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Recent Reads

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.

ScottishChristianHeritageThe Scottish Christian Heritage by Iain Murray. What a feast this one is! I personally find Iain Murray’s books to always be edifying and The Scottish Christian Heritage did not in any way deviate from this trend. It is quite amazing to consider how, in God’s providence, the little English-speaking island of Scotland has had such an effect on church history. Here Murray recounts Scotland’s major figures and movements from Knox to Bruce to Chalmers, from the Reformation to the Great Disruption. I found the biographical chapter on Chalmers to be soul stirring. But the chapter on Scottish preaching offered some surprising insights I’d never before considered, and really is worth the price of the whole book. Tolle lege!

51whFdmHY9L._SX302_BO1,204,203,200_Standing on the Promises: A Biblical Handbook of Childrearing by Doug Wilson. With the completion of Standing on the Promises my roughly three-week journey through Wilson’s Family Series is now complete. As the subtitle suggests this book is Wilson’s manifesto on parenting. As such, I expected great things. Imagine then the letdown it was to find the book has much more to do with the covenant than raising children in the covenant. And because I so greatly differ with Wilson on a biblical understanding of the covenant I found myself disagreeing with almost all the book’s instruction. The sense I felt at the end was, “Oh well.”

51ogd0KZWPL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_The Life of Edward Irving by Arnold Dallimore. Have you ever heard of Edward Irving? Probably no. I likely wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for my studies in Robert Murray M’Cheyne. But Irving is of great interest to M’Cheyne students because his view of eschatology played a huge part in M’Cheyne’s ardent premillennialism. Although you can’t necessarily call Irving a proto-dispensationalist (he close on several points), you can call definitely him a proto-charismatic. He created a Pentecostal church before such an assembly existed. Dallimore writes, “He was exceptionally tall and elegantly handsome; his mind was that of a genius, though tending towards eccentricty; his spirit was almost childlike in it simplicity, yet at the same time mightily masculine, full of courage and unflinching in conviction, and as a preacher he was known as ‘the greatest orator of the age.'” This Life is one of the more fascinating ones I’ve read in a long time.

51WRCJ37G6L._SX308_BO1,204,203,200_Excused Absence: Should We Send Our Kids to Government Schools? by Doug Wilson. If you know anything about Wilson you won’t be surprised to find him answering the subtitle’s question in the negative. Excused Absence is his passionate cry for Christian parents to educate their children in a Christian environment. Although I think he goes to far in essentially saying Christian teachers can’t truly serve in public schools, I’m thoroughly sympathetic to his argument for educating our children in an institution submitted to Christ’s lordship. The work is, of course, helped by Wilson’s prodigious pen. Take this for example,

When God is excluded from the classroom, we are not merely remaining silent about God. We are teaching children that they may safely disregard Him. Whether or not God exists, the lesson goes, His existence is irrelevant to what we are doing here. So when God is omitted, we are not silent about Him; rather, we are teaching the children in the most convincing way possible that God is irrelevant. They can safely omit Him when it is convenient to do so. (62)

51g9Qim8ogL._SX297_BO1,204,203,200_The Case for Classical Christian Education by Doug Wilson. On the surface Wilson’s Case might seem like a good resource for parents interested in learning what classical Christian education is all about. Yet, while they will surely benefit from Wilson’s work, The Case for Classical Christian Education is geared more for educators—for those thinking about starting a classical Christian school. I have a hope of doing something similar at IDC down the road, so I read this book and was helped. It gave insights on matters of school boards, rules for teachers, the value of Latin, and the “biblicity” of the trivium I hadn’t  considered before.

81sN0UiNqoL._SL1500_Archangel by Robert Harris. What if Joseph Stalin left a secret hidden that, when revealed after his death, could potentially change the history of his people? Harris takes up that very fictional question in Archangel. The narrative revolves around one Fluke Kelso, something of an exasperating English historian whose expertise is Soviet Russia. He comes across Stalin’s old leather bound journal and proceeds to thinks riches and fame await. Yet, on further review the journal hides a secret long hidden, but soon to be revealed. What the secret is won’t surprise the reader, but I did find myself taken aback by the abrupt—and unexpected—ending. The story lacked any substantial character or plot development, so as it barreled along I often felt it need to be longer than it was. But if it was longer I’m not sure I’d have read it.

51OON2-+I-L._SX297_BO1,204,203,200_Flight Over Water by Ken Follett. I find few popular authors as consistently riveting as Follett—a fact proven over and over in Flight Over Water. It’s September 1939 and war has just broken out over Europe. A group of miscreants and millionaires board the vaunted Pan Am clipper bound for New York. Follett’s whole story tells what happens over the next thirty-six hours or so. And he creates drama and intrigue at every turn, and it’s surprisingly believable. The deeper matter at hand for the reader is that of what we might call rooting for rightness; Follet begs the reader to root for the thief, adulteress, and gangster—will you or won’t you?

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

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Suiting Up the Soul

Prepare The Way_std_t_nv

Professional athletes are often infamous for their pregame routines. Take my own athletic love, The Beautiful Game. Christiano Ronaldo won’t play unless he’s gotten a fresh haircut beforehand. Laurent Blanc would kiss the bald head of Barthez before each French match. Toure, the Ivory Coast legend, demanded to be the last player from his team to walk onto the playing field. Toure’s obsession with this pregame ritual runs so deep that he once missed the start of the second half of a Champions League game while waiting for a teammate to precede him.

If you jump from athletes to army men you’d find the same kind of thing happening with soldiers before the march. For some it’s simple superstition, while for others it’s the comforting assurance of normality. Whatever the motivation is, the point is quite clear: the man must fit himself for battle.

So it is with those of us who preach God’s word each week. The question isn’t, “Will we do it?” but, “How will we do it?”

Enlarge the Heart

Robert Murray M’Cheyne has loomed prominent in my life these past few weeks as I’ve started to scratch the surface on what I hope will become my PhD dissertation at The Institution. His prayerful piety is well known to many. But I’m discovering that few know about how intentional he was to fill his soul in order that he might truly preach each Lord’s Day. For example, take a look at this diary entry from February, 21 1836:

Preached twice in Larbert, on the righteousness of God, Rom. 1:16. In the morning was more engaged in preparing the head than the heart. This has frequently been my error, and I have always felt the evil of it, especially in prayer. Reform it, then, O Lord.

Fast forward to February 27, 1836:

Preached in Dunipace with more heart than ever I remember to have done, on Rom. 5:10, owing to the gospel nature of the subject and prayerful preparation.

We thus see M’Cheyne was keenly interested in “preparing” his heart so that he might preach God’s word. The February 27th entry shows us his heart was set aflame by the gospel and—particularly—by prayer.

Then, the very next week he wrote:

March 5th – Preached in Larbert with very much comfort, owing chiefly to my remedying the error of 21st Feb. Therefore the heart adn the mouth were full. ‘Enlarge my heart, and I shall run,”said David. ‘Enlarge my heart, and I shall preach.’ (emphasis added)

Reading through his diary and letters reveals a regular passion into this battle for enlarging the heart each week. Few know that he preferred to visit the dying on Saturdays so that his soul my be fit with solemnity for Sunday. He hoped it would allow him to preach as a dying man to dying men.

Brother of the pulpit, what do you do to prepare for heralding God’s word?

More Than Just a Few Hours Are Needed

I’ve found myself freshly challenged to answer that question in my own life. What am I intentionally doing each week to prepare my soul for the spiritual battle that is The Sacred Desk? Perhaps it’s my immaturity—or maybe it’s an appropriation of personal pregame rituals in my old glory years of futbol—but I’ve come to realize how routinized I’ve made the whole thing. Now, don’t get me wrong, I will sing the blessed Hymn of Routine until the Lord takes me home. No faithful ministry can happen without shaking hands with the friend named Routine.

However, I’m thinking here of my own particular routine on the day of preaching. After a week of studying, writing, and editing the sermon, Lord willing, is ready to go. Because IDC meets on Saturdays I have the stuffy joy of waiting a l l  d a y to deliver the sermon. This brings many extra hours for temptation unto sin, despair, or doubt before preaching. To help wage the good war I’ve taken to always leaving the house about 11:30am, which gives me about four hours to read through the sermon and earnestly pray for the night’s work. Sounds quite right, doesn’t it? Yet, in light of my M’Cheyne reading I came to realize that I was using these four hours as something like a “Pump You Up to Preach” soundtrack. Playing that same song each week, I had implicitly concluded, would cause my heart beat with bursting passion as I stand behind the pulpit.

Yet, I’m realizing the whole endeavor is a wee bit misguided. Why?

Enter M’Cheyne again.

In his private notes on “Personal Reformation,” the blessed man said, “I am persuaded I shall do most for God’s glory and the good of man . . . by being filled with the Holy Spirit at all times, and by attaining the most entire likeness to Christ in mind, will, and heart, that is possible for a redeemed sinner to attain to in this world.”

What I’ve been trying to acquire in the few hours before ascending to The Desk is actually something that can only be done by living each moment coram deo. Yes, we pray for the Spirit’s unction and filling to fall on the moment of preaching. But we dare not expect He will come down if the rest of the week isn’t consumed with the glorious tidings of Christ. This is why many a wise old man has said it takes a lifetime to prepare each sermon.

It’s one of those many truths I’ve known, but for the first time I feel I really know.

Continual Feasting

This then, I’m convinced, is what we must be after: wholehearted, second-by-second, devotion to Christ. Let another Scottish divine, William Blaikie, slam shut the case:

Ought not preachers themselves to live on the great fundamental truths of the gospel? Ought not our souls to be continually fed from them, and our hearts continually thrilling with them? Ought not a fresh glow to come over our hearts every day as we think of Him who loved us, and washed us from sin in His blood, and made us kings and priests unto God and to the Father? Give us the plainest preacher that ever was; let him preach nothing that a whole congregation do not know; but let him preach with a thrilling heart; let him preach like one amazed at the glory of the message; let him preach in the tone of wonder and gratitude in which it becomes sinners to realize the great work of redemption,—not only will the congregation listen with interest: they will listen with profound impression.

Delight your soul the thrills of Christ every day and then go preach with a thrilling heart.

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3 Books Every Pastor Should Read: On Systematic Theology

Books are some of the best friends a pastor can have. How to know which friends to have is quite difficult, for as the inspired Preacher said, “Of making many books there is no end” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). Every so often I recommend three books for pastors on a given topic, hoping the suggestions can serve you in some way.

I’ve held off on this post for a long time. Mostly because offering one’s opinion on a systematic theology is like wading into the heated waters of declaring which college football team belongs in the national championship. Nevertheless, it’s feels like high time to go swimming in the systematics. If ever Ecclesiastes 12:12 is true it’s in the area designated “ST.” Each year offers important contributions to the field with individual titles trying to carve out some niche to get attention. It seems utterly impossible for ordinary pastors to keep up.

In order to save us all much time in reading, and help myself along the way for this post, I’ve limited myself to one-volume systematic theologies. So Turretin is out, à Brakel stays in the bullpin, and unhappily the venerable Dr. Hodge won’t be coming out of retirement for this one.

9781848714632mInstitutes of the Christian Religion: Calvin’s Own Essential Edition by John Calvin. The famous Battles translation of Calvin’s magnum opus comes in two volumes, but thankfully Banner of Truth’s steadfast service still lets me get Calvin onto the list. This edition represents 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.” A spiritual feast awaits any and all who come to Calvin’s table.

PrintReformed Dogmatics: Abridged in One Volume by Herman Bavinck. If Calvin is the king of Reformed theology, Bavinck surely is The Boss. Informed readers will know Bavinck’s magisterial Reformed Dogmatics comes in four volumes, but this abridgment is worth every penny (and kudos to John Bolt for his incredible work). Here you encounter one of the greatest intellects, scholars, and systematicians Reformed theology has ever produced. Although Bavinck—for me at least—doesn’t have the same doxological quality as Calvin, his work still has unusual power in promoting piety. So good is The Boss that even though this abridgment loses some of the original volumes’ grandeur, it still beats out just about everything else. I’ve always heard Berkhof’s famous ST is really the first English language abridgement RD. So you could go with that one here, yet The Blue Pill (as we called it in seminary) is the definition of turgid.

9780310286707mSystematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine by Wayne Grudem. When I was seventeen a Christian brother I greatly respected sat me down and said, “Do you want to read Grudem’s Systematic with me?” I was little more than a soccer player with tons of time on my hands, so I said, “Why not?” We each grabbed a copy and my understanding of systematics has never been the same. Although I find myself differing from Grudem as the years go by on several points I still believe this is a classic of evangelical theology. The operative words with Grudem are are clarity and humility—two things in which we can always grow. An advantage of this systematic is that it’s helpfully been distilled into a 500+ page version called Bible Doctrine, which serves as a terrifically useful discipling/training resource for those unable to work through the big one.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

9780875525778mConcise Reformed Dogmatics by J. van Genderen and W.H. Velema. If it wasn’t for the Bavinck abridgment this title would in top three. I find it tremendously undervalued. The two Dutchmen write with winsome earnestness and have even managed to use an ingenious method: some of the text is in smaller font size than the rest. Why? The regular-sized text represents information essential to the study of theology, while the smaller-sized text is for those who want to dig into more of the technical matters and debates. Some people may not prefer the formatting, but it’s more pleasing to the eye than you’d expect. CRD will satisfy students of any ability.

1596380187mSalvation Belongs to the Lord: An Introduction to Systematic Theology by John Frame. I could put Frame’s full-length ST in this spot, but that publication really a “Best of John Frame on Theology” type book (heavily tilted towards content from his Doctrine of God and Doctrine of the Word of God). This ST introduction is Frame at his finest—relentlessly biblically and warmly ecumenical. It also serves a layman’s intro into his well-known tri-perspectivalism. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve handed out his chapter on eschatology from Salvation Belongs to the Lord, which—I think—says something about its usefulness. This is another undervalued resource every pastor would do well to work through.

9780310330646mPilgrim Theology: Core Doctrines for Christian Disciples by Michael Horton. I wasn’t too big a fan of Horton’s The Christian Faith. I’m not on the speech-act theory train and the whole volume seemed unbalanced on many different issues. So when I heard he was publishing a second, shorter ST entitled Pilgrim Theology I figured it would be his version of what Bible Doctrine is to Grudem’s ST and thus not worth much consideration. How grateful I was to be proven wrong! Pilgrim Theology (what a great title, by the way) is more a rewrite than abridgement, and all Horton’s strengths shine through. His metaphors work, his articulation is sound, and the flow is even. If you are looking for a contemporary ST other than Grudem or Frame, this might be the one for you.

Check out my past suggestions in the “3 Books Every Pastor Should Read” series here.

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Pleading for Thickness & Tenderness

Thick Tenderness

A pastor’s prayer life is often one of praying the same things over and over. And this is just fine. It’s nothing less than faithfully ministering in light of Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow in Luke 18. It promotes dogged persistence. I’m sure every pastor would offer an, “Aye,” to the motion for more persistence in our pastoral labor.

I personally am helped, when it comes to my prayer life, to have a list of items for which I’m always prayer. I pray for holiness, love, and wisdom (1 Tim. 3:1-7). I pray my preaching would be clear and bold, for this it must be (Eph. 6:20; Col. 4:4). I pray I would be ceaseless in prayer (1 Thess. 5:17). I pray for spiritual strength to minister the whole counsel of God from house to house (Acts 20:27). And I pray for the Spirit to enable me to do the work of an evangelist (2 Tim. 4:5).

The list, as you might expect, is one that keeps bulging. I recently added two items and thought they might be ones you might also consider for your life and ministry.

Praying for a Thick Skin

I still remember the email I got from a guest about my preaching. Actually, it would be better to say I remember the email I received that included an attached document about a sermon I’d just preached. The letter started well enough, expressing surprisingly kind words about the message. Yet, soon enough it devolved into a personal rant on how I’d mucked it all up on one key point, so much so that my orthodoxy was in doubt.

While this is an admittedly extreme example, faithful pastors are well acquainted with criticism. We are by nature “feather rufflers.” If we believe God’s word is absolutely true and preach as though eternity hangs in the balance, inevitably there will be disagreement over something we believe is certain. Some will disagree with songs we choose to sing or not to sing. Some will lob arrows of dissension when our church doesn’t equal their personal vision of the perfect church. Others will sarcastically barb a vision for church life we’d well near die for.

The prayer here is for thick skin in the face of such assault. The practical import of it is that whenever silly criticism comes our soul would say say, “No worries. Moving along.” This doesn’t mean the pastor shouldn’t learn from his those who critique him. Banish forever such nonsense. Kernels of truth are found in even the most thick-headed of assessments. Thick skin means not letting such assessments unduly distract or lead to despair.

Thick skin prevents thick heads from winning trite battles. A thick skin guards the heart. And we all know how important such guard work is (see Prov. 4:23).

Praying for a Tender Heart

Lest we become Bible bastions incapable of more than one feeling—thickness—we must pray for another thing: tenderness. Tenderness means we feel, deeply. The Fiery Apostle calls us to all have “a tender heart” (1 Pet. 3:8) and pastors must embody this, for they are examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3).

Tenderness, of course, is a broad word and so we must apply it broadly. By pleading with God for a tender heart we’re effectually asking for things like:

  • Tenderness toward the love of Christ
  • Tenderness toward the penalty of sin and the plight of sinners, a tenderness that compels evangelism
  • Tenderness toward our church members as we desire to see them grow in holiness
  • Tenderness toward the creeping power of worldliness
  • Tenderness toward the majesty of God’s glory revealed in creation
  • Tenderness toward the Spirit’s leading
  • Tenderness toward the church Jesus bought with his blood
  • Tenderness toward our wife as we wash her with the water of the Word
  • Tenderness toward our children as we discipline and instruct
  • Tenderness toward God’s word as we submit ourselves to its truth
  • Tenderness toward the poor, orphan, and widow who cry out for justice

You catch my drift.

In Praise of Thickly Tender Pastors

A thick-skinned, tender-hearted pastor sounds oxymoronic. But, brothers, this should not be so. The model is always Jesus Christ. His is the firstborn of thick tenderness. So let us imitate our Lord.

Having a thick skin means knowing when not to feel, while having a tender heart means knowing when to feel. So often in ministry we don’t feel when we should and we do feel when we shouldn’t. If ever there was a matter to take to the Lord in prayer, this is it. Let us be like the widow in Luke 18 and not give up until God grants us a thick skin and tender heart.

“Until God grants . . .” It thus seems to me these two items will reside on my prayer list until I see Christ in glory.

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What Spurgeon Can Teach Us Today

Back in 2012 RTS-Orlando established the Nicole Institute for Baptist Studies in honor of Roger Nicole (1915-2010). Nicole, a founding editorial board member of Christianity Today, was a distinguished visiting faculty member at RTS from 1989 to 2000. The NIBS typically hosts an annual Spurgeon Lecture in April. The Spurgeon Lecture, named after the great Reformed Baptist preacher Charles H. Spurgeon, is designed to equip and inform the audience on a broad range of theological, historical and cultural issues.

In 2013 John Piper delivered the Spurgeon Lection with a message titled, “The Life and Ministry of Charles Spurgeon.” I think the Prince would have been pleased. Watch the lecture below, be amazed, and be encouraged.

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Where God’s Presence is Felt

2012AA47896Earlier this week I read Iain Murray’s A Scottish Christian Heritage and found it full of stirring stories for the soul. Perhaps no chapter was as good for me as the one on Thomas Chalmers.

One quote in particular struck me with the force of a spiritual Hulk. Brothers of the pulpit, read this one  s l o w l y:

How little must the presence of God be felt in that place, where the high functions of the pulpit are degraded into a stipulated exchange of entertainment, on the one side, and of admiration on the other! and surely it were a sight to make angels weep when a weak and vapouring mortal, surrounded by his fellow sinners, and hastening to the grave and the judgment along with them, finds it a dearer object to his bosom to regale his hearers by the exhibition of himself, than to do, in plain earnest, the work of his Master.

Now, off to your prayer closet to pray for humility, plainness, and earnestness as you preach this weekend. For God loves to reveal Himself through such preaching.

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Recent Reads

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.

51ZlZrXw9EL._SX327_BO1,204,203,200_The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision by Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson. I must say from the start, “This is a magnificent book!” It will undoubtedly be very high on my favorites reads of 2015. Whatever high expectations I had were well surpassed as the authors promote a compelling vision for recovering the long hallowed, but now forgotten, role of the pastor theologian. Full of piercing historical and sociological analysis, rich reflection on God’s word, and surprisingly helpful tips, this is a book every pastor should read. Not all of us will become Ecclesial Theologians (the true burden of Wilson and Hiestand’s model), yet we all need fresh encouragement to zealously pursuing a learned ministry. Tolle lege!

51IimGVOk+L._SX324_BO1,204,203,200_Robert Murray McCheyne: A Burning Light by Alexander Smellie. Out of all the M’Cheyne biographies I’ve read Smellie’s might just be the best one after Andrew Bonar’s classic. Written in the early 20th century Smellie’s account benefits from simultaneously being near enough to interview some who knew Mr. M’Cheyne and having enough historical distance to provide pointed analysis. Smellie’s pen is also up to the task of the great Scotsman; he eloquently says of M’Cheyne’s preaching, “There was pathos in it; there was winningness; there was fire.” This is stirring stuff.

516BVHWMAYL._SX333_BO1,204,203,200_Robert Murray M’Cheyne: A Good Minister of Jesus Christ by J.C. Smith. Smith’s entry into the cottage industry of M’Cheyne appreciation is quite scattered. He spends more time collecting stories about M’Cheyne from contemporaries than giving a linear account of the pastor’s life. But what is surely a drawback to most readers is a gift to M’Cheyne students like myself. For here we have documented eyewitness experiences and firsthand accounts of the man’s power in preaching, prayer, and pastoral ministry. A goldmine indeed.

51v1Lqj1gCL._SX309_BO1,204,203,200_They Were Pilgrims by Marcus Loane. I had never heard of Loane before picking up this book, but have since found out he was a formidable figure in the mid-20th century Reformed world. They Were Pilgrims is a delightful “Banner-of-Truthy” (let the learned understand) book consisting of four biographical portraits: David Brainerd, Henry Martyn, Robert Murray M’Cheyne, and Ion Keith-Falconer. Each man died around the age of thirty, burning out with a missionary zeal. Under Loane’s able hand each man’s zeal for Jesus and His salvation bleeds through each page. Readers beware: the lives and ministry of these humble men just might be what the Spirit uses to ignite a white-hot, fast-burning flame in your life.

41xGGv4FBmL._SX319_BO1,204,203,200_Her Hand in Marriage: Biblical Courtship in the Modern World by Doug Wilson. This book is brief and full of everything one would expect from the “Moscow, Idaho Man.” He is unrelenting in his call for parents to take a biblical role in the relationships of their children. The idea of “courtship” connotes lots of crazy things with modern Christians, but I found Wilson’s vision to be utterly compelling and needed. The simple statement, “Boys leave for marriage, and girls are given in marriage,” may reshape some parent’s view of the whole business. If you take anything away from the book it ought to be a re-centering of children’s relationships around the wise, loving authority of the father. You may read it and disagree, but that’s just fine—Wilson is always good for stirring up convictional conversations.

510CK89F2ML._SX306_BO1,204,203,200_My Life for Yours: A Walk through the Christian Home by Doug Wilson. It took me a while to “get” what Wilson was up to in My Life For Yours. As the subtitle indicates, Wilson walks the reader through a Christian home and meditates on whatever major theme is present in the given room. So, when he comes to the Living Room he speaks of humility and holidays, the Dining Room calls to mind idolatry and food, and the sight of an Entertainment Center gets him going on worldliness. Almost no stone related to the Christian home goes uncovered in this excellent little book. It would be a good tool for discipling church members to use their home for the glory of God.

51afLCXGeQL._SX311_BO1,204,203,200_Praise Her in the Gates: The Calling of Christian Motherhood by Nancy Wilson. Having finished reading every Family Series entry from Doug, I ventured over to read those written by his wife. Reading such books help me understand my wife and, I hope, better ministry to the women in my church. Wilson says, “Building a home—childbirth, education, discipline—requires holy joy and a love of beauty. The mother who fears God does not fear the future.” And all God’s people said, “Preach!” Although her literary pen isn’t as potent as her husband’s it is mighty clear nonetheless. Praise Her in the Gates represents Mrs. Wilson’s splendid and short manifesto on motherhood. She hits all the necessary parts with biblical sensibility and without belaboring the point. Her chapters on “The Church as Mother,” “Loving the Kids,” and “The Pleasant Home” will encourage mothers across the spectrum. This would be an excellent book for a few mothers to walk through and encourage each other in the high calling of motherhood.

41A0hBGmDQL._SX309_BO1,204,203,200_The Fruit of Her Hands: Respect and the Christian Woman by Nancy Wilson. I’m not sure if there’s much I can say about this one as it’s overwhelmingly about wives respecting their husbands. I think Praise Her in the Gates is more useful and pithy, but The Fruit of Her Hands will surely be of use to women desiring to honor the Lord in marriage. I’m still waiting for my wife to finish it and let me know what she thinks. Until then, I’ll just mosey on over to a corner of Recent Reads where I better belong . . .

51ffJRTYXsL._SX322_BO1,204,203,200_The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy by David Hoffman. I’ve long fancied that in another life I’d be some type of super spy or intelligence agent—think Jason Bourne. So naturally my outlet for such silliness has been studying the Cold War, those golden decades of espionage. Yet, as time has gone on I find myself increasingly fascinated by the politics of the age as well. When I thus saw David Hoffman’s Pulitzer winner on the untold story of nuclear arms race I knew I had to pick it up. What a fantastic work of scholarship and narrative history! If only every award winner had such verve in telling its story. I never knew how close the world came to nuclear meltdown in the 1980s. Additionally, the fall of the Soviet Union has a new depth of meaning after reading this one. Hoffman’s portraits of Reagan and Gorbachev are most illuminating. The Dead Hand is essential reading for any armchair historian—or professional historian, for that matter–of the Cold War.

41OA4CHPoZL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien. My journey through Middle Earth continued with The Two Towers. As I said last week, it’s been about thirteen years since I last ventured upon these hallow grounds and many of the intricacies had been forgotten. For example, I hadn’t remembered—I blame it on Peter Jackson, of course—how compartmentalized the original narrative is. Tolkien doesn’t weave the separate stories of the broken Fellowship together, instead choosing to tell each one’s part in full before moving on to the next. I’m pleased to tell you the Battle of Helm’s Deep is still passionate and heroic, and the last march of the Ents remains a joy to behold.

51MlPWDaXGL._SX331_BO1,204,203,200_The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien. One thing that must be said about the Jackson versions of LOTR is house stupendous was his job with brave Samwise. For throughout the whole trilogy, and most acutely in The Return of the King, the Gaffer’s son is a model of selfless valor. One can’t read this final volume without feeling stirred by the courage of Frodo, Sam, and their hobbit friends. I confess to getting a teary-eyed as I turned the final page and the Grey Havens came . . . such is my love for this wondrous world of fiction.

Click here to find other entries in the Recent Reads series

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Hear Ye, Hear Ye

“By far the most effective ingredient of good preaching is the personal piety of the preacher himself.” – Thomas Chalmers

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How to Plead with God Before Preaching

Pray Constantly

Yesterday I finished Alexander Smellie’s excellent biography of M’Cheyne and in the course of reading I was reminded of a story about Robert Bruce, the famous Scottish pastor around the turn of the 17th century.

Bruce was well known for his earnest prayer before preaching. An old book on Christian rhetoric says “his chief preparation [for preaching] was lifting up his mind into a holy reverential mood, and pouring out his heart before God in wrestling prayer.”

Perhaps no story about Bruce’s mighty storming of the mercy seat is better than this one.

At this place it was his custom after the first sermon to retire by himself some time for private prayer, and on a time some noblemen who had far to ride, sent the beadle to learn if there was any appearance of his coming in; — the man returned, saying, I think he shall not come out this day, for I overheard him say to another, “I protest, I will not go unless thou goest with me.” However, in a little time he came, accompanied by no man, but in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ; for his very speech was with much evidence and demonstration of the Spirit. It was easy for his hearers to perceive that he had been in the mount with God, and that indeed he had brought that God whom had met in private. – John Howie, Biographia Scoticana

Brothers of the pulpit, let us resolve never to enter the pulpit without the power of God attending our work. Yearn for it, plead for it, and expect it.

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The Preacher’s Experience(s)

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There is a simple prayer I usually utter a few hours after preaching: “Lord, thank you for the privilege of preaching this day and help me to do better next week.” On an ideal week there is gladness of heart in the praise and the petition.

Last Saturday was one of those occasions where I left gathered worship with an unusually heavy soul. The accent on my weekly petition was something like, “Lord, I thought I’d be a better preacher at thirty-one years of age. But there’s still so much to learn—help me grow.” To say I felt like a failure would be to don the crown of drama, but to say I was dispirited would be more to the point. The discouragement was not because the sermon swung and missed; there was useful stuff throughout and many have told me how God used it to their benefit.

There was just so much more the sermon could have been, and probably should have been.

The Cry of the Young

It’s amazing to me how God meets us in our weakness. Sometimes His kindness amidst our troubles reveals itself over time; this is surely meant to teach us patience and trust. Other times He opens our minds to truth with astonishing speed. Last week was one of those latter occasions. I had barely made it out of the parking lot before something immediately hit my mind: I’m only thirty-one years old. A Spurgeon I am not, he who preached over six hundred (!) times by the age of twenty. A more encouraging model for me is John Piper who didn’t start preaching full time until he was thirty-four.

As hard as it is in an age that trumpets the power of youth and ignores the crown of the old (gray hair), I have to continually remind myself I’m still in the season of ministry marked “Sowing.” This is the time to get experience and gain from experience.

As I’ve meditated on this topic the last few days I’ve come to see afresh three experiential perspectives vital to those of us continuing to prepare for that ministerial season called “Reaping.”

The Experience of History

By this I mean experiencing the protective, informing power of history. Not only does such an experience often provide unique power for sanctification (consider the often-formative influence of biography), it equips a pastor to better understand his times. If there is nothing new under the sun, then rich experiences of history prepare a preacher to not be surprised. He is more able to point out anomalies and prevent his people from cultural panic.

Experiences of history come through the obvious avenues of books and documentaries. Yet, we live in an age where iTunesU and podcasting (for example, try BackStory Radio) provide numerous opportunities for pastors to have an experience with history that prevents them from falling into the abyss of the present.

Speaking of that abyss, let Piper say it as only he can . . .

Oh how fortunate we are, brothers of the pulpit, that we are not the first to face these things. We are so fortunate. I thank God for the healing of history. Do you read history? Are you slipping into the abyss of the present? It is an abyss brothers! You cannot know yourself, or your times, or your God if you only know the present. I bless God for history and books.

The Experience of Time

Like meat needs time to cure, preachers need the experience of time to grow. The trials and triumphs of life mold preachers into useful vessels. With God’s help the experience of time brings wisdom and maturity. Think not of preparation seasons as wilderness epochs in ministry, rather these are times when young men get to drink in at an oasis of God’s mercy.

The Experience of Christ

And, of course, no experience is greater than a vital, experiential relationship with Christ.

I’ve lately been working through several different biographies of Robert Murray M’Cheyne. One common thread woven through each work is how much the young Scotsman—and his school of friends—pursued a vibrant experience of Christ. Through devotion to God’s word and prayer Christ became sweetly powerful. M’Cheyne was convinced likeness to Christ is the essential ingredient to fruitful ministry. He said,

In great measure, according to the purity and perfection’s of the instrument, will be success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.

In another place he wrote,

Take heed to thyself. Your own soul is your first and greatest care. You know a sound body alone can work with power; much more a healthy soul. Keep a clear conscience through the blood of the Lamb. Keep up close communion with God. Study likeness to Him in all things.

Back to the Beginning

We preachers have a promise from God meant to encourage us in the sowing season: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9). Let us not give up on doing good in ministry, learning from experience, and growing in an experience of Christ. We will reap.