I love to read. By God’s grace I am a pretty fast reader; I usually read a couple books each week. I find it helpful to summarize my thoughts on each book and I offer those thoughts in the hope that you will be encouraged to either read or pass over the given title.

Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What that Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung. The praise for the book is high, with some people already calling it the most important book of the year and one DA Carson recommending churches purchase it “by the case.” The praise is not excessive, the book is that good. DeYoung’s characteristic clarity and wit permeate the book, which is largely structured around Scripture’s four attributes: sufficiency, clarity, authority, and necessity. I can’t remember the last book I read where the margins were so marked up with simple agreements like, “Yep,” and “Right!” The annotated bibliography at the end is brilliant and makes it all the more useful. If you can afford it, buy a case for your church.

The Gospel: How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ by Ray Ortland. If you are looking for a clear and concise summation of what it means to be “gospel-centered” this is it. I appreciated Ortland’s continual focus on how we can and ought to move from gospel doctrine to gospel culture in our churches. The book is particularly helpful in the diagnostic questions sprinkled throughout; for example, “Is there some place in your church’s life where obedience to Christ is being withheld but his blessing is expected anyway?” (84). Also useful is his gospel matrix:

Gospel doctrine – gospel culture = hypocrisy
Gospel culture – gospel doctrine = fragility
Gospel doctrine + gospel culture = power

The book does unfortunately slip into cliches and reductions that have come to typify the gospel-centered resurgence, but that shouldn’t discouraged pastors and church members alike to read the book. We want our churches to be model homes of the new neighborhood that Christ is building for eternity and The Gospel will help encourage you unto faithfulness in the gospel.

On Being a Pastor: Understanding Our Calling and Our Work by Derek Prime and Alistair Begg. Originally published in 1989 as Pastors and Teachers the revised edition came out ten years ago and remains a welcome contribution. Derek Prime had a vibrant ministry in Scotland and, for a time, had a pastoral assistant named Alistair Begg. The great value of On Being a Pastor is it’s conversational breadth. With clarity and warmth the authors cover everything essential to faithful ministry: calling, praying, preaching, shepherding, leading, and caring for one’s family. Undoubtedly the lasting value of the books is the insertion of personal commentary from both authors on whatever topic is at hand. Many of the comments will stir a pastor to reevaluate or revamp his pastoral practice, and just as many will have you smiling. Prime tells us why wearing slippers in study makes him feel lazy, and thus he must wear shoes. Begg comments on why he won’t let any of his pastoral team where facial hair, saying the fact that he would have to exclude Spurgeon causes him no small loss of sleep. A thoroughly enjoyable and edifying read.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. Many people know Hillenbrand today as the author of the runaway bestseller Unbroken, a page-turner on the incredible life of on Louie Zamperini. Before helping Zamperini become a national hero late in his life, Hillenbrand reminded 21st century readers about the most famous American figure of 1938-1939, a horse named Seabiscuit. While the European continent was teetering the edge of World War II, thorough bred racer Seabiscuit captivated America in a way few sporting figures have ever done. I don’t have enough superlatives in my vocabulary to rightly sings this book’s praises. Seabiscuit represents a pinnacle of narrative history, a fact all the more stunning when you discover it was Hillenbrand’s first book. Hillenbrand is a master and I have every reason to expect her next work to be another masterpiece.

The Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw. For years I have meant to read this book as I have heard the phrase so often in other World War II readings, but it wasn’t until last week I actually took it off the shelf. Brokaw’s method is simple: tell the stories of those American citizen heroes and heroines who battled through The Great Depression and World War II. With simple prose and moving reflection Brokaw gives flesh and blood to this generation that almost now entirely rests in the grave. An excellent contribution.