This could be given to a lost friend or coworker without worrying that it would be inaccessible or irrelevant to them. It is not a stand-alone evangelistic book but could probably open a door for further conversation. It could help to break the ice with someone you have been wanting to witness to but can never seem to turn the conversation to weightier matters.

The book deals with many common questions people have in relation to God and the Bible. The answers are not exhaustive but are well done. This helps to keep the book concise and more likely to be read. The style is conversational and interesting. Christians would be benefited by reading it to think about these questions and their answers.

You might call his life a rise and fall. Through his preaching and writing, his popularity grew, but so did his opposition and detractors. When the door of public preaching finally closed to him, he poured all of his energies into his writing. Ironically, his writing is why we know who he was today. He also has more recognition and fame after his death than he did during his life.

Pink was exemplary in his discipline and study. He felt it was his job and that he should go about it as the farmer or banker to their tasks. His long hours and much study did cost him in the terms of fits of illness that sidelined him for periods of time. Once recovered, he would be right back at his work.

The last chapter of his life is a rather dark one. He sought seclusion in Scotland and seems to have had little personal interaction, fellowship, or relationships. His writing in those years is often characterized by a harsh tone and cynicism. This is especially seen in his correspondence of those later years.

This is a new edition of Murray’s biography that is expanded to include new material he did not have when he wrote the first one. It is certainly worth reading. Pink is a model in some ways and a warning in some others. I am thankful though, for I have certainly profited from his writing.

“God’s dearest servants are not always gratified in everything they have a mind to. Yet all who delight in God, have ‘the desire of their hearts fulfilled (Psa. 27:4), though all the desires in their heart be not humored.” (Matthew Henry Quoted in The Life of Arthur W. Pink by Ian Murray, p. 96).

The need he wrote of was the need of the people to have the Gospel, not the financial need of his mission work. In fact, he never asked for money from anyone other than God, and his needs were always met and he operated completely without debt. He did ask for laborers for the field and hundreds responded. It took many years for Taylor to do the work he hoped to do in China, and he was at it right up until his death.

Another interesting fact from this account is that George Mueller was a generous contributor to the China Inland Mission. Yes, the George Mueller that operated the orphanage in England, whose faith is noised abroad. If you know anything of Mueller at all, you know he did not have an abundance of this world’s goods.

I have read the accounts of him waking up in the morning with absolutely no food for him and the children. Surely, he did not have anything to spare. So, what was he doing giving to Taylor’s work while the orphanage was running so lean? He is a testimony to selfless, sacrificial giving. Though he was doing a good work, which had many needs, he did not become absorbed and self-centered in his own work. He still reached out to others in need, remaining Christ-centered. He understood that “God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). He gave out of his poverty abundantly. He did not worry over this for he had the promise: “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Saul was brought to a confrontation with the Lord of Glory, Whom he previously did not own. Saul was made to bow, submit to the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ. Note that in exercise of His kingly authority (all authority in heaven and in earth), Jesus makes demands of Saul—“I have appeared unto thee for this purpose.” He says that Saul is not free to do as he pleases, rather is under the yoke of Christ. The message of salvation that Saul received was not a message of a personal escape from trouble and trial. It was not a liberation of the flesh to serve self without guilt. It was a message that meant owning the dominion of the Most High and serving Him fervently with his whole person. Paul would later exhort the Romans to offer themselves as living sacrifices, consecrating their whole selves to God.

Jesus called Saul to be a minister and a witness. He was to preach the gospel, evangelize, do missionary work. The words of Jesus constrained him in this work—“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18). The message he had received was the message he took to the world. He saw his work as to turn men from the darkness of their idolatries, no matter how sophisticated, and reprove them of their false loyalties. He declared to them the true and living God, Creator of heaven and earth, and men must “turn” to Him “that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance. . .”

This gospel message seems lost to many in our day. Salvation is turned into a personal escape and reward. It is counted among myriad remedies for the various problems of modern man. A gospel of decision and choice is foisted upon eager “seekers”. Modern men have tried a number of things to help them and so they will give religion its fair chance. The result of this is individualistic, selfish lives that do not bow to the lordship of Jesus Christ. A religion that gets them where they want to go.

Solomon said, “Where the word of a king is, there is power” (Ecclesiastes 8:4). The gospel is none other than the word of the King, and not surprisingly, it has power. The word for power in Ecclesiastes 8:4 is a word that means authority or bearing rule. The king has authority and speaks with power. The gospel is the word of the King that speaks with power, authority and He is to be obeyed, reverenced, and served.

Along this line, I read another great statement on the gospel the other day.

The church is the bearer to all the nations a gospel that announces the kingdom, the reign, and the sovereignty of God. It calls men and women to repent of their false loyalty to other powers, to become believers in the one true sovereignty, and so to become corporately a sign, instrument, and foretaste of that sovereignty of the one true and living God over all nature, all nations, and all human lives. It is not meant to call men and women out of the world into a safe religious enclave but to call them out in order to send them back as agents of God’s kingship.
(Leslie Newbigin, Foolishness to the Greeks—The Gospel and Western Culture, p. 124).

Birch went to China before the U. S. entered the second World War. He arrived when China was partially occupied by the Japanese. After Pearl Harbor was attacked, the U. S. entered the war and many missionaries in China were evacuated, but Birch stayed in China. Birch volunteered for the Army and became an intelligence officer in China. He was murdered by the communists after the end of the war.

This book is written from the conspiratorial perspective, which is disappointing because the spiritual aspects of Birch’s life are much more important and edifying. I highly recommend this book so long as you are not caught up with the conspiracy aspect.

Mind Siege by Tim Lahaye and David Noebel is a reworking of an older book, The Battle For The Mind. This edition has been updated with current information. The copy I have was printed in 2000. Mind Siege is very informative about Humanism and Secular Humanism. Lahaye shows that Humanism is unquestionably the established state religion in America and that this religion is observed and honored throughout the government, public schools, big business, entertainment, and news media, etc. In short, it’s everywhere.

Lahaye also discusses the fervent indoctrination practice of Humanist adherents. They have an extremely aggressive program of brainwashing the general public in order to create good world citizens after their own image. This book is a real eye-opener and should be read by every Christian in this day. Unfortunately, we do not seem to understand who the enemies are and what the battle really is.

The only weakness to the book is that the author’s conclusions are somewhat lacking. Some of the solutions offered are not necessarily in line with spiritual warfare and the Christian commission. We have powerful weaponry in Jesus Christ and we should not abandon it to try to fight the world on their terms. While the practical applications could be more biblical and thorough, this is still a very worthwhile book. We have to know what the problem is before we can begin to address it. On that score, this book is helpful.

Barbara Oakley has a new book out, Evil Genes: Why Rome Fell, Hitler Rose, Enron Failed, and My Sister Stole My Mother’s Boyfriend. Oakley has a long list of credentials involving both education and practical experience, a position in academia and world travel. She has written a science text that blends adept research with personal adventure and observation. All this tends to make her book accessible to a wide audience beyond her peer group.

Her basic premise is the exploration of “human evil from a scientific perspective.” She testifies that it was her own sister’s inexplicable, ruinous behavior that caused great pain to those around her that was the catalyst in researching this topic. From the scientific side, she discusses recent advances in brain imaging and the field of genetics to understand evil in humans. She believes science is revealing new details of how our brains work and how genes influence our ability to discern between right and wrong.

Oakley obviously writes from an anthropocentric perspective. She also writes from the black tower of the last bastion of modernity in this country, though I am sure postmoderns will be willing to borrow capital to advance their humanistic goals. Her base conclusion is that evil people are genetically crippled and that makes them dangerous and/or hurtful to others, even those who love them.

I can neither recommend this book nor condone its conclusions. I think it is something we need to be aware of. Man, since the fall, has sought to put new names on sin and shift blame off themselves. Today folks have problems, issues, episodes, genetic predispositions, but not sin. This is the culture we seek to evangelize and unless they own their blood-guiltiness before God, they will not be saved.

This book is helpful at identifying the worldview behind the philosophy and methods of public institutions, which is disorienting to most first-year students. Putting this information into a narrative makes it appealing to a wider audience. Sire fades in and out of the narrative with non-fiction explanations of terms and concepts, which is somewhat distracting. The story itself is real and believable enough, but the solutions are perhaps a little too simple. However, these weaknesses do not take much away from the book’s overall value. It is a good book that covers the problematic worldview of public colleges in a brief and interesting way.

******

The Universe Next Door is also by James Sire and deals with the most common worldviews of our day. Sire boils all worldviews down to a few basic questions about life, death, reality, etc. and then proceeds to answer those questions from the different worldviews.

The book is very informative and worth reading. It is also good to have around for reference once you have read it.

Exposition should make up a majority of the ministry in the church. Even when preaching topically, exposition should be used. Though the expository method should be used extensively, it is not the only method. The skilled preacher will be versed in various methods, using them carefully and skillfully to best communicate the truth of God’s Word to his hearers.

Lawson’s book is worth reading and hopefully it will stir up some fire for this most excellent method of preaching.

Therefore, argument is of extreme importance to preachers. It is the preacher’s vocation to be defining, expounding, and defending the propositions of Holy Scripture. For that matter, every Christian is to conscientiously defend and contend for the faith and should be concerned about good argument evaluation and construction.

In this vein, I recommend A Rulebook for Arguments by Anthony Weston. This is a rulebook as the title suggests, but it is concise and readable. The book should be read through one time and then referred to often when analyzing or building arguments. Its brevity is one aspect of its value. You can refer to a section and quickly refresh your memory about some concept. The author does also give some sources for larger works if the reader is interested.

This book is geared toward argumentative writing but it is not really a rulebook for writing specifically. For this I would recommend Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Elements is likewise concise and readable. Both books are valuable resource to have for preachers even if you do not plan on publishing any of your own materials. A judicious use of both books will aid the preacher in the preparation of sermons.

Viewable at christianbook.com

When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy By John Piper / Crossway Books & Bibles What do you do when you discover that you’re not satisfied in God the way he wants you to be? Joy is more than an afterthought of the Christian life; it is the sustaining fruit of a relationship with God. With a radical passion for Christ’s glory, John Piper helps you find the joy God wants you to have.

In Heathendom every true convert becomes at once a Missionary. The changed life, shining out amid the surrounding darkness, is a Gospel in largest Capitals which all can read. Our Islanders, especially, having little to engage or otherwise distract attention, become intense and devoted workers for the Lord Jesus, if once the Divine Passion for souls stirs within them. Many a reader, not making due allowance for these special circumstances, would therefore be tempted to think our estimate of their enthusiasm for the Gospel was overdone; but thoughtful men will easily perceive that Natives, touched with the mighty impulses of Calvary, and undistracted by social pleasures or politics, by literature or business claims, would almost by a moral necessity pour all the currents of their being into Religion, and probably show an apostolic devotion and self-sacrifice too seldom seen, alas, amid the thousand clamouring appeals of Civilization.

A Heathen has been all his days groping after peace of soul in dark superstition and degrading rites. You pour into his soul the light of Revelation. He learns that God is love, that God sent His Son to die for him, and that he is the heir of Life Eternal in and through Jesus Christ. By the blessed enlightenment of the Spirit of the Lord he believes all this. He passes into a third heaven of joy, and he burns to tell every one of the Glad Tidings. Others see the change in his disposition, in his character, in his whole life and actions; and amid such surroundings, every Convert is a burning and a shining light. Even whole populations are thus brought into the Outer Court of the Temple; and Islands, still Heathen and Cannibal, are positively eager for the Missionary to live amongst them, and would guard his life and property now in complete security, where a very few years ago everything would have been instantly sacrificed on touching their shores! They are not Christianized, neither are the Civilized, but the light has been kindled all around them, and though still only shining afar, they cannot but rejoice in its beams.

Missionary Patriarch—The True Story of John G. Paton, James Paton Ed., pp. 388-389

Or viewable at Christianbookdistributors.com

God is the Gospel: Meditations on God’s Love as the Gift of Himself By John Piper / Crossway Books & BiblesWhen you ponder what it means to be loved by God, are your thoughts God-centered or self-centered? Best-selling author and pastor Piper reveals that the most loving thing about God is not his making much of us, but his enabling us to make much of him. Paradigm-challenging reflections on the gospel message! 160 pages, hardcover from Crossway Books.

The Gospel According to Jesus, Revised and Expanded By John MacArthur, Jr. / ZondervanWhat did Jesus mean when he said, “Follow me”? In this revised and expanded classic, MacArthur warns against the “easy-believism” proclaimed by many today, explains his understanding of biblical faith and works, emphasizes the high cost of discipleship, and reinforces his conviction that there is no eternal life without surrender to the Lordship of Christ. 302 pages, softcover from Zondervan.

The Existence and Attributes of God By Stephen Charnock / BakerStephen Charnock was a Puritan theologian, whose hours of daily Bible study contributed to a vast and intimate knowledge of the Scriptures. Though this book was written in the seventeenth century, Charnock’s keen grasp of biblical theology ensures its relevance in all eras, particularly today. His exhaustive discussions on the existence and attributes of God form one of the best general theology books available. His reflections on the Bible clarify for all readers the full implications of understanding God as he was revealed in both the Old and New Testaments. Ever the pragmatist, Charnock focuses his reflections on sustainable, practical application, offering Christians at all times the knowledge that leads to greater obedience and more invigorating worship. The discourses in this book cover such important theological themes as: the existence of God; the failure of practical atheism; the spiritual nature of God; spiritual worship; God’s eternality; God’s immutability; God’s omnipresence; God’s knowledge (omniscience); God’s wisdom; God’s power; God’s holiness; God’s goodness; God’s dominion; God’s patience. Each discourse combines with all others to produce a truly broad, multifaceted look at God and God’s qualities, giving all readers an inspirational, devotional, and scholarly look at Christian theology. Let this seventeenth century classic bring your twenty-first century faith to a whole new level. As you learn more about God, you will begin to reflect more of His character and nature to the world.

Or, view on Christian Book Distributors

Hollywood Worldviews: Watching Films with Wisdom & Discernment By Brian Godawa / Inter-varsity Press

Elders in Congregational Life: Discovering the Biblical Model for Church Leadership By Phil A. Newton, Mark Dever / Kregel Publications

Genesis in Space & Time By Francis Schaeffer / Inter-varsity Press

Through Gates of Splendor By Elisabeth Elliot / Tyndale House