Book Review: A Hunger for God (Desiring God through Fasting and Prayer) [Piper]

As you read this review there are a thousand things vying for your attention; begging to become the center of your focus. Even more than that, there are countless other things warring to become the center of your affections and to consume your desires. With more choices to be made and more distractions than ever before, it is more important than ever for us to fix our eyes on God. Yet even as we do that there is a danger of striving after the things God provides rather than after God Himself.

The book provides this enticing quote from J.I. Packer:

   When Christians meet, they talk to each other about their Christian work and Christian interests, their Christian acquaintances, the state of the churches, and the problems of theology — but rarely of their daily experience of God.

Modern Christian books and magazines contain much about Christian doctrine, Christian standards, problems of Christian conduct, techniques of Christian service–but little about the inner realities of fellowship with God.

Our sermons contain much sound doctrine–but little relating to the converse between the soul and the Saviour.

We do not spend much time, alone or together, in dwelling on the wonder of the fact that God and sinners have communion at all; no, we just take that for granted, and give our minds to other matters.

Thus we make it plain that communion with God is a small thing to us.

A Hunger for God has a calming sort of impact on me. In a culture where everything is shouting for your attention this book has helped me slow down and focus my affection and attention on God Himself, and let everything else flow from that. Admittedly I fall short of this far too often, but that is why having this book as a resource has been such a blessing to me.

Piper shows us that “apart from dependence on and desperation for God, we will not only miss the ultimate point of our mission, but we will also neglect the ultimate need of our souls” (p.10); and that (in regards to fasting) “‘More than our stomachs want food, our souls want (God).’ Once we ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’ (Psa 34:8), the things of the world no longer appeal to us in the same way” (p.11).

This is not a book filled with legalistic steps to fast and pray, but rather a book seeking to rekindle the daily (vital) experience of communing with God Himself. As David Platt puts it in the Introduction, “this book is more about our hearts than about our stomachs.”

Take a moment to pick this book up and walk through it in stillness. You will be greatly treated.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by the Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: Christ+City (Dennis)

The trend of writing about the city has just begun to catch fire. Books like Tim Keller’s Center Church and Stephen Um and Justin Buzzard’s Why Cities Matter are just a couple of the growing collection of books being written today addressing the trends of the city, significant of cities, and what it means for the Christian church today. Jon Dennis, too, puts his ideas into the growing conversation with his book Christ+City: Why the Greatest Need f the City is the Greatest News of All.

Unlike the other books which try to address the city from many different angles, this book seems to take a particular vantage point on behalf of Christians. Jon Dennis described this in a recent Interview with Um & Buzzard from The Gospel Coalition; he was/is looking to equip his people with a healthier, more biblically-based understanding of the city. Essentially, this book is written with the intention of equipping his believers (and whoever else would care to listen) with a theology of cities and a hope for cities being renewed by the Gospel.

He speaks a lot about the potential for city renewal and building the expectancy for God to do something in their midst. He speaks a lot on the unique opportunities we have with this growing trend and that we ought to be adapting to it to remain effective in the future.

While there are many books on cities & Christianity being published, I think this one is useful and will help keep a particular eye on how the Gospel is the answer to many of the issues unique to cities (and all the issues we ought to be addressing). Take some time to pick it up, read through it, and pray to God what your involvement ought to be; people are headed to the cities in record masses, the Gospel ought to be in their midst as they do so.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: This Momentary Marriage (Piper)

In Ephesians 5:32, Paul calls marriage a “profound mystery.” We may have heard it said before: earthly marriage is a picture of the Gospel; Christ being wedded to His Bride, the Church. That is what this book is about. The temporary being a shadow, pointing to the reality that is permanent. John Piper writes that “there has never been a generation whose general view of marriage is high enough” and with the constant pressure places on marriage in the U.S.–as we’ve seen over the years, as well as with all the debate over same-sex marriage–having a right understanding of marriage is more critical than ever.

Marriage is constantly under pressure in our society:

• Who says that marriage should only be between one man and one woman?
• Why should any two consenting adults be denied marriage if they’re in love?
• Isn’t being in love essentially what marriage is all about?
• Who says marriage ought to be “till death do us part”? If love is gone why stay married?

Even within the church:

• What does the Bible mean that the husband is the head of the wife?
• What does submission look like? Are there times we should not submit?
• Do single people just miss out on the mystery of marriage?
• What is God’s design in sex? What role does it play in the “mystery”?
• What does the Bible really teach about divorce and remarriage?

This is what This Momentary Marriage is about. It seeks to display how marriage on this earth is separated only by death, but that it is meant as a profound symbol of the everlasting covenant between Christ and the Church. That marriage points to the Gospel, and points to profound, ultimate joy.

I cannot wait to experience this joy, in both respects, and I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone wanting to know what the Bible says about marriage, how it points to Jesus, and the joy available to us in the Gospel.

Some content adapted from DesiringGod.org; used with permission.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: Leaders Who Last (Kraft)

To start off, the necessity of this book cannot be overstated. Statistically speaking only 30 percent of leaders finish well (for more on this, see Bobby Clinton’s landmark book The Making of a Leader), and only 1 out of 10 seminary graduates will finish in the ministry (let alone finishing it well, loving the Lord, etc.). So with pressures such as burnout being more and more a statistical probability than a far-off danger, what can we do to cultivate leaders who last?

Dave Kraft gives us a book that is to the point, extremely helpful, and one of the books next to the Bible that a leader should be extremely well acquainted with. Kraft approaches the writing of this book not with academic theories to implement, but practical life lessons to learn from.

One way in which Kraft presents this is through examining how the role and dynamic of a leader has changed over time (for instance, leaders in the past were organizational and characterized by command and control whereas today leaders tend to be more relational and permission-giving). One final (key!) area in which Kraft examines elements of leaders who last is by looking at the “areas” in which leaders ought to live:

With Jesus Christ in the center as their power,

With Jesus Christ as they develop a purpose,

With Jesus Christ as they develop a passion,

With Jesus Christ as they set priorities,

(and) With Jesus Christ as they develop pacing for how much they accomplish and how fast to do it.

This book is a book widely needed, especially within the church, and I am thankful to have the opportunity to read it on the front end of my ministry journey to safeguard against burn out, becoming a (negative) statistic, and further harming the perception of Jesus. This book is a necessity for all church leaders and is a quick, pointed, and necessary read.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by the Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: A Dangerous Calling (Tripp)

In my local church context we are passionate about church planting and raising up leaders. With that vision we tend to attract and raise up many men who desire to become preaching and teaching pastors who lead the church. While this calling is a noble one (1 Tim 3:1), I feel like we run the danger today of sensationalizing the pastorate. The Bible declares this calling a burden, tells us to count the cost, and commands that leaders will have a greater responsibility for those he shepherds. I, myself, am guilty of this sensationalization and I am thankful that a book like Dangerous Calling has made it out onto bookshelves.

Now to the review:

In this book, Paul Tripp takes a turn from his focuses on marriage and family to pastoral leadership, and I am thankful he wrote on this topic. Through reading this book I get a sense that each one of these chapters could be expanded into much larger sections, even books, perhaps, but I deeply respect the fact that Tripp handled them in the way he did. I believe this book is meant to be crawled through and reflected upon personally, not just used for informational attainment.

With such a high calling, much is on the line, and the church needs leaders who can step up and step out, knowing their calling and the temptations and struggles that come with it, and become equipped and surround themselves with leaders who can provide insight and wisdom through the growing pains that are certain to come.

I believe Dangerous Calling sets the stage for just that. Taking an excerpt from his introduction, I believe Tripp lays out a book that provides a sobering look at the complications and joy available at the pastorate, and I certainly was left better understanding the weight of what it means to pastor others. May we not shy away from such a calling, but more fully understand it as we pursue God’s kingdom advancement.

This is a book of warning that calls you to humble self-reflection and change. It is written to make you uncomfortable, to motivate you towards change. At points it may make you angry, but I am convinced that the content of this book is a reflection of what God has called me to do. Perhaps we have become too comfortable. Perhaps we have quite examining ourselves and the culture that surrounds those of us who have been called to ministry in the local church… [May we] break the silence, walk out into the light [be exposed], and face the things that God is calling us to face.     [Page 12]

I strongly recommend this book for those interested in stepping into the pastorate and leading a congregation–in any capacity.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: Disciple (Bill Clem)

Discipleship is a hot topic today–and for good reason. We read about “disciples making disciples” and being a “disciple” of Jesus, yet I fear that at times we don’t know the foundation of what it truly means. Bill Clem provides this book to establish a foundation of understanding what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and find our identity in Him.

I love the emphasis of this book. Clem seeks to establish a foundation of being and disciple prior to doing discipleship. I think this is extremely necessary and helpful in the conversation of disciple/discipleship.

One final note of commendation for this book is the flow of its chapters. After establishing an understanding of keeping God central, Clem alternates between biblical ideals and how we’ve distorted it. For instance, chapter 7 is on “Community” while chapter 8 is on how we’ve distorted the biblical picture and call of community.

In the end, Clem provides a useful work of examining what it means to a disciple, and how we live in light of that identity. One of the most dangerous things we can do as a christian is try to be a disciple of Jesus through our works and efforts; it is a very slippery slope and Bill Clem provides helpful insight to what we do in light of this truth.

I leave you with a quote from the text:

Gospel identity for us lies in having a renewed image as imagers of God. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, God allows himself to be seen by us and through us. He graces us with letting us be part of his story. To try and hijack the story from God or take the lead role away from Jesus is to act less like a human and more like the things of which men make idols. (p. 72)

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: Note to Self (Joe Thorn)

I’ve been anxious to read and review this book for some time now. The discipline of preaching the Gospel to yourself has been one that I hear thrown around quite a bit, yet with very little material or guidance as to what that actually looks like. Joe Thorn provides a concise and incredibly helpful guide to preaching the Gospel to ourselves and applying the Gospel to our individual, particular circumstances.

I feel like writing a long winded review of this book would be self-defeating–as the point of this book is to provide a precise and pointed examination and rubric for practical application of it’s themes, not an exhaustive examination of this theme.

Despite it’s length, this book absolutely packs a punch and has helped me greatly in applying the discipline of preaching the Gospel to myself–a highly, highly necessary discipline in the fight for Holiness.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: Date Your Wife (Justin Buzzard)

If you want to change a marriage, change the man.

With the recent influx of solid, gospel-centered literature on marriage, Justin Buzzard comes out with a short, extremely helpful supplement that does not disappoint. Men are charged with the responsibility to “love your wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25) and because of this, men are help responsible for their wives’ actions and well-being (see Genesis 3).

My first reaction was that this book would be a “you need to step up, cause you suck” sort of book [after all, the cover is a stern finger pointing directly at the reader], but I am pleased to say that this book is a sobering wake up call for men, written with practical steps to implement and respond to it’s content. When it comes down to it, this book lovingly comes alongside men to encourage and equip them to love their wives well, with the most central theme necessary: the Gospel.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is found on page 66: “You crush a man if you only talk to him about responsibility. You empower a man if you talk to him about responsibility— about living life in response to the power and ability of God.” It is necessary for us to realize that it is impossible to lead, love, and honor our wives as the Bible commands us to while acting in our own power–inherently separate from the Gospel. It takes godly submission, humility, and urgency to lead well, and this book helps show the significance of loving your wife well, and leading her in the ways of the Gospel.

I definitely recommend adding this short book (only 148 pages including the notes)to your collection on marriage and gospel-centered relationships. You won’t be disappointed.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Book Review: Inerrancy and Worldview (Poythress)

Having read Poythress’ Redeeming Sociology, I came into this book with high expectations. His writing style has a way of challenging me intellectually, while keeping the pace of reading moving right along; a sort of literary attraction of sorts.

I can say honestly that this text does not disappoint.

For me (and remember, I’m entitled to my own opinion, though for some you may feel like I’m over-stretching a bit), this book felt like a cross between Tim Keller’s Reason for God and any John Piper book (say, Desiring God, for reference). Poythress tackles apologetic content (from Science to materialism, history to literature, sociology to our innate sin-nature) in a fresh, Bible-saturated approach (very little is said without support of the Bible, which, in a piece on inerrancy, is a refreshing facet).

I leave you with a high recommendation and a brief excerpt which I feel sets the tone for the text:

The Bible has much to say about God and about how we can come to know him. What it says is deeply at odds with much of the thinking in the modern world. And this fundamental difference generates differences in many other areas–differences in people’s whole view of the world. Modern world views are at odds with the worldview put forward in the Bible. This difference in world views creates obstacles when modern people read and study the Bible. People come to the Bible with expectations that do not fit the Bible, and this clash becomes one main reason, though not the only one, why people do not find the Bible’s claims acceptable… The challenge of interpreting the Bible has may dimensions and many challenges.. We focus here on issues involving response to our modern situation. (p.14-15)

I pray that if this topic, or Poythress’ writing style, inerrancy, christian worldview, apologetics, and/or hermeneutics are in any degree interesting to you, that you will take some time to dive into this text. I feel like you will not be disappointed in the slightest.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review purposes by Crossway Publishing. I was not required to post a positive review and the views expressed in this review are my own.

Truth Obeyed Will Heal

Truth obeyed, said the Puritans, will heal. The word fits, because we are all spiritually sick — sick through sin, which is a wasting and killing disease of the heart. The unconverted are sick unto death; those who have come to know Christ and have been born again continue sick, but they are gradually getting better as the work of grace goes on in their lives.

The church, however, is a hospital in which nobody is completely well, and anyone can relapse at any time. Pastors no less than others are weakened by pressure from the world, the flesh, and the devil, with their lures of profit, pleasure, and pride, and, as we shall see more fully in a moment, pastors must acknowledge that they the healers remain sick and wounded and therefore need to apply the medicines of Scripture to themselves as well as to the sheep whom they tend in Christ’s name.

All Christians need Scripture truth as medicine for their souls at every stage, and the making and accepting of applications is the administering and swallowing of it.

J. I. Packer, A Quest for Godliness, 1990, reprint (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 65, paragraphing added.