5 comments about The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham.

1. This book alone justifies the existence of libraries: books may be borrowed and not purchased. I received this book as a birthday present recently, and was both impressed and excited by the title. Imagine me, learning the leadership secrets of the foremost evangelist and Evangelical of the 20th century! Alas, the excitement lasted no longer than the table of contents. The authors, both longtime Leadership Magazine editor/publisher types, have used the story of Billy Graham as a springboard for sharing with us THEIR OWN leadership secrets, gleaned from a variety of sources, including Mother Theresa, Mohandas Ghandi, and Abraham Lincoln. Absent from this book are any direct interviews with Dr.Graham, which lead us to believe that this book was undertaken without his consent or cooperation. Because Billy Graham is still alive and well, this is the greatest weakness of the book. The authors could have, and should have had long interviews with Dr. Graham, in which they allowed him to speak directly to the question of his own leadership principles and perspective. Second is the authors' ability to use certain contemporary Christian vocabulary which is shared only by a sub-culture which reads their kinds of books. It is not, unfortunately, written for a wider audience. The third weakness is their failure to demonstrate, in any chapter, why a particular leadership principle is actually a secret of Billy Graham's and not simply something generally recognized by the larger Christian or business community. We get teaspoons of Billy Graham and gallons of everyone else who has spoken or written on the subject of leadership.
   
   If you are really interested in buying a book about Billy Graham, don't buy this one. Use its bibliography in the back to find something better, to include Dr. Graham's autobiography: Just as I Am.



2. The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham aren't really secrets, but rather a look into how this man of God has operated since his call to serve the Lord as the main spokesman and leader of an international organization focused on sharing the Good News with people throughout the world. He clearly has illustrated that leadership isn't about him, but in finding good people and placing responsiblity and trust in those people. Much literature on leadership looks at how supposed leaders get action out of those who follow. Graham, by contrast, has an ability to find good people and then steps aside to let them use their God given talents. Leadership is about empowering those around you, not forcing your vision on them. Leadership is about helping them succeed, not pushing to make things happen according to your desires. Graham's leadership is bathed in prayer for those around him, seeking the Lord's desire.



3. A lot of the adivce in this book is cliche and common sense. But some of the advice as to how to be a great leader like Billy is wrong and misleading. For example the author points out that prayer is a big factor, however he records that the advice of a Welsh pastor inspired Billy Graham to become a better preacher, and shows that Billy and the Welsh Pastor thought that this was accomplished merely by a prayer and to be broken like Paul. However a single prayer and being broken is not going to make you a great preacher. Rather wisdom and the desire to be perfectly obedient to God and continuous prayer are the keys.
   
   Billy said he felt that he was filled with the Holy Spirit upon his prayer with the Welsh pastor and was so excited he kept talking about it afterwards and crying. Think about it, why would one prayer and not the others work? Billy already shown he was broken so why would praying to be broken again do anything?
   
   The fact is many people become great leaders because they pander (whether purposely or not), are tall, decent looking or good looking, have a good speaking voice, speak well, and are the the right places at the right time. As shallow as that may seem it is true. The author rather implies it is because of Billy's humility towards God, when really, as I've discovered in my research, that it is Billy's humility towards man. Billy doesn't believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven, and he lets people know this, and that is why he is so widely embraced and supported.



4. I teach a leadership course and tell my students I will read and review the business or leadership books they recommend. I was skeptical at first, most attempts to create Bible oriented business books fail. However, in this case the authors chose to use Good to Great, one of the best business books of the decade, as a primary focusing lens and there is a single Bible verse at the end of each chapter.
   
   The story begins with the observation leaders are often forged in the furnace of life. Billy got off easy this once. His furnace experience was being rejected for marriage by Emily, saying "I just don't see any real purpose in your life yet." The statement stung and after months of consideration, Billy decided to be fully committed to God. The story then moves to Theodore Roosevelt, who was also pursing his life's true love. He got the girl, but only for three years, soon after his father passed away, his mother and wife died at his home within hours of one another.
   
   Billy's calling as an evangelist was tested, he was offered movie contracts, even a million dollars a year, ( this is the 1950s, so that would be more like 6 million today using the Consumer Price Index).
   
   The book pours you through history, not just Billy's experiences, but those of his friends. Billy had to face the growth pains of the nation, trying to serve both Catholics and Protestants in divided cities like New York and Boston. They discuss the civil rights movement where he was pressured to hold segregated meetings; he did not. I am not overly emotional, but I cried during many of the historical passages as I remember this nation's history, the author's tell the story well.
   
   He was friend to Presidents and others in power including friends that fell including Nixon and evangelist Jim Bakker. He gave Nixon's Eulogy and conducted the memorial service for the Oklahoma City Bombing and the National Cathedral service for the 9/11.
   
   The book does a great job of covering his management style; he built a great team and gave them a lot of freedom to act. If there is one place a bit more depth would have helped, it would have been more information on his health struggles, how did Billy Graham balance life and mission.
   
   The bottom line, this is a good book whether or not you believe in the Christian faith. It deserves at least two readings, there are so many illustrations and nuggets it is impossible to get them all the first time through.



5. Awesome book! Full of fantastic leadership hints and real-life examples. I would recommend to anyone interested in improving themselves and/or improving relationships with others.

1 comments about Beyond My Wildest Dreams - A Medjugorje Odyssey.

1. This book was great. It's a real-life story of a former Marine who risked his life to deliver medical supplies to Bosnia during the war. During his 18 trips over there he stayed in Medjugorje where apparitions of the Blessed Mother were occurring. While there, the author and his group stayed with one of the visionaries. Great reading about how humanity still exists in this world today.

5 comments about Mother Teresa's Lessons of Love and Secrets of Sanctity.

1. My spiritual book group chose this book for our book-of-the-month based on a member seeing the author interviewed. We all loved it; I think it's the most popular book we've read in six months. This is not by any means a complete biography, but a much more personal, and touching, portrait told through the eyes of a young woman. My whole family is now reading it based on my recommendation. People of all faiths will enjoy seeing the saint from a fresh perspective.



2. The author spent a summer with Mother Teresa as a volunteer, in several aspects of the work in Calcutta. The volunteers had special daily time with Mother and learned not only what she did, but why she did it. Well written book; Miss Conroy has a knack for expressing deep feelings but without sentimentality. A great source for anyone who wishes to understand the greatest woman of our time.



3. I met Susan Conroy in Fall River MA where she came to present her book and experiences with Mother Teresa. The joyful and inspirational Susan amazed me with her patience as crowds surrounded her, looking for her to write a special message in their copy of her book. Susan reminded me of a recent guest on the Oprah Winfrey show, Maria Shriver, another joyful and inspirational woman. This book captures Susan's joy and inspiration, and the Mother Teresa experiences that have helped mold Susan's life. This book is a MUST for Mother Teresa fans.



4. I read this book while waiting for a train one afternoon. It's absolute nonsense. If anyone is really interested in understanding who Mother Theresa was and what she really cared about, I suggest reading Christopher Hitchens, The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice.



5. What moved me most about this novel is the genuine change of heart that transformed the author's view of the world. Mother Teresa was powerful in word but moreso in deed. First hand experience with Mother, at age 21, is not a claim many can make and the lasting influence of these experiences and the life lessons resulting are inspiring and real. This is an excellent novel which should have a genuine, positive influence on the hearts of any open minded reader.

1 comments about One Day He Beckoned: One Woman's Story of the Difference Jesus Made.

1. One Day He Beckoned is the moving testimonial of one woman's personal experience with Jesus' holy and healing influence. Presenting a legacy that blends real-life considerations with practical understanding of how the world works and an enduring spiritual connection, One Day He Beckoned is Christian inspiration at its highest. Antoinette Bosco is to be commended for her candor and her willingness to lay open the tragedies of her personal life for the benefit of the larger Christian community.

No comments about Martin Luther King, Jr.: SpiritLed Prophet.

4 comments about Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle.

1. Faithfulness And Holiness: The Witness Of J. C. Ryle by J. I. Packer (Professor of Theology, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) is a superbly presented tribute to Bishop John Charles Ryle, a man who challenged his parishoners to seek greater holiness. Bishop Ryle's own testimony "Holiness," first published in 1877, is included in its entirety within the pages of Faithfulness And Holiness. A profound reflection upon Ryle's life, ideals, work, and legacy is a powerful and moving work of faith and joy, Faithfulness And Holiness is very highly recommended for Christian Studies reading lists and reference collections.



2. This is a beautifully produced book, with contents that really deserve to be read, Packer should be commended for re-presenting it to a readership it may not otherwise have received. Packer's has written a semi-autobiographical long introduction (longer than Ryle's text, hence the title of the book I guess) to the first (considerably shorter than the second) edition of JC Ryle's classic 'Holiness'.
   The first half or so is a large number of short chapters by Packer, appreciating JC Ryle, his life, work, theology etc. You get a good feel of the man who was an amazing Christian, who stood firm for truth, and truly believed in the Church of England despite it's massive faults and so didn't take the easy way out but stayed to do great good. Although his life wasn't the most exciting story (no dramatic conversion, no physical persecution) I found this made him easier to see in my reality, although he was definitely a Victorian. This means that Packer's 'appreciation' isn't as riveting as it otherwise would be, and the fact that Packer does nothing other than 'appreciate' makes it a little unbalanced a look at the man. It was great to see his concern at the number of nominal Christians in the church with no concern for personal holiness, and that really hit home because although this is not quite as big an issue in the UK now as it was then, it is still common. Ryle pleads for these people to change, and for us Christians not to become like them.
   Holiness, the actual book, is wonderful, and really outshines Packer's contribution (I think). Packer choose the much shorter first edition because it was more coherent, not as much of a random collection of essays like the more common second edition, and I think he made the right decision considering the purposes of this book.

   The book is basically an exploration of the titles/topics of the chapters (Sin, Sanctification, Holiness, the Fight, the Cost, and Growth), which are all relatively self-contained, although, as Packer notes, the flow of thought is obvious.
   Ryle does spend quite a bit of time in the book refuting and explaining the consequences of a error about sanctification prevalent in his day, though not so much now, but it is not much of a distraction and in fact challenges us to think of our responses to similar problems today.
   Ryle's writing confronts you with your life, and I don't think you will be left unchanged, and so I cannot fail to commend this book to you. The language is not hard, only a hundred years old, and style has not changed that much, and the different context in which it is wrote does not distance you too much from the points he makes.
   This book is well worth buying, and reading, especially at this incredibly [low] price.




3. "I only know it is far easier to be a Christian among singing, praying, sympathizing Christians in a public room, than to be a consistent Christian in a quiet, retired, out-of-the-way, uncongenial home."
   As the other reviewers have said, this is an appreciation and should be read sa such. Appreciation or no, Packer reaveals the facts and this makes Ryle enjoyable to read about. Ryle was a man among men in his day and would be a demi-god among men in our day, with so little doctrinal preaching in our midst. What caught me about Ryle was that he was widowed twice and he outlived his third wife, and yet still proclaimed the Word of God.
   To be honest, his book holiness is not easy to read. BUt as John Piper said, "Raking is easy, but all you get is leaves. Digging is hard, but you might find diamonds." Ryle stands in the old Puritan tradition. Maybe tough to read, but extremely edifying to the saints when read. His view on Holiness stands in direct contrast with the view of Finney. But that is okay because the Bible stands in direct contrast with Finney. THis book should be read by all denominations: Anglican/Episcopal so that they may appreciate one of their own. Baptists, becasue he preaches like one. Charismatics--so that they might be rescued from their erring ways.
   This is a good introduction to Ryle's life and hopefully will accomplish the task that Packer hopes, that one may read more of Ryle, along with the other puritans.



4. Dr Packer emits an appreciative Yay! to the man and Puritan bishop, JC Ryle.
   Cast in the same mould as the Puritans before him, and true to their way of life and biblical soundness, Ryle gave nothing to compromise and asked nothing of modern criticism, he sought only to see Christ glorified - even in his battles with opposing Christian views in the rise of Liberalism.
   
   Ryle was cast in the same mould as that of another Victorian Puritan, Charles Spurgeon, and Packer is brief, but shares their healthy respect, one for the other. This godly man suffered because of his preaching of uncompromising truth, and as Spurgeon, as contemporaries, they were ousted by their own denominational leadership, who gave sway to higher criticism.
   
   So Ryle's life is one of personal trials and professional testing, yet always remaining true to his convictions. He readily refers to the Puritans and their works, way of life and doctrinal standards, as those he clearly espouses and refuses to do away with.
   
   The second portion is the well-known book, Holiness, which he published in 1877. It is a modern classic.
   
   This is a favorite read. No too theological, yet inspiring of great good that can be achieved in the hands of a great God.
   
   'To hear some men talk, and read some men's writings, one might imagine that our blessed Lord, when He was on earth, never taught anything but doctrine! The slightest knowledge of the four Gospels ought to tell us that this is a complete mistake.' pg 131
   
   'In justification our own works have no place at all, and simple faith in Christ is the one thing needful. In sanctification, our own works are of vast importance, and God bids us fight, watch and pray, and strive, and take pains, and labour. Justification admits of no growth or increase... sanctification is an imperfect work, and will never be perfected until we reach heaven.' pg 134

5 comments about The Hidden Pope: The Untold Story of a Lifelong Friendship That Is Changing the Relationship Between Catholics and Jews: The Personal Journey of John Paul II and Jerzy Kluger.

1. This is a fabulous book. I am neither Catholic nor Jewish, but I was fascinated by the depth of the man we all call Pope. I had no idea of his personal journey, and the breadth of his goodness. Too many times, we don't look beyond the title and the robes. This is truly a saintly man.



2. I am an Irish Catholic that married a Jewish girl with roots in Poland, so this book took on special meaning for me. I was very proud of our pontiff for making extraordinary strides in Catholic-Jewish relations. His message still hasn't made it down to all levels of the church, but I hope that it will. Many Catholics still feel that Jews are doomed and must be converted/baptized in order to be saved, but the Pope clearly states that this is WRONG. We are all sons of Abraham, and the Jews are our older brothers.
   
   I would like to write to Jurek Kluger and tell him so. If anyone knows his address or email, please forward it to me. Thank you!!



3. I bought this book a few years ago. The recent death of Pope John Paul II inspired me to take it off the bookshelf and start reading one night. If you are a gentile and think you know the meaning and impact of anti-semitism, think again and read this book. This is the history of 20th century Europe told through the lives and experiences of Lolek and Jerzy, two precocious small town Polish friends whose friendship helped change the course Catholic-Jewish relations after twenty centuries of misunderstanding and mistrust. It was providential that both ended up residing in Rome and worked together to change the perceptions of many people who have adopted anti-semetic attitudes based upon false assumptions and lies. Through their eyes see the horrors of Nazism and Communism as their friends and families are slaughtered by these inhumane political systems. By the end of the book you will feel like you know these two men (Pope John Paul II and Jerzey Kluger) as very very special human beings. It may be profane but they remind me of Pat O'Brien and James Cagney combination in the movie, "Angels with Dirty Faces." One, the saintly but very world wise priest and the other, a wise cracking but trouble prone friend. These two men teach us that at a personal level Jews and Christians are cousins in faith and these ancient misunderstandings should be resolved once and forever. The Hidden Pope would make a wonderful movie about two mensches for the ages!



4. This book was so touching that I beg both Catholics and Jews to read it and meditate on the message. I laughed and cried. It is a great book.



5. I got this book from a family member, and wasn't quite sure if it was something good or bad, mainly due to the title, "The Hidden Pope". It kind of has a bad connotation to it, as if there's some dark secret. "A Personal Journey" might have been better as the title rather than the sub title. -2 points for a bad title that could send a conflicting message.

No comments about The Forgotten Heroes of Liberty.

5 comments about Sandals in the Dust.

1. NEVER BEFORE IN ONE BOOK HAVE I SO EASILY HAD THE LIVES AND RELATIONSHIPS OF THE 12 APOSTLES EXPLAINED TO ME. THE BOOK IS COMPACT AND FITS INTO MY BIBLE CASE FOR EASY REFERENCE. THE NEW TESTAMENT GOSPELS COME ALIVE WHEN YOU ACTUALLY KNOW WHO THE PLAYERS ARE. THIS IS A MUST READ FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN AND FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO UNDERSTAND THEIR BIBLE BETTER.



2. I AM NOT A RELIGIOUS PERSON AND HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN TO CHURCH MUCH, BUT I LOVE HISTORY AND THIS BOOK IS THE BEST HISTORICAL LOOK SOCIALLY AND CATEGORICALLY I HAVE EVER READ. MAKES ME WANT TO READ MY BIBLE. I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW HOW 12 MEN CHANGED THIS WORLD FOREVER!



3. I WOULD HAVE HAD TO BUY AND READ OVER 30 DIFFERENT BOOKS TO FIND THE SOURCE MATERIAL FOR THE 12 APOSTLES THAT IS IN THIS BOOK. A GREAT READ AND EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD HAVE ONE. THIS BOOK DOES NOT TRY TO ADD TO THE BIBLE, BUT GIVES US HISTORICAL INFORMATION THAT MAKES OUR BIBLES COME ALIVE!



4. Mark Rosson's writing style is wonderful and the stories were just marvelous to read. Oh, how I enjoyed reading about each and every one of the apostles. My heart was stirred so to think I got a little more insight into each of these great men who followed our Lord and Saviour.
   
   I feel everything Mark told, he tried to explain that it was legend, theory or written accounts and that made it so easy to read. After all he had twenty years of research that went into this book.
   
   I would encourage anyone to read this very special book to help in their spiritual growth.
   
   I'm looking forward to reading more books by this wonderful writer and theologian.



5. Sandals in the Dust by M. E. Rosson
   
   Sandals in the Dust is unique among many books I have read. M. E. Rosson has gleaned facts from such historians as Josephus or Jerome, and used ancient writings and legends to put together details of the life and characters of each of a group of men chosen by Christ to take his gospel of love for mankind over the four corners of the then known world. This makes for a remarkable and very rare book.
   
   Did you know, for example, that James Ben Alpheus looked so much like Jesus that Judas would have to give him a "kiss" to distinguish the two in the Garden of Gethsemene?
   
   This is the type of research that makes this one of the most fascinating collections of "biographies" I have ever read.
   
   Of course, we may wonder at some of it. Is every detail true? Is it an accurate portrayal of these apostles, inspired by God, or is there some fiction in it? We won't really know; nevertheless, this is a valid piece of research that seeks to show who the apostles were, what they were really like and how Christ motivated, inspired, guided and molded ordinary men who, through the action of the Holy Spirit would become the carriers of his message of salvation to a world that needed it as badly then as it does now.
   
   Don't miss reading this one.
   
   Joyce Ann Edmondson
   The Listening Tree
   In the Arms of the Shepherd
   Falling Petals

2 comments about Riding in the Shadows of Saints: A Woman's Story of Motorcycling the Mormon Trail.

1. This is a beautifully written book. In lucid and often lyrical prose the author describes her journey along the Mormon trail by motorcycle, following the route from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City taken by several of her female ancestors and, on the way, recounts brief histories of their determination and faith in spite of horrendous obstacles. In parallel, she delves into her own struggle with Mormonism and arrives at a deeper understanding, and a redefinition, of her own faith. As the daughter of a deeply believing Mormon mother and a renegade father ("a jack Mormon") she has a lot to contend with. Her motorcycle becomes the symbol as well as the carrier of her uncertainty.
   
   There is enough Mormon history provided to satisfy the casual reader, but the most heartening aspect of her presentation is that it doesn't fall along the usual polarizing lines: Ms. Richman offers both praise and criticism of the Mormon hierarchy and its leaders. The stories of her female ancestors along the trail are often heart-stopping in the intensity of their suffering and the depth of their faith. The book is filled with good writing and acute insights into many of the people she meets along the way.
   
   The book left me wanting more. For one thing, by the end her situation is much like her father's - she recognizes how strongly tied she is to Mormonism, though she will never rejoin the church. I wanted the book to provide more insight into her father's character and attitudes as a way of understanding her own.
   
   For another, throughout the book her husband (who stays home in Tucson) is described as a perfect man, loving, kind, thoughtful, supportive, insightful - almost too much to believe. At the end of the book they separate, but her only explanation is a bit of hand-waving: there are "philosophical" differences. If he was such a great guy, couldn't he make the changes needed to move with her to Utah? And what are these differences? I'd like to know more about them as a way of understanding her own changes. Perhaps that's another book.
   
   For me, the attempt to make her own journey feel as dramatic and harsh as that of the original Saints doesn't ring true. Where her great-great-grandmothers starved, bled and buried children in the snow, the worst she has to contend with are a balky cycle and sadistic truckers. Most nights she finds a hot shower and a warm bed.
   
   The spiritual summation in Chapter 21 is a bit talky but effective. She arrives at an idea of faith which comes close to the idea of practice as taught in various forms of Buddhism; and I'd like to see her explore that connection further. Perhaps that too, will come in another book.



2. If you're mormon, post mormon, motorcycle enthusiast, westerner, feminist, post feminist, or a reader who just likes a good story, then you'll enjoy this book.
   
   Richman writes truthfully about her experience as a new Mormon pioneer - paving her way out of rather than into the Mormon Church. She parallels her solo motorcycle trip from Nauvoo, IL to Salt Lake during the fall of 2001 with the faithful (and fateful) journey her decedents who traveled the Mormon Trail 150 years earlier.
   
   The motorcycle metaphors may tire some, but I thought they added to the story. On the whole it is a good story. I felt a connection to her sense of pride in the pioneering spirit of her family side-by-side with her inability to live with such unquestioning faith.