'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #25 - "TURN NEITHER TO THE RIGHT NOR TO THE LEFT" BY ERIC SCHANSBERG

Happy Independence Day. I originally was going to delay the finale of this series tomorrow (July 5th) so I could have a blog focused on the holiday. However, when I started on what was originally intended to be the July 2nd entry - "Turn Neither to the Righ Nor to the Left: A Thinking Christian's Guide to Politics and Public Policy" by D. Eric Schansberg - I realized this would be appropriate today.

Schansberg starts by introducing Government's role in the Bible and pursuing Godly goals with Godly methods. He follows up with why Christians shouldn't legislate righteousness, but rather legislate justice. One issue with legislating justice is when it is redistributing to the non-poor.

But what about abortion? Schansberg closes with that issue, pointing out it's a legislating justice issue that sounds like a legislating righteousness issue. My favorite story was when he mentioned a woman who set up a tent near an abortion clinic giving information on adoption, including lists of those who are wanting to adopt.
 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #24 - "YOU'RE NOT ENOUGH (AND THAT'S OKAY) BY ALLIE BETH STUCKEY

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a T-shirt that read, "Repeat until you believe this is true: 'You are enough.'" Sorry, but believing something is true isn't always the same as something being true, and repeating a lie doesn't stop it from being a lie.

In "You're Not Enough (and That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love," Allie Beth Stuckey deals with five lies common in today's society:

1. "You are enough."
2. "You determine your truth."
3. "You're perfect the way you are."
4. "You're entitled to your dreams."
5. "You can't love others until you love yourself."

As Christians, we need to realize that for salvation, we are absolutely NOT enough; we're sinners, and without Christ we can do nothing (John 15:4-6).

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #23 - "WHEN FAITH IS FORBIDDEN" BY TODD NETTLETON

First, a little housekeeping. I have been recommending these books in alphabetic order by title. However, I realized that what would have been today's book was fitting for the Independence Day, so I'm moving up the ones scheduled for July 2nd and 3rd one day.

"When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians" by Todd Nettleton of Voice of the Martyrs is an inspiring devotional book, telling stories of our brothers and sisters who are enduring persecution. Some of these have two or more parts (one story has five parts), and these are an encouragement I have gone through this twice, and yes, this is one that is on my list to use again.

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #22 - "TOTAL TRUTH" BY NANCY PEARCEY

Those who regularly read this blog know that I use different fonts. The font I chose for today is one Blogspot calls "Philosopher," and that's a fitting font for writing about "Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity" by Nancy Pearcey, who was influenced by Francis Schaeffer's L'Bri Institute. 

This book starts off looking at the major philosophical views, which she terms as lower story and upper story. Lower story, or Aristotlean, focuses on the physical, what we can sense, what we can explain rationally and logically. Upper story, or Platonic, is more focused on values, aesthetics, beauty, etc. The second section deals with evolution, pointing out that its popularity is because it's a plausible naturalistic creation theory. Part three of the book focuses on the role of truth with evangelicalism.

I do have some disagreements For example, she has the view that the various forms of creationism (i.e. both old earth and young earth theorists) ought to stop debating each other and turn our fight to the common enemy of evolution. While I see the rationale for her opinion, I also see why young earth creationists hold that view strongly. And while I'm sometimes hesitant to call myself evangelical, I am more in that camp than she is. Neverthe less, this is a book designed to make you think.

And if you want more, there's her follow-up "Saving Leonardo," where her focus is a history on the arts, looking at what she terms "two paths to secularism," which are the lower story (here called determinism) and lower story (or the continental tradition) theory from "Total Truth." She does a great job at looking at the two views. One thing is she showed several paintings which were large colored geometric shapes. There were artists from both angles that painted that way, but the determinist had solid dividing lines, while the edges of the continental was more fuzzy. By the way, there was also a picture in that book painted by my friend Grace Carol Bomer (Becky and I got to visit Grace's studio in Ashville about 25 years ago).

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #21 - "SUPERHEROES CAN'T SAVE YOU" BY TODD MILES

 

How many apologetics books defending biblical Christology from several different false teachings can be called fun? If you don't think that's possible, you probably haven't located this book yet.

In "Superheroes Can't Save You: Epic Examples of Historic Heresies," Todd Miles takes a look at seven deviations from an orthodox view of Christ. He does this by comparing those teachings with seven different superheroes. For comic book fans like myself, you'll find representatives both from DC (Superman, Batman, Green Lantern) and Marvel (Ant Man, Thor, the Hulk, and Spiderman). 

Each chapter follows this format:

1. Introduction to the superhero and autobiographical insights
2. The heresy (or false teaching or "bad idea about Jesus"
3. Who follows this heresy today? (In this section, he'll mention particular groups that hold to that teaching but also ways that someone may be slipping into a particular trap of thinking that isn't accurate.
4. What does the Bible say?
5. Why does it matter?

JEFF'S OFFICIAL 2025 KINGDOM COME FESTIVAL REVIEW!!!

The concluding number "WarCry" in TheoTerran's headliner concert at The Subculture Stage. Joining band members David Pataconi (center, with red hair) and Monica Soe are Theo Terran performing "WarCry" with several helpers, including Ben Cooper, Autumn Eve, Jaren (Relesser, Autumn's Descent), Jeremy Brown (Rock 4 Him), and Jerrod Cunningham (I Am The Pendragon, XIII Minutes).

What was the great question Dale Vaughn asked at the beginning of Friday's worship session?

Did Deshiel Lynn reprise her guest vocalist role on End of I's song "The Declaration," or did regular lead vocalist Jeremy Riley do it instead?

Were there any firsts at Kingdom Come Festival (KCF) this year?

Was I able to see and hear everybody I wanted to, or were there conflicts that interfered? 

Did I get to hear songs that might make the top of my favorite song list this year?

And finally, was getting to hear a bucket-list concert - TheoTerran - worth all the hype I gave it?

Stay tuned for the amazing conclusion, same bat-time, same bat -  whoops, wrong blog!

For those who are missing out, KCF is an event that starts Thursday evenings and expands to two stages all day Friday and Saturday. It involves Christian musicians from all over. I forget how long it's been - was this the 15th anniversary? If not, it's in the ball park. But I didn't know about it until '21, and I didn't attend until '23. Thus, this was my third year.

Allow me a confession... no, I wasn't there for the kickoff Thursday, and no, I didn't stay all day. I was there from 10am to 7:30 Friday, and from 9:30 to 7:00 Saturday. Why not stay for the direct support and headliner concerts from the main stage (this year, The Protest and Disciple Friday, Decypher Down and Nine Lashes Saturday)? Simple - I drive back and forth an hour each way both days, and I don't want to drive in the dark. I'm getting more cowardly in my own age.

One thing about KCF - it feels like family. It touched me how many people were glad to see me. And I'm not alone. Saturday headliner Nine Lashes hasn't toured in nine years, and where did they want to start touring again? Yep, KCF. Another exciting thing was Cancer Survivor David Pataconi being there to perform both a solo set and with TheoTerran.

I enjoy volunteering as well, and as last year, I spent part of both days working the welcome station (see below).

Before I get started, let me mention the people I had the honor of meeting. I finally met Terry (lead vocalist/guitarist) and Dan (drummer) of True Revival (I met guitarist Doug and bassist Jim previously) Bryce Maopolski of Brotality (I met his brother Reese and drummer John last year), Wayde Seraph of Angel Machine. Josh Stone of Outward Conversations, and Jeremy from Rock4Him (I still want to meet Jason and Riker!) It was also great seeing  Chris Bousum, Angie Leyda, Jermaine Nixon of Tricord, Becca Sugg of Reclaim The Day, Meredith and Christian Dunckel of Undefeated, Autumn and Ben Cooper of Autumn Eve, DaMac, Fyrebrand, Jerrod Cunningham of I Am The Pendragon and XIII Minutes, and Miranda Brown of With Lifted Veils, and probably some I missed.

Who did I get to hear? BRVVE, Autumn Eve, Meredith Dunckel (acoustic), Nextera (a very lively, fun set), XIII Minutes, TheoTerran, True Revival, David Pataconi, L.A. Sprague (acoustic), Chris Bousum (acoustic), Nate Parrish (acoustic), Outward Conversation, Dale Vaughn (acoustic) and Becca Sugg (acoustic) Okay, okay. I'll get to the questions I asked earlier.

What question did Dale Vaugh of As We Were and The Subculture Company ask? "Wouldn't you bring your Bible to a Christian music festival?" Great question! 

Who sang End of I's song, "The Declaration?" Deshail Lynn or Jeremy Riley? Well, they didn't have time so the song wasn't included - nobody sang it this year.

Any firsts? Let's see. They had a special area for teenagers where the artists would come after the performing. They added a third stage called the KCF Coffeehouse/Acoustic Stage (I got to hear some of those performances). They had a spoken word artist, Josh Stone. They had a Sunday morning service after the festival. And Saturday night after Nine Lashes finished up, they had 14 baptisms! Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary happened.

Were there any conflicts that prevented me from hearing everybody I wanted to hear? Yes. Two of the three artists I most wanted to see - True Revival and David Pataconi - competed with Saturday's Worship and Prayer time (I attended Friday's but not Saturday). I planned on seeing Nextera on the Subculture stage at 2:30 Friday and Undefeated at 4:30 on the main stage, but Nextera swapped spots with Fyrebrand, who was scheduled for... yep, 4:30. (Good reason - Undefeated's drummer Chris Dunckel played for Fyrebrand. And I heard Undefeated's Meredith Dunckel at the above mentioned Acoustic Stage). Other artists I wanted to hear in that order were XIII Minutes, Becca Sugg, and Behold The Beloved. Well, Behold the Beloved's Sean Green did an acoustic set same time XIII Minutes were on the main stage, and Behold the Beloved's set conflicted with Becca. :'( But on the positive note, I got to see Divine Martyr's Mark McKowen and I Am The Pendragon's Kevin Busch, even though their bands weren't in the lineup (though I think Kevin did help out with one set).

I got to hear my top songs  of '23 (TheoTerran's "WarCry") and '24 (David Pataconi's "My Path to Walk"); any songs that might top this year's race? Well, worthy nominees include "Getting Better" (Autumn Eve), "Cult Leader" (XIII Minutes), "Enough" (TheoTerran), "Holy" (David Pataconi),  and "Stay" (XIII Minutes). I forgot the titles of the new songs by True Revival I heard - they're in the mix. So is Behold the Beloved's "Dear Martyr," which I wanted to hear live but wasn't able to (see above paragraph; I have heard that song on Spotify). And I'll say that I won't be surprised that the first two spots are taken. No, I'm not telling until the end of the year! By the way, before I leave favorite songs, I'll mention it was a blessing to hear Becca Sugg sing "Who You Are," "You Alone," and "Give Me Faith." As far as stand out performances - Nextera blew me away, like Hello Luna did last year, but Nextera's concert was more joyful to me. Also, while all of XIII Minutes set was great, their performance of "Cult Leader" was one of the funnest parts of the festival.

Last but not least, I marked off a bucket list item - getting to hear TheoTerran live. Was it as much of a blessing I expected? YES!!! And the best part? Well, let me move from KCF to the Indiana Gospel Music Festival - at the end, all of the artists come up and sing several songs together. True, this is the first time I've seen a Headliner, but TheoTerran called up other artists from Autumn Eve and XIII minutes (see above photo). I left invigorated. But that space on my bucket list isn't remaining empty: now on the list is hearing Behold The Beloved, Tierra Vacia, and, of course, my all-time favorite band The Daniel Band. Maybe I can knock more off next year. 

And hopefully I can get Becky to join me! Problem is we have a full June, and this year she was at CEF's Camp Good News. I asked her what that made KCF. Her answer: "Camp Loud Boys and Girls."

If you want to see more pictures, you can click below.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10237535298383006&type=3

And if the link doesn't work, go to my FB page, and check my photo albums for 2025 Kingdom Come Festival.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #20 - "SIMPLIFY YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE" BY DON WHITNEY

 

There are several books in this series that I've read at least once, and may want to read regularly. "Simplify Your Spiritual Life: Spiritual Disciplines for the Overwhelmed" by Don Whitney is one.

Whitney has 91 chapters (enough to do daily for 3 months) divided into eight major parts: dealing with first principles, truth, prayer, your journal, your mind, your heart, your time, and others. On the surface, it might look like it's adding more time and effort for your spiritual life, but in reality, it is suggestions on what to apply, what not to, and how to have a more focused (and thus simpler) spiritual life.