This is part 2 of my annual book list. In this post, I have briefly reviewed the
best ministry and ministry related books I read this past year, as well as a
list of the rest of the books in this category.
Discontinuity to Continuity: A Survey of Dispensational and Covenant
Theologies by Benjamin Merkle. There
are a number of ways people look at theology and the big story of the
Bible. One of the ways is to emphasize
either discontinuity or continuity, especially between the Old and New
Testaments. Merkle’s excellent survey
takes the reader from classic dispensationalism (discontinuity) through to
Christian reconstructionism (continuity) and most views in between, helping us
see both the strengths and weaknesses of these varied views of Scripture.
Micah by Stephen G. Dempster. This past year, I finished a series of
sermons on the prophetic book of Micah at our church. It may seem strange that I would put a
commentary in a list of best books of the year, but I do it for this reason –
Dempster’s book is an example of how commentaries should be written, or at
least commentaries that are useful for pastors and teachers. It is filled with meaty exegesis and
expository/application-oriented insights. I look forward to using other volumes of this
commentary series.
The Care of Souls:
Cultivating a Pastor’s Heart by Harold L. Senkbeil. Senkbeil is a retired Lutheran pastor. As a result, I don’t agree with some of his
views of pastoral ministry and especially the place of the sacraments in that
ministry, but don’t let that deter you from reading this book or giving it as a
gift to your pastor friends. His tone is
warm, his heart is gentle and his focus is fully on shepherding the flock,
which is a lost “art” today.
Irreversible Damage:
The Transgender Craze Seducing our Daughters by Abigail Shrier I do not believe Shrier is a Christian, but
her topic has vital ministry implications.
She pulls back the curtain on the recent explosion of transgenderism in pre-teen
and teen girls, tying it to the advent of social media and YouTube
“influencers.” She details the unwillingness
of most authorities to speak up, even as thousands of girls do irreversible
damage to their bodies. Every parent who
has a young daughter needs to read this book!
Untangling Emotions by J. Alasdair Groves and Winston
T. Smith. If you have ever been confused
by your emotions, you are not alone. In
this book, Groves and Smith give the reader an excellent, biblical perspective
on our emotional lives as Christians and human beings. Their advice is Scripture-centered and
gospel-oriented. I thought the best
chapters were the ones in which they focused on specific emotions like anger,
fear, grief and more.
New Morning Mercies:
A Daily Gospel Devotional by Paul David Tripp. This is how devotionals should be
written. Tripp’s daily write-ups are
short, but deep, thought-provoking and application oriented. He continually brings the reader back to the
foundation truths of the gospel upon which our faith is built. And he has
additional reading at the bottom of the page for those, like me, who like to
have extended passages of Scripture attached to their devotional reading.
Lead: 12 Gospel
Principles for Leadership in the Church by Paul David Tripp. Like many of Paul Tripp’s books, this book
contains 12 variations on the theme of leadership. And his specific focus is on the culture of
leadership among pastoral staff and elders in the church. What drives decision-making or even
conversations among church leaders? Is
it an earthly principle or a gospel principle?
The book is chock full of sound ways to reorient our thinking and
practice as leaders to line them up with the truth of God’s Word.
What God has to Say about our Bodies: How the Gospel is Good News for our Physical
Selves by Sam Allberry. This is a
wonderful survey on what the Bible has to say about our bodies. While Allberry only occasionally addresses
sexual identity issues, this book contains the foundational, Scriptural truths
that we all need to begin to understand and biblically address our culture’s
obsession and confusion over those things.
What does God say about our body’s present and future? Read and be encouraged!
2nd Tier reads, still excellent and recommended:
The Cross
Before Me: Reimagining the Way to the
Good Life by Rankin Wilbourne and Brian Gregor
Micah for You
by Stephen Um
A Commentary
on Micah by Bruce K. Waltke
The Heart of
Christ in Heaven towards Sinners on Earth by Thomas Goodwin
The Day
Approaching: An Israeli’s Message of
Warning and Hope for the Last Days by Amir Tsarfati
God
Dreams: 12 Vision Templates for Finding
and Focusing your Church’s Future by Will Mancini and Warren Bird
Running
Scared: Fear, Worry and the God of Rest by Edward T.
Welch
Spurgeon’s
Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who
Suffer from Depression by Zack Eswine
Gospel-Centered
Discipleship by Jonathon K. Dodson
Deacons: How they Serve and Strengthen the Church
by Matt Smethurst
Instructing a
Child’s Heart by Tedd and Margy Tripp
Family
Discipleship: Leading Your Home Through
Time, Moments and Milestones by Matt Chandler and Adam Griffin
Faithful
Endurance: The Joy of Shepherding People
for a Lifetime by Collin Hansen and Jeff Robinson
The Missionary
Theologian by E. D. Burns
A Holy
Minister: The Life and Spiritual Legacy
of Robert Murray M’Cheyne by Jordan Stone
Faithful
Leaders and the Things that Matter Most by Rico Tice
Simply
Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son
and Spirit by Matthew Barrett
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