Misc. Reading

I know it’s been some time since I’ve updated, but let me go ahead and let you in on some of the reading I’ve done in the past couple of months anyway. Like previous months, I’ve been spending a lot of time in reference books and simply referencing other books. The nature of my time right now hasn’t quite allowed me the freedom to plow through books in their entirety the way I’ve been able to in the past. Nevertheless, we’ve made it through a few:

That Hideous Strength, C.S. Lewis

If Out of the Silent Planet is fun and Perelandra takes this series to a whole new level, then That Hideous Strength takes it somewhere out of this galaxy. I’d say that this book ranks at the very top of some of the most helpful and influential fiction you can ever read. By all means, make this book a priority. I read it aloud to Amanda and we really enjoyed it.

 

The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh, A.A. Milne

Featuring both Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. Every kid should grow up listening to these stories. They’re fantastic and hilarious. This was, I think, our second time through. (The first time Amanda and I read them aloud just for our own enjoyment).

 

 

By Faith, Thomas Manton

I wish I had the time to really read every book I use for sermon preparation. I was able to read most of Lloyd-Jones on the Sermon on the Mount last year as I preached through it, and it was wonderful. This is a series of sermons by Puritan Thomas Manton on Hebrews 11. I’ve read as much of it as I can as I preach through my series on the same, and what I’ve read has been excellent. Lives up to the standards of a rich, searching, evangelical Puritan.

 

God Is, Doug Wilson

This book is an extremely short commentary on Christopher Hitchens’ God is Not Great. Extremely short, as in, I think I read it in a couple of hours. You’ll notice that I’ve nowhere commented on having read Hitchens. I haven’t. But the book is helpful in its own way, and would be helpful as a chapter-by-chapter companion to Hitchens’ book. I read it because Wilson is going to be in town with us next April and I was exploring ways to use him on IU’s campus.

March-May Reading

Consider these the all-of-my-time-is-devoted-to-ordination-and-ministry months. A lot of reading was done, but few books were actually read cover to cover. Here’s what I finished:

Perelandra, C.S. Lewis

Out of the Silent Planet is fun. But Perelandra is about 10x better. More insightful, a faster pace, more striking imagery, a better story. I read this aloud to Amanda, and we loved it.

 

Radical Reformission, Mark Driscoll

This book is pretty awful. It’s gimmicky, tacky, full of self-important numbers-related braggadocio, dated, and not particularly helpful. It does have its useful and challenging points, but I’d skip it and pick something better suited to your needs. In this case, I read it with a group of my college students because I thought it’d challenge them to be more salty on campus. I don’t want to short-sell the book, because it had its helpful points, but I do have to say I was embarassed at first.

Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper

Classic Piper. A simple, straightforward appeal to spend your short life for what matters—the glory of God. Useful for young believers if they can be made to hear all that Piper is actually saying—namely, that life is about the glory of God, not about you and your super-excited afterburners. Read this with a group of undergrad men.

Persuasions, Doug Wilson

A very short, easy to read book modeled after Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. Evangelist is walking down the road interacting different types of people, modeling evangelism and apologetics for us. I read this book with a group of guys and role-played through each of the conversations with them, challenging them to have an answer to objections about the faith, and to get to the heart of various stock rejections of God’s truth.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Absolutely fantastic. I used this two-volume set for my entire study through the Sermon on the Mount this past school year, and I hardly found myself needing to reference anything else. I did look at Thomas Watson, James Boice, and John Stott on occasion, but they rarely added anything to Lloyd’Jones’ sermons on the passage. I recommend it to anyone who wants to grow in grace, in obedience to Jesus’ commands, and who wants to understand one of the most beautiful sermons ever preached.

Angels in the Architecture, Doug Wilson & Doug Jones

This is like the opposite of Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life. If Piper is calling you to give up your obsession with this material world and to live for spiritual things, Wilson and Jones are calling you to remember that God created the material world and that it’s very good. If Piper is telling you to live for the life to come, Wilson and Jones are urging you to enjoy God’s gifts in this life—gifts like wine, steak, sex, gardens, laughter, and poetry. If Piper smacks of asceticism, Wilson and Jones smack of decadence. Piper is dealing with American materialism. Wilson and Jones are dealing with American evangelical gnosticism. You get the picture. There’s merit to both of these books, obviously, but if you’re going to err, err with Piper for crying out loud. But don’t miss the lesson that sex and steak and wine are good and meant to be enjoyed in this life.

January & February Reading

Reading over the past couple of months has been thin as I’ve geared up for my ordination exam–reading lots of reference materials, articles, etc. Nevertheless, here’s what I’ve managed to plow through:

Reforming Marriage, Doug Wilson

I read this book aloud with my wife because I was reading it with a group of young husbands and fathers I get together with on Thursday mornings. And I have to tell you, this is by far the most helpful book on marriage I’ve ever read. Short, simple, and very practical. And it was especially helpful to read it out loud with Amanda. Gave me no wiggle room when Wilson put his finger on my sins as a husband.

 

Calvin & Hobbes: 10th Anniversary Edition, Bill Watterson

This was a birthday present. I love Calvin & Hobbes and had a great time sharing this with Peter… who looks remarkably like Calvin.

 

 

 

Out of the Silent Planet, C.S. Lewis

This is the first in Lewis’ Space Trilogy. The Space Trilogy is definitely not Narnia material. This is fiction for grown-ups. The first volume is a little slow compared to the others, but is still a fun read that helps set up the rest of the series. I read this one to Amanda, too, just for fun.

December Reading

The Comedy of Errors, William Shakespeare

Good fun, and short. And you wondered why the Brits love slapstick comedy…

 

 

 

Wise Words, Peter Leithart

Good stories, great morals. Take and read these to your kids or enjoy them for yourself.

 

 

 

Loving the Little Years: Motherhood in the Trenches, Rachel Jankovic

Rachel Jankovic is probably one of my favorite female authors out there. Extremely helpful to my wife and me. I came away from this book with a renewed appreciation for the work of my wife with our kids, and I highly recommend this to all fathers and mothers of small children.

 

 

Outgrowing the Ingrown Church, Jack Miller

This was probably my fourth or fifth time through this book. This time I took a group of leaders in our college ministry through it. Very helpful for challenging whether or not you’re living by faith and doing your part to see God’s Kingdom advance on earth. A challenging, but easy read.

November Reading

The Forgotten Spurgeon, Iain Murray

Easily among the most important Christian writers of the last 50+ years, and certainly among those writing today, Murray gives us here a fresh perspective on the life and ministry of Charles Spurgeon. This is not a biography so much as it is snapshots of Spurgeon’s ministry that tend to be neglected and considered unfortunate. Spurgeon is often remembered as an evangelist and even a humorist, but he is rarely remembered as a theologian and controversialist. With good insight, Murray opens up the central fights of Spurgeon’s ministry and his faithfulness in the midst of battle. Read everything Murray has ever written, and make sure this one finds its way into your rotation.

 

Notes From The Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God’s Spoken World, N.D. Wilson

Good fun. Half-apologetics, half-poetry, mostly poetical-apologetics, this is a soul-enriching remedy for crusty and jaded hearts. In the traditions of C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton (though distinctly more campy and pop-art), Wilson presents God’s world with fresh, child-like eyes. I found this book to be a helpful, easy read and I commend it to you with one caveat: like Lewis, Wilson is a little weak in a few places (see his section on Hell). But that shouldn’t deter you from profiting from an otherwise excellent book.

 

Fidelity: What It Means to be a One-Woman Man, Doug Wilson

I read this book with a group of men—some single, some married and I think both groups found it to be very helpful and very practical. Frank and biblical, Wilson covers it all: from lust, masturbation, and pornography to fornication, adultery, divorce, and sodomy. I highly recommend the book to married and single men alike. Just ignore the ridiculous cover-art.

October Books

Sermons on the Beatitudes, John Calvin

5 sermons on the Beatitudes. Nicely translated and good food for the soul. I bought this little book thinking it would be helpful as I prepared for my series through the Sermon on the Mount. While it wasn’t particularly helpful, I don’t regret the purchase. Neither, however, do I recommend that you spend your time on it.

Federal Husband, Doug Wilson

A nice, short, and eminently readable bit of work on the covenant responsibility of husbands and fathers. Expands on work Wilson has already done in his essential Reforming Marriage. A recommended book for every husband out there. Ignore the stupid cover art.

 

The Elements of Style, Strunk & White

I’d heard enough about this little book to know that I finally needed to read it. You told me so, and you were right. Essential reading for every wannabe writer.

 

The Beatitudes, Thomas Watson

Most excellent. Beautiful. Overflowing with practical application and helpful illustrations. The Puritans spin gold in their books, and Watson is the best I’ve read. He understands the weight of sin and the glory of grace and is able to make you taste them both. He’s creative, imaginative, and poetic in ways that C.S. Lewis could only dream of being. I’d make it my business to read everything he’s ever written if I were you.

Mother Kirk, Doug Wilson

A very insightful compilation of essays. If nothing else, Wilson will make you think and rethink your approach to the church. This is not a sustained argument. It’s a mosaic of what the life of God’s people should look like. You are guaranteed to disagree with Wilson at multiple points. However, I think it’s well worth your time—especially if you are a pastor, elder, or aspire to be.

March/April Reading

Here are the books I read during the months of March and April. March only seems thin. I didn’t read a million books in April. I just finished them all in April. Almost everything below is work accomplished for the ClearNote Pastors College. Which, by the way, I have now completed. Which, by the way, means I am now done with school. Forever. Awesome, huh?

 

March

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes – Arthur Conan Doyle (for fun)

Good fun, some memorable stories. It was fun getting acquainted with a great fictional character, but I’m done with Holmes for awhile. On to other things.

Tell the Truth – Will Metzger (for d-group)

This book is not profound, but it is helpful. It is written by an Intervarsity staff worker who is trying to undo the damage of jank evangelism methods that present a truncated gospel in a way that lies about the nature of Jesus’ saving work. To that end, the book is good and I commend it to anyone looking to be faithful in personal evangelism. However, the major failure of the book is that it fails to have any understanding of the relationship of the Church or Christian community in evangelism and discipleship.

Revival and Revivalism – Iain Murray (for class)

Awesome. Eye-opening. This book is essential reading for every one who needs to understand why American Christianity is what it is today. It starts by tracing the revivals of the late 18th century up through the revivalism of the mid to late 1800s. Note the key distinction in terms.

April

Tell the Truth – Will Metzger (for class)

Yes, I read this twice for two different purposes… See above for notes.

Total Church – Tim Chester & Steve Timmis (for class)

Very helpful book. Excellent in tandem with Metzger’s book–they’re complementary.

Principles of War: A Handbook on Strategic Evangelism - Jim Wilson (for class)

Good fodder for thinking through strategies of reaching the community and the world with the Gospel. Written by an ex-Navy dude–who happens to be the father of Doug Wilson.

Evangelicalism Divided – Iain Murray (for class)

I’ve said that you should read everything by Iain Murray, and I mean it. This book might be the single most helpful thing I’ve read by him–a history of evangelicalism from 1950-2000. Tremendous. If you want to understand the contemporary climate of evangelicalism, there is no better book. Very excellent when read after Revival and Revivalism.

The Mortification of Sin – John Owen (for d-group)

This is about the 4th or 5th time I’ve read this book. Never get tired of it. I’m writing a blog post series on it over here.

The Christian Soldier – Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for study)

Love, love, love, Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Especially after reading Murray’s Evangelicalism Divided. Though I did not actually finish this book due to time constraints, it was very helpful as I finished out our series through Ephesians at the Fold.

The Full Armor of God – Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for study)

See my comments above.