John F. MacArthur. Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2014. 352 pp. $17.81.
I did not know for sure what to expect when I heard about John MacArthur’s conference called “Strange Fire” or the book of the same name. Given all the Internet hubbub about the conference, I wondered if this book would be some sort of unfair, cruel, hatchet piece on guys I like such as John Piper and Wayne Grudem, both continuationists. However, after listening to the conference, I bought the book when it was on sale for Kindle. And, I have to say, I am far more impressed with the book than I expected to be.
In Strange Fire, John MacArthur works biblically and systematically to respond to the teachings, actions, and individuals of the charismatic movement. MacArthur addresses issues such as tongues, slaying in the Spirit, prosperity theology, prophecy, the history of the Pentecostal movement, and a host of others. While he may not be gentle, MacArthur does not seem to be cruel or unfair as he strives to tackle issues which he believes to be vital to the glory of God and the honor of the Scripture.
The strength of this book is found in a steadfast devotion to the Bible. MacArthur shows time and time again that he desires to interpret the claimed experiences of the mainstream charismatic movement through the lens of the word of God. I cannot say that every aspect of this book is founded on biblical interpretation that all scholars will agree with, but the commitment to Scripture is certainly present. For example, in his discussion of the gift of tongues, MacArthur rightly points out that the gift in Scripture is best interpreted as a supernatural ability granted by God for a believer to speak a very real language that this person does not know. This was evident in Acts 2 when the apostles were able to speak the gospel and have it heard by many who were not Jews. If this is indeed the biblical understanding of the gift of tongues—which would better be called the gift of languages—then the modern phenomenon of speaking an unintelligible string of syllables is not the same thing. And if the modern exercise of “tongues” is not the biblical gift of tongues, then it must be checked by the Bible.
Another apparent strength of this work is MacArthur’s historical research. I say that this is an “apparent” strength because I do not have the personal study to confirm the book’s use of primary resources. However, the historical data does not strike me as made-up or unfair. MacArthur writes multiple chapters about leaders of the charismatic movement from recent history and from the past century. The book includes footnote after footnote supporting the historical claims of things said and done by all sorts of teachers. IN many instances, I believe that modern Christians would be absolutely stunned to see the kind of radically unbiblical doctrines espoused by men trumpeted as heroes of the charismatic movement.
A final strength that I will mention of the book is how MacArthur addresses the more biblically minded among the charismatic movement, the more reformed who call themselves continuationists. MacArthur quotes a few of these men, but certainly does not make personal attacks. MacArthur points out that these folks are not the norm in the charismatic movement, but they do allow many of those who are far off the deep end to have a theologically strong person to give them credibility. The argument is simply that a not-so-careful embracing of an unbiblical redefinition of spiritual gifts among some who are usually very careful with their theology is something that those who are dangerous in many areas of theology can use to their advantage.
I cannot say that Strange Fire is easy to read or always enjoyable. Because MacArthur is very thorough, the chapters can feel long. At times it can feel to a reader like we are beating a dead horse. However, I also understand that this kind of thoroughness is necessary in order not to leave open doors for the dishonest to sneak through.
Some who read this book will certainly feel that MacArthur is less than charitable. I understand this criticism. While I do not agree with it, I can see where readers may be offended by the type of black and white, right and wrong labeling that is done in this work. Please understand, if you choose to read this book, that MacArthur believes that the concept of errant prophecy or of charlatans claiming the Spirit’s power to heal while bilking the poor out of their income is more than just a little wrong. The title of this book is a reference to an Old Testament incident where disobedient priests were judged by God for bringing something unauthorized into God’s worship. This topic is a big deal, and MacArthur speaks with a fervor that is appropriate for a big deal, but which some will find offensive.
I would definitely recommend Strange Fire to someone who would like to really look into the teachings and teachers of the modern charismatic movement. This book sheds more than a little light on some beliefs, claims, and practices that need to be exposed. This is not the kind of book that you want to give to someone who is not regularly a reader or who cannot handle the tedium of a long and thorough argument. I certainly believe that pastors and small group leaders would benefit from working their way through this book, especially if they are in a context where those for whom they care are being influenced by charismatic teaching. Finally, I would recommend this book to the reformed who are continuationists. While much of the book will not apply to the beliefs and teachings of reformed continuationists, many concepts should cause at least a second look at some very important doctrines.
The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw – A Review
Norman L. Geisler and Daniel J. McCoy. The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw: Exposing Conflicting Beliefs. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2014. 192 pp. $11.97.
I have heard it said, and I agree, that we should not present an argument against another person’s position without first being able to express that person’s position in such a way that the person would agree that what we have presented is indeed their belief. In The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw, popular apologist Norman Geisler along with Daniel McCoy attempt to do just this regarding some popular atheistic arguments against belief in God.
Geisler and McCoy cite the writings of multiple popular atheistic authors and speakers in order to present a clear and fair understanding of one of the most common objections voiced by atheists against the concept of a deity. The authors then attempt to disclose that there is a natural self-contradiction in the rationale adopted by many atheists.
In this work, Geisler and McCoy address the atheist’s objection to the existence of God based on the issue of moral evil. The authors point out multiple ways in which atheistic authors and speakers have argued that for there to really be a God as the Bible presents, that God clearly would have done something to put an end to the kinds of moral evil and atrocities that we have seen all throughout human history. The authors then also point out that the same oppose on moral grounds of their own making the concept of divine intervention to put a stop to all evil, the worst cases of evil, or to work within the consciences of the willing to prevent evil. The atheists seem to be demanding that God act more strongly to prevent human on human evil, but to somehow do so without exercising divine authority or inhibiting human freedom in any way. The authors summarize, “In short, we will find that the atheist demands God fix the problem of moral evil while at the same time demanding freedom from the very methods God would use to fix it” (113).
The authors then go on to point out that the atheists will turn back on their own rationale by arguing that the kinds of intervention that they deny God the right to do would be perfectly acceptable if done by humanity. Thus, their opposition to limited human freedom is only opposition to God limiting human freedom. Geisler and McCoy declare, “In a second inconsistency, the atheist seems to reverse stances on the immorality of the divine interventions. Whereas he argues scathingly against the morality of these interventions at the divine level, somehow these interventions turn out not to be problematic at the societal level” (124).
This work has several strengths that readers should appreciate. Geisler and McCoy offer a plethora of quotations from a variety of atheists to make clear the atheistic position. This indicates a level of honesty from these authors regarding their treatment of the atheistic argument. Geisler and McCoy are not trying to set up and destroy straw men.
The two contradictions that Geisler and McCoy find in the atheistic arguments are strong objections that must be addressed by those who would hold to an atheistic position based on the problem of moral evil. Geisler and McCoy raise a strong question about whether full human autonomy—an attribute highly valued by many atheists—is something that can somehow be held to while demanding that God somehow override that autonomy in cases of moral evil. Also, if an atheist argues that human beings can work to put an end to evil by use of moral judgment, reward, punishment, etc., why would such tactics be inappropriate for the Creator?
This book is not for everyone. It is certainly true that some atheists will have different arguments that they claim are their particular objections to faith in God. Such people will rightly claim that Geisler and McCoy have not landed on their “fatal flaw.” For some readers, the sheer volume of quotes will be hard to wade through—I found myself fatigued by the mountains of quotes, some of which were used multiple times. And, for Christians who are emotionally sensitive to aggressive atheistic statements, this book will be hard to stomach.
Truthfully, I believe the book’s greatest weakness may be the overreach of the title. The title of this work could lead a person to believe that this book contains a secret weapon in apologetics to settle the atheistic issue once and for all. However, truthfully, atheists have other arguments that they use to hold to their own faith in a lack of faith in God. Thus, to promise that this pointing out of a contradiction in the atheistic understanding of theodicy will be “fatal” to the atheist’s worldview over-promises and under-delivers.
Overall, I would recommend The Atheist’s Fatal Flaw to a Christian interested in apologetics or to an honest atheist who is willing to look at a Christian objection to an atheist’s claim that the problem of evil seals the theist’s fate. While not the easiest read or always the most engaging, this work has some challenging reasoning that many would do well to work through.
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.
The Wonder-Working God – A Review
Jared C. Wilson. The Wonder-Working God: Seeing the Glory of Jesus in His Miracles. Wheaton: Crossway, 2014. 192 pp. $13.20.
The gospels are full of miracles. Bible readers are familiar with those accounts. But, what should we really learn from them? Are Miracles there to impress us? Are they there to identify Jesus as Messiah? Is something more going on?
Jared Wilson’s new book, The Wonder-Working God, takes a close look at the miracle accounts of the New Testament with an eye toward going deeper than we often do. As Wilson dives in, he shows us how the miracles of Jesus do more than remind us that Jesus is God or that Jesus is powerful; they also display for us the message of the gospel and the glory of God in great and life-changing ways.
One of the beauties of this book is Jared Wilson’s ability to write in a very relatable style. While he does a good job of digging deep into the theological implications of Jesus’ miracles, the author does not bog his readers down in the process. I have always found Wilson to be pleasant to read, and this book does nothing to change that view.
One thing that readers of this book might find interesting is that Wilson groups miracles together. Rather than study each individual miracle in its own separate chapter, Wilson has chosen to put similar miracles or miracles with a similar message together. This is helpful, as readers are then able to see the consistent message of the gospel writers. It can also be a little difficult, as at times I wanted to stick with one miracle account a little longer.
I would happily recommend The Wonder-Working God to anyone who wants to have a deeper grasp of the miracles of Jesus. I could picture this book being a great red for any individual. It would also make a solid source of material for a Bible study group or a helpful resource for a pastor wanting to do a topical series on Jesus’ miracles.
I received a free audio copy of this book from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. The recording of this work is of the highest quality, as are all of the work sold by this company. Jared Wilson reads his own book in this audio recording. Were I to choose, I believe that I would prefer to have one of ChristianAudio’s other narrators. This is not to say that Wilson narrates poorly—far from it—however, I find that I generally do not enjoy listening to authors read their own works. Something in the intonation seems to lack when an author works through his own material. However, this would not at all prevent me from recommending the audio version of this work as well.
The Pastor’s Kid – A Review
Barnabas Piper. The Pastor’s Kid: Finding Your Own Faith and Identity. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2014. 160 pp. $9.53.
“What’s it like to be John Piper’s kid?” That question is one that Barnabas Piper lets us know is better not asked. Pastor’s kids like Barnabas would far rather you get to know them personally than ask them about their dads. In fact, he lets us know a lot about growing up as the child of a pastor in his new book, The Pastor’s Kid. Open, honest, challenging, and sometimes painful, this new work from the son of popular pastor John Piper is a very helpful tool for pastors and their families to work through.
Barnabas has a knack for helping us to see things from the point of view of the pastor’s kid (PK). He shares with us some valuable insights about things that might seem innocent and helpful but which are in fact discouraging and awkward for a PK. The author shares joys and pains from his own life as well as from the lives of many other PKs in order to help preacher dads understand ways to better communicate with and set expectations for their children.
As a pastor myself, one with children I might add, I found this book thought provoking and helpful. One thought that particularly got my attention is that of a PK being known of, but not actually known as a person, by many in the church. Barnabas tells of a time when his dad shared an illustration from Barnabas’ own childhood. This was not one of those embarrassing illustrations for which a pastor would think he needed to get special permission. But what John Piper did not understand at the time was that his telling of Barnabas’ story actually made people in the church, and subsequently on the Internet, more acquainted with the details of Barnabas’ life than he would eventually be comfortable with. Thus, Barnabas would have people he did not know come up to him and comment to him or ask about personal details of his life. These people assumed a familiarity with him and rights that they had not earned through personal investment or friendship.
Much of the book is devoted to challenging pastors to help their kids to be seen and thought of as “normal.” It is unfair for a pastor’s kid to have extra expectations placed upon him or her for advanced Bible knowledge, super-spiritual behavior, or a calling to ministry. Pastor’s kids are normal, human, flawed, and growing young men and women. They will fail and succeed, behave well and act out, just like any other kids in the church. While a pastor is called to raise and shepherd his own family well, the pastor’s kids are still going to be cut from the same cloth as all other human kids, complete with a sin nature, puberty, and a need to figure life out for themselves.
The biggest weakness in this book to me is the fact that we do not get to see enough of the positive aspects of being a pastor’s kid. Though Barnabas talks about some of his joys in his relationship with his dad, much of the book focuses us on the failures of pastors and churches to allow PKs to be kids. Obviously, the intent of this work is to swing hard and to get the attention of pastors who may be oblivious to their kids’ needs, and so I am certainly willing to say that this is not a major flaw. However, I would have liked more, perhaps even a whole chapter or two, on the good side of the ledger.
All in all, I would highly recommend The Pastor’s Kid to any ministry family. It would also make a great book for other church leaders to read. Deacons, lay elders, and Sunday School teachers could learn much of what their own church’s PKs are going through if they gave this book a quick read.
I received a free audio copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. This book was read by Barnabas Piper. While I typically do not enjoy a book read by its own author, Barnabas has a good reading voice and pace. And, because the stories are his own, I find it actually quite helpful to hear his stories with his own emotion attached.
Autopsy of a Deceased Church – A Review
Thom Rainer. Autopsy of a Deceased Church: 12 Ways to Keep Yours Alive. Nashville: B&H Books, 2014. 112 pp. $9.61.
Even before he led Lifeway Christian Resources, Thom Rainer spent years as a pastor, seminary professor, and church consultant. In those roles, Dr. Rainer gained a great deal of experience in balancing statistical analysis with real-life, anecdotal evidence to form solid conclusions about what is happening in the church and why. In Autopsy of a Deceased Church, Dr. Rainer puts these skills to good use, helping pastors and church leaders to think about the kinds of symptoms that they need to look out for in order to help their churches avoid dangerous decline or even death.
For his latest book, Dr. Rainer looked at multiple churches that died. He analyzes their stories and shares with us a set of twelve common traits that he found in nearly every one of those churches. Those 12 traits are the things that church leaders want to learn to recognize and defend against as they work to serve their churches well.
I won’t spoil the book by listing the 12 traits here, but I will give a bit of simple praise. The things that Dr. Rainer has seen in the deceased churches he studied are very real, very dangerous tendencies that can crop up in the local church. One example would be an over-fascination with nostalgia. Many now dead churches went through a period of time where the people in the body pined for some period of strength in the church’s past rather than working to improve the present or press toward the future. Longing for the “good old days” is very easy, but it can be blinding, calcifying, and deadly.
I’ll give just one more example. In many of the deceased churches that Dr. Rainer studied, members obsessed over the facilities. If you have been in ministry, it is probably not hard to imagine how a church might grow to be more concerned about keeping a building or even a special room in the building perfectly preserved than it is about honoring God through worship, discipleship, and evangelism. It is also not hard to see how a church that goes down that path will find itself declining as it loves its property more than its Savior.
In the final chapters of the book, the author offers some suggestions for churches that find themselves in decline or near death. The advice is different depending on whether a church is a little sick, a lot sick, or about to die. However, in each, Dr. Rainer has some God-honoring and sometimes hard truth for the churches to consider.
I would happily recommend this work to any pastor or church leader. Autopsy of a Deceased Church has some solid challenges and very practical advice that pastors and other leaders can and should consider. I found myself especially challenged by the chapter on prayer (it seems that dying churches stop praying together too—no surprise). This book is short, easy-to-read, and helpful.
Taking God at His Word – A Review
Kevin DeYoung. Taking God At His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me. Wheaton: Crossway, 2014. 144 pp. $13.31.
Kevin DeYoung has done the church a fine service by writing a brand new book that challenges and helps Christians to truly love, trust, and understand the Bible. In Taking God at His word, DeYoung opens the doctrine of the Scripture in order to help us see what a great and reliable treasure the Bible is.
This book is short, easy-to-read, and full of truth. DeYoung helps readers to understand what it means that the Bible is really inspired by God. He shows us that the bible is truly sufficient for our lives. He helps us to see that the Bible is clear enough that any believer can look into it to find out what God expects of him or her.
More than simply spelling out the systematic theology of the Scripture, DeYoung’s book aims to help believers actually love and appreciate the Bible. DeYoung both begins and ends the book with chapters devoted to showing us the love for the Scripture that is evident in the words of the authors of Scripture and how the Scripture truly changes our lives.
As a pastor, I would wholeheartedly recommend Taking God at His word for just about anyone. Believers looking for a brief study on the Bible itself would benefit from this work. Christians with questions about the doctrine of Scripture would certainly be helped by reading it. Individuals who have questions about how we should think about the Bible—how seriously should we take it—would definitely find some wonderful points to help them on their way. Younger Christians could be encouraged and inspired by this book to truly dive into God’s word.
I received a free audio copy of this book as part of the reviewers program at ChristianAudio.com. The quality of the recording is excellent, as always from ChristianAudio. Lee DeYoung is the reader of the book, and is not my favorite narrator that I have heard from this company. Early on in the narration, he appears to over-inflect. However, as I listened further, I found that the narration became much smoother. I would definitely still recommend this audio work to anyone who likes to listen to books.
Romans 1-7 For You – A Review
Timothy Keller. Romans 1-7 For You. Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2014. 208 pp. $17.85.
I loved Judges For You by Tim Keller, and was very excited to get my hands on a copy of Romans 1-7 for You as soon as it came out. In no way was I disappointed. Tim Keller is a pastor who is well-respected for thinking big thoughts and communicating those big thoughts in very clear, very understandable, very impactful ways. Keller does this kind of thinking and communicating well in this latest work.
In this brief look at Romans 1-7, Keller speaks with depth and clarity. This book is not a scholarly commentary and thus does not bog its readers down with tons of Greek phrases or textual criticism. However, this book is also not a fluffy little modern Bible study. Keller goes deep. He makes powerful application. In short, he does exactly what I would want the author of a popular text walking us through Romans to do.
There are far too many high points in this work to share in a brief review. I will say that Keller’s handling of the concept of propitiation was very helpful. He helped his readers to understand that, because God’s wrath is perfectly satisfied in Christ, he need no longer punish those who are under the grace of Christ. This concept alone would be worth the purchase price of the book for readers who do not understand it already—and many believers do not think deeply enough about this issue.
Keller also does a great job of handling difficult passages in Romans 1-7. When there are questions of interpretation or even translation, he does not shy away from them. Keller is honest, but not cowardly. He will clearly state what he believes a passage to mean. But he is also fair, often explaining that others interpret a passage in a different way.
After reading Romans 1-7 for You, I eagerly await Keller’s finishing of the Book of Romans. I heartily recommend this volume to any Christian who would like to understand the Book of Romans better. This book would make a fine expository Bible study for home groups or classes that are looking for a 3 month study.
I received a free audio copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as a part of their reviewers program. The audio and reading quality was very good, as I expect from this fine company. Christianaudio does not influence the content of any of these reviews, but simply asks for an honest review of works they publish.
Judges for You – A Review
Timothy Keller. Judges For You: For Reading, For Feeding, For Leading. Purcellville, VA: The Good Book Company, 2013. 224 pp. $15.98.
Tim Keller has done an outstanding job of combining solid scholarship, readability, and application in Judges for You. This installment in Keller’s Bible Study series approaches the tough issues without blushing, studies the deep things without being dense, never loses sight of the Bible’s big picture, and always brings us back to the gospel.
This book is a 13-chapter walk through of Judges. This is not a commentary. Nor is it a super-simple Bible study. Keller has found a seemingly perfect balance of deep thinking and real-life application.
I would recommend this book to any small group that is interested in taking on the Book of Judges for its study. I would also recommend this book to Sunday School classes that are ready to work through this material—especially since it fits a 13-week cycle. However, I also very much enjoyed reading through this book as an individual and thinking through some familiar accounts in a much stronger way.
I received a free audio copy of this work from ChristianAudio.com as part of their reviewers program. The audio quality here is superb, and the narration is very fitting.
5 Points – A Review
John Piper. Five Points: Towards a Deeper Experience of God’s Grace. Scotland: Christian Focus , 2013. 96 pp. $8.09.
What is this thing called Calvinism that is so hotly debated among Christians today? Arguments about God’s sovereignty, predestination, and the extent of the atonement have generated quite a bit of heat among believers, and sadly, caricatures of each side’s doctrinal positions have abounded. Thus, when a leading thinker presents his position in a clear way, without rancor toward others, it is worth the read.
John Piper has put forth a very readable and brief explanation of the five points of Calvinism in his new book 5 Points. If you are familiar with Desiring God Ministries, you may have already read a shorter version of Piper’s teaching here. This book appears to be an expansion of things that I have read on the DG web site previously. In 5 Points, Piper presents the history behind Calvinism, a discussion of each of the 5 points, and a look at how he believes these points effect his life and ministry.
The beauty of reading this work is its simplicity and its Godward focus. Piper does not overly complicate the argument with confusing theological jargon. Instead, Piper briefly explains the points with simple, Scriptural defense. He also does not leave this book to be a dusty defense of a position, but shows how each point serves to magnify the person and work of Christ in his own life.
Of course, those who agree with the 5 points of Calvinism are likely to love this book while those who disagree are likely to find fault. It is not my purpose in this review to argue for or against the points. What I will say is that, if you would like to read a simple presentation of the 5 points from someone who believes them, Piper’s work would not be a bad place to start.
Note: You can find a free electronic copy of this work which you can then read on an iDevice or Kindle at the Desiring God Site.
The God Who is There – A Review
D. A. Carson. The God Who Is There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2010. 240 pp. $13.82.
I’ve been looking for a little while for a book that tells the big story of the Bible in an accessible way. D. A. Carson has done a fine job of gospel-based, simple, biblical theology in The God Who is There.
In this work, Carson takes his readers through the entire narrative of the Scriptures in order to help us to see how we fit into God’s great story. Carson begins with Genesis, walks through Revelation, and spends a great deal of time in the theology of the gospels. In all this, he shows us how the Bible tells our story as it tells us of God’s great plan.
The God who is There would be a great book for any Christian who wants to have a better glimpse of how the whole Bible comes together to tell a single, unified story. If you wish to better understand the Bible, I would recommend this book to you. If you would like to better understand the gospel, I would recommend this book to you. If you would like to be able to teach others the simple content of God’s story, I would recommend this book to you.
Pastor Travis Peterson 