All posts in Books

Collision

by Hugh on August 20, 2009 in Books, Faith, Film & TV with 2 Comments

I love the debates between Douglas Wilson and Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens is so arrogant, witty, quick, has a way with words, is persuasive, and oozes intellect. Doug is measured, thought through, firm in what he believes, picks the right arguments, thinks outside the box, and actually attacks the foundations of the Atheist worldview, rather than simply defending the Christian one.

…all this is why I’m quite excited by the forthcoming release of the DVD of Collision, a documentary following the lives, interactions and debates between these two men. It’s due to be released on the 27th October 2009. You can pre-order from Amazon in the States, no word on the UK site as yet. Check out the preview below:

Also, I just found out there’s a book on their debates – ‘Is Christianity good for the world?‘ – looks good, I’m gonna get it. Just £6.40 at Amazon, looks like a bargain as well. This book has the main content surrounding their initial private correspondance and then their public debates.

I’ll post a few more resources in the coming weeks, but I think we’ve had enough of Hitchens really, while I do admire the way he debates in many ways it does seem to be a case of who can shout loudest!

Maintaining Hope through Suffering

by Hugh on June 22, 2009 in Books, Faith, Talks with No comments

‘Maintaining Hope through Suffering‘ is the title of a paper written by my Dad (David Bourne) for the Fellowship of Word and Spirit.

My mum experienced a great deal of personal suffering throughout her life, largely through a series of illnesses. Dad was obviously very much a part of this suffering. In this talk he outlines the situations we faced as a family and how we have been able to maintain a right view of both God and the suffering, how we have maintained hope when all seems lost, when suffering seems pointless, and when God seems far. We do indeed have a great hope in Jesus!

You can download the talk script.

Also, he also gave a talk, based on similar thinking called – “Suffering and a God of love – no way!” – much of this thinking has been influenced of course by personal circumstances as well as the writings of John Piper, Alec Motyer and others. If you want to know a little more about my family, my mum & dad, as well as I trust, some encouragement through suffering, then listen to this talk!

Two books which have personally helped me through difficult times are:

God in the Storm, by Marc Maillefer

This is a book which seeks to find a Biblical perspective on suffering while at the same time offering pastoral encouragement in light of the author’s own experience of suffering.

Spectacular Sins, by John Piper

Although not specifically about suffering, John Piper draws on the themes of evil, Sin and suffering, to show that even through the dark times in life, God is very much at work. Not simply allowing suffering, but ordaining and using suffering for his glory and our growth.

Pastor Dad

by Hugh on June 22, 2009 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

Pastor Dad is a new short book released by The Resurgence, written by Mark Driscoll. It’s subtitled “Scriptual Thoughts on Fatherhoods” and is based on a sermon originally preached in 2001. I haven’t read it… I’m not a Dad… one day maybe… If you are, go check it out… it’s available freely as an e-book from the Resurgence website

Valley of Vision

by Hugh on March 23, 2009 in Arts, Books, Faith with No comments

Devil's Dyke I’ve just borrowed a little book of Mrs. Payne called Valley of Vision. It’s a collection of Puritan prayers – it’s mustard. Like a little devotion book – I’ve been using it this week to help me pray, in particularly in preparation to preach. The picture is my local valley, up at Devil’s Dyke – ironic to be preparing to preach and praying on a hill named after the enemy.

I’ve been meaning to get hold of the Sovereign Grace CD of this, some of the prayers put to music – Valley of Vision CD. You can get the book here.

Lord, High and Holy, Meek and Lowly,
Thou has brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory.

Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.

Ballast in your boat

by Hugh on January 30, 2009 in Books, Faith with No comments

“It is not my calling to help you to have chipper feelings while the whole of creation groans. My job is to put the kind of ballast in the belly of your boat so that when these waves crash against your life, you will not capsize but make it to the harbour of heaven battered and wounded but full of faith and joy”

John Piper, Spectacular Sins [pg. 28]

Porn-Again Christian

by Hugh on January 25, 2009 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

‘Porn-Again Christian‘ is the punningly named title of a new e-book written by Mark Driscoll and published online (for free) at The Resurgence. Driscoll doesn’t mince his words, hence the sub-title – “a frank discussion on pornography and masturbation”… and that’s what it is; real, honest words to men about the issues surrounding lust, with a grasp of both the theology and practicalities of the issue.

Because the book is very frank I won’t go into details… but there’s two focuses of the book… firstly the theology – what is lust, why do we lust, why do we sin, why do we reject God for the inferior pleasures of lust? and secondly the application of that, how practically can I avoid temptation and fight it when it comes… it covers porn, masturbation, godly sex in marriage, being a man, and some Q&A.

The book concludes with something very profound, and very disturbing. It is an interview with Ted Bundy, American serial killer who explains in an interview with a Christian leader James Dobson how experiences of soft porn started a slippery slope into more hardcore, more violent materials and then ultimately to sexual violence and murder in the real life. What’s frightening is that Bundy had a ‘normal’ upbringing… a stable family and a Christian home, but the images of pornography and the violence of films changed him. There’s also an appendix looking at the real, current effects of prostitution and sexual slavery in the world today.

“In closing, sin leads to death. Jesus died for your sin. You are in a war. Be a man. Put your sin to death.”

A Few Good Men

by Hugh on January 24, 2009 in Books, Faith with No comments

A Few Good Men is an encouraging read, designed to spur Christian men on in their faith through the example of Biblical heroes of the faith. Author, Richard Coekin (Co-Mission, London Men’s Convention) takes us to these heroes and applies the good principles of how they lived and applies it to us, here and now. He uses the following 10 examples, drawing on one particular aspect of their character:

Obedient Noah, Sacrificial Abraham, Self-disciplined Joseph, Unworldly Moses, Wholehearted Caleb, Humble Isaiah, Distinctive Daniel, Pastoral Paul, Prayerful Epaphras, and Loyal Onesiphorus.

Each chapter includes the Bible text telling the story of one of these heroes. Coekin then rewrites the story in his own words drawing out the situations and characters in the stories, helping the reader to really grasp what’s going on, after reading that you feel a lot closer to understanding the character. From this point Coekin helps us to apply the principles of godly character into our own situations; at home, at the workplace, at university etc.

The chapters conclude with some extra biblical background information on the character, and then some group discussion questions in light of the applications of the chapter. There is also a concluding 11th chapter conclusion… “Jesus: the perfect man”… Coekin finishes by showing how Jesus is the fulfilment of all these heroes and how he shows perfection in all of these godly characteristics.

The book is an enjoyable read, it’s helped greatly by Coekin’s retelling sections, they help you to understand what’s going on, each chapter is almost like a short commentary/biography on the character – very useful. The book has great story telling, great application and it’s always grounded in and directs the reader to the cross of Christ.

Having said that one of my concerns in the way the book is written is that it may come across as a little bit religious. While the book is aimed to spur Christians on, and it’s made clear that Jesus is the only perfect man, Coekin ignores the massive failures of these men, reading some chapters just made me feel a bit rubbish, I feel the book could be better if it also picked up on these men’s failures and the grace that kept them. So it was great that Coekin always took us to the cross, but I felt it needed the GRACE of God in the cross and in the lives of these men to be emphasised more.

I do highly commend it, great to read, great as a resource looking at Biblical characters, and I’m sure it would be great for a men’s group to read together and discuss. Get your copy from the Good Book Company, only £7.

Spectacular Sins

by Hugh on January 6, 2009 in Books, Faith with No comments

Me and my dad are both reading one of John Piper’s recent books – ‘Spectacular Sins and their global purpose in the glory of Christ’. It’s a book about God being in complete control of EVERYTHING, and not just that it’s about EVERYTHING having one purpose – to give God glory… everything means everything, even the worst sins ever committed in human history!

“At the all-important pivot of human history, the worst sin ever committed served to show the greatest glory of Christ and obtain the sin-conquering gift of God’s grace. God did not just overcome evil at the cross. He made evil serve the overcoming of evil. He made evil commit suicide in doing its worst evil.

Evil is anything and everything opposed to the fullest display of the glory of Christ. That’s the meaning of evil. In the death of Christ, the powers of darkness did their best to destroy the glory of the Son of God. This is the apex of evil. But instead they found themselves quoting the script of the ancient prophecy and acting the part assigned by God. Precisely in putting Christ to death, they put his glory on display – the very glory they aimed to destroy. The apex of evil achieved the apex of the glory of Christ. The glory of grace.”

John Piper, Spectacular Sins [pg. 12]

When I read this it blew me away, and this is just part of the introduction! I’m going to give a full review when I finish reading it… shouldn’t be long, it’s hard to put down!

Keller on Lust

by Hugh on January 1, 2009 in Books, Faith with No comments

The solution to a bad marriage is a reorientation to the radical spousal love of Christ in the gospel. “Thou shall not commit adultery” makes sense in the context of the spousal love of Jesus, especially in the cross, where he was completely faithful to you. Only when you know the spousal love of Christ will you have a real fortitude against lust. His love is fulfilling – which keeps you from looking to sexuality to give you what only Jesus can give.

What is the point? What makes you faithful or generous [or sexually pure?]� is not just a redoubled effort to follow moral rules. Rather, all change comes from deepening your understanding of the salvation of Christ and living out of the changes that understanding creates in your heart. Faith in the gospel restructures our motivations, our self-understanding, our identity, and our view of the world. Behavioural compliance to rules without heart-change will be superficial and fleeting.

Tim Keller, The Prodigal God (pg. 118)

Rarely do you ever get anyone give any practical advice in terms of battling lust (except lists of don’ts)… Keller gives both the theological advice (above) and the practical – also worth checking out is his after sermon Q&A on this subject, his main point, that I remember anyway, is that all physical lust is sexual energy, certainly it is more than just physical but it is still energy that needs to be released… through a punch bag maybe? I’m pretty lazy, but he’s got a point, it’s all energy and there’s different ways, some godly, some not, to release that energy. Have a listen below…

Redeemer Q&A� -� Celibacy and Sexual Fasting

Why I like the Prodigal God

by Hugh on December 31, 2008 in Books, Faith with No comments

I finally got round to finishing Tim Keller’s ‘The Prodigal God’, it’s not a long book, I’m just a slow reader and easily distracted! If you want a summary of the book, I would say… Tim Keller through the Parable of the Lost Son (Luke 15) exposes how we look for hope in the world – through the emptiness of sensual living (like the younger son) or through the folly of moral obedience (like the elder son), he shows us how living in these ways cause us to be lost. But he shows us the hope of a third way, the hope of the gospel, the hope that comes only from God’s lavish grace given in Jesus.

Here’s some reasons why I like the book, other than the previous sentence:

It helps you to see things differently – particularly in exposes the true cost of bringing the younger son back and the true heart of the elder brother
There are loads of little mini Bible overviews of themes running throughout; the Father, the true elder brother, Sin, forgiveness, repentance, exile, lostness, Hope, Home, feasts
Keller does faithful exposition, practical, relevant application and Biblical overview all in the same chapter
I don’t really read novels, but it’s great for people who do… Keller seamlessly interweaves the narrative of secular novels by way of illustration into his writing
Keller’s assertions are backed up through the writings of philosophers, it’s intellectually robust

Finally I loved Keller’s concluding acknowledgement to the influence of Edmund Clowney in his ministry:

“He also taught me that it was possible to be theologically sound and completely orthodox and yet unfailing gracious – a rare and precious combination.”

This is a definite must-read, go and get it – £10 from the Good Book Company.