Tony Reinke's Lit! is Discounted for 24 Hours Only

Here's a deal I didn't want to pass up.  I've heard so many good things and read excellent excerpts.  I'm glad to now own at least the digital copy and am looking forward to learning from Tony, who is a very discerning reader.
 

Tony Reinke's Lit! is Discounted for 24 Hours Only

Review: Rid of My Disgrace

Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault by Justin S. Holcomb & Lindsey A. Holcomb

My rating: 4 of 5 stars (at Goodreads)

Rid of My Disgrace will be a tremendous help to pastors looking for help understanding the issues involved with sexual assault. Portions of this book would be excellent if they could be excerpted and offered to victims and loved ones of victims. This is such a difficult subject to discuss because it is so sensitive. The scars of shame and guilt are cut deep into the hearts of victims. I fear that many of the few who have not been assaulted sexually, especially in the church, go about without a clue as to the wounds many victims are nursing. I also fear that the majority of victims believe that they are all alone in their pain, and that no one will understand, much less believe them.

My prayer is that this book will help many, many, many to find freedom in Christ and loving support within the church! All church leaders ought to read this book (even staff, teachers and nursery workers). All of our leaders need to be equipped to spot signs of abuse and to respond in a legally and biblically appropriate way. Our churches ought to be safe havens for the assaulted! 

I would also recommend this book to parents; be informed, especially when you consider the following facts: 

1) "At least one in four women and one in six men are of will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime" (from the Introduction)
2) "women sixteen to nineteen years old have the highest rate of sexual victimization of any age group" (chapter 2)
3) Sexual assault comes most frequently from a close relative, a friend, a date, or a spouse. (my summary)
4) "sexual assault is 'one of the most underreported crimes due primarily to fear and/or embarrassment on the part of the victim.'" (chapter 2) 

A few technical concerns...

Although the content is outstanding, it is at times repetitive and, especially in the third part, very dense. The book begins by appealing to and speaking directly to victims, which is very helpful! As probing and uncomfortable dealing with this subject is, I was blessed by the guidance received from these capable counselors. The language is straight-forward and seasoned with compassion, grace, and the hope found only in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

My major qualm with this book is that I am now unsure about recommending this to all victims of sexual abuse. I could do so and suggest which portions to read, but that might prove awkward. Another option would be to save this recommendation for particular individuals whom I believe would dig in and work through the long chapters and rich doctrinal studies. The biblical theology of grace in the place of disgrace was very refreshing. However, I believe that the density of the content will unnecessarily limit the breadth of the intended audience.

What I would love to see, is a pared down edition, of about 100 pages long, that would be suitable for handing to any victim of sexual assault (or to a larger general audience). I love and appreciate what the Holcombs offer here. This volume is, overall, a great addition to the works available from a Biblical perspective on the subject of sexual assault. I recently read Doris VanStone's No Place To Cry which is also excellent, gospel-saturated, and appeals to a very wide audience. I also found and hope to begin reading very soon Dan Allender's The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

A final issue was the overabundance of quotations. It is very apparent that the authors are widely read, however, the final section felt overrun by heaping one lengthy quote upon another. Much of this would have been better situated in end notes with a suggested bibliography. The sources quoted are generally excellent, but I would caution against citing a popular preacher (in this case Driscoll) for technical, theological definitions. The definitions were adequate, but citing Driscoll felt more like name-dropping than good scholarship.

Conclusion...

Praise God, by his grace he is willing and able to rid me of my disgrace! Praise God for the Holcombs, gifts God has granted to the church and all who are suffering the disgrace of sexual assault. 

Review: Rid of My Disgrace

John Piper on Thinking to Make Us Lovers of God and Others

Today (10/31/11) is the final day to download a free copy of Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God by John Piper at ChristianAudio.com.  

CLICK HERE

I began to listen to this audiobook while I did some driving this weekend.  I am hooked.  I have enjoyed the books, articles, sermons, tweets, and blog posts that I have either read or listened to over the years.  To be honest, when I first saw this book in a bookstore, I thought, "Well, here is another Piper book that will no doubt be very thought-provoking, but I don't have time to read it now."

My thinking has been changed.  I need to hear this message now, and I'm also certain that this book will also be a tremendous aid to the church.  I would love to have our Sunday small group to read, think through, and discuss this book.  We are currently working through the book of Revelation which challenges us at every turn to think carefully about the gospel message without getting tangled up in speculations and fruitless debates.

In the video trailer below, Piper states that his end goal is "that we would love God through thinking well about the world and about the Bible that he has given us. The whole aim is not to make us thinkers, the aim is to use thinking biblically to make us lovers."



Since thinking invariably requires a person to ask questions, Piper points us to a biblical perspective on a very common concern of the average reader of the Bible.  Here's and excerpt that was helpful to me.

Is the Habit of Asking Questions Respectful?

Some may wonder if asking questions of the text is a respectful way to read the Bible.  It can be. Or it may not be.  An illustration may clarify.  Near the time of Jesus' birth, an angel came to Mary and to John the Baptist's father with predictions about what was going to happen.  Both Mary and Zechariah asked a question about what the angel he said.  But the angel was angry with Zechariah, not Mary.  Why?

It had to do with the attitude of their hearts in asking their questions.  The angel said to Zechariah, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John? (Luke 1:13).  But Zechariah was old and his wife was barren.  He was skeptical.  In fact he was unbelieving.  He expressed this with a question, "How shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years" (Luke 1:18).

The angel did not like this response. Zechariah did not ask humbly how God would do this.  He was not submissive and trusting in his question.  So the angel said, "I am Gabriel.  I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.  And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time" (Luke 1:19-20).

But Mary's heart was different when she asked her question.  The angel had said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.  And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus" (Luke 1:30-31).  Mary, of course, was perplexed and could not understand how this could be.  So she asked, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (Luke 1:34).  Instead of getting angry at her, the angel answered her question as far as he could: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the son of God" (Luke 1:35).

If you prefer the print edition, see these sources:    

John Piper on Thinking to Make Us Lovers of God and Others

With Calvin in the Theater of God Available in PDF

With Calvin in the Theater of God: The Glory of Christ and Everyday Life, edited by John Piper and David Mathis, is now available in PDF from Desiring God.


Format: Softcover Book
Pages: 176
ISBN: 9781433514128
Publisher: Crossway


    

HT: Desiring God Blog by Jonathan Parnell
*******************************
As a side note, back in 2001 I read Susan Schreiner's The Theater of His Glory: Nature and the Natural Order in the Thought of John Calvin (Baker Academic, 2001) and was introduced to Calvin's use of theater as a metaphor throughout his writings.  Schreiner picked up on Calvin's repeated use of theatrum gloriae Dei, "the theater of God's glory," to describe the created world.  This volume is an edited version of Schreiner's doctoral dissertation and is an excellent, scholarly introduction to the subject.

I also recommend David Hall's short article form Tabletalk Magazine, July 1, 2009.

With Calvin in the Theater of God Available in PDF

D. A. Carson's Endorsement of The Heresy of Orthodoxy

What creativity!  You've gotta love this endorsement for The Heresy of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture's Fascination with Diversity Has Reshaped Our Understanding of Early Christianity (Foreword by I. Howard Marshall) by Andreas J. Kostenberger and Michael Kruger (Crossway, 2010).

"In the beginning was Diversity. And the Diversity was with God, and the Diversity was God. Without Diversity was nothing made that was made. And it came to pass that nasty old 'orthodox' people narrowed down diversity and finally squeezed it out, dismissing it as heresy. But in the fullness of time (which is of course our time), Diversity rose up and smote orthodoxy hip and thigh. Now, praise be, the only heresy is orthodoxy. As widely and as unthinkingly accepted as this reconstruction is, it is historical nonsense: the emperor has no clothes. I am grateful to Andreas Köstenberger and Michael Kruger for patiently, carefully, and politely exposing this shameful nakedness for what it is."
—D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

---

AUTHORS:
Andreas J. Köstenberger is director of PhD Studies and professor of New Testament at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He is a prolific author, distinguished evangelical scholar, and Editor of the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. Dr. Köstenberger and his wife have four children.

Michael J. Kruger (PhD, University of Edinburgh) is associate professor of New Testament and academic dean at Reformed Theological Seminary, and the author of a number of articles and books on early Christianity.

DESCRIPTION:
Evaluating historical evidence, this book defends early Christian orthodoxy from the legacy of New Testament criticism: the modern "orthodoxy of diversity."

Beginning with Walter Bauer in 1934, the denial of clear orthodoxy in early Christianity has shaped and largely defined modern New Testament criticism, recently given new life through the work of spokesmen like Bart Ehrman. Spreading from academia into mainstream media, the suggestion that diversity of doctrine in the early church led to many competing orthodoxies is indicative of today's postmodern relativism. Authors Köstenberger and Kruger engage Ehrman and others in this polemic against a dogged adherence to popular ideals of diversity.


Köstenberger and Kruger's accessible and careful scholarship not only counters the "Bauer Thesis" using its own terms, but also engages overlooked evidence from the New Testament. Their conclusions are drawn from analysis of the evidence of unity in the New Testament, the formation and closing of the canon, and the methodology and integrity of the recording and distribution of religious texts within the early church.

• Format: Trade Paperback
• Pages: 256

• Size: 5.5 x 8.5 inches
• Expected: Jun 30, 2010

D. A. Carson's Endorsement of The Heresy of Orthodoxy

Forthcoming from Crossway Books

I just read a notice from Andy Naselli regarding a new book by D. A. Carson on the doctrine of Scripture.  Here's the title and description:

D. A. Carson. Collected Writings on Scripture. Wheaton: Crossway, 2010.

It reprints and slightly updates five essays and five reviews:

1. Approaching the Bible
   
2. Recent Developments in the Doctrine of Scripture
   
3. Unity and Diversity in the New Testament: The Possibility of Systematic Theology
   
4. Redaction Criticism: On the Legitimacy and Illegitimacy of a Literary Tool
   
5. Is the Doctrine of Claritas Scripturae Still Relevant Today?
   
6. Three Books on the Bible: A Critical Review
   
7. Three More Books on the Bible: A Critical Review
   
8. Review of Jeffrey L. Sheler, Is the Bible True?
   
9. Review of Alan G. Padgett and Patrick R. Keifert, eds., But Is It All True?
   
10. Review of Roland Boer, Rescuing the Bible
    

(HT: Andy Naselli)

I went to the Crossway website to see if they listed any further details, but I could not find any.  I'm sure it will be posted shortly.  However, while I was there I browsed through their list of forthcoming titles and the following books caught my eye:

George Whitefield: God's Anointed Servant in the Great Revival of the Eighteenth Century - Arnold A. Dallimore

This fast-paced, easy-to-read narrative reveals how God used one man of great courage, discipline, and humility to bring countless souls to Christ.

$17.99 Trade Paperback
Available Mar 31, 2010
9781433513411

Note: This is an abridged edition of the classic, larger, two-volume edition published by Banner of Truth.

Surprised by Grace: God's Relentless Pursuit of Rebels - Tullian Tchividjian

As today's Christians struggle to grasp the gospel's true power, Surprised by Grace unfolds a liberating story that helps us come to grips with the shocking extent of God's compassion.

$18.99 Hardcover w/Jacket
Available May 31, 2010
9781433507755

Note: I really appreciated Tchividhian's Unfashionable and expect this to be just as helpful.

God, Marriage, and Family: Rebuilding the Biblical Foundation (Second Edition) - Andreas J. Köstenberger and David W. Jones

This updated edition of Köstenberger and Jones's acclaimed work tackles the latest challenges to God's plan for the home and urges a return to a biblical foundation.

$22.99 Trade Paperback
Available May 31, 2010
9781433503641

Note: Köstenberger is passionate about this subject.

The Heresy of Orthodoxy: How Contemporary Culture's Fascination with Diversity Has Reshaped Our Understanding of Early Christianity (Foreword by I. Howard Marshall) - Andreas J. Köstenberger and Michael Kruger

Evaluating historical evidence, this book defends early Christian orthodoxy from the legacy of New Testament criticism: the modern "orthodoxy of diversity."

$17.99 Trade Paperback
Available Jun 30, 2010
9781433501432

Note: Köstenberger and Kruger are very thoughtful and thorough scholars.  I expect that the product of this joint effort will be excellent.

Crossway ESV Bible Atlas - John D. Currid and David P. Barrett

This groundbreaking, full-color companion to the ESV Bible combines visual appeal with state-of-the-art historical and geographical resources in one user-friendly volume.

$55.00 Hardcover
Available Jun 30, 2010
9781433501920

Evangelicalism: What Is It and Is It Worth Keeping? - D. A. Carson

D.A. Carson presents a biblical/theological definition of evangelicalism that is rooted in the New Testament's description of the gospel and that retains its relevance today.

$14.99 Trade Paperback
Available Sep 30, 2010
9781433511226

Note: Here's another topic about which Carson is passionate.

Forthcoming from Crossway Books

Packer & Dever on the Substitutionary Atonement (free for Kindle users)

One of my favorite hymns is Philip P. Bliss's meditative and triumphant anthem, "Man of Sorrows." 

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!


A year-and-a-half ago, Crossway published a book which combines three classic articles by J. I. Packer with a recent article by Mark Dever and a foreword by the four principal members of Together for the Gospel.  The title of their book was taken from verse two of Bliss's hymn "Man of Sorrows": In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement.  This is a profound, personalized, biblical statement that describes Jesus' substitutionary atonement.

If you are a Kindle user, Crossway is making this available as a free download.  If you are still committed to printed copies (like me) you can find a copy at one of the following places: 

• Contents
• Excerpt: Foreword, Preface, and Introduction - 120K PDF 

J.I. Packer on how we have lost our grip on the Biblical Gospel (excerpt from chapter 4):

Without realizing it, we have during the past century bartered the gospel for a substitute product which, though it looks similar enough in points of detail, is as a whole a decidedly different thing. Hence our troubles; for the substitute product does not answer the ends for which the authentic gospel has in past days proved itself so mighty. Why?

Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach men to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and his ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed.

From this change of interest has sprung a change of content, for the new gospel has in effect reformulated the biblical message in the supposed interests of “helpfulness.”

To recover the old, authentic, biblical gospel, and to bring our preaching and practice back into line with it, is perhaps our most pressing present need.

Packer & Dever on the Substitutionary Atonement (free for Kindle users)

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor

This week Crossway is highlighting Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor. The quotes below remind me of the maxim of Gregory of Nazianzus, "The unassumed is the unhealed."

Why does suffering exist? How does it advance the mission of the church? How does God’s grace enter suffering? What is the role of hope when things look utterly hopeless?

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God is written to the white-robed army of martyrs “…until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete.” Editors John Piper and Justin Taylor along with a number of contributors deal with the issue of human suffering as it relates to God’s sovereignty.

• Contents
• Excerpt: Introduction and Chapter 1 - 422K PDF
• Back Cover

Excerpts:

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find:

“But when God chooses to overcome our rebellion and Satan’s resistance, nothing can stop him. And when God overcomes him and us, we repent and Satan’s power is broken. Here it is in 2 Timothy 2:24-26.” (Piper, 28).

“The mystery of why God has ordained the evils he has is as deep as the mystery of the evils in our hearts. And just as only God can plumb the depths of our hearts, so only God knows how the hurts we do to each other and to ourselves figure into his loving cure of us who shelter ourselves under the blood and righteousness of his Son.” (Talbot, 77).

“In the life and death of Jesus Christ, suffering finds its ultimate purpose and ultimate explanation: suffering exists so God might display the greatness of the glory of the grace of God by suffering in himself to overcome our suffering. Everything—everything—that Christ accomplished for us sinners he accomplished by suffering. Everything we will ever enjoy will come to us because of suffering.” (Piper, 87).

“If we are going to emulate our Savior, we have to identify with the people to whom we take his good news. I don’t advocate that we look for suffering; life brings enough on its own. But what I do advocate is that suffering is an important prerequisite to ministering to hurting people. Christ took on our likeness and subjected himself to the suffering that plagues us.” (Saint, 121).

“So often the initial reaction to painful suffering is Why me? If all that God promises only comes true, then why not me?” (Powlison, 172-173).

“Our fears, anger, doubts, and everything else we feel in our pain don’t make God nervous or uncomfortable with us. God still loves us, and he is still for us.” (Shramek, 189).

Suffering and the Sovereignty of God edited by John Piper and Justin Taylor

Forthcoming: Christian Apologetics Past and Present: A Primary Source Reader

I often shy away from reading books on apologetics, but this one looks like the kind of book on the subject that I would enjoy reading. More than that, I can see this book (and the subsequent volumes) being useful reference tools for many years to come.

Christian Apologetics Past and Present: A Primary Source Reader (Volume 1, To 1500), edited by William Edgar and K. Scott Oliphint. Wheaton: Crossway Books, Forthcoming, 2009.

WILLIAM EDGAR (DTheol, University of Geneva) is professor of apologetics and coordinator of the apologetics department at Westminster Theological Seminary. His books include Reasons of the Heart, The Face of Truth, and Truth in All Its Glory.

K. SCOTT OLIPHINT (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary) is professor of apologetics and systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. His books include Things That Cannot Be Shaken, Revelation and Reason, and Reasons for Faith.

Publisher's Description:

An unprecedented anthology of apologetics texts with selections from the first century AD through the Middle Ages. Includes introductory material, timelines, maps, footnotes, and discussion questions.

The apostle Peter tells us always to be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks us to account for our hope as Christians (1 Peter 3:15). While the gospel message remains the same, such arguments will look different from one age to another.

In the midst of a recent revival in the field of apologetics, few things could be more useful than an acquaintance with some of these arguments for the Christian belief through the ages. This first of two proposed volumes features primary source documents from the time of the early church (100-400) and the Middle Ages (400-1500). Featured apologists include Aristides, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, Athanasius, Augustine, Anselm, and Thomas Aquinas.

The authors provide a preface to each major historical section, with a timeline and a map, then an introduction to each apologist. Each primary source text is followed by questions for reflection or discussion purposes.

$39.00 Hardcover
Available Sep 30, 2009

ISBN: 1581349068 / 9781581349061
Size: 6 x 9 inches
Pages: 512

Forthcoming: Christian Apologetics Past and Present: A Primary Source Reader

Practical Theology Indeed: Wendy Alsup's Practical Theology for Women

I've already given away two copies, have bought two more copies, and am planning on giving away another copy to a friend tomorrow. This evening I finished reading the book and was not disappointed. On the contrary, I hope to give away more copies, or at the least, continue recommending it.

I'm referring to Wendy Horger Alsup's Practical Theology for Women: How Knowing God Makes a Difference in Our Daily Lives (Crossway, 2008).



Why did I give away this book prior to reading it, you may ask. Well, this question is absolutely fair. First, I am acquainted with Wendy from working at the same Christian camp back in the early 90s. Although it has been many years since that summer, I remember her as being a leader among the lady counselors and as having maintained a fine Christian testimony. Second, I had, in fact, read through the book very quickly (more like reading selected portions and skimming the rest) in order to get a feel for the book. I noticed that the direction of the book was substantive without being overburdened with anecdotal material. Rather, the chapters followed a simple and orderly progression considering three major headings: 1) What is Theology? 2) Who is Our God? 3) Communicating with Our God.

Now that I've gone through the book at a normal pace, I have found that my expectations have been exceeded. I don't get the sense that Wendy is out to make a name for herself, nor do I expect her to give Beth Moore, Kay Arthur and the likes a run for their money producing books for women. That said, if she does write more, I think that she would fill a great void in Bible study material.

God has clearly gifted Wendy to teach. Whereas some are great comedians or storytellers, Wendy is a teacher and you will see this in the way she has crafted this book. Stories and illustrations are at a minimum; used sparingly and purposefully. Rather, Wendy sets before the reader one of the simplest and most fruitful methods of Bible study. First, she turns the readers attention to the Bible over and over again. This point is worth highlighting, especially if any publishers are reading. Too few "Christian" books force you to read the Bible. Rather, they are full of the author's interpretation of the Bible, while Scripture references are left in parenthesis, or demoted to the footnotes. On the contrary, Wendy puts the texts in front of the reader (many texts throughout the book) so that you have to read them to follow her lesson. I must say that this was refreshing, and it is the key to the message of her book.

Second, she utilizes basic tools found in nearly every American household: a dictionary, Strong's Concordance, and alternate translations of the Bible. Some people forget about the dictionary, but defining difficult words is part of Bible Study 101. If you find that you don't understand a verse, don't let it be because you didn't look up the definition of an unfamiliar word. Also, on a basic lever, using a Strong's Concordance of the Bible will give the reader a basic idea of the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words. It may seem intimidating to some, but Strong's is very useful. It was one of my staple resources before I studied the Biblical languages and learned how to use other tools.

Finally, Wendy highlights the necessity of prayer. The third major division of this book, Communicating with Our God, is a superb treatise on prayer. I got a kick out of her take on persevering in prayer: "God is inviting us to nag him in prayer!" (131) I couldn't resist sharing that statement with my wife. All kidding aside, her exposition of the Lord's prayer is insightful, especially her comments on forgiveness.

In the beginning of this book, Wendy states her burden for women who will read this book. She writes,

No matter where our husbands, fathers, or pastors may be in their spiritual journey, when we ladies grow in our understanding of God's character and attributes, it can only be a blessing for our homes, or marriages, and our churches. (22)

The way that women (and men, of course) grow in their understanding of God is through prayerful study of the Scriptures! Wendy argues, "God forbid that women should avoid studying the deep things of the Word lest they surpass the understanding of the men in their lives!" (22) Amen, to that! What a privilege we all (male and female) have to dig deep into the Scriptures! Why settle for Dr. Phil or Oprah? Establish and grow your relationship with the God of the universe! Practical Theology for Women is a passionate plea for women to experience, enjoy, become enriched in, and edified through the study of God's living and active Word.

There are many highlights I would love to share (and, Yes, I learned a thing or two from this "woman's" book), but I'll share the following because it exposes Wendy's perspective--which is what we as readers are supposed to try to uncover as we read any book (right?). In chapter 14, What is the Word?, Wendy admits to a struggle that plagues me too. With regard to the treasure we have in the Scriptures, Wendy writes,

Personally, I have to fight the tendency to place the Word of God down in third place on my priority list, after wise counselors and good Christian books. I find it easier to seek wisdom from people or books rather than from God himself in his Word. However, this attitude works against me in the very areas I need help. No Christian book can claim to be the hammer that breaks the heart of stone. No wise counselor can claim the ability to judge the unspoken attitudes of our hearts. Only God's Word has this type of power, and we must avail ourselves of his revelation to us through his written Word. (135)

From the content of this book, to the organization of the material, to the manner in which this material is presented; this perspective is foundational. I am very glad to have read this book and it is one I will wholeheartedly recommend and give away to others.

Practical Theology Indeed: Wendy Alsup's Practical Theology for Women

Book Giveaway Winners: The Bookends of the Christian Life

It is time to announce the winners of our latest book giveaway. Thank you to all who commented and emailed me about this event.

We have plugged the names into Random.org's List Randomizer and have drawn the following two winners:

1. Joseph Wipff (entered via email and a two-time winner at TheoSource)
   
2. Terry Lange
   

Congratulations!!! If you two would send Tim an email with your current mailing address, he will drop your free book in the mail to you.

Thank you, also, to Crossway Books for supplying these free copies!

Jerry Bridges & Bob Bevington, The Bookends of the Christian Life. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2009. Hardcover, 160 pages.

ISBNs: 1433503190 / 9781433503191

Excerpts (PDF): Introduction & Chapter 3 - Gospel Enemy #1: Self-Righteousness

Jerry Bridges is a longtime staff member of the Navigators and currently serves with their collegiate ministry. In addition to his international speaking ministry, he has authored ten books and three devotionals; among them The Pursuit of Holiness, which has sold well over a million copies, and the award-winning The Discipline of Grace and I Will Follow You, O God.

Bob Bevington has practiced optometry since 1980 and cofounded several companies. His passion, however, is the message of the cross.

Book Giveaway Winners: The Bookends of the Christian Life

Book Giveaway: The Bookends of the Christian Life

It has been a while since we have offered a book giveaway at TheoSource and we are very glad to be able to do this once again. Crossway Books has kindly supplied us with two extra copies of of the book reviewed by Tim in the previous post.

Jerry Bridges & Bob Bevington, The Bookends of the Christian Life. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2009. Hardcover, 160 pages.

ISBNs: 1433503190 / 9781433503191

Excerpts (PDF): Introduction & Chapter 3 - Gospel Enemy #1: Self-Righteousness

Jerry Bridges is a longtime staff member of the Navigators and currently serves with their collegiate ministry. In addition to his international speaking ministry, he has authored ten books and three devotionals; among them The Pursuit of Holiness, which has sold well over a million copies, and the award-winning The Discipline of Grace and I Will Follow You, O God.

Bob Bevington has practiced optometry since 1980 and cofounded several companies. His passion, however, is the message of the cross.

Publisher's Description

The authors use an extended metaphor to serve up a little book with a big message about two essentials of the Christian life.

What do bookends have to do with the Christian life? They are a metaphor that Jerry Bridges has developed over the years, and which he and coauthor Bob Bevington flesh out in this small volume. The two “bookends” explain not only how we as sinners can be made acceptable to a holy God but also we can find the power to change. They are thus essential for the Christian life.

In a unique book that should garner the attention of a wide range of readers, the authors use their extended metaphor to help readers answer questions like:

• How can I overcome persistent guilt?
• How can I deal with the pressure to measure up?
• Where can I find the motivation it takes to grow?
• How can I live the Christian life with both my head and my heart?
• How can I be sure God loves me?
• How can I change in an authentic and lasting way?

So what are the bookends of the Christian life? Christ’s righteousness as it is transferred to dependent believers, and the Holy Spirit’s power as it enables their transformation. In continuing their goal to re-center the church at large onto the historic gospel of Jesus Christ, Bridges and Bevington have served up this little book with a big message so that believers and seekers alike can understand these two keys to a genuine Christian life.

Endorsements

“Through his many books, Jerry Bridges has been shepherding my soul since I first became a Christian sixteen years ago. He has done it again. As I have come to expect, he has provided a sea of theological matter in a drop of devotional language. Here you will find God-centered doctrine that is delectably deep and down to earth at the same time. I promise that if you read this book carefully and prayerfully, you will gain both an informed mind and an enlarged heart.”
Tullian Tchividjian, Pastor, New City Church, Fort Lauderdale; author, Unfashionable: Making a Difference in this World by Being Different

“Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington have provided another marvelous instrument for guiding believers to the provisions of a gospel-blessed and gospel-driven life. In this volume the surpassing righteousness of Christ joined with the power of the Holy Spirit is clearly displayed from God’s Word. Thanks from all of us who desire to make disciples that will follow Christ purposefully and passionately.”
Harry L. Reeder III, Senior Pastor, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham

“Forgiveness of sin and power to change—I can think of no more essential topics for a Christian to study than these twin blessings of the gospel. And I can think of no one better to write on these topics than Jerry Bridges. Jerry has provided for me over the years a constant diet of gospel-saturated writing, and here is a fresh feast. I trust you will enjoy it as much as I have.
C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries

“Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington look at the Christian life through a wide-angle lens, examining the framework that supports, stabilizes and secures the believer’s life in Christ. They teach elements of a distinctly biblical worldview, leaning upon the righteousness of Christ on one hand and upon the power of the Holy Spirit on the other. A wise and powerful book, one I heartily recommend.”
Tim Challies, author, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment

“Thinking you understand the gospel but applying it only to salvation is like barely releasing your sail and slogging through the waves. Bookends will equip you to release that sail, catch the mighty wind of God, and see every “book” in your life transformed.”
Dee Brestin, author, Falling in Love with Jesus

“With their latest publication, the authors display how sound theology is transformational and how understanding enhances true piety and produces profound worship.”
Robert M. Norris, Pastor, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Bethesda

“Martin Luther said, ‘Man in his search for truth is like a drunken peasant. You help him up on one side of his horse and he falls over the other side.’ This book, perhaps more than any other, is designed to keep you on the horse living in the truth of the gospel. There are few books you will find more valuable on your shelf.”
Joe Coffey, Lead Pastor, Hudson Community Chapel, Hudson, Ohio

Giveaway Instructions

For a chance to receive a free copy of The Bookends of the Christian Life, please submit your name by leaving a comment to either this post or to the book review post indicating your interest in entering this drawing.

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As we have done in the past, two winners will be randomly drawn using Random.org's List Randomizer. The names will be announced on Friday evening, May 15.

Please leave a comment and pass the word around.

Book Giveaway: The Bookends of the Christian Life

Book Review—The Bookends of the Christian Life

Jerry Bridges & Bob Bevington, The Bookends of the Christian Life. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2009.



If you’re like me, you may feel a little uncomfortable if someone asks you how you’re doing in your Christian living, especially if he gets too specific. “How’s your prayer-life?” “Are you consistent with daily devotions?” “Are you getting victory over sin and winning others to Christ?” Truth be known, I’m deficient in all these areas. Too often my life gets out of balance and seems hopelessly messed up. And I’m not eager for others to notice, but I could use a little help.

Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington have co-written a book that aims to help believers stabilize their Christian lives in all of its aspects, whether “spiritual” or “temporal” (p. 13). The Bookends of the Christian Life, published by Crossway, is a 160-page exposition and application of two doctrines that are essential for successful Christian living. The authors use the illustration of books on a shelf supported by bookends to represent the various aspects of our lives being supported by these two doctrines.

The first bookend is the doctrine of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ. This is the righteousness that Christ earned for us by His life of perfect obedience all the way to death, even death on a cross. Why is this doctrine so important that believers must lean on it for support? Bridges and Bevington answer:

We know we need a Savior, so we trust in Christ to redeem us from the curse of God’s law. But though we believe we’re saved as far as our eternal destiny is concerned, we may not be sure about our day-to-day standing with God. Many of us embrace a vague but very real notion that God’s approval has to be earned by our conduct. We know we’re saved by grace, but we believe God blesses us according to our level of personal obedience. Consequently, our confidence that we abide in God’s favor ebbs and flows according to how we gauge our performance. (p. 21)

The authors show from Scripture that “[j]ust as God charged our sin to Christ, so he credits the perfect obedience of Jesus to all who trust in him” (p. 25). They also emphasize the scriptural truth that the believer’s justification for Christ’s sake is “a daily, present reality” and that “it’s this reliance on Christ alone, apart from any consideration of our good or bad deeds, that enables us to experience the daily reality of the first bookend, in which the believer finds peace and joy and comfort and gratitude” (p. 29).

Bridges and Bevington anticipate an objection to the doctrine of Christ’s imputed righteousness: What does it matter how I live if God sees me as righteous because of what Christ did? This objection they answer in chapter 2, “The Motivation of the Gospel.” The authors reference three scriptural examples of people who experienced God’s grace, the third being the Apostle Paul. Rather than causing Paul to “slack off in his pursuit of Christlikeness,” the gospel “motivated him to press on and strain forward” out of “love and gratitude for the righteousness of Christ that was his by faith” (p. 38).

The second bookend is the power of the Holy Spirit to supply “the strength to carry out our motivation” (p. 81). Bridges and Bevington make an interesting and convincing argument that “the Spirit applies his power to our lives in two different ways” (p. 86)—through his synergistic work and his monergistic work. The synergistic work referred to “isn’t a pure synergism, as if we and the Spirit each contributed equal power to the task. Rather, we work as he enables us to work, so we use the expression qualified synergism” (p. 87). The authors point us to Philippians 2:12–13 where we are to work out our own salvation because God is working in us. “We are to work—to apply ourselves with utmost seriousness and vigilance. But we’re to do so with the recognition that God provides us with both the motivation (the will) and the power (the work) to obey” (pp. 87–88). The Spirit’s monergistic work means that “he works alone in us and for us but completely independent from us” (p. 88). The authors point to Scriptures showing that believers are born of the Spirit, given new responses to God through the Spirit, and given assurance of salvation and encouragement in spiritual warfare and temptation through the Spirit (pp. 88–90).

But how does the believer apply this teaching of the Spirit’s work? Bridges and Bevington urge believers to take an attitude of “dependent responsibility.” Again, the authors present Paul as an example of working hard to become more Christlike, trusting the Spirit to provide the necessary power. “The Spirit’s role was not to make Paul’s own energy unnecessary but, rather, to make it effective” (p. 96).

The authors teach that leaning on both of these bookends will promote stability, joy, and peace in our lives and help us avoid those detrimental attitudes they label “Gospel Enemies”: self-righteousness, persistent guilt, and self-reliance. They devote a chapter to each of these enemies, providing lists of piercing questions by which we may test ourselves to reveal and defeat the enemy within. The book concludes with “The Bookends Personal Worldview,” that answers the question, “What’s next?” In the authors’ own words:

Instead of page after page and chapter after chapter of a storyline filled with self-righteousness, persistent guilt, and self-reliance, the pages and chapters of books that are stabilized by the bookends should tell an action-packed story of selfless serving, radical giving, and sacrificial living. The impact of being covered by the perfect righteousness of Christ and being enabled by the infinite power of the Holy Spirit should change everything. The result of living between the bookends should be a resounding, “Here am I, Lord; send me!” (p. 154)

I found this book enjoyable, yet challenging to read. The writing style is easy to follow, and their approach to explaining and applying Scripture reminds me of the Puritans; there is scholarship in all these pages, but the presentation is warmly devotional. In fact, Bridges and Bevington quote or paraphrase John Owen, Thomas Wilcox, Thomas Chalmers, and John Newton, along with several contemporary writers.

All believers, regardless of occupation or level of Christian growth, should be able to profit from reading this book. The gospel is so well-presented that the book might even be used in evangelism with people who are more thoughtful and open to discussion about theological matters. Pastors would also be helped by the message of this relatively short book. Bridges and Bevington tell the story of a pastor of a performance-driven mega church who recently rediscovered the gospel of Christ’s imputed righteousness and how that has changed his outlook on himself and his ministry.

I found myself thanking the Lord several times for the precious scriptural truths expounded and illustrated in Bookends. Though I’ve been in Christ a long time now, it’s been only in recent years that I’ve come to a clearer understanding of what Christ’s perfect obedience means for me. With God’s enabling, perhaps the books of my life will stand on the shelf a little more neatly, leaning firmly on the bookends!

Book Review—The Bookends of the Christian Life

New Jerry Bridges Book Half-Price at Monergism

Crossway has just released a new title by Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington, The Bookends of the Christian Life. This 160-page hardcover deals with the application of two essential doctrines for believers—the imputed righteousness of Christ for acceptance with God and the power of the Holy Spirit for transformation of life. I read the introduction and chapter 3 online and was impressed with the conciseness and richness of the teaching.


Monergism is now offering this book for half-price. From Monergism's website:

Description: The authors use an extended metaphor to serve up a little book with a big message about two essentials of the Christian life.

What do bookends have to do with the Christian life? They are a metaphor that Jerry Bridges has developed over the years, and which he and coauthor Bob Bevington flesh out in this small volume. The two “bookends” explain not only how we as sinners can be made acceptable to a holy God but also we can find the power to change. They are thus essential for the Christian life.

In a unique book that should garner the attention of a wide range of readers, the authors use their extended metaphor to help readers answer questions like:

* How can I overcome persistent guilt?
* How can I deal with the pressure to measure up?
* Where can I find the motivation it takes to grow?
* How can I live the Christian life with both my head and my heart?
* How can I be sure God loves me?
* How can I change in an authentic and lasting way?

So what are the bookends of the Christian life? Christ’s righteousness as it is transferred to dependent believers, and the Holy Spirit’s power as it enables their transformation. In continuing their goal to re-center the church at large onto the historic gospel of Jesus Christ, Bridges and Bevington have served up this little book with a big message so that believers and seekers alike can understand these two keys to a genuine Christian life.

This looks like a good book for pastors to recommend to their people to help stabilize and encourage them in their daily struggle to grow as Christians.

New Jerry Bridges Book Half-Price at Monergism