On faith, reason, and theology.

The title says it all.  Check out this site that compiles the top five commentaries for each book of the Bible.  The site provides reviews and links for you to purchase them.

This year give your dad the gift of Christian biography!  Desiring God Ministries has provided a complete package of biographies on great men of God for Father’s Day.

For $40, they’re offering four books, each containing three biographical sketches.

• The Legacy of Sovereign Joy (Augustine, Martin Luther, John Calvin)
• The Hidden Smile of God (John Bunyan, William Cowper, David Brainerd)
• The Roots of Endurance (John Newton, Charles Simeon, William Wilberforce)
• Contending For Our All (Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen)

With this series, you’ll also receive audio of 18 biographical messages on one MP3 CD entitled “Men of Whom the World Was Not Worthy.”

In Barton’s latest sermon on watching closely your life and doctrine (1 Tim 4:11-16), he quoted from a Charles Spurgeon sermon on 2 Tim 4:13 – where Paul makes a seemingly passing comment to Timothy, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments.” But leave it to Spurgeon to draw out an amazing application to the Christian life.

“We do not know what the books were about, and we can only form some guess as to what the parchments were. Paul had a few books which were left, perhaps wrapped up in the cloak, and Timothy was to be careful to bring them. Even an apostle must read. . . . He is inspired, and yet he wants books! He has been preaching at least for thirty years, and yet he wants books! He had seen the Lord, and yet he wants books! He had had a wider experience than most men, and yet he wants books! He had been caught up into the third heaven, and had heard things which it was unlawful for a men to utter, yet he wants books! He had written the major part of the New Testament, and yet he wants books! . . . He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. Brethren, what is true of ministers is true of all our people. You need to read . . . You may get much instruction from books, which afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master’s service. Paul cries, ‘Bring the books’—join in the cry.”

As Barton mentioned, we’ve included a recommended book list on our revamped website. Here’s a challenge: together with a friend, pick a book, start reading, and periodically come together for discussion.

The following post is found on Justin Taylor’s Between Two Worlds:

Kevin DeYoung’s new book, Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will has the best alternative sub-title of the year: Or: How to Make a Decision without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Impressions, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shiver, Writing in the Sky, Etc.

Tim Challies reviews the book today.

And here is Josh Harris’s foreword for the book:
It is God’s will for you to read this book. Yes, I’m talking to you. What are the odds that you would “just happen” to pick up this book and flip open to this page and start reading? Obviously it’s a sign. Of all the millions of books in the world, you found this one. Wow. I have chills. Do not pass up this divinely orchestrated moment. If you miss this moment there’s a good chance you will completely miss God’s will for the rest of your life and spend your days in misery and regret.

Now that I’ve scared you, let me acknowledge that everything in the previous paragraph is total baloney. It’s bunk. Not true at all. Actually, I don’t know if it’s God’s will for you to read this book. But I do think that reading it could be a really good idea.

If you’re prone to think of God’s will in the way I so threateningly described it, this book will help set you straight. Kevin DeYoung is a skilled pastor, theologically astute and a clear communicator. He gives you content but makes it easy to absorb and understand.

In this book he will show you what trips you up from moving forward in decisions. He’ll talk about how God speaks to us and what it means be guided by wisdom. In a gentle and loving way he will challenge you. There’s a good chance that you’ve picked up some faulty ways of thinking about this issue. I love the way no-nonsense way Kevin pulls us back to truth: “God is not a magic eight ball we shake up and peer into whenever we have a decision to make. He is a good God who gives us brains, shows us the way of obedience, and invites us to take risks for him.”

I’m a pastor. And the highest praise I can give this book is that it is my “go to” book on decision making and “finding God’s will.” If you were in my church and you came to be and said, “I have a big decision to make (marriage, job, house, etc), and I need to know what God wants me to do!” I would put this book in your hands.

It’s liberating and encouraging and even where it smacks you up side the head (which it does once in awhile) you’ll be better for the smack. You’ll think more clearly and more biblically.

So read this book. You’ll be wiser because of it.

Joshua Harris
Senior Pastor of Covenant Life Church, author of Stop Dating the Church!

HT: Between Two Worlds

On his blog, Trevin Wax is offering a “Kingdom People Christmas Giveaway” where you get a chance to win a bunch of free books. He writes,

For the next ten days (Dec. 15-25), you have the opportunity to register to win all ten of my favorite books this year. Plus, an ESV Study Bible. That’s $260 worth of books!

#1. THE REASON FOR GOD – Tim Keller
#2. CULTURE MAKING – Andy Crouch
#3. SURPRISED BY HOPE – N.T. Wright
#4. WHY WE’RE NOT EMERGENT – Kevin DeYoung & Ted Kluck
#5. HOW PEOPLE CHANGE – Timothy Lane & Paul David Tripp
#6. THE BIG PICTURE STORY BIBLE -David Helm & Gail Schoonmaker
#7. JESUS MADE IN AMERICA – Stephen Nichols
#8. RESIDENT ALIENS – Stanley Hauerwas & Will Willimon
#9. WORSHIP MATTERS – Bob Kauflin
#10. The Sermon on the Mount through the Centuries – Jeffrey Greenman, Timothy Larsen, and Stephen Spencer

Go to his blog post to learn how to register for this giveaway.