All posts tagged Books

One Question

by Hugh on March 24, 2008 in Books, Faith with No comments

The good people at the Good Book Company sent me a copy of this little new book produced by the Christianity Explored guys. It’s designed to be an accompaniment to the course but can stand alone. Until now I’d only skimmed through it, we ordered 25 copies for the events week at Sussex – 5 lunchbars, 5 people each day interested enough to read a book, seemed reasonable… they were all gone by the Wednesday, I think because they look interesting and contemporary, and they cover a broad range of questions.

The book goes through 13 common questions, that seekers, and for that matter Christians will ask about the Christian faith. It’s a small book, about 100 pages, so there’s not a huge amount of detail to the answers – the authors have suggested further reading of a more technical nature.

First thing I guess to say is that this book is not a ‘Reason for God’, ‘Mere Christianity’ kindof book, it doesn’t deal with the big philosophical questions about God, nor does it deal with the complex Science and Evolution questions, and the questions it does deal with, well it only has 10 pages for each, but to go deeper there is the further reading list already mentioned. I suppose also it’s not really apologetics in the ‘be-thinking’ style, although the style of the questions might give that impression. The methodology of the book is more like simply pointing people to the Scriptures and using stories and illustrations to explain the words of Jesus – a good approach!

So who is the book for? Well, it’s aimed at anyone who’s already interested in thinking about God, someone who has genuine questions (so it’s the perfect accompaniment to a Christianity Explored course), and the questions it deals with are more of the moral and spiritual questions about God. I guess it’s fair to say that just in the style of writing and illustrations used that it’s aimed at a younger generation, well under 40, not that young then!

Here are the 13 questions:

1. If you’re really there, God, why on earth don’t you prove it?
2. Isn’t the Bible just a bunch of made up stories?
3. All good people go to heaven, right?
4. If you’re a God of love, why send anyone to Hell?
5. If Jesus really was your Son, how come He got killed?
6. If I can be forgiven everything, doesn’t that mean I can do whatever I like?
7. How can anyone be sure there’s life after death?
8. What about followers of other religions?
9. Isn’t faith just a psychological crutch?
10. Why do you allow suffering?
11. Why do you hate sex?
12. Why don’t you just do a miracle?
13. So, God, if You could ask me one question, what would it be?

I very much enjoyed the laid back style of the book, there’s lots of good, contemporary illustrations that are both funny and personal which I think helps the reader to warm to the book and to what the author has to say. It’s also very Biblical, which I guess may not be great if that’s the reader’s big obstacle to faith, but it’s good that the question about the reliability of the Bible is addressed at the start, and of course I thoroughly believe in Biblical Evangelism – after all the book is about asking God questions, so God’s word must be where we look for the answers!

One part I particularly enjoyed was from question 3, author Paul Williams recounts his time working at the Bedfordshire Times, a newspaper I have read on at least one occasion. He explains the time when he got an opportunity to sit at the bosses desk… great little story, amusing, and a great illustration of Sin, our dethronement of God. It’s also good that the book ends by directly addressing the reader, what would God ask us? We are taken to the parable of the rich farmer… what good is it if we gain the world, but forfeit our soul?!

You can get this book from the Good Book Company for the bargain price of �5, yep you worked it out, that’s �3.75 if you are the proud owner of a UCCF Student Card! Consider getting some copies especially if you’re running lunchbar talks or hosting a Christianity Explored course.

I killed God

by Hugh on March 21, 2008 in Faith with No comments

As these shouts and screams from the mob grow in volume, what’s it like for our Lord to look out upon these people? Even if you can’t recognize yourself among the angry face, or distinguish your own strident voice… He can. And in response to those sinful shouts and curses from you and me, Jesus yields to the sentence of death……
When we begin to grasp that we joined that mockery – that we are to blame for the Saviour’s death – we start to understand the seriousness of our sin.
But convicting you of sin is not my ultimate purpose here; rather, I want to convince you of grace. For when you’re deeply aware of your sin, and of what an affront it is to God’s holiness, and of how impossible it is for Him to respond with anything other than furious wrath – you can only be overwhelmed with how amazing grace is.

Only those who are truly aware of their sin can truly cherish grace.

CJ Mahaney, Living the Cross Centered Life (page 88)

LMC 2008

by Hugh on March 18, 2008 in Faith with No comments

The London Men’s Convention 2008 is in two weeks time, bad planning on my part has meant that I can’t go this year, gutted. They have a nice new website as of a few months ago, better than the last one and brings the 4 ‘Christian Conventions’ together, which is good if perpetuating the North/South divide. I had hoped to go, particularly I wanted to hear Al Stewart speak, I’d never heard of him before, but he’s sounds good, a proper Aussie – see interview below…

If you are going, make sure you do ‘The Deal‘, 3 books for �10; Vaughan Roberts – ‘Missing the Point’, Al Stewart – ‘Men’, and Paul Williams and Barry Cooper – ‘If you could ask God one question’ (I’ll be reviewing this at the end of the week)… Bargain!

Living the Cross Centered Life

by Hugh on March 17, 2008 in Books, Faith with 4 Comments

With Easter approaching I wanted to read a book on the cross, but with the pressures of work I didn’t have time to pick up a ‘big one’, but this little CJ Mahaney book packs a big punch, it’s short but meaty.

CJ starts off with some basic foundational points; Paul describes the Gospel as of “first importance” (1 Cor 15), it should be the main thing in our lives and we need to keep it the main thing. But he points out there’s 3 other beliefs that draw us away from the Gospel:

Subjectivism – basing our view of God on our changing feelings and emotions
Legalism – basing our view of God on our own performance
Condemnation – being more focused on our sin than on God’s grace

The book goes on to deconstruct these errors and to put our focus back on God’s grace given to us at the cross. One of the things I love about this book is that CJ is so good at taking complex theological words and the different facets of the cross making them easy to understand, and thoroughly practical: love, justice, penal substitution, justification, redemption, sacrifice, wrath, ransom, expiation, judgement, imputed righteousness, suffering… all this great doctrine is interwoven into simple exultation of the cross, and the call to live life with the cross at the centre of all things.

The book is worth reading if only for chapter six and seven; they are powerful and emotive, bringing the truth of the cross to the reader with great clarity and conviction. Chapter six explains what’s going on in Gethsemane, Jesus is taking the cup of God’s wrath, his soul is “sorrowful”, he falls down and prays that God would take the cup away… CJ shows the pain caused, the anguish and agony when God’s wrath is placed upon someone, the spiritual separation from God is great, Jesus feels this pain. But, this is my cup that Jesus takes, “He took the cup that was reserved for me”, the sorrow that we see in Jesus in the garden should be what we experience now.

Chapter seven is called “Your Face in the Crowd”, who do we identify most with in the crucifiction accounts; the disciples, Pilate, Judas, the women, the crowd? Martin Povey spoke at BH last night and made it clear why we can all identify with Judas, we’ve all betrayed our saviour. The lyrics to a Mars Hill song, can’t remember the song or the exact words, but it was along the lines of “Judas sold you for 30 pieces, I’d have done it for less.” CJ puts us in the crowd above other places, we’re the ones calling for Jesus to be crucified, it’s our sin that sent him there!

You can get a book called “The Cross Centred Life” for the bargain price of �6 from the Good Book Company, that’s �4.50 with a UCCF Student Card… although it is a reduced version, my book is called “Living the Cross Centered Life” and has a white cover, the book on GBC is called “The Cross Centered Life” and has an orange cover… according to Matthew, my one is two books brought together- “The Cross Centered Life” and “Christ our mediator”… anyway, whichever book you find, buy it and read it! Will have to read Humility soon, another highly rated book by CJ.

How do you spell Centered? I would have spelt it “Centred”… am I being stupid, or is it one of those silly American spelling mistakes?

Keller, Google, GBC and UCCF

by Hugh on March 13, 2008 in Books, Faith with 1 Comment

So anyway, a few updates on Tim Keller’s new book, ‘The Reason for God’…

Firstly, TK is on a book tour and he got to speak at Google… they run an event called Authors@Google where authors come in and plug their books… this was supposed to be the best attended ever, with around 150 Google employees coming to listen to TK and do a Q&A. A guy called Justin Buzzard was also there and blogged about it…

Secondly, you can now buy the book in the UK, possibly this is the only, or at least one of the few places that you can get it… and that is from the Good Book Company. It’s the bargain price of �12, or if you have a UCCF Student Card, that’ll be �9! I’m going to get a copy, although I’m secretly hoping this plug along with a little business proposition will persuade GBC to send me a free copy – hey if you don’t ask you don’t get, right?

UPDATE

…also, Tim Challies, ‘The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment‘ is available, same price.

…and Bish thinks I should get a free copy of the book, review copies for bloggers – a good idea!

Critiquing Driscoll

by Hugh on February 21, 2008 in Books, Faith with No comments

A lot of people don’t like Mark Driscoll – shock horror! But most of the flack doesn’t come from non-Christians, emergents or liberals, but rather from reformed evangelicals (of which he is one). Basically, many people don’t like his use of language, he doesn’t swear but does use words and phrases that if we’re all honest we may not use in front of our mothers.

Some would take the line that his use of risque language should disqualify him from ministry, on the basis of verses like Ephesians 5:4 – “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”

I think there’s always a balance, when you preach the gospel you should be relevant and contextualise to best communicate the truths of the gospel to the audience. For Driscoll in his demographic, his cool, informal, slang style is entirely appropriate. There is certainly a danger he can go too far, and I’m sure he has.

Tim Challies is never overly enthusiastic about Mark Driscoll, but he has written a fair and well-balanced critique in the midst of many unhelpful and self-righteous comments from others. TC seems quite discerning… might have to read his book “The Discipline of Spirtual Discernment“

Boy Meets Girl

by Hugh on February 20, 2008 in Books, Faith with 2 Comments

Much has been written over the years about this book and the others in the Joshua Harris series… I myself was annoyed when JH wrote yet another book about dating, called ‘Stop Dating the Church’ – I later found out this wasn’t actually about dating! Anyway, I read this a couple of months ago…

A lot that has been spoken and written about this book and his other one (I kissed dating goodbye) has been a bit negative I think, particularly in the UK. I think that’s because we come with a basic misunderstanding about the book, that is we think “this is Josh Harris telling us how to do relationships the right way”, and also I guess people will have been told by their churches or families “read this book, this is the right way to do relationships”. I think we come with the wrong view, JH makes it clear that the book is advice based on personal experience, not a one-size-fits-all or legalistic approach… and if we’re not convinced then he makes the point again on his blog.

There is an issue I have with the book however, courtship as he describes doesn’t work here, or isn’t easy, unless you want to marry the girl next door – how are you supposed to ask someone’s parents permission before you know if they’re interested? Anyway, I think the courting model does work in home-school, Christian-right, parts of the USA… but probably not here.

What I do like however is the stories, after all it is a personal book, JH shares his story of how he got together with his wife as well as other stories about friends… I guess at heart I’m a bit of a romantic, I love the story of the little drummer boy in Love Actually for one, and the stories in this book, there’s one about ‘Rich and Christy’ which makes me get a little bit emotional, for about 10 seconds before my manliness kicks in again! Some of JH’s personal stories seem a bit over the top, a bit legalistic, but you can see that he’s all about doing the right thing, honouring God, respecting his sisters in Christ and not entertaining even a hint of immorality.

Personally I prefer a model of Christian dating, or ‘Dourting’, which is a bit more realistic to a more ‘normal’ situation – which Mark Driscoll has explained in his latest sermon along with some good humour (see Christian dating bubble), you can see that sermon here.

I still have a bit more to read, but I think the last bit is more aimed at engaged couples. Another book on a similar vein that I’m going to read is ‘Married for God‘, by Christopher Ash, it’s being plugged at church at the moment for �7.99 – fortunately I got a free copy at EMA!

Encouragement in the Ordinary

by Hugh on February 19, 2008 in Books, Faith with No comments

Here’s a book that I’d like to read… Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor: The Life and reflection of Tom Carson

Picked this up on Justin Taylor’s blog who quoted CJ Mahaney on this book. Here’s a few quotes from CJ…

“For pastors like myself with average gifts…” <- CJ is a humble guy

“this book will provide us with an eternal perspective of pastoral ministry”

“May every pastor and Christian who reads this book aspire to pass on such an �ordinary� legacy.”

…and here’s a quote from the end of the book

When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he has stopped breathing and would never need it again.

But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man�he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor�but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, �Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.�

If I’m ever one of the finest Biblical scholars of my day, or have enough skill and credibility to get a book published maybe I’ll write a book about my dad… think he’s probably safe from that dubious honour of me writing a book about him!

When The Darkness Will Not Lift

by Hugh on February 19, 2008 in Books, Faith with No comments

I know it’s sin to dislike “joyful Christians”, but sometimes it’s hard not to, particularly when occasionally you do meet the ‘Ned Flanders’ type who is constantly rejoicing, always joyful – maybe I’m too English and reserved, maybe I should be seeking some experience to give some joy, maybe I’m just a grumpy old man, maybe I’m typical, maybe I’m in need of some more sanctifying…?

Sometimes I really dislike John Piper also… “God is most glorified in you, when you are most satisfied in him”… he makes joy, and satisfaction in God sound easy and normal. Really? Maybe it’s just me but I find it hard to be joyful a lot of the time… life is stressful, sometimes I wonder if God is gonna answer my prayers, sometimes sin just gets in the way, sometimes sin seems more attractive than God,

On a side note there’s some interesting discussions about JP’s theology and the subject of Christian Hedonism in the blogworld, Ed Goode has given some thoughts with a few other references here.

However, before I slate Piper too much, he does also write books to flesh out his ‘slogans’, they kindof explain and defend his ‘brand’ of Christian Hedonism. I just read this little book ‘When the Darkness will not lift’, which as I understand is pretty much the last chapter of a slightly bigger book ‘When I don’t desire God’. It’s thinking about the topics of depression and suffering and how we can find joy in the midst of these.

Piper clearly and concisely takes us through a variety of what I guess you’d call ‘stumbling blocks’ to joy. Depression, suffering, sin – Piper takes these and honestly and helpfully shows us the issues, gives us some encouragement from scripture and helps us to see that joy is attainable because it rests not on our feelings but on the grace of God ministered through Christ. Although Piper can be blunt as well, in one chapter he says “Do your duty”, basically just get on with life… not quite that blunt, but he’s right isn’t he, apathy and idleness is a place for sin and temptation, whereas getting on with life, getting on with serving and worshipping God (even when we don’t feel like we want to, when we don’t feel joyful) is how we can fight for joy – and in that to pray that God would give us joy.

This is a small book, and JP recommends obviously his bigger version as well as some big old books for further reading such as; Lloyd-Jones – Spiritual Depression, John Owen – Overcoming Sin and Temptation, Richard Sibbes – Bruised Reed, Richard Baxter – The Cure of Melancholy, and some others…

Interestingly the end of this book includes the story of William Cowper, who was deeply encouraged by the ministry of John Newton who shared his life and the grace he had found in Christ with him. Right up until his death Cowper was troubled by depression and attempts at suicide, but authored many hymns testifying to the grace of God.

You fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

from ‘God moves in a mysterious way’

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
and there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.
Wash all my sins away, wash all my sins away;
and there may I, though vile as he, wash all my sins away.

from ‘There is a fountain filled with blood’

I say it’s interesting that the book concluded with this testimony because not long before I saw his story here…

Reason for God

by Hugh on February 18, 2008 in Books, Faith with 3 Comments

Keller - Reason for God Tim Keller’s book came out last week. Looks really good.

Check out the ‘Reason for God‘ website, there’s a little video interview with TK explaining the book and also some links to some audio available for free.

I’ll have to grab a copy some time, although Wesley Owen didn’t even have TK in their database, because they are rubbish… on a side rant 1) WO failed to deliver my books in time, got lost in the post or something… 2) WO is full of awful books, they are all about selling books and seem to have no discernment in what they stock, the best sellers includes lots of Osteen, Meyer and other bad books… not good!