Whew! It is the first
week of February and I have finally found time to finish the last of my yearly
book blogs. Sadly, this is the first
year since I have kept track of my reading that I did not reach my ministry
book reading goals. I usually aim for 20
ministry-oriented books every year, but fell one short in 2022 with 19. Unfortunately, I am not on track to meet that
goal this year either – I have yet to find time to read a single chapter in a
ministry-oriented book in 2023. Sigh…
Here are the best ministry and faith books I read this year:
Deeper: Real
Change for Real Sinners by Dane Ortlund.
Dane Ortlund blessed the body of Christ with his book
Gently and
Lowly a few years ago. You could say
Deeper is the follow-up to that book.
It addresses the topic of sanctification – how do we grow in our
relationship with the Jesus whose is gentle and lowly in spirit, and whose yoke
is easy and whose burden is light? I
thought the chapters on the Bible and the work of the Spirit were especially
good.
Strange New World:
How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual
Revolution by Carl R. Trueman.
This
is a shortened version of Trueman’s book,
The Rise and Triumph of the Modern
Self.
Trueman asks the question –
who do people think and see themselves so differently now than 20 or 30 years
ago?
He chalks it up to the acceptance
of what he calls “expressive individualism” which is summed up in the
assumption that a person’s heart desires are the most important and for them to
be genuine they must follow where their heart desires lead.
It is, I believe, a powerfully accurate
diagnosis of what we see today in modern society.
In the Lord I Take Refuge: 150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms by
Dane Ortlund.
I don’t know about you,
but sometimes I find it difficult to find a good devotional book that has meaty
content and thought-provoking ideas.
Ortlund’s journey through each of the Psalms is one of those.
There is a short devotional for each of the
psalms in which he highlights a theme or a portion of the psalm and frequently
looks at it through a gospel lens.
I
enjoyed it so much, it provided the impetus to create a sermon series on the
Psalms, which I am currently preaching through.
Rejoice and Tremble:
The Surprising Good News about the Fear of the Lord by Michael
Reeves.
I have yet to read a
disappointing Michael Reeves book.
Christians today do not talk enough about the fear of God.
In this inviting yet challenging book. Reeves
talks about what it does and does not mean to fear God and how that fear,
properly understood and applied, should change our walk with Jesus.
Is Atheism Dead? by Eric Metaxas.
Metaxas asks the question – does the evidence
of science, archeology and history point to the fact that atheism is
dying?
The book takes us on three
journeys.
First, Metaxas unpacks the
myriad of scientific evidence that the universe was created by a designer.
Second, speaks to the many different ways
archeology has proven the Bible to be an accurate ancient record.
And finally, he addresses the historical
track record of atheist regimes, showing that atheism has never produced any
kind of free society.
As a caveat,
Metaxas is not a young earth creationist, but much of his information is not dependent
on whether you agree with him or not.
The Expulsive Power of a New Affection by Thomas
Chalmers.
Chalmers was a Scottish pastor
who lived from 1780 to 1847.
I was first
exposed to his ministry a few years ago.
This past year, I was able to pick up a copy of his most famous sermon –
The Expulsive Power of a New Affection.
Chalmers speaks about how it is our growing affection for Christ that
has the power to bring true, lasting victory over the sin in our lives.
At only 72 pages, this is a little booklet
well worth your time.
God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants: A Concise Biblical Theology by Peter J.
Gentry and Stephen J. Wellum. Christians
are frequently divided in their understanding of the Bible between two poles –
dispensationalism and covenant theology.
Or, how I like to explain it, discontinuity and continuity. I struggle with aspects of both viewpoints,
and have good friends that share both viewpoints. Gentry and Wellum’s perspective, called
progressive covenantalism, seeks to find a middle ground between these two
camps. Time will tell if they have
succeeded. It was a very interesting
read. I liked a lot of what I read here,
but I found I could not agree with everything.
Thus, my quest continues….
Other very good books I read this year:
When Harry
Became Sally: Responding to the
Transgender Moment by Ryan T. Anderson
Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church & What
the Bible has to Say by Preston Sprinkle
Gender
Ideology: What do Christians Need to
Know? by Sharon James
Hidden in the
Gospel: Truths You Forget to Tell
Yourself Every Day by William P. Farley
A Journey to
Victorious Praying: Finding Discipline
and Delight in Your Prayer Life by Bill Thrasher
Resilient
Ministry: What Pastors Told Us About
Surviving and Thriving by Bob Burns, Tasha D. Chapman and Donald C. Guthrie
Chief Scottish
Man: The Life and Ministry of Thomas
Chalmers by Sandy Finlayson
With All Your
Heart: Orienting your Mind, Desires and
Will toward Christ by A. Craig Troxel
The Loveliest
Place: The Beauty and Glory of the
Church by Dustin Benge
A Still and
Quiet Mind: Twelve Strategies for
Changing Unwanted Thoughts by Esther Smith
Changes that
Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier,
Healthier You by Henry Cloud
Books that I found disappointing (which surprised me,
because I generally like Guthrie’s books):
Blessed:
Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation by Nancy Guthrie
