What Does the Bible Say About That?

This book put together by Carolyn Larsen covers many topics. I couldn't imagine putting together so many topics to convey what the Bible says about these things. Ms. Larsen puts together 340 things that the Bible speaks on. Although I believe she stretches it a bit to try and say the Bible speaks on certain things when, in reality, the Bible is silent.

In the introduction the author tries to convey why she put these together. She tries to rid the thought that this book should be used as a list of "dos and don'ts" but in reality the book should be used to answer questions about every day life and how the Bible puts forth those types of answers. The introduction tells the reader that although there are many topics that the Bible does speak on, when you fall, know that God has grace for us all. The one thing that I thought of as I started to look at the book is although the author doesn't want to make a list of "dos and don'ts" that is just what is going to happen if Christ isn't the center. Even in the introduction, Jesus is never mentioned. This is a huge deal. Ms. Larsen puts forth what the Bible is about:

It's the story of God's love for you and how his Spirit living in you will guide, protect, love, forgive, and love you again.

Ms. Larsen forgot the third person of the Trinity. The Bible is about Jesus as well. Jesus' absence is hard to overlook in the opening of the book as one readies themself to read the rest of the topics laid out.

Each topic has four parts and only encompasses one page:

1. What does the Bible say about...(insert topic) (This is a quick commentary by the author)
2. What the Bible says (verses are listed)
3. Time to Face the Facts (Author puts forth a definite admonition and exhortation on the topic)
4. Today I will...(practical advice to follow because of the topic)

I believe that the book can be used by discerning parents to aid them in different topics of the Bible. But, the parent will have to be more gospel centered than the book can be as its purpose is to just show the topic at hand and not give a full commentary of the gospel each time. I understand that this is impossible with a book that covers 340 topics. I would not just give this out to kids and have them study it and read it as a manual of how to live their lives. Way too many mistakes will be made and little Pharisees will be raised up. But, that doesn't mean that the book can't be used by parents who use it for simple understanding.

I will point out that the parent must be discerning as a couple of the topics made me chuckle as they were so close together. They are smoking and snacks. Because the book is in alphabetical order these two topics are right next to each other and speak on the same topic: the physical body.

I found it interesting, because the reasons that the author says that smoking is wrong and God would consider it a sin is because the body is a temple of God and you wouldn't want to hurt the temple. Turn the page. This page follows and says that some snacks are good for the body and some are bad, so keep the bad snacks in moderation because the body is a temple. This logic doesn't make sense. If both are bad for the body, then both should be used in moderation or be completely abstained from, unless the Bible speaks definitely against one as sin. Now, with a child I would never tell them to go and smoke, as it is against the law, but I would also never act as if God hates it as though it was in the Bible. There are other topics in the book that are just like this that make me put forth again and again that the parent should not just hand this book over to a child for study, but should really be used by the parent to aid in instruction.

I don't believe this book is all bad, but I just worry on how it will be used. The top left of the cover has the words, "ages 8-12," making it seem as though the book is set up to be given to children and not the parents, which I just can't agree with. Again, if used correctly, this book can be of help, but I worry how this book will be abused and cause kids to just look up topics on certain issues instead of reading the whole of Scripture to understand the story of the Bible is not a "road map of life" but is actually the story of God, saving sinners through the cross of Christ, by the Holy Spirit for the glory of God. Recommended with Caution to the Parent's Usage.

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Crossway

The RED Letters

The Red Letters, compiled by Tim Beals, for it is hard to say that he is the author as the author here is Christ as they are his words, is a book that, if used correctly, can be of great help. Tim Beals states at the end of his introduction that his "hope is that the red letters become the read letters."

What I really like about the book is that it sets up all the saying of Christ in chronological order in the first part and then by topic in the second part. He also makes sure that he only takes from one of the gospel accounts instead of all four when Christ's words are recorded by every author or multiple authors. Mr. Beals decided to do this to keep the book at a minimum and chose to take whichever account was most thorough in its recording of the words of Christ. I believe the book will be most helpful to take all four gospel accounts of Christ's words and put them in the order that Christ said them, as this can get quite confusing when trying to put them in order yourself. For this, it is quite helpful and will be used by myself when in need of this type of study.

The hard part of this study is that it is quite unreadable. The reason is that it is literally only the words of Christ. So, as one tries to read through it, they miss all the dialogue of the listeners or background information given by the gospel writer. So, while the book might be a great resource for a teacher or one studying the words of Christ, to simply read the book one will be quite frustrated.

The other part that sets this book up for question, but I don't believe is the author's intent is the movement of those who only rely on what Christ states, and dismiss the rest of the Bible as secondary because it isn't in "red letters." While I don't believe that Mr. Beals would accept this idea he does make the point to state that, "My (Mr. Beals) primary incentive is to provide a unique volume that will enable us to become better apprentices of the Master by allowing us to hear directly from him about what matters most." and "By looking at the 'red letters', Jesus' spoken words, we see what is important to him."

These two quotes seem to put forth that the rest of Bible isn't the spoken word of Christ. I have said before that just because it didn't come out of the mouth of Jesus while on earth doesn't mean Christ didn't say it or deem it as important. The danger with the thinking that the only importance that Christ deemed came from his mouth while on earth is that one will put these words above the rest of Scripture. This isn't okay. All Scripture is inspired by God, not just the red letters. While I do not know the convictions of Mr. Beals on this subject, I would suppose that he would not desire his book to be used by "red letter Christians" who put Paul's words, and the other writers of Scripture, as secondary to that of Christ's. This is my main concern with a book that simply puts forth Christ's words with absolutely no commentary on them.

So, the book will be very helpful for those who desire to get to the point of what Christ spoke while on this earth and in what order that happened and the topics he discussed. I just hope that this book isn't taken to mean that the rest of Scripture is secondary and used to show why certain topics or convictions are okay because they aren't "in red" in the Bible. So, I would recommend the book for study and useful help, but would not recommend the book to base one's sole theology on. Recommended.

Link to Buy:

Crossway

A Christian Manifesto

This book was definitely one of the more political ones of Schaeffer's. This came towards the end of his life when he was very upset, understandably, over Roe v. Wade and the abolition of anti-abortion laws by the U.S. Supreme Court. It was done well and one that had many great arguments of why we shouldn't really be surprised at what is happening because of the allowance of secular humanism becoming so rampant in our schools and among our society as a whole (in practice anyways).

Like most of Schaeffer, he does very well at showing historically why we are dealing with these issues as a whole. He shows how this country was set up, although not as a Christian one, one that obviously drew from a distinctively Christian mindset. From there, he shows the historical shift that began to take place when the humanist manifesto made it's debut in 1933 and from there the downfall was set in motion. From there, the 1st amendment started to be interpreted differently than the Founding Fathers had in mind and then the 60's started living out the humanist manifesto and we, as a nation, never looked back.

Schaeffer shows why it is necessary for countries to believe in a moral law giver and not in the humanist call that every man decide, in their context, what is right and wrong. Schaeffer actually shows masterfully why abortion is the greatest way that the humanist manifesto has shown itself in our culture. What else should we expect from people who believe that it is up to the person to decide what is right and wrong? Now one can murder their child, because they deem that it is right within their context and for their life. Although deplorable, should not surprise us.

From there Schaeffer gives a historical and biblical understanding of when it is okay to show civil disobedience to a government who goes against God's decrees. Although I don't agree with all his points and he even admittedly states that some will take what he writes beyond the bounds he means them to go, I can see the fruitfulness of this discussion and his reasons.

The one thing that I found to be disturbing within the context of abortion is that he gives four defenses that all Christians should take up for the child. The problem is that these four defenses are all against the government and none against the actual people murdering their children. He points to how to try and fight against a government who allows this murder to happen, but does not show anyway to rise up against the actual murderers of their children. He does this throughout the book on the whole though. He talks about government as a whole, instead of the individual. This is definitely a short coming in the book. Until people are transformed, we can try and change as many laws as we want, but we will come up well short of the overall goal: transforming people to live for the glory of God.

Overall, the book is definitely a political one more than an apologetics book. It is a book where I found myself in agreement and also disagreement, but overall found it useful. As usual Schaeffer wrote this and it sounds like he was living today and not close to 30 years ago. Most of what Schaeffer has forecasted is now happening and it is very close to come to a place to where the Christian voice will be silenced completely. Until then, we must preach, teach and transform the lives of people, not just government. Recommended. Link to Buy

The Legacy of Sovereign Joy

This is the first of the series of "The Swans Are Not Silent." This series is a series of books that are quick bios on the the lives of different people in the history of Christendom. The reason for the title of this series comes from a quote from Eraclius. Piper tells us the following:

At the age of seventy-one, four years before he died on August 28, A.D. 430, Aurelius Augustine handed over the administrative duties of the church in Hippo on the northern coast of Africa to his assistant Eraclius. Already, in his own lifetime, Augustine was a giant in the Christian world. At the ceremony, Eraclius stood to preach, as the aged Augustine sat on his bishop's throne behind him. Overwhelmed by a sense of inadequacy in Augustine's presence, Eraclius said, "The cricket chirps, the swan is silent."

The reason that Piper chose to title this series, "The Swans are NOT Silent" is because the legacy of understanding of the sovereignty of God by Augustine has been anything but silent. So, the idea behind this book of biographies is to show that the swans from Augustine to Luther to Calvin were not silent but heralded the truth of Sovereign Joy.

In this book, Piper gives three biographies in Augustine, Luther and Calvin. He focuses on four topics to which he really wants to drive home in these men:

1. Do not be paralyzed by your weaknesses and flaws

Piper does admit that the men being studied in this book are flawed. They are not perfect. Which is good, because they are not Christ, and we, as humans, can learn from them and their understanding of working out their salvation with fear and trembling. These men, although imperfect, continued to bear fruit for the sake of the glory of God.

2. In the battle against sin and surrender, learn the secret of sovereign joy

This was shown most clearly in the life of Augustine. Although he went from complete paganism and the love of women, to believing in complete heresy, God brought him through this to his side for the glory of God. Augustine saw this as God's complete work of salvation through him, which if it weren't for God, Augustine would have never come to God on his own.

3. Supernatural change comes from seeing Christ in his sacred word

Luther was the found in the light of this thesis statement. Luther focused in on the sacred study of the word of God. He saw that this is where Christ was to be found through the Holy Spirit, prayer and meditation. He made sure that people, especially those caught in the bounds of Catholicism, realized that our only hope is found in the Word of God and not in the knowledge and tradition of men.

4. Therefore, let us exult over the exposition of the truth of the gospel and herald the glory of Christ for the joy of all peoples.

Piper shows this in the life of John Calvin. When Calvin found Christ in the Scriptures and was caught up in Reformation doctrine, he did what he only knew he should do: Preach. John Calvin's life was known for his preaching. Preaching for John Calvin was faithful, verse by verse, exposition of the word of God. Here he found that through this preaching the exaltation and glory of Christ was found and given for us all to enjoy. So much so that when he was preaching in Geneva, he was banished by the city council. When he was allowed to return three years later, he picked up the exposition in the next verse. John Calvin firmly believed in the preaching of the word of God.

This small book was a great quick intro to the lives of these men. By no means it is exhaustive, but that wasn't its intent. I would recommend this to anyone who either wants a quick refresher or for those who know very little about these men. You will notice that the overall these in these pages is the Sovereign Joy of our God. Recommended. Link to Buy.

In My Place Condemned He Stood

This book was really a love/hate relationship. I also knew that this would probably be the case heading into me reading it though as well. It is really 4 essays about the atonement of Christ. I found 3 of 4 to be very good and the one I figured I would find lacking is exactly the one that was lacking.

Here are the four different essays:

The Heart of the Gospel (J.I. Packer; taken from chapter 18 of Knowing God; 1973)

This is really a longer intro to the book as a whole. It speaks of the different aspects of the cross, such as propitiation, God's love, expiation, substitution and God's glory.

What Did the Cross Achieve? The Logic of Penal Substitution (J.I. Packer; first appeared in Tyndale Bulletin; 1974)

This is really a defense of understanding both words used here, penal and substitution. Packer does a very good job in rendering that logic can only take someone so far before they have to bow the knee to the omnipotent and omniscient God. He does a good job in the defense of the use of the term, "Penal Substitution." I very much liked this chapter even though it was a very tough read to get through.

Nothing But the Blood (Mark Dever; Reprint from Christianity Today; 2006)

This was very short and really marked a way for the modern reader to try and understand why we still need to make sure we speak of the bloody atonement. Why it was necessary and why it still is necessary as far as our focus within God's love. I liked this short article, although I found some of it to be repetitive to Packer's What did the Cross Achieve.

Saved by His Precious Blood: An Introduction to John Owen's The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. (J.I. Packer; 1958)

This chapter I really didn't like. I found that the work of Owen was really put up on a pedestal and said many times that there was no way for it to be refuted. This seems like words that should only be held up to the light of Scripture, not to a man's work with no inspiration of the Holy Spirit. J.I. Packer defends the understanding of a strict view of limited atonement in this article and says that those who don't believe in this view are not preaching the gospel. He says that preaching limited atonement is the biblical gospel, that if you preach otherwise you are preaching self esteem, that those who don't preach a strict view of the atonement are just trying to helpful to man and not concerned with the glory of God.

I still can't believe that he says some of this stuff. So, if I don't hold to a strict view of the atonement I don't preach the biblical gospel, I preach self esteem and are little concerned with the glory of God?

What I find interesting is that this comes after a quote in this very book by Martin Luther where Luther preaches an atonement that is more than limited, or particular. This is found on page 85 in the footnotes:

All the prophets did foresee in spirit, that Christ should become the greatest transgressor, murderer, adulterer, thief, rebel, blasphemer, etc. that ever was....for he being made a sacrifice, for the sins of the whole world, is not now an innocent person and without sins....Our most merciful Father...sent his only Son into the world and laid upon him the sins of all men, saying: Be thou Peter that denier; Paul that persecutor, blashphemer and cruel oppressor; David that adulterer; that sinner which did eat the apple in Paradise; that thief which hanged on the cross; and, briefly, be thou person which hath committed the sins of all men; see therefore that thou pay and satisfy for them. Here now cometh the law and saith: I find him a sinner...therefore let him die upon the cross.

Martin Luther(found at Galatians, ed. Philip S. Watson (London: James Clarke, 1953), 269-271; on Gal 3:13)

Notice there is not the particular in view here. But the understanding of the sins being laid on the Messiah and not of just some, but of the whole world. And Luther continues and says that Christ be thou person which hath committed the sins of all men.

I just really found this work to be lacking and very over the top with such arrogance in the understanding of the atonement. Although, I do believe that Christ did die for the whole world, he also died specifically, or especially, for the elect. So, it is a both/and statement in regard to the atonement, not an either/or.

I just find it funny that Packer has his arrogant statements in this book right after he quotes Luther saying just the opposite of what Packer would like him to say.

So, this book is a quandary for me. The first three-fourths of the book was very well done, but the last chapter on the Death of Death by Owen was just terrible. So, I am not sure what I would do with this book besides tell others to read it with caution, but shouldn't we do that with every book we read? Recommended (with caution)

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A Tale of Two Sons

John MacArthur’s book/sermon series on the Prodigal Son called, “A Tale of Two Sons” was very well done. MacArthur, from what I know, does not actually write any of his books for the purpose of being a book, but they are all taken from his sermons and study notes on the subject. Which most pastors do these days as they really don’t have time to actually write books since they are studying all week for their sermons and doing other pastoral duties. Not a bad thing, just some insight.

I wasn’t sure how I would like this book as I figured that I knew “what there was to know” about this parable found in the book of Luke. Let’s just say that I was overwhelmingly humbled in my knowledge.

MacArthur masterfully goes through the parable to give you insights to the culture, history and textual criticism to give the reader the understanding of exactly what was going on throughout this parable.

He breaks down the parable in three parts because that is how the parable is focused in on as Christ told it. The three parts are: The prodigal son, the father and the eldest son.

At points throughout this book I believe that MacArthur does look to much into things and takes them as fact, when in actuality the text is silent on the issue so there is no way of knowing. But, this is overshadowed of his brilliant look to the Scripture and the culture to give you a taste of what it must have been like to be standing there as a hearer of Christ.

He teaches you as though you were standing there as either a mere onlooker or a Pharisee and gives you the responses that must have been going through each one's head. I actually think this is the main reason that this makes this book truly well worth the read.

Overall, MacArthur does a great job handling the text and culture to make sure that you really glean as much as you can with this parable, with the focus being on the joy in heaven when even one man repents.

The shocker comes in the end, when MacArthur gives you the last part of the parable that was left out of the Bible for “us to decide.” MacArthur gives it straight on how the parable actually ended and it is an ending that truly made this book stand alone as a great understanding of the parable and what it meant for prophecy and the Pharisees. But, I will let you read that for yourself. Recommended. Link to Buy

The Truth of the Cross

This little book by R.C. Sproul is a book that looks to be a beginner's guide to the cross. It is very short, as it is only 168 pages and the book is only about 5 inches by 3 inches. As I opened the book I expected that this would be something that I would give to someone who is just learning about what the cross did and why it had to happen, or a refresher for those who needed to get "grounded" again. This is exactly what it was. Dr. Sproul does a very good job of quickly yet precisely taking the reader through the necessity of the cross, the cause of the cross, the implications of the cross, and even a little prophetic note of the cross through passages like Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.

This book doesn't get too deep but just glances across a wide variety of topics to get the reader acquainted with the reason behind the cross. I believe this is exactly what Dr. Sproul was trying to accomplish, and so he fulfilled his desire with this book. The reader should not expect a deep theological discussion on each topic, but merely an introduction for further study after this book.

The only thing that I feel should have been left out or at least written with more fluidity is the last chapter on limited atonement. It was odd that Dr. Sproul wrote the entire book, focusing primarily on what the Scriptures said about the atonement and it's cause, really drawing no line in the sand on historic theologies. Then, in the last chapter he tries to quickly go through limited atonement and reformed doctrine. It just didn't seem to fit in this book. I believe he could have definitely made it fit if he wanted to give a defense of limited atonement, but he then tried to give a quick history of the TULIP and the like, and it just seemed like too short of a book and the wrong "stage" to try and draw up these arguments. It really stuck out like a sore thumb. Before the last chapter I believe I could have handed the book to any new Christian with no "primer" beforehand. Now, if I give it to a new believer I will have a lot of explaining to do because of the last chapter as it really opens a can of worms that could have been avoided.

Besides that, the book is concise and makes good arguments on the cross in a God honoring way. I would recommend the book to any who need a refresher or just don't understand the meaning or the reason behind the cross. Of course, with a disclaimer on the last chapter. Recommended

Link to Buy

Death by Suburb: How to Keep the Suburbs From Killing Your Soul

I picked up this book after Matt Chandler made mention of it in one of his sermons and quoted it when Mr. Goetz tells of a story and then cites, "Soccer is stupid when your wife is dying with cancer." After that quote, I had to pick up the book.

This book is a very enjoyable read, especially if you live in the suburbs. I really don't think you can get the full meaning of some of the jokes or even the nagging life that awaits in the suburbs, unless you live there, or have lived there for a period of years. What David Goetz wanted to get across in this book, I believe he did very well. The 8 chapters are titled very well and it really hurts when the chapter headings are what is going on in your head when you read them. He lists for the chapters a "toxin" and then "the practice." Or the "issue" and "the solution." They are:

Chapter 1:

The Toxin: I am in Control of My Life

The Practice: The Prayer of Silence

Chapter 2:

The Toxin: I am what I do and what I own

The Practice: The Journey through the self

Chapter 3:

The Toxin: I want my neighbor's life

The Practice: Friendship with the poor

Chapter 4:

The Toxin: My life should be easier than this

The Practice: Accepting my cross with grace and patience

Chapter 5:

The Toxin: I need to make a difference with my life

The Practice: Pursuing action, not results

Chapter 6:
The Toxin: My church is the problem

The Practice: Staying put in your church

Chapter 7:

The Toxin: What will this relationship do for me?

The Practice: Building deep friendships

Chapter 8:

The Toxin: I need to get more done in less time

The Practice: Falling in love with a day

My favorites were definitely at the point when Mr. Goetz pointed out why we have certain relationships and why we help out certain people. The reason is because I fall in love with the thought of, "if this person isn't going to accomplish something in my life, why should I befriend them?" Mr. Goetz speaks poignantly through this to understand that relationships shouldn't be about what you are going to get out of them, but they should be for continual development for the kingdom. In conjunction with this, he asks why we help out those that are less fortunate than us? Do we do it for self gratification if they turn to Jesus, or they "fix their life?" Or, do we do it out of the mere love for our Saviour and respond to his love with the love of our neighbors? This was a very challenging chapter.

I enjoyed the entirety of the book and felt as though it was well thought out, although not terribly theologically deep. Theologically is exactly where I found myself scratching my head a couple of times as I felt as though he left it out of the discussion at points that would have been helpful. I felt as though his convictions should have more clearly put forth in some of the areas of his life and how he lived it. But these were minor at points and not enough to deter the overall theme of the book.

I really found it to be helpful and was filled with great reminders in ways that made me laugh at times and cringe at others as they cut me deep, which was good.

One of my favorite quotes in the book, after the one mentioned at the first of this post, was:

Speed and efficiency rank high in suburban values. Garbage cans with properly colored tags are set out on the curb weekly on designated days. Dogs must be licensed before February 1. Dog waste is a hazard to our children, says our community publication on new ordinances. There are always new ordinances. Near our home, a gentleman walks his aging, bloated Labrador most evenings, dog leash in one hand and pooper-scooper in the other. By day, the man is an executive with an MBA from a worldclass university; by night, he scrapes up dog stools.

Now imagine this clever banter when dealing with spiritual issues while letting life escape us and you have a very enjoyable read along some very good insights into our everyday lives as we try and walk with Christ.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is a Christian and looking for a nudge to get them out of the ordinary drudge that can be the suburbs.

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Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues with Timeless Truth

This is the first solo effort by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. and it was pretty good. First, Dr. Mohler is way more intelligent than I ever will be, so to even attempt to "review" his work seems pretty futile. I was caught off guard by the structure of the book, as I guess I didn't believe Dr. Mohler in the preface that these were essays put into book form. Because of this, there wasn't much flow to the book overall and so it read more like a bunch of essays or blog posts, than a book.

Putting that a side.

The material presented was very well done. The book consists of 20 essays that shows the depth and breadth at which Dr. Mohler represents and defends Christianity. He does it in such a way that is pretty amazing as well. Most say that it is better to be an expert at one thing instead of novice at a lot of things. Dr. Mohler is rare, in that he is an expert at a bunch of today's topics and he shows this in his essays in this book. The essays cover topics such as public policy and the Christian worldview to what Christians should do about public education and their children. Each essay is given from a Christian perspective and one that is balanced and fair. Some of my favorites in the book are:

The Culture of Offendedness (speaking on people being offended in everything and how the Christian should challenge this assertion)

Are We Raising a Nation of Wimps? (parents coddling their child, or young adult, so much that they cannot make their own decisions or present their own thoughts)

Hard America, Soft America (taking away competition all the way into college (soft America), to the business world where it is cut throat (hard America))

Is Abortion a Moral Issue? (Shows the issues that face the arguments being brought forth on the Left wing alone)

Who's Afraid of the Fetus? (This is the best essay out of all as it shows the harsh realities of what happens when women that want abortions are shown their baby through ultrasounds and the reactions from the left wing...i.e. 90% of women change their mind)

Once I figured out that this was a bunch of essays instead of a book, it made the reading easier. What I will tell the reader is that this is more of a ivory tower look at the culture as it deals a lot with public policy and what is happening among congress and the overall picture of all of America. It is a lot different than a blue collar look at culture like you would expect from someone like Mark Driscoll and his book, Radical Reformission. But, if you know anything about the two authors this should be no surprise.

I would definitely recommend the book as it will give you an interesting perspective of what is happening nationwide with policy making and some of the major issues that we deal with overall. Recommended

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Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

This is a small book that is really a good "cliff notes" version of why Christ came to die. It is only 120 pages long and so the descriptions of each are no longer than a normal page each. Because of this, the material that Dr. Piper presents is not to get into a deep theological discussion on each topic, but merely to give a quick synopsis and then to move on. I think this would be a great small group study to have with people. It would give the basic understanding and then would lead to some discussion on each topic how this should impact our lives.

The way that this is set up is that Dr. Piper gives the verse and then shows quickly how that verse plays into more specifically of what Christ's death accomplished through that verse.

So, for instance, number 6 is that Christ died "To Show His Own Love for Us." Dr. Piper then gives three verses for reference (Eph 5:2,25; Galatians 2:20) and unpacks them using other verses for reference and with quick, but pointed, exegesis of each. The reason I like this little book is because it is able to give a lot of understanding of all that Christ accomplished through the cross without having to write a novel for each of the reasons. Although, novels could be written for each one, and either have been written or will be written about each reason, this is simply for a "fly by" so that those unacquainted the vastness of Christ's death will get some fuller understanding of all that Christ accomplished on the cross. Also note though that Piper lets the reader know that even though these are fifty reasons, there are still more.

In the beginning of the book Dr. Piper gives this as what he hopes to accomplish with this small treatise:

When all is said and done, the most crucial question is: Why? Why did Jesus come to die? Not why in the sense of cause, but why in the sense of purpose. What did Christ achieve by his death? Why did he have to suffer so much? What great thing was happening on Calvary for the world?

That’s what the rest of this book is about. I have gathered from the New Testament fifty reasons why Jesus came to die. Not fifty causes, but fifty purposes. Infinitely more important than who killed Jesus is the question: What did God achieve for sinners like us in sending his Son to die?
Piper, J. (2006). Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die (16). Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books.

I would recommend the book as reference material but it won't satisfy someone wanting a deep theological understanding of each and every reason. But, this wasn't the point of this book either ,as anyone would guess when the fifty reasons occupy only 120 pages.

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Spirit Empowered Preaching

Arturo Azurdia's book, Spirit Empowered Preaching, is one that you can tell is written by one that is both learned and learning this thesis that he has set forth. This I find to be something I enjoyed as I read. I have mixed feelings on the book, as I did like the information put forth, but felt as something was missing and yet I am not sure what it was.

What Dr. Azurdia's book is centered around is really the operation of the Spirit in the life of the pastor and in the Spirit's role when pointing to Christ. Dr. Azurdia shows this in many ways, whether it is through the prayer of the preacher to preaching Christ in the Old Testament. One of my favorite aspects of the book is the continual reliance on quotes from other notable pastors and their thoughts on the different subjects that were brought up.

In the end, I think the reason that I felt like it came up a little short is because I believe that Dr. Azurdia tried to cover too much, so when the reader was done with the book it is like getting nailed with a fire hose. I might just think that it came up short because it was more theology than practice, so I was waiting for Dr. Azurdia to say, "here is what I do." But, it didn't come to that. I could also be taking this from too much of an elementary look at this book and not at a book where its intent is not application or orthopraxy but merely orthodoxy. Nevertheless, I believe the strongest part of the book was when he set forth the ministry of the Spirit and why He is here for us. I strongly encourage reading the book for that alone. Either way, I felt like the book could have really used some practical thoughts on the subjects set forth.

There are some great reminders in the book, and it isn't that I wouldn't recommend the book, but I just found myself ready for more, but it never came. I strongly recommend to listen to Dr. Azurdia's preaching because the application of this book is found in his preaching, I just wish he could have put that down in words. If one wants a great practical book on this same matter I would encourage one to take a look at "Preaching that Changes Lives."

Don't skip this book on this review though, pick it up and glean from this great pastor, his thoughts on preaching and the Spirit, and you will definitely get great things out of it. Recommended. Link to Buy

The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World

Stephen J. Nichols has been coming out with a lot of books lately and has been highly recommended by a lot of people that I respect. I decided to take a look at a couple of his books and this one in particular, being that I am always looking for more information on the Reformation.

Nichols sets this up for an introduction for the differing reformations that happened all over the globe after the way that was paved by Wycliffe and Hus and then finally with the most powerful Martin Luther.

You can actually get a great understanding of where the book will lead you by seeing the different chapter titles.

1. Five Hundred Years Old and Still Going Strong: Why the Reformation Matters Today

2. A Monk and a Mallet: Martin Luther and the German Reformation

3. Some Middle-Aged Men and a Sausage Supper: Ulrich Zwingli and the Swiss Reformation

4. The Not-So-Radical Radical Reformers: The Anabaptists and the Reformation

5. An Overnight Stay in Geneva: John Calvin and the Swiss Reformation

6. A King and a Divorce: The Anglicans and the British Reformation

7. Men in Black: The Puritans and the British Reformation

8. Women in Black Too: The Untold Story of Women and the Reformation

Appendix: In Their Own Words: Selections from Documents of the Reformation

So, as you can see Nichols tries to cover a lot of ground in one little book, as the book, including the appendix is only 150 pages. It is very short in a lot of areas but it has to be so that the reader that is not accustomed to the Reformation can get their pallet wet enough to want to read other works that get more detailed each of these particular reformation periods.

The one thing that was stated at the first of the book that I was excited to see more about, that I found lacking, came when Nichols said we need to "humanize" the people of history. Meaning, we need to show who they were and not merely what they did. I felt as though Nichols did a pretty good job in this with Luther, but felt that this dropped off in the future chapters with the others. This, by no means, makes this book a disappointment and would definitely recommend it to others for an introduction to who and what went before us.

Nichols does make this history very readable and interesting to read without merely spitting out facts, which is happening in another book I am reading on the same subject. The book flows very well and makes you want to learn more about the reformers, instead of seeing history as a dry and dead subject.

I look forward to reading more books by Nichols and would defnitely recommend this to any who need an introduction to the Reformation from Wycliffe to the Puritans.

Link to Buy

Blue Like Jazz

I entered into reading this book with a lot of opinions thrown to me from those who have read it. What I learned before I even opened the book is it seemed as though people either loved it or hated it. I have some really close friends who loved the book and thought it was a breath of fresh air, and I also knew some of my friends thought that it's only good was to start a fire with it.

So, because I trusted on both sides, I felt like I could come with no preconceived notions. It was like I heard each debater by themselves but couldn't make a decision until I heard them both at the same time. So, the only way to do this was to read the book. What kind of irritates me is that I landed right in the middle. I can see why people love the book, but I can also see why people hate the book. There are some great discussions in the book but some very bad views on some theology that I feel could hurt those not driven by the word of God for discernment.

Donald Miller is a writer and a poet first, you can see that from the title of the book and in the opening pages. I like poetry when I am reading a poem but find poetry to be distracting when I am trying to read a book. What Mr. Miller does in this writing, in my estimation (although I am no expert) is try and use his poetry skills too much at times as one navigates through his story of redemption. It just isn't for me, that is, his way of writing. But I can get through that, not enough for me to put it down.

The book is really Donald Miller's testimony. It is his writings of how he came to know Christ and how he has grown in Christ, for this it is hard to say, "it is good" or "it is bad." At times, Mr. Miller seems to be scattered in thought and goes from one topic to another without leading the reader to where he is going. But, it is a testimony of what Christ has done for him, and that is much to sing praises about. Miller's book also punches some evangelicals right in the face with some realities of what is going on in today's conservative circles and it sickens not only Mr. Miller, but also myself. I have to say I felt it was worth the read to get a fresh perspective of contemporary Christendom. Mr. Miller brings up a lot of good points, like feeding the homeless, caring for the homosexual and liberals, and loving people yet still telling them the truth of the Gospel. This love, Mr. Miller finds to be happening more in the "pagan" circles than inside the church of the living God and I have to agree. Mr. Miller though does not point fingers but he actually comes to the conclusion that it is HIS fault for this not happening and then asks all who read to understand that it is also their fault for this contemporary slide of hate instead of love for those outside of the body of Christ. I have to say, I like that perspective. Mr. Miller is very honest with his afflictions as a non-believer and a new-believer and I know this makes many people very uncomfortable. But for me, I enjoy when I can be honest with someone and they can be honest with me. It actually helps in prayer to know specifics of someone so that you can be praying for them. This is what Mr. Miller gives us in this novel of his life: An honest testimony of what Christ has done.

What I found to be dangerous are his thoughts on depravity and the atonement of Jesus Christ. He simply says that since he sees people doing good, then he doesn't believe that people are completely evil like some (one of them being me) say. I would have to ask Mr. Miller to trust in the Living Word instead of his eyes. I would ask him to interpret many Scriptures that would point him in the opposite direction, such as: Isaiah 64:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Genesis 6:5;8:21; Romans 3:10-18; Psalm 14; Jeremiah 13:23; Psalm 58:3.

He carries this thought though and it becomes disconnected as he then states the issues of us, including himself, being evil. So his description throughout the book of Christ's atonement and death on the cross becomes one that is to make evil people good. It is a moralistic redemption. This is not the reason Jesus died for our sins, He died to make dead people alive to God. He died to bring His children to His side for God's glory not ours. One of the fruits of a Christian is definitely to do good works and so this is definitely one of the benefits, but is not the primary reason for the atonement. So, this, in my estimation, is a very large error that Mr. Miller makes.

It seems as though Mr. Miller also relies much more on his experience than the unchanging word of God. I don't know this to be true, but this is the way it comes off in my reading of his book. This can be very dangerous, especially in light of knowing our heart is desperately sick, who can discern it...Jeremiah 17:9.

Also, his last chapter on "How to Love Yourself" is a little strong in parts. I do understand that his intent is to understand that God loves us and we need to accept that. I will be careful to say that this is probably a very good chapter, in parts, for those who have had terrible parents or disastrous intamacy issues for whatever horrific reasons, that I cannot empathize with since I myself have never had these kinds of experiences. But there are times in this chapter that go too far in my estimation. The Bible tells us to "die to self" "to deny self" and for what reason? So that we can "live to Christ" and to "follow Christ." So the author would have done better, in my estimation, to balance these understandings.

My recommendation to any who are thinking of picking up this book is to be discerning. I compare it with someone telling their testimony before they are baptized. The story of conversion is wonderful to hear. But, they say those two or three things that make you wince and say, "oohhh...wouldn't have said it that way..." But, that does not ruin the testimony of Christ in their life, and I don't think the errors in this book will ruin Mr. Miller's testimony either. I would recommend it for church leaders needing to understand what errors are creaping in the church as Mr. Miller points out. For the others, if you do read it, please be sure to be discerning when Mr. Miller brings theology and his experiences into the discussion, because I find it to be lacking in many ways. But, be challenged by his words when he calls us to be more loving to those who aren't like us and to understand that the issue is US not THEM. Link to buy

Amazing Grace in the Life of William Wilberforce

I am not a history buff by any means, so it was safe to know that I had no clue who William Wilberforce was. I picked up the book because I am sucker for both John Piper and biographies.

This book was intriguing being it is so small and wasn't in one of Piper's "Swan Biographies," and was on someone that I wasn't familiar with. I didn't know what to expect from a small biography, and to be honest, wasn't expecting much.

The biography really is just a mere introduction to the life of Wilberforce and his convictions. He was a young rich man in British Parliament that ended up, through a close friend, surrendering to Christ. After his conversion he was wondering whether politics was a calling or curse from God and was thinking of leaving his post in parliament. That all changed when he met with another pillar of the faith in John Newton on December 7th, 1785. Newton challenged him to stay within the confines of parliament to change it for the glory of God and Wilberforce did just that. He not only was the sole reason for the abolition of slave trade in Britain but he was also the reason behind the complete abolition of the practice of having slaves as well.

This small biography gives insight to the man and his mission to do all things to the glory of God. It is well intentioned and a great introduction to "tease the mind" to want to learn more of this man's convictions.

For this reason I would recommend the reading to anyone, but don't expect this to be a very deep biography or one that will give you all the ins and outs of the circumstances of the life of this defender of glory and righteousness. But, I also don't think that was Piper's intention, but his attention was to get the reader to be introduced to another dead man that stood for Christ, another man that we can imitate, as he imitated Christ. Link to Buy

Deitrich Bonhoeffer: Opponent of the Nazi Regime

I have heard a lot of quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and always wanted to read more about this man of God. This book goes through his entire life but the focus is on the time of the Nazi regime. The book was a very easy read and gave some good insights about his life.

The book did not go into much detail on Bonhoeffer's theological convictions but more about his overarching defense of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I wish there was a little more about his theological convictions but just to hear how he stood up to Hitler and the Third Reich Government Church was facsinating. Dietrich was defnitely not an "underground" player during the War, he was very much on the front lines of the church and state debate.

I would recommend this book to give a better understanding of what those were going through that were inside Germany and having to preach and teach against the newly established government church. Link to Buy

A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23

This book was written back in 1970 by author Phillip Keller. Mr. Keller is from East Africa as he was born to missionary parents. There he tended sheep as a shepherd and as his life went on, from what I understand, did many other things his in his life.

This book walked through Psalm 23, as the title purports, from the view of the shepherd which was very helpful. The one that really caught me off guard was the commentary on Psalm 23:5b which states, "You have anointed my head with oil." Keller gives insight that for the sheep, this is done to ward off the flies and insects that come and disrupt the sheep and can actually lie eggs in their nostrils and cause the sheep to bang their heads on trees (sometimes to the point of death) so that they can rid themselves of these larvae. This oil is carefully rubbed, by the shepherd, on the sheep's head and nose to make sure the sheep are not bothered by these insects. This parallel makes a lot more sense when thought of our Saviour anointed our head with oil to ward off the things of this world that can so consume us.

This is just one of the many insights given by a shepherd to this great Psalm that is known by so many Christians and non-Christians alike.

The only downfall to this book is that the author is not a scholar nor a theologian. So, when he starts to unravel some of the Psalm he uses other Scriptures out of place and also draws unbiblical examples with the sheep that fall short of sound doctrine. But don't let this draw you away from the book for the good far outweighs the bad, as the bad only came up three or four times to my recollection.

This book would be a good addition to any Christian who would like to glean more from such a popular text. Link to Buy

MIssion Minded

This little guide book is one that should be of good help to any pastors and/or elders looking to see some different ways to think about our "mission" as churches. I didn't really know what to expect as I started the book and the author seems to think a lot like people like Driscoll and Chandler, which for me, is a good thing.

Peter Bolt describes what we should not be: a church so stuck in our traditional ways of doing "church" that we don't think of other ways for the members to reach the community. I know what your thinking, "is this another seeker mentality?" I would say, yes, but in a good way. The author is not telling us ways to change the Lord's Day service, but asking us to think on how we use our members to reach our community throughout the week. The author even makes a case for expositional preaching instead of topical.

This is a very practical book where the author even lays out worksheets to provide helps for the pastor to take a look at the people and programs of the church to find the holes that need to be filled, and the places where we spend way too much of our time. Showing even how to find the people that are appropriate for different ministries within and outside the church.

I was pleasantly surprised and would tell readers to at least pick up this little guide book so that we can at least think more about what we are doing in and out each week as we seek to serve our living God. Link to Buy

The Battle for the Beginning

I have had this book on my shelf for two years and finally decided to read it, and I am glad I decided to do so. I was thinking that the book was solely a defense of the literal 6 day creation, but there was much more to glean from the book. MacArthur starts off the book to show the affects that atheism has had on our culture, and will continue to have, if we continue down the path as a nation with no God. I thought this was definitely needed so the reader who has not thought about the implications of atheism can see the results and where the non-moral process leads to as moral human beings.

The strong parts of the book are definitely the exegesis of Genesis 1-3. Undoubtedly, MacArthur shows that in looking to the Bible alone, Sola Scriptura, that there is no wiggle room for anything other than a literal 6 day creation, by our Creator. For those in the Christian community this information is undoubtedly needed and is important to understand the implications if we start to look to science instead of the Scriptures as a source of knowledge about what has already been revealed in the Holy Writ.

MacArthur then continues to show how science actually helps the creation account in the Bible not the other way around, which I found also very interesting. Such as, science says that there must be photosynthesis for plants to grow and nourish. If we follow the non-literal creation account to take billions of years, and plants were created on the 3rd day and the Sun wasn't created until the 4th day, how did the plants survive for those billions of years? Again, science shows the Bible's account of creation to be true.

The part that I found weak was MacArthur continued over and over again to point to the intricacy of animals on the planet then simply said: see, there must have been a creator! I enjoyed reading about a couple of the animals but it really had no impact when he continued to go over and over again focusing on the animals. (I do understand this is exactly what some of our most famous puritans did to prove there was a Creator, like Jonathan Edwards with spiders and Isaac Newton with gravity, but I found it to be repetitive).

This by no means dismisses the importance of this book. In only 221 pages MacArthur does a great job of undermining the atheist and also shows the undermining of the Scriptures a Christian does if they take anything besides the biblical account of six day creation. Link to Buy

Confessions of a Reformission Rev.

This book was one that I was pretty excited to read. Not because of me wanting to be emerging or anything of the sort, but I just wanted to know more of the man who has been instrumental in turning many young people to Christ up here in the Seattle area. Although, I used to go to his church for a little while back in the early 2000's I still knew very little of Mark Driscoll or the history of Mars Hill.

Much has been written about him, mostly against him in conservative circles for his association with the emergent movement. I will tell you that this book does clear up anybody's thinking that he is still involved with the emergent movement, for he is far from that movement and mindset, which I was surprised of. The reason I say this is that he calls out Brian McClaren, and those in his circle, with their wrong views of Scripture

This book is the story of not just Driscoll, actually very little about the man Driscoll and more about the church Mars Hill, from beginning, up to the time of the book (2006) and even included some things they were hoping to implement. I actually came to this book very skeptical of his tactics and not knowing at all his "goals" in ministry. What I came out believing about Driscoll is a high respect for his love of the lost. This is evident: Mark Driscoll loves the Lord Jesus Christ with all his heart, soul and mind, and truly loves his neighbor as himself. I would hope no one would deny this.

As far as his "tactics" or "strategies" in place, I find them a bit edgy, and I think Driscoll would take that as a compliment. Driscoll talks much of having a certain number of attendees as his goal and he seek(ed)(s) how the best way to achieve these numbers are possible. He admits in the book that he spoke to many people on this subject, from pastors like Rick Warrren to people who study secular organizations. This part of the book is what discouraged me in that the numbers were so very important to him. What did not discourage me is that his goal was not to have "fluffy" Christians, but truly Christ following, missionary minded Christians. Which again makes me separate him from the seeker movement and people like Finney, from the Second Great Awakening.

Although I disagree with his thoughts on how to reach the lost, and even calls my method of handing out tracts "silly," I will say that I respect him that he truly wants to see true repentance from the lost city around him.

If you pick up this book you will be challenged to love the lost around you, but what I fear is the method that is taking place at Mars Hill. Some of his theology I have a hard time with (prophetic dreams) and also his courseness, not only in his jokes but also his speaking to those that he serves with and is called to shepherd.

If you are truly interested in understanding Mars Hill and Mark Driscoll, this is a must read that will allow you to understand him from his mouth not others. But, that does not mean that I agree with his implement strategies. Link to buy

Pulpit Crimes

This book reminded me a lot of the style that was done in Steve Lawson's book, Made in Our Image. Meaning, James White hits a lot of topics without going into a lot of depth. Which is fine, because that was his intent, just don't think you are going to get a thorough look at each "Pulpit Crime" in this book.

James White hits topics such as expository preaching, worship music, seeker churches, pluralism, homosexuality, mishandling of the ordinances, women "pastors" and others. I really enjoyed White's discussion on those who water down the Gospel to being nothing more than "a" plan instead of "the" plan of salvation. He really makes sure the reader understands the danger of not preaching the absolute truth of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The one topic that he covered that I really enjoyed was his chapter on, "Felonious Eisegesis." It went through the dangers of not only the word faith movement, but also those traditions that are held so close to the vest by a lot of us in our denominations or doctrine. He did a great job of allowing the reader to understand that we all have "traditions" that can sometimes guide our exegesis of Scripture. When looking at a sub-heading called, "Tradition Trafficking," you would expect that to be a chapter about the Roman Catholic church, but the entire part of this chapter was devoted to our protestant traditions allowing our interpretation of Scripture. I found this very interesting and he used the story of him and Dave Hunt to show his arguments for his case.

The one thing that I did not like at first, but understood by the end, is that James White does not "name names." He does this so that the book doesn't become "dated" because of the names mentioned. We have seen this happen with MacArthur's "Charismatic Chaos" when in actuality the book is very much for today, but gets little mention because it is "dated because of those mentioned." I mentioned above, Dave Hunt, but James White does not name his name but I am very familiar with his discussions in the past so I was able to pick up the "unmentioned person" that Dr. White was talking about.

Again, very good book as a "fly-by" on a lot of topics. If you would like an in depth book on the exegesis of preaching itself, I would recommend Lawson's "Famine in the Land" instead. But, that was not this books intent and for that I can definitely recommend and probably will read again sometime in the future. Link to Buy