My doctoral advisor, Nathan Finn, was once asked what he thought about book reviews. He responded, “Book reviews are the LEGO Movie of writing. Everything is awesome.” I totally agree.
In Need of Some Help?
The great Preacher was on to something when he said, “Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh” (Ecc. 12:12). As much as you might like to do so, it’s simply impossible to read everything published—even if you limit yourself to a very specific field of study. So you can do one of three things: 1) give up reading altogether, 2) keep reading but always despair over what you haven’t read, or 3) get someone to help you. Book reviews are a great way to do #3. A good review can save you from hours of reading a useless book or compel you to spend your limited hours reading that which is actually useful.
In case you missed them, here are eight recent reviews of books ordinary pastors might consider buying:
- Erik Raymond reviews A Compelling Community: Where God’s Power Makes the Church Attractive by Mark Dever and Jamie Dunlop
- Tim Challies reviews Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love by Ed Welch
- Ray Ortlund reviews Searching for Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church by Rachel Held Evans
- Aaron Armstrong reviews The Happy Christian: Ten Ways to Be a Joyful Believer in a Gloomy World by David Murray
- Nate Claiborne reviews Blind Spots: Becoming a Courageous, Compassionate, and Commissioned Church by Collin Hansen.
- Kirk Wellum reviews all the current volumes in the Practical Shepherding series by Brian Croft.
- Tom Schreiner reviews The Crucified King: Atonement and Kingdom in Biblical and Systematic Theology by Jeremy Treat.
- Stephen Wellum reviews The Things of Earth: Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts by Joe Rigney.