Title: Church History: A Crash Course for the Curious Author: Christopher Catherwood Publisher: Crossway, 2007; 224 pp. $12.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): I wanted to like this book — I really wanted to like it a lot. And it has its strengths. But in the end, its strengths are also its weaknesses. A book like […]
Read More Book Review: Church HistoryTitle: Love or Die: Christ’s Wake-Up Call to the Church Author: Alexander Strauch Publisher: Lewis & Roth, 2008; 99 pp. $9.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): A few weeks ago I preached a message on Revelation 2:1-7 — the Ephesian church’s loss of love for Christ. A couple days after the message, a friend said to […]
Read More Book Review: Love or DieTitle: God’s Light on Dark Clouds Author: Theodore L. Cuyler Publisher: Banner of Truth Trust (Reprint), 2008; 134 pp. $10.00 Recommendation (4-star scale): Many years ago, when I was still in seminary, Raye Jeanne and I received a phone call telling us of the death of one of our family members. As we reflected […]
Read More Book Review: God’s Light on Dark CloudsTitle: Let Christ Be Magnified Author: J. H. Merle d’Aubigne Publisher: Banner of Truth Trust (Reprint), 2007; 52 pp. $9.00 Recommendation (4-star scale): This being the 500th anniversary of the birth of John Calvin’s birth, there are no shortage of books being written or re-released in tribute to him. I think I’ve acquired at […]
Read More Book Review: Let Christ Be MagnifiedTitle: When Sinners Say “I Do” Author: Dave Harvey Publisher: Shepherd Press, 2007; 189 pp. $13.95 Recommendation (4-star scale): While performing a wedding recently, I said something that has become a common refrain for me: “I wish I could tell you that the excitement, anticipation, and thrill you feel towards each other now will endure […]
Read More Book Review: When Sinners Say “I Do”Several years ago, I attended a conference marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of Jonathan Edwards. Since that time I have acquired several helpful volumes on Edwards’ life and thought, as well as several volumes of his sermons and writings. This book, The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards, is my latest foray into Edwards. […]
Read More Book Review: The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan EdwardsTitle: This Momentary Marriage Author: John Piper Publisher: Crossway Books, 2009; 180 pp. Recommendation (4-star scale): I suppose I own dozens of books on marriage, parenting, Biblical manhood, and the like. Not counting my counseling books, this topic accounts for something like 20 board feet of shelving in my library. I have preached lots of […]
Read More Book Review: This Momentary MarriageEach year I purchase a significant number of books. Most of these are related to Christianity — theologies, commentaries, spiritual life, church history, marriage, counseling, and the like — but I also will purchase other books as well — sports, gardening (for Raye Jeanne), histories, fiction, and books of interest to our girls. But for […]
Read More Book Review: The ShackFor some time, someone has been asking me a question about preaching and the church, “in previous years, you often used to hear sermons on this topic, but now you rarely even hear the word used — whatever happened to worldliness?” What has happened to verses like Romans 16:19? …I want you to be wise […]
Read More Book Review: WorldlinessI’ve always been a reader. In my elementary years, I was caught more than one time by my parents reading in bed by the light of a nearby security light that would provide just-barely adequate reading light if I held my book and the window blind just so. At dinner time I would invariably tote […]
Read More Book Review: The ReformationYesterday evening I was telling Elizabeth that I’d read John Piper’s latest book, Spectacular Sins, on the plane trip to visit my Dad and brother this weekend. “Spectacular sins?” she queried in response. “Is John Piper still okay?” So I explained the title — it is not that he is inferring that the sins in […]
Read More Book Review: Spectacular SinsI have preached entirely through the books of 1 and 2 Timothy, books devoted to the explanation of the function of the church. I have preached multiple brief sermon series (2-4 sermons) on various aspects of church ministry. Though I didn’t do it this fall, very often in September I will preach at least one […]
Read More Book review: What is a Healthy Church Member?Two quotes about God’s immutability that didn’t make it into the sermon yesterday: “One of two things causes a man to change his mind and reverse his plans: want of foresight to anticipate everything, or lack of foresight to execute them. But as God is both omniscient and omnipotent there is never any need for […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (8/17/08)Since my sabbatical I have slowed down on my “leisure” reading and on writing some book reviews. However, I have come across two book reviews of books I’ve recently read that I’ve found very helpful, but haven’t had time to review myself. So here they are: John Piper, The Future of Justification (review) Milton Vincent, […]
Read More Some book reviews“Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity”(Eph. 4:26-27; NASB). This pair of verses is familiar. Very familiar. To parents (who use the verses in exhorting their children). And husbands and wives (who use them to attempt to […]
Read More Book Review: Uprooting Anger
Words of Grace 