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BOOKS
A
book to be used
Husbands
& Fathers, by Derek Prince (Sovereign World, £6.99)
I APPROACHED Derek Prince’s latest publication with a certain
amount of trepidation. I wondered if it would mean revisiting my mistakes,
but in the event it simply illuminated truths I have been trying to
apply all my married life.
With warm endorsements from Selwyn Hughes and Lyndon Bowring, I knew
I was in for a biblical feast (although they must have found his comments
on parachurch groups quite intriguing).
This book flows out of a deep love for Scripture and simply exudes
Derek Prince. As the foreword says, “He imparts his life into
it and we are the better for it”. I found myself humbled by his
emphasis on my priestly role as an intercessor as well as provoked
by his reminder that I have a prophetic role of representing God in
my behaviour.
Some will find his understanding of male leadership a little controversial;
I suspect the views he expressed are biblical. They were undoubtedly
presented in an inoffensive manner and reminded me that submission
does not necessarily imply inferiority.
The chapter on “The fear of the Lord” was especially stimulating,
even if it was the first time I had heard it likened to marzipan!
Derek Prince knows we are at best inadequate reflections of “The
Perfect Father,” but best of all he knows him as such (even though
it took some 50 years as a Christian to get there).
The single and the fatherless could read this book with profit too
because of its helpful chapters on spiritual fatherhood.
American academic Charles Murray has suggested that British society
is in danger of falling apart as a consequence of the breakdown of
the traditional family. Derek Prince has reinforced this challenge
by cogently arguing that the undiagnosed cause of much crime and violence
is the failure of fathers to love their children adequately.
Provoking, personal and penetrating this book deserves to be more
than read. It needs to be used widely in the service of the Kingdom.
Rob James
60
minutes of reassurance
The
Sixty Minute Mother with Rob Parsons (Hodder & Stoughton, £6.99)
I USED
to have a copy of Superwoman by Shirley Conran, which I think
I may have binned – but I won’t be binning The Sixty
Minute Mother! Why not? Principally because it made me laugh and
it made me feel valued as a mother.
“Feel” is the important word in relation to this book, indeed
Rob says: “I want mums to feel encouraged … I want mothers
who feel failures to be inspired … to feel honoured and respected.”
But that’s not to trivialise it. It starts where 21st century
mums actually are – a little lost, guilty, fearful and uncertain
– and oozes empathy, support and affirmation. The tone is chatty
and friendly; it’s like having Rob in your living room giving
a few words of encouragement.
If you’re looking for biblical teaching on motherhood, then you’ll
not find it here. Nor is it a manual on parenting. And while it’s
underpinned by a great deal of common sense and moral values, it has
only a couple of references to God. Clearly it is intended for the
general, secular market.
Rob has perfected the art of story telling; real life tales to warm
the heart, little anecdotes to illustrate. It relies heavily on personal
experience, but there are no teen suicides here, no pregnant 12-year-olds,
though there is a moving chapter written by a mother with cancer and
a mother’s letter to her severely handicapped daughter.
Since, in my experience, mothers move fast, anything that can be consumed
in an hour is worth a try – and this little book is 60 minutes
worth of reassurance and laughter.
Liz Hansford
- Rob James is a Baptist pastor and writer, based in South Wales
- Liz Hansford is an author and married to a Belfast Baptist minister. They have four children
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