Great foundational resource
590051
I have take barre classes and currently teach Pilates.  I'm looking to incorporate barre work in my classes and in stand alone barre classes.  This is a great reference for ideas and developing your class format.
2022102
I am half way through this book and can already say that it is a great resource.
If you are starting down this road with a family member or friend get this book as soon as possible. It may take a few bumps out of the road for you.
4407617
I recently started a Foundations group for leaders using this book.  There is a mixture of experienced and brand new leaders and they both find it great material.  One of the newbies likes the material because it goes more in depth from his recent experience with the Alpha course.  The experienced leaders are challenged by the reminders of the beauty and simplicity of the Christian faith.  Each of these leaders is excited about the potential of using this material in their own context and giving disciples a firm foundation for their journey with Christ.

The daily readings are very accessible, yet challenging.  There are a few days when there is little response expected from the participant.  I encourage people to journal in a notebook aside from the fill in the blanks.  This seems to help them assimilate the information.
1579498
The general epistles can be tough. I'm a senior pastor, and I've recently worked through James, and have plans on working through the rest over the next few years. Hebrews can give pastors headaches, and sometimes the little books like Jude and 2 and 3 John can be challenging. Good commentaries abound on these epistles, but Bateman's newest Exegetical Handbook fills a gap in the scholarship.

Bateman deals with the genre of the letters (comparing them with traditional Greek letters), then gives extensive background material. But it is probably what follows these initial sections that is worth the cost of the book. Bateman covers key issues in interpretation, communicating, and expositing the general letters. Too many commentaries are either technical and give more details than the pastors actually needs, or they are devotional and way too watered down. They also often cover only a singular book of the Bible at a time. What this work does is give some technical details while also giving tips and helps in how to accurately and effectively preach and teach these eight letters.

Another strong aspect of the book is the very handy resource at the end which lists various commentaries and exegetical helps for dealing with these epistles. Since the book is brand new, Bateman's list has the distinct advantage of being completely up to date with modern scholarship and the newest commentaries on the market. This is a great resource for pastors who want to know more of the background and theology contained in the general epistles.

I give Interpreting The General Letters five out of five stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Kregel Academic in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a quality help for Pastors on the General Epistles
3008488
This is the best resource for working through life issues and relational conflict that I've ever read and used. It covers theology, psychology, and counseling in a clear, illustrated format that is simple enough for a 12 year old to follow. I've been to 6 Bill Gothard seminars, including the advanced, at various ages and with various people including my parents, my fiance who became my husband, my kids when they were of an age, and friends. It's been a great foundational help in relationships, self-assessments, and making choices in life.

Another reviewer's one line comment states Bill Gothard is immoral.?? Someone blames him because they followed BG principles (from scripture) and married a bad person?? And the Seminar is a cult?? Bill Gothard is a very pleasant guy to listen to for a week of instruction and insight. He is laying out principles and commands from scripture in a way that makes sense to him, and to a lot of people (100's of thousands over decades?). In teaching, he's always God-focused and humble, and the logic he's been graced with is profound. It seems to be his personality to study, compile, document and teach God's principles from scripture, and he does an awesome job of it. He's not perfect. He would be the one to avoid a 'following', or being 'idolized', or usurping God in any way. Wiki details a scandal of accusations. Rather than defend himself, he refuted it, and stepped out of the ministry. No charges against him were ever documented or filed. I've seen Satan work to take down and discredit leaders. It's common. Point:  Please don't discredit this resource textbook for that reason.

Bill Gothard is, by human nature, a flawed sinner in his own, human thinking, so no one should 'follow' him. Anyone who lifts up and idolizes anything or anyone but God is in a cult mentality. Jesus is the only flawless human, ever, and at the same time he's God, the Word(s), the speaking agent of the Father, and truth. And this book is a great compilation of bible principles and highly refined over decades of use.

BG has added some of his own ideas, like rock music is spiritually degrading. Beverages like wine and beer are to be avoided. I disagree. The scripture he cites for those things seems out of context to me. But that should move me to get into the Word for myself and see what God says, out of love for that most important love relationship I have, that any person can have in their life. I need and love the teaching and instruction of the Holy Spirit first and most. But, as a nice help, this book is a great resource.
3026635
This is a great textbook that provides the historical and theological overviews of each book of the Bible. However, it's one strength is also the weakness in that each book is treated in short treatises concerning theological themes, historical issues, arguments for/against authorship and dating, as well as contemporary writings. Overall, a great beginning resource (especially for those in their first/second year of undergraduate work), but don't expect too much from this resource. The conservative stance in this book is handled nicely without belittling those of critical stances, and the value from this book comes in the sheer simplicity in which it breaks each book down into key sections/themes/theological stances.
4958597
I've shared this resource with many friends.  A wonderful resource for pre-school through early elementary aged children.  Not explicit while providing helpful information to begin important conversations, all framed within God's good plans for us as His creation.
811380
Challenging to find great resources for building a strong marriage, that's why I love The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller. They weave together 3 strands of a strong marriage building resource.

1) 37 years of marriage -- They have experience. They are still married. This is not just theory or isolated study, but the practicality of having been married for 37 years. If you are going to build a strong marriage, good to follow those who ahve been married longer than you have and are still growing in their relationship.

2) Experience with people at different stages of the marriage relationship. The Kellers 20 plus years in New York City provide not only a wealth of experiences, but a depth of relationships. This is not just a book about their marriage, but marriages they have encountered from the single relationship to the marital relationship.

3) Marriage input that is built on Biblical counsel. Of the 3, this is the most important. What gives power to this one is how those Biblical principles have been chiseled through study of the Word, application to their marriage and to the marriage of those they have served.

he 8 chapters that make up the book seem a bit like a Tim Keller sermon series. As a great communicator of God's Word, Keller builds his messages on God's Word, life experience, and a grace emphasis that points to the cross of Jesus and its practical implications in one's life.

In an American society that experiences great confusion even over the definition of marriage, the Kellers provide great clarity over what marriage is and how the power of love operates with God at the center of marriage. For those who want to have a Biblical understanding of marriage, this is a great resource. For those who want to build a stronger marriage, this is an essential building block for a stronger relationship that grows closer to God and to each other.

I give The Meaning of Marriage 5 out of 5 stars. Well-written. Inspirational. Even more it helped me become a better husband.
1809117
"Common Ground" is an excellent resource I'm frequently referring to in sharing about the Orthodox Church to Christian friends.  Not just an introduction to Orthodoxy, the book raises issues all Christians need to contemplate.  Valuable also for those within the communion of the Orthodox Church.  Highly recommended.

Looking at Fr. Jordan's footnotes, the only critical question I would ask is, if nearly all his positive references and definitions of genuine, ancient Christianity come from canonical Orthodox sources, why isn't he (and his independent congregation) in the communion of the canonical Orthodox Church?

But don't let that criticism stop you from getting this book.  It is a most helpful resource, especially if you are in or attending an Orthodox Church, where it becomes not just theory but "rubber meets the road" praxis.
3539491
I could have sworn I reviewed this before, but here goes again.  This is a solid resource for parents wishing a broad, rounded list of topics to discuss with their kids.  We are using it this year as a de facto homeschool Bible curriculum as we don't have a formal Bible class this year.  The topics conform easily to different age groups depending on your needs, and can be approached again and again as your kids mature into greater understanding.  The point isn't to have all the answers.  The point is to have a place to start looking.  Parents who are apologetics novices will find few resources written by a parent, for parents, in clear language.  It's not an end all, be all.  It's an excellent way to broaden your horizons and get you thinking, then get your kids thinking.  Critical thinking is the cornerstone.
2456117
I found "Made for a Mission" to be an excellent resource. I am planning to use the concepts, as well as the online tools (assessme.org) for our church and look forward to a significant culture shift as a result.
4261512
As a practicing facilitator, I really like this book. Ive long followed Weisbord and Janoffs work with interest and, having been a participant and partner in some of the events they have managed, I can readily attest to the validity of their assertion that the principles described in have been crafted and distilled from decades of challenging facilitation experiences. As I read through this new volume, I found a number of practices that I had encountered years earlier in the authors prior work. Here, however, each stands on its own as a fundamental ingredient of effective group practice. For instance, the key to Including the Right People, Chapter 6, is to think inclusively, not selectively - take care to ensure that you maximize the perspectives, expertise and resources assembled in any meeting so as to move faster, better.
Together, these practices provide the facilitator with a practical means to build competence, confidence and commitment in the practice of group facilitation. I heartily recommend it to newcomers and old pros, alike. I know it will be helpful. As I read through the chapters, I found myself making a commitment to integrate the principles more thoroughly into my own work with groups.
192778
A great foundation/starting point for those interested in yoga. not only did it provide a historical exploration of yoga, it also discussed the different types and the benefits of yoga before jumping right into positions. This particular book has images which definitely comes in handy for the visual learner like myself.

Content: very through, as it gives you a timeline of yoga, it's history, the different varieties, the many benefits (mental, physical, spiritual) and the nuances of yoga, including the positions

Organization: The content flowed well and progress smoothly, the flow made sense, as you are reading the progression of the content made sense and was easily referenced. Well organized each topic flowed into the next.

-reading level: Comprehensive and relate-able but well written, minor grammatical and spelling errors but can be understood by most

-formatting - Formatted well, pictures were able to display on my kindle app and the print was easy to read.

Overall, I highly recommend this for those looking to participate in Yoga and incorporate it in their everyday lives. This book gives you a great foundation and i believe you'll reference it on your journey.

I received this book complementary in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. Free and/or discounted merchandise doesn't buy my admiration, love, affection or support. I can only give my honest opinion and save the fluff for someone else! All words expressed here are my own.
2529628
This is a great foundational book for any beginning counseling therapist. Martin refers to the Carkhuff model frequently which it appears that he uses as a platform for his own therapy techniques.
4860768
I find myself using this a true resource for the ideas and for inspiration as well.
Scott Kelby does a great job of creating "resources" rather than just a book.

I  encourage you download the book so you can keep it at your fingertips in a tablet, OR cell phone.

Murphy Recommended
3571862
I have found this to be one of the best weekly resources for lectionary following preachers. Each week there is a quick synopsis of the text, practical and useful ideas to get me started, and illustrations (which I seldom use because of my own preaching style - but I find often do lead me towards new ways of considering the text.) I use the year B material regularly, and immediately purchased year C when it became available to be sure I had it by December.
3063686
I am a pastor whose faith is deeply rooted in the conviction that to be a follower of Jesus means being committed to peacemaking. The congregation in which I serve, however, is not in a tradition that is among the historic peace churches. Unfortunately, that means that discipleship in my current context requires access to resources for people who have never before considered the relationship between the Christian faith and nonviolence. Finding the right resources for this kind of discipleship is not easy. I have used several essays in this book to spur on small groups discussions, and I have found them to be accessible to those who are not theologically trained. This collection is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for thoughtful responses to the big questions often asked about Christian nonviolence. It is on my short list of those books I would recommend to anyone.