Skip to main content

12 Faithful Men by Collin Hansen and Jeff Robinson




I did receive this book at no charge from the publisher for my unbiased, honest opinion.

Disclaimer: I am not this books target audience. The target audience for this book is specifically for pastors, deacons, or other (mostly male) heads of the church. Here after all heads of the church will be grouped together under the term Preacher.

The book boils down to one main premise: that all preachers who are truly called to be servants of God as preachers tend to have a somewhat tragic life in some form or fashion. All of the biblical scriptures and each of the ’12 Faithful Men’ mentioned are examples to back this belief. He gives examples of how even in biblical times, the Apostle Paul had to experience tragedy, and how in many of Paul's letters, he mentions that to truly be a good teacher of God’s word then you would need to go through many tragedies not only to test your faithfulness but to be a better preacher. Paul (and thus the author) further explains that through these struggles, you will be able to better connect to your congregation as you will be more understanding and compassionate. His main biblical scripture he continues to draw from being Corinthians and more specifically 2 Corinthians, although he does utilize other passages as well to support his view. 

Further, he does give additional examples from other preachers to show the struggle of those called to serve, such as those, that like Paul, were also imprisoned for sharing the gospel, as well as personal tragedies, such as the loss of spouses, children, and other loved ones. He gives examples of those that have been pushed out of their congregations or due to circumstances, were forced to preach where they weren’t truly wanted, as well as, some that had their own personal, inner struggles. 

While I did feel that some of the stories could have definitely been shortened a bit and were only drawn out to give a bit of filler, overall it was a good book. I would definitely recommend this book to pastors, preachers, or other heads of the church, especially those new to the calling.

Let me state that while I am not part of the target audience in this instance, I can appreciate the subject matter. There are several examples and scriptures mentioned that I can definitely see myself drawing back on during my own difficult times.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

After the Shadows by Amanda Cabot

Disclaimer: Please note, I did receive this book from the publisher at no charge for my unbiased, honest opinion.  When I read the publisher's synopsis of this book, I selected it on a whim. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy reading it, but I decided to select it anyway. Even after the first chapter, I was unsure if I would be able to finish it. However, the more I read, the more the story developed into a book I absolutely loved!  It had elements that provoked surprise, compassion, frustration, and so many other emotions. It was a good example to show how everyone deals with grief and life's obstacles differently. Further, it is a good example of how a small, southern town in America really is: how isolating it can be; how important family and reputation can be in these areas. Neighbors really take care of each other (depending on who you are) or they may completely ignore you. If your reputation is tarnished they will ostracize and abandon you.  Between hoping Emily is able
Post a Comment
Read more

The Aging Brain by Dr. Timothy R. Jennings, MD

I did receive this book at no charge from the publisher for my unbiased, honest opinion. Dr. Jennings addresses Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease that are plaguing our elderly in ever increasing rates. He discusses how we might live longer and more healthily if we address our lifestyles and choices. He explains how stress and poor diet, among other things, exacerbate the issues old age presents and how these same habits, stress and diet and others, lead to a higher chance of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, especially for those when a predisposition for either ailment. He further explains steps you can do to help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease from developing. I felt that although he is only reiterating many of the same things uttered by many in the medical community, he further backed up his standpoint with well laid reasons and breaks down everything so that it is easy to understand. I, too, have a history of Alzheimer’s disease in my family, and I f
Post a Comment
Read more