I’ll stand by my comments on the cover of this book. “Who says that theology is dull and too other worldly. They must not be referring to this book.” In these 52 pithy sections, Milton shares with us some of his life impacting situations including some of his griefs, trials, joys, and other aspects of his life. You will smile and you may even experience a tear as you read. He is open honest and clear about God’s goodness throughout the book.

Each of the 52 sections is only two to three pages. An easy read book that you will enjoy and will also find in it a book that can easily and freely be shared with a friend. Having recently read and reviewed in this issue a book honoring J. I. Packer and hearing Packer and other contributors reference Packer’s theological methodology in keeping theology practical and applied, I thought how this book is a cleat step in that direction.

As Milton continues to establish himself as a writer, this book will greatly assist him in that task. For a real blessing I encourage you to read this book. You will even find illustrations for your preaching and teaching as well as for your everyday Christian living.

What a great book honoring a man that I have admired, learned from, and watched over the years as he has served our Lord in Great Britain, North America, and throughout the world. As a young Christian and especially in my seminary days, men like J. I. Packer fed me spiritually and challenged me to think biblically. I even thought that I had most of his books until I read the bibliography of books in this volume. To Timothy George, founding Dean of Beeson Divinity School and editor of this book, I commend you for your effort; not only in editing the book but for the role you played in having those September 25-27, 2006 lectures by the contributors to this festschrift delivered at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, AL. I also appreciate your response to Packer when he had reservations about such a book. The spotlight of the book will be upon Packer’s God. And how fitting a tribute to a man, as George stated so beautifully, who has played such a major role in the revitalization of evangelicalism. It was Packer’s 80^th birthday, thus making him 83 today.

George describes the book, “A mosaic of some major aspects of Packer’s life and thought…We learn something of the future of the evangelical church-opportunities, dangers, and direction.” Packer is a man of prayer as well as valiant for the truth. His theology is focused on doxology and devotion.

The book contains chapters by such contributors as: Charles (Chuck) Colson, Mark Dever, Timothy George, Alister McGrath, Carl Trueman, and others. Topics include: The Great Tradition, The Gifts of Packer, His Theological Method, Primacy of Scripture, Packer, Puritans, and Postmoderns, Knowing God and several others.

For a bit about the book! I will only highlight four of the 13 chapters. Each one, not just the four selected, would be worth the price of the book. But especially the four!!! And, if I could wave a magic wand, I would have every seminary professor, student, minister, church leader, and especially those of the “emergent movement” read Alister McGrath’s opening chapter, “The Great Tradition.” He says of Packer, ” I find in him someone whose views are so well biblically and theologically grounded, so well defined and articulated, and so well applied that one could wish for no better dialogue partner in wrestling with the great theological issues of our own age, as well as the past.” McGrath goes on to say that Packer’s genius is his attentiveness to the past as a key to understanding the present and the future. His commitment to the discipleship of the mind is no secret. From Packer’s own words, “I theologize out of what I see as the authentic biblical and creedal mainstream of Christian identity, the confessional and liturgical ‘great tradition’ that the church has characteristically maintained from the start.”

Packer is famous for his distinction between biblical theology and tradition. He says of the latter that it is ministerial not magisterial. As McGrath writes, what a threefold challenge Packer gives us today.

“Emerging Adults” is a label used to describe the 18-30 year olds and in this particular study it will focus on the 18-24 segment of that group. Christian Smith, author of many books including Soul Searching which is to date the largest in-depth study of teenagers 13-17 years of age. We reviewed this book, had Smith to speak to our 2008 Kingdom Discipleship Conference in Atlanta, and we have followed Smith in his research along the way. Souls in Transitionwill take its place alongside Soul Searching and should and could be used alongside it. It carries throughseveral years since the teenage study with what happens as they get older.

More details will follow. Quite a number of college professors have observed that students from strong religious backgrounds often do better in school than their peers who are not from those environments. That should tell us something!

Souls in Transition is an in-depth look at the students in that age bracket (18-24). Following a similar pattern of study, as was done with the teenagers, Smith and his colleagues use a combination of one-on-one interview, telephone interviews, statistics etc. to help examine the lifestyle of the 18-24 year olds. His aim is to describe these emerging adults in their cultural world of today. In doing that he paints a clear picture as to the role that culture plays in shaping their lives, especially their religious orientation-their outlooks and experiences.

Following that extensive study of the America teenager, this book provides valuable information, insights, and carefully executed research. Religious leaders, including pastors, youth workers, teachers, andespecially parents, not to mention the academicians and cultural analysts will benefit significantly from this study. Young people themselves will also find this book unusually accurate and reliable in understanding themselves and their immediate peers.

In the earlier Soul Searching, Smith showed that the average teenager was actually more religious than previously thought; however he described their religion as “moralistic, therapeutic deism.” In this study following the next age category he can see how that moralistic therapeutic deism continues to play out in their lives as they get older. In some cases their religion has been strengthened and in other cases challenged and changed.

As we found in the teenage study, there will be some surprises. It remains for example even into emerging adulthood that parents continue to be “the single most important influence on these religious outcomes of these young adults. He further demonstrates that the notion that religiosity declines with them is greatly exaggerated. Those engaged in ministry simply must read this book!

Smith asks the question, “What do the religious and spiritual lives of Americans, 18-30 look like and why? What are the social influences that shape them during this phase of their lives? These and other strategic questions are answered by the research and their conclusions in a clear and challenging manner. As mentioned above, his extensive method of research included 3,290 emerging adults. Personal interviews with 267 of them from 45 states also included 122 of the same people interviewed in the earlier study.

One of the most valuable and helpful things done was to keep some level of continuity between the respondents from their teenage to emerging adult years. The research was seeking to discover and evaluate what happens during the transition time especially to their religious outlook, their lifestyle, including values, beliefs, associations and commitments. Smith asks, “How much do they change?” The book seeks to answer those kinds of questions.

For anyone engaged in discipleship ministry with this age group, this book is a must read. To illustrate: the study and book not only look at the importance or lack of religion in the emerging adults, it examines the importance of religion in their lives. The factors present in people’s lives at younger ages appear to form religious and spiritual outcomes later in life.

While there are several other books dealing with the emerging adults that we have found helpful; such as: Jean M. Twenge’s Generation Me and Jeffrey J. Arnett’s Emerging Adulthood, Souls in Transition must be at the top of the list because “it holds a mirror that reflects back to adults a telling picture of the large adult world-their own world into which emerging adults are moving.” This book accomplishes what it has intended to do. And, because the church must be willing to ask tough questions such as: how can we effectively and faithfully attempt to disciple these emerging adults, and the challenge to ask that same question regarding all the younger generation, leaders need this information not only to be better informed but to be better equipped to take its assignment to make kingdom disciples more seriously.

Some book pics from Tim:

Reason For God
Tim Keller

We studied this in our adult Sunday school class during Fall and it was a great class. I needed to read some chapters twice to understand the logic and philosophy used by both sides. Keller is very good at defending the faith and giving reasons to believe in God. He also challenges the facys and assumptions of atheists and doubters.

The Jesus Storybook Bible
Sally Lloyd-Jones

My 5 year old twins love to sit in my lap and listen to me read this Bible to them. They also enjoy the many pictures. 21 OT and 23 NT stories are told at an age range between 4 and 7. “The Jesus Storybook Bible tells the story beneath all the stories in the Bible. It takes the whole Bible to tell the this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby, the Child upon whom everything would depend. From Noah to Moses to King David, every story whispers his name. Jesus is like the missing piece in a puzzle-the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together. Beautifully written and illustrated, The Jesus Storybook Bible invites children to discover for themselves that Jesus is at the center of their story, too.” From the back cover of the book.

Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God
Paul David Tripp

This is a great book that I read when I turned 40. Though the Bible never defines when midlife starts everyone can either prepare, live it, or look back on this time in their lives. Physical ailments can often lead us to spiritual breakthroughs and this book by Paul Tripp is excellent. I highly recommend it to all men and all pastors.

I Am Reminded
Kennedy Smartt

Not having grown up in the PCA I learned a lot about the people, history, and practices of the PCA by reading this book. It is half history of the PCA and half autobiography of Kennedy Smartt. He has fascinating stories to tell and it is a very easy and enjoyable read.

With the explosion in popularity of fiction books targeted at young adults, one might think that teenagers today are turning the current trend toward not wanting to read anything longer than text messages or tweets around. However, it seems like once you move away from teenage wizards named Harry and angst ridden, love fueled vampires named Edward that young people have a tendency to stop reading. That is not to say that there are not books out there that need to be read by teenagers. In fact, Christian authors continue to write worthwhile books aimed at teenagers. So, if you are looking for a few book ideas for teenagers for Christmas gifts that are aimed at helping young people navigate the waters of faith and life then you may find the following list helpful. Slipping a copy of any of these books next to The Hunger Games or Catching Fire (the latest young adults novels that are quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon) under the tree this year, would serve the teenager better as they attempt to figure out what being a believer in 2010 looks like.

The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness: A Guide for Students
by Donald Opitz and Derek Melleby

Co-author Derek Melleby is the director of the Center for Parent and Youth Understanding’s College Transition Initiative (www.cpyu.org). Advocating the idea that a Christian worldview will help students headed to college make sense of the academic environment the authors call students to integrate their faith with learning instead of compartmentalizing their academic life from their spiritual life. Written in a style that is easily read and understood, this book is an important tool for students who are planning on going to college after high school. Click here to buy the book.

Don’t Waste Your Life
by John Piper

Excellent book written to challenge young people to do just as the title says: “Don’t Waste Your Life”. In his straightforward writing style, Piper not only gives the call to radical faithfulness but explains the challenges of living life that way. I continue to recommend this book and the DWYL website (www.dontwasteyourlife.com) as valuable resources for parents and youth workers to expose young people to. Click here to buy the book.

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations
by Alex and Brett Harris

The Harris brothers wrote this book with much the same call to young people as John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life. However, one major difference is that Alex and Brett are themselves young adults seeking to lead their own generation into great things for God. I believe the message of this book to be something the next generation needs to listen to. Click and buy the book.

Jonathan Edwards Resolutions and Advice to Young Converts
Edited by Stephen J. Nichols

At 19 years of age, Jonathan Edwards began writing resolutions that would shape how he conducted his life from that point on. For the next year he wrote 70 resolutions that explained the worldview by which he would attempt to live. Though not written in a contemporary style, this small book including Edwards’ list of 19 guidelines for young converts contains some of the best life wisdom that I know of and I highly recommend it for teenagers to read as they begin thinking about the direction they would like their lives to go. Click here to buy.

A list of great gift ideas from CEP’s Training and Resource Coordinator. Don’t miss out on this great selection of quality books…

	Rediscovering Daily Graces: Classic Voices on the Transforming Power of the Sacraments by Robert Elmer		How to Understand Your Bible by T. Norton Sterrett
	ESV Study Bible Crossway Books		Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith by Tim Keller
	Sermon on the Mount: Living Life as Christ Taught It by Gordon Reed		The Walk: Steps for New and Renewed Followers of Jesus by Stephen Smallman
	40 Days on the Mountain: Meditations on Knowing God by Stepehn Smallman		Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges
	When I Don’t Desire God: How to Fight for Joy by John Piper