Book Reviews from the 2022 Retreat
Short and punchy reviews by Sarah Seabrook, originally given at our 2022 Retreat.
Being the Bad Guys, How to Live for Jesus in World That Says You Shouldn’t, Stephen McAlpine - perfect for everyone who has found themselves feeling like the title and wondering how on earth did that happen?! A sharp analysis of how Christians have found themselves on the back foot in the face of ‘cancellation’ and how to effectively speak into that world.
None Like Him, 10 ways God is different from us Jen Wilkins - SO GOOD, so annoying that there are flowers on the cover! Why? A good read for all for us, all of the time.
12 Things God Can’t Do… and how they can help you sleep at night, Nick Tucker - really conversational and saying just what you were thinking! Deals with the apparent conflict in ideas at the end of each chapter.
The Prodigal God, Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith, Tim Keller - it will forever influence how you read the parable of the prodigal: the depth of the Father’s self-humiliating love and rapturous joy; how often we are seen as the judgemental older brother by outsiders, lacking in delight; the abundance of the feast to come!
Gentle and Lowly, The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers, Dane Ortlund - you will be drawn in by the beauty and breadth of the descriptions of Jesus, maybe in a way you hadn’t grasped before. Your heart will be softened towards sinners, including yourself.
10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) About Christianity, Rebecca McLaughlin - Classic Rebecca! Astute, observant, relevant, lots of Harry Potter references. I can’t recommend this book enough for mid-upper teens.
Where Was God When That Happened?, Christopher Ash - literally answers ALL your questions! Clear and brilliant. Paradoxically, comprehensive and concise, robust and pastoral.
Help! I’m Married to My Pastor, Encouragement for ministry wives and those who love them, Jani Ortlund - especially good for new ministry wives. Worth the price for the idea of ‘the box’.
Forty Women, Unseen women of the Bible from Easter to Eden, Ros Clarke - a devotional looking at 40(+) women in the Bible. Pithy, insightful, current and leads you to worship. Excellent questions!
Born Again This Way, Coming Out, Coming to Faith, and What Comes Next, Rachel Gilson - deeply personal, vulnerable, theologically and culturally sharp.
Sarah Seabrook is a Moore College graduate who loves Jesus! With her husband Alistair, they have 3 beloved children and minister at Dundas Telopea Anglican. Sarah works part-time under Evangelism and New Churches (ENC) as an itinerant resource person for our churches, speaking evangelistically and training lay people in outreach and Biblical literacy.