"The Jesus We Missed" by Patrick Henry Reardon

Jesus was human.  Jesus was a man. Like you and me. Flesh and blood.  He got sick.  He got tired.  He got sick and tired. Though most Christians would say that they affirm the full humanity of Jesus, many conservative Christians are hesitant to embrace it with all of its implications.  In a rare and helpful look at the subject, theologian Patrick Henry Reardon tackles this subject in his helpful book The Jesus We Missed: The Surprising Truth About the Humanity of Christ.

I must admit that this is not the book I was expecting.  By the impression I got from the title, especially the subtitle, and the forward by Dr. Russell Moore, I assumed that this was going to be a systematic theology treatment of the the humanity of Jesus.  It was not that.  Instead, Reardon offers more of a biblical theology approach to the issue. The author traces the story of Jesus from birth to resurrection tracing for us, in great detail, how the biblical writers present to us the humanity of Jesus all the while affirm his full deity.


This book is helpful for many reasons.  For one, the author offers some great insights and analysis of the biblical text and the Gospels. The author guides the reader through the biblical text through great detail surveying the birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection of the human Savior. For those wanting to know more about the ministry of Jesus as revealed through the Gospel writers, this is a good place to begin.


Secondly, this is a book that introduces us to how the biblical texts raises the issue of Jesus' humanity.  It is fascinating to see how the Gospel writers almost assume Jesus' humanity.  When He eats, when He's tempted, when He obeys the Father, when He suffers, when He speaks, when He bleeds, etc. He does so as a human and the Gospel writers do not feel the need to explain that.  Of course He was human, they might say, He was born wasn't He?


My biggest complaint regarding the book is that it would have been helpful to either have a systematic theology section or to conclude each chapter with how we specifically see the humanity of Jesus in the chapter just read. This was a real weakness.  One does not need to strain hard to find the humanity (and even the deity) of Jesus throughout the book, but clarity for the reader would have been helpful.  What do we learn about the humanity of Jesus from His birth, baptism, temptation, resurrection, etc.? The epilogue and the appendix are helpful in this regard (as is the introduction and the forward) but the author could have helped the reader, I believe, if he had taken the time to guide the reader into the significance of the conversation.


Overall, this is an excellent book written by a proven scholar. For those wanting some real insights into the ministry and humanity of Jesus, I can think of nowhere else to go.




I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers 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.”








For more on Jesus:
Reviews - For Us and Our Salvation"
Reviews - "Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History From the Puritans to the Passion of Christ" - by Stephen Nichols
Reviews - "The Jesus You Cannot Ignore" 
Reviews - Jesus the Messiah"
Reviews - Reviews in Brief- The Sermon on the Mount
Reviews - "The Jesus Manifesto"
Reviews - "Scandalous"
Reviews - "Born of a Woman"


For more from Thomas Nelson:
Reviews - "Real Marriage" by Mark & Grace Driscoll
Reviews - "Why Men Hate Going to Church" by David Murrow  
Blogizomai - Repost | "Nearing Home" by Billy Graham
Reviews - America: The Last Best Hope - Volume 3
Reviews - "Has God Spoken?" by Hank Hanegraaf
Reviews - "Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath  
Reviews - "Billy Graham in Quotes" 
Reviews - "No He Can't" by Kevin McCullough
Reviews - "Washington: A Legacy of Leadership" by Paul Vickery  
Reviews - "Max on Life" by Max Lucado 
Reviews - "Slave" by John Macarthur
Reviews - "The Jesus Inquest" by Charles Foster 
Reviews - "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McLaren 
Reviews - "Outlive Your Life" by Max Lucado
Reviews - "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns 
Reviews - "Saint Patrick" by Jonathan Rogers
Reviews - "A Century Turns" by William Bennett
Reviews - "Sir Winston Churchill"
Reviews - "On this Day in Christian History"
Reviews - "Storm Warning" by Billy Graham

Reading List for 2012

Books I hope to read in 2012 in no particular order.
  

Godforsaken: Bad Things Happen. Is there a God who cares? Yes. Here's Proof by Dinesh D'Souza - For a lot of people, the biggest question about God is not, surprisingly enough, whether he exists. Instead, it is about whether God is truly good. Dinesh D'Souza, in his debates with leading atheists, quickly realized that many of those debates revolved around the question of evil in this world—how God could create a world that allowed such suffering and evil. In Godforsaken, Dinesh D'Souza takes these questions head on: Does God act like a tyrant? Is God really responsible for the evil in this world? Why is there suffering in the world? For the first time ever, Dinesh D'Souza approaches this topic with historical and scientific proof and presents to the reader why God is truly worthy of our worship and love.

The Cross of Christ by John Stott - The work of a lifetime, from one of the world's most influential thinkers, about the heart of the Christian faith. "I could never myself believe in God, if it were not for the cross. . . . In the real world of pain, how could one worship a God who was immune to it?" With compelling honesty John Stott confronts this generation with the centrality of the cross in God's redemption of the world -- a world now haunted by the memories of Auschwitz, the pain of oppression and the specter of nuclear war. Can we see triumph in tragedy, victory in shame? Why should an object of Roman distaste and Jewish disgust be the emblem of our worship and the axiom of our faith? And what does it mean for us today? Now from one of the foremost preachers and Christian leaders of our day comes theology at its readable best, a contemporary restatement of the meaning of the cross. At the cross Stott finds the majesty and love of God disclosed, the sin and bondage of the world exposed. More than a study of the atonement, this book brings Scripture into living dialogue with Christian theology and the twentieth century. What emerges is a pattern for Christian life and worship, hope and mission. Destined to be a classic study of the center of our faith, Stott's work is the product of a uniquely gifted pastor, scholar and Christian statesman. His penetrating insight, charitable scholarship and pastoral warmth are guaranteed to feed both heart and mind.

Shepherding the Small Church: A Leadership Guide for the Majority of Today's Churches (Gold Medallion-Finalist) by Glenn C. Daman - This second edition is an indispensable source of advice and encouragement for the small church pastor, including how to formulate a mission while understanding the cultures of the community and the church. Chapter-by-chapter suggestions and several appendixes of helpful assessment tools help pastors and lay leadership work through the book together.

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy Keller - The New York Times bestselling author of The Reason for God and The Prodigal God and a nationally renowned minister, Timothy Keller exposes the error of making good things "ultimate" in his latest book, and shows readers a new path toward a hope that lasts.

Success, true love, and the life you've always wanted. Many of us placed our faith in these things, believing they held the key to happiness, but with a sneaking suspicion they might not deliver. The recent economic meltdown has cast a harsh new light on these pursuits. In a matter of months, fortunes, marriages, careers, and a secure retirement have disappeared for millions of people. No wonder so many of us feel lost, alone, disenchanted, and resentful.

But the truth is that we made lesser gods of these good things -gods that can't give us what we really need. There is only one God who can wholly satisfy our cravings- and now is the perfect time to meet him again, or for the first time.

The Bible tells us that the human heart is an "idol- factory," taking good things and making them into idols that drive us. In Counterfeit Gods, Keller applies his trademark approach to show us how a proper understanding of the Bible reveals the unvarnished truth about societal ideals and our own hearts. This powerful message will cement Keller's reputation as a critical thinker and pastor, and comes at a crucial time-for both the faithful and the skeptical.

Counterfeit Gospels: Rediscovering the Good News in a World of False Hope by Trevin Wax - What if the biggest danger to the church of Jesus Christ is not blatant heresy, the moral failures of church leaders, persecution, the rise of Islam or the loss of our rights' What if the biggest threat is counterfeit gospels within the church, ways of thinking and speaking about the good news that lead to a gradual drift from the truth of Scripture'The gospel is like a three-legged stool. There's the Gospel Story ¿ the grand narrative of Scripture (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration). Within that overarching framework, we make the Gospel Announcement about Jesus Christ (His perfect life, substitutionary death, resurrection, exaltation). The gospel announcement then births the Gospel Community: God's church ¿ the embodiment of the gospel, the manifestation of God's kingdom. A counterfeit gospel is like a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of this stool until the whole thing topples over. This book exposes six common counterfeits (Therapeutic, Judgmentless, Moralist, Quietist, Activist, and Churchless) that would get us off track.The goal of Counterfeit Gospels is to so deepen our love for the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ that we would easily see through the many counterfeits that leave us impoverished. So come, love the gospel, recognize and overcome the counterfeits, and be empowered for ministry!

John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock by Ian Murray - Through more than forty years, John MacArthur has opened and taught the Word of God in one local congregation, Grace Community Church, Los Angeles. Consequences have followed which no one anticipated, and which the preacher attributes to the sovereign hand of God. A people united to Christ, and to their pastor, became a channel for blessing across the earth. It has been a ministry marked by characteristics that re-appear in every spiritual advance - not concern for relevance not special attractions for young or old, male or female; but love for God and dependence on his Word and promises. MacArthur has proved, without ever intending to do so, that true preaching of the Word of God is international, because if you teach the Bible it transcends every border, every language, every culture. It is as relevant today, and will be tomorrow, as in all the years since God put it down. That is why his sermons are heard or read in more than two hundred countries around the world today.

But this is also a human story, including the shaping of his youth, the strength of marriage and family, the refining influence of trials and controversies, and the building of a man whose staff have never known to be angry. There are friends who, for all their love of his ministry, say his life is his best sermon.
 

Historical Theology: An Introduction to Christian Doctrine by Gregg Allison - Most historical theology texts follow Christian beliefs chronologically, discussing notable doctrinal developments for all areas of theology according to their historical appearance. And while this may be good history, it can make for confusing theology, with the classic theological loci scattered throughout various time periods, movements, and controversies. In Historical Theology, Gregg Allison offers students the opportunity to study the historical development of theology according to a topical-chronological arrangement, setting out the history of Christian doctrine one theological element at a time. Such an approach allows readers to concentrate on one tenet of Christianity and its formulation in the early church, through the Middle Ages, Reformation, and post-Reformation era, and into the modern period. The text includes a generous mix of primary source material as well, citing the words of Cyprian, Augustine, Aquinas, Luther, Calvin, Barth, and others. Allison references the most accessible editions of these notable theologians' work so that readers can continue their study of historical theology through Christian history's most important contributors. Historical Theology is a superb resource for those familiar with Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology or interested in understanding the development of Christian theology.

Naked Spirituality: A Life with God in 12 Simple Words by Brian D. McLaren - Christianity is in crisis. Many sincere Christians feel their traditional Christian practices are in danger of becoming irrelevant, empty rituals. In his previous book A New Kind of Christianity, Brian D. McLaren offered new biblical models for how we understand the central ideas of a faith that provides hope for restoring and reinvigorating the power of the gospels to transform us and our communities. 

In Naked Spirituality, McLaren takes his prophetic work a step further by confronting how the lack of a simple, doable, durable spirituality undermines the very transformation God is calling us to undergo. As a result, our religious structures become tools to maintain the status quo and not catalysts for personal and social change. McLaren presents a four-stage framework for understanding the spiritual life, and he unfolds spiritual practices appropriate to each stage. Each practice is rooted in a simple word: here, thanks, O, sorry, help, please, when, no, why, behold, yes, and silence. Naked Spirituality offers accessible, practical wisdom for living a truly spiritual life. Staying true to Jesus's core message while engaging faithfully with our postmodern world, McLaren presents a proven spiritual program for engaging in and sustaining a meaningful relationship with God.

Premarital Sex in America: How Young Americans Meet, Mate, and Think about Marrying by Mark Regnerus and Jeremy Uecker - The period of young adulthood, from ages 18 to 23, is popularly considered the most sexualized in life. But is it true? What do we really know about the sexual lives of young people today?

Premarital Sex in America combines illuminating personal stories and comprehensive research surveys to provide the fullest portrait of heterosexuality among young adults ever produced. Mark Regnerus and Jeremy Uecker draw upon a wealth of survey data as well as scores of in-depth interviews with young adults from around the country, both in and out of college. Digging underneath stereotypes and unexamined assumptions, the authors offer compelling--and often surprising--answers to such questions as: How do the emotional aspects of sexual relations differ between young men and women? What role do political orientations play in their sexual relations? How have online dating and social networking sites affected the relationships of emerging adults? Why are young people today waiting so much longer to marry? How prevalent are nontraditional forms of sex, and what do people think of them? To better understand what drives the sexual behaviors of emerging adults, Regnerus and Uecker pay special attention to two important concepts: sexual scripts, the unwritten and often unconscious rules that guide sexual behavior and attitudes; and sexual economics, a theory which suggests that the relative scarcity of men on college campuses contributes to the "hookup" culture by allowing men to diminish their level of commitment and thereby lower the "price" they have to "pay" for sex.

For anyone wishing to understand how sexual relations between young adults have changed and are changing, Premarital Sex in America will serve as a touchstone for years to come.

Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto by Mark R. Levin - When nationally syndicated radio host Mark R. Levin’s Liberty and Tyranny appeared in the early months of the Obama presidency, Americans responded by making his clarion call for a new era in conservatism a #1 New York Times bestseller for an astounding twelve weeks. As provocative, well-reasoned, robust, and informed as his on-air commentary, with his love of our country and the legacy of our Founding Fathers reflected on every page, Levin’s galvanizing narrative provides a philosophical, historical, and practical framework for revitalizing the conservative vision and ensuring the preservation of American society.

In the face of the modern liberal assault on Constitution-based values, an attack that has resulted in a federal government that is a massive, unaccountable conglomerate, the time for reinforcing the intellectual and practical case for conservatism is now. In a series of powerful essays, Levin lays out how conservatives can counter the tyrannical liberal corrosion that has filtered into every timely issue affecting our daily lives, from the economy to health care, global warming to immigration, and more.

The ACLU vs. America: Exposing the Agenda to Redefine Moral Values by Craig Osten and Alan Sears - As a result of the work of the American Civil Liberties Union and their war on America, we now live in a country where the church has been progressively silenced, parental authority has been undermined, children are less safe, and human life continues to be cheapened-both at birth and death. While the ACLU and its allies in the media have positioned themselves as the great defenders of freedom, they are in reality eliminating the freedoms of millions of Americans. Sadly, most Americans are unaware of the extreme positions of the ACLU. But there is hope. Many Americans are waking up to the dangerous agenda of the ACLU. The ACLUvs. America will clue readers in to the culture wars afoot and will equip them to become effective agents for liberty and freedom against the ACLU's onslaught.





For more:
Reviews - Reading List for Summer 2011

"Why Church Matters?" by Joshua Harris

Stop dating the church.  That's the message, and the original title, of author and pastor, Josh Harris', book Why Church Matters: Discovering Your Place in the Family of God. This is quit ironic, as the author admits.  Having already written two books on relationships, not to mention another on lust and sexual sin, Harris now writes a book about a relationship, but a different one.  On this irony, he writes:

The irony of this was that even though I had stopped paying the dating game with girls, I was perfectly happy to keep playing it with the church.  I liked attending on weekends, and I enjoyed the social benefits of church, but I didn't want the responsibility that came with real commitment.

And I can think of no better illustration of what most Christians are doing with the church; simply dating her. Dating with no commitment.  Critical and not loving.  Fickle and not selflessness.  Consumeristic and not communal.

Harris indicts the average American Christian from individualistic, self-centered complacency and the excuses oftentimes offered are inexcusable.  As a pastor, I hear these excuses all the time. The church is full of hypocrites.  All they do is fight.  The sermons are too long.  I don't like the music. Etc.  But as Harris argues, the church, though certainly imperfect, is more than these things.  The church is the Bride and we cannot understand marriage without rightly understanding what the church is and what Christ has done for Her.  Harris spends some time discussing Ephesians 5 and then adds:

If Jesus loves the church, you and I should, too.  We can't use the excuse that the church has messed up too many times or that we're disillusioned.  Jesus is the only person who has the right to disown and give up on the church.  But He never has.  And he never will.

And neither should we.  Stop dating the church. The church matters and we are to be a part of what God is doing in His church.

Throughout the book, the author offers both pastoral insight and a sound theology that is refreshing and pleasant to my ears.  This is a book that I wish all of our members would read.  The church matters and it is time to stop pretending that the local church and our participation in it is optional.

One of the most practical chapters in the book regards the question of how to choose a church. Harris offers a number of things to consider:

1.  Is this a church where God's Word is faithfully taught?
2.  Is this a church where sound doctrine matters?
3.  Is this a church in which the gospel is cherished and clearly proclaimed?
4.  Is this a church committed to reaching non-Christians with the gospel?
5.  Is this a church whose leaders are characterized by humility and integrity?
6.  Is this a church where people strive to live by God's Word?
7.  Is this a church where I can find and cultivate godly relationships?
8.  Is this a church where members are challenged to serve?
9.  Is this a church that is willing to kick me out?
10.  Is this a church I'm willing to join 'as is' with enthusiasm and faith in God?

This is a helpful list and includes things often left out (like #9) and summarizes the spirit, wisdom, and good of the book.  As I said above, this is a book I would like for our entire congregation to read and to consider. Are we Christians just dating the church?  If so, then we are in serious trouble.  I highly recommend this book written by a well-respected pastor and author.

Stop dating the church.


I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.  


Other titles by Joshua Harris:
Reviews - Sex is Not the Problem (Lust Is) 
Reviews - "Dug Down Deep" byJoshua Harris
Reviews - "Start Here" by Alex and Brett Harris


Other titles on the church:
Reviews - "A Light To the Nations"
Reviews - "What is a Healthy Church Member?"
Reviews - "Why Men Hate Going to Church" by David Murrow 
Reviews - "Biblical Foundations For Baptist Churches"
Reviews - "The Body"
Reviews - "9 Marks of a Healthy Church" 
Reviews - "He is Not Silent"
Reviews - "Women's Ministry in the Local Church"
Reviews - "The Purpose-Driven Church"
Reviews - "Church on the Other Side"


Other WaterBrook Multnomah Titles:
Reviews - "Culture Shift" by R. Albert Mohler
Reviews - "Radical Together"

Reviews - "Desiring God" by John Piper 
Reviews - The Next Christians" 
Reviews - "Start Here" by Alex & Brett Harris 
Reviews - "Angels" by David Jeremiah 
Reviews - "Dug Down Deep" by Joshua Harris 
Reviews - "Treasured" by Leigh McLeroy
Reviews - "God Gave Us Christmas" by Lisa Bergren 
Reviews-  "God Gave Us Love" by Lisa Bergren 
Reviews - "Every Sing Man's Battle" by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker

"What is the Mission of the Church?" by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert

What is the mission of the church? In recent years there has been an unlimited number of books seeking to answer that very question and out of all the rhetoric there seems to be two options: social justice on the one hand and preaching the gospel on the other. But in their book, What is the Mission of the Church?: Making Sense of Social Justice, Shalom, and the Great Commission, authors and pastors Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert offer their pastoral experience and biblical insight into the conversation. Their suggestion, and purpose of the book, is that the mission of the book, put succinctly, is the Great Commission.  They write:

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 and obey Jesus Christ now and in eternity to the glory of God the Father. (241)

This thesis statement (though here quoted from the end) is repeated throughout the book.  The authors carefully unpack what the Gospels say about the Great Commission, why it matters, and why they believe it is the mission of the church. The strange thing is that this fundamental thesis is insightful and refreshing, though it should be obvious.  The authors go through some strain showing how many of the traditional missional passages (like Genesis 12:1ff and Luke 4) are not the best places to start.  Instead, when addressing the mission of the church, the authors prefer (and believe rightly) with the Great Commission like that in Matthew 28:18-20.

To make their case, the authors offer an overview of the biblical story, and its emphasis on how God and man can be reconiled as a result of the bridge burned by sin, a detailed discussion of what the gospel is, and various "missional" issues of what Jesus (and Scripture) means by the Kingdom of God and how we are to think about issues like social justice and shalom.

Perhaps my favorite chapter is the overview of the biblical story offered in chapter 3.  The authors argue that the one question that Scripture, at its heart, seeks to answer is How can hopelessly rebellious, sinful people live in the presence of a perfectly just and righteous God (69). This then leads them into a survey of the biblical story divided into four "acts": Creation, Fall (the prime problem that the Bible sets up in its first three chapters is the alienation of man from God [73]), Redemption, and Consummation. In each act, the authors show how this storyline answers that important question reconciliation between God and man.

The tone of the book is particularly helpful.  Instead of writing as gunslingers, the authors seek to honestly look at some of the difficult issues debated today (highlighted by extremes in both liberal and conservative camps). Frequently, the authors show that the two common sides on any given subject continually speak past each other.  For example, their discussion on the differences between viewing the gospel through a narrow lens and a wide lens is helpful.  Those who view the gospel through a wide lens move beyond the cross and resurrection to issues of creation care, poverty, justice, and politics.  On the other hand, those with a more narrow lens, emphasize, almost exclusively, the cross and resurrection of Jesus and how that reconcile sinners.

In this paradigm, I am a proud member of the zoom-lens, or narrow lens, party, but I have felt like the authors in that much of the debates regarding the many issues raised in this book and other missional books reveal how easy it is to talk past one other. The gospel has implications, there's no doubt about that, but when asked what the gospel is in its essence, it is dangerous to go beyond the language of the cross and resurrection.  I do believe that the gospel has implications that drastically affects our understanding of everything.  After all, we are new creatures are we not? And as new creatures we must think differently about mission, church, discipleship, marriage, justice, and our role in society.

This is not the only example of clarity offered by the authors, but it is one that sticks out the most. I could also add the simple assertion offered by DeYoung and Gilbert that all Christians are for alleviating poverty and for some to assert that narrow-lens Christians are somehow in favor of injustice is simply absurd. Again, refreshing and some real honesty is a high point in this book.

Regarding the challenging issues of social justice, the Kingdom of God, and shalom the authors offer a very robust biblical theology on these issues.  The authors genuinely seek to present to the reader more than just soundbites but a more complete understanding of what the Bible says about poverty, alleviating poverty, standing against injustice, etc.  To the question of social justice, the authors dedicate two chapters the first focusing on exposition and the other focusing on application.  It would do both sides some good to consider these pages as the authors seek to be honest with the biblical text and with how that applies.

More could be said regarding this book, but overall this is by far the best book on the question of the mission of the church I have read.  Though one might find some holes here and there (and the authors admit that people on both sides will not like some part of their book), the authors manage to pierce through all of the muddy water that has been stirred in these debates.  The authors do not get distracted by politics, policy, or endless and needless fights.  Instead, they continually focus on what they believe is the great mission for the church:  the Great Commission.

As one who agrees generally with this thesis, let just add that the gospel that is spread as a result of the Great Commission is what truly transforms society.  We will never restore Eden.  After all, we are the one's who destroyed it in the first place and we never created to begin with.  However, where genuine Christianity is present, things change.  Society changes and history bears that out. If we want real social change, it will not come from the King down to the peasant, but when the gospel penetrates the heart, establishes a missional (can I use that word now?) community, and through the love and providence of God transforms things.  The process is never perfect and rarely pretty.  But if the gospel transforms the believer certainly the spread of the gospel has clear implications on everything else.


This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.




For from Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert:
Reviews - "Why Our Church Switched to the ESV"  by Kevin DeYoung
Reviews - "The Good News We Almost Forgot" by Kevin DeYoung 
Reviews - "Just Do Something" by Kevin DeYoung
Reviews - "Why We're Not Emergent:  By Two Guys Who Should Be" by Kevin DeYoung
Reviews - "What is the Gospel?" by Greg Gilbert  


For more:
Reviews - "God's Grand Design" by Sean Michael Lucas
Reviews - "Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian
Reviews - "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes
Reviews - "Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols  
Reviews - "King Solomon" by Philip Graham Ryken 
Reviews - "Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley
Reviews - The Beginning and End of Wisdom" by Douglas Sean O'Donnell
Reviews - "Thinking. Loving. Doing." by John Piper & David Mathis

Top 11 Reads of 2011

Every year I like to offer my list of the best books I read. Throughout the year I read dozens and dozens of books and publish personal reviews of many (certainly not all) of them. I read primarily works of theology, history (particularly historical theology and church history), politics, and anything that interests me.  But as the list makes clear below, 2011 was a slow year for general history and politics, but I suspect that to change in 2012 as America votes for its President and as having recently graduated, I will have more time to read non-assigned books.

Nonetheless, here is my list of the best 11 books I read from the year 2011.

11.  "Historical Theology" by Gregg Allison | One of the must-have books of this past year for me was Dr. Allison's Historical Theology. Based on Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology format, Dr. Allison walks the reader through each area of theology tracing how the church has understood the issue, what the debates where on, and why they matter.  It is, I believe, the best historical theology textbook out there and well worth your investment especially if you are a pastor, seminary student, theologian, historian, or a theology nerd. The only reason it is in this list at number 11 and not higher is because I did not take the time to review the entire book.  But I will say that only Allison can make a historical discussion on Pneumatomachianism interesting.

10.  "The Mighty Weakness of John Knox" by Douglas Bond | One of my favorite characters of church history is the Scottish Reformer John Knox.  Knox was certainly an interesting person and in this volume, Bond traces his life, ministry, and lessons we can learn from him.  The book is very assessable, brief, and offers a great introduction to this wonderful man and why he still matters even though his native country has tried to erase his memory. Bond's chapter on Knox as the preacher is particularly good, at least from my perspective as a pastor.

9.  "Rediscovering the Church Fathers" by Michael Haykin | Dr. Haykin is one of my favorite church historians and in this book, he rekindles my love for the Patriarchs - the early church fathers.  These men are important figures and shaped much of orthodox Christianity. The author walks the reader through some of their writings, arguments, and how they continue to influence Christianity today.

8.  "The Kingdom is Always But Coming" by Christopher Evans| I am no fan of liberal theologian Walter Rauschenbusch, but his influence cannot be overstated.  Rauschenbusch is the main face of the modern social and the postmodern social gospel continues his work and arguments.  This new biography of the man is excellent and I would encourage anyone interested in understanding Rauschenbusch's life, thought, and writings to begin here.  Though Rauschenbusch is an influential and important figure of theology, there is a shortage of books like this one him. I suspect that will change within the next decade especially since we are rapidly approaching the centennial anniversary of his important work A Theology for the Social Gospel (1917).  But this book is excellent and well worth the read.

7.  "Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath | In a year that ended with the death of Christopher Hitchens, talk of the New Atheism hasn't gone away.  Of all of the books I have read on the New Atheism, and atheism in general, one of the best is this one.  Alister McGrath has written other great books on this movement and here challenges many of their arguments.  The book is short, concise, and illustrates just how empty unbelief really is.

6.   "Nearing Home" by Billy Graham | How can we die well?  A seemingly morbid question, but an important one for Christians who seek to live a life reflecting the death of their own Savior.  In what could be his last book, Billy Graham talks about retirement, aging, and preparing to die yet the old evangelists never gives up pleading for his readers to embrace and trust Christ.  Though still in my 20's and barring some tragedy, I (hopefully) still have many decades ahead of me, this is a helpful book, especially as a pastor.  Oftentimes we overlook the challenges of age, retirement, and dying and many in our congregation have either an unbiblical view of those things or are left in the dark.  Graham encourages his retired readers to work for the Kingdom.  Playing golf is fine, but there is still work to do!  And of course he talks about death and the joys of heaven.  This is a great resource full of practical advice (like on doing a will) and it is Billy Graham at his best.

5.  "A Light to the Nations" by Michael Goheen | What is the church?  It is, in one sense, a light to the nations. In this book, Dr. Goheen offers a biblical theology treatment of ecclesiology.  Tracing the theology of the church as a light to the nations from Genesis through Revelation, focusing on the work of the cross, the author connects the mission of Israel with the calling of the church.  No other book helped me think better about ecclesiology this year than this one and I would have overlooked it if it wasn't required for a class on Ecclesiology during the summer.  Goheen is a good writer and his insights are important.  Throughout Scripture and history, the people of God were/are at their worse when the nations became a light to them instead of them becoming a light to the nations.  I pray that we will be a city on a hill.

4.  "God's Grand Design" by Sean Michael Lucas | I am not one that reads a lot of Jonathan Edwards, however, this helpful book shows exactly what centuries later Edwards still matters.  I have not come across a better treatment of Edwards' theology that is as rich, practical, and alive than this.  The book itself isn't really long and yet in it, the author (who clearly knows Edwards intimately) manages to summarize his theology offer both academic precision and practical insight.  For those interested in Edwards, thinking about getting interested in Edwards, or not one who reads a lot of Edwards, I can think of no better place to begin than here.

3.  "Generous Justice" by Tim Keller - Social justice is a popular topic these days and how we serve the poor and the vulnerable has been hijacked by liberalism.We must reject every and all forms of the social gospel and in this book, Tim Keller shows us how we can affirm the gospel and yet at the same time, without contradiction, be passionate and consistent in practicing "generous" justice.  I read this book while waiting at our local court house surrounding by hurting families in need.  I can't think of a better setting.  How does the gospel guide us towards being good Samaritans?  Keller shows us how.  It is without a doubt the best treatment I have come across on this important topic.  The church must be charitable, but it is the gospel that drives us there.

2.  "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes | I love theology and as a pastor, I love to teach theology in language that can be understood by the farmer and the factor worker.  Dr. Erik Thoennes has done that in this short book.  Thoennes offers a brief, conscise, systematic theology in the language of practical questions.  As a result, the author offers a robust, rich theology that is practical and necessary.  A great place to start in any introduction to Christian theology.

1. "Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian | The gospel is the most important thing in the world and we cut ourselves short when we limit its scope to saving souls.  In other words, the gospel is for both unbelievers and for believers.  That is what makes this book my favorite of 2011.  Tchividjian's basic argument, rooted in his own testimony of pastoral burnout and hardships, is that if one has Jesus - i.e., the gospel - he has everything.  A simple message, but the message we've been missing. The gospel is everything.  Jesus is everything.  And Tchividjian pens that message in a way that we all need to hear.


Honorable Mentions:

"Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley
"Lukan Authorship of Hebrews" 
"Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols
"Has God Spoken?" by Hank Hanegraaf 
"Is Hell For Real Or Does Everyone go To Heaven?"
"Making Sense of the Trinity" by Millard Erickson  
"John Knox" 
"Five Leading Reformers" 
"Radical Together" by David Platt  
"Young, Restless, and Reformed" by Colin Hansen 


For more:
Reviews - Top 10 Reads of 2010 
Reviews - Top 9 Reads of 2009
Reviews - Reading List For Summer 2011

"Real Marriage" by Mark & Grace Driscoll

As a pastor, I am tired of reading Christian books on relationships and marriage that dance around the issues that everyone is asking.  What couples want to know is what is marriage, how can we persevere in our marriage, and countless of questions about sex.  Most of which has been overblown and misinterpreted.  Mark Driscoll and his wife Grace have come together to offer their insights into the important topic of marriage in their brand new book Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together.

Mark Driscoll is controversial.  I get that.  But most criticize him because of his Calvinistic theology, his abandonment of the Emergent movement, and his views on gender roles and sex.  This books takes a careful look at what a real marriage is (thus the title) and engages the reader to think biblically about specific issues regarding sexuality and sex.  But I fear that many will highlight only one difficult chapter where the authors honestly offer their views on common questions couples are asking about the bed room.

First the first part on marriage. There is much to love here.  The Driscoll's emphasis that marriage is friendship and go through some pains in explaining this.  This is not to say that love is not the bedrock of marriage or that marriage isn't a covenant.  They affirm that wholeheartedly.  But it is to say that friendship is what is missing from many marriages.  Many are loveless because they are friendless.  In addition, it is difficult to reconcile and easier to turn to bitterness when friendship is absent.  I can with joy say that my wife is my friend.

But my favorite part of this section is how each author wrote a chapter focusing on their gender.  Mark's chapter on men is direct and he confesses as much in the introduction.  But he makes two important points worth highlighting.  Men are to be both tough (like Jesus who was willing and able to suffer and die without shedding a tear) and tender (like Jesus who could weep at his friends funeral).  Too often, men are one or the other.  A tough man wants others to fear him and to respect him and thus abuses or scares his wife or daughter(s).  On the other end is the tenderhearted man unable and unwilling to take a stand, to get a real job, and to serve his family the way that God demands.

This is a helpful balance that I intend on using in my own ministry.  Many men fear the turning tide of the metrosexual man and thus turn into gladiators.  They try to prove themselves a man so much that they are unable to serve their wife in the way she needs him too.  In the same way, there are simply too many wimps running around calling themselves men.  Driscoll has a way of addressing men challenging them to man up and stop acting like a sissy and I love to hear and read him on this subject.

Likewise, Grace writes to women encouraging them to respect their husbands.  As a man readying this chapter I was encouraged by her words.  When she described a man's need to be respected and served in the way she describes, she was describing me.  She is honest with her readers in sharing her struggles and the challenges that her and Mark have had in this area.  Respect is a big deal to men and Grace shows why it matters and how a loving wife will serve her husband by respecting him and not by cutting him down.  Feminism has so degraded men that it is a relief to read this.

There is a lot to commend in this portion of the book.  But the second part, the more controversial part, deals with sex.  I thoroughly enjoyed this section as much as part 1 on marriage.  There are few books which manage to compact so much about lust and sexuality in such a brief space.  The Driscoll's deal with pornography, lust, fornication, adultery, and countless sexual questions and struggles that couples have in the bedroom.  I feel that the reason that people will find this part controversial is simply because Christians still refuse to go where the Bible takes them.

Perhaps most helpful here is their discussion on sex as a god, as gross, or as a gift.  Sex for many is a god and they are controlled by it.  Just turn on the TV or look at the cover of the magazines and you can't miss it.  On the other hand, many, mostly in conservative churches, see it as gross.  We tell our children growing up, in an attempt to protect them, that sex is gross and bad and should only be done for the purpose of reproduction.  The Driscoll's show why both of these extremes is dangerous and wrong.  Sex, rather, is a gift from God meant to be enjoyed.

Driscoll is famous for his series on Song of Solomon and much of that material is repeated here.  He does emphasize the pleasure aspect of sexual intimacy, but running throughout the book is the gift of oneness that sex gives a married couple.  The one-flesh reality of sex and marriage is central to having a great marriage - a real marriage.

But then there is the chapter titled, "Can We _______?"  In this chapter, the Driscoll's try to uncover as many rocks as possible for their reader.  For example, can a married couple have oral sex?  What about masterbation?  Etc.  One might disagree with some of their conclusions here, but at least they are talking about it.  At least they are seeking biblical answers to these questions - questions that Christians are asking but many are too afraid to ask lest they be viewed as perverted.  I question some of their answers, but I am glad that they are willing to raise them.

Overall, this is a good book that is well worth the read.  But it is not for the faint of heart. Fundamentalists who pretend the world isn't as it is and that Christians aren't as they are will be appalled by some of the things in this book.  Their honesty is refreshing to someone like me, but might be a bit offensive to others.  I'm sure many will find their conversation too frank and inappropriate, but I find it necessary.  I would recommend all of Driscoll's books, especially his more recent ones.  This is a book well worth the investment for any couple, for every pastor, and for engaged couple wanting answers, wanting some counseling, and wanting to save their marriage before it starts.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers 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.”







For more:
Reviews - Death by Love by Mark Driscoll
Reviews - "Doctrine" by Mark Driscoll  
Reviews - Religion Saves by Mark Driscoll
Reviews - The Radical Reformation by Mark Driscoll
Reviews - Vintage Jesus by Mark Driscoll
Blogizomai - "Fall: God Judges" by Mark Discoll
Blogizomai - Wilson & Driscoll: On Masculinity, Spiritual Gifts, & Ministry
Blogizomai - Mark Driscoll on Abortion
GBC - Driscoll on Consumers vs. Worshippers
GBC - The Church As Family  
GBC - Driscoll on Neither Feminism or Chauvinism
GBC - Driscoll on Trinitarian Heresies and Living the Trinitarian Life
GBC - What Creation Reveals About God
GBC - Driscoll Sermon: God is Creator
GBC - How Much Do You Owe?: Mark Driscoll on our Need for Redemption
Reviews - "The Supremecy of Christ in a Postmodern World" 
Reviews - "The New Christians" by Tony Jones



For more from Thomas Nelson:
Reviews - "Why Men Hate Going to Church" by David Murrow  
Blogizomai - Repost | "Nearing Home" by Billy Graham
Reviews - America: The Last Best Hope - Volume 3
Reviews - "Has God Spoken?" by Hank Hanegraaf
Reviews - "Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath  
Reviews - "Billy Graham in Quotes" 
Reviews - "No He Can't" by Kevin McCullough
Reviews - "Washington: A Legacy of Leadership" by Paul Vickery  
Reviews - "Max on Life" by Max Lucado 
Reviews - "Slave" by John Macarthur
Reviews - "The Jesus Inquest" by Charles Foster 
Reviews - "Finding Our Way Again" by Brian McLaren 
Reviews - "Outlive Your Life" by Max Lucado
Reviews - "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns 
Reviews - "Saint Patrick" by Jonathan Rogers
Reviews - "A Century Turns" by William Bennett
Reviews - "Sir Winston Churchill"
Reviews - "On this Day in Christian History"
Reviews - "Storm Warning" by Billy Graham

"God's Grand Design" by Sean Michael Lucas

What was the center of Jonathan Edwards' theology?  That's a question that preoccupies and opens the wonderful book "God's Grand Design:  The Theological Vision of Jonathan Edwards," by Sean Michael Lucas. Lucas notes that to many biographers and Edwards scholars, the question of the center of Edwards' theology and ministry is a lively one.  But to Lucas, what mattered most to Edwards was driven by his role as a pastor:  to present back to God a complete Christian.  Edwards spent much of his time dedicated to thinking, writing, and preaching "about the Christian life, both for himself and then for his parishioners" (12).  However, though this pastoral concern drove his ministry, he was deeply theological.  Thus throughout his life, "Edwards set forth a vision of the Christian life that was deeply theological" (13).

What Lucas presents in this new book on the greatest American theologian in history is a survey of Edwards' theology of the Christian life from creation to consummation.  In part 1, the author walks the reader through Edwards' theology of redemptive history from the person of God and creation to the eschaton.  The theology here is really rich and the author presents a really robust survey of Edwards' thought, writings, and theology.

Central to why God created is, as we would expect, for His own glory.  The author writes:

Edwards's larger purpose was to raise his congregation's vision from its apparently mundane and petty daily concerns to find their affections engaged by the cosmic purpose that god has in his work of redemption.  And God's grand design in the work of redemption was nothing less than is own glory. (22)

He goes on to add:

Far from focusing on a merely individual salvation, Edwards rooted his understanding of the Christian life in the cosmic purpose of God himself - namely, for God to glorify himself and enjoy himself forever.


Far from wanting an abstract theological construction with little bearing on actual Christian living, Edwards recognized that only as Christians have their vision filled with God's grand purpose to glorify himself through his work of redemption are their affections transformed, their wills moved, and their beings engaged in benevolence toward all creation.  Yet in order for believers truly to grasp such a vision, they need to see that God's purpose to glorify himself through creation and redemption is an outflow of his own eternal being. (23)

This is just rich theology.  Unlike the stereotype of Edwards of a mundane, boring preacher who cares more about even more mundane, boring theology is simply untrue.  Lucas understands that it was Edwards' rich theology that led to his efforts in leading Christians to sanctification and the above is only one example of this.

This section highlighting and surveying Edwards' theology from creation to consummation is simply rich and worth the price of the book itself. This is one of the best survey's of Edwards' theology I have come across.  Though I am by no means an Edwards scholar or one who has read a lot of him, Lucas writes an engaging and helpful theological survey of the man. Lucas looks at Theology Proper, creation (remember that Edwards is pre-Darwin), the Fall, original sin, redemption, and eschatology.

But the book is more than just a survey of Edwards' theology.  There are plenty of books on that.  What Lucas spends much of his time on is how this rich theology is translated into practical ministry.  Central to all of this is Edwards book on the Christian Affections.  Regarding the question of what Edwards means by affections, Lucas presents a helpful explanation and discussion helping the reader better understand apart from all of the confusion of colonial English.

As a pastor and as a Christian I loved this section.  Here we meet not just Edwards the theologian, but Edwards the shepherd.  Though Edwards is known for his sermons (and we have many of them), we at times forget that he pastored real people and his theology shaped how he met the needs of his church.  The discussion on Edwards' Affections and how we can be self-deceived offer great insights for the pastor, the seminary student, the academic scholar, and the lay person.

I particularly enjoyed the chapter on Christian ministry (for obvious reasons).  Every pastor and Christian called into ministry ought to at least read what Lucas presents here.  Edwards' understanding of preaching, Scripture, and the gospel are really insightful and Lucas succeeds in presenting Edwards as a mentor for pastors instead of just another important dead theologian.

This is an excellent book.  I did not know if I would enjoy this book as I am one who frankly finds Edwards difficult to get through.  He is rightfully respected and honored as America's greatest theologian, but I have struggled in reading and studying under him.  Therefore, perhaps the greatest compliment I can give this book and its author is that Lucas made me realize what I have missed by all but ignoring Edwards.

I cannot recommend this book enough.  I was unsure of choosing and reading this book, but I am glad that I did.  I would highly recommend this book to academics, seminary students, pastors, and even advanced Christians.  Certainly the theology and writing would be difficult to the new believer, but for those who want a rich theology that is practical, this is a good place to turn too.

Another homerun by Crossway Books.


This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.


For more:
Reviews - "Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian
Reviews - "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes
Reviews - "Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols  
Reviews - "King Solomon" by Philip Graham Ryken 
Reviews - "Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley
Reviews - The Beginning and End of Wisdom" by Douglas Sean O'Donnell
Reviews - "Thinking. Loving. Doing." by John Piper & David Mathis