25 May 2014

Resensi Buku-269: CHURCH WITHOUT WALL (Jim Petersen)


Ketika kita membicarakan tentang “gereja”, maka kita akan membicarakan sesuatu yang panjang terkait dengan sejarah, organisasi, dll. Sebenarnya, apa itu gereja? Apa panggilan gereja di tengah dunia ini?

Temukan jawabannya dalam:
Buku
CHURCH WITHOUT WALL
(GEREJA TANPA TEMBOK):
Bergerak Melampaui Batas-batas Tradisional

oleh: Jim Petersen

Penerbit: Pionir Jaya, Bandung, 2009

Penerjemah: Samuel Tumanggor



Di dalam bukunya, Jim Petersen menjelaskan bahwa gereja yang terpenting bukanlah organisasi, tetapi orang-orang di dalamnya yang menjadi saksi Kristus bagi orang-orang di dunia ini. Sebelum membahas hal ini, beliau mulai memaparkan kondisi masyarakat kontemporer khususnya di Amerika yang makin lama makin sekuler, padahal sebelumnya pendiri negara Amerika adalah kaum Puritan yang saleh. Latar belakang ini mendorong kita bertanya bahwa alasan di balik degradasi ini adalah gereja terlalu menutup diri dengan banyak orang-orang di luar gereja. Di bagian II, Jim Petersen menjelaskan sejarah gereja secara singkat mulai dari gereja di zaman Perjanjian Baru hingga kaum Puritan. Dari sejarah itu, Petersen mengajar kita bahwa kekurangan gereja di Abad Pertengahan adalah adanya pembedaan antara kaum rohaniwan dan awam, sedangkan pada zaman reformasi gereja sejak Luther, meskipun tidak ada pembedaan lagi, tetapi gereja masih kurang pergi keluar (memberitakan Injil dan melayani orang-orang non-Kristen). Oleh karena itu, di bagian selanjutnya, Jim Petersen mendorong kita untuk menjadi gereja-gereja yang memberitakan Injil Kristus yang murni tanpa bayang-bayang tradisionalisme dari gereja atau kebudayaan kita sendiri. Untuk memberitakan Injil kepada masyarakat kita sekarang, ada tiga hal yang perlu kita renungkan: apa yang kita hadapi (fakta zaman: postmodern), apa tugas kita (menjadi saksi Kristus), dan siapa yang harus melakukan penginjilan (kita semua dalam satu tim). Biarlah melalui buku ini, kita diingatkan untuk menjadi pewarta Injil Kristus kepada orang-orang di sekitar kita tanpa terikat oleh berbagai aturan yang kita ciptakan sendiri dari latar belakang gereja kita.



Endorsement:
“Pada masa ketika juru-juru teori gereja Amerika Serikat mengusulkan bahwa cara membalikkan susutnya pengaruh gereja di AS adalah dengan menerapkan wawasan pasar modern, buku ini punya keberanian (dan juga kedalaman yang menyentak pikiran) untuk mengusulkan bahwa Alkitab menyediakan cetak biru untuk hal semacam itu. Bagi orang kudus yang terusik dan bertanya-tanya apa yang harus dilakukannya bagi Allah di dunia ini, “Gereja Tanpa Tembok” bukan saja menggambarkan tugas itu, tetapi menguraikan strategi yang mantap.”
Prof. John D. Hannah, Th.D., Ph.D.
Research Professor of Theological Studies dan Distinguished Professor of Historical Theology di Dallas Theological Seminary yang menyelesaikan studi Bachelor of Science (B.S.) di Philadelphia College of Bible pada tahun 1967; Master of Theology (Th.M.) dan Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) di Dallas Theological Seminary pada tahun 1971 dan 1974; Master of Arts (M.A.) di  Southern Methodist University pada tahun 1980; Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) di University of Texas at Dallas pada tahun 1988; dan postdoctoral fellowship di Yale University  1994.




Profil Jim Petersen:
Jim Petersen saat ini tergabung dalam tim eksekutif yang beranggotakan empat orang yang memimpin pekerjaan internasional The Navigators. Ia dibesarkan dalam keluarga Kristen di Minneapolis, Minnesota dan lulus dari Universitas Minnesota. Ia juga belajar di Sekolah Alkitab Northwestern dan Sekolah Alkitab Bethel. Pada tahun 1972-1985, ia menjadi Direktur Divisi Navigators Amerika Latin. Pada tahun 1988, ia mulai memimpin proyek pengembangan kepemimpinan internasional, yakni Scriptural Roots of Ministry (SRM). Ia dan istrinya dikaruniai 4 orang anak: Michelle, Todd, Raquel, dan Rochelle.

18 May 2014

Book Description-268: THE HISTORICAL RELIABILITY OF THE GOSPELS (Prof. Craig L. Blomberg, Ph.D.)


Christians believe that the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) in the New Testament are the true revelation of God, but other people are doubtful about that. Some people say that those Gospels are unhistorical books. How can we answer that?

Get the answer in the
Book
THE HISTORICAL RELIABILITY OF THE GOSPELS

by: Prof. Craig L. Blomberg, Ph.D.

Publisher: InterVarsity Press Academic, Downers Grove, Illinois, U.S.A.

Foreword: Prof. F. F. Bruce, D.D., F.B.A.



In the first chapter, Dr. Craig L. Blomberg explained traditional approaches to the reliability of the gospels, such as harmony in the gospels (some people try to harmonize gospels into one in order to avoid some differences in the gospels), dissonance in the gospels, etc. Then, in the next chapter, Dr. Blomberg explained new methods in gospel study, such as form criticism (how to understand the form in the Gospel: prophecy, narration, etc), redaction criticism (how gospel writers write the gospel using the source of the gospel in order to be appropriate with the gospel writers’ purpose), the gospels as midrash (the gospel writers try to create narration according to the Old Testament passages, so that people understand what is written in the gospels are appropriate with the Old Testament), and some recent hermeneutical developments (i.e. the new hermeneutic, structuralism, post-structuralism {and reader-response approach}, and social-scientific methods). After that, Dr. Blomberg explained about miracles. In this third chapter, Dr. Blomberg explained about many hindrances for many people to believe in the miracles, such as: scientific objection, philosophical objection, and physical objection. Then, Dr. Blomberg answered those objections and linked the case of miracles with the case of resurrection. If someone do not believe in the resurrection, it’s difficult for them to believe in miracles. In the fourth chapter, Dr. Blomberg tried to answer objections from many people about contradictions among the Synoptics with the conclusion: we should understand the differences in the Synoptics are not contradiction, but complement each other. Then, how about the Gospel of John? Can we believe in this Gospel? Dr. Blomberg explained it in the fifth chapter about distinctives of John’s Gospel, similarities between John’s Gospel and Synoptics, authorship and date, etc. The conclusion is the Gospel of John is a unique Gospel which does not contradict with the Synoptics. In the sixth chapter, Dr. Blomberg explained about the historical reliability of the Gospels according to the testimony of non-Christian writers (i.e. Graeco-Roman sources, Jewish sources), extra-biblical Christian traditions (i.e. the apostolic fathers, the Nag Hammadi library, and other apocryphal gospels), and the Jesus tradition in Acts-Revelation (others book in the New Testament except the Gospels). In the last chapter, Dr. Blomberg explained about how to apply historical method to examine the Gospels. Let this book leads us to understand the Gospels are reliable as the true revelation of God.



Biography of Dr. Craig L. Blomberg:
Prof. Craig L. Blomberg, Ph.D. is distinguished professor of New Testament at Denver Seminary in Colorado. He joined the faculty of Denver Seminary in 1986. He received Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Summa Cum Laude from Augustana College; Master of Arts (M.A.) from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He was an assistant professor of Religion at Palm Beach Atlantic College from 1982–85 and took a leave of absence to accept a one-year research fellowship in Cambridge, England with the British wing of the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship from 1985-86. During this time, he co-edited Gospel Perspectives, vol. 6: The Miracle of Jesus and wrote The Historical Reliability of the Gospels. 
Blomberg stands in the conservative evangelical tradition, but has been known for his wide interaction with mainstream scholarship and his willingness to challenge the evangelical status quo. For example, he chided some evangelicals for their blanket condemnation of Liberation Theology, in " 'Your Faith Has Made You Whole’: The Evangelical Liberation Theology of Jesus,” in Jesus of Nazareth, Lord and Christ, ed. Joel B. Green and Max Turner (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1994), 75-93. and he controversially fostered a dialogue with Mormon professor Stephen E. Robinson of BYU, which resulted in the book How Wide the Divide? An Evangelical and a Mormon in Conversation (see the bibliography below). He was also one of several scholars interviewed for The Case for Christ, a popular book by Lee Strobel, and has served on translation committees or as a consultant for the New Living Translation, the English Standard Version, the Holman Christian Standard Bible and the updated New International Version.
Blomberg has written on a diverse range of issues including wealth and poverty, parables, eschatology, hermeneutics, and women in ministry. However, his academic work has tended to focus on the Historical Jesus and Gospels research (see the bibliography below).
Blomberg regularly speaks and teaches at home and overseas at a variety of churches and educational institutions. In Denver, he is involved with Scum of the Earth Church, where his wife Fran Blomberg also volunteers her time while also pursuing a doctorate in missiology and teaching occasionally as an adjunct in that field at Denver Seminary. The Blombergs have two grown daughters.
His works:
Gospel Perspectives, vol. 6, The Miracles of Jesus (co-ed. with D. Wenham), 1986, repr. 2004
The Historical Reliability of the Gospels, 1987, rev. 2007
Interpreting the Parables, 1990
Matthew - The New American Commentary, 1992
Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, with W. W. Klein and R. L. Hubbard, 1993, rev. 2004
1 Corinthians - The NIV Application Commentary, 1994
Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey, 1997, rev. 2009
How Wide the Divide?: A Mormon and an Evangelical in Conversation, with S. Robinson, 1997
Neither Poverty Nor Riches: A Biblical Theology of Material Possessions, 1999
Heart, Soul and Money, 2000
The Historical Reliability of John's Gospel: Issues and Commentary, 2001
Two Views on Women in Ministry, co-ed. with J. R. Beck, 2001, rev. 2005
Making Sense of the New Testament: Three Important Questions, 2004
Preaching the Parables: From Responsible Interpretation to Powerful Proclamation, 2004
Contagious Holiness: Jesus' Meals With Sinners, 2005
From Pentecost to Patmos: An Introduction to Acts Through Revelation, 2006
James - Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, with M. J. Kamell, 2008
A Case for Historical Premillennialism, co-ed. with S. W. Chung, 2009
A Handbook of New Testament Exegesis, with J. F. Markley, 2010

16 May 2014

Buku ke-31: "IMAN KRISTEN DAN BLACKBERRY MESSENGER" (Denny Teguh Sutandio)


Sejak tahun 2005, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) menjadi aplikasi gadget yang digemari oleh banyak orang Indonesia. Bahkan kegemaran ini berujung pada tindakan ekstrem yaitu kecanduan BBM. Kecanduan BBM ini ternyata mempengaruhi beberapa (atau mungkin banyak?) orang Kristen bahkan mereka yang “melayani Tuhan.” Bagaimana mengatasi hal ini?

Temukan jawabannya dalam:
Buku
IMAN KRISTEN DAN BLACKBERRY MESSENGER”

oleh: Denny Teguh Sutandio

Penerbit: Sola Scriptura

Harga: Rp 35.000, 00/buku
+ ongkos kirim (tergantung lokasi)



Berminat?
Segera dapatkan buku ini dengan membelinya di:
Denny Teguh Sutandio (0878-5187-3719)


NB:
Buku akan dikirimkan ke alamat pemesan setelah pemesan melakukan transfer biaya pesanannya paling lambat satu minggu setelah pemesan mendapat SMS balasan dari saya.



Apa kata mereka tentang buku ini?
Di tengah begitu banyaknya orang yang telah diperalat oleh alat-alat komunikasi, buku ini hadir memberi langkah bijak agar tetap berpijak pada hikmat Tuhan dan tidak membiarkan diri diinjak oleh segala wujud teknologi yang kian mewabah dan makin jadi masalah. Bila teknologi jadi hamba manusia, ia baik, tetapi bila jadi tuan, ia jahat.
Nicholas Kurniawan Artadjaya, S.Th.
Rohaniwan di GKI Bromo, Malang

“Adiksi BBM, Sosial Media, dan Game, adalah salah satu tanda kekosongan jiwa. Saat tidak menggunakannya, terasa ada yang kurang, lalu gelisah. Buku ini membantu kita agar bijak menggunakan sarana komunikasi seperti BBM dan sebagainya.”
Pdt. Julianto Simanjuntak, D.Th.
Pendiri Pelikan Indonesia dan penulis buku laris “Mencinta Hingga Terluka” (Gramedia)

“Sebuah buku yang praktis dan aplikatif dalam memberikan pertanggungan jawab terhadap fenomena BBM dalam kehidupan orang percaya berdasarkan iman Kristen. Sebagai seorang pemuda Kristen yang bersentuhan langsung dengan BBM, Sdr. Denny berusaha menyampaikan sebuah koreksi terhadap konsep-konsep yang salah, serta memaparkan apa yang baik dan patut dilakukan oleh orang percaya berkaitan dengan BBM. Buku ini menarik untuk digali lebih dalam sebagai bahan diskusi bagi orang percaya di persekutuan-persekutuan.”
Ev. Solaiman Wilmana Tanjung, S.Th.
Gembala Gereja Kristen Abdiel (GKA) Elyon Rungkut, Surabaya

11 May 2014

Resensi Buku-267: JUST LIKE JESUS (Rev. Max Lucado, M.A.)


Setiap orang Kristen dipilih Allah ditebus oleh Kristus dan dilahirbarukan Roh Kudus agar kita menjadi serupa Kakak Sulung kita, yaitu Tuhan Yesus. Apa artinya menjadi serupa dengan-Nya?

Temukan jawabannya dalam:
Buku
JUST LIKE JESUS:
BELAJAR MEMILIKI HATI SEPERTI HATI-NYA

oleh: Rev. Max Lucado, M.A.

Penerbit: Gloria Graffa, Yogyakarta, 2011 (cetakan ke-2)

Penerjemah: Andina M. Rorimpandey



Melalui buku ini, Rev. Max Lucado, M.A. mengarahkan kita untuk mempelajari makna menjadi serupa dengan Yesus sesuai dengan prinsip-prinsip Alkitab. Menjadi serupa dengan Kristus harus dimulai dari memiliki hati seperti hati-Nya dan hal itu dimulai dengan pembentukan hati oleh Roh Kudus. Kualitas hati seperti apa yang harus dimiliki anak-anak Tuhan agar serupa dengan Kristus? Rev. Max Lucado menjabarkan 11 ciri hati Kristus yang harus dimiliki oleh umat-Nya, yaitu hati yang penuh belas kasihan, mau mendengar, terpesona pada Allah, lapar untuk menyembah, terfokus pada visi Allah, jujur, murni, penuh pengharapan, bersukacita di dalam sukacita Allah, dan tegar menghadapi segala kesulitan. Ke-11 ciri ini diuraikan dari Alkitab disertai beberapa cerita dan kesaksian pribadi. Setelah memiliki 11 ciri hati Kristus, maka kita dipimpin Max Lucado untuk mengarahkan pandangan kita kepada Tuhan Yesus sebagai pusat hidup kita.



Profil Rev. Max Lucado:
Rev. Max Lucado, B.A., M.A. yang lahir pada tahun 1955 di San Angelo, Texas sebagai anak bungsu dari empat orang anak dari Jack dan Thelma Lucado adalah Pendeta senior bidang literatur dan khotbah di The Oak Hills Church, San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. Beliau menyelesaikan studi Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) dalam bidang Mass Communications di Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, U.S.A. dan Master of Arts (M.A.) dalam bidang Biblical and Related Studies di Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, U.S.A.

05 May 2014

Book Description-266: IS JESUS THE ONLY SAVIOR? (Prof. Ronald H. Nash, Ph.D.)


Nowadays, many people teach and believe in pluralism and inclusivism who deny that Jesus Christ who is the only Savior of the world should be believed in order to be saved. As Christians, how do we respond and challenge those beliefs?

Get the answers from:
Book
IS JESUS THE ONLY SAVIOR?

oleh: (late) Prof. Ronald H. Nash, Ph.D.

Publisher:: Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1994



In the preface in this book, Dr. Ronald H. Nash explains what pluralist (like John Hick) and inclusivist (Clark H. Pinnock, John Sanders, etc) believe in contrast to excluvist believes. Those two beliefs (pluralism and inclusivism) and what they teach are explained in two parts: part one which consists of 6 chapters explains about Hick’s fallacies of pluralism based on Biblical and philosophical analysis; and part two which consists 5 chapters explains about Pinnock, Sanders, and other inclusivist’s fallacies of inclusivism based on Biblical and philosophical analysis. In the final chapter on part 2, Dr. Nash explains the reason why he is not an inclusivist. Let this book teaches us what the Bible teaches us about the uniqueness and finality of Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.



Profil Dr. Ronald H. Nash:
(late) Prof. Ronald H. Nash, Ph.D. was born in Cleveland, Ohio on May 27, 1936. He earned his Bachelor's degree at Barrington College, and a Master’s degree at Brown University, before going on to receive his Doctorate in Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Syracuse University 1964.
Following his doctoral work, Nash became the Chairman of the Department of Philosophy and Religion and Director of Graduate Studies in Humanities at Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, Kentucky), where he served for 27 years. In 1991, he became Professor of Philosophy and Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando, Florida), serving there until 2002. Additionally, Nash was Professor of Philosophy at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, Kentucky) from 1998-2005. Nash passed away on March 10, 2006, due to complications from a stroke. He was survived by his wife, Betty Jane, and children, Jeffrey and Jennifer. A public memorial service in Nash’s honor was held at the Orlando campus of the Reformed Theological Seminary.
(Source: http://www.theopedia.com/Ronald_Nash)