Matt Chandler spoke at my alma mater this week (yes SBTS alumni, class of ‘84 and more). You can watch the message here, but one of the Thinklings excerpted part of Chandler’s message and the words were very familiar.

Chandler’s quoting Eugene Peterson, he who created the much vilified paraphrase “The Message” and who most recently endorsed The Shack with a glowing comparison to Pilgrim’s Progress. Suffice it to say you won’t read a lot of Peterson quotes at 9 Marks or hear his name dropped at Together for the Gospel. Classic mainline liberal, fiery prophet of learning from Dickinson and poets no one can pronounce, renegade translator of the original languages into even more original language, a curmudgeon who lives in Montana and doesn’t answer the phone, unapologetic advocate of “spiritual direction” and “contemplation,” and without question the most passionate advocate of the role of the classic Protestant pastor and the most fearsome critic of whatever it is that passes for a pastor today.

Chandler was reading from page 5 of the most underlined book in my library, Peterson’s nuclear attack on the contemporary re-invention of the pastor, Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity. If you think you are a pastor or might want to be, this book cannot be avoided. [Continue reading]

I used to look at the big Dictionaries of Liturgy and wonder if they were worth all that money. I held onto my dollars and spent years not knowing what a collect was.

You don’t have to live in this kind of humiliation. IVP has published the Pocket Dictionary of Liturgy and Worship by Brett Scott Provance, a wonderfully comprehensive resource that won’t cost you a semester’s tuition and will provide you with all the liturgical information you need to actually know what your Anglican and Lutheran friends are talking about when they say “rubric.”

Just this morning I brought the book with me to breakfast, where my friend Joe asked me what the Ave Maria actually was. Right there in the Pocket Dictionary was a fine article with the lyrics and a complete explanation. Perfect. And that is the case with over 600 terms, persons and pieces of liturgical history.

The Dictionary is balanced between Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Orthodox and Protestant/Evangelical traditions. Some of the articles are quite substantial. It’s a superb resource for the IM audience and I highly recommend it for you or as a gift for that person you know who is seeking to get out of their own liturgical box into the broader, deeper, more ancient church.

I’m glad IVP gave me this book to review, because now I’m one of three Baptists who can identify a baldachino.

Let me begin by saying that I did not receive a review copy of The Lutheran Study Bible, though I probably could have. Like the ESV Study Bible, I bought my own copy from the publisher. I’m open to bribes, kickbacks and rental, but in this instance, it didn’t happen.

Concordia Publishing has now completed what I think is a rather extraordinary collection of books for those interested in historic, orthodox Lutheran spirituality: The Reader’s Edition of the Lutheran Confessions, The Treasury of Daily Prayer, The Lutheran Service Book (I’d love to have someone donate ten of these to our ministry) and now The Lutheran Study Bible. I know of no other tradition that has accomplished anything remotely like this in such a usable form and in a way that can introduce anyone- clergy or layperson- to the riches of the Lutheran version of the Reformation and the Lutheran approach to spirituality.

It is ironic then, that I have to say at the outset that outside of existing Lutheranism, it’s doubtful that large numbers of evangelicals will ever seen these resources without asking for them on special order. I am sure that large bookstores will have the occasional volume here and there, but unless one is within Lutheranism, on a Lutheran campus, visits a Concordia store, listens to Lutheran radio or friendly confessional internet programming, these resources will never be known. [Continue reading]

Jim Belcher’s Deep Church has been at the top of my book review stack for over a month. After living with my nose in my own book- a book stuffed with criticism of the current evangelical scene- it was a refreshing experience to read Belcher’s good work.

Deep Church seeks to examine a third way between the traditional and emerging camps, a way Belcher has discovered in his own journey from early years as an emerging church advocate to more recent experience as a PCA church planter. The narrative- and this book is just as more narrative as teaching- is a fascinating one, as Belcher doesn’t hesitiate to name names and to characterize positions bluntly and honestly. If anyone can be said to attempt an impartial moderation of the emerging/traditional divide in evangelicalism, it is Belcher.

It is, however, my opinion that Belcher’s book, despite a valiant attempt to be impartial, amounts to a thorough revelation of the failure of the emerging church to offer an answer for evangelicalism, and a clarion call to the position this web site has taken for most of its history: the post-evangelical appropriation of the the great tradition; the wisdom of the broader, deeper more ancient church, in meeting the evangelical challenge today. A chastened, invigorated traditionalism, re-rooted in deeper, better soil and paying attention to the younger voices and cultural changes, is the better evangelical future. [Continue reading]

OK. Lots of book reviews and book plugs coming. I’ve got a bit of a window here in the final stages of my book and I am woefully behind on some of these reviews. (**He bows to those he has offended, begging mercy.**) So stand by.

One note: If you are an RSS reader of this blog and you haven’t resubscribed to the feed since we redid the front page, that’s why you only get the short version in Google reader. Re-subscribe and you’ll be a happier person.

Someone wrote me and said they’d heard of a book I might like. I said can you get me a copy. They said it wasn’t published. They contacted the author, who had the publisher send me a pdf, which I’ve been reading on my ipod Touch for a couple of weeks. The book arrived today.

It’s Jesus Girls: True Tales of Growing Up Female and Evangelical, edited by Hannah Faith Notess. It is part of a series called Experiences in Evangelicalism and is published by Cascade Books, an imprint of Wipf and Stock. Mars Hill Graduate School (not associated with Driscoll, etc) is involved somehow.

There are 22 authors, 22 essays in the broad categories of community, worship, education, sex and identity. Actually, the essays are more precise than those categories, covering topics like testimonies, ordination, end of the world fever, church splits, dating, abortion, feminism, quiet times, Christian music and many other aspects of the recent evangelical experience. [Continue reading]

Went to the post office this morning (I love Saturday mail. Please don’t cancel it) and there was an old friend sitting in his car. His wife was in the PO. Big, strong strapping man. Incredible physical shape for a man in his late 70’s. Two years ago he was sharp as a tack. Used to be the main guy in our Friday night high school football trips. Now he doesn’t know me. My name is gone. Recognizes my face. Stutters. Can hardly talk. Asks if I want to go to a football game. I tell him I’m too busy. I ask how he’s doing. He says the state police pulled him over. Probably happened months ago. Alzheimers has ravaged him. He’s a different man. Just a few drops of rationality and memory in a desert of the mind. His wife comes out and looks at me. Her pained face says it all. Taking care of man like this may be one of the most difficult things in marriage, but she’s apparently going to do it as long as she can. I never knew a sweeter, more generous man. Really was enjoying his retirement. That sweetness seems to be left, but for how long? Alzheimer’s is death by torture for everyone involved.

We’re all dying and we’re all going to care for the dying. Do you notice? Some people are going through a world of death, one day at a time, and all alone.
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Richard Dawkins vs Karen Armstrong. Anyone want to tell Dawkins that God doesn’t exist in the universe? This is why CS Lewis said Pantheism is so attractive. See Michael Dowd, Thank God For Evolution, for that option. [Continue reading]

Here are five more reader reviews of the IVP book Love Is An Orientation by Andrew Marin. Thanks to Chris Giammona for the book donation and to these readers for their good responses. Visit Andrew at LoveisAnOrientation.com.

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Andrew Marin left me with several take-aways through his book, Love is an Orientation. The most important was helping me see GLBT people as real people with real struggles, rather than as the enemy. As I read Andrew’s description of the account of John, who at avery young age realized he was attracted to other boys and asked God repeatedly to take the attraction away, I was able to actually imagine myself in John’s shoes. I remember what it was like to come of age and deal with confusing opposite-gender sexual feelings that I had never experienced before. To add the complication of same gender attraction on top of that already confusing time would have been too much to bear. Compassion has to be the foundation of any evangelical’s discussions with the GLBT community. This realization hit home to me in a very personal way. I had a gay roomate during my freshman year at a conservative evangelical university. When I discovered his sexual orientation, my attitude towards him changed and I was far from compassionate compassionate towards him. Even after I learned the facts about childhood sexual abuse he experienced, I isolated myself from him and basically cut off the relationship. I wish I could go back and re-do the way I treated him.  I wish I could have seen him as a broken creation of God, just like me, who desired to be in a right relationship with his creator (I happen to know he did desire this). [Continue reading]

From Michael Patton at Reclaiming the Mind: Reasons to start The Theology Program:

Inexpensive: You can’t beat $100 per course! If you need a scholarship, our generous donors have provided some. Contact carrie@reclaimingthemind.org for more information.

Serious: We take theological education serious enough to say that you are joining a program that is not simply intended to make you look like us, but to teach you how to think with integrity. No matter whether you are a new Christian, seeker, or a seasoned believer, this course will help you work through every major issue in the Christian faith. It will help you to know not only what you believe and why you believe it, but how to think through the most important issues of life.

Convenient: If you can’t make every session, we have multiple ways for you to make it up, both online or on-site. We have done everything we can to combine convenience with serious studies. [Continue reading]

Visit Denise’s blog where this review first appeared.

When I first began this book I was rather dubious. What did this author have to say about such a tried-and-true topic that hadn’t already been said a hundred times? My reluctance was unfounded, however, and I’m happy to report that I enjoyed the book immensely.

Father Haase seasons his prose with stories from his own and others’ experiences to illustrate his points. Each chapter ends with “Reflection Questions” and “Gospel Passages for Meditation and Prayer.” This makes Living the Lord’s Prayer a book that could easily be featured in a study group as well as read by individuals. [Continue reading]

Frank Viola’s new book “FINDING ORGANIC CHURCH: A Comprehensive Guide to Starting and Sustaining Authentic Christian Communities” (David C. Cook) releases today at a discount from Amazon.com.

This is the practical follow up to all of Viola’s other books. It’s also a stand alone book exploring the subject of organic church planting in great detail. Here’s an early review:

The author of “Pagan Christianity?” (with George Barna), “Reimagining Church,” and the bestselling “From Eternity to Here” has written a detailed manual on how to start and sustain an organic church. Everything from what to do with the children, to the developmental stages of church growth, to the diseases of an organic church and their cures are all covered in this comprehensive volume. Church planting principles for organic styled churches are packed together with the author’s practical experience of living in and starting such churches. Each chapter is full of advice, outlining the unique problems that such churches will face and their solutions. Church planters of all types will benefit from this book as well as those wishing to explore an alternative way of church gathering. — Christian Book Reviews, 2009

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You’ll see a Theology Program ad in the “Endorsed” section under this post. I know that Michael Patton’s Theology Program has received many students from this website and I hope that it will receive many more. And here’s why: As a new theology program affiliate, I will receive a nice affiliate fee for everyone who enrolls in the program or buys the entire DVD/workbook set from Renewing the Mind using that icon. So click, enroll and help me buy new tires.
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You will also see a new ad from Modern Reformation magazine. I have an article on discipleship in the current issue and they have a nice introductory offer for IM readers who click through from the ad. This is a great time to subscribe to the magazine. Liturgical gangsta Eric Landry is editor and I appreciate his support of IM and of the opportunity to contribute to a journal that is way above my pay grade.

Our friend Michael Patton at Credo House, Renewing the Mind Ministries and The Theology Program has an announcement at his site that may be of interest to some of the IM audience.

“I have designed a theological toolbar to lead you to all the best and most trustworthy sites on the web.

Included:

* Online Bibles Sites
* Bible Study Software
* Christian History
* Theological Sites
* Built in MP3 with the entire Theology Program fed into it.
* Easy to access RSS feed to the must read Theological Blogs (IM included of course)
* Google search engine
* and more…

It is very clean. Check it out.”

This is a useful tool and your downloads will also help support Michael’s ministry. Check out the dates for the next Theology Program term. At $100 a course, it’s a great way to learn theology.

My wife Denise is on her way to sainthood and is eminently qualified to review Jason Boyett’s new book.

Before I could begin this essay, I had to pull up my thesaurus and check for alternatives to the word “delightful,” because I could very easily overwork that adjective in a book review of Jason Boyett’s Pocket Guide to Sainthood.

The Pocket Guide to Sainthood is just that. At 219 pages and dimensions of 5″ x 7″ x 5/8″, this little book just might fit into a large pocket. Definitely a purse or backpack. But wait–I’m beginning to sound just a bit like Boyett.

Subtitled “A Field Manual for the Super-Virtuous Life,” the Pocket Guide is a fast-paced, easy-to-read volume chock full of general information, biographical summaries, interesting tidbits and Boyett’s quirky sense of humor on every page.

Continue Reading At Denise’s blog…

If you only read one book on worship, it should be Dr. Michael Horton’s “A Better Way.” I can’t find an audio presentation of that material, but Dr. Horton has a lot of good material on reforming worship in the local church.

Reforming Worship
Preaching Christ
Reforming Church Music
Reforming the Church Service
Rethinking Baptism
Rethinking the Lord’s Supper

Dr. Horton has a 15-part Worship Class about two thirds of the way down this archive page: “Our Worship Class” from Christ Reformed Church.

I would also recommend those evangelicals who have appreciated the series and discussion so far consider purchasing “Beyond Smells and Bells” by Mark Galli and “Ancient-Future Worship” by Robert Webber. The Calvin Center for Christian Worship is a rich source of resources of every kind. A real feast for evangelicals.

(I am working all day tomorrow and Monday morning, so I may not be back to the series till late Monday.)

UPDATE: Baptists might want to read this post on semi-Pelagianism, and enjoy the Tom Petty video

If you’ve been paying attention, you should have noticed that the most interesting blog out in the Christian/Reformation blogosphere is Mockingbird, the front page to the world of Mockingbird Ministries. Dead on, provocative stuff with the strong scent of Luther’s Law/Gospel cookbook in every post.

In addition to being Lutheranized Anglicans, Mockingbird has a major connection to my current theological hero, Paul Zahl. I’ve been enjoying the blog and all the resources available at Mockingbird, and I believe we’re looking at the ground floor of something very important and significant: the beginnings of a significant voice that balances engagement of the culture at many levels- not just as fans, but as thoughtful communicators and observers- with Lutheran flavored Reformation Christianity.

I asked Mockingbird posse member David Zahl- yeah, that Zahl- to answer five questions and get all of the IM audience up to speed. (David will point out some resources at the web site. You MUST download and enjoy the 2009 Conference audio. Priceless talks and not the same old same old.)

I’m very honored to have David Zahl from Mockingbird Ministries here at the IM Interview today. [Continue reading]

UPDATE: This is the mother load of Zahl sermons and forums. Great stuff here. I’ve been listening all day.

I’ve discovered Paul F. M. Zahl, and I’m beside myself with enthusiasim for his writing on grace and the church. The only problem is that there’s not much of it, and that is truly a loss. Zahl is an Episcopal minister who has served as dean of a theological school as well as pastor. He’s a marvel of humor, grace, hope and balance. A delight to read and listen to. Here’s Zahl speaking recently about his knock-out book Grace In Practice.

I found this talk by Zahl given at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama. It is a talk given in the light of the ordination of Gene Robinson as bishop, and it is a talk given by a traditionalist seeking to plead with a Robinson-approving majority to find a way to accommodate traditionalists. It’s quite interesting given what has now unfolded with the formation of GAFCON, ACNA and the radicalization of TEC at their recent gathering.

Be sure and add to this talk the excellent interview Ryan Cordle just posted with AMiA missionary bishop Doc Loomis. Zahl and other traditionalists who stayed with the ECUSA are the subject of several of his comments.

The majority of this talk is a reasoned traditionalist analysis of the issue of homosexuality. Zahl, who is the most gracious of Christians, makes it plain where many of us are on this issue: the reasoning used by the other side passes the bounds of integrity and conscience. No matter how much we must repent of our homophobia and exclusion- and I am all for that- we cannot give up our convictions about the Gospel. Zahl makes that very plain. [Continue reading]