I am quite certain that most, if not all of us have come across the term “guilty pleasure.” The way we perceive acceptable levels of pleasure differs from one individual to another as it depends on our upbringing and understanding of the concept of biblical stewardship.

Some of us might not give a second thought about spending $10 on a cup of coffee while catching up with our friends; others might feel that the money could have been better used to further the work in mission fields. Many Christians tend to either regard anything that resembles “earthly pleasure” as something to be embraced freely or avoided altogether.

In this book, Thomas defends neither views but instead pleads with Christians who have tipped too far in either direction. He presents them with a God who is portrayed by the Bible as delighting and sharing in the pleasure that His people enjoy when they approach life with thanksgiving.

He encourages the readers to embrace pleasure with sophistication as it is a gift from God and argues that we have been designed to receive pleasure in many different ways and are in fact, being prepared for an eternity of pleasure with Him.

He cautions us to always remember that our first and foremost pleasure should be to delight in Christ and warns that if we are to allow anything other than delighting God first, it would end up competing against our love for God.

Personally, I have always been cautious about books and materials which defend only a certain aspect of the Christian life while ignoring everything else. However, Thomas paid special effort to provide, in my view, the most balanced perspective on what is the proper role of pleasure in a Christian’s life. If you have never thought that enjoying “earthly pleasures” could be positive in your life, I would highly recommend that you read this book and allow Thomas to show you what it takes to live a balanced Christian life.

Joke Books Volume 13-32
by George Ong

Most Christian joke books usually comprise stale jokes about “talking bushes.” However, these joke books by Rev George Ong are nothing like that.

Rev Ong has extensive experience ministering across denominations and has preached in over 150 churches in Singapore to date. As a firm believer of creative presentation, this former army officer has been using jokes and humorous illustrations to help drive home his points as he feels that humor, like cosmetics, can turn something plain into something phenomenal.
It is through this vast ministry that has enabled him to compile various quotations and jokes. These not only brought out a smile when I read them; they were also a form of instruction for me as he paid special attention to deliberately inject either a teaching or a moral value after each segment.

Having these teachings (which are often conveyed in an overly serious manner) makes the jokes and illustrations more meaningful and helps the lessons which he has cleverly concealed, to sink in even deeper after I have read them.

Having just released another series of twenty joke books to add to his collection of 12, Volume 32 is the last book in this series and it touches on the issues that married couples face. The other issues in this series cover a variety of topics from romance to classroom humor.

Terrence Quah manages the marketing and communications at SKS Books but spends most of his time helping churches develop their Bible study curriculum. He spends his free time playing basketball and reading anything he can get his hands on and would love the chance to see the aurora borealis one day.

At the start of this book, Baab begins by exploring the many aspects of modern day friendships from a Christian perspective before focusing on how the various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have caused friendships to be affected both positively and negatively, depending on a user’s communication preferences.

In my opinion, what makes Friending so distinct from other books on communication is that instead of focusing on the positive and negative effects of the changes in communication, Baab helps readers identify the different communication preferences which might have developed in their formative years and pointed out that what is one’s primary choice of communication might not be aligned with those whom they are trying to maintain a relationship with.

In the middle chapters, Baab focuses on our friendship with God and how that relationship translates into practical acts directed toward those around us. The acts of sharing, caring, choosing, accepting, and forgiving are brought into the spotlight as she touches on what makes friendship work and how we can better cultivate healthy friendships despite obstacles such as distance and personal commitments which will cause a friendship to wilt if it is not given due consideration and properly addressed.

In these middle chapters, Baab’s enthusiasm towards building healthy relationships through active cultivation is prominently seen as she continually refers to personal experiences and interviews with a large and widely diverse group of people from different age groups to show just how rewarding relationships can be. To back it up, she refers in particular to Colossians 3 and 1 Corinthians 13 in the Scriptures as the ideal framework upon which we should base our relationships and shows how the faith which comes from God can be seen in our daily interactions with those around us.

Apart from the wealth of knowledge and wisdom gleaned through experience and from the interviewees, Baab’s style of writing offers inspiration and is never more prominent than when she touches on the topic of taking initiative. She observes in chapter seven that “Love carries its own reward. When we act in love, when we take initiative to show kindness and compassion, we are mirroring the character of God as shown to us in Christ Jesus. Every time we do that, we are participating in God’s work of transformation in us. Even if our act of kindness is not received very enthusiastically, we will be blessed if we trust that God’s love is shaping us into the people we were created to be.”

In the closing chapters of the book, Baab refers liberally to a study contained in the book titled Friendship Matters by William K Rawlins, which explores contrasting components of a relationship such as instrumentality and affection, or independence and dependence.

In one section, she compares Rawlins’ belief “that a friendship with a strong component of affection will be stronger than a friendship focused primarily on function” against a point made by C S Lewis “that shared interests can function as a foundation for friendship.” This together with the helpful questions for reflection, journaling, discussion, and action at the end of each chapter provided me with interesting points of exploration together with friends or in a small group setting. The appendix at the end, including more of such questions on topics not covered in the book is an unexpected bonus for me.
My only disappointment is that while this book is not an exhaustive treatise on the subject, it could have provided some insight on how to make and maintain friendships when many people today are becoming more stratified and tend to only associate with those whom they consider to be like-minded individuals.

All things considered, Friending is a helpful guide and a good discussion tool for anyone who is interested in nurturing healthy friendships in our society today.

Terrence Quah manages the marketing and communications at SKS Books but spends most of his time helping churches develop their Bible study curriculum. He spends his free time playing basketball and reading anything he can get his hands on and would love the chance to see the aurora borealis one day.

The Social Network

The Social Network is essentially about a socially awkward young man (Mark Zuckerberg played by Jesse Eisenberg) creating a website that transformed the way the world (excluding China) interacts socially. How? Well, Zuckerberg is the key founder of the top internet social networking site, Facebook. This story chronicles how he went about it, and how he makes enemies (who were former friends) along the way to becoming the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.

At its heart, The Social Network centers on relationships. The relationship between two best friends and how it flounders, the relationship between lovers, the relationship with acquaintances who become enemies, etc. And the reason that Facebook became so popular is that it allowed you to see and connect with people you know – again, relationships. It is taking your social life online and maximizing it to the highest potential. Here you can control who becomes your friend and who does not. And here you can decide what to let your friends know and what not to know. And just like the real world, you can become more or less popular through your social interactions. Zuckerberg realized that and developed it to the full on Facebook, according to this film.

The film seems to be biased against the characters of Mark Zuckerberg (portrayed as insecure) and Sean Parker (played by heartthrob Justin Timberlake, and portrayed as an opportunist with a weakness for drugs and women). But overall, this is an excellent film with great directing, fantastic storyline, and excellent acting. Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of Zuckerberg is especially worth mentioning, as the audience is drawn into the eccentric character’s emotions, thinking, dreams, and struggles. Timberlake also does a wonderful job in his portrayal of Parker. This movie is a definite must watch for me. It turned a seemingly boring story (the astronomical rise of Facebook) into a fascinating event that had me glued me from start to finish.

Kick-A**

Ever wondered why the younger generation tends to curse and swear? Well, watch this movie and you will realize how youth tend to talk. Be warned: vulgarity is generously used throughout this film; and is one of the stars of the film, Chloë Moretz, 11 years old at the time of filming, curses in such a way as to make hardened soldiers cry.

This film is about how Dave Lizewski, an average teenage nerd who decides to help people, becomes a masked superhero named Kick-A** (with ironically no super powers). His passion to protect people makes him a few allies in Big Daddy and Hit-Girl, two masked heroes who are experts in fighting. And along the way, it shows how he comes on a collision course with mobster Frank D’Amico and his gang.

The amazing thing about Kick-A** is how up to date it is on the viral effects of social media. When some videos of the main character’s heroics are uploaded onto the Internet, things go viral and before he knows it, Kick-A** has become an overnight sensation throughout the world. This is an accurate reflection of social media today, where information is instantaneously uploaded and just as quickly consumed and forwarded.

Dave Lizewski aka Kick-A** also connects to the world through his computer. He even makes a website to reach out to his fans to update them. Dave also has a Myspace account for people to contact him for help. The Internet gives Dave publicity and he also uses it to inspire others. That shows how one individual can harness the power of social media to influence society.

This film explores how youth connect to their world and relate to it, whether through social media or other means. Would I recommend it? The action scenes are amazing, the film is at times hilarious, and the plot is refreshing from the usual superhero story. But this film has a ridiculous amount of cursing, violence, and sexual references. That is too much for me, so if you do pick up the DVD, please watch it with a pinch of salt.

Eric is an Executive (Ministry) in Eagles Communications. He did not realize the impact of social media on today’s younger generation until he watched the two movies in this review.

Historically, The King’s Speech is not 100% accurate. But that is a given for Hollywood films. What is more important about this film is the protagonist, King George VI, the current Queen Elizabeth II’s father. Here is a character who is reluctant to be a leader, let alone a head of state. The film focuses on his speech impediment – his stammering – that leaves him with much anger and insecurity; plus an unwillingness to be the face of an Empire that stretched across the globe.

What is truly remarkable is King George’s personal courage in striving to overcome his weakness, and in doing so, lifts his nation’s morale through his historical speech at the onset of World War Two. In facing his own personal demons and overcoming them, this demonstrated true leadership. And ironically, the man whom many did not give a second thought to be a leader (due to his embarrassing stammering), actually guides his nation through some of its darkest nights.

The story is also memorable because as time goes on, we realize that this leader could not have overcome his weaknesses by himself. His wife is constantly there to encourage him and get help for him. And Logue is there to point King George in the right direction. He acts as the King’s accountability and more importantly, his friend. As time goes on, the King reveals more and more of his difficult childhood and life to Logue, and in doing so, the two men become close friends and discover that wounds of the past can make or break a leader.

Loyal friends are what every leader needs. Often we think that a leader needs to courageously lead himself out of his own problems before he can leads others. But we often forget that the leader is not a lone hero. He needs accountability, he needs help. He needs a group of people around him who can be honest with him and who will not give up on him. A group who can spur him on in the journey of personal leadership.

This film is commendable for its honest look at the monarchy and all the stress it entails. The storyline is excellent and brilliantly woven together in chronological order. The costumes and movie sets are wonderfully done, transporting the audience to the gloomy and uncertain days before the War came to Britain.

The acting is no doubt one of the finest I have ever seen. How can one go wrong with the trio of Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter? The chemistry between Firth and Rush is at times touching and at times hilarious (sometimes Rush even steals the limelight away from Firth, including the memorable scene where he sits on King Edward’s Chair). Bonham Carter did an excellent job as the supportive, faithful wife who spurs her husband on to overcome his personal flaws. It was totally different from her acting as the psychopathic Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter series. Her versatility as an actress impressed me.

This film is highly recommended to anyone and everyone who have had to live with a thorn in his or her flesh. The King’s Speech lives up to all the hype that surrounds it. No doubt it deserved all the Academy Awards it has won, and a pity that it did not win more.

Eric Sung works as an Executive (Ministry) at Eagles Communications. His hobbies include watching movies, playing with his son, lazing around, and being an armchair critic of leaders.

When GOD Shapes a W.I.F.E. – A Journey of Grace Moves by Rev Jenni Ho-Huan

“Good books can mentor us and speak truth into our hearts. Healthy conversations with others on the journey is powerful for relief, insight, and encouragement.” – Jenni Ho-Huan.

That is what When GOD Shapes a W.I.F.E does. Each page gently mentors the reader’s heart back to the truth of God that is so often drowned by the voice of societal expectations.

Unlike other books on womanhood, Jenni does not give a model picture of how a godly wife should/must look like. Recognizing the uniqueness and preciousness of each individual, this book celebrates that particularity and provides ample room for the Holy Spirit to work His unique plan for each reader. Through each illustration, Jenni’s own journey and helpful reflection questions, the book simply invites each woman to enter into a heart’s conversation with God and with herself, and ultimately to reach a place of understanding God’s grace in her life, and of joyful surrender and trust in her Lord, her Father, her Creator.

Habitudes – Images that Form Leadership Habits and Attitudesby Dr Tim Elmore

Habitudes, or the habit of attitudes, is a string of books written by Founder-President of Growing Leaders, Dr Tim Elmore, that represent a different way to teach leadership principles to the younger generation. Using the power of images, conversations, and experiences, these books are great for the visually inclined (like myself) and those with limited attention span (again, like myself!) as each chapter is only a few pages long. There is also a section whereby the reader is led to reflect and respond, followed by a self assessment and an exercise to facilitate application at the end of each chapter to keep ourselves in check.

There are currently four books in this series:
Habitudes #1: The Art of Self-Leadership?Habitudes #2: The Art of Connecting With Others?Habitudes #3: The Art of Leading Others?Habitudes #4: The Art of Changing Culture

Because Tim believes that most of us are visual learners, the chapters of his books are called images, and each chapter is headed with a full page image to help us connect, learn, and remember the habit that we need to develop from the principle derived from that image.

The first book in the series, titled The Art of Self Leadership sets the context for the reader’s leadership journey, recognizing that leadership is multi-dimensional and we should always begin by leading ourselves well first before we can influence those above and around us, and finally those whom we are responsible for. In fact, he claims that if we can lead ourselves well enough, others will be magnetically drawn to follow us, as opposed to being forced by us into compliance.

The chapters that resonated with me most were the first – “Iceberg” – and the last – “Drivers and Passengers.” “Iceberg” represents our leadership. The 10% that is visible above the water represents our skill and the 90% below the surface or visibility line represents our character, which is the factor that can sink the ship. “Drivers and Passengers” talked about responsibility. When things go wrong, do I act like a passenger by acting like the victim and blaming others for the problem, or do I realize that I am the driver who is responsible for the attitudes and destinations in life?

A great tool – the Habitudes series is good for small group discussions and there are different books in the series to educate and challenge youths and adults alike in various stages of their lives.

Dr Elmore will be addressing the topic “Leading for the Future” in a plenary and “Habitudes – Growing the next-gen leaders” in the workshop session at the Eagles Leadership Conference 2011 (www.leadership.com.sg) in July. You can also find out more about the author at www.Growingleaders.com and www.habitudes.org.

Jessica Zhuo is a wife and mother of a one year old son. Managing both work and family, she continues on a journey of discovering her purpose, passion, and priorities for each season, leaning on the love of her Heavenly Father and the grace of her Maker.

Sheryl Han is the Senior Executive Editor of Eagles VantagePoint. She attends and serves in Rivers of Life Church, Singapore, and has the habit of traveling and eating vanilla ice cream with an enthusiastic attitude.

An investment banker in London for over three decades, Ken Costa is presently Chairman of Lazard International, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 41 cities across 26 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and Central and South America. What is unique about Ken Costa is that he studied both law and theology at the University of Cambridge. He is also the Chairman of Alpha International, the Christian organization that is promoting the well established and well received Alpha programs around the world.

You can expect both biblical perspectives and practical wisdom that are tested and applied to the competitive corporate world of business and finance and to one’s career aspirations from Ken Costa. He gave this assurance right in the introduction, “… I have read the Financial Times and the Bible almost every day for the past thirty years.” His conviction has always been that if the Christian faith is not relevant in the workplace, it is not relevant at all.

This book is amazingly readable as he tackles the gamut of pertinent issues related to one’s work life. You will find numerous succinct expressions that aptly state what our beliefs about work should be. For example, he writes about the meaning of work, “We will only take our faith to work if we know that our work is valuable to God.” For another section, he has this unforgettable heading, “My work station is my worship station.”

From the topics of ambition, tough decisions, stress, work-life balance, and failure to the sticky issue of money and giving, you will find insights and examples from his personal experience and his acquaintances as well as teachings from Jesus and the Scriptures.

On the matter of work-life balance, when we think that there is really nothing new, Ken proposes a new way of working and of dividing the week into fixed days and flexible days. Again, his take on stress management is refreshing as he helps us explore a way through, not out of, stress. One of the seven steps he recommends is to take joy seriously! I find it also helpful that he has included a chapter on money and giving in a book that talks about work. The goal of one’s success is not accumulation of wealth but the capacity to give to God. Instead of a full blown theology on money and mammon which one can read from theological books, Ken focuses on the heart of the matter which is the matter of the heart when it comes to money. You will find his section on the practicalities of giving – the who, how, when, and what – liberating. After all, as he affirms, giving is a work of God’s grace in our lives. So whether you are looking for practical handles or straight forward biblical teachings, it is on every page. His humility shines through even though he is at the top of the game, so to speak. His sense of gratitude infects me as I read the book as he directs our intentions towards honoring God in our work life because all success and significance comes from Him. At the end of each chapter, I would breathe this prayer, “Thank you Lord for you are truly at work.”

Ken Costa is a plenary speaker at our upcoming Eagles Leadership Conference 2011 in July. Visit www.leadership.com.sg for more details.

Michael Tan is the Executive Vice-President of Eagles Communications. He likes to preach, write, play the guitar, and manage his staff!