Book Reviews

Book Review: Five Leading Reformers

 I was introduced to FIve Leading Refomers(written by Christopher Catherwood) by a friend who knew that I was planning to preach through the five solas of the Reformation during the month of October.  Christopher Catherwood is not a name that I knew and to my knowledge, I do not own another book published by Christian …

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Book Review: Celebration of Discipline

In 1978 Richard Foster penned Celebration of Discipline, which has become somewhat of a classic book in the field of Spiritual Disciplines.  After thirty years, Celebration contines to be a widely read text on the discipline of the spiritual life.  I personally found myself reading it as an assignment for a study group I am …

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The Reformation: How A Monk and A Mallet Changed the World

It is rare for history, especially church history, to be appetizing reading for most people.  Historians seem to have the uncanny ability to make even the most exciting events in history something much less than enjoyable when reading about them.  Stephen J. Nichols, however, has done a great job at reversing this trend with his …

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Doctrinally Rich Evangelism

Recently, I’ve read some debates revolving around doctrine and evangelism in the blogosphere (ie. JD Greear, Timmy Brister) and in scholarly journals (The Journal for Baptist Theology and Ministry).  The unfortunate issue in debates on doctrine and evangelism is that most seem to focus either on preaching (and teaching) strong doctrine or on being evangelistic.  The fact of of the matter …

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Putting The Truth To Work

 

 

Doriani, Daniel M.  Putting the Truth to Work: the Theory and Practice of Biblical Application. Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P&R Publishing, 2001.  342pp. $17.99 (much $11.69 at wtsbooks .

 

INTRODUCTION

             As a companion to his excellent work, Getting the Message, Daniel Doriani published Putting the Truth to Work in 2001.  In Getting the Message (Hereafter, GTM), Doriani gave a basic outline for the beginning stages of hermeneutics and exegesis.  In Putting the Truth to Work, the author seeks to apply the basic principles set forth in GTM, through the CAPTOR method of exegesis to the greater task of application. 

            Though wide in scope, the book seeks to answer the main question, “Is the Bible relevant?” (1).  That is, in short, what application is all about.  Showing readers and hearers how the Bible, as a whole and in specific texts, is relevant to their lives and their individual situations.  However, no one can expect to discover the contemporary meaning of the Bible without knowing its original meaning.  That is the assertion of Doriani, and it is that assertion that builds the foundation for this work. 

 

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Spurgeon: A New Biography

Charles Spurgeon was, quite possibly, the most gifted preacher the world has ever known outside of Scripture.  In a time before microphones and air conditioning, Spurgeon was known to attract crowds of thousands and to faithfully preach to them the word of God, often begging for the conversion of sinners.  Would that God should raise …

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Why Pastors Should Pay Attention to Chuck Norris’ Book

Chuck Norris doesn’t read books.  He stares them down until he gets the information he wants. Chuck has written a book (well, some people say Chuck Norris doesn’t actually write books, the words assemble themselves out of fear).  Regardless of how this book came to be, I’ve not read it, and my first thought was, “What …

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Southern Baptist Consensus and Renewal

On the backend of the conservative resurgence, many in the  Southern Baptist Convention seem to be experiencing an identity crisis.  With the Battle for the Bible seemingly won, how should we as Southern Baptists be defined?

David Dockery seeks to answer that question with Southern Baptist Consensus and Renewal.  The subtitle, A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Proposal adequately sums up Dockery’s efforts in writing this well-researched and immediately applicable book.  Dockery blames much of the controversy in the twentieth century on a lack of theological emphasis in Southern Baptist churches, universities, and seminaries.  In his own words,

Moreover, when the controversies surrounding the Bible broke out during that time, most Southern Baptists were horrified to learn that some professors in our seminaries and colelges did not believe in the full truthfulness of the Bible.  Our pragmatic and programmatic identity left us ill-equipped to respond to these theological challenges concerning Scripture.

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Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance

Bruce Ware is a gift to the Christian church, but, his work is sometimes not very readable.  Father, Son, and Holy Sprit challenges that stereotype.  This work on the Trinity is orthodox and well thought out as well as approachable by both pastor and laymen. Ware dives deep into the relationship shared by Triune God …

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Why Churches Die

Ergun Caner and Mac Brunson have written a book that is both entertaing, encouraging, and informative.  In Why Churches Die: Diagnosing Letal Poisons In The Body of Christ, Brunson and Caner expose many of the leading causes of division within the church such as spiritual apathy, gossip, and bitterness.  In their own words, A truly infected gossip …

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