Book Blurbs: June 2020

I love books, and every month I attempt to give quick thoughts (or “blurbs”) on books I have read recently. These are not extensive book reviews but bite-size endorsements or warnings about books available for church. Here is my current rating scale:

• 1 star – Awful, awful book. I have already thrown it away and/or burned it. I may have not even finished reading the book.

• 2 stars – The only reason to keep this book is to refer to it as bad theology or to prop other books up on my shelf.

• 3 stars – Frustrating read, couldn’t find much that I enjoyed.

• 4 stars – Will do you more harm than good to read.

• 5 stars – I disagree with significant conclusions but also found agreement in areas of importance.

• 6 stars – Buy this book used. Readers will probably be divided on the value of its contents.

• 7 stars – Not sure if I found the book valuable or not. Need to process more.

• 8 stars – The main points of the book are good, but I don’t always understand how they are supported.

• 9 stars – Hardly noticeable complaints or flaws. A book I recommend for purchase.

• 10 stars – Tremendously helpful. A book that I will read multiple times in my life.

The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders: Reason, Revelation, and Revolution by Gregg L. Frazer (published by University Press of Kansas, 2012). 297 pages. A former professor of mine is the author of this book. I remember his lectures in college about the subject in this book and, while I found some of his arguments compelling, I still haven’t bought it all “hook, line, and sinker.” He is right to conclude that our founding fathers are not as Christian as we think, but I believe his conclusion that John Adams was a theistic rationalist is a stretch. The other men discussed in this book – George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin – could have been theistic rationalists but other historical works paint them in different ways. The book is still worth reading to provoke you to study further, but I think you might read it and still find unanswered questions about the religious beliefs of most of our founders. BOOK RATING: 5 out of 10 stars.

A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller (published by NavPress, 2009). 277 pages. I have read a few books by this author and I think the same way each time – “good sections with rambling in most other sections.” It might be worth purchasing for a few anecdotes here and there about prayer, but I wouldn’t put this on your list of “must buy” books. The strength of this book is the relatability of prayer struggles that this author has that all of us have and his solutions to battle those struggles. The weakness is the flow from one chapter to next. Not much building of any arguments at all. BOOK RATING: 7 out of 10 stars.

One Assembly: Rethinking the Multisite & Multiservice Church Models by Jonathan Leeman (published by Crossway, 2020). 174 pages. There are many good arguments for why a multisite church model or even a multiservice model is not the best for a church, but this author really only makes 1 argument: he says the word ekklesia (the Greek word for “church”) won’t allow anything “multi.” While I understand his point, he pushes back on the idea that “the church is more than a people” and says it is also a gathering in a place. Again, while I agree churches are gatherings, I am not sure I would be as dogmatic as he to say anything less than that is not a church. It is still a helpful resource for understanding the word “church” and I agree with him in principle that the healthiest and most biblical model is a single church gathering in a single place, but I don’t always agree with how he gets to that premise. BOOK RATING: 8 out of 10 stars.

Francis of Assisi and His World by Mark Galli (published by Downers Grove, 2002). 190 pages. Explore the world of medieval Catholicism and priesthood with this biography of a complicated and controversial figure. You will get a taste of his rebellious childhood, his unique calling to ministry, the influence he had on men and woman who followed his example, his border-line worship of God’s creation and his humble acts of service towards the poor and societally rejected. Even if you are a Protestant with a different soteriology. BOOK RATING: 9 out of 10 stars.

The Cross of Christ by John Stott (published by InterVarsity Press, 1986). 383 pages. How have I not read this book before now? What a gift this book is regarding the nature of salvation. Few books are as clear and accessible as this one on the transforming nature of the Gospel. The strengths of this book are his definitions of reconciliation and the atonement. He writes as a tender pastor wanting his readers (his sheep) to understand the warmth of God’s Gospel. BOOK RATING: 10 out of 10 stars.

Prayer by John Onwuchekwa (published by Crossway, 2018). 137 pages. There are many books on prayer, and many good ones. Add this to the list of helpful books on prayer. In this book, you will read helpful insights on the Lord’s prayer (Matt 6:9-13), the ACTS acronym, prayer in the corporate gathering, and how prayer influences missions. I wouldn’t say there is anything unique to this book that you can’t read elsewhere, but it is a brief resource on the subject. Therefore, it might be more of an accessible book than others on the subject. BOOK RATING: 9 out of 10 stars.

Power in Expository Preaching by Faris D. Whitesell (published by Fleming H. Revell, 1963). 174 pages. I love to read books I know nothing about – including who the author is – and then discovering a helpful resource in the process. That was my experience in reading this book. The author weaves through certain characteristics of Spirit-anointed expository preaching (e.g., motivation, diversification, explanation, organization, argumentation, illustration, application, imagination, preparation, and communication). His helpful examples of how each of these characteristics can be seen in real sermons from real preachers was invaluable. I highly recommend this book for any preacher of any level of experience. You will receive new ideas for improving your preaching and be reminded of the timeless truths about preaching. BOOK RATING: 10 out of 10 stars.