Reviewed by John Bowman The Universe was meant to be a home-where the image bearers of God rule and serve under the Father. It was all to be ours. The primeval insurrection in the garden, though, turned the universe into an orphanage- the heirs were gone, done in by their appetites. A serpent now holds the cosmos in captivity, driving along the deposed rulers as his...
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Reviewed by Asher Griffin The Gospel for Muslims is a book combining theological argumentation and practical instruction for Christian believers who are discouraged or fearful of evangelizing to Muslims. The first half of the book is theological, addressing mostly biblical arguments that conflict with Qur’an teachings. Written in first person, the author, Thabiti...
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Reviewed by Asher Griffin Using the emotional tension of a new, little known hymn, pastor and author Sinclair B. Ferguson argues, in By Grace Alone, for the continual renewal of the amazement of God’s grace in our lives and in the lives of others. Letting the framework of the hymn by Emmanuel T. Sibomana, “O How the Grace of God Amazes Me,” drive the book, Ferguson...
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Reflections by John Bowman I was motivated by my good friend Chip to tackle a single attribute of God in my personal reading in 2011. And, while I must admit that this focus is often interrupted with a topical read or book requirement for work, I am enjoying this approach. I decided to focus on God’s Holiness this year for two reasons: 1) I desire to have a deeper...
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Reviewed by John Bowman David Platt, the senior pastor of the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, challenges our complacent American evangelicalism at the core in this trendy new book. While Platt covers a lot of ground, he has two core messages. First, we have distorted views of the Gospel rooted in the American Dream rather than the Bible. Many American...
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Reviewed by Asher Griffin Written by Dr. James M. Hamilton, Jr., a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgement is another book in a long, but good, line of new books out on biblical theology. Hamilton uses a reoccurring, continually announced theme throughout the book: the gospel of the Bible...
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Reviewed by Asher Griffin Written by Dr. James M. Hamilton, Jr., a professor at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgement is another book in a long, but good, line of new books out on biblical theology. Hamilton uses a reoccurring, continually announced theme throughout the book: the gospel of the Bible...
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Reviewed by John Bowman To Change the World, by James Davison Hunter, is a timely, well written, and thoughtful work. Hunter argues from a refreshingly new perspective on world-making–one that echoes Jer 29. We as Christians are in exile and we are to exercise “faithful presence” in whichever domain of influence the Lord graciously provides....
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Reviewed by Asher Griffin The Trellis and the Vine is a simply formatted book about church ministry within the church. It focuses on how the church can pastorally function in light of potential, new, and growing Christians. How should the local church serve fellow believers in not only training them to be more Christlike, but also training many so that they, too, will...
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Reviewed by Asher Griffin Humility: True Greatness is a smaller book by C.J. Mahaney that addresses the problem of living in a sinful nature of pride while pursuing holiness through humility. Humility is an incredibly humbling book and a good addition to When People are Big and God is Small. Having heard Mahaney a lot through MP3s and at conferences, I can hear his voice...
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