Book Reviews

The late Francis Schaeffer once said that he feared we were not answering the questions the younger generation was asking. I would add that we might not even know the answers to their questions. This is tough because God holds parents responsible to disciple their children in a way that enables them to begin to think with a transformed mind, in order to know what God would have them do. This discipling includes having ready answers for their tough questions.

We cannot simply be satisfied with teaching the Bible unless we also help to see what difference it makes in daily life. In other words, parents have to help children ask the right questions, teach them what the Bible says, and then help them to be critical thinkers by connecting the dots to find answers. This process is crucial in their young lives.

As I talk about this around the church, I am frequently asked what I recommend to help in this discipleship process. Tough Questions About God, Faith, and Life by Charles Colson is a great starting point. It will help you know how to deal with tough issues in a way that will encourage and model for your children how to think like a Christian. Colson’s prayer is that this book will enable you to assist your covenant children in becoming lovers and defenders of the truth.

This book will be a goldmine in your resources. As I started reading through it several weeks ago, all I could think of was how I could get this book into as many parents’ and youth workers’ hands as possible. It contains 13 chapters on major topics. Those 13 topics are broken into 113 different subtopics. Each subtopic is usually about two or three pages which makes it quite usable in settings of discussion. Some of the topics include: Should I keep my baby? Why have the public schools become so dangerous? What do Muslims believe? How can Christians justify war? How can I measure success in my life? But shouldn’t we be tolerant of others’ beliefs? What is wrong with cloning?

If you are not convinced that you should have this book to assist you with the rising generation, then I am saddened because so much is at stake. Homes, churches, and schools must synchronize their efforts to help our precious covenant children know how to think and live Christianly – how to develop the mind of Christ and how to apply their hearts unto wisdom and knowledge! Colson has a unique ability to do what we are attempting to do in our ministry at Christian Education and Publications and that is to “make kingdom disciples” who have a definite, critical, and clear biblical world and life view.

Editor’s Note: The Winter issue of Equip to Disciple featured the topic of the rising generation, but space did not allow the inclusion of the following two books. Because of their importance we are including them in this issue dealing with leadership, especially for church officers. These books reflect an area where church leaders and parents need to step up to the plate before it’s too late.

My inclination was to devote this entire issue of Equip to Disciple to this book. It is that important. Chap Clark and Kara Powell are on the faculty at Fuller Theological Seminary in the Center for Youth and Family Ministry department. You met Clark a couple years ago when we reviewed his book Hurt also dealing with the rising generation. He is a knowledgeable person and understands the culture of the younger generation.

The authors exemplified their philosophy and practice of youth ministry in an interview with Curt Gibson, who uses their “assets” approach in his student mentoring program. Gibson states, “I am all for Bible study, but this is different. This is a deeper view of the kingdom of God that says following Jesus means more than sin management. It says that the kingdom of God means we’re active in trying to serve and improve families, schools, and the entire community. Lots of volunteers don’t get that, and quite honestly, they leave.”

They asked Gibson what mistakes he made when he began trying to do ministry in this way: “Our biggest mistake was that we didn’t teach the theological perspective of the kingdom of God that says we are to engage our communities. So many people equate following Jesus only with doing Bible studies. I think that’s a truncated Jesus. “When asked his advice about this different approach to youth ministry he said, “If you’re already in a ministry, you might need to shut it down and rebuild from a kingdom perspective that focuses more on communities than programs.”

Clark states, “Today’s kids seem tougher to reach, more distant and disconnected. Programs and events don’t have the same impact they used to. Spiritual growth seems much slower and more erratic for most young disciples than even a few years ago…Maturity, in every area, simply takes longer to develop today than it once did…”

Clark continues, “Church and parachurch youth ministries tend to be far more supportive of adolescents and less agenda-driven than nearly every other system in their young lives. But we still represent a huge, often faceless organization-the church. Kids perceive us as being more committed to getting them to participate in our events and trips than to them as individuals…They simply don’t trust adults who run programs. As much as they may like us, most will hold back at some level because they see us as adults with self-serving agendas.” He goes on to develop the challenge that to reach today’s youth, we can no longer have success simply using an “add water and stir” approach. Kids see through those things. Why isn’t discipleship working like it used to? You must read the book along with Making Kingdom Disciples with the prayer that God will challenge you as parents, youth workers, and church workers to see the real need where our youth are concerned. We have to work hard and practice communicating with the younger generation. This book will challenge and help you to just that. Buy it! Read it! Use it!

Here is book that you must read, preach, and teach. John Frame has produced another outstanding kingdom-building book. Though the title could be a bit misleading, true and wonderful as it is, it is more than about salvation. It is an introduction to systematic theology. Before you disregard it as just another theology book, remember from Frame’s other books, he views theology as life and life as theology. Even though he says that this is a book for beginners in theology, it will challenge us all to think more biblically. He says he has written for a college-level audience which I believe would also include new seminarians.

Salvation Belongs to the Lord is unique in that it will challenge those engaged in full-time teaching and preaching, but it is also very readable for others in the church. He says that this is not a part of his Theology of Lordship series, but I believe it should be read before the others in that series. In a readable and understandable style, Frame gives us the big picture of the Sovereign God and Lordship over all things, including the church and salvation. I agree that understanding the big picture of God’s truth and reality will enable us to handle the details more effectively.

This is also a timely book in that we are living in a time when studying doctrine, at least in a systematic way, is not very popular. Systematics is a pedagogical device to help us understand more of God and his Word as it relates the parts to the whole and ties the teachings of the Bible together. Frame is right when he says, “the Bible is not a miscellaneous collection of ideas but a coherent, consistent system of truth in which major doctrines depend on one another.” I believe that is why it is difficult for people to know how to think biblically, because they cannot always connect the dots in the Scriptures. This book will enable the reader and student to do that better and more practically than many other books that have been written.

The book contains two parts. Part one lays the foundation for what he writes about in his Lordship series books. It is about the Sovereign and Triune God, His Word, His Son, and His Holy Spirit. Part two deals with the ordo salutis, salvation, thus the title.

In part two he opens up the doctrines of grace, including the means of grace. He also treats the topic of the church and kingdom clearly. For example, while the Reformers listed three marks of the true visible church, Frame suggests that several others should be part of that list: love among the brothers and sisters, worship, and the Great Commission.

He gives good insight into the government of the church. His conclusion on the “Nature of the Church” challenges us to remember that “the well-being of the church has more to do with the work of the Spirit than with the form of government.” His section on the Church and Kingdom is also helpful. For example, he says that God’s kingdom is synonymous with God’s sovereignty. “The church consists of those who have been conquered by God’s saving power, who are now enlisted in the warfare of God’s kingdom against the kingdom of Satan…The church is the headquarters of the kingdom of God, the base from which God’s dominion extends and expands,” (page 249).

He also uses the term “missional church” to underscore the church’s task in making kingdom disciples. He highlights three elements that make up the missional church–worship, nurture, and witness.

Because of the value of this book, I would hope that a leader’s or teacher’s guide would be produced to assist churches in building this into their kingdom discipleship curriculum. Dr. William Edgar, professor at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, made a descriptive comment on the cover of the book, “We can be grateful for such a powerful and clear exposition of the whole range of theology. It is at once vigorously orthodox and sweetly pastoral.”

In an issue focusing on the rising generation, no better book of the Bible could be highlighted than Proverbs. This book of wisdom is full of advice and counsel directed to the young. If there is one message that comes through from Proverbs and should be part of the kingdom discipleship emphasis, it is that life and reality are all about the sovereign Lord who has created a life and reality that has structure, meaning, and purpose as we live according to his design.

One example: 3:1 ff “My son, don’t forget my instruction, and let your heart protect my commands. For the length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you.” Longman says, “…if a son obeys, he will find grace and good favor in the eyes of God and humanity. Or, perhaps to put the same thing in different words, to find grace and good favor in the eyes of God, and humanity, the son must pursue obedience.”

Longman gives the following quote from Bruce Waltke that reflects Waltke’s exposition of Proverbs 3:1-13, “In theological terms, the admonitions in the odd verses of 3:1-12 present obligations of the son, the human covenant partner; the argumentation in the even verses shows the obligations of the Lord, the divine covenant partner. The human partner has the responsibility to keep ethics and piety, and the divine partner the obligation to bless his worshiper with peace, prosperity, and longevity,” (page 130). I use this quote of Waltke from Longman because it summarizes Waltke’s comments in his commentary, but also demonstrates how the two commentaries interface with one another.

Not only would I encourage pastors and teachers to study and teach the book of Proverbs to their people, I would say that if you have these two commentaries, you have the best resources available for this undertaking. Both reflect painstaking exegesis, yet are written in a very usable manner. The appendix of topical studies contained in Longman’s work would provide a good action plan for teaching and studying this book. It selects key topics such as anger, appropriate expression of emotions and use of words, friendship, and women/marriage, to name a few. Longman says with the last topic listed, “A final word: As pointed out earlier in the commentary. Proverbs discusses women and wives and not men and husbands, because in its original setting the book was addressed to young men. However, modern women can certainly read the proverbs and apply them to their relationships with men.”

Both Waltke and Longman demonstrate in these commentaries the importance and relevance of the Old Testament for one’s Christian faith and life. Both books, while reflecting the best of scholarship, are equally useful and readable.

Longman said of Waltke’s work, “Everyone who seriously studies Proverbs needs to read this work.” I would agree but add the same words for Longman’s commentary. Both are successful at dealing with the original context and setting of Proverbs but also in making it applicable to our present day. Both commentaries reflect a consistency with other traditional commentaries but are also willing to consider new possibilities where appropriate

We know something is wrong because of all we see around us. We know people do awful things to each other that cause pain and suffering. We don’t always understand why but we know something is not right.

Some cannot accept a good and loving God while living with pain and suffering. Chris Tiegreen brings this into focus in a simplistic yet profound way and shows us how it is to live in a fallen world. He brings us face-to-face with suffering and pain in his personal experience with his sixteen-year-old son.

Why a Suffering World Makes Sense gives a clear presentation of the presence of suffering and why suffering is part of God’s revelation of who he is, his attributes, and the blessings that can be found through suffering. If suffering were not part of life then we would not know God as we know him. He would be a hidden and distant God rather than being the powerful, loving, healing, and personal God he really is. Tiegreen explores suffering as part of God’s plan and how pain and suffering reveal God’s mercy and healing-all of which we would not know if we did not live in a fallen world. This book gives incredible insight into what most people think is inconceivable-a good God allowing his people to suffer with promises of good things to come from it. Need is the stage where God’s mercy demonstrates itself.

Why a Suffering World Makes Sense brings suffering and blessing together and there is much to gain from reading the book. It gives new depth to why we should always seek the lesson God would have us learn through suffering and pain. It helps answer the “why” question.

The overall point of the book is to help us understand there is purpose in pain. It brings together God’s creation as to his power as the Creator, man’s free will, and the consequence of man’s choice to attempt to make it “all about me” rather than it being all about God. The author helps us understand why God remained silent at the most crucial time in the history of mankind and helps to give meaning as to why we live in a fallen world; even the earth groans in turmoil.

Why a Suffering World Makes Sense gives a new dimension to the presence of pain and suffering in a believer’s life. The overall purpose is the glory of God but the journey is difficult, and this book is an encouragement while withstanding the darts of the evil one. It is a strong reminder that as Christians we are not fighting against just a problem but against the problem maker.

This book should be read by Christians, especially those struggling through pain, doubts, or asking questions regarding why things have happened that seem to have no answers as well as to be read by non-Christians seeking to understand why life seems so empty and futile. It reverses the questions to answers while explaining why we need to be asking different questions. The author seeks to bring his readers to see as Christians we need to be relating with the One who allows the suffering; not spiritually crippled by the suffering. It’s all about the Person, not the problem. Difficulties, pain, suffering, hurt, disappointment, betrayal, divorce, death, are all here to stay. What we need is to work through all the trials with our Father who meets us in our suffering.

You might be surprised to see CEP reviewing a book on fiction, let alone a book on the rapture, but we find ourselves in a situation where many of our people are reading this fictional series by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye. There is a hunger in the church for information about the Second Coming of Jesus, and they are going to whatever sources that are providing it, even if it is not accurate. Gribben has written a book that is very helpful in dealing with the content of what is in the current fictional series, both for the professional as well as they person reading these works. This book is not an attack on dispensationalism. Instead, it deals with the three main flaws in how the books cover conversion, the church, and the Christian life. Since 1995, this series (and others) has sold over 60 million copies, and has produced movies/DVDs as well.

One reason this book should be read in the PCA is that Gribben gives a good background to the whole dispensational position and how it has evolved over almost 200 years.

The chapter I really enjoyed was what he called “The Origin of Rapture Fiction.” I did not know that such works have been around since the early 20^th century. Gribben goes into detail how each era these works reflected the political situation, finding a different “antichrist” and “mark of the beast” in the current day.

Gribben gives many examples of how the books give a very watered down presentation of the Gospel in the ways people are brought to “conversion.” The importance of the church is greatly distorted in that many pastors are “left behind” only to discover too late that they never really understood the Gospel until now (true in many churches, but not in all as implied). People who come to conversion during this period find they fellowship with other “tribulation saints” rather than with a church. “Rapture fictions underplay the significance of the church, its continuing status as the Body of Christ, and the importance of its means of grace, both in the ‘church age’ and in the tribulation.” (86) This distorted ecclesiology is evident from the poor understanding of the Christian life. These novels celebrate the individual as individuals instead of seeing every convert as part of the Body of Christ. The books celebrate the wisdom of men rather than the Scripture. The novels stake their reputation and credibility of Scripture on the accuracy of the authors’ predictions. “This is a gross manipulation of truth.” (93)

“If this modern evangelicalism has lost sight of the contents of the gospel, is unsure about the purpose of the church, has no appreciation of the significance of the sacraments, can imagine a life of faith without God’s law or suffering under Christ’s cross, it is an evangelicalism unworthy of the name. More seriously, it is an evangelicalism unworthy of the Savior. That is the tragedy of Left Behind – and the devastating consequence of the wider evangelical crisis.” (108-109)

What is clear is that Christians are reading these books en mass. It is hard enough to read historical fiction and be able to discern what is historical and what is fiction. It is even harder for believers to read Rapture Fiction and be able to discern truth from fiction.

The Church of Jesus Christ has a great future to look forward to in the New Heaven and New Earth, yet so little time seems to be spent teaching about this future. What is evident from the sales of these books is that people are hungry to know what lies ahead, and knowing what lies ahead should lead us to living life now under the authority of our Lord. We need to be teaching our people to discern truth from error/fiction. Here is an area of great need and concern. This book can help.