She Needs

She Needs

Author Nay Dawson
Publisher IVP £9.99
Format pbk
ISBN 9781789744521

What would it be like if all members of the body of Christ fully used their God-given gifts? The author has gathered the views of friends and companions in ministry as she wonders whether progress has been made in attitudes to women in the Church. She discovers bias still restricting opportunities and ministry pathways; she alerts us to women with gifts lacking confidence to put themselves forward.
There are interesting references to research

in a variety of settings: women will often speak much less in meetings, but getting a woman to speak first will have a positive impact on the statistics. Alongside the investigation is an excellent reflection on Jesus’s radical valuing of women. Examples include his commending Mary for learning, rather than serving with Martha. Overall, there is a plea to realise Paul’s declaration that in Christ ‘there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ Indeed, surely the challenge of class bias needs to be confronted just as much as barriers of race and gender.

Reviewed by ROSIE MEDHURST

Biblical analysis

 

Candle Youth Bible

Candle Youth Bible

Author Ryan Carter & Don Davis
Publisher Candle Books (SPCK) £11.99
Format hbk
ISBN 9781781284629

If you are looking for something different for your youth group, teenage worshippers or own children, this may meet the need. Here we have ninety prominent Bible passages presented in a thought-provoking way with Old Testament material paving the way for New Testament revelation. Alongside the chosen translation of the New Living Bible, much is highlighted to help bring understanding for our young people – the setting, the characters, the key verses, the main theme and how this develops. Each passage ends with encouragement for the reader’s own thoughts and a journalling space to add personal reflections. The choice of material is good and well-presented. However, I found the black and white illustrations rather bland and disappointing as our young people live in such a vibrant and colourful world. Old and New Testaments are equally balanced with their chosen content in chronological order. The final pages show how the stories are celebrated today throughout the Church’s year. This book is produced in hardback only, substantially bound and very reasonably priced for its size and content.

Reviewed by BETTY TAYLOR

Bible

 

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