This is a book of truth. These Sketches are taken from real life. They are facts, not fancies. They are the experiences of some whom the author has known in the course of his ministry. He has not given to them an item of colouring. The only thing about them from which any erroneous impression can possibly arise, is to be found in the fact that they are only sketches, not containing all that could be given in respect to the individuals here mentioned. But they are believed to contain a fair and sufficiently full representation of each case.
The author has made this selection from the materials in his possession, on the principle of avoiding useless repetitions as much as possible, and on the principle of meeting some of the strange difficulties which sometimes trouble inquirers after salvation.
I didn’t know what to expect when I began reading a A Pastor’s Sketches by Ichabod Spencer. Out of the blue I was asked to review the book by a small publisher I had never heard of which was odd for two reasons: 1) I hadn’t updated my blog in months and 2) I would expect a publisher to want well written reviews of their books. I was also worried that if the book was bad I’d have to write a review saying as much, but in the end the lure of a free book was too much for me!
What I found though as I began reading the book was amazing. In fact I was weeping at the end of the first chapter. The book is a collection of conversations that Ichabod Spencer began putting to print in 1851 while pastoring in Brooklyn, New York. This was a time between the Second and Third Great Awakening in America and as such it was a unique period of time. It’s also written in an older, more proper, style of American English. Yet, the relevancy of the book was astonishing to me.
Shortly thereafter I read the book and loved it. We all need direction in our lives and Total Church provides it in some of the simplest of terms. If you’re a Christian and wondering or not if a book about “the church” would really provide direction for you, then you absolutely need to read it! The first three chapters are worth the $10 by themselves.
Before writing his book Reason for GodTimothy Keller gave a number of talks on common objections to Christianity. All of them are wonderfully winsome talks which show that the power of these objections weakens the closer you look at them, the more you wrestle with them. Bellow I’ve embedded one of the talks which is on Hell.
After hearing these talks, I’m going to buy this book. You can check out all of the talks for free.
This is just too good of a deal for me not to throw something up on the blog about it. I wouldn’t be a good friend if I didn’t ya know.
BRAND NEW 500TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF CALVIN’S COMMENTARIES WITH A MATCHING SET OF CALVIN’S INSTITUTES
Don’t miss this opportunity to add this classic 22 volume Hard Cover set by Reformed theologian John Calvin to your library. There are more than 20,000 pages. Combining reverence for God’s word with skillful exegesis, these commentaries are a favorite among pastors and serious Bible students. This would be a great gift to get for missionaries, pastors and even Sunday School teachers. Several are getting an extra set (even if they have their own) for the Church Library!
List price on this set is normally $1,200.00, but right now you can pick up this amazing set for $119.95!! Holy smokes! If not for yourself, maybe you know a certain someone who would like a set… Buy it here.
Monergism Books Monergism.com is one of the best collection of online theological resources out there. If you haven’t been to the site and looked around then you don’t know what you are missing! I also just signed up as a Monergism Books affiliate this week. Basically it means that if you buy a book from their bookstore they give me a cut which I can in turn use to buy books! You pay the same price either way, so hey why not! They only know to credit me though if you use my link, which I added to the right side bar.
Greek & Hebrew Reader’s Bible
John Dyer, who I am not familiar with, created this online Greek and Hebrew Bible . . . for free! It reminds of Zhubert.com, but it also has Hebrew and not just Greek like Zhubert. If you mouse over words you can get a quick dictionary definition of the word and also case information. This site looks perfect for someone getting started in Greek!
Believin’ Stephen
Now I just recently heard Believin’ Stephen for the first time. This is Timothy Brindles little brother. If you aren’t familiar with Tim, you should be. Believin’ Stephen just recently released 19 tracks titled The Perseverance MixTape which you can down for FREE right here. The songs don’t seem to conform to an overarching theme that well, but overall I am liking it and looking forward to what else comes out of Believin’ Stephen.
Ours is the age of instant gratification and the quick fix. Even Christians have succumbed to the spirit of the times. We want to attain that state frequently referred to as “victorious Christian living” by simply going to a retreat or walking down an aisle.
Don Whitney’s book comes as a much needed corrective to this kind of thinking. It reminds us that Christianity is not easy, and if we expect to produce robust Christian character we must get back to what former generations of Christians knew and what we have all but forgotten–discipline.
Now I know her book and her blog are “for women”, but I peak over there every once in a while anyways. Why you ask? Well see for yourself:
We are called to set our minds on heavenly things, take our thoughts captive, submit to the truth of the Word, and keep our minds set steadfastly on God (see Colossians 3:1, 2 Cor. 10:5, Isaiah 26:3). In other words , our focus is to be on the eternal–heaven, Christ, and the kingdom of God. We are choked from fruitfulness when we become consumed with the cares of this temporary world, and in particular, the deceifulness of riches. Many Christians are more convinced of the reality of their daily problems than the reality of their God. We will never be fruitful for the Savior if we fail to look past our surface-level, earthly cares to see the heavenly reality beneath.
-The Worries of This Life
As someone who recently joined a small church a review of the book Why Join a Small Church caught my eye:
Benton’s piece de resistance is this circular argument: Unless solid Christian seek out, populate, and serve “little and very local” churches, the light of the gospel may go out in those areas. However, small churches can hold out the offer of the gospel in an authentic, small-scale way that bigger churches cannot: “Everyone needs to become a Christian and local churches are the God-ordained means of holding out the Word of life to the community.”
I think that sounds crazy. Why not say “Unless solid Christian seek out, populate, and serve mega churches, the light of the gospel may go out in those areas.” Just as true isn’t it? But it goes on and I see some balance:
You may be asking at this point, “Is it wrong to attend a large church?” Not usually, not always, and not necessarily. As Benton says, “To join a big thriving church is not always wrong, but it is frequently the easy option…how the devil would love to herd Christians into a few big city centre churches, getting them to travel miles from their communities and leaving vast tracts of our country with no viable witness for the gospel.”
I dig what he is saying. In fact I know some mega churches who specifically see that problem and are trying to avoid it. Then, in my opinion, the review just takes a nose dive:
Elsewhere, Jesus says, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given… Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” These verses almost certainly apply to the conundrum of whether one ought to attend a small church or a large church.
Okay now this is just ridiculoous. These verses most certainly do not apply to what size church you should join. What Jesus is talking about is plain as day: Marriage and Divorce.
Sorry, I was wanting to post about this book because it looked interesting to me, but now I am just frustrated with the tossing around of Scripture in the review. Sheesh, come on Discerning Reader!
Now some of you have just read the title of the book to the right and your mouse is beginning to move towards the back button. WAIT!
Anyone who has read, or attempted to read, Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology has probably in retrospect found the subtitle “An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine” to be a little inaccurate. The book is a bit deeper and difficult then an “introduction” as we normally think of one.
The Canon of Scripture
The Inerrancy of Scripture
How to Interpret the Bible
The Doctrine of God
The Knowability of God
The Character of God and His Incommunicable Attributes
The Character of God and His Communicable Attributes
The Trinity
The Doctrine of Creation
God’s Providence
Doctrine of the Atonement
Doctrine of Sanctification
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. You probably won’t sit down and listen to every message in order, but tuck this away as a great resource for when questions come up.
Here is a sample message with the accompanying outline for the talk:
A quick word about a great resources for those interested in shepherding and disciplining. Justin Taylor at 
Now some of you have just read the title of the book to the right and your mouse is beginning to move towards the back button. WAIT!
has probably in retrospect found the subtitle “An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine” to be a little inaccurate. The book is a bit deeper and difficult then an “introduction” as we normally think of one.