Tuesday, June 20, 2017

As Kingfishers Catch Fire, a review


The subtitle of this book by Eugene Peterson is, "A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed By the Words of God", which drew me in immediately. I had appreciated past books by the author but this one caught my attention when I found out it was a compilation of sermons. 

If Peterson, who has mentored so many pastors throughout the years, has put together a book of his hand chosen sermons, I was curious just what these sermons were about.  I wasn't at all disappointed. In fact, it could easily be said that this book has a place on the shelves of any serious Christian who wants to know not just more about God... but to understand how knowing God helps him relate to the world around him.

This is not a book most people would pick up and read through at one time.  I had already decided to read one sermon from each section to be able to give a good review.  I started reading the first sermon from the 1960s and found it necessary to read again, and again, and didn't make it to another sermon in that reading.  For the content was so rich with answers to current questions that it needed some serious attention.  Yes, this book had me at the first sermon.

The contents are divided as follows, with each Part containing seven sermons:
  • Part 1: "He Spoke and it Came to Be", Preaching in the Company of Moses
  • Part 2: "All My Springs are in You", Preaching in the Company of David
  • Part 3: "Prepare the Way of the Lord", Preaching in the Company of Isaiah
  • Part 4: "On Earth as it is in Heaven", Preaching in the Company of Solomon
  • Part 5: "Yes and Amen and Jesus", Preaching in the Company of Peter
  • Part 6: "Christ in You the  Hope of Glory", Preaching in the Company of Paul
  • Part 7: "In the Beginning Was the Word", Preaching in the Company of John of Patmos

I have noticed this book seems to be marketed to pastors but it should be for everyone.  If anyone needs to hear and read good sermons, it is the person in the pew.  The writing is rich and deep and I'll be keeping this book out to read a sermon at a time for many weeks.

This book was provided by the publisher through Blogging For Books but the opinions are my own. 

Further information can be found... here.

Disclaimer:  Most links to Amazon.com are Associate links.

4 comments:

Vee said...

Sounds like just the sort of book that could be found around here. That first sermon must have been a doozy!

Terra said...

This books sounds excellent and I am interested in Paul now and see there is a chapter based on him.

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

My husband would enjoy that book, and you've got me curious!

Keri said...

I am absolutely going straight to Amazon to order this book based on your review. It's hard to go wrong with Eugene Peterson, but this sounds particularly fantastic. Thank you!