Category: books

Review: John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) By R.C. Sproul

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Uncategorized1 Comment

John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) by R. C. Sproul is a great commentary on the Scriptural book of John.  For years I have appreciated Dr. Sproul’s ability to communicate difficult truths in easy to understand ways.  I have appreciated his skills as a bible scholar, pastor, and teacher from afar by listening to him on the radio.  I was thrilled when I got a PDF copy of this commentary to review.  Dr. Sproul has applied his keen expositional skills to the book of John and has produced a very readable and reliable guide to this beloved book of Scripture.

The commentary is divided up into 57 chapters that focus on the various portions of scripture.  The chapters work in order through the book of John.  Each chapter appears as a written sermon complete with illustrations and pertinent background information (similar to the commentaries by James Montgomery Boice in his commentary,  Gospel of John, The (5 Vol. Set), though Sproul covers John in one volume and it takes Boice five).

This commentary has several practical uses.  I can see it being a great benefit for those who are looking for a devotional guide to the book of John.  It also functions well as a commentary for those who are looking for some basic background information on a passage.  When preparing a message, one of the last things I do is see how other pastors and teachers have approached a text, especially when considering a difficult passage… This volume has been extremely helpful in allowing me to see how a seasoned expositor handles the expression of the text.

This was a great commentary and I would highly recommend it pastors and laymen alike.  The book is easy to read, follows a predictable pattern and draws a steady point of application. John (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary) is an excellent resource. The retail price is $27.00 (Hardcover), and is available at a discount at steep discount at  Amazon.com for $17.82. I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Reformation Trust Publishers as part of their Blog for a Free Book Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: “Unburdened” by Chris Tiegreen

On By pastorjonathanIn books, MinistryLeave a comment

Unburdened: The Secret to Letting God Carry the Things That Weigh You Down (affiliate link) by Chris Tiegreen is a great book for people dealing with stress, work, caring for a sick family member, worry, or any kind of burden for that matter. I was not a big fan of the cover art at all, but the book was great proving that you really can’t judge a book by its cover.  I really could have used this book (affiliate link) a few years ago when I went through  a summer of sleepless nights filled with worry after my concussion.

The author does a great job of drawing the reader into the focus of the book (affiliate link).  One of the best parts of his writing style is that his writing is very quotable, meaning the contents of the chapter often find expression in short, memorable and pity statements that carry on with the reader long after the book has been read. I was deeply impressed with the author’s persistence to bring the scripture into the conversation.  The real value to this book is that it works as a great tool to discovering and applying God’s word to the burdened believer.   Through this is the first book I’ve read by Chris Tiegreen his engaging and transparent writing style won me over and sent me to the book store looking for more of his books and wondering why I haven’t heard of him sooner.

I would highly recommend this book (affiliate link) to anyone who wrestles with trusting God with some of life’s most delicate burdens.  This book also makes a great gift for those you know who are stressed to the max, overfilled with worry, or carry the burden of depression. The cover art and perhaps event the title make it a bit hard to give away, but the contents are well worth the investment.

The retail price is $13.99 (Paperback). It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $10.07 (affiliate links). I gave it 4 Stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book (affiliate link)  free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Do They Run When They See You Coming (Book Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, student ministryLeave a comment

I had a chance to read Do They Run When They See You Coming?: Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers (affiliate link) by Jonathan McKee this weekend. It was a great read full of practical insights and wisdom on reaching out to unchurched teens. Its well written, easy to read on non-threatening to people who struggle to read.

The first half of the book is great and you can tell that McKee is writing about his passion (reaching unchurched teenagers). It is full of pithy one-liners that are pregnant with meaning and carry the message of the chapter well beyond the initial reading. In the chapter entitled, “Youth Ministry in one word,” McKee states, “We don’t need to bring people to Christ; we need to bring Christ to them.” In the chapter with the same title as the book, he sums up Jesus’ message to the woman at the well, “I don’t care where you have been, I care where you are going.”

The later half of the book is more technical and will seem very familiar to those who have been around the student ministry world for any length of time. Though the second half is technical, it is practical and will serve as a great refresher for veteran youth pastors as well as a primer for volunteer workers and those who are new to the world of student ministry.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is seriously looking to reach out to unchurched teenagers in today’s culture. The book is both passionate and practical, I just wish it had been around in the late 90’s when I began working with students. I would have learned quicker some of the lessons I have had to learn through experience.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Do They Run When They See You Coming?: Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers (affiliate link) the retail price is $9.99 (paperback), and is worth every penny. I purchased my copy at Amazon.com (affiliate link) in the used section for about $5.00. I gave it five stars.

A Few Great Resources for Studying Ecclesiastes

On By pastorjonathanIn books, Devotional, MinistryLeave a comment

So we have been spending a little time reading through Ecclesiastes for the last week and a half and we will wrap things up tomorrow with Ecclesiastes 12.  Some of you may have had your interest piqued by the book of Ecclesiastes and want to go deeper.  Here are a couple of great resources I pulled off my shelf and have helped me get some meaning and application from the book of Ecclesiastes.

The first book I would recommend is A Life Well Lived: A Study of the Book of Ecclesiastes (affiliate link) by Tommy Nelson.  This book is written in a regular non-fiction book format and is an easy read for someone who isn’t used to using commentaries.  The author uses lots of great illustrations and packs in a great deal of application.  You can catch it at Amazon.com for about $11.00 (affiliate links).

The second book I would recommend is Ecclesiastes: Total Life (Everyman’s Bible Commentary)(affiliate link) By Walter Kaiser.  It is a great resource to get into the grit of what Ecclesiastes is all about.  Several years ago when I lead a college group through the book of Ecclesiastes I picked this book up.  Its no long in print and I think the only way you can get it now is from a used book seller.  I think I found my copy on Amazon.com (affiliate like) or maybe allbookstores.com (which is where I go to compare amazon against the other book retailers and get the best price or find an old book no longer out of print).

Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard (Review)

On By pastorjonathanIn books, leadership, student ministryLeave a comment

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard (Affiliate link) is an awesome book and a great resource for those who are in the position of motivating others to change.  We  all have things in our life we want to change.  We may want or feel the need to change our physical health, or personal organizational habits.  Maybe the need is greater or the goal is bigger and we are trying to effect change in the health of our community or how we organize our corporation.  Switch takes on those challenges and provides an excellent study on the patterns of change and who to institute them in effective ways.

While this book isn’t a motivator or change agent in and of itself, it does provide a great resource for anyone who is interested in making change happen.  Near the End of the book the authors state,

We can say this much with confidence: When change works, it tends to follow a pattern.  The people who change have a clear direction, ample motivation, and a supportive environment (Switch, 255).

By evaluating these three strategic pieces to change and motivators in each area the authors are able to offer great council on setting things up for change.  This is one of the better books I have read this year and one of the best I have read on the subject of motivating people.  My personal copy is dog eared with a couple of dozen notes written in the margin.  It has proven to be of great value to me, I hope it is a good value for you as well.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard (affiliate link) the retail price is $26.00 (hardcover), and is worth every penny. I purchased my copy at Amazon.com for $14.95 (affiliate links). I gave it five stars.

The Fruitful Life By Jerry Bridges (Review)

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Jerry Bridges has discipled me from afar for years. I was first introduced to his book, The Pursuit of Holiness (affiliate link) around 10 years ago and it has left a lasting impression on my life.  I was grateful for the opportunity to read and review The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through You(affiliate link).

The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through You (affiliate link) is an application oriented exposition of the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23.  I am deeply grateful an appreciative to the author for taking the time to flesh out the practical aspects of how fruit is produced in our lives.  He does an outstanding job at bringing the reader in to focus on living a Christ-centered fruit-bearing life.  He acknowledges an individuals reliance on the Holy Spirit of God to produce fruit, while at the same time calling the reader to responsibility.  For example, in the chapter concerning humility the author writes, “Though not mentioned explicitly in Galatians 5:22-23, humility is surely a fruit of the Spirit, the result of His ministry in our hearts.  But this ministry does not occur without deliberate, conscious effort on our part.  The Spirit does not make us humble; He enables us to humble ourselves in these difficult situations” (57).

Each chapter contains excellent study and application questions that go well beyond most group study books that I have read.  If read thoroughly and with a mind for application this book can change your life.  This book is a great tool for understanding and applying the scripture to your life.  It is designed to be useful for either individual study or study as a group.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of The Fruitful Life: The Overflow of God’s Love Through You (affiliate link) the retail price is $12.99 (paperback), and is worth twice that.  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $10.39 (affiliate links).  I gave it five stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book (affiliate link) free from NavPress as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: Dad’s Bible (NCV)

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Dad’s Bible: The Father’s Plan (affiliate link) is a NCV Bible with special notes written by Robert Wolgemuth geared towards fathers.  There is also a NCV Mom’s Bible: God’s Wisdom for Mothers (affiliate link) written by Bobbie Wolgemuth geared for mothers.  I really enjoyed reading my Dad’s Bible this past week.  The Bible is very user-friendly assuring that it is a good gift for dad’s who are new to reading the Bible.  The New Century Version is a very easy to read version and there are several explanatory notes that help the reader to understand cultural nuances.  The Articles by Robert Wolgemuth do a great job of illustrating the main principle of the text.

I would highly recommend this Bible to new dads and dads who are new to reading the Bible.  I imagine that it will make a great father’s day gift for dad’s who are just beginning to get interested in spiritual things.  It also makes a great reading bible, though I wouldn’t suggest it for in-depth study.  Originally I was planning on giving my copy away, but I ended up liking it so much I may end up using it on a regular basis as a reading Bible.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Dad’s Bible: The Father’s Plan  (affiliate link), the retail price is $29.99 (Hardcover), and is worth every penny.  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $19.79 (affiliate links).  I gave it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book (affiliate link) free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: An Army of Ordinary People by Felicity Dale

On By pastorjonathanIn books2 Comments

I had a chance to read An Army of Ordinary People: Stories of Real-Life Men and Women Simply Being the Church by Felicity Dale this weekend.  It was an engaging and thought provoking book all the way through.  I really appreciate Felicity’s passion and engaging style of writing. Each chapter is a different story of how God used ordinary people to start house churches.  Each chapter also happens to illustrate a principle or two that has been learned through the process of developing house churches or simple churches as the author calls them.

The truth is that stories connect and this book could easily become a manual for how to begin and develop a network of house churches in your area (I’m guessing this was part of the author’s intent).  She did a great job pulling the reader in and offering great advice from someone who has “been there.”  However, there were several portions of the book where the hermeneutics employed to gain and understanding from a particular passage were a bit off the mark.  To my knowledge this didn’t lead so much into theological error as much as it was a misguided interpretation of the passage.  This most often occurred with a loose definition of church. Many of what the author calls churches I would be comfortable calling community groups or bible study.  In fact according to her definition I have been a part of several house churches in my life time.  Never the less its a minor difference, but one worth noting.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of An Army of Ordinary People, the retail price is $14.99 (Paperback).  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $10.19.  I gave it four stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Heart Mender Book Give Away

On By pastorjonathanIn books6 Comments

I’m really excited about the latest book from Andy Andrews, The Heart Mender (Amazon affiliate link).   You can read my review here, complete with references for how you can find out more about the book. The publisher gave me an extra copy and I want to pass it on to one of you.  Since I can’t give one to all the readers I decided to hold a contest.  Here is how it works.

Post a Comment

Post a comment completing the following, “When I read a good book,  _________________.”   For example…  “When I read a good book, I like to warm up a cup of coffee or Tea, I clean off the patio out back and hangout reading in the mid-morning sunshine.”

The contest will run through until noon (Central Standard Time) Wednesday, May 12, 2010.  I’ll randomly draw a name and post the winner the next day.  If you win, I will also contact you via e-mail so we can make arrangements to ship the book to you.  Good luck and happy commenting!  I look forward to reading your comments.

“When I read a good book, ___________________________.”

Review: Intimacy Ignited

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I got this book thinking it would be a great aid to studying the Song of Solomon.  I now understand the intent of the book was more designed to examine sexual issues between husbands and wives using the Song of Solomon as a launching pad for discussion.  My understanding of the Song of Solomon has shifted over the years and I have come to a different historical perspective on the Song of Solomon which makes my view of the book come in conflict with some of the authors’ interpretation and main points.  None-the-less I still see how this book has some value for couples who may be looking for some insight into how God designed sex for marriage.

The authors do a great job of illustrating their perspective of the text and relating it to issues faced by husbands and wives today.  Much of the insight and perspective shared on sex inside the book are not new.  The book does a great job of illustrating the perspective of husbands and wives and how to navigate some of the more difficult issues.  Over all Intimacy Ignited: Conversations Couple to Couple: Fire Up Your Sex Life with the Song of Solomon is a good book filled with great perspective and counsel for couples on sexual issues.  However I would offer one word of caution… If you are not married, don’t read the book…. It really is written for married couples.

If you are interested in purchasing a copy of Intimacy Ignited, the retail price is $21.99 (Hardcover).  It is also available at places like Amazon.com for $14.95.  I gave it three stars.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Nav Press Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”