Aug 17, 2010
The Psalms Bible study is part of the Lifechange series published by Navpress. It’s stated purpose is to examine the life of prayer of the authors of the psalms, thereby deepening and enriching our own personal prayer lives. It is a large and uneasy task to fit 150 psalms into a 10 week study, but this book does a good job at surveying and overviewing all the psalms. In some cases, a psalm is merely touched on, and in other instances a psalm is looked at more in-depth. The study is organized into 10 weeks and each week’s study centers on a theme (such as intercession, restoration, forgiveness) and examines psalms that illustrate that theme. Each week’s study provides basic questions and a section of further questions and optional / additional applications. The study provides helpful context and literary notes and a bibliography of additional resources for further study. It is a brief introduction to the psalms but a helpful study book that can be used by any individual or small group or classroom setting.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Jul 21, 2010
Beyond Opinion is a valuable book 
dealing with the subject of apologetics. It is written by a variety of authors, mostly on-staff with Ravi Zacharias Internationl Ministries, and edited by Ravi Zacharias, a foremost apologist of today; he also contributed four of the chapters in the book. It is a dense book, topping 330 pages with small type, rich with end-notes and references. The aim of the book is to integrate apologetics into everyday living and discipleship of the Christian life, with its stated purpose: “to encourage and challenge the reader (a nonexpert in apologetics) to feel comfortable talking about the gospel without feeling the burden of needing a high level of philosophical training.” The variety of authors means there are different writing styles and experiences of each author, and some chapters are easier or more difficult to read than others. Some of the chapters read very scholarly and complex while other chapters sound and feel more personal. Overall it is a deep and challenging book and a needed topic of discussion in Christianity today. It is both practical and theoretical in its approach.
I received this book from Thomas Nelson publishers at no cost for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Jul 12, 2010
A collection of authors, leaders, teachers, pastors and theologians come together in The Kingdom Life to reflect and write on current trends in the areas of discipleship and spiritual formation. These authors, including Dallas Willard and Bill Hull, worked together as part of the Theological and Cultural Thinkers (TACT) group and met over a period of several years to discuss these important issues facing the church today, and their insights are provided in this publication. The authors take ten chapters to discuss theological and process factors in spiritual formation. They are personal and heart-felt stories and analysis of the kingdom, the church, the gospel, suffering, the work of the Spirit, the place of the trinity, the work of missions, and the Bible in our spiritual formation. Each chapter ends with discussion questions and a brief bibliography for further reading. Well-detailed notes and some suggestions and guidelines for practical implications are provided at the end of the book. Several chapters overlap in the areas of content and the book may feel repetitive in places, but as a whole it is a good overview of the current strengths and weaknesses of the church and Christians today in the areas of discipleship and spiritual formation, and is recommended for any pastor, leader, or Christian concerned with these issues.
This book was provided to me at no cost by Navpress for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Jun 29, 2010
Celebrated pastor and author and teacher John Macarthur has once again provided a blessing to the church in his new book, A Simple Christianity. His purpose for his readers is to rekindle, revitalize, and renew their love for Jesus, and this is accomplished by remembering who you are in Jesus and all you have in Him. Macarthur reminds the reader of the divinity of Christ, His loving substitute and perfect sacrifice, His lordship, and our proper response: love and obedience and pursuit of a deeper relationship with Him. One chapter on practical “how-to” steps is given. Macarthur’s writing is detailed in his exegesis of Biblical passages and expositional of the meaning inside each section he discusses. His writing reads alot like listening to his sermons, very detailed and full of teaching, yet personal with real examples from everyday life. A Scripture index and subject index are included in the back of the book. Questions for personal or group study for each chapter are provided as well. This book is recommended for any believer and follower of Christ who may be growing cold or feeling distant from the Lord; it will help you rekindle your first love and bring renewal and revival in your life and walk with Christ.
This book was provided to me at no cost by Regal Books for the purpose of review. I was not obligated to write a positive review.
Jun 28, 2010
J. Mack Stiles, an overseas missionary who has written previous works, has produced a marvelous and challenging new book on evangelism, Marks of the Messenger. It is not a practical how-to book on evangelism, but a book on being a fully-formed disciple of Christ and evangelism and a heart for missions that flows out of that relationship with Him. His important question, “Who do you want to be?”, defines our character as Christians, and evangelism and missionary work are the result. J. Mack Stiles presents a clear and right understanding of the gospel, its effects on our lives, its workings in and through the church, and its impact on the world. He does include a practical chapter on “being bold” and concludes with a “manifesto” – a practical and simplified review of his total work. The book includes a brief section of notes for further reading and study. The author’s style is honest and flowing and rich with his personal experiences; it is a brief book that can and deserves to be read by every pastor, leader, and believer and follower of Christ. This book will empower and refresh a disciple in his or her work of being a Christian in the realm of evangelism and missions.
I received this book at no cost from IVP for the purpose of review. I was not required to write a positive review.
Jun 9, 2010
Veteran author and pastor John Stott has written his final book, The Radical Disciple. He is retiring from full-time public ministry and leaves us these thoughts on what it means to truly follow Christ. He focuses on eight areas that usually do not receive much attention: nonconformity, Christlikeness, maturity, creation care, simplicity, balance, dependence, and death. Stott’s writing flows and is easy to follow. His chapters are not long nor in-depth but they are rich, heart-felt and biblical and reveal his passion and efforts in ministry. His stand on two areas, creation care and simplicity, may raise eyebrows depending on your understanding and beliefs, but these are minor points to disagree on compared with the wealth of knowledge and insight he brings to the book overall. A brief section of notes and references is included at the end of the book. Overall, Pastor Stott’s book is both introspective and retrospective of his service in ministry and it provides hope for any pastor, leader, or believer and follower of Christ who is “still on the road.”
This book was provided to me by IVP for the purpose of review at no cost to myself. I was not required to write a positive review.
May 26, 2010
The Masculine Mandate by Richard Phillips is an excellent book for all men, pastors, leaders and teachers. It is biblically sound in theology and application, thoroughly and logically prepared and noted, and a great response to the feminization of men in today’s culture and the misguided views of “manly Christianity” prevalent in much Christian writing today. The author’s stated purpose, “to provide straight, clear, and printed teaching on what the Bible says to men as men”, is the fruit of personal and pastoral study, and it is his “hope and prayer for men and churches to be helped through the Bible’s teaching on manhood.” The author correctly turns to Genesis 2 for most of his exposition about man, in terms of creation and covenant and mandate from the Lord and marriage. He uses Genesis 2 as the basis for developing the rest of the book, expounding on application to work, get married, raising children, serving the Lord and brotherhood with other men. Concerning the issue of marriage and single men, the author gently and fairly and honestly presents the Bible’s words for the reader to consider. It is valuable insight for anyone with questions regarding this issue. He concludes with sections on parenting and makes specific application to the role and status of men in the church today. He makes a strong call for fathers to actively discipline and disciple their sons and daughters and provides guidelines to engage in these activities. Helpful discussion questions, notes, and Scripture index and general index are included. This is a superb treatment of an important subject in today’s day and age.
This book was provided to me by Reformation Trust at no charge for reviewing purposes. I was not required to write a positive review.
May 19, 2010
Opening John’s Gospel and Epistles by Philip Comfort and Wendell Hawley is an excellent commentary to have on your shelf. Dr. Comfort is an established author and teacher and Dr. Hawley is a seasoned preacher and teacher. Their study is a blending of technical studies, devotional comments, and insights and background material for pastors and teachers and students of John’s gospel and his epistles. This edition is a reprint wherein the epistles have been added to the original work first published in 2002. It is a well-documented book with notes and bibliography. It comes as the result of six years of painstaking and corportate study and searching and prayer and the results of rich rewards of study through the works of John. The content of the book is broken into a book outline with verse-by-verse commentary. A wealth of background material of authorship, date and place, publication, purpose of John’s writings is provided. Word studies and major themes are expounded upon to aid the reader in his or her study. Devotional helps are also included for the reader. The authors are conservative in their theology and they provide an excellent blend of technical, devotional, and pastoral sermon helps. This is a helpful and insightful addition to any pastor’s, teacher’s, or student’s library.
This book was provided to me free for review by Tyndale Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review.
May 4, 2010
The Practice of Godliness is an excellent book by Jerry Bridges. It is a re-release of his sequel to the first book, The Pursuit of Holiness. In this book he addresses areas to grow in, “to put on” the new self and grow in Christian character. Pastor Bridges establishes three core elements (fear of God, love of God, desire for God = devotion to God) and the nature and need for training, and then briefly overviews each of 12 characteristics of God and His followers. Pastor Bridges’ book is heavily rooted in the Word but in an easy and flowing writing style. It is a practical exposition, encouraging the reader to apply what is developed. The author correctly focuses on internal heart and mind change in order to impact our outward behaviors – “good fruit can only grow from good roots and proper nourishment.” It is not necessary to read these chapters in order; the reader can “skip around” if needed. It would be helpful for the reader to read and study more on the areas of immediate concern. The additional study guide is helpful for further discussion and study. This is an excellent book to read and study through and apply in the life of any believer and follower of Christ.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
May 4, 2010
There is a great need to reach men in the church today. There is a need for men to know who they are in Christ and how to live their lives as men. John Eldredge addresses these topics in the re-release of his book, Wild at Heart. It is energetic and energizing reading, inspiring men to grow in the Lord and fight the battles and defeat the enemy and win the girl. It is heavy-laden with movie, TV, and literary illustrations of men living adventerous and powerful lives (William Wallace, Gladiator, Saving Private Ryan…). That aside, to the detriment of the book, Eldredge is unfounded in many areas of his theology, one of which being the sovereignty of God. According to Scripture, God is not as “wild and unpredictable” as Eldredge claims (pages 30-33) . The book would be stronger if Eldredge was more correct in his theology and spent more time on Bible exposition than tales of rock-climbing and white-water rafting. Yes this book is inspiring and exciting and motivating to read, but these emotions must be coupled with our right understanding of the Word. A cautious reading and application of the book is recommended.
This book was provided to me free for review by Thomas Nelson through Booksneeze. I was not required to write a positive review.
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