R.C. Sproul’s latest book comes out tomorrow (Jan 21st)! I know what you’re thinking – “Didn’t he pass away recently?” Yes, but Growing in Holiness comes out of his previous lectures. The publisher sent me the book over a month ago, but it’s been crazy busy at church! So I finally got around to finish reading it 2 days before my review is due and the book gets published.
 
I wish he had “written” this book earlier, because it’s one of his most practical books, and probably the best book on the topic of Sanctification. That’s the real topic of this book, not “holiness,” although that topic is covered in depth as well. I wouldn’t call this a sequel to his bestseller Holiness of God because you don’t have to read it to dive into this book. But I do recommend you pick that up soon as well (link on the bottom). Anyway, that book covers holiness, while this new book covers the practical question, “How do I get to holiness?”
 
But this is not some ridiculous Things to Do manual. He doesn’t spell out in minute detail how to pray or study the Bible or embark on some spiritual endeavor. That’s not what I mean by practical. Before there can be actual “running towards the goal,” this book shows the overarching theological understanding of relevant Scripture. Then Sproul shows how to apply that in your personal race. He talks about the typical obstacles to our Christian walk, like worldliness, conforming to culture, our fleshly desires, Satan (spiritual warfare), and feelings of inadequacy.

Not every page is great. Chapter 3 was boring and Chapter 4 was unnecessary. Although I agree with everything he wrote, I think it helps only minimally for sanctification. The rest of the book is awesome in his usual clarity. It's a little ironic that he's writing about sanctification when his own process has been completed.
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 It’s a very good book. Highly recommended.

​I would like to thank Baker Books for an advance copy of this book.

​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.

​What’s it like to go on a mission trip with David Platt? What would he write in his journal? That’s exactly what you'll see in his latest book (to be published in September). This is not a theological treatise nor a book on Christian living. You are reading into his mission journal on his trip to the Nepalese Himalayas. You’ll be walking in his shoes (without the blisters) as he hikes up the trails and meets interesting people, and everyone that he meets has a back story.
 
This is just one mission trip, not a collection of several. On the one hand, you can go on your own mission trip and have similar experiences. The conversations that he has with the natives and gospel workers, the things he learns from God in his quiet times, the lessons he learns each day – they are not that uncommon in the mission field. Yet, on the other hand, imagine going on a trip with one of the best mission team leaders. to the most remote parts of the Himalayas. That makes this book worth reading.
 
His motivation for writing this book is laid out in the last chapter. After you read this, you’re supposed to say to yourself, “Something needs to change!” And you need to practically change something in your life to address the questions that he asks in this book, such as, “How can so many people go to hell?” or “What can I do to help the physical and spiritual needs that are laid bare in this world?
 
He wants people to take these needs seriously and take real steps to make a difference. This book doesn’t lay out any steps or offer any practical advice. That’s not the point of this book. It’s supposed to get people to start thinking. I’m not sure if he really accomplishes this goal with this book. At any rate, at the least, it was good, pleasure reading.

I would like to thank Multnomah 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.

would be better without all those stories.
 
I don't agree that all 9 are common beliefs. For example, although I know some Christians who cannot forgive themselves, I don't think it's common that many Christians believe that God cannot forgive them. Here's a few points that were presented in the book.
 
1: God won't give me more than I can handle
All of life is more than we can handle; we need God's help to handle it.
Yes, God gives you more than you can handle. It's actually, God won't give you more than He can handle.
 
3: God just wants me to be happy.
This is a weak chapter. He pretty much says God wants us to have joy, there's a difference. OK then, is it "God just wants me to have joy?" That's also a lie. There's a greater purpose than just having joy. Life isn't about me. I was hoping he would approach the lie in this way, but he doesn't.
 
5: Follow your heart
Don't follow your heart. Follow God.
 
9: Believe in Yourself
Yes, I admit it's a common lie, even among Christians. But I think every true disciple can defeat this lie of the self-esteem movement.
 
 Moderately recommended.

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

the work of John Piper and the greatness of Apostle Paul. Without an appreciation of both, this book will fall flat. On the other hand, you will see how deeply indebted Piper is to Paul’s life and writings, how they shaped his theology and the greatest theological discoveries of his life. We wouldn’t have “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him” without Apostle Paul.
 
Piper gets really personal in this book. It’s not about teaching people something new. It’s about sharing his personal journey in relation to how the teachings in Paul’s writings helped him, including his personal struggles with his cancer, habitual sins, or racism.
 
This book is definitely not his best, in structure or eloquence, but still Piper-esque.
 
Moderately recommended.

​I would like to thank Crossway Books for an advance copy of this 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.
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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.