The Lightlings: A Book Review

Publisher's Description: "In The Lightlings, Dr. R.C. Sproul weaves an allegorical tale that captures the essence of the biblical story of redemption. A race of tiny beings known as lightlings represent humanity as they pass through all the stages of the biblical drama—creation, fall, and redemption. In the end, children will understand why some people fear light more than darkness, but why they need never fear darkness again. Richly detailed illustrations by Justin Gerard will hold children’s interest, and discussion questions and Scripture references in the back will help parents guide children into the deeper meaning of the story."

RC Sproul has done it again. As he has done in other children's books like The King Without a Shadow and The Priest with Dirty Clothes, Dr. Sproul uses allegory to bring the beautiful truths of the gospel both down to the level of a child's understanding and up to a new level of profundity for all. Using the Biblical theme of darkness and light, this little children's book explains creation, the fall and its effects as well as the gospel and its reversing effects. I read this book to my three older children (7,4, and 3) and they all got it! They all understood that the Great King of Light was God, that the lightlings were Adam and Eve (and us by extension), and that the Son of the King of Light was Jesus. The questions at the end of the book are very helpful in making all of this clear to the children. The illustrations by Justin Gerard are excellent! One thing that is needed today is an understanding that the gospel is beautiful and that Christ is beautiful. Many people claim to be saved by the gospel but do not savor the beauty of the godhead in it. They merely want to be rescued by it, not to revel in it. This book is a a beutiful meditation on the redemption that we have in Christ. May God use this little book so that many will savor him more fully!

Preaching the Cross

As you probably already know, the material from the Together for the Gospel conference in 2006 is now in book form. What a conference... What a gospel.

Book Review: The Expository Genius of John Calvin

I just finished reading The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steven J. Lawson, published by Reformation Trust. It is a subseries of the larger Long Line of Godly Men Series, a five-volume series where Lawson surveys men throughout history (from 1400 BC to present) who have taught and defended the doctrines of grace. This book on John Calvin is part of the "Long Line" Profiles where Lawson will "focus in on the ways in which these [especially gifted] men discovered, honed, and empoyed their gifts, affording insights for God's servants today." Other such profiles in the future will include Luther, Whitefield, Edwards, Suprgeon, and more! This 142-page book is not intended to be a full blown biography of Calvin. Rather, Lawson delves into thirty-two distinctives of his pulpit ministry.

Are you a Calvinist? What an offensive question. What an offensive term. I have been told that you should not use that term because it is very offensive and that it scares people. It gives the impression that you claim allegiance to a man. You are of Calvin. There are many negative things that this man's name has provoked throughout history. Many picture a mean, crusty theologian who like systems more than scripture. As we see in this book, nothing could be farther from the truth. Rather, we see that Calvin's "system" came from years and years of verse by verse exposition of the scriptures. Like Luther before him, his system came from scripture - not the other way around.

Much like Piper's book on Edwards that I read a few years ago, I found this book to be very helpful in that it gave concrete examples of how to preach and different elements to included in sermons without exalting homoletics as the key to Biblical preaching. Biblical preaching must be Biblical. In other words, the meaning of the text is the text. These examples came mostly (if not exclusively) from his sermons on Micah and Galatians. I was again struck with the importance of being God-centered and blood earnest in the ministry. Again, much like when I read the Supremacy of God in Preaching (which surveyed Edwards) it amazed me that these men were not what many would consider outstanding speakers. They weren't the best orators of their respective days. But they were very serious about the task of preaching and they were hyper-theocentric (my word). This gave their words a weight which many today (and apperenty in their day) don't have. We are all too often lighthearted in the assembly. Listen to Lawson on this:

"The preacher must speak, Calvin said, "in a way that shows he is not pretending." This calvin did-he was blood-earnest in his preaching. Listen to him exhort his congregation:

Moreover, let us learn that God does not intend there to be churches as places for people to make merry and laugh in, as if comedy were being acted here. But there must be majesty in His Word, by which we may be moved and affected."

This book accomplishes what it sets out to accomplish, namely, to inspire men and show men how to "return to preaching that is Word-driven, God-exalting, Christ-centered, and Spirit-empowered." Lawson says the need of the day is this: "we need Calvins again to stand in pulpits and boldly proclaim the Word of God." You ask me if I am a Calvinist, I say I am not nearly as much of a Calvinist as I want to be.

George Whitfield's Biography

I want this book and this book! Read Tim Challies review of them here. If any of you are feeling generous, you would make me a very happy Vinnie if you bought on of them for me. Father's Day is coming up, as well as the 4th of July, my birthday and then Christmas. Rachel...

Books I have Read

First I must qualify that I have not read ALL of each of these books. In other words, I have chosen to list the books that I have read either all the way through or most of the way through (I have a bad habit of starting new books before I finish the ones I am already reading). These are only the ones I can think of off the top of my head without giving it much thought:

Piper
Desiring God
When I Don't Desire God
God's Passion for His Glory
The Hidden Smile of God
Future Grace
Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
Legacy of Sovereign Joy
Don't Waste Your Life
Counted Righteous in Christ
The Supremacy of God in Preaching
God is the Gospel
The Innkeeper
A Hunger For God

Sam Waldron (my professor at MCTS)
Reformed Baptist Manifesto
End Times Made Simple
In Defense of Parity
Biblical Baptism
To Be Continued?
Who Runs the Church
We Must Obey God

John MacArthur
The Gospel According to Jesus
The Murder of Jesus
Battle for the Beginning
Why One Way?
Fool's Gold
Successful Christian Parenting

Others
The Cross - Lloyd-Jones
The Cross Centered Life - Mahaney
Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God - Mahaney
God at Work - Veith
Mortification of Sin - Owen
The Doctrine of Repentance - Watson
The Mischief of Sin - Watson
Is God Really in Control - Bridges
Some of Systematic Theology - Grudem
An Eschatology for Laymen - Ladd
Religious Affections - Edwards
The Complete Husband - Priolo
Heart of Anger - Priolo
Shepherding a Child's Heart - Ted Tripp
Age of Opportunity - Paul Tripp
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life - Whitney
The Church - Clowny
Chose by God - Sproul
Grace Unknown - Sproul
The Sovereignty of God - Pink
Spurgeon Versus Hyper-Calvinism
Tell the Truth - Metzger
Today's Gospel - Authentic of Synthetic - Chantry
The Gospel According to Dispensationalism - Kimbro

That's all I can think of right now...

Sale at Westminster Bookstore

The CCEF (Christian Counseling and Education Foundation) books are on sale at the Westminster bookstore right now at half price!

Help!

The good news: I just got a $30 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and I can get any book I want. The bad news: I just got a $30 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble and I can get any book I want. Now I have to make a decision! I need your help. I need suggestions. Let me narrow it down for you. I want something in the following categories:

1. Systematic theology
2. Historical theology / biography
3. Homiletics / pastoral theology

No Piper, no MacArhur, no Edwards, dead rather than living, puritan rather than anything else. You can see some other books that I have already ready here.

Ready...go!

Like Finding a New Toy!

My good friend Mark Redfern showed me how to do some new tricks - nothing that is very difficult (even for an accountant). I now have the ability to do links and pictures. I thought I would use my new skills to put some pictures and links on here. I thought I would take this opportunity to talk about some of the books that have infulenced me most. Perhaps you want to steer clear. :)

Desiring God
When I Don't Desire God
God's Passion for His Glory
The Supremacy of God in preaching
Future Grace
Counted Righteous in Christ
The Sovereignty of God
Shepherding a Child's Heart
Mortification of Sin
The Religious Affections
Today's Gospel
Tell the Truth
The Cross-Centered Life

If I had to pick one that has had the biggest influence on me, I think it would have to be a combination of God's Passion for His Glory, followed by Desiring God, followed by When I Don't Desire God. God's Passion for His Glory expounds on the foundational Biblical truth that God's glory is the ultimate end of eveything. Desiring God expounds on this truth and expands to show that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. When I Don't Desire God helps you apply the truths taught in Desiring God to your life. Once you see that the affections are not optional, it is devastating. Once you see that you don't have what we are commanded to have, namely, joy in God Himself, it is devastating. The book, When I Don't Desire God gives practical steps as to how to fight for joy in God. These three books together have shaped my theology more than any others. These books give a big-picture, foundational understanding of what the Bible is really all about.

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