Ex Libris

Fasting, by Scot McKnight

2010-04-08T07:00:00.004-04:00

Historically, the Christian spiritual discipline of fasting has been recognized by its unhealthy excesses. Stories of early ascetics starving themselves in an attempt to curry God’s favor immediately come to mind. Horror stories of those excesses have caused the spiritual “baby to be thrown out with the bath water” in Western Evangelicalism over the past several generations. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in the traditional spiritual disciplines, including fasting. With that renewed interest, a bevy of writings has been produced on the subject. Scot McKnight’s book, Fasting: The Ancient Practices, stands uniquely above most of those I have read. Most books I have read on fasting focus on using it as a way to get God to do what we want Him to do. In essence, they distill it into a form of divine manipulation—fasting is promoted as the best means to accomplish the ends we desire. In those writings, it is viewed as a kind of “super prayer.” McKnight has a much different, and far more biblical, approach. Throughout the book, he teaches the idea that, “Fasting is not a technique we ply that makes things happen just because we ply it…. The heart of the deep Christian tradition about fasting is that a grievous sacred moment prompts the integrated person to fast. Sometimes the resolution comes about, and sometimes it doesn’t.”

While I am uncomfortable with much of the author’s underlying ecumenism, his view of fasting is refreshing because it is biblical. Although his argument is not bolstered by detailed scriptural exposition (which would have been helpful), it is informed by an accurately informed biblical worldview. Fasting is not a tool with which to manipulate God. Fasting is a whole-body response by Christians who are experiencing grief over a particular situation. Particularly helpful are the author’s treatment of dualism and the potential problems with fasting. This is not a “how-to” book on fasting and should not be the only book one reads on the subject, but it is a valuable resource to enable readers to have the right focus. While it is not designed to answer the “how” questions, it does a wonderful job answering the “why” questions. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that is either wholly neglected or widely abused. This book will guard the reader against both unfortunate extremes.

Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (February 10, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0849901081

The Scofield Bible: Its History and Impact on the Evangelical Church, by Todd Mangum and Mark Sweetnam

2010-04-01T07:00:00.009-04:00

Last year marked the 100th anniversary of the publication of the Scofield Reference Bible. Despite Scofield’s tremendous impact on 20th century Christianity, the anniversary seemed to pass with little fanfare. The Scofield Bible: Its History and Impact on the Evangelical Church, by R. Todd Mangum and Mark S. Sweetnam is one of the few acknowledgements I have noticed. The book is broad in its scope, covering everything from the life of C.I. Scofield himself to the theology and historical impact of his reference Bible. It distinguishes itself from its best-known predecessors in successfully attempting a fair-minded assessment—free from the bias of theological bent or personal fondness. As such, it is neither a hagiography nor a hack-job. Scofield’s personal foibles are presented as well as his virtues. The commendable innovations made by his reference Bible are mentioned as well as the regrettable deficiencies. In all, the authors achieved the scholarly balance they were striving to attain.

Over the past several years, due in part to the theological excesses of those in some well-publicized corners of dispensationalism, the Scofield Reference Bible has come under fire. This book will remind the reader of Scofield’s truly groundbreaking achievement. Readers who look to this book to either justify their theological presuppositions or condemn those of others will be disappointed. It is a study on the impact of the Scofield Reference Bible—it is not a treatise on dispensationalism. While few readers will agree with all of his notes and some will disagree with his dispensational framework or his Calvinist perspective, all can acknowledge and appreciate his impact on modern evangelicalism.

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Paternoster (December 10, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1606570331

The Emperor's New Drugs, by Irving Kirsch

2010-03-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

“As American as mom, apple pie and baseball.” At best, that statement seems dated. Regardless of one’s opinion concerning the inherently American nature of that list, a new list could be constructed that is more reflective of today’s American culture. The new, more culturally accurate statement might be, “As American as chemical imbalance, depression, and Prozac.” A brief survey of television commercials is all that is necessary to reinforce that notion. Dr. Irving Kirsch attacks this prevalent cultural norm head on in his book, The Emperor's New Drugs: Exploding the Antidepressant Myth.

Dr. Kirsch, a tenured psychology professor, details his research into the comparative effectiveness of antidepressant medication. While conducting no clinical trials themselves, Kirsch and his research partners used meta-analysis—comparing and analyzing the statistical and clinical results of all available existing clinical trials—to support their presuppositions. The results of their meta-analysis are convincing and this well-written book makes their case very well.

The author begins by explaining the “placebo effect” and systematically demonstrating the fact that antidepressant drugs are no more effective in treating depression than placebos. After Kirsch clearly makes his case, he points out many of the arguments of his critics and refutes them. He does so using non-technical language that can be easily understood by the average layman. One does not need a degree in psychology or counseling to appreciate this book. Anyone with an interest in counseling, whether as counselor or counselee, will benefit from Kirsch’s analysis. Understand that this book does not present an impassionate, unbiased analysis. The author makes his case well, and I happen to agree with many of his findings. But understand that his goal is to prove the case for the superiority of cognitive-behavioral treatment over medication. As a proponent of Nouthetic Counseling, I agree with much of what the book says. Regardless of the reader’s presuppositions, the book is beneficial.

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Basic Books (January 26, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 046502016X

The Chronological Guide to the Bible

2010-03-17T13:10:00.000-04:00

In an attempt to be all things to all people, Thomas Nelson’s The Chronological Guide to the Bible widely misses the mark. The book uses the same chronological progression popularized in the Chronological Study Bible and coupled it with additional information intended to allow the reader to, “See the people, places, and events of the Bible come alive.” The book divides biblical history into nine epochs. Each epoch is introduced with a brief historical overview. It goes on to include individual introductions for the biblical books of that time period, as well as outlines, overviews, timelines and relevant historical and archaeological tidbits. The format, design and layout of the book are beautiful. The exceptional graphic design is worthy of far more than the paperback binding.

If format, design and layout were the criteria used for judging this book, it would be worthy of the highest recommendation. But ultimately, books must be judged on their content—especially biblical reference books. And the content of this book is weak. In an attempt to appeal to the broadest audience possible, the editors chose to present most matters of biblical authorship and dating as open to question. “In the case of debated issues this biblical guide avoids presenting a single, biased, perspective. Rather it treats evenhandedly the entire spectrum of credible opinion on disputed matters—both the views of traditional, conservative Bible students and those of modern, critical scholarship.” The only dates and data that are represented concretely is the particular interpretation of archaeological data they present. The entire spectrum of credible opinion is not considered and particular interpretations of archaeological data are presented as indisputable facts. Meanwhile, everything from the route of the Exodus to single authorship of Isaiah to dating The Revelation is called into question. Many informational inclusions are incomplete and misleading at best. For example, the Gilgamesh Epic is presented as being very similar to the flood account in Genesis, when they are in fact completely dissimilar. Likewise, the book of Job is compared to Mesopotamian “Jobs” when in actuality, the stories are opposite in meaning. Those are but two of the many examples of inaccurate or misleading historical “facts” placed alongside the “debatable” historicity of Scripture. In its quest for unbiased evenhandedness, this book is helpful to few and, due to its biased inaccuracies, has the potential for harm.

Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. In no way did that influence my opinion of the book or my review.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 2, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1418541753

When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor... and Ourselves, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert

2010-03-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

As the pastor of a rural church in the heart of Appalachia, I am confronted with the harsh realities of material poverty on a daily basis. Generational poverty is not a pretty sight, but neither is the attempt of many to alleviate that poverty. Most people are emotionally moved by images of poverty. Then, after the initial emotional response, the question becomes how can the materially poor best be helped? Unfortunately, most attempts at helping are futile at best and can even be destructive. Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert do a very good job of addressing that question in their book, When Helping Hurts: Alleviating Poverty Without Hurting the Poor. . .and Ourselves.

This book is far from a typical, tired, social gospel guilt trip. The authors begin by building a theologically sound foundation by defining the true nature and mission of Jesus, His church and the Gospel. It is only out of that correct understanding of the Gospel that truly beneficial social ministry can occur. From there, they lay out their case that much of what is done in the name of Christian charity is not beneficial. They do not shy from their belief that, “when North American Christians do attempt to alleviate poverty, the methods used often do considerable harm to both the materially poor and the materially non-poor.” They further state that their concern, “is not just that these methods are wasting human, spiritual, financial, and organizational resources but that these methods are actually exacerbating the very problems they are trying to solve.”

The authors did not just take the opportunity of this book to rant against what they see as wrong. In addition to accurately depicting what is wrong, they do an outstanding job of pointing out a better way. Once the problem is clearly understood in the reality of the fall, material poverty can be addressed in the right way. “The goal is not to make the materially poor all over the world into middle-to-upper-class North Americans, a group characterized by high rates of divorce, sexual addiction, substance abuse, and mental illness…. Rather, the goal is to restore people to a full expression of humanness, to being what God created us all to be, people who glorify God by living in right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation.”

This book does not attempt to be a step-by-step guide for how to develop an effective ministry to the poor. It is not a “how-to” book, despite the fact that it gives good examples and suggestions. Instead, its strength is in the way it challenges paternalistic mindsets about the poor and realigns social ministry with the Gospel. The premise is sound and the theological foundation is solid. Because of that, any ministry that is developed from it will help without hurting.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Moody Publishers (July 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0802457053

We Have a WINNER!

2010-03-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to "Nauvoo Pastor" on winning the copy of Holy Subversion, by Trevin Wax! I hope you enjoy the book!

Please email me at pastor.jim@frontiernet.net with your contact information so I can get your book out to you as soon as possible.

A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears, by William J. Bennett

2010-03-02T16:05:00.000-05:00

In his latest book, A Century Turns: New Hopes, New Fears, Bill Bennett has written a historical account of the past two decades. This is the third two-decade historical account he has written, following America: The Last Best Hope (Volume I): From the Age of Discovery to a World at War and America: The Last Best Hope (Volume II): From a World at War to the Triumph of Freedom. The book’s historical timeline begins with the 1988 election of George H. W. Bush and culminates with the recent election of Barack Obama. Those readers in their late-thirties to early-forties will have their memories sparked as Bennett recalls the political events they were paying attention to. In many ways, reading this book is like scanning through 20 years worth of old newspapers. Readers will experience a wide range of emotions as they recall the events of which the author reminds them—evoking memories of rapidly fading names such as Rodney King, Scooter Libby, Ken Starr and Vince Foster. As usual, Bennett’s writing is clear and engaging, if not always concise.

By no means can this be considered a dispassionate historical account. The author is an inside-the-beltway Washington political insider. He has served in the Reagan and George H. W. Bush administrations, and is a well-known conservative radio talk-show host and CNN contributor. Although his biases are clear, Bennett’s writing is fair and beneficial. In the book, he avoids the shrill political rhetoric common on today’s airwaves. Despite the fact that the book is well-written, enjoyable, seemingly accurate and beneficial to the reader, it falls short in its quest to be a history book. All good historical writings benefit greatly from the perspective that can only come with time and emotional distance. This book has the benefit of neither. Without that perspective, the best that can be accomplished is a well-written biographical account of events. That is what Bennett has done a very good job supplying.

Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (January 12, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595551697

Thomas Nelson provided me with a complimentary copy of this book to review. In no way did that influence my opinion of the book or my review.

Review and Giveaway: Holy Subversion, by Trevin Wax

2010-02-25T07:00:00.027-05:00

One of the blogs that I regularly visit is Kingdom People, by Trevin Wax. I enjoy the site because Wax’s high view of Christ and His gospel permeate each post. Because of that, I have been eagerly anticipating the release of his new book, Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals. I was not disappointed.

In the book, Wax identifies seven “Caesars”—modern day idols before which people in our society regularly bow. As he identifies each idol, he calls Christians to follow the example of the early church in subverting the authority of Caesar by submitting to the lordship of Jesus. Although the author recognizes there are innumerable rivals to Christ’s lordship, he discusses seven of the most prominent in our culture—self, success, money, leisure, sex, power and tolerance.

The book is an easy read, not just because it is short, but because it is well-organized and succinctly written. Each chapter begins by introducing readers to one of the seven listed societal idols. But instead of devolving into a cultural diatribe, the reader is left with a number of practical applications designed to subvert each of the “Caesars” and keep Christ in His rightful place as Lord. The author uses “subversion” in the sense of de-idolizing God’s good gifts and putting them back in their proper place under the lordship of Jesus. Each chapter is both convicting and beneficial. Readers will find themselves challenged and encouraged. More than that, they will find that they are left with a profound sense of worship because of who Jesus is and who He created them to be.

I was blessed to have received extra copies of this book from Tony Kummer. Because of that, I am able to give a copy to one lucky (or providentially favored!) reader.

There are four ways to enter. Each one counts as a separate entry.
1. Subscribe to my main blog, The Banner
2. Subscribe to my book review blog, Ex Libris
3. If you have your own blog, write a post linking to this one
4. Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following (or something like it): Win a copy of Trevin Wax’s new book Holy Subversion at http://pastorslibrary.blogspot.com/

For your chance to win, all you have to do is leave a comment below telling me which ones you did. I moderate comments, so it might take a little while for it to post--but it will!

The fair, completely impartial, unbiased drawing will be held at 5PM EST, Friday, March 5th--my son is getting the hat ready now. I'm sorry that I have to limit this offer to readers with a US mailing address. Enjoy!

Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Woud?, by Pete Wilson

2010-02-16T16:59:00.000-05:00

What do you do when things don’t go quite the way that you originally planned? Sickness, death, divorce and unemployment are not part of anyone’s Plan A. Nevertheless, those things happen. Plan B is a reality in most people’s lives. The question is—what do you do when it happens? In his book, Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn’t Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?, Pete Wilson deals with that question. With a pastor’s heart, Wilson weaves biblical, personal and pastoral stories together to illustrate the fact that life rarely goes according to our plans. Then he shepherds the reader through the process of living in that reality by God’s grace and for His glory.

Wilson’s humility in this book is refreshing. This is not the type of book where the author purports to have all the answers. It is not a wretched “how-to” book that attempts to tie a neat little bow around life’s most perplexing questions. Instead, he freely admits that he does not have it all figured out. But instead of leading his readers to throw up their hands in despair, he leads them to worship and praise the God who can’t quite be completely figured out. The sometimes tragic personal stories are effective illustrations, but neither tragedy nor personalities are the star of this book—God is, culminating in the cross of Christ.

With all of the aberrant “Best Life Now” theology on the market today, it was refreshing to read a book that admitted to the reality of our Plan B existence. Sometimes people cause their own Plan B by their own poor choices, but many times they do not. Wilson reminds his readers that personal circumstances should not dictate our response to God. Rather, our relationship with God will shape the way we view our circumstances.

This book is beneficial to anyone who has had, or will have, a Plan B situation in their life. That probably means it will be beneficial to everyone.

Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0849946506

Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University

2010-02-11T10:54:00.000-05:00

What would it be like for a Northeastern liberal to infiltrate America’s largest Christian university? That is exactly what happened when Kevin Roose enrolled at Liberty University in 2007 as a second semester freshman. He writes about his experience in The Unlikely Disciple: A Sinner's Semester at America's Holiest University. It is no exaggeration to label Roose as a Northeastern liberal, for that is how he would identify himself. During his freshman year at Brown University, rather than engage foreign cultures by studying abroad like most of his peers, Roose decided to engage a completely foreign culture closer to home. Early in the book, he cites the study indicating that 51% of Americans do not even casually know an evangelical Christian. He was one of the 51%. All he knew of evangelicals was the caricature portrayed by televangelists and politics—and what he saw was an ugly picture. His family’s concern could not have been deeper if he were going to investigate prison life from the inside. When the author first stepped foot on campus, his preconceptions were not exactly unbiased. By his own testimony, the book he wrote is not the book he initially intended to write. The book he wrote is a wonderful snapshot of a small corner of Liberty University and an even smaller corner of evangelical Christianity.

Several observations can be made from the book.

Liberty University was not filled with the kinds of raging fundamentalists Roose and his family expected. By and large, the people he met were normal college students—without the sex, booze and drugs. While overwhelmingly conservative, Roose was shocked to find diversity of thought on campus. There were people who did not agree with the Liberty Way (the code of conduct for students) and people who varied on political views. He even found a Democrat or two on campus. Mainly what he noticed was that the majority of students were not overly political and were extremely likable. They were not the aberrant version of Christianity he originally pictured.

The things that drew the author closest to a relationship with Christ were not the programs, the classes or the magnanimous campus. It was not Christian hip-hop, Christian t-shirts or fish stickers. What affected Roose the most and seemingly drew him closer to salvation was his relationship with the individual people. It was within those relationships that barriers were breached and the Gospel was not just told, it was personally displayed. While apologetics-focused classes did little to challenge his materialist worldview, it was the simple times of tragedy, triumph and prayer with Christian friends that began to open his heart and mind.

The saddest parts of the book were the author’s revelations about the things that prevented from entering a relationship with Christ. Of course, a happy ending would have been if Roose had completely bridged what he called “The God Divide” and had bowed before Jesus as his Lord and Savior. That didn’t happen. Instead, what happened was an implicit personal battle between the author’s worldview and the Christianity he saw lived out before him on a daily basis. He had spent his entire life believing that the Bible was a collection of myth-stories—these people believed it was true. Everything he had been taught indoctrinated him to have an evolution-based materialistic understanding of the universe—these people actually believed in creation. He had been steeped in libertine views of sexuality and morality—these people were chivalrous, chaste (as a whole) and moral. In the end, Roose’s worldview was too much to overcome in just one semester and his personal God Divide still exixts.

If for nothing else, I recommend this book for the eye-opening revelation of how evangelical Christians are viewed by the majority of Americans. Despite the loud outcry from the ever-shrinking Religious Right, President Obama was correct when he declared that America is not a Christian nation. How can it be when our Christian witness is so ineffective that less than half of the people in our nation even have a casual relationship with an evangelical? I also recommend it for the impact it should have on evangelism. Roose relates his participation in a “mission trip” to Daytona Beach during his time at Liberty. While there might be a place for “cold call” Gospel presentations, we need to understand that is not evangelism. True evangelism happens when Christians actively pursue Gospel relationships with lost people and live Christ before them.

Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (March 26, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 044617842X

The God I Don't Understand, by Christopher J. H. Wright

2009-10-08T07:00:00.003-04:00

My usual practice is to review a book immediately after I finish reading it in order that my impressions will be fresh. I have not been able to do that with The God I Don't Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith, by Christopher J. H. Wright. In reflecting on why this has been the case, the only word I can come up with is “ambiguity”.

The book came highly recommended and I eagerly anticipated reading it. The title implied that the book would be apologetic in nature, helping seekers find biblical answers to difficult questions about God. It was not. As a matter of fact, had I been an anxious seeker, I would have closed the book with more questions than when I opened it. This seems to be the aim of the author, as his intended audience appears to be postmoderns. However, in his quest to appeal to postmoderns, he has only succeeded in answering questions with questions.

The book is divided into four sections designed to address four difficulties about God. The author describes those difficulties as things that he doesn’t understand about God. Each question is valid and is worthy of investigation. Many times, Wright’s answers fall short.

In the first section, Wright takes on no small task by attempting to deal with the question of evil and suffering. While I agree that there are no simple answers to the presence of evil and suffering in the world, we can and should cling to the answers the Bible gives us. Wright fails to do that as he denies much of the pervasiveness of the curse in Genesis 3. Instead, he slips into Sartre-like existentialism and says that evil cannot be understood because evil is absurd. As a result, the only thing he is left with is to use the book of Lamentations as a proof-text to declare that the only thing we can do in the face of inexplicable evil is to cry out to God in lament. Even thought he is credited with being a brilliant Old Testament scholar, Wright needs to read the book of Lamentations again. Especially the crux passage in Lamentations 3:21-25. Even as Jeremiah mourned and cried out in lament over the destruction of Israel, he clung to the faithfulness and ordered purposes of God. He did not see evil as absurd. He saw it as the Bible portrays it—as working together to accomplish the purposes of God.

The second section deals with a very specific biblical question—What about the Canaanites? Wright seems very concerned about exonerating God from the charge of genocide. He presents several insufficient arguments and then counters them with his take that points directly to his eschatological framework.

The third section is by far the most profitable. In it, Wright gives a thorough and complete picture of the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. He accurately and helpfully explains the cross in terms of substitution and propitiation and leaves the reader with a wonderfully high view of Christ and His willing sacrifice. The book would have been excellent had this section been expanded and the others dropped.

The final section of the book seems to unveil the author’s hidden agenda of promoting his eschatological views. Throughout the book, he alludes to his amillennialism. As a matter of fact, amillennial eschatological inferences are some of the only examples of thematic unity between the sections. Even as a progressive dispensationalist, many of my favorite authors are amillennialists. Although I disagree with their eschatology, I appreciate their writings. I, however, cannot appreciate deliberate mischaracterizations and fallacious arguments against disparate views. Those are the tactics used by Wright in this book.

The oddest thing about this book is that in the first two chapters, the author approaches his topics humbly—almost to the point of timidity. Although the Bible is explicitly clear on each of those topics, he chooses to present weak arguments and almost apologize for the way God is. In the third section, he breaks away from that and presents a wonderful balance of authorial boldness and Scriptural authority. But then in the fourth section, he tips the balance in completely the opposite direction. He comes across as very bold in his eschatological assertions—assertions that are debatable and scripturally unclear at best.

Despite the popular understanding of postmodern culture, questions can never be answered with more questions. The Bible explicitly confirms the idea of truth—or as Francis Schaeffer would say, “True truth”. Whether in books or in conversation or from the pulpit, Christians cannot expect to present or defend a clear Gospel without using categories of absolute truth. Any attempt to do so, as this book has done, is futile and a waste of time. For those who are truly seeking answers to questions about a God they don’t understand, there are far better books—starting with the Bible and followed by anything by Francis Schaeffer.

Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Zondervan (January 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310275466

The Baptism and Gifts of the Spirit, by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

2009-10-01T07:00:00.003-04:00

How can a person disagree with an author’s eschatology, ecclesiology, some finer points of his soteriology and his pneumatology, and still enjoy reading his books? That is a question I often ask myself concerning Martyn Lloyd-Jones, but the fact remains that he is one of my favorite authors. His expositions of Scripture are timeless, Spirit-filled, personally beneficial, and without peer. I consider his two-volume exposition of the Sermon on the Mount to be the best I have ever read (and re-read). His eight-volume exposition of Ephesians proved invaluable to me as I preached through the book a few years ago. That is the background and deep-seated respect I brought with me as I read his book, The Baptism and Gifts of the Spirit.

As with all of his books, this one is derived from a series of sermons “The Doctor” preached. As the title declares, these messages dealt with the specific theological subject of the baptism and gifts of the Holy Spirit. I was surprised by both his presuppositions and his conclusions. Lloyd-Jones fails to consider the genre of the book of Acts and assumes the book to be prescriptive in nature. In other words, he sees that everything that happened in Acts should be the way that they should happen today. There is great danger in taking this approach to historical narrative and the danger is clearly on display in the book. When one fails to recognize historical narrative as descriptive in nature, it is taken as normative. And when those described behaviors are seen as normative, interpretation of the epistles must be stretched to match. Those hermeneutical gymnastics are evident in each of the 24 chapters of the book. Lloyd-Jones sees the baptism of the Holy Spirit as an event subsequent to regeneration. He also declares that one can be saved without ever experiencing the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, of course, he is not a cessationist. Like many people, he believes that all of the gifts of the Spirit are equally as valid today as they were in the apostolic age. In the interest of full disclosure, I humbly affirm cessationism with certain caveats. Personally, I can see valid arguments against cessationism, but have heard no credible, biblical argument for a “second blessing” event that is distinct from continually being filled with the Holy Spirit as a part of sanctification.

After having briefly laid out my theological disagreements, the question is, Why did I enjoy the book so much? Because I was able to see the reason why The Doctor changed his theology to this position. Lloyd-Jones was a very small boy in Wales when the miraculous fires of revival swept through his country. After living in London for a time, he was called to return to native Wales to preach. From the time that he returned in 1927, he had a deep longing to see God’s revival again. Even after he moved back to London a decade later, he still had the burning desire in his heart for revival. It was during this time that Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement was growing by leaps and bounds. It was his desire to embrace what he saw as the best parts of their movement while at the same time anchoring them to the Scripture he loved so dearly. The Doctor’s desire for revival and his love for Scripture is why I love reading his books. And seeing how his desire sometimes negatively influenced his hermeneutics serves as a warning for me not to do the same.

I recommend this book only to those who have a well developed understanding of the totality of Scripture. After allowing Scripture to give you a biblical understanding of the Holy Spirit, allow this book to challenge your thinking. Answer The Doctor's presuppositions with Scripture and you will be well served. At the same time, allow his passion for revival to give you a passion for the same.

Hardcover
Publisher: Baker Pub Group (June 1996)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0801011175

Reaching People under 40 while Keeping People over 60: Being Church for All Generations, by Edward Hammett and James Pierce

2009-09-24T07:00:00.003-04:00

The words of the teacher in Ecclesiastes 12:12 have never been truer. It seems that every week there is an endless supply of new books on the market. With that being the case, one has to have a method for determining which ones to read. In my experience, going with trusted authors is almost always safe. Another method is to read the book’s endorsements and trust the plugs of known and respected people. Probably one of the least effective methods is to select a book based on its title. That was how I selected Reaching People Under 40 While Keeping People Over 60: Being Church for All Generations, by Edward Hammett and James Pierce. To say that the title was the best part of the book would be a slight exaggeration, but only slight.

The title is excellent, specifically the subtitle. It should be the desire of all church leaders and members to be the church for all generations. All too often, marketing based approaches to church growth specifically target younger demographic groups at the expense (literally and figuratively) of older age groups. That is not the New Testament or the historical church model. Specific demographic groups were never singled out and targeted in the New Testament. That is why the title appealed to me. Unfortunately, behind the title was a book whose premise and conclusions were just the opposite. The book’s premise was that people over 60 are stuck in the past and need to get with the times in order to reach the (implied: really important) people of the younger generation. The established and faithful members of churches must change their methodology—in some cases radically—to be attractive to 20-somethings. As with any marketing based approach to church growth, the onus is always on the older generation to “quit being old fuddy-duddies and get with it”.

I would agree with the authors in one sense. It is the responsibility of the older generation to reach out to and develop the younger generation. This should include outreach, evangelism, discipleship, mentoring and personal care. That is clearly the model that is outlined in the New Testament. That does not include an obligation for the older generation to abandon all traditional methodologies for the sake of being hip. As far as questions of style, of course we are all wise to be flexible. As far as questions of biblical substance—never. A marketing based approach to church growth may grow a crowd—but rarely will it grow a church.

The book’s title is appealing. It is attractive. It concisely states a condition that everyone in the book’s targeted audience wants. The outward marketing of the book sells it. The problem is that there is little substance inside the cover. The observations are good and relevant. The statistics and illustrations are appealing. But the premise is flawed and the conclusions are vacuous. In a very real sense, that makes the book a perfect analogy of the market based approach to church growth. When a church is grown using a market based approach, the advertisement it presents to the world is often more substantive than the product contained within.

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Chalice Press (November 1, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0827232543

The Gay Agenda: It's Dividing the Family, the Church, and a Nation, by Ronnie W. Floyd

2009-09-17T07:00:00.003-04:00

The danger in writing books that deal with current events and issues is that they can quickly become dated. Events and issues that were current when it was written are no longer up-to-date. Who would have thought that a book dealing with the homosexual movement in America would have become dated in only five years? Don’t confuse my words—the book is not outdated. It is simply dated. That only goes to show how rapidly the agenda is “progressing”.

Overall, The Gay Agenda: It's Dividing the Family, the Church, and a Nation, by Dr. Ronnie Floyd, was marginally beneficial. Marginally, because despite the potential of the subject, it was disappointing on several fronts.

First, the title, cover, flyleaf and introduction indicate that the book’s purpose is to analyze the well-orchestrated agenda of the homosexual movement in America. That is not what the book is about. As nearly as I could tell, the true purpose of the book is to spur the evangelical church toward developing an agenda to deal with homosexuality in America. Dr. Floyd emphasizes that by often repeating the notion of dealing with the Gay Agenda, “by holding the Word of God in one hand and the love of God in the other.” He also draws frequent attention to the practices he has implemented in the churches he pastors in Arkansas. That highlights another disappointment. Most of the time, the reader is left to wonder what the true agenda of the book really is. The thesis is unclear in a way that makes one wonder if the author changed it while he was writing. At times, it seems as if he wanted to analyze the Gay Agenda. But that task was left undone as he seemed to move his focus to an agenda he hopes churches should adopt. In the end, neither thesis is defended and many questions are left unanswered.

Despite the fact that it was marginally accomplished, the book was nonetheless beneficial. Dr. Floyd’s emphasis on ministering to those who are caught in the homosexual lifestyle instead of shunning them is important. Furthermore, his insistence on never condoning or endorsing sin while still bringing the gospel to sinners is worth emulating and putting into practice. His references to the primacy of humility and prayer are spot on, though they seem to be at odds with his focus on politics in most of the book. Those benefits aside, the primary benefit of the book could not have been intended by the author. In just five short years, things that shocked and outraged many evangelicals including Dr. Floyd, have become commonplace. The rapidity in which the public has accepted what was only recently thought of as the radical homosexual agenda is shocking. And it shows the utter futility of political action to stop or even curb it. Most of the ensuing years since the book was written have seen politicians in power who were brought into office primarily because of evangelical support, yet the Gay Agenda has been advanced at an alarming rate.

The unintended benefit of this book is by far its greatest benefit. It shows that the only answer to reversing the downward spiral of sin described in Romans 1 is with a mighty, merciful movement of God. The best line in the entire book can be found on page 151: “Oh God, revive Your church!” That is the only real answer to the Gay Agenda--not church programs or politicians.

Hardcover: 160 pages
Publisher: New Leaf Press (June 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0892215828

Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town, by Nick Reding

2009-09-10T07:00:00.002-04:00

As I travel the roads and talk with the people where I live and minister, I see the devastation drugs have brought to this rural area. Drugs are not exclusively or even primarily a problem in the big city or South Beach or Hollywood. Drugs are everywhere and their destructiveness seems even more evident in rural areas. People who are addicted to drugs listen to Bluegrass and Country as well as Rap and Hip-hop. In the book, Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town, Nick Reding tells the story of one such small town.

The town is Oelwein, Iowa, a small farming community that has borne the full brunt of the meth epidemic in America. Reding has been questioned in the media on the accuracy of some of the details in his book. Some details concerning particular buildings and locations are not completely accurate. But in his defense, his goal was not to create an atlas. His goal was to expose the ravages and the sociological intricacies of meth. While it may fall short of some reviewers’ technical expectations, it fully accomplishes the writer’s goal. And in accomplishing his goal, it serves to open the reader’s eyes as to the nature and extent of the problem.

From his connections with people as varied as lawyers, doctors and DEA agents, to prisoners, addicts and recovering addicts, Reding details the connection between immigration policy, small-town economics, the meth problem on a personal and societal level, and what he terms “Big Agriculture.” The journey is both fascinating and terribly disturbing. Some scenes in the book are graphic (though not gratuitously so) and the language is occasionally vile—exactly what one would expect in a book about one of the most horribly destructive scourges in our nation today.

The book draws few conclusions and does not postulate solutions. Like turning over a large rock, it effectively exposes the vermin and worms for the world to see. I recommend the book only with reservations. If you read it, read with a broken heart and in prayer for those in your community who are possessed (I use the word deliberately) by this horrifying drug. Read it to have your eyes opened, but also to have your heart opened. Pray for our nation, thank God for His blessings and realize the only true and lasting solution is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Laws, government programs and social programs can and will temporarily alleviate some of the suffering, only to have it mutate and come back stronger and more destructively—but Christ is the only One who will permanently save.

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA (June 9, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1596916508

Israel and the Church, by Ronald E. Diprose

2009-09-03T07:00:00.003-04:00

Over the past several years, there has been a significant resurgence of Reformed theology. With that resurgence has come a shift in thinking about the nature of Israel today and her relationship with the church. Whereas dispensationalism was the prevalent eschatological system of the 20th century, Replacement Theology seems to be growing in popularity once again. In his book, Israel and the Church, Dr. Ronald E. Diprose examines the origin and effects of Replacement Theology.

Originally a doctoral thesis, the book is scholarly and includes a wealth of endnotes and an extraordinary bibliography. Those will be particularly helpful to any whose interest in the subject is piqued by the author’s treatment of the subject. In the book, Diprose accomplishes exactly what he advertises. However, one wonders if what he advertises is enough to satisfy a quest for a theological understanding of the subject.

After reading the book, one is left with a very good understanding of how Replacement Theology originated and flourished. The impact that doctrine has had on the ecclesiology and eschatology of the church over the years is clearly seen. What is lost is what was not included as an objective of the book in the first place—a thorough theological analysis of Replacement Theology and its biblical alternatives. Because of that, this book is a helpful read and a valuable part of any wider study on the subject. It, however, will not serve as an introduction or a sole source for the casual reader.

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Paternoster (November 1, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1884543979

The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism

2009-08-27T07:00:00.003-04:00

G. K. Beale is a wonderful, conservative, evangelical scholar. With D. A. Carson, he co-authored one of the most uniquely beneficial commentaries of the past several years.

In his book, The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to Biblical Authority, Dr. Beale issues a series of essays designed to refute contemporary attacks on biblical inerrancy. As expected with a series of essays, the book lacks coherence and flow. I would have had a greater appreciation for the book had the author limited it to the contents of the first four chapters. In those, he addressed the writings of Dr. Peter Enns, formerly of Westminster Theological Seminary. In 2008, WTS suspended Enns for the controversial view of biblical inerrancy he espoused in his book, Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament. Dr. Beale does a masterful job of refuting Enns’ views thoroughly, yet irenically. He includes several extended quotes from Enns to provide context, removing the need for readers to be previously familiar with his works. These first four chapters of the book make an excellent case for biblical inerrancy. They are worth the purchase price alone.

Chapter five is completely disjointed from the previous four chapters, although it does answer the main question posed in the introduction. In it, Beale makes a brief but effective case for the single authorship of Isaiah. If this is a new issue for you, this chapter will be beneficial as an introduction. If, however you have studied Isaiah previously, it might seem redundant. If you are seriously weighing the issue, I recommend E. J. Young’s commentary.

The final chapters are devoted to Dr. Beale’s unique and somewhat odd assertion that Old Testament cosmology is a picture of God in His heavenly temple. According to his interpretation, the tabernacle and temples have been pictures of God’s cosmos. Because of that, all descriptions of God's cosmos are to be taken symbolically. Without assessing the validity of Dr. Beale’s interpretation, it seems to have been developed as a way to justify a non-literal reading of Genesis 1-3. If that is the case, he completely undermines his excellent arguments from the book’s first four chapters. The final two chapters left me with an ambiguous impression of the entire book. That was unfortunate considering the profitability of the first four chapters.

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (November 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433502038

Amusing Ourselves to Death, by Neil Postman

2009-08-20T07:00:00.002-04:00

Reading about a book is a far cry from actually reading it. For years, I had read about Plato before I actually read it. I thought I knew all about “the cave” until I actually read The Republic. Needless to say, the book proved far more valuable than simply being familiar with the allegory.

The same has proven true of Neil Postman’s, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. For the better part of 20 years, I have heard snippets and quotes from Postman’s work, usually in the context of church methodology. The latest was from Alistair Begg during this year’s Basics Conference. My curiosity was sufficiently piqued. I bought the 20th anniversary edition of the book and was not disappointed.

In short, the book is a polemic detailing the societal destruction caused by television. Rather than immediately diving into a frontal attack on television, Postman begins with a careful examination of the epistemology of media. He effectively compares book-based ways of knowing with those obtained via television. He argues that, “definitions of truth are derived, at least in part, from the character of the media of communication through which information is conveyed.” His argument is well-reasoned, articulate and effective as he deals with television’s impact on politics, religion and education.

One of the fascinating things about the book is how relevant it still is. Even though his cultural references are dated, the philosophical underpinnings from which Postman writes have given the book current relevance in our world of blogs, Facebook and Twitter. In 1985 when the book was written, it may have seemed alarmist or paranoid. Today, it seems almost prophetic.

The quotes about the book have always been beneficial. The book itself is even more so.

Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics); 20 Anv edition (December 27, 2005)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 014303653X

Does Grace Grow Best in Winter? By Ligon Duncan

2009-08-13T07:00:00.002-04:00

During my first year of pastoral ministry, I was asked to preach at least a dozen funerals—most of which came during the first six months. As a matter of fact, the first funeral I ever preached was the week before my first sermon as the church’s pastor. In those times, I certainly could have used Does Grace Grow Best in Winter?, by Ligon Duncan.

In it, he provides a very concise theology of suffering. As a pastor, I immediately recognized the book’s value as a resource to give to those who are presently suffering. Above that, its highest worth is to those who will endure suffering—which will be all of us. After all, the time to ensure the soundness of a boat is before the storm hits.

The book is not designed to be an in-depth treatment of the subject. Neither is it an arm’s-length, dispassionate analysis. Rather, it is a brief, easy to read, pastoral guide to point the sufferer to Christ. Duncan does that by directing the reader to the sovereignty of God and to the sufferings of Jesus. His chapter on profiting from suffering is especially valuable. For one who is presently suffering, this book is first aid. For one who has yet to suffer, it is a valuable part of learning to suffer well.

Paperback: 87 pages
Publisher: P & R Publishing (June 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1596381558

What Is a Healthy Church Member? By Thabiti Anyabwile

2009-08-06T07:00:00.003-04:00

As is the case with many traditional, rural churches, the church I pastor has a library that has been neglected for many years. It was probably assembled by non-readers with materials which were either handed down or donated. As part of my plan to eventually rectify that situation, over the past several months, I have been compiling a list of books which will be beneficial to our congregation. Of course that means that the books would have to be not only sound, but inviting and readable as well.

What Is a Healthy Church Member?, by Thabiti Anyabwile, has moved to the top of my wish list. The book’s brevity does not equate to triviality. Rather, it moves quickly through very theologically rich and doctrinally sound issues of ecclesiology without getting bogged down in minutiae. This is a fantastic laymen’s introduction to the church. It touches on ten crucial issues related to the vitality of every Christian’s relationship to Christ within the context of His body, the church. Anyabwile adroitly deals with potentially knotty issues such as discipline and “easy-believism” without appearing pedantic. Each characteristic is given in such a way that readers will immediately see its relevance and necessity.

As a pastor, the danger in reading a book like this is to see it as something “they” really need. As I read, I often found myself drifting into that mindset, but the author refused to let me. All throughout the book are reminders that church is “we” and “us”—not “me” and “them”. The focus is always on the local church as a whole—as the Body of Christ. I look forward to making this book available to our congregation.

Hardcover: 128 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (June 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433502127

Charles Darwin's Religious Views: From Creationist to Evolutionist

2009-07-30T07:00:00.002-04:00

In 1915, a British evangelist known as Lady Hope made an astounding claim before a Bible conference morning prayer meeting. She claimed to have met with Charles Darwin while he was on his death bed in 1882. As she spoke to the prayer meeting, Lady Hope revealed that as she met with Darwin, he recanted his theory of evolution and professed faith in Christ. Her recollection of that event was incredibly vivid for something that had happened 34 years prior. But despite that curiosity, her story spread like wildfire. It was published in newspapers within a few days and was later put into tract form, facilitating its popular acceptance as fact.

For generations, the reality of the claims of Lady Hope has been debated. Did Darwin undergo a deathbed conversion? That question has led to many others. Was Darwin always an atheist? Did he grow up as a churchman, as has been claimed? What, if anything, transformed him from a creationist to the poster child for evolution? In his book, Charles Darwin's Religious Views: from Creationist to Evolutionist, David Herbert answers those questions.

Herbert does a good job throughout this book of cutting through the mythical mist that has settled in around the life of Darwin. Although the book is written for a popular audience, investigative readers will benefit from being able to mine his copious footnotes. The author’s references will keep even the most scholarly investigator occupied indefinitely. He provides a brief, tantalizing overview of the “evolution” of Darwin’s beliefs. By no means can the book be described as an in-depth study, but it is a quick survey. In and of itself, it is valuable and well worth the read for the excellent overview it contains. More than that, it is helpful for the further study it sparks.

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Sola Scriptura Ministries International (February 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1894400305

Tortured for Christ, by Richard Wurmbrand

2009-07-23T07:00:00.001-04:00

Of all the devotional material I have read and sampled, by far, the most personally impactful have been the resources generated by Voice of the Martyrs. In the 21st century American church, it is easy to assume complacency, prosperity and personal comfort is the norm. It is not. The historical norm for Christians is persecution. That’s why the majority of our New Testament was written to exhort and encourage believers to persevere in the faith. Tortured for Christ, by Richard Wurmbrand does the same.

Wurmbrand was the founder of Voice of the Martyrs. As a young secular Romanian Jew, Christ saved him out of his atheism. He suffered his first persecution as a pastor during World War II when he was arrested and beaten by the Nazis. He remembers that time as only a precursor of what was to come:

The Nazi terror was great, but only a taste of what was to come under the Communists…. But these Nazi times had one great advantage. They taught us that physical beatings could be endured, and that the human spirit with God’s help can survive horrible tortures. They taught us the technique of secret Christian work, which was a preparation for a far worse ordeal to come—an ordeal that was just before us.

That ordeal was the Soviet Communism which Romania suffered under from 1945 until 1989.

As time passes since the breakup of the Soviet Union, memories tend to fade about exactly how cruel that form of government was (and is)—especially to Christians. It is estimated that Hitler’s holocaust killed 6 million Jews. Stalin’s Communists killed well over 20 million people—some estimates are between 50 and 100 million. Christians were his favorite target.

Tortured for Christ is a combination of Richard Wurmbrand’s memories of his own persecution and his impassioned report on the underground church. He wrote the first edition in three days, shortly after his release from prison was purchased. Despite the fact that the Soviet Union no longer exists, persecution still does. The same kind of torture exists today in places like China, the Middle East and many other countries around the world.

This book is both encouraging and convicting. It is encouraging in the fact that, the harder people try to extinguish the light of the Gospel, the brighter it shines through the bold testimony of Christian martyrs and the underground church. At the same time, it is convicting because of the utter lack of boldness in the American church. There is no place on the face of the earth where people are more free to testify as to the miraculous saving power of Christ. But at the same time, there seem to be few places where people are more timid, introspective and weak in their faith. May the Lord continue to use this book and the testimony of fearless saints to awaken us from our complacent slumber.

This book is available free at the VOTM website.

Paperback, 170 pages
Publisher: Living Sacrifice Book Company (1997)
ISBN: 978-0-88264-326-7

The Red Feather, by Tom Elliff

2009-07-16T07:00:00.001-04:00

The Red Feather, by Tom Elliff, is a story about Christmases, but not necessarily a Christmas story. It is a story about forgiveness, but not necessarily an exposition on all the ins-and-outs of forgiveness. It is a story about family, but not necessarily a treatise on family life. The bottom line is that it’s a story. It is a story of one man, his siblings, their mother and their father.

In the brief span of just over 100 pages, the author recounts the tragic memories of his father’s choice to walk away from his marriage of forty-three years. Like Tom, his father was a pastor. Tom had followed in the footsteps of the man who was his confidant, his best friend and his mentor, and now he felt betrayed.

Though not in detail, Elliff briefly and poignantly takes his readers through the ensuing years of his mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s disease and his journey of forgiveness and restoration with his father. Having been through similar circumstances, I know how difficult this journey can be. While confidence in eternal and personal forgiveness is assured by the truth of Scripture, Elliff’s story gives hope that complete temporal restoration is eventually possible.

Paperback, 107 pages
Publisher: living in the word (2008)
ISBN-10: 0975578839
ISBN-13: 978-0975578834

The Revival of 1857-58: Interpreting an American Religious Awakening

2009-07-09T07:00:00.001-04:00

I am fascinated with the study of Christian revivals and awakenings and have read several books on the subject. When studying revivals, one quickly realizes that the filter of authorial interpretation is oftentimes very pronounced. Historians report from their own theological bent, often seeing the same events very differently. Skeptics are apt to focus on areas where political or social change was lacking while enthusiasts emphasize personal transformation and spectacular occurrences. The fact that the perspectives are varied does not necessarily invalidate the veracity of the individual claims. It is good to rejoice in the ecstasies of personal testimonial accounts. It is also good to see shortcomings in committed follow through. In short, it is good to maintain a sense of perspective when reading different accounts of the same event.

Therein lies the benefit in reading The Revival of 1857-58 : Interpreting an American Religious Awakening, by Kathryn Teresa Long. Despite the word “interpreting” in the subtitle, Long maintains a scholarly distance throughout the book. Apparently evangelical (she teaches at Wheaton), the author avoids the pitfalls of latching on to locally embellished accounts and sticks to well-researched, balanced facts. At the same time, she also avoids the cynical approach of the skeptic. Long’s approach is reasonable and balanced. After providing an overview of the 1857-1858 revival, commonly known as the Businessman's Revival, she dispassionately observes media involvement, sociological influences, gender roles and tensions, and the lasting societal impact.

There is no mistaking the fact that, at times, God intervenes in human history by providing unique periods of awakening, renewal, reformation and revival. A Biblical example is given concerning the city of Nineveh in the book of Jonah. Although debated, historical examples abound, including the First and Second Great Awakening and the revival that is the subject of this book. While not having the perspective of distance in time, the recent events in Jena, LA, seem to be a modern example of localized revival. For those of us who long to see sweeping revival again, this book is a valuable part of balanced study on the subject. Reading it alone would be profitable, but reading it in combination with books such as The Second Evangelical Awakening, by J. Edwin Orr (out of print), and FireFall, by Malcom McDow and Alvin Reid, will prove to be of the most value.

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (July 2, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0195112938
ISBN-13: 978-0195112931

The Great Influenza, by John M. Barry

2009-07-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

One time for a college class, I was required to write a ten page research paper. I was to write on a subject that fascinated me. I was completely absorbed by my research, to the point that I read dozens of books on the subject and consulted countless peer-reviewed scholarly papers and articles. If there is such a thing, I became an amateur expert. While my extensive study was personally beneficial, it had a significant downside. I was not able to transfer that vast research into a palatable paper. Although the outside parameter of the assignment was ten pages, I finally turned in a 48-page monstrosity. Looking back on it, I pity my professor. He was gracious in his grade, but scathing in his commentary.

That is the distinct impression I received when reading The Great Influenza: The story of the deadliest pandemic in history, by John Barry. In it, Barry chronicles the so-called Spanish Flu pandemic which killed as many as 100 million people around the world in 1918. Barry’s comprehensive research is evident—so evident, in fact, his description of the horrific pandemic ballooned into a 546-page monstrosity. He admits as much in the book’s acknowledgements section. Almost apologetically, he wrote, “This book was initially supposed to be a straightforward story of the deadliest epidemic in human history, told from the perspectives of both scientists who tried to fight it and political leaders who tried to respond to it. I thought it would take me two and a half years to write, three at the most. That plan didn’t work. Instead this book took seven years to write. It has evolved (and I hope, grown) into something rather different than originally conceived.” I would have rather seen the book written as originally intended. Had he stuck to the original plan, it would have been more engaging and beneficial. Had Barry presented his immense research in a more concise and focused book (“a straightforward story”), one would not have the feeling of wading through quicksand.

Despite that criticism, like my college professor, I still give the book a decent grade and recommend it. Although they sometimes get lost in the endless (and sometimes pointless) stories of individuals within the medical community who studied the disease, the author provides some wonderfully insightful and enlightening nuggets about influenza and its devastating potential. The meticulously researched quality of those nuggets makes the read well worth it—especially these days, with the H1N1 influenza pandemic lurking in the background. One of the nuggets unearthed in this book is that the 1918 pandemic was also H1N1. The pattern it followed was also eerily similar to the pattern today’s virus is following.

Criticisms aside, the book provides a wealth of information concerning the whos, whats, hows and whys of influenza, pneumonia and other related diseases. Technical information is translated in language laymen can easily understand. While stirring concern, it is not apocalyptic in nature. One is not left with a feeling of hopelessness or panic, just concern, wonder and a deep, humbling recognition of the sovereignty of God and the mysteriousness of His ways.

Preaching for God's Glory, by Alistair Begg

2009-04-16T07:15:00.003-04:00

At a whopping 48 half-size pages, Preaching For God's Glory (Today's Issues) can hardly be considered a book. But despite its diminutive size, it is grand in its content.

I have spent more money on this small book than I have on some theological sets that rest on my shelf. Not that the booklet costs very much, but because I have to continually replace it. I no sooner get a new copy than I find an opportunity to give it away to another preacher.

There are many preaching books that are more technically astute than this one. There are many that are more homiletically or hermeneutically instructive. But none will give the preacher a better reminder, quicker, than this one. The best way I can describe this little book is that it is like hard candy to a diabetic. It won't give you everything you need, but it will do the trick to prevent a catastrophic crash.

I like to keep a copy in my office to periodically review. It reminds me of the necessity of expository preaching—even when it’s difficult. It reminds me of the benefits of expository preaching—even when I don’t see them. It reminds me of the steps to take to be an effective expository preacher—even when I don’t want to take them. And finally, it reminds me that God is in control of it all—even when, right at the moment, I don’t believe it.

I might as well go ahead and order another copy—I just thought of another preacher friend I’ll give this one to.

Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (October 25, 1999)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1581341237

Abortion Rites, by Marvin Olasky

2009-04-09T07:08:00.003-04:00

While not a history scholar, I would consider myself an amateur student of history. As I read and study history, I purposely aim for breadth. Focusing on one specific area of historical reading gives good depth, but often that depth is obtained with blinders to other formative areas that impacted that particular area of study. It is for that reason that I read a variety of histories—theological, religious, national, regional, political, ecclesiastical, military, and topical. Because of that broad base I may not have depth of knowledge in a particular area, but I tend to be pretty well versed in the big-picture.

With that understanding as background, I was surprised to realize how little I knew about the history of abortion in America. To be perfectly frank, the entry point of my mental reference for abortion has always been Roe v. Wade. My typical thinking has been that Roe v. Wade came as a direct result of the feminist movement and so-called sexual revolution of the 1960s. In a way it did, but as Marvin Olasky points out in his book, Abortion Rites: A Social History of Abortion in America, the history tells a much deeper story.

The history which Olasky terms “an early American quilt of death,” begins in colonial America in 1629. Of course, records are scarce and the connection between them can easily be misinterpreted, but Olasky links together early court testimonies that weave a sordid tale of infanticide and pregnancy concealment. The crimes appeared to be rare, but were common enough that laws were enacted to legislate against them and prescribe punishments for them. It is interesting that the men involved were often held more culpable than the women.

While tracing the history of abortion in America is the backdrop, the author has a purpose in mind. His desire is to show the relationship between legislation and abortion. The goal of the book is to show that legislation, while necessary, is not the primary deterrent for abortion. As abortions increased exponentially in antebellum America, legislation began to proliferate. In the post-war years, zealous application and enforcement of the new laws began to have an effect, but at best, the effect was limited and temporary.

Through the use of historical records, Olasky shows that abortions are only decreased through a combination of legislation and compassionate prevention. Unlike politically liberal methods of prevention (birth control and sex education), Olasky’s methods are primarily related to prenatal care such as crisis pregnancy centers, job training for single mothers and halfway homes for mothers in trouble.

Not only does this book provide historical context to the abortion question, it is also for those who have a sincere desire to see the number of abortions in America reduced. Political conservatives who are frustrated with the current rollback of pro-life legislation can take comfort in the fact that legislation is, at best, only part of the solution. Legislation can only be minimally impacted by most people, but anyone can directly impact the life of unborn children and troubled mothers by volunteering at a local crisis pregnancy center or providing some other kind of prenatal care. It will make a difference—history bears it out.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (September 25, 1992)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0891076875

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney

2009-04-02T07:16:00.003-04:00

A word that is completely foreign to most 21st century American ears is “discipline”. We know what the word means; we just don’t like to see it in action. One has to look no further than the current economic crisis to see how much we eschew the word. Regardless of the scapegoatism employed by the government and the media, the economic slide has its roots in lack of personal discipline by American consumers. But we don’t want to hear that. We would rather hear how it’s the government or AIG’s fault. It is far easier to rail against an unknown employee’s bonus money than it is to cut up our own credit card.

Because of our distaste for personal accountability and discipline, I can imagine that Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald Whitney has not been a very popular book. If that is the case, as with most things, popularity is no indication of value, because it is certainly a valuable book. In these days when occasional Sunday morning church attendance is the extent of Christian living, a book like this is needed.

I must admit that the title is a turn-off. First, it is a turn-off to those for whom discipline is a four-letter word. Second, it is a turn-off to those of us who immediately think of pharisaical legalism when we think of spiritual disciplines. Although I fell into the second camp, I picked up the book at last year’s SBC annual meeting anyway. I’m glad I did.

Whitney’s thesis is that godly people are disciplined people. He looks through history into the lives of heroes of the faith such as Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Bunyan, Wesley, Whitefield, Edwards, Spurgeon and Muller and sees that they all led disciplined lives. Because of that observation, he builds the book around 1 Timothy 4:7 and highlights ten spiritual disciplines to expound. Since the first discipline of Bible intake is also the foundational discipline, Whitney spends more time on it than the others. Of particular value is the kind of Bible intake that is most often overlooked—that of Scripture meditation. He takes great care to differentiate between meditation upon Scripture and the kind of new age meditation practiced in many circles today. Scripture meditation is concerned with filling the mind while new age meditation is obsessed with emptying it.

Whitney creatively and thoroughly covers each discipline. He provides examples and illustrations while purposefully staying rooted and grounded in Scripture. I deeply appreciate the fact that when he lists a personal practice that he has extrapolated from sparse Scriptural support, he doesn’t try to convince his readers of its validity. He simply states his practice, gives examples and moves on without trying to make his practice authoritative or normative.

The book is intensely practical without being a how-to book. It is a book of orthopraxy without being legalistic. It is about having a disciplined life without being ascetic. It succeeds in walking the fine line the author intended. It is up to the readers to maintain that same fine line in their own lives.

Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: NavPress Publishing Group (December 1991)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1576830276

Spectacular Sins, by John Piper

2009-03-26T07:06:00.003-04:00

In the aftermath of the seemingly senseless murder of Dr. Fred Winters, John Piper’s Spectacular Sins: And Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ is especially appropriate. As Al Meredith, pastor of Wedgwood Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX, said from behind the same pulpit in which Pastor Fred was shot and killed, “God has given us hope and peace in the face of life’s worst tragedies…. God gives a peace that the world doesn’t understand.”

In the comfort and complacency of the western world, the question of evil is one that is difficult to answer. Compounding the problem is the heretical “prosperity gospel” teaching that is so pervasive today. It is only when we are confronted with the reality of evil in its rawest form that we are forced to address the issue. Sadly, many people use horrific events to rebel against God. Rather than flee to God as their shelter in time of storm, they ask the question, “How can a good God allow bad things to happen?” Rabbi Harold Kushner famously answered that question in his book, When Bad Things Happen to Good People. Unfortunately, his answer was that God can’t help it. To answer the question of evil, Kushner minimized the power of God. He essentially said that God was too frail and powerless to overcome the omnipotence of evil in the world. The god he described is certainly not the God of the Bible.

Instead of following in the heretical footsteps of men like Kushner, in Spectacular Sins, John Piper chose to accurately describe the God of the Bible. In the book, he avoids the temptation to either minimize evil or God. He neither takes a monistic or dualistic view of evil. In other words, as opposed to the monist, evil is very real. As opposed to the dualist, it is not an eternal counterbalancing force to good.

Piper answers the question of evil by biblically expounding on the most spectacularly evil occurrences of history. The events he lists are far worse than any hurricane, tsunami, holocaust or senseless shooting. They are cosmically horrific events beginning with the fall of Satan and culminating in the murder of God incarnate. In each instance, Piper effectively shows that God is sovereign over even the most heinous evil imaginable.

One of the beauties of the book is how God is accurately portrayed as sovereign over evil without being the author of evil. While nothing is beyond the scope of God’s almighty power, He is not culpable as the formative cause of evil. The only way to walk this fine line is to humbly embrace the tensions of Scripture which is what Piper does in a masterful and worshipful way.

The best way to answer the question of evil is to prepare for the test before it comes. Part of living in a fallen world is that storms will come to everyone. As James 1:2-4 states, every storm in life is a test that is designed to produce endurance in the lives of God’s people. As with any test, it’s best to know the answers in advance. This book will help prepare you for the tests.

Hardcover: 128 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (September 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433502755

The free ebook can be downloaded here.

Five Who Changed the World, by Daniel Akin

2009-03-19T07:31:00.004-04:00

If the old saying is true that dynamite comes in small packages, Five Who Changed The World, by Dr. Danny Akin is evidence. This small book contains five chapel messages Dr. Akin preached to the students and faculty of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

In the messages, Dr. Akin links five great missionaries to a text of Scripture that uniquely describes their ministries. He links William Carey to the Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:16-20. Adoniram and Ann Judson exemplify Romans 8:28-39 while Bill Wallace of China lived and died in accordance with Philippians 1:21. Lottie Moon was an example of a living sacrifice talked about in Romans 12:1 and Jim Elliot personified Psalm 96.

While none of the messages can be considered an in-depth biographical analysis, they are each rich with personal stories and quotes from diaries and historical accounts. Since each chapter was originally presented as a sermon, they are motivational, inspirational and focused on personal application. When read with a submissive heart, each chapter will leave the reader convicted and eager to work toward the fulfillment of the Great Commission.

Each chapter brings the essential core of who each missionary was and highlights the God that moved them to do great things for Him. Whether the author’s goal was for this little book to serve as a springboard for further study is not indicated, but be forewarned, each chapter is like receiving a small taste of gourmet food. The palate is energized and the appetite is whetted for more. The only negative critique of the book is the need for more expanded footnotes, a bibliography or a list of suggested readings to pursue in order to satisfy the appetite that it creates.

With a book of this size, the temptation is to breeze through it in one sitting, but that temptation should be avoided. The most benefit can be gained by reading each chapter separately in a quiet time setting. Meditate on the associated biblical text and allow the individual missionary’s life to illustrate it. Finally, determine how the Lord would have you to apply the text in your own life. In that way, this will be more than simply another dusty historical account of distant dead people. It will be a spark that will light a fire of evangelism and commitment to spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

Paperback: 100 pages
Publisher: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (2008)
Language: English
ISBN: 9780981923611

At the time of this posting, the only place the book is available for online purchase is through this link at SEBTS.

The sermons from which the book was developed can be accessed and downloaded here.

Get Outta My Face! by Rick Horne

2009-03-12T08:05:00.003-04:00

Triage—A process for sorting injured people into groups based on their need for or likely benefit from immediate medical treatment. Triage is used in hospital emergency rooms, on battlefields, and at disaster sites when limited medical resources must be allocated.

Triage is the word that came to mind as I read Get Outta My Face!, by Rick Horne. The book was particularly intriguing to me as the parent of three teenagers (pray for me).

Horne’s goal in the book is to build a communication bridge between concerned adults and teenagers who have closed themselves off. It doesn’t take much time around young people before you encounter the “get outta my face” attitude. It can be one of the most frustrating experiences a concerned adult can have. Whether the adult is a youth worker, a pastor, a school counselor or a parent—when that attitude is encountered, it seems to be impenetrable. Control is firmly in the hands of the teen and it seems the only recourse is nagging, yelling or physical action. As a parent who has resorted to each of those actions, none of them work. They only serve to deepen resentment and build the communication barrier higher.

The techniques in this book can break through that barrier. Despite the tremendously practical and effective model Horne presents, that is not what I was most impressed by. Practical models abound in counseling materials. Many are effective at generating a modicum of desired reform—they “work”. Even though they seem to work, very few are directed at the root of the problem and most refuse to even acknowledge it. I was impressed that this book begins with the right foundation and ends with the right goal. The purpose of the book is the bridge, so it does not expound on either side of the bridge. But it does clearly state what both sides are.

The side where the bridge begins is the condition of the counselor’s heart. Before a counselor can properly deal with a teenager’s sinful behavior, he must deal with his own sin. The side where the bridge ends is the condition of the teenager’s heart. Once the barriers to communication have been breached, the Gospel must be effectively communicated. While dealing extensively with either of those sides is beyond the scope of the book, Horne clearly states their necessity.

This book is excellent for what it is—triage. Triage doesn’t cure all of what ails the patient. Triage patches patients up enough to get them to where real healing can happen. A changed heart is the only cure for all people—including teenagers. Counselors, youth workers, pastors and parents can’t change a teenager’s heart. Even the teenager himself can’t change his heart. Only a saving work of Christ in a person’s life can change a heart. Romans 10:13-14 says,

for whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?

And how will they hear if they have built up a barrier to communication? How will they hear the Gospel if their chief response is, “Get outta my face”? Rick Horne provides the model to tear down the barriers and build the bridge that will allow us to communicate the Gospel in a way that our teenagers will be able to hear.

Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Shepherd Pr (January 5, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981540074

Preach the Word, by Leland Ryken and Todd Wilson

2009-03-05T07:38:00.003-05:00

Knowing the current state of the American pastorate, I am always impressed by longevity in ministry. All too often in today’s evangelical community, pastors come and go like the seasons. Whether it is the fault of congregations or pastors is not really the issue. The issue is relational. How can a pastor faithfully shepherd a flock of people when he is barely there long enough to learn their names?

In this tumultuous time of pastoral turnover, Kent Hughes has been one of the exceptions. He has been in pastoral ministry for the past 41 years, 27 of which was as the senior pastor of College Church in Wheaton, IL. In December of 2006, he stepped down from his full-time pulpit ministry and was given the title, Senior Pastor Emeritus. Now, he is spending his “retirement” years training other pastors in the areas of biblical exposition and preaching.

Because of his expertise in, and passionate advocacy for, expository preaching, it is only fitting that his festschrift focuses exclusively on that subject. In Preach the Word: Essays on Expository Preaching: In Honor of R. Kent Hughes, Leland Ryken and Todd Wilson collected sixteen essays by Hughes’ admirers. While I was not initially familiar with all of the writers, I was familiar with several of them such as Leland and Philip Ryken, Wayne Grudem, John MacArthur, J. I. Packer, Phillip Jensen and D. A. Carson

Many times, multi-author collections are disjointed. They more often resemble theological journals than consistently unified, coherent books. That is not the case with this book. The marvelous editorial design is evident as each essay highlights a new facet of the broad section in which it was placed. And the facets of each section combine to form a true picture of the holistic beauty of expository preaching.

The success of the end product came about when the editors picked the individual authors. As they asked each author, they asked them to write about the area about which they were most passionate. Of course, that passion comes across in each individual essay, but it also creates a unified flow and a great overall picture.

While I can easily see this book becoming a staple in seminary classes, it should not be limited to academia. This is not an ivory tower book—it belongs in the libraries of local pastors. It should be read carefully with a highlighter, notebook and a pen. And, at least in my case, certain chapters should be read repeatedly as I seek to be as faithful in my ministry as Kent Hughes has been in his.

Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (November 8, 2007)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1581349262

Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life, by Colin Duriez

2009-02-26T09:18:00.003-05:00

A decade ago, my pastor at the time introduced me to Francis Schaeffer. Since then, I have read his trilogy, The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason and He Is There and He Is Not Silent, annually and read through The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview (5 Volume Set) at least four times. Outside the Bible, Schaeffer’s writings have influenced my thinking more than any other. It is from that perspective that I read Colin Duriez’s biography, Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life.

Admittedly, my expectations were unattainably high, but I was moderately disappointed. A characteristic of a good biography is the way an almost intimate relationship develops between the reader and the subject. When the reader puts the book down, it should be as if they’ve ended a conversation with a close friend (unless the subject is a villain—in which case the reader is anxious to leave but somehow mysteriously drawn to return). Such was not the case with this biography.

This is not to say that there were not periods of intimacy. There were, but they were isolated and disjointed. As a matter of fact, that seems to be the best descriptor for the book—disjointed. The author consistently jumps from subject to subject with very little regard for developing and focusing on a theme. Here is an example:

In those two remaining years from the move to Chalet Bijou to the beginning of an extended furlough in the United States, the work of lecturing throughout Europe on the dangers of the New Modernism and maintaining and encouraging the Children for Christ outreach continued. Mingled into it, hospitality and question times for constant visitors to Chalet Bijou became a significant element in a slowly changing focus. Fran and Edith’s perpetual activity on this “escalator” of events was punctuated in this period by a new and distinctive arrival in the family, following the disappointment and grief of a previous miscarriage. Franky, as he was known through much of his life (Francis August Schaeffer V), was born August 3, 1952. He is now well-known as the novelist Frank Schaeffer and is also a filmmaker and artist who wrote brash books in the eighties for an unwieldy evangelical constituency along the lines of his father’s concerns, such as Addicted to Mediocrity, before converting to Eastern Orthodoxy. His Calvin Becker trilogy of novels (Portofino, 1996, Saving Grandma, 1997, and Zermatt, 2003) openly mocks a “fundamentalist” and pietistic lifestyle.

And so goes most of the book. In that paragraph alone, the author spans decades of topics from Schaeffer lecturing during a furlough to the birth of a son to that son’s controversial writings. Rather than building a familiarity with the subject, the reader is left with a feeling of vertigo.

Despite the lack of coherency, it was a worthwhile read. In addition to the beneficial snippets scattered throughout the book (such as the brief section dealing with Schaeffer’s confrontation with Barth—fascinating, especially considering how he skewered Barth in his writings), overall it was encouraging. Many biographies portray giants of the faith as springing forth Athena-like, fully developed from the womb. Piper seems to have been laser-focused on his mission statement since seminary. Tozer seemed never to waver from the time he pastored a tiny rural church in West Virginia. Spurgeon evidently was born with sword in one hand and trowel in the other. Schaeffer was not that way. He developed and grew and struggled throughout his lifetime. He mellowed in some areas and maintained his fiery firmness in others. Despite the areas in which he could have improved the book, the author could not have picked a better title. Of all the things one could say about the life of Francis Schaeffer, the most accurate is that his was an authentic life. Just as he knew that God is there and is not silent, he lived authentically before Him.

Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (May 31, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1581348576

Atheism Remix, by R. Albert Mohler

2009-02-24T07:32:00.002-05:00

On Monday’s edition of the Focus on the Family daily broadcast, Dr. Al Mohler discusses his book, Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists. Hear what he had to say here.

Whiter Than Snow, by Paul David Tripp

2009-02-23T09:40:00.003-05:00

Tony Reinke has a substantive review of Whiter Than Snow: Meditations on Sin and Mercy over on Miscellanies. The book looks like a good one to use as a weekly meditational “heart-check”. If, as the review suggests, the Lord uses this book as a scalpel to remove the cancerous pride that lives in each of us (especially me), then it will be one of the best books ever written. Let the surgery begin.

Unpacking Forgiveness, Chris Brauns

2009-02-19T10:07:00.000-05:00

Today’s Christian bookstores are littered with material that is written on the subject of forgiveness and conflict resolution. In one sense, they are littered because the books are all over the place. In another sense, they are littered because the ones they have are often garbage.

Having written secular college-level professional leadership and management courses before the Lord called me into the pastorate, I can detect the stench of humanistic conflict resolution theories a mile away. After reading scores of “Christian” conflict resolution books, I am offended at how many of them are grounded in the same humanistic theories. But it doesn’t just stop with conflict resolution—it bleeds over into the subject of forgiveness. In so many books today, forgiveness is seen as a psychological or therapeutic act. At best it is seen as cathartic and will enable the forgiver to experience harmony with their personal feelings—regardless of the actions of the one being forgiven. Thankfully, Unpacking Forgiveness: Biblical Answers for Complex Questions and Deep Wounds is not one of those books. The author, Chris Brauns, will never be mistaken for Oprah or Dr. Phil. As a matter of fact, he will never be mistaken for most Christian writers who dare to broach the subject of forgiveness and conflict resolution.

The book is extremely easy to read, but at times it is difficult to swallow. After all, most people today have been malnourished on a steady diet of easy-forgiveism (my phrase, not Brauns’)—forgive and forget, just let bygones be bygones, love means never having to say you’re sorry, etc. This book contradicts that prevailing notion by presenting a thoroughly biblical treatment of what forgiveness really is. Simply, forgiveness means that we are to forgive others as Christ forgave us--which means that it includes both grace on the part of the forgiver and repentance on the part of the forgiven. It sounds simple enough, but, as the title indicates, unpacking what that means is the difficult part.

Brauns successfully unpacks the meaning, but he doesn’t leave it scattered on the floor in one more cluttered brain pile. He unpacks the meaning and readies it to wear with effective application. But be forewarned, if you are dealing with forgiveness issues in your life, this will be a difficult read. Even if you have issued superficial forgiveness primarily designed to make you feel better, you will be convicted. That is the true benefit of this book. While it can be effective as a how-to book, its true value is in pastorally teaching the true meaning of biblical forgiveness and spurring readers to practice it.

Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (October 31, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1581349807

Visit the Sick, by Brian Croft

2009-02-12T11:32:00.000-05:00

If you are looking for a concise, theologically grounded handbook on hospital visitation, Visit the Sick: Ministering God's Grace in Times of Illness, by Brian Croft is the one. Unlike any pastoral “how-to” manual I have read, Croft begins by giving readers the proper foundation for visiting the sick. As a matter of fact, over half the book is spent dealing with biblical and theological considerations.

While task oriented people might be tempted to skim through those pages and get to the “practical” advice, by doing so, they would miss this book’s richest value. So-called practical handbooks are plentiful, but a book that succinctly combines orthodoxy and orthopraxy in the specific area of hospital visitation is rare—so rare that I know of none besides this one.

Croft has created a doctrinally sound, intensely practical and wonderfully brief guide for pastors to train and equip their deacons or care teams in this important area of ministry.

Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: DayOne Publications (December 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1846251435

Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism, by Iain Murray

2009-02-09T18:30:00.003-05:00

Over on Kingdom People, Trevin Wax reviews Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism: The Battle for Gospel Preaching, by Iain Murray. At the Building Bridges conference in 2007, I noticed that Spurgeon was quoted more than any other person. What was unexpected was that he was quoted equally by the Calvinists and the non-Calvinists. While Spurgeon was an unabashed Calvinist, his theological system did not drive his exegesis. When the Bible spoke of God’s sovereignty (as it does throughout) he preached God’s sovereignty. When the Bible spoke of man’s responsibility (as it also does throughout) he preached man’s responsibility.

While I agree with Wax that the Southern Baptist Convention does not appear to be facing the threat of Hyper-Calvinism, I do see many who fear it. Many times in their zeal, those who fear Hyper-Calvinism have become Anti-Calvinists. In their fear of Hyper-Calvinism, they tend to paint all Calvinists with that brush. According to Wax’s review, this book is a guard against Hyper-Calvinism. I am looking forward to it also as a comfort for non-Calvinists that the resurgence of Calvinism they see in the SBC is not Hyper. This is another book that is definitely headed for my shopping cart.

Death by Love, by Mark Driscoll

2009-02-05T09:33:00.002-05:00

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be a fly on the wall of a pastor's office during a counseling session? That is what Death by Love: Letters from the Cross is like. In it, Pastor Mark Driscoll allows his readers behind the veil as he reveals his counsel to twelve needy souls. Be forewarned, these aren't run-of-the-mill "I can't understand why my husband leaves the lid up" sessions. These are gut-wrenching, heart-breaking situations dealing with broken people as diverse as rape victims and child molesters.

The book's format is accessible and easy to read—which is a good thing because the subjects he deals with are not. Each chapter begins by introducing the counselee and his or her situation. That is followed by a personal letter from Driscoll to his counselee.

As is his style, Driscoll pulls no punches. For example, he begins his letter to the recently saved former child molester who is understandably dealing with guilt, "You are a despicable human being. Jesus knew you would be born and said that it would be better if a large millstone were tied around your neck and you were thrown into the sea." Then he continues by expounding the doctrine of justification to him. It is as if he is saying, "Now that we've got the fact that you are a disgusting sinner out of the way, let's talk about how you have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus.

If nothing else, this book is bloody. Rather than pointing his counselees to humanistic self-help, self-esteem psychology, Driscoll takes each of them directly to the cross and the particular Old Testament sacrifice it fulfilled. He effectively points to a single theological aspect of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross as the solution to each problem.

How refreshing it is to see the many facets of salvation effectively applied to the deepest hurts people can experience. Just as Mark Driscoll has exemplified in this book, may we as pastors and counselors wholly rely on the blood of Christ in our counseling rather than leaning on the broken reed of humanistic psychology.

Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Crossway Books (September 30, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1433501295

Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell

2009-02-04T10:16:00.004-05:00

Trevin Wax has a helpful review of Outliers: The Story of Successover on his blog, Kingdom People. Looks like I’ll be adding this along with Galdwell's previous two to my Amazon shopping cart!

Lost and Found, by Ed Stetzer, Stanley Richie and Jason Hayes

2009-02-02T12:50:00.004-05:00

I never have bought into most modern church-growth methodology. It seems absurd to ask lost people what they would desire in a church. That is akin to asking a stockbroker how to improve the space shuttle’s mechanical reliability. He might be the best stockbroker on Wall Street, but unless he is also an aerospace engineer, he really has nothing to contribute to the discussion. The Nextel commercials are funny, but do we really want roadies running air traffic?

That is why I disagree with the premise of Ed Stetzer’s book, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them. Although I have not read it, I am familiar with his work. The review provided by Dave Miller at sbcIMPACT describes a premise which is consistent with what I know of Stetzer and his work.

Ed Stetzer is the director of Lifeway Research and an active blogger. Richie Stanley is team leader at NAMB’s Center for Missional Research and Jason Hayes is the Young Adult Ministry Specialist at Lifeway. They conducted extensive interviews with adults under the age of 30 who are not involved with a church, exploring their beliefs, their viewpoints, their opinions about the church, and what churches might do to reach them. This book presents their research.

Because I don’t believe that roadies would run good, safe airports and stockbrokers would build good space shuttles, I don’t think that lost people provide the best advice on building local churches. This is one book that I intend to remain unread.

How To Lead & Still Have a Life, by H. Dale Burke

2009-01-31T13:52:00.002-05:00

Seth Polk, pastor of Cross Lanes Baptist Church has posted a review of
How to Lead and Still Have a Life: The 8 Principles of Less is More Leadership.

The Great Books, by Anthony O'Hear

2009-01-30T14:36:00.002-05:00

Justin Taylor has a review of The Great Books: A Journey through 2,500 Years of the West's Classic Literature over on Between Two Worlds. I have to agree with him that it looks like a good one.

What Is Ex Libris?

2009-01-29T22:52:00.000-05:00

Today, I'm kicking off an exciting new addition to The Banner. Ex Libris is Latin for "Out Of Books" which is what this site is all about. In an effort to keep things more accessable and organized, this page will now hold all the book reviews. I also intend to include links to other beneficial reviews on other blogs and sites. Basically, this space will be reserved for one of my life's passions--books!

Made For His Pleasure, Alistair Begg

2009-01-29T22:48:00.000-05:00

I have reviewed Alistair Begg's book, Made For His Pleasure, over on The Banner.

A City Upon a Hill, Larry Witham

2009-01-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

I have posted a review of A City Upon a Hill, by Larry Witham over on The Banner.

The Purpose of Christmas, Rick Warren

2009-01-19T22:42:00.000-05:00

While not a full review, this article shows how The Purpose of Christmas offers insight into Rick Warren's prayer at President Obama's inauguration.

Twilight Series, Stephanie Meyer

2008-12-01T22:24:00.000-05:00

Click over to The Banner for my thoughts on the vampire "romance" novels by Stephanie Meyer, including Twilight.