My thanks to Jared Wilson, not only for another thoughtful book, but for expressing many of the very things I would like to express. In his 2015 book, Prodigal Church: A Gentle Manifesto Against the Status Quo, Wilson has written a book I wish I had written.
Books
Knowing God
More than 200 names for God are recorded in the Bible. All of them are important. Each of them reveals and affirms certain characteristics of God. While God is incomprehensible – we will never exhaust what there is to know about Him – He is nevertheless knowable. He has revealed himself to us. To know God is to recognize what He is like – and what He is not like. As J.I. Packer once said:
“Those who know God have great thoughts of God.”
So what is God like?
This is not an academic question. Though certainly there are some Academics in the news recently who may have been well served to have given a little more thought to the question before holding a press conference only to display syncretistic ignorance. But even in that instance the question is not merely academic. It is personal.
When asked: “What is the greatest commandment?”, Jesus unhesitatingly declared: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22.36-40; Deuteronomy 6.1-7) So let me ask a somewhat rhetorical question: “How can one love God if little to nothing is known about God? Further, even if it is possible to love a god one knows little about, (and I suspect that it may be possible,) how can we claim to be keeping the command to “Love God with all your mind” if we do not engage our minds to learn more and more about him?
Now let me be clear about something: If you are reading this post, and you feel you are less knowledgeable theologically than you think you ought to be, I am not trying to shame you. Truth is this: I am fairly theologically educated. If you have any knowledge of God at all, the difference between your little knowledge and my educated knowledge is so minimal when compared to what knowledge there is to be known about God, that any sense of haughtiness I might be inclined to project would be laughable, if such pomposity would not be so pathetic. My concern is not who knows more than who, but rather whether we know God, and whether, in keeping with the greatest command, we are engaging our minds to be continually growing in our knowledge of God.
If you have a desire to love the Lord with all your mind, let me offer a handful of suggested books about God with which to feed your mind. None of these are technical, but all are excellent. (To my mind, these are actually better than most of the technical theological books I have read.)
- Knowledge of the Holy by A.W.Tozer
- Attributes of God by A.W. Tozer
- Pleasures of God by John Piper
- The God I Don’t Understand by Christopher Wright
- Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God by Paul Copan
- The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul (Free Video Series)
- Singing God by Sam Storms (Watch Intro Video)
This list is far from exhaustive. There are many excellent books on this subject, and I welcome anyone who would like to add to this list to do so in the comment section. Sadly, there are many, many, bad books under this heading as well. Some of the better books I left off this list are Knowing God by J.I. Packer and Reason for God by Timothy Keller. While I enjoyed and highly commend both of these, the list above reflects a thorough introduction and/or reflection, yet easy reads. Keller’s is excellent for those asking the question: Is There a God? Packer’s would be on my list for next steps.
I will end with this: Earlier this year I heard a statement, attributed to John Piper (though I have been unable to confirm it is his), that stuck with me, resonates, and is appropriate to ponder:
“The mind provides kindling for the heart.”
Mom Enough
There should be little debate that the most influential group of people in the world are Moms. While not necessarily true in every individual situation, collectively it is difficult to image any group running even a close second. With this in mind, John Piper plugs a new book, Mom Enough, written by a collection of godly women who are also gifted writers:
- Carolyn McCulley
- Rachel Jankovic
- Gloria Furman
- Rachel Pieh Jones
- Christine Hoover
- Trillia Newbell
- Christina Fox
On a personal note, Christina Fox, and her now husband George, were members of the church I had the privilege to pastor in Chattanooga while they were both attending Covenant College. It has been exciting to see how God has worked in Christina, and how he is now working through her writing and her speaking. Check out Christina’s blog: To Show Them Jesus
If you are a Mom, know a mom, or have a mom, this book is written for you.
Galatians For You & Other Resources
In the present sermon series in our church I am working through Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Rather I should say “we” are working through the book of Galatians, as while I am preaching the bulk of the messages I am sharing the teaching with my Associate, Camper Mundy, and a couple of other pastors who are part of our church. But in my preparations for each message there are a few non-technical resources I am uising that would also be beneficial for anyone who is studying Galatians – whether a seminary graduate or a typical church member wanting simply to deepen his/her understanding of this letter.
One of these resources is Tim Keller’s Galatians For You. In the video above Tim introduces his intent in developing this book, and offers some suggestions of how it might be used beneficailly. And though perhaps to those hearing my message may assume seeming little of Keller’s words may be overtly expressed my messages, without question the depth of Keller’s insights has helped shaped my understanding of this book and how the message applies to us today.
Below is a short list of some of the non-technical resources I am reading (or re-reading) during this series, Freedom: A Study of Galatians.
- Galatians For You by Tim Keller
- Grace in Galatia by Ben Witherington
- No Other Gospel by Josh Moody
- Counterfeit Gospels by Trevin Wax
- Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson
- A Scandalous Freedom by Steve Brown
- The Great Exchange by Jerry Bridges
No Other Gospel
After learning I would be beginning a new sermon series this week, a study of the book of Galatians, a friend and colleague who is an Army Chaplain asked me if I had read the relatively new book, No Other Gospel. Though I had seen it, I admitted I was not really familiar with it. He suggested it would be a good parallel book to coincide with the series of messages we will be offering at Grace Covenant between now and Easter.
I picked it up, skimmed it this afternoon, and expect to commend it to our congregation – at least to 
those who want to do a little digging of their own over the next few months. (I’ll read it more thoroughly as well.)
In the video above Justin Taylor interviews the author of the book, Josh Moody, who serves the historic College Church of Wheaton. Moody explains the basis and the gist of the book.
Recommended Reading: Marriage
Here are a handful of recommended readings about Marriage:
- When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
- What Did You Expect? by Paul Tripp
- This Momentary Marriage by John Piper
- The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman
- The Meaning of Marriage by Tim & Kathy Keller
Recommended Reading: Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has garnered a few nicknames through the ages. Among the more appropriate and familiar:
- The Shy member of the Trinity
- The Forgotten member of the Trinity
When considering the person of the Holy Spirit, there are few things that are vital to remember:
- The Holy Spirit is a person, a “He” not an “It”.
- As the Third Person if the Trinity, the Holy Spirit is fully God, and equal with God the Father and God the Son (Jesus) in glory, honor, and power; and equally worthy to receive worship.
The Holy Spirit functions in specific ways:
- Regeneration – giving life to those who are spiritually dead.
- Salvation (Justification) – the Holy Spirit grants both faith and repentance as gifts of grace. Through these, and these alone, is man justified.
- Sanctification – “For those whom God justifies he also sanctifies. ” In other words, there is no one who is “saved” who is not also “sanctified”. Sanctification is both definite and an ongoing process. In work of sanctification Believers are expected to “cooperate” with the Holy Spirit, employing the means of grace. These actions we engage in are not magical, nor automatic, as if anyone who does them will automatically grow in grace. But they are effective. The Holy Spirit works grace in us through these means. We normally see a corresponding maturity in those who regularly and rightly make use of the means of grace, while we see little to no change in those who are lax. But the one constant dynamic is that the Holy Spirit grants both faith and repentance to the believer for sanctification just as he does for justification. In other words, the Christian life consists of continual repentance and renewed belief in the gospel.
- The Holy Spirit cultivates the Fruit of the Spirit in believers.
- The Holy Spirit bestows Spiritual Gifts upon all who believe, for the use in participating and the building up of the local body – The Church – which together advances the Kingdom of God.
Here are some suggested readings to grow in our understanding of the Person & Work of the Holy Spirit:
- Forgotten God by Francis Chan
- The Holy Spirit by Sinclair Ferguson
- Keep in Step With the Spirit by J.I. Packer
- Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges
- The Holy Spirit: His Gifts & Power by John Owen
- The Counselor: Straight Talk About the Holy Spirit by A.W. Tozer
Finding Your Place in God’s Story
Knowing scripture is vital. But it is not the essence of Christianity. That may sound surprising, but it really should not be. Knowing the Bible is foundational, even essential, to vibrant faith and life. But it is also possible to have great knowledge yet have little understanding. The essence of the Faith is not information but formation. It is understanding who God is, what he has done and is doing, and what he expects from you and me. It is, borrowing a good popular phrase, finding your place in God’s story and living it out in light of the gospel.
I started reading D.A. Carson’s The God Who Is There. This is a tremendous resource. Carson does a wonderful job in walking the reader through the narrative of the Bible, or what he calls “the Big Story of Scripture”. He touches on the major themes, comprehensively yet easily readable. And in doing this, Carson helps us understand the grand narrative of scripture, thus assisting and enabling us to more easily find our place in it.
As it so happened, in February 2009 Carson presented a 14-part seminar at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. The book was developed from those messages. And thanks to The Gospel Coalition, the MP3s and videos of the conference that closely correspond with the book are available for all 14 chapters:
- The God Who Made Everything | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Does Not Wipe Out Rebels | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Writes His Own Agreements | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Legislates | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Reigns | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Is Unfathomably Wise | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Becomes a Human Being | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Grants New Birth | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Loves | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Dies—and Lives Again | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Declares the Guilty Just | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Gathers and Transforms His People | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Is Very Angry | MP3 | Video
- The God Who Triumphs | MP3 | Video
Suggested Reading for Season of Lent
The Season of Lent is a time of preparation and anticipation. It is a season that should be characterized reflection, soul-searching, repentance, and ultimately looking forward to celebration – the celebration of all Jesus accomplished for us on the Cross. As Daniel Montgomery, of Sojourn Church writes: “Lent helps us focus on why He had to die.”
Traditionally speaking, Lent is often associated with fasting – whether from certain foods, or some other habit or practice. It is important we understand that there is no merit n fasting. Benefit, maybe. Merit, no. The purpose of fasting is to remind us how dependent we become on things rather than God. This reveals to us our need to repent. It whets our appetite for the grace of God in Christ.
With this in mind, here are a few readings I suggest for the Season of Lent:
- Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges
- A Hunger for God by John Piper (Free: e-book)
- Show Me the Way by Henri Nouwen
The Great Omission
I’ve been reading Dallas Willard’s The Great Omission. This book is a compilation of essay’s Willard has written through the years. Most of those essays are available online. They are each able to stand alone, and all are worth the read.
- Why Bother With Discipleship?
- Who is Your Teacher?
- Looking Like Jesus
- The Key to the Keys of the Kingdom
- Spiritual Formation in Christ: A Perspective on What It Is and How It Might Be Done
- Living in the Vision of God
- Idaho Springs Inquiries Concerning Spiritual Formation
- Personal Soul Care
- Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, and the Restoration of the Soul
Love Wins… Does Anyone Lose?
Apparently the dance goes on and on!
That is in reference to the opening statement I made in a post yesterday. A debate about the Doctrine of Hell has been spreading like a wild fire for a couple weeks now. I only made mention of it because it is a subject that has subsequently been raised by some from our local congregation. I wanted to touch on it, offer a few insightful links, and move on.
I am surprised by the interest that post has raised, especially since I came to the dance so late. Not only are there discussions going on in the comment section, but quite a few folks have visited that post without commenting.
One of the most practical comments was that some people who are objecting to a book by Rob Bell, which is what apparently sparked the debates, had in fact not even read the book before offering criticisms. This is true. I appreciated John Armstrong and Mark Galli, two prominent voices who pointed out this glaring neglect and calling for patience that will lead to clarity once the book is released. I did point out, however, that the responses were not only to the book, which had not been read, but to the publicity video, which many have viewed. (See Love Wins). Therefore, while being slow to speak is always wise counsel, those who wrote were not entirely without basis.
Now, however, some are chiming in who HAVE read the book; or who at least read the manuscript provided to reviewers. In particular I commend Tim Challies’ & Aaron Armstorng’s Love Wins – A Review of Rob Bell’s New Book. For those who were awaiting informed voices to chime in, I think you will find the tune still sounds quite the same.
Choosing a Book
Richard Baxter wrote:
“Make careful choice of the books which you read.”
Baxter went on to state:
You need a judicious teacher at hand to direct you about what books to use or to refuse, for among good books there are some very good that are sound and lively, and some good but mediocre, and some weak and somewhat dull; and some are very good in part, but have mixtures of error, or incautious, injudicious expressions. These are fitter to puzzle than edify the weak.
The folks at Together for the Gospel (T4G) have published a series of posts offering counsel for Reading & Studying. While these posts are primarily directed to pastors, the wisdom should be appreciated, and insights appropriated, by anyone serious about growing in grace and godliness. C.J. Mahaney, Ligon Duncan, and Mark Dever serve as the “judicious teachers” Richard Baxter said we need.
Measuring the Value of a Book
Puritan Richard Baxter offers a few simple questions to guide us in evaluating the value of any book:
While reading ask oneself:
- Could I spend this time any better?
- Are there better books that would edify me more?
- Are the lovers of this book the greatest lovers of the Book of God – the Bible – and of a holy life?
- Does this book increase my love for the Word of God, kill my sin, and prepare me for the life to come?
Some Thoughts About Reading
The writings of the Divines are nothing else but a preaching of the gospel to the eye, as the voice preaches it to the ear.
Vocal preaching has the pre-eminence in moving the affections, whenever it is applied to the condition of the hearts in the congregation which hears it. This way the milk comes warmest from the breast.
But books have the advantage in many other respects:
- You may read an able preacher when you have only an average one to hear. Every congregation cannot hear the most judicious or powerful preachers, but every single person may read the books of the most powerful and judicious.
- Preachers may be silenced or banished, while books may still be at hand.
- Books may be kept at a smaller charge than preachers.
- We may choose books that address the very subject which we desire to hear about; but we cannot choose what subject the preacher shall treat us.
- Books we may have at hand every day and hour, when we can have sermons but seldom and at set times.
- If sermons are forgotten, they are gone. But a book we may read over and over, till we remember it. And if we forget it, we may again peruse it at our pleasure, or at our leisure.
So, good books are a very great blessing to the world. The Holy Ghost chose writing to preserve His doctrine and laws for the Church, knowing how easy and surely it is a way of keeping it safe for all generations, in comparison with mere verbal traditions.
~ adapted from the Works of Richard Baxter
What is God Like?
What is God like? Describe to me the God you say you believe in.
In the first chapter of his best selling book, Crazy Love, Francis Chan challenges his readers to ponder who God is. “Who is it that you are praying to?” Chan wants us to ask. I really appreciate that challenge and that exercise because, quite frankly, I am not sure most people, even in our churches, can offer a substantial answer.
J.I. Packer wrote:
“Those who know God have great thoughts of Him.”
Donald Carson wrote:
“The better we know God, the more we will want all of our existence to revolve around him, and we will see that the only goals and plans that really matter are those that are somehow tied to God himself, and to our eternity with him.”
How well do you know God?
While there is no substitute for Scripture, sometimes the insights of others can help us notice things that we might otherwise not see. Like a tourguide who has navigated a trail many times is able to point out things of importance, of beauty, and of danger, so is one who has walked with God and given himself to careful study of God.
I have found the following books are faithful to Scriptureand helpful in shaping my knowledge of God:
Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
Attributes of God by A.W. Tozer
Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul
The Pleasures of God by John Piper
Knowing God by J.I. Packer
GRACE & PEACE 