Book Blurbs: March 2023

The Use of Scripture in Counseling by Jay E. Adams (published by P&R Publishing, 1975). 105 pages. My only complaint about this book is that it was too brief. Sometimes I wish Adams would write books twice as long as they are. If you are not convinced that Scripture is sufficient for life and godliness (and counseling), read this book. BOOK RATING: 8 out of 10 stars.

Abraham Kuyper: God’s Renaissance Man by James E. McGoldrick (published by Evangelical Press, 2000). 320 pages. This was a very helpful introduction to the Dutch minister that I knew almost nothing about. With the exception of a few quotes I have read of his, I really couldn’t tell you about his ministry in the church or politics. Kuyper seemed to have a healthy balance of what Augustine exhorted Christians to do – live as a citizen of heaven in this world. BOOK RATING: 10 out of 10 stars.

Telling the Truth: How to Revitalize Christian Journalism by Marvin Olasky (published by Crossway Books, 1996). 303 pages. This book may be excellent, but I don’t really know as much about journalism to be an appropriate reviewer of this book. I found myself at times dozing off and not reading as carefully as I should, especially during the sections of each chapter when the author would give lengthy illustrations from other resources. It seemed to me like the author knows what he is talking about, but I didn’t really understand his framework for making those arguments. BOOK RATING: 7 out of 10 stars.

The Antichrist by Arthur W. Pink (published by Kregel Publications, 1988). 310 pages. Pink can over-allegorize Scriptures and there was some of that in this book when he attempted to list Scriptural references to the Antichrist. However, he helped me also see some real possibilities of examples of the Antichrist in places I hadn’t considered before. The strength of this book isn’t really the overview of the Antichrist’s life and character but more the chapters on where is referenced or the other characters in the Bible that are types of him. BOOK RATING: 8 out of 10 stars.

In Praise of Plodders by Warren W. Wiersbe (published by Kregel Publications, 1991). 144 pages. Whenever I read Wiersbe, I read it like a father or grandfather dispensing wisdom. He is gold in what he has to say. This particular book has a tone of encouragement directed towards the wearied or discouraged pastor, covering topics such as criticism, loneliness, preaching, etc. Each chapter is about 3-4 pages long, and it would be a helpful resources for pastoral teams to read together to “start a conversation” about the need to attend to their own souls. His insights and counsel were refreshing and helpful to this pastor who has served the body of Christ for over 20 years. BOOK RATING: 10 out of 10 stars.

God and the Transgender Debate: What Does the Bible Actually Say About Gender Identity? by Andrew T. Walker (published by The Good Book Company, 2022). 201 pages. More and more of these books on this subject are being published, and yet, there is still so much more we need to think about. This book does a fairly good job showing us how to love our transgender neighbors while still speaking the truth in love. The author uses the example of Christ in how we treated the disenfranchised in his society (e.g., lepers, tax collectors, etc.) I would recommend this book to any Christian needing help thinking about gender issues. BOOK RATING: 9 out of 10 stars.