CAN I BE SURE I’M SAVED? – R.C. Sproul (2010)

One of the most pressing and urgent questions that pastors receive is the title of R.C. Sproul’s book, “Can I Be Sure I’m Saved?” – No. 7 in his Crucial Questions Series.   But Sproul is quick to reassure readers that we can in fact know that we are in a state of grace.  Not only that, “we can have full assurance that we still will be in a state of grace at the time of of death.”  While the book is short (only 72 pages), it is packed with God-honoring Reformed theology that is sure to encourage anyone who struggles with doubt and assurance.

The author identifies some popular faulty conceptions of salvation at the outset.  These views, which encourage a false sense of assurance include universalism (see Rob Bell’s, Love Wins), sacerdotalism (see the dominant teaching in the Roman Catholic Church), and legalism.

Sproul  encourages readers to seek assurance and to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12).    He argues that developing an accurate view of election is an important step to shoring up one’s assurance.  Various views are presented but the author spends the most time on the Reformed view – the view that is consistent with Scripture.

The final chapter examines the doctrine of regeneration – a watershed doctrine for anyone wrestling with assurance.  False views of regeneration are presented and contrasted with the teaching of God’s Word.

A highly recommended resource for anyone struggling with doubt and for pastors who need a good resource to encourage the flock.

LEADING FROM THE SANDBOX – T.J. Addington (2010)

Leading from the Sandbox by T.J. Addington is a practical book that explores leadership principles for pastors and church leaders.  Addington’s concern is the formation of high-impact teams.

The sandbox metaphor is designed as a tool that communicates what truly matters in a church or organization.  The author presents four “sides” of the sandbox, namely – mission, guiding principles, central ministry focus, and preferred culture.

Practical issues are discussed such as goal setting, mentoring/coaching, and the implementation of meaningful meetings.  Leading from the Sandbox is a helpful and practical guide that should encourage leadership that makes a difference in God’s kingdom.

3.5 stars

THE CHURCH: THE GOSPEL MADE VISIBLE – Mark Dever (2012)

Over the years, I’ve grown weary reading books that relate to ecclesiology.  Recent works that focus on the church are either driven by pragmatic presuppositions, man-centered principles, or church growth techniques that compromise the essence of the gospel, not to mention the mission of the church.  Mark Dever’s newest book, The Church: The Gospel Made Visible is a totally different kind of book.  He steers clear from the usual drivel that saturates many books devoted to ecclesiology.  Indeed, the church is should be thankful for such a work.

Part One: What Does the Bible Say?

The first section focuses on the nuts and bolts of the church.  Dever leaves no stone unturned.  The nature of the church is explored, membership is reviewed, polity is discussed, church discipline is covered, among other things.  Each section is rooted in the biblical text.  The writing is clear and compelling.  The reader walks away from the first part with a clear understanding on what Scripture says concerning the church.

Part Two: What Has the Church Believed?

Part two explains the classical distinctions between the visible and invisible church and the local and universal church.  The author includes a helpful discussion on the rise of denominations.

Also included is an illuminating discussion on the history of ordinances.  A wide variety of traditions are surveyed.  And the various positions are presented for the Lord’s Supper as well as baptism.

Part Three: How Does it All Fit Together?

The final section discusses the marks of the church, namely – the faithful preaching of God’s Word and the faithful administration of the two ordinances.  Dever includes a helpful section on church membership.  He writes, “Churches that submerge difference of age, race, status, background, or employment give witness to the power of the gospel.”

One of the most helpful chapters is devoted to developing a biblical leadership model.  Dever’s holds to an elder led/congregationally affirmed leadership structure.  He adds, “The most coherent way to understand the New Testament’s presentation of local church polity is to recognize the role of both individual leaders and the congregation as a whole.”  He does not minimize the role of the congregation.  Dever writes, “The congregation is not in competition with the elders.  The congregation’s authority is more like an emergency brake than a steering wheel.  The congregation more normally recognizes than creates, responds rather than initiates, confirms rather than proposes.”

In the final analysis, “a right ecclesiology matters for the church’s leadership, membership, structure, culture, and even character.  Ultimately, a right ecclesiology touches on God’s glory itself … Therefore, getting the doctrine of the church right becomes a benefit to the people, as the truth about God and his world is more correctly known, taught, and modeled.”

The Church: The Gospel Made Visible should receive a wide readership and will be a tremendous tool in the hands of faithful pastors and shepherds!

4.5 stars

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN? – R.C. Sproul (2010)

The Crucial Questions Series by R.C. Sproul is a series of books that address the basic concerns of the Christian life.  What Does it Mean to Be Born Again? discusses what is in my mind,  one of the most misunderstood doctrines in Scripture – regeneration.  To be frank, many people confuse conversion with regeneration.  Sproul does a masterful job at “cutting through the fog” and not only alerts readers to the necessity of regeneration; he delineates the finer points of the doctrine as well.

Sproul argues in simple terms that sinners must be born again.  He points readers to the famous exchange between Nicodemus and Jesus; a conversation that unfolds the necessity of regeneration.

The remainder of the booklet is packed with essential information that concerns regeneration:

  • Regeneration is a mystery
  • Regeneration is the beginning
  • Regeneration is a sovereign work of God
  • Regeneration is immediate
  • Regeneration is permanent

Readers are encouraged to study these essential points and delight in this glorious doctrine.

GENESIS IN SPACE AND TIME – Francis Schaeffer (1972)

Great thinkers throughout the course of history have queried, “Where did it all come from?  Who made the cosmos?  What made the cosmos?  What or who holds it all together?  What is the meaning of life?  What is the basis of knowledge?  Where are we heading?  And where do we go when we die?  For those who reject a personal Creator – the questions posed above become totally unanswerable.  For all those who reject a personal Creator, there is a hopelessness that lies under their dogmatic certainty.

Genesis in Space and Time by Francis Schaeffer examines the flow of Biblical history.  The book of Genesis sets the parameters and helps articulate a Christian worldview that includes a personal God.  “He is there and he is not silent” as Schaeffer remarks in another book.  At the core of the book stands the belief in a personal Creator.  Affirming macroevolution or denying a personal Creator stands behind the hopelessness among the unbelieving world.  Schaeffer adds, “It is either not knowing or denying the createdness of things that is at the root of the blackness of modern man’s difficulties.  Give up creation as space-time, historic reality, and all that is left what Simone Weil called ‘uncreatedness.’  It is not that something does not exist, but that it just stands there, autonomous to itself, without solutions and without answers.”   The proliferation of the so-called new atheism is vivid proof that Schaeffer articulated almost forty years ago.

Schaeffer maintains that one must understand the book of Genesis in order to develop a workable approach to metaphysics, morality, and epistemology.  Genesis in Space and Time continues to be relevant as many evangelicals back away from a literal interpretation of Scripture and a six-day creation week.  Genesis in Space and Time is prophetic, bold and relevant.  It is a powerful antidote for postmodern skeptics.

 

THE TRUTH ABOUT LEADERSHIP – James Kouzes and Barry Posner (2010)

What two names are automatically associated with the word “leadership?”  Answer: Kouzes and Posner.  Their landmark works, The Leadership Challenge and Credibility stand head and shoulders above other leadership books.  Their latest book, The Truth About Leadership continues to encourage principle-centered leadership.

Patrick Lencioni rightly says, “This book cuts through the clutter and reminds us of what really matters.”  Kouzes and Posner immerse their readers in to fundamental leadership truths:

Truth # 1: You make a difference

Truth # 2: Credibility is the foundation of leadership

Truth # 3: Values drive commitment

Truth # 4: Focusing on the future sets leaders apart

Truth # 5: You can’t do it alone

Truth # 6: Trust rules

Truth # 7: Challenge is the crucible for greatness

Truth # 8: You will lead by example or you don’t lead at all

Truth # 9: The best leaders are the best learners

Truth # 10: Leadership is an affair of the heart

Once again, the authors are quick to point out the necessity of credible leadership that empowers and inspires people.  I cannot recommend this book high enough.  However, my encouragement is to read Kounzes’ and Posner’s earlier works before tackling this one.

Highly recommended!

THE WORD OF THE LORD AND THE RELUCTANT PROPHET

“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”” (Jonah 1:1–2, ESV)

It must have hit Jonah like a load of bricks.  It’s not as if it came out of the blue, for Jonah was a prophet of God.  But when the word of the Lord came to Jonah on this day, his job was especially challenging.  God told Jonah, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”  Note three crucial realities that concern this word of the LORD.

First, the word of the LORD is divine speech

The word of the LORD is a sacred edict; it is a precept; indeed it is a royal mandate.  Since this word comes from Yahweh, it carries divine weight; it is laden with divine authority.  Four characteristics mark this divine speech:

1. It is non-negotiable.  The Psalmist says, “Forever, O LORD, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens” (Ps. 119:89).  One might argue, “Did not Abraham negotiate with God?  Did not Moses try his hand at the sacred bargaining table?”  Clearly, there are examples of biblical characters who took turns at negotiating with God.  However, who wins in the final analysis?  Who gets the final say?  Yahweh always has the final word.  Therefore, the word of the LORD is non-negotiable.

2. It stands the test of time.  My late Grandfather, V.W. Steele used to say, “Men and movements die.  But the word of the LORD remains forever.”  Fads fade, ideology wanes, and the collective zeitgeist washes over culture like waves on the seashore.  But the word of the LORD stands eternally.  “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa. 40:8).  The word of the LORD stands the test of time.

3. It is dependable.  “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Ps. 119:160)

4. It fulfills the plan of God.  The word of the LORD is uniquely qualified to perfectly fulfill the intentions of a sovereign God.  “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11).

Second, the word of the LORD is God’s appointed way of communicating his character and commands

Herein lies the importance of propositional revelation.  Francis Schaeffer reminds us, “He has spoken, in verbalized, propositional form, and he has told us what his character is.”  Simply put, God uses words to tell us what he is like and what he expects from us, namely – he reveals himself to us.  Let us never forget that the unbelieving world rejects this propositional revelation.  For instance, the evolutionist who believes in the uniformity of natural causes in a closed-system rejects propositional revelation.  It is bunk.  It is nonsense.  This man is autonomous.  He’s not listening.  And this kind of irreverent thinking is tantamount to cosmic treason!

Third, the word of the LORD demands a response

Our response to the word of the LORD should be unconditional, unhindered, and enthusiastic.  In short, people everywhere are required to obey the word of the LORD.  When one receives a word from the LORD, one must remember who the word comes from .  Our response should be rooted and grounded in who we know the LORD to be:  “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4).  “This is a confession of lordship,” argues John Frame.  “Therefore, he deserves all our love and allegiance.”

The prophet, Jonah struggled with obeying the word of the LORD.  Oh, the Christ-followers everywhere would learn the lesson of Jonah and respond favorably to the word of the LORD.  He is worthy our unfettered obedience!

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD – A.W. Pink (1930)

In 1930, A.W. Pink  wrote The Sovereignty of God, an earthshaking book that awakened readers to the absolute and kingly control of God over all things.  I read the book for the first time in 1991 and have read it several times since.

Pink defines sovereignty in the first chapter: “To say that God is sovereign is to declare that God is God.  To say that God is sovereign is to declare that He is the Most High, doing according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, so that none can stay His hand or say unto Him what doest Thou? (Dan. 4:35).”  Pink argues, “In a word, to deny the sovereignty of God is to enter upon a path which, if followed to its logical terminus, is to arrive at blank atheism.”  He continues, “Sovereignty characterizes the whole Being of God.  He is sovereign in all His attributes.  He is sovereign in the exercise of His power.  His power is exercised as He wills, when He wills, where He wills.”  Indeed, there is no limit to the sovereignty of God.

Pink surveys God’s sovereignty by emphasizing His sovereignty in several areas including creation, administration, salvation, reprobation, human responsibility, and prayer to name a few.

The Sovereignty of God should be required reading for every Bible College student and every Seminary student.  Pastors should return again and again to this treasure.  And Christians of all stripes should be encouraged by this marvelous book.

5 stars

THE SEARCHERS: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt – Joseph Loconte (2012)

Joseph Laconte’s book, The Searchers takes readers on a journey of faith and doubt.  The author utilizes the travelers on the road to Emmaus to make a thought-provoking point – people long for home, a place of “belonging, meaning, and love.”  But Laconte doesn’t build his case on false pretenses.  He admits that the notion of a happy home “can be a distraction, something that keeps us from fulfilling a great task or obligation set before us.”  The Searchers probes where some people seem unwilling to go.

The author utilizes literature and film to drive home the aforementioned point.  He interacts with conservatives and liberals, yet he comes across with a sense of cynicism toward anything or anyone who is sympathetic to the doctrines of grace.  Some of his criticism is helpful; some of it is unwarranted.

Laconte spends too much time interacting with the zeitgest in order to get to the central notion in the book.  But once he lands, his thoughts are worth reading.  He summarizes the essence of Christ’s message to the travelers on the road to Emmaus: “The message from Jesus … is that God sent His Son to rescue people from the curse of sin and death.  It is the news that this Rescuer, Jesus, gave his life in exchange for ours – and then rose from the dead to offer us new life, an incorruptible life, with God.  It was love that sent the Rescuer to his death and love that raised him to life again.”

The insight in The Searchers is commendable.  Loconte has surfaced some important principles that are helpful in the Christian pilgrimage.

3 stars

Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT IS FAITH? – R.C. Sproul (2010)

Ever since the days of the Enlightenment, faith and science have been in a perpetual war – both vying for supremacy – at least in the minds of some.  Herein lies the importance of R.C. Sproul’s little book, What is Faith?

Sproul’s book is the eighth in his Crucial Questions Series.  “Faith” according to Hebrews 11:1 is “the substance of things hoped for …”  The author adds, “The promises of God for tomorrow are the anchor for believers today.”  But the passage continues in Hebrew 1: “Faith is the evidence of things not seen.”  Sproul argues (to the chagrin of skeptics who charge Christians with embracing “blind faith”) that “the New Testament calls us to put our trust in the gospel not on the basis of some irrational leap into the darkness but on the basis of the testimony of eyewitnesses who report in Scripture about what they saw.”  And so faith in the final analysis is “not believing in God.  It’s believing God.”

The author provides examples of characters in the Bible who demonstrated authentic faith; people like Abel, Enoch, Abraham, and Sarah.  The critical lesson is this: “Living in submission to what God commands is the essence of faith.”  We do well, then, to model the stalwarts of the faith who led by example.

Sproul moves into deeper theological waters with a discussion of faith as set forth in Reformed theology.  The essence of his argument is that faith is a gift from God; a reality that many Evangelicals have forgotten or neglected.  Simply put,  a host of professing Christians have been deceived by Semi-Pelagianism.  The author rightly adds that regeneration precedes faith.  Additionally, saving faith requires the doctrine of election.  Given our state of total depravity (total inability), sinners should welcome the doctrine of election.

Finally, Sproul discusses the necessity of a growing faith.  Christ-followers grow by listening and reading the Word of God.  They grow as they subject themselves to the means of grace.  He warns about the negative consequences of jettisoning the means of grace: “… If I am negligent in reading the Scriptures, I open myself to ideas pouring into my head from the secular world, which may lessen the ardor of my faith.”  Christian faith, by definition should be a robust faith.

R.C. Sproul continues to use his gift to encourage the church and warn skeptics.  Christ-followers are admonished to grow deeply in the soil of God’s grace – which results in strong faith.  Skeptics are challenged with beginning a faith journey – which is a result of God’s sovereign initiative.

Highly recommended!