Books Reviews
These reviews are written by Darrell Ferguson except where otherwise noted
A Thirst For God: Reflections of the Forty-second and Forty-third Pslams by Sherwood Eliot Wirt 168 pages
These reflections I found slightly helpful in thinking through these Psalms, but mostly Wirt just uses each phrase in the psalm as a springboard to discuss the topic of that phrase. I lost interest in the book about 2/3 of the way through
Age of Opportunity by Paul Tripp 289 pages
Paul Tripp is the brother of Tedd Tripp (author of Shepherding a Child’s Heart), and so it’s not surprise that his approach is very similar. Age of Opportunity takes the principle of shepherding the heart and applies it to raising teenagers. Simply using punishments and rewards to modify behavior falls infinitely short of the mark of good parenting. This book gives great insight on how to raise godly, free moral agents whose faith will be strong by the time they move out of the house. I can’t recommend this book strongly enough for parents of teens or children who are approaching their teen years.
Biblical Eldership Alexander Strauch 324 pages
This important book is a masterful exposition of all the major passages in Scripture on eldership. Strauch’s exegesis is accurate and comprehensive, and his writing is edifying and motivating.
Strauch has marshaled the most powerful argument for Elder rule imaginable. For anyone who has any doubt, this book removes any possibility of any Biblical argument for any other form of church government. But he does far more than just argue for elder rule. He also provides detailed instruction on the elders’ job description.
This is an important book for everyone to read, as it will help you in selecting a good church as well as in understanding your pastor/elders. If you have any interest at all in eldership, this book is absolutely essential. There is also a workbook that will be used for training elders at Creekside.
The Book on Leadership by John MacArthur 210 pages
John MacArthur is one of the key leaders in the Church worldwide today. This book is mostly a summary of what he learned about leadership in his study of 2 Corinthians and in his experience as a church leader over the past 40 years. He briefly develops 26 characteristics of a good leader. It isn’t the most helpful thing I’ve ever read from MacArthur, but there are definitely some worthwhile principles.
Breaking the Missional Code: Your Church Can Become a Missionary in Your Community by Ed Stetzer and David Putman 240 pages
I do not recommend this book. It is dominated by typical seeker philosophies. Throughout the book success is equated with numerical expansion, and it is assumed that very few Evangelical churches are compromising the Gospel. Churches like Saddleback (or any other large or growing churches) are set forth as exemplary.
Brokeness, the Heart God Revives by Nancy Leigh DeMoss 157 pages
This little gift-book could be read in one sitting, and there are some very good insights. Chapter 4 on how to discover pride in your heart I found especially helpful – very convicting.
There are many questionable interpretations in this book, however. The vast majority of her assertions are not supported by Scripture. I would only recommend this book to the most discerning of readers. The assertions she makes are so well-stated and sound so good, there is a great temptation even for the discerning reader to assume them to be true just because she says them. The only people who should read this book are the ones who know how to spot that, and who have the discernment and self-discipline to differentiate between a principle that comes out of Scripture and a wonderful sounding idea that came from human reasoning.
The Christian Counselor’s Manual by Jay Adams 463 pages
This is the best book I know of on the specifics of an official counseling ministry. It goes a long way in showing the value of official counseling ministry (as opposed to the unofficial capacity of counseling that all believers are called to). The book is loaded with good exegesis and practical applications for counseling – an invaluable resource. I don’t agree with everything, which is to be expected in a 463 page book that addresses dozens of the most controversial and difficult issues we deal with (I disagreed the most with the chapter on anger), however I still highly recommend this book. It is useful not only for counseling, but for simply learning principles of living the Christian life. Few books will teach you more about how to live as a Christian than this volume.
Christian Ethics: Options and Issues by Norman Geisler 310 pages
This book is readable and interesting and has some very helpful insights into ethical issues. I don’t agree with all his views, but that is to be expected for any book that address the most controversial of issues. I found it to be among the most helpful of books I’ve read on ethics.
The Complete Husband by Lou Priolo 293 pages
I found this book very helpful. It’s much more engaging and readable and less textbook-like than The Exemplary Husband. The Exemplary Husband is a great overview of what Scripture says to husbands. This book is not nearly as comprehensive, but it is much better on the practical application side. It’s loaded with very helpful ideas on how to be a better husband. Particularly helpful are all the lists he gives. For example, in one list he gives over 100 ideas for ways to express love to your wife. If you photocopy that list and have your wife check the things that mean a lot to her, and you check the things you think would mean a lot to her, it can be quite eye-opening.
Priolo’s exegesis is a little bit shaky in a few places, but generally speaking the content is much more sound than what you get in most marriage type books that are on the Christian market. I highly recommend this book.
Connecting: The mentoring relationships you need to succeed in life Paul D. Stanley and J. Robert Clinton 232 pages
I found this book to be extremely helpful in thinking through the concept of mentoring. Most people have kind of a narrow concept of mentoring. This book broadens the per spective, describing seven different kinds of mentoring that range from the more deliberate and intensive (such as what he refers to as discipler, spiritual guide or coach) to the more passive and less deliberate, such as someone who is simply a good model.
For each type he gives lots of examples, specifies when they are most helpful, and describes both how to be that kind of mentor and how to respond to that kind of mentor.
A couple weaknesses of the book are:
* questionable theology in the section on discipleship. He seems to think that not all Christians are disciples – an error of the “anti-lordship” movement.
* Most of the examples in the book have to do with mentoring outside the Church. It would have been more helpful to have more material on spiritual mentoring within the Church.
* The authors seem to be more influenced by psychology than by biblical counseling.
COMMENTARIES
EPHESIANS
The Letter to the Ephesians by Peter T. O’Brien 495 pages
Over the past 2 years studying the book of Ephesians, I’ve been using over 20 commentaries. This one is the best. It is a scholarly commentary, yet very readable for the average person. If you were to buy just one commentary on Ephesians, I would recommend this one.
Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary by Harold W. Hoehner 878 pages
At 878 pages, this commentary is a beast. But when you are struggling to understand a passage, you want more, not less. If you had this and O’Brien’s volume, you would have an excellent chance at understanding most of the passsages in Ephesians.
Ephesians by Ernest Best 660 pages
Best is a liberal who doesn’t know who wrote the book of Ephesians, and his work is somewhat technical, although most people could understand it if they took it slow enough. As helpful as many of the other commentaries were, I include this one as the third that I would recommend because Best does such a good job on the exegesis. Knowing what I know now, if I had to start over again studying Ephesians and could only have one commentary, I think I would choose this one. As frustrating as his liberalism is, there were a number of times when it was this volume that enabled me to understand a passage that I still didn’t understand after reading the other commentaries.
The rest of the commentaries, in the order I would recommend them, are as follows:
F.F. Bruce (NICNT) Very brief, but reliable and helpful
Meyer Extremely technical and difficult to read, but accurate
Graham This is an exegetical summary of all the other commentaries. It’s very helpful for getting an overview of all the commentators’ views.
Lloyd Jones Jones writes a whole sermon on each phrase. His commentary is 6 volumes. It is very edifying reading – if you have the time.
Lenski Always a good commentator. Very readable, yet scholarly.
Boice A book of his sermons. Good for applications.
Hughes Same as Boice – a book of sermons.
Hendriksen Whenever I lend someone my commentaries, this is always their favorite.
Lincoln - Technical, difficult to use, but some helpful things.
Hodge – Moderately helpful
Not helpful:
Snodgrass (NIV application commentary)
Abbott (old ICC)
Calvin
Moule
Liefeld (IVP)
Patzia (NIBC)
Richie (What the Bible Teaches)
Wuest
Barth
Morris
Findlay
Wood (Expositors)
Every Man’s Battle 224 pages by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker w/ Mike Yorkey While there are some biblical principles, mostly this book is comprised of practical tips on how a man can achieve a higher level of purity in the thought life. I still recommend it though. The book is very helpful in its description of what the goal should be for men regarding their eyes and thoughts. I think it is also a good book for women to read, so they can better understand the struggle for men. There is a section at the end of each chapter written from a woman’s point of view. Not Even a Hint 144 pages by Joshua Harris This is a new book written on the same subject as Every Man’s Battle: How to achieve purity in the thought life. I think it is a better book. Harris does a better job at drawing principles from Scripture rather than merely using human wisdom and common sense. - DarrellEvery Man’s Battle 224 pages by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker w/ Mike Yorkey While there are some biblical principles, mostly this book is comprised of practical tips on how a man can achieve a higher level of purity in the thought life. I still recommend it though. The book is very helpful in its description of what the goal should be for men regarding their eyes and thoughts. I think it is also a good book for women to read, so they can better understand the struggle for men. There is a section at the end of each chapter written from a woman’s point of view. Not Even a Hint 144 pages by Joshua Harris This is a new book written on the same subject as Every Man’s Battle: How to achieve purity in the thought life. I think it is a better book. Harris does a better job at drawing principles from Scripture rather than merely using human wisdom and common sense. - Darrell
The Cross Centered Life by C.J. Mahaney 85 pages
This little gift book can be read in one sitting. It’s about like reading through three of my sermon manuscripts. I have great respect for C.J. Mahaney, although I didn’t find this work especially helpful. I definitely agree with the premise of majoring on the centrality of the Gospel. But a much more helpful book on that subject is Piper’s “The Passion of Jesus Christ.”
Mahaney’s discussion of legalism raises more questions than it answers and fails to explain the appropriate place for understanding that God can be pleased or displeased by how we live. I also got the impression that Mahaney’s view of what the Gospel is is somewhat more narrow than Paul’s. Another problem is an overly limited view of the purpose of the Old Testament, which he portrays as speaking primarily about the cross. His view seems to me to imply that the actual readers of the Old Testament would not have been able to interpret the main point of it.
Directions for Daily Communion with God 163 pages by Matthew Henry
The best book on Fellowship with God that I have read. The books is small; you could read it in an afternoon – but don’t. Take enough time to implement the principles. If you want to turn your prayer life into communion and intimacy with God life, this book is for you.
Elect in the Son 239 pages by Robert Shank
This volume was written as a companion volume for Shanks earlier work, Life in the Son, which defends the view that true believers can fall away. Shank’s treatment of election is thourough and well-researched, as he interacts extensively with Calvin, Berkouwer and other Reformed writers. Of the three major views of election; Calvinist (unconditional particular election), Arminian (election based on God’s foreseeing faith) and class election (God chooses the Church as a category unconditionally, but chooses individuals to populate the Church conditionally), Shank defends class election. While many of his arguments are good, he fails to deal adequatly with the fact that his system places man above God as the ultimate determiner of his destiny. In a few places Shank misunderstands or caracatures Calvin, but mostly his representation of Calvin is helpful as he quotes him at length.
Every Man’s Battle 224 pages by Stephen Arterburn & Fred Stoeker w/ Mike Yorkey
While there are some biblical principles, mostly this book is comprised of practical tips on how a man can achieve a higher level of purity in the thought life. I still recommend it though. The book is very helpful in its description of what the goal should be for men regarding their eyes and thoughts. I think it is also a good book for women to read, so they can better understand the struggle for men. There is a section at the end of each chapter written from a woman’s point of view.
Face to Face by Kenneth Boa 324 pages
This book is designed to be read over the course of 3 months. Each day there is a list of Scriptures that are placed into the second person so they address God. So, for example, Galatians 3:21 goes from “Are the promises opposed to God’s law? to “Are the promises opposed to Your law O God?” The purpose of the book is to enable the reader to pray the ideas of Scripture to God. I found this to be a wonderful boost to my prayer life. I have enjoyed a depth in my prayers far greater than what they were like before. I highly recommend this book.
Famine in the Land Steven Lawson 120 pages
Originally published as a series of articles in the DTS journal, this is a passionate call for expository preaching. If you are trying to explain to someone what expository preaching is and why it’s important, this little book might be a good tool.
Fool’s Gold? Edited by John MacArthur pages
This book is a compilation of articles written about some fads in Christian culture that require discernment. In the first section John MacArthur provides a call for biblical discernment and examines the devastating consequences of a watered-down message to the church. The second section ("Practicing Discernment in your Local Bookstore") examines The Purpose Driven Life, What Saint Paul Really Said, (a book about the “New Perspective on Paul”), Wild at Heart and The Revolve New Testament Bible-zine. The third section ("Practicing Discernment in your Local Church") covers issues in contemporary worship music, altar calls, the American-Christian approach to politics and the consumer mindset. The book wraps up with an examination of "hills to die on" - a doctrinal framework for developing discernment, and a practical plan for personal discernment. This book is an excellent introduction to the importance of biblical discernment. I highly recommend it.
Four Views on Eternal Security edited by Matthew Pinson 281 pages
This book offers the following 4 views:
1. Classical Calvinism
This view reasons from the classical understanding of TULIP (Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace and Perseverance of the saints) that the idea of a true Christian falling away does not fit logically with those doctrines.
2. Moderate Calvinism
This is Normal Geisler’s view, which is really much more Arminian than Calvinistic. He re-defines the doctrines of TULIP in a decidedly Arminian way, and rejects the perseverance of the saints doctrine altogether, arguing that true believers can and do fall away, but they go to heaven nonetheless. 3. Reformed Arminianism
This view takes the Calvinistic interpretation of total depravity and the Arminian understanding of election (God elects based on what He knows man will decide), and concludes that apostasy is possible for the true believer, and when it happens, the person is forever lost.
4. Wesleyan Arminianism
This view rejects total depravity in favor of the view that prevenient grace makes it possible for all men to decide to be saved without any special internal drawing by God. In this view, salvation is lost when sin is serious enough or goes without being confessed long enough.
I did not like the approach of any of the four writers, because they all began with the theological system, and argued logically from that system. A much better approach is to develop the doctrine about apostasy from the warning passages themselves, and let the theological chips fall where they may. My view is not represented in the book. (I agree in essence with the Classical Calvinism view about God’s sovereignty in salvation, but I do not reason from that that apostasy is impossible.) I did not find the book helpful.
From Creation to the Cross by Albert Baylis 377 pages
I’ve read a few Bible survey books and this is the only one I’ve ever read that was actually interesting reading. This book is very interesting reading and hard to put down. Baylis not only does a great job summarizing the message of each book of the Bible, he includes practical application so the book also has devotional value. I highly recommend it.
Future Grace by John Piper
The purpose of this book was to take the principles in Desiring God and the Pleasures of God and show how they can be applied in a practical way in day to day Christian living – overcoming anxiety, pride, shame, impatience, covetousness, bitterness, depression, and lust. I found this book extremely helpful and I highly recommend it.
The Game Plan by Joe Dallas 222 pages
Joe Dallas, a man who has had serious moral failures, now has a more than 20-year track record of purity. He has written a manual designed to enable men to gain victory over their struggle with sexual sin and establish a life pattern that will enable long-term victory. The book has some excellent principles combined with a few psychological theories. The most disappointing chapter is the one on boundaries, which buys in to a bit of a worldly view of self-protection. Nevertheless, I recommend the book as the best of the books I have read on the subject of sexual purity (although for anyone struggling with that or any other enslaving sin I would recommend Piper’s Future Grace even more).
NEW! 2-20-07
Glorifying God: A Practical Handbook by Mike Cleveland
This is one of the Setting Captives Free online courses (settingcaptivesfree.com). I highly recommend all of their courses. Most of them are for breaking free of enslaving sins (addictions), but this course is different. It is a practical study of how to glorify God in one's life. It is taken in large measure from Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity. It is a ten day study. Each day covers one of ten key ways to glorify God. Each lesson takes about 15-20 minutes to read and answer the questions.
The Glory of Christ by John Owen 281 pages
John Own is considered by many to be among the most profound of the puritan writers, and this work was written at the end of his life. He is also known to be among the most difficult writers to read. This book does not disappoint on either count. The parts I could understand were very profound and enlightening, but much of it I was not able to follow. I highly recommend the book for those who are good readers. It is worth the hard work. Owen’s thesis is that all our spiritual health and growth comes from beholding Christ’s glory.
Greek for the Rest of Us by William Mounce
This is what Mounce calls a “baby Greek” course. The object is to teach enough Greek to enable the average Christian to be a much better interpreter of Scripture and to understand the scholarly commentaries. The main difference between baby Greek and a regular first year Greek class is the baby Greek approach doesn’t require the memorization of the word endings or vocabulary. In fact, the only memorization required is in chapter one where he tells you to memorize the Greek alphabet.
I recommend this book very highly. Mounce is an outstanding Greek scholar and Bible commentator, and in this book he covers not only the basics of Greek, but also the basics of hermeneutics and a great introduction to the best tools available. And the best part about the book is no reading is required! Mounce’s lectures are all on a CD ROM that comes with the book. If all you do is listen through the lectures and do the exercises, you will profit immensely. If you follow the pace in the book, you will finish in six weeks.
NEW! February 2007
How to Develop a Powerful Prayer Life: The Biblical Path to Holiness and Relationship with God by Gregory R Frizzell 106 pages
A inspiring little volume on the basics of prayer. Frizzell does a good job focusing on the relational aspect of prayer. However I think the book is somewhat weak on the role of the affections in prayer. Prayer is presented as a duty, and in times when you don't feel like praying the solution this book offers is to simply discipline yourself to pray anyway; rather than to correct the problem in the affections.
If Ministers Fall Can They be Restored? by Tim LaHaye 190 pages
This is the best book I have read on this subject. LaHaye takes very seriously the gravity of sexual sin by a pastor, but at the same time exhibits wonderful compassion and understanding. He makes careful distinctions for various different circumstances and provides excellent advice both for avoiding sexual sin in the first place and for restoration. This book is essential reading for anyone dealing with the results of the fall of a pastor through sexual sin.
Intended for Pleasure by Ed Wheat 210 pages
While I do not agree with all Wheat’s conclusions, I recommend this book for all married couples. Wheat (and M.D.) does an excellent job providing tasteful, accurate and helpful information about sex in the Christian marriage from a biblical point of view. I do not recommend the chapter on contraceptives, as Wheat seems ignorant about the abortifacient nature of methods such as the pill. However the rest of the book is quite good.
Interpreting the Gospel of John by Gary M. Burge 185 pages
Burge is the author of the NIV Application Commentary for the book of John. His commentary is a bit ecumincal for my tastes, and I did not find it especially helpful. This work, however, is a wonderful little book with very helpful insights into how to interpret the 4th Gospel as well as some excellent general insights on how to interpret Scripture and prepare sermons. It is somewhat technical, but mostly understandable for anyone. I highly recommend it.
The Joyful Christian by C.S. Lewis 236 pages
I bought this book because I wanted to learn to have more joy. I was disappointed to discover that the book is not really primarily about joy. It is a collection of Lewis’ writings about a wide variety of topics related to the Christian life. Each section is just one or two pages. It’s kind of like a “best of C.S. Lewis.” It is very edifying reading, but the title is misleading.
Mere Morality by Lewis Smedes 276 pages
I do not recommend this book. Smedes does a poor job interpreting Scripture, imports his political opinions into his interpretations, and elevates human reason as high (and sometimes higher) than Scripture.
Men and Women: Equal Yet Different by Alexander Strauch 117 pages
A wonderful little book on the key passages about role distinctions. Strauch offers an exposition of the various passages in a very readable, balanced and fair way. Both the subject matter and Strauch’s style make this a good book to give to teens.
Not Even a Hint 144 pages by Joshua Harris
This is a new book written on the same subject as Every Man’s Battle: How to achieve purity in the thought life. I think it is a better book. Harris does a better job at drawing principles from Scripture rather than merely using human wisdom and common sense.
The New Testament Deacon by Alexander Strauch 159 pages
Just as he did in his earlier book, Biblical Eldership, Strauch does a masterful job of exegesis in explaining exactly what the Bible teaches about the office of deacon — without mixing in any church tradition.
I do not agree with Strauch’s conclusion that “the women” in 1 Tim. 3 refer to deacons’ wives rather than to deaconesses, but I highly recommend the book nonetheless.
Pagans in the Pews by Peter Jones 240 pages
Peter Jones has done a massive amount of research studying the problem of paganism, and his findings are alarming to say the least. If you like to be informed about large cultural trends and movements, you will enjoy this book. Jones shows how ancient Gnosticism is taking over our culture in alarming measure – both inside and outside the doors of the church. He shows how liberal “Christianity” has abandoned their anti-supernaturalism, and has returned to spirituality. But instead of Christian spirituality, they are embracing pagan monism (the “all is one” religion of paganism).
This modern revival of ancient Gnosticism is not only non-Christian, but it is, at the very core, anti-Christian. The main tenets are pretty much whatever is the opposite of what the Bible says. For example, the great hero in Gn.1-3 is the serpent, who liberated humanity from being controlled and manipulated by Yahweh. The next big hero is the woman, who led humanity into the knowledge of good and evil. Foolish Adam was just the original clod, and the worst character of all is Yahweh. Jones shows with startling evidence how doctrines like that (along with the attendant immorality) are being embraced within Christianity – particularly among liberal and feminist writers and teachers.
One particularly interesting point was how the present day Gnostics despise the “binary” system of the Bible (good and evil, heaven and hell, truth and error, male and female, etc.). The reason homosexuality and androgynism are considered so important is because of this distain for God’s distinctions.
The following comment by Pastor Gary E. Gilley is a fair critique: “Pagans in the Pews is not an easy read and much of its material is beyond the experience of most who will read it. His quotes and examples are from scholars unknown to most, fringe New Agers, ultra-liberal “Christians” and self-avowed evangelicals who fit no definition of evangelicalism (e.g. Virginia Mollenkott —lesbian feminist). One has to wonder if these influences have really penetrated the evangelical church or even society, to the extent indicated. While this is an excellent book and should be mandatory reading for all Christian leaders, there is a missing link. It would have been most helpful, and would probably require another whole book, to show how this new spirituality is being embraced in less radical form and eased in the side door of the church. There is absolutely no mention here of “moderate” Christian mystics such as Richard Foster and Brennan Manning. Nothing is said about the adoption by evangelicals of Eastern mystical practices such as contemplative meditation and the Labyrinth; nor is the role of Roman Catholic mysticism, which has become so popular of late, explored. Connecting these dots would have been of great value. So Mr. Jones, how about another book? In the meanwhile, I would recommend Ray Yungen’s A Time of Departing.”
The Practice of the Presence of God and Spiritual Maxims by Brother Lawrence 112 pages
The main point of this little book is to argue that we should strive to exist in an awareness of God’s presence and a communion with Him all day long, so that every action throughout the day is a little act of communion with God. While I wholeheartedly agree with that premise and found the book helpful and inspiring, much of it is too mystical for my tastes. The most alarming portion of the book are the repeated statements that for Brother Lawrence there was no difference between his prayers during his daily activities and his private prayers in solitude. He seems to believe that when that is true there is no longer any need for the latter. From the gospels, however, we find that not even Jesus was so spiritual that He didn’t need to get away to be alone for extended times of prayer.
The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer 128 pages
Many of Tozer’s points in this book seem to come from his own speculation rather than from Scripture. Nevertheless, many of the points that do come from Scripture are profound and rich, making the small amount of time required to read this book well worth it. Especially helpful are Tozer’s observations about the necessity for the believer to follow hard after God relationally and the nature of faith as “the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.”
The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
This review is by Jackie Alnor from The Christian Sentinel
The good news of the gospel according to the Bible is that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sins on the cross, taking upon Himself the penalty our sins deserve, so that we could have eternal life with our Creator. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9. From the time of the apostles there have been two extremes that nullify the true gospel. One extreme, which the apostles dealt with in Acts 15, is legalism. Legalists promote the belief that we are saved by our good works — the result: spiritual pride. The other extreme that often is an overreaction to legalism is license — the result: unrestrained sin. The Bible condemns both! The Ragamuffin Gospel promotes the heresy of license. In his epistle to the Romans, Paul asks, "Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be" (Rom. 6:1-2), is his answer. But, Brennan Manning’s view of the gospel is devoid of the teaching of sanctification, whereby a believer is conformed into the image of Christ, turning from sin to serve the Savior. Manning excuses sin as human weakness that his gospel of love will cover regardless of whether the sinner is repentant or not. He attempts to demonstrate from the Bible that Jesus was not concerned about sin. Referring to the woman caught in adultery on page 173, he writes, "He [Jesus] didn’t seem too concerned that she might dash back into the arms of her lover." Yet we know from Scripture that Jesus told her to go and sin no more.
Manning’s hall of fame on page 29 includes, "the prostitute from the Kit-Kat Ranch in Carson City, Nevada, who tearfully told me she could find no other employment to support her two-year-old son;" "the woman who had an abortion… but did the best she could faced with grueling alternatives;" and "the sexually abused teen molested by his father and now selling his body on the street, who, as he falls asleep each night after his last ‘trick,’ whispers the name of the unknown God." In each case Manning justifies the sin and does not require the turning away from it. Compare his hall of fame with that of the Bible in Hebrews 11. They don’t jibe. Worst, Manning, quoting another author approvingly, holds heaven open even for those who take the mark of the beast. "And he [Christ] will say to us: ‘Vile beings, you who are in the image of the beast and bear his mark, but come all the same, you as well’" (pg. 17). This is certainly contradicted by the Bible in Rev. 14:9-11 where it says that those who take the mark of the beast will receive the wrath of God and be cast into everlasting torment.
Manning needs to balance his teaching on the love of God with God’s justice and holiness. He lambastes the church for speaking out against sin in our world, ignoring the biblical injunction to "reprove, rebuke and exhort" (2 Tim. 4:2). He takes special issue with the church’s stand on homosexuality and alcohol consumption. Manning’s inspiration for Ragamuffin is clearly seen by the experts he cites. These include humanist philosophers, heretics, and mystics. Without apology or disclaimers, he quotes such noted new age leaders as Joseph Campbell, inner healers like Francis MacNutt, heretical mystics like Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, humanist occultists like Carl Jung, and false teachers like Morton Kelsey. He also appeals to Zen philosophy and other humanistic writings. These he attempts to harmonize with the Bible, but they just don’t mesh. His teaching on meditation cannot be distinguished from the Eastern/New Age style of mind emptying. He instructs the readers to repeat an eight-word mantra for ten minutes while visualizing one’s idea of what Jesus might have looked like — something that cannot be done accurately. He also says, "Don’t try to feel anything, think anything, or do anything." He adds, "Simply relax in the presence of the God you half believe in and ask for a touch of folly" (pp. 205-206).
There are other offensive things in the book. On page 46 he gives a detailed account of how he learned to masturbate. Elsewhere he uses a lot of vulgarity to get his point across. The bottom line is that The Ragamuffin Gospel is another gospel (2 Cor. 11:4). The new believer and the undiscerning could be easily stumbled by the book. It is an aid in quenching the conviction of the Holy Spirit right out of a believer’s life if it is taken at face value.
The most shameful thing about the book is that it was published by an evangelical Christian publishing house — one that claims to uphold purity of doctrine and one that is connected to a very respectable Bible college — Multnomah College of the Bible. Manning, a new age-influenced Catholic, did what comes naturally, but Multnomah should be held accountable for allowing such an infiltration to take place in the evangelical church.
Rebuilding Your Broken World by Gordon MacDonald 224 pages
After falling into sexual sin Gordon MacDonald wrote this book to help people 1) avoid a failure like his and 2) recover after a life-shattering event of any kind. There are a number of helpful ideas in the book, but it is mostly human wisdom. MacDonald draws almost all his principles from illustrations from his observations of life, and then supports them with Bible verses. Reading human applications of illustations became so tiresome I have to confess I only read about half way through the book.
Reflection on the Psalms C.S. Lewis 152 pages
Lewis has some wonderful insights on general themes in the Psalms. I do not agree with all he says, but I found the book worth the time it took to read.
Religions of the World Lewis M. Hopfe 405 pages
This was my textbook for the World Religions course at Trinity. I found it very well-written, readable and informative.
Religious Affections (the) by Jonathan Edwards 382 pages
Facing the crisis of having to discern the wide range of responses coming from the revivals, Edwards does a meticulously careful analysis of what affections are (the inclination of the soul in favor or against something), signs that are not evidence of the truth or falcity of affections, and signs that are evidence of true religious affections. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to think deeply about proper responses, attitudes and emotions toward God.
Restoration Manual: A Workbook for Restoring Fallen Ministers and Religious Leaders by Thomas L. Pedigo 110 pages
This book can be used as a guide for a restoration team seeking to restore a fallen pastor. The team is urged to examine the following “checkpoints” of restoration: procedural, scriptural, formal, denial, spiritual, moral, behavioral, emotional, mental, marital, intellectual, psychological, relational/social, familial, vocational, financial, volitional, phyisical, medical, legal, temporal, personal/recreational, ecclesiastical/pastoral, positional, supernatural/supranatural, sexual, and professional. I dissagree with many of the points and quotations in the book, but the model of examining all the various checkpoints is a helpful one.
Restoring the Fallen by Earl & Sandy Wilson 201 pages
Earl Wilson was a Christian Counselor and seminary professor who was discovered to be involved in adultery with multiple women over a period of many years. When he was caught he repented and was restored to ministry after a three year process that is described in this book. The book contains many helpful principles for restoring a fallen leader, however there are also a number of very disturbing doctrines taught in the book. Wilsons recovery team was headed up by an unbelieving psychiatrist, who espouses some very unbiblical ideas which are endorsed in the book. The book exalts human wisdom above Scripture, asserting that an experienced unbeliever is more qualified than an inexperienced pastor in addressing spiritual problems (p.121). Perhaps the worst of the books errors is the very unbiblical concept of forgiveness. It is asserted that victoms of sin are not obligated to forgive and “when someone says, ‘I am asking for your forgiveness’ that is not an apology, but is simply more abuse and victimization.” (p.195). I do not recommend this book.
Sacred Sex by Tim Alan Gardner 209 pages
Gardner’s thesis is simple: sex is holy. Its holiness is the reason why it is so profaned by the world and also why it is so powerful in creating oneness and intimacy in marriage and in reflecting union with Christ. Reading about the sacredness of sex has a two-fold effect: it raises all sexual activity within marriage to an incredibly high spiritual level, giving it profound meaning. At the same time it shows the true horror of anything that would profane sex in any way. For this reason the book is helpful for anyone, married or single, who is struggling to be pure. I highly reccomend the book for all people – particularly the first three chapters.
Toward and Exegetical Theology by Walter Kaiser Jr. 250 pages
Kaiser attempts to do what he says seminaries are failing to do – teach the preacher how to get from exegesis to sermon. Most preachers either preach raw exegesis or non-exegetical homilies. Kaiser shows how to bridge the gap between exegetical information and sermon through principlization. This is a very helpful book and crucial for any teacher or preacher of Scripture. It is a bit difficult at times, but worth the work.
The Treasure Principle Randy Alcorn 91 half-sized pages
This is a wonderful little book on “discovering the secret of joyful giving.” It’s such a small book you can read it in one sitting, but it’s packed with motivational and inspirational thoughts on the topic of giving.
Treasury of David C.H. Spurgeon 3 volumes
Each paragraph of each psalm is followed by Spurgeon’s verse by verse commentary and then by a section entitiled “Explanitory Notes and Quaint Sayings” which are collections of devotional comments by various other authors on the verse. In most cases there are more life-changing insights in the “Explanitory Notes and Quaint sayings” section of a single psalm than in the entirety of most devotional books. I cannot recommend this work highly enough.
Three to Get Ready by Howard Eyrich 250 pages
A premarital counseling guide written from a biblical counseling perspective. While I think Eyrich is somewhat influenced by human wisdom and psychological theories (particularly with regard to personality profiles), this is the best resource I know of for premarital preparation. Eyrich gives an arguement for the value of pastoral premarital counseling based on the fact that since marriage is a divine institution, pastors are the most qualified to prepare people for it. Secondly, establishing a good counseling relationship with a couple during premarital counseling (a time when most are willing), increases the likelihood that the couple will come back for counsel when they encounter marital problems. The book lays out an approach that involves 7 sessions.
When I Don’t Desire God: How to fight for joy by John Piper 234 pages
This books starts out good and the further you read the better it gets. Piper gives very practical advice on how to have a good routine of Scripture, prayer, fellowship and worship as well as a chapter on how to use the 5 senses in the fight for joy and what to do when the darkness does not lift (depression).
The chapter I enjoyed the least was ch.3, where Piper makes his case for why we should fight for joy. He draws a connection between joy and faith, and then points to Scriptures that talk about fighting for faith. Almost any two truths can be connected in Scripture, but joy really isn’t the same thing as faith.
I highly recommend this book.
Wild at Heart, John Eldredge
Seeking Wildness of Heart
The central idea of this book is that men have three desires that should be pursued: to fight a battle, to live an adventure, and to rescue a beauty (pp.9-14). I agree with much of what Eldredge says about these three God-given desires. They are part of what it means to be a man. And if all the book were saying is that pursuing these desires can be a way to alleviate boredom, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.
The problem is the book elevates those needs to far too high a level. He says they can’t be disregarded without losing one’s very soul (p.9). The initiation into manhood (through the pursuit of these desires) seems to be elevated to the level of being the equivalent of salvation. Jesus’ invitation in Rev.3:19-20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me, rather than a call to repentance becomes an offer by Jesus to “take me into my wound” – a key step in attaining fulfilled manhood.
The point of inviting Jesus into your wound is to recover from the emotional stress of some past suffering. That recovery is actually equated with redemption, and is portrayed as much more important than the forgiveness of sins. In fact, forgiveness of sins without this is portrayed as cruel (pp.128,129).
The desire for adventure, competition or winning a woman’s heart are God-given desires that help a man have the energy to do many of the things men need to do – such as earn a living. And there is nothing wrong with a father teaching his son to be aggressive in appropriate ways and appropriate times. But does Scripture elevate that to the level of redemption? Isn’t the greater emphasis in Scripture the exhortation to limit our aggressiveness? We are called to gentleness and meekness. Eldredge does make some mention of this, but by far the great emphasis in the book is in the opposite direction. When his son is confronted with a bully, Eldredge urges him, “I want you to hit him…as hard as you possibly can” (p.78). He goes on to explain that this is compatible with turning the other cheek, because before turning the other cheek you must first establish the fact that you are able to retaliate, and that is done by hitting the guy as hard as you can (p.79).
The resulting attitude is anything but the meekness Scripture calls for, as is seen in the key advice that changed Eldredge’s life: “Let people feel the weight of who you are, and let them deal with it.” A far cry from denying self and considering other more important than yourself (Mt.16:24, Php.2:3)
Open Theism
Open Theism is the belief that God doesn’t know the future. I have heard that Eldredge denies being an open theist, but there are statements that at the very least demonstrate a horrendously inadequate understanding of the sovereignty and foreknowledge of God.
God is portrayed as someone who does not know which way things will go, and who is hoping for the best. “God is a person who takes immense risks” (p.30). Risks? If God is sovereign and works out all things in conformity to the purpose of His will (Eph.1:11), what risk could He possibly face?
Eldredge demonstrates the shallowness of his understanding of God's sovereignty: “He can’t be moving all the pieces on the board, because people sin all the time.” (p.30) The idea is that if someone sins, God can’t be in control of that action, therefore God is not in control over events that involve human or angelic decision making – an idea that flatly contradicts passages like Gn.50:20, Acts 4:28 (which show God in control even of the outcome of sinful decision making without Himself being guilty of the sin).
This tendency toward open theism reaches alarming proportions in the discussion of why God didn’t warn Adam about the possibility that Eve would be tempted. Why didn’t God warn Adam? “Because God believes in Adam. This is what he’s designed to do – to come through in a pinch.” (p.50) How else can that be interpreted other than God didn’t warn Adam because He (mistakenly) believed that Adam would “come through in a pinch”?
Human wisdom
Another major problem with this book is the reliance on human wisdom. Numerous Bible verses are referred to, but they are used in much the same way as poems, song lyric quotes, movies, etc. – illustrations of a principle. But the principles themselves are drawn from human reasoning, psychology, and (especially) movies. In fact, when Eldredge discovered he had a problem with an explosive temper he determined that it came from fear and loneliness (?), and he was seeking a solution to that problem. “My answer came through several movies.” (p.126)
Unbiblical assumptions that come from the world of secular psychology are asserted without defense, and then pressed into the Bible. How could a person discover from the Bible itself that Eve was “hiding in busyness or demanding that Adam come through for her”? Or that God is seeking to thwart the false self by taking a man into his wound (ch.6)? Or that the cause of anger is fear from some hidden, past pain (which, he hastens to add, is not your fault – p.129)?
Part of the danger of this is a practice that some have referred to as “psychobabble.” When I use that term, I don’t mean it to be a general slam on all psychological ideas. What I mean by that term is the practice of using terminology that by itself doesn’t really have any meaning in order to disguise and idea that would otherwise enjoy little acceptance. It’s hard to argue against the practice of inviting Jesus to enter your wound, because those words don’t have any explicit meaning. What does it mean to enter your wound? I may be wrong, but the impression I got from the book is that entering your wound means revisiting some past suffering in an effort to “heal” from it. That is an idea that is much of the backbone of Freudian psychotherapy, but that contradicts the more biblical approach of forgetting what is behind and pressing on toward what lies ahead.
There are several other smaller problems with the book, such as:
Unnecessary vulgarity
One wonders if the several references to sex organs is really necessary. Especially objectionable is the retelling of the story of Ruth and Boaz. As Eldredge tells it, Boaz wasn’t giving Ruth what she needed (a ring), and so she seduced him. “(Boaz) had been working from dawn till dusk…they’ve just finished and now it’s party time. Ruth takes a bubble bath and puts on a knockout dress; then she waits for the right moment. That moment happens to be late in the evening after Boaz…is drunk, which is evident from what he does next: pass out…There is no possible reading of this passage that is ‘safe’ or ‘nice.’ This is seduction pure and simple – and God holds it up for all women to follow” God wants all women to follow the pattern of seducing a boyfriend by crawling under the covers with him when he is drunk?
Lack of discernment
Not only does Eldredge show little discernment, but he seems to be opposed to the idea of doctrinal discernment altogether when he sums up what was wrong with the Pharisees by saying they were “doctrine police” (p.24). Jesus had a lot of complaints about the Pharisees, but policing doctrine was not one of them. In fact, Jesus “polices” their doctrine.
Questionable views on the voice of God
Eldredge has fallen into the very common error of believing that God speaks directly to us through subjective feelings. And the words he attributes to the only wise God sound more like thoughts that came from the mind of man. He tells the story of how one day he asked God if He was pleased with Eldredge, and he claims that God spoke to him and said, “You are Henry V after Agincourt…the man in the arena, whose face is covered with blood and sweat and dust, who strove valiantly…a great warrior…yes, even Maximus. You are my friend.” Does that sound to you like the voice of the Creator? Could God find no better example of a powerful warrior than a character in a popular movie?
The idea the God gives direct revelation through subjective feelings is a dangerous doctrine. We end up being the author of God’s Word, and we mistake our feelings for divine revelation. This is illustrated as Eldredge describes another statement that changed his life: “God…speaks in ways that are peculiar to our own quirky hearts – not just through the Bible… To Stasi he speaks through movies. To Craig he speaks through rock and roll (he called me the other day after listening to “Running Through the Jungle” to say he was fired up to go study the Bible)[1]…God’s word to me comes…through…books. I’ll be browsing through a secondhand bookshop when out of a thousand volumes one will say, “Pick me up”
Most men who read this book (including me) are encouraged by many of the ideas (especially the part about your wife signing on to you getting a motorcycle!), but the errors of emphasis, errors of theology, elevation of human wisdom over Scripture, and the general misuse of Scripture make the book especially damaging and dangerous.
Books We Recommend:
Apologetics
· Baker Encyclopedia of Apologetics (Norman Geisler)
· Darwin on Trial (Phillip Johnson)
· In Six Days (J Ashton)
· The Case for Christ (Lee Strobel) Gives historical proofs for Christianity
· The Case for Faith (Lee Strobel) Gives answers to philosophical objections to Christianity, although the chapter on hell is disappointing.
· The Lie: Evolution (Ken Ham)
· When Skeptics Ask (Geisler & Brooks)
Biography
· William Carey (Pearce Carey)
Bibles (Study Bibles)
· The NIV Study Bible
· The Greek-Hebrew Key Word Study Bible
For children:
· The Teen Bible (NCV)
Church History
· Church History in Plain Language (Bruce Shelley)
Christian Living
· Desiring God (John Piper)
· Don’t Waste Your Life (John Piper)
· The Treasure Principle (Randy Alcorn)
· Knowing God (Packer)
· Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan)
Counseling
· Blame it on the Brain (Ed Welch)
· Competent to Counsel (Jay Adams)
· The Christian Counselor’s Manual (Jay Adams)
· How Christian is Christian Counseling? (Gary Almy)
· Wise Counsel (Darrell Ferguson)
Devotional
Gender Roles
· Biblical Foundation for Manhood and Womanhood (Wayne Grudem, ed.)
· Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (Grudem and Piper)
Leadership
· Biblical Eldership (Alexander Strauch)
· Spiritual Leadership (J. Oswald Sanders)
· The Book on Leadership (John MacArthur)
· The New Testament Deacon (Alexander Strauch)
Marriage
· The Complete Husband (Lou Priolo)
Men
· Disciplines of a Godly Man (Kent Hughes)
· Not Even a Hint (Joshua Harris)
· The Complete Husband (Lou Priolo)
· The Exemplary Husband (Stewart Scott)
Miscellaneous
· Logic (Isaac Watts)
Missions
· Let the Nations Be Glad (John Piper)
Parenting
· Age of Opportunity (Paul David Tripp) – for parents of teens
· Teach Them Diligently: How to Use the scriptures in Child Training (Lou Priolo)
· To Train up a Child (Michael & Debi Pearl) Good for parents of very young children
· What the Bible Says about Parenting (John MacArthur)
· Withhold Not Correction (Bruce Ray)
Prayer
· Face to Face Kenneth Boa)
· Prayer: A Holy Occupation
· The Valley of Vision (Arthur Bennett, Ed.)
Theology and Issues
· Beyond the Bounds: Open Theism and the Undermining of Biblical Christianity
· Christianity in Crisis (Hank Hanegraaff)
· Hard to Believe (John MacArthur
· Jesus Didn’t Have Blue Eyes (Derek Leman)
· Evangelicalism Divided (Ian Murray)
· Our Sufficiency in Christ (John MacArthur)
· The Cost of Discipleship (Dietrich Bonhoeffer)
· The Passion of Jesus Christ (John Piper)
· Systematic Theology (Wayne Grudem)
Singles
· I Kissed Dating Goodbye (Joshua Harris)
· Passion & Purity (Elizabeth Eliot)
Women
· Becoming a Titus 2 Woman (Martha Peace)
· Disciplines of a Godly Woman (Barbara Hughes)
· Holy Habits
· The Excellent Wife (Martha Peace)
· The Power of a Praying Wife (Stormie Omartian)
Worldview
· Think Biblically (Master’s Seminary Faculty)
For Elders
· Brothers, We are Not Professionals (John Piper)
· Hermeneutics (Terry)
· Lectures to My Students (Spurgeon)
· Preaching: the Centrality of Scripture (Al Mohler)
· Preaching With Purpose (Jay Adams)
· Rediscovering Expository Preaching (Master’s Seminary Faculty)
· Rediscovering Pastoral Ministry (Master’s Seminary Faculty)
· Spiritual Leadership (J. Oswald Sanders)
Popular Books We Do Not Recommend:
· Boundaries
· Dream Chaser
· Left Behind series
· Prayer of Jabez
· The Bondage Breaker
· The God Chasers
· The Masculine Journey
· The Purpose Driven Church
· The Purpose Driven Life
· The Ragamuffin Gospel
· Wild at Heart
<hr"33%" size="1"></hr"33%">
[1] This song is by the group Impetigo, who have some of the most obscene lyrics imaginable.