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Fr. Wayne's Recommended Books
List
This is Fr. Wayne's
recommended list of books. Please visit the Words About
the WORD Book Ministry table and after Sunday services and Sunday school
to place your order. See Tim Dana if a book has an X by it or is listed as being
out of print. Cash or check are accepted. Descriptions are from Amazon’s
descriptions or reviews. You may e-mail Tim Dana at
CKRECbooks@gmail.com
Highly Recommended
39
Articles a
pamphlet published by the Reformed Episcopal Church--X
Signed,
Sealed and Delivered: A Study of Holy Baptism
by Ray Sutton
Spirit
of the Disciplines
by Dallas Willard
Willard's thrust in this
book is to emphasize and expound the vital importance of the spiritual
disciplines to the Christian life and to clear away popular misconceptions of
them. In the preface, he says: "My central claim is that we CAN become like
Christ by doing one thing - by following him in the overall style of life he
chose for himself. If we have faith in Christ, we must believe that he knew how
to live. We can, through faith and grace, become like Christ by practicing the
types of activities he engaged in, by arranging our whole lives around the
activities he himself practiced in order to remain constantly at home in the
fellowship of his Father." He continues: "What activities did Jesus practice?
Such things as solitude and silence, prayer, simple and sacrificial living,
intense study and meditation upon God's Word and God's ways, and service to
others. Some of these will certainly be even more necessary to us than they were
to him, because of our greater or different need. But in a balanced life of such
activities, we will be constantly enlivened by `The Kingdom Not of This World' -
the Kingdom of Truth as seen in John 18:36 - 37." We must go beyond asking "What
would Jesus do?" to practicing what Jesus practiced. "Following `in his steps'
cannot be equated with behaving as he did when he was `on the spot.' To live as
Christ lived is to live as he did all his life."
Some of the
misconceptions he exposes, as they relate to practicing the spiritual
disciplines, include the denigration of the physical body and confusing it with
the fallen human nature, and the elevation of poverty as a virtue and
denigration of wealth as a vice. He takes exception to some of the ascetic
practices of some of the early Christian monks who went so far as to abuse their
bodies. He also states: "to withhold our bodies from religion is to exclude
religion from our lives" (pg. 30). Spiritual life is the body's fulfillment
Just as an athlete's entire life is devoted to the discipline of
exercise, practice, diet, rest, etc. to result in the attainment of excellence
that we see briefly during a sporting event, so a Christian's spiritual maturity
and Christlikeness is not an accident but must be an ongoing intentional
activity. Willard describes a series of "disciplines" which can be of value as
we apply them to our lives:
The disciplines of abstinence:
solitude
silence
fasting
frugality
chastity
secrecy
sacrifice
These make way for the disciplines of engagement:
study
worship
celebration
service
prayer
fellowship
confession
submission
Dominion
and Common Grace
by Gary North
The
Covenantal Gospel
by C. Van Der Waal
Against
Christianity
by Peter Leithart
Seeking to rethink
evangelical notions of culture, church, and state, with a series of short
essays, aphorisms, and parables, Leithart challenges the current dichotomies
that govern both Christian and non-Christian thinking about church and state,
the secular and the religious.
Blessed
are the Hungry
by Leithart
The purpose of the book
is to eventually show how the celebration of the Lord's Supper leads to
eschatological renewal and subsequently, the transformation of culture. This is
the Epilogue of the book. The chapter (each about five pages or so) build up to
this theme.
For the
Life of the World: Sacraments and Orthodoxy
by Alexander Schmemmen--X
Outline of an Anglican
Life by
Louis R Tarsitano--X
The
Kingdom and the Power
by Peter Leithart
The English
Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a man subject to periods of
depression. When he would find himself in such a state, he would call his wife,
Susannah, and say, "Fetch me down Baxter!" This was in reference to the book The
Reformed Pastor by the great Puritan divine Richard Baxter. This book always
excited Spurgeon and pulled him up, as it were, by his calling. After reading a
few pages of Baxter, Spurgeon would again feel the fire of God reviving him.
The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church by Peter
J. Leithart is my Baxter. If ever I need the excitement of God to well up in my
heart anew, I will call out to my wife, "Fetch me down Leithart!"
With the pen of a poet, Leithart sets the hungry soul on fire. Like a treasure
hunter, he guides the reader through room after room of the great palace that is
the Kingdom of God, exploring each facet in all its glory and finally arriving
at the very center of the Kingdom, the room where all the treasure is kept, the
living room where the people of God sit enthroned with Him on the love seat
between the cherubim. This room is the Church. This is the center of God's
purpose and God's Kingdom.
There are two chapters in particular that I will go back and read through again
and again. They are chapters 8 and 9, "The People of the Kingdom," and "On Earth
as It Is in Heaven." In these two chapters Leithart, without even mentioning the
modernist theologies of liberalism and dispensationalism, destroys them both by
expounding what God says about the Church and her mandate in the Kingdom.
Allow me to entice you with just one quote. "The Church, as a collaborator with
God, is called to nothing less than world conquest, world construction, in the
widest possible sense. She is called to labor by God's power to bring every man,
woman, and child into the life and under the dominion of the kingdom; to work to
see that every institution in every nation conforms itself to Christ's
commandments; to bring every thought into captivity to Christ (2 Cor 10:5). Her
mission is to see that every human being brings every created thing into service
to God, so that the Adamic commandment in both its royal and priestly dimensions
is fulfilled. So, the Church has a mission, and what a mission!" (p. 173-174).
Through
New Eyes by
James Jordan
How well
developed is your biblical worldview? Through New Eyes will fill in some of
those annoying, perhaps gaping cracks. The language of "symbol" in the
Scriptures is not well taught today nor widely discussed. Many things about
prophecy, the book of Revelation, and understanding the Bible's major themes
come within the grasp of the common (but serious) reader after tackling this
volume. Clearly written and full of common sense (while avioding the wild and
wooly that often accompany this topic), Jordan discusses God's use of created
things and language in the Scriptures. As he follows the Holy Spirit's use of
certain symbols and themes throughout the Book, the reader begins to see the
unity and seamlessness of the Bible in a new way. Things in creation, God's work
in the world, and the arena of man's worship of God take on a much richer
significance. While the reader may not agree with all of Jordan's conjectures,
the compelling articulation of his fundamental theses should stir a hearty
"amen" from most of us. This book is a must for any serious student of the
Bible. A must.
Other Good Reads
To a
Thousand Generations
by Doug Wilson--X
The debate
over infant baptism should begin where the problem does - with our children. The
issue of baptism operates against the backdrop of the divine promises to
Christian parents. Only after we understand parenthood can we properly turn to a
discussion of covenantal baptism. Between the Testaments we find total and
complete continuity on the subject of godly parenting. This book aims to offer a
fresh approach to the discussion, avoiding arguments that merely show infant
baptism to be consistent with Scripture. Such a task requires an approach that
begins with shared premises of parenting.
Boundaries with Kids
by Townsend & Cloud
Keys for establishing
healthy boundaries--the bedrock of good relationships, maturity, safety, and
growth for children and adults.
To help their children grow into healthy adults,
parents need to teach them how to take responsibility for their behavior, their
values, and their lives. The authors of the Gold Medallion Award-winning book
Boundaries bring their biblically based principles to bear on the challenging
task of child rearing, showing parents:
*
how to bring control to an out-of-control family life
*
how to set limits and still be loving parents
*
how to define legitimate boundaries for the family
*
how to instill in children a godly character
Competent
to Counsel by
Jay E. Adams
Hoax of
Higher Criticism
by Gary North
How the
Bible Came to Us
by Meryl Doney
How to
Help People Change
by Jay Adams
Institutes of Biblical Law
by R.J. Rushdony--X
Investing for the Future
by Larry Burkett
Knowing
God by J.I.
Packer
A lifelong
pursuit of knowing God should embody the Christian's existence. According to
eminent theologian J.I. Packer, however, Christians have become enchanted by
modern skepticism and have joined the "gigantic conspiracy of misdirection" by
failing to put first things first. Knowing God aims to redirect our
attention to the simple, deep truth that to know God is to love His Word. What
began as a number of consecutive articles angled for "honest, no-nonsense
readers who were fed up with facile Christian verbiage" in 1973, Knowing God
has become a contemporary classic by creating "small studies out of great
subjects." Each chapter is so specific in focus (covering topics such as the
trinity, election, God's wrath, and God's sovereignty), that each succeeding
chapter's theology seems to rival the next, until one's mind is so expanded that
one's entire view of God has changed. Author Elizabeth Eliot wrote that amid the
lofty content Packer "puts the hay where the sheep can reach it--plainly shows
us ordinary folks what it means to know God." Having rescued us from the
individual hunches of our ultra-tolerant theological age, Packer points the
reader to the true character of God with his theological competence and
compassionate heart. The lazy and faint-hearted should be warned about this
timeless work--God is magnified, the sinner is humbled, and the saint
encouraged.
Let Me
Know Myself: Reflections on the Prayer of Augustine
by Donald Burt
Can we ever
truly know ourselves? That is the question at the heart of this small book that
tries to make sense of day-to-day existence. Like Augustine, Burt believes the
search for God must begin with self-discovery, and these brief essays reflect on
the inward journey toward the core of one's being. As he progresses, Burt
examines Augustine's life and inner conflicts, finding much common ground
between the attitude of the young Augustine, who was more interested in the
outer world and its various pleasures, and the often shallow concerns of secular
society today. Self-discovery, Burt says, can be a humbling and exhausting
experience. He also inspects such matters as desire, avarice, and ambition
through the prism of Augustinian thought, and through self-analysis and
spiritual meditation arrives at his own conclusions, proving that
self-reflection can be a harrowing but necessary endeavor if we wish truly to
know ourselves.
Loving
Monday by John
D. Beckett
Instead of
grinding it out until Friday and living only for weekends, a successful Ohio
manufacturing executive has seen how his work can be filled with meaning and
purpose. The key is integrating his work and beliefs. As a result, both
grow--along with his love for Mondays. Beckett brings all of life together:
work, belief, value, character, relationship, truth, worship and joy. The result
is employees who feel valued, enjoy their work, work hard and are successful at
what they do. Here is a book for everyone who wants to succeed in business
without selling out. Includes study guide and a new afterward.
Man and
Woman in Christ
by Stephen Clark
Paradise Restored
by David Chilton
In Paradise
Restored, author David Chilton examines the modern defeatist theology held by
many evangelicals and gives us an alternative: a bright future filled with
Christ-serving nations and, most importantly, a victory for Christ through the
spreading of his gospel.
Chilton first examines the imagery present in Genesis and elsewhere in the
Bible, especially that having to do with the Garden of Eden and the restoration
to Eden through Christ in the great gift of salvation, and demonstration of
God's mercy, for individuals, and for the world.
Although premillennialism was not invented until 1827, it had nonetheless taken
a strong hold on Protestant Churches everywhere, especially in America. Though
it has no scriptural basis and was considered to be a theology of quacks until
the last hundred years or so, it became the rule, rather than the exception,
during the 1970s. Then again, a lot of things happened in the 1970s! :)
Chilton does a wonderful job refuting all of this, and uses the best source of
all: the Bible, to prove his case. He shows us the hope that is found for the
church through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Passion
and Purity by
Elizabeth Elliot
Elisabeth
Elliot's story centers around one pivotal question: "Does God want everything?"
Her emphatic answer--"Yes"--is what makes Passion and Purity the foremost
Christian book on dating ever written. Based on stories, journal entries, and
letters chronicling her own five-year courtship with Jim Elliot, she gives frank
advice, scriptural directives, and compassionate examples of what it means to
follow Christ in the midst of heartache and impatience. The perfect antidote for
those who flounder in the thinking that "the Bible doesn't say anything about
dating," Elliot's short chapters are filled with nuggets of wisdom that spell
out exactly the opposite. "Until the will and the affections are brought under
the authority of Christ, we have not begun to understand, let alone accept His
lordship. The Cross, as it enters the love live, will reveal the heart's truth."
Whether in a dating relationship, married, or pursuing a call to single life,
readers will find Elliot's message challenging them to a true faith in a Christ
who lovingly calls us to surrender all.
Very few
books on dating have stood the test of time like Passion and Purity. Its
much-needed message remains strong and hopeful in an age when doing whatever
"feels right" is common practice. Using her own life as an example, Elisabeth
Elliot guides singles of both genders and of any age on how to put their love
lives under the authority of Jesus Christ. Passion and Purity covers dating
issues such as: €how to know which person is the right one to marry loving
passionately while remaining sexually pure €the man¹s and woman's role in
relationships €putting God's desires ahead of personal desires €how far is too
far, physically This best-selling book now has a new cover, an updated interior
design, and a foreword from popular author Joshua Harris.
Primeval
Saints by
James Jordan
Jacob was a trickster. Abraham lied and questioned
God. Joseph was a braggart. These patriarchs of the biblical book of Genesis
were certainly flawed, but in Primeval Saints: Studies in the Patriarchs of
Genesis, James Jordan argues that they are "saints" nonetheless particularly in
comparison to the heroes of pagan literature. Jordan's writing tends toward the
didactic, but the thesis is interesting and fresh.
James Jordan reveals
the fascinating weave of lives that bind together the heroes and villains of
Genesis, as they progressively image and reverse one another in an ascending
narrative of action, a narrative all too commonly broken apart and missed.
These heroes of the
city of God-Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and others-come to flesh
and blood in ways that undo our normal assumptions. In stark contrast to the
selfish heroism of pagan literature, the heroism of Genesis triumphs by breaking
all the standard rules. Jordan inverts so many of the traditional negative
judgments against these patriarchs' alleged weaknesses and "sins" of deception,
struggle, and tyranny that they stand forth as heroes rather than scoundrels.
Redemption Accomplished and Applied
by John Murray
John Murray was the
systematic theology professor at Westminster Seminary for many years and as
such, held one of the most high profile and influential academic positions
within the ranks of reformed theology. This particular book was his attempt to
succinctly outline the tenets of reformed soteriology, and it has become a
standard text that multitudes of later pastors, teachers, and theologians have
drawn from in their works.
The book is divided
into two basic sections. The first section analyzes the accomplishment of the
atonement. This is the section where Murray argues in favor of the most disputed
point of the 5 points of Calvinism, 'limited atonement'. It is also the section
where Murray puts forward the somewhat controversial doctrine of divine
alienation, which says that the reconciling act of the atonement did much more
to address God's holy alienation from us than it did to address our alienation
from God. This doctrine tends to go against modern views which say that
reconciliation is purely an event where we become reconciled to God as soon as
we exercise faith, and that's it. Murray takes exception to this by saying that
alienation is not purely humanity's alienation from God, but also God's holy
alienation from us as a result of our sin and that this holy alienation must
also be addressed in order for genuine reconciliation to be possible. Murray
does a very good job of analyzing this area and might well be the most
profitable part of the book from a purely theological perspective since this
aspect of the atonement is rarely thought about or discussed.
The second section of
the book is where Murray puts forth the classic reformed understanding of the
ordo salutis. This is the section where Murray argues that monergistic
regeneration precedes faith and makes a faith response on our part possible.
This is one of the main aspects of reformed soteriology that is an affront to
the anthropocentric soteriology held sacred by much of Christendom. However, I
happen to strongly agree with Murray here. His analysis of regeneration,
justification, sanctification, and perseverance are all very good.
A Royal Waste of Time
by Marva DawnThis book is
very helpful in understanding and interpreting our postmodern culture as it
impacts worship. The author describes God as our "Infinite Center", and worship
as "immersed participation in all the fullness of God's splendor." She
emphasizes the need to "be Church" to our culture. The author also deals
candidly with many of the music issues affecting worship today, especially the
"traditional" versus "contemporary" struggles, and worship and evangelism
issues. While many authors offer practical suggestions for "what works," she
gets to deeper levels, reminding us that worship is not a matter of taste, that
evangelism itself should not "drive" what happens in worship, that we cannot
sacrifice substance for style. Throughout the book, she reminds the reader that
she is not seeking to provide answers for "being church" in our culture, but she
invites us to ask better questions about the meaning and purposes of worship in
postmodern times, and how our worship practices form us to be God's people.
Reading this book is definitely not a waste of time!
Third
Time Around by
George Grant
Third Time
Around, by George Grant, is a thorough and scholarly account of heroes through
the centuries who have struggled to protect the lives of the unwanted innocent,
including infants and the unborn. These heroes’ stories teach us that the
struggle to preserve life never ends. Many of these men and women sacrificed
lives of comfort or luxury to follow their calling. Others used their authority,
influence, or affluence to bring about changes that saved lives. Many were
martyred. You will be amazed at how many times victory has been won for the
unwanted, only to see them threatened again in another time or under another
ruler. That it has been won so many times before should be an encouragement to
all who love babies, the handicapped, and others of the most vulnerable among
us!
Women in
the Church
Stanley J. Grenz
In Women In The Church: A Biblical Theology Of Women In Ministry,
Stanley Grenz and Denise Kjesbo offer an in-depth, comprehensive theological
study of this controversial and often bitterly contested issue. Carefully
considering the entire spectrum of concerns surrounding women and the ordained
ministry, Women In The Church will enlighten people on all sides of the issue,
and concludes that "Historical, biblical and theological considerations converge
not only in allowing, but also in insisting, that women serve as full partners
with men. " Thorough and irenic, Women In The Church takes an intense discussion
in a fresh, and possible more fruitful, direction. Women In The Church is a much
needed addition to all theology, biblical studies, and women's issues reference
libraries.
Divine Conspiracy
by Dallas Willard
Willard (philosophy,
Univ. of Southern California) considers popular Christian belief to be missing
out on the essence and origin of its true meaning. Since "consumer Christianity"
mistakes the logo for the logos, today's brand-name Christians have jumped on a
bandwagon that has run off without its true leader. The imitation of Christ has
lost its central importance in Christianity, according to Willard. He examines
reasons why this is so and sets out a detailed plan for reawakening such
commitment, which requires a genuine willingness to die to self in contrast with
mere consumption of Jesus' merits as an insurance against death. Willard's
passionate insights are thoroughly argued, though not all may agree with his
curriculum for changing people's beliefs. Most suitable for pastoral
collections.
The Blood of the
Moon by George
Grant
"Allah has bought from
the Umma-the true believers of Islam-their selves and their substance in return
for Paradise; they fight in the way of Allah, killing and being killed. Their
promise is written in the blood of the moon." -From the Koran, chap. 9, v. 112
The conflict between
Islam and the West existed long before the destruction of the World Trade Center
and the other events that recently touched America. It goes back hundreds, even
thousands, of years. Yet the struggle is upon us now as never before. In this
well-reasoned, accessible book,
Middle East expert George Grant answers the troubling
questions on many believers' minds. Who are the followers of Islam, and what do
they believe? What could have motivated those who carried out the acts of terror
on September 11? Why has there been tension between Islam and the West for
centuries? What are the true meanings of terms such as Ji'had, Intifada,
and Dhimma? And is there any hope for peace? The call upon believers
now-as always-is to prepare and equip ourselves so that we may stand fast.
The Blood of the Moon will help readers better understand the history of
Islam and its struggle with the Western world, as well as how Christians can
share the message of salvation through Jesus Christ with the followers of Allah.
The Body
by Charles Colson--X
Making Room by Christine Pohl
That You May Prosper by The Rev. Ray R. Sutton
The History of the Cure of Souls by John T. McNeil
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