I can truthfully say I have waited years for this book to be written.
Sometime in the early 2000s, I came across a series of sermons on the Marrow Controversy by Dr. Sinclair B. Ferguson. Because of my love of Church History, I thought this would be a great series to listen to. I had no idea that it would open up a whole new realm of study for myself. After listening to the lectures concerning a book called, "The Marrow of Modern Divinity", I read the book itself.
The whole study of Law and Gospel has intrigued me. This was just what I was looking for. For the next few decades, I read everything I could concerning the Law of God and grace, always keeping an eye out for specific references to "The Marrow". I am now excited to listen to the audio version of the book written by Ferguson himself.
The wait was truly worth it. The book is well written. Ferguson takes difficult doctrines and explains them in simple language. Not only does he show the history behind the controversy, he digs into the bible to show us how important the controversy is for today.
I can not say enough good things about both the book and the audiobook. The narrator does a wonderful job with the material. Neither to fast or too slow, the narration keeps you focused. If there is anything lacking, it is the absence of footnotes. They are missing altogether. I understand it is almost impossible to include them in an audiobook and do not take off of the rating.
All in all, this is one great book. I suggest you listen to it, then purchase "The Marrow" and read it. You will not be disappointed.
I highly recommend and give this audiobook 5 out of 5 stars.
I enjoyed this book courtesy of the Christian Audio review program at http://christianaudio.com and received the audio book, free of charge, from ChristianAudio.com in exchange for an honest review.
R.C has always been my favorite Theologian. I was introduced to the reformed faith through many of his writings. So when he writes a new book, I jump at the chance to read it. In this case I was blessed to listen to it.
This book is basically a short Systematic Theology. But do not let that description fool you. It contains much depth. He called in an introduction but it covers every major theme in Theology.
Each chapter takes a subject from the Bible and explains it out using scripture. It is written with the average person in mind. R.C. has always had an ability to explain doctrine to the average person. Here he is at his finest.
The book alone would be worth listening to even if read by an average Joe, but this one was narrated by the one and only Grover Gardner. Gardner is an award winning narrator, and he is my personal favorite. He could probably read the phone book and make it interesting. So what do you get when you put a top notch theologian and an award winning narrator? A perfect combination. It reminds me of the old commercial – “You put peanut butter on my chocolate.”
I truly loved this audiobook and highly recommend it to all
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I enjoyed this book courtesy of the Christian Audio review program at http://christianaudio.com and received the audio book, free of charge, from ChristianAudio.com in exchange for an honest review.
In today's politically correct world, tolerance is the ultimate virtue. That is unless you are a conservative woman. In this book, Scottie Nell Hughes gives us a perspective of what it is like to be both a wife and political personality.
She shows us how the left are for women, but not all women. They only cater to those who think like themselves and demonize the rest. She shows how the left is very loving and tolerant to those who agree with them, but very hateful and intolerant to those who don't.
This book is a very easy listen and in some places will make you mad (not at her, but at those who consider themselves the thought police to the rest of us).
Scottie Nell Hughes being both author and narrator, reads with an emphasis on her original meaning. I believe this added another dimension to the book. The quality of the recording is top notch.
I enjoyed this audiobook. It was short, to the point, and left me looking for the her next book.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I enjoyed this book courtesy of the Christian Audio review program at http://christianaudio.com and received the audio book, free of charge, from ChristianAudio.com in exchange for an honest review.
This being the second Todd Starnes book I have read, or in this case listened to, I am becoming somewhat of a fan. He is funny but knowledgeable. His writing is simple and easy to read. He causes you to both think and feel.
Here we have a list of things no one would have believed could happen in America. The world has been turned upside down. The very things your parent taught you were right and noble are now seen as bigoted and hateful. To love God and you neighbor is now seen as racist, extreme, and even terrorism.
Like the phrase attributed to Saddam Hussein’s Democrat lawyer, Ramsey Clark, “One man’s terrorist is another man's freedom fighter”. The far left sees good as evil and visa versa. To have a choice to send you child to a school of your choosing is to hate teachers. To put a terrorist in prison is to be an Islamophobe. To say that an innocent baby should not be killed is to start a war on women. On and on it goes. Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" instructs the left to never have a conversation with their adversary because that humanizes them, their job is to demonize them, And demonize they have done.
We live in a New Amerika where an elderly lady is told she can not read her bible on public property; where a solder can die for the right to freedom of religion, but does not have freedom himself to display a bible; where a child can’t even read his Bible during free time at lunch. For years, many liberals have hated religion. They removed “God” from the Democrat platform. When they realized their mistake and decided to put Him back in, the crowd booed and hissed. For the last 40 years, they have passed laws to give us freedom “from” religion. After 9-11 they finally found a religion they can admire. Now they can call Christians - terrorist and Al-Qaeda - freedom fighters.
Now that I have come down off of my soap box, I would like to review Starnes book. Here, Starnes gives us a list of atrocities that have been performed in the name of tolerance. Seeing tolerance as the greatest virtue, the left tend to tolerate only those who agree with them. That is no tolerance at all. Tolerance says, even if I disagree with you, you have a right to believe what you do. The left says that tolerance is closing the mouths of those who disagree so that those who do agree with them do not get there feelings hurt. If you agree with same-sex marriage, you are tolerant. If you don't, you are a Homophobe. If you agree with abortion, you are for women. If not, you have waged a war on women. If you believe that Government should be in control of medical care, you have compassion for the poor. If not, you are a racist. Somehow, spending other people’s money, as opposed to spending your own on the poor, makes a person feel more compassionate. They have taken Alinsky's advice and demonized their opponents. Why can we not have a little civility? Everyone has the right to live peaceable, no matter what race or religion. America stands for freedom! Let us not give that freedom away to the “Thought Police”.
I can say that this book was top notch. It will both, break you heart and give you pride for our country. Your heart will be broken for the assault on the average American who has had their constitutional rights taken away, but you will be proud that the story doesn't end there. People are standing up to the bullying and calling for common sense, which is very uncommon today.
The narration was great. With the mix of good narration and a well written book, I did not feel I was listening to the written word, it was more like listening to a conversation.
I loved this book and highly recommend it to everyone.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I enjoyed this book courtesy of the Christian Audio review program at http://christianaudio.com and received the audio book, free of charge, from ChristianAudio.com in exchange for an honest review.
Keller is always a good read, or in this case a good listen. He takes us through the first seven chapters of my favorite book of the Bible, Paul’s letter to the Romans. We hear about such weighty subjects as Depravity, Salvation, Sanctification, etc. With that said, Keller uses very understandable language to explain some of these most profound doctrines.This is not a dry theological tome. It is warm and practical but also contains some good meat for reflection. I guaranty you will gain something from a reading. It is short enough to leave you wanting more. I am looking forward to the next volume when he touches on verses 8 to the end of the book.Keller adds some great quotes from theologians of the present and past. Each chapter contains questions for reflection.The narration was great. This is the first time I have heard Maurice England. He has a very comforting voice that lends itself to the material. The quality of recording was also top notch. No hisses or pops. It was recorded with good crisp highs and smooth lows.I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to all who desire to have a greater understanding of Romans and the Gospel.I give it 5 out of 5 stars.I enjoyed this book courtesy of the Christian Audio review program at http://christianaudio.com and received the audio book, free of charge, from ChristianAudio.com and The Good Book Company in exchange for an honest review.
Here is another multi-view debate on a biblical subject. With most books of this genre, we have a non-essential doctrine debated. When speaking of “the timing of the second coming” or whether “tithing is for today”, there is very little harm to the new believer or even the unbeliever when hashing out these kinds of subjects. But this volume is much more serious. I feel that in some ways it branches out a little too far.
Can a person be an evangelical and also deny that the bible is true and without error? Would that person be beyond the pale of orthodoxy?
I can not speak for the rest of Evangelicals, but I personally believe that those who deny inerrancy may well have stepped over that line. If we believe that Jesus said things that were incorrect “fact-wise” about this world, how can we believe Him when he speaks about things in the next? Doesn’t the Bible say those things that are invisible are more real than the visible? The things we see are decaying and falling apart, but those things that are not seen are eternal and will last forever.
I will have to admit that I started this book with a particular presupposition and after finishing it, I came out with (please forgive me for saying) the same "post-suppositions". I will not say the arguments against classical inerrancy could not convince some people, but I personally think they are found lacking.
As just one example, here is a quote from Peter Enns:
"This is why I feel that the term inerrancy has run its course and that evangelicals need to adopt other language with which to talk about the Bible. As referenced repeatedly in this essay, one suggestion I have articulated is an incarnational metaphor: Scripture is a collection of a variety of writings that necessarily and unashamedly reflects the worlds in which those writings were produced."
So, Enns believes that the Bible is a "reflection of" or "conforming to" the world of that day. I understand that Enns is not using the word "world" in the same since as Paul when he said we are not to be "conformed to this world", but it does sound a little weird to say God is reflecting the beliefs of the world when he spoke.
Enns believes the Bible contains errors but he will not come right out and say it. Why does he not just say what he means? "The Bible is a man-made book that contains errors - plain and simple." Why dance around with nebulas phrases that cover up the real meaning. Either the Bible is God-Breathed or man-breathed. If God wrote it, like Jesus claimed, how can we say it has mistakes and errors?
Like Calvin, I believe God uses a sort of baby-talk to speak to man. God has to, in some since, talk down to us. He is infinite and we are finite. It is like Michael Moore trying to fit into skinny jeans – It ain’t happinin’. But there is a big difference in talking down to a baby and telling that same baby a flat-out lie. I could have told my son, when he was a toddler, that the sky is blue and that would be true in some sense. Even though it is really made up of all colors, because of our atmosphere, blue is the most visible. On the other hand if I told him the moon was made of cheese...that is a lie. In the same way, if the walls of Jericho did not exist, then the Bible is not truthful when it says the walls feel down. If this were the case, the Bible is not accommodating the finite mind of man; it is misleading man all together.
Our finite minds can not comprehend an infinite God, but the little amount God allows us to comprehend is true.
I enjoyed this book and recommend it with "much" reservations.
I give it 3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Zondervan and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Proverbs 18:17 reads, "The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him."(ESV) This scripture has become a motto for me in connection with my theological studies. From the earliest time in my Christian life, I have "tried" to consider the other side, if for no other reason than to be able to give an answer for my own beliefs. I put "tried" in quotes because I understand that it is impossible to be totally unbiased. The desire to see more than one view of a subject is why I look forward to every new book in the Counterpoints series. Each book in the series takes a theological subject and debates the various views.It is always good to see both sides of a story before making a decision. In this case there are four sides to the story.Each contributor gives his reason for his belief for or against the historical Adam. Was there a real person we call Adam? Was he the first human? Did sin originate with him?I felt this would be a great subject. I was a little disappointed that a majority of the debate concerned evolution. I understand that evolution has to be discussed, but it seemed to take center stage. Even though the book was interesting and well written, I felt there could have been much more exegesis of the text.Even though the book kept my interest all the way through, to be honest, some contributors were much better than others. I think the pastoral reflection by Philip G. Ryken at the end was worth the price of admission. If all contributors wrote with such passion I would have given the book 5 stars. Personally I think rejecting the historical Adam seems to ride very close to the edge of heresy. I am not questioning the salvation of such men. I believe Jesus died for sin which includes our intellectual mistakes. When Jesus himself believed Adam was real, those who believe he is not seem to be saying that the sinless Christ made a mistake.All-in-all I enjoyed the book and learned a lot. While technical in some places, it was still fairly simple to follow. I personally would suggest reading Ryken's reflection first!I recommend this book with a few reservations and give it 4 out of 5 stars.I received this book, free of charge, from Zondervan and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I try to stay away from political books, not because I do not enjoy them, but because they raise my blood pressure. Having read Gutfeld before, I could not pass this one up. He has always been a fun read. I think the humor cushions the anger that it would normally provoke.
The premise of the book is intriguing. Cool vs. Uncool. He could have used a number of themes to say the same thing - Snobs vs. peons, socialist vs. free, Whole foods vs. Wal-Mart shoppers… and so on and so forth.
It reminded me of a TED video I watched once, (I know, I’m sorry). In this lecture the guy asked how many people knew someone who shopped at Wal-mart. I think I heard crickets. No one was so "low-class" as to even know anyone who shops there.
Gutfeld shows that the Cool not only believe they are cool, but they want to run the lives of the uncool. They want to make you cool also. This is something I have ranted about for years. A group of rich, spoiled liberals (and a few Republicans), who hate all normal people are the ones who run our country and our lives.
"It is for our own good" the liberal says. "We don't want you to get hurt so we need to make guns illegal". "We want to keep you healthy", so Cigarettes and Trans-fats are taxed or made illegal. But these people are hypocrites. The same people that try to outlaw cigarettes, legalize pot? Maybe second hand pot smoke is good for you. The same people who hate Christianity have found a new peaceful religion in Islam. The same idiots who raise taxes are caught not paying their own.
I agree with Gutfeld - leave me alone. Let me live my life. If I do not hurt anyone, why am I being punished? Like a parent who can not find out which child that busted the window, they just punish them all instead of the one that actually broke it.
This book was great. Being a Christian, I did not like some of the language, but I can overlook that a little. The message of the book is excellent - Just like High school, America consists of the cool, good-looking, but dumb people getting the breaks while the normal, smart, but ugly do all the hard work. That is why we elected a “community organizer” instead of a war hero or a religious business man for the highest office in the land. Old war heroes who move slow and boring business men just aren’t cool. A mysterious young guy with hardly any background except for skipping class in college to do drugs is way cooler!
My rant is now over. If you want a rant of your own, READ THIS BOOK!
I highly recommend this book. It my cause the veins in your forehead to bulge, but don't we need that every once in a while.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Crown Forum and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Having read and enjoyed Jeremy Walker's writings before, I looked forward to this book.
"Life in Christ" is basically a book about the gospel. What must I do to be saved? Walker tells us - Look unto Jesus! It is not ourselves, our church, our family, our money, etc. It is Jesus and Him crucified! Jeremy does not stop there. He shows us what our life in Christ should look like and how God, not only changes a person, but births a new creation in them. We are not the same. We are new creatures.
This book is very understandable and easy to read. In some places I felt like I was reading a sermon from Spurgeon. Here is a small example:
"We look to Him at Calvary. There hangs the suffering, bleeding, dying Lamb. Look to Him, with the crown of thorns piercing His noble brow. Look to Him, with the blood pouring from His hands and feet, cruelly pierced with Roman nails. Look to Him as the gore drips from His wounded flesh, torn from His back by a vicious scourge. Look to Him as He bows His head in agony under the weight of His holy Father’s just anger against sin. Look to Him as He cries out from the midst of an impenetrable darkness, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” Look to Him as He shouts with a loud voice, “It is finished!” Look to Him as He yields up His Spirit."
Wow, Just thinking of what Jesus done brings tears to our eyes. He took our place. He was punished for me! Like I heard an old preacher say years ago, "If that don't fire you up, your wood must be wet." What a savior we have!
I loved this book. It is not only written with sound doctrine, it also has, what Edwards called "Religious Affections". It will stir your heart toward Christ. If you need encouragement, not the feel-good self-esteem kind, but true gospel edification, this is the book for you.
I highly recommend this book to all, believer and unbeliever alike, and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Reformation Heritage Books and Cross Focused Reviews in exchange for an honest review.
To Hear some great interviews follow these links:
http://www.janetmefferdpremium.com/2014/01/16/janet-mefferd-radio-show-20140116-hr-3/
and
http://confessingbaptist.com/podcast038/
I have always thought of the Heidelberg Catechism as a strictly Calvinist document. Here, Lyle D. Bierma, convinces otherwise.
Over the years, I have read a few commentaries on the Heidelberg, but this book is a little different. It is not a commentary, per se; it is more of a history of its theology.
Bierma's thesis is that the catechism was a synthesis of Calvinism, Lutheran and some times Zwinglian theology. He believes it was an ecumenical document to be used in more than just the Calvinist Reformed churches. His arguments are precise and convincing.
In this work he takes us through each question of the Heidelberg comparing them to other catechisms and documents of the time. His goal is to prove that the origins of the wording were taken from multiple sources.
In this short but convincing work , Bierma accomplishes the task he sets out to perform. The writing is straight forth and readable. I believe the sections concerning baptism, the covenant, and the Lord's Supper are the most persuasive.
I enjoyed this book and will now look into reading, what seems to be, the companion volume, "Introduction to the Heidelberg Catechism", by the same author
Though not for everyone, I recommend it and give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Westminster John Knox Press and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I remember the first time I read that Martin Luther, the great reformer, hid nuns in herring barrels to sneak them out of a monastery and find them husbands. That was the day I feel in love with the study of history.
Over the years, Church history has become a passion. Needless to say, when I saw this book offered for review, it was a no-brainer.
In this short book, John Fea gives us the reasons everyone should read and study history. He has taken his introductory lecture as a professor and edited it into a very readable book. I am sure that lecture has created many history majors.
In the book, he shows the connections and non-connections that history has for the present day. We have all heard the quote that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. According to Fea, This is only half of the story. History can be used to learn lessons that benefit the future and it can also be abused.
At first glance, we would think most Americans believe history is boring and unimportant. Fea shows that America is almost obsessed with History. We play games with a historical setting, read historical novels, biographies, and television shows. History is anything but boring.
When you read, "Why Study History?" you will come away ready to read some good books and maybe take a few classes. John Fea has written a good book to spark an interest in history. Whether you are a student or layperson, you will come away inspired and excited about history.
I enjoyed this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Baker Academic and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What is a Worldview? Everyone has one, but not many people know what their worldview is.
James N. Anderson has written a short easy-to-read manual to help you find out what our worldview is. What is unique about this book is its format. Set up like a “Choose Your Own Adventure”, we read as a child, Anderson makes the complicated task of discovering your presuppositions very easy.
Starting with some profound questions like, "Do you have the power to make free choices?" and "Is there any objective truth", he directs you to different parts of the book according to how you answer at the end of each chapter. Each chapter contains one to three pages. That makes for a quick and enjoyable read.
No matter what your belief system, this is a good read. It is impressive at how much information he has packed in such a short book. On the one hand, the size of the book is a strength, but on the other, it has some weaknesses. Being short, it would be easier to get a friend to read. But being this short means he was not able to go deeper into some subjects.
All in all, this is a great read to give to unbelieving friends and co-workers. It could open up some good conversations and lead to sharing the gospel.
I enjoyed this book and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Crossway and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When speaking of truth, you will more times than not, hear the phrase, "That’s true for you, but I don't believe that way." In our postmodern, relativistic society we have not just lost the knowledge and understanding of what is right and wrong, we have turned ethics on its head.
Why has the world seemingly been turned upside down? Why has conventional wisdom about right and wrong been discarded? I think Scott B. Rae gives us some answers in this short but intriguing book.
Here we have a book about ethics in today’s postmodern culture. Rae takes us through an array of subjects from Politics to Medicine. He shows us that the Christian worldview is the only logical and correct understanding of what is right and wrong. We see here that there are correct and incorrect views on almost every subject.
In America it is considered hateful and bigoted to call anything a sin (except when referring to those who are politically incorrect). We have a so-called tolerant society, but they only tolerate those who agree with their worldview. Because of this, we very seldom hear someone proclaim something is right or wrong. Rae shows us that there is a truth we can know. There are things that we can call right and wrong. Years ago, the beliefs of postmodernism would be laughable, but today it is almost impossible to find a college professor, or student for that matter, that believes in objective truth.
Even though the book was originally intended to be written by Chuck Colson, because of his untimely death, Scott B. Rae takes up the mantle. To fill the shoes of a giant like Colson is no small feat, but Rae pulls it off.
The writing is crisp and to the point. Because it is a shorter book, there is no clutter. Rae gets straight to the point. It is very well written and keeps you moving from one chapter to the next.
I enjoyed the book. Rae has done a great service to the Body of Christ.
I highly recommend it and give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Zondervan and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
When you hear the word "Puritan", what do you think about? Black clothes, Legalism, or crabby ol' men?
If this is what comes to mind, you have never read the Puritans. Instead of learning from the original sources, we normally get our information second hand. That is why the Puritans have such a bad rap. Most people who teach those things about them have never read them.
Far from our caricature of the puritans, they were warm, compassionate, and above all passionate for the Lord. John Bunyan is no exception. In fact he is the rule.
Known for his classic novel, Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan is probably the greatest known Puritan of all time and no one can accuse him of being boring.
Here, we have a sort of autobiography. We see the real life Pilgrim. Bunyan gives us a guided tour of the misery and the joy of a man seeking for God. We see a man crushed by his sin. We see his heart filled with fear that he will die in his sin. We see him find redemption through the Savior.
It is both heartbreaking and joyous. His desperation will melt your heart and his salvation will bring a tear to your eyes. If you have never read the puritans, this is a good place to start. The narrator, Simon Vance, has a wonderful English accent that lends itself to the material.
I had already read this book once but now have had the privilege of listening to the audio version and totally loved it.
I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I enjoyed this book courtesy of the Christian Audio review program at http://christianaudio.com and received the audio book, free of charge, from ChristianAudio.com and Tyndale House Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
We all have dreams. We all want to make a difference in the world. But what happens if after years of hard work it just doesn't seen to be working like we imagined?
Sarah Cunningham, in this encouraging book, gives us pointers on how not to give up. She shows us that our God-given dreams are not to receive praise from people or to make us feel good about ourselves. They are given to please God and help others. Addiction to approval is not what we are called to.
Our dreams should be to please God and not people. He is the one who called us and gave us those dreams and he is the only one we should strive to please. We may not be another Billy Graham. We need to understand that the world would be worst off if it was full of famous people. If everyone was a boss, who would do the work? If everyone was a performer who would watch the show.
She shows us that God intends for us to be content whether we have achieved our goal already or not. Contentment should be in the Lord, not in our circumstances.
I enjoyed the book. It was easy to read and was interesting all the way through. It was is very encouraging and I recommend it, especially to those who feel they are tired or burned out.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I received this book, free of charge, from Moody Publishers and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can truthfully say I have waited years for this book to be written. 
