A Christmas Carol Special Edition

When most of us think of the classic story, A Christmas Carol, we probably envision a scene from one of the many movies made of the story, such as the 1951 version with Alastair Sim or perhaps the Disney version starring Jim Carrey. I recently reread the story of the miserly Scrooge’s transformation in Standard Publishing’s 2009 special edition by Stephen Skelton. This edition comes with “Christian Insights & Discussion Questions for Groups & Families” but also makes an enjoyable read on its own. I especially liked the notes which helped explain unfamiliar or antiquated terms, such as the word scrooge which means “to squeeze.” Other notes help place the story in its 19^th century British setting, such as when we are told that the famous line, “God bless us every one,” could not be spoken on the London stage due to the cautiousness of those who checked scripts for blasphemy.

Discussion questions are included after each of the five staves (or chapters) of the story and were designed for use with readers across a range of ages. The questions are divided into four sections: Telling the Story, Telling Your Story, Telling the Story of Christmas, and Living the Story. It is suggested that the “A” and “B” questions be used with younger readers. The questions will help readers see the spiritual meaning behind A Christmas Carol as well as relate the story to their own lives and should provide lots of stepping off points for sharing ideas in a family or small group.

For those seeking to find the true meaning of Christmas in the midst of the madness and materialism of our world, it would be worthwhile to spend an hour or two reading A Christmas Carol and then sharing their thoughts and insights with others. The book is available on Amazon for a reasonable $7.99.

The Gifts of the Small Church

From its title, I expected The Gifts of the Small Church to be another church leadership book with a systematic list of benefits found in the small church, perhaps with a chapter devoted to each. However, this interesting little book is more stream of consciousness of the author’s experiences as a United Methodist pastor of a small rural church in Zebulon County, North Carolina. Names of churches and people have been changed but the stories have the ring of truth and the people portrayed are sometimes just too unique to be imaginary.

Byasee states right from the beginning that neither the church nor his book has the answer or the “secret.” He says: “The small church is not the answer to the world’s problems, any more than living purposefully, ‘bestly,’ secretly, or whatever else. The small church is just God’s primary way of saving people.” That’s a powerful statement backed up by Byasee’s words that “most of us through most of time have met Jesus in small churches. The great diversity of Christ’s body through time and space has proliferated in the small.”

Stories of individuals and their relationships are the backbone of this book, as they are of the church itself. While in a large church it’s easy to avoid getting to know people that aren’t like you, in the small church this comfortable isolation isn’t possible. In chapter twelve of the book, titled “Divine Election,” Byasee tells of a dispute in his church over a local election and zoning issue and muses that the most painful part was that “they were all good people…But could not, for the life of them (or their pastor), get along.” Yet this is “the small church’ glory. You can’t avoid the person you hate…And because of it you have a shot at being Christian.”

With the ever increasing divisions between “red” and “blue” Christians, Byasee’s point is well taken. Only by getting to know people with different viewpoints can we go beyond stereotypes. The presumably liberal, antigun preacher/author realizes that the gun-owners he met are “not violent people. They are hunters and gun-lovers, not people who shoot at other people. I wouldn’t have known the difference had I not spent time with them.”

Byasee’s style is humorous and honest if a bit quirky (such as referring to King James as King Jimmy) and it’s obvious he truly loves the people he ministered to in Zebulon despite their faults and foibles. The local church portrayed in this book isn’t a loving, emotionally healthy family so much as a loving, somewhat dysfunctional one. The author admits that many of us have had painful experiences in the church and compares it to a crazy mother: “She bears us. Nurtures us. Raises us. Makes our life possible. Then when we hit adolescence she embarrasses us…Then finally we hit adulthood and realize we’re more like her than we meant to be…The church wounds us, like every parent wounds…She marks us forever. And without her we’d not be us.” Real life, real love is messy, imperfect, and sometimes maddening, like God’s gift to us of the small church.

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: Ministering to Returning Combat Veterans

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon: Ministering to Returning Combat Veterans, written by David A. Thompson and Darlene Wetterstrom and published by Abingdon Press in 2009, discusses ministering to a population many churches ignore either because they’re unaware of their needs or just don’t know how to address them. The book’s scope goes beyond the title to not only instruct churches on how to minister to returning combat veterans but also how to help their families before, during, and after deployment, and in the case of a military casualty.

Both authors are well qualified to deal with the issues they address. David A. Thompson is a Licensed Professional Counselor who assists deploying and returning soldiers and their families and has personally experienced several military deployments. Darlene F. Wetterstrom is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker experienced with military families. It is clear that they have a handle on the unique mental, emotional, and spiritual challenges faced by those in the military and their families. Throughout the book there are case histories of military personnel which help the reader see into the soldier’s psyche; this understanding of the inner life of these individuals is essential for those in the church who wish to address their specific needs as well as the needs of their families.

The tone of the book is respectful of the military but also recognizes that those in the church have varying viewpoints on the moral issues regarding war and the military. Chapter Six addresses moral and spiritual issues facing soldiers and their families and has an overview of Christian teaching on war and peace with descriptions of topics such as the pacifist position, just war theory, and ethical situations in war. This background is important so that a person ministering to veterans can “be a helpful resource for a service person seeking guidance on ethical issues and actions.” The point is made that some veterans will struggle with moral or ethical failure due to their wartime service and those ministering to them need to “share the gospel of grace and forgiveness.”

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon is well organized and laid out and covers an impressive amount of material in under 120 pages. It is full of practical tips; the first six chapters each conclude with a “Tips for Ministry” section with clear instructions for putting the information just presented into practical use. Chapter Seven deals with how to create a military family-friendly church and lists specific ideas for military outreach at the pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment stages. There is information about programs such as Adopt a Soldier and Operation Paperback which can get the entire church involved in this ministry. The authors have provided a valuable tool for today’s church to reach out to this often forgotten population.

For Heaven’s Sake! Parenting Preschoolers Faithfully (Quill House Publishers, 2010) makes an excellent addition to the usual outpouring of gifts welcoming a new baby. Unlike the cute little outfits and baby toys which the new arrival will soon outgrow, the parent who takes this book to heart will be helping their child take the first steps of a lifelong spiritual journey.

The importance of Family Ministry is now being recognized by many in the church today and there are excellent resources to help churches in addressing the spiritual needs of families. For Heaven’s Sake! is specifically geared toward parents, although it can be a valuable resource as well to other family members and church leaders who deal with children.

The author, Marilyn Sharpe, is a mother, grandmother, and parent educator who recognizes the need for faith to be nurtured in all areas of life. The book is much more than a list of specific exercises and practices; it shows parents how to initiate faith and awareness of God in every moment of a child’s life. It is built on Rev. Dr. David Anderson’s concepts of Four Keys for Nurturing Christians and AAA Christians and provides simple, everyday ways to nurture faith through caring conversations, family devotions, rituals and tradition, and family service by Christians who are authentic, available and affirming.

An important message in the book, especially in our media-saturated world, is to have times when you’re fully attentive to your child. Sharpe gives specific ways to do this, beyond the obvious such as turning off the TV and computer, such as “face your child and be on the same level. Crouch down…” For parents unsure of what to say, Sharpe gives specific simple statements.

There is also valuable information on the development of preschoolers and what we can realistically expect of them, which is done in a practical and easy to understand way. For instance, in a section about decision making, the author takes us step by step through the process of helping a four year old decide whether to attend a birthday party.

It’s obvious the author has genuine love and a heart for children. While never forgetting that a parent’s job includes discipline, she sees discipline as primarily modeling behavior for children while loving them unconditionally. As she says at the beginning of her book: “The whole point of parenting your child of God is to express unconditional love.” For new parents, this book can provide inspiration and practical advice for one of their most important tasks--raising children to have a lifelong transforming faith.