Reviews

BOOKS

Call for players, not spectators

Can God Use Me? by Robert Amess (Hodder & Stoughton, £6.99)

BUD Wilkinson, former football coach for the University of Oklahoma, was once asked what contribution modern football had made to physical fitness. "Absolutely nothing," he replied, defining football as "twenty-two men on the field desperately in need of a rest and fifty thousand in the grandstand desperately needing exercise".

Sadly, the Church is often in the same predicament. This book is intended for those in the grandstand.

Robert Amess has written this splendid book because he is acutely aware from personal and pastoral experience that many of God's people are crippled by a sense of inadequacy and personal failure. But, like the God he loves and serves, he wants us all to be players not spectators.

Rooting his convictions in Scripture - as you would expect of a Chairman of the Evangelical Alliance - the former Senior Minister of Duke Street Richmond clearly delights in the fact that "God seems to find pleasure in using the most unlikely people", but warns us that "the ones who imagine they have much to offer, who think they are pretty essential for the well-being of the kingdom, are going to be passed by, superb gifting or not".

His studies of such varied Old Testament characters as Elijah, Ruth and Habbakuk, are shot through with compassion and biblical insight, and peppered with a wry sense of humour that made me laugh as much as RT Kendall said it would in the introduction.

Reading this book is more like having a conversation with Robert Amess. You meet the man through it. Better still you encounter the Holy Spirit, "The Encourager", for Can God Use Me? is nothing if not an encouragement. I enjoyed this book. I just hope the author will write a sequel showing me how to motivate those who are not injured, but unwilling to pay the cost of commitment.

Rob James is a Baptist pastor and writer, based in South Wales

COMPUTER GAMES

Rayman Activity Centre (Ubi Soft, Focus Multimedia, £9.99, PC only)

Star of the Rayman plaform games, the perky character returns in a fun CD-Rom aimed at 4-7s with lots of games and activities to improve their numeracy, reading, logic skills, colour recognition and even musical ability.

There's even a Rayman equivalent of Space Invaders! And our five-year-old tester loves it because it's the kind of CD where he doesn't need too much adult help but the activities are fun enough to do more than once.

The graphics are nothing to write home about but it's bright, cheerful, fun and helps young children learn at the same time. Not a bad combination for a modestly priced CD-ROM.

Christian Family Network review team

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		BOOKS Call for players, not spectators Can God Use Me? by Robert Amess (Hodder & Stoughton, £6.99) BUD Wilkinson, former football coach for the University of Oklahoma, was once asked what contribution modern football had made to physical fitness. "Absolutely nothing," he replied, defining football as "twenty-two men on the field desperately in need of a rest and fifty thousand in the grandstand desperately needing exercise". Sadly, the Church is often in the same predicament. This book is intended for those in the grandstand. Robert Amess has written this splendid book because he is acutely aware from personal and pastoral experience that many of God's people are crippled by a sense of inadequacy and personal failure. But, like the God he loves and serves, he wants us all to be players not spectators. Rooting his convictions in Scripture - as you would expect of a Chairman of the Evangelical Alliance - the former Senior Minister of Duke Street Richmond clearly delights in the fact that "God seems to find pleasure in using the most unlikely people", but warns us that "the ones who imagine they have much to offer, who think they are pretty essential for the well-being of the kingdom, are going to be passed by, superb gifting or not". His studies of such varied Old Testament characters as Elijah, Ruth and Habbakuk, are shot through with compassion and biblical insight, and peppered with a wry sense of humour that made me laugh as much as RT Kendall said it would in the introduction. Reading this book is more like having a conversation with Robert Amess. You meet the man through it. Better still you encounter the Holy Spirit, "The Encourager", for Can God Use Me? is nothing if not an encouragement. I enjoyed this book. I just hope the author will write a sequel showing me how to motivate those who are not injured, but unwilling to pay the cost of commitment. Rob James is a Baptist pastor and writer, based in South Wales COMPUTER GAMES Rayman Activity Centre (Ubi Soft, Focus Multimedia, £9.99, PC only) Star of the Rayman plaform games, the perky character returns in a fun CD-Rom aimed at 4-7s with lots of games and activities to improve their numeracy, reading, logic skills, colour recognition and even musical ability. There's even a Rayman equivalent of Space Invaders! And our five-year-old tester loves it because it's the kind of CD where he doesn't need too much adult help but the activities are fun enough to do more than once. The graphics are nothing to write home about but it's bright, cheerful, fun and helps young children learn at the same time. Not a bad combination for a modestly priced CD-ROM. Christian Family Network review team © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.