Christian Book Notes

The Hardest Sermons You’ll Ever Have to Preach: Help from Trusted Preachers for Tragic Times.  Edited by Bryan Chapell.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2011.  304 pp.  $19.99.  Purchase at Westminster Books for $12.99.

Introduction

While the names of the contributors are familiar, the subject matter, as is most often the case, is not.  Bryan Chapell has edited a wonderful preaching resource for pastors with contributions from seasoned and trusted pastors for preaching sermons during life’s tragedies.  Contributors include John Piper, Tim Keller, Michael Horton as well as some lesser known men of the cloth like Mike Khandjian and Wilson Benton.

Summary

Divided into five parts with an appendix, this resource offers theological and practical considerations for preparing a sermon in the midst of a tragedy.  Part one is  a general four chapter section on responding to tragedies.  They include abortion, child abuse, community tragedy, and national tragedy.

Part two focuses in on the tragedy of losing a child – perhaps the most difficult tragedy to have to preach (at least that has been my experience).  These seven chapters include the preaching of the death of a special needs child, a miscarriage, and the death of an infant.

Parts three and four look at various funerals.  Part three offers consolation for funerals with difficult circumstances like drunk driving, cancer, and murder.  Chapter four aids in the preparation for a funeral sermon of a public figure.  The fifth part takes a look at preaching after a suicide.

The appendix is extremely helpful in that it will guide you in the choice of scripture passages as well as what you as the pastor should do in times of tragedy.  The second appendix gives explicit and general instruction on the pastor’s role in times of tragedy.

Review

This a difficult book to review in that it is a resource book and one that is meant to be a guide for pastoral care.  Each “chapter” is introduced by a paragraph or two detailing the situation, the concerns, and the approach.  Each chapter in and of itself is the actual sermon preached.

Given the evangelical approach to this resource, the one component that shines through every sermon is the offering of hope in Christ Jesus.  While you will not be able to take these sermons and re-preach them, you will definitely have a guide in which you can craft your own.

The examples given to the reader in these sermons are real-life messages that were preached.  In other words, they were not crafted in an ivory tower by a guy who has never had to get dirty in the ministry.

Honestly, while the sermons and introductions are the main thrust of this particular book, I found the appendices to be worth the price of the book.  To have a trusted guide by an experienced pastor during a tragic time is an unbelievable comfort.

Recommendation

If you are a pastor, I highly recommend you get this resource for your ministry.  Let’s face it, we live our lives knowing, but not really believing, that tragedy can and will strike us at any time.  Preaching a funeral is difficult by itself–especially if it is a funeral for an infant or one that shocked the congregation.  Having this resource at the ready will ultimately be invaluable to the young pastor who has never had to preach a funeral of various tragedies.

Piper, John.  Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God.  Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010.  224 pp.  $19.99.  Purchase at Westminster Books for $10.39.

Introduction

John Piper needs no introduction.  I have reviewed many of his works which you can check out here.  The idea of being a thinking Christian, however, may need an introduction.  There has been a renaissance of sorts with the intellectual Christian as opposed to the anti-intellectualism over the past few decades.  You can find some resources here to help guide you. In Think, John Piper seeks to show that we can glorify God with both our minds and our hearts.

Summary

Piper has divided the book into eight small sections with each building on the previous.  He lays the foundation by clarifying what his intentions are with the publication of this book and then explains the meaning of thinking.  As he navigates through the necessity of being a thoughtful Christian, he explains what it means to come to faith through thinking while maintaining a heart for God.

I especially appreciated his chapters on dealing with the challenge many face, especially in academia, with relativism.  One of the final sections deals directly with the challenge of anti-intellectualism.  The book concludes with a plea both to thinkers and non-thinkers.

Review

What I appreciated most about Think is that it is not for the thinker.  What I mean is that many books that deal with the intellectual Christian are for the intellectual Christian.  For some of those books, you need an M.Div to be able to even discern what is being written.  Not so with Piper’s book.  As a matter of fact, he expressly states this in the introduction of this book.  He says, “I am a preacher–a Bible expositor.  Most of my time is spent trying to figure out what the Bible means and how it applies to life.  That’s what this book will taste like.”

Piper nailed it.  Think is more a devotional book dealing with the verses in the Bible that deal with the thought life and how to apply those verses to our lives today.

Recommendation

If you struggle with the balance between thought and emotion in your Christian walk, reading Piper’s Think will go a long way to help you understand the need for both–especially the thinking.  So many congregation members today do not think hard about their faith or their actions while many leaders in those congregations do not challenge their hearers.  John Piper will exhort all Christians, regardless of the call on your life, to become a more thoughtful Christian.

Piper, John. Don’t Waste Your Life. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2003. 192 pp. $15.99. Purchase at Westminster Books for $11.38.

audiobook

Narrated by Lloyd James. Esconido: christianaudio Hovel, 2007. 6.25 Hrs. CD–$23.98 MP3 CD–$19.98 Download—$14.98

Introduction

If you have not heard of John Piper, then you must either not be a regular reader of Christian Book Notes or you are new believer in Jesus Christ. John Piper has made popular what he calls Christian Hedonism—being so passionate about the One, Jesus Christ, who is worthy of our praise. Don’t Waste Your Life is another work of Piper’s toward that one goal.

Summary

Don’t Waste Your Life is divided into ten chapters that takes the reader on a theological journey through John Piper’s mind that led him to really what is the main thrust of his ministry. He shares his search for “a single passion” during his college years leading to his ‘discovery’ that Christ truly is our all in all.

As he shares his testimony of finding the beauty of Christ in everything, he accelerates toward the telos (the end) of how to live a life saturated in Christ. Along the way, Piper shows how to make much of Christ in the workplace as well as in the church. In essence, no matter where you are in your walk with Christ, no matter what your age or IQ, the reader is challenged to begin living for Christ in such a radical way so that at the end, you will not say “I’ve wasted my life.”

Review

It is refreshing to read from the heart of arguably one of the most prolific writers and preachers in America today. What is more, I am convinced we are seeing the fruit of his passion for Christ in the writings and ministries of men like David Platt, Kevin DeYoung, and Mark Dever.

Having been written in 2003, coupled with my just now reading/listening to this book, I have the ability to see how this book in particular has helped to change a Christian sub-culture (poor choice of words?) and has led them to seek to serve Christ with their lives. Piper does not write Don’t Waste Your Life to the pastor, the missionary, or the believer in the pew. Rather, he writes to everyone who calls on the name of Christ as Lord and Savior. Much like David Platt’s Radical, Piper challenges all to be so enraptured with the glories of Christ, that your every waking (and possibly sleeping?) moment is captivated by Christ so that you cannot help but seek to worship and serve Him.

Recommendation

I recommend to anyone looking at what it means to be “sold out for Jesus” to read Don’t Waste Your Life. Even better, you can download the audiobook and listen to it in your car and listen to it on your drive. Who knows, this might be the perfect catalyst to get you to redeem even the time in your car. His chapter on making much of Christ from 8-5 is much needed for the Christian who is in the work place daily. The grind at the office can sap you of energy and drag your spiritual mindedness down to the pits of Sheol. Allow John Piper to show you how to not waste your life.

I have four John Piper books to give away this week to one winner.

To be entered to win, simply fill out the contact form below. Please spread the word as free advertising always helps to get more great giveaways like this one from the publishers!

John Piper and Justin Taylor, general editors.  The Power of Words and the Wonder of God.  Wheaton:  Crossway Books, 2009.  176 pp.  $15.99.  Purchase at Westminster books for $10.71.

Introduction

John Piper and Justin Taylor are back as general editors of yet another wonderful treatise that the church needs to hear.  This particular edition deals with the words we use each and every day.  More importantly, this volume deals with the Word of God and how the power of salvation and creation comes from God’s words.

Contributors include Mark Driscoll, Sinclair Ferguson, Bob Kauflin, Piper, Taylor, Daniel Taylor and Paul David Tripp.

Summary

These papers were presented at the 2008 Desiring God National Conference.  Paul Tripp introduces the mere fact that everything we do involves speech.  We need to be seeking to season our speech with the love of the gospel so that when we do speak, it will be effective for God’s glory.  Next, Sinclair Ferguson exposits James 3:1-12 which is truly worth the price of the book.

Piper offers a stirring look at how our speech should be eloquent so that God’s glory may be magnified all the more.  This is a chapter that needs to be read by all pastors and Christian speakers.  Often times, we are unable to move beyond superficial words except to sprinkle “smart sounding” words in so that we sound intelligent.  Thus the saying remains true: “a mile wide and an inch deep” when applied to our vocabulary.

Interestingly enough, Driscoll speaks on Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words.  I say interestingly enough because it is Driscoll who has come under fire for having used profanity from the pulpit (he has since repented).  Daniel Taylor, a professor of literature and writing at Bethel University, writes regarding how our faith is writing a story and how we should express it as such.

Finally, Bob Kauflin concludes the essays with his take on how our singing brings much glory and honor to God.  The book ultimately concludes with two panel discussions regarding the power of words.

Review/Recommendation

These messages are not for the faint of heart.  There is no letting up in this book.  From the beginning to the end, the reader is challenged to watch what he says.  The theme verse while reading this book is Matthew 12:36.  Amazingly enough, I can never recall a sermon being preached on this text in any church I have ever attended.

Regardless of the difficulty of reading (you can download the sermons and listen to them), these men need to be heard.  If Matthew 12:36 is true, then there are many of us (myself included!) who are going to be in a lot of trouble though we have been covered by the shed blood of Jesus Christ (at least those who have repented of their sins and confessed Christ as Lord and Savior).  As you read this book, you will find yourself realizing just how easily one sins by opening his mouth. Read this book.

Piper, John.  Ruth: Under the Wings of God.  Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010.  90 pp.  $21.99.  Purchase at Westminster for $14.51.

Introduction

I have review numerous books by John Piper and therefore do not really need to introduce anything about him.  Regardless, you can find more about John Piper and his ministry at DesiringGod.org.  There are numerous resources available for free.

This particular book of poems comes as a reflection from Piper’s exegetical work on Ruth which was published a few months prior to this one.  That book is entitled A Sweet and Bitter Providence.  I have reviewed it here.

Review

This is not a book of exegetical thoughts though it is based on Piper’s sermon preparation for the book of Ruth.  In this book of poetry, John Piper takes artistic license as Obed, Ruth’s aged son, tells his young grandson about how God cared for his mom during some rough times.  Obed tells how God brought his mom and dad (Boaz) together and how his dad had to redeem his mom in order for them to be married.  That grandson is a little 8 year old inquisitive boy named David.

While I am not one to do well with reading poetry–I always seem to notice the rhythm and rhyme more than the content–I found this one to be a fun and unique way of looking at the book of Ruth.  Personally, I had to read the book twice in order to be familiar enough with it to better see the content.  Aside from that one personal issue, I greatly enjoyed the storyline and the angle in which the story was shared.

Recommendation

If you are not into reading poetry, this will be a tough read (as I shared above).  If you are into poetry, then you will greatly love this book.  I have found that my children loved the reading of this book because of the rhythm and rhyme.  It makes for a memorable story for the children.

Piper, John.  A Sweet & Bitter Providence:  Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God.  Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2010.  160 pp.  $17.99.  Purchase at Westminster for $11.69.

Audiobook

Narrated by Grover Gardner.  Escondido: christianaudio Hovel.  3.8 hours.  Download–$9.98, CD–$15.98

Introduction

Seriously, John Piper needs no introduction, but perhaps the book of Ruth does. Situated right after the book of Judges and just before the establishment of the monarchy, we read of a widow and her widowed daughter-in-law. Ruth is certainly a love story through and through, but many wonder how it speaks to us today. John Piper has offered his faithful exegesis and application of the book of Ruth in his latest book, A Sweet & Bitter Providence.

Summary

A short book, this one is divided into four chapters. The first chapter discusses God’s providence in allowing life to happen to Naomi, Ruth, and Orpah. Chapter two looks at how God guided and directed the paths of Ruth and Naomi to the city of a kinsmen redeemer. And not just any kinsmen redeemer, but one who would be able to provide for Ruth.

The third chapter describes strategic righteousness. Strategic righteousness is not a man or woman manipulating life’s events so that all works out for his or her good. Rather, strategic righteousness is rooted in the hope that God is going to work all things for one’s good. Chapter four concludes with the Christ-exalting application that Piper is known for (and I praise God for that!). Here, Piper shows how we, as the redeemed of Christ, are to make Him renowned in the world just as Ruth did with Boaz.

Audio/Content Review

Grover Gardner, a common voice heard on christianaudio, reads this book extraordinarily well. I have listened to a couple of the books he has read and have found him to sometimes be out of place. I cannot figure out why exactly–other than I “hear” John Piper or Donald S. Whitney whenever I read one of their books–but his voice just does not seem quite right.

That is not to say that he does not do a good job. On the contrary, he does a wonderful job. This is probably why when you check out the list of books he has read for christianaudio, you find authors like J.I. Packer, John Piper, Donald S. Whitney, Eugene Peterson, etc. In the case of A Sweet & Bitter Providence, I could hear John Piper teaching even though it was Grover Gardner reading–if that makes any sense at all.

The content of the book is right on–especially in today’s pluralistic society. Piper takes us straight to the throne room of God to see that sex is indeed a beautiful and glorious gift. We see that while many frown on inter-racial relationships, God, in His providence, ordained it such that Christ would descend from such a relationship.

Recommendation

A Sweet & Bitter Providence offers a glorious look “behind the scenes” as it were of what God was doing in the life of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. There is much to be gleaned from this short book of the Bible. We are indebted to John Piper for offering his thoughts on this book and even more so the application of this book for our lives today.

Dever, Mark, J. Ligon Duncan III, R. Albert Mohler Jr., C.J. Mahaney. Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology. Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2009. 192 pp. $21.99. Purchase from Westminster for $14.51.

Introduction

Do these men need any introduction to the evangelical community? The men who comprise the Together for the Gospel “movement” are Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Al Mohler, and C.J. Mahaney. Contributors include Thabiti M. Anyabwile, John MacArthur, John Piper, and R.C. Sproul. Every two years, since 2006, these men have gathered in Louisville, Ky to exhort and challenge pastors and Christians to stand together for the gospel. In other words, be the unity that is called for in Scripture despite denominational “walls.”

Proclaiming a Cross-Centered Theology was the theme for 2008. This book is an adaptation of the messages presented at that three day conference. The audio can be downloaded and listened to here for free.

Summary

Beginning with the necessity of sound doctrine, Ligon Duncan offers an apologetic for the need of biblical doctrine to be taught on a regular basis. In what I thought was the best message of the conference, Thabiti discusses what it means to bear the image of God and how we, as Christians, need to be more explicit in doing. John MacArthur discusses the inability of the sinner to repent apart from the grace of God.

Mark Dever looks at five common mistakes from the pulpit by pastors trying to “improve” the gospel. R.C. Sproul looks at a controversial subject; i.e., the curse motif of the atonement–I thought the second best message of the conference. Al Mohler takes an academic look at the rejection of substitutionary atonement in recent years. Piper looks to the book of Hebrews to discuss how Christ will create in us a radical sacrifice. C.J. Mahaney concludes with the sustaining of the pastor’s soul–yet another quality message.

Review/Recommendation

Obviously, the charge can be brought against these men that they are all Calvinists. While that may be true, that does not mean that they are arguing against non-calvinists. Rather, they are showing how these doctrines give them an urgency to sharing the gospel in thought, word, and deed. I liked C.J. Mahaney’s comment at the conference when asked about the heresy of hyper-calvinism. His response was something along the lines of I thought hyper calvinism was just someone who got really excited about the gospel!

For those who disagree with these doctrines, then MacArthur’s chapter will not be for you. However, these messages will encourage your soul and exhort you to diligent study of the Scriptures.

I would recommend this book to anyone in pastoral ministry. As I stated earlier, you can download the messages for free and listen to them. Having attended the conference (and taking notes), I have found that reading the book is better for me as it allows me to interact a bit more with my thoughts and the thoughts of the speaker.

Finally, a reading (or listening) of Mahaney’s chapter on sustaining the pastor’s soul is a must for all in the ministry as well as those who attend church on a regular basis. Pastoral care is often not mentioned and taken for granted by many. Mahaney helps to change that.

Piper, John.  This Momentary Marriage: A Parable of Permanence. Wheaton:  Crossway Books, 2009.  192 pp.  $17.99.  Purchase at Westminster for $10.79.

Summary

John Piper has once again set before us a God-honoring, Christ-exalting book that will cause the Christian to think deeply about marriage.  An easy read, This Momentary Marriage is divided into 15 chapters, each able to be read in a day as a substantive devotional.

Piper sets forth the truth of marriage as something that is a doing of God as well as something that is for the display of God’s glory.  With that as his foundation, Piper builds a biblically-saturated understanding of what a Christian marriage looks like…for better or worse.

He spends a few chapters detailing the covenantal aspect of marriage and how we must honor that covenant.  He then moves into the roles of each in the marriage.  The man, of course, is the head of the marriage while the woman is to submit to the man’s authority.  Granted, these two concepts, while biblical, will cause some (egalitarians) to completely disagree with the author.

After detailing the biblical roles in the marriage, Piper moves on to discuss singleness and preparing for marriage.  Next, he delves into the always controversial discussion of children.  Finally, he delves into even more controversy by discussing the issue of divorce and remarriage.  With the ultimate conclusion to both being rooted in his understanding of Ephesians 5.

Review

I found this book to be extremely well thought out and executed.  His Gospel-centeredness is to be commended even though it takes him to some hard positions–especially where divorce and remarriage is concerned.  He argues that if a believer is divorced (whether it was initiated by an unbelieving spouse or not) the believer cannot remarry as long as the ex-spouse is alive.  I tend to disagree with that stance but, given his Scripture as a launching point, Ephesians 5, I can understand why he claims this to be so.  After all, he does say that he believes we do not have as radical an understanding of marriage as God does and therefore we will struggle to apply some of the biblical teachings on the subject.

Recommendation

There are some aspects of the book (see above) that will ruffle some feathers and not everyone will agree with the positions Piper takes, but the charge cannot be leveled that John Piper does not carefully and prayerfully arrive at his conclusions without first studying the Bible.  As a minister, I can see this book being developed into a pre-marital counseling course.  If you are newly married or going to be getting married in say the next 30 years, pick up a copy of This Momentary Marriage and read through it with your spouse or spouse-to-be.  If you are not newly married, but want to be challenged to be more Christ-like in your marriage, then you, too, need to pick up a copy of This Momentary Marriage.