"In Christ Alone" by Sinclair Ferguson

In Christ Alone is a book that I’ve wanted to read ever since it came out. I’d never read anything by Dr. Sinclair Ferguson, but I’ve listened to a couple of his conference messages and have really enjoyed his insight and love listening to him talk with his Scottish accent and calm but confident demeanor. Also, I’ve heard many people who I highly respect recommend his books as some of the best you can read. On top of that, a title like this draws me in pretty quickly.

My plan when I finally got the chance to read and review the book was to write a summary like I normally do as I read which helps me think through the book and write a more thorough and helpful review. When I started reading, I quickly realized that that was going to be impossible, and all for good reasons.

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The Unwavering Resolve of Jonathan Edwards by Steven J. Lawson

I don’t think it is much of an overstatement to say that nearly everyone has at least heard of Jonathan Edwards. Not only did he preach what is probably the most famous sermon of all time (“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”) he is also widely thought to be possibly the greatest theologian and intellectual that the United States of America has ever produced. Though he lived a relatively short life (he died from a smallpox inoculation at 54) he wrote many books (most still in print today), hundreds of sermons, was a key player in the First Great Awakening, and was a pastor and missionary. He truly was an amazing man.

What becomes immediately clear when you begin to study Jonathan Edwards’ life, however, is what his real focus was. His desire was not necessarily to be or do any of the things that we know him for today, but the entire solar system of his life was centered around the sun of bringing glory to God which is what held everything else in his life in orbit. This was not something that he just stumbled into. Edwards lived a life of purposeful, intentional resolve in every sense of those words. That is what this book is about.

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Read Jared's summary and notes

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"What's So Great About the Doctrines of Grace" by Richard D. Phillips

The doctrines of grace, probably better known as the five points of Calvinism, are a highly controversial topic. Almost no one is neutral when it comes to Calvinism. Most either react violently when the subject comes up or completely shut down and refuse to talk about it at all. I question whether people would react the same way if they really understood what the five points actually mean and how grounded they are in Scripture. That is what this book is written to help with. It is a short (less than 100 pages) yet thorough overview of the sovereignty of God and each of the five points of Calvinism. What is great about this book is that it doesn’t just explain the meaning of each point and how it is taught in Scripture (though it does this very well), but really the main thrust is why each of the doctrines of grace is so awesome and God-glorifying when understood Biblically.

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"The Way of the Master" by Ray Comfort

Who do you know who isn’t saved? A friend? A coworker? A family member? How are you going to reach them? As Christians, we have been given the Great Commission – "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you…" (Matt. 28:19-20a ESV) – yet according to Bill Bright only 2% of American churchgoers ever share their faith with others. Just think about that for a second. Only 2%. There are many reasons that this devastating statistic is true. This book is written to address a couple of the biggest ones by explaining "how to share your faith simply, effectively, biblically…the way Jesus did."

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Check out Ray Comfort's websites:

The Way of the Master

Living Waters

Athiest Central

Are YOU a good person? Take the ultimate test...

"Living the Cross Centered Life" by C.J. Mahaney

“Each of our lives is centered on something. What’s at the center of yours? What’s really the main thing in your life? Only one thing can truly be first in priority; so what’s at the top of your list, second to none? What are you most passionate about? What do you love to talk about? What do you think about most when your mind is free? What is it that defines you?”

These powerful questions open C.J. Mahaney’s book Living the Cross Centered Life. He doesn’t take long to get to his main point: “If there’s anything in life we should be passionate about, it’s the gospel…passionate in thinking about the gospel, reflecting upon it, rejoicing in it, allowing it to color the way we look at the world and all of life.” That’s what this book is written to help us do – understand what the gospel really is and how it should affect every area of our lives.

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"Courage to Flee" by Jeffrey Klick

Most of us don’t have the time, money, or desire to wade through a stack or relational/purity books looking for a few diamonds in the rough. So where do you even start? Well, I believe that Pastor Jeff Klick’s Courage to Flee: Living a Moral Life in an Immoral World is an excellent starting point for anyone desiring to bring their love lives under Christ’s control. I have personally known Pastor Klick for many years, so I can appreciate how he honestly and openly shares about our ability to avoid and overcome sexual temptation. Whether you are single, dating, courting, engaged, married, or parenting, Courage to Flee should be a book in your library. No matter your situation in life, whether on the road to becoming or simply trying to remain pure, this book will encourage you to escape the traps of immorality and raise your children with positive, Biblical values. The pledge to abstain from sex before marriage is not enough. Single people must follow through with a life of sexual abstinence except for marriage. And all people who marry must remain faithful to their spouse. And if people are widowed or divorced, they must resume abstinence. Scripture gives all humans two options to fulfill their sexuality: abstinence while single or heterosexual marriage. And if we have fallen from sexual purity, God can cleanse and restore us through the death and resurrection of Jesus. I appreciate the fact that Pastor Klick talks candidly about purity and relationships, the way he addresses these topics is never inappropriate, so a preteen could read Courage to Flee without losing a piece of their purity and innocence in the process, a single adult could read it without feeling talked down to, or a married person can read it as a message of hope and victory.

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"Experiencing God" by Henry Blackaby and Claude King

Experiencing God was originally released as a Bible study workbook back in 1990. By 2000, 3 million copies had been sold in 47 languages. The success of the workbook lead to the release of a paperback book, a devotional, a youth edition, a preteen edition, a collegiate edition, a couples edition, and even a musical! (HT: Lifeway.com)

I still have not participated in the study, but I recently had the opportunity to read the book based on the wildly popular workbook. What I found really surprised me. Though there are some interesting points and some sections of the book that are okay (but not great), the whole concept of Experiencing God is built around principles and ideas that are not only nowhere to be found in the Bible, but that actually contradict what the Bible clearly teaches.

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Quotes from the book with commentary by Jared

Some other helpful reviews of Experiencing God:

9 Marks

Thoughts to Ponder

A review of another Blackaby book on the will of God:

part 1, part 2

"What is a Healthy Church Member" by Thabiti Anyabwile

If I were to ask you how you feel about your church, what would you say? Even if you are completely happy with the local church you are a part of now, almost everyone has either had to deal with problems in a church at some time either personally or through someone you know...

When the author, who is a pastor, had a church member express some of her dissatisfaction about the way things were being done, he challenged her to change her perspective. He asked her, “So what are you going to do about the state of the church? How will you become a better member and contribute to the health of God’s family in this place?” What a great question! One of the key points that this book makes is that “the health of the local church depends on the willingness of its members to inspect their hearts, correct their thinking, and apply their hands to the work of the ministry.”

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You can purchase a copy here

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The other day a friend of mine gave me a 900-page book called the Catechism of the Catholic Church, so I started reading it. I got to page 26 where the relationship between "tradition" and sacred Scripture is discussed, which stopped me dead in my tracks. All of a sudden this was no longer a leisurely read. I am still having trouble grasping the many errors in the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Trying to discuss them all would be far out of the scope of a simple book review, so I am going to focus on the four most shocking to me personally:

1. Their denial of Scripture being the one and only source of divine
inspiration (aka Sola Scriptura)
2. The transubstantiation of the Lord’s Supper
3. Their view of the Virgin Mary
4. Their blatant denial of the biblical teaching on justification

To be quite honest, because of how the Roman Catholic Church has refused to submit itself to the authority of God’s Word and to embrace the gospel of Jesus taught in Scripture, I can’t help but say that it has set itself apart from the true body of Christ. This false and deceptive form of Christianity is one of the largest tools of deceit, misleading over 850 million well-intentioned Catholics all over the world and keeping them from having a personal, saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. I will address my four largest concerns with the Roman Catholic Church in this review of their Catechism, although I don’t think I am even scraping the top of the iceberg on this one.

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"The Lightlings" by R.C. Sproul

In his book, The Lightlings, RC Sproul does a wonderful job of sharing the redemption story through an allegorical tale of tiny beings called the lightlings. The lightlings represent the picture of humanity from creation, through the fall, and finally the redemption of mankind.

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You can purchase a copy here

"Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow" by R.C. Sproul

In his book, Five Things Every Christian Needs to Grow, RC Sproul states that being a Christian is not an acquired skill or discipline, but that it is a living, vital relationship with the God of the universe, a relationship that begins when a person becomes a new creation in Him and receives Jesus as Lord by faith. He states that, like Olympic athletes, Christians are called upon to train, to make sacrifices, and to embrace certain disciplines in order to give God “our utmost for His highest.” This book deals with five of those disciplines: Bible study, prayer, worship, service, and stewardship.

Read Jared and Julian's reviews

Read Jared's summary (7 page PDF)

Read Julian's summary (8 page PDF)

You can purchase a copy here

Discerning the Doctrine of Election

The doctrine of election has confused many people and it is difficult to fathom the balance between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Is our eternal destiny entirely left up to us, or is it sealed by God without regard to our own will and actions? My personal opinion on this matter is that Scripture clearly speaks to both sides of the equation.

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"Become a Better You" by Joel Osteen

Joel Osteen, pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, is perhaps the fastest rising TV preacher in our country. Many would look at Houston's Lakewood Church, with its 30,000 people attending services each Sunday in a 16,000-seat arena (once home of the Houston Rockets basketball team) as the epitome of church success. But that success was achieved at a cost to sound doctrine and spiritual integrity. I‟ve had too many people tell me they like listening to Osteen because they are encouraged by his ministry, so I decided to do check him out for myself.

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"The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence

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"Don't Waste Your Life" by John Piper

In his book, Don’t Waste Your Life, John Piper points out that God created us to live with a single passion: to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all spheres of life. He states that the wasted life is the life without this passion. God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work, not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives.

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You can purchase a copy here

"The Prince's Poison Cup" by R.C. Sproul

The Prince’s Poison Cup is an amazing book by R.C. Sproul geared for children but just as good for parents. Dr. Sproul is a pastor, teacher, theologian, and philosopher who understands God’s Word so well that he is able to make it understandable to children without sacrificing any of the deep, important meaning of important concepts. This is his fourth book for kids and each one keeps getting better.

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You can purchase a copy here.

Review and Summary of "Finally Alive" by John Piper

Finally Alive is John Piper’s book on the Biblical concept of being “Born Again.” The book actually comes from a series of sermons that Dr. Piper preached at his church from November 2007 to April 2008. He took the sermon manuscripts, edited them slightly, and put them into book form to be used for several purposes – to teach those who are already born again what actually happened to them, to explain to those who are not born again why they desperately need to be, and to lay out how those who are born again are involved in helping those who are not become born again.

Read Jared and Julian's revews
Read Jared's summary (9 page PDF)
Read Julian's summary (6 page PDF)
You can purchase a copy here

Review of "The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas A Kempis

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Review of "On Loving God" by St. Bernard of Clairvaux

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Review of "Compassion" by Henri Nouwen

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Review of "Life Together"

Click here to read the review

The Book of Mormon: A FALSE Testament of Jesus Christ

The information contained in this review is the result of spending several weeks with Mormon missionaries in my home. The conversations we had concerning their doctrine lead to much personal research on the topic. The purpose of this review, therefore, is to put my findings into an easily referenced format, and to serve as an introduction to Mormon doctrine for anyone who may be blessed with the opportunity to witness to one. The topics covered in this review are as follows:

1. History
2. Can Mormons be considered Christians?
3. Do Mormons believe in salvation by grace through faith?
4. Was Joseph Smith a modern witness (prophet) of Christ?
5. Is the Book of Mormon another testament of Jesus
Christ?
6. What is the Mormon claim to restoration, and did the
original church really fall away?
7. How do Mormons view the Bible?
8. Is there salvation for those already dead?
9. Mormon Proof Texts
10. Terminology Differences
11. There is only one way in life: Jesus Christ

May the One and ONLY True God bless you as you read on.

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The True Meaning of Thanksgiving

The first thing that comes to many of our minds when we think about the Thanksgiving holiday is food, along with a few days off from work and school. We have lost the true meaning behind this wonderful holiday, so I would to remind us of the origins behind it.

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The True Meaning of Christmas

People often talk about the “spirit of Christmas” and discovering its true meaning. In our culture, the true meaning of Christmas has been reinterpreted to be “good will toward men.” By that expression they mean that people should get along with one another, have good feelings toward one another, and be nice to one another. I would agree that not to appreciate the human longing for love, happiness, and goodness would be dreadful indeed. However, we must also recognize that the “true meaning” of Christmas lies elsewhere.

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The Origin of Halloween

Over the years I’ve had numerous conversations with different individuals on the topic of Halloween. Questions that came up ranged from whether or not Christians should let their children participate, and if not, do we lock ourselves in the house with the lights turned off or should we in some way try to fight back against this evil? One side of the spectrum says that it’s the most dangerous time of the year, and the other side thinks that it’s nothing more than a secular time of fun and games. Personally, I don’t find it my place to tell you whether or not you should participate in Halloween. That is a decision for you and your family to make on your own, before God. However, I do find it important for everyone to understand the origins of Halloween so you are best equipped to make an educated and rational decision about your family’s participation in this event. Each family must be persuaded in their own mind about how they approach Halloween, so the purpose of this paper is to provide you with an unbiased perspective on its origins, the early church’s response, and nothing more. Once you have prayerfully considered the information contained in this paper, and a decision is made, please be sure to communicate the reasoning behind that decision to your children. It is important for them to understand the origin of this ritual for themselves, as well as why your family chooses to participate or not. So, without much further ado…

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The Shack: Is It Worth Your While To Read?

This book seems to be growing with rising popularity, especially in Christian circles. While we were first somewhat excited to read it, we were left feeling profoundly disturbed by its content. I’ve heard several people say that it is the best book they have ever read. In fact Eugene Peterson (author of The Message paraphrase) says that, "This book has the potential to do for our generation what John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress did for his. It's that good." I have to confess that Young's characterization of the Father as a large, beaming African-American woman, the Son as a Jew with a large nose, and the Holy Spirit is a mysterious Asian female makes me more than just a little uncomfortable. Whether you have read this book or not, most likely some of your friends or loved one have, so please allow me to take a few minutes to share with you a word of caution. It is books like this make our discernment as believers even more necessary than ever before.

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Other helpful reviews of The Shack:
Tim Challies
13 Heresies in The Shack

Shocked by the Shack

Gary Gilley
The Shack Inspection (Links to other good reviews as well)