Let me suggest four . . .

The essays edited by Piper and Taylor, The Power of Words and the Wonder of God (Crossway).  Many have already blogged on how helpful this book is.  I'm looking forward to reading it cover to cover.  I have already found the chapter by Daniel Taylor to be exquisite.

Reason for the Christian Hope by Gannon Murphy (Mentor/Christian Focus).  I'm cheating here, as I already read the manuscript, but this is a book by an author that, playing off of the Piper/Taylor title, knows how to use words.  This is a thoughtful and engaging apologetics.  You should read this one if you're looking to be more persuasive in your proclamation of the gospel.

God of Love and God of Judgment by Stephen K. Moroney (Wipf & Stock).  Here I go, cheating again.  I also read this in manuscript form.  This book brings together what so often gets put asunder.  This book will help you have a fuller vision and understanding of God--all the more reason to be thankful.

Filling up on the Afflictions of Christ:  The Cost of Bringing the Gospel to the Nations in the Lives of William Tyndale, Adoniram Judson, and John Paton by John Piper (Crossway).  I know all of you already know about this book, but if we're truly grateful for the gospel shouldn't we be convicted of our selfishness with it?  This book will winsomely convict.  I'm hoping that's what it does to me as I sit down to read it, after the turkey.

Happy reading.

A couple of books that have come my way are outstanding: the first, by Tony Merida (Ok, he's in Mississippi, so I'm biased), called Faithful Preaching: Declaring Scripture with Responsibility, Passion, and Authenticity (B&H Publishing, 2009). Merida has a way of challenging just about every issue, prejudicial and otherwise, with alarming ease and finesse. I have tried (in 30 years) to read at least one book on preaching every year, sometimes more than one. This year, if you read nothing else, you should read this one. Senior Minister at Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg, Merdia has a reputation for straight and powerful communication. Prepare to be challenged on just about everything!

My second recommendation comes from Australia and our friends at Matthias Media. The Trellis and Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift that Changes Everything by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne (Matthias Media, 2009). It comes with endorsements from the usual lot -- including Mark Dever, Al Mohler and Ligon Duncan -- and I can see why. All kinds of voices compete as to how "ministry" (in the local church) should be done, but few voices are worth listening to more than Marshall and Payne. Perhaps every session should be given a copy for the next "officers retreat" and asked to come with responses.

My third book is written by a dear friend, Stan Way -- Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Christian Church in Medford, Oregon: Clarifying our Call: The role of the church in contemporary life (Cornerstone Publications, www.cccm.org). In just over 60 pages, Way just about addresses every issue imaginable. From a man who has steered a church through troubled waters, these pages come from the heart. Outstanding in every way.

As I've transitioned from teaching back to congregational ministry, I find myself reading widely in the "practical theology" field--whether pastoral theology, preaching, worship, or counseling. One of the better books that I've read recently is Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson's book, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ.

The best part of this book is Fitzpatrick and Johnson's repeated insistence that the problems we face emotionally or relationally are most often rooted in sin and the solution is the Gospel of Jesus.  While so many evangelicals believe that the Gospel is something that has to do with "getting saved" but not much to do with the Christian life, the authors come back again and again to show their readers that we are sinful and flawed and yet loved and welcomed. This grace that God continues to show us serves to draw our hearts toward him and provides the power for change.

This power for change comes from our deepening love for Jesus--as we see and savor his humiliation on the cross and live in the light of his exaltation in resurrection and ascension--our hearts are engaged in affection, delight, and joy in Christ. And as we live out of our personal, vital union and communion with Jesus, our hearts move toward the world in obedience to the Savior "who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20). Think of this book as Bryan Chapell's Holiness by Grace applied to counseling.

One caveat: Fitzpatrick and Johnson stress an antithesis between "psychology" and "biblical counseling" that is unhelpful. For example, they write that "we pray that you will understand, believe, and remember that there really are only two ways to counsel. You can counsel using either the tenets of psychology or even the Bible's imperatives in the light of the glory story, giving helpful hints on how to progress in a personal pursuit of self-perfections, or you can counsel from the cross." 

Such a stark antithesis neglects the possibility that God in common grace might actually give wisdom and insight to those who offer counsel from the tenets of psychology or sociology. Likewise, it also fails to reckon with the fact that in God's general revelation, his truth "shines in all that's fair" so that whatever truth may be found in psychology and psychiatry is actually God's. While believers must evaluate all these things in the light of biblical revelation, I wonder whether positing such an stark choice actually assists the writers in advancing the cause of biblical counseling. 

[A particularly helpful treatment of these issues can be found in Richard Winter's essay, "The Search for Truth in Psychology and Counseling," in All for Jesus: A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Covenant Theological Seminary, 221-238.]

To be fair, such antithetical statements are a very small part of the book. And the book's clear application of the Gospel to the typical counseling problems that pastors face on a daily basis make it a valuable investment of time. I know that I will be counseling from the cross more effectively as a result of reading this. 

"C S Lewis' doctrine of hell--that hell is merely the inevitable outworking of sin on the human psyche, and thus completely self-chosen rather than imposed by a wrathful God--has been growing in its popularity among evangelicals.  Although this idea of hell is obviously very useful in apologetics, it is unbiblical.  John Piper has drawn attention to some of the problems with Lewis' doctrine of hell in this recent article:

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2009/4368_How_Willingly_Do_People_Go_to_Hell/

Bill continues,

As I've grown in my knowledge of the Reformed faith, I've come increasingly to appreciate the Heidelberg Catechism. In its exposition of the Ten Commandments, the Catechism wisely notes that the first commandment requires shunning "all idolatry" (Q94). When it defines idolatry, the Catechism states that it "is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in his Word" (Q95). Such an understanding has not only served to make Old Testament texts understandable, it actually reveals the basic problem in the human heart: our tendency to trust in other things alongside or in place of the God who has come near to us in Jesus.

Not only has the Heidelberg Catechism proven useful for me in this regard, but Tim Keller's new book Counterfeit Gods has also served as an excellent resource in thinking about idolatry and how it remains the basic problem of the human heart. In less than two hundred pages, Keller helpfully unpacks heart-idols, especially our fundamental trust in money, success, power, and love. He also deals with cultural idols such as racial superiority, national excellence, or religious accomplishment.

The book concludes with a discussion of how to deal with idolatry. Keller pastorally gives suggestions for how to identify heart idols; but he especially assists in recommending how to deal with this most basic human problem: by falling more in love with Jesus which, in turns, leads to deeper and more thorough repentance. "Rejoicing and repentance must go together," Keller observes. "Repentance without rejoicing will lead to despair. Rejoicing without repentance is shallow and will only provide passing inspiration instead of deep change. Indeed, it is when we rejoice over Jesus's sacrificial love for us most fully that, paradoxically, we are most truly convicted of our sin" (p. 172).

Obviously, no book is perfect. I wish that Keller had spent two or three chapters expanding the gold found in the concluding epilogue on "finding and replacing idols." I found myself longing to hear how God's grace triumphs even in the face of my persistent idolatry. (Maybe there is a future Keller book that will do this.) And yet, I found this book to be wonderful companion this past week in my morning worship. I will use this in my ministry, read and re-read it for my own benefit, and recommend it highly to others. 

Above all, Keller's book helped me in keeping the first commandment in the way the Heidelberg Catechism suggests: shunning all idolatry and "sincerely acknowledge the only true God, trust him alone, look to him for every good thing, humbly and patiently, love him, fear, him, and honor him with all my heart." I'm very thankful for this book and its contribution in helping me understand my basic problem and the real solution.

As usual, the workshop will feature lectures on preaching, model expositions, and (this is the heart of the experience) collaborative workshops working through biblical texts with fellow-pastors, developing expository skills.  Mark Dever will be the keynote speaker, with a focus on Romans 1 to 5.

The dates are February 3 to 5, 2010.  For registration, go to www.simeonworkshops.org.

Hardened rebels against God rest easy in a prayer said at Vacation Bible School, or a card signed at confirmation class. And guilty consciences stand paralyzed outside, fearful that Christ can only save those who look or dress or speak a certain way. And, through it all, American Christianity has become a vast conspiracy to sell one another products.

The combination of the damning power of cheap grace with the accusing agony of performance-based righteousness before God exists in every wing of the church. That's because it's not a medieval problem, but a primeval one.

"Morality is how I feel too, because in my heart, I could feel it. You could feel what's right or wrong in your heart as well as your mind. Most of the time, I always felt, I feel it in my heart and it makes it easier for me to morally decide what's right and wrong. Because if I feel about doing something, I'm going to feel it in my heart, and if it feels good, I'm going to do it."

For more on the consequences of doing what your heart feels, consult Jeremiah 17:9.