find a few new ideas. This book has a wide range of essays on using social media for Christ. If you are somewhat new to using social media for church, this is a book that you might find to be a good resource.

Join in on the conversation

I enjoy hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think about them?

What books have you been reading lately?

In what ways do you serve in your church?

What would you like to know more about in the areas of the church that you serve?

Book Review: Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews

My pastor gave me a copy of Christ-Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews by R. Albert Mohler Jr., when we were studying through the book of Hebrews in the Bible. Dr. Mohler’s commentary was highly recommended by my pastor, and I can see why. This commentary is very reliable, so let me explain a little bit more about the book.

The Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series is one of my favorite commentary series because Christ is the center of the Bible and knowing that changes everything, especially when studying the Bible! This series uses the CSB translation of the Bible; of course, it is published by Holman Reference and BH Publishing Group, which also published the CSB translation. This series is described as presenting the text as sermons, dividing chapters by including reflection and / or discussion questions.

Hebrews highlights who Jesus is and how He is preeminent, or how He is the most superior or supreme. This book by Dr. Mohler is divided into sections that point out the characteristics of Jesus. Each “sermon” includes the main idea, the outline of the text, the sermon text, and then discussion questions.

In studying Hebrews and really any part of the Bible, there is a danger. Dr. Mohler gives this important warning, which he draws from Hebrews 2:1-3:

“We do not listen to the Son so that we can puff ourselves up theologically. Doctrine is not for bludgeoning out brothers and sisters in Christ, nor is it for impressing our neighbors. We engage the Bible with the utmost seriousness in order to commune with God Himself and thereby not ‘drift away.'” – from page 24

This quote is a great one to reflect upon as it realigns our motives for learning more about Christ to being able to commune and abide with God and Christ the rest of our lives. Learning and studying about Christ is a life-long process, and even if we devote all our lives to studying His Word, we will till yet to have full comprehension of the depth and riches of God’s love and grace. However, studying God’s Word has the grand blessing of knowing God more, so I encourage you – do not give up in your study!

On pages 35-36, Dr. Mohler shares what the world would look like if Satan was in charge. According to Dr. Mohler, things would look seemingly perfect, but the Gospel would not be preached. Satan’s goal is not that evil would reign everywhere, but that God would not receive the glory He deserves, according to Dr. Mohler. I believe this thinking is a true and eye-opening reminder that we must hold fast to the Word or risk drifting away.

So reflect with me for a moment: How have you spent time in God’s Word and with Him in prayer lately? If you have not spent much time or any time lately, how can you take a small step to spend time with God today?

Hebrews, and Dr. Mohler, emphasizes the urgency of believing today, and not putting off your right-standing relationship with Christ. We are not guaranteed tomorrow so the prime time to believe in Christ and repent of your sins is today. After that, the responsibility to share the Gospel with others begins. The prime time for sharing the Gospel is as long as it is called today.

One other major point that Dr. Mohler and Hebrew is that Jesus is our tempted, yet sinless High Priest (see page 64). There has been a recent study saying that 44% of people believe Jesus sinned. This thinking is false, and the need for Biblical literacy is apparent. Jesus did NOT sin, and if He did, we would still be dead in our sins without hope.

“He was tempted in every respect that we have been tempted, but never once did He permit that temptation to become sin in His heart, in His thoughts, or in His actions. Thus temptation that resists or rejected sin falls short of sin, while temptation that gives over to sin is sin.” – from page 67

We can trust in Christ and hold fast to our confession of hope because He is sinless and able to help us in our time of need and our temptations. It is only by His sinlessness that we can ever have hope of conquering death and sin. Do not fall for the false thinking and teaching that Christ ever sinned. He did not, and therefore, we have eternal, infinite hope.

Dr. Mohler’s commentary on Hebrews is a good resource for churches and individuals who want to study Hebrews and learn more about Christ. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to use this book for checking their learning against the truth of God’s Word during their study as well as for Bible study groups. I give this book five out of five stars.

* Check my blog tomorrow for what I have learned while studying the book of Hebrews!

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• Have you studied Hebrews before?
• What have you been learning about Christ lately?
• Have you read Dr. Mohler’s commentary?
• What other resources would you recommend for studying Hebrews?

Church History: Charles Spurgeon

Sometimes to get inspiration and wisdom, it is best to look back and learn from the past. Therefore, on Fridays, we will begin taking a look back at historical people who have played a part in church history. I plan to share resources for learning more about these historical figures as well as an encouraging quote and what we can model after them.

Our first historical person to look at and learn from is Charles Haddon Spurgeon, otherwise known as the Prince of Preachers. There have been many books and resources made available about Mr. Spurgeon, especially with the addition of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Websites

• The Spurgeon Center for Biblical Preaching at Midwestern Seminary
• Spurgeongems.org
• SermonAudio.com
• CSBspurgeonstudybible.com

Spurgeonsmorningandevening.com

Metropolitantabernacle.org

Princeofpreachers.org

Spurgeonsermonoutlines.com

“May we do good everywhere as we have opportunity, and results will not be wanting.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

Books (Available at Christianbook.com)

• Charles Haddon Spurgeon Autobiography – Volumes 1 & 2
• Steal Away Home by Matt Carter, Aaron Ivey

• Charles Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers by Christian George
• The Shadow of the Broad Brim: The Life and Legacy of Charles Haddon Spurgeon by Richard Ellsworth Day
• The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon by Steven J. Lawson
• The Sum and Substance of the Gospel: The Christ-Centered Piety of Charles Haddon Spurgeon by Reformation Heritage
• Tethered to the Cross: The Life and Preaching of Charles H. Spurgeon by Thomas Breimaier
• Living by Revealed Truth by Tom Nettles
• Spurgeon on the Christian Life: Alive in Christ by Michael Reeves
• The Lost Sermons of C.H. Spurgeon – Volumes 1 & 2 by Christian George

“As for our great King, when we venture into His presence, let us have a purpose there. Let us beware of playing at praying; it is insolence toward God.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

Why should we learn from Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s life? He suffered from depression as well as health issues throughout his life, and with the help of his wife and the encouragement of his friends, he still got up to preach the Gospel. We can remember when looking at Spurgeon’s life that our power and strength are not truly ours, but it comes from God. God can use us even in our weakest moments for His glory; however, we must rely on Christ to receive the strength to obey and glorify God.

“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards s of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” – 1 Peter 4:10-11 (NASB)

Peter writes in that passage about the importance of using God’s strength that He provides us to serve others and in a way that glorifies God. Therefore, as you learn about and reflect on the life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, consider whether you are relying on the strength of God or on your own strength. Consider how you can encourage and inspire others in their faith and walk with God.

“The Lord gets His best soldiers out of the highlands of affliction.” – Charles H. Spurgeon

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so feel free to comment on this post.

• Do you feel as though you have been toughing it out in your own strength?
• Do you feel powerless? (Look to the one who provides strength in times of need.)
• How can you serve others in a God – glorifying way right now?
• How can you encourage others during their times of affliction and depression?
• What other resources would you add to this list about Charles Spurgeon?
• What other lessons could we learn from his life?

My Go-To Bible Study Resources: 3 John

This year I am sharing the resources I use when studying the Bible because I hope to inspire your Bible study and help you grow in Biblical literacy. 3 John is a book in the Bible written by John, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Originally, it was a letter, or epistle, written to Gaius, a good friend of John’s. 3 John is filled with details about the antagonism and animosity that was against the truth of the Gospel at the time, even within the church. John writes about planning to visit Gaius and the church that he was a member of in order to sort out the conflict and false teaching that certain members were spreading. Therefore, it is a very important book of the Bible to study. Of course, all the words of the Bible are important and sufficient in helping us live a life that pleases Christ.

I study the Bible with the inductive study process; you can read up on the process in this article: How I Study the Bible. Studying the Bible is not a process where we try to see something new that no one else has discovered before; it is a process that we are learning about God in how He has already revealed Himself through His word. Therefore, when studying the Bible, it is important to be involved in a Bible-preaching church, to pray for God to help us while we study through the Holy Spirit, and to learn from pastors and theologians who have gone before us.

Here are great tools and resources that I use and / or think are great for use while studying 1 John, and I have not placed them in any particular order:

• 1 – 3 John: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur
• Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in 1,2,&3 John by Daniel Akin
• Be Alert by Warren Wiersbe
• 1-3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family by David Allen
• The Boice Commentary Series: The Epistles of John by James Montgomery Boice
• Second and Third John, Jude by J. Vernon McGee
• 1,2,3 John, the Crossway Classic Commentaries by John Calvin, Matthew Henry
• 1-3 John: Reformed Expository Commentary by Douglas Sean O’Donnell
• The Epistles of John by Joel R. Beeke
• 1,2,3 John and Jude: Established in Truth, Marked by Love by John MacArthur
• 1-3 John: A 12-Week Study by Michael LeFebvre

Many of these tools can be found on Christianbook.com or at other booksellers. 3 John is a book of the Bible that encourages believers in the church to hold to sound doctrine and to practice hospitality, even to strangers. I hope these resources are helpful to you in your Bible study, and I encourage you to reach out to another person in your realm of influence to study God’s Word.

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so please feel free to comment your thoughts on this topic.

• What are your favorite resources for studying the Bible?
• Have you ever been in a discipleship relationship with someone?
• What tips do you have for teaching others about Jesus?
• What are your fears in discipling others?
• What would you like to learn more about studying the Bible, discipling others, or something else?

My Go-To Bible Study Resources: 2 John

This year I am sharing the resources I use when studying the Bible because I hope to inspire your Bible study and help you grow in Biblical literacy. 2 John is a book in the Bible written by John, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Originally, it was a letter, or epistle, written to a specific church. While 2 John is only 13 verses long, it is filled with details about what it means to be a believer in Christ and how to love others. Therefore, it is a very important book of the Bible to study. Of course, all the words of the Bible are important and sufficient in helping us live a life that pleases Christ.

I study the Bible with the inductive study process; you can read up on the process in this article: How I Study the Bible. Studying the Bible is not a process where we try to see something new that no one else has discovered before; it is a process that we are learning about God in how He has already revealed Himself through His word. Therefore, when studying the Bible, it is important to be involved in a Bible-preaching church, to pray for God to help us while we study through the Holy Spirit, and to learn from pastors and theologians who have gone before us.

Here are great tools and resources that I use and / or think are great for use while studying 2 John, and I have not placed them in any particular order:

• 1 – 3 John: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur
• Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in 1,2,&3 John by Daniel Akin
• Be Alert by Warren Wiersbe
• 1-3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family by David Allen
• The Boice Commentary Series: The Epistles of John by James Montgomery Boice
• Second and Third John, Jude by J. Vernon McGee
• 1,2,3 John, the Crossway Classic Commentaries by John Calvin, Matthew Henry
• 1-3 John: Reformed Expository Commentary by Douglas Sean O’Donnell
• The Epistles of John by Joel R. Beeke
• 1,2,3 John and Jude: Established in Truth, Marked by Love by John MacArthur
• 1-3 John: A 12-Week Study by Michael LeFebvre

Many of these tools can be found on Christianbook.com or at other booksellers. 2 John is a book of the Bible that encourages believers to love one another for that was Jesus’s new commandment He established during the Last Supper. This is what is celebrated during Maundy Thursday, and you can read the command in John 15:12-27. I hope these resources are helpful to you in your Bible study, and I encourage you to reach out to another person in your realm of influence to study God’s Word.

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so please feel free to comment your thoughts on this topic.

• What are your favorite resources for studying the Bible?
• Have you ever been in a discipleship relationship with someone?
• What tips do you have for teaching others about Jesus?
• What are your fears in discipling others?
• What would you like to learn more about studying the Bible, discipling others, or something else?

My Go-To Bible Study Resources: 1 John

This year I am sharing the resources I use when studying the Bible because I hope to inspire your Bible study and help you grow in Biblical literacy. 1 John is a book in the Bible written by John, one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Originally, it was a letter, or epistle. 1 John is filled with details about God’s character, what it means to be a believer in Christ, and how to love others. Therefore, it is a very important book of the Bible to study. Of course, all the words of the Bible are important and sufficient in helping us live a life that pleases Christ.

I study the Bible with the inductive study process; you can read up on the process in this article: How I Study the Bible. Studying the Bible is not a process where we try to see something new that no one else has discovered before; it is a process that we are learning about God in how He has already revealed Himself through His word. Therefore, when studying the Bible, it is important to be involved in a Bible-preaching church, to pray for God to help us while we study through the Holy Spirit, and to learn from pastors and theologians who have gone before us.

Here are great tools and resources that I use and / or think are great for use while studying 1 John, and I have not placed them in any particular order:

• 1 – 3 John: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary by John MacArthur
• Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary: Exalting Jesus in 1,2,&3 John by Daniel Akin
• Be Real by Warren Wiersbe
• 1-3 John: Fellowship in God’s Family by David Allen
• The Boice Commentary Series: The Epistles of John by James Montgomery Boice
• Exposition of First John 1&2 by A.W. Pink
• 1,2,3 John, the Crossway Classic Commentaries by John Calvin, Matthew Henry
• 1-3 John: Reformed Expository Commentary by Douglas Sean O’Donnell
• The Epistles of John by Joel R. Beeke
• Explore the Bible: 1 John by Lifeway
• 1,2,3 John and Jude: Established in Truth, Marked by Love by John MacArthur
• 1-3 John: A 12-Week Study by Michael LeFebvre

Many of these tools can be found on Christianbook.com or at other booksellers. 1 John is a book of the Bible that encourages believers to love one another for that was Jesus’s new commandment He established during the Last Supper. This is what is celebrated during Maundy Thursday, and you can read the command in John 15:12-27. I hope these resources are helpful to you in your Bible study, and I encourage you to reach out to another person in your realm of influence to study God’s Word.

Join in on the conversation!

I always love hearing from my readers, so please feel free to comment your thoughts on this topic.

• What are your favorite resources for studying the Bible?
• Have you ever been in a discipleship relationship with someone?
• What tips do you have for teaching others about Jesus?
• What are your fears in discipling others?
• What would you like to learn more about studying the Bible, discipling others, or something else?