Book Review

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH

Addictions, A Banquet in the Grave

by Edward Welch

Edward Welch’s book Addictions is a wonderful resource for those who are wrestling with addictions or are helping someone who is. Published by Resources for Changing Lives, this resource approaches the problem of addiction from a biblical perspective. Mr Welch does not dismiss the physical, emotional, social and environmental factors that come into play with a persons addictions, but he consistently addresses the matters of the heart. This is a book dominated by the hope of the gospel and provides biblical and practical counsel in the practical outworking of God’s divine power granting the believer all things that pertain to life and godliness. (2 Peter 1:3-4)

The back cover of the book reads:

“Scripture reveals addicts’ true condition: like guests at a banquet thrown by ‘the woman Folly,’ they are already in the grave. (Prov. 9:13-18)

“Can we not escape our addictions? Following Jesus, we have ‘immense hope that can give power so that we are no long mastered by the addiction.’”

Here is the link to purchase through Amazon, Addictions, A Banquet in the Grave

Reviewed by Matthew Lim

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH

Stop Behaving: A Gospel-Centered Devotional for Men

by Jerrad Lopes

Jerrad Lopes is the founder of the ministry/podcast “Dad Tired”. Dad Tired is a gospel-centered outreach to husbands and fathers meant to encourage and challenge men to faithfully follow hard after Christ, in all of our short comings and failures.

Jerrad Lopes recently authored Stop Behaving, a daily devotional book that is split into four one-week sections. In this devotional, Jerrad practically applies the Gospel to everyday life on every page. He makes the point that, as men, so much seems to be focused on behavior management. We are told that we are to be This and be doing That in order to be a good husband or a good father. We are hounded by these pressures from just about every angle. Stop Behaving points out that scripturally, we as husbands and fathers don’t require changed behavior, but require a changed heart that only Jesus can provide. From there, we read how the Gospel changes the way that we serve and love our wife, the way that we relate to our children and view their behavior, and the way that we view our job and where we find our worth in an increasingly performance driven world.

This devotional has been a great encouragement and challenge to me, as I am reminded of my insufficiency and general unworthiness in my roles as a husband and father and am driven to the throne of grace in order that Christ be made known.

Here is the link to Jerrad Lopes website, Dad Tired where you can purchase the book and listen to his podcast. The above image was obtained from the Dad Tired website.

Reviewed by Matt Tramp

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH
I Am a Church Member
by Thom Rainer

This short, quick read of a book packs a lot truth for the body of Christ to consider. Thom Rainer’s book, “I Am a Church Member” challenges the church to consider what it means to be the church and to be committed to its life and ministry. In six short chapters Thom explains what it means to be a functioning, unifying, serving, praying, leading and treasuring church member.

This is book encourages you to examine your own life based upon the biblical principles of church membership and provides opportunity to make a personal commitment to being a healthy member of the local church. It is a MUST READ for all who are called saints… for all who are the church.

Reviewed by Matthew Lim

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH
What is the Mission of the Church?
by Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert

First off, this book is an excellent piece of missiology. It does a wonderful job of defining the terminology used by the church to describe both its role and mission on the earth and, while the book itself is topical, it takes a definite exegetical approach in its arguments. It beautifully differentiates the difference between the role the church is to play in the world and what the mission of the church is (there is a difference-I’ll let the book explain the difference or you’ll be reading for a while). The book seems a little reactionary, maybe even a bit abrasive, in it’s opening chapters as it builds itself a foundation for why the authors had to define the actual mission itself that Jesus, by the authority of the Father, gifted to His church. It deals with the illusive meaning of cultural ideals, such as social justice, and reveals the effect that culture has had on the church through both spoken and unspoken expectations, resulting in a clouded understanding of what the mission of the church is in its most fundamental meaning. I’ll leave you with a teaser quote, “The alleviation of poverty is simply not the main story line of Scripture; the biblical narrative is chiefly concerned with how a holy God can dwell with an unholy people.”
Reviewed by Andrew Johnson

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH
How Does Sanctification Work?
by David Powlison

Sanctification, one of the doctrines in the church that is referenced the most, but maybe, when the rubber hits the road, is the least understood. All Christians would agree that they have areas of their life that do not look like Jesus. All Christians would agree that they need to grow in sanctification, but how does sanctification work? How do I change? How do I become more like Jesus?

There are a plethora of books available to us with “helpful tips” on how we may become more like Christ. Some of these books have helpful elements, but many of them are reductionistic, reducing sanctification to one secret key to unlocking the door of holiness (i.e. one doctrinal truth, one life change, one verse etc.)

Scripture never promises us that sanctification will be easy or quick. Scripture does show us that in the sanctification process there are key elements always involved: God’s Word, God’s people, God doing his work in you and suffering and struggle. These things all work together to bring about change in a person’s life.

This is what David Powlison’s book, How Does Sanctification Work? sets out to do. He wants us to have a bigger understanding of sanctification, an understanding that does not reduce sanctification to a few catch phrases. Powlison says, “No single factor, no one truth, no protocol can capture how and why a person grows into Christ’s image. Multiple factors always cooperate in progressive sanctification.”

This book is not the magic key to your sanctification, but it will help you to understand more of how sanctification works, and as you understand sanctification more clearly, you will grow more in love with our wise God and his designs and you will grow more and more into the image of Jesus.

Reviewed by Graham Parker

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood
by Melissa Kruger

Being a Mom is hard and being a Mom is glorious. There is great joy in being entrusted by God with the care of our children and yet with that care comes many challenges. Pouring our lives into our children requires a steady stream of selflessness and love which exposes our own constant need of God’s grace and mercy in our lives. Where do we turn to for refreshment and nourishment as Moms. In her book “Walking with God in the season of Motherhood” Melissa Kruger comes alongside you as a Mother understanding firsthand the challenges you are facing and using God’s Word brings encouragement and challenge. She lays out in eleven chapters what it looks like to walk with God during this special season of our lives dealing with what it looks like to walk in faith, wisdom and love. Each chapter is broken down into five separate days, the first four days of each weeks focus on various passages of Scripture designed to increase our love for God and understanding of who He is. The fifth day is more of a devotional summary summarizing what was learned throughout the week. The book includes Scripture already written out making this book great for Moms on the go. Melissa summarizes well that “in the midst of my weaknesses, I need the soul strengthening refreshment that can come only from time spent with Jesus.” The task of being a Mom is too great to face alone, we need God’s help and we need the nourishment that comes from time spent with our heavenly Father.

Reviewed by Jenna Parker

SUGGESTED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Inheritance of Tears
by Jessalyn Hutto

In order to trust God when His will is difficult to accept, we must know who he is. To rest in his difficult providences, we must have confidence in his character. (Inheritance of Tears, pg. 44)

Having gone through multiple miscarriages herself, Jessalyn Hutto understands the very real pain and sorrow of miscarriage. However, in her book Inheritance of Tears, she resists the temptation to linger very long on the many emotions and experiences that surround the loss of a precious little one still in the womb. Instead, in a personal and compassionate way, she directs her readers to lift up their eyes to beyond their circumstances and see their God. Jessalyn takes her readers to Scripture—back to the garden of Eden—to explain why there is suffering in this life; she then discusses God’s greater purposes for suffering in the believer‘s life. Over and over again, she encourages her readers to find their comfort and strength in knowing God and His character, for He is the One who is always good, sovereign, loving, and trustworthy, no matter the pain He allows His children to go through because of living in a sin-cursed world. Finally, Jessalyn reminds believers of their ultimate hope of eternal joy and glory in the presence of the Savior.

The pain of miscarriage and infant loss does not soon go away (if it ever does,) but Inheritance of Tears may help those going through the pain to see beyond the pain and behold their God more clearly than they did before.

Reviewed by Angie Stanley