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.

The Lord’s Supper: Eternal Word in Broken Bread by Robert Letham. Next week I am scheduled to deliver a lecture on the Lord’s Supper to a group of pastors in my local county, so I’ve been working through some choice titles on the topic. And I think Letham’s work is the best introduction to one’s understanding of this means of grace. It is clear and convictional, while steering clear of the monotony I find in many works on the topic. If you want to wade into a classic Reformed understanding of the Supper, this is the place to start.

What’s Best Next: How the Gospel Transforms the Way You Get Things Done by Matt Perman. For years I’ve heard about this book and I was eager to see it finally come to publication. In full disclosure, I’ve rarely profited from productivity books. Why that’s so is a post for another day. As I read through What’s Best Next I found myself consistently saying, “Yeah! That’s how I do it.” Perman just explains the method much better than I ever would. He is spot on to say that productivity is something God deeply cares about and ought to be thought of as “effectiveness” not “efficiency.” Effectiveness is necessarily efficient, but the reverse is not always the case. A particular highlight for me was his discussion of the “ringing effect” and how it informs capacity in work. Any Christian worker would do well to read this book. Tolle lege!

Reaching and Teaching: A Call To Great Commission Obedience by David Sills. This is a marvelous book and one every pastor should read. Sills believes that much mission work neglects a crucial aspect of the Great Commission, namely that we are to teach everything Christ commanded. He convincingly argues that long-term patience in theological education is vital to taking the gospel all nations and planting healthy indigenous churches. I experienced Sills argument first hand while in Uganda last week. We performed all manner of service in the area where we worked: dental/medical clinics, kids programming, soccer camps, construction work, and ministry to orphans. And you know what sure seemed to be the most sought after ministry? Teaching the Bible. More than meeting physical needs, the people longed for and needed the meat of God’s word. I’d recommend every mission team read this book.

A Bundle of Baldacci. The trip to and from Uganda consisted of, literally, a few days worth of travel time. For me, bumpy plane rides and bus rides are not really conducive to heavy theological reading. So I loaded up the iPad with a lot of David Baldacci, the quintessence of easy and fun reading to make the time fly. We could call it “dessert” reading. Reading that you can’t survive on, but is good to partake of every now and then. The plot lines are always intriguing, character development finely paced, and twists inventive, if not predictable at times. Here are the individual titles I read:

• The Hit
• The Forgotten
• Split Second
• Hour Game
• Simple Genius
• First Family

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.

The Works of George Swinnock Vol: 1. I first came across Swinnock when I purchased Trading and Thriving in Godliness: The Piety of George Swinnock in Reformation Heritage’s “Profiles in Reformed Spirituality Series.” I loved his work enough to use Christmas money that year to purchase his five-volume collected works published by Banner of Truth. The first two and half volumes are occupied with The Christian Man’s Calling, an exhaustive application of 1 Timothy 4:7-8. Swinnock is clear, if somewhat monotonous, and Spurgeon was spot on when he said, “George Swinnock had the gift of illustration largely developed, as his works prove…they served his purpose, and made his teaching attractive…there remains “a rare amount of sanctified wit and wisdom.'”

The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God by Tim Chester & Jonny Woodrow. There seems to be, in spite of the gospel-centered resurgence, a gap in publications on the ascension of Christ. Enter this splendid little work by Chester and Woodrow, of Porterbrook Network fame. The book consists of three chapters on Christ as: 1) Ascended Priest, 2) Ascended King, and 3) Ascended Man. With careful attention to biblical and systematic theology the authors eloquently display the undervalued significance of the truth that Christ has ascended on high. This is a vital read.

Putting Truth to Work by Dan Doriani. DA Carson rightly says of this book, “There is not much written that deals thoughtfully and creatively with the theory and practice of applying Scripture” in preaching. Doriani’s book is an exhaustive treatment (coming in at over 300 pages) of the what, why, and how of application. He argues that there are four aspects to sound application: duty (what the text calls us to do), character (who the text calls us to be), goal (what goals the text calls us to pursue), and discernment (how the text tells us to distinguish between character and error). The four aspects can be put through a seven avenues for application, thus Doriani argues – compellingly so – that you could legitimately have 28 different applications to a given pericope. While I do wish the book was shorter, it is a sound and sensitive treatment of a timeless issue. Well done!

Paradigms in Conflict by David Hesselgrave. Paradigms in Conflict addresses ten pressing issues in missiology today. The pressing issues are better understood to be the common dichotomies that divide missionaries and missionary organizations. Things like “Free Will vs. Divine Sovereignty”, “Power Encounters vs. Truth Encounter”, and “Exclusivism vs. Inclusivism.” I don’t agree with all of Hesselgrave’s conclusions, but I think the book proves to be a valuable resource for discipling people entering the mission field. The author is extremely well-verse on the literature and, for the most part, fairly represents the various views treated in the book. I also appreciated his tone of humility in tackling such thorny issues.

Presumed Innocent by Scott Turow. Someone told me once that Turow’s book created the “courtroom thriller” genre in publishing. Now that I’ve finally gotten around to reading it I can see why. Presumed Innocent employs many devices in structure and style that have made millionaires out of men like John Grisham and Richard North Patterson. The book is narrated in first-person, making the tone intensely personal and compellingly introspective. A thriller wouldn’t be a thriller without a surprise ending, and although my suspicion was proved true at the end, the twist was nevertheless enjoyable.

The Innocent by David Baldacci. For years I’ve had people tell me I should read David Baldacci. The Innocent was my first dive in the Baldacci catalog and I was satisfied with the outcome. This book is the first in a series that follows Will Robie, a “stone cold hitman” with – go figure – a conscience. Whether or not such a thing is really possible is a debate for another day. The plot line is engrossing, the characters are enjoyable textured, and the outcome is unexpected. Not surprising enough to shock with me with who actually was the villain, but how the villain went about its evil scheme. A quick, fun read.

Zero Day by David Baldacci. The Innocent was good enough for me to pick up another Baldacci book and Zero Day is first entry in a separate Baldacie series. This one recounts the exploits of John Puller, “the best military investigator in the U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division.” Now this Puller character I like! He really has a conscience (at least in this first book) and cannot be stopped or hindered in his pursuit of truth. Zero Day finds Puller stumbling across a vicious tragedy that opens up the possibility of a grave assault on our nation’s defense. While the plot stretches the realms of realism, it was the first in a long time that actually surprised me. I look forward to the other books already published in this series.

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.

The Creedal Imperative by Carl Trueman. He seems to be a divisive figure of sorts in the “gospel-centered” circles in which I live, but Carl Trueman is a gift to God’s church. I find him to be a voice of sanity in American evangelicalism, one who offers incisive cultural analysis and fresh articulation of the Christian tradition. All these things are on display in The Creedal Imperative, which seeks to argue “that the need for creeds and confessions is not just a practical imperative for the church but is also a biblical imperative” (19). I came to the book as a convinced confessionalist, but Trueman put more biblical and theological meat on that skeleton. A book every pastor ought not to miss!

The Yard by Alex Grecian. Grecian debut novel in his “Scotland Yard’s Murder Squad” series is not properly historical fiction, but it is quite close. Jack the Ripper’s famed reign of terror has runs its course and the London police force finds itself scorned by the larger community. Twelve detectives are charged with investigating the thousands of people Victorian London swallows up each year. The Murder Squad’s skills are put to the test when one of their own suffers ghastly death. The Yard was a fun read that broke the mold of the normal detective-ish books I often read that are strong on plot and weak on character development. Grecian offers a solid plot thick with intriguing characters. What most fascinated me was how the story reveals the development of forensic science. You mean they didn’t always know fingerprints are unique and integral to solving cases?!? I look forward to his second installment in the series.

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.

What’s Your Worldview: An Interactive Approach to Life’s Big Questions by James Anderson. Anderson had managed to something increasingly rare in the publishing world: write something utterly unique. As the back cover explains, “Cast in the mold of a classic ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ story, What’s Your Worldview? will guide you toward intellectually satisfying answers to life’s biggest questions – equipping you to think carefully about not only what you believe but why you believe it and how it impacts the rest of your life.” The approach is innovative and satisfyingly simple; the entire book comes in at just over 80 pages. Part 3 on “Worldviews” is where Anderson really shines. He gives specific attention to 21 different worldviews and then expertly pokes holes in all that stand against the Christian worldview. A great tool for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Spiritual Warfare: A Balanced & Biblical Perspective by Brian Borgman and Rob Ventura. There is no shortage of books on spiritual warfare available today, just a shortage of good books on spiritual warfare. A couple of years ago I read a highly reviewed book on the topic and was stunned to find only two scant references to Ephesians 6:10-20 (the longest treatment of the topic in all Scripture!) in the whole book. Thankfully Borgman and Ventura give us a sane and clear treatment of the Christian’s warfare in this aptly titled book. In thirteen chapters the authors explain Paul’s classic teaching in Ephesians 6 with lucidity and warmth. The book isn’t profound like Powlison’s or pointed like Leahy’s, but it is a mighty fine introduction to an always pressing topic.

Outgrowing the Ingrown Church by John Miller. When an author writes a book from his personal experience he treads on water marked, “Risky Business,” for it’s oh so easy to universalize experience: i.e. “This happened to me and it happens to all of you in the same way.” For that reason I am often reticent to read these volumes. Outrowing the Ingrown Church is one such book that navigates the tricky waters of experience with aplomb. This is because Miller’s experience in leading an ingrown church unto missionary focus serves to simply illustrate clear biblical truth. I deeply appreciate Miller’s discussion on the pastor as “pacesetter,” his focus on preaching and prayer, and his emphasis on the necessity of gospel zeal. If your church is ingrown, this book will chart a path toward more faithful mission. If your church isn’t ingrown, this book will help keep you on the course of faithful evangelism.

The Great Commission Resurgence: Fulfilling God’s Mandate in Our Time edited by Chuck Lawless and Adam Greenway. In 2009 president Johnny Hunt appointed a Great Commission Task Force which would examine how Southern Baptists can work more faithfully and effectively together in serving Christ through the Great Commission. The Great Commission Resurgence explores the decline of the SBC and proposes solutions for a new generation. I found the historical analysis to be most intriguing, especially Nathan Finn’s work in charting the Great Commission’s emphasis through the SBC’s history. As with all edited volumes, the quality of chapters varies quite a bit, but on the whole the work is solid. The only real perplexing part was David Allen’s unnecessary preoccupation with the dangers of particular redemption in his chapter on preaching. But for those familiar with Allen, this should be no surprise. Admittedly an intramural book, GCR is a valuable contribution to the ongoing conversation on the future of the SBC.

24 Hours by Greg Iles. I grabbed this book largely based on reviews praising Iles for an unusual depth of characterization and complexity of plot. After reading 24 Hours, to such reviews I must say, “Balderdash!” This book is inanely predictable and humorous in its attempt to pass off an overused formula as novel. The bad guys seem, to me at least, stunningly similar to Milton and Small in Of Mice and Men and the supposed thrills are, well, supposed. If you see this book at the library or book store, just move along.

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.

Looking Unto Jesus by Isaac Ambrose. My introduction to Ambrose’s classic work first came through Meet the Puritans, where Beeke and Pederson called it, “A classic of Christ-centered divinity.” Then Mark Jones suggested that I consider Ambrose’s Christology for my master’s thesis and I knew I should buy the book. After a few years of collecting dust in my study, I finally grabbed to book, dusted off the pages, and sat down to feast. And what a feast it was! Taking Hebrews 12:2 as his starting point, Ambrose lifts Christ up and simply stares at His glory. He says “looking [unto Jesus] is comprehensive of knowing, desiring, hoping, believing, loving, and enjoying” Him. The work meditates deeply on the person and work of Christ considering everything from His eternity, to His generation, to His birth, death, and second coming. Chapter 2 in Book 4 is typical of Ambrose’s approach: he defines what it means to see Jesus”carrying on the great work of our salvation in His intercession” and then goes on to show how to consider, desire, hope, believe, have joy, pray to, and conform to Jesus in this respect. Only Owen The Glory of Christ or Goodwin’s The Heart of Christ can top this Christological summit.

The Gospel at Work: How Working for King Jesus Gives Purpose and Meaning to Our Jobs by Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert. It’s been quite a while since I read a book and immediately thought, “I need to get this into as many hands as possible.” The Gospel at Work is one such book. I wholeheartedly concur with Dever when he says, “I want to make this a basic staple in my discipling.” The book is largely built around two primary pitfalls one can have in approaching work:

On the one hand, we can let our job become an idol. Our work can become the primary object of our passions, our energy, and our love. We end up worshiping our job. On the other hand, we can slip into being idle in our work. When we fail to see God’s purposes in our work, we don’t really care must about it. We fail to give any attention to it, or we despise it and generally neglect our responsibility to serve as if we are serving the Lord. (18)

Traeger and Gilbert swiftly show how faith in Christ answers both of these pitfalls, and I am grateful they did it without succumbing to standard “gospel-centered” cliches. They are spot on when they say, “Ultimately the evidence of the gospel in our lives at work is not so much in the things we do but in the freedom we enjoy in the midst of our work” (57). Filled with an uncanny amount of clarity and practicality, I wouldn’t be surprised if this proves to be one of my favorite books in 2014. I’ve already bought several copies to add to our church’s bookshelf.

Dead Eye by Mark Greaney. Dead Eye is the fourth, and latest, installment in Greaney’s “Gray Man Series.” I wondered aloud after reading book three if it was possible for Greaney to offer up more than a one-dimensional thrill ride. I think I would say, after reading this one, “Yes, but barely. Maybe he can provide a 1.5-deminsional thrill ride.” Whatever that is. Dead Eye finds Court Gentry doing battle with a “singleton” (think lone ranger) who needs to save the Gray Man in order to destroy him – let the reader understand. Greaney wrapped up one substantial plot thread while leaving another one dangling oh so close. Less bloated with unbelievable action scenes and possessing more textured character development than other books in the series, Dead Eye gives hope for what’s to come. I believe the next book in the series is slated for release in late 2015.

The Three C’s by Mark Stone. My dad just published a book on career enrichment based on his journey from one career to another back in 2009. The burden of the book is to provide a primer on “how to build, enhance, and protect your career. This plan of action – characterizing, connecting, and communicating – is not the best plan. It is not the only plan. It is just a proven plan.” And, I would add, a commonsense plan. I am really not a part of the book’s target audience as a pastor, but the principles are simple enough to have broad application.