Sunday, December 30, 2018

Review: The Most Misused Stories in the Bible: Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood

The Most Misused Stories in the Bible: Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood The Most Misused Stories in the Bible: Surprising Ways Popular Bible Stories Are Misunderstood by Eric J. Bargerhuff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Who would the intended audience for this book be? Christians who sit under pastors who utilise an eisegetical method of preaching, or Christian friends who wish to emphasise to the abovementioned group the importance of an expository/exegetical method of studying God's Holy Scripture.

In Pg 49 of the Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (1999), Stanley Grenz, David Guretzki, and Cherith Fee Nordling explain what these two terms mean: "Exegesis is the process of seeking to understand what a text means or communicates on its own. Eisegesis is generally a derogatory term used to designate the practice of imposing a preconceived or foreign meaning onto a text, even if that meaning could not have been originally intended at the time of its writing."

Having studied the context and reflected upon the theological application of many of these stories for the purposes of teaching/preaching, I was mightly impressed by Bargerhuff's commentary on the stories in the opening of the book - David and Goliath (Chapter 1), Gideon's Fleece (Chapter 2), Jonah and the big fish (Chapter 4), The woman caught in adultery (Chapter 5), Jesus could not do miracles in his hometown (Chapter 6), Sowing your seed (Chapter 8). The content was lively, engaging, and highly accessible; Bargerhuff's theological reflection and application were spot on! I thought that this was an easy 6 star book that would be useful for reference for sermon preparation or that which I had to purchase multiple copies of to give away! But then later came the second half of the book which sadly I found to be unsuitable for my target audience...

Many of the subsequent chapters were often excellent (Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit in Chapter 14 was brilliant even) - but many chapters were tainted by the divisive advancing of his theological positions. Bargerhuff appears to be highly reformed/Calvinistic and a - he quotes John MacArthur (author of the notorious Strange Fire) and John Piper. I felt that it was unnecessary to be fixated on secondary or tertiary matters of The Calvinistic notion of Perseverance of the Saints ("Once Saved Always Saved") in The betrayal of Judas (Chapter 10), Cessationism in The Samaritan Pentecost (Chapter 11) and Transubstantiation in This is my body (Chapter 13).

If he releases a subsequent edition, I hope he focuses on the primacy on interpreting Scripture in context, illustrating applying it for the modern audience what the biblical author had intended for the original readers and not let his partisan views taint his exposition and commentary.

View all my reviews

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Review: Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God

Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God by Dallas Willard
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

The target audience would be novice readers as the depth of theology is kept at an accessible level and the material is easy-to-read. I picked this book because many other authors I've read quoted from Willard, and guessed that he must be a giant in this area of theology. However, I did not enjoy the read as much as I thought I would; I did not find the content engaging or soul-piercing. I wish that the content wasn't expanded, because many chapters provided for a rather tedious read; it may be better for a heavy dose of brevity/editor's hand to be utilised, also by cutting out excess material, shrinking the 300 pages to 200. Unfortunately, in this instance, bigger is not always better.

While Willard may have intended the book to read like a biblical-theological executive summary, I felt that the bible was used as a proof-text or eisegetical aid to elaborate/illustrate his points. I was uncomfortable with the brief and numerous quotations of Scripture texts/narratives were used to support his substantives. At times Willard quotes from other famous theologians, but another weakness of the book is the lack of personal anecdotes and illustrations. If I could use Randy Clark and Bill Johnson as examples (this is not meant as an endorsement of all of the latter's teaching), their books are engaging and exciting because of the numerous stories and testimonies that illustrate a principle they are trying to teach - regrettably, these are lacking in this title. I read other reviews with amusement (the gripe was that the later chapters were theoretical) but I am in agreement that Willard somehow seems to be communicating a topic that he does not personally have a personal experience in.

I cannot recommend this book because of all the abovementioned flaws. Instead, I'd recommend Kevin Deyoung's Just do Something or Bruce Waltke's Finding the Will of God.

View all my reviews

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Review: Why I Am a Christian

Why I Am a Christian Why I Am a Christian by John R.W. Stott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

As with his other titles, Stott writes clearly and does not dive into complicated theological jargon or discussion. He writes in a calm, gentle manner (unlike the strong argumentation of Ravi Zachariah’s). He cites the notable people. thinkers and theologians as he gives the reasons why he is a Christian. Most of the time, he utilises the bible as the primary source of reference for his substantive.

John Scott is one of my favourite theological authors; The Cross is Christ is one of the few books that I felt deserving of an exceptional 6 stars. However, as a 30 year old I could not engage with the content of this book. I am aware that my peers generally hold post modern world views, and felt that his book would better serve a modern audience (like the readers of 2003, when it was first published). Alternatively, this title could also be useful to readers whose English is a second language or for people who hail from traditional and non-postmodern backgrounds. For engaging critical or intelligent thinkers, this book would however not be useful in bringing up logical positions or debates in apologetics. A better title to aid evangelism of postmodern people would perhaps be Timothy Keller’s Reason for God or C S Lewis’ Mere Christianity.

View all my reviews

Sunday, November 18, 2018

Review: Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility

Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility by Duane Elmer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

One eye-catching feature would have to be the endorsements of the book in the first pages from the who’s who in the cross-cultural field. The book provided for a highly engaging, enjoyable and perhaps even captivating read. I cannot emphasize how brilliant it is that the content was presented as succinct as it was. As an Asian young adult who is largely influenced by Western education/thinking that clashes with the more traditional culture/worldviews of my elders, I appreciated that this book was extremely useful in that it was thoughtful, reflective and insightful. It seemed that much of his material was highly intuitive and logically, and yet I often wondered to myself: “now why didn’t I think of that?”

The mix of his own anecdotes with quotes/stories of others was just right. His breadth of knowledge in the subject matter is seen from the variety of sources he draws inspiration from, seemingly never over-quoting (like some other authors) to the effect that it was merely a paraphrase reproduction of another’s work. His dedication and passion in the subject matter (theology held in tandem/tension with anthropology) are also illustrated by his ever insightful experiences that he shares in the book.

As the title indicates, the primary substantive is that we are called by Christ to cross-culturally serve and not to boss/lord over those whom we perceive need our help/expertise or ministry. This is exceptionally helpful in our day of Instagram social work or short-term missions whereby it is “cool,” fashionable even, to broadcast to one’s social network how noble one was to have volunteered one's time and energies. Whilst this book is no silver bullet to make a proud and egotistical minister become a magically humble servant overnight, it should raise enough red flags to prompt the readers into introspection, reflection and a desire for change.

I heartily recommend this book to all Christians, not only those involved in cross-cultural overseas missions/ministry work as all of us are called to evangelise and minister wherever we are placed and not only to a homogenous people group from which we hail. A great companion to be read alongside this would be Lingenfelter’s excellent title Ministering Cross-Culturally (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/102044).

View all my reviews

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Review: Approaching the Study of Theology: An Introduction to Key Thinkers, Concepts, Methods & Debates

Approaching the Study of Theology: An Introduction to Key Thinkers, Concepts, Methods & Debates Approaching the Study of Theology: An Introduction to Key Thinkers, Concepts, Methods & Debates by Anthony C. Thiselton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For a person to pick up a title like this, he would probably be an intermediate or advanced reader. Yet the beauty of this book is that it is accessible even to the novice reader. Concepts are explained clearly, succinctly and intelligibly. Thiselton could have released a 1500 page version of this book, but much dedication and love were poured into ensuring that the material while broad, remained concise. The subject matter depicted will therefore not be exhaustive in depth, but this reviewer felt that the content is sufficient for a general overview.

The content is just as the subtitle describes - Key Thinkers, Concepts, Methods and Debates. For each subject topic, Thiselton discusses how notable thinkers/theologians have interacted with one another to shape its development (both in the present and through the ages), with references included as footnotes for those who would like to read further. I especially liked the analogy to explain what it is like for the dead to wait for the final moment of resurrection and judgment:
I have suggested the analogy of a child falling asleep on Christmas Eve, but waiting for the morning of Christmas. From a participant's perspective, we may tell the child, 'The sooner you fall asleep, the sooner Christmas will come.' But from an observer's perspective the adults of the household need to do many things, including preparing meals, wrapping up presents, and so forth. The analogy exactly matches the experience of the participant in death and transformation, and the observer of the eschatological drama. It is true in both cases: the departed are with Christ, but certain events must take place before the end (p112-3).

This book is probably not meant to be read cover to cover, but to be referred to as and when the reader wishes to acquaint himself (or explore further) in a theological topic of interest. I find Part 3 (glossary of key terms) especially useful as a quick yet exhaustive point of reference for theological jargon. Because it is a reference title, I would actually recommend it be purchased as a digital form, so that it can be accessed on the go (for example, when you are discussing theology with somebody outside the home).

View all my reviews

Sunday, October 7, 2018

Review: The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church's Mission

The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church's Mission The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church's Mission by Christopher J.H. Wright
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The content is rather light and easy to read quickly through. I recognise that Chris Wright is one of the leading theologians in the field of missiology, but I found this title a tiresome to read and rather unengaging. Perhaps in trying to be accessible for a lay-level reading audience, the theological depth was compromised to a point that more advanced readers would not find it useful. When I read it 2-3 years as a bible school student, I found that I craved "deeper" theological reflections on the topic, and when I read it recently for the purposes of obtaining material for a research paper on the biblical theological perspective on missions, I too found it wanting. I cannot recommend this book and would recommend that you consult Walter Kaiser or Michael Goheen instead if you were exploring the theme of the biblical theology of the OT and church's mission respectively.

View all my reviews

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Review: A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story

A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story by Michael W. Goheen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goheen may not be a theologian who introduces earth-shattering new defining concepts for us to chew on (like Newbigin for example), but he is a master researcher who compiles the material in a concise and very readable package. With a 1500 page reading requirement for a Missions module, this was by far the breath of fresh air amidst some other very painfully tedious (and boring) titles.

Of the tens of books I utilised for a research paper on the biblical theological perspective on missions, this was the one I found the most enjoyable to read. My guess is that this provides a lighter dose of his more comprehensive "Introducing Christian Mission Today" that is almost twice as thick, and where many similar concepts are visited but in greater detail. Goheen writes with an interest in the biblical theological framework and what made the book a truly pleasurable read was that even novice readers would find the title highly engaging and accessible. More advanced readers can refer to his abovementioned lengthier title.

View all my reviews

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Review: Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission (New Studies in Biblical Theology)

Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission (New Studies in Biblical Theology Salvation to the Ends of the Earth: A Biblical Theology of Mission (New Studies in Biblical Theology by Andreas J. Köstenberger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This title is targeted at intermediate and advanced readers, for the deep theological content is difficult to skim through quickly without engaging into time to digest and reflect. For the tens of books I utilised for a research paper on the biblical theological perspective on missions, this was the one I found the most insightful. It was also really easy to read and its thickness is due to the breadth of issues discussed. It is a pity that this book is out of print (and I did notice many ideas from various other authors being quoted without acknowledgement).

Nevertheless, I recommend obtaining a copy because of its usefulness. It would still be a good investment for sermon or bible study preparation, especially for the last chapter (concluding synthesis) provides a "light" and easily comprehensible summary of the topic. If you find that a certain subsection in the concluding summary that seems potentially useful, you can tend leaf your way into the in-depth corresponding chapter.

View all my reviews

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Review: The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence

The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence by Thabiti M. Anyabwile
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The book was easy to read and novice readers would find no trouble going the material. The target audience is an American one, and specifically African American (as seen from Chapter 11's The good news for African American Muslims). I felt that the illustrations and personal accounts sometimes did not serve to explain the substantive that the author was trying to bring across. It is however not the most engaging of titles, and if I did not have to sieve out information for a world religions seminary course, I doubt I would have wanted to read it from cover to cover. There was a lone flash of brilliance, whereby 61-2, whereby Anyabwile quoted from C. S. Lewis ("Jesus is liar, lunatic or Lord") to substantiate that accepting Jesus as a “good moral teacher” or as a prophet, only to then reject his prophecy and teachings about himself is not an honest position to take. With Moody's 2018 reprint of the original 2010 title, it is a pity that some updating or additions were not made.

I received this book from Moody Publishers Newsroom for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Review: Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250

Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250 Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250 by Karl Vaters
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

With Ecclesiology being my primary theological area of interest even before I started my seminary education, I have read probably about 50 books on church growth and church leadership. This being probably the first book I have read from a small church perspective, I realised my skepticism was uncalled for as I thoroughly enjoyed this wise, insightful and highly practical labour of love. How I wish that there are more like it this the market (consulting the bibliography did not help much, because as Vaters stated, the lack of such resources compelled him to this endeavour).

With my past experience pointing me towards congregational sizes of medium to large churches (>500) as compared to a (<200 member) small church community, I believe I am analysing the small church model in a relatively objective manner. They are not my preferred choice, and I have no reason to paint them in a good light. Yet I caught a little of Vaters’ passion for the church, both his and others; in this book, he seeks to give insight on the nuts and bolts of the small church's mechanisms and illustrated numerous ecclesiological principles that are unique to it.

I also grieved over how church growth principles (meant for large Churches) could be disastrous when applied to small churches. I am heartened that many of the mistakes he made in adopting cut-and-paste (large) church leadership techniques would not have to be committed again by many readers, and spare many a flock from the resulting pain. I thoroughly enjoyed the read and regard this to be a brilliant 6 star book.

I received this book from Moody Publishers Newsroom for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Monday, July 30, 2018

Review: Leading Across Cultures: Effective Ministry and Mission in the Global Church

Leading Across Cultures: Effective Ministry and Mission in the Global Church Leading Across Cultures: Effective Ministry and Mission in the Global Church by James Plueddemann
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Although Plueddemann's CV would lead one to infer his great depth of experience, it somehow does not translate to how he writes. I felt that if Plueddemann could have injected a large dose of brevity into the book, it could potentially provide an engaging read. However, many substantives were repeated more than necessary, and the second chapter about his own lengthy leadership journey would not appeal to or interest readers who do not know him.

Having different contributors at the end of each chapter to provide their own commentary on the topic was a nice touch, but not enough to save the rather mediocre content of the book. The many case studies and personal accounts shared in the book were simply not as intense/gripping or insightful as those in the other excellent books I've reviewed on cross-cultural missions (namely Sherwood Lingenfelter's Ministering Cross-Culturally and Duane Elmer's Cross-Cultural Servanthood).

View all my reviews

Monday, July 16, 2018

Review: The Intimate Mystery

Intimate Mystery Intimate Mystery by Dan B. Allender
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The two authors are a dynamic duo - Allender provides the engaging narrative while Longman III oversees the content to be shaped by sound theology. The pacing of the book was fantastic, allowing for quick absorption and thoughtful reflection/application (with reference to the reader's own marriage life). The content and illustrations are highly relatable for the married couple, every one of which is bound to have marriage issues/problems.

No excess ink was spilt; the brevity of the material keeps it accessible to novice readers. In reading the opening chapter, I however was worried that this book appeared to deviate from Allender’s and Longman III’s popular-level pitching to the layman (the vocabulary used was more suited to intermediate to advanced readers). Thankfully, the usually easy-to-follow content soon resumed in the subsequent chapters.

It is a pity that the title did not provide a clue on how useful the opening chapters would be for a pre-marriage couple (though the closing chapters on sex are more appropriate after the wedding). How I wished that we had read this book to get some insight on how to deal with the intense stress, anger and quarrels of managing the demands of the in-laws from both sides of the family (who all wanted to insist on this and that for the wedding). And woefully this book sat on my bookshelf until a year and a half after the nightmarish battles; if I could turn back time, I'd have definitely tried to read this title together with my wife-to-be, to provide us with a theological and practical approach to the challenges ahead.

This is an excellent book and I heartily recommend it! I bought a handful of copies to give as wedding gifts to my newly-wedded friends whose weddings I would attend shortly! Perhaps this personal endorsement would make up for my desire not to spoil any of the content in this review!

View all my reviews

Monday, July 2, 2018

Review: Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal Relationships

Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal Relationships Ministering Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Personal Relationships by Sherwood G. Lingenfelter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's been a long time since I enjoyed a read so thoroughly! This is an easy 6 star rating from me. The author (and editor) provided an exciting and extremely informative read. It is amazing how concise the material is - I did not feel that more ink was spilt than necessary, and also I did not feel that the substantives were insufficiently developed - the length of the book is just right. This feels like a distilled gift to us from a lifetime of cross-cultural work in the mission field. Novice and advanced readers alike will find it a worthwhile read and I appreciated how the fields of cultural anthropology and theology formed the backbone of the material.

Although written primarily to a North American audience, even as a Singaporean living in an Asian culture interacts with a western worldview, there was much to learn from Ligenfelter. I had not been aware of how different the eastern and western cultures (or individualistic and collectivist societies) are, and how the people in each perceive the world and interact with each other! Although the real-life illustrations in the book are slightly dated (most are pre-1986), the issues addressed and the principles discussed are timeless. Perhaps the ultimate compliment I could pay to the authors is to reveal that as a bible school student who is not very much interested in missions, I found that I started to develop an attraction toward the topic and felt the desire to read more titles on it!

I heartily recommend this masterpiece of a book! A great companion to be read alongside this title would be Elmer's Cross-Cultural Servanthood (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2477980169).

View all my reviews

Monday, June 18, 2018

Going home to participate in world missions

I have considered it rather fascinating - the notion of encouraging foreigners in our midst to go home for the sake of the gospel. I appreciate how Packer iterates the points clearly and succinctly. Practically, there would be less of a cultural barrier (and language barrier) and there would be less suspicion of colonial-type of forceful influence by a foreigner coming to impose a foreign religion upon the indigenous people. Whereas the foreign person would have to find a reason to obtain a long-term visa, be it education or work, the local missionary could be seeking genuine employment (until the church plant has grown large enough to sustain a full-time pastor). I am apprehensive about the efficacy of short-term missions with durations below 2-3 years, and the indigenous missionary would be able to make long-term plans and participate even indefinitely. Monetary-wise, especially if the area of the mission field is a developing country, the same amount of money would go further funding a native citizen as compared to funding a Westerner.


From J I Packer's article on the Lausanne Movement page:

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Conviction and Conversion - Lausanne Movement

POWER AND WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT I I live in Vancouver, Canada, where the wind rarely rises beyond a gentle breeze. But in Britain, where I lived before, gales would strip branches from trees, roofs from sheds, and make it...Read more ›
"We also need to recognize the intrinsic superiority of nationals evangelizing within their own or similar cultures. This is more effective than having others bear the brunt of evangelizing cross-culturally where the receiving culture differs from their own in a radical way.

National evangelism is superior to cross-cultural evangelism because: (a) nationals have freedom [of] movement, living in lands whereas by A.D. 2000, 83 percent of world's population are expected to to be living in lands to which church-planting Western missionaries will not be admitted; (b) throughout Asia, and in other parts of the Two-Thirds World, anti-Western prejudice is strong; (c) in Asia and Africa, missionary money from the West goes much further when supporting nationals rather than Westerners; (d) pioneering by Western missionaries perpetuates the myth that Christianity is the religion of the West as Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam are religions of the East, in other words, that Christianity is an ethnic rather than a universal religion; and (e) the efforts of Western missionaries in the East so easily look and feel like neo-colonialism and denominational imperialism. But the deepest reason is that appreciating the full humanity of a person who culturally is not felt to be “one of us” is harder than when a person is felt to be a part of that culture. This makes it more difficult for cross-cultural communication to be perceived as incarnational and, therefore, as convincingly true. It is as simple, and as far-reaching, as that. In lands where there are no churches, cross-cultural missionary work remains the only way to begin."

Review: The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict

The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict by Ken Sande
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Sande has dedicated his life to the ministry of resolving conflict. However, his passion is at times is lost in the excessively long introductions and round-about elaboration. Future revisions hopefully would come with more diagrams, art and highlights of key quotations. A large dose of brevity would also do it much good; I believe that if Sande (or his editor) would shrink the excess material and cut the number of pages from 300 to 150-200, this would be a masterpiece without compare. After 6 reprints since 1991, perhaps it is time for a heavy treatment of a seasoned editor's pen to resonate with today's readers from the digital age.

I wonder how many people undergoing conflict in their lives would have the discipline to force themselves to keep reading to the end - given the unexciting factual material that perhaps is better consumed over a multi-day workshop (I completed the read only because it was a requirement for a course). His target audience would probably not have the emotional state of mind to get to the useful parts of the book (which come around the middle to end).

Furthermore, while most of the dramatised illustrative narratives were in point in introducing the abstract topics, I found “Gently Restore” (p139-41) to be cringe-worthy in that the magical change in the character of the antagonist (and happy ending) made it hard to believe. If Sande could get in touch with the Dan Allender, perhaps the illustrations could have a touch of believability and realism added.

View all my reviews

Friday, June 8, 2018

Review: How to Read Proverbs

How to Read Proverbs How to Read Proverbs by Tremper Longman III
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

While this book provided a decent read, it is not as outstanding as some others in this series when John Walton is onboard as a co-author (How to read Genesis is an outstanding example). Perhaps having an extra pair of eyes and mind to bounce ideas of makes for a more refined final product, and thus for this title whereby Longman III is the sole author, the clarity and engagement is noticeably less than the above mentioned collaborative work.

Nevertheless, it still provides insight into how we could better understand the book of Proverbs. I appreciate how Longman III draws reference to similar (and contrasting) themes in other biblical books (Kings, Ecclesiastes and Jeremiah for example), as well as to other Semitic wise sayings. Chapter 8 (Proverbial wisdom in narratives of Joseph and Daniel’s lives) is exceptionally insightful in the self-titled chapter. Also useful would be the recommended commentaries (with comments) for further reading, which is found towards the end of the book.

View all my reviews

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Review: The Spiritual Gifts Handbook: Using Your Gifts to Build the Kingdom

The Spiritual Gifts Handbook: Using Your Gifts to Build the Kingdom The Spiritual Gifts Handbook: Using Your Gifts to Build the Kingdom by Randy Clark
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The book is no magic pill for one to suddenly acquire the spiritual gifts; if I were it would head straight for the dustbin. The numerous real-life accounts provide readers with a glimpse of how others operate in the gifts and hopefully it encourages you as it did me of the diversity in how the Holy Spirit works in the lives of Christians.

As an expositorily-leaning, gospel-centered Charismatic who calls a reformed church home, I appreciate how this book represents the unity of the body of Christ. If I were to use 'Christianese' jargon to describe what Randy Clark, a Charismatic Protestant, and Mary Healy, a Charismatic Catholic have collaborated and gifted to us, it is a tangible display of ecumenical solidarity.

We Charismatics are usually prone to having an interest in church history or bible theology, and this book would be incredibly helpful to the peers whom I love so very dearly. I was pleasantly surprised that I did not have to approach this book as cautiously as I did to guard against proof-texted assertions (since I do not naturally associate Randy Clark in the same camp as the expositionally faithful reformed preachers/scholars), for substantives provided are introduced and supported with quotations and illustrations/accounts from saints of past and present, with of course brief Scriptural expositions and comments.

If I could highlight something in the book, it would be the opening chapter - the overview of the spiritual gifts provided, by itself, is worth the price of the book. I appreciated how Clark and Healy concisely summarised the differing interpretations about the spiritual gifts and represented opposing views faithfully and graciously. The brevity of the theological and church history framework thereafter presented provided an exciting read, a hallmark possibly of skilful editing.

I received this book from Baker Publishing Group's Chosen Divison's Blogger Review Program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Sunday, May 20, 2018

Review: Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give

Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give Practicing the King's Economy: Honoring Jesus in How We Work, Earn, Spend, Save, and Give by Michael Rhodes
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is an easy to read and inspirational book, whereby the authors’ love for the poor and marginalised is put forth in a matter of fact manner. Encouraging and challenging accounts of likeminded community work are aplenty and one would inevitably reflect on life - if we have been loving others as God would.

We all interpret Scripture with different lenses. This reviewer does it through an expositionary and biblical theology framework; conversely the authors utilise a proof texting method.

For example, on page 140, after a fairly orthodox commentary on Ruth 1, the authors conclude that “If Boaz doesn’t leave profits in the fields, Ruth remains an outsider...” which ignores the main point of the passage and the book (that Yahweh is our kinsman-redeemer and not that we ought to be a Boaz to a Ruth). They go on to use this problematic theology to state, while noble and applaudable, how “Christians today (should) intentionally (be) creat[ing] work opportunities for the homeless, (so as not to) miss out on the God-given gifts of those marginalised workers who long to bring a plate to the potluck...” It breaks this reviewer’s heart at how Scripture is brutally butchered to fit the proposition of the authors and how it could be the start of a slippery slope to a works-righteousness theology.

I forced myself to read until page 220 when I finally gave up because I was too brokenhearted over how the authors had misused Scripture. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this as a go-to book about stewardship.

I received this book from Baker Publishing Group's Blogger Review Program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Review: How to Read Job

How to Read Job How to Read Job by John H. Walton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

With the book of Job being a rather unique book in Scripture, most of us would feel daunted at trying to comprehend or much less read it in its entirety. The authors, Walton and Longman III, both whom have published commentaries on the book of Job in 2012, suggest that "the book of Job is more challenging than most books of the bible" (p162). I found this title to be very helpful for the purpose of bible study, teaching and sermon preparation.

As with the other books I've reviewed from IVP's How to Read series, this title is engaging, easy-to-read and digest. Special mention should be given to the amazing brevity in this book; condensing complex theological concepts into an easy to understand manner is a high-level skill that the two professors are highly adept at. I appreciate how clearly the authors write - because they go right to the point without using convoluted jargon, the novice readers, as will the advanced readers, find this book helpful especially in situations whereby time is of the essence. Especially useful also is how, when discussing a theological theme of the book, the authors would note down in bullet points every corresponding passage from Job (and the Wisdom Literature).

The standout chapters would be "Theology of suffering in the book of Job" (Chapter 15) that addresses the main theological thrust, "Job and Jesus" (Chapter 17) whereby great pointers are given on how we can avoid forcing a Christological typology on the text and "Applying the book of Job" (Chapter 20), which has a self-explanatory title.

The most useful piece of advice I have gleaned from the book would be: "When I learn of a friend or loved one who has entered some sort of crisis through loss or illness, my first response is not to tell them they should read the book of Job for comfort. The message of the book is more suited to training for crises than to performing in a crisis." (p170).

A few years ago, I sat for an introductory class on the Wisdom Literature under a seminary lecturer. To my surprise and utmost pleasure, I found that I agreed with Walton and Longman III's positions more often than I did my lecturer's, whose material was along the lines of the more traditional positions. I appreciated how the clear, robust and persuasive journey through the text prompted me to re-examine my theological assumptions and positions.

However, while I enjoyed the read, there were some chapters (eg. Chapter 18's The message of the book of Job for today) that I felt were too brief and were insufficiently elaborated/explained for a reader to understand and re-communicate to another person. Also, once we move onto Part Two (Getting to know the Characters) and Part Three (The theological message), the beginner (and maybe intermediate) readers may possibly find it a challenge to comprehend the material and remain engaged. This reviewer (having rarely read the wisdom literature and corresponding commentaries), far preferred the engaging front matter of the book but struggled to keep on reading in the deeper theologically complex discussions in especially Part Three. Thankfully, the concluding chapters in Part Four (Reading Job as a Christian) were back along the lines of the great quality and easily-understood matter of the beginning of the book. Hence for these two reasons, this title receives a rating of 4 stars.

I received this book from IVP Academic for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Sunday, April 29, 2018

Review: Developing Emotionally Mature Leaders: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help Transform Your Ministry

Developing Emotionally Mature Leaders: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help Transform Your Ministry Developing Emotionally Mature Leaders: How Emotional Intelligence Can Help Transform Your Ministry by Aubrey Malphurs
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

This is a rather mediocre book, especially when you compare it to Aubrey Malphurs' other titles. After all, he is one of my favourite authors when it comes to Ecclesiology and Church Growth. At first, I thought it was because of my academic background in Psychology that made me feel that the book lacked substance and depth, but it seems that my gut feel was affirmed by the other reviewers on good reads as well. This book would appeal only to the extremely novice readers, for example, missionary teams made up of teenagers. Adults would probably be frustrated at the content.

The opening story caught my attention, but it promised too much of a magical solution to self-combusting missionary teams. The content was strangely unengaging and a chore to go through; I had to force myself to keep reading. It felt like he was harping on the same point over and over again, and I was hoping that Malphurs would "get on with it!" The nail in the coffin was how it seemed rather weak on theology (even though he had two chapters about the "biblical theology" of emotions") and if I were blunt, seemed more of a proof text approach. I can only hope that this is a rushed piece of work and that subsequent revisions would be thoroughly edited, and not that he has exhausted all ideas and can now only produce a subpar material. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book.

I received this book from Baker Publishing Group for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Religious tourists or lifestyle matyrs?

The term "religious tourists" left a deep impression on me and caused me to reflect on how sometimes our faith does not require much of a sacrifice or cost us anything. I'm not propagating a works-righteousness whereby we try to earn our salvation through good works, we receive it through acknowledging our sin and accepting Christ's atonement on our behalf.

What is scary for me is when I observe what kind of creature Christianity in a country with religious freedom may morph into. While the early Christians gave their witness with their lives, dying martyrs' deaths, today following Christ is trendy, popular and financially rewarding even (because of the extensive networking opportunities in church). It's a sobering thought to consider how many of us Christians will continue to pledge allegiance to Yahweh if there is a price to pay for our obedience. Even as we prosper in a tolerant society and government, it is so easy for us to slide into lifestyles contrary to what the bible tells us is demanded of us. 

Oh Lord, awake our souls to long for your rule and reign in our lives, such that we would be so joyfully used to following you in the good days, that when the bad days come, our faiths would be unwavering. Help us Holy Spirit to remind us of the great cost of Calvary and consider the Cross of Christ that we are to take up; give us the strength, discipline and joy to do so and to urge others to do likewise. Amen.


Hansen reflects on Phil 2:12 on page 171-2 of his PNTC commentary:

The Letter to the Philippians

The Letter to the Philippians has 30 ratings and 6 reviews. Dan said: Philippians, is an New Testament commentary, written by G. Walter Hansen and publis...

“It is this ‘long obedience in the same direction’ which the mood of the world does so much to discourage.” When the path of obedience to Christ becomes steep and dangerous, pleasure seekers look for an easier way. Religious tourists hunting for sensational entertainment, instantaneous enlightenment, and emotional excitement will jump on the newest rides and take quick shortcuts, but they will not be found with pilgrims on the long, hard road following in the footsteps of Christ, who was obedient to death—even death on a cross. Paul’s call to unflagging, Christ-like obedience will not be popular in a world that so highly values going fast and having fun and so quickly rejects enduring pain and submitting to authority. But the essential characteristic of the wise who build their community on Christ is their consistent obedience to him.

Review: Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations

Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations Mission in the Old Testament: Israel as a Light to the Nations by Walter C. Kaiser Jr.
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed the read and found this book very insightful. Kaiser packs in deep theological material and somehow managed to make the material a joy to leaf through. I appreciate the footnotes and references that he provided for further reading. Intermediate and advanced readers would probably find the content engaging, and because of the extremely small number of pages, maybe even novice readers would be able to read a chapter or two that catches their interest.

Of the tens of books I utilised for a research paper on the biblical theological perspective on missions, this title is a close second on my list of favourites that I found most insightful/helpful (the standout title was Michael Goheen's excellent "A light to the nations."

View all my reviews

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Review: After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles

After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles After Acts: Exploring the Lives and Legends of the Apostles by Bryan M. Litfin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book is targeted at novice to intermediate readers, and as such, does not include sufficient citations for much of the evidence cited, which scholarly readers would require for the purposes of academic research.

Litfin writes skillfully and excitingly, with many times this reader feeling that he had been transported to the ancient world of the disciples. As Church History is not my cup of tea, I appreciated how Litfin did all the heavy lifting research and study, and packaged all of that into a neat little package. I especially appreciated the chapters on Peter and Paul, because I doubt that I would have the dedication to trace their ministry journies and deaths on my own. One feature of the book that was extremely helpful - the report card at the end of each chapter - which allows us to review Litfin's evaluation of the plausibility of the legendary claims/facts about each apostle.

Because of limited space on my bookshelf, I usually only keep the 6 star books (books that are outstanding and punch way above its peers), yet I recognise that this topic - of the lives of the apostles - would be helpful in time to come for bible study lessons on most NT topics, and so this 4.5 starred book shall be spared from the chopping block.

I still struggled to get through the book in a single sitting, though it is no fault of his, given how much church history often is a struggle for me. So what could make this book truly outstanding? Perhaps more pictures and charts/diagrams would help with the grabbing of our attention, and a more extensive endnote section whereby more advanced readers can pursue further reading.

I received this book from the Moody Publishers Newsroom program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews

Friday, March 30, 2018

Review: The Church

The Church The Church by Edmund P. Clowney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Clowney writes with a brevity brought about after organising and summarising a lifetime of dutiful study and careful reflection into this book. He provides an engaging read and could not be boring even if he tried; chapter after chapter, he continually captured my attention and interest. I note that he did not resort to bombastic theological jargon and as a result, a topic that is usually exclusively the debate among scholars and experts (i.e. Ecclesiology), is kept accessible to the clergy and layperson. As Clowney rightly points, "this [~300 page] book can only provide a brief survey ... [and] remind us of our Lord's teaching about his church so that by his Word and Spirit he may renew and direct us into a new century, until he comes." (p25)

The chapters are laid out in an easy to follow, systematic format of various (often weighty and controversial) topics encompassing the church laid out in bite-sized easily-digestible chunks. A brief outline of the book's contents would be as follows:
-biblical theology in chapters 2-5 (the church as the people of God, disciples of Christ and as the fellowship of the Holy Spirit)
-the attributes and of the church in chapters 6-7 (apostolic, one, holy and catholic) and its marks in chapter 8
-ministry of the church in chapters 9-13 (worship, nurture, mission and in relation to the world's cultures and its governments)
-structure of the church in chapter 14
-much debated topics in chapters 15-17 (women in ministry, charismatic gifts of tongues and prophecy)
-sacraments in chapter 18

He methodically brings us through a chronological journey through Scripture and church history, with an eye always on a biblical-theological framework and clear, insightful observations of both theology and culture. I appreciate how he lays out facts in a partial (not slanted toward a denomination) and matter-of-fact manner that confronts, challenges and causes us to reconsider our theological assumptions/presuppositions. I thoroughly enjoyed how he, as an elder statesman, held his strong convictions/conclusions in tension with the enormous amounts of grace (and ecumenical love) he displayed to those with whom he disagreed with.

I hail from almost a polar opposite theological background from Clowney, and yet I find that I disagree with him only one major matter - whether signs and wonders have ceased or are still continuing through the ministry of the saints today. I wonder whether he had the opportunity to befriend some charismatics/pentecostals/third wavers who have had an active ministry characterised by supernatural deliverance/healing. Also, I found his lack of a clear position of women in ministry a little disappointing - from what I understand, he appears to affirm the service of women in any position that does not involve a ruling function. But I would have preferred if he was more explicit in stating his position rather than ending the chapter with a dichotomous conundrum and a rhetorical question. If this book were ever revised, a helpful improvement would be the addition of questions at the end of every chapter to aid discussion and reflection.

Chapters 2-5 are textbook examples of concise and yet rich theological reflection - I felt they were worth the price of the book by themselves. The structure of the church (Chapter 14) is similarly enjoyable - being a wonderful mix of biblical theology, church history, the real-life application of what Scripture says and how our differing interpretations represent themselves in varying church models; I have always found the topic tedious and monotonous but Clowney's writing was highly informative and engaging.

p.s. I confess that I was skeptical in reading the forward and discovering that Clowney enlisted the services of his daughter Rebecca Clowney-Jones as editor, because of my past encounter with the very average How Jesus Transforms The Ten Commandments that was also edited by her (I found it to lack Clowney's usually clear, thoughtful theological reflection and precise illustrations; perhaps she had to use a heavy editor's hand, given his battle with illness). Thankfully, this work was completed when he was still in good health (published 10 years before his death) and typifies Clowney's usual high standards.

View all my reviews

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Review: Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work

Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work Work Matters: Connecting Sunday Worship to Monday Work by Tom Nelson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The primary thrust of the book is this - full-time ministry work is as important as secular vocational work. Unfortunately, he spent too many pages of text harping on the same point. And at the end of everything, I was not convinced.

Tom Nelson’s writing style does not resonate with me; I struggled to remain interested in the unfolding narrative. While he uses a mix of personal accounts, real-world examples and Scripture, his use of the biblical text is problematically eisegetical (meaning he highlights many passages and isolates the biblical text out of its context to fit what he wants it to say along the lines of the topic he is on, often missing the main theological principle of the passage and instead engaging in a works-righteousness application of "be like Boaz" or "be like Joseph"). Perhaps the only part of the book that was of a better quality would be chapter 9's "Facing challenges at work."

A quick glance at the other helpful Goodreads reviewers' takes would yield the advice to avoid this book if you have read another on this topic. For better reads on the topic of work, look at Timothy Keller’s Every Good Endeavour or William Taylor’s Revolutionary Work.

View all my reviews

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Review: Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me

Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me Taking God at His Word: Why the Bible Is Knowable, Necessary, and Enough, and What That Means for You and Me by Kevin DeYoung
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Raised as a charismatic from birth and now having become more reformed (and expository) in bible school, this reviewer agrees with DeYoung's principal substantive - that Christians ought to hear the voice of God by reading the bible. For the nitty-gritty details, the first chapter in the book presents a pretty good defence of this view.

The book comes in a hardcover, which is a nice touch, as this would be a book that many would think to lend to lend to other believers. The book is highly accessible, being targeted at the layman and beginner/intermediate readers. I appreciate how DeYoung presents the various viewpoints on any topic he discusses and faithfully describes (almost to the point of defending) the opposing views as would a proponent. A great feature at the end of the book would be the recommended further readings, whereby he makes comments and states what kind of reader may be interested (beginner, intermediate or advanced).

The 3.5 star rating is due to insufficient real-world anecdotes/accounts making the walls of text a challenge to remain engaged at times. DeYoung’s strengths appear also to be in penning non-theological titles where his writing comes alive on another level - see “Crazy Busy” or “Why we love the church” for DeYoung at his very best. Many a time I found myself struggling to want to keep reading, and I simply forced myself to finish the book so as to write this review.

View all my reviews

Sunday, February 25, 2018

Review: Revolutionary Work: What's the point of the 9 to 5

Revolutionary Work: What's the point of the 9 to 5 Revolutionary Work: What's the point of the 9 to 5 by William Taylor
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Taylor writes clearly and engages the reader with an easy-to-follow narrative. The book is targeted at every Christian, with the biblical principals while insightful and thought-provoking, easily comprehensible and applicable across denominations and theological camps. This book is highly relatable and illustrated with modern stories, accounts and anecdotes.

Indeed we all fall into either the I-have-to-survive-the-mundane-challenge-of-work or the I-give-my-all-to-work-while-neglecting-everything-else camps. I'd like not to spoil anything, because, at just over 100 pages, you too can read it even in a single sitting!

I finished the book feeling encouraged, challenged and with much to reflect how I can apply the biblical principles into life. I heartily recommend this title and would even consider ordering multiple copies to give away! It has been a long time since I enjoyed the read as much as I did in this small little book! In fact, I am regretful that I had not read it earlier. It also earns the rare award of 6 stars from me, and earns a place on my bookshelf! (As a serial book reviewer, I only keep those I found were most extraordinary while selling the rest)!

View all my reviews

Sunday, February 11, 2018

Review: How Then Shall We Worship?: Biblical Principles to Guide Us Today

How Then Shall We Worship?: Biblical Principles to Guide Us Today How Then Shall We Worship?: Biblical Principles to Guide Us Today by R.C. Sproul
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The title is a little of a misnomer - when I bought it I thought that this is an academic work that would address the styles of worship and discuss the different positions about it, but it turns out actually it is geared at the layman reader and explores worship a little more at the personal level than at the corporate setting. Also in a slight deviation from the main theme of worship, other topics like prayer, baptism and the Lord's supper are also discussed. If the title in subsequent revisions were changed to following Christ or living a Christian life, I would be happy to add at least 1 stars to the rating.

Sproul writes in the first person and provides an easy read with the conversational style for the opening chapters of the book. Thereafter, chapters 6-8 on the topic of baptism were excellent - it helped me understand the position of infant baptism for the first time! In contrast, Chapter 9-11 seemed to lack theological exhaustiveness (width) and substance (depth); after reading each chapter I felt a desire to have been persuaded more so I could agree with Sproul’s substantives.

Mercifully, in Chapter 12 (The sounds of worship), the excitement and endgame to starts to pick up, with the delightful church history juxtaposed against tradition from Scripture. It was a pleasant surprise to find a rather exhaustive study/discussion guide at the end of the book (because this too is not reflected on the cover). I’d like to say that this book has the potential to become a really great 5 Star title with minor tweaks to the titles, editing and by further elaboration in some chapters, but with Sproul’s passing in 2017, I doubt we would see that come to fruition.

View all my reviews

Sunday, January 28, 2018

The mis-selling of a triumphalist Christianity

As I reflect on Carson's exposition on Pages 31-2, my heart breaks at how we have been m mis-selling Christianity to attract people to follow Christ and how far removed it has been removed from denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following him. If the premise at which one decides to become saved is to be as successful and high flying as a prominent Christian personality, then I am overwhelmed with worry at how such a believer will respond during times of trial and suffering. I shudder at this thought because I, once upon a time too, believed in a prosperity theology whereby my religion gave me the right to demand (through prayer) what God needed to give me or come through for me.

Oh Lord, forgive me for wrongfully presenting your gospel and making false promises to seekers on your behalf. Help us believers to communicate the perseverance and joy of submitting our wills to you, and to winsomely communicate a faithful understanding of how we relate to you to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us to love, minister to and journey with those of more humble and more elite backgrounds as us, and that we may point them to follow you, for the glory and praise of Jesus Christ I pray, amen!

The Cross and Christian Ministry

The Cross and Christian Ministry has 907 ratings and 73 reviews. Jordan said: Carson would say I totally missed the point of chapter three when I say I w...
This is a point that our generation cannot afford to ignore. Why is it that we constantly parade Christian athletes, media personalities, and pop singers? Why should we think that their opinions or their experiences of grace are of any more significance than those of any other believer? When we tell outsiders about people in our church, do we instantly think of the despised and the lowly who have become Christians, or do we love to impress people with the importance of the men and women who have become Christians? Modern Western evangelicalism is deeply infected with the virus of triumphalism, and the resulting illness destroys humility, minimizes grace, and offers far too much homage to the money and influence and "wisdom" of our day.

Sunday, January 14, 2018

Review: The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians

The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians The Cross and Christian Ministry: Leadership Lessons from 1 Corinthians by D.A. Carson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Don Carson is my go-to guy when I'm looking to purchase NT commentaries (I consult his New Testament Commentary Survey) and I also enjoy listening to his expositional sermons. But why does this fanboy not give a 5 star rating? In short, the book was great but not exceptional.

While overall the content is classic Carson - relatively easy to follow, engaging, faithful to Scripture, thoroughly insightful and the stories/background explanations being ever so apt to illustrate archaic concepts - I felt that it would have been great for him to revise the content slightly. Being first published in 1993, the 2018 edition comes with a new cover but identical content. Carson would probably have been able to update a couple of illustrations or beef up the material with new nuggets of insight or a varied explanation to which he has since picked up... The lack of pictorial graphics or diagrams also make it a slight challenge to read for today's attention deficit readers.

The bite-sized expositions are still a great resource for sermon preparation and academic research, but I'll be sure to go to my digital edition rather than the print copy for easy cross-referencing to the biblical text!

I received this book from Baker Publishing Group's Blogger Review Program for the purposes of providing an unbiased review. All views are my own.

View all my reviews