One Year Anniversary, 100 Book Reviews & 3,000 Hits

The Bully Pulpit was launched a year ago on February 25, 2008. The site is dedicated primarily to reviews of religious books that churches, preachers and members should consider adding to their reading libraries. The foundation for the launch of the site comes from the book reviews printed by Albert Farley in The West Virginia Christian. I am very appreciative to brother Farley for publishing my articles. While the paper is a monthly publication, I am able to publish book reviews on the blog at a more rapid rate. In fact, I have also completed publishing approximately 100 book reviews within this year. Now if I could read at least 100 books a year!

Here is a breakdown of visitors to The Bully Pulpit since inception:

Thanks to a program provided by Statcounter.com, I was able to learn some very interesting facts about visitors including:

• Predominantly visitors are from the United States; however, there have been visitors from the following countries: Canada, Mexico, Australia, United Kingdom, India, Portugal, Germany, Singapore, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Russian Federation, Philippines and Denmark.
• The number of visitors to the site exceeded 3,100 as of February 2009. Since computers often change IP addresses, it is impossible to state that this means 3,000 different people have visited the site. Statcounter provided me the ability to remove my IP address from the count. Regardless, I am very gratified that the numbers reflect this level of activity and hope that it continues to grow exponentially.

I selected the term “bully pulpit” for a very explicit reason. Some are quizzical about the name “Bully Pulpit”. I even had one or two suggest I might change the name because it might give someone the wrong impression. With no intention of being arrogant, I have refused to give into this suggestion. The term “bully” is from Theodore Roosevelt who would use it to describe things that are superb and excellent. The term “pulpit” refers to a platform from which communication is delivered. Often you hear that the President of the United States should use the “bully pulpit”. What that means is the President should use his authority to deliver important themes to the country directly rather than through media outlets. So, the Bully Pulpit, as I use it, is a platform to speak about books that deal with the most sublime, excellent, superb, bully subject—religion. Sure, the term may be provocative to some unfamiliar with it, but I deliberately chose it to be provocative! It prompts curious and sincere people to ask me about it which gives me the opportunity to get to know them.

As we continue to move into 2009, I would like to encourage others to tell people about the Blog. With a year’s worth of material to see the subject matter, I hope this provides you a degree of confidence to recommend the site to others. I also would appreciate more comments to the individual posts that have been made. If you know the authors and would like to tell a story about them, I would especially appreciate your comments. If you have read the book and would like to make an additional point about it, then please add a comment to that effect. All comments come to me for review prior to posting. To date, I have posted all comments without alteration for which I am thankful. If you do much on the Internet you realize that some become profane and vulgar. So, I review the comments to make sure such is not being posted here. I also will not tolerate evil speaking of others. As I have stated before, I have not had a single case of that thus far. That does not mean I will not post comments from those who have a disagreement. For example, I received a comment from a self-proclaimed atheist who commented on an apologetics book about God. His comment was neither profane nor vulgar so I had no hesitation in publishing it.

In closing, I would just like to say thank you to all those who have visited this site and told others about it. I hope it will be a reference to young Christians looking to build a library of quality reading material.

Spiritual Patriots – Jude’s Call to Arms, Aubrey Johnson

Spiritual Patriots – Jude’s Call to Arms, Aubrey Johnson

Make no mistake, there are wars going on across the globe, but that has always been the case and will remain to be so until Jesus returns. But as concerning as physical wars are, the greater wars are the ones of a spiritual nature. The churches of Christ are under assault from many foes from within and without. Recently I enlisted myself onto Facebook. It has been both enjoyable and a source of sadness. Sure, it is great to be reconnected with friends I have long cherished. But that joy seems to be evaporating in more in more cases as I have learned several have forsaken the faith. The faithful need to stand strong and tall! By standing firm, we will be able to hopefully save those who have lost their way. This is one of the messages of Jude – “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 20-23, NKJV).

The epistle of Jude is one of the more contested books among those of the New Testament. By contested, the reference is to whether or not it belongs in the Bible. The study of the arguments opposed to and in favor of its inclusion are interesting reading. It is clear that while a few may not be as confident about Jude as, say, the Gospel of John, the resistance is rather minor. Jude is an invigorating book. Indeed, Johnson’s subtitle “A Call to Arms” is right on the mark!

Recently I completed a study of the Epistle of Jude for the adult Bible class. I had actually taught on the book a few years ago, but had increased my library by this point so I decided to study the additional accumulated materials. As I was nearing the close of my study, brother Johnson’s work was just being released. In fact, I obtained my copy and met the author at the Gospel Advocate Appreciation Luncheon at the Freed-Hardeman Lectureship. The week provided me the opportunity to do some night-time reading. I was able to read the book quickly due to being familiar with the subject matter, the fine organization of the work, and my abiding interest in the subject.

One of my favorite pages in the book is the Thirteen Steps to Spiritual Victory. “To know victory, I must:

1. Be willing to take a stand.


2. Adapt my plans to fulfill greater needs.


3. Never use grace as an excuse for disobedience.


4. Learn from history.


5. Fill my heart with holy aspirations.


6. Choose my path carefully.


7. Make pleasing God my highest aim.


8. Be content without becoming complacent.


9. Never underestimate the enemy.


10. Prepare daily for Jesus’ return.


11. Not be easily disheartened.


12. Accept personal responsibility for my spiritual growth.


13. Trust God to sustain me through trying times.” (Page 125)

If you are seeking an excellent presentation on the Epistle of Jude, which will be along the lines of waking a congregation out of its slumber, this may provide the ammunition you need.

Chart Sermons: Flannel-graph Bible Lessons, Artie Collins

Chart Sermons: Flannel-graph Bible Lessons, Artie Collins

It is difficult for some to imagine just how great the age of transparencies were in this modern PowerPoint Age! However, there was a time where flannel boards, bed sheets and chalkboards were used to add a visual component to sermons. I can recall my mother using a hoop, stencils and various colors of liquid embroidery ink in tubes to add major points, scripture references and even artwork to a bed sheet that would be hung behind the pulpit and utilized by my father in his preaching. My mother tells me that a bed sheet chart would take her a couple of days to complete. My father still has those “bed sheet” sermons and has agreed to let me have them one day. While not convenient to display, these will remain a respected heirloom of days when first principles were preached, preached, preached from the pulpit. One knew that a bed sheet sermon was something special just by the amount of work it took to produce one! Many of these charts are not just a labor of love but required time and talent to create these works of art.

I recently had the opportunity to hear brother John Moore at the Polishing the Pulpit Workshop present a session on the value of bed sheet sermons. He was able to collect several of these from various preachers utilizing a digital camera. He made a very important point that we should remember. We often like to use multiple slides in PowerPoint because we think that it will keep the audience’s attention. While it may do that, consider this about a single chart displayed for over 30 minutes—it has a way of sticking in your mind. Brother Moore placed charts on the screen that I immediately recognized even though I had not seen them for several years. Something for us to consider in preparing our lessons—maybe less is more!

Sermon Charts is a collection of photographs of flannel board sermons that were prepared by Artie Collins of Hohenwald, TN. Artie has been a friend of our family since I was a little boy when my dad attended the Nashville School of Preaching in the late 1960s. Visits with Artie and his wife Marie are always a treasure for our family. Artie would regularly attend the Freed-Hardeman Bible Lectureship with my father when I was growing up. While they were away, I would often imagine how great it would be to go with them to enjoy in the friendship and fellowship. Not so ironically, these memories propelled me to attend Freed-Hardeman University. In fact, I told my parents quite bluntly the only Christian college I would even consider was Freed-Hardeman University even though I had never been on the campus. One year, Artie came to hold a gospel meeting for the church in New Philadelphia, OH where we were located at the time. I can recall very well his use of charts in his sermons. (The picture with this article is from that meeting.)

Charts are wonderful devices to help us learn and retain information. I have collected a few books of sermon charts and am always interested in looking at them. I never grow weary of just leafing through the pages of them. For the past few months I have been editing the church bulletin here at Streetsboro and one of the goals I accomplished was to be able include an instructional sermon chart on the back page of each week’s bulletin. Whether the congregation liked it or not, I sure enjoyed it! Having a few sermon chart books in a church library is a good tool to help young men to sketch in their minds a sermon that they might want to deliver from a pulpit someday. Something we should probably do more of—encouraging our young men and boys to prepare lessons to preach. By being an inspiration to young boys, they will grow up to be aspiring preachers and elders!

The Life of Jesus Christ, James Stalker

The Life of Jesus Christ, James Stalker

If one is familiar with various treatments of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, then they know books come in various sizes, approaches and viewpoints. Some books on the life of Christ are clearly better than others. Some treatments of the life of Christ are not worthy of print. One classic treatment that is better than several others is by James Stalker entitled The Life of Jesus Christ. My dad first brought this work to my attention. In fact, he purchased a copy for me on one of our many bookstore expeditions insisting that I would enjoy reading it (despite some of its flaws). For several months he would occasionally ask if I had read the book yet. This prompted me that I had better get the book read! I was glad that he encouraged me to read this popular work because other people’s use of the term “masterpiece” in reference to it seem to be appropriate.

It has been printed and revised in several editions since its original publication in 1880. In fact, Leroy Brownlow even reprinted an edition of the work back in 1995 with the title of For All My Special Days: Important Dates and People to Remember. If one is familiar with the use of the Internet, then one can obtain the entire book for free in PDF format. There are several Internet sites that have reprinted the book as well. All this provides testimony on the enduring value of the work. The book is a concise treatment averaging around 175 pages. It provides an excellent overview of Jesus’ life from his arrival on earth until his ascension back to heaven. The writer provides historical settings of the period which enriches the reading as well.

I appreciate Stalker’s treatment of various subjects relating to the life of Jesus. For example, consider this statement about the years of Jesus life that are not revealed:

It was natural that, where God was silent and curiosity was strong, the fancy of man should attempt to fill up the blank. Accordingly, in the early Church there appeared Apocryphal Gospels, pretending to give full details where the inspired Gospels were silent. They are particularly full of the sayings and doings of the childhood of Jesus. But they only show how unequal the human imagination was to such a theme, and bring out by the contrast of glitter and caricature the solidity and truthfulness of the Scripture narrative. They make Him a worker of frivolous and useless marvels, who moulded birds of clay and made them fly, changed His playmates into kids, and so forth. In short, they are compilations of worthless and often blasphemous fables. (p. 16).

I wish more modern day “scholars” were more respectful of the authority of the Scriptures and would not rush into spinning their fanciful theories for gain or notoriety!

James Stalker (1848-1927) was born in Scotland. He served as professor of church history in the United Free Church College in Aberdeen from 1902 to 1926. Of course, one will have to read with a discerning eye, but his “The Life of Jesus Christ” is highly respected for its conciseness and simplicity.

Since I first read this book, I have looked for used inexpensive copies to recommend to friends so they could enjoy reading the book as well. I have received comments about how much the person had enjoyed reading this book. Perhaps you will find a copy of this book in a used bookstore for a very reasonable price. If so, you should pick up a copy to consider for the church library.