​We all believe that the 10 Commandments still apply, even today, in the age of the New Covenant. Of course, not for salvation, since we are saved by faith. But “Thou shalt not commit murder,” “Thou shalt not commit adultery,” even “Thou shalt not covet” is relevant today (while the eating of lobsters or wearing of polyester is not). And yet, we consider the Fourth Commandment as unimportant. Oh, we don’t disagree with it, and we’ll even defend it against the pagans. But just as we don’t send someone to jail for lying, we’ll quickly look the other way when anyone breaks the Fourth Commandment: “Thou shalt keep the Sabbath Day holy.”
 
Robert Morris’ new book (which comes out today), Take the Day Off argues quite effectively the importance of obeying this command. This is not another typical book on how we all need rest or how to find rest in an increasingly busy world. He does touch upon those two topics, but this book is about the theological implications and how obeying or disobeying affects us personally. Morris is also such a prolific writer that it feels like you’re having a conversation with him at the pulpit instead of listening in on a theological seminar.
 
Morris is not a strict Sabbatarian (like the Seventh Day Adventists), but he believes in taking out a literal one day out of the week to rest and fellowship with God, and it doesn’t have to be on a Sunday, either. This is by far the best book I’ve read on the Sabbath. It is highly Biblical (unlike many self-help type books on Christian resting) and highly practical (unlike many theological books on the 10 Commandments covering the Sabbath). In addition, Max Lucado's foreward is also awesome!
 
If you find yourself too busy to read a book, stop what you’re doing and order it right now and read this book. It will be your first step to obeying the Forgotten Commandment.

I would like to thank FaithWords Publishers for an advance copy of this book.

by Michael Hare. You know how a math nerd likes a book of intricate math problems or a chess enthusiast likes a book of chess strategies, or a word nerd loves solving cross-word puzzles? This book is kind of like that, or all of those. In addition to great principles and strategies for solving church problems, this book is full of real life examples, or problems that need to be solved. It's like a ministry puzzle book for ministry nerds. Some of the problems, I smile, because I remember going through them, and solving them in similar ways. Other problems remind me that the playing field is huge, as intricate as the people involved. Unlike math, each problem is unique, based on history, culture, personalities, intergroup fighting, intragroup fighting, intrapersonal, etc, and there are multiple solutions.
 
Here's a small exerpt:
The board recommended a congregational meeting for resolving a controversial issue. It started out okay, but then several people started talking at the same time, then it came to yelling at each other. Others joined in, and it got pretty ugly. Within a month, the church split and about a third of the congregation went down the street and started a new church.
 
Sadly, this example is all too common, so there are actually many books that address church conflict. This book, in my opinion is the best one. It has great principles for solving any church conflict, including a workbook section to work on your specific issues at church. I recommend this book for anyone in fulltime church ministry. A necessary book for any senior pastor or executive pastor.

I would like to thank Moody Publishers for an advance copy of the book.

of Sardis. This criticism is only valid if the book was indeed meant only to be a theological commentary. Instead, this is more of a sermon.
 
It is not MacArthur's intention to "turn this country back to God." Rather, it's to turn the church back to God. He is definitely not a post-millennialist, although there used to be a strong tendency for such in his dispensational theology. In essence, he's saying, "Stop trying to change the world and make it a better place. Instead, be the church." He unpacks God's message to the 7 churches in the book of Revelation to show what it means to be the church.
 
I expected a moral tirade and a desperate call to repentance. Instead, he just presents the Word as it is, and let the message convict the reader, or not. He doesn't slap the reader to attention. Almost unemotionally, he explains, like a commentary, what Jesus demands from his church and the consequences of disobedience. The subtitle of the book is Christ's Call to Reform the Church, not "John MacArthur's Call." He doesn't go off on his own criticism of what the church is now and all the things that need to change. He rarely says, "The church has to..." Actually, he rarely addresses the Church at all. He lets Christ speak for Himself, as he soundly exposits the passages in Revelation like a commentator. I wished he would speak out more, because he has clout, and people would listen to him, and he does so behind the pulpit and other venues, but in this book MacArthur is just a messenger. It's not his personal call to the church based on his convictions and observations.
 
However, it is in the final chapter that we actually get what we were looking for when we picked up this book - John MacArthur's assessment, criticism, and call to reform the church. I wished that he started off with this chapter, because that's what we really want to read, not a commentary on Revelation. But then, it would be seen as a just a personal message, from a mere man, albeit a respected and proven pastor. By putting this chapter at the end, it serves as a culminating warning that summarizes and puts into today's context the rebukes of Jesus from Revelation. It's hard to disagree with the man, when he's simply mimicking the words of our Lord (although I do disagree with a few of his generalizations).
 
It's a must-read for anyone who even vaguely recognizes that there's something terribly wrong with the Church today. At least, read the last chapter.

​I would like to thank Moody Publishers for an advance copy of this book:

​Not his best work, but Max Lucado's newest book Unshakable Hope is classic Max Lucado (comes out next month Aug 7). Unlike his other works, there's more exposition and less poetry. But you won't be disappointed; his writing style is still superb.
 
He starts off each chapter with a specific promise from Scripture. As expected, each chapter can stand on its own, but the overarching theme is that God keeps his promises, and that gives us hope. He unsuccessfully keeps trying to push the "we are people of the Promise" theme, as if to inspire us, but I don't think it works. Nice try, though. It may have worked if he devoted a poetic chapter to it first, a tear-jerker.

All in all, Max Lucado does it again. Good work, but nothing that really stands out from his other works.
​

Many people try to live like Christians without Jesus because they see the attractiveness of the religion without the conviction of sin and the need for a savior. They do this without thinking, which is part of the problem. I wanted to see the best logical defense of living this way from someone who actually thought it through (and wrote many books and articles on this Middle Way topic).

​You know there’s a problem when chapter 7’s title is “Christian Agnosticism.” This must be the most liberal book I was given to read, but I wanted to give its logic a chance. Also, it’s apparent from my conversations with many supposed “Christians,” that this is relevant to the real experience and lifestyle of many more people than I would like to admit.
 
He shows what this book is about in the introduction. He states that it is possible to enjoy the benefits of Christianity without being “Christian” in true belief. He also proposes that strong Christian beliefs (deity of Christ, gospel, etc) actually have “no positive effects on the lives of Christians.” A belief in God may in fact have detrimental results. Yet there is meaning in the Christian experience even, or especially, without them.
 
The author is an agnostic who believes only in the possibility of absolute beliefs. He believes that God is real, but we as humans are unable to make an “absolute presupposition that God exists” or that he has sent special revelation in the form of the Bible.
 
Let me get to the point. He writes, “The importance of Jesus in our lives does not depend on…whether he was actually the son of God.” What matters is how we “interpret his advice” and how his story affects our lives. This belief is in stark opposition to traditional Christianity and the revelation of the gospel.
 
Although logical gymnastics is used to redefine words like “faith” and “belief,” the author’s presupposition boils down to this common thinking – The story/beliefs of religion is unimportant insofar as it helps you on your path to enjoyment and self-discovery. That’s what matters, not the actual beliefs.
 
This book highlights the subjective experience. In contrast, absolute beliefs undermine human responsibility. Not only that, he writes that to believe in divine revelation is to disrespect God. Say what? Wow, his version of God (or the God archetype) must be entirely different from yours and mine, because I’d be offended if someone didn’t believe my words.
 
I’ll concede that absolute beliefs have been the cause of many religious wars (e.g. Crusades, Ireland) and splits in the church (e.g. Reformation), and many of these disputes have been ugly. Yes, there’s a problem. However, it does not mediate a pragmatist effort of anti-absolutist, veiled subjectivism.
 
The author’s premise most obviously falls apart when he talks about science, "not as a discovery of truths." He maintains that science cannot give us real knowledge of “supposedly true facts.” Rather, science is more of a social construct, much like religion. More than theologians, I think scientists would be more in disagreement by that remark.
 
It’s ironic that he criticizes the results of the liberal Jesus Seminar for “applying criteria…to ensure results that fit the preferred liberal picture…and confirmation bias.” Yet he does the same thing to Jesus by elevating human experience above absolute claims of divinity (the Bible). By that criterium, the conclusions are already mapped out, and Jesus is just a character in a story, relevant only to our subjective experience and journey. By the end of the book, as predicted, the teachings of Jesus are more important than the person of Jesus. What’s worse is that he insinuates that Jesus was thinking in the same construct.
 
I think it’s fine to disagree with the Gospel. But what is offensive about this book is that he tries to redefine the Gospel. He redefines “atonement, grace, and salvation.” He ridicules the very essence of what it means to be Christian and denigrates it to a mere culture of faith (not belief). He says that Jesus has been misinterpreted by history, that Jesus never meant to take anyone’s place of sin responsibility, and sin “cannot be removed by magic.” He draws from mostly anti-Christian philosophers like Sartre, Nieche, or Kierkegaard. It’s no wonder he ends up with mostly anti-Christian implications.
 
In terms of writing style, like most academics, he takes a long time to get to his point. He feels the need to define every subject word ad infinitum and explain every tangential detail. It’s not necessary; people could easily follow your train of thought. In addition, the dual categorization of the left hemisphere God (i.e. of the brain) and the right hemisphere God was simply ridiculous.
 
You could actually start reading this book with chapter 7 without missing too much; everything is summarized in the first few paragraphs. Interestingly enough, his writing becomes more focused hereon.
 
It’s unfortunate that a book that purports fresh new ideas is riddled with spots of failed logic and rational thinking. But the author reveals why he started with negative bias against Christianity. He writes, “My overwhelming experience of church…left a negative impression so deep that I struggle to engage more positive emotions with Christian worship even today. I think this was because it was primarily about power: the power of a social institution imposed upon participants by appeal to the authority of a supernatural entity.”
 
This actually explains a lot. I could understand fully why he cannot examine this subject with objectivity. In short, this book isn’t worth the read, Christian or not.

However it reveals that for someone to be logically consistent in trying to live as Christian without Christ, you have to disregard the Bible and treat it as nice little moral stories to learn from, not as divine revelation. You have to treat everything in life as subjective to your own experience, including discoveries in science, since there is no absolute truth. This kind of subjectivity will wreak havoc on your sense of morals, observation of facts, and the importance of life after death.

As the author summarizes, religion indeed acts as a power play among political characters. However, to lump the whole of the Christian gospel in that mix fails to see why a person cannot be Christian without Christ.

On the other hand, I now see that in order to counter the failed logic of those who try to be Christian without Christ, I have to emphasize the importance of absolute truths as revealed in science and nature (and life), and that divine revelation is the only way we can know God. And there is nothing subjective about that!

I would like to thank the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

to his points, but his story-telling is actually enjoyable. You want to sit back and go for the ride.
I actually think he’s hoping this book will be adapted into a movie, because that’s how it’s written – a curious journalist traveling hundreds of miles to interview experts in their field to get at the truth. The “Case” he presents is in the content of those interviews.
 
Maybe after you read this next paragraph, you don’t have to read the book.
 
There are thousands of well documented cases of miracles, medically examined, peer reviewed, and scientifically confirmed. There are millions more that are not documented. But this is not proof that merely a supernatural plane exists beyond scientific explanations. It is specific proof that prayer to the Judeo-Christian God may elicit answer in the form of miracles. Thus, scientific tests using prayers of non-Christians or not-real Christians came up empty. This is not proof that God exists, because it’s possible that a super intelligent alien is actually answering these Christian prayers. However, they are real proof of miracles.
 
If I have any criticism, it’s this: chapter 10 isn’t really a case for miracles. He borrowed from his other book, and it’s really a case for a creator. Then it spills over into the next chapter, which then becomes a case for the resurrection. We know where he’s going with this. He’s trying to point out that miracles prove not just any deity, but it’s the Christian God who created the universe and rose from the dead. However, he doesn’t link these subjects together with logic.
 
I was hoping he would go back to Michael Shermer with these proofs of miracles, to get his response or rebuttal, because that’s how this story started out. But, in the end, he does deliver a strong case for miracles and the reason it matters. I recommend this book, and it’s also a book you could give to your skeptic friend.

There are thousands of Christian books out there, and half of them suck! But there are still hundreds of good Christian books, so where do you start?

small churches are great, or that big churches suck. He’s not trying to grow small churches into bigger ones. ​
 
There’s nothing wrong with a church being small, and he’s not saying it’s better or more intimate. And churches that suck can be big or small. He’s simply saying: You can be a great small church, and this is how you do it. He defines the “greatness” of a church, the health, not measured by growth, but measured by effectiveness. In addition, he doesn’t believe in the mantra, “If a church is healthy, it will naturally grow bigger.”
 
Although much of my ministry experience has been in big churches, I am aware that 90% of churches out there are easily categorized as under 250 (small church). However, I’ve realized that most conferences out there come from a big church point of view. From vision statements to game ideas, they are sourced from “successful” churches, i.e. “big” churches. There are unique challenges in a small church and particular issues that come up. But those are not specifically addressed, just a typical footnote I’ve heard so often “you may have to modify these ideas to fit your particular church context.”
 
From experience, those conference ideas from big churches actually work in every big church, regardless of denomination, tradition, or region, with very little modification. However, two small churches in the same area, in the same denomination, can be vastly different, needing vastly different strategies to work for change and discipleship. When those conference ideas and values need to be vastly modified, then you need a different type of conference. or a book.
 
Karl Vater’s insights and advice are very practical, coming from his experience of pastoring a small church for many years. After being discouraged many times that the church growth methods weren’t working for his church, he switched gears and perspective about the purpose of his church (and The Church). He realized it was possible, and very probable, that some small churches are healthy churches. But why?
 
Some parts of the book seem quite typical, e.g., give people a heads up before you start changing things. But he also writes about things that are not so obvious, and others that are surprising. For example, he says that not every small church needs a small groups ministry; that’s more a big church necessity. And if you’re creating a small groups program because you actually sense a need, not because the “experts” say you need one, then use your instincts. You may know more about implementing small groups at your church than the small group “experts” who don’t know the unique characteristics of your church. And if you can’t find someone else who will be trained to lead the small groups ministry, then forget about it, because you shouldn’t lead one yourself (burn out).
 
Also, churches less than 250 in attendance don’t really need mission or vision statements. The book also points out that “vision-casting” is done very megachurch style, and in a very Old Testament fashion, like Moses (the pastor) directing the people. It made me realize I was taking the ever-popular vision-casting verse out of context “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Prov 29:18), and the only time most of us quote from the KJV.
 
Before doing new things, get rid of the old things. We have limited space. not just physically, but also emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. Before creating new programs, make space for it, or see if the “closet” is big enough. Either revamp ineffective programs or close it down.
 
Yeah, really good insight that I haven’t read elsewhere. Plus, he gets to the point. I’ve noticed an upward trend in new Christian books of 2018: the author starts off each chapter with a long story or two. This book doesn’t do that. He acknowledges that small church pastors are way too busy to read books for enjoyment, so he gets to the point and writes matter-of-fact.
 
Actually, this book has little value for pastors working in megachurches. However, for those in small churches, it will serve mostly as an encouragement, and as a side, some helpful tips on making your church strong and effective. Well worth the read!

not because ​of any anti-homosexual propaganda, media – what Christians have said. It’s what Christians have not said. Yes, there’s plenty of gay-bashing Christians in the media, some of them crazy. They know it’s part hype. But there’s usually silence from the majority of Christians and churches. There’s no welcoming, no embrace, the topic is avoided altogether. Among their Christian “friends,” there’s no condemnation, but neither is there acceptance. It’s like they’re walking on egg shells, so just avoid that path of discussion. Pretend it’s not an issue and ignore the elephant in the room. That leads to superficial conversations and superficial relationships.
No wonder they don’t want to come to church.

So how should Christians and churches respond? How do we act around our homosexual friends and neighbors? And what do we talk about? And foundationally, what do you think about the issue, Biblically? Social commentary and logical arguments abound on the internet, some wrapped in religious clothes, but where does your Biblical understand lead you in light of all the scientific and social information about homosexuality and transgenderism (including genderqueer, pangender, gender fluid, etc)?

In her new book, Love Thy Body, Nancy Pearcey shows us a well-balanced description of the issue and how to approach it Biblically and socially. Pearcey is a highly intelligent philosopher, well read in secular and theological literature, and is a good writer.

In chapter 1, Pearcey makes it clear that all these issues pertaining to sexuality is really a war of worldviews. What is the human body? Is there a sense of self regardless of the body? She first uses Abortion as an example to discuss the philosophy of worldviews, and how they affect everything we talk about.

In all my theological studies, I have never studied the theology of the body. It was a given, a non-issue. Well, due to a critical misunderstanding of the body, as God’s creation, Christians have no theological response to the modern issues of sexuality, e.g. Homosexuality, Transgender. I expected to read mostly social commentary, but this book is theologically and biblically based, because both deal with worldviews, which is the very foundation of the author’s points.

Biologically speaking, the male human body is designed to be in union with the female body. But the postmodern society is asking, “Why should my body direct my psychological identity?” There is a disconnect. “When a person senses a dissonance between mind and body…the body is dismissed as irrelevant.”

Today’s thinking of gender and sexual identity has evolved from even 10 years ago. Sexuality and Genderism is not based in science or even a scientific search. 10 years ago, people were looking for a gene that influences homosexuality in the DNA, or a gender identity influenced by chemistry in the brain. Now, the leaders of the movement proclaim that is a moot point. Regardless of my male physical body or what goes on in my brain, I could declare my preference to be considered a female. I don’t have to undergo a sex change operation, nor do I have to alter my physical appearance to look female (like the old drag queen stereotype). Who I am in the inside has nothing to do with biology.
When factual science, based on biology and chemistry (as opposed to social science), is taken out of the equation, gender and sexual preference is all subjective. Employers must recognize these preferences or face heavy fines, all without any proof of surgery or hormone treatment. With the rise of postmodernism, physical traits or biology takes a back seat to the inner feelings. These feelings are not innate since birth, unchangeable. They are in constant flux, even among the leaders of the movement. It’s not about being recognized as queer or homosexual or pangender by the mainstream. It’s about not having to check a box - male, female, or trans. They don’t want to be put in a box. I can be male today but female tomorrow.

Then how are these feelings formed? Some of them seem quite unchangeable. Pearcey says we must take “individual responsibility for our identity,” and we interpret our identity by “sifting through” our cultural grids, through the norms therein. Is it weird for a little boy to be gentle, sensitive, and emotional (instead of shouting with army toys)? Does this indicate he may be transgender or homosexual? No! Boys can be sensitive, just like girls can be take-charge, assertive, and adventurous. Instead of letting gender stereotypes play out, Christians must speak out against this subversive type of meta-bullying. The “speaking out” isn’t against this little girl who is questioning herself why she doesn’t play with dolls like all the other girls. It’s against society and the laws that want to question what a “male” or “female” is. Identity is based on biology, not social culture. When this cultural grid better reflects reality, people will have a healthier barometer by which to discover their identity. It should be socially acceptable for a girl to like “manly” things and want to fight like a soldier. She’s not “in the wrong body.” Nor is she supposed to “act like a girl” because of her biology. These gender stereotypes end up confusing people when they think there’s another option: they’re “in the wrong body.”

The Bible is against the old Gnostic teaching that the physical body is not part of the authentic self. “Male” and “female” are not mere social constructs. They are rooted in biology and creation. There’s a need for Christians to speak up and present the Biblical worldview, not for moral condemnation, but rather to present “a more appealing, more life-affirming worldview,” because they care about people. She continues, “holding up a moral ideal for sexuality has nothing to do with self-righteousness, [but] it stems from the conviction that certain acts are healthier and more fulfilling because they are in line with the way God created humanity.”

Instead of speaking out against male-bodied transgenders who go into womens’ shower rooms at the gym, Christians must show compassion to those who are struggling with their sense of self. They “despise their own bodies and reject their biological identity.”
​
I encourage everyone to read this new book by Pearcey. It really tackles all the good arguments raised by these issues of sexuality. In addition, not just on an intellectual level, her motive stems from the desire to build strong relationships with the real people struggling with these deeply personal issues. Far from a stance of religious condemnation, this book is a call to reach out and actively help.
​

First off, the number 50 is highly subjective, because it could’ve easily been 40 or 55 with the same exact content. For example, the chapters Final Judgment and Eternal Punishment could’ve been the same Core Truth, whereas the chapter on the Church: Nature and Marks could’ve been two separate chapters. But let’s just go with it.

​Let me preface by saying that my theology falls very close in alignment with Horton, Erickson, and Grudem, who are 3 of the 7 resources for this book. This is not a Systematic for a seminary student. This book is for the general audience and is very easy to read. It’s also handy as a reference book.
 
Each chapter (Core Truth) has 10 sections: It starts with a one-sentence Summary. The Main Themes has its main points, followed by Key Scripture. Major Affirmations describe the doctrine in less than 2 pages, followed by Biblical Support, which is the Biblical proof of the doctrine. Major Errors describe the several heresies that come from denying or modifying the doctrine. Enacting the Doctrine section seems new when dealing with a book like this. This means: How does this doctrine help you practice godly living? Then there’s the Teaching the Doctrine section which is like a teachers guide on how to approach this topic with students. The Teaching Outline is really just an outline of this chapter, not how you would teach it to your class. Then in every Resource section, the same 7 theology books are used. This section shows what chapter or pages pertain to the same topic in each of those 7 books.
 
This book is much more thorough than some internet list or even Sproul’s Essential Truths. This is more like a very short-hand, notes version of a thick Systematics book. That’s great for most purposes, but sometimes deeper terms are not explained, like the “Creator-creature distinction” (chapter 8), which would require another 2 paragraphs to explain. I don’t think the book assumes some theological training in the reader. Rather, these chapters were probably created from cutting down much larger source material. This is more evident in the next two chapters, where God’s many Attributes are covered so quickly it doesn’t do them justice. But this book isn’t meant to be an exhaustive theology book.
 
This book is meant to be clear and concise, the keyword being the latter. This is most evident in its treatment of the Trinity, a difficult topic to cram into one chapter. Yet, it does so very logically with simplicity (no spoilers!).
 
Chapter 16, with its discussion on human dichotomy vs trichotomy, doesn’t seem like a core of Christian faith. Prophet-Priest-King is great theology (Ch 19), but is it really core to our faith? Church government (ch 39) is a core truth? And chapter 18’s discussion of the hypostatic conditions of Christ seemed superfluous.
 
I can confirm that every page presents conservative theology. However, a few things to note: In its treatment of the “gifts of the Holy Spirit,” it presents both the cessationist and continuationist views fairly but doesn’t take a side. Yet, in addition to the traditional view, it also describes the Pentecostal belief of the “second blessing” (aka “baptism of the Holy Spirit”) as a legit belief, unfortunately (ch 32). In regards to predestination, it presents both Reformed and Arminian theology but doesn’t take a side. It’s the same treatment for Regeneration (ch 28), Conversion (ch 29), Perseverance (ch 34), and Baptism (ch 40, infant or believers’). At least it makes a firm stand against the Catholic idea of Justification (ch 30). It also stands against the heresy that hell is not eternal (ch 49).
 
This is a good book to have in any Christian’s library. It’s easy to use as a reference book, and if you read all of it, you’ll have a solid view of the core truths of the Christian faith.