A Gracious and Compassionate God: Mission, Salvation and Spirituality in the Book of Jonah by Daniel Timmer

Daniel Timmer’s contribution to the New Studies In biblical Theology is a worthy addition. His exploration of Jonah is as thorough as one will find. While this is NOT a commentary on Jonah (i.e. verse by verse) it out does most of the commentaries out there. This is a wonderful example of Biblical Theology, with Timmer exploring topics such as mission, spirituality, conversion and of course the place of Christ in Jonah. Timmer skillfully ties this book into the wider corpus of sin, judgment, the day of the Lord and the gospel. Oh how narrow and shallow is our sunday school treatment of Jonah.

Highly Recommended.

Corporal Punishment in the Bible: A Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic for Troubling Texts by William Webb

This is probably one of the most fascinating books I have read in a while. The topic of corporal punishment is a big one with both the pro & anti smacking lobby’s pretty much entrenched in their positions. Webb seemingly takes on the pro smacking group in a very aggressive way at the beginning of the book. His argument is that while the ‘two-smack’ on the buttocks proponents are trying to uphold discipline without abusing the child, their claim that their position is biblical is false. Webb spends the first chapter showing that the biblical position of corporal punishment bears NO resemblance to the ‘two-smack’ on the buttocks approach. In fact, to hold a biblical position would require far more violence with no age restriction, striking on the back and sides with the intention of marking.

For a brief moment you actually think Webb may endorse such an approach. But he does not. His point is that he AGREES with the two-smack proponents, but that they should not claim that they follow scripture. On the contrary, to hold the biblical position is to NOT do what the scriptures literally say!! Webb’s approach is called the redemptive movement approach. He argues that to understand scripture you need to know it’s historical & cultural context. In other words, when you realize the uncontrolled violence which was allowed and often practiced then the biblical directives become redemptive as they seek to place boundaries in a culture without boundaries. Webb writes: “The forty lashes of Deut 25:1-3 must be understood against it’s ancient social context, which included beatings of up to 200 lashes or strokes, open wounds, bodily mutilations and other forms of torture.” So the two-smack proponents are, in Webb’s opinion RIGHT not in a literal, biblical way, but in a redemptive movement way, showing grace and more restraint / and kindness in their discipline methods.

This is a fascinating argument and well worth wrestling with. I really like Webb’s other work, Slaves, Women and Homosexuals which uses this approach. Webb is easy to read with a compelling argument.

Highly recommended.

God In A Brothel: An Undercover Journey Into Sex Trafficking And Rescue by Daniel Walker

Daniel Walker’s account of his undercover journey into the world of sex trafficking is very powerful. Here is a man committed to trying to make an impact into this incredibly degrading and harmful industry. His story is moving on so many levels – the stories he tells of the young women; the struggles and conflicts he faced while undercover and trying to free them; the burden he carried for those he could not help; and the temptations which he faced and the boundaries he crossed.

You will cry, and you will be moved. You will feel anger and frustration as you read. You will feel immense sadness at the cost Daniel pays at the end of the book. But for me, the feeling i came away with is one of confusion and some shame. With a global church consisting of billions of Christians and resources in the trillions, why are people like Daniel Walker fighting this fight, and battling this battle seemingly on their own. I know there are many involved with the fight – but there should be more. Sex trafficking is lucrative because there are people who want to pay for the sex. The whole Church needs to be aware of what is going on and the whole Church needs to be involved, in varying levels, in fighting this fight and ending this practice.

Highly recommended!

Seeing Is Believing: Experience Jesus through Imaginative Prayer by Gregory A. Boyd

To the consternation of many of my friends, I really like Greg Boyd. He is a smart, thoughtful and passionate for Jesus.

This book is a defence of imaginative prayer, or cataphatic prayer.

Why don’t Christians live in the freedom and joy of the gospel? Boyd argues it is because information about the gospel does not transform you. You can believe in your mind that 2 Cor 5:17 is true – you are a new creation, but that will not enable you to become a new creation.

Boyd argues:

We tend to have a naive conviction that if only we read

another book or get involved in another Bible study,

our lives will be significantly changed. As a matter of

fact, this is not the case at all. Indeed, contemporary Western Christians are as a whole arguably

the most informed generation of Christians in all of church history.Yet no one would be so foolish as to

suggest that we are the most transformed.To the contrary, research suggests that the faith of American

evangelicals generally has very little effect on our day-to-day lives.

Boyd also says:

The most fundamental reason why believers do not experience who they are in Christ, and thus don’t 
experience the peace they can have in Christ, is that their experienced self-identity is rooted in the 
flesh.Their experienced self-identity is not in line with their true identity as believers in Christ. 
The way they see and experience themselves, and thus the way they see and experience God and the world, 
is not in conformity with the way things actually are. They are to some degree caught in the web of deception 
that is the flesh.They intellectually believe the truth, but they do not experience the truth as real and thus 
do not consistently live according to truth.
 

The book is about how to experience the truth of KNOWING who you are in Christ. I confess that I found the book a blessing and very helpful as I read it. And I think there is much in this book which can be helpful, even for those who do not like Boyd’s theological position. He firmly states that there is NOTHING we can do to achieve our status in Christ and the Church and Western Christianity has preached for too long, and with damaging consequences a “try harder” message.

What the “try harder” solution does is confuse the effect with the cause. It puts the caboose before the engine. It implicitly assumes that what the believer does determines who the believer is, rather than vice versa. It makes behavior the means to acquiring a new identity rather than making a new identity the means of acquiring new behavior.

This book challenges us to quit trying harder, and to enter into the reality of what Christ HAS done and is doing in us. Let me finish with a final quote from Boyd which I think summarizes his position well:

The key to experiencing the peace of God as an ongoing reality in our lives, then, is not in trying hard to achieve it. This can only make us more anxious! The key, rather, is to cease from our own striving and let the Holy Spirit do his work in pointing us to Jesus. The key is in allowing the Holy Spirit to make Christ real to us and to rest, just as we are, in this reality. In doing this we allow the Holy Spirit to overcome deception in our lives with truth, performance in our lives with grace, hiddenness in our lives with openness, and thus destruction in our lives with wholeness. As we through the power of the Spirit experience the peace Jesus offers us as we are, in the midst of all our anxiety, the peace that characterizes his life becomes ours by grace. As we behold the glory of his peace, we are transformed into this peace from one degree of glory to another (2 Cor. 3:18).

Ancient Christian Devotional: A Year of Weekly Readings – Lectionary Cycle B

 

I really like this series of Ancient Christian Devotional. Based on the Anglican three year liturgical cycle (years A-C) and using the revised common lectionary, these books give you a wonderful introduction to 1. A rhythm of prayer; 2. The Church fathers.

 

This is a great devotional tool, and it can be tackled in a number of ways. Each weeks readings are based on the Revised Common lectionary for that Sunday. Beginning with a theme and opening prayer, you then have a number of passages from the Church fathers relating to the Old Testament reading, Psalm, Epistle and Gospel readings. Then there is a closing prayer. You can use it once a week as an extended time of prayer before the Sunday worship, or you can take a few of the readings each day throughout the week.

 

To read the passage of scripture in the Bible and then read the comment by the church fathers is both a useful and edifying experience. Whether you want some structure to your daily prayer life, or you want an introduction to the Church Fathers and what they said, I really like, and would recommend this series.

 

The New Machiavelli: How to Wield Power in the Modern World by Jonathan Powell

I really did enjoy this book. Jonathan Powell was Tony Blair’s chief of staff during the years Blair was Prime Minister. He is also a student of Machiavelli, and what Powell does so well and fascinatingly is interweave sayings of Machiavelli into his account of his years with Blair – and it works wonderfully.

For a political book this is very gripping & enjoyable as well as informative. Not once did I feel bogged down nor was I struggling through chapters. Powell has added a valuable and important insight into the Blair government; it’s internal struggles and conflicts and most strikingly, the humanness and ‘normality’ of government. By this I mean that politicians are not titanic personalities who are doing superman work, but flawed, fragile and ego-centered human beings struggling to a job they have been given to do – and more often than they would like, having a bad day.

Highly recommended.

God Behaving Badly: Is the God of the Old Testament Angry, Sexist and Racist? by David Lamb

The answer to the question posed by the title of this book is, of course, no! David Lamb is tackling a question which is rife among many Christians throughout the western church – how can I reconcile the God of the Old Testament to the God of the New Testament. Lamb ably, and in a way which is very accessible, answers this question. And his answer is that of course, God has not changed, nor is he a different God:

The main point that these texts are making is not simply that God is unchangeable, but that God is unchangeable about his commitment to bless his people.

The question “What is God like” – “What is his nature like” is at the core of Lamb’s book and it is an important issue to wrestle with. Lamb says that:

We will find…that the God of both Testaments is loving. He affirms women, is hospitable towards foreigners and brings peace, not a sword. He is not legalistic but gracious, not rigid but flexible, and not distant but near.

If you want to now HOW Lamb comes to this conclusion, you will need to buy the book and read it. It would a be a worth while exercise to do so!!

Recommended.

Explosive Preaching: Letters on Detonating the Gospel in the 21st Century: Letters on Transformative Preaching for the 21st Century by Ronald Boyd-Macmillan

I have a ton of books on my shelf to read. Believe it or not I spent a few hours on vacation making up a list of the 200 unread books on my shelf and listed them. That is the list I am going to go through over the next year or so as I am determined to read them all. This book was on the list. I got it in 2009 and read a little bit of it. I decided to read it fully and I am glad I did.

While the style of the book (each chapter is a fictional ‘letter’ – similar to CS Lewis’ book “Letters To Malcolm”, although not quite as good as Lewis) is a little distracting, what Macmillian says is good.

He is angry at the horrendous state of preaching. Too many preachers are inadequate and too many church members are listening to and tolerating abysmal sermons. This book looks at why this is so and what to do about it.

This is not so much about training as gifting. You can train to some extent, on the external and minor things but the key to preaching, the communication ability, the passion the delivery is about gifting and calling. And to that I say Amen and Amen!! Preachers need to get back to the Bible – reading, devouring, loving scripture – immersing themselves into it and into God. This author was asked to create a Preaching Curriculum to Chinese pastors. They had no money for three years in seminary nor the books to read on an in depth homiletical course. These preachers pay $300 for a year, go away to some mountain cabin and eat rice. Here is the curriculum which Macmillian says he would, if he could, get western seminarians to follow – and the one he sent to the Chinese Church. I wonder whether those who have been to seminary would relish this course?

66 – Each student, by the end of the year, has to be ready to preach (without notes) a one-hour sermon on each of the 66 books of the Bible.  This sermon is to include an outline of the content of the book, and contemporary application to the individual, the church and the nation of China.  At the end of the year, 3 books would be selected at random, then the student has five seconds to launch into their message.

33 – Each student had to prepare 33 one-hour sermons on the life and work of Christ, each based on a single verse (only 10 allowed from outside the gospels).  His whole ministry must be covered, from pre-existence to second coming (although I’d suggest His ministry extends beyond the second coming!)  Interestingly, students are allowed one page of notes per sermon in this category!

1 – Each student has to prepare an “end-of time” sermon – any length (since time constraints are irrelevant in eternity).  The goal is to help the student consider the whole salvation story from God’s point of view.

1776 by David McCullough

This is a re-read for me. C S Lewis says that you cannot understand a book if you have only read it once. I plan to re-read some books which have impacted me or that I enjoyed. McCullough’s book is not an account of the whole revolutionary war, which went on until 1786 – but focuses on the year 1776 – the year of the declaration of Independence but also a year of defeats for George Washington. I was astounded at how many battles Washington lost – and not just lost but was on the verge of annihilation. If the British knew just how close they were to wiping Washington’s rag tag army off the map…. ! And yet the British Commander, General Howe at least twice did not pursue and inexplicably stopped his army when Washington was at his most vulnerable. However, one of the characteristics of Washington was that he persevered – he won some small but important skirmishes and he had an amazing effect on his men. This is a great read and SO informative. As a Brit, I learned so much. McCullough expertly and skillfully lays out why 1776 was such a vital year for this war.

Generous Justice by Tim Keller

We have just finished our summer Adult Ed class – we studied Tim Keller’s book Generous Justice. There have been a number of challenging books recently released. By challenging, I mean exposing the often lethargy and indifference the church and many christians have to their society and the world – Crazy Love by Francis Chan; Radical by David Platt are just two.  Well, this book is to be ranked amongst such books. This is an ‘uncomfortable’ read to say the least. Not because it is badly written or it has bad theology; on the contrary it is very well written and is theologically strong. It is uncomfortable because it will cause you to consider what exactly YOU are doing with this issue. Keller redefines the parameters of justice. Justice is not just to help the poor. It is to provide relief, development and social reform for the poor. And he unpacks this biblically with some skill. Here is a powerful excerpt which I believe demonstrates the power of the book and the immense challenge it is for us as believers:

One of the more notorious practices of local banks is to ‘redline’ poor and nonwhite neighborhoods. That is they refuse mortgage and small business loans to applicants who live there. Their argument is that they simply look at the statistics and conclude that residents of those neighborhoods are more likely not to make good on the loan. God, however, says we are not to live that way in our relationships to the poor. He says, in effect, in Proverbs 19:7 “Don’t you  dare ‘redline’ people. Don’t look at someone and say “If I get involved with that person I might be taken advantage of!” I see a gift to the poor as a gift to me. I will in some way, make the loan good. I will give you value, trust me.

Joshua by Pekkam Pitkanen

Joshua is the latest volume of the Apollos Old Testament Commentary. It follows previous volumes in how it is laid out – the author provides a translation of the chapter / section, then provides notes on the text; next he discusses the Form and Structure; then comes comment and finally explanation.Pitkanen’s focus in this commentary is strongly towards the form and structure of the book, it’s historical context and relationship to extra biblical contexts. I often found that the form and structure section was far longer than time spent explaining the meaning of the text and it’s application. Also, there are12 lengthy excursus, the majority of which deal with archaeology and form and structure.

It is a sad and all too common feature of more modern commentaries that so much time is taken discussing the issues of historical context and other ancient literature to the neglect of explaining what the biblical text means and how we can apply it to ourselves. Pitkanen continues that trend and this is frustrating.

When Pitkanen does get to his explanations, I was a little disappointed at their shallowness. One example will suffice. Joshua 6 is a key part of the book of Joshua. Pitkanen writes in the explanation section “The narrative is rather genocidal in character and it is therefore a bit difficult for modern tastes. But the material is part of the conquest of Canaan and, more specifically, the beginning and first fruits of it, and that would explain the emphasis placed on the narrative. Perhaps, if one believes in God’s judgment, one can say that belief in him saves one from it. And yet even this is a bit simplistic.”

He does not engage with this question of `genocide’ despite raising it. He places it on the table and then leaves it alone. I felt that too much was left out of the commentary and explanation that could have been and should have been included.

My guess is that Pitkanen and I are from different theological positions. I approach the text from a belief that the Bible is the true and unquestionable word of God, and so my response to his commentary will come through this lense.

Many may find this commentary useful. I did not.

Courage And Calling: Embracing Your God-Given Potential by Gordon Smith

Courage and Calling by Gordon Smith may well be the timeliest book for many in this day of economic and social turmoil. The sub-title of the book gives its focus Embracing Your God-Given Potential.

I have taught for many years that Christians have three callings in their lives; to be a Christian; what they do each day / their role in society; our calling to our family, children, neighbors and friends. Smith lays out a similar three fold calling for each of us:

1. To be a Christian
2. The specific call of purpose, mission; a reason for being
3. The call we face each day in response to the multitude demands on our lives.

This book focuses on the second calling – of purpose, mission and reason for being. As Smith writes We long to find and do work that is meaningful, that makes a difference and needs to be done.

In order to being thinking about this Smith, rightly, points out that we need to have a healthy theology of work. Work is given to us by another, by God who is our creator. Thus our work is not our god; it is given to us as a gift, as something for which we are stewards….. We are called to work but we are not called only to work… A biblical theology of work, then includes the explicit call for regular Sabbath rest….We are not workers; we are, rather, children of God who are called to work.

This is an important distinction for Smith because he goes on to say that each person has a fundamental calling or vocation. And this is, more than anything else, what each of us must discover. However, calling and vocation is much deeper and all encompassing than a career or occupation. To fulfill your vocation and calling through an occupation is a wonderful and treasured gift. For many, however, a job is a means of supporting life and family, getting whatever work they can and it may not be their vocation or calling. For some, they may not discover or begin their calling until after they retire.

Smith outlines the process and thinking needed to begin to discover the call and vocation that God has for you and it is a process and way of thinking which is so important for each believer to undertake and discover. God has a calling and vocation for each of us and we must intentionally seek it in whatever place we may be in right now.

If you or a friend has found themselves without a job or at a crossroads, then this is an ideal book to read now. If anyone ever says to you, or you think to yourself “I don’t know what God is calling me to do” then read this book. It is clear, practical and wise counsel.

Recommended.

A Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee

I had never really read anything of Watchman Nee, although I had heard of him and even had a couple of books of his. I decided to spend some time reading this book and I am glad I did. The Normal Christian Life is a wonderful read and extremely powerfull. Nee has a deep and insightful faith and while these were originally talks given by Nee, they have transitioned to print well. I have heard some (especially reformed) christians disparage Nee. While Nee is not a ‘theologian’ there is nothing in this book which is not fully biblical. Nee’s grasp of the breadth of scripture is impressive and his  exegesis reveals some real gems. I am looking forward to reading some more of Nee.

The Making of the New Testament: Origin, Collection, Text & Canon by Arthur Patzia

Have you ever been asked by someone “How did the New Testament get put together?” or “how did they choose the books for the New Testament?” What would you say if someone did ask you? While such questions can be red herrings, for some people the origin and process of HOW the New Testament came together and when it was regarded as ‘scripture’ or God’s word, is very important. Sadly, many Christians either do not know HOW the books of the New Testament came together, or what they do know is incorrect. It is vital for Christians to know and understand how this process happened, not just in order to answer questions, or to tackle the increasing attacks upon the reliability of the New Testament, but more importantly, so that our faith can be strong in knowing the New Testament as God’s word.

Arthur Patzia has done a wonderful job in “The Making Of The New Testament’. Despite being a reasonable 280 plus pages, he has packed a lot information into this book, covering everything from the making of the Gospels to what they used to write with, and what they wrote on!

While this does have the feel of a theological ‘text book’, don’t let that put you off. This book is for both the theological student and the Church layperson. It provides you with a wealth of information and understanding about the practical aspect of the gathering of the New Testament and it will be both interesting and immensely beneficial to read. A perfect introductory text!

Highly recommended.

The Ethics of Evangelism: A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizing and Persuasion by Elmer John Thiessen

The title of this book alone is fascinating – “The Ethics of Evangelism: A Philosophical Defense of Proselytizing and Persuasion.” What on earth could he mean by the Ethics of Evangelism? Well, evangelism, or Proselytizing, while seen as a staple diet of Christian life, is becoming frowned upon in our society. People see the whole process of evangelism or proselytizing as “enforcing your view upon them” and thus seen as both arrogant and offensive.

 

Thiessen’s book, which is a substantial study, argues that proselytizing (whether religious or otherwise) is not inherently wrong and can even be a good thing; an expression of care and concern for others. The core issue for Thiessen is HOW one proselytizes – whether in the religious or secular context. For Thiessen to proselytize is to lead someone to a change of belief, behavior, identity, and to a sense of belonging.  Thiessen compares moral proselytizing with immoral proselytizing. The heart of this discussion revolves around 15 criteria to distinguish between the two; Dignity, care, physical coercion, psychological coercion, social coercion, inducement, rationality, truthfulness, humility, tolerance, motivation, identity, cultural sensitivity, results and golden rule.

 

Does our proselytizing / evangelism involve any coercion, physical, psychological or social? Do we speak truth? Do we uphold the dignity of the person we are speaking to? What is our motivation? Are we sensitive to the cultural aspects of the person we speak to? And perhaps the biggest thing to recognize, especially for Christians, is the golden rule – do we operate under the assumption that the other  person has the right to proselytize as well.

 

This is a fascinating and valuable book for Christians but especially for those who are evangelists. While Thiessen is clear in his writing this book requires and deserves energy and time because of its depth. It is not a ‘quick’ read, but one to be taken slowly and purposefully. To do so will reap great benefit.

 

Highly recommended.

 

Becoming Queen Victoria: The Tragic Death of Princess Charlotte and the Unexpected Rise of Britain’s Greatest Monarch by Kate Williams

This is another great summer read. Kate Williams has written an enjoyable and very fascinating account of how Queen Victoria came to the throne of England. Williams begins with George III and details the intense, sometimes tragic and largely dysfunctional lives of the royal family.

By the time Victoria ascended to the throne the royal family was on the verge of irrelevance. The Monarchy was in disarray and mostly unloved by the people. One example is that when George IV died he had so neglected his position that some 50,000 official and government papers needed signing! Victoria brought a breathe of fresh air into the Royal Family, despite her own severely dysfunctional family.

Williams has done a fine, fine job. A fascinating, fun and very interesting read!

Seeking Spiritual Intimacy: Journeying Deeper With Medieval Women of Faith by Glenn Myers

I had never heard of the Beguines. If there was a lecture on them at seminary then I missed it. Then again, you would not really expect to put the words ‘medieval’, ‘women’ and ‘faith’ together in a positive way. Yet Glenn Myers book just blew me away. Right there in the midst of the 12th and 13th centuries there were a group of spirit filled, radical, Christ centered women who lived gospel lives. Myers tells us that the Beguines were part of a massive evangelical awakening that spawned a series of revivals across Europe. What are the Beguines? Lay women who lived communally to pursue a life of spiritual growth and who also preached publicly. Unlike traditional nuns they did not take vows, but the women who lived in these communities were committed to celibacy and obedience to the household rules as long as they remained in the beguinage.

Myers book is a mixture of biography of 4 women who were beguines, as well as an insight into the spiritual practices and elements of these women and the movement as a whole. The book is a delight to read as well as challenging. These women would put many pastors to shame with their passion, commitment and love of Christ. It also shows that right there in the Medieval times the Lord had his lights shining across Europe. This was a real blessing and encouragement to read.

Highly Recommended.

The Shooting Salvationist by David Stokes

I hadn’t heard of of J Frank Norris until I received this book. At first glance, it would seem that the claim on the front cover that this was the murder trial that captivated America has simply been consigned to the dark archives of history – barely remembered.

Yet this book is curiously captivating. David Stokes brings back in to the limelight what was certainly America’s first mega church pastor – a congregation of over 6000 members, a newspaper and a radio station – J Frank Norris was nationally known, very successful and was equally loved and hated by many. And all this in the 1920′s.

Stokes does a wonderful job of drawing you into Norris’ life. The actual description and meat of the trial does not get going until past page 110. Before this we have a potted biography of Norris’ up bringing – a devout mother, a drunken father and a poor life. His way to success, through an apprenticeship in a Church, college and finally into the pastorate is fascinating. A forerunner of the fundamentalist movement and a ‘sensationalist’ preacher having no fear to preach on politics, or moral crusades, Norris’ ministry grew – especially at First Baptist Fort Worth.

Norris’ character and sensationalist preaching made him enemies, sometimes powerful enemies. His church was burned down (although he was accused of burning it himself), he was shot at and his house was set on fire twice. But Norris was never one to be intimidated. He relished a fight and he always expected to win.

However the rising star that was J Frank Norris almost came crashing down in 1926 when he shot a man in his church office, D E Chipps. What happened on that day and why J Frank Norris shot the man was the subject of the intense trial that followed.

This is a fun, enjoyable and interesting read. Another great ‘summer’ book to enjoy on vacation! (Released on July 12th)

An Unquenchable Thirst: Following Mother Teresa in Search of Love, Service, and an Authentic Life by Mary Johnson

I receive a lot of books to review. It is a rare book that grabs me straight out of the packet. This one did. It was forty minutes after opening the packet that I realized I should stop reading and do some work!

Mary Johnson’s heart was to join Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. At 19 years of age she did. This book explores her journey from the excitement of joining the Missionaries of Charity, to the realization that the life as a sister was hard to the struggles and pain and ultimately the agonized decision to leave.

Mary Johnson provides a fascinating insight into life in Mother Teresa’s order, a life which for many will seem unnecessarily harsh, restrictive and intensely lonely. There is also opportunity for abuse and despite the Order’s attempt to remove the world from those in the Missionaries of Charity, it would appear that some in positions of authority are still steeped in the attitudes and sins of the world.

The book is not clear as to whether Johnson retained her faith after leaving the MofC, although she does end the book having just been to church. Also, regardless of what you think of Mother Teresa, she gave her life to helping the poor and living a sacrificial life steeped in poverty. However I came away from this book once again questioning the wisdom of creating an organization which allows you to live life in the same way as a particular person (Mother Teresa) did, down to the food they ate. Is this really what God wants us to do? Mother Teresa was called to live the life she lived. We are not called to mirror another human being’s life – but to live the life God calls US to.

A readable, fascinating book which is ideal for a summer read and which I highly recommend. (Released in August 16th)

Books Read In April

No Argument For God: Going Beyond Reason In Conversations About Faith by John Wilkinson

The danger with John Wilkinson’s book, No Argument For God, is that you might think that he is being somewhat frivolous. Right at the beginning of the book (pg11) he writes “Though research has uncovered some interesting facts about the reliability of the Bible and the historical record of Christianity, these debates rarely do anything more than solidify the positions of either side. To be honest, I don’t think we even need to engage in a debate. What if there were no argument for God?”

Now, this may have already raised some peoples hackles – surely good apologetics requires sound and solid arguments. Yes, we need to know and understand things, but apologetics that relies purely on sound and solid arguments, trying to make the faith look reasonable and acceptable has missed the point.

This is why Wilkinson’s book is far from frivolous. Indeed it very profound, and yet written in a very easy and readable way.

Wilkinson asks the question, “What would happen if your atheist friend told you that faith is irrational, and you agreed with him, that faith is irrational and beyond reason.” Faith is not a tidy , intellectual and rational thing. We are talking about an infinite God who has made himself known; spoken to people; became a human being; raised people from the dead; healed them; died for them; raised himself from the dead; has gone back to heaven and has promised to return. His teaching says love your enemy; give to those who ask; be willing to die for Him.

This is not tidy, intellectual and rational in our culture today. Apologetics needs to accept that faith is not something you can easily argue for and for Wilkinson, the call of this book is that we should not be afraid to accept the irrational / beyond reason aspect of Christianity. Purely engaging in a polemical discourse with someone is missing a vital aspect of what Christianity is. As Wilkinson says to his atheist friend, “lets walk down a path beyond reason, logic and sense to see if by abandoning our arguments for God we can find him.”

This book will probably not please those who have the strong reasonable and logical answers as to why God exists and we should put our trust in him. But I would encourage such people to read this book in order to see that faith is not based in logic or reason alone – but in a real and tangible PERSON; that when someone has grasped the person of Christ – the reality of Jesus – the intellectual arguments become so secondary.

This is why this book is so good. It challenges us to approach apologetics in a whole knew way – not to say that faith is not true, or does not have true facts or intellectual foundations, but that ultimately, faith transcends these things. When that happens, as Wilkinson writes: The issue is not whether Christianity is a reasonable faith but whether we are willing to believe it when it isn’t.

Highly Recommended.

Faith Without Illusions: Following Jesus As A Cynic-Saint by Andrew Byers

Andrew Byers has hit a nail on it’s head with this book. What is the nail? That too many believers today have a cynical faith. Cynicism has become rampant.

What is a Christian cynic? They are those who criticise everything while maintaining a degree of allegiance to Jesus but also often quoting Jesus’ harrangues against the Pharisees and religious leaders.

One of the descriptions Byers throws out about the Christian cynic was very thought provoking as well as troublesome. He writes “Christian cynics sometimes delight in watching fellow believers tread on life’s land mines, and their flaunted skepticism can even become the means by which the faithful forsake their faith.”

To be sure, Byers has called out a big issue in the life of the church.

Christians cynics are damaging the church. They are damaging the church because their disillusionment, whether with the world, the church, leadership, or because of doubts, has taken a hold of them and it has become the driving force of their nature and that is when you have cynicism.

It begins with disillusionment.

Now, Byers points out that disillusionment is not necessarily a bad thing. Disillusionment is often about reality – seeing the situation as it really is; that things are not going well; that we are struggling; that the future is uncertain. Saul, who became Paul, during the three days he was blind in the house on Straight Street was probably disillusioned; disillusioned that all that he thought he was doing was in fact wrong.

But Paul does not end up a cynic.

Disillusionment unchecked will end in cynicism. What stops disillusionment from becoming cynicism for a Christian is the Resurrection!

Again, Andrew Byers writes “we need to foster and teach a Biblical spirituality that embraces the grim reality of our ex-eden life along with the joyful reality that God is making all things new.”

We need to accept reality. But we do so in the reality and light of the truth of the resurrection because our sins and this world can only be dealt with if Christ rose from the dead!

Remove the resurrection of Christ and ALL that is left for a Christian is cynicism. Paul himself tells us in 1 Corinthians 15; “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.”

This is really an excellent book on a subject which is very rarely tackled.

Highly Recommended.

Books Read In February & March

Here are some of the books I read these past two months. I discovered Leland Ryken this month, author of Understanding English Bible Translation and The king James Bible Legacy. Ryken was on the team that worked on the ESV. A great writer. I am looking forward to reading his book Realms of Gold – why Christians Should Read The CLassics!

Luke: The Gospel of Amazement by Michael Card

I would not have expected a book like this from Michael Card. In my narrow and small minded way I would have thought that any book on a book of a Bible from a Christian musician / worship leader would be short and, well, somewhat shallow. So this book really did amaze me. It is weighty (268 pages) but not dense book on the gospel of Luke. It is very well written; winsome, insightful and spiritually deep without being technical. The preface makes it clear that this is written for the lay person. The introduction and major theme’s sections are excellently done. While I would not call it a commentary because of the image one might associate with that word, this is as good and as useful as many commentaries out there. The layout of the book makes this a delight for devotional reading. You have a passage from Luke and then the comment from Michael. Some times you could take two or three sections, other times one would be enough to chew over and meditate on.

I highly recommend this to anyone who is starting a study in Luke or who is looking for a deep, devotional experience of this Gospel.

Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom & Discernment by Brian Godawa

Every movie we watch is espousing a world view whether we realize it or not. We may think that most of what HollyWood produces is trash, but for millions and millions of people around the world they are being feed a variety of world views which will have an influence upon them consciously or subconsciously.

HollyWood WorldViews is a great read. It challenges us to be people who see films for what they are: both entertainment and a form of story telling, as well as a vehicle for proclaiming specific worldviews. Brian Godawa, who himself is a screenwriter, implores us not to be cultural gluttons (just absorbing anything uncritically) nor cultural anorexics (not watching anything, or unable to enjoy anything) but people who are able to enjoy good story telling, good entertainment, and at the same time understanding WHAT we are watching and the worldview it promotes.

The book is a wonderful exposition of film and its genres from a Christian perspective. If you love films then this will be a fruitful read for you as you learn to appreciate them even more clearly, but even better, giving you the skills to talk about films in a way that might promote the ultimate worldview – that of Christ and him crucified.

If on the other hand you HATE Hollywood, this will be an eye opening book for you. It will give you the tools to be more informed in a medium that has incredible influence in our world today.

Highly recommended!

The Dangerous Act of Loving Your Neighbor: Seeing Others Through the Eyes of Jesus by Mark Labberton

Although we have heard it many times and it may even sound a little trite, what would happen to us if we began to look at people as Jesus looks at them? What would happen to our compassion and empathy and emotions? What would happen to our time? What endeavors would we pour our energy into if every time we looked at someone, whether a friend, acquaintance or even an enemy and we looked at them as Jesus would look at them?

This is a profoundly challenging book – at least it was for me. And it is a book that really cannot be rushed. Indeed the author suggests that you spend not a few hours but maybe a few days in reflection between each chapter. I am always skeptical when an author says that, but I actually found myself unable to move on because of some of the emotions that were stirred up in me. Not that the book seeks to be emotional. It is just that some of the stories just hit home.

Each chapter is really a meditation with intermittent reflections throughout which encourage you to pause and ponder.

This book is about changing the heart. Not by doing something, or trying harder, but by allowing Christ to transform us into people with Christ centered hearts. Of course this is a life long journey and is not resolved at the end of the book. But like all things which challenge us on a godly level, you will be left at the end of reading this saying, “I want to do that – I want to be like that”.

Highly Recommended.

Reclaiming The Old Testament For Christian Preaching Edited by Kent, Kissling and Turner

This really is a gem of a book. The Old Testament is becoming more and more neglected in the preaching of the church. When I was in seminary in the mid 90’s I did a project amongst some random evangelical Churches asking them how often they preached from the Old Testament. The end results were that the Old Testament had only 15-25% exposure in preaching plans.

Reclaiming The Old Testament For Christian Preaching will not just encourage you to give more space to the Old Testament in your preaching plans, but for many it will provide a wealth of information, advice and informed understanding in approaching the Old Testament. Contributors to this book include Daniel Block, Tremper Longman III, Gordon Wenham and Christopher Wright tackle issues such as Preaching Ezekiel, Preaching from the Law and Preaching Christ from the Old Testament. I specially enjoyed and appreciated Christopher Wright’s excellent chapter on Preaching From The Law.

This really is a book for all who have a teaching role in the church, but especially for those who regularly occupy the pulpit. If all scriptures are useful for teaching then we need to give the Old Testament 50% of our preaching schedules. And this book is a wonderful polemic as to why and how we should.

Highly recommended.

Books Read In January

Worship And Reality Of God: An Evangelical Theology of Real Presence by John Jefferson Davis

Evangelical / reformed worship can easily be reduced to a few songs, some prayers and the sermon; the sermon being the main focus of the Church gathering. While not neglecting the importance and value of good preaching John Jefferson Davis exhorts the church to rediscover the value and importance of ‘worship’. For Davis, worship has to be an intentional activity – worship does not just happen but is a learned behavior. To be done successfully, it must be done knowledgeably, intentionally and skillfully. Note the words knowledgeably, intentionally and skillfully. This book is about a thoughtful and intentional approach to what worship is and how that looks in today’s evangelical church. The goal, the result of this is not a greater ‘experience’ but the ‘real’ presence of God in our services. Acknowledging that God is there – he is with us and in us and that the church has gathered knowing that the living God is there to meet with us and we are there to glorify Him and to enjoy being in his presence.

Developing a real theology of worship is vital for pastors and Davis’ book is really a must read. I was surprised at how good this book is and what a valuable resource it will be to church leaders. This is not just about a good theology of worship but this book should excite you to worship.

Highly recommended.

Small Faith, Great God by N.T Wright

What is faith? A blind leap into something? A hope which may not come true? For Tom Wright the issue is not so much what is faith, rather the issue is the OBJECT of the faith. And for Christians the object of faith is Jesus Christ.

In this small book, based on sermons, Wright unpacks what this faith in Jesus Christ might look like for Christians. A faith that is strong and sustaining – able to bring us through both the best of times and the very worst of times. A faith which is practical and real.

I found this book immensely refreshing, especially in just enjoying Wright’s exegesis of the Bible passages and his ability to draw them into the here and now making them so applicable for us today. The irony is that through this book you can almost tangibly sense the strength and deep of Wright’s own faith and his love for the glory of God.

If anyone should ask you ‘What is faith’ give them this book.