Are you looking for a Christian book to help grow in
your Christian faith? Over the past few months, we as pastors have
selected some books that have stimulated our Christian walk. The
following are short reviews of each book. We heartily recommend these
for your spiritual growth.
George Marsden, "Jonathan Edwards: A Life" New Haven: Yale
University Press, 2003, (505 pages, paperback, $19.95). Edwards was
a Congregational minister in Northampton, Massachusetts during the
mid 1700's and God's instrument to bring about the First Great Awakening,
in which many came to saving faith in colonial New England. Marsden's
book has been acclaimed by professor Sam Logan as the best example
of historiogrphy that he has ever read. A winner of the Bancroft Prize
for American History, its pages contain a rich overview of the figure
many refer to as the Father of the American Church. Its pages will
change your life (DWM).
Arthur Bennett, The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan
Prayers and Devotions. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1975 (223
pages; paperback $10.49). The Valley of Vision
is a collection of Puritan prayers and devotions compiled by Arthur
Bennett. In this book, we see the depth of spiritual insight from
many ministers in England's greatest spiritual time of revival. (DWM)
Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its
Worth. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993 (272 pages; paperback
$10.49). Have you ever wondered how you should read different sections
of the Bible? This popular book (over 300,000 in print), provides
basic principles on how to interpret different sections of Scripture
such as the Gospels, Old Testament Narratives, Old Testament Law,
Wisdom, Poetry, Prophecy, and Revelation. If the basic principles
in this book are followed, there is no doubt that you will gain fresh
understanding of favorite passages as well as understanding on difficult
ones. Gordon Fee is professor of New Testament at Regent College
in Vancouver, Canada. Doug Stuart is professor of Old Testament at
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, South Hamilton, Massachussetts.
(HDW)
Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose
of Your Life. Nashville: Word, 1998 (249 pages; paperback $12.59).
Every Christian has a specific reason for being, a calling
that God has given each one. The trick is to find what that calling
is and to pursue it with all of one's heart. Os Guinness has provided
a series of short devotionals (4-5 pages) on this important topic.
It is easily readable, refers to the Bible, and the ideas of great
people within church history. Os Guinness works with legislators
in Washington, DC with the Trinity Forum. (HDW)
Hannah Hurnard, Hind's Feet on High Places. Carol Stream,
IL: Tyndale House Publisher, 1995 (336 pages; paperback $5.99) A
classic allegory based on Habakkuk 3:19, it is the story of "Much-Afraid"
and her spiritual journey through difficult places. Her journey inspires
the reader to look at his or her own life and reflect on how God guides
and directs us through every situation, no matter how severe, if we
allow him. (KKG)
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity. San Francisco: Harper Books,
2001 (256 pages; paperback $ 8.76). If you are interested in
a book that describes the basic stances of the Christian faith, this
is the one. Lewis describes the teachings that major denominations
would have in common (e.g., original sin, the transcendent Creator
God, and the divinity of Jesus as well as his atonement and bodily
resurrection). This book is perfect for the agnostic, the atheist,
and the Christian that wants to know the logical and simple reasons
why one should be a Christian. (HDW)
C. S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters with Screwtape
Proposes a Toast. San Francisco: Harper Collins, 1996 (209 pages;
paperback $8.76 ). In this reprinted edition of his classic from 1942,
C. S. Lewis, one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century,
shares about human life and the ways that devils and demons slyly
tempt Christians. Written from the perspective of the underworld,
Screwtape, the wise old devil writes to his nephew Wormwood, of ways
to subdue and destroy the faith of Christians. It is witty and entertaining
with short chapters. It gives much for us as Christians to consider
about temptation and how to overcome it. (HDW)
Max Lucado, He Chose The Nails. Nashville: Word Publishing,
2000 (240 pages; paperback $14.99) Max Lucado is a wonderful
storyteller. In this book he uses illustrations from his own life
to tell us the message of God's promises to us through the story of
Jesus Christ's crucifixion and death. Through the re-enactment of
Christ's final hours, Lucado helps us to understand what God did,
and continues to do, to win our hearts and our lives. (KKG)
Basil Miller, George Mueller: A Biography: Man of Faith and Miracles:
A Biography of one of the Greatest Prayer Warriors of the Past Century.
Minneapolis: Bethany House, (160 pages; paperback $5.99).
Here you will read of a profoundly faithful man who dedicated
his life to children. Mueller prayed rigorously for every need that
he faced, obeying Jesus' instruction, "Ask and it shall be given to
you." (DWM)
Kathleen Norris, Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary
of Faith. New York: Riverhead Books Publisher, 1999 (384 pages;
paperback $11.20). Ms. Norris takes words of the Christian
faith, such as Forbearance, Grace, Worship, Infallibility, and defines
them in a wonderful, eye-opening way. Her brief reflections on these
words of grace are extremely thought provoking and faith building.
(KKG)
John Ortberg, If You Want to Walk on Water, You've Got to Get
Out of the Boat Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2001 (224 pages; paperback $ 11.89). The story
of Jesus encouraging Peter to join him as he walked on the water in
the Sea of Galilee is the basis of this book. Mr. Ortberg helps the
reader see how Jesus urges us in our own "leaps of faith" to grow closer
and closer to Him. He prompts us in humorous and profound ways to "get
out of the boat" and find out what honest-to-goodness, life-changing
faith is all about. (KKG)
J. I. Packer, Knowing God. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 1993, (286 pages; paperback $10.50). There is
a great difference between knowing a lot about God and knowing God
in one's heart. In this meaty study of the attributes of God, J.
I. Packer, renowned scholar, provides studies on the attributes of
God (his majesty, grace, wisdom, goodness, jealousy, etc.). It has
been a book that has been immensely popular with over 1,000,000 copies
sold. This Christian classic is recommended for those who want to
go beyond a basic knowledge of God. J. I. Packer is Professor at
Regent College in Vancouver, Canada. (HDW)
Saint Augustine,
The Confessions of Saint Augustine. Translated by Henry
Chadwick. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998 (352 pages; paperback
$ 7.95). Considered by many to be a Christian classic, Augustine's
Confessions is an autobiography revealing the life of one of
the Church's most profound Bible teachers. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo,
was one of, if not the most prolific of all the early church fathers.
He lived in the fourth century in what we know to be modern day Egypt.
One of the areas that this man had profound insight was mankind's
relationship to God. His thoughts can be summed up in a prayer, found
in chapter one of the Confessions. He wrote, ". . .You have made us
for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you." This
statement has been referred to many times since it was penned, and
we should believe it. God has created us for His glory; and until
we discover the purpose for which He made us, our souls are lost and
have little direction or purpose. (DWM)
HDW = Rev. Dr. H. Drake Williams, III
KKG = Rev. Karen K. Gallagher
DWM = Rev. David W. McKinley
