All posts in Books

Review: Raised with Christ

by Hugh on April 7, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

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!

Adoration and Intercession

by Hugh on March 23, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

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.

Raised with Christ and Lifted

by Hugh on March 9, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

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.

3 New Books on The Resurrection

by Hugh on March 8, 2010 in Books, Faith with 2 Comments

Over the next few weeks leading up to Easter I’ll be reviewing 3 new books that are all about the Resurrection which seems appropriate given the time of year…

Raised with Christ, by Adrian Warnock (Crossway)
Scandalous, by Don Carson (IVP)
Lifted, by Sam Allberry (IVP)

Beginning with God

by Hugh on January 20, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

When I started to flick through this new book from The Good Book Company, I was excited by the thought of getting into the Bible, even though this book is aimed at families with pre-school children, it just looks great fun!

This is a new series of Bible study notes for parents to do with their children. Each session consists of an ‘appetiser’ introduction with ideas for chats and games, a main course with prayers, Bible story, and sticker time, and a snack time, a little nugget to keep kids thinking.

There’s a page at the back where you can photocopy and cut out the little snack nuggets and take them out with you during the day… I’m 24, and I think this sounds fun… in fact I might just have to start making babies (after getting married) so I can do it with my kids!!

The notes are written by Alison Mitchell and Jo Boddam Whetham, and produced by The Good Book Company. They’re just £5, which is a bargain with the stickers and fun stuff to do. You can get your hands on one of these from the 1st February… do it!

Read online sample (pdf)

Bruised Reed

by Hugh on January 17, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

An update from Matt Chandler, including this quote from Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed:

Nay, after conversion we need bruising, that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks; even we need bruising by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to bt us see that we live by mercy; and that weaker Christians may not be too much discouraged, when they see stronger ones shaken and bruised. Thus Peter was bruised when he wept bitterly. This reed, till he met with this bruise, had more wind in him than pith. ” Though all forsake thee, I will not,” &c. Matt. xxvi. 35. The people of God cannot be without these examples. The heroical deeds of those great worthies do not comfort the Church so much as their falls and bruises do.

The Unquenchable Flame

by Hugh on January 5, 2010 in Books, Faith with No comments

Last term we had a reading week at Cornhill… we were given the choice to read The Unquenchable Flame by Mike Reeves, or You Can Change by Tim Chester… I had wanted to read both, but chose the former.

As it happens, I didn’t read it then anyone… I filled my week up with other things… but I did finish it soon after! It’s a whilstle stop tour of the Reformation in Europe from the pre-reformation indulgences to the post-reformation Puritans and everything else in between.

Reeves keeps his good humour and slightly zany approach to historical theology. The main players and events are introduced in a novelistic kind of way, you feel a certain attachment and fondness for Luther as he drinks beer and Calvin as he’s hounded across Europe.

For me the best bit is the chapter on the English Reformation and the focus on William Tyndale. It’s the best because I live in England, it feels that much closer to home… this man died for the sake of the gospel and that I might be able to read the Bible in English!

“If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou doest.”

“Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”

You can buy the book on Amazon, currently for just £5.64 – Bargain!!

How to preach about idols

by Hugh on October 11, 2009 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

tkway Well you could use the TK way… that’s the “Tim Keller Way”… who tends to be quite insightful on the subject of preaching and idols…

Here’s a little video about his latest book:

Keller on Preaching and Idols

by Hugh on September 30, 2009 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

At Cornhill we’re doing some stuff about the theory of preaching. Much of the latter stuff on application comes from Tim Keller’s stuff on ‘Preaching to the heart‘ from his lectures at Oak Hill last year.

The good news is that this teaching is also going to be made available in book form as the guys at Cornhill get going on some editing for it. I’ll let you know if and when this book comes to be published, should be a good resource.

Also, there’s another Tim Keller book coming out now called ‘Counterfeit Gods’ all about the false promises of idols. It’s available from Amazon, hardback for less than £9 – pretty good deal me thinks.

Atonement

by Hugh on August 24, 2009 in Books, Film & TV with No comments

Every now and then I try and watch some films or read some books that I wouldn’t normally read… sometimes just to get a better understanding of what “popular culture” is liking at the present time, or specifically to be illustrations for talks. One such film is Atonement, staring Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy… originally it’s a novel by Ian McEwan.

Apparently it’s not the kind of film that a guy should be watching on his own… I should be watching Die Hard, or Dark Knight… but research is a good excuse. So anyway, this is genuine research as I prepare to preach on Leviticus 16 – The Day of Atonement… to be thinking about the question of atonement and how the world understands it.

Here’s my thoughts on how atonement is portrayed in this film:

Atonement is purely human – reconciling people with people
The culprit takes the initiative the make atonement with the victim
The motivation to make atonement is guilt
Atonement is costless
Atonement is rewriting the story, to make yourself feel better

I was hoping in watching this film to pick up a good illustration that pictures what atonement is… but it’s not really atonement at all, at least not that which we find in the Bible… atonement in the Bible is between man and God, it’s God’s initiative, his motivation is love, it costs him his Son, and he does it for his glory!