The Buschel Digest: December 2017

Happy New Years Eve! I hope your Christmas season was fun and healthy. Ours was fun but our entire family was sick with the longest colds ever. We made so many fun memories with our family despite being sick. This month I am sharing five books I have read because there were so many good ones and two share worthy articles.

PTL: The Rise and Fall of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker (By: John Wigger)

This book was phenomenal. I couldn’t put it down and it was so informative without seeming like a bad tabloid. I learned so much about televangelism and the pentecostal movement. A few of the highlights was learning the reference to the term “holy roller”. This was actually coined when people would be slain by the spirit and literally roll across the floor of the church. I also was fascinated learning about the start of the 700 Club. The name of that show was created because Jim Bakker needed 700 people to make a monthly pledge of $10 for the show to be broadcast. I had never heard anything about Heritage USA before this book. This book truly shows that even those with the best of intentions are still sinners and accountability is vital in ministry.

Here Burns My Candle and Mine is the Night (By: Liz Curtis Higgs)

Here Burns My Candle is the first book in this two book series. I was surprised that I had never read these before because I really do like other books I have read by Liz Curtis Higgs. Both books are based on the Old Testament book of Ruth. Obviously there is much fictional liberty taken here but the books are so good.

The Green Ember and Ember Falls (By: S.D. Smith)

I feel a little late to the party with these books. They are so good! I cant wait to read them aloud to our kids! If you liked the Narnia series you will love these.

How This Rock Star And His Televangelist Wife Influence The White House

I am sure I found this interesting because of the book I was reading on the PTL and the Bakker family. This article is about Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain who met controversial pastor Paula White by chance. Now the rock star applauds his wife’s role as chaplain to President Trump.