Praying for Your Pastor: How Your Prayer Support is Their Life Support
By Eddie Byun (IVP)
Eddie Byun, a Korean pastor and seminary professor with a doctorate from Gordon-Conwell Seminary, begins this book with an appropriate introduction, “Why Pastors need Intercessory Prayer,” using Romans 15:30.
Chapter topics begin with “protection” and end with “strong marriages and families.” In-between, Byun hits on nearly every trigger point pastors and ministerial staff members need, including rest, anointing, a yielded heart and effectiveness in ministry. He concludes that Christians’ prayer support in all those areas offer the pastor’s life support. Our prayers sustain our pastors and their ministries.
The book includes two good appendices. The first offers prayers many of us already know, but that serve as a wonderful reminder. The second explains a “Praying For Your Pastor” churchwide campaign, explaining how to implement the book’s nine chapters in a congregational setting.
Skip Holman, minister of discipleship
Northeast Baptist Church
San Antonio
The Sense of Humor Book: Let Humor Fast Track You to Healthier, Happier Lives
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By Max Elliot Anderson (Elk Lake Publishing)
Max Elliott Anderson spent his life creating documentary films, client videos and television commercials. He also has written adventure books for middle-grade readers ages 8 and older.
Anderson provides the basic premise for The Sense of Humor Book in its introduction, writing, “Humor and a sense of humor are unique gifts from God intended to enable people to enjoy a more positive life, while at the same time brightening the corner where they are.”
The remainder of the book deals with humor in several venues—the family, relationships, education, work and as a tool in ministry, as well as vintage humor. Anderson also includes chapters on “How to make ’em laugh” and “Humor is no laughing matter.” Anderson freely admits the book started as simply a joke book, but the initial part is informational and instructional, while the last portion of the book provides jokes by category.
This book would help anyone whose sense of humor needs some help or readers who want a reference to use for humor in ministry. It is a good and funny read.
Skip Holman, minister of discipleship
Northeast Baptist Church
San Antonio
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