Books

Book Review - Kingdom through Covenant

Image of Kingdom through Covenant: A Biblical-Theological Understanding of the Covenants
by Stephen J. Wellum, Peter J. Gentry
Crossway 2012
Hardcover, 848 pp.

Peter Gentry & Stephen Wellum are seeking a middle way between covenant theology and dispensational theology. As a covenant theology loving Christian I found their critiques even-handed and thoughtful. Anyone interested in developing a theology that fits within the big picture narrative of Scripture would benefit from Kingdom through Covenant.

They first define biblical theology as:

…concerned with the overall message of the whole Bible. It seeks to understand the parts in relation to the whole. As an exegetical method, it is sensitive to literary, historical, and theological dimensions of various corpora, as well as to the interrelationships between earlier and later texts in Scripture. Furthermore, biblical theology is interested not merely in words and word studies but also in concepts and themes as it traces out the Bible’s own story line, on the Bible’s own terms, as the plot line reaches its culmination in Christ. (p. 33)

After establishing the ground rules for their hermeneutical method, they offer a history of both dispensational theology and covenant theology. If you are interested in the history of these interpretations as well as the finer points these chapters are gold. It provides a concise survey and accurate comparison of both systems. read more

Book Review - The Doctrine of Scripture

Image of The Doctrine of Scripture: As it relates to the transmission and preservation of the text
by Jason Harris
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2013
Paperback, 182 pp.

The Doctrine of Scripture: As It Relates to the Transmission and Preservation of the Text by Jason Harris is published by InFocus Ministries in Australia. I’m excited to recommend this new book to our readers here in the United States as I believe this book can go a long way toward helping those confused or entangled by King James Onlyism. Jason is a long-time SI member, and that is one reason why I am enthusiastic about this book. Another reason is more selfish: I was privileged to write the foreword to this book.

For the record, I am even more pleased with the final product than the pre-published copy I first read several months ago. I stand by my statements in the foreword (included below) and share additional thoughts on the book in the review below. 

My foreword

Another book on the King James Only debate? Much ink has been spilled and many passions expended in what may be the ugliest intramural debate plaguing conservative, Bible-believing churches today. Fundamentalists and Evangelicals, Baptists and Presbyterians, Reformed and charismatic—all have been affected to a greater or lesser extent by those arguing for or against the King James or New King James Versions of the Bible. With each new book it seems the debate becomes more and more caustic, each group castigating the other in ever more forceful terminology. read more

Book Review - A New Testament Biblical Theology by G. K. Beale

Image of New Testament Biblical Theology, A: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New
by G. K. Beale
Baker Academic 2011
Hardcover, 1072 pp.

Christians today are blessed with a wide variety of resources for studying the Bible. In America, it seems that every few months some must-read theology book hits the press and promises to revolutionize our understanding of God’s Word. And many of these books truly are helpful. We really have no excuse for not understanding Scripture more and being more conformed into the likeness of Christ, given the endless resources meant to help us do just this.

At the same time, however, this abundance of resources can serve to puzzle us and leave us lost in an ever expanding maze of theological conundrums. The specialization in biblical studies doesn’t help. Specialists write on the Gospels, or on Paul’s letters, to the virtual exclusion of the input from other New Testament, or Old Testament books. OT specialists develop their understanding and grow in their study completely apart from their NT counterparts. And with the study of God’s Word being so cranial, simple insights and the role of the Holy Spirit’s illumination tend to be ignored. And then today’s scholars often ignore the insights of previous generations, who found Christ throughout the Old Testament, but weren’t versed in the latest scientific insights from form and redaction criticism or literary theory. Many have seen this widening gap, between academia and the church pew, and yearned for scholarship that matters: academic insight for average individuals. And some have hoped for a whole-Bible, biblical theology that would span the differing worlds of OT and NT scholarship and put the entire Bible back together again. read more

Amazon YA Best Book of the Month "Rapture Practice"

“Hartzler’s coming-of-age memoir is funny, laugh-out-loud funny at times, and his slide into ‘sin’ is fraught with a combination of thrill and guilt…” Omnivoracious

Book Review - Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley (Part 2)

Image of Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend
by Andy Stanley
Zondervan 2012
Hardcover, 352 pp.

Continued from Part 1

Rules of Engagement

Toward the end of the book, Andy Stanley gets into the subject of preaching and engaging people and finally how a church can become “Deep and Wide.”

As in all things, purpose should determine approach. At the end of the day, it’s what we do, not what we purposed to do that defines our lives and reputations…if your stated purpose is at odds with your approach, you will never accomplish what you have purposed to accomplish. So one of the first things a service programming team must do is clarify the purpose of the weekend experience. (Loc. 2207 & Loc. 2215)

Andy talks about what the weekend win is at Northpoint… It’s when an un-churched person liked the service so much that he returns and brings a friend. The purpose of their church is to be a church that un-churched people love to attend, so that defines what their “weekend experience” is all about. I agree with the basic principle in the above quote, but disagree with what Northpoint’s purpose is. I disagree with it because it’s not what the first church did. In fact, they had the opposite effect on the general unchurched population around Jerusalem when Ananias and Sapphira pulled their shenanigan at church:

Acts 5:12-14  Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high esteem. And more than ever believers were added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.

Book Review - Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley (part 1)

Image of Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend
by Andy Stanley
Zondervan 2012
Hardcover, 352 pp.

A couple of pastor friends of mine encouraged me to read Deep and Wide by Andy Stanley when I had no intentions of every buying it or reading it. The tagline of the title is: “Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend.” So, automatically, I was already skeptical because I don’t want to create a church that anyone would love to just “attend.” I’ve been beating the missional drum with our church about being the church rather than merely attending the church. So, my first impression by just reading the cover was “Creating Churches that Attract Customers, Not Disciples.” But in spite of my skepticism, I took their advice and got the book.

It’s easy reading since Andy Stanley is a very conversational communicator. He writes like he’s having a conversation with you. He preaches that way too. It certainly has appeal and makes for easy reading. The book is broken up into five sections, the first one being a personal account of his life as the son of Charles Stanley. He also for the first time, opens up with candor and honesty about the rift in his relationship over his dad’s divorce in the 90’s. All of this information is setting up the background for the launch of North Point Church which has become THE church that the un-churched love to attend.

The Second section deals more with how North Point was formed as a church plant. Section three deals with some of the foundational principles of making disciples that he calls “going deep.” Section four is the part that gets fun … Stanley deals with methodology that they use and why. Section five is a challenge to churches to become “deep and wide.”

Note: I read this book on Kindle, so my page numbers will be Kindle location numbers.

So, here we go…
In the introduction, Andy says: read more

Book Review - Good Mood Bad Mood

Image of Good Mood Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depression and Bipolar Disorder
by Charles D. Hodges M.D.
Shepherd Press 2013
Paperback, 192 pp.

Is it possible that almost 90% of Americans who are diagnosed with clinical depression are diagnosed incorrectly? Is it possible that most of them are really just going through a natural process of normal sadness that happens to most people when they suffer loss of one kind or another? The stakes in a massive misdiagnosis of thousands of people for the same illness are huge. The sector of the drug industry that produces medication related to helping people cope with medical depression, bipolar and the like is vast, well-funded and has a lot at stake in the continual diagnosis of these diseases. Through varied sorts of advertisements, one could draw the conclusion that a huge number of people could be (or are) suffering from medical depression and similar ailments. In fact, it is estimated that over 25% of Americans at any given time are believed to be suffering from depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder (p. 20).

No doubt there are people who genuinely suffer from an abnormal type of sadness that is sometimes unexplained, such that it is proper to call it a disease and treat it accordingly. I know of three family members and long-time friends who have dealt with depression and bipolar. This issue is very real to me and I have put a lot of thought into understanding the disease, diagnosis and treatments.

If it is true that the majority of people diagnosed with depression and the like may not truly be clinically depressed, then what hope is there to offer them outside of medical and psychological treatments? In his new book, Good Mood Bad Mood: Help and Hope for Depressed and Bipolar Disorder, medical doctor and counselor Charles D. Hodge offers his insights and experience on these sensitive diagnoses. read more

Book Review - The Christian World of the Hobbit

Image of The Christian World of The Hobbit
by Devin Brown
Abingdon Press 2012
Paperback, 208 pp.

I remember the first time I entered the world of Middle-earth. I was twelve or thirteen and noticed an interesting little yellow book on my mother’s shelf. I’m not entirely sure if she ever read it or not—as that kind of book was not what I remember her reading. But I asked if I could read it and eagerly dove in. At that age I don’t believe I was even aware there was a sequel to the book. But from the first few moments I was hooked.

Fantasy literature isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and all books in the genre of fantasy are not created equal. Few rise to the level of art achieved by J.R.R. Tolkien. His books, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, are among the most widely read in the English language. And like countless readers of Tolkien before me, I found the world he crafted to be enchanting and alluring.

Tolkien’s world, the land of Middle-earth, is a place readers long to return to. Yet spending time in Middle-earth is not an exercise in futility or a way to check out of the here and now. In an ironic fashion, Tolkien’s world inspires noble efforts in the real world, and calls us all to live better and nobler lives.

Tolkien scholar Devon Brown, elaborates on this quality of Tolkien’s works: read more