Whilst sat in a rustic lodge overlooking Lake Malawi I thought, I know, I’ll read a book! Fortunately close to hand was the ‘waiting-to-be-read’ copy of ‘Why Johnny Can’t Preach‘ a short book by T.David Gordon.

Gordon looks unfavourably on the general state of preaching in American churches, I agree with his summary and am sure it is equally applied (as a generalisation) to many churches in the UK also.

He sights two main reasons why Johnny can’t preach. Firstly because Johnny can’t read (texts). Gordon suggests that our culture no longer values literature, to the point where we don’t really know how to read properly. Gordon argues that we should get back to reading classical literature to hone our textual skills, or at the very least put a lot more work into scriptural studies including Greek and Hebrew.

Secondly, Johnny can’t write! Gordon says with the invention of the telephone and the Internet that we’ve lost the art of letter writing, of properly constructing well organised text. He says that this means we preach in a poorly organised way too.

On the whole I agree with Gordon’s assessments. We do live in a culture where reading and writing in the traditional sense are devalued, and this does have a negative impact on the way we read the Bible and come to structure and deliver a sermon.

However, Gordon misses one key step. How then do we preach, into a culture where these things are true. It’s all very well to properly read and understand a Bible passage. It’s all very well to compose a well structured sermon, BUT… this is not what our culture is used to or values… I would say it’s the job of the preacher, as well as to understand the passage, and to construct a sermon well, to also communicate with the audience in a culturally ‘normal’ way. Good book, and good insights, but I think misses a logical conclusion to his argument.

There’s a great new resource come out from the Good Book Company, a four-week evangelistic course on a DVD, featuring Pete Woodcock and Lizzie Smallwood. It’s based around 4 stories that Jesus tells in Luke’s Gospel – The Rich Fool, The Two Lost Sons, The Pharisee and the Tax Collector… Each episode is based around 3 5-minute teaching clips and one testimony. Here’s 5 reasons why I think it’s great:

1. 4 Weeks seems like a good length for a short course… some people might be put off by a 10 week course
2. You don’t need a really good speaker… they’re there on the DVD
3. You can choose to have a bloke or a lady speaking, depending on your context
4. It’s really simple, short and down to earth
5. Each episode finishes with a helpful testimony

Here’s what a lady involved in a Mums and Toddlers group at my church thought:

I thought it was really good for anybody that it would be totally new to the idea of reading or doing a study/course. Very accessible and the testimonies were brilliant. The stories were well chosen to build up the picture of Jesus. I think it would provide an excellent step on from ‘Tiddlywinks’ and youth groups for people who are interested in finding out more about Jesus but Christianity Explained may bo too soon/too much. The people doing were generally very good, but sometimes a little cheesy! But certainly better than many I have seen on DVD format. Still think first hand person is probably best way to hear things, but think its generally a good resource.

You can buy the starter pack for just £16 – including DVD and 3 study guides

Lifted – Experiencing the resurrection life, is the new book by Sam Allberry. 140 pages, published by IVP looking at 4 big implications of the Resurrection; Assurance, Transformation, Hope and Mission.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and consequently recommended it to be our Easter Focus book on our church bookstall this Easter.

Allberry brings a simple, informal style to help make weighty subjects accessible, with helpful illustrations and witty comments to keep the reader engaged! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it… often I find books hard work, when the author just talks… but in Lifted you’re gently taken through the implications of the Resurrection – and you’ll want to keep reading.

My fiancé demolished the book in one sitting as she prepared to give a youth talk on the Resurrection… her assessment was… Great book, especially chapter 3 on Christian Hope… great to be reminded, refreshed and encouraged by the hope of resurrection life to come.

It’s well worth a read - Buy it now – just £6.29!

Raised with Christ – How the Resurrection Changes Everything… is the new book released by popular UK Christian Blogger, Adrian Warnock. Who despite making fun of my figure on at least one ocassion (pot, kettle, black), is quite a nice bloke really, and sent me a copy of his book, very nice.

It seems that in his great providence God has seen it right to raise up some folk in the Church to write for us on the subject of the Resurrection; Adrian Warnock, Sam Allberry, Tim Chester, Dan Clark and Don Carson of late. In his book Adrian sets out to put the Resurrection back on the agenda!

The book sets out in the opening chapters to provide a framework for Resurrection, looking at historical evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, thoughts on why we neglect the Resurrection, and looking at some Biblical background of what resurrection is, means, and occurrences of it before Jesus (great pointers to lots of OT passages). While this is probably a necessary framework to have, it is not done in sufficient detail to be convincing… ie. I wouldn’t point a sceptical friend here to examine evidence for the Resurrection. But this is not the focus of the book, rather the book gets going in the later chapters as Warnock looks at the implications of the resurrection… how it changes everything!

There’s rich material here looking at the Apostles focus on preaching the Resurrection, spelling out what it means to be united with Christ and practical application on what it looks like to be transformed in the light of the Resurrection. The book concludes with yet more practical outworkings, looking at being born again - resurrection life in the believer, revival, mission, the Spirit sent by the risen Lord (lays out some controversial issues graciously), and the hope and assurance that the Resurrection brings.

“Christians have the same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead living inside them. One day that power will complete the work of saving us, but in the meantime the normal Christian life can be one in which we are very aware of the change that the resurrection brings. We are citizens of the age to come, living in a world that is dead to God. But we are not dead to him. We live to him. May God help us live in the light of that fact more each day.”

See also reviews by: Dave Bish, Phil Sweeting

Definitely worth reading, and a great resource to have when thinking about the Resurrection. Packed with helpful quotes and footnotes for further study.

Currently it’s selling for less than £10 on Amazon – buy it now!

One of the things I do as part of my ‘discernment’ about possible ministry in the CofE is read books from different perspectives… one such book is ‘The Christian Priest Today‘ by Michael Ramsey, it’s a book all about ‘being a priest’, but I struggle with the way it’s often written because it’s coming from quite a Catholic position… one bit I do think is great though is his words on the priestly, intercessory role in prayer…

Now we can begin to see what is our own role of men of prayer, as priestly intercessors. We are called, near to Jesus and with Jesus and in Jesus, to be with God with the people on our heart…

…And because you are with him and near him whose name is love you will have the people you care for on your heart. In this way adoration turns into “intercession”, the bringing of people and needs and sorrows and joys and causes into the stream of the divine love. Be with God (adoration) with the people of God on your heart (intercession). It is like Aaron of old who went into the holy of holies wearing a breastplate with jewels representing the tribes of Israel whose priest he was: he went near to God with the people on his hear.

Authors Adrian Warnock and Sam Allberry in conversation about their respective books:

Raised With Christ and Lifted – Two Books On The Resurrection from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.