The heart of America has been bleeding since 1776. Though the Declaration of Independence promised the equality of mankind, that promise has not fully been realized. All humanity in the United States have felt like they are not equal, or in the language of popular culture, that their lives do not matter. How do we solve this problem?

Wayne Gordon and John Perkins bring a unique and refreshing perspective to the heated emotions and rhetoric in the past year. While admitting that both sides in the Black Lives Matter debate are right and both sides are wrong, they call the Church to step up and be a force of reconciliation. Christ showed us how to love, as only He can. We need to use this love to break down the barriers of difference and seek to understand, to empathize, and to unify with all people, no matter the race, socioeconomic condition, or gender.

If you are part of the Black Lives Matter movement, or if you are cynical about the movement, read this book to gain a perspective you may not have. Allow it to challenge you and to spur you to be like Christ.

I received a free copy of this book for review.

Recently I had the privilege of reading Shalom in Psalms, a psalm-by-psalm devotional from a Messianic Jewish perspective. This was a fascinating and enlightening read.

All poetry is tied to the culture in which it is written. The Psalms are no exception. The imagery throughout the Psalms is based upon a Hebrew culture and worldview. To understand each psalm more fully, one needs to understand the culture and worldview of the writer. Jeffrey Seif, Glenn Blank, and Paul Wilbur, from their Messianic Jewish perspective, bring a fresh light to each psalm, exploring the culture and worldview of the original writers. They also weave a narrative of Shalom, peace, throughout the book, tying concepts presented by the writers of the Psalms with the true giver of peace, Yeshua, Jesus.

One drawback of the devotional is their use of Messianic Jewish titles of God and Jesus. Those who are not used to reading Hebrew names for God will need to learn them fast, or they will quickly get confused on who is referred to.

I received a free copy of this book for review.

We live in a society that is accelerating away from God. Each generation, from the Greatest Generation to the most recent, is becoming more atheistic in its beliefs and practices. In order to fulfill the Great Commission, we cannot use the same strategies that were used in the Greatest Generation to reach the most recent generation, Generation Z.

James Every White does an excellent job exploring the culture of Generation Z, and he provides good insight in how we as the church need to rethink our strategy in reaching this generation. This includes becoming the church again and rekindling our prophetic voice. This is definitely a good resource for anyone who has a heart for this newest generation.

I received a free copy of this book for review.