Leland Ryken. J. I. Packer: An Evangelical Life. Wheaton: Crossway, 2015. 432 pp. $22.20.
Leland Ryken’s biography of J. I. Packer is an easy-to-read look at the life of one of modern evangelicalism’s most important figures. Packer is a widely-known author, speaker, and scholar whose influence has been profound. His is most certainly a life worthy of a solid look into his experiences, his accomplishments, and his teachings.
Ryken writes a biography that is different than any that I can recall reading. The tone is more simple, almost chatty, as the author shares with us his gleanings from the life of J. I. Packer. The book combines Ryken’s memories of encounters and interviews with Packer as well as material gathered from Packer’s own writings and lectures.
I found myself enjoying this work for the insight it gives into who Packer is as a person. Some of the sweet and simple details about Packer’s childhood, his courtship of his wife, and his love of jazz were fascinating. It was also worth much for me to hear of Packer’s rise to prominence in evangelicalism, his move from England to Canada, his battle for the inerrancy of the Bible, and his love of expositional preaching.
While I find this book very worthwhile, I also have to admit that I found the treatment of Packer in this book a little glossy. Seldom did Ryken offer us a glimpse into Packer’s failings. Even when Packer’s participation in the Evangelicals and Catholics Together project was discussed, Ryken showed no willingness to consider that move an unwise or damaging part of Packer’s life, though it undoubtedly harmed his reputation among many. Obviously, writing a biography of a man who is still living is a difficult task, and evaluation and final assessments may not yet be appropriate, yet I think Ryken could have offered some clearer insights into the humanity of a man who we still see as a great figure on the evangelical landscape.
I received a free audio copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers. This work was read by David Cochran Heath, who always does a fine job. I will say, however, that there were moments during the narration in which I felt that the reader was almost tempted to slip into an impersonation of Packer’s accent and speech pattern. These moments were strange, and I am glad they were not more pronounced.
I would recommend this biography to any student of modern church history and theology. Packer is an important figure, and his life matters a great deal. It is encouraging to see how this man has stood for the Bible for so many years and has treasured the church so deeply. We can all learn from Packer’s life and be grateful to God for his accomplishments.
The Pastor’s Justification – A Review
Jared C. Wilson. The Pastor’s Justification: Applying the Work of Christ in Your Life and Ministry. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013. 192 pp. $14.12.
Jared Wilson has rapidly become one of my favorite authors of powerful, gospel-filled, and helpful books for pastors (and others I’m sure). Wilson writes with an honesty and clarity that make his books easy-to-read while presenting just the right balance of challenge and encouragement.
In The Pastor’s Justification, Wilson speaks from his own pastoral experience to remind pastors that the gospel matters in great ways. The message of Jesus is not only the message that we preach to others. If we are to pastor well, we must see that the gospel impacts every aspect of our ministry from our calling to how we handle ministerial hardships.
As I read this book, I found myself encouraged in so many ways. Wilson seems to have lived through some things that I have also experienced. He reminded me that, though preaching the gospel may seem counter-productive in some settings, it is still the only real way to preach. He reminded me that a pastor who does not have friends in the church is in real danger–an encouraging thing for me since I have seen pastors without friends, and they terrify me. Wilson showed in the book time and time again that pastors are greatly in need of the grace of God and that, thankfully, they have that grace.
This would be a great book to give to a pastor as a gift, for a seminary student to read, or for a deacon or elder to look over as a means to find ways to encourage other elders.
I would encourage any pastor or elder in any church to give this book a try.
Why Johnny Can’t Preach – A Review
T. David Gordon. Why Johnny Can’t Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers. Phillipsburg: P & R Publishing, 2009. 112 pp. $9.75.
I’ve long believed that the preaching responsibility of pastors is the area in which most pastors are least willing to learn and grow. It is far too easy for us to assume we are doing a good job, especially if people keep showing up and telling us happy things as they leave the building. Yet, if we are honest, few of us spend a proper amount of time developing the craft of creating solid, biblical, and beautiful sermons.
In Why Johnny Can’t Preach, T. David Gordon laments the state of modern preaching and offers some very helpful challenges for those whose task it is to regularly present God’s messages to God’s people. Gordon believes that many pastors in modern churches lack three major skills needed to be prepared to present powerful homilies. These skills include the ability to closely examine a text (reading), to wisely compose a message (writing), and to recognize what is actually important in life (a sense of the significant).
Without reviewing how Gordon makes his points, I will simply state that I agree with his major thoughts. Many pastors, I believe, do not regularly review their preaching for significance, quality, or effectiveness. Sadly, a pragmatic measure of attendance or a subjective feeling of how people are supposedly responding to the messages he presents are the key measures that the preachers I know tend to use. Often, these false measures can mask the fact that many sermons are arranged poorly, handle the text carelessly, slide into unbiblical thinking, end up moralistic or legalistic, or fall into a host of other problems.
Gordon argues that we will improve our preaching when we recover abilities that many have lost in our modern era. Preachers will improve when we learn to closely read texts in a way similar to the way that people from years ago knew how to closely read literature or poetry. We will also preach more beautifully when we learn to compose a sermon in ways similar to the way that people of old could thoughtfully arrange and compose speeches and correspondence. Pastors similarly should develop the discipline of putting away what is insignificant and learn to latch onto what matters–a difficult task in our media-saturated age.
This book is a short and easy read with some big challenges. I recommend it to those who would preach God’s word. Even if we think we are doing well, it cannot hurt us to let Gordon challenge us to go deeper and to not rest on our present state of preaching.
The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield – A Review
Steven J. Lawson. The Evangelistic Zeal of George Whitefield. Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust, 2014. 150 pp. $12.18.
George Whitefield is one of those names from the 18th century that many of us know, but whose story may be too often overlooked. A passionate evangelist, Whitefield preached the gospel in England and the American colonies during the same season as John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards.
Steven Lawson has risen to the challenge of helping us to understand the life, zeal, and message of George Whitefield. In a short and helpful book, Lawson introduces us to one of the greatest figures of the Great Awakening.
Two things stand out to me from Lawson’s recounting of Whitefield’s life: his suffering and his doctrine. Though I knew Whitefield to be a renowned evangelist, I had not heard of his physical weariness, the heckling of some in the crowds, or the attempts on his life. I also found it encouraging to read about Whitefield’s passionate belief in the doctrines of grace. Whitefield found strength to proclaim the gospel in his understanding that a sovereign God would draw people to himself. This trust in God’s sovereign election comforted Whitefield even as it drew to him persecution from others who did not share that doctrinal understanding.
I would recommend this work to anyone who enjoys biographies. I was greatly encouraged by Lawson’s description of Whitefield’s life, and I believe that others will be too.
I received a free copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as a part of their reviewers program. As always, the reading and audio quality of this work lived up to ChristianAudio’s high standard of excellence.
What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality – A Review
Kevin DeYoung. What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality. Wheaton: Crossway, 2015. 160 pp. $9.85.
Kevin DeYoung has written the best, short work on a biblical response to homosexuality that I have ever seen. In What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality, pastor and author DeYoung is clear, simple, biblical, and compassionate.
As DeYoung addresses the extremely sensitive issue of homosexuality and the biblical worldview, he is careful to begin by helping readers know that the Bible is about far more than our sexuality, but it does not avoid that issue. DeYoung then addresses the biblical understanding of human sexuality and works through the main biblical passages addressing the issue of homosexuality. The author then faithfully addresses the objections raised by those who would hope to liberalize the Christian response to homosexuality.
Kevin DeYoung is very clear in this book about his starting point, his standard of truth, and his conclusions. He lets readers know from the beginning that he believes that the Bible presents homosexuality as a sin. He clearly explains that the Bible is his standard for understanding the will of God in this area. And, as DeYoung works through the issue, his conclusion regarding homosexuality is also clear.
Of course some will read this book even though their view is different than DeYoung’s. Early on in the text, DeYoung expresses a hope that readers who disagree with him will not do so out of emotional responses, but only after faithful examination of his arguments. I believe that, if readers will take DeYoung seriously, they will indeed find that he has been faithful to the text of Scripture and clear in his argumentation.
While DeYoung argues against views that would embrace a homosexual lifestyle, he is not at all uncaring. He expresses a pastor’s heart in all of what he writes. He is clear, but kind. DeYoung expresses compassion and kindness toward those with whom he disagrees and for those who emotionally wrestling with this highly emotional issue.
I would recommend What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality to anyone interested in seeing a biblical argument regarding homosexuality. Pastors, Bible study leaders, and students can all benefit from DeYoung’s clear teaching. I would also have no hesitation suggesting that someone who disagrees with DeYoung take a look at this text.
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. As always, the audio and narration of this work is outstanding. I also read this book using the brand new ChristianAudio app on my iPhone. The app is very convenient with chapter breaks and speed controls. My only suggestion here is that I would like the app buttons to be clearly labeled for Voiceover users.
Inheritance of Tears – A Review
Jessalyn Hutto. Inheritance of Tears: Trusting the Lord of Life When Death Visits the Womb. Adelphi, MD: Cruciform Press, 2015. 108 pp. $9.99.
The loss of a child through miscarriage is a tragic and deeply emotional event in the lives of parents. Those who have experienced such sorrow often struggle to know how to think it through biblically. Those who have not been visited with such heartbreak often struggle to know what to say or how to help someone who has.
It is a blessing to the church that Jessalyn Hutto chose to pen Inheritance of Tears. This short, clear, and helpful book offers God-honoring and timeless counsel for those who are walking through the valley of the shadow of the loss of an unborn child. Hutto is a woman who has experienced miscarriage in her life and who has a beautiful grasp of the character, sovereignty, and glory of God. She has found a great way to counsel others from the word of God with a heart of genuine understanding and compassion.
This book has multiple strengths. Hutto writes with a wonderfully biblical worldview. While she does not pretend to understand all of the reasons why God might have allowed sorrow to enter the life of a family, she continually focuses her readers on the things we do know: God is good, God is glorious, and God has not left us or failed us. She demonstrates from biblical and personal examples how believers have had to walk through great hardships in the past, and how God has never forsaken his own.
One great strength of the book is its final chapter. Hutton writes a very simple, biblical, and clear defense of the understanding that the unborn who are lost to miscarriage are souls who are rescued by Christ and whom we will meet at the resurrection. Her argument is not one that I had not heard before. However, her presentation is wonderfully simple, sweet, and to the point.
I would recommend this book without reservation to any believers who are struggling with the issue of the loss of a child, especially through miscarriage. I would also recommend this book to pastors, church elders, and teachers who know of others who have walked down this difficult path. We can all learn from Jessalyn Hutto to better help others who are facing tragic circumstances, whether we have ever faced them ourselves or not.
From Good to Grace – A Review
Christine Hoover. From good to grace : letting go of the goodness gospel. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2015. 224 pp. $11.76.
Christine Hoover has a very helpful grasp of the difference between a life lived trying to be good for God and a life lived under the grace of God. In her new book, From Good to Grace, Hoover strives to free her readers from the never-ending struggle to make one’s self good enough to earn some sort of favor from God. From real-life examples of her own strengths and struggles as a wife, mother, and author, Hoover seeks to free people to live under the loving grace of God.
To understand the concept that Hoover tries to bring about in her book, readers will need to be real with their own attitudes toward pleasing God. Do you attempt to please God through your good actions, through right behavior, or through accomplishment? If so, Hoover would argue that you are living under something she calls the “goodness gospel.” Lives lived under the goodness gospel are full of struggle, fear, shame, disappointment, and simply never feeling good enough. People who are entrapped by the goodness gospel cannot rest in the grace of Christ, have a tough time understanding that they have been loved by God simply because of God’s choice, and will constantly feel that they are missing what they need to really have God be happy with them. Followers of the goodness gospel also cannot trust God’s grace for the lives of others, assuming that they should hold others to a standard that none of us really live up to. As Hoover writes, “When we live according to the goodness gospel, we don’t trust God to do the work of sanctification in our hearts and we also don’t trust him to do the work of sanctification in the hearts of other people (59).”
The strength of this book is in the grace that Hoover pours over every page. Believers who have been battered by a constant barrage of legalistic living will find much peace in this book. Those of us who have struggled to live up to the standard of what we think super-Christians ought to be will be challenged to learn to rest in God’s mercy and grace. In the long run, if we will take Hoover’s words seriously, we will find that God’s grace is more beautiful and more freeing than we ever might have imagined.
The weaknesses in this work are in the lack of biblical exposition and the potential for imbalance. Hoover’s work is not at all intended to be a scholar’s-only book on grace, so I completely understand her very readable and catchy style. However, I would have liked to see her handle more texts that make the points that she was making so well. I also would have liked to see her say a bit more to balance the grace of the book in the face of willfully sinful choices. It is one thing to know that I am loved by God and need not live up to a Mount Everest of perfection. At the same time, I think the book could have done with a bit more by way of reminding us that God does call us to repent of sin and strive to honor him, even as we live under that very sweet grace that Hoover is sharing so freely.
As a pastor, I would especially recommend this book to a person struggling in having confidence that they are truly loved by God. A person who has something in their past that they struggle to get over or who simply has a tendency to beat themselves up over the fact that they are not always wildly successful in their Christian growth might find a lot of peace and mercy in this work.
Although this book is clearly written by a female author for a female audience, I also believe that pastors would do well to give this book a read. It is very easy and quick to work through. It has, I believe, a tone of grace and real-world Christian living that I think needs to find its way into more sermons and Bible studies.
I received a free copy of this work from Baker Books as part of a book reviewer’s program. Baker Books has not influenced this review in any way, but has simply asked for an honest review of the book.
Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down – A Review
Tony Merida. Ordinary: How to Turn the World Upside Down. Nashville: B&H Books, 2014. 160 pp. $9.48.
Christians often wrestle with balancing issues of social justice and gospel faithfulness. Ordinary is an attempt to challenge believers to achieve this balance for the glory of Christ, and to make this balance a part of normal Christian living.
I found the book to be a helpful reminder that issues of justice are part of the calling that God has given to believers. We are called by God to care for the needy, to protect those who cannot protect themselves, and to rescue those in peril. Such actions can take place in a variety of ways, and Merida does a good job of offering multiple ideas to show how these things can happen.
I would also say that this book did not go deep in to the “how to” side of things. While the authors offer several suggestions of categories where believers might try to make a difference, It will take a much heavier work to show individuals and churches just how to practically move into mercy ministry. Thus, the book does a good job of offering motivation and a push in the right direction without offering a one-size-fits-all approach to getting started.
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. I was very pleased with the narration of this work.
Everyone’s a Theologian – A Review
R. C. Sproul. Everyone’s A Theologian: An Introduction to Systematic Theology. Lake Mary, FL: Reformation Trust, 2014. 357 pp. $16.24.
R. C. Sproul is a name that is synonymous with rich doctrinal teaching that believers of all education levels can understand. For years, his teachings have tackled some of the most difficult doctrinal issues with grace, clarity, and often a fair bit of Latin. In his latest work, Sproul dives into a simple introduction to systematic theology.
From the outset, I have to say that I have always been fond of Sproul and his teachings. So, as you might expect, I am very pleased with this book. I will also say that I come from a different denominational and theological background than Sproul in a couple of areas, and I obviously find chapters where our beliefs differ to be the chapters that I like least. However, in all this work, Sproul is clear, simple, and gracious.
Everyone’s a Theologian is an outstanding work simply because of its breadth and brevity. The book includes 60 chapters, spanning the full range of important theological discussions. Sproul addresses the doctrine of God, of salvation, of last things, and a host of other teachings with a solid level of scholarship. Happily, none of these chapters is overly robust. Sproul’s book is only 357 pages, and thus the chapters are appropriately short and to-the-point.
As someone who embraces a reformed view of soteriology, I found Sproul’s discussion of God’s saving work from election to applied redemption to be well worth the read. In a short and clear way, Sproul addresses important topics that many believers may disagree on. It is certainly a good thing, in my opinion, for us to have access to these more brief treatments of difficult topics.
At the same time, I did not find myself agreeing with Sproul’s handling of the topic of baptism. Sproul comes from a Presbyterian position, while mine is Baptist. The fact that he believes that baptism is a sign of God’s covenant of grace that can be applied to children who have not yet believed while I believe that baptism is only for those who have already been converted by Christ is no surprise. Neither do I consider this to be a reason not to recommend this book. Rather, I find this chapter to be a very helpful way for me to again hear a position that is not my own, but which is still clearly and fairly presented.
I would highly recommend Everyone’s a Theologian to believers of all backgrounds and walks of life. Pastors or Bible study leaders might find this to be a worthwhile tool for studies or for discussions of individual doctrines. It is also a very helpful resources for reference that is not nearly as dense as a larger systematic theology book.
I received a free audio version of this book for review as part of the reviewers program for ChristianAudio.com. The book is extremely well-read by Grover Gardner. Since the chapters are each only around 10 to 12 minutes long, the audio version of this book is very digestible.
The Master Plan of Evangelism – A Review
Robert E. Coleman. The Master Plan of Evangelism. Grand Rapids: Revell, 1963-2010. 160 pp. $5.39.
For as far back as I can remember as a Christian, Robert Coleman’s The Master Plan of Evangelism has been considered a classic on disciple-making. Over years of teaching and ministry, Dr. Coleman has continually sounded the same call for believers to devote themselves, not to the masses, but to making a few disciples who will in turn make disciples.
This book has multiple strengths. One strength, strangely enough, is its reputation. Christians who understand that this book has been well-received for over fifty years will be more willing to read it and hear from it. This is a strength that we ought not write off too quickly.
Coleman also does a fine job of showing his readers time and time again that Jesus made his ministry primarily about investing in his twelve disciples even as he ministered to the people at large. Coleman shows us how Jesus made his ministry about this small group of followers, how he allowed them to observe his life, how he trained them and sent them out, how he evaluated their ministry, and how he commissioned them to make other disciples like themselves. If we see Jesus do these things, we should do likewise.
Coleman’s understanding of the impact of disciple-making disciples is of great worth to the modern church. Coleman argues that a person who works on making only 1 disciple like himself will have doubled his kingdom impact. Assuming that the original Christian and the disciple then both make one disciple each, the impact is now four-fold. If this pattern is continued, Jesus’ goal of making disciples from all nations is in reach far quicker than we might imagine. This is exponential growth that looks realistic, is not gimmick-driven, and that resembles Jesus’ pattern.
If the book has a weakness, it is in the lack of description of discipleship content. Yes, Coleman shows that Jesus demonstrated his prayer life, his devotion to Scripture, his obedience to God’s commands, and his evangelism to the disciples, teaching them these things along the way. However, it is also true that some who read this work will still find themselves wanting a more clearly-defined and followable strategy for step-by-step discipleship growth. Coleman assumes a maturity on the part of his readers which may not be present in the lives of some modern believers who pick up his book.
I would heartily recommend The Master Plan of Evangelism to any believer. This book would be an especially positive read for small group leaders, pastors, and church planters. Truly, any mature believer will be strengthened by being challenged to take even one younger believer under his or her wing, train them up, and send them out to become disciple-making disciples.
Pastor Travis Peterson 