I’m not exactly sure when we started making video trailers for books, but here is one from Darrin Patrick for his upcoming book: Church Planter: The Man, the Message, the Mission
NOTE: In the spirit of full disclosure, you, my fine reader, need to know that the publisher provided me with a free copy of this book. This in no way affects my review but I’m supposed to tell you that. And now I have.
I love to study theology. After all, what could be more exciting than thinking about God?! But a good many people do not share this sentiment. For many, doctrine and theology are not only dry and dusty but oppressive and divisive. Joshua Harris has done a great job of making theology come alive through personal narrative.
Dug Down Deep is as much personal narrative as it is theological treatise. Harris describes his own journey as a Christian and as a pastor from a low view of study to loving theology and doctrine. He covers such weighty topics as the Doctrine of Scripture, The Incarnation and others. But Harris does so with a pastoral and personal touch. He continually reminds us, not just of the importance of these doctrines but their beauty and he does so with personal stories. These doctrines have helped shape who he has become and he wants to share them. This is a far different approach than simply presenting fact. It is, as Harris so often strives for: “humble orthodoxy” and it is much appreciated.
This is a great book to give to those people who don’t think they need theology. If anything, it’s worth it to read a book endorsed by Donald Miller, Lecrae and Mark Dever! But the broad range of endorsements speaks to Harris’ deft touch. He is never preachy but always passionate. A great introductory theology book.
Next to my desk, I have several small stacks of books. One of them is my “to-read” pile. Another is a frequently used resource pile and another one is simply several of the books I read in 2009 that have yet to find a permanent home on the shelves. I know it’s a bit quirky, but often, when I start typing fast, I turn my head one way or the other. Don’t ask why, that’s not the point. The point is that, I’ve looked at that pile of read books a lot lately.
Though the authors and viewpoints are varied, there is a general theme running through many of the books I read in 2009: something is wrong with modern, American Christianity. This doesn’t come as a shocker to many, but it is, nonetheless, interesting. What percentage of new “Christian” books each year are variations on this same thing? Though maybe in different tunes, everyone seems to be singing the same song: something is wrong. And yet the song goes on. I don’t remember the last book I read that said that we were getting things right and doing well, do you?
But let’s be honest, it’s easier to point out what’s wrong than it is to be part of the solution. After all, how do you turn a freighter, slowly, right? How do you right hundreds of years of consumerism, democratization, and performance-mindset? How do you compete with the NFL, Mickey Mouse and porn for your people’s attention? Everyone has an idea but few of those idea are simply to the point: preach the Word and love the people. You don’t try to “compete” with the megachurch down the road that spends millions of dollars on a youth building and thousands of dollars on sets they use for a month at the most because you don’t have that kind of money and you wouldn’t spend it on those things even if you did. You don’t try to outplay their band because they have “professional” musicians. You don’t try to outclass their speaker because he’s had the best marketing training money can buy.
If the Gospel truly is the “power of God for salvation” (Romans 1:16) and if Jesus meant it when He promised that not even the gates of Hades would prevail against His Church (Matthew 16:18), then maybe we could all save some trees and at least admit that there’s a problem. Everyone seems to agree on that. But the fact that so few people agree on the solution, and in fact, that many actually propose the problem as the solution shows just how jaded we’ve become.
I recently preached from Acts 13 and I was struck by the fact that after Paul and Barnabas preach in the synagogue, we’re told in Acts 13:42 that “As they went out, the people begged that these things might be told them the next Sabbath.” Wait, what? You mean the people were actually moved by the Gospel? They actually wanted more? Paul and Barnabas didn’t have to up the ante on their light show? They didn’t have to get that choreography down and get the coffee brewed just right? People wanted more of the Truth about Jesus?!
Now there’s a novel concept. Maybe we should try that. But just with a little more pizazz, right?
NOTE: In the spirit of full disclosure, you, my fine reader, need to know that the publisher provided me with a free copy of this book. This in no way affects my review but I’m supposed to tell you that. And now I have.
I have long had an interest in “high church” liturgy. I am fascinated by the idea of the participation of the people in the work of Christ and particularly, the idea of the structure itself of what we do pointing to Christ. So it was with great interest that I picked up Joan Chittister’s entry into the Ancient Practices series, The Liturgical Year.
Chittister, a Benedictine nun claims that she is not writing a “Roman Catholic” book, but that is exactly what she does, consistently arguing, not just for the keeping of the Liturgical Year as a form of worship, but also working Roman Catholic theology throughout. For example, in her list of liturgical event, Mary gets sixteen mentions which is more than Jesus!
This book serves more as an apologetic for the Liturgical Year than it does a practical guide. Chittister spends much of her time arguing why we should practice this and less time telling us how. She seems not content with simply explaining the liturgical cycle, but also wants you to be convinced of her reasoning behind the practice. I am not.
I would much rather have seen a book on this topic from a Protestant perspective, especially in a series which claims to return believers to the “Ancient Practices,” which, from my reading of Scripture, do not include such veneration of Mary.
Yet, I must say that in her section on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter, Chittister includes a wonderful section on the role of suffering in the Christian life. She reminds us of the hard truth:
Suffering, we learn as we go, is the price we pay to bring life to fullness, both for others and for ourselves. It is not to be desired in a neurotic kind of way, but it is definitely not to be denied. For when we refuse to suffer, we refuse to grow…The problem is that we resist suffering with might and main. There is a natural inertia built into the human condition that seeks the comfortable, the familiar, and the secure. We want to shape life to our specifications and fix it there. We want stability…To live for the lesser things of like is to risk not really living at all.
Overall, I wish the rest of the book left the Roman Catholicism out and focused on the Liturgical Year, after all, that is its title.
Chan skillfully approaches a topic many of us avoid: the third Person of the Trinity. With a pastor’s heart, he guides the reader through the cliffs of extremism in search of a deeper faith.
Mansfield succeeds in giving us a practical lesson in what history books should be like. Much more than a dry recitation of facts, figures, dates and events, The Search For God and Guinness shows us the faith behind one of the most successful beers in the world.
Wilson presents a clear consideration of how consumerism has affected our faith and yet he also presents a way out; reminding us of the great, dangerous Jesus who saves us to live for Him.
With pastoral precision, Keller goes right for the heart and challenges us to examine what has captured ours.
I’ll be honest and say that I’ve often liked the idea of Donald Miller better than I’ve actually liked his books. Until this one.
Belcher winsomely navigates troubled waters, showing us that the pursuit of historic Christianity is always “relevant.”
There are many books about the the consumerism mindset of American Christianity. But few of them are so pastoral and none of them so successfully interweave the art of Van Gogh.
Ok folks, here are my picks for the tops of 2009. By way of explanation: I went with songs rather than albums because, well, I think the album format is almost dead.
Television:
Songs:
Moz is over 50 and still rocking. Jesse Tobias (briefly with Red Hot Chili Peppers and formerly with Alanis Morissette) provides some deafening guitar, and the songs frank discussion about the mind-numbing effect of anti-depressant drugs is powerful, culminating in the refrain “don’t give me anymore, please don’t give me anymore.” Also, Morrissey believes in miracles!
Denton’s own Doug Burr is the real deal. “Weary” is on Shawl, Burr’s 2009 album of Psalms. Yes, Psalms as in the Bible. What do you get when you add Burr’s twang, Bible verses, slide guitar, and great backing vocals? Brilliance.
Ok, so Depeche Mode has been putting out mediocre albums for over a decade. Each album has 1 or 2 good songs, and thanks to iTunes, fans are no longer subjugated to the crap. 2009’s Sound of the Universe is no exception. It is mostly forgettable, except for this catchy song
A must-here song. It is loud and obnoxious but singer Alexis Krauss has an irresistible voice. This song has such a monstrous riff!
This is a song that has grown on me. Lead singer Jack Steadman’s wobbling voice is intriguing and the song has a great hook.
Justin Vernon gives us another great offering from his side project, Volcano Choir. Island, IS is an interesting combination of Vernon’s earthy tone and tripnotic beats.
Videos:
It’s a good song and the freeze frames are pretty cool:
Websites:
NOTE: In the spirit of full disclosure, you, my fine reader, need to know that the publisher provided me with a free copy of this book. This in no way affects my review but I’m supposed to tell you that. And now I have.
There seems to be a theme among many of the books I read this year: something is wrong with the modern American approach to Christianity. Mark Batterson’s new book Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity is no exception. Baterson is lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington DC and author of two other books. He speaks from experience and with a pastor’s heart.
Batterson’s basic premise is that we need to try to return to the ancient Christianity, asking the question: “when all of the superficialities are stripped away, what is the primal essence of Christianity?” Batterson’s answer is first part of the “Great Commandment:”
Love the your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.
The rest of the book fleshes out what each of these might look like, with varying degrees of success. While I’m not convinced that loving God with all of our hearts means having compassion, I do think that Batterson’s consideration of these commands as part of the heart of Christianity is vital to consider. Martin Luther argued that we would not break any of the last nine of the 10 commandments if we hadn’t already broken the first in our hearts. All sin flows from a lack of loving God as we ought. To this end, the bulk of Batterson’s study is thoughtful, challenging and edifying.
Batterson succeeds in reminding us that the heart of Christianity is always the heart.
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