Another Helpful Review of the Shack

I want to point everyone to another review on the best-selling boo, "The Shack." Before my wife gave birth to our son, we were at the doctors office and one of the women in the waiting room was reading this book, and I just wanted to talk to her about what she thought she was reading. I have encountered many people who have foolishly bought into this book with little concern over it's theology.

And with that said, I encourage everyone to click here and read this helpful review from Stephen Yuille.

"He Is Not Silent"

What is true biblical preaching? That is the question that Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, sets out to answer in his latest book, "He is Not Silent: Preaching In a Postmodern World." Mohler sees himself as the President of a school in whose job it is to train preachers. This stands as his definitive defense of preaching, expository preaching, and why it is necessary.

What I loved about this book is that it is both theological and cultural. Mohler is concerned with both the theological argument for preaching as rooted in Scripture and how the preacher is to preach in the culture in which we minister in. The preacher is both a theologian and at the same time an apologists.

First, the preacher is a theologian. This is so critical, that he dedicates an entire chapter to this argument. But there are several points he raises that I would like to emphasize. First, true preaching is the center of worship, not just what follows. Mohler points out that it is the sermon that stands as the climax of the worship service. Worship is more than getting us pumped up for a lecture. Rather, the music is only the beginning. It is the sermon where Scripture is laid out, defined, explained, applied, and the people are edified.

Secondly, preaching is trinitarian. I really enjoyed his chapter on this issue. We are given a word from God and we speak "Thus saith the Lord." We preach Christ and Him crucified. And it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that dying men are brought back to life. This trinitarian understanding of preaching, I believe and Mohler argues, is critical to a faithful minister charged with the responsibility of preaching. What does God say? How does it relate to the gospel? And how will the Spirit move in response?

Thirdly, biblical preaching is expositional. Mohler defines expository preaching as the:

mode of Christian preaching that takes as its central purpose the presentation and application of th etext of the Bible. All other issues and concerns are subordiated to the central task of presenting teh biblical text. As the Word of God, the text of Scripture has the right to establish both the substance and the structure of the sermon. Genuine exposition takes place when the preacher sets forth the meaning and message of the biblcal text and makes clear how the Word of God establishes the identity and worldview of the church as the people of God.

That definition is clear enough. Let the text drive the sermon, the meaning, the application, the organization, and everything else.



I also liked how Mohler applied preaching to our cultural context. He took the time to explain what expository preaching looks like in our postmodern culture. Postmodernism brings about it many challenges. How do you despense truth to a culture that no longer believes in it?



And this leads to the climax of Mohler's discussion of preaching in light of the culture. After discussing what preaching must look like and accomplish in the midst of postmodernism, Mohler gives the reader hope. Taken from perhaps his best sermon, "Can These Bones Live?" Mohler presents the text of Ezekiel and the valley of dry bones. There, Ezekiel is commanded to preach to these dry bones.



Can these bones live? is the question he is asked. One question and one answer: "Oh Lord, you know." That is the right answer. Mohler can think of no greater illustration of what it is like today preaching to a people that have become and are becoming postmodern: a valley of dry bones. But there is hope. Just as God was able to raise forth an army from those dry bones through the medium of preaching, so too God can raise an army of men and women and it will be through the medium of preaching that God brings about this great work.



As ministers and preachers of the gospel do we honesty have this great hope? Do we stand before our congregations and believe that God will raise up an army of what was once dry bones? If not, then your preaching will be dull. In fact, Mohler argues, you should step down and abandon the ministry all together. Only God can bring to life the dead, and it is God who has chosen to use preaching as the way He does His work.



Mohler concludes with fitting words for the preacher. The epilogue looks at the preaching ministry of the Prince of Preachers, Charles Spurgeon. Mohler notes the passion that Spurgeon had for exposition and proclamation. Spurgeon truly was a one of a kind, but Mohler is left asking:

Where are the Spurgeons of this generation?

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To read my review of Mohler's other books:

• Culture Shift: Engaging Current Issues With Timeless Truth
• Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists
• Desire and Deceit: Real Cost of the New Sexual Tolerance
• He is Not Silent: Preaching In a Postmodern World

"The Great Divorce"

I have always been a fan of CS Lewis and continue to read and re-read many of his books. Like most fans of his, I have read all of his signature classics including Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters, the Problem of Pain, etc.

One of those classics is "The Great Divorce." It is a great book revealing Lewis' ability with words and philosophy, but at the same time, the reader is stuck wonder where the fiction ends and the theological argument begins.

One of my biggest complaints that many have towards this book is that they argue, from this book alone, that Lewis believes in Postmortem evangelism. That is the essential backdrop to this story. All of the "ghost," in this story are dead and are making a choice between heaven and hell.

But Lewis makes it clear in the introduction that this book is not primarily a theological work. He would disagree with much of the setting in this book. Therefore, I wonder, does Lewis believe in Postmortem evangelism, or is it just part of the story. One thing is clear, Lewis believes is an inclusivist. This is made clear in his classic work, "Mere Christianity," and in "The Last Battle," book 7 of his most famous work, The Chronicles of Narnia. He is an inclusivist, but is does he affirm postmortem evangelism.

I don't know.

Throughout this book, I found myself constantly asking similar questions. Where does Lewis leave fiction and discuss theology and philosophy? I found myself asking this question during the main character's conversation with George MacDonald. It seems that Lewis was making an argument rather than explaining the world he had created. But I remain unsure at this.

Here is my conclusion: "The Great Divorce," must not be the only place one turns to make an argument regarding Lewis' theology. If one accuses Lewis of anything and can only point to this book, then their argument, in my assessment, is weak. The line between fact and fiction in this book remain blurred. Therefore, anyone that criticizes Lewis solely on this book might be guilty of misunderstand Lewis. At the same time, one must be concerned with some of the implications of this book.

Overall, outside of this major issue, I enjoyed this book. There is much that I am concerned about, but he makes some excellent points. It is interesting how many of the ghost refused to go to heaven simply because they were not needed. This is a powerful point. What holds many of us back from the gospel is nothing more than pride. Pride that says, "I can do it on my own. God needs me."

Perhaps this is why many of us turn to legalism or simply ignore the gospel all together. Lewis does one thing: he reminds us of our complete dependence on God while at the same time, God does not depend or need us. What a sobering thought.