Book Recommendations Part 2

By Anthony:

I don't have a lot of time these days to write book reviews so instead I thought it would be fun to simply share book recommendations.

I think it is important to read even books that we disagree with, in order to learn about the different perspectives that are out there. Some of these books fit that category, but I still found them interesting and helpful to read. (You can read the previous recommendations here: Part 1)

On Theology

1. Miracles - By Craig Keener. This is a really long book, but well worth it. He not only analyzes miracles theoretically and biblically, but gives a truly overwhelming amount of testimony from all over the world about miracles today. Don't be scared by the 1200 pages. The miracle stories are engaging.

2. The Gift of Prophecy in the New Testament and Today - By Wayne Grudem. This is a fascinating book. Prophecy is one of those spiritual gifts that experientially sometimes seems to no longer exist, and it seems fraught with difficulties, but biblically there are no good arguments, in my opinion, to believe that it no longer exists. Grudem provides a framework for how it can function today in our churches.

3. Jesus and Israel, One Covenant or Two? - Examines how to understand promises to Israel in the Old Testament.

4. Power Encounters - This book by David Powlison gave me unexpected insights on spiritual warfare. It cut away at many of our assumptions that are drawn more from our church culture than from the Bible. I remember I disagreed with him fairly strongly on a few things, but it's been a while so I can't remember what specifically. Overall, it was an eye opener.

5. Erasing Hell - This book is a biblical defense of the doctrine of Hell, but I recommend it because of the approach the book takes. I love how the authors come with the attitude of compassion for the lost, compassion for those with questions or discomfort about Hell, and great respect for God's Word. To give one specific example of what I learned, I now know much more about what Jews in the inter-testamental period believed about Hell, and how that might relate to what Jesus taught about it.

6. Perspectives on Our Struggle with Sin: Three Views of Romans 7 – I really love books like this that dialogue through different theological debates.

7. Introducing Covenant Theology - Easy to read explanation of covenant theology. It made up for some gaps in my education.

8. 40 Questions about interpreting the Bible - I thought I had already learned so much about hermeneutics, but I read this recently and learned more. It's an introduction level book but it was comprehensive and helpful.

9. Reformed Dogmatics - By Bavinck. Honestly, I haven't finished it yet. I've been reading it a few pages at a time, whenever I'm waiting for someone who is late, or waiting in a line. I only have half of volume 4 remaining, and I started in 2016. So it will have taken me a decade to read. But this is a good pace, reading slowly and carefully because everything is very deep and every word counts. I have not only learned an incredible amount of good theology from Bavinck, but I have to say that some of the writing is beautiful and devotional. Some of his long lists with supportive biblical verses make me want to stop and praise the Lord. It's well worth the read.

On our Culture

1. The Coddling of the American Mind - This is not written by Christians, but it is one of the few books on this list that I think every American should read. The insights here touch on almost every social or political debate going on in our culture, but more than that, it is a book that teaches us how to better care for young people in our society. Just trust me and read it.

2. The Intolerance of Tolerance - This book is still relevant today just as it was when it was written. A lot of what is known as tolerance in our society is actually intolerance. The old notions of tolerance, for example, being a friend to your neighbor who is of another religion and has radically different ideas, but not letting that get in the way of your friendship, is something that is more difficult in our current culture.

3. The World’s Last Night - By C.S. Lewis. I don't think this collection is necessary any better than C.S. Lewis' other writings, but it was very good. I try to read any books written by C.S. Lewis as I find all his writing fascinating and insightful. I needed to include one of them here.

4. Live Not by Lies - Incredible and depressing stories about people resisting totalitarianism, and how we see creeping signs of it in the USA today.

5. 12 Rules for Life - By Jordan Peterson. I have heard many times from young men how much this book has helped them so I wanted to read it. It contains good practical advice.

On Missions and Evangelism

1. The Gospel and Personal Evangelism - Short and helpful book.

2. What is the Mission of the Church? - Corrective against the over broadening definition of missions.

3. When Everything is Missions - Similar to the above. If we say that anything that we do is missions, and every Christian is a missionary, then really the words "mission" and "missionary" have lost meaning completely.

4. African Friends and Money Matters - Required reading for any foreigner working in Africa.

5. Missionary Methods: St. Paul’s or Ours? - Excellent book examining whether or not we should pattern all of our mission approaches after the behavior of the apostle Paul.

6. The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame, and Fear Cultures - Lovely book looking at how Jesus is the solution to our guilt, shame, and fear, but how different cultures emphasize these different aspects to greater or lesser degrees.

7. Let the Nations Be Glad!: The Supremacy of God in Missions - Remembering the real goal of missions, the worship of God.

8. Eternity in their Hearts - Fascinating book about how God prepares different cultures and people groups to understand or receive the Gospel.

9. Christian Barriers to Jesus: Conversations and questions from the Indian context - I read this book as we try to reach out to Indians here in Uganda. I had never realized the complexity of the Christian context in India, and the internal debates among churches there. Though the context was specifically about Christianity in India, it made me thoughtful about many aspects of missions more generally. For one specific example, the author noted that in the New Testament, most of the people who became Christians did not feel the need to change their names after conversion, even if they were named after Greek or Roman gods.

On Controversial Issues

1. Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian - I'd say this was the most balanced, challenging, biblical, and compassionate book on racism I've read. I'm not saying it's a perfect book, but on balance, I can't think of anything I've ever come across about racism that was more helpful than this book.

2. The Case for Covenantal Infant Baptism - For those who want to understand arguments in favor of infant baptism.

3. Eating Animals - Ultimately the book failed to convince me to become a vegetarian, but it came close. We should reckon and wrestle with the arguments, and not quickly dismiss them, especially since we are supposed to compassionately care for animals as good stewards. 

4. Speaking in Tongues: A Guide to Research on Glossolalia - I read this book on a prayer retreat, hoping it would finally give me a conclusion on what to believe about speaking in tongues, or help me to begin speaking in tongues. It accomplished neither. But it was incredibly interesting, in terms of historical accounts and testimonies, scientific research on tongue speakers, and psychological analysis. I think it made me more skeptical and doubtful about tongues than I was before, but I'm still open on the subject.

5. Rethinking Hell: Readings in Evangelical Conditionalism - The title is not about doubting the doctrine of hell, but rather it argues, biblically, for an annihilation view of hell, also known as the doctrine of conditional immortality. I previously thought that people were doubting God's Word and following their own wishful thinking to believe this doctrine, but now I believe that it is a valid view to hold and consider people who believe it to be fellow Christians. I would put the debate on the same level as my disagreement with Christians who reject infant baptism.

6. Power Evangelism - By John Wimbur. The book got me really excited when I read it, but afterwards I've become more skeptical again. It's well worth the read, to stretch your thinking and make you dig into God's Word, even if you ultimately disagree.

7. Hearing God - When I first read this book I made a whole blog post about it. I've since that time been practicing trying to listen to God. But I get frustrated on how subjective it all seems sometimes. Yet biblically and logically I think it makes sense to listen. It's something I still struggle with and still reading a lot of books about.

War History

I really enjoy reading history books about wars. I find them more interesting than reading fiction. Actually, the true facts in many of these books would not be believed if they appeared in movies. People would find them unrealistic. I'll just post the titles below without any comment. I've enjoyed these ones.

1. Behind Japanese Lines

2. Marine Sniper

3. Churchhill's Hellraisers

4. The True Story of the Great Escape

5. Enemy at the Gates

6. We Were Soldiers Once... and Young

7. Bowmen of England

8. The Greatest Raid of All: Operation Chariot

9. The VICTORS : Eisenhower and His Boys: The Men of World War II

10. Unbroken

AI and Technology Teaching

By Anthony:

A month ago I was shocked and discouraged when an African friend sent me a personal Whatsapp message and I realized it was written with AI!

In Uganda, most people are not using AI yet. But many youth and professionals are. You go to a burial and you hear a speech, and realize it was made with AI. Someone asks a theological question on Whatsapp, and a person makes a nice response, and you realize it was a copy and paste from AI. You see AI being used to generate reports for NGOs, letters, CVs, and assignments. It is out of control.

When many Americans think of Africa, they unfortunately think of poverty. But Africa is far more developed than Americans realize. Americans should realize that the same technologies springing up in the USA are springing up in Africa as well. Life for many rural Ugandans remains quite difficult, but in Ugandan cities, most people own a phone, and often a smartphone. (43% of Ugandans over age 10 own a mobile phone). Family disconnection due to devices and screen time is an issue here too. The average urban home has a television and a smartphone. 

One key difference is that Americans have adopted new technologies much more gradually over a longer period of time. But technology in Uganda has exploded at breathtaking speed. Someone can go from never having used the internet before, to suddenly having a smartphone, Whatsapp, and free AI. 

I felt a burden to create this teaching in November 2025 when I first started noticing a couple pastors using AI in a dishonest way to create instant sermons, without letting people know that they used AI to do so. This really distressed me. Then I thought about other issues like our friends' children lying awake at night unable to sleep because they are addicted to watching videos and chatting on phones, and the rampant cheating in schools using AI, and parents having no idea about the internet pornography accessible through their children's' phones. 

That led to a teaching on technology from a biblical perspective. It takes anywhere from 5 hours to 14 hours to get through the whole thing, depending on the amount of time we give for discussions. Here is an advertisement for one of the conferences that I made using my AI. (I'm not against using AI, I'm just worried about the misuses).

I've taught this now 5 times: a conference for 110 church leaders in Soroti, a conference for 200 youth in Soroti, a half-day church teaching, a two day teaching for our group of Bishops and their wives, and another two day conference in Kaberamaido with 167 church leaders from PAG.

The feedback has been great. One pastor traveled from Kenya to Uganda just to take part in the conference. People say it's the first they've experienced of its kind. I already have invitations to teach this in Kenya and in Tanzania. 

Some pastors who attended these conferences did not yet have smartphones themselves, but they wanted to understand what was happening in the world, and why their youth are so addicted to their phones. 

These are a few of the many topics I cover:

• Technology from a biblical perspective
• Smartphone etiquette
• Social Media and Mental Health
• Dopamine Addiction
• Pornography Addiction
• Using AI
• Pastors and AI
• Fake news and Whatsapp Forwards

I teach about AI with some hesitancy. For the pastors who don't yet know about it, I'm creating a very real and strong temptation for them. But people are learning about it quickly anyways, and this way we provided a forum to discuss how to use it wisely as pastors in a way that glorifies God. 

I do demonstrations with an AI voice chatbot and also AI text chatting and show them some of the features and some of the things I warn against. AI seems almost like magic to those who have never been exposed to it (still does to me a little too!). I also show them some videos I made by asking AI to turn some of my photos into videos. 

Here are some of the things we talk about in the conferences:

• I teach about the injustice of AI companies making Nigerians and Kenyans do the dirty work of training AI. See this article.
• Questions about the Mark of the Beast always come up. Even today there are regularly social media forwards about Obama introducing a microchip as part of his health care plan. Some people think that Americans have microchips in their bodies already. But more generally we talk about misconceptions about the Mark of the Beast being something a Christian could accidentally purchase, and explain why we shouldn't necessarily think it's a piece of technology or vaccine.
• We discuss the rampant problem that people answer phone calls and text messages while also trying to have a face-to-face conversation. 
• We talk about how phones get misused in the worship service. Unfortunately it's not uncommon to see a person watching Whatsapp videos during the sermon, or pastors sending messages during worship.
• In the social media topic, I learned that while body image issues in terms of weight can be a problem for girls in Uganda, the bigger issue is that photo apps include skin-lightening filters. One young woman testified that she would no longer do that to her profile photos. She changed her photo to "the original me."
• In the US, it's hard enough for parents to help their children not misuse phones and internet. But here you have parents who have never used a smartphone themselves buying them for their children, and having little idea what is possible for them to do on the phone.
• We talk about lazy parenting. It is very common for parents to pass to a crying baby or young child a tablet or phone to get them to be calm.
• We hear that many university students are so lonely that they spend hours talking to AI chatbots.
• I learned that some best men and maids of honor poorly prepare Christian couples for marriage by advising them to watch pornography to learn how to have sex. 
• Many people are guilty of talking on the phone or texting while driving a car or motorcycle. They have pledged to stop after this training. We regularly see people on motorcycles or bicycles on our crazy roads here trying to text. There are a lot of road accidents.
• One youth had an action plan after the teaching to no longer leave music on in his room all night every night.
• People are really touched by ideas of having tech-free meal times with no phones and no televisions.
• People are convicted of phone addiction for themselves and their children. A lot of people shared about the problem of endlessly scrolling social media or Tiktok.
• Very few people think it is okay to leave your phone on silent or off at night, because there could be an emergency. Yet many people don't know how to mute Whatsapp notifications and they may get hundreds every night.

The need for this teaching is HUGE! I realized I need to do more research and study and improve on the curriculum I made, and perhaps make it accessible for others to use to teach it as well. So I have a lot more work to do.

Harvesting the Fish Pond

By Anthony:

I always am able to catch tilapia, but I was worried that there were too many catfish in my pond eating most of the small tilapia which thankfully reproduce regularly. But some catfish is good to keep it from becoming only tiny tilapia in mass numbers. The catfish weren't reproducing so I knew there were about 28 left (I started with 33, and with 200 tilapia). All other methods including hooks and traps to catch the catfish were not working. Some of them were getting huge. So I recruited a bunch of friends to help me use a wide net, moving with it across the whole pond.

To start though, we first had to remove all of the pond plants (we put them back in when we were done). We also pumped out a lot of water to the plants around the yard to make the pond less deep so that we could stand up without the water going up to our heads.

The first day we used our own net, and it completely failed. We fished with it from 8am to 1pm and only caught tilapia. We didn't catch a single catfish. I gave everyone some tilapia to take home but it was really disappointing. There were a lot of exclamations about Jesus' disciples saying "we fished the whole night and caught nothing!"

I planned another day to try again. We fixed all the holes the catfish had punched in our net. We made it like 5 nets thick. We did major renovations on the net to try to make it much less likely for catfish to sneak around the sides of it, or under the bottom of the net. We used a hosepipe filled with sand along the bottom of the net to weigh it down. We were really optimistic and did a lot of work! Only to find out it still completely failed to catch any catfish.

That same day, we had to call our guard's friend, who has a really good large net, with a long pouch in it. We rented it for the rest of the day. The fish look at the opening in the middle of the net (the pouch), and think it's a way to escape, so they go into it, only to find it has a dead end. Then they are stuck.

We seriously muddied up the yard and even killed small tilapia in the mud. We also accidentally netted huge logs that I had in the water. That made the net really heavy when it had a 3 foot log in it!

However, we were much more successful this time! We managed to get 10 catfish. Catfish have to be some of the sneakiest and smartest fish. Because we dragged this net so many times trying to leave no space for them to escape, using all of our efforts, and still most of them never got caught.

Here is the biggest catfish we got. It was very strong.

We threw back in the small tilapia, but kept about 15 or so. We all got dirty. I took the longest shower I've had in the last few years. It was a fun and interesting experience to do with friends here and we will remember it! It's been a few months already that have passed by the time of this post and the tilapia have multiplied greatly with thousands of fingerlings.

Reverend Moses Farm Tour

By Sara:

Another farm tour happened in March.  The latest farmer group to complete their lessons got to travel to Abwanget, where a friend of ours, Rev. Moses Opus lives (in the straw hat in the picture below).  Moses is a very creative farmer and has (more than a little bit) of almost everything on his farm.  Fruit trees, vegetables, staple foods, bees, goats, and chickens, among other things.  I love the way he uses what he has, to do amazing farming.  Any enterprising farmer who is willing to work hard can copy what he has done, without any expensive inputs.

We all admired this huge jackfruit tree:

Everyone also loved how beautiful this new grass thatched hut is in his home: 

Moses is growing passion fruit in a small, fenced area, and is utilizing their shade as a nursery for starting seedlings.  His family intends to plant 100 lemon trees this year, so he is starting them under the passion fruit.  He also uses old water bottles for his seedlings instead of buying potting bags, which helps him save money and reuse waste.

Moses was on the trip to Uwepo and one of the plants he came back with was a grape vine.  Everyone was amazed to see it since they had all read about grapes in the Bible but had no idea what a grape plant looked like:

Another great innovation Moses uses is planting a certain local plant densely around his tree seedlings when they are small.  This protects the seedling from getting eaten by goats or cows.  Since he puts a lot of mulch on the ground around the trees, chickens also aren't able to squeeze inside and scratch it up.