The Pastor as Leader – John Currie

John Currie, The Pastor as Leader (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 220 pp.

Pastoral ministry is a grind. Ask any pastor and he will tell you about long weeks, challenging scenarios, critical congregants, and a plethora of problems that occur on a regular basis. Pastors are often lulled into succumbing to the tyranny of the urgent. As a result, the most important things slide into oblivion. John Currie addresses the unnecessary disconnect between preaching and leadership in pastoral ministry in his book, The Pastor as Leader.

In part one, the author sets forth principles that help establish the groundwork for a strong pastoral ministry. He argues, “Pastoral leadership is the process where, for the glory of God, a man of God, appointed by the Son of God and empowered by the Spirit of God, proclaims the word of God so that the people of God are equipped to move forward into the purposes of God together.” Currie focuses on the pastor’s mission, leadership, being empowered by the Holy Spirit, and showing Christ-like character.

In part two, Currie sets his sights on the practices of God-centered pastors. He explores the importance of prayer, leadership, communicating biblical vision, and biblical strategy.

Since pastors live with an unhealthy disconnect between preaching and leadership, some choose one over the other. The ones who neglect leadership miss out on shepherding opportunities and jettison one of the critical aspects of the ministry. But the ones who neglect leadership fail to take preaching seriously and leave the flock malnourished. The Pastor as Leader helps establish the biblical priorities in a way that both encouraging and motivating. Pastors will be wise to pay close attention to the wealth of information in this timely book.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

HERE I STAND

On this date, in 1521, Martin Luther made his bold stand at the Diet of Worms. Prior to entering the city, Luther remarked, “Unless I am held by force, or Caesar revokes his invitation, I will enter Worms under the banner of Christ against the gates of hell.” The Roman Catholic Church pleaded for him to repent. Luther responded, This shall be my recantation at Worms: “Previously, I said the pope is the vicar of Christ. I recant. Now I say the pope is the adversary of Christ and the apostle of the Devil.” 

The story unfolds in my book, Bold Reformer: Celebrating the God-Centered Convictions of Martin Luther.

Covenant and God’s Purpose for the World – Thomas Schreiner

covenantThomas R. Schreiner, Covenant and God’s Purpose For the World, Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2017, 136 pp. $9.97

Biblical theology is the discipline that reveals the storyline of Scripture. It looks at the big picture, which begins at creation and culminates with the new earth, where God makes all things new. “The purpose of biblical theology,” according to James Hamilton “is to sharpen our understanding of the theology contained in the Bible itself through an inductive, salvation-historical examination of the Bible’s themes and the relationships between those themes in their canonical context and literary form.”1

Thomas Schreiner contributes significantly to the field of biblical theology with his latest work, Covenant and God’s Purposes For the World. This volume, which is part of Crossway’s Short Studies in Biblical Theology Series is not as extensive as Hamilton’s work noted above or Peter Gentry and Stephen Wellum’s, excellent volume, Kingdom Through Covenant. But the brevity of Schreiner’s short book is a real strength, as we shall see.

Dr. Schreiner’s book unpacks the various covenants that unfold in Redemptive history including the covenant with creation, Noah, Abraham, Israel, David, and the new covenant. “The covenants,” writes Schreiner, “help us, then, to see the harmony and unity of the biblical message.” Ultimately, the author achieves this goal as he alerts readers to the apex of God’s saving work: “The promises of Abraham are fulfilled in the new covenant that Jesus brings, for he is the true offspring of Abraham, and all those who belong to him are the children of Abraham. The land promise is fulfilled in an inaugural way in his resurrection and then in a consummate way in the new creation.”

Covenant and God’s Purposes For the World demolishes the “cookie cutter” approach to hermeneutics that Dispensationalism offers. In its place, is a clear portrait of God’s redemptive plans for his people – a plan that promises “a new world of peace and righteousness is coming in which God the Lamb will reign … The promise that David won’t lack a man on the throne is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He reigns now from heaven at God’s right hand as the son of David, as and Lord and Christ.”

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

  1. James Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 47. ↩

Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe

Voddie Baucham, Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe (Washington D.C.: Salem Books, 2021), 251 pp.

Trouble has been brewing for some while now. Social justice warriors have taken to the streets, courtroom, and universities. Most recently, social justice has penetrated the church walls. While many applaud the social justice movement, including well-known evangelical leaders, a few are standing strong and voicing deep concern. One such man is Dr. Voddie T. Baucham. In his most recent book, Fault Lines: The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism’s Looming Catastrophe, Dr. Baucham exposes the underbelly of the social justice movement. He sees a looming catastrophe on the horizon as scores of professing Christians begin assimilating the tenets of social justice into the fabric of their lives and worldviews.

The Goal

Fault Lines has a specific goal in mind. Dr. Baucham speaks in clear terms:

I want to unmask the ideology of Critical Theory, Critical Race Theory, and Intersectionality in hopes that those who have imbibed it can have the blinders removed from their eyes, and those who have bowed in the face of it can stand up, take courage, and ‘contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints’ (Jude 3).

The author accomplishes his goal by beginning with a personal narrative. He reveals several pertinent points about his background, including family, faith, and some of the racial tension that was a regular part of his life as a young person. Readers unfamiliar with Baucham’s background will be humbled by his candor and encouraged by a marvelous story of God’s grace.

Grace is the theme that dominates in this book. While some parts may appear combative in tone, the author’s heart is revealed throughout. This is a man who has been conquered by the sovereign grace of God. This mighty work of grace not only saved Voddie from sin, death, and hell; it has propelled him to a platform where he is quick to warn people about the dangers of the social justice movement.

The Warning

Baucham clears up any misconceptions at the beginning of the book. When critics ask, “What does Critical Race Theory have to do with the church?” “What does social justice have to do with the church?” Baucham’s answer: “Everything.”

The author explains the origins of Critical Social Justice (CSJ) with the rise of Antonio Gramsci and the Frankfurt School. He cites Helen Pluckrose and James Lindsay who argue that these theories are “geared toward identifying and exposing problems to facilitate revolutionary political change.” Such an explanation puts “meat on the bones” and enables readers to see behind much of the social justice agenda.

The warning is set forth with evangelicals in mind. John MacArthur calls it “the greatest threat to the gospel in his lifetime.” Baucham’s task is to unveil the threat in a way that is understandable and compelling for people in the pews.

Baucham sounds the alarm, much like Paul warned the Colossian believers. He urged them to:

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8, ESV)

Baucham reveals how the various fault lines are impacting the church as leaders succumb to the spirit of the age. He unpacks the false narratives that are being promoted in the media and willingly consumed by Americans.

The author sets forth the unbiblical underpinnings of CRT, intersectionality, white fragility, etc. In the end, what is revealed is a strategic worldview that is being propagated. At the heart of this worldview is the radical promotion of the hegemony – the group of people who are white, heterosexual, native-born, able-bodied, and male. Anyone not a part of this group is considered a minority. But more importantly, this minority is numbered among the oppressed. In classic Marxist fashion, the oppressed must rise up and overtake the hegemony.

In this fabricated arrangement, there is no forgiveness. There is no gospel. The only thing left are the oppressors and the oppressed. In this scheme, original sin is redefined as “racism.” The agenda of social justice, which is presented as a worldview renders the gospel invalid and impotent.

According to Baucham, the antiracist goal is “equitable outcomes.” Readers who are paying attention to the worldview shifts in our culture will recognize these themes. Gone are the days when equality is emphasized. The new buzzword is equity. The author maintains this goal “is neither biblical, reasonable, nor achievable.” Instead of grace, the only thing that remains is law.

Baucham cites Albert Schweitzer who said, “A heavy guilt upon us from what the whites of all nations have done to the colored peoples. When we do good to them, it is not benevolence – it is atonement.” Such a sentiment drill deep into the heart and soul of antiracism. Tragically, this worldview is invading the church. It is anti-gospel.

The Way Forward

Baucham believes that the coming catastrophe is unavoidable: “These fault lines are so deeply entrenched, and the rules of engagement so seriously complex, that the question is not if but when the catastrophe will strike.” The way forward will require clear thinking and Christian courage. The way forward involves faithful allegiance to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ringing in my ears is a line from a sermon that John Piper preached many years ago, where he exhorted his readers to “out rejoice all their enemies.” Like Athanasius, we must rise up and live contra mundum. But living against the world does not suggest that we stop loving people in the world. As Baucham notes, “We must love each other with a tenacious, biblical, Christlike love.”

The author concludes by urging his readers to 1) take every thought captive, 2) confront the lie and hold to the truth, 3) listen with discernment, and 4) correct people who are peddling a worldview that opposes the truth of the gospel.

Fault Lines is a greatly needed book. Dr. Baucham’s work is a true labor of love, which is grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Readers should read this work carefully and thoughtfully and make it their aim to move into the marketplace of ideas, armed with the truth of God’s Word, and ready to make a difference in a world that is desperately in need of Jesus’s saving work on the cross.

A History of Western Philosophy and Theology – John Frame

frameThe Word of God is emphatic about our role as we enter the marketplace of ideas. The apostle Paul sounds the warning in Colossians 2:8 – “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Scripture instructs Christ-followers, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ …” (2 Corinthians 10:4–5, ESV).

John Frame maintains and promotes such a mindset in his latest offering, A History of Western Philosophy and Theology (HWPT). The discipline of philosophy, which is defined as “the disciplined attempt to articulate and defend a worldview,” is broken down into three subdivisions including metaphysics, epistemology, and value theory. Readers familiar with Frame’s work will immediately recognize his commitment to perspectivalism, a powerful grid for thinking which includes three perspectives: normative, situational, and existential. This commitment has been clearly articulated and defended in his Lordship series, a series of books which are essential tools in every pastor’s library.

HWPT is dedicated to Dr. Cornelius Van Til, whose influence is evident throughout the book. Readers who are entrenched in Van Til’s methodology will quickly recognize themes such as the Creator-creature distinction and the charge that non-Christian thought lapses into the intellectual bankruptcies of rationalism and irrationalism.

On a large-scale, HWPT leads readers on a fascinating journey that educates, contextualizes, and warns.

Education

Frame has a reputation for educating not only his seminary students but a rather broad reading audience. HWPT is no exception. The author gives readers an up-close look at the history of western thought. Unlike the typical tour of philosophy and theology, Dr. Frame provides readers with the proper lens with which to view such ideas. The book is built on the immutable, authoritative, infallible, inerrant Word of God. Readers are alerted in advance that the author carries certain presuppositions, above all – an allegiance to sacred Scripture. The author clearly reveals the presuppositions which guide his writing and inform his worldview:

As a Christian, I am committed to a worldview that comes from the Bible: God the Creator, the world as his creation, man made in his image, sin and its consequences as our predicament, Christ’s atonement as our salvation, his return as the consummation of all things.

Such an admission is rare in the world of philosophy. Frame’s candor should be respected and greatly appreciated by believer and non-believer alike.

Context

HWPT stands alone by contextualizing the various philosophic movements and the thinkers who represent those movements. The author helps readers understand how various philosophers influence future generations and worldviews. Such an approach is greatly needed, especially among undergraduate students who often see philosophy in bits and pieces instead of a unified whole.

Warning

The most helpful aspect of HWPT is the warning extended by Dr. Frame, a warning that takes Colossians 2:8 and 2 Corinthians 10:5 to heart. The author demonstrates how various philosophers have influenced generations and have contributed to the erosion of the Christian mind. These thinkers, most of whom continue to rule from the grave are exposed and for their futile thinking, which generally follows Van Til’s charge of being rationalistic and irrational at the same time.

I commend HWPT to pastors, Bible College students, seminary students and Christ-followers who have a passion to see the picture in the world of philosophy and theology. HWPT is a serious book for serious Bible students. It is a book that I will return to again and again. May God use John Frame’s latest work to glorify the great God of the universe and encourage a new generation of Christian theologians, philosophers, pastors, and leaders.

Soli Deo Gloria!

I received this book free from the publisher.  I was not required to write a positive review.

The End of Creation: Soli Deo Gloria

The Sum of the Matter

The first verse in the Bible is a monumental statement that reverberates with earth-shattering implications for the formation of a Christian worldview: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1, ESV). Do not miss the magnitude of this statement. Do not downplay the significance of this vital piece of revelation. And be careful to embrace what the Scriptures affirm. Ignoring the clear revelation of God’s truth, in the final analysis, proves to be a costly mistake that will have consequences that extend into eternity.

The German astronomer, Johannes Kepler, accepted biblical revelation and understood the importance of giving credit where credit is due: “The chief aim of all investigations of the external world should be to discover the rational order and harmony which has been imposed on it by God.”1To do any less would be tantamount to theological treason. So Kepler does not minimize God’s creative activity; he magnifies it. He does not marginalize the miracle of creation; he marvels at it!

A Tragic Turn

Tragically, some thinkers have not followed Kepler’s lead. These skeptics have discounted Genesis 1:1 and cast the revelation of God into the cosmic rubbish bin. Charles Darwin, who popularized the notion of “natural selection” in his book, Origin of Species, also rejected the clear account of creation. Ironically, he is buried in Westminster Abbey. Darwin may be gone, but his atheistic ideology continues to dominate the thoughts of many minds, especially in the university.

Carl Sagan, who was a great champion of Darwinian evolutionary theory, penned these well-known words: “The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us – there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries.”2 He continues, “Evolution is a fact, not a theory.”3 Such banter may appeal to the itching ears of evolutionists but fails to hold up when scrutinized at the tribunal of truth.

Or consider Richard Dawkins, another defender of Darwin’s evolutionary theory. His rejection of the creation account leads him to a view of God, which is blasphemous at best: “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”4 The Word of God offers a stern rebuke to this kind of unbelieving thought.

A Rational Christian Response

It doesn’t take long to discern some of the catastrophic consequences of giving God’s revelation a vote of “no-confidence.” Francis Schaeffer understood the vast importance of Genesis 1:1. He understood that if we set aside the reality of creation, our worldview collapses. He writes, “Unless our epistemology is right, everything is going to be wrong.”5 The discipline of epistemology addresses the matter of knowledge. That is, it helps unpack what we know about what we know. Schaeffer continues, “The infinite-person God is there, but also he is not silent; that changes the whole world.”6Schaeffer helps us understand that God exists and he has revealed himself, that is, he has spoken. Or to use Schaeffer’s words, “He is not silent.”

The End for Which God Created the World

That fact that God not only exists but has also revealed himself is a massive reality that every person must come to terms with. This stunning truth should find us on our knees with outstretched arms. It should prompt a humble offer thanksgiving to the living God. But there’s more – Jonathan Edwards understands the motive behind God’s act of creation. He argues that the end for which God created the world was self-communication: ”Seeing that Christ created the world only to communicate his excellency and happiness, hence we learn, that all the excellency, virtue and happiness of the godly is wrought in them by Jesus Christ.”7 The implication of this Edwardian vision of creation is far-reaching and have important practical implications.

So the end of creation is uniquely focused upon God. That is, creation is Godward. Creation is God-centered. In one of his greatest literary achievements, A Dissertation Concerning the End For Which God Created the World, Jonathan Edwards demonstrates this God-centeredness: “What God says in his word, naturally leads us to suppose, that the way in which he makes himself his end in his work or works, which he does for his own sake, is in making his glory his end … God communicates himself to the understanding of the creature, in giving him the knowledge of his glory; and to the will of the creature, in giving him holiness, consisting primarily in the love of God; and in giving the creature happiness, chiefly consisting in joy in God. These are the sum of that emanation of divine fulness called in Scripture, the glory of God.8

Consider three important implications of discounting the biblical creation account:

First, discounting the reality of biblical creation leads to a skewed epistemology. And a skewed epistemology, will by definition, influence the way we think about everything else. When God is taken out of the picture or removed from the marketplace, we are left wandering in a wasteland in search of answers. “If God does not exist,” writes Dostoevsky, “then everything is permitted.” The eclipse of God leaves us helpless, hopeless, and lost in a quagmire of meaninglessness.

Second, discounting the reality of biblical creation impugns the character and trustworthiness of God. Scripture is clear about the creation account:

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16–17, ESV)

When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalm 104:30, ESV)

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone, (Job 38:4–6, ESV)

When you send forth your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground. (Psalm 104:30, ESV)

Anyone who discards what God has made plain calls God’s character into question and heaps a great insult upon the worth of his name. Anyone who dares impugn the character of God stands on the precipice of eternal judgment.

Third, discounting the reality of biblical creation fails to glorify God, which is the end of creation. Isaiah 43:7 says, “Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Think about the tragic irony of rejecting the creation account. The creature who was created to glorify God stands in defiance and mocks the One who gave him breath.

The glory of God is the end of creation. The heavens declare his glory (Ps. 19:1). Is it any wonder that sinful men seek to distort what God has made plain in Scripture?

Soli Deo Gloria!

  1. Johannes Kepler, Cited in Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey, How Now Shall We Live? (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1999), 51. ↩
  2. Carl Sagan, Cosmos (New York: Ballantine Books Trade, 1980), 1. ↩
  3. Ibid, 27. ↩
  4. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006), 31. ↩
  5. Francis A. Schaeffer, The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer: A Christian Worldview, Volume One, A Christian View of Philosophy and Culture (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1982), 275-276. ↩
  6. Ibid, 276. ↩
  7. Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 13, The “Miscellanies,” ed. Thomas A. Schaefer, (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1994), 277. ↩
  8. The Works of Jonathan Edwards, vol. 1, A Dissertation Concerning the End For Which God Created the World, ed. Edward Hickman (Carlisle: The Banner of Truth, 1834), 107, 119. ↩

The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation – Kevin DeYoung

Kevin DeYoung, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 29 pp.

Christians all share a common goal of reaching the next generation for Jesus Christ. Youth pastors are especially interested in seeing young people who are aflame for the Lord. Much of the literature that addresses discipleship and evangelism is either pragmatic or programmatic, which does not typically yield favorable results.

Kevin DeYoung’s book, The (Not-So-Secret) Secret to Reaching the Next Generation is breath of fresh air. His short work addresses an important need in a biblical and thoughtful way. The author maintains, “If you walk with God and walk with people, you’ll reach the next generation.”

DeYoung provides five helpful principles designed to truly reach the next generation with the gospel: 1) Grab them with passion, 2) Win them with love, 3) Hold them with holiness, 4) Challenge them with the truth, and 5) Amaze them with God.

Parents and pastors alike will receive fresh encouragement and even a dose of conviction in DeYoung’s timely work.

Truth Unhinged in Edinburgh Square

My wife and I recently spent five days in Edinburgh, Scotland. While there is much to commend in this very beautiful city, it did not take long to realize that God is no longer welcome for many of the inhabitants there.

On the last evening in Edinburgh, I watched a young street preacher proclaiming the gospel from a makeshift podium on Royal Mile Street, which stands in the shadow of St. Giles Cathedral. Here, the mighty John Knox wielded the mighty sword of God’s Word, which brought reformation to Scotland in the sixteenth century. Knox prayed, “Give me Scotland or I will die,” demonstrating his great love for God and his countrymen.

However, the days of the Reformation are long gone in Scotland. The scoffs of the crowd which were directed at the street preacher bore witness to that:

“Who created God?” one man shouted. “What about the holocaust?” another queried. “Who wrote the Bible?” questioned one of the street performers. “How could anyone believe in a talking serpent?” “Where did evil come from?” “What about the dinosaurs?” “What about the other religions?” And, “How could a loving God send anyone to hell?”

These emotionally charged questions were all hurled at the street preacher who merely sought to proclaim the simple message of the gospel.

I stood and prayed for the young man who heralded the truth. I asked God to soften the hearts of this angry mob. In the midst of my petition, the thought struck me, This is the same kind of crowd that Noah encountered. These are the same kinds of people who spewed their venom at Jeremiah and Jonah. And these are the kinds of people who hurled their hate against the New Testament apostles.

Nothing has changed. There is nothing new under the sun. The hearts of men are continuously evil (Gen. 6:5). “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick” (Jer. 17:9). Ever since the fall of man, sinful people continually suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18).

Every person carries a bag full of presuppositions. Atheism, evolution, immorality, homosexuality, and relativism. These are only a few of the presuppositions that I saw in the Edinburgh square. The people who embrace these worldviews are unwitting worshippers. They worship the false god of success. They worship the false god of autonomy. Or they worship the false god of another religion.

The angry mob who squared off against the preacher in Edinburgh willingly exchanged the truth of God for a lie. The Bible says unregenerate people realize that God exists; yet they refuse to acknowledge him: “For although they knew God, they did not honor God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Rom. 1:21).

And so I watched a tragic scene unfold on Royal Mile Street in Edinburgh. I watched a frenzied mob reject the truth from a “voice in the wilderness.” I gazed upon a group of worshippers who willingly turned from the God of the Bible to a god of their own making.

A few thoughts echoed in my mind and pressed against my heart as I stood on Royal Mile Street in the heart of Edinburgh:

First, the unbelieving world who preaches “tolerance” fails to be tolerant when the truth is proclaimed. Tolerance is only a virtue when it lines up with a worldview that rejects God, turns from his law, and marginalizes his Word. The “tolerance mantra” is a smokescreen, in the final analysis. Anyone who repudiates the truth claims of Scripture is tolerated. But anyone who embraces the propositional truth of God’s Word is cast aside and criticized.

Second, followers of Jesus Christ are called to faithfully proclaim the truth. Most will be unwilling to stand on a makeshift platform and herald the gospel to a hostile crowd. But how many of us could utter the claims of Christ over a cup of coffee? How many of us could share the love of Christ in the workplace? Who among us could challenge the pagan mind with the gospel truth in the marketplace of ideas? Paul understood this mandate to faithfully proclaim the truth: “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'” (Rom. 10:14-15).

Third, when the truth is faithfully proclaimed, the unbelieving world will invariably become offended. The Edinburgh preacher recognized this reality when he stepped upon his makeshift platform. He realized that he would be opposed. He realized that he would be scoffed at. And he realized that the crowd would laugh. Scripture warns us that in the last days, people will not put up with sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3). The Bible says people will “accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). Tragically, we will not only find these kinds of people in the public square; we will also find them in the church.

In his book, Get Real: Sharing Your Everyday Faith Every Day, John Leonard argues that people have stopped listening to the gospel “because we want to share it in the least inconvenient, least costly way. We want to save dirty people at a distance.” Leonard has touched upon an important truth. And we can certainly do a much better job of sharing the gospel up-close. But the real reason for their resistance to the truth is a rocky, stubborn, and unbelieving, sinful heart! Our task is to faithfully share the truth and trust the Holy Spirit to soften hearts and effectually draw sinners to the Savior (John 6:44).

Finally, bold proclamation invites persecution. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12). Yet Scripture reminds us, “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:10–11, ESV) The promise of persecution should not hinder our passion to proclaim the truth. Rather, this reality should embolden our efforts to wield the mighty sword of truth!

Was the angry mob who ridiculed the preacher a fair representation of the feelings of the Scottish people? Were their harsh words and cackling laughs an accurate portrait of the people living in Edinburgh? Since I only met a handful of people in our brief stay, I cannot answer this question with any clarity. However, the Word of God informs us that what I saw on that cold winter afternoon is representative of the unbelieving world.

When truth is unhinged, we will face an intolerant audience. When truth is unhinged, the unbelieving world will be offended which will prompt persecution. But when the truth is unhinged, some will hear and respond. Some will be cut to the quick. Hearts will be softened. Minds will be sharpened. For the truth of God’s Word will unlock the most resistant and callous heart. Truth unhinged will transform lives as God’s Word is faithfully proclaimed.

Make the Most of Your Productivity – Ana Ávila

Ana Ávila, Make the Most of Your Productivity (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2024), 156 pp.

I’m a sucker for books that address personal productivity. So when the chance came to review Make the Most of Your Productivity by Ana Ávila, I jumped at the opportunity. Mrs. Ávila is a senior writer for Coalición for el Evangelio. The author brings some keen insight into the subject of productivity.

The groundwork for the book is established with a working definition of productivity:

The productive life is a life that seeks to honor God with all that you have.

Such a definition goes against the grain of conventional wisdom and is grounded first and foremost in the gospel. In other words, we don’t seek to be productive to merit favor in God’s eyes. Instead, we work hard and strive to live productive lives as an overflow of gratitude for what Christ accomplished for us on the cross. Or, as Ávila writes, “God is God and does not need us, but he still delights in making us part of his plan. He uses our efforts to accomplish his purposes.”

Ávila reminds readers that productive, in the final analysis, isn’t about following regimes and routines: “But being productive isn’t about finding the perfect tool to keep your schedule under control. Rather, being productive is being transformed day by day into a person who uses what they have for the glory of God and the good of others.”

Make the Most of Your Productivity contains value tools and suggestions that one would expect. But this book is a cut above, since the principles are grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the end, the only thing that matters is glorifying God. This theme echoes throughout the book. For this reason, I enthusiastically commend it without reservation.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

A Call to Contentment – David Kaywood

David Kaywood, A Call to Contentment (Geanies House, Fern, Ross-shire: Christian Focus, 2024), 156 pp.

The package arrived in the afternoon. Not recognizing the return address, I hastily tore into the parcel, like a schoolboy on Christmas Eve. My misguided enthusiasm led to a ripped front cover of a new book. My first thought: Disgust and discontent. My second thought was one of conviction as I read the title of the book by my friend, David Kaywood – A Call to Contentment: Pursuing Godly Satisfaction in a Restless World.

The title of Pastor Kaywood’s book shot like a bullet through my heart. Here I sat, sulking at the prospect of a complementary book I received from a friend. Yet, all I could think about was frustration because the front cover was torn.

I taped the front cover, leaving a permanent reminder of the experience. With that, I dug into David’s book. After reading the first chapter, I knew I was in for a treat!

A Call to Contentment is a book written for Christians of all ages and maturity levels. The author defines contentment as “the freedom from dependence on desired circumstances that comes from God’s empowering grace to enduring everything with rejoicing.”

The book confronts various symptoms of the heart that resists contentment: coveting, grumbling, unrighteousness anger, and worry – to name a few.

The force of Kaywood’s work is a blend of conviction and encouragement. The book is packed with convicting challenges, but the author never leaves the reader hanging. The author presents the gospel as the answer to meet the needs of the unsatisfied soul throughout the book. Over and over, one can hear the faint whisper of Augustine, “Oh, Lord Thou has created us for thyself and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in Thee.”

The most enduring feature of A Call to Contentment‘s relentless commitment to Scripture. Kaywood never deviates from the text. He never compromises with worldly solutions. Rather, he consistently points readers to find their satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in sacred Scripture.

I trust that A Call to Contentment will receive a wide reading and that many people will be compelled by the biblical wisdom in this excellent book.