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We are now meeting
at the Kootenai School Gym
for our Adult Sunday School and Morning Worship services.
Adult Sunday School
begins at 9:15 AM. The Worship Service starts at 10:45 AM.
Children's Sunday School
meets in the church building across the street starting at 9:15
AM.
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Annual Book Review
May 2008
It is time for my annual pre-summer book review
and suggested reading list. The summer months are on us, and I trust
that they will bring opportunity to imbibe deeply in some good books! So
if you are looking for some good ideas, I offer the following from my
own list of completed readings from the last year.
Theology
I am going to start this year’s list with a
book that I consider to be easily the
best book I have read in the last 12 months:
Heaven
by Randy Alcorn (Tyndale House Publishers, 492 pgs.). This is not one of
those “I went to
heaven and spent 30 minutes there and got a tour from Gabriel”
type books.
Heaven is a
biblical,
exegetical, and
theological
explanation of our eternal home. The Bible has far more to say
concerning heaven than most of us realize. You will be amazed!
The book is wisely divided into three major
parts. Part 1 deals with the theology of heaven and physical
resurrection. Part 2 deals with questions concerning heaven. Part 3
helps us to orient our lives with a heavenward perspective.
One important warning: You will be tempted to skip the theology
of heaven and skip right to the
questions
section to get answers to questions like:
Will There Be
Space and Time?, Will the New Earth Have Sun, Moon, Oceans, and
Weather?, Will We Eat and Drink on the New Earth?, What Will Our Daily
Lives Be Like?, Will Animals Inhabit the New Earth?, Will Animals,
Including Our Pets, Live Again?,
Will There be
Arts, Entertainment, and Sports?, and many more! Don’t give in
to that temptation.
Don’t skip ahead!
The joy and delight of this book is following
the argument that Alcorn develops from chapter to chapter. You will not
enjoy this book as much if you skip ahead. Unless you understand the
theology of physical resurrection and the New Earth and New Heavens,
then the answers in Part 2 will strike you as silly, far-fetched, and
unbiblical. However, it won’t be Alcorn’s answers that are unbiblical,
but your understanding that is lacking. You probably suffer from
Christoplatonism’s false assumptions. What is Christoplatonism? You’ll
find out in Appendix A.
Get this book and read it! Read it slowly. Read
it thoughtfully. Read it prayerfully. It will make your mouth water for
your eternal home!
Evangelism &
The Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer (InterVarsity Press,
126 pgs.). I have been told for years that this book is the
classic
on understanding evangelism in light of the Sovereignty of God. So I
finally bought it and found that “the half had not been told me.” You
will find your mind stretched and your heart enlarged. You’ll see how
the Sovereign grace of God in salvation does not hinder evangelism, but
motivates us to evangelism and gives us that undying confidence that was
evident in the life of Paul.
The
Mystery of Providence by John Flavel (Banner of Truth
Trust, 221 pgs.). Originally published in 1678, this book explains the
doctrine of providence, gives evidence of providence, and explains the
benefits of meditating on the works of God’s providence. It is a Puritan
writing, so be prepared for some heavy reading.
The Gospel
According to Jesus by John MacArthur, Jr. (Zondervan, 284
pgs.) is a book that launched a firestorm of controversy. I first read
this book back in 1994 when the whole
lordship
salvation vs. non-lordship salvation debate first came to my
attention. I enjoyed the book back then and I figured it was time to
read it again and then to follow it up with its sequel (see below). In
this book, MacArthur shows from the gospels what Jesus taught concerning
the nature of saving faith. Did Jesus ever teach that it was possible
for one to be saved without acknowledging Him as Lord? Or did Jesus
demand repentance and obedient faith? This is a solid rebuke to the
gospel of easy-believism so prevalent in our day.
The Gospel
According to the Apostles by John MacArthur, Jr. (Nelson
Books, 266 pgs.) is the sequel to
The Gospel
According to Jesus. I enjoyed this book even more than I did
the first book. MacArthur answers objections raised after the publishing
of The Gospel
According to Jesus, showing the centrality of the call to
repentance in the message and preaching of the Apostles. This is a
must-read
for anyone who seriously thinks they can have Christ’s salvation without
His Lordship.
One Minute
After You Die by Erwin Lutzer (Moody Press, 144 pgs.) is a
quick and easy read. I finished it in only two days. This book got put
on my list after I was asked to preach a message on heaven at a seminar
in Creston, British Columbia. Lutzer does a great job of summarizing the
Bible’s teaching on death, hell, heaven, and eternity. I’ll bet there is
plenty in this little book you have never even thought of before!
The Existence and Attributes of God, Vol. 1 by Stephen Charnock
(Baker Book House, 606 pgs.) is a book I have been wanting to read for a
couple years. I finally started it at the end of June 2007 and finished
in the beginning of December 2007. The length of time I spent in the
book is due to the fact that I only read 3-6 pages a day. That is how I
would recommend that you digest this tome! Written in the 1680s, this
incredibly thorough treatment of the attributes of God includes
discourses titled:
On the Existence
of God, On Practical Atheism, On God’s Being a Spirit, On Spiritual
Worship, On the Eternity of God, On the Immutability of God, On God’s
Omnipresence, On God’s Knowledge, and
On the Wisdom of
God. This is not light reading by any stretch of the imagination,
which is why I will save Volume 2 for next year! I can’t wait!
Current Issues/Events
The Truth War
by John MacArthur (Thomas Nelson, 215 pgs.) was an easy and engaging
read. Much of it was a treatment of subjects I was already familiar
with, but I am someone who needs
lots of review.
Much of the book is an explanation and application of the book of Jude
to modern heretics and false teachings which threaten the church, most
specifically the Emergent Church Movement. MacArthur doesn’t pull any
punches as he “contends earnestly for the faith.” His review of
historical heresies that have attacked the church from the beginning
(Judaism, Gnosticism, Arianism, Sabellianism) is well written and
helpful.
Apologetics
In preparation to teach the
God Wrote A
Book! Adult Sunday School class, I needed to plow through a good
number of books on the history of the Bible. Some of these books I have
been through before, but most were new to me. They included:
From God To Us:
How We Got Our Bible by Norman L. Geisler and William E. Nix
(Moody Press, 255 pgs.) is an older book. In fact, it was my textbook in
Bible college for Doctrine class. The book is very detailed, yet easy to
read. It does contain a lot of technical information which was
appropriate for a first year Bible student, but you will find it a
rewarding read if you want to learn more about how we got our Bible.
God Wrote A Book
by James MacDonald (Crossway Books, 120 pgs.) is a great primer on the
history of the Bible. The book’s great strength lies in its readability
and apologetic emphasis. Mostly written to the unbelieving skeptic, the
book offers a great introductory treatment of the Bible’s significance.
I did not use
Inspiration
and Canonicity of
the Bible by R. Laird Harris (Zondervan, 294 pgs.) as much as
I did some of the other resources, though it offers a more thorough
treatment of the doctrines mentioned in its title.
The Canon of Scripture by F.F. Bruce (IVP, 334 pgs.) is a far
deeper treatment of the subject of
canonicity
through church history than anything else on my shelf. Unless you have
at least a basic working of church history, particularly early church
history, you will have difficulty enjoying this book. But if you want a
very thorough and scholarly treatment, this is the one to read.
How We Got the Bible by Neil R. Lightfoot (Baker Books, 220 pgs.)
proved to be a great overview of the history of our Bible. Lightfoot
deals with issues pertaining to different manuscript families, textual
variants, and the transmission and translation of the text. It is an
easy-to-read survey and would serve as a great introduction to this
subject.
If you are going to buy only one book on
dealing with the history of our Bible, then pick up
Nothing But the Truth: The Inspiration, Authority, and History of the
Bible Explained by Brian H. Edwards (Evangelical Press, 492
pgs.). Don’t be intimidated by the number of pages! It is very easy to
read, very thorough. Edwards deals with not only the history of our
Bible, but he delves into textual criticism, apparent contradictions and
how to resolve them, canonicity (why are certain books in our Bible and
others not) and even a chapter on Hermeneutics (interpretation).
I re-read
The King James
Only Controversy: Can You Trust the Modern Translations? (Bethany
House, 271 pgs.) this year. I read this book almost 10 years ago and
have intended to read through it again ever since. Teaching the
God Wrote A
Book ! Sunday School series provided the needed excuse to pick
this volume up and work through it a second time. I enjoyed it more on
the second read than I did on the first! Anything written by James R.
White will be worth your time. White does a great job of dismantling the
arguments, muddled thinking, and incoherent reasoning of King James Only
advocates such as G.A. Riplinger, Samuel Gipp, Peter Ruckman, Tex Marrs,
and others. If you ever cross paths with a King James Only proponent,
you will want to get a copy of this book and read it! This is the single
best volume on this subject that I have ever seen.
A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life
by Don and Joy Veinot and Ron Henzel (21st Century Press, 371 pgs.) has
been sitting on my shelf for a couple years. I finally put it on my
reading list and am glad I did. I attended a Gothard Basic Youth
Conflicts Seminar during the summer of 1991 in Spokane. Even as a young
Christian, immature in my faith and knowledge of Scripture, I had some
serious concerns with Bill Gothard’s use (or better,
abuse) of
Scripture in his teachings. It turns out, that I only saw the tip of the
proverbial iceberg! This book does an excellent job of exposing the
gross and prolific errors in Gothard’s teaching. Bill Gothard’s medical
advice, “umbrella of authority,” doctrine of courtship,
authoritarianism, legalistic commitment to Old Testament ceremonial law
(including circumcision), and his denial that grace is God’s unmerited
favor (a
denial that strikes at the heart of the gospel) are all scrutinized in
the light of Scripture.
Only two caveats concerning this book. First,
there are a lot of typos in the book, which will drive some of you nuts.
Second, it will make you sickened and sad that Gothard has so
successfully masqueraded as an evangelical for so long and that his
teachings and materials are so widely used among believers!
If you have not spent much time studying
Creation Science from a young earth perspective, then
The Six Days of Genesis: A Scientific Appreciation of Chapters 1-11
by Paul F. Taylor (Master Books, 214 pgs.) is a great place to start. It
is a devotional treatment, with a lot of scientific information
pertaining to the issues raised in Genesis 1-11. For veterans of the
Creation Science literature, you may find some new information here, but
not a lot. The value of the book lies in that it is an easy read, even
when dealing with some of the more technical details of the young earth
creationist perspective.
Biographical
The Roots of
Endurance: Invincible Perseverance in the Lives of John Newton, Charles
Simeon, and William Wilberforce by John Piper (Crossway
Books, 166 pgs.) is the third book in a series of four (so far) of mini,
subject-oriented biographies called
The Swans Are
Not Silent Series. Newton, Simeon, and Wilberforce were all
contemporaries and all shared a deep and abiding perseverance in the
face of opposition or hostility. Having seen
Amazing Grace,
I was particularly interested in this biography of William
Wilberforce. What I have enjoyed about this series of books is the
ability to get well-acquainted with some of these saints of old without
having to pore through much longer and much more detailed biographies. I
like getting the “Cliffs Notes” version of biographies. Even though
short and concise, these books by Piper are still very challenging and
motivating.
Miscellaneous
Second Thoughts by F.W. Boreham, D.D. (John Broadbanks
Publishing, 56 pgs.). I heard Ravi Zacharias recommend anything by F.W.
Boreham on one of his radio programs. Zacharias said, “I read something
everyday by F.W. Boreham and I consider him to be the greatest Christian
essayist I have ever read.” I had never heard of Boreham before, but I
figured anything that was part of the daily intellectual diet of a man
like Ravi Zacharias would certainly warrant my attention. So I purchased
Second
Thoughts, a collection of essays on second things. The essays
were titled
Second-Hand Things,
The Second Crop,
Second Fiddles,
Our Second Wind,
and Second
Thoughts. This selection of essays by Boreham was not theological
or apologetic, but a thought-provoking treatment of phrases and ideas we
use every day. The writing style is readable, engaging, and vivid. He is
a wordsmith extraordinaire and I enjoyed very much this selection of
devotional-style material. I will be purchasing some more books by
Boreham.
The Cross
Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing by C.J.
Mahaney (Multnomah) is a short read at only 85 pages. The book reminds
us of the need to “preach the gospel to ourselves” as the reformers
constantly emphasized. The gospel is for more than just getting saved.
We need to constantly remind ourselves that every blessing we can ever
hope to secure from God comes only and always through the death of
Christ on the cross. Mahaney includes helpful reminders in chapters
dedicated to the subjects of
legalism, guilt
and shame, and
basing our life
on what is real and not what we feel.
I have listened to C.S. Lewis’s
The Screwtape
Letters (Barbour, 160 pgs.) audiobook a couple of different
times, but had never actually picked up the book to read it. Finally
this year I decided to actually read the book. I started to read it to
my children in the evenings. Taryn (11) enjoyed it and could follow the
story for the most part. Shepley (9) had a more difficult time, and
Ayden and Liam didn’t even bother sticking around to listen to my voice.
I eventually stopped reading it to Taryn since
some of
the material was a little
mature
for her age.
The Screwtape
Letters is a collection of letters (fictional) written from an
experienced demon tempter named Screwtape to his understudy, Wormwood.
Screwtape is Wormwood’s uncle and offers Wormwood counsel on how to keep
his patient out of the Enemy’s (God’s) camp. Once Wormwood fails to keep
his patient from becoming a Christian, Screwtape’s counsel is then
directed to how to distract, tempt, divert, and otherwise stumble the
patient. You will smile as you read these 31 short letters which
describe,
supposedly, a devil’s view of humanity and human destiny.
The Bottomless Well: The Twilight of Fuel, The Virtue of Waste, and Why
We will Never Run Out of Energy
by Peter W. Huber and Mark P. Mills
(Basic Books, 198 pgs.) will make you think about energy consumption and
energy resources from a whole different perspective. For the last 30
years, I have heard repeatedly from pundits of every stripe of the
looming energy crisis. Are the doom and gloom predictions true? Is the
best thing we can do for ourselves and our environment to live off the
land and eliminate power plants and internal combustion engines? Will we
ever really run out of energy? To say that the premise and evidence of
this book militates against conventional wisdom would be the
understatement of the year! I enjoyed it immensely.
Finally, I
read
Animal Farm by George Orwell
to my children. They enjoyed it as much as I did when I first read it
almost 20 years ago. What a great satire of political revolution and the
corrupting influence of power!
Without Wax -
Jim Osman
Pastor/Teacher
Footnotes:
1. A Festschrift is a collection of essays
celebrating a significant scholarly achievement, or a commemorative
anthology. |
