Soul Food      

Books that Blessed Me in 2018

Scott Slaughter

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great 19^th Century Baptist preacher, and pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle once said, “Visit many books, but live in the Bible.” With such profound counsel as a guide, before I mention a few of the more helpful books that entered my study in 2017,  let me first emphasize the importance of Holy Scripture in life. For starters, I want to encourage those of you that dear to me, those of you who have only recently taken up the Bible in your daily reading. Allow me to be your cheerleader for a second. Don’t give up. The Bible is the most profound book that has ever been written. Not only is the Bible filled with exciting story-telling, beautiful poetry, and amazing prophecy, it is God’s Word. The Bible is a miracle book. Paul reminds Timothy that it is inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16). So when you get discouraged because you do not understand it on the level of Dr. John MacArthur Jr., John Piper, or R.C. Sproul, give yourself a little slack. The Bible is a lifetime book, not a good holiday read. Before you start purchasing and reading any of these excellent volumes below, make sure you’ve given plenty of time to the systematic reading of the Bible. I am thankful to my N.T. Greek Professor, Dr. James A. Qurollo for instilling this in me so many years ago.

Vaguely, I remember reading another piece of advice from The Prince of Preacher (C.H. Spurgeon). In his book, Lectures To My Students, he challenged his pupils to read much and widely on many subjects. As a young seminarian, I took this bit of wisdom to heart and it has been a personal rule of my reading ever since. With this in mind, it occurred to me that my little list could be more helpful if a general category was provided. If you are looking for a book in any of these areas, perhaps this will give you a little more perspective.   

The Spiritual Life & Growth

• Comfort In Affliction, James Buchanan. 
• Confessions, St. Augustine
• The City of God, St. Augustine
• The Revived Puritan, The Spirituality of George Whitefield, Michael A.G. Haykin

Buchanan’s little book was used by God to keep my heart and mind closed to Scripture as He prepared me to go through a time of suffering in 2017. Perhaps your prayer life could use a bit of inspiration. The classic writings of St. Augustine, Confessions & The City of God are wonderful sources of drawing your devotion back to the simple love of Jesus Christ that it needs to be. In The Revived Puritan you may witness spirituality in action through the letters of the great Puritan evangelist, George Whitefield. 

Doctrine & Culture

• Beauty, A Very Short Introduction, Roger Scruton
• Behold Your God, Rethinking God Biblically, John Snyder
• The Beauty of God, Theology and the Arts, Editors: Daniel J. Treier, Mark Husbands, & Roger Lundin

The two books on beauty are challenging to be sure. So if you are looking to stretch your mind and heart in the coming year, all three of these books are for you! Behold Your God, is another spiritual treasure and source of growth in your understanding of God. 

Worship & Ministry

• Embracing Obscurity, Anonymous

Almost three years ago this book was gifted to me by a dear friend. It lay in my “Read Next Stack” for that whole time. It lay that pile not because the desire to read it was not present but because of the height of the stack. Are you ready to be challenged by God to give glory to Him for what He does through you? Are you reading to grow in genuine humility? Then get your hands on this little book, then prayerfully read each section.    

Biography & History

• Logic On Fire, The Life & Legacy of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones,  John Snyder
• Robert Lewis Dabney, A Southern Presbyterian Life, Sean Michael Lucas
• Saints and Sinners at Jersey Church Settlement, The Story of Jersey Baptist Church, Garland A. Hendrick
• Truths That Transform, The Life of Dr. D. James Kennedy

Though the titles of each of these works are self-explanatory, don’t let that stop you from broadening your understanding of what it means to live for and serve our Lord Jesus Christ. Biographies are a great love of my life, especially, biographies of Church Fathers, pastors, theologians, and missionaries. Occasionally, I run across a history of a local congregation that is a challenge and filled with stories of God’s wonderful power through the gospel. That’s what I found when John and Ellen Sharpe gave me a Saints and Sinners at Jersey Church Settlement. 

These are the books that I thought might be helpful to recommend to each of you. If you venture into the pages of one or more of them, I hope they bless you as they did me. 

Happy Reading in 2019!
Post tenebras lux, 
Scott

The Unquenchable Flame, Discovering The Heart Of The Reformation, Michael Reeves

EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK.

   The Unquenchable Flame is a thrilling 198-page account of one of the most pivotal events in the history of man, the Protestant Reformation. Author and theologian Michael Reeves is a master storyteller. Even if you are not very familiar with the specifics of the Reformation or the key people involved, you will be able to follow Reeves as he unfolds one amazing event after another. Who needs a novel when history is this exciting!

   In this account, Reeves has intentionally made the material accessible to the popular audience. You will learn about Martin Luther, the medieval, German, Roman Catholic monk who through studying the Bible came to believe that a person is justified before God by faith alone in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You will learn about how this discovery set in motion a movement of God the world had not witnessed since the early church. You will also learn how important these truths are for today. 

   Not only does this short book give the fascinating tale of days gone by, but it also carries a critical message for today. Dare we boast about the state of churches today? It would not be wise. Much understanding about how to restore churches to faithfulness to God's Word can be found in how these men lead the churches of their day. Of these men Reeves writes, "...The Reformers were not after progress but regress: they were never mesmerized by novelty as we are, nor impatient of what was old, just because it was old; instead, their intent was to unearth original, old Christianity, a Christianity that had not been buried under centuries of human tradition." 

   Churches should purchase this book by the case! Churches should draw strength from those faithful to the Word in days long past. These men met the challenges to the gospel in their day with a thoroughly biblical response. From their example and teaching churches might well do the same. Currently, B&H Academic is giving a free copy of this book to everyone who signs up to receive their blog! Take advantage of this generous offer. You may also purchase the paperback from their site as well at the link provided above. 

Post tenebras lux, 

Scott

Culture Counts, Faith, and Feeling in a World Besieged, Roger Scruton

    "Roger Scruton has written an aggressive, provocative, and persuasive counterattack against the nihilism of modern intellectuals who would repudiate the high culture of America and the West," writes Robert H. Bork.

    What is culture? There is abundant discussion these days about "respecting the culture of others." This mantra is especially used in Western nations today thanks to the multicultural movement. This is often quoted as if the West does not already have a brilliant and vibrant culture. Sadly, a large portion of this discussion is quite shallow and politically motivated. Scruton brings simplicity and clarity to understanding the nature and role of culture and why Western Culture, specifically, is worth every effort to learn and treasure. 

    Roger Scruton has written some forty books challenging the corrosive philosophy of Liberalism. Scruton in winsome and simple ways demonstrates the richness and value of learning and transmitting the essential components of Western Culture. In chapter one he answers the difficult question of what exactly is culture. Scruton writes, "...It is very hard to set spatial or temporal boundaries on Western civilization. It grew from the fusion of Christianity with the law and government of Rome, became conscious of itself in the high Middle Ages, passed through a period of skepticism and Enlightenment, and was simultaneously spread around the globe by trading and colonial interests of its more adventurous members. And throughout its most flourishing periods, Western civilization has produced a culture that happily absorbs and adapts the cultures of other places, other faiths, and other times. Its basic fund of stories, its moral precepts, and religious imagery come from the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New Testament. On those Judeo-Christian roots, however, has been grafted a tree of many branches, bearing many kinds of fruit."

   Scruton's excellent discussion of the role of Leisure, Cult, and Culture in chapter two is nothing short of brilliant. It is both simple and transformational. Honestly, many a church, denomination and preacher might be encouraged and helped by this lucid discussion of a topic we tend to either get wrong or ignore. Each little chapter is filled with a banquet of thought. Topics such as "Knowledge and Feeling," "The Uses of Criticism," "Teaching Culture," "Culture Wars," and "Rays of Hope" are surprisingly thorough and reachable by all. Culture Counts is a small book that will hopefully be accessible to a wide audience. It is my hope that Roger Scruton's writings and speeches will find their way into your diet of excellent literature. 

Post tenebras lux,
Scott

How Many Isaiahs Were There & What Does It Matter, Prophetic Inspiration in Recent Evangelical Scholarship, Richard L. Schultz

   Did Isaiah the prophet write the book that bears his name? Were there two, three, or four "Isaiahs?" Did Isaiah the prophet even exist? Is the book of Isaiah simply a compilation of writings from other scribes? A troubling trend is afoot in Evangelical scholarship. As evangelicals gain acceptance in the academy there has with this acceptance comes the temptation to yield and to use, the higher- critical methods that have plagued liberalism from its inception. Respect can be a powerful draw that leads to a perversion of the historic and traditionally accepted doctrine of the inspiration of the Scriptures. And lest we minimize the danger, we must remember that to forsake the biblical doctrine of inspiration or to pervert it is to lose the Scriptures themselves. Schultz's concern is that "One of the primary threats today to a traditional understanding of biblical inspiration and inerrancy is the unrestricted employment of historical-critical tools by evangelical biblical scholars."
    How Many Isaiahs... is actually an excerpt from the larger book, Evangelicals & Scripture: Tradition, Authority, and Hermeneutics; a book that will henceforth be on the Sorry, I'm Booked "must-read" list. This is good for the reader. Making How Many Isaiahs...a stand-alone book makes it small enough for the average person. Since this is a subject that the typical Christian might shy away from reading, IVP Academic has performed a great service to the church by publishing it. The issues of this book, especially to the book of Isaiah, are of vital importance. "Contemporary evangelical approaches to the book of Isaiah illustrate vividly how historical-critical approaches to the book entail a changing doctrine of Scripture," Schultz writes. Church members mustn't ignore this book because, as the saying goes, what begins in the classroom ends on the street. Pastors go to seminaries to learn the Word and the skills of ministry and godliness but if what they learn is wrong then they will be as well. How can a local church pastor preach Isaiah with conviction when he is not confident that Isaiah is a trustworthy book or if his belief in the traditional understanding of inspiration and inerrancy has been shaken? Issues such as these are not simply scholastic past-times but have profound implications for the growth and vitality of the local churches. 

Post tenebras lux,
Scott 

Biblical Eldership, An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership, Alexander Strauch

   Is leadership in the church about popularity? Should churches simply find those individuals that have done well for themselves in the community? What makes for good and, more importantly, godly leadership? Do pastors have authority? Should they? What does this authority look like and who gave it to them? Churches should be asking these and like-minded questions. Unfortunately, many churches do not ask such questions until they are faced with a problem in the body or the failure of a shepherd. "Who can calculate the damage done during the past two thousand years to the churches of Jesus Christ because of inattentive, naive, and prayerless shepherds?", writes Strauch.
    Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch is already a classic on the subject. I'm tempted to skip it and not blog about this particular book because of its rapid and deserved rise to the must-read list on the topic of church order. On the other hand, one suspects that taking such worthy works for granted is how they often fall into disuse. Perhaps there are church members, elders, deacons, and pastors who are yet to benefit from this work. My concern specifically is for the younger ministers that are building their libraries and constructing their understanding of biblical church order.
    Solomon wrote that to the making of books there is no end. Speaking as one who blogs on the joy of books and reading, I'm perfectly happy with Solomon's observation. In the spirit of Solomon's great wisdom, it behooves us to be selective about our reading. Research what are the best works on a given subject and read them first then if there are time, money and energy to read more, do so. It is my observation that most people read. That is not the question. What makes the difference in us is that we are reading deep, Scriptural works that transform our minds and lives in conformity to God's Word. Such is Biblical Eldership. This is not a "church growth" book so if you are looking for the latest and greatest on how to grow your church to be the talk of the religious stratosphere then this is not the book for you. But if you want to build godly, servant-leaders that uphold the sound doctrine and spiritual vitality in your congregation then this book is most certainly in the must-read list.
    Biblical Eldership is written with balance and clarity. Strauch has made great effort to build upon solid and thorough exegesis of pertinent Scripture. Furthermore, he has researched broadly on the implementation of the Bible's teaching on elders, which is often a gap not bridged. In fact, I am comfortable saying that for Strauch these are one and the same. It is clear that he is working from a firm belief in the sufficiency of the Scriptures. Strauch expounds the Scriptures then explains how this is to be worked out in relation to other passages and in light of church history, as it relates to church order. It is worth mentioning, as well, that his style is warm and winsome. Strauch never comes across as if he were on the attack. He believes in and defends his position but in an engaging way so that even if you do not agree with the concept of elders in the church you will benefit from making this book a part of your research. Practically speaking, this would be an excellent "required reading" for all church leadership for teaching how to care for the Lord's flock. It is my prayer that all shepherds will take time to digest this book and implement its wise counsel. 

Post tenebras lux,
Scott

James Petigru Boyce, A Southern Baptist Statesman, Tom Nettles

   If you've kept up with my reviews of the other volumes from this series then you know that I am in love with the series, American Reformed Biographies. I recently acquired all the current biographies in this series and have slated them for upcoming reading adventures! My interest in J.P. Boyce has been a long-standing one. He is a figure in Baptist history that, to my mind, modeled so much of what Baptists should strive for in ministry. For some time I've desired to learn more about this great father of the Southern Baptist denomination. When I saw that the American Reformed Biography series had included a J.P. Boyce edition I was ecstatic. Finally, I thought, we will get a quality biography about this giant of a man whom so few Southern Baptist know anything about. 

   For the most part, having now read this edition, my joy remains. It is good and right that Boyce was included in this series. It is also good and right that Dr. Tom Nettles was selected to write it. It is worth the read and has much to commend it to both Baptist and other Evangelicals. Boyce's contribution is highlighted and celebrated. There is much to be learned about the beginning and struggling years of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Of great interest to me was that Nettles included some information about life for Boyce and Southern Baptists during the Civil War. So, the diligent reader will find much to keep him "hooked" till the end. 

   With all the aforementioned said I am painfully compelled to point out a few criticisms. First, I must say that the constant reports about who gave how much to the seminary, how much they were short to pay the professors and how far Boyce and others had to travel to convince someone to give was exhausting. It is understandable to include this in some way in an abbreviated fashion but the repetition of this information made me feel as though this were the first biography ever written from an accountant's ledger. It just did not make for interesting reading. Furthermore, this emphasis made the biography feel like it was as much, if not more, about the founding and financing of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary than it was about the man James Petigru Boyce. Frankly, I wanted to know the man more. I desired to know more about J.P. Boyce. How can learn from him and grow from his life? The seminary is an interest of mine as well but not to the shadowing of the man who founded it. Then there was the constant appearance or assumption we might say, of A.T. Robertson with no introduction or explanation. Of course, I am familiar with A.T. Robertson and his mammoth works. Robertson is another of the Southern Baptist greats that have been all but forgotten to the lust for growth and change that have taken hold in the denomination (topic for another time).

   With this trajectory, this biography has little excuse to justify its length. When the Van Til and Nevin volumes are 200 pages shorter it is hard to understand why this edition is so long. Why not cut out some of the ledger reporting? If all we were going to do is report where Boyce picked up another $1000 then, by all means, I vote that we keep it brief. Don't get me wrong; I have great respect for the author. Maybe that's the reason for my disappointment. My appreciation for Dr. Nettles possibly raised my expectations too high. I admit that my entry thought was: "Finally, a biography about an exceptional Baptist leader that is written exceptionally." But my exit from the book was not with so much excitement. It is worth the read but it does often become tedious and for that, I am bothered. 

Post tenebras lux, 

Scott