Faith Today - November/December 2015

Nonviolent Action: What Christian Ethics Demands But Most Christians Have Never Really Tried

By Ronald J. Sider Baker Publishing,

2015. 208 pages.

$17 (e-book $9.99)

RON SIDER, the Canadian-born founder of Evangelicals for Social Action, has challenged Evangelicals in the past on wealth and now tackles attitudes toward violence.

He introduces Nonviolent Action by stating the book is not only for pacifists, but also for just war advocates, who usually agree military action takes place only after nonviolent means have been exhausted.

The book is divided into a series of stories of how nonviolent action has been able to overcome violent and unjust regimes. Some of these stories include Gandhi, Martin Luther King, the Solidarity movement in Poland, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the women’s movement in Liberia and the Arab Spring.

Sider does an excellent job sharing these stories, bringing the reader into the moments when it seemed nonviolence was not going to work. He is not afraid to talk about the mistakes and failures of these movements, but still demonstrates nonviolence can work.

Although the subtitle suggests
Christian ethics is a major theme,
it really is not. A number of the
stories have nothing to do with
Christianity. The subtitle also
claims Christian ethics demand
nonviolence without fleshing that
out. There are moments in the book
where the just war readers may feel
as if pacifism is assumed as the
proper Christian ethic.

The truth is Nonviolent Action is an apologetic aimed at those who believe military intervention is the only way to solve the world’s conflicts. Sider demonstrates that people have tried nonviolent action, and it has been effective in producing real change. The message is one that will challenge many assumptions. –STEPHEN BEDARD

Leading Me: Eight Practices for a Christian Leader’s Most Important Assignment

By Steve A. Brown Castle Quay Books, 2015. 176 pages.

$17.95 (e-book $9.99)

STEVE BROWN has directed the Arrow Leadership Program in North America for over a decade, and now he serves as president.

His new book focuses on offering
yourself holistically to God, be-
lieving “We are not called to be
ornaments. Instead, we are to be
instruments set apart for God.”
Dr. Brown devotes 13 pithy chap-
ters to unfolding what “leading me”
means. From the start he clarifies
that the book is about personal
leadership – being led by God in
your own life as the absolute foun-
dation for effective public leader-
ship. This will involve humility,
dependence and trust (Psalm 70: 5).

He goes on to outline four gauges for measuring vitality – “spiritual intimacy, godly and healthy character, vibrant relationships in community and significant service for God’s glory.”

The rest of the book creatively presents eight key practices – “Growing Your Vision” (ch. 3), “Unhooking Bungee Cords” (things that hold the leader back, ch. 4), “Keeping Connected” (in the Christian community, ch. 5), “Taking Care of Me” (on personal care for health, exercise and diet (chs. 6–7), “Stewardship and Shalom” (ch. 8), “Leveraging Your Impact” (ch. 9), “Managing Your Time” (ch. 10), “Dealing with Dandelions” ( competing commitments, ch. 11) and “Finding Traction Through Training” (ch. 12). The concluding chapter appropriately deals with “Running with Perseverance” (based on Hebrews 12:1– 3).

This is a practical, helpful, realistic treatment of Christian leadership in terms that will bless, challenge and search the earnest

Sider does an excellent job bringing the reader into the moments when it seemed nonviolence was not going to work

BOOKS & CULTURE

REVIEWS

TIM NEUFELD has been busy exploring new creative territory.

On hiatus from his successful Christian band Starfield, he is continuing to dig up a more “rootsy,” organic flavour of worship music.

First in 2013 he released Trees, a Juno-winning acoustic-driven collection of favourite worship songs. Now he has teamed up with a band of bearded bluegrass musicians, his “Glory boys,” for a sweet new project.

This music is a high-energy, youthful celebration of what it means to delight in the freedom of God’s kingdom. Armed with banjos, guitars, a tambourine (and maybe a washboard) along with some fabulous voices, this is what happens when rockers unplug and hit the back porch with fresh, upbeat, happy songs.

It’s more foot stomping than
toe tapping. It’s contemporary
old time religion with a focus on
the Church’s need to celebrate
God’s gifts, so beautifully ex-
pressed in the song “Our Church”:

This is our church, our family of faith / On this holy ground we’re all the same / And we are the joy of God on display / Whenever we meet in Jesus’ name.

The popular radio single “I’m
Free” as well as “The River” and
“Sunshine” all come back to the
same point – “Nothing’s going
to take my joy away” – “What
good’s the good life if we’re still
miserable? Why live half empty
when we can live half full?”
Churches across Canada are
embracing the band’s nationwide
“Joyride Tour,” which invites con-
gregations into joyous worship.
–ALI MAT THE WS