New Donald Ross paper

James Harvey has recently completed a paper that explores "the doctrine of salvation held by Donald Ross". From his blog post, he hopes that the essay will help the following groups of people:

• Brethren who appreciate teachers like John Piper and John MacArthur and their high view of God, yet feel that such bold Calvinism is somehow inconsistent with received or legitimate Brethren theology
• Brethren who view Calvinism as an unwelcome intruder, a threat to robust evangelism and a divisive doctrine of no great importance about which a few mostly irrelevant older Brethren erred
• Non-Brethren believers who may benefit from a warning about the change that only a few decades can bring in foundational doctrine–even among a conservative communion of churches as informally organized as Open Brethren

I haven't read this paper yet, but according to the conclusion, the following are common misconceptions whose times are up:

• That Calvinism is a recent and alien intrusion into Revival Brethren theology
• That vigorous evangelism is fundamentally incompatible with Calvinism
• That among Brethren, only Exclusives have held a Calvinistic soteriology
• That Calvinism, if ever taught by early Revival Brethren at all, was always a minority view
• That even if some early Revival Brethren were Calvinistic, they never strongly held these doctrines

Steve Runge: the σαντα clause is a myth

I'm not embarrassed that I got this joke, and I'm not even embarrassed that I found it funny!

Learning Vocabulary

Alan Knox has a helpful post here.

Leading with a Limp

Leading with a Limp: Take Full Advantage of Your Most Powerful Weakness by Dan B. Allender


My rating: 2 of 5 stars
Most of what I got from this book was gleaned from the title; leading with weakness is a powerful concept, and a biblical one too. I was challenged by the notion that as a leader I should embrace my weaknesses, for they are my strengths.

Beyond this, I didn’t get a lot. Allender does not speak my language. And that’s not necessarily his bad. As a limping leader I must confess: I didn’t read every page in the book.

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The World Wars

The World Wars: An Introduction to the First & Second World Wars by Paul Dowswell


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Good illustrated primer on both world wars. Pitched for younger readers, but also good for parents who lack basic familiarity with the 20th century’s total wars. The book features lots of pictures and maps, and it progresses in two-page units, making it the perfect book to set down on your coffee table—-and pick up again.

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Just Do Something

Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will or How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Impressions, Open Doors, Random ... Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc. by Kevin DeYoung


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The alternate title says it all: "How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky, etc".

This book is a needed corrective on a much-discussed subject. Many emerging (as in coming-of-age) adults, DeYoung says, are tinkering, and the author intends to get them off their butts. As leverage, he distinguishes between God’s will of decree and his will of desire, exposes the false ways we go about discovering God’s will (including Gideon’s fleece), and extends the biblical way: the way of wisdom.

Just Do Something includes a zappy foreword written by Josh Harris.

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Tactics

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions by Gregory Koukl


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a great book for helping Christians discuss their faith with others. Acknowledging that such discussions have often led to heated exchanges, Koukl advocates engagements that “look more like diplomacy than D-Day” and “an approach that trades more on friendly curiosity…than on confrontation” (19-20). But this doesn’t mean that he’s big on love and soft on reason. The author upholds the importance of logic, reason, and apologetics against those who frown on their use.

At the heart of Koukl’s method is the colorful Columbo tactic, which “is to go on the offensive in an inoffensive way by using carefully selected questions to productively advance the conversation” (47). Much of the book is an unpacking of this principle as the reader learns what questions to ask.

This book is not unlike Randy Newman’s Questioning Evangelism. I would heartily recommend both of these books.

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Robert C. Chapman

Robert C. Chapman: 70 Years of Serving the Lord by Frank Holmes


My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I would be willing to read pretty much any book about R. C. Chapman. Holmes is a devoted biographer of Chapman, and his admiration of this great man is not lost on the reader. One can tell that the author is not interested merely in preserving historical knowledge about some man of God; he wants his readers to live like him.

Note: I do prefer Peterson's biography.

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Sultana

Sultana: Surviving the Civil War, Prison, and the Worst Maritime Disaster in American History by Alan Huffman


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A remarkable mesh of stories of survival. Traces the hardships of several men through the Civil War, culminating in the disastrous sinking of the Sultana steam boat. Huffman introduced me to the horror of 19th century war, prison camps, and post-war life, including the trip home…

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The Prodigal God

The Prodigal God: Christianity Redefined Through the Parable of the Prodigal Sons by Timothy Keller


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A great introduction to Jesus and Christianity for moderns and postmoderns. Keller takes us deep into the heart of one of finest stories ever told by Jesus. The self-righteous will squirm as Keller points out that there are two prodigals, not one, in the story. But both kinds of people—religious and rebels—will feel the attractive pull of Christ when they discover what kind of elder brother He is.

Following Clowney, Keller has seen deeply into this parable. His skill and scope in applying its truth to modern people is breathtaking. His ability to relate Christ to so many things people today care about makes this book the best candidate to give to searching friends.

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