Book List

Beyond reading and memorizing Scripture, I try my best to read 3 books at month. I intentionally read books that I know I will disagree with, books that place me out of my comfort zone, and books that will nourish my walk with God. Here are my books for January:

 Pagan Christianity, Frank Viola and George Barna, 2008. The title of this book caught my eye. I have always been interested in the roots of current church methodology. As a pastor I have had people tell me that everything is pagan, from Christmas trees and facial hair to rock music. They attempt to reveal that many of our current Christian practices (from choirs to service times) have pagan roots and that we should be aware why we do what we do. I applaud the authors’ attempts to shed historical evidence on why the church does what it does. However, I disagree with some of their conclusions. I was also disappointed when they their sources for their use of Greek words did not come from Greek dictionaries (i.e., D. A. Carson’s Exegetical Fallacies)

 

IT, Craig Groeschel, 2008. While some may be uncomfortable about his use of the word it to define God’s movement in a church, Groeschel explains the principle quite well. He addresses the often unmentioned question of churches: why do some churches have it going on in every area and others do not. The author does an effective job of relating to pastors who will never pastor a church like LifeChurch.TV. My only concern is that some young pastors may read this book (and it is not the author’s fault) and think that the it can be automatically attained through excellence rather than surrender to God. We all need to realize it is both.

 

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, D. Martyn Lloyd Jones. This is the bomb-diggity! Can’t wait to meet him. By the way, I was on a train in London last year and met a lady who had been under the leadership of Morgan, Jones, and Kendall at Westminster Chapel. Pretty cool.