This little book by Rick Cornish is just that - little. However, what it lacks in size in makes up for in usefulness. Originally written by Cornish to teach his sons about church history, 5 Minute Church Historian is a very accessible if-not-simplified overview of church history. While many historical texts are dry and uninspiring volumes, even to those with an affinity for historical studies, this book excels at capturing one’s attention, and keeping it.

I wouldn’t suggest this book as the primary text for a class on church history. Indeed, there are few if any citations regarding the accuracy and sources of Cornish’s writings. However, this book is a great introduction or refresher to important events in the development of the church. It may be an ideal tool for a pastor to loan to church members interested in church history.

Written in a somewhat devotional manner, each chapter is two-to-three pages long, covering the bare-bones of each topic, usually a historical person or people-group, with the occasional church concil thrown in for good measure. Cornish doesn’t approach history from the typical value-free vantage point. Instead, he has a knack for pulling valuable lessons and examples of faith from believers of the past, even those who were controversial in their day (and perhaps still are).

This is a great book. My only complaint is that it lacks citations, however academia wasn’t the focus of the book to begin with. It does include a recommended reading list for those who wish to go deeper. Well done.

I purchased this book the day before I was installed as a pastor at North Country Fellowship. Being my first pastorate, I thought a book addressing the practical aspects of pastoral ministry might be appropriate.

On Being a Pastor was co-written by Pastors Derek Prime and Alistair Begg, and also includes foreword by R. Albert Mohler, president of Southern Seminary. The authors both hail from Scotland, though Begg has spent nearly 30 years ministering in the United States.

Attention is paid to a well-rounded variety of the aspects of pastoral ministry, including calling and character, prayer, scriptural study, preaching. However, the book also touches on a pastor’s personal devotions, how one’s labor can influence his marriage and family, and how to avoid temptations unique to pastoral work. The sections are well-developed, and highly practical.

To support the thesis of each chapter, the manuscript is peppered with quotes and stories from different pastors’ sermons and memoirs. Many of these illustrations are drawn from Reformed ministers of days past, such as Charles Haddon Surgeon, Alexander Whyte, W. E. Sangster, and Martyn Lloyd-Jones. As a young pastor, these excerpts were especially helpful, and I regularly found myself checking citations in the back of the book to look for future reading.

They make a point to clarify that they don’t desire to see pastoral ministry become a “professional” pursuit, an idea that John Piper expands upon in his own book, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals. Early in the book they state that the distinction between clergy and laity, while useful in some ways, has been misunderstood over time and has become an unbiblical and unhealthy paradigm. In many ways, I resonate with that sentiment, and it plays out on how I do pastoral work in my own church.

Prime and Begg write from a significantly different church culture and life-background than my own, which obviously makes for some disconnects in ministry approach and social understanding. However, these differences were eye-opening and helpful to me, and more often than not I found myself saying “Yes!” Overall, I found the book to quite enjoyable.

Note: This post is somewhat graphic. Quit reading if you are grossed out by stuff on the side of the road.

I live in a rural area that has a high population of various wilderness creatures. As our area is one of the fastest growing counties in New York, we also have an increasing number of automobiles. I’ve never given a lot of thought to roadkill before, since it’s a fairly unsettling topic, but I noticed something today: people stop to help turtles cross the road.

Now, this may not be news to you, and in fact, it isn’t to me either, since I’ve seen it plenty of times before, but this “turtle movin’” is a fairly interesting phenomenon. People will literally risk life (cars) and limb (snapping turtles) to rescue these creatures from other motorists. I nearly tapped a guy with my front bumper earlier today, simply because he was hunched over in the road, picking up a turtle in a 55mph zone.

My mother has already managed to turn two squirrels into road patties this week. Diana and I prematurely ended the life of a possum while we traveled to the Southern Tier last week. Never have any of us hit a turtle.

Why do people move these creatures? If we believe the best about people, it’s because they care for the welfare of the little animals, and realize that they are so slow that they don’t even have a chance. However, reality is that in our sinfulness, humanity doesn’t even adequately care about one another, let alone another species.

Perhaps the real reason people move turtles is because they crunch; a good thing in a candy bar, but not as much on the road.

Keep alert out there! It’s turtle season!