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.

December/January Books

December:

 

Heaven Misplaced – Doug Wilson (for fun)

A fun and challenging take on eschatology. Not buying every bit of it, but it’s a worthy read.

 

Desiring God – John Piper (for D-Group)

A modern classic on practical Christian living. This must be the billionth time I’ve read it.

 

2000 Years of Christ’s Power, Vol. 2: The Middle Ages – N.R. Needham (for class)

Good, accessible.

 

Handbook of Church Discipline – Jay Adams (for class)

Very helpful.

 

The Unsearchable Riches of Christ – Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for sermon prep)

Beautiful, rich.

 

January:

 

 

A Study in Scarlet – Arthur Conan Doyle (for fun)

Doyle’s first Holmes novel. Mine, too. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

The Sign of Four – Arthur Conan Doyle (for fun)

Pretty good.

 

Mortification of Sin – John Owen (for class)

Unbelievable. Unparalleled. No one deals with the heart like Owen. No one. Read this book once a year—at the least.

 

Of Temptation – John Owen (for class)

Excellent. Another must-read. In fact, read the entire volume Crossway published called “Sin & Temptation.” You won’t regret it.

 

Christian Unity – Martyn Lloyd-Jones (for sermon prep)

Very good. Lloyd-Jones has been invaluable to me in helping me rapidly process and get to the heart of Ephesians.