10 of those

An aid and encouragement

In this devotional book Roger Carswell encourages believers to engage in personal evangelism and adopt a mission mindset. Unlike many devotionals, this book has only one thought for each week of the year. The reason is that it is intended to supplement (rather than replace) any devotional currently used by the reader. In the chapter, ‘How to use this book’, Roger suggests that it may be helpful to read on a Sunday afternoon or to set aside a particular evening for it. He also suggests reading this book in a group setting, so as to encourage shared reflection on the topics raised. Each week there are just three pages to read, all in clear and readable font. Using a passage from Scripture (from the NKJV or New Living Translation), Roger offers a short, meditative thought. This is followed by a hymn and concluded by a written prayer, with space for the reader to write out their own. The Scriptures are grouped together under themes such as ‘The heart of the gospel’, ‘Suffering’ and ‘Characteristics of soul winners’. The majority of focus passages are from the New Testament. The meditations, though short, are helpful and encourage thorough searching and consideration of the text. At the book’s end there are several pages to be used for noting down those to pray for on a daily basis, with several helpful categories to consider. This helps broaden your awareness of who to pray for, even if you don’t write them in the book! Anyone interested in cultivating a mission mindset will find this short book an aid and encouragement.

James Chittenden