Book List

I had the opportunity to share a book list with our church body during Sunday School. Below is the list of books, along with the loose categories I placed the books into:


The Greatness of the Kingdom--The first book I ever read that really justified having a Scripture index in the back. I was blown away and humbled by how well McClain knew the Bible.
Disciplines of a Godly Man--not the first book I read on the spiritual disciplines, but a better option than the first one I read!










Systematic Theology--Grudem's is readable and comprehensive.
What Is Reformed Theology?--Sproul's book is a great review of the "Solas" and the Doctrines of Grace. However, the book assumes we all believe in Covenantalism (relationship of Israel and the church, especially effecting end times), which if you are not (which I am not), you find yourself confused.
The Gospel According to Jesus--Great book to define how the gospel is received.
The Jesus Storybook Bible--Great children's book, and the reason do you hard theology...it produces beautiful results!

The Jesus You Can't Ignore--MacArthur's book, though not on the book of Matthew specifically, did open my eyes as we prepared for the series in Matthew to just how strong Jesus' words were against the Pharisees and self-righteous.

The Apostolic Fathers--Pretty amazing to read from pastors of the early stage of the church. Kind of scary how their usual assumption of the gospel can make them sound like legalists!
Contending for Our All--The chapter on Athanasius won me to studying history.
Confessions--I received it years before I got around to reading it. Once I read it, I was bummed I had waited so long.
On the Incarnation--blown away by how current and readable a VERY old book could be. Removed the intimidation for me. Solidified Athanasius as a spiritual hero of mine.

He Is Not Silent--a great book on the "why" of preaching. (And a friend got me an autographed copy!)
Preaching and Preachers--Classic book from one of the great preachers of the last century. His section on why altar calls are not most beneficial is gold.
The Expository Genius of John CalvinHow does a pastor write commentaries on nearly every book of the Bible? Well, because he preached nearly every book. Yet, he didn't preach what had not effected his heart first. This book helps expose how the Word should be effecting the preacher too.
Spirit Empowered Preaching--maybe my favorite "preaching book." Lays out that Holy Spirit empowered preaching is not about theatrics or production, but about the Spirit's purpose; exalting Jesus!

Prophetic Untimeliness--Guinness' book does a great job of stating the church loses her relevance when she pursues being relevant with the world. (forerunner to Unfashionable)
The Deliberate Church--Great book on thinking about why we do what we do.
Biblical Eldership--This is the classic book calling for elder leadership as a trust in God and His Word.
CrossTalk--Every believer is capable of connecting the Scriptures to the lives of those living around them.
Trellis and the Vine--Great book for describing what the multiplication of disciples in the church should look like.
Church Planter--as elders, we going through this right now! Great chapters on the call of God.

Humility--Great book! I think I'm on my second case.
Unpacking Forgiveness--Too many Christians think they understand this, but way too many don't. If we are to forgive as God has forgiven us, this should be a must read for believers.
When Sinners Say I Do--We use this for all marital counseling. Great illustration on how the gospel sanctifies!
Shepherding a Child's Heart--Great book that encourages the parent to not just think about behavior but consider the heart. Parenting is a call to make a disciple.
The Heart of Anger--great book that reminds you that the problem is often not the child, but we the parents. Great application sections.
The Treasure Principle--Great book that causes you to examine where your treasure is, and gives practical application to how to store treasure up in heaven.
Sex is not the Problem, Lust Is--Used to be called Not Even a Hint. Great book to get to the heart of where sexual sin comes from.

Book Review: Trellis and the Vine

The Trellis and the Vine
The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything
by Colin Marshall & Tony Payne
Ⓒ2009, Matthias Media
196 pages

Almost every ministry book seems to be endorsed by a number of prominent pastors, so I rarely buy a book simply off the recommendations. But this book caught my eye, not only for the names that recommended the book, but also for the type of comments they made. These weren't the typical, "these guys have written the perfect book that makes ministry flourish while you sit back and do nothing" kind of prescription. These ministers acknowledged that the work is hard and mind-shifting, yet Biblical and gospel-centered. Some even acknowledged that these men wrote a book that describes their ministry philosophy.

So, I read it.

Ever read a book that so resonates with what you were thinking, yet says it in such a better way and develops it further than you ever dreamt that you almost feel like there is no way you were previously thinking any of it? As I read, I kept highlighting and silently "amen-ing" (and sometimes not silently). Yet the authors experience, Biblical framework and organization so far surpasses anything I've thought on my own that it almost feels silly to say you agree. Sort of like a guy who designs a new abacus trying to take credit for IBM. Sure, I've thought about leadership development and how ministry is about people, not programs, but not like these guys.

Absolutely loved this book! Praying that Grace will love the effects as we move forward to the glory of Christ! And perhaps by His grace, some of it will look like what the Trellis & the Vine illustrates.

If you are a pastor, read it an implement it. If you are not a pastor, read it and help your pastor implement it!

Book Review: CrossTalk

CrossTalk
Where Life & Scripture Meet
by Michael R. Emlet
ⓒ2009, New Growth Press
179 pages

I ordered this book last week and placed it on my "to read" pile. For whatever reason, I continued to be intrigued by the book and decided to read Introduction as a preview. Two days later, I set the book down, having completed it. (If you had the time to devote to one sitting, the book could easily be read in an afternoon.)

Application has long been an issue that plagues me. In my early years of ministry, I believe I highly overemphasized application...turning the Bible into a "how to" manual. My ministry was rather pragmatic; do this and life will go better for you. Since that time, my understanding of Scripture and ministry has grown. The Bible is far less about me and much more about Christ. However, I also believe the pendulum may have swung too far the other way. If I teach or minister a text and completely avoid application am I really "equipping" the body?

In short, application is a lot like money. I wish I didn't have to think about either one and that they just naturally would appear for me and for others. Neither should be obsessed over, but it is necessary to consider both. Just as I would not be serving my family if I completely neglected issues involving our finances, I can neglect the sheep if I never consider application. (Praise God the preacher does not have to be a finished project, but is to continually progress. see: 1 Timothy 4:15. Very thankful for a church that graciously shows patience when my "progress" seems slow. )

Crossing Ditches--Emlet describes that there are times in ministry where the issue in a person's life, or the text of a passage make application rather easy. For example, if a person struggles with anxiety, there are a number of passages that appear easy to apply to the person's life. It's easier because anxiety is a life issue that is clearly addressed in Scripture. It is also easier because many of these texts give practical application within their context.

Spanning Canyons--There are also issues and passages which are not as easy to apply. Some passages seem so removed from our current context that application feels like a real reach. Furthermore, there are a complexity of issues we fact today that are not directly spoken of in Scripture. Yes, we know and trust that Scripture engages each of these issues, but at times we're not sure how.

While "ditch" passages and issues are easier to gravitate toward, we can find our ministries increasingly shallow if this is the only place we minister. First, we will be quite limited in what issues we can address. Second, our ministry may lack some of the depth to truly engage heart issues. Emlet suggests that if we simply live in the "ditch areas" our Bible becomes increasingly thin.

The Beauty--The beauty of this book, however, is that Emlet is a strong proponent of the redemptive-historical approach (what I have before called the Jesus Hermeneutic). While the purpose this book was to assist a minister in application, Emlet does not want the reader to provide application outside of the redemptive work of Christ. Emlet explains it much better than I previously have, providing a helpful list of what the Bible is primarily not before he addresses what the Bible is.

Life-to-Text and Text-to-Life--Many times, in counseling or topical preaching we are drawn to a text as we hear the person's life situation. We develop a bit of an arsenal of verses to engage life issues. While having a familiarity of Scriptural topics is essential, simply going to your "pet passages" may cause your ministry to lack some effectiveness. Sometimes, just as sequential exposition works from Text to life, a counselor can do the same with his counselee. Through digging deeply into a passage, while always keeping our eyes on the history of redemption, we may be surprised how the passage truly can speak to the issues of the heart in a person's life. We should truly be seeking to do both in the lives of our listeners.

Saint, Sufferer, & Sinner--Perhaps the most impacting portion of the book for me, Emlet explains how we can look at each passage in light of these perspectives. Since each of these words describe the status of the believer, we could ask, "What does this passage have to say to me as a saint/sufferer/sinner?" (Yes, I am aware that Scripture does not describe the believer as a sinner, however, it clear affirms that we are still "sin-committers." If you prefer, you could change "sinner" to "sin-committer," though I find that cumbersome.) Keeping our eyes fixed on our Savior as we study the Text, we can ask: How does the Text confirm the Saint? How does the Text comfort the sufferer? How does the Text convict the sinner? Clearly, every passage does not equally speak to the different statuses, just as each person may not find themselves equally expressing these truths. However, viewing the person and Text in light of these perspectives can allow the counselor to discern whether the person needs comforted, confirmed or convicted.

Conclusion--This book is not just beneficial for a pastor or counselor. If you teach, lead a LifeGroup, or even seek to give Biblical advice via the phone or in the check out aisle, you will find this book beneficial. More importantly, if you seek to be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer--without turning the Bible into a moralistic rule guide--you will find this book beneficial to your walk.

It's a quick and fairly easy read...but a really good, challenging and rewarding read as well.

Book Review: Why We Love the Church

Why We Love the Church
In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion
by Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck
Ⓒ2009, Moody
229 pages

For whatever reason, How to Read a Book, nearly killed my desire to read. I can't explain why. It wasn't a bad book, and it wasn't too technical. I just found myself entirely unmotivated to read an finish it. And since I can't really read more than one book plus the Bible at a time, it sat on my end table as the list of "to be read" continued to grow. Having finally plowed through it (again, it was beneficial, dunno why it was so hard) it was fun to watch the stack slowly shrinking.

Why We Love the Church was a book I almost felt guilty picking up. I knew I would like the book for a number of reasons: 1) My wife read and enjoyed "Why We're Not Emergent," so I knew I'd like it. 2) I recently heard DeYoung being interviewed by Mark Dever, and thoroughly enjoyed it. 3) DeYoung looks like my doctor. And though my doctor is a fan of a certain team up north, I like my doctor...and he's a solid associate pastor in town, so--even though that has nothing really to do with DeYoung--it set me at a favorable disposition with him.

The guys received their fair share of flack for calling out what they didn't like in the emergent movement in their last book, and it's clear that neither guy wants to keep writing books about what they don't like. (By the way, they each have written individual books on other topics as well.) While this book does address the de-institutionalization of the church (Barna's "Revolution" is referenced a lot) it's not really a call to what they are not, but a pleading for people to give the church a chance, from two men who love the church. It's a great combination, for Kluck attends the church DeYoung pastors, so you get to hear both sides of the coin. Neither guy presents their church (or any church, for that matter) as perfect, yet they show how keeping your eyes on the gospel will increase your affection for the church.

Basic observations:

A book written by a man prominent in FGBC circles wrote a book with is footnoted quite regularly as "what not to think" about the church. This affected me in two ways: a) It reminded me of the guilt I felt for not enjoying this author's book and having serious objections to his premise. To be a "team player," I felt like it was my responsibility to not object to the book, yet just couldn't bring myself to support it. b) Because of this "team player" peer pressure, I don't see our Fellowship ever dealing with a low view of ecclesiology and for a fellowship of churches, I don't see it ending well when we're willing to undervalue the church. (Or at least are unwilling to discuss the differences.)

While there are some who are trying to arrange and justify a perspective that undervalues the collection of saints together on the Lord's Day, this is not a new problem. I mourn for the people who call our church home yet are unfaithful to assemble with us, claiming it has not effect on their walk. They're wrong. But unfortunately, their absence also means they are typically not open to being shepherded to see things another way and therefore find their walk stuck in an unhealthy rut. Breaks my heart.

DeYoung is quite funny. Kluck observes in the book how Al Mohler and Alistair Begg can be funnier than "christian stand-up comics" because their humor is spot on to issues in church life. In many ways, I feel DeYoung is the same way. I really enjoy Kluck's writing style, and he has a fun sense of humor, but DeYoung presents things (perhaps because I can relate as a pastor) in a way that simply cracks me up!

Kluck is quite theological. This was the most exciting observation to me. Kluck is evidence of what happens when a member of the church is engaged and Christ is faithfully proclaimed. I expected Kluck to simply bring some observations and humor to the table, but instead, he is competent to deconstruct the errors of "revolutionary thinking" (the mindset that you don't need the organized church). Kluck thinks at a deeper level than many pastors I know, a testimony to his church.

Our love for Jesus is directly proportional to our love for the Bride. If you know someone who professes Christ but is hindered by past hurt (perceived or real) from the church, this would be a great book to give them. If you are considering some "revolutionary" ways to grow in your walk that actually separate you from the Body, this is a book you should read, for it will remind you why you should love and need the body.

I'm certainly glad I finally got to this one on my list!

Book Review: The Gospel According to Jesus

The Gospel According to Jesus
What Is Authentic Faith
by John MacArthur
Ⓒ2008, Zondervan
282 pages (inc appendices)

Perhaps the greatest compliment to The Jesus You Can't Ignore is that it made me want to read The Gospel According to Jesus (20th Anniversay, Revised and Expanded Edition). I typically don't read the same author back-to-back, but I enjoyed The Jesus You Can't Ignore and also had The Gospel According to Jesus come up in some random conversations lately.

While there is no doubt that MacArthur was popular before 1988, this book helped cement many views on MacArthur; people either loved him or hated him, but few were indifferent. I recently had an interaction with a person who claimed this book turned him off to MacArthur because he became too nit-picky. (He explained to me the nit-picky point--which to be honest, felt a little like straining a gnat anyway--yet I could not find any allusion to the issue. Perhaps it has been edited out over the years? But I couldn't even identify an area in the book where such an "offensive comment" would have been made.)

In some ways, The Gospel According to Jesus served as the field test for The Jesus You Can't Ignore. MacArthur received a lot of negative feedback for the fact that he names authors. Many people were proclaiming a decisional regeneration (often coined "free grace" by its proponents) that simply turned the faith necessary for salvation into simply knowing some historical facts about Jesus. In essence, the view eliminates the need for repentance and lays out subjection to Christ's Lordship as optional. To make his point and to provide reference, MacArthur would quote "free grace" authors (and footnote them) before showing how their perspective was not consistent with the whole of Scripture (and was not consistent with the immediate context).

Perhaps some will find this mean. They may argue that he could have avoided quotations and simply summarized the opposing view. However, this would have left him open to the critique that he "characterized" and "misrepresented" their perspective. Not only that, as one who sat under the "free grace" perspective for years, it was helpful to hear clear quotes and know where they came from. Though some of that teaching was over a decade old, reading some direct quotes took me back to conversations and helped me identify some of the influencing factors of that time.

I remember walking into a pastor's office once and asking him how Jesus' hard words about discipleship could be reckoned with grace alone through faith alone. The pastor easily brushed aside my concern and quickly explained that one is for salvation (grace alone by faith alone) whereas the other is a call to discipleship (abandoning self, repentance, sacrifice). He explained that Jesus was making disciples while the gospel is just about making believers. I then asked him which I should be seeking to make. Again, without blinking, he reminded me that the Great Commission is about making disciples. But how do I get someone to see the beauty of discipleship when "just a believer" receives all the benefits of glory, especially Jesus, as is?

Blank stare.

And though the movement has sought to present answers through the manipulation of parables and the creation of a spiritual caste system of sorts, there still is no good answer to this question. But what's most striking is to look back and realize the things that were missing in this ministry. Not only was I left without an explanation for the benefits of discipleship, I was also left without words like "sanctification," "repentance" and God's "sovereign grace" in the midst of all these things. The gospel was seen simply as a history quiz to get people to affirm and the Christian life was left largely to peer pressure from the saints to fit in as a good person. Needless to say, this view left me empty. At the time I heard it, I knew it couldn't be right, but wasn't sure exactly why.

According to God's great grace, He provided me other preachers and pastors who helped present me to the beauty of seeing Christ as Lord. By the time I finally read The Gospel According to Jesus, I really didn't encounter new information, but it was still nice to have it all in one place. To understand the "Lordship perspective" (as the biblical concept is often called) truly causes me to exult in grace; for I know my sinful, wicked, rebellious and power-hungry heart would not have bent the knee to Christ's supremacy apart from God lovingly, graciously changing my heart! It also reminded me how rich the doctrine of eternal security is when placed under the umbrella of "perseverance of the saints." When I see that God is not just keeping a place in heaven for me one day because I made a previous reservation (even if I discarded it), but that He is actually keeping my faith; keeping me in His love and keeping my heart softened toward Him, then I see His amazing grace. I rest in knowing my salvation is in His hands, not mine!

Yeah, some people will claim MacArthur strained gnats, but I would simply ask two things: 1) Isn't the gospel something we should seek to be meticulous about? 2) Why not the same ire for Hodges and Ryrie, men who wrote that a "Lordship perspective" is actually preaching another gospel? Shouldn't such a charge mean a person who believes submitting to Christ's Lordship is essential as a component of repentance and fatih is damned to hell and sending others there with their message? If you believe it is "another gospel" that is certainly the charge that is being made. At least MacArthur affirmed that these men are brothers, they are just quite mistaken and potentially confusing in their presentation.

But perhaps the most encouraging is that twenty years later, and yet the book has not aged a bit. The arguments are still quite relevant and the challenge is just as pressing. It's the gospel. Such news is timeless! Let's continue to present it as Scripture does!

Book Review: Heart of Anger

The Heart of Anger
Practical Help for the Prevention and Cure of Anger in Children
by Lou Priolo
Ⓒ1997, Calvary Press
197 pages (inc appendices)

My wife read the book first and recommended I read it too. Not just for the practical application in our home (there's plenty) but also because she saw it as an encouraging application of biblical counseling principles. We have both received a (limited) amount of nouthetic training, but at times, we are still feeling quite lacking in the "how to's." Nothing like parenting to make you feel lost in the world of "how to."

I found the book to be quite encouraging and convicting. It showed me ways that I violate Ephesians 6:4 often (provoking my children to wrath) without ever intending to. However, the text does not say I should not try to provoke them, but that I should not do things that do provoke them. I first had to learn to see my own anger issues and work through them.

Second, I was challenged about responding as a fool. It was humbling as he spelled out how a fool responds to correction, and to see yourself in those responses. Doubling humbling was when the author identifies how children respond like a fool, and to show how parents respond in like fashion. What puts this book above so many others, is not just that it instructs you to respond to a fool--but not in his foolish way--it also gives you biblical instruction for what an appropriate response would look like.

Most important, however, was the author's emphasis on the gumnazo principle. Gumnazo is a transliteration of the greek, a work from which we derive "gymnasium." I was convicted to see how often I correct our children for poor actions/attitude, but do very little to help train them toward a better response. The author does a great job of showing you how to engage situations (with real life illustrations) and seek to teach and train in the midst of the correction as well. I suddenly realized how one-sided my training had become and how ill-equipped my children are if I just keep pointing out what is wrong without pointing them toward what was right.

Amazing thing: While this method is more effort (and time), it actually helps you parent less out of anger, and more out of shepherding concern. When I parent my children more faithfully through their anger, it actually helps me not be so angry in the process!!!

Charity and I love Shepherding A Child's Heart and recommend it to many parents. I think Heart of Anger works as a great compliment to Shepherding by reinforcing those principles with more "how to" information.

I'd recommend the book to any parent, whether you think you have an angry child or not.

Book Review: The Jesus You Can't Ignore

The Jesus You Can't Ignore
What You Must Learn from the Bold Confrontations of Christ
by John MacArthur
Ⓒ2008, Thomas Nelson Publishers
208 pages

I'm always impressed by the generosity of nationally known ministries. On top of regularly offering free cd's, Grace to You also sends out free books occasionally. (They also recently opened "the vault," making all MacArthur's messages available in mp3 format for free!) I received "The Jesus You Can't Ignore" from them for free a couple months ago, and had been anticipating reading it.

MacArthur has always had a bit of a confrontational style, but it has been interesting to see how increasingly "out of style" such a form has become. In a previous book ("Truth War") he called out some people whose theology has shown them to be heretical, yet I was surprised to see the response from several. They could not refute his conclusions, and his quotations of others were in context and were not distorting their original point. Yet, the common response I got from people about the book was that MacArthur was right (in line with Scripture) and the people he discusses were wrong (clearly in conflict with Scripture), yet MacArthur was "mean" for using their names. Furthermore, since it was determined he was "mean," this next meant that his opinion was sullied, and therefore we should not really receive his correction. In fact, because he was not perceived as nice as those proclaiming errant doctrine, his opinions (though clearly in line with Scripture) were discounted.

How did we get here? I remember being told by a prominent person in a church once (in response to a message I had preached): "It's okay to say what you believe. It's okay to even say other people believe something different. It's just not okay to say those people are wrong." Is this really the way Jesus would teach?

Perhaps to diffuse this perception of himself, MacArthur spends several occasions to remind the reader that he does not think all conflict is good or necessary. He lets us know that he does not enjoy it any more than the average person and tries to avoid it, just like the rest of us. He states again and again, that the book is not intended as an excuse to be rude, argumentative or combative. He makes this point clearly and often, yet also reminds us that we must engage others when truth is at stake.

...the spiritual warfare every Christian is engaged in is first of all a conflict between truth and error, not merely a competition between good and wicked deeds.

Next, MacArthur traces you through the interactions Jesus had with the Pharisees, showing you Jesus was anything but "politically correct." His interactions were not filled with concessions, nor did he try to take the discussion into a private arena. Jesus attacked their false doctrine, publically, clearly, boldly and unabashedly.

The great heresy: self-righteousness. The book proves quite beneficial for I believe it engages the primary flaw of all false doctrines, including humanism. On one end of the spectrum, people believe we are already good and righteous, and therefore do not need anything from God. On the other end of the spectrum, people perform religiously in their system so as to prove themselves more righteous than others. This was the way of the Pharisees. Jesus did not call them to adapt, change the referent or simply come to a greater understanding of the limited truth they had. Jesus called for all out repentance. The Pharisees needed to see they had no righteousness of their own, and anything but the acknowledgement of utter spiritual bankruptcy and dependence upon Christ alone for your justification, will result in eternal torment.

Just as "Truth War" served as a narrative commentary of the Book of Jude, "The Jesus You Can't Ignore" serves as a narrative commentary of the gospels. The book brilliantly places you in the context of the day and helps you see why so many of Jesus' statements were more confrontive than we may first see. (This book greatly changed my perspective on the "Sermon on the Mount," and will effect our congregation as I preach through Matthew starting in December.) As always, MacArthur's book is well edited by Phil Johnson (who in an odd sort of way, helps MacArthur sound more like MacArthur than he would on his own). MacArthur concludes the book stating:

We don't need a return to the brand of fundamentalism whose leaders fought all the time, and fought over practically everything--often attacking one another over obscure and insignificant differences. Much less do we need to persist in the misguided course of so-called neoevangelicalism, where the overriding concern has always been academic respectability and where conflict and strong convictions are automatically regarded as uncouth and uncivil.

In fact, the very last things we can afford to do in these post-modern times, while the enemies of truth are devoted to making everything fuzzy, would be to pledge a moratorium on candor or agree to a cease-fire with people who delight in testing the limits of orthodoxy. Being friendly and affable is sometimes simply the wrong thing to do (cf. Nehemiah 6:2-4). We must remember that.

Someone who makes a loud profession of faith but constantly fails to live up to it needs to be exposed for his own soul's sake. More than that, those who set themselves up as teachers representing the Lord and influencing others while corrupting the truth need to be denounced and refuted. For their sake, for the sake of others who are victimized by errors, and especially for the glory of Christ, who is Truth incarnate.

I did not agree with the man who told me I shouldn't say others were wrong. It didn't sit right with me, and I knew it conflicted with my calling as an under-shepherd. At the time, I probably was willing to chalk up the difference as an issue of "gifting" and "personality." Now, I am much more adequately equipped to show that if I am to shepherd like the Chief Shepherd, I have a responsibility (not just choice) to state when someone is wrong.

In the end, the book served much more than just a "how to" for ministry. Seeing the self-righteousness of the Pharisees reminded me of my own deepest sin. Like the Pharisees, I for years stood before God thinking my performance (both things I did, and things I didn't do) were setting me up as better than others. It caused me to rejoice in His grace, that though I set myself up in self-righteous opposition to Him, He died for me. It also caused me to rejoice, that unlike the majority of the Pharisees, who did not respond to Jesus' loving rebuke, He caused my eyes to open and be receptive to His warnings. I'm thankful that Jesus spoke clearly and boldly against self-righteousness, for I needed to be called to repentance from such an attitude, if I was ever going to find salvation.

Yes, all our words should be seasoned with grace. The goal of our instruction should always be love. (MacArthur's book never implies anything to the contrary.) However, the book came at the perfect time in my life to remind me that backing down to error and sin is never the loving response, but if I truly care I will call a person to repentance. This is not a ministry preference or style issue. This is shepherding like Jesus does. For this is also the way I need to be shepherded.

Book Review: Pulpit Crimes

Pulpit Crimes
The Criminal Mishandling of God's Word
by James R. White
©2006, Solid Ground Christian Books
156 pages

As the title suggests, White's book is more about exposing destructive trends in the pulpit today than it is a "how-to" of preaching. However, like most things of a polemical nature, White will also turn people toward the Word of God to gain direction and insight toward preaching. White does a good job of showing that his arguments are not just reinforced by Scripture, but are actually built out of the Scriptures. This is especially helpful when he shares concerns in regard to style and practice; showing how our methodology is not completely isolated from our theology. White breaks down the following "Pulpit Crimes" in his book (with a brief explanation from me within parenthesis):

1. Prostitution (The influence monetary gain has had upon preaching, ranging from the gross indulgences of prosperity preachers to the pastor avoiding certain topics because it might scare away "big givers.")

2. Pandering to Pluralism (The tendency to shy away from the exclusivity of salvation through Jesus Christ, either in the name of pluralism or inclusivism. This includes the current popularity of modern-day moralistic "life improvement" preaching that avoids addressing the offense of the gospel.)

3. Cowardice Under Fire (The lack of perseverance by pastors to continue to preach sound doctrine when met with challenge. This includes avoiding doctrine or softening the stance when opposition arises.)

4. Entertainment without a License (The focus of our corporate worship shifts from the audience of One to the members of the audience and keeping them happy.)

5. Felonious Eisegesis (In effort to be relevant and attractive, the pastor chooses his topic, theme or title and then looks to the Bible to make his claim. Grossest abuses become obvious when a pastor switches to a different translation so that he can find his one word and be able to leap off from it.)

6. Cross Dressing (White shows how the acceptance of women preachers has contributed to multiple abuses of the pulpit. After walking through 1 Timothy 2, White simply asks, "Could it be that once you loosen that one cord enough to allow yourself into the eldership a few other holes open up in the fabric that will allow all sorts of other things in?" p120)

7. Body Count (The role of membership within a local church has caused two effects: 1) People who are not connected to any local congregation but consider TV preaching, radio programs or webcasts to be their corporate worship, thus neglecting the role of the Body of Christ with each other; 2) Mega churches over obsession with numbers to be their validation for any of their practices, though their numbers do not usually add up to the effects they claim.)

8. Identity Theft (The sacraments of the church are being distorted, neglecting communion because of its inconvenience while at the same time pushing baptism so hard that people are entering the baptismal who do not yet have a clear testimony for Christ. White makes no apology for the fact that he believes that biblically clear preaching is diminished when our theological system causes us to redefine baptism to not be the response of a conversion to Christ.)

9. Warranty Fraud (How "easy-believism" and "free grace" gospel messages have contributed to a distorted perspective of eternal security, thus making it difficult to convince someone who raised their hand/came forward/filled out a card that he may not actually be saved.)

White regularly reminds the reader that "what you win them with, you win them to" (a phrase I first heard from Mark Dever). White graciously allows for freedom in ministry and does not require everyone to fit a cookie cutter design. At times, he shares his preference, yet makes sure that the reader understands it is only his preference. I appreciated White's ability to scratch below the surface and ask some hard questions as to why we would do certain things. Consider this quote:

There is another major factor that gives rise to entertainment in the place of worship: man-centered theology and a man-centered gospel. If you do not trust the power of the Spirit and the word to bring men and women to repentance and faith, but instead think that the final arbiter of whether God will succeed in the gospel or not is in fact the rebel man, you will use just about anything at your disposal to bring about that ultimate "good" of a person "accepting Jesus." So if you are willing to manipulate their emotions, tug at their heart strings, and in general wring a "decision" out of them through such means, you will likewise try to get them in with any kind of attraction that will work. Put on a show, try to look like the theater down the street, put on a raffle, sell lottery tickets. As long as it works, right? Keep them coming back long enough and who knows, they might just sign the dotted line, and won't Jesus be lucky to have them on His side!--p91

Just like Azurdia's book, White concludes his book with instructions for how the congregant can help prevent pulpit crimes.

Overall, this book serves as incredibly helpful for the pastor who is willing to acknowledge that we all can be tempted to build our ministry on our own wisdom, and not the Lord's. Read with a humble heart, the pastor can see ways he is tempted (or has even committed) pulpit crimes. This book also serves as a good resource for the person in the pew who is uneasy with the preaching trends in their local church but is not sure of the root problem or how to graciously approach their pastor about it.

Book Review: Spirit Empowered Preaching

Spirit Empowered Preaching
Involving the Holy Spirit in Your Preaching
by Arturo G. Azurdia III
©1998, Christian Focus Publications
183 pages

I absolutely love this book. Here's my struggle: Every time I teach a class on preaching--or walk through a book with others regarding preaching--I always end up reading a better book before we finish the class. I've always enjoyed teaching the preaching classes, but once you've read a better resource it is a temptation to look ahead to the next class rather than finish strong. While I loved Mohler's He Is Not Silent (and am not disappointed we are using it), I can't wait to teach a class using this resource. I simply can't imagine a better book on preaching.

Preaching is often described as a combination of art and science. Some preachers will focus more on the art; the illustrations, delivery and presentation. Others focus on the science; the exegesis, structural outline and doctrine. In most conversations, the goal seems to be the healthy balance. Rarely does a book exhibit fully pursuing both. Arturo fills the book with chapter end-notes (I personally prefer footnotes, but have been told it intimidates too many readers), showing that he has done his homework. Many of his points are supported and built up through commentaries and greek exegesis. Yet, this book is far from a text book. Azurdia regularly reminds the reader that the goal is not simply filling the head. We are not just aiming to inform, but are seeking to see transformation. Azurdia does not encourage us to seek the balance between art and science, but beautifully displays fully pursuing both. Yet success will not be in your art or science. Success will be the work of the Holy Spirit.

Uh oh, I just said "Holy Spirit," a topic some believers have occasionally disagreed over. Azurdia quotes William Still as saying:

It is often lamented that the Holy Spirit is the least understood Person of the Trinity, but surely we see why this is so; for the Holy Spirit comes not to speak of Himself, but to glorify Christ. Where preachers are intent on glorifying Christ (and only crucified men can do so!), the Spirit is there with all His aid. All true showing forth of Christ is by the Holy Spirit.

Speaking of quotes...the preceding ten quotes were gems in Azurdia's book.

Arturo summarizes Spirit Empowered Preaching as:

1. Spirit empowered preaching is the principle means of advancing the kingdom of Christ.

2. Spirit Empowered Preaching will be evangelical in emphasis.

3. Spirit Empowered Preaching is the responsibility of the Church.

If you don't understand what I mean by Christ-centered preaching...you need to read this book. He explains it better than I do.

If you do understand what I mean by Christ-centered preaching...you need to read this book, for it will encourage you and refine your preaching.

If you are prone to overly academic/scholarly preaching...you need to read this book.

If you are prone to overly emotive preaching...you need to read this book.

If you preach...you will be blessed to read this book.

At this point, if a man could only read one book in addition to the Bible to understand preaching, I would have them read Spirit Empowered Preaching. (Of course, that could change when I get an opportunity to teach this book.)

[By the way, if you read this post and do not aspire to ever preach, Azurdia has a wonderful concluding chapter on the congregation's responsibility in preaching. Azurdia exhorts the reader that "the congregation must earnestly take up its mandate to make intercession for the effects of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Word of God." I would covet those prayers.]

Book Review: Why Johnny Can't Preach

Why Johnny Can't Preach
The Media Have Shaped the Messengers
by T. David Gordon
©2009, P&R Publishing
108 pages

Though I knew nothing of the author, nor had I heard anything of the book, I decided to add it to my shopping cart while shopping online. The author explained that his title is to emulate the "Why Johnny Can't Series" (books on writing, reading, branding, etc.), but also liked the title because "Johnny" can be gender neutral. He does not state if he is complementarian, but rather presents it as if it does not matter. It seems that the author would rather avoid theological controversies.

General Flow

It's probably easiest to refer to this book in three sections:

First Section
As logic would dictate, Gordon first lays out his case that Johnny can't preach. Gordon not only offers personal anecdotes and statistics, he also states that it is typical to hear of a "good pastor" who isn't really able to preach, but carries his ministry with many other things. It is much, much rarer to hear of a "good pastor" who's people say, "You know, he isn't that gifted at many things, but he can at least preach." (I'd have to agree whole-heartedly with this statement.) Gordon even speculates that less than 30% of ordained ministers can even preach a mediocre sermon.

Gordon also appeals to Dabney's Lectures on Sacred Rhetoric to develop a litmus for good preaching. (I found this section quite helpful.)

Second Section
The reason Gordon tied in with the "Johnny Can't" Series becomes more clear as he makes his point that since most pastors can't read carefully today, the pastor is left with such a shallow working of the language, that his preaching is bound to suffer. Gordon suggests that since most read all literature as if it is a newspaper (just looking for high points or certain words instead of reading each word deliberately), many pastors prepare their sermons by simply looking for particular phrases or word studies.

He next suggests that a pastor's inexperience in writing causes him to slip into bad communication patterns. In the days of handwritten letters as a primary exchange, authors had to think of a sentence before they put it to paper. This forced the person to formulate a flow and structure (at least in his head) just to be adequately prepared. When this discipline faded, Gordon suggests that the preacher began to struggle with well spoken sentences.

To be honest, Gordon struck me as some sort of elitist antique. He didn't just recommend reading over television, but called for the reading of pre-World War I verse. He not only encourages handwritten letters (the backspace key just allows for too much laziness in preparation), but repeatedly scolds against the babbling that the telephone promotes. While this theme certainly fits his subtitle for the book (and thus, I should not have been surprised), it felt a bit like Gordon was simply calling the pastor to return to 1840 to be able to preach well.

Furthermore, I have no desire (nor ability) to be sophisticated. It does not seem the answer to preaching was oration or poetry. Didn't Paul deliberately avoid sophistication when speaking to those in Corinth. Wasn't the real power of preaching not found in the secular solutions, but in preaching Christ?

I almost set the book down unfinished...

Final Section
...I'm so glad I kept reading!

Gordon begins this section by telling the reader his intention was to keep the preaching discussion generic, hopefully avoiding all "hot topic" issues. However, Gordon finds himself compelled to share on some non-negotiable content issues. At this point, my eyes open wider. "What is Gordon (who I assumed I would find myself on another end of the spectrum on multiple issues) going to tackle in regard to content?" I wondered. To my delight, Gordon does not address the "what" of content, but the "Who."

Gordon presents four possible types of sermons that preachers preach today:

Moralism--"Whenever the fundamental purpose of the sermon is to improve the behavior of others, so that Christ in His redemptive office is either denied or largely overlooked, the sermon is moralistic." (p 80)

How-To--"Unlike moralism, it [How-To sermons] expends less time describing what one ought to do, and more time how to go about doing it...I would love to challenge the how-to preacher to preach a sermon on 'How a Leopard Can Change His Spots,' since, biblically, this is as easily done as a sinner's changing his ways...It is worse than Pelegianism because it doesn't even accept the burden of attempting to prove that the will is morally unencumbered by original sin; it assumes this heresy from the outset." (p 82)

Introspection--"Some of the neo-Puritans have apparently determined that the purpose and essence of Christian preaching is to persuade people that they do not, in fact, believe...And it is absolutely debilitating to be told again and again that one does not have faith when one knows perfectly well that one does have faith, albeit weak and imperfect. (p 83,84)

Social Gospel/So-Called Culture War--"...the Christian pulpit is devoted to commenting on what's wrong with our particular culture, and what ought to be done to improve it, either by individuals or (worse) by the coercive powers of the government...So the one inadmissible thing to a culture warrior (that cultural change is out of our hands) is the basic subtext of everything the Bible teaches." (p 85, 86)

Gordon reviews many of the resources he has quoted before. In fact, he goes back to Dabney, and shows how a Christ-centered sermon was the assumption. At one point, Gordon states:

Such Christological preaching feeds the soul and builds faith. Faith is not built by preaching introspectively (constantly challenging people to question whether they have faith); faith is not built by preaching moralistically (which has the exact opposite effect of focusing attention on the self rather than on Christ, in whom our faith is placed); faith is not built by joining the culture wars and taking potshots at what is wrong with out culture. Faith is built by careful thorough exposition of the person, character, and the work of Christ.

Ultimately, I'm not sure how helpful handwritten letters and poetry readings can be for pastors and their congregations. Even if it does refine the preacher's message, if the congregation is not reading such material, could he still struggle to connect with them?

However, I do know this: Seeking to preach Christ from all of Scripture will not only benefit the congregation, it will grow the pastor as well.

Book Review: He Is Not Silent

He Is Not Silent
Preaching in a Postmodern World
by R. Albert Mohler
© 2008, Moody Press
174 pages

I received a CBD gift card for Christmas from family. Though I ordered it in early January, the snowy weather delayed it's arrival by a few days. It arrived two days before we left for a Pastors' Conference (and one day before SB43). Though I can barely look at a map in the car, I have no problem reading in a plane (other than staying awake for a 6am flight), so it quickly became my travel companion. I virtually knocked the book out on the flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis and back.

Strong Quotes
Mohler is no mental lightweight, but perhaps the most telling sign of his intellect is his concise and clear use of language. My pages were filled with highlights, underlines and comments in the margin. He is a master of developing a thought throughout a paragraph or page that culminates in one strong sentence or two. Some examples:

The audacious claim of Christian preaching is that the faithful declaration of the Word of God, spoken through the preacher's voice, is even more powerful than anything music or image can deliver.--p 17

The preaching of the apostles always presented the kerygma--the heart of the gospel. The clear presentation of the gospel must be a part of the sermon, no matter the text.--p 20-21

True worship always proclaims the gospel, the good news of what God has done in Jesus Christ. It proclaims the work of Christ, and it centers in the cross.--p 35

I realize it might seem bold--and maybe even shocking to some--to say that preaching in the central component of Christian worship. But how could it be otherwise? For it is primarily through the preaching of Scripture that we come to a true vision of the living God, recognize our sinfulness, hear the declaration of redemption, and are called to a response of faith, repentance, and service.--p 35-36

A theology of preaching begins with the humble acknowledgement that preaching is not a human invention but a gracious creation of God and a central part of His revealed will for the church.--p 39

One of the first steps to a recovery of authentic Christian preaching is to stop saying, "I prefer expository preaching." Rather, we should define exactly what we mean when we say "preach." What we mean is, very simply, reading the text and explaining it--reproving, rebuking, exhorting, and patiently teaching directly from the text of Scripture. If you are not doing that, then you are not preaching.--p 52

If you are not confident that God speaks as you rightly read and explain the Word of God, then you should quit.--p 57

The preaching ministry is not a profession to be joined but a call to be answered.--p 71

Of this we can be certain--no congregation will revere the Bible more than the preacher does.--p 73

Every Sunday, far too many preachers read a wee little text, apply it in wee little ways to the people's lives, and then tell everyone to come back next week for another wee little story.--p 89

Every single text of Scripture points to Jesus Christ. He is Lord of all, and therefore He is the Lord of the Scriptures too. From Moses to the prophets, He is the focus of every single word of the Bible. Every verse of Scripture finds its fulfillment in Him, and every story in the Bible ends with Him. That is what our people need to understand--that the Bible is not just a compendium of good short stories, but a grand, life-encompassing metanarrative of God's work of redemption in the world.

Every time we preach a text of Scripture, we are accountable to that text. We must read and explain accurately to our people what that text means and how it applies to their lives. Yet we have another task as well, for we must take that particular text and place it within the larger story of Scripture.--p 96

The pastor who is no theologian is no pastor.--p 114

Instead, our perseverance in the task of preaching must be based on God's promise that He will, by His own power, make the preaching of His Word effective.--p 147

Though the subtitle is Preaching in a Postmodern World, Mohler only spends one chapter (8) looking specifically at the challenges of postmodernity. I think this was a wise decision. Instead, he puts the focus on defining real preaching and where that authority comes from. He also shows how God's people have always grown through the right preaching of the word. Bottom line, if we preach Biblically, it is applicable for modernity, postmodernity or post-postmodernity. The preaching of the Word of Christ truly is timeless.

Mohler is probably better equipped than almost anyone to comment on the conditions of the culture and philosophies of this age, yet this book is not written as a panic manual...calling the church to adapt her ways before she become extinct. No, Mohler simply calls the pastor back to the Word of God. Why were you called? For what have you been called? What have you been called to preach? Why will it work? He reminds the pastor that we did not stumble upon preaching because it works (allowing that someday it may quit working and we abandon it), but instead we have been commissioned to preach, because God has said it works. And it works, because He makes it work! On page 157, Mohler states:

People often ask me, "Are you hopeful?" And the answer is yes, I am hopeful. I am not optimistic. Christians have no right to be optimistic, but at the same time we have no right not to be hopeful. Optimism is a belief that things are finally going to end up happy. Hope on the other hand, means that we know the Lord God of all creation, who sits in the heavens and rules over all the people of the earth. We know His grace. We know His mercy. We know His holiness, His character, and His love. Above all, we know His Son, and thus we live in hope.

This book caused my hope to burn more hotly. I would rate it a must read for any pastor/missionary and a definitely should read for faithful members of a church.