I love to read. 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.

The New Pastor’s Handbook: Help and Encouragement for the First Years of Ministry by Jason Helopoulos. Believe the hype, Helopoulos’ book is indeed a “must read” for young pastors (seasoned pastors will surely benefit as well). As was the case in his first book, the instruction here is full of grace and truth. The New Pastor’s Handbook consists of forty-eight short chapters broken into five parts: The Beginning, Starting Out Strong, Encouragements, Pitfalls of Young Pastors, and Joys of Ministry. If any part is required reading it is the section on pastoral pitfalls; the one-two punch of “Taking Yourself Too Seriously” and “Not Taking Yourself Seriously Enough” hits home hard. Joe Thorn overstates his case by saying TNPH “will prove to be as helpful as The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges.” But he doesn’t overstate the case by much, this book is really that good. Tolle lege!

Knowing Christ by Mark Jones. If Helopoulos’s book is a modern version of Bridges’ The Christian Ministry then Mark Jones’ latest is a modern-day The Glory of Christ by John Owen. Knowing Christ is devotional Christology par excellence. Those familiar with Jones will know he is a faithful guide on the Christological paths; he employs the full range biblical theology, systematic theology, and historical theology (especially the Puritans) to make the heart happy in Christ. This is not a book to read quickly, I’d recommend reading one chapter during each day’s daily devotions. I was regularly so moved at the glories of Christ that I had to put the book down to contemplate, pray, and worship. May this book receive the widest audience possible.

Leading in Worship by Terry Johnson. I believe every pastor should have a nice little stack of liturgy books always within reach. We need to see how pastors of old led their congregations in worship. Old liturgies challenge contemporary notions of what should happen in gathered worship and help us consider what it means to worship with “aweful reverence.” Terry Johnson has labored long to see a resurgence of historic, Reformed worship in our day and I trust Leading is Worship will further the liturgical reformation. Here is an accessible, yet substantial directory of worship worthy of the liturgy shelf in your study. Well done!

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania by Erik Larson. There isn’t anyone from whom I’d rather learn history than good Mr. Larson. With every published work he proves himself o’er and o’er to be a master of narrative history—and Dead Wake won’t slow down the accolades. Count me among the many Americans who know the Lusitania’s sinking played a role in bring America into World War I, but the exact nature of that role is beyond me. Or, was beyond me until Dead Wake informed my ignorance.  With envious ease Larson weaves together the story of the Lusitania (the fastest liner of the day), Walther Schieger and Germany’s U-boat project, alongside Woodrow Wilson’s romance with Edith Galt. Historical insight bleed through virtually every page and prove that the best history is nothing less than good ‘ol storytelling.

Mightier Than the Sword by Jeffrey Archer. With the completion of Mightier Than the Sword my recent jaunt through the Clifton Chronicles is complete. And I must say, this series offers hearty and healthy entertainment for bedtime reading. Archer steers clear from the lasciviousness saturating most bestsellers and instead relies on proven tricks of the trade: character development, reasonable plot lines (although I must admit the Clifton enemies seem often to rise from the ashes like phoenixes with a heartache), clear prose, and compelling tension. As is his modus operandi, Archer satisfyingly ties up several loose ends at the book’s conclusion, but leave one major storyline dangling out for book six to address. To which I say, “Come on book six!”

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