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Dear God, I trust you.  I trust that my past will make sense as I give my future to you.  Thank you.

 

I'm Pastor Stephen, and this is my site.  I am always interested in connecting theory with reality, hope with current circumstances and... knowledge with action.  I've an eye on the future, with feet firmly on the ground. I believe that God loves us - is committed to us, cares for us, and as any good lover does - responds to us.

 

 

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I am an Ordained pastor of the Seventh-day Adventist Church here in San Luis Obispo, CA.  Click on any link here to find out how I may be able to serve you.

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I love it when I come across a good book.  But picking randomly from the bookshelf can be unsatisfying.  A few years ago a received a reading list from someone I respect hugely, and found reading to be a thrill I had never quite experience before.  So I present here books that I have appreciated - either professionally, or personally.  

 

Wednesday
Oct212009

Walking The Bible

This is not a book about being postmodern - this is just full of content that is.  If you long to go further than "because he said so", then give this a read to explore different ways of viewing old information.  It’s not so much the information.  It’s not even the way it is said.  It is just the fact that what is in this book is being said at all.  

Follow Bruce Feiler around various Old Testament locations as he tells the Bible stories while moving from one millennia to another.  It is a fascinating read, and will take you beyond information about the Bible, to very real life today.  

This book has been around for a while now, and refers to an area that has changed radically in the news over the last few years. But the message is relevant and will add to your ability to think deeply on contemporary issues as well as many of the timeless ones.

Feiler has written many best sellers linking ancient religious culture to our times.   Check out his book Abraham too.

 

Wednesday
Oct212009

Sacred Pathways

 

This is not a book about postmodernism.   But about worship.  but if you are not postmodern, but go to church with anyone who is... then start here. 

This book explains very well what most of us intuitively know - but seek so often to overlook - not everyone worships the same.  Oh, we know there are different tastes of music etc... but this book goes far beyond these worn out battles.

Every pastor absolutely should read this book - every worship leader too.  In fact quite possibly every Christian would benefit from this too.  You’ll find nine distinct ways in these pages that people worship.  Read them all, find out which one you are, and open your mind to see the world as others around you (may) see it.

Wednesday
Oct212009

Angel and Demons

Ok, I occasionally read a novel too and Ok... maybe you were not expecting a Dan Brown book here - the author of the Divinci Code.  And maybe you did not like, or were offended by that title.  There is more to like in this one.  Just like the the more well known story... you’ll find this a page turner, but the subject is perhaps more conventional over the years, though not less controversial.  Religion v’s science is the back drop to this story, and while I certainly will not vouch for everything said in these pages, you will find the text both stimulating and entertaining - a combination I like!

Wednesday
Oct212009

Celebration of Discipline

There are a lot of books out there on discipleship.  From small group efforts to step by step approaches.  This book will take you past all of that and allow you to be changed as you practice the various disciplines outlined in the different chapters.
This is not a quick read.  In fact, for many I would recommend taking one chapter at a time, maybe over a full year even.  Taken as a whole, it can be very overwhelming, but this book is packed with inspiration and practical advice. 
This book is never far away from me, and I have enjoyed other material by this author too.
Wednesday
Oct212009

The Kneeling Christian

There are a few things that make this book special - and one of them is that we do not know who the author is - he/she very intentionally tries to keep behind the message.
But for a book on prayer - and even more than that - a book on a relationship with Jesus - this is hard to beat. Digging deeper into the being, and drawing us beyond where we plan to go each day, this book leads you to stronger, fuller walk with your God.  
This is not a long book - but one that can change your life if it catches you at the right moment.