Doug Batchelor

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Title: How to Survive and Thrive! In Church
Series: ------
Author: Doug Batchelor & Karen Lifshay
Rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Genre: Non-fiction
Pages: 128
Format: Paperback



Synopsis:

Batchelor, a 7th Day show more Adventist pastor and author, writes this little book on how to survive various types of churches but also how to contribute and make your church a better place.

There are 16 chapters, each focusing either on a particular type of church [dead, big, little, divided, etc] or on a particular problem in church [scandal, gossip, doctrinal doubts, etc] and the final chapter entitled “Not Just Surviving – Succeeding!”

My Thoughts:

This is not a comprehensive help book. I read this in one sitting, one evening. It is a lightly humorous book meant to highlight some of the common problems in any and all churches and what you, as an individual, can do.

Basically, Batchelor boils it down to “don't give up”. Like I said, I read this in one sitting and it was like a nice bottle of gatorade on a hot day while working hard. It's not a meal but it refreshes you and allows you to keep going until it IS meal time. Batchelor also stresses personal responsibility in your spiritual life. You have to read your Bible and pray if you want to stay connected to God. Going to church once a week to get “fed” isn't going to cut it.

Batchelor is unabashedly 7th Day Adventist and while this could be used for almost any denomination, it is aimed at SDA'ers. Many of his quotes are from the writings of Ellen White. If that would be a problem for you, then I would not recommend this book.

Anyone who goes to church could benefit from reading this book. Treat it like the word of encouragement it is and not as a theological treatise and you will be well served.

I do wish that there had been an “Interested In More...” epilogue. Could have pointed to some specific, deeper, more relevant books on particular topics. That would have been a nice springboard.

★★★★☆ show less

Someone to love me. That's all she wanted--all anyone really wants. We are addicts, sinaholics, says the author, trying to fill with various addictions a gaping void in our hearts designed for God. Take Mary Magdalene,. She was a prosperous prostitute, but her life was one sad sordid story--until she met Someone who loved her with a pure, unconditional love. Ever afterward the shame of her past was eclipsed by her absolute devotion to the One who set her free. Doug Batchelor unveils the show more beauty of the gospel with original insights through the eyes of Jesus' most dedicated disciple. This imaginative yet biblical retelling of Mary's experience clarifies several significant biblical teachings with a kaleidoscope of vivid illustrations. Discover a fresh picture of the gentle, loving Savior who without condemning or condoning our past offers us a new future as we, like Mary, linger at Jesus' feet. show less

As the teenage son of a millionaire father and a show-business mother, Doug Batchelor had everything money could buy-everything but happiness. He used drugs, fought at school, and entertained suicidal fantasies. Disgusted with himself and convinced that life held no purpose, Doug was determined to grab all the fun and excitement he could find. Before his search ended, a cave in the hills above Palm Springs became his home. And although his father owned a yacht, a lear jet, and an airline, show more Doug would eventually scavenge for food in garbage bins. The happiness Doug wanted eluded him until the day he began reading the dust-covered Bible a fellow "searcher" had left behind in his cave. What happened next can only be described as a miracle. show less

Most Important Questions is a unique series of 10 one-hour Bible-based presentations addressing a broad spectrum of timely issues confronting today's Christian young people. With questions from thousands of teens from 57 nations, speaker Doug Batchelor boldly tackles the big questions by providing positive answers that lead to an abundant life.