Steve Jobs ((books, part 3))

So it’s been some time since the last book update. Sorry. The beach and packing for Operation Barnabas took over. This will be the last book update for a while.

Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson

Isaacson wrote a 560 page book all about Jobs, from birth to right before his death. He covers Jobs’ path from being adopted to dropping out of college to his hot and cold relationship with Apple and Pixar. So many crazy stories, and a lot of things I didn’t know.

Throughout the story, I was shocked at the way Jobs treated people. I had heard he was kind of a jerk, but that is the understatement of the century. He was incredibly self-centered, and treated people however he wanted to get what he wanted. When people asked him why he had to be so mean, his response was that was just the way he was. He was so artistically gifted – seriously a genius. But his selfishness, in my opinion, kept him from accomplishing all that he could. His harsh temperament did force people to work hard – but it also destroyed tons of relationships. I wonder how much further his ideas could have been pushed if he had been able to work with some of the people he drove away.

But his hands are all over so many creative things that you have seen and bought. Things you probably didn’t even realize. And he was criticized over and over again for being “too creative” – and then eventually most of the market ended up following his ideas over and over again.

My recommendation? If you like biographies, this one is interesting. Particularly if you have any interest in the Apple empire and the creative genius behind it. But it is long, so prepare yourself.

The Explicit Gospel ((books, part two))

The Explicit Gospel, Matt Chandler

I’m not quite sure why it took me so long to buy this book. I love Chandler, and have honestly been saying for the past few years that I couldn’t wait for him to write a book. Whatever. I finally got it. And read it.

This book is just what it sounds like – an explanation (a very clear explanation) of the gospel. Chandler discusses the gospel from two perspectives: the ground, and the air. “The ground” is understanding the personal dimensions of the gospel – this path leads from God, to man, to Christ, and to our response. “The air” is understanding the cosmic ramifications of the gospel – this path goes from creation, to the fall, to reconciliation, to consummation.

Often the gospel is presented to people far from God with an “on the ground” approach. We want people to understand the personal nature of the gospel’s power. And this is certainly good and right and necessary. However, as Chandler stresses, it is also important to communicate the DEEP and crazy FAR-REACHING effects of the gospel, as the “in the air” approach shows. The gospel is not ABOUT us. It is FOR us, absolutely. But it is not.ABOUT.us. The gospel is the good news of JESUS.

(This point, that the gospel [and Scripture, and life in general] is not about us, was my favorite part of the book. It was a consistent thread Chandler continually wove throughout the book. Maybe the fact that this hit me the hardest shows the real condition of my own heart – that I’m proud and self-centered. But it was certainly what I needed to hear.)

Keeping a balance of both an on the ground and in the air communication of the gospel is Chandler’s big idea. Without both, we are not being true to the heart of the gospel.

As someone who has heard Chandler preach a LOT, I have heard Chandler talk about the gospel many, many times. This book was, basically, just a reiteration of all I have heard him say before. That doesn’t make it any less valuable — but if you are a Chandler fan, rest assured that you will hear his voice yelling these gospel truths at you throughout the book (as well as mocking you with his fantastic sarcasm).

I think this book is a must read. Even if you know the gospel, and have known it “forever”. The gospel is not just for people far from God — it is for every believer, every day. If you don’t live that way, you aren’t really depending on Jesus. (Someone should write a book about that… oh wait.)