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Nuremburg, rated PG-13
*** ½

Nuremburg is a well-acted historical film primarily about the relationship between Hermann Göring, played by Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator), the highest-ranking surviving Nazi, and American psychiatrist Captain Douglas Kelley, played by Oscar winner Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody). The film was written and directed by James Vanderbilt, and is based on the book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist, by Jack El-Hai.
The film’s title refers to the city where representatives of four Allied nations that teamed up to defeat Nazi Germany gathered to put its leaders on trial. Nuremburg picks up after the death of Hitler and the end of World War II. It covers the time before and during the trial of the twenty-one Nazi leaders, including Göring, who was Hitler’s former second in command. The film opens with Göring surrendering to American troops.

***SPOILER ALERT***
Kelley was one of the psychiatrists brought in to counsel the detainees before their trial. Kelley develops a relationship with Göring, delivering letters from Göring to his wife and daughter. He has aims of writing a book about his relationship with Göring. Eventually Kelley uses what  he learns from Göring to help the chief prosecutor Supreme Court associate justice Robert H. Jackson, played by two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals, Revolutionary Road).
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The film features exceptional performances by Crowe and Malik, and features a good supporting cast, including Shannon, Oscar nominee Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me), Emmy nominee John Slattery (Mad Men), and Leo Woodhall.
The film features some difficult to watch real-life footage of the emaciated and dead prisoners from Nazi concentration camps. It also includes some adult language, including the abuse of God’s and Jesus’ names.
Nuremburg is a well-acted film, featuring excellent performances by Russell Crowe and Rami Malik. The best scenes in the film are between these two fine actors.

Note: Advent is what we call the season leading up to Christmas. It begins four Sundays before December 25, sometimes in the last weekend of November, sometimes on the first Sunday in December. This year, Advent will begin Sunday, November 30.

Our Father in Heaven,
As we begin this Advent season, a time of celebrating the first coming of your Son – the incarnation, when Jesus came to earth, to be born of a virgin in a manger – and waiting and preparing with hope for His second coming, we take a moment to consider just what that means for us, and the world.

Christmas in our culture is a mix of two very different celebrations. One, is filled with traditions – Santa Claus, gift giving, Christmas trees, lights, festive sweaters, holiday music, precious time with family we may see only a few times a year – and I love all the joy that these aspects of Christmas bring.
But there is another, very different Christmas celebration for Christians – the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. And many times, the two celebrations get oddly mixed:

Peace on Earth will come to all
If we just follow the light
Let’s give thanks to the Lord above,
‘Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
“Here Comes Santa Claus”

Many of our preparations for Christmas focus on Jesus’ humble birth in a manger, and yes, of course, the Bible tells us that is true. But that baby, although in many ways was an ordinary human baby, he was also very much different from an ordinary baby. For that baby was God incarnate. Jesus was fully human, and also fully God.
Jesus came to this fallen world, and lived a life, a perfect life, that we couldn’t live. And though unpopular in our culture, Jesus is the only way to you, Almighty God, there is no other way. He himself said:

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  (John 14:6)

But more than coming to earth to live as one of us, Jesus also came to die a death we couldn’t die. In a great exchange, on the cross, Jesus took the penalty of the past, present and future sins of all of his people, and in a wonderful exchange, gave us his righteousness; living a perfect life in our place.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.   (2 Corinthians 5:21)

So, for Christians, Advent is a time for preparing to celebrate the incarnation – Jesus’ coming to this world, truly man and truly God, to save us from our sins. Father, we eagerly wait in prayerful expectation the second advent of your Son, just as we celebrate his first advent. Though Christmas Day comes only once a year, we want to remember, celebrate, and worship, Jesus, our Savior and Lord, each and every day as we wait for his second coming.

O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
“O Come, O Come Immanuel”

In Jesus name, Amen

*Tammy and I always read an Advent devotional during this time. This year, we will be reading Paul Tripp’s Everyday Gospel Christmas Devotional: 25 Daily Readings for Advent.

On November 25, my friend Jim and I made our way to the United Center in Chicago for the final stop on Paul McCartney’s Got Back North America tour. This would be Jim’s first time seeing the former Beatle. I have now seen Sir Paul in concert fourteen times, with the first being at the Rosemont Horizon (now Allstate Arena) with my brother-in-law Al in December, 1989. I have seen him in Chicago seven times – at the Rosemont Horizon, Soldier Field, Wrigley Field and now four times at the United Center; three times in Indianapolis, at the old Market Square Arena, and twice at what is now known as Gainbridge Fieldhouse, twice in Milwaukee at the old County Stadium and Summerfest, and once in St. Louis at the old Busch Memorial Stadium, and Moline, at what is now known as Vibrant Arena. Five of the concerts have been held in outdoor stadiums, with the remaining nine in indoor arenas.
It’s hard to over-emphasize how much of a part of my life that the music of the Beatles, and the now 83-year-old McCartney, has been. Many of their songs take me back to wonderful memories in my life. I never was able to see John Lennon in concert, who was murdered in 1980, but did see George Harrison in St. Louis in 1974 on his lone U.S. tour, and Ringo Starr, with his All-Starr Band, also in St. Louis in 2014.

McCartney concerts always stir emotions in me that no other concerts can, as the songs are really from the soundtrack of my life. For example….I can remember my Aunt Linda screaming at the television in her parents’ (my grandparents) living room as the Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. Later in that same home, my brother Mike and I first saw the Beatles Rubber Soul album in our Aunt Cindy’s room. Linda, Cindy and my cousin Bob saw the Beatles in concert August 20, 1965 at Chicago’s Comiskey Park. Actually, Bob saw them there twice in one day, attending both the afternoon and evening concerts. Bob and his wife were at the Chicago concert November 24, 60 years later, the night before our show.  (Tickets were $4.50 back in 1965, and a wee bit more in 2025.)   Wow.

My first single was the early 1964 Beatles’ two-sided hit “I Want to Hold Your Hand”/”I Saw Her Standing There”, with its black and white cover sleeve with the boys in their “Beatles suits” and McCartney holding a cigarette.

Moving forward, I remember seeing Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the “White Album” for the first time at our local K-Mart (mono albums were $3.44 and stereo were $3.77). I remember excitedly telling my Mom about Sgt. Pepper when we picked her up from work that warm June, 1967 evening. I had to wait for Christmas 1968 to get the double “White Album” (officially titled The Beatles), which was released November 22.  I can remember investigating all of the ‘Paul is Dead’ rumors, including listening to “Revolution #9” backwards when it clearly said “turn me on dead man”.
I can remember singing “Hello Goodbye” with teammates on the bus traveling to a 6th grade basketball game, “Get Back” with classmates in junior high school, and talking about the sudden ending to “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” from Abbey Road on the school bus in 1969. I listened to the “bootleg” recordings from the Get Back sessions (later released as Let it Be) with a friend; went to see the Let it Be movie with my Dad followed by pizza at our favorite place in town, and seeing the Yellow Submarine movie with my brother. I remember listening in my room as Larry Lujack played “Lady Madonna” on Chicago’s WLS “The Big 89” radio station in 1968, when Lujack mistakenly said that Ringo was singing lead. The single “Band on the Run” was topping the charts as I graduated from high school in 1974.  And I could go on and on….

As we headed to Chicago, anticipation was high. At 83 years old, this could very well be the final time I would see McCartney in concert. After we parked the car at the United Center, we were able to join a group of a few dozen fans, many holding signs, to welcome Sir Paul who enthusiastically waved at us.

One of the challenges for McCartney is determining what songs to put on his setlist. Inevitably, he will have to leave out some fan favorites. For example, this tour’s setlist left out songs like “Junior’s Farm”, “Day Tripper”, “We Can Work It Out”, “Paperback Writer”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, and “Back in the U.S.S.R.”.
McCartney told the crowd that he and his long-time band would be playing “some new songs, some old songs and some in-between songs”. They would play a total of 35 songs over two hours and forty minutes, without an intermission. The songs were a mixture of Beatles, Wings and solo songs, including one song by the Quarrymen (pre-Beatles). He performed four songs from Band on the Run, four songs from Abbey Road, three songs from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, three songs from The Beatles (White Album), three songs from Let it Be, and two songs from Help!
There was no opening act. As the excited crowd filed into the arena, a music mix played with photos of McCartney and the Beatles displayed on the large screens on both sides of the stage. That culminated with a large image of his famous Höfner violin bass on the screen over the final seconds of the Beatles “The End”, just before he came on stage, traditionally a half  hour late, and the band launched into the Beatles “Help”.
McCartney told how he wrote “Blackbird” to encourage those fighting for civil rights in America. There were audience singalongs with many songs, notably “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, “Hey Jude”, and “Love Me Do”. He dedicated “My Valentine” to his wife Nancy, who was in  the audience, “Here Today” to John Lennon and “Something” to Harrison, played on a ukulele that George Harrison had given to him. He did a virtual duet with John Lennon on “I’ve Got a Feeling”, and I heard him perform the final Beatles song “Now and Then” for the first time.
Throughout the concert McCartney played his famous bass, electric and acoustic guitar, piano, mandolin and ukulele. A three-piece horn section, the Hot City Horns, added a lot to songs such as “Letting Go”, “Got to Get You Into My Life”, and “Let Em In”. The stage had vertical screens on each side so fans could see McCartney and his band, and one horizontal screen behind the band to show some video effects for each song. He performed “Blackbird” and “Here Today” on a platform elevated high above the stage.
Throughout the concert, McCartney was in strong voice. It’s always hard for me to pick my favorite songs at a McCartney concert, but on this night they would be “Help”, “Got to Get You Into My Life”, “Love Me Do”, “Band on the Run”, “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “I’ve Got a Feeling”, and the dramatic pyrotechnics enhanced “Live and Let Die”, always a show stopper.
The tickets were expensive, but if you are a Beatles, Wings or McCartney fan, I would encourage you to try to catch one of McCartney’s shows, if you have the opportunity. You won’t be disappointed.
Here is the setlist from the November 25 concert in Chicago.

We have come again to that one day a year in our country which is set aside – in name at least – for being thankful. But as children of the King, we are always to be thankful. The Apostle Paul tells us to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:18). 1 Chronicles 16:34 tells us to give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
I love the holiday season, and Thanksgiving is really the kick-off for that festive time. Today, many will be gathering with family and friends, enjoying a turkey dinner and perhaps watching some football. Soon we might be joining many others searching for bargains as we begin our Christmas shopping and the decorating of our homes for Christmas. But before we get into the busyness of the season, let us take time to thank the Lord for all he has done for us this year. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:17 that whatever we do, in word or deed, we are to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Father, we pause to thank you for the many blessings that you have bestowed on us this year. Just a few of those for me are:

Salvation in Christ – the greatest gift – and the sustaining grace to persevere each day. “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9A Christ-centered marriage which reached 45 years this year.The family you have blessed me with, both immediate and extended. Thank you for the good health you have provided so many of them, and the good medical care you have provided for those who have faced significant challenges this year.A wonderful church, led by faithful pastors, and the special people that make up our small group.Good friends to enjoy life with, and also to share their burdens (Galatians 6:2).For your peace and comfort year-round, but especially during times of hardship and loss.

Father, we know that life is a gift, and we are not guaranteed the next second. James reminds us that we do not know what tomorrow will bring (James 4:14). Therefore, we thank you for the blessings that you have already provided, and we trust you for the future.
In Jesus name, Amen

NOTE:  As you gather with friends and family, why not take a few minutes to share what you are thankful for this year.

Sorrows Surprised by Happiness. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to a question that reads in part “I recall you mentioning a season in your life where you were deeply affected by an emotional state that was hard to understand, even to the point of sobbing without clear cause. Reflecting on those experiences, have your thoughts on unhappiness — its roots and how Christians should approach it — changed? Also, looking back at Battling Unbelief, do you still agree with the perspectives you shared, or have your views shifted in light of more recent experiences or understanding?”How Does Union With Christ Affect Our Daily Lives? In this video, Sinclair Ferguson describes how union with Christ affects the believer’s daily life.Sexual Purity is an Act of Love. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to a question about 1 Corinthians 7:9, which can be summarized as “What advice can you give to a young man who is tempted to burn with desire but who wants to wait?”

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

More interesting article linksFavorite Quotes of the Week

Was Jesus Tempted by Evil Desires? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question which reads in part “If James 1:14connects temptation with evil desires, how can I understand this in light of Hebrews 4:15? It doesn’t seem right to say that Jesus had evil desires, yet these passages seem to contradict each other. How can I fit these two verses together and understand how Jesus could be tempted in all the ways we are, yet remain sinless?”How Should I Deal with the Shame of Returning to the Same Sin? How Can I Pursue Lasting Change? What should Christians do with the shame of a recurring sin? Michael Reeves offers biblical counsel for finding hope and pursuing real change in the face of ongoing temptation.How Should We Interpret the Bible? In this video, Joel Kim suggests principles to aid Christians in their study and interpretation of the Bible.Does God Punish From His Heart? On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question which can be summarized as “How can God’s judgment and anger be in accordance with his heart’s intention, yet Lamentations says he does not afflict from his heart?”Nine Steps to Find a Home Church. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question “I moved to a new city, and there are — wonderfully! — several doctrinally faithful churches in my area of town. It’s a great problem to have, I know. If you were in my situation, how would you narrow down these good options? I don’t want to make my decision merely on my preferences. But what role do preferences make in a church decision like mine?”How Does Christianity Differ From Other Religions? Many people today might say, “All religions essentially teach the same thing.” Stephen Nichols points out how the Bible’s teaching that Jesus is the only way to God differs drastically from false religions.What Are Some Common Misconceptions About the Reformation? In this video, Stephen Nichols points to some misconceptions and unifying principles about the Reformation.

2 Little Words That Have 5 Big Effects On Your New Life. Paul Tripp writes “The doctrines of justification and union with Christ are the best pieces of news sinners in this sin-scarred world could ever hear.”The Problem with Comer’s Cafeteria Approach to Spirituality. Matthew Bingham highlights three significant ways Practicing the Wayby John Mark Comer diverges from the model of spiritual formation commended by the reformers and, he argues, the Bible itself.5 Key Concepts in the Reformation Understanding of Justification. Kevin DeYoung writes “The chief concern for Martin Luther and the other reformers was the doctrine of justification. It was, to use Calvin’s language, the “main hinge on which religion turns.” And the doctrine of justification is no less important today than it was 500 years ago.”

Goodbye “Big Eva,” Hello “Gig Eva”. Carl Trueman writes “The era of Big Eva seems to have run its course. The conservative Protestant scene in the U.S. is no longer dominated by a few big-name celebrities or by a handful of large conferences. While those large conferences still exist and are often well-attended, they do not grip the popular evangelical imagination as they once did.”

It is a sweet mercy to have to go through the floods, if some filthiness may thereby be removed. Charles SpurgeonThe music must not turn the church into an audience enjoying the music but into a congregation singing the Lord’s praises in His presence. John CalvinWe must strive to hold ourselves accountable to practice forgiveness and reconciliation. Our mutual love for one another is how the world will see who Jesus is. Tim KellerGenuine and earnest prayer proceeds first from a sense of our need, and next, from faith in the promises of God. John Calvin We rejoice not because we have done enough but because Christ has done enough. Sinclair Ferguson Anything you have decided will give you a life of joy and power without God becomes a monster. Tim KellerSin is rejecting or ignoring God in the world he created, rebelling against him by living without reference to him, not being or doing what he requires in his law—resulting in our death and the disintegration of all creation. Tim KellerEvery family ought to be a little church, consecrated to Christ and wholly governed and influenced by his rules. Jonathan EdwardsThe only thing that the church can provide to the world that is truly unique is the gospel. Michael Horton

Faith and Work News ~ Links to Interesting Articles

Retirement Mentor: A New Type of Mentor. Hilda R. Davis writes “Consider the idea of connecting to a “retirement mentor” who could influence your next steps and encourage you to flourish and bear fruit as you age.”A Leader Worth Following. My new book A Leader Work Following: 40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Masteris available on Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions. Read a sample of the book (found under the book cover in the above link).A Reflection on Job Security. Russ Gehrlein writes “Work is always going to be harder than we expect. Major job changes can cause us to be anxious about our loss of income or make us afraid of the unknown. The only thing we can do is to remember that God is with us and has promised to provide for our need to support our family.”What We Need to Learn and Unlearn About Work. Renita Reed-Thomson writes “After teaching about the theology of work for twenty years and struggling to truly convey to people the importance of what they do every day, I have found it immensely helpful to compare their work to the understanding of common and saving grace.”

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

More links to interesting articlesThe Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the WeekFaith and Work Book Review ~ Never Stop: Life, Leadership, and What It Takes to Be Great by Dan Hurley and Ian O’ConnorQuotes from the book Creation Regained: Biblical Basis for a Reformational Worldview by Albert Wolters

Called to Lead. My book Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace is available in both a paperback and Kindle edition. Read a free sample (Introduction through Chapter 2).The Relationships Between Work and Rest. Bill and Dana Wichterman write “The biblical vision is that we rest in order to work rather than working in order to rest.”A Short-Timer’s Attitude. Russ Gehrlein writes “What if I did an experiment and stopped counting the months I have left until my projected retirement? Could I just focus on doing the best job I can between now and then, “working as unto the Lord”?”Observing the Sabbath Starts on Monday Morning. In this short video, Guy Waters discusses a counter-intuitive idea about observing the Sabbath.When Vocational Calling Changes Due to Moral Failure. Russ Gehrlein writes “Does God have a message of hope for those whose calling was altered because of what they did? Has God left these people with no options to find a new vocation and support themselves? Can God use them elsewhere?”The Power of Meekness at Work. Howard Graham writes “Meekness is the most important superpower at work because meekness is power under control.”How Can I Bring My Faith to Someone Else’s Workplace? Russ Gehrlein writes “I invite you to consider how we can take our understanding and experience of the theology of work into others’ workplaces. We want to be able to minister to others as the Holy Spirit leads to glorify the God who is very much present in our work, gives work meaning, and helps us along the way.”Coding for Christ: Is Remote Work Righteous? Brandon Cobb writes “Remote work has an expiration not because it lacks utility, but because it lacks totality. It cannot bear the full weight of human vocation.”

Top 10 Faith and Work Quotes of the Week

Your daily work is ultimately an act of worship to the God who called and equipped you to do it – no matter what kind of work it is. Tim KellerWhat wisdom would the Bible give us in choosing our work? First, if we have the luxury of options, we would want to choose work that we can do well. Second, because the main purpose of work is to serve the world, we would want to choose work that benefits others. Tim KellerThere may be no better way to love your neighbor, whether you are writing parking tickets, software, or books, than to simply do your work. Tim Keller Giftedness does not stand alone in helping us discern our callings. It lines up alongside other factors, such as family heritage, our life opportunities, God’s guidance, and our unquestioning readiness to do what he shows. Os GuinnessIn the Christian view, the way to find your calling is to look at the way you were created. Your gifts have not emerged by accident, but because the Creator gave them to you. Tim KellerWork of all kinds, whether with hands or mind, evidences our dignity as human beings—because it reflects the image of God the Creator in us. Tim Keller If God exists then every good endeavor, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God’s calling can matter forever. Tim KellerOur vocations are one avenue for doing God’s work in the world. Tim Keller Joy in labor is possible only when you are thankful that God has provided you with a job and the ability to work. Paul Tripp

FAITH, WORK AND LEADERSHIP BOOK REVIEW:
Never Stop: Life, Leadership, and What It Takes to Be Great by Dan Hurley and Ian O’Connor. Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster. 304 pages. 2025
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This book is a memoir from Dan Hurley, the coach of the University of Connecticut Men’s basketball team, which won back-to-back national titles in 2023 and 2024. In the final chapter, which was worth the price of the book for me, Hurley shares some of his leadership philosophies.
Before reading this book, I knew Hurley primarily for his sideline antics. But there is much more to his story. The book begins with Hurley being courted by the Los Angeles Lakers, whose offer to become their head coach he would eventually turn down to stay at Connecticut. He tells of the expectations upon him – as the son of Bob Sr., perhaps the greatest high school coach ever, who won twenty-eight state championships and four national championships, along with eight undefeated seasons at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, New Jersey – and the brother of Duke All-American, two-time NCAA champion, NBA player Bobby Hurley. He writes that because of that, everything about his life was public.
Dan would play at St. Anthony and go on to play at Seton Hall. It was there that he nearly had a nervous breakdown. He was significantly helped by Sister Catherine Waters, director of Seton Hall’s counseling services. He was in counseling to deal with low self-esteem and depression. Throughout the book, Hurley is transparent about his mental health and anxiety issues.
After college, he took a job at St. Anthony’s, teaching driver’s education and sex education and health. He took the job because it included a position as second assistant for his father. He later accepted a job at Rutgers as a restricted earnings coach, and was fired when the head coach was fired two years later. He then took a job as the coach of St. Benedict’s Prep of Newark.
Finances were a significant issue with Hurley and wife Andrea, and at one time they nearly divorced.
Hurley won two prep state titles in his first two seasons as head coach. He writes that his burning hunger to be number one came from wanting to be compared favorably with his father.
He would then take the head coaching job at Wagner College. His first hire as an assistant coach was brother Bob, who is now the head coach at Arizona State.
Later, he would take the head coaching job at Rhode Island and money was no longer a problem. Brother Bob agreed to join him to help turn things around. Rhode Island would make the NCAA tournament two years in a row, but after a conversation with Duke’s Coack K, he realized that it would be next to impossible to win a national title at Rhode Island. He then was hired as the head coach at UConn, which had an excellent tradition of winning national titles.
He writes of learning to be calm despite his competitive fire and raging intensity through his Catholic faith, exercise, meditation, journaling, and prayer.
Hurley would go on to win back-to-back NCAA titles in 2023 and 2024, before making the NCAA tournament in 2025, but falling just short against eventual champion Florida. He had periods when he wanted to quit, as coaching takes so much out of him. But he is confident, writing that he will win a third national championship.
He writes in detail about his “Maui meltdown” during a Thanksgiving tournament in 2024. He writes that he was oblivious to how big a story his behavior was becoming nationally. He tells us that he will apologize for a sideline or hallway outburst here or there, but he will never apologize for how he inspires the young men in his huddle.

I enjoyed reading about Hurley’s life, his successes and his struggles. In the final chapter of the book Hurley shares his leadership philosophies, which he concludes by stating that is a stone-cold fact that his style of leadership produces great teams and great people. Again, for me, that chapter was worth the price of the book.
I think this book will be enjoyed by college basketball fans and those would will want to learn Hurley’s leadership keys to success. Warning: this book contains a significant amount of adult language.

Faith and Work Book Club – Won’t you read along with us?

Creation Regained: Biblical Basis for a Reformational Worldview by Albert Wolters

This book is recommended by the Center for Faith & Work. They write:
“Few contemporary books have been cited as often by those who are writing about taking up callings and vocations faithfully. This serious little book walks us through the key Biblical themes of the goodness of creation, the seriousness of the fall into sin, the decisive redemption gained by Christ, and the implications of working out the promised hope for a creation-wide restoration. With the keen eye of a philosopher and the passion of a Bible scholar, Wolter’s offers one of the definitive, concise books about a Christian worldview.  One of the most important books for those of us in CFW and highly recommended to understand a uniquely Christian view of cultural and vocational engagement.”

As we read through this this book, we now look at Chapter 3: Fall. Here are a few helpful quotes from this chapter:

Everywhere we turn, the good possibilities of God’s creation are misused, warped, and exploited for sinful ends.It is one of the unique and distinctive features of the Bible’s teaching on the human situation that all evil and perversity in the world is ultimately the result of humanity’s fall, of its refusal to live according to the good ordinances of God’s creation.Human disobedience and guilt lie in the last analysis at the root of all the troubles on earth.All of creation participates in the drama of man’s fall and ultimate liberation in Christ.World designates the totality of sin-infected creation. Wherever human sinfulness bends or twists or distorts God’s good creation, there we find the “world.”Despite the role played by Satan, it is humanity that bears the blame for making the distorted creation groan.The sum total of evil and rottenness in creation (i.e., “the world”) is therefore the result of both human sin and the creature’s enslavement to the devil.Every area of the created world cries out for redemption and the coming of the kingdom of God.

In our series on leadership attributes, we now look at kindness. All Christians should demonstrate kindness as it is a fruit of the Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul tells us what the fruit of the Holy Spirit is:
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
I was recently reading the daily devotional reading in Tabletalk magazine, something I have done daily for many years. That article stated that kindness should increase in proportion to the amount of authority and power leaders have. Kindness is especially important for leaders since the Bible warns authority figures not to be harsh with those whom they lead (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:19). The article goes on to say that kindness does not mean that hard words are never necessary. It does mean that when offering correction leaders should seek to build up and not to tear down.

Kindness is not the same as being nice, however. In his book The Advantage, Patrick Lencioni, in writing about conflict tells us:
“Nowhere does this tendency toward artificial harmony show itself more than in mission-driven nonprofit organizations, most notably churches. People who work in those organizations tend to have a misguided idea that they cannot be frustrated or disagreeable with one another. What they are doing is confusing being nice with being kind”.
In distinguishing between kind and nice, Kevin Ellerton states that “nice” is a self-centered behavior pattern, where you are acting in a “pleasing” manner, to “be a nice person,” and get people to like you. On the other hand, “kind” is an other-centered behavior pattern, where you’re acting in the best interests of others, out of a sense of love, empathy, and compassion. Servant leaders should be other-centered.
Garland Vance writes when you are nice, you avoid telling the truth – such as being honest about a team member’s performance or potential – because it will hurt people’s feelings – or you are afraid that they may not like you as much. He goes on to state that when you are kind, you speak the truth in love because the truth sets us free. He tells us that your leadership suffers — and your team suffers — when you mistake being nice for being kind.
Stephen Witmer, in writing about kindness, tells us that kindness is underrated. We equate it with being nice or pleasant, as though it’s mainly about smiling, getting along, and not ruffling feathers. It seems a rather mundane virtue. But the Bible presents a very different, and compelling, portrait of kindness. He tells us that true kindness is Spirit-produced (Galatians 5:22). It’s a supernaturally generous orientation of our hearts toward other people, even when they don’t deserve it and don’t love us in return. He writes that kindness is no small thing. It yields marvelous fruit both in our lives and the lives of those around us. “Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor” (Proverbs 21:21).
Have you ever thought about leaders being kind, or the difference between being kind and being nice? Who comes to mind as you think of someone who leads with kindness?
Servant leaders should be other-centered and speak the truth in love, not holding back so that they will be liked or popular. In what ways can you demonstrate kindness as a leader?

This is an Adapted Excerpt From My Book “A LEADER WORTH FOLLOWING:
40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Master”.

The Still Point, Vol. II – Sandra McCracken and Ben Shive
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Sandra McCracken (“We Will Feast in the House of Zion”) and Ben Shive (“Is He Worthy”) are back with a second The Still Point EP, featuring four new songs. Both are members of the Getty Music writing team. McCracken has said that the songs were born in quiet moments – piano, strings, stillness, and words to help the listener breathe. The songs were written to help the listener slow down and remember what matters most.
The songs were written by both artists, and the EP was produced by Shive. McCracken plays guitars and provides vocals, while Shive plays piano, arranges, and also provides vocals. This beautiful project is best enjoyed by sitting back and relaxing with headphones on.

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:

More of this review and a review of Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John’s Version) – John FogertyMusic NewsSong of the Week Lyrics ~ The God We Love (Nicene Creed) by CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman

Here are a few brief comments about each song:

Hand of the Healer, Pt. 1.  – This is a beautiful song driven by acoustic guitar and strings that references Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” We are led by hand of the Healer. We will ascend to Zion, see the kingdom of light and God upon His throne.

Arise – This song features piano, strings, acoustic guitar, and drums. It references Revelation 21 where  the sun will no longer be our light by day, and the brightness of the moon will pass away. We will see by Christ, the one true lasting light. Arise, shine for your light has come.

Your Eyes – This song features piano, and strings and references having her father’s eyes, and getting older and grayer. She references a friend who had passed away. She wonders what it will be like to see Christ’s eyes. The song mentions that our tears are bottled (Psalm 56:8), and reflects on Christ’s sufferings.

Hand of the Healer, Pt. 2 – This instrumental song features piano and strings.

Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years (John’s Version) – John Fogerty
****

Creedence Clearwater Revival was constantly on the radio during my junior high and early high school days. Between 1969 and 1971 the band had an incredible 14 consecutive top 10 singles, and five consecutive top 10 albums in the United States, two of which Green River (1970) and Cosmo’s Factory (1970) topped the Billboard 200 chart. The band which formed in 1959, recorded 7 albums between 1968 and 1972, and broke up in late 1972 with bad relations among the band members. Several lawsuits followed – between band members and with their record label.

This new project features newly recorded versions of 20 of Creedence Clearwater Revival classic songs by lead singer, lead guitarist, and principal songwriter John Fogerty. The album marks Fogerty’s 80th birthday, and comes after he won a long legal batter over the songs’ publishing rights two years ago. He subtitled the album John’s Version as an ode to Taylor Swift, who has rerecorded Taylor’s Version of some of her early albums. The project includes Fogerty’s sons Shane and Tyler Fogerty.

At 80 years old, Fogerty’s voice is still powerful, and the performances are faithful to the original versions. Fogerty even plays the same Rickenbacker Fireglo 325 guitar he played on the original recordings. Fans of Creedence Clearwater Revival and classic rock will enjoy this album. Here is the album track list:

Up Around The Bend
Who’ll Stop The Rain
Proud Mary
Have You Ever Seen The Rain
Lookin’ Out My Back Door
Born On The Bayou
Run Through The Jungle
Someday Never Comes
Porterville
Hey Tonight
Lodi
Wrote A Song For Everyone
Bootleg
Don’t Look Now
Long As I Can See The Light
Down On The Corner
Bad Moon Rising
Travelin’ Band
Green River
Fortunate Son

The Stories I Tell Myself. Here is an acoustic version of “The Stories I Tell Myself” from Matt Maher.Go Rest High On That Mountain (Extended Version). Vince Gill wrote “Go Rest High On That Mountain” in 1995. He recently released an extended version with a new verse that he has played in concert, but never before recorded.Sing! Conference Music. You can now find all of the Sing! Conference albums on your music streaming platform by entering “Sing!”.“Rise with the Sun”: A New Song with CityAlight. Tim Challies introduces “Rise with the Sun”, a new song he created with CityAlight – a song that wonderfully complements the new book he wrote with Tim Keesee From the Rising of the Sun: A Journey of Worship Around the World . The song was launched recently with a debut performance at the Getty Music Sing!Why We Created a New Hymnal: Keith and Kristyn Getty. On this episode of the Crossway podcast, Keith and Kristyn Getty explore the purpose behind The Sing! Hymnal and how each of the individual components contribute to a helpful resource for the congregation, the family, and the individual. Keith and Kristyn discuss how a hymnal instills great truths, helps us study Scripture, and nourishes the soul.Just the Right Hymnal for You, Your Family, and Your Church. Tim Challies reviews the new Sing! Hymnal. He writes “The Sing! Hymnalis a great product and one that may have its place in personal devotion, family worship, and the corporate gathering.”Best of Getty Music|Worship Together Session. Watch the best of Getty Music Worship Together Session featuring Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell and Matt Papa.Momma Loves Me. Here is the lyric video for “Momma Loves Me” by NEEDTOBREATHE, featuring the Red Clay Strays.Sing with Getty and Other Greats in This New Hymnal. Collin Hansen writes “You know Keith Getty as songwriter of some of your most beloved songs. A choir director. A musician. A movement leader. Hopefully you’ve sung with Keith and Kristyn at one of several TGC national conferences. He joins me today on Gospelbound to discuss changes in church music, liturgy, and the legacy of this hymnal.”Jesus Saves. Watch the Worship Together session of “Jesus Saves” with Chris Tomlin.Singing Is for Everyone and Every Day: Kristyn Getty. In this episode of the Crossway podcast, Kristyn Getty talks about her new book We Sing!, which teaches kids that singing is for everyday, for everyone, and forever. Kristyn discusses how singing shapes children’s wellbeing, as well as her own practical methods for teaching her own children to sing so they have songs to carry with them through their whole lives.

The God We Love (Nicene Creed) by CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman

This year marks the 1700-year anniversary of the birth of the Nicene Creed, a beautiful statement of faith. Here is “The God We Love (Nicene Creed)”, new from CityAlight, featuring Matt Redman. The song was written by Rich Thompson, Jonny Robinson and Matt Redman. Watch the video here.

VERSE 1
We believe in one God, the Father
The Almighty, the Maker of all
The One who rules the seen and unseen
We believe, and we adore

Jesus Christ, one Lord of creation
From the Father, begotten not made
He is the Light from Light eternal
And the God of every age

CHORUS
All glory to the Father now
All honour to the Son
And praise the Spirit, now and always
This is the God we love

VERSE 2
For this world and for our salvation
He came down from the heavens above
Born of a virgin and the Spirit
Truly man and truly God

He was crucified under Pilate,
Suffered death and was laid in the grave
And in accordance with the scriptures
On the third He rose again

Repeat CHORUS

BRIDGE
And Christ has made His ascent
Into the heavens above
Where He sits at the Father’s right hand now
But He will come back again
And He will judge in truth

The Holy Spirit has come,
Voice of the prophets of God
Sent to us, he has given us new life
Forgiven, now and baptised
One holy church, we rise, we rise

Repeat CHORUS twice

LAST LINE WITH TAG:
This is the God we love
This is the God we love

VERSE 3:
Now we wait to be resurrected
And we look for the world without end
This is our creed, our faith, our anthem
This is the God we love
This is the God we love

The Sing Hymnal – Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty, John Martin, Dan Kreider and Douglas Sean O’Donnell. Crossway. 912 pages. 2025
****

Aren’t hymnals a thing of the past? In our church, although we still have hymnals under the chairs, for several years now, the lyrics to the hymns we sing are projected on a screen. I wonder if that is the norm for churches these days. After all, how many people can actually read music? (I can’t).
Keith and Kristyn Getty would disagree that hymnals are a thing of the past. They recently released The Sing! Hymnal at their 2025 Sing! Getty Music Worship Conference.  Here are a few of the highlights of the project, published by Crossway:

Click on ‘Continue reading’ for:
BOOK REVIEWS ~ More of this review…
BOOK NEWS ~ Links to Interesting Articles
BOOK CLUB ~ Tim Keller on the Christian Life: The Transforming Power of the Gospel by Matt Smethurst
I’M CURRENTLY READING….

Timeless: 498 classic and contemporary hymns are carefully curated and beautifully presented in a treasured resource you can carry with you through life.Enhance Worship: Featuring 403 liturgical readings, psalms paired with popular hymns, and stories about each hymn, this resource is perfect for church services and group gatherings, as well as private and family worship.Contributions by Keith and Kristyn Getty: Award-winning hymn writers of popular songs including “In Christ Alone” and “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death” and the Sing! Hymn Writing Team.Voices from Church History: Liturgical readings include quotations from classical and contemporary writers and theologians, including Augustine of Hippo, Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon, C. S. Lewis, Billy Graham, J. I. Packer, John Piper, Joni Eareckson Tada, Dane Ortlund, and H. B. Charles Jr.Part of the Sing! Hymnal Suite of Resources: Includes a lay-flat edition with chords, designed for easier page turning and reading, along with a website for purchasing and downloading hymn sheet music

The hymns are arranged into three main sections. “The Worship Service” section follows the arc of the gospel in a worship service. “The Christian Life” section equips believers for faithful living and includes hymns for children. “The Life of Christ” section provides hymns for special services throughout the year.

A podcast I listen to each weekday is Things Unseen with Sinclair Ferguson. One of his episodes was titled “Do You Have a Hymnbook?”  I would encourage you to listen to the entire episode.

Ferguson tells us that next to a good Bible translation, a concordance, and a decent one-volume commentary, a hymn book is perhaps the most important book you could own. He goes on to state that if your church uses a screen, as mine does, you should buy a hymn book, and he then gives us reasons for why he says that. He tells us that we owe it to our Christian growth to own a hymnal.

My wife Tammy and I are using The Sing! Hymnal as a part of our daily devotional time, we would encourage you to get a copy of the hymnal as well.

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: An Introduction to Covenant Theology by J.V. Fesko. Ligonier Ministries. 139 pages. 2025
****

The author of this book is a seminary professor and pastor. The book serves as a companion to the Ligonier teaching series, which I benefitted from, and is intended for the person in the pew who wants to understand more about the covenants of Scripture. The book is a primer, or introduction, to classic Reformed covenant theology that emerged from the sixteenth-century Protestant Reformation.

The author tells us that God’s Word traces the covenant line throughout the Scriptures, wherein He slowly unveils His plan to redeem His people. He defines a covenant as an agreement between two or more persons.

In this book, the author looks at the following covenants:

The covenant of redemption: the eternal intra-Trinitarian covenant among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.The covenant of works: the covenant that God made with Adam when He created him and placed him in the garden of Eden.The covenant of grace: the means by which God saves His people through the work of the Son and Spirit.

In addition, the author looks at covenant signs and covenant and the church.

The book includes questions for review at the end of each chapter, which will help you if you are reading and discussing the book with others. An appendix includes recommended old books on the doctrine of the covenants divided between intermediate and advanced. In addition, there is also a helpful glossary included.
I found this book to be a helpful introduction to covenant theology.
Here are a few helpful quotes from each major section of the book:

The Covenant of Redemption

The covenant of redemption is the eternal agreement among Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to create and save a people.The covenant of redemption is a biblically sound and necessary doctrine because it serves as the eternal foundation of the triune God’s activity in redemptive history.The covenant of redemption is the unassailable foundation of the covenant of grace.

The Covenant of Works

The covenant of works is the first covenant that God made with Adam, wherein He promised Adam and his offspring eternal life upon the condition of perfect and personal obedience to His commands.The signs of the covenant of works are the two trees: the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life.The trees were sacred signs, or sacraments, of God’s word—the promise of life and the threat of death.

The Covenant of Grace

The covenant of grace stands in stark contrast to the covenant of works. God gave to Adam the possibility of eternal life on the basis of his obedience. In the covenant of grace, He gives the gift of eternal life by faith in the work of Christ.Old Testament saints looked forward to the advent of Christ, and New Testament saints look back to Christ. But both look to Christ for salvation, and both are participants in the one covenant of grace.God slowly unfolds His covenant promise in subsequent covenants throughout redemptive history: in the Noahic, Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and new covenants.Ever since Adam and Eve fell, salvation has always and only been by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Only Christ fulfills the requirements and penalties of the law.The obedience and suffering of Jesus are the sole foundation of salvation in the covenant of grace.

Covenant Signs

The first two signs that God gave to Adam, even before the fall, were the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life.The Tree of Knowledge was a visible manifestation of His law. The Tree of Life was a visible sign connected to God’s promise of eternal life,When God made His covenant with Noah, He designated the rainbow as its sign.When God made His covenant with Abraham, He gave him the sign of circumcisionWhen God made His covenant with Israel, He gave the sign of the Sabbath.Christ instituted two new sacraments to serve as signs of the new covenant: the Lord’s Supper and baptism.When God makes covenants with His people, He gives accompanying signs. What His words are to our ears, His signs are to our other senses.All of God’s covenant signs of the Old Testament point forward to Christ, and the signs of the New Testament point backward to Christ.

Covenant and the Church

We should read our Bibles not as lone individuals but as part of a covenant community.By swearing a membership vow, we enter into covenant membership of the church and give our consent to be held accountable for our beliefs and actions.Church discipline is an aspect of covenant life that each and every person in the church needs. We live in a covenant community and look to one another for accountability.

The Story Behind Desiring God: John Piper. On this episode of the Crossway podcast, John Piper reflects on nearly 40 years of Desiring Godand the enduring message of Christian Hedonism. Piper discusses the pursuit of happiness in God, how it relates to the glory of God, and how Christian Hedonism can exist in a world of suffering, deceitful desires, and monotone worship.12 Truths Every Teen Can Trust. Tim Challies reviews Paul Tripp’s new book 12 Truths Every Teen Can Trust: Core Beliefs of the Christian Faith That Will Change Your Life. He writes “If you’re a teen, this is an ideal book for you to read, and if you’re not, this is an ideal book to hand to someone who is.”Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold. My wife Tammy has published a book about HOW to study the Bible. The book is available on Amazon in both a Kindle and paperback edition. She writes “Maybe you have read the Bible but want to dig deeper and know God and know yourself better. Throughout the book I use the analogy of making a quilt to show how the Bible is telling one big story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Quilting takes much patience and precision, just like studying the Bible, but the end result is well worth it.” Won’t you read along with us?

Tim Keller on the Christian Life:
The Transforming Power of the Gospel by Matt Smethurst

Pastor and author Timothy Keller (1950–2023) built a lasting legacy in Christian ministry, planting Redeemer Presbyterian Church and cofounding the Gospel Coalition. With sharp biblical insight that has shaped countless church leaders, along with counsel on the Christian life that has stirred and strengthened audiences worldwide, Keller’s teaching promises to influence generations to come.

Synthesizing Keller’s work topic by topic, each chapter of this book highlights a key aspect of the Christian life—covering his views on prayer, suffering, friendship, vocation, intimacy with God, and more. Written by pastor Matt Smethurst, Tim Keller on the Christian Life draws from Keller’s nearly 50 years of sermons, conference messages, and books to share practical theological insight that will galvanize leaders and laypeople alike.

As we read through this book, we begin by looking at the “Introduction”. Here are a few helpful quotes from this section:

This book is not a biography. The aim is more modest: to synthesize and distill Tim Keller’s best teaching on the Christian life.This book focuses on practical Christian discipleship—rather than, say, Keller’s thoughts on more controversial theological or political matters.The target here is Keller’s contribution to timeless, bread-and-butter aspects of everyday Christian living.My aim in this volume is to synthesize the master synthesizer. Drawing from nearly fifty years of sermons, conference messages, interviews, articles, books, and more, I attempt to draw out the best of Keller’s teaching where it shines brightest—biblical wisdom for everyday life.

I was recently attending a breakout session at the 2025 Gospel Coalition National Conference and the speaker brought up the value of encouraging a young pastor. That got me to thinking about the idea of encouragement. What are some situations in which you can offer encouragement to someone? Here are a few possibilities:

To a co-worker struggling with the demands of the jobTo an exhausted young momTo someone dealing with agingTo a friend who longs to move into a leadership positionTo a friend who is facing financial pressuresTo your pastor who is facing burnoutTo your spouse on just an ordinary dayTo a friend who has just received a devastating medical diagnosisTo a student struggling with a classTo friends who long to have a child but have not to date

I’m sure you can think of many more situations. We can also look at it from another perspective. In what situations are you facing in which you could use encouragement?

The Bible has much to say about encouragement. Be encouraged by these ten passages:

Hebrews 10:24-25
24  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
11  Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Isaiah 40:31
31  but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint.

Joshua 1:9
9  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

John 16:33
33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 41:10
10  fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

1 Corinthians 15:58
58  Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Romans 8:28
28  And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Psalm 31:24
24  Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord!

Isaiah 43:2
2  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.

Yes, life can be hard in so many ways. But friends, I pray that you are encouraged today and that you will be an encouragement to others.