Christianity Today’s recommended summer reading

Big Truths for Young Hearts : Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God
by Bruce Ware
Crossway, April 2009
224 pp., $11.99

Your beach companions will think you’re prepping for Sunday school or family devotions. You’ll actually be learning plenty yourself from an unusually gifted theologian equally adept at teaching seminary students and young children.

Christless Christianity : The Alternative Gospel of the American Church
by Michael Horton
Baker Books, December 2008
240 pp., $14.99

Maybe you should wait to read this book on a rainy day when you can’t go to the beach. Horton, a discerning and clear-thinking theologian, diagnoses what ills American believers, including consumerism, individualism, and nationalism.

Fearless Pilgrim : The Life and Times of John Bunyan
by Faith Cook
Evangelical Press, January 2008
432 pp., $21.99

Biographies make for a quick, engaging read. Cook explores the times that gave us Bunyan, the pastor and prisoner whose best-selling The Pilgrim’s Progress brought theology to the masses.

The New Shape of World Christianity : How American Experience Reflects Global Faith
by Mark A. Noll
IVP Academic, June 2009
250 pp., $17.99

Venerable historian Noll expands on the contributions of missiologist Andrew Walls to show how American Christianity has shaped the rapidly expanding global church.

Politics for the Greatest Good : The Case for Prudence in the Public Square
by Clarke Forsythe
IVP Books, June 2009
304 pp., $16.99

The senior counsel for Americans United for Life advocates the neglected virtue of prudence for fighting abortion. His timing is impeccable for Christians dealing with the ramifications of George Tiller’s murder.

When Athens Met Jerusalem : An Introduction to Classical and Christian Thought
by John Mark Reynolds
IVP Academic, June 2009
240 pp., $15.99

Theology has always confronted and conformed to the intellectual trends of its cultural context. Like some early Christian apologists, Reynolds draws connections between Hebrew theology and the Greek philosophy so popular in ancient Rome. He even dares to recommend cooperation between faith and reason in order to save Western civilization.

Justification : God’s Plan and Paul’s Vision
by N. T. Wright
IVP Academic, May 2009
264 pp., $17.99

Read for yourself what all the fuss is about. Bring along the handy chart from the June issue of Christianity Today to compare Wright with his chief critic, John Piper. Justification is too important to be left to professional theologians, so bring your Bible, too, and trace the sometimes-complex arguments.

Why We Love the Church : In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion
by Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck
Moody Publishers, July 2009
224 pp., $11.99

The authors of the award-winning Why We’re Not Emergent return to tackle another set of theological innovators. Whether committed, disgruntled, waffling, or disconnected from the local church, this book will help you love the bride of Christ.

Predestination : The American Career of a Contentious Doctrine
by Peter Thuesen
Oxford University Press, July 2009
288 pp., $27.99

Want to celebrate the summer of John Calvin’s 500th birthday? Then read about the history of the doctrine most closely associated with him. You’ll see just how far theology can stretch over space and time.

Adopted for Life : The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches
by Russell Moore
Crossway Books & Bibles, May 2009
288 pp., $11.99

Readers rave at Moore’s ability to link important theological concepts with contemporary concerns. But you better handle this book delicately. You might return home from the beach with a new calling that will change your family’s life.

Evaluating preaching

This evaluation form was posted at Unashamed Workman. The questions are not as objective as they could be, but the trajectory is right. This would not be a bad form to put in the church bulletin from time to time to give the congregation some idea of what a sermon should be and should do.

Faithfulness to Scripture and God.
These questions are related to the preacher’s theological accuracy.

1. The preaching assertions (points) were clearly rooted in the text and squared with the whole teaching of scripture. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

2. The central theme was an illustration of Christ – the message was clearly all about Jesus. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

3. The speaker seemed in awe of God, not merely focused upon his sermon and the audience. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

4. The speaker avoided moralizing or psychologizing, and distinguished these from the gospel. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

5. The goal was to get people face-to-face with God, rather than merely instruct. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

6. Christ and His finished work were applied as the practical solution to any problem. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

Message Delivery and Communication.
These questions are related to the preacher’s communication abilities and connection with the intended audience.

7. It was clear where the preacher was driving – and the progression of points was traceable. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

8. The points were presented in a fresh, wise, and striking way as opposed to boring & cliché. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

9. At the end of the preaching, the main point was both clear and persuasive. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

10. It was clear the speaker understood the hearers’ hopes, fears, problems, concerns, etc. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

11. The central metaphor or “hook” was gripping. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

12. Jesus was made visible, not just taught about. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

13. There was a balance of warmth, love and humility on the one hand and force, power and authority on the other. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree)

14. The notes followed the message and enhanced comprehension. (1 – Strongly Disagree 2 – Disagree 3 – Not Sure 4 – Agree 5 – Strongly Agree or N/A)

Pessimisms

What can you expect from a day that begins with getting up?  Wendy Ellner

“Great Books” series posted by Mark Driscoll

Driscoll goes subject by subject (Biblcial Inspiration and Authority, the Church, Apologetics, etc.) and lists his recommendations of reliable books on the topics. Seems pretty sound and predictable. But it’s a good summary of evangelical Protestant sources.

When I went to Eugene Peterson’s recommendations (Take and Read: Spiritual Reading: An Annotated List)  I knew I was in a different place. I don’t think I had even heard of a great number of the books he suggested and had actually been taught to distrust some of them.

The dogma IS the drama

The dogma is the drama—not beautiful phrases, nor comforting sentiments, nor vague aspirations to loving kindness and uplift, nor the promise of something nice after death — but the terrifying assertion that the same God who made the world lived in the world and passed through the grave and gate of death. Show that to a heathen, and they may not believe it; but at least they may realize that here is something that a man might be glad to believe.  Dorothy Sayers, Creed or Chaos?, 25 or Letters to a Diminished Church, 21

Today’s Quote 6/15/09

GLORY IN THE CROSS
by steve camp
written – 1/3/01

Glory in the cross, our faithful High Priest
Went beyond the veil as our Prince of Peace
Clothed with our sin, its guilt and shame
Our sinless Substitute, Jesus His name

Glory in the cross, the law now fulfilled
Righteousness displayed on Calvary’s Hill
He, Son of Man and God the Son
The Lord and the Lamb, our victory won

Glory in the cross, where grace doth abound
Where the Man of Sorrows wore transgressions crown
Wounded and chastened for our iniquities
Our faithful Redeemer, God the Father pleased

Glory in the cross, marked by sin’s crimson stain
Grace and forgiveness flows from His precious veins
Perfect redemption once for all sacrifice
Salvation made secure by the Lord Jesus Christ

Glory in the cross, Satan’s power of death destroyed
Rendered impotent by The Incarnate Word
He crushed the Serpents head upon Golgotha’s tree
Our great and dreadful Sovereign, Champion is He

Glory in the cross, the elect have been redeemed
O covenant of grace from eternity decreed
Worthy is the Lamb slain from all ages past
Sinners reconciled, true worshippers at last

Glory in the cross, “It is finished”, the Victor, cried
God propitiated, forever satisfied
Once enemies now brethren, estranged but brought near
His judgment assuaged no bondage nor fear

Glory in the cross, God forsaken of God
Smitten and afflicted, bruised with Heaven’s rod
Resurrected triumphant, our Lord, God and King
Grave where is thy vict’ry, O death where is thy sting?