Book Review: Do You Believe?

Book Tite: Do You Believe? 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life

Author: Paul David Tripp

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

Overview

Paul David Tripp has done it again. Tripp has a way of writing and making even difficult or deep truths easy to take in by his readers. In Do You Believe?, Tripp has brought together some timeless truths from Scripture and presented them in a way that any reader today could understand.

This book begins with a nice foreword by David Platt. It is then broken up into two chapters devoted to each doctrine that is presented. The first chapter is supposed to be an explanation of the doctrine. The second chapter is intended to show how the doctrine could be applied to daily life by the reader.

The book ends with two indexes: a general index and a Scripture index.

My Thoughts

I am a big fan of Paul David Tripp’s writing. He has a way of coming across in a casual manner with some of the deepest topics of the Chrisitan faith. I am grateful for this book because it deals with some of the most important topics that a person can come across: the doctrines of the Christian faith.

We live in a time where just about anyone can put out information for the world to see. It is hard to find concrete answers about topics amid the many opinions that swirl around today. In this book, Tripp has taken on the task of sharing about twelve of what he feels are the most important doctrines of the Christian faith. He does a pretty good job of sharing a working definition of each doctrine. He also seeks to take a chapter to share how this doctrine could be applied to one’s life in today’s world.

The only downside that I really had with this book was in the two-chapter dealing with each doctrine. I am not against doing it that way. The issue that I had was that the definition usually did not take a full chapter to present. Tripp’s way of writing many times comes across as being application-heavy (which I believe is a really good thing). I think that this book could have easily had one chapter for each doctrine that contained both of the elements they were going for.

The content of this book is solid and trustworthy. As I stated earlier, the only thing that I didn’t really like about this book was some of the layouts. The content is something that I would use without hesitation.

My Recommendation

I would suggest that anyone that would like to know more about the Christian faith get a copy of this book and a copy of the Bible (in a translation that they can understand). This book will do a good job of pointing out doctrines, showing where they can be found in the Bible, and an easy-to-understand definition of each.

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Book Review: Rediscover Church

Book Title: Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ is Essential

Author: Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

Some time back, I received a copy of Rediscover Church from Crossway Publishers in exchange for an honest review. I was anxious to read this work as I do enjoy reading what the authors put out on their respective platforms. As you would know, things got really busy to the point that I was delayed in reading this book.

That was then, and this is now. I have made time to read through this book, and I was not disappointed. Allow me to share a few of my thoughts about the content of Rediscover Church.

There is definitely a concern that is plaguing many churches today. This concern has nothing to do with persecution coming in from the outside. No, this concern is about whether or not people are going to come back to church as we roll out of the pandemic known as COVID-19.

There has been a sharp decline in church attendance since the pandemic struck. While there have been many who have wanted to place the blame for whatever may be going wrong in their lives on COVID-19 (and I have done this far too many times), the pandemic is not the sole issue here.

Hansen and Leeman acknowledge this in the introduction of Rediscover Church. They share about things such as divisive politics and racial unrest in our country helping in the cause to keep people away from the local church.

I love a statement that was made at the beginning of this book though. It states: “A Christian without a church is a Christian in trouble.” I knew when I read that statement that I was going to be in for a fun ride with Rediscover Church.

The authors of Rediscover Church seek to help the reader to see the important role that the local church plays in the life of a Christian. It is one thing if an unbeliever does not seek to be a part of a Christian church, especially in this climate. It is a completely different thing when a professing Christian does not want to be part of a local church.

Rediscover Church is laid out with nine chapters that cover a range of topics from defining what a church is to different elements that are part of a local church. One of the things that I really liked about this book is how the authors alternated who would write the chapters. Even though it was not a blending of the two minds in each chapter, the entire book fit together very nicely.

Both authors do a great job of using a good amount of Scripture to back up what they were saying. I find it very important that if an author is going to give a statement about the Christian faith or elements thereof, then they should do a good job of using Scripture (in the correct context) to show where their statements are coming from. Hansen and Leeman do a great job of this.

Recommendation

When it comes to Rediscover Church, I would definitely recommend it to others, but maybe not for the reasons that it was set out to be. I know that this book had the idea of coming back to the local church after the pandemic that has wreaked havoc in our world.

The truth is that I found this book might be more beneficial for a person who would have questions in general about what the local church is all about. Hansen and Leeman do a great job of laying out what Scripture teaches about why the local church is important. I would see this book especially helpful to someone who is new to the Christian faith or even used in a teaching environment within the local church.

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Review of Holman's New Bible

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Book Review: The Wisdom Pyramid

Book Title: The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World

Author: Brett McCracken

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

It is no secret that we are living in a time when information is at an all-time high. When we need to know about something, all we have to do is pull out our phones or laptops and “Google it.” It seems so long ago that if a person wanted to know about something, then they would ask someone or pick up a book to find out the answer. Today, we have an ocean of information at our fingertips in the blink of an eye.

With all of this information bombarding us at every turn, are we any wiser than those who went before us? Just because we have more information at our fingertips does not mean that we know how to use it or work our way through it. We need a tool that can help us to take all the information that comes our way and put it into a manner that works to turn information into true wisdom. It is for this reason that Brett McCracken wrote The Wisdom Pyramid. 

The Wisdom Pyramid plays off of the well-known Food Pyramid that was introduced in the twentieth century. Both of these tools were invented to help people learn how to have a healthy, well-balanced diet of sorts. McCracken shows the reader how to deal with the information overload that comes our way constantly by setting up a structure to help with “consumption.” 

McCracken’s Wisdom Pyramid comes in six levels. He does a great job of explaining what each level is and how they build on one another. He begins with the base (the foundation and most important element) and works up towards the tip (maybe not the most important but still important). 

I really enjoyed reading through this book. It is truly filled with many great insights. McCracken has got his finger on the pulse of the information tidal wave that each of us lives in today. He has put together a great and needed tool to help guide us through these waters. 

One of the parts of this book that I liked the most is that McCracken takes a very honest and open stance on information. With all of the “junk” that is out there on the internet, McCracken does not see the internet or social media as something that should be avoided. Rather, he urges the reader to help redeem this tool that has been given to us. I agree wholeheartedly with statements that McCracken makes about while we may want to run to an analog world, we must come to grips that we live in the digital age. We must learn to use it for the glory of God. 

Recommendation

I would strongly recommend that each person who can go get a copy of The Wisdom Pyramid. This is one of the most insightful reads that I’ve had in a long while. It is not a long read at all (about 176 pages in total), but it is filled with some great insight and helps for the reader to know how to navigate these heavy information waves that continuously come our way. You will not be disappointed by getting this book and putting it to use.

***I received a copy of The Wisdom Pyramid from Crossway Publishers in exchange for an honest review of the material.***

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Book Review: Ten Words To Live By

Title: Ten Words to Live By: Delighting In and Doing What God Commands
Author: Jen Wilkin
Publisher: Crossway Publishers

When it comes to things that people recognize from the Bible, the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament ranks high on the list. You do not have to be a follower of Christianity or Judaism to know what the Ten Commandments are. There is a sculpture of Moses that hangs in the House Chamber of the United States Congress that serves to remind us that many of the laws of our land find their roots in the Ten Commandments.

For something to be so well-known, it is interesting to me to find that there are still so many questions about these “Ten Words” that were given by God to the Israelites centuries ago. In her latest book, Jen Wilkin seeks to “present a fresh biblical look at the Ten Commandments, showing how they come to bear on our lives today as we seek to love God and others, to live in joyful freedom, and to long for that future day when God will be rightly worshiped for eternity.”¹ I find that in Ten Words to Live By, Wilkin does a phenomenal job with this task.

From the beginning of the book, Wilkin shows that while Christianity is about a relationship with the living God of the universe, there are some laws that have to be in place. This is an important point to make during the times that we live where many want to make things just about them and how they like them to be. There is a standard that has been set, and we are not the ones who drew that line in the sand.

Wilkin shows how the Ten Words (another common phrase for the Ten Commandments) help us to live at peace with God and others. She takes a chapter to devote to each of the Ten Commandments, and she uses great insight to help the reader to get a better understanding of what each Commandment is saying to us.

Wilkin is a gem that God has given to the Church to help understand God’s Word in a mighty way. I appreciate the style of writing and teaching that she uses in presenting God’s Word clearly and showing how it relates both to the original context and to today’s world.

Ten Words to Live By is a very easy read. I believe that it took me all of a couple of days to work through from cover to cover. Each chapter is wrapped up with some “verses for meditation” to help the reader get a better understanding of the content from God’s Word. There are also “questions for reflection” at the end of each chapter that lead the reader to really internalize what he or she has just read.

RECOMMENDATION

After reading Ten Words to Live By, I have come to the conclusion that this is a book that should be on every person’s bookshelf. Wilkin has done a wonderful job in taking the timeless truths of God’s Word and made given the Church a tool to better understand them. This book is equipped to take the reader to a deeper and more personal understanding of the Ten Commandments.

¹ used from Crossway Publisher’s website (https://www.crossway.org/books/ten-words-to-live-by-tpb/) about Ten Words to Live By

*** A free copy of this book was provided to me by Crossway Publishers in return for an honest review.

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Book Review: "God's Pursuit of Man"

Title: God’s Pursuit of Man
Author: A.W. Tozer
Publisher: Moody Publishers

As I was growing up, I was not a fan of reading. I found it boring and a waste of time. Seldom would I find something that held my attention. Most of the time, I would find myself nodding off in the middle of any reading that I chose to do… or was required to do by school.

I am grateful for my Bible professor in college who had a nifty little saying: “You must read to succeed!” This professor’s daily quizzes which ALWAYS started off with the question of, “Honestly and truthfully, I read the entire assignment for today.” It was during those four years of college that I developed a love for reading. Since that time, I have found myself with a continuous stack of books to go through.

Every so often, there will come a book through the stack that makes me pause and soak it in completely. I would like to share one of those books at this time. It comes from one of my favorite authors, A. W. Tozer. I don’t remember when I first got introduced to Tozer’s writings, but from the first book, I’ve been a sucker for anything that he has written.

I recently got my hands on a copy of his work, God’s Pursuit of Man. After taking the time to work through this small book (141 pages), I am ready to let others know about it. This work is a prequel to what is probably Tozer’s most famous work, The Pursuit of God. I thought so much of The Pursuit of God and was anxious to see what Tozer had to say before that wonderful work.

In God’s Pursuit of Man, Tozer tackles the issue of what salvation is all about. I think that this is a very important topic at this time. There seems to be thought that salvation is just a decision that a person makes at one point in time and that is it. Tozer is careful to layout in this work how salvation is a complete work of God in the life of a person that comes to Him by faith. It involves a complete change of the entirety of a person.

While Tozer tackles many theological points that deal with salvation in God’s Pursuit of Man, he does so in a way that most anyone can grasp the “golden nuggets” that he is giving through his writing. This is one of the elements that I appreciate so much about Tozer’s writing. This comes out wonderfully in God’s Pursuit of Man.

Recommendation

When it comes to wanting to know about the Christian faith in a straightforward manner, few do it better than A. W. Tozer. I would strongly suggest that a person get a copy of God’s Pursuit of Man and dive in. You will find a great treasure of the teaching of God’s word on the subject of what salvation truly is.

*** A copy of God’s Pursuit of Man was given to me by Moody Publishers in return for an honest review. ***

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Book Review: “Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones

Book Title: Family Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through Time, Moments, and Milestones

Author’s: Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

There are few things that are as valuable and important as family. This precious gift that God has given to us is something that comes with a lot of work attached to it. A healthy, God-fearing family is not something that just happens. It takes work… a lot of work.

If there is one thing that has caused me to scratch my head and return to the drawing board more than once, it is how to lead my family in the way that the LORD would have me to do. I don’t know many who want to argue that discipleship is not an important part of the Christian faith (there is that Great Commission thing in Matthew 28). Family discipleship is also important.

The biggest problem that I find with family discipleship is that there is not a set method and practice for it. Just like any other form of discipleship, there is not one particular manner that it has to be done in. It can take different forms at different times and come to the same conclusion. Because there is not a particular way to do family discipleship, I believe that many families fall short in the practice of it. I know that I never saw family discipleship carried out in the home that I was raised in — at least not on a continual basis.

When Naomi and I began our family, we wanted to do it right. We recognized that this family that we had was given to us by the LORD, and He knew best how it should function. When it came to family discipleship though, there were many head-scratching sessions. Neither of us was sure what it was exactly supposed to look like.

I am grateful for tools like Family Discipleship from Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin. This book has put together a compact and good tool to help families that want to see discipleship carried out in their families. I really enjoy that this book is not just the thoughts of one person. In Family Discipleship, you have two pastors who are in different stages of the family life sharing the truths of God’s word and instances from their own families and practices.

The whole book surrounds the three areas that the authors break family discipleship into — time, moments, and milestones. There is a chapter devoted to each of these segments that goes into detail explaining what they are and how they function to the greater purpose of discipleship in the family. It is really nice how they give examples and “worksheets” at the end of these sections with practical ways to help the reader put what he or she has read into practice.

Recommendation

When it comes to Family Discipleship, I would encourage every couple to take the time to read this resource. I believe that it is a good tool to help in t his journey. I’m not sure that what is shared is totally new and not shared by others, but the way it is put together is very practical and helpful.

***I received a copy of Family Discipleship from Crossway Publishers in exchange for an honest review of the material.

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Book Review: “When Doctrine Divides the People of God”

Book Title: When Doctrine Divides the People of God: An Evangelical Approach to Theological Diversity

Author: Rhyne R. Putman

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

If you were to look at the “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus found in John 17, one thing that you would see the LORD praying for His followers is that they would be unified. Unity does not mean uniformity in all situations and nuances, but we who name the name of Jesus should definitely have more things that unite us than separate us.

There are always going to be areas in which we may disagree. I do not know that I have met another person that looks at every single point of the Christian faith in the same exact way and degree that I do. But I know that there are many that are in my “faith family.”

What are we to do about the differences that are seen within the Christian faith? Do we seek to find a common ground, or do we just write off those who do not line up with us in our narrow views? These are some of the questions that are addressed in Rhyne Putman’s new book, When Doctrine Divides the People of God.

I thought that the title was an interesting choice at first, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked the title. The very things that are to set us apart from those outside of the faith have many times also seemed to create pockets on the “inside” of the faith.

Overview

This book is broken up into two main sections. The first section deals with reasons that we come to have these differences of opinions about various doctrines. While Putman does not focus so much on the particulars of the doctrines themselves, this section is helpful to the reader to see where each person may be coming from.

The second section of the book deals with what we should do in light of seeing these differences of opinions. Putman seeks to address topics such as When should we change our minds, or When should doctrines divide us? This section is good to help us see that just because a person may come to a different stance does not always mean that they are wrong and not part of the family of God.

Particulars

One thing that stood out to me in this book was that this book was written more as a textbook or a doctoral thesis. This was not so much of a sit-down and read. Putman includes hundreds of sources in this work. That is not a bad thing (I actually appreciated it myself). It is something that a reader should know diving into this book. This is going to be more of a scholarly read. It is a good read, but it is very scholarly.

I would encourage people who are genuinely concerned making sure that the diversity that we see in the family of God is kept in its proper boundaries to check out When Doctrine Divides the People of God. Putman has put together some great resources to show that just because a person may not see every single point as we do, this does not mean that they are not our brother or sister in Christ.

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Book Review: “The Good Life”

Book Title: The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness

Author: Derwin Gray

Publisher: B & H Publishing Group

Happiness. That is one topic that is on the mind of most people. We all want to be happy and enjoy life. There is nothing wrong with that. But could we have a misguided idea about what happiness is and how to achieve it? That is what Derwin Gray seeks to share in his book, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About True Happiness.

I have been a fan of Derwin Gray ever since I saw him in the video as the “Evangelism Linebacker” over 10 years ago. Gray serves as the Lead Pastor of Transformation Church which he planted in 2010. I appreciate his heart for people knowing Jesus in a real way. I also appreciate that he is willing to take a stand on the truth of Scripture.

In The Good Life, Gray points to the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 to show what happiness is truly about and how to achieve it. There are so many thoughts about what happiness is and how to get there, it is good to see someone pointing his readers to the truth of God’s word.

The American Dream and the pursuit of happiness – both addressed within the book – seem to have many in the United States of America in a stranglehold. So many people seem to think that if I can just get a nice job, a nice house, a great mate, and a comfortable bank account, then I will be happy. I laugh at this because people have been happy long before the United States and “the American Dream” was around.

I believe that Gray does a good job of walking through each of the Beatitudes and relating them to how they lead to true happiness. I greatly appreciate the focus and weight that is given to the words of Jesus on this topic. Gray also uses both personal experiences and other people’s stories to help illustrate the truths that are found in the Beatitudes.

Recommendation

I believe that anyone who is looking for a good tool to help in the study of the Beatitudes shared by Jesus would find this book to be a good resource. It is solid in its explanation of the text and application to everyday life. There were not any major new revelations that I gained from this book, but it did help think about various ways to flesh out the truths of the Beatitudes.

I would recommend picking up a copy of The Good Life and taking the journey of finding what true happiness is and where it comes from.

***I received a copy of this book from B&H Publishing in exchange for an honest review.***

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Book Review: Reborn

Title: Reborn: How Encountering Jesus Changes Everything
Author: Clayton King
Publisher: Baker Books

For some time, I have been following Clayton King and the ministry that God has given to this man. I believe that it was at a Student Life Camp that I first heard this man and the manner in which he preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. It resonated with me then and after all these years, it still seems to resonate with me now.

When I heard that Clayton King had written a book, I knew that I wanted to check it out. He has a way of relating the gospel story with a person through everyday events that always impressed me. It seems to be that Reborn is exactly about that.

In this new book that was recently released to the public, King shares thirteen chapters about how the gospel relates to different situations. King uses different illustrations to show how the gospel is at work in our world today. Many of the illustrations were from his own personal life, while others were the stories of other people that King knew.

It seems that in the world that we find ourselves living in, the validity of the gospel is questioned many times. There is a temptation to hear the truths from the Bible and think, “sounds too good to be true.” It is for this reason that works like Reborn by Clayton King are needed. It is such a good thing to be able to point someone to a real-life, in-our-lifetime event that illustrates what the Bible shows us to be true.

Recommendation

If you are interested in the Christian faith, I would definitely recommend that you check out Reborn by Clayton King. It will help you to see that the Bible is not a collection of fairy tales or fantasies. It is the very word of God.

I believe that a person who is fairly new in his or her faith in Christ would also benefit from reading through Reborn. It would make a good devotional, and if I’m not mistaken there is a devotional that goes along with this that you might want to check out by clicking here.

If you are a seasoned Christ-follower, I think that reading through Reborn would also have some benefit for you. It may not “blow your mind” with some new insight, but it might just be a great reminder of how the gospel of Jesus Christ does change every aspect of one’s life.

***A copy of Reborn was provided by Baker Books Publishing in exchange for an honest review of the work.***

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Book Review: Disciplines of a Godly Man

Title: Disciplines of a Godly Man
Author: R. Kent Hughes
Publisher: Crossway

Being a man in today’s world is not the easiest of tasks. Being a solid Christian man in today’s world is just about impossible… at least in one’s own power. I had heard about this book from R. Kent Hughes for some time now. I was glad that I finally got the opportunity to take a look at it and see what Hughes had to say about being a godly man in today’s world.

Disciplines of a Godly Man was first published in 1991. In 2019, Hughes put out an updated version which is the one that I got my hands on. I imagine that much of the material is the same, but we can agree that a lot has changed in our world since 1991. I was grateful that this work was updated to help address some topics that today’s man has to deal with.

As I sat down to read this book, I expected to find some solid wisdom for men that would backed up by the Bible. That is exactly what I found and appreciated so much about this book. This is not just some pop-psychology work to help men feel better about themselves. Hughes works to put forth what the word of God states should be a part of Christian men’s lives today.

The version of this book that I had came with a “study guide” embedded within. This was extremely helpful in working through this book. The ending of each chapter contained questions to reflect on what the chapter had covered. The ending also came with application points and resources (other books and articles) that one could go to dive further into the subject of the chapter.

I love the approach that Hughes uses in writing this book. The book was dedicated to his two sons. Hughes speaks throughout the book that his approach to writing this book was one that resembled if he was sitting down talking with his sons about these matters. This helped make this book more personal than just “education” or “instructive.”

Recommendation

I would highly recommend that every man that wants to be a strong and faithful Christian man get a copy of Disciplines of a Godly Man. This is one of the best books that I’ve read on helping men to see what the Bible calls for me of the faith to live like. I look forward to rereading this work many times to come. I’m sure that you will be blessed by it as well.

A copy of Disciplines of a Godly Man was provided by Crossway Publishers for the purpose of an honest review.

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Book Review: From & Before God

Book Title: From & Before God: A Practical Introduction to Expository Preaching

Author: Sugel Michelén

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

Preaching is one of the most important tasks that is found on this planet. It is the preaching of God’s Word (the Bible) that God uses as an important way of getting the gospel to those who need to hear it. Is all preaching the same? I would say certainly not.

Sugel Michelén is the Senior Pastor at Iglesia Biblica del Señor Jesucristo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Michelén has written this work, From and Before God, to show how to do expository preaching. Expository preaching is a style that “helps hearers understand the meaning of the biblical text, and what God wants us to do in light of what the text teaches” (54).

There is many ways of preaching that are in our world today. I truly believe that expository preaching — preaching that allows the text to guide the sermon — is the best manner of preaching available to us. It is easy to put our own thoughts into Bible, but if we are going to be faithful to the text, allowing the text to guide the sermon is best.

Michelén does a tremendous job in showing how expository preaching is done well. In this book, I really like the fact that Michelén didn’t immediately go into the “how to’s” of expository preaching but rather the “why.” He calls it the “Theological Anchor.” It is helpful for the reader to see why expository preaching is the best method.

From and Before God is broken down into three sections: the Theological Anchor, The Nature, Form, and Content of the Expository Sermon, and Step-By-Step Preparation of an Expository Sermon. This is very helpful as Michelén shows the why, what, and how of expository sermon preaching in these sections.

From and Before God would make a great textbook for a preaching class. Michelén does the best job in showing the different elements of expository preaching. He puts it material together in a easy-to-follow format and in language that preachers of all education levels could benefit from.

Recommendation

I believe that if you are called by God to preach His Word, then you need to get a copy of this book. Michelén is seasoned in the work of preaching himself, and he has done a fantastic job in putting together a tool for other preachers to know how to do it correctly. This book will not take you long to get through, and it does not feel like a textbook. You can hear the heart of this Latin American pastor as he looks to help preachers coming behind him preach God’s word appropriately.

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Book Review: Adorning the Dark

Book Title: Adorning the Dark

Author: Andrew Peterson

Publisher: B&H Publishing Group

I have wanted to check out some of Andrew Peterson’s writing for a little while now. My oldest son – the book devourer – has already read the first book in The Wingfeather Saga. I have heard and enjoyed some of the songs from Peterson – we have even used some in our worship services at church.

When I heard that Peterson was writing a book that shared a little about the creativity behind his writing, both songs and books, I was in. I admire Peterson’s creativity greatly. As a pastor myself, I see the importance of clearly communicating the truths of God’s Word in a way that the people that hear can understand and respond to it. I took the opportunity afforded to me to check out Adorning the Dark and this post will give some thoughts that I had about it.

Adorning the Dark is written to share a little of the approach that Peterson has taken in writing himself. In this book, he shares what he calls six principles of writing. They are serving the work, serving the audience, selectivity, discernment, discipline, and community.

If one was wanting to read this book with the intention of just getting from it some steps do work through and become a better writer, he or she might be disappointed. While I was looking to gain some new ways to bring out my inner creativity, I found something else. In Adorning the Dark, Peterson shares many personal stories. As his website says, “this book is both a memoir of Andrew’s journey and a handbook for artists, written in the hope that his story will provide encouragement to others stumbling along in pursuit of a calling to adorn the dark with the light of Christ.”

I enjoyed hearing and learning more about Peterson’s journey from the beginning to the present of his career, but I guess I was wanting more of “how-to” than “here’s my story.” There were some really good points scattered throughout each chapter… points to take and help one with his or her own writing. Maybe the creative part of me just needs to be exercised more.

Recommendation

If you are a fan of Andrew Peterson, then I believe that you would really like Adorning the Dark. It is a different kind of work from what he normally does, but it is also really good. You get to hear a little more about Peterson himself and the journey that has brought him to this point.

If you are an aspiring artist, I think that you will gain some great insight and help from another artist who has proven to be one of the more creative of our day.

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Book Review: The Insanity of Sacrifice

Book Title: The Insanity of Sacrifice: A 90-Day Devotional

Book Author: Nik Ripken

Book Publisher: B & H Publishing Group

Sacrifice is not a welcomed topic among many in our culture today. The term brings about a pattern that many do not want to be associated with. The term flies in the face of the “get everything you can while you can” mentality that is so prevalent in our world today. The truth is that if we are going to truly be followers of Jesus, then sacrifice is not an optional part of that relationship.

When addressing a topic such as sacrifice, there are not many that can speak to it with as much experience as Nik Ripken. Nik and his wife, Ruth, have served many years on the mission field within a persecution-heavy context. They have seen what it means to truly sacrifice for the Kingdom of God… even those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

It is because of this and a burden that the Body of Christ come to an understanding of the importance of sacrifice that Ripken has put forth a 90-day devotional. In this devotional, Ripken walks readers through a journey that helps them to see that sacrifice is all over the Bible.

As with most devotionals, The Insanity of Sacrifice does not intend to be an answer-all work that fully explains what sacrifice is all about. It does show that sacrifice is not optional for the follower of Jesus though. Ripken uses some 90+ verses to show that sacrifice is at the heart of God.

It would be good for every follower of Jesus to get a copy of The Insanity of Sacrifice. The passion that comes through each devotion is seasoned with the experience of someone who has walked the road of sacrifice. You can tell that it is not just casual words written to sell in the “Christian aisle” of some bookstore… it is firsthand experience that is intended to be passed on to following generations.

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Book Review: The Long Walk Home

Book Title: The Long Walk Home: Discovering the Fullness of LIfe in the Love of the Father

Book Author: Matt Carter

Publisher: B & H Publishing Group

There are a few stories that are found in the Bible that people may be familiar with even though they do not regularly read the Bible. Some of those may be Adam & Eve, Noah & the Ark, David & Goliath… but one that always stands out is the parable that Jesus shared known by many as the Parable of the Prodigal Son. It is found in Luke 15:11-32 of the New Testament.

In The Long Walk Home, Matt Carter puts forth an explanation of this parable of Jesus from so long ago. There have been many — almost countless — people that have given commentary to this parable of Jesus. Carter does so for 21st century readers.

Strengths

One of the main strengths that I saw in The Long Walk Home is that Carter shares from personal experiences as one who has played the prodigal. It is one thing to talk about what you think something may mean. It is a completely different thing when you have walked that path for yourself. As Carter shares some of his own struggles, it helps the reader to see that this important parable is not just something for bedtime reading, but it holds a message to learn from.

Another strong point of The Long Walk Home is Carter’s use of the Bible. While the Parable of the Prodigal Son is found in Luke 11, Carter shows how the truths of this parable are seen and even further explained through other books, chapters, and verses of the Bible. Carter does a good job in showing that the Bible is truly God’s word and is useful for equipping all for what they need for life.

Weaknesses

I wouldn’t say that there were weaknesses in this book, but I would say that there was a place where I would disagree with interpretation. In chapter 3, there is a reference to the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1). Carter seems to put forth a common interpretation of this that those who have gone before us are watching like in an arena as we run this race called life. I would have to disagree that they are currently watching over us, but that their testimony serves as a witness of encouragement to us during our race. A difference of opinions on an interpretation is not worth casting this work aside though.

Recommendation

The Parable of the Prodigal Son is one that speaks to many people because we have all at times wandered from where we should be. We may not have done all that the prodigal had done — or maybe we have. The question of whether we have gone too far sets at the core of many of our beings.

Matt Carter gives a great explanation of the meaning behind much of this parable of Jesus. This book is a great tool that can be used to understand the wonderful truths of this parable. It would be useful to both those who are familiar with the Bible and those who are not.

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Book Review: Above All by J.D. Greear

If you were to listen to what is being said about the church in today’s society, what you hear might cause worry to arise very quickly. There are many that say that “the church” is on life-support and in danger of becoming completely irrelevant. I am one that does not agree with this assessment.

I do believe that there are some things that need to be addressed and even “tweaked,” but to say that the church is about to close up shop – nope. That will not happen (see Matthew 16:18). There might be some particular groups that cease to exist, but the church will be around until Christ returns.

J.D. Greear has written a book in which he shares what he thinks is the key to many churches seeing a renewal take place. This new book is called Above All: The Gospel is the Source of the Church’s Renewal, and it is available through B&H Publishing.

In this book, Greear shares that he does not believe that the church – the true and obedient church – is not going anywhere either. Greear shares that if churches will have the gospel of Jesus Christ in its proper place (above all other things), then the church will be doing what it should.

The part of this book that I liked the most was the last third of the book where Greear began to put what he has been talking about into practical terms with how the gospel should be above our culture, preferences, and even politics. This was where the book became really practical.

Recommendation

I would definitely recommend that any person that wants to see their church grow healthier to take the time to read Above All. It will encourage you and remind you of where the gospel should be in our daily lives and our churches.

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Book Review: “Leading Small Groups”

Discipleship is a hot topic in the evangelical church world today. I must admit that I am excited to see this topic getting so much attention. Maybe it is because making disciples was the last thing Jesus told the church to do before leaving earth (Matthew 28:18-20).

One of the key tools that can help a church in their effort to make disciples is small groups. It is by no means the only way to do it, but small groups definitely help in creating a place where a person can truly wrestle with his or her faith and find a place to really connect with others in a local church.

Trying to get small groups going within a church can be a big task. There have been a number of works done that try to help make the process of starting and growing small groups easier. One of the better ones that I have read was a book that I came across recently. It is Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group by Chris Surratt.

Chris Surratt is a ministry consultant and coach with more than twenty years of experience serving in the local church. He has authored multiple books on the area of small group ministry within the local church.

What I really like about Leading Small Groups is the fact that this book is not an attempt to answer in full every question that comes up about small group ministry. Don’t get me wrong, Surratt covers a multitude of questions about the topic, but it is not intended to be the last resource that a leader would need.

Surratt has broken the topics up into four sections where he shares some great information. I really like the “My Experience” points at the end of each chapter. It helps to see that this is not just some information from a book, but rather, it has been tried in real-life situations. I also liked the questions at the end of each chapter that helps the reader work through what they have just read and jot down notes.

My Recommendation

I would highly recommend that any person or church that is looking to do start a small group ministry to check out this book. It will be a good tool to help someone get small groups kicked off in a good way. It will definitely get a local church started in the right direction with a very important task that we have.

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Book Review: Remember God

There are different ways that people use to remember things that are important to them. For Christians, there have been different methods used to remember who God is and the mighty works that He has done in their lives. In the book, Remember God, author Annie Downs shares about how she learned to remember the fact of God’s kindness in spite of what her circumstances might be.

I first heard of Annie Downs from my wife and her experiences with the IF Gathering events that take place from time to time. These are events where women gather together to encourage each other in their walk with Jesus Christ. I was able to get a copy of Annie Downs’ book and was anxious to hear what she had to share.

I will admit that this book was a bit different than I expected it to be. It is not written like most books with a topic and subpoints. Remember God is more like peering into the journal of this lady and seeing the journey that God took her on during a specific time in her life. I kept waiting for the “teaching points” to come… some list of do’s or don’ts… but they never came. It was more refreshing to just be able to hear someone’s story (maybe struggle is a better word) as they walked with the Lord through this life.

Downs is very open and honest in her writing. She shares about the things that God taught her and encourages the reader to be open to learning truths about who God is through the everyday experiences of life. I love to hear the stories of people and how they interact with God. This book does a great job of sharing the good, bad, and ugly of a certain lady’s journey to remembering the fact that God is truly kind towards us.

If you have held to certain truths about God but faced times where is seems that some of His attributes were called into question, I would recommend checking out Remember God to get a perspective of someone who is very honest about her relationship with God. This book has the capability of reminding you that though the present circumstances do not always match up with what we may believe, God is truly who He has said that He is.

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Book Review: “Gay Girl, Good God”

There are few things that draw as much attention in our culture today as the issue of sexual identity. In the past, one could look to the church to see what the moral stance on a topic should be. That is not the case anymore… at least when it comes to this topic. We have seen denominations of the Christian faith splitting over the issue of homosexuality in recent times.

I have to admit that I come from a more “traditional” stance of sexual identity. I do not believe that same-sex marriage is God’s design, nor His plan. I believe that the Bible teaches that homosexuality (along with other things) are sins that separate us from a loving Creator.

I do realize that while same-sex attraction is not something I deal with, it is something that is very present and real in our world today. I would be able to point a person to certain verses of the Bible that could speak to the issue, but I would come up very short in the empathy category because I’ve not personally dealt with these desires.

It is for this reason that I was eager to read Jackie Hill Perry’s latest book Gay Girl, Good God. In this book, Perry shares about her sexual identity journey. She is one that has been there, faced that, and come through that. This book is a fresh look into a subculture that one can only fully understand if they have been there.

Perry is a poet and hip-hop artist from St. Louis. Throughout this book, the reader can see the artist’s pen stroke at work. She has a great way of using words to paint a vivid picture that illustrates a vibrant story.

In Gay Girl, Good God, the reader is taken on a journey through the eyes of someone who came out of the homosexual lifestyle at the call of her Creator. You see the temptations and struggles that comes with the breaking free from sin by the power of Christ and submitting to His plan. Even if you have never dealt with these issues, this book is very helpful in seeing things form a different point of view.

One of the best parts of this books is the last section. After Perry shares her life journey with the reader, she uses the final chapters as a practical resource to help the reader in dealing with same-sex attraction. In these final chapters, Perry deals with identity, endurance, and “the heterosexual gospel”. Perry carefully uses the Word of God to speak life and encouragement to those who are struggling in sin of this nature.

Recommendation

I would highly recommend getting a copy of Gay Girl, Good God. The honesty that is shared trough this book is refreshing and encouraging. Even if you’re oblivious to the struggles of same-see attraction, Perry does an amazing job of bringing the reader into that world and seeing what it is like. Perry’s use of the Bible is spot-on and very helpful. This work is one that is a great tool for the Church to help understand what some people are going through and how to properly share the love of Jesus with them.

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Book Review: The Rule of Love

Author: Jonathan Leeman

Publisher: Crossway Publishers

 

My Thoughts

If there is one term that has been misused way too much in our culture, it is love. This little four letter word is used by so many to either sell or justify many things. It has been taken out of its true context time and time again.

Jonathan Leeman has put together an amazing work in The Rule of Love that points the reader to a true sense of what love really is. Leeman reveals that there has been a separation of love from the authority that comes with it. He does well in pointing back to the fact that love is defined by the Person of God. It is in God that love is best understood and experienced. True love comes under the authority of God and allows Him to draw the lines.

Leeman’s careful use of Scripture as well as things from culture force the reader to look at what love really looks like and how it should be viewed in various contexts. Love is a wonderful thing, but when it is pulled away and used out of context, it can lead to some disastrous things.

Recommendation

I would highly recommend that every person grab a copy of The Rule of Love. It is not a hard read, but it is definitely a must read. This book does a great job of pointing people back to a proper perspective of love and the authority that it lives under.

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