POST CATEGORY : Book Notes

“Using Illustrations to Preach with Power” by Bryan Chapell

“Using Illustrations to Preach with Power” by Bryan ChapellUsing Illustrations to Preach with Power by Bryan Chapell
Published by Crossway on April 4, 2001
Pages: 208
Format: eBook
three-half-starsthree-half-starsthree-half-starsthree-half-stars
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From the Back Cover: If the apostle Paul had not punctuated his words with images of the armor of God or the racecourse, would we so easily remember his instruction? The march on Washington might have become nothing more than a ragged hike across a majestic mall if Martin Luther King, Jr. had not led us through a “dream” and onto a “mountaintop”…This book clearly affirms that illustrations are integral to powerful preaching—not because they entertain but because they expand and deepen applications in the lives of your listeners. They infuse your words with life without comprising the message, making the truth of the Word ring clearly in people’s hearts long after your sermon is done.

 
Stay tuned for some thoughts on this book…

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
three-half-starsthree-half-starsthree-half-stars3.5 Stars

“Total Church” by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis

“Total Church” by Tim Chester and Steve TimmisTotal Church by Steve Timmis, Tim Chester
Published by Crossway on August 21, 2008
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
four-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-stars
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From the Publisher’s Description: “Church is not a meeting you attend or a place you enter,” write pastors Tim Chester and Steve Timmis. “It’s an identity that is ours in Christ. An identity that shapes the whole of life so that life and mission become ‘total church.'” With that as their premise, they emphasize two overarching principles to govern the practice of church and mission: being gospel-centered and being community-centered. When these principles take precedence, say the authors, the truth of the Word is upheld, the mission of the gospel is carried out, and the priority of relationships is practiced in radical ways. The church becomes not just another commitment to juggle but a 24/7 lifestyle where programs, big events, and teaching from one person take a backseat to sharing lives, reaching out, and learning about God together.

 

This book was outstanding, and it really made me consider and reconsider my own views of the structures and goals of the local church. Continue reading →

“When Sinners Say I Do” by Dave Harvey

“When Sinners Say I Do” by Dave HarveyWhen Sinners Say "I Do" by Dave Harvey
Published by Shepherd Press on June 25, 2007
Pages: 190
Format: Paperback
four-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-stars
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From the Back Cover: Marriage is the union of two people who arrive at the altar toting some surprisingly large luggage. Often it gets opened right there on the honeymoon, sometimes it waits for the week after. The Bible calls it sin and understanding its influence can make all the difference for a man and woman who are building a life together. When Sinners Say “I Do” is about encountering the life-transforming power of the gospel in the unpredictable journey of marriage.

Dave’s writing style embraces the reader as he speaks honestly, and sometimes humorously, about sin and the power of the gospel to overcome it. He opens the delightful truth of God s word and encourages the reader to see more clearly the glorious picture of what God does when sinners say “I do.”

 

This is one of the best books on marriage I’ve ever come across. Continue reading →

“The Story of Christian Theology” by Roger E. Olson

“The Story of Christian Theology” by Roger E. OlsonThe Story of Christian Theology by Roger E. Olson
Published by IVP Academic on May 1, 1999
Pages: 652
Format: Hardcover
four-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-starsfour-half-stars
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From the Back Cover: Theologian Roger Olson believes that the history of Christian theology should be told as such a story, one replete with thick plots, exciting twists, interesting people and fascinating ideas. In this panoramic work of historical theology Olson vividly recounts the deeds and words of the cultists and apostolic fathers of the second century, the clash between the theological schools of Alexandria and Antioch, the epochal division between East and West, the revolutionary advent of the Reformation and much more, right on up to the dazzling, sometimes dismaying fallout that has continued to shake Christians through the twentieth century. Through it all Olson detects and traces a common thread: a concern for salvation—God’s redemptive activity in forgiving and transforming sinful human beings.

 

This is one of the most readable and enjoyable books on church history and the history of theology that I’ve ever come across. Continue reading →