Book Review: What Does God Want of Us Anyway?

A quick overview of the whole Bible

Copyright 2010 by Mark Dever

119 pages, Published by Crossway

In case you are just starting to follow these book reviews, I’ve been working on reading the 9Marks series. If you are not familiar with 9Marks, please check out their website. The goal of the series is to provide books explaining what the Bible has to say about the 9 marks of a healthy church. This next book is by Mark Dever, senior pastor at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in DC.

This book is the result of three sermons preached by Pastor Mark Dever. The first is an overview of the whole Bible, the second an overview of the Old Testament, and the third is an overview of the New Testament. By using this outline, Dever has done a great job breaking down each of the major sections of the Bible and explained a little about the books that are in each section.

I always enjoy reading about the Bible. I find its unity and cohesion totally miraculous. Naturally, I enjoyed this little book. It is a great resource for explaining to a new Christian the basic outline and theme of Scripture. It is also a great tool for believers to be reminded of the greater narrative that is going on in the Bible. Sometimes we lose sight of that in the day to day Bible reading that we do. Don’t lose sight of the main theme. As they used to tell us at Bible school: Keep the main thing the main thing.

Read this book. It will encourage and refresh you.

Book Review: What is the Gospel?

Copyright 2010 by Gregory D. Gilbert

Published by Crossway

124 pages

This is another short book in the 9marks series (check out 9marks here). It is the first book written by Greg Gilbert, and I believe it is Greg’s first written work (he has since published What is the Mission of the Church? with Kevin DeYoung). Overall, it is a great book to start out with, I mean, what better way to begin a writing career than by writing about the gospel?

This is a great little book that examines what the Bible describes as the gospel. I like it because it is concise. It didn’t need to be lengthy and wordy because the gospel we find in the Bible is not complex. It is beautiful divine truth wrapped up in a few short verses in Romans 3:

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” –Romans 3:23-26 (ESV)

The layout of the book is very similar to the gospel teaching of Child Evangelism Fellowship. If you are not familiar with CEF, you need to be. The chapters in the book are as follows:

1. Finding the Gospel in the Bible
2. God the Righteous Creator
3. Man the Sinner
4. Jesus Christ the Savior
5. Response—Faith and Repentance
6. The Kingdom
7. Keeping the Cross at the Center
8. The Power of the Gospel

You will be blessed, encouraged, and strengthened in your understanding of the glorious gospel by reading this book.

Book Review: Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons

By Thabiti M. Anyabwile
Published by Crossway
Copyright 2012

Its been some time since I've put up a book review. I'd like to tell you its because I've just been too busy to write about all the books I've been reading, but that is not the case. Because of our recent transition from Presque Isle to Belgrade, I've had to put much of my reading on the shelf. In the last couple of weeks I've been working hard at getting into a good routine for just about everything, including reading. So this is the first book I've finished since our move to Belgrade.

I'm working on reading all the 9marks books that have been put out. I got them all for a song from an email promotion I received, so they will probably be the bulk of the books I read for a while. This book is the newest in the 9marks series. For those of you who are not familiar with 9marks, I suggest you take some time and visit their website: www.9marks.org. They have helpful articles for pastors and parishioners alike and are seeking to strengthen the church through their ministry.

This book, written by Pastor Thabiti Anyabwile, is a tremendous help in thinking through the biblical qualifications that we are given in the pastoral epistles regarding elders and deacons. Essentially, Thabiti takes each qualification and writes a short, thought-provoking chapter on each.

I like the style. I think it is easy to read and understand. It causes you to think beyond what is written here by asking some penetrating questions. It makes you evaluate your own church situation. At the same time, this book does not cover any one qualification exhaustively. I think that it is intended that way. The point is to spur you on towards more study and more thought.

I found the major weakness in this book to be that there is not much space devoted to discussing how the qualifications for elders and deacons interconnect. For example, the book does not discuss how being a one woman man and rules his own house well tie in together. Another case of this is the correlation between hospitable and not greedy for money. Again, I realize the book is not intended to be exhaustive, but it seems that at least some time should be given to discussing these things.

Overall, a good book. It is not too in-depth for even the newest of Christians, and it will serve as a valuable tool for any church in search of qualified elders and deacons.

Book Review: What the Bible Says About... Being A Man

By J. Richard Fugate
Published by Foundation for Biblical Research, 223 pages


There is a great lack of real men in our world, even among Christians. But what does it mean to be a real man? J. Richard Fugate has divided this book into four sections, the first entitled Where Are We and How Did We Get Here? In this section the author explains the historical, social, philosophical, and spiritual reasons why there are real men missing in our society. In section two, called The Make-up of Man's Soul - Who Am I? Fugate describes the creation of mankind, along with the differences between men and women, physically, mentally, etcetera. In section three, The Functions of a Biblical Man - Who Should I Be?, the writer gives a clear explanation of the biblical role of man. Lastly, in section four, The Ultimate Role of Biblical Manhood - Leadership, J. Richard Fugate tells what biblical leadership is, what biblical leaders look like, and the roles that must be filled.

The author does a wonderful job of using Scripture to support his points. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very helpful to me. I liked the use of history, the Bible, and even humor throughout the book. I really learned many things about being a man, and what I should be striving for. It really gave me a sense of purpose, and a good understanding of who I am and who I should be.

The book is really written for married men, but it is better to learn these things before marriage, so as to be a better husband from the start. So whether you are married, single, or not even thinking about any of that, I recommend this book for all men. Perhaps you have a skewed understanding of what being a man is. J. Richard Fugate will guide you, from the Bible, on what things may need to change in your life, and what things you may be already doing right. The book is 223 pages of large font, making it a very easy read. If you can get your hands on it, do it. Be a real man. Be God's man.

Book Review: The Enemy Within

Straight talk about the power and defeat of sin
By Kris Lundgaard
P&R Publishing, 149 pages

If there is one area of the Christian life that gets neglected, it is killing sin. Yet there is no more important thing in the Christian life than killing sin. Think about it. You cannot worship with sin present. You cannot pray with sin present. You cannot walk in darkness and have fellowship with God. Killing sin is primary in the Christian life. So why is it that so many of us neglect it?

Kris Lundgaard tackles the subject of indwelling sin head-on and sheds light on what indwelling sin is, how indwelling sin works, what indwelling sin does, and how to have power over indwelling sin. Lundgaard basically takes the teaching of John Owen from his works The Nature, Power, Deceit, and Prevalency of the Remainders of Indwelling Sin in Believers and The Mortification of Sin. This book is highly readable and captivating. I finished it in less than 4 hours time.

This book will make you feel like garbage. It will push you out on the ledge of despair. It will help you see your sin for what it is--wicked, powerful, deceptive, and contrary to the Spirit within you. But this book will also give you hope. Hope that is found in God's grace. Hope that is found in knowing the very Spirit of God resides within you. Hope that the blood of Jesus has atoned for your sins and His resurrection has defeated the power of sin.

So dear brother or sister, don't be too easily satisfied with just a little holiness, just a little sanctification, just a little grace, just a little fellowship, just a little prayer, just a little bible reading. Rid yourself of all the sin in your life. The battle rages within you. The Spirit of God wars against the flesh and the flesh against the Spirit. Put to death the flesh and let the power of Christ live through you. This is more than just moral reform. It is sanctification that can only come from complete reliance upon the grace of God. There is no such thing as 'just a little holiness.' God says 'Be holy, as I am holy.' 

This book will help you understand the battle that rages within and help you engage the flesh with the determination of Samuel who hacked Agag into pieces.

Book Review: Reverberation

How God's word brings light, freedom, and action to His people
by Jonathan Leeman
Moody Publishers, 197 pages

This is the first book I have ever won. A couple weeks ago, I entered a draw for this book on Moody Publisher's blog. I generally enter things like that quite often. But, to my surprise, I received an email the next day saying that I was drawn to win the book. So it is my first prize book.

I wanted to get this book ever since Pastor John Boyd recommended it to me a few weeks ago. He is a smart man, an avid reader, and an experienced pastor, so if he recommends it, I do what I can to get my hands on it. Pastor Boyd said that there is an ongoing debate over whether or not to read this book or 'The Trellis and the Vine' first. I have already read the Trellis and the Vine, so I'll leave that debate for another time.

This is a book about the Word of God. More specifically, it is a book about the reverberating effect that the Word of God has upon the lives of God's people. Leeman breaks this book down into three parts, The Word, The Sermon, and The Reverberation.

Obviously, the first part focuses on what the Word of God is and what it does. The Word invites and divides, and it acts, frees, and gathers. This section is a good description of what the word of God is.

Secondly, Leeman focuses on the sermon. Being a preacher, this is naturally my favorite section of the book. Leeman teaches how an expository sermon exposes, announces, and confronts us. This section alone makes the book worth it.

The third section takes some time to teach how the Word reverberates through our singing, praying, and discipling. Then the last chapter hones in on how through these things, the Word scatters abroad.

This book is worth every penny. Even if I hadn't won it, I would have bought it. I look forward to reading more from Jonathan Leeman in the years to come. Well done!

Book Review: Broken-down House

Living Productively in a World Gone Bad
By Paul David Tripp
Shepherd Press, 223 pages

I finished this book last week, but haven't had the time to write up a review of it. I got this book through a 'nicks and dings' sale on shepherdpress.com. Alicia and I are currently working on another book by Paul David Tripp which we like, so I thought this one would also be worth the read. I soon discovered that this book was not only worth reading, it was invaluable to understanding the brokenness of the world we live in.

Tripp starts out with an analogy. He describes how he and his father-in-law took him along to help him negotiate for a house. Tripp thought his wife's father was crazy when he drove into a driveway in front of a broken-down house. He ended up buying the house and doing a complete restoration of it.

There is a parallel between this house and the world we live in. The world we live in is broken and lying in shambles. This world is in desperate need of restoration. Just as the house needed complete renovation, the houses of our lives also need this sort of inside-out renovation.

The first half of this book focuses on knowing where you live, who you are, and who others around you are. It is foundational to life that we all keep at the forefront of our minds the brokenness of our lives and world. Don't forget that you are broken. Don't forget that God wants to do a complete renovation in your life. Know who you are. Know where you live. You live in a broken world, filled with patterns and practices that are broken. This will shape your worldview. It will shape how you respond to the world around you. Others around you are broken. They need God's renovation. When they act the way that they do, they are doing so out of brokenness. Knowing these things gives us compassion and understanding in a broken world.

The second half of this book focuses on doing. The chapter titles are: Reject Passivity, Pursue Community, Determine to Love, Celebrate Grace, Minister Everywhere, and Examine Your Legacy. Each title is self-explanatory, so I won't take the time to dive into the details. My favorite chapter is Minister Everywhere. I enjoyed how Tripp explained our responsibility in a broken world is to minister everywhere we go. In our marriages we need to minister to our broken spouses. In our homes, we must minister to our broken children. In our jobs, we must minister to broken employees and employers. In our churches, we must minister to broken parishoners and broken pastors (imagine that!). We must minister God's healing Words everywhere we go, in everything we do.

It is possible to live productively and successfully in a broken-down world. The great news is that you and I can have a part in God's renovation through ministering His Word to the broken. And it starts with you.

Book Review: What is the Mission of the Church?

Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission
By Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert
266 pages, Crossway

This book is not quite what I expected. The first two chapters were released online by the publisher, so I read those before I ordered the book. The first two chapters were riveting. I quickly devoured them and ordered the book, hungry for more of this book about the Great Commission. The book arrived, and I read the next chapter. I wasn't impressed or unimpressed. Maybe it was waiting the few days for the book to arrive in the mail. And maybe it was that I had never given much thought to those who are 'missional.' Any rate, I didn't enjoy the middle 4 or 5 chapters as much as I did the beginning. But I figured I would plug away and finish the book before I got bored with it.

Don't get me wrong, I liked this book. It just didn't hold my attention through the whole thing. As it turns out, the middle chapters (Part 2 in the book) weren't as interesting to me as the first part. Then the end of the book (Part 3) got my attention like the first part did. Then, after finishing the book, I see the value of the middle chapters.

So what is this book about? Well, Part 1 sought to define some terms and give a general overview of what the mission of the church actually is. If you are going to get this book, and want to be surprised by it, skip to the next paragraph. For those of you who will never read this book, here is the one-sentence summary of the book: "The mission of the church is to go into the world and make disciples by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit and gathering these disciples into churches, that they might worship the Lord and obey His commands now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father." 


That is a great sentence! DeYoung and Gilbert have put in the time necessary to establish such a well-written statement of mission for the church. Part 1 culminates in this sentence. The first two chapters are dedicated to explaining what this sentence means, and why it is the mission of the church.

Part 2 begins by taking a look at what the gospel actually is. DeYoung and Gilbert go a long ways towards defining terms in a way that both the conservatives and missionals will understand. It is a revealing section that seeks to understand exactly what it is conservatives mean by the term 'gospel' and what the missionals mean by it. DeYoung and Gilbert also spend quite some time explaining what the connection is between social justice and the responsibility of believers. They do a great job explaining vast portions of Scripture in just a few pages.

Part 3 does a great job wrapping things up. Christians must be motivated by the mission of the church. Without the mission, we might as well not exist. Christianity is not just a 'holy huddle', but it is a 'holy huddle' that is supposed to break to go out into the world to fulfill the mandate.

I was surprised by the epilogue of this book. The title of the epilogue is 'So You're Thinking of Starting a New Kind of Church? Advice for the Young, Motivated, and Missional.' I seriously considered putting the book down and not reading it. But I wanted to finish the whole book, so I began to read. This chapter is in the form of a short narrative about a young, passionate pastor looking to start a church (Missio Dei) in an urban area. The young pastor happens to make an appointment with an older pastor in the area. They both sit down and have a discussion about this young pastor's vision for his church. The older pastor seeks to give him some advice for the future as he begins this journey. It was an extremely encouraging few pages for me. I am young, and passionate about ministry, but I also know that I have lots to learn. So I found myself identifying with the young pastor in the chapter.

This book is balanced and useful, especially if you have never really given much thought about mission. I have given some serious thought to the making disciples side of mission, but have not thought to much about the 'missional' side of things. I like what D. A. Carson says in his endorsement of the book:

"Among the many books that have recently appeared on mission, this is the best one if you are looking for sensible definitions, clear thinking, readable writing, and the ability to handle the Bible."

Book Review: Predestined for Hell?

Biblical answers to questions about Hyper-Calvinism, Predestination and Election; The Theory of Calvinism exposed as a heresy.
By John R. Rice, 1958
Sword of the Lord Publishers
103 pages

My brother Kevin introduced me to this book. It sparked my interest, in part because I am fascinated by how quickly the so called, Young, Restless, and Reformed group is sweeping this country, and in part because I believe that the Calvinist/Arminian controversy has caused much confusion for many believers. I'm always looking for more clarity on the whole thing.

Let me first say that Rice does a great job explaining what he means by Calvinism. If the first two chapters dedicated to explaining what Calvinism is were published, it would make a tremendous little booklet. The term Calvinism is very muddied today. By it, some mean that they believe in salvation by grace alone and the believer is eternally secure. To that I give a hearty amen. But, by the word Calvinism, some mean that they believe in total depravity, unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints. And they believe these things to the most extreme that the terms can mean. This extreme, hyper-Calvinism is what Rice focuses on in this book.

Rice spends some time discussing the fact that Hyper-Calvinism uses terms that are non-, even anti-Biblical. The terms unconditional election, limited atonement, and irresistible grace are not used together in Scripture. Rice points out that the words grace and atonement are used to describe doctrines that are anything but irresistible and limited. Just as a quick reference-check: Titus 2:11 - "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men," and Hebrews 10:10 - "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

I appreciated Rice's commentary on chapter 9 of Romans. Rice goes a long way toward bringing some clarity to an oft-muddied pool. Rice points to the fact that Romans 9:10-18 does not speak of salvation, but rather, it speaks of Jacob being chosen over Esau to be the head of the nation of Israel and of Pharaoh being raised up to show God's power through him that God's name may be declared in all the earth. Hyper-Calvinism has done much to cloud the meaning of these verses.

I also enjoyed and felt that Rice's chapter on biblical predestination was, in my estimation, the strongest chapter in the book. In short, Rice delves into election and predestination being valid Bible doctrines that speak of believers. This quote from Spurgeon helps us understand what Rice is getting at: "the doctrine of election shuts no one out, though it shuts a great many in."

Not one person has ever been specifically created by God for the purpose of destroying them in Hell. Indeed, God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9b). The sort of god that Hyper-Calvinism believes in is not the God of the Bible, and is exactly the reason that some unbelievers look at Christianity and exclaim, "Who would want to believe in a torturous, murdering God like that?!"

If you can get your hands on a copy of this little book, it will be well worth your while. Rice will at least help bring you some clarity in defining what Hyper-Calvinism is. And at the most, Rice will help you see the truth of Scripture, namely, that God is a loving, all-good God who has extended the gift of His grace to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age." -Titus 2:12

Book Review: The Fading of the Flesh and the Flourishing of the Faith

by George Swinnock (1627-1673)
Reformation Heritage Books
170 pages

I bought this book along with two other RHB books. I hadn't read much of the Puritans before, so I didn't know much what to expect. This is the second of the three that I have read, and I have been pleasantly surprised by both.

First, a little bit about George Swinnock. He was a graduate of Cambridge and Oxford. He pastored three churches through the course of his ministry. Other than that, we do not know very much about him. He died at the young age of 46.

In this little book, Swinnock seeks to exposit Psalm 73:26 - "My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever." The book is divided into two main sections, as is the verse. First, Swinnock delves into what does the phrase 'my flesh and my heart faileth' really means. Naturally, he takes the verse literally and explains man's fallen condition and immanent death. Death is part of every life. Every man must face it. Swinnock gives some compelling reasons to prepare for death.

1. Death is near
2. Death may come suddenly
3. Death is final
4. Death is a trial
5. Death is a misery
6. You must prepare for death

In the second part of the book, Swinnock seeks to explain what it means for the person who can say, 'God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.' Truly this person is the person who has trusted whole-heartedly in the Lord. This is the person that acknowledges that the flesh is failing. This is the person who is seeking to die well. "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

I enjoyed reading this book and I appreciate the clarity that Swinnock brings to an often misquoted verse of Scripture. I close with this quote from the book: 

"Even at that great day [God's judgment], the fire that will consume the world will not so much as singe your portion. You may stand upon its ruins and sing, "I have lost nothing. I have my portion, my inheritance, my happiness, my God!" (pg. 157)

Book Review: Stop Loving the World

By William Greenhill
Puritan Treasures for Today - Reformation Heritage Books
73 pages

I got this short little book during a deal posted by Tim Challies. I figured it would be good reading, and a good chance to read something written a long time ago. Turns out I was right.

This booklet is essentially a biblical case for why we need to stop loving the world. Often when you read Puritan books about such topics, your mind will think, "way over the top" or "those Puritans went too far with that." This book does an excellent job explaining from Scripture why we must stop loving the world. It is compelling and convicting. I recommend it.

Book Review: 5 Things Every Christian Needs To Grow

by R. C. Sproul
Reformation Trust Publishing
135 pages

I don't have much to say about this book. It is a simple little book explaining five important aspects of the Christian life. While most books for new Christians focus on the nuts and bolts of growing in Christ, this book covers five general things that every Christian must include in their daily life in order to grow in Christ. It covers the topics of Bible Study, Prayer, Worship, Service, and Stewardship. Sproul does a great job explaining what Scripture says about each of these topics and then illustrates these truths from his own life experience. Again, it is a great little book for explaining these foundational aspects of the Christian life.

Book Review: Loving the Church - God's People Flourishing in God's Family

By John Crotts

Shepherd’s Press, 135 pages

This little book surprised me. I mean it really, pleasantly surprised me. I expected this to be a book for pastors about how to care and nourish God’s flock, but it ended up being a book about what it means for each member of the Body of Christ to commit to and care about their own local church.

Crotts packs a lot of information in this little book. He also fits all the information nicely into a small fictional narrative that serves as a skeleton for the book. Crotts gives compelling examples from Scripture as to why each believer should be a member of a local church and actively serve and commit to that church.

I like Crotts’ approach in this book because he gently yet firmly confronts our false ideas about what church is. He shows that the Scriptures stand in direct opposition to our American mindset of ‘go-it-alone’ in the Christian life. And he encourages each one of us to face what Scripture says and align ourselves with Scripture, not Scripture with ourselves.

This book pairs well with ‘The Deliberate Church’ by Dever and ‘Stop Dating the Church’ by Harris. I was pleasantly surprised to find this gem of a book. I’m convinced that each church member ought to read this book and seriously evaluate whether or not they are sinning by neglecting a local body of believers.

Book Review: Power Perfected in Weakness – The Journal of Christopher J. Klicka

Shepherd’s Press 2010

168 pages

I got this book from an online ‘yard sale’ at shepherdspress.com a few weeks ago. I didn’t really see that it was a journal when I bought it. But it looked interesting, and it was only $2, so how could I go wrong, right? I had no idea who Chris Klicka was, or what he had done. I discovered that he was the lead attorney for the Home School Legal Defense Association for a number of years. He spoke at various Home School conventions and other venues.

This book gives some of Chris’ journal entries during his 15 year battle with multiple sclerosis. As the title suggests, much of this book is devoted to how God’s strength was displayed in Chris despite continually debilitating MS. Chris was unable to finish this book, but his wife, and a few of Chris’ closest friends helped finish up the last couple chapters.

I found this book incredibly encouraging. It was exciting to read of a man who was devoted to the Lord even in the midst of a battle with MS. Chris constantly shared Christ with his neighbors, EMTs that took him in ambulances, hospital nurses and doctors, home repair men, and countless others . Even after he passed away, his family slipped a tract into his hands so that the person at the mortuary would get a tract from taking care of Chris’ remains.

I felt that Chris’ journal entries were the strongest part of the book. The last few chapters were a bit redundant because they consisted of 4 or 5 of Chris’ closest friends recording what the last two weeks of Chris’ life were like. The Lord used this book to encourage me, and to see the need for evangelism everywhere I go. Chris Klicka is an encouragement even after his death. God’s power was truly displayed in this weak man’s life.

Book Review: God Wins - Heaven, Hell, and Why the Good News is Better than Love Wins

By Mark Galli
152 pages, Tyndale House Publishers

This is the third response to Love Wins that I have read, so I won't take too long. Galli brings yet another perspective to the Love Wins discussion. While Chan and Sprinkle brought out the pastoral side of things, seeking to refocus our thoughts towards a love for the lost, and Wittmer sought to identify exactly which heresies Rob Bell had aligned with, Galli seeks to show that Love Wins merely scratches the surface of the ideas it seeks to present.

In each chapter, Galli gives a compelling, biblical argument for why Love Wins only touches on the beginnings of subjects like heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived. He shows that Love Wins is completely devoid of even mentioning the Holy Spirit, that Love Wins doesn't explain who Jesus really is, and that Rob Bell never touches upon the great mystery of the Trinity. Galli also shows that Love Wins minimizes every man's sin to a level of interpersonal offenses rather than what it is in truth, an infinite offense against a holy God.

This book is enlightening to some things that I had not noticed in Love Wins and it will help you understand to a fuller, more biblical level as to why Love Wins fails to show truth so many times. It is an easy read, but not as easy to read as Erasing Hell. I recommend this book, but again, I realize that this book will not reach the eyes of many unbelievers who are and will be deceived by Bell's book.

Book Review: Slave - The Hidden Truth About Your Identity In Christ

By John MacArthur
212 pages, Thomas Nelson Publishers

I got this book free from GTY about six months ago, and just yesterday found time to pick it up and read it. To tell you the truth, I was a bit skeptical about it, as I am about any book that claims to discover 'new' and 'hidden truth'. I saw the book trailer before the book actually came out and read some interesting discussions on it so I had some insight as to what it was about. I don't believe, as the subtitle suggests, that MacArthur was discovering a new truth that has been hidden for generations. He simply explains that this truth isn't presented clearly or consistently in our English Bibles, with which I agree.

This book is about one word, doulos (slave in Greek), and the relationship to God we have as a result of that one word. The book came about as a result of John's reading a book by Murray J. Harris called Slave of Christ. John was fascinated by the number of times the word doulos is used in the New Testament to describe believers. So in this book, MacArthur shows us what the cultural and logical implications of the word 'slave' brings to our relationship with Christ.

I whole-heartedly agree with MacArthur that we are slaves of the Lord, and that He alone is our Sovereign Master. I enjoyed reading what MacArthur has discovered about slavery in the Roman world as well as slavery in the Old Testament Israelite culture. It truly is encouraging to see all the nuances that this one word brings out in our relationship with Christ. This book is easy to read, and keeps the reader interested right up to the last pages.

To preface what I'm about to say, let me tell you that I believe in the total depravity of man, irresistible grace, and the perseverance of the saints. I do not hold to unconditional election or limited atonement. I do believe in the doctrine of election, but not to the Calvinist extreme. I also believe that salvation is not limited to a specific number of people, but is available to all.

Now, I do want to take time to note that MacArthur takes considerable time in this book to promote "the doctrines of grace." I disagree with MacArthur on the points of unconditional election and limited atonement, which he cleverly renames as "sovereign election" and "particular redemption." This isn't the place to fully discuss "the doctrines of grace" (Calvinism), but suffice it to say that I believe MacArthur's arguments for sovereign election and particular redemption are lacking.

This book is very helpful in debunking some modern myths of Christianity and getting back to a New Testament, apostolic understanding of what it means to be a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. I recommend this book, but be fore-warned that there is a strong Calvinist bent in this book (as there is in most of MacArthur's books). If you can get beyond that, this book will be encouraging and uplifting as you see what the believer's true identity in Christ is.

Book Review: Ashamed of the Gospel - When the Church Becomes Like the World

By John MacArthur
3rd edition, 304 pages

I have been chipping away at this book for about six months now. I originally intended to read it last year when I received it from Grace To You, but ended up giving that copy to my dad. So I had to borrow a copy, and it has been quite a difficult book to get through. This isn't a book for casual thinkers, and it isn't a book to try and read in a day.

The main theme of Ashamed of the Gospel is to issue a call to return to the biblical gospel. MacArthur parallels what is happening on the scene of evangelicalism today with what happened in Charles H. Spurgeon's day in the down-grade controversy. He points out that the same shifts in the church that happened in Spurgeon's day are happening now. The church is becoming increasingly like the world in philosophy, practice, and purpose. John MacArthur faithfully declares the words of the Apostle Paul: "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" -2 Timothy 4:2-5

I enjoyed reading this book even though there were days when I hated how long it was taking me. MacArthur does a great job chronicling the rise of pragmatism in the church and its marriage with post-modernism. This book will help you understand what is happening on the scene of American Christianity. What I find the most shocking, is how many people within the church are caught up in the teachings of pragmatism, post-modernism, and emergent thinking. Too many people I know read books by proponents of these schools of thought, and declare their words to be authoritative.

The lack of discernment in the church is killing the church. Consumerism in the church has trained the average church-goer to accept whatever is given them from the pulpit and swallow it. Churches need men and women who, like the Bereans of Acts 17, will search the Scriptures daily to see if what they are learning is true. Ashamed of the Gospel will help you understand the dangers of post-modern thinking that is permeating the church. This book will arm you with a defense against it, and it will point you to the Scripture to show the error being taught today.

Book Review: John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock

By Iain H. Murray

Banner of Truth Trust

240 pages

I received this book free from Grace To You at the end of last week. I had read a couple short reviews of it on the blogosphere (Challies and Anyabwile) and was looking forward to cracking it open. So Sunday, after I had finished reviewing my PM sermon, of course, I had a couple of hours to dive in. Between Sunday afternoon, and yesterday being a holiday, I finished the book.

 Let me tell you, this is a great book, though not what I expected. I have not read any other Iain Murray books (yet), so I didn’t know what to expect as far as writing style. I enjoyed the style. He does a great job chronicling the various decades of MacArthur’s life and ministry while simultaneously keeping the reader engaged with narrative. I think that Murray’s works on D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Spurgeon will be well worth a read in the future.

When I heard of the book I expected it to focus mainly on MacArthur’s ministry at Grace Community Church, with some emphasis on his writing and tape ministry. What I found was exactly the opposite. Murray focuses mainly upon the spread of the tape and writing ministry throughout the world, and then devotes a couple chapters specifically to the ministry at Grace Community Church.

Personally, I would have liked to see a more in-depth look at MacArthur’s ministry in the church at Sun Valley rather than how MacArthur’s influence has spread throughout the world. That said, I didn’t mind how this book was written, and I learned much about the spread of Grace To You in the past four decades. I especially enjoyed Murray’s chapter that focused on Patricia MacArthur and John’s family life. It was encouraging to me, a young pastor, to see that example of godly parents teaching their children around the breakfast table.

This is a good book for anyone interested in the life and ministry of John MacArthur, whether you are a fan or not. I have my theological bones to pick with MacArthur, but I find his ministry a compelling example of faithfulness to God’s Word and to God’s people. Praise God for this faithful servant of the Word and flock. I was encouraged by this ‘sketch’ by Murray, and trust you will be too.

Christ Alone: An Evangelical Response to Rob Bell's Love Wins

By Michael E. Wittmer

156 pages. Published by Edenridge Press, 2011

This is the first of hopefully many books to be published in response to Love Wins. The purpose of the book is clear both from the title and from the introduction. Wittmer states in his introduction, “I respect Rob Bell. He wrote Love Wins to start a dialogue about the most important issues of our faith, and this book is my attempt as an evangelical to join that conversation.

I appreciate the tone and clarity that Wittmer is able to bring to this book. He never lashes out or says harsh things against Rob Bell, or even Bell’s book. Wittmer simply points out sections from Love Wins and then seeks to give a biblical response to it. He never leaves a question unanswered, and He communicates what he is trying to say with ease.

I found it interesting that Wittmer agrees with Bell on a couple points. Wittmer agrees with Bell's anti-platonic view of heaven and stresses that we must get away from an 'other-worldy' view of the new earth. Wittmer does a great job pointing out the good points of Love Wins, though it doesn't take very many words for him to do so.

Wittmer does an excellent job explaining Bell’s misuse of Greek words and his poor selection of quotes from Martin Luther and other writers that Bell seeks to use to support his claims. Wittmer explains that Bell is not really teaching anything new. Bell has simply selected what he likes about various men from the past (Pelagius, Origen, Karl Barth, etc.) and put them together to get his own understanding of truth. Wittmer rightly points to the fact that Bell’s book is existential in nature.

Christ Alone is an engaging book that “brings more light than heat” to the controversy surrounding Love Wins. I would recommend this book to anyone who has already read Love Wins or is merely seeking to understand what Love Wins is all about. Wittmer has done an excellent job responding to Rob Bell and has added come clarity to the muddy waters.

Book Review: The Knowledge of the Holy

The Knowledge of the Holy by A. W. Tozer, 1961

If I were to pick a book that is completely opposite of Rob Bell’s “Love Wins”, this would be it. While I concluded that Rob Bell wrote of God in a flippant, disrespectful way, A. W. Tozer writes in such a way that leaves the reader in awe of who God is. I find it ironic that both books are published by the same publisher: HarperCollins Publishers.

Tozer doesn’t waste any words in this book. In fact, one of the ideas that Tozer repeats throughout this little book is that any words used to describe God are merely human, finite words, and thus, man can never reach an accurate description of God. It is this type of writing that leaves the reader careful of not only what he will say of God, but how he will think about God. “The Knowledge of the Holy” is an incredibly simple book. Tozer writes with no biases, no bent toward one theological extreme. He writes with incredible clarity and gives helpful insights towards a good number of God’s attributes. There is not a chapter in the book that does not contain some small, understandable quote that leaves the reader with a nugget of truth to mull over. Indeed, it is the sort of book that could take weeks to read in spite of its small number of pages.

Tozer begins with three chapters to establish the rest of the book: 1) “Why We Must Think Rightly of God”; 2) “God Incomprehensible”; and 3) “A Divine Attribute: Something True About God.” In these chapters, Tozer stresses our total inability to fully understand any single truth about God, but why we must strive to understand as rightly as we can about God. He explains exactly what he means by the word ‘attribute’: “If an attribute is something true of God, it is also something that we can conceive as being true of Him. God, being infinite, must possess attributes about which we can know nothing. And attribute, as we can know it, is a mental concept, an intellectual response to God’s self-revelation. It is an answer to a question, the reply God makes to our interrogation concerning Himself.”

This is an incredibly simple book. The chapters are no more than 3-7 pages long. Each small chapter seeks to take an attribute of God and explain what we mean by it, why we use the words we do, what that means in relation to God’s other attributes, and why it is important for the Christian to think of God in this way. Let me give you an example from the chapter on the Love of God: “From God’s other known attributes we may learn much about His love. We can know, for instance, that because God is self-existent, His love had no beginning; because He is eternal, His love can have no end; because He is infinite, it has no limit; because He is immense, His love is an incomprehensibly vast, bottomless, shoreless sea before which we kneel in joyful silence and from which the loftiest eloquence retreats confused and abashed.” Such is the nature of this book!

My favorite chapter is on the Mercy of God. My personal experience with God’s Mercy thus far has been that of fear. I thank God each time He withholds judgment from me, but at the same time I am cowering before Him fearful that the next time I fail Him He will unleash His wrath upon me. Tozer has helped me to see differently. Listen to this: “If we could remember that the divine mercy is not a temporary mood but an attribute of God’s eternal being, we would no longer fear that it will someday cease to be. Mercy never began to be, but from eternity was; so it will never cease to be. It will never be more since it is itself infinite; and it will never be less because the infinite can never suffer diminution. Nothing that has occurred or will occur in heaven or earth or hell can change the tender mercies of our God. Forever His mercy stands, a boundless, overwhelming immensity of divine pity and compassion.” That totally rocked my feeble understanding of God’s mercy!

This book will strengthen your mind. This book will encourage your heart. This book will uplift your spirit to worship the one, true God. This book will open your eyes to the vast, incomprehensible God described so eloquently in the Bible. I will read “The Knowledge of the Holy” again, soon. Thank you A. W. Tozer for your helpful words.