Recent Reads

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.

BTROYMBy the Renewing of Your Minds: The Pastoral Function of Christian Doctrine by Ellen Charry. Charry decries the dichotomization of knowledge as either “insight-oriented” or “practice-oriented” that now typifies modern theology. She believes three primary figures perpetuated this decline: John Locke, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant. Their contributions stand in direct opposition to major figures of classical theology who “based their understanding of human excellence on knowing and loving God, the imitation of or assimilation to whom brings proper human dignity and flourishing” (18). The bulk of Charry’s work is taken up with an analysis of nine theologians – ranging from Paul to Athanasius to Dame Julian to Calvin – and their “artegenic” (conducive to virtue) theology. While I would quibble with some of her evaluations of the representative theologians, I can’t question her dominant burden, which says our theologizing must have an undeniable pastoral thrust.

9781567694031mThe Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen by Sinclair Ferguson. I love Reformation Trust’s “Long Line of Godly Men Series.” Every volume is simple and heart-searching. Once I saw that the latest volume featured Sinclair Ferguson on John Owen I rushed to grab a copy. Few theologians are as worth the slog of study as John Owen; his teaching is profound and scales theological summits precious few have ever reached. And if anyone is going to introduce the Prince of Puritans to a wider audience I would want it to be Ferguson. He has a brilliant understanding of Owen and the communicative tools necessary to make the Prince accessible to an average church member. The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen begins with a wonderful – and brief – biography of the titular figure. Then rest of the book then functions as Ferguson’s summary of Owen’s timeless Communion with the Triune God. This is a great invitation into the mind that had unusual insight into the Christian’s delight in God.

0851518672mThe Mortification of Sin by John Owen. A couple weeks ago I mentioned how CJ Mahaney’s Humility is one of two books I feel I must reread every year. Owen’s The Mortification of Sin is the other one. In fact, if I could get every Christian to read only one book outside of Scripture it would be this masterpiece from the Prince. His understanding of sin’s contagious nature and power is unmatched. And his application of truth to the believer’s sin-slaying work is, at certain points, breathtaking. If you read one book the rest of this year, make it Owen’s classic. I promise your soul will say, “Thank you.”

TILThe Intellectual Life: It’s Spirit, Conditions, Methods by A.P. Sertillanges. Antonin-Gilbert Sertillanges was an influential French Catholic of the Dominican order in the late 1800s to early 1900s. In the preface to The Intellectual Life Sertillanges asks, “Do you want to do intellectual work? Begin by creating within you a zone of silence, a habit of recollection, a will to renunciation and detachment which puts you entirely at the disposal of the work” (xviii). That simple sentence gives a good sense of what Setillanges believes a fruitful intellectual life requires: solitude, ardent concentration, and immovable devotion. He summons students and professors to a kind of academic devotion not unlike a conqueror of a barbarian horde. In Sertillanges mind, that horde is research and understanding. The intellectual must have heroic focus to conquer the work of study to which he is committed. I loved this book for many reasons, most centrally for its pithiness and practicality. Zingers about throughout and Sertillanges offers counsel on everything from how to best use one’s time, choose the best book, cultivate a lively memory, and collect and classify notations from one’s research. Sertillanges also promises the reader much as his final sentence says, “If you will do [everything I’ve recommended], you will bear fruit and will attain what you desire.” His certainty may sound pretentious, but I think he’s right. The Intellectual Life ought to be a ready for anyone interested in scholarship.

9781433540691mDispatches from the Front: Stories of Gospel Advance in the World’s Difficult Places by Tim Keesee. In many areas this book met the expectations I came into it with. I expected to be moved by Keesee’s stories of God’s work among the nations, and Dispatches from the Front often got the tear-ducts flowing. I love it when a book broadens my, often too narrow, western worldview. Stories of God’s sovereign, global grace never cease to move the soul. But what I didn’t expect from Keesee’s work is its beautiful prose. Keesee clearly has a gift with language and his language alone powerfully moves one’s affections. Highly recommended!

indexHow to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Academic Writing by Paul Silvia. From the very outset of his work Dr. Paul Silvia writes, “How to Write a Lot isn’t a scholarly book – it’s a lighthearted, personal, practical book for a scholarly audience” (xi). He knows many post-graduates students and professors find writing to be a difficult task. Many want to publish, but never seem to get their writing wheels churning. Even those that do write with some proficiency often find writing to be a boorish responsibility. Silvia says, “How to Write a Lot is about becoming a reflective disciplined writer – it isn’t about cranking out fluff, publishing second-rate material for the sake of amassing publications, or turning a crisp journal article in to an exegetical exposition” (3). This simple book does exactly what it sets out to do: offer winsome advice for picking up one’s proverbial pen and putting it to work. His counsel is nothing unusual – set a schedule for writing, learn how to write good words and sentences, understand the publishing industry – but it’s still helpful.

WHWolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. A few years ago someone, who knew my love for historical novels said, “Oh, you have to read Mantel’s Wolf Hall!” Wolf Hall is Mantel’s fictional portrayal of Henry VIII’s turbulent, soap-opera like court. Thomas Cromwell plays the protagonist role in this recounting of those seminal days in British history, and really, world history as England broke ties with Rome. Other notable figures such as Thomas More, Cardinal Wolsey, Anne Boleyn, and King Henry himself inhabit the story. I wanted to like this story, but I found Mantel’s literary style (which many call dazzling and magnificent in its art) obstructive to what could have been an engrossing read. This is just my personal perspective and one that many might say reveals my artistic deficiencies. It did win the Man Booker Prize after all! But, for me, Mantel’s literary style feels episodic, detached, and often profuse in detail. This results in a storyline that repeatedly loses steam just as you think it’s going to take off.

Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series.

Books to Look For From DeYoung

Every once in a while an author comes along with that rare, and envious, mixture of authorial mastery: wisdom, wit, and warmth. Were those “W’s of Writing” are present you can almost assuredly count on the work being useful.

One of the few authors in our evangelical landscape who has those attributes in spades is Kevin DeYoung.

I have follow his publishing career from he and Ted Kluck’s timely addressing of “The Theological/Philosophical Fad of the Moment” in Why We’re Not Emergent By Two Guys Who Should Be to the recent masterpiece on Scripture, Taking God at His Word.

If DeYoung writes it, I will read it. And [much] more often than not I find myself writing things like “amen,” “good point,” or “challenging” in the margin of his works.

From what I can see, he’s slated to publish two books next year well worth our attention, for drastically different reasons. The first seeks to offer clarity on the cultural issue most pressing on the church at the moment, while the second looks like it will be a fun family read around the dinner table. And we always need wisdom, wit, and warmth in both those categories. Here are the respective titles, both from the good folks at Crossway.

9781433549373What Does the Bible Really Say About Homosexuality? In just a few short years, massive shifts in public opinion have radically reshaped society’s views on homosexuality. Feeling the pressure to forsake long-held beliefs about sex and marriage, some argue that Christians have historically misunderstood the Bible’s teaching on this issue. But does this approach do justice to what the Bible really teaches about homosexuality? In this timely book, award-winning author Kevin DeYoung challenges each of us—the skeptic, the seeker, the certain, and the confused—to take a humble look at God’s Word. Examining key biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments and the Bible’s overarching teaching regarding sexuality, DeYoung responds to popular objections raised by Christians and non-Christians alike—offering readers an indispensable resource for thinking through one of the most pressing issues of our day. Publication Date: April 30, 2015.

9781433542442The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden. The burning bush. David and Goliath. Joseph and the coat of many colors. The Bible is full of classic stories that fill children with awe and wonder. But kids need to know how all those beloved stories connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s love for the world. In The Biggest Story, best-selling author and father of six, Kevin DeYoung, leads readers on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to the return of Christ. Short and extremely readable, this imaginative retelling of the biblical narrative can be read in one sitting and features action-packed illustrations that will bring the message of the Bible to life for the whole family. Publication Date: August 31, 2015.

Recent Reads

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.

9780525954149mPrayer: Experience Awe and Intimacy with God by Tim Keller. The Manhattan Man once said, “If you wait to write until you are older, the writing will go much faster, because you will have reams of material and many layers of thought about a lot of subjects and texts. Writing a book in your 50s will go twice as fast and be twice as good as if you try the same book in your 30s. It’s just good stewardship to wait.” Keller has modeled his own wisdom and his books are always the “twice as good” for it. He published Ministries of Mercy in the late 80s and waited twenty years to publish a second book. Now, the man is a machine, annually churning out substantial volume. And the Keller machine just produced one of the best books on prayer you can read.

Based on early reviews and commendations my expectations for Prayer were sky high. I was a bit fearful that my hopes were unrealistic and would inevitably be somewhat dashed. But, God be praised, I wasn’t even close to being disappointed. Keller has done something almost magical in this book as he manages to strike all the right balances on the timeless subject at hand. He is forcefully clear about the duty of prayer, joyfully winsome about the privilege of prayer, reverently affectionate about the awe-filled experience of prayer, and immanently useful on the daily practice of prayer. The work abounds with piercing insights from Keller and all the saints of old upon which he calls. One needs only to read the chapter on praising God in prayer to see how Keller enlivens a most basic – and often assumed – aspect of communion with God. This may just be the best book I’ve read all year.

EJECEncountering Jesus, Encountering Scripture: Reading the Bible Critically in Faith by David Crump. David Crump, a professor in the Religion Department of Calvin College, has a simple purpose in this volume: “My goal in this book is to secure thorough integration of heart, mind, and soul by keeping first things first. . . . the basic issues in this arena are epistemological and spiritual. How can a person come to know God?” While that purposeful question has universal application, Crump’s volume is almost exclusively aimed at scholars wrestling with the implications of higher criticism. Crump wants Christians scholars to see that they don’t need to surrender intellectual curiosity or critical thinking in study, but they must “perceive and evaluate academic subjectivity in light of the subjectivity of faith.” A deep affinity for Kierkegaardian existentialism, sympathies for the New Perspective on Paul, catering to higher criticism of the gospel narratives, and a near absence of focus on the Spirit’s role in faith make this a curious book. For I agree with his destination – faith must govern our academic study, not the other way around – but I find those winding roads on which he travels are ones I would not trod.

9781939946713mMindscape: What to Think About Instead of Worrying by Tim Witmer. David Powlison says there are three problems “so characteristic of human nature, and come in so many variants, that if we learn to face them in our own lives and in the lives of others, we will cover the majority of ministry needs.” Those three problems are: anxiety, anger, and escapism. You don’t have to minister to others very long before you see how wise Powlison is on this point. In my church, anxiety is one of the most prevalent “respectable sins.” Tim Witmer’s Mindscape aims to answer the issue of worry a simple two-fold structure: 1) briefly outline the problem of worry, and 2) show how Philippians 4:8 provides a new “operating system” for the mind. The reader is wisely exhorted to put the mind’s attention on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” I wish Witmer gave a more sustained diagnosis of the spiritual roots undergirding worry, and the book could – and probably should – be significantly shorter (the content often feels redundant). Nevertheless, this is one worth meditative reading for anyone who struggles to slay the sin of worry.

9780802840073mThe Courage to Be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern World by David Wells. For over fifteen years Wells was occupied with a publishing project deconstructing western evangelicalism. Al Mohler called Wells’ No Place for Truth (1993) “the bomb that exploded on the evangelical playground.” That book was followed by God in the Wasteland (1994), Losing Our Virtue (1998), and Above All Earthly Powers (2005). Running through these winsome, yet devastating, critiques were five main doctrinal themes: truth, God, self, Christ, and the church. Published in 2008, The Courage to Be Protestant represents Wells’ attempt to summarize the previous four works and their main doctrinal themes. Therefore, anyone familiar with Wells and his evangelical critique won’t find anything new, just a fresh recapturing of his sobering assessment. If you haven’t encountered Well before this may just be the best place to start.

1579102573mPerspectives on the Word of God: An Introduction to Christian Ethics by John Frame. In 1988 Trinity Evangelical Divinity School invited John Frame to deliver that year’s Kenneth Kantzer Lectures. The previous year saw Frame publish The Doctrine of the Knowledge of God, the first volume in his Theology of Lordship Series. Frame’s three Kantzer lectures presented a few main theses from the eventual Lordship volumes on The Doctrine of the Word of God and The Doctrine of the Christian Life. So Perspectives functions as something like super-short study guide on Frame’s theological method (tri-perspectivalism) and how he applies it to the word of God and ethics. If you’ve ever wanted a quick introduction to Frame’s love of triads this is a good place to start.

9780976758266mWhen Sinners Say “I Do”: Discovering the Power of the Gospel for Marriage by Dave Harvey. My wife and I just wrapped up premarital counseling with a young couple in our church and When Sinners Say “I Do” was a small part of our weekly discussion. Harvey does a good job applying the gospel to all matters of marriage, but he often spends the majority of each chapter in telling stories and anecdotes. So I wonder if the book wouldn’t be served by cutting some of those in order to more clearly amplify the rich biblical teaching he offers. His final chapter (“When Sinners Say Goodbye”) on marriage in light of eternity is superb. All in all, When Sinners Say “I Do” is a solid resource to make available in your church.

SRSycamore Row by John Grisham. The first “grown up” author I read as a young teenager was John Grisham. His southern-set legal thrillers filled many late night moments. In time I moved on to other authors and genres, but Grisham has always maintained something of a sentimental place in my heart. When I heard one of his recent novels was a sequel to the blockbuster A Time to Kill I knew it was time to return to Ford County, Mississippi after an absence of almost two decades. Set three years after the Carl Lee Hailey trial, Sycamore Row finds lawyer Jake Brigance caught up in another tense, racially-charged trial. This one isn’t about murder, but Jake’s probation of a holographic will written by a rich local citizen named Seth Hubbard. Just before he committed suicide Hubbard sent Jake the will and left 90% of his estate to his black housekeeper. The ensuing thrills are somewhat predictable, but oh so satisfying.

Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series.

Short Books to Help Your Church

Church members and regular attenders alike often wonder about certain aspects of the Christian faith. One way pastors can help is to be ready in season and out of season to assist the curious or doubting soul. Another thing they can do is have a stockpile of resources available for anyone interested in further study.

The Good Book Company has quietly been publishing a useful series of books entitled, “Questions Christians Ask.” A quick perusal of the series’ current volumes reveals how strategic GBC is; these books definitely answer the ordinary questions Christians ask. The writing is clear, the theology is ecumenical, and the answers are biblically “to the point.”

You may want to have a few of these titles in your church’s bookstore.

CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

9781908762313mIs God Anti-Gay? And Other Questions about Homosexuality, the Bible and Same-Sex Attraction by Sam Allberry. Christians, the church and the Bible seem to be out of step with modern attitudes towards homosexuality. Does the Bible prohibit gay marriage? How can we oppose people who are in love, and just expressing how they were made? Can God really be anti-gay? This short, readable book offers a positive and liberating way forward. It explains clearly and simply what we can say with certainty from the Bible about marriage, sexuality and same-sex attraction.

9781909559134Can I Really Trust the Bible? And Other Questions about Scripture, Truth and How God Speaks by Barry Cooper. The Bible makes big claims for itself. But do those claims stand up? Aren’t the stories just legends? Hasn’t the information been corrupted over time? Isn’t the Bible full of mistakes? And isn’t it culturally outdated? In this absorbing little book, Barry Cooper explores these questions—and many others—with warmth, wit and integrity.

9781908762306mDid the Devil Make Me Do It? And Other Questions about Satan, Demons and Evil Spirits by Mike McKinley. Many Christians are confused about the devil. When Jesus walked the earth, he cast out demons and had powerful encounters with the devil. But who exactly is the devil, and where did he come from? And what is he up to in the world today? This short, readable book explains clearly and simply what we can say with certainty from the Bible about Satan, demons and evil spirits.

9781908762320mWho on Earth Is the Holy Spirit? And Other Questions about Who He Is and What He Does by Tim Chester and Christopher de la Hoyde. Many people find it easy to understand about God and Jesus, but struggle to understand quite how and where the Holy Spirit fits into the picture. Who exactly is he? And how does he work in our lives? This short, readable book explains clearly and simply what we can say with certainty from the Bible about who the Holy spirit is, and how he is at work in the world today.

9781909559783mIs Forgiveness Really Free? And Other Questions about Grace, the Law and Being Saved by Michael Jensen. Forgiveness is a free gift—not earned or deserved—we are told. But then the Christian life seems to have a long list of “do’s” and “don’ts.” so is forgiveness really free—or is it al a cosmic con trick? This short, readable book, explains clearly and simply what the Bible, and Jesus himself, says about grace, the law and what it means to be saved.

9781909559158mHow Can I Be Sure? And Other Questions about Doubt, Assurance and the Bible by John Stevens. Many Christians experience times of doubt and uncertainty. At various times we can ask: “Does God love me?” “Am I really a Christian?”— and even “Is there a God at all?”! This short, readable book unpacks the difference between good and bad doubt, shows us where it comes from and how to deal with it in ourselves and others. It explains clearly and simply the liberating reality of what the Bible tells us about doubt, assurance and the Christian life.

9781908762337mWhat Happens When I Die? And Other Questions about Heaven, Hell and the Life to Come by Marcus Nodder. We all have questions about death. Despite the strong assurance the Bible gives us about life beyond the grave, Christians are often troubled by other questions. What will happen on the day of judgement? Will we have bodies in heaven? Will there be rewards? These short, readable book explains clearly and simply what we can say with certainty from the Bible about dying, death and life beyond the grave.

9781909559653mHow Will the World End? And Other Questions About The Last Things and The Second Coming of Christ by Jeramie Rennie. Christians believe that history is moving towards a dramatic conclusion—that one day Jesus Christ will return in glory to judge the living and the dead. But there seem to be so many different views about how this will happen, and when it will take place. How can we make sense of it all? This short, readable book explains clearly and simply the liberating reality of what the Bible is actually saying about the return of Christ and the end of the world.

Recent Reads

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.

9781848714632mThe Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin. Banner of Truth continues, with quiet significance, to serve the church through republishing classic works of Puritan and Reformed theology. Their most recent offering of unusual importance is Robert White’s translation of the 1541 edition of Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion. Carl Trueman says, “Calvin aficionados will know that the 1539 and 1541 editions embody key structural changes and elaboration of the somewhat brief 1536 edition and stand in significant continuity with the 1559. It is also worth knowing that the French editions were often less caustic about opponents and more explicitly precise in their polemical targets than the Latin.” This volume might be the best introduction into the great Reformer’s theology for the average lay member. It functions like an “abridgement for the common man” of the final, and most widely used, 1559 Latin edition. If you have some extra Christmas dollars lying around next month buy this book and slowly work through it next year. An immense spiritual feast awaits.

9781433525766mAm I Really a Christian? by Mike McKinley. It’s rare I hear anyone recommending this book, but recommend they should. Am I Really a Christian? is the most accessible contemporary book on assurance any Christian can read. I reread it recently in preparation for a three-hour sermon on 1 John I hope to give before a group of college students this week. Anyone familiar with McKinley knows he possesses witty wisdom to boot and one can see it in how he titles the first seven chapters:

  1. You Are Not a Christian Just Because You Say That You Are
  2. You Are Not a Christian Just Because You Like Jesus
  3. You Are Not a Christian If You Haven’t Been Born Again
  4. You Are Not a Christian If You Enjoy Sin
  5. You Are Not a Christian If You Do Not Endure to the End
  6. You Are Not a Christian If You Don’t Love Other People
  7. You Are Not a Christian If You Love Your Stuff

The eighth chapter ably answers the logical question generated by the first seven, “Can I Ever Really Know If I Am a Christian?” “Yes you can!” says McKinely. But it’s the final chapter that makes this offering unique. There McKinley details the necessity of a local church in the assurance of an individual Christians. Not only can conversations on assurance become overly objective or subjective, they often become ridiculously individualistic. Placing assurance of salvation in the context of a local church is just what the conversation and doctrine needs. With a thoroughly irenic tone saturating the Christ-centered content, this is a book I’d love to see used in every church.

TBFFSThomas Boston as Preacher of the Fourfold State by Phil Ryken. Part of my master’s thesis was occupied with Boston and ever since then I’ve found myself returning to his works with increasing frequency. His life is fascinating and his ministry a model of faithfulness to the ordinary means. Jonathan Edwards was taken with the Scotsman, calling him a “truly great divine.” Edwards doesn’t seem to overreach; Boston’s most famous theological work, Human Nature in Its Fourfold State, was the widest selling English book in the 18th century. Thomas Boston as Preacher of the Fourfold State is a lightly edited version of Ryken’s doctoral dissertation and what a fine study it is. The prose is clear, the research immense, and the analysis incisive. Like any dissertation, the audience is limited. This title will be most attractive – and maybe even essential – for any student of 18th century evangelicalism.

PTPPower Through Prayer by E.M. Bounds. Whenever I need some counsel to quick start my devotion to prayer I usually turn to E.M. Bounds. The old Methodist man writes with a fervor and lucidity that constantly makes me drop his book to bend my knees before God. That’s what every book on prayer should aspire to do. Power Through Prayer is written to gospel preachers, so it will be of unique benefit to pastors. The chapters on “Men of Prayer Needed” and “Much Prayer the Price of Unction” will hit home for any man who regularly ascends to the sacred desk. Highly recommended!

1590523261mHumility by CJ Mahaney. I once heard Dever say Mahaney’s Humility should be the 28th book in the New Testament. Personally, that self-conscious exaggeration isn’t misplaced. I have a list of books I want to reread every year, and a list of books I must reread every year. There are only two books in that latter category and Humility is one of them. I bet it’s because I am so prone to pride and thus continually need the truth in this book. It always disrupts roots of arrogance and increases my affection for lowly weakness. If there is one book, outside of the Bible, I could get every church member to read and emulate, it would be this one. If you’ve yet to read it, order a copy today and let this Scripture-shaped scalpel do its work on your soul.

OMMOne Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Krushchev, Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War by Michael Dobbs. My recent forays into historical fiction have included or focused on the Cuban Missile Crisis, so I figured it was time to read Dobbs’ highly commended treatment of that epochal event. Dobbs admits that the Crisis has generated a cottage industry of publications, theories, and analyses of those thirteen days in October. So why another book? His book is needed for two reasons. First, the discovery of new evidence that debunks popular myths that have surrounded the Crisis for decades. “Here, for the first time, are gripping accounts of Khrushchev’s plan to destroy the U.S. naval base at Guantánamo; the handling of Soviet nuclear warheads on Cuba; and the extraordinary story of a U-2 spy plane that got lost over Russia at the peak of the crisis.” Secondly, the book is utterly unlike anything in the field. Written like a thriller, Dobbs focuses on Black Saturday treating each hour of the day in one chapter. It feels almost like a 24 account of the Crisis. He should be applauded for not letting his exhaustive research slow down the fast-paced retelling. One Minute to Midnight is a mighty fine example of how thrilling history can be.

11_22_6311/22/63 by Stephen King. For years I’ve had friends tell me King is one of the best American storytellers around. The problem is, for me at least, his stories are far too horrifying and gruesome to merit attention. One of those friends recently challenged my presuppositions saying, “You know all his stuff isn’t sci-fi horror right?” And so it was that I came across 11/22/63, a novel which takes as its title the date President Kennedy was assassinated. King’s novel focuses on Jake Epping, a high school English teacher from Maine, whose old friend Al Templeton shows him a time portal (“the rabbit hole”) in the back of a hamburger diner.

The rules are simple: walk through the rabbit hole and suddenly you’re back on Sept. 9, 1958. It’s 11:58 a.m. There are, Al says, only two conditions. One, it’s not a one-way trip. It doesn’t have to be. But when you return, no matter how long you’ve stayed in the past — two days, five years, whatever — only two minutes have gone by in the present. Two, each time you go back to the past, there is a reset. Like a Magic Slate. It’s 11:58 a.m., and everything you did on your previous trip has been erased.

Al is about to die of cancer and he reveals the time portal to Jake in hopes he will return and save Kennedy from Lee Harvey Oswald. The potential for good is enormous. “If you ever wanted to change the world,” Al tells Jake, “this is your chance. Save Kennedy, save his brother. Save Martin Luther King. Stop the race riots. Stop Vietnam, maybe. . . . You could save millions of lives.” And so, off goes Jake. The ensuing story is brilliant, engrossing, and moving.

This one was some kind of fun.

Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series.

Book to Look For: On the Church

Jared Wilson is a gifted writer. His books are always full of winsome wit and gospel goodness.

In April of next year his latest volume is scheduled to land and it sure seems pastors everywhere will want to read it. Here’s what Crossway has to say about The Prodigal Church.

THE PRODIGAL SPEAKS9781433544613

Pastors want to reach the lost with the good news of Jesus. However, we’ve too often assumed this requires loud music, flashy lights, and skinny jeans. In this gentle manifesto, Jared Wilson—a pastor who knows what it’s like to serve in a large attractional church—challenges pastors to reconsider their priorities when it comes to how they “do church” and reach people in their communities. Writing with the grace and kindness of a trusted friend, Wilson encourages pastors to reexamine the Bible’s teaching, not simply return to a traditional model for tradition’s sake. He then sets forth an alternative to both the attractional and the traditional models: an explicitly biblical approach that is gospel focused, grace based, and fruit oriented.

Recent Reads

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.

9780801026980mFor the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship by Daniel Block. I love to see scholars branch out and publish works outside their ordinary discipline. The church needs well-rounded scholars who can speak knowledgeably and winsomely to a whole host of issues. For the Glory of God finds Old Testament scholar Daniel Block employing his formidable exegetical skill on the topic of worship. I’ve always found Block to be a bit iconoclastic at times and that tendency is on display from the earliest pages of this book. He believes, and I’m inclined to agree, that too many of the standards works in the field of worship drive an unfortunate wedge between the two testaments’ instruction on worship. Block reveals greater unity across the canon on all kinds of worship matters. He defines true worship as “reverential human acts of submission and homage before the divine Sovereign in response to his gracious revelation of himself and in accord with his will.” With this definition in place he arranges his material topically, choosing to show how a given issue (such as the object of worship, the ordinances, music, and the proclamation of Scripture) develops across redemptive history. Every chapter is consumed with rigorous exegesis of the relevant texts, but practical application is never lacking as Block consistently offers logical and wise implications for worship in our day. For the Glory of God is one of my favorite reads of the year.

9781433541353mThe Hole in Our Holiness: Filling the Gap Between Gospel Passion and the Pursuit of Godliness by Kevin DeYoung. Of all the young and popular authors today, DeYoung is probably my favorite. His works are always full of wit, wisdom, and “ruthless Bible-centeredness” (to adjust Piper’s endorsement of this book). I think this is the fourth time I’ve read The Hole in Our Holiness in two years and I’m always challenged afresh in the pursuit of godliness. I love his attention to the breadth and diversity of motivations for holiness, his pastoral sensibility of treasuring a tender conscience, and his exhortation to extraordinary holiness through ordinary means. If you’ve yet to read this book, grab a copy, invite a friend to read it with you, and stir up one another to a joy-filled, purposeful striving after the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

TBBThe Baptized Body by Peter Leithart. Every month I meet with a group of pastors in our county for lunch and some “affectionately contentious fellowship.” One brother whom I particularly enjoy hanging out with is a voluminous reader and never ceases to suggest a title I “must read” on a given topic. A few months ago we were talking about baptism and he said, “You gotta read Peter Leithart and The Baptized Body.” Knowing my skepticism toward all things Federal Vision, he must have assumed I wasn’t going to buy a copy so he sent one in the mail. I thus felt duty-bound to read Leithart’s book-length answer to the question of, “Does baptism do anything to the baptized?” Leithart says, “Yes!” and I agree. We just disagree on what it actually does. Leithart goes father than I’m willing to go by saying the baptized are made partakers of all the benefits of Christ, even if they don’t truly believe in the Lord Jesus. Anyone familiar with Leithart and the Federal Vision hullabaloo of the last decade or so won’t find anything surprising here.

OSAn Officer and a Spy by Robert Harris. Have you heard of the Dreyfus Affair? If not, you are missing out on one of the more fascinating legal and political scandals that rocked the western world at the turn of the 20th century. In An Officer and a Spy the brilliant Robert Harris gives us a historically informed narrative of that most salacious of events. The book cover rightly captures the immense tension by saying, “A whistle-blower.  A witch hunt. A cover-up. Secret tribunals, out-of-control intelligence agencies, and government corruption. Welcome to 1890s Paris.” Alfred Dreyfus has been convicted of treason, sent off to prison on Devil’s Island, and publicly degraded from military rank. Harris focuses his retelling on Georges Picquart, the venerable investigator who lost his reputation and nearly his life in pursuit of the truth about Dreyfus. If you don’t know the history behind this story resist the temptation to look it up on Wikipedia, buy a copy of Harris’ novel, and find yourself enthralled.

9780230710160Edge of Eternity by Ken Follett. Edge of Eternity is the final entry in Follett’s smashingly successful “The Century Trilogy” and it’s also his most ambitious. At the risk of over-generalizing Fall of Giants dealt with World War I era and Winter of the World handled the World War II era. So what’s left for this final volume? The Cold War. While Edge of Eternity covers the swath of 1961-2008, more than 800 of the book’s nearly 1,100 pages are set between 1961 and ’68. Khrushchev, the Kennedys, Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights, and the Berlin Wall dominate the narrative with occasional forays into rock ‘n roll and the movement of free love. It’s all handled in typical Follett fashion: a unified tale told through the dual lenses of love and heartbreak. The sheer amount of time Follett covers ends up making the book more about breadth than depth, but Edge of Eternity is nevertheless a satisfying conclusion to a brilliant trilogy.

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A Series Worth Serious Investment: Vol. 5

For several years Reformation Trust has quietly been publishing a brilliant series entitled The Long Line of Godly Men.

The series’ editor Steve Lawson writes,

This Long Line of Godly Men Profile series highlights key figures in the agelong procession of sovereign-grace men. The purpose of this series is to explore how these figures used their God-given gifts and abilities to impact their times and further the kingdom of heaven. Because they were courageous followers of Christ, their examples are worthy of emulation today.

Each volume is compact and contains a delightful harmony of biography, theology, and practicality. I find them accessible in presentation and challenging in application. With each read you will want to rise up and say, “We want again such giants of the faith! Lord, help me to be such a servant of God!” Here are the current titles in the series, every one is well worth your investment in money and time.

HER06BH_200x1000The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther by Steve Lawson. During the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century, the Reformers’ most effective tool was the pulpit, and all of the Reformers were gifted preachers. This was especially true of Martin Luther, the man regarded as the father of the Reformation.

Luther used every legitimate means to make known the truths of Scripture. His strategies included writing books, tracts, pamphlets, and letters, as well as classroom lectures, public debates, and heated disputations in churches and universities. But his chief means of producing reform was the pulpit, where he proclaimed the truths of God’s Word with great courage. In a day when the church greatly needed to hear the truth, Luther’s pulpit became one of the most clarion sounding boards for God’s Word this world has ever witnessed.

In The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther, Dr. Steven J. Lawson shows the convictions and practices that fed Luther’s pulpit boldness, providing an example for all preachers in a day when truth once more is in decline.

TRI06BH_2_200x1000The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen by Sinclair Ferguson. The writing and teaching of John Owen, a 17th century pastor and theologian, continues to serve the church. Daily communion with God characterized his life and equipped him for both ministry and persecution.

In The Trinitarian Devotion of John Owen, the latest addition to the Long Line of Godly Men series, Dr. Sinclair Ferguson offers careful reflection and insight for Christians today as he highlights Owen’s faith in the triune God of Scripture. We’re reminded that regardless of our circumstances we can know God, enjoy Him, and encourage others.

UNW01BH_200x1000The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards by Steve Lawson. Jonathan Edwards is well known as perhaps the greatest theologian the United States has ever produced. He is equally noted for his preaching and writing. But in this Long Line Profile, Dr. Steven J. Lawson considers the unique focus and commitment with which Edwards sought to live out the Christian faith.

Lawson examines Edwards’ life through the lens of the seventy resolutions he penned in his late teens, shortly after his conversion, which cover everything from glorifying God to repenting of sin to managing time. Drawing on Edwards’ writings, as well as scholarly accounts of Edwards’ life and thought, Lawson shows how Edwards sought to live out these lofty goals he set for the management of his walk with Christ. In Edwards’ example, he finds helpful instruction for all believers.

EXP03BH_200x1000The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steve Lawson. Looking to the past for outstanding Bible-based, Christ-centered, and life-changing preaching, Dr. Steven J. Lawson focuses on sixteenth-century Geneva, Switzerland. It was there that John Calvin ministered for decades as a faithful shepherd to a flock of believers.

Here is an intimate portrait of Calvin the preacher-the core beliefs that determined his preaching style, the steps he took to prepare to preach, and the techniques he used in handling the Word of God, interpreting it, and applying it to his congregation. In the pulpit ministry of the great Reformer, Dr. Lawson finds inspiration and guidance for today’s church and calls on modern pastors to follow the Reformer’s example of strong expository preaching.

MIG01BH_200x1000The Mighty Weakness of John Knox by Douglas Bond. John Knox, the great Reformer of Scotland, is often remembered as something akin to a biblical prophet born out of time—strong and brash, thundering in righteous might. In truth, he was “low in stature, and of a weakly constitution,” a small man who was often sickly and afflicted with doubts and fears. In The Mighty Weakness of John Knox, a new Long Line Profile from Reformation Trust Publishing, author Douglas Bond shows that Knox did indeed accomplish herculean tasks, but not because he was strong and resolute in himself. Rather, he was greatly used because he was submissive to God; therefore, God strengthened him. That strength was displayed as Knox endured persecution and exile, faced down the wrath of mighty monarchs, and prayed, preached, and wrote with no fear of man, but only a desire to manifest the glory of God and to please Him.

For those who see themselves as too weak, too small, too timid, or simply too ordinary for service in God’s kingdom, Knox’s life offers a powerful message of hope—the biblical truth that God often delights to work most powerfully through people who are most weak in themselves but most strong in Him.

GOS23BH_200x1000The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon by Steve Lawson. Charles Spurgeon, the great Baptist preacher of nineteenth-century London, is remembered today as “the prince of preachers.” However, the strength of Spurgeon’s ministry went far beyond simple rhetorical skill. In The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon, Steven J. Lawson shows that Spurgeon fearlessly taught the doctrines of grace and simultaneously held forth the free offer of salvation in Jesus Christ.

In thirty-eight years as pastor of the congregation meeting at the New Park Street Chapel and later the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Spurgeon propounded Calvinistic theology with precision and clarity. Yet he always accompanied it with a passionate plea for sinners to come to Christ and be saved. Lawson traces these twin points of emphasis throughout Spurgeon’s long, fruitful ministry.

The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon is a passionate call for all Christians to follow Spurgeon in maintaining the proper balance between divine sovereignty in salvation and fiery passion in spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ.

EVA06BH_200x1000The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield by Steve Lawson. England in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries was in the midst of spiritual decline, marked by lifeless sermons, strife, persecution, and malaise. Into this dark time, George Whitefield burst forth as one of the greatest preachers the church had seen since the time of the Apostles.

Called the “Grand Itinerant” for his unprecedented preaching ministry, Whitefield crossed the Atlantic Ocean numerous times and lit fires of revival on two continents. Yet, as Dr. Steven J. Lawson illustrates in this latest entry in the Long Line of Godly Men Profiles series, we must note that Whitefield was a man whose extraordinary evangelistic fervor was marked by remarkable piety and deep theology, and whose unswerving devotion to his God led him to risk all that he had to preach the name of Christ.

POE01BH_200x1000The Poetic Wonder of Isaac Watts by Douglas Bond. In an age of simplistic and repetitive choruses, many churches are rediscovering the blessing of theologically rich and biblically informed songs. In the latest addition to our A Long Line of Godly Men Profile series, Douglas Bond introduces us to Isaac Watts, “the father of English hymnody.” Douglas Bond urges Christians to delight in the grandeur, beauty, and joy of Watts’ poetry. We pray that you would regain a sense of God’s majesty as we celebrate the God-given poetic wonder of Isaac Watts.

Click here to see previous entries in the “A Series Worth Serious Investment” series.

10 Special Helps Against Satan

Armor of God

On weeks when I don’t preach, like this one, I aim to place myself on unusual watch against Satan’s schemes. He rages at all times, but in my own experience it’s weeks like these that he bears his lion-teeth with uncommon fervor.

In addition to the word, prayer, and fellowship I have found Thomas Brooks’ classic Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices to be of great help. His final chapter on “10 Special Helps and Rules Against Satan’s Devices” worth revisiting whenever you feel the Worm is raging. Consider these helps and rules this week as you strive against Satan.

10 WAYS TO FIGHT AGAINST THE ENEMY

Walk by rule of the Word of God. (Prov. 12:24; Gal. 6:16) He who walks by rule, walks most safely; he who walks by rule, walks most honorably; he who walks by rule, walks most sweetly. When men throw off the Word, then God throws them off, and then Satan takes them by the hand, and leads them into snares at his pleasure.

Take heed of vexing and grieving of the Holy Spirit of God. Ah! if you set that sweet and blessed Spirit a-mourning, who alone can secure you from Satan’s depths—by whom will you be preserved? Man is a weak creature, and no way able to discover Satan’s snares, nor to avoid them—unless the Spirit of the Lord gives skill and power.

Labor for more heavenly wisdom. It is not the most knowing Christian—but the most wise Christian, who sees, avoids, and escapes Satan’s snares. ‘The way of life leads upward for the wise,’ says Solomon, ‘that he may depart from hell beneath’ (Prov. 15:24). Heavenly wisdom makes a man delight to fly high; and the higher any man flies, the more he is out of the reach of Satan’s snares.

Make immediate resistance against Satan’s first motions. He who will play with Satan’s bait, will quickly be taken with Satan’s hook! The promise of conquest is given to resisting, not to disputing: ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you’ (James 4:7).

Labor to be filled with the Spirit. He who thinks he has enough of the Holy Spirit, will quickly find himself vanquished by the evil spirit. Therefore labor more to have your hearts filled with the Spirit than to have your heads filled with notions, your shops with wares, your chests with silver, or your bags with gold; so shall you escape the snares of this fowler, and triumph over all his plots.

Keep humble. An humble heart will rather lie in the dust than rise by wickedness, and sooner part with all than the peace of a good conscience. Humility keeps the soul free from many darts of Satan’s casting, and snares of his spreading; as the low shrubs are free from many violent gusts and blasts of wind, which shake and rend the taller trees. He who has a gracious measure of humility, is neither affected with Satan’s offers nor terrified with his threatenings.

Keep a strong, close, and constant watch (1 Thess. 5:6). A sleepy soul is already an ensnared soul. That soul that will not watch against temptations, will certainly fall before the power of temptations. Shall Satan keep a crafty watch, and shall not Christians keep a holy spiritual watch? Watchfulness is nothing else but the soul running up and down, to and fro, busy everywhere. Watchfulness is the heart busied and employed with diligent observation of what comes from within us, and of what comes from without us and into us.

Keep up your communion with God. Your strength to stand and withstand Satan’s fiery darts is from your communion with God. A soul high in communion with God may be tempted—but will not easily be conquered. Such a soul will fight it out to the death. Communion with God furnishes the soul with the greatest and the choicest arguments to withstand Satan’s temptations.

Do not engage Satan in your own strength—but be every day drawing new virtue and strength from the Lord Jesus. Ah, souls! when the snare is spread, look up to Jesus Christ, who is lifted up in the gospel, as the brazen serpent was in the wilderness, and say to him, “Dear Lord! here is a new snare laid to catch my soul, and grace formerly received, without fresh supplies from your blessed bosom, will not deliver me from this snare. Oh! give me new strength, new power, new influences, new measures of grace, that so I may escape the snares!”

Be much in prayer. Prayer is a shelter to the soul, a sacrifice to God and a scourge to the devil. There is nothing that renders Satan’s plots fruitless like prayer; therefore says Christ: ‘Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation’ (Matt. 26:41). You must watch and pray, and pray and watch, if you would not enter into temptation.’

Recent Reads

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.

0851517730mEvangelical Eloquence: A Course of Lectures on Preaching by R.L. Dabney. For years my Presbyterian friends have said, “You’ve got to read Dabney’s Evangelical Eloquence!” The poor Southern Presbyterian’s lectures have been collecting dust in my study for some time, but a few weeks ago I finally pulled it out . . . and I may have just discovered my personal authorized text on preaching. If I ever taught a class on preaching, this would be the primary text. Here we find the preaching ministry treated with gravity, scripturalness, and simplicity (which, incidentally enough are Dabney’s “3 Special Qualities of Biblical Preaching”). Originally published in 1879 as Sacred Rhetoric, these lectures have more than passed the test of time; over and over I found myself convicted, challenged, and led to write, “Amen!” in the margin. Dabney’s introductory lecture on “The Preacher’s Commission” will fan aflame a love for the sacred desk, and his lectures on the “Cardinal Requisites of the Sermon” should be requisite reading for preachers young and old. The old man gets extra credit for concluding the work with a lecture on public prayer. A fantastic volume!

0851519318mThe Ministry by Charles Brown. An old seminary friend used to always be reading some book on pastoral ministry. The titles were often obscure and many stretched back to the church fathers. Several years ago he was reading Charles Brown’s The Ministry and it looked helpful enough, so I bought a copy. It proved to be medicine for my soul during a trying time in ministry. I reread it last week and was freshly encouraged. Brown was a 19th century Scottish pastor who was said to possess “a rare combination of intellectual power and spiritual earnestness, proceeding from a mind and heart full of the treasure of the Word.” His book on ministry consists of four chapters covering the essentials of pastoring: godliness, prayer, and preaching. Brown’s little volume will help pastors return to the apostolic rule of Acts 6:4.

9781892777751mThe Path of True Godliness by Willem Teellinck. Teellinck has been called “The Father of the Dutch Nadere Reformatie“, a movement among the Dutch Reformed that generally paralleled the Puritan movement in England and Scotland. The Path of True Godliness, first published in 1621, is Teellinck’s major work on sanctification. In true Puritan fashion the work is exhaustive and covers everything from what true godliness is, to how the kingdom of darkness wars against the kingdom of grace, and the means by which we grow in true godliness. The book can, and probably should, be much shorter as Teelinck’s discussion gets quite redundant at points. If basketball was around in the 17th century this Dutchman would have been deadly from behind the arc: he organizes almost everything in triads. It’s rather amazing how many sections begin with something like, “Notice that this activity begins in three parts,” or, “As the Holy Spirit leads believers into truth, he offers three distinct works of grace.”

DGGA Display of God’s Glory: Basics of Church Structure by Mark Dever. Dever’s little discussed manual on church polity is an absolute gem. We use it in our church officer training at Imago Dei and I had the chance to reread it again as we just finished our first round of deacon training. In the short compass of four chapters Dever covers the essentials of congregational polity: deacons, elders, congregationalism, and membership. Not only is this a an excellent resource for training prospective officers it would also serve as an excellent discipling tool for any member who needs to understand basics of Baptist polity. I’d love to see a publishing house pick up this title and make it more widely available.

1581348525mGrowing in Christ by J.I. Packer. For Packer, Growing in Christ is the logical companion to his classic Knowing God. This book is his work of catechesis; his commentary on “the three formulae which have always been central in Christian teaching – the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, plus Christian baptism.” But don’t let the word “commentary” give you pause, Packer sprints through the content. Each chapter is 2-3 pages in length and includes useful discussion questions. Thoroughly evangelical and warmly ecumenical, I could see this book being a great resource for small groups or discipling relationships.

9781433501999mMemoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and Reflections of Tom Carson by D.A. Carson. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to read this book, I am something of a sucker for pastoral memoirs. Carson is to be greatly commended, along with Crossway, for giving us a glimpse into the trials and joys of ordinary ministry through the life and memoirs of his father. After reading the work, Carson’s administrative assistant said, ““I used to aspire to be the next Henry Martyn [heroic British Bible translator and missionary to the Muslim peoples of India and Persia]. However, after reading your dad’s diaries, the Lord has given my heart a far loftier goal: simply to be faithful. I know we as men are but dust, but what dust the man I read about in these diaries was!” No higher praise could be given.

GFThe Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. The Goldfinch won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and my first response upon completing it was, “How did this win the Pulitzer?” I’m not one who generally enjoys the “art” of literature, so it’s possible my distaste is simply the product of unrefined artistic taste buds. So I decided to do some research to see if my sentiments were completely unfounded. Little did I know that Tartt is something of a cult hero and her latest book has created something of a impenetrable divide among literary critics: you love it or you hate it. Although I didn’t loathe the book, I definitely didn’t love it. The narrative seamlessly moves from the rivetingly sensational to boringly bloated. I find most of the prose to fall in the latter category.

Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series.