New Books—January 2018

New Books—January 2018

                                                                   Complete New Book List

                                                                         January, 2018 

No Quick Fix: Where Higher Life Theology Came From, What It Is, and Why It Is Harmful, by Andrew David Naselli with Foreword by John MacArthur. Every Christian struggles with sin and wants to be victorious in the fight. Higher life theology (HLT)–also known as Keswick theology–offers a quick fix for this struggle, arguing that if Christians simply “let go and let God” they can be free of sin and brought to a higher level of spiritual life. However, the truth is that this results not in freedom but frustration. This book demonstrates the biblical and theological weaknesses of HLT.

A Merciful and Faithful High Priest: Studies in the Book of Hebrews, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. 19 sermons unfolding the riches and beauties of the gospel message found throughout this unique book of the Bible.

Meditations on the Trinity, by A.W. Tozer. A new publication featuring 100 selections on the Trinity compiled from Tozer’s writings.

O Death, Where Is Thy Sting? Collected Sermons, by John Murray with Foreword by Sinclair Ferguson. 15 outstanding sermons by John Murray (died 1975), renowned wordsmith, Reformed theologian, and professor at Westminster Theological Seminary.

HISTORICAL NON-FICTION: Red Famine: Stalin’s War on Ukraine, by Anne Applebaum. History of one of Stalin’s greatest crimes—the attempted genocide of the rebellious Ukrainian people in the 1930s. The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America, by Erik Larson. Non-fiction that reads like a thriller. A rich narrative of a great builder, a serial killer, and the great Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 that obsessed them both. The Jersey Brothers: A Missing Naval Officer in the Pacific and His Family’s Quest to Bring Him Home, by Sally Mott Freeman. Three brothers who coincidentally end up at the epicenter of three of WWII’s most crucial moments.

The Story of Reality, by Gregory Koul. Well-crafted, big-picture presentation of the Christian worldview; recommended by Michael Horton.

Hidden Prophets of the Bible, by Michael Williams. Finding the gospel in Hosea thru Malachi.

Stump Kingdom: Isaiah 6-12, by Dale Ralph Davis. These chapters in Isaiah are overflowing with prediction, with some of the most famous references to the coming Messiah—the twig from the stump of Jesse.

Giving the Devil His Due: Demonic Authority in the Fiction of Flannery O’Connor and Fyodor Dostoevsky, by Jessica Hooten Wilson. Examines two authors who shared a deep faith in Christ, and whose stories forced readers to make a choice, with no middle ground. Looks closely at Dostoevsky’s magnum opus—The Brothers Karamazov, to show that when the devil rules, all hell breaks loose. The author teaches at John Brown University.

God Among the Sages: Why Jesus Is Not Just Another Religious Leader, by Kenneth Richard Samples. Compares and contrasts Jesus with Krisha, Buddha, Confucius, and Muhammad, and explores the competing philosophies of religious pluralism, inclusivism, and exclusivism.

Walking Through Twilight: A Wife’s Illness—a Philosopher’s Lament, by Douglas Groothuis. Groothuis, professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary, and author of numerous apologetics books, recounts his wife’s (who was a member of Mensa) into progressive dementia. Lee Strobel says “it will astound you with it eloquence and insights”.

John Gerstner and the Renewal of Presbyterian and Reformed Evangelicalism in Modern America, by Jeffrey S. McDonald. John Gerstner (1914-1996) was a mentor and teacher to R.C. Sproul, and a key player in American Reformed evangelicalism. Recommended by Mark Noll.

God’s Mediators: A Biblical Theology of Priesthood, by Andrew S. Malone (New Studies in Biblical Theology). Examines the Levitical and Melchizedekian priesthoods, how Hebrews views Christ’s priesthood, and helps Christians understand the priesthood involved in their corporate identity and mission.

This Changes Everything: How the Gospel Transforms the Teen Years, by Jaquelle Crow. A book for teenagers eager to reject the status quo and low standards our culture sets for us, and who don’t want to spend the adolescent years slacking off, but rather standing out and digging deep into what Jesus says about following him. The author is a young writer, and she wrote this book when she was 18. Recommended by Jen Wilken, D.A. Carson, and Tim Challies, among others.

Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community, by Brett McCracken. A call to embrace the uncomfortable aspects of Christian community, whether that means loving difficult truths, pursuing difficult holiness, or loving difficult people—all for the sake of the gospel, God’s glory, and our joy.

Communal Reading in the Time of Jesus: A Window into Early Christian Reading Practices, by Brian J. Wright. Much contemporary discussion of the Jesus tradition has focused on aspects of oral performance, storytelling, and social memory on the premise that the practice of communal reading of written texts was documented no earlier than the 2nd century. However, Wright overturns that premise by examining evidence for its practice in the 1st century.

Reset: Living a Grace-Filled Life in a Burnout Culture, by David Murray. Addressed to Christian men on the verge of burnout or breakdown. This book was on several best of 2017 lists. Recommended by Sinclair Ferguson.

Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World, by Christopher J.H. Wright. What does it mean to live as a Christian in the midst of a non-Christian culture? Addresses these difficult questions by looking at the book of Daniel, both in the stories of Daniel and his friends and the visions Daniel received, and by remembering that the future, no matter how terrifying it may become, rests in the hands of the sovereign Lord God.

Four Views on the Church’s Mission, edited by Jason S. Sexton. The four views presented are Soteriological (Jonathan Leeman), Participatory (Christopher J.H. Wright), Contextual (John R. Franke), and Sacramental (Peter J. Leithart).

On God and Christ: The Five Theological Orations and Two Letters to Cledonius, by St. Gregory of Nazianzus (Popular Patristics Series). One of the early and most influential of the church fathers. He put before the church the sublime mystery of God revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This translation of these 5 sermons delivers the intellectual excitement and spiritual exhilaration experienced by his listeners in a small chapel in Constantinople. This book appeared on three recommended reading lists during the past two weeks—Brandon Smith, Andrew Wilson, and Keith Mathison.

Come Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional, by Paul David Tripp.

COMMENTARIES: Deuteronomy, by Christopher J.H. Wright (Understanding the Bible Commentary Series); Acts, by David E. Garland (Teach the Text); Judges and Ruth, by Mary J. Evans (Tyndale OT Commenaries); The Books of Haggai and Malachi, by Mignon R. Jacobs (NICOT).

BOOKS ON CD: Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well, by Billy Graham.

ADULT FICTION: A Treasury of Miracles for Friends: True Stories of God’s Presence Today, and A Treasury of Miracles for Women: True Stories of God’s Presence Today, by Karen Kingsbury.