I’ve been to quite a few Passion events since my first experience in 2000 in Memphis TN.  Back then I was just a sophomore in college, awakening to the idea of a big God with big plans.  God has been pleased to use Passion again and again to renew my heart and vision for God.  Though I’m no longer in college, I’ve been able – in one way or another – to continue to attend events and bring others with me.  Passion 2010 was especially moving for me because I got to attend with both my brothers (one a sophomore in college and one a college minister) and my beautiful wife Magen.  We’re all still reveling in what God was pleased to accomplish in our lives as His word and glory were lifted high in Atlanta.

The new Passion album comes out March 9th, but you can preview the whole album for free right now on Yahoo Music.  The album features songs by:  Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder Band, Christy Nockles, FEE, Kristian Stanfill, and Hillsong UNITED.  I’ve listened to it all day, and the album goes far beyond serving as a simple reminder of good memories from a few months ago.  It’s a great album that helps stir my soul towards God.  My favorite tracks are:  King of Heaven (Isaiah 61), Where the Spirit of the Lord is, Awakening, Like a Lion, and With Everything.  The whole album sings with fresh vision for the church and the collegiate generation.  I’m especially impressed with Chris Tomlin’s writing on this album (which may sound trite to say, but I’m honestly more of a Charlie and Crowder fan).  Tomlin’s songs are just rock-solid and encouraging on this album.  I’m really excited that Louie Giglio and team decided to end the cd with a track by Hillsong UNITED!  I had feared that Hillsong would fail to make it due to licensing issues.  The Hillsong concerts during the event were some of the most moving moments during Passion 2010, and I welcome their song to conclude the album.

I suppose this isn’t really a music review so much as it’s an encouragement for you, the reader, to grab the album when it comes out Tuesday.  In the mean time check it out for free on Yahoo.

Thanks again Passion for pointing fresh generations of college students towards the glory of God!

http://www.268generation.com

http://www.sixstepsrecords.com

I received a free copy of Finally Alive last month at the Death to Performance Conference in Nashville. Finally Alive is a new book (published in 2009) by John Piper that is all about regeneration.  Regeneration is the technical (but still Biblical) term used to describe what the Bible calls “being born again.”

Piper’s aim is to return to a true, biblical understanding about the new birth.  In the first chapter he offers a scathing rebuke to those who misuse the term “born again,” as well as an example of true regeneration by examining the conversions of  C. S. Lewis and Augustine.  Building upon the argument that Christians must truly understand regeneration, Piper then spends the next fifteen chapters unpacking the biblical teaching about the new birth.  In typical Piper fashion, the exposition of Scripture is precise, the writing is technical, and the truths are glorious.  Piper ends the book by spending two chapters urging believers to spread the message of the gospel.  Christians must proclaim the message of Jesus.  As he says, “God’s role in bringing about the new birth is decisive, and our role in bringing about the new birth is essential” (166).  Piper is a Calvinist, but a biblical Calvinist who realizes that humans are the agency that God has appointed to proclaim the gospel to the world.

I found this book really encouraging.  Piper’s balance in explaining the doctrine of regeneration is spot-on.  He studies the work of regeneration from both God’s perspective and man’s perspective.  The new birth is unashamedly God’s work, but it is always accompanied immediately by faith in the life of a believer.  As Piper says on page 33, “When answering the question What happens in the new birth? never separate these two sayings of Jesus in John 3:  ‘Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’ (v. 3), and, ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life’ (v. 36).”  Equally important in Finally Alive is Piper’s explanation of grace and work in the life of a believer.  The new birth occurs by grace alone, but by grace Christians become irreversibly linked with Christ and his life.  This union with Jesus always results in love and good deeds, and the good deeds are evidence of true saving faith in the life of a believer.  The most compelling part of the book for me was definitely the last two chapters. In chapters fourteen and fifteen, Piper encourages believers to return to good old-fashioned evangelism.  As he says, “We’re ending with personal evangelism – an old-fashioned commitment in new contexts for the sake of the new birth in thousands of spiritually dead people for the glory of Jesus Christ” (177).  He urges believers to “Tell people the good news of Christ from a heart of love and life of service” (166).

Having read this book, I’m more compelled than ever to embrace God’s absolute sovereignty in salvation, and my absolute need to share Jesus to those around me.  Christians must never bow to a fatalistic mindset that ignores the necessity of sharing the gospel.  While I know this to be true, I still struggle to be bold with my faith.  But as Paul said, “the gospel…is the power of salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).

I just finished my third C. S. Lewis book, and can say that of the ones I’ve read (Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and now The Abolition of Man) this is probably the most important.  The basic premise of the book is that, all of life – that is all truth and morality – is based upon some Higher Truth.  Lewis does not go so far in The Abolition of Man to claim that this Higher Truth should be Christianity (he argued that in Mere Christianity), but just that all Real Truth is in reality based upon a Higher Truth.  Men may deny this Higher Truth, but if while denying this Truth they still claim any sort of right or wrong, then they are in fact being hypocrites.  All morality, argues Lewis, stems from a higher, timeless Truth.  For lack of a better term, Lewis labels this Higher Truth,”The Tao” in The Abolition of Man.

To actually represent this book correctly, I must explain that Lewis does leave open another possibility.  Men may deny this Higher Truth, the Tao, but if they do so, every decision will then be based simply upon the opinion, or lust, of the moment.  As he says on page 67, “If you will not obey the Tao, or else commit suicide, obedience to impulse (and therefore, in the long run, to mere ‘nature’) is the only course left open.”  If the decisions of morality are not based on a Higher Law, and moral decisions are simply based upon our own fleeting opinions, then, argues Lewis, “Man’s final conquest has proved to be the abolition of Man” (64).  In other words, apart from a Higher Truth society will fall apart, and the influence of a few men in power will affect every other man, and result in the collapse of society.  Lewis concludes, “I am very doubtful whether history shows us one example of a man who, having stepped outside traditional morality and attained power, has used that power benevolently” (66).

I think this is an important book because what Lewis first predicted in 1944 in The Abolition of Man, is happening right now throughout Western society.  In American culture the adoption of a relativistic worldview seems to be making society worse not better.  When people adopt the “I do what feels right” view of morality, then society is doomed.  Mankind must base its morality on a higher, Objective Truth, and the only one that is shown to be true again and again is the truth of Christianity.  The pervading, demonic influence of Darwinian naturalism, and the survival-of-fittest mantra, if left unchallenged, will always result in the destruction of society.

Why?

My brother Andy has been telling me about C. J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries for a while now.  So, digging into a Mahaney book was really only a matter of time.  Andy and I like to talk about books and ministry and theology because, well, we’re both pastors.  But the actual reason that I picked up this book was to review it.  I wanted to see if it might be a useful tool in a discipleship program that I’ve been working on for my church.  Nathan Loxley (our worship pastor) and I were looking for a book that would be pretty accessible for the average person, but also really foundational.  It needed to be a book that would teach doctrinal truth, but stay applicable.  And I think we found the book with Living the Cross Centered Life.

Brief Description

Living the Cross Centered Life is a relatively small book (166 pages to be exact) about the theology and practical application of the cross of Jesus.  It should be explained that this book is really a combination of two other Mahaney books:  The Cross Centered Life and Christ Our Mediator; the new version of the book combines these two books and includes additional material.  The focus of the book is this:  the truth of the cross is not just for new believers, but for all believers in all parts of their lives.  As Mahaney says in the first chapter, “Too many of us have moved on from that glorious plan [the plan of responding with our whole lives to the gospel].  In our never-ending desire to move forward and make sure that everything we think, say, and do is relevant to modern living, too many of us have stopped concentrating on the wonders of Jesus crucified” (18).  This is glorious truth and often overlooked.  Many times Christians think they are saved by God’s grace, but then after that it’s all about what they do.  Wrong!  It’s all about what Jesus did from beginning to end.

Mahaney takes his readers through a brief, but thorough understanding of the cross in the first half of the book.  He then moves on to explain how the cross helps us when we suffer, how it brings us joy, and how it defeats legalism and self-condemnation.  He ends by giving practical advice for keeping the cross central on a daily basis.  I love this nod towards the practical.  As Mark Dever says in praise of the book “You’re holding the book you want to read to begin living the Christian life.  You’re also holding the book you want to read to help you continue living the Christian life” (1).

Why I love it

Living the Cross Centered Life is a great book!  It’s doctrinal, accessible, and practical.  C. J. carefully examines the cross, teaching theology as he goes, but keeping the picture of Jesus vivid the entire time.   Mahaney is honost and practical as he writes; he seems to me to be the type of guy that anyone would love to hang with.

The part of this book that will probably stick with me the most is the concept of “preaching to yourself” rather than “listening to yourself.”  Mahaney talks about how prone we are to let our emotions control us.  We begin thinking all kinds of negative and prideful thoughts in our heads rather than preaching the truth of the cross to ourselves.  He encourages readers to make decisions in life based on the truth that they know is right (the cross and it’s accomplishment) rather than making decisions based on how they feel emotionally at any given moment.  This is a really good insight that has already begun to effect my life.  I’m grateful for this little book, and even more grateful for Jesus and his life, death, and resurrection!  I highly recommend Living the Cross Centered Life and am already making plans to implement its use in the life of 24church.

I picked up this cool, old copy at a thrift store. I love the cover!

The Screwtape Letters is a fictional work by C. S. Lewis written in 1942 (my copy of the book also contained Screwtape Proposes a Toast 1961).  The book is composed of 31 letters from a “professional devil” named Screwtape to his nephew, a “junior temptor,” named Wormwood.  The nature of the letters focus on how Wormwood can better tempt his human “patient” to sin.

As with Mere Christianity, I found this book simply “ok.”  I think that perhaps the passage of time and culture – from when Lewis originally wrote The Screwtape Letters – to now is part of what leaves me unimpressed.  For instance, watching a movie in 2010 that was considered very important when in came out in the 1960’s, will leave some people scratching their heads as to why it was considered such a great movie.  The idea behind The Screwtape Letters is pretty original for its time, but I still just don’t understand what all the fuss is about.

A Complaint

One complaint that I have with this book is that I think Lewis’ conception of salvation is slightly off.  The Bible is clear that Christians, if they are truly redeemed, will keep repenting of sin and living for Christ during this life.  In other words, I believe that the Bible teaches the doctrine of “perseverance of the saints” – all true saints persevere in saving faith until the end.  If my understanding of The Screwtape Letters is correct, Lewis seems to think that those who are truly Christians can be tempted to sin and become unregenerate.  In other words, Lewis implies that a person can lose salvation.  Listen to this quote from one demon to another in The Screwtape Letters, “hundreds of these adult converts have been reclaimed after a brief sojourn in the Enemy’s camp and are now with us” (11).  It could be argued that this quote was from the demon’s point of view and not Lewis’ directly.  In that case, Lewis would be arguing that demons (not Lewis himself) assume that they can pull sons of God back out of son-ship.  This could be Lewis’ meaning, but I doubt it.  The other option is that Lewis is arguing that only God – not demons or anyone else – truly knows who “the redeemed” are, so demons are working on taking salvation from saints, not realizing that it is truly a lost cause.  Whichever option is true, Lewis’ lack of clarification leads me to believe that he thinks true believers can in fact become unbelievers.

Quotes I Enjoy

(remember that all of these are written from the point of view of one demon to another)

“But whatever the nature of the composite object, you must keep him praying to it-to the thing that he has made, not to the Person who has made him” (22).

(This quote is said in reference to encouraging humans to worship only the god that they have conceived of in their heads (the composite object), rather than the true God revealed in Scripture.)

“I have great hopes that we shall learn in due time how to emotionalize and mythologize their science to such an extent that what is, in effect, a belief in us (though not under that name) will creep in while the human mind remains closed to belief in the Enemy” (33).

(Isn’t this exactly what has happened amongst some adherents to the “New Atheism?”  A belief in an impersonal force (Buddhism) is acceptable and compatible with science, while a belief in a personal God is shunned as absolutely ludicrous.)

“But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy.  It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light an out into the Nothing” (56).

“When He (God) talks of their losing their selves, He means only abandoning the clamor of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever” (59).

“thousands of humans have been brought to think that humility means pretty women trying to believe they are ugly and clever men trying to believe they are fools” (64).

“He (God) therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things, to eternity itself and to that point of time which they call the Present” (68).

“Surely you know that if a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that “suits” him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches” (72).

“the search for a “suitable” church makes the man a critic where the Enemy wants him to be a pupil” (73).

Finally

I could keep going with the quotes because Lewis is the king of quotable content, but I won’t.  The Screwtape Letters is to be commended for its originality and creativity (especially for the period when it was written), but for me it fails to stand up to the hype.  My plan is to keep reading widely from Lewis because so many have found him inspiring, but so far I’ve found many, many books far more inspiring and useful than either Mere Christianity or The Screwtape Letters.

How can I even begin to describe such a great book?  If you’re a preacher you should read this book!  The Supremacy of God in Preaching is one of the most helpful little books I’ve found about the privilege of expounding God’s Word.

I love this book for a few different reasons:  1) I agree with everything John Piper says in these pages, 2) this is a brief but digestible word to preachers, and 3) Piper’s approach to a book about preaching is unique.

I Agree with Everything John Piper says in The Supremacy of God in Preaching

I’ve read quite a few books on preaching, and I enjoy and glean insights from many of them, but there are usually one or two statements in all of them that really hack me off.  This anger usually arises from the author unnecessarily attacking preaching styles that are unlike his own.  Piper rises above these unnecessary attacks and simply tells it how it is.  Everything in this book is helpful.  It’s not that Piper offers no critique of certain preaching, but he does so in a winsome tone and with ample evidence to support his point.  I love the encouragement that I find in The Supremacy of God in Preaching.

This is a Brief but Digestible Word to Preachers

Applying The Supremacy of God in Preaching will probably take a lifetime, but understanding it and reading it is easy.  I was able to sit down and read (and underline the heck out of) this book in just a few hours.  I honestly believe this book will benefit anyone who preaches the Word of God.  And…it’s short enough that it can be read again and again.  I love its usability!

Piper’s Approach to a Book About Preaching is Unique

Oftentimes books about ministry seem to all arise from the same think-tank.  Books about small groups all say the same thing, books about parenting repeat again and again the same principles, and many times books about preaching just copy the preaching book that was published two years prior.  No doubt – there is a kind of comfort in hearing that everyone agrees, but there’s also a sort of boredom that comes with book after book saying the same thing.  I’m sure John Piper could have written a good book that was similar to many other books on preaching, but instead he infused his own unique approach to the subject.  Specifically, much of this book is focused on the art of preaching as seen through the eyes Jonathan Edwards.  Anyone who knows Piper well, knows that Edwards has been a huge influence on his life and ministry, so it should come as no surprise that Piper’s book on preaching is influenced by Edwards.  Piper’s exposition of Edward’s method is refreshing and unique.  He does say things that other preachers say, but says them differently.  It’s a pleasant change from the status quo.

I love this book and hope to reread it multiple times!  If you preach the Word of God, I think it will probably help you too.

Precursory Thoughts

It’s been my intention for quite a while to spend time with the writings of C.S. Lewis.  Four or five years ago I read nearly half of Mere Christianity, but at the time I was also reading several other books and attending seminary.  The mixture of busy-ness made it easy to put this book down half way through.

Lately I’ve read several other authors who, quoting Lewis, have increased my desire to pick up Mere Christianity once again and give it a go.  John Piper, whom I respect tremendously, often quotes Lewis; he does so especially in his seminal book, Desiring God.  Likewise Tim Keller,whom I also respect, refers to Lewis as a huge influence and quotes from him liberally in The Reason for God.  Lastly, Brian McLaren, whom I do not respect (his theology, not the man), also uses Lewis as a source of inspiration in some of his writings.  The problem with this of course is that two men whom I greatly admire and agree with, site Lewis as a large influence.  Contrariwise McLaren, whom I do not respect, sites Lewis as a reference too.  In fact I would say that many of the most-loathsome beliefs that McLaren espouses seem to be founded in the thought of C.S. Lewis.

Watching a recent talk by John Piper about Lewis has helped clear the air for me in many respects.  In the talk, which I encourage you to watch, Piper discusses some of the problems with Lewis, but he also discusses the rewards that C.S. Lewis has wrought within his own life.

Review

Mere Christianity was originally delivered as a series of Radio Broadcasts in the 1940’s, only later in 1952, was it developed into a book.  As a result, it’s a very approachable read with subjects divided into nice, bite-sized chapters.  The book is organized into four separate books each with its own chapters.  The books are as follows:  Book 1 – Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe, Book 2 – What Christians Believe, Book 3 – Christian Behaviour, Book 4 – Beyond Personality:  Or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity.  Mere Christianity is essentially part apologetic for Christianity and part explanation of Christianity, and I have to applaud Lewis for doing a good job in his defending and explaining.

Personally, I enjoyed the apologetic in the beginning of the book and the thoughts on the Trinity at the end of the book most thoroughly.  The book is a bit slow in the middle.  Spiritually speaking, Mere Christianity gave me some interesting ways of thinking about Christianity.  In fact Lewis’ greatest contribution may be that he allows readers to see problematic portions of Christianity in a new light through his vivid descriptions.

This book wasn’t life changing for me, but it was definitely a worthwhile read.  If nothing else, I see portions of Christianity more clearly than I used to, and I have a bunch of Lewis quotes that will make me sound smart if I use them.  The problematic parts of Lewis’ philosophy make this a hard book for me to whole-heartedly recommend (see Piper’s talk).  Many will be blessed by its content and some may be led astray.  As always we must place the Bible’s revelation of itself ahead of man’s interpretations. Our personal interpretations are subject to the scrutiny of Bible.  I’m going to continue to read more of Lewis and see how my opinion develops after delving further.

Piper’s talk – http://theresurgence.com/why-cs-lewis-influenced-john-piper

I picked up a used copy of Atheism Remix for $5 at McKay’s Used Books, CD’s, Movies, and More in Nashville.  If you’ve never been to McKay’s, you’re missing out.  There is an incredible amount of good media at McKay’s, and inventory changes often.  Anyway, I’d been eyeing Atheism Remix for a while now in Lifeway, so when I saw I cheap used copy, I jumped on it.

This is a brief (108 pages), but effective book about the “New Atheism” movement.  New Atheism is different from older forms of atheism in its boldness, its specific animosity towards Christians and the God of the Bible (rather than just the conception of God in general), and in its cultural reach.  According to Mohler, New Atheism is “not just a reassertion of atheism, it is a movement that represents a far greater public challenge to Christianity than that posed by the atheistic movements of previous times” (12).  New Atheism is advocated most prominently by Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennet, Sam Harris, and Christopher Hitchens.  In just four chapters, Mohler spells out a description of New Atheism, its adherents, and how it is being challenged both effectively and ineffectively.

This book is culturally relevant and should be read widely.  The books of Dawkins and others are too popular for Christians to be completely unaware of the bombs being lobbed at Christianity by the adherents of New Atheism.  You should read this book.  If the effects of New Atheism don’t seem to be effecting you, they will effect your kids and the people you’re surrounded by.  I think believers everywhere should read Atheism Remix, especially because its brevity makes it so approachable.

If I have any qualms about this book, it is that Mohler offers little in the way of “What now?”  I don’t want to misrepresent Mohler as a deconstructionist, but I did personally long for a little more construction at the end of the book.  I suspect that he would argue that this was not his purpose in writing, which is perfectly acceptable, it just left me wanting a little more.  None-the-less, I learned a ton in the brief pages of this book and will encourage many to read it for themselves.

I’m not going to give a full review of this book because I’m not sure that it’s really necessary.  However, because I believe the academic exercise of reviewing books is a necessary one to synthesize thoughts concretely, I will at least provide a list of the highlights of my thoughts on Through Painted Deserts.

- This is Donald Miller’s first book in revised and rewritten form originally entitled Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance.

- It’s apparent that this is some of Miller’s earlier writing.  While still a good book, it’s not as immediately accessible as Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God Knows What, To Own a Dragon, or A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.

- Through Painted Deserts is less pointed in its spiritual approach.  This is more of a memoir of Donald Miller than a statement about God.   Miller does relate pieces of the struggle he had in his 20’s to believe in God over against Evolutionary and Scientific theories, but these struggles take a back seat to the overall story of the book.

- Having read this right after reading The Reason For God by Tim Keller, is was cool to see some of Keller’s arguments for God articulated in Miller’s real life experiences.  Keller talks about the beauty and longing found within art and nature as indications of God’s reality, and Miller expresses these same thoughts personally as he relates his story of traveling across America.  Miller also relates the insignificance he feels towards himself when observing God’s creation, a thought that is reminiscent of John Piper.  So in a real way, Miller helps flesh out the arguments of Keller and Piper.

- This is an enjoyable read, but I feel it is Miller’s least important work to date.  If you’ve never read Donald Miller before, I’d suggest reading any of his other books before reading Through Painted Deserts.