Every Good Endeavor: A Book Review

I have recently begun a series at church on A Biblical Theology of Work.  In preparation for that series, I read four books specifically addressing the topic; of the four, the book by Timothy Keller “Every Good Endeavor” (ISBN 978-0-525-95270-1; 286 pages including endnotes) was the best.  The book is laid out in three parts: God’s Plan for Work, Our Problems with Work, and The Gospel and Work; each of these sections is composed of four chapters.  Co-authoring the book is Katherine Leary Alsdorf, the Executive Director of Redeemer’s Center for Faith & Work – a ministry of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC where Keller is the pastor.

The strength of the book is its theological commitment to the historic reformed faith, presented in a clear writing style liberally sprinkled with illustrations drawn from the lives of various people, historic and contemporary.  In particular I was stimulated in my thinking about this topic by the emphasis on breaking down the “clergy/laity” divide which communicates a defective understanding of divine calling, resulting in the creation of two classes of Christians.  When this artificial barrier is allowed to exist we end up with a few individuals “in ministry” and everybody else who is forced to slog it out in their workplace – at best “doing ministry” a couple of hours a week.  The result of this way of thinking is that the majority of most peoples’ lives is spent doing something which they assume has no eternal value – how depressing and demotivating!

Keller shatters this false dichotomy in his introduction and then proceeds in section one with a very robust presentation of the glory of work drawn from the creation account of Genesis 1&2.  For example, my heart soared when I read statements like this: “Work is as much a basic human need as food, beauty, rest, friendship, prayer and sexuality; it is not simply medicine but food for our soul.  Without meaningful work we sense significant inner loss and emptiness…Work is so foundational to our makeup, in fact, that it is one of the few things we can take in significant doses without harm” (pg. 37).   And again, “Work is our design and our dignity; it is also a way to serve God through creativity, particularly in the creation of culture” (pg. 55).  By showing the reader how his daily work connects to and imitates the creative work of God Himself, Keller provides great motivation to pursue our work with excellence.     

In the second section dealing with the problems of work, Keller does a good job explaining the effects of Adam’s fall upon our work.  He quotes philosopher Al Wolters who writes: “Do you find the two great tasks in life – love and work – to be excruciatingly hard?  This explains why”.  In tracing the outworking of the fall Keller not only explains its consequences for work, but spends a couple of chapters explaining its negative impact on the worker.  It is in this section that the sin of making work an idol is brought forward for the reader’s contemplation.

Finally, in the third section, Keller introduces the effect of the Gospel upon how the Christian is to think about and engage in work.  Helpful little subsections dealing with topics like “The Gospel and Business, The Gospel and Journalism, The Gospel and Higher Education, the Arts, and Medicine” set the stage for a helpful section of developing a Christian worldview.  Throughout this final section Keller repeatedly notes that Christian conversion does not change the work, but it does change the worker – and that change makes all the difference.

This book was not a difficult read and I recommend it to those who are struggling to find meaning in their work, as well as to those just entering the working world.  Understanding and internalizing the sound theology presented here will go a long way toward removing some of the sting of those thorns and thistles.     

Delighting in the Trinity: a book review

“Christianity is not primarily about lifestyle change; it is about knowing God.  To know and grow to enjoy him is what we are saved for…Thus to read this book is not to play an intellectual game.  In fact, we will see that the triune nature of God affects everything from how we listen to music to how we pray: it makes for happier marriages, warmer dealings with others, better church life; it gives Christians assurance, shapes holiness and transforms the very way we look at the world around us.  No exaggeration: the knowledge of this God turns lives around.” So begins Michael Reeves engaging new book Delighting in the Trinity (135 pages from IVP; ISBN 978-0-8308-3983-4).  In this book the author sets out to both explain the Trinity and perhaps most significantly, explain why the triune nature of God is essential to the Christian faith – “the governing center of all Christian belief” (pg. 16).

For many the Trinity is like your weird uncle that shows up at the family gatherings – you have to acknowledge him as family, but you would just as soon not introduce him to your friends.  In my early years as a Christian, well-meaning people used various analogies to try and “explain” the doctrine of the Trinity.  Things like: an egg, a shamrock, three states of water, even streaky bacon.  I found them all to be very unsatisfying - not to mention bizarre.  Later I retreated into the position of thinking and speaking of the Trinity in terms of what it is not – parroting the ancient creeds.  But this left the whole issue somewhat dry and academic – lacking in day-to-day personal connection.  The power and benefit of this little book is that the author steers clear of both academic dryness and evangelical silliness. 

As to the layout of the book, it tackles in chapter form the importance of the tri-unity of God under the following topics:

1.      What was God doing Before Creation?

2.      Creation: The Father’s Love Overflows

3.      Salvation: The Son Shares What is His

4.      The Christian Life: The Spirit Beautifies

5.      “Who Among the Gods Is Like You, O LORD?”

6.      Conclusion: No Other Choice

Woven throughout are pictures and text boxes which briefly address and explain the issues and the people who have shaped our understanding of the triune nature of God through the centuries.  Early in the book Reeves is very clear that Scripture reveals God to be triune and robustly refutes the idea that the trinity is a fabrication of 4^th century theologians. 

Another interesting and helpful feature of the book is that as the author unfolds the beauty of the Trinity he takes the time to compare it to the solitary monotheism of Islam – clearly pointing out along the way that Allah is not identical to the Christian God.  Loving relationships is something inherent in the Godhead (Jn. 17) and it is those loving relationships that explain why God both created and redeems humanity – this is a profound idea and when internalized it will become a powerful motivation for our evangelistic endeavors. 

Michael Reeves is the theological adviser for the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship in the UK and thus experienced in speaking and writing for that age group.  This results in a writing style that is both witty and practical, making the book accessible for both young and old.  I would recommend this book to those high school aged and above who desire to grow in their understanding of their triune God – for the doctrine of the Trinity has profound implications for both life and ministry.  This would also be a good book for reading together with others and then periodically getting together to discuss.    

Practical Help for Disciple-making

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  We all know this familiar passage of Scripture as “The Great Commission” and as earnest followers of Jesus Christ we desire to do our part in helping to fulfill it - But how?  Many of us feel a little like Moses who protested when called by God to speak to Pharaoh…”Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue" (Ex. 4:10). 

Well I have good news for you.  It comes in the form of a little (103 pages) book entitled “One to One Bible Reading” (ISBN 978-1-921441-981).  In this book David Helm, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Chicago, provides instructions for implementing a simple method of discipleship that can easily be used by young believer and seasoned saint alike.  Since God through His Holy Spirit has inspired the writing of His inerrant and authoritative word, He has also through that same Spirit empowered that work to be the means by which He brings about spiritual life and growth (Jam. 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Tim. 3:16-17).  Therefore, it is an essentially Christian activity to read that word on a regular basis (1 Pet. 2:2; 1 Tim. 4:13).   Helm takes that idea of regular Bible reading, lifts it out of the realm of “private devotions” and applies it to a context of personal discipleship.  The method he outlines in the book has application evangelistically in addition to working with those who have already made a personal faith commitment to Christ. 

Practically speaking, how does it all work?  Pastor Helm outlines a simple 3-step method on how to get started (chapter 4), followed by chapters specifically devoted to the actual planning and organization of the regular meetings.  To get started we are encouraged to pray for God to prepare both us and the person we intend to invite.  The second step is probably the scariest, in that we actually have to open our mouths and invite someone to join us for a time of Bible reading.  It is here that we are called upon to exercise faith in God that He will honor our desire to honor Him and will place it within the heart of those we invite to take us up on the invitation.  The third and final step is to plan when and where you will meet; coffee shops to – living rooms and everything in between provide an ideal setting.

In addressing the subject of: “What will a typical meeting look like?” (chapter 5) Pastor Helm lays out the process:  pray, read out loud (alternating sections of verses), talk about what you have just read and how to apply it to your lives, set a date for the next meeting.  It really is as simple as that.  By utilizing this simple format we are trusting in the power of the Word rather than our own Bible knowledge or eloquence to bring about real change.  If in your reading you encounter a concept or word that you don’t understand, talk about it and then promise you will ask your pastor and get back to them the following week.  Whatever you do, do not turn your meetings into a soapbox for personal agendas, pet theological discussions, or arguments.  Pray, and let the Word do it work.

Beginning on page 43 and finishing out the book pastor Helm gives practical helps in how to build upon this simple method, as well as choosing what to read with different types of people.  He also provides an extensive section of passages and helpful discussion questions for those passages, which will stimulate your creative juices for adding questions of your own.  I find the brilliance of this book lies in its simplicity and accessibility to believers of all stripes and highly recommend it.  May God empower us to start a movement of Bible reading that will turn our world upside down.              

Just Do Something

I just finished teaching a two month series to our college ministry on the topic of “The Will of God.” For many in the group this was their first exposure to this critical topic and the process of biblical decision making. This age group is facing many important life decisions as they transition out from under their parent’s authority and unfortunately many lack a framework to intelligently face the decisions that they are being called on to make. But college students are not alone in this quandary – through my years of pastoral ministry I have taught on this subject a number of times, having found that it holds wide interest for the church at large – particularly as the winds and waves of subjectivity, mysticism, and biblical illiteracy toss people to and fro.

In preparing to teach the material this time, I read a good little book (128 pages including endnotes) from Moody Publishers entitled “Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will” (ISBN 978-0-8024-5838-4) by pastor Kevin DeYoung. Pastor DeYoung has been the senior pastor of University Reformed Church in Ann Arbor, MI, since 2004. Although he is young, God has given him a breadth to his ministry through writing and conference speaking. I have profited from a number of the things he has written.

In this book DeYoung includes an important statistic which sets the foundation for the entire book (and the reason for my recent series in our college ministry). He writes “In 1960, 77 percent of women and 65 percent of men completed all the major transitions into adulthood by age thirty. These transitions include leaving home, finishing school, becoming financially independent, getting married, and having a child. By 2000, only 46 percent of women completed these transitions by age thirty, and only 31 percent of men….”Adultolescense” is the new norm” (pg. 13).

In order to address this problem DeYoung introduces a presentation of the two aspect of God’s will, which he entitles God’s will of decree and God’s will of desire. He notes that God’s will of decree is secret (Deut 29:29), while His will of desire is plain and abundant in the pages of Scripture. In chapter three, DeYoung introduces five reasons why people fret over finding God’s will for their lives, and in reason four he hits upon one that is very pertinent to those of us living in the prosperous West – “We have too many choices” (pg. 32ff.). Later on in addressing some of the weaknesess of the mystical view he writes, “Just because you pray [it] doesn’t mean your decisions are beyond objection…if we say that ‘God told me to do this’ or ‘God’s leading me here,’ this puts our decisions out of the reach from criticism or concerns” (pg. 49).

In his chapter entitled “A Better Way?” DeYoung introduces the discussion with a quote from Matthew 6:25-34 in which Jesus rebukes anxiety for the future and commands a pursuit of the kingdom of God and His righteousness, elaborating the meaning by looking at examples in the life of the apostle Paul. Flowing out of that discussion, DeYoung introduces the doctrine of God’s providence and guidance through the clear statements contained in the Scriptures (Chapter six). The book closes out with a chapter entitled “Work, Wedlock, and God’s Will” in which the principles taught in the book are specifically applied to these two important and potentially scary situations.

I recommend this book for a number of reasons. It is short and readable – thus making it accessible to those wanting help in this area of the Christian life but who are not disciplined in their reading and would be turned off by some of the longer works on this topic. I also appreciate the practical examples that DeYoung has salted throughout the book which help the reader grasp the meaning of his teaching. But perhaps most of all I appreciate the book’s subtitle which in and of itself makes this a book that is well worth the price: “A Liberating Approach to finding God’s Will, OR How to make a decision without dreams, visions, fleeces, impressions, open doors, random Bible verses, casting lots, liver shivers, writing in the sky etc.”

Pagans in the Keep

“Your best friend is turning to Buddhism; your young nephew is confused about his sexuality; your wife is learning new spiritual techniques from a spiritual guide; you are beginning to wonder if Christianity is too restrictive. If these and other such issues are a concern for you, your friends or loved ones, then this book is for you.”

So writes Dr. Peter Jones in the preface to his latest book entitled One or Two: Seeing a World of Difference (ISBN 978-0-9746895-2-4). Dr. Jones is well qualified to write this book, holding an MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a ThM from Harvard Divinity School, and a PhD from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America, and Adjunct Professor of New Testament at Westminster Seminary California. Dr Jones formerly taught seminary for seventeen years in France, returning to the US in 1991. Along with his seminary work and writing ministry, Dr. Jones maintains a busy schedule as director of truthXchange (www.truthxchange.com), a ministry devoted to researching, warning, and educating the church with regard to the growth of ancient paganism and how to conduct worldview evangelism.

The title of the book refers to the competing worldviews which Dr. Jones has named “One-ism” and “Two-ism.” “One-ism believes that ‘all is one’ and shares the same essential nature…everything is a piece of the divine. Two-ism believes that while all of creation shares a certain essence (everything apart from God is created), the Creator of nature, namely God, is a completely different being, whose will determines the nature and function of all created things” (17).

The book is divided into three sections each of which is organized around a different aspect of Rom. 1:18-32. Section One establishes the need for the church to hear Paul’s ancient words afresh – pointing out through numerous examples and supporting documentation the major inroads paganism has and is making into the culture, and consequently into the church. The militancy of the spiritual/political powers behind the rise of paganism have in many cases forced believers from public discourse and are succeeding in redefining true and acceptable “spirituality as a combination of social justice and mysticism” (13).

Dr. Jones writes that the two issues over which the church is being intimidated into silence are “Christian uniqueness” (basic theology) and “homosexuality” (basic anthropology – humans as male and female) (58). Among young Evangelicals a growing commitment to mystical experience and deeds of social justice are replacing the gospel’s claim that Jesus is the only way of salvation, and absent a Biblical worldview, many eighteen-to thirty-year-olds think homosexuality is a valid lifestyle.

Section Two of the book is by far the longest and is devoted to an exposition of Romans 1, with particular emphasis upon “The Lie” of paganism (Rom. 1:25). In this section Dr. Jones traces the outworking of that lie in three areas: First, the overturning of sane thinking by making nature its own creator. Second, the overturning of sane worship by the abandonment of the Creator God and the substitution of created images, and thirdly, the overturning of sane sexuality by the embrace of unnatural sodomy (80). Dr. Jones provides an interesting and insightful subsection on homosexuality, paganism and the new spirituality (173-183) – shedding light on the driving politicalization of the gay agenda both nationally and internationally.

In Section Three Dr. Jones deals with the application of the truths of Romans 1 for both individuals and the church at large, noting that it is only in the mystery of the god-man Jesus Christ that a Transcendent Creator and his creation meet. “The ultimate pagan declaration is “Man becomes God,” but the Christian declaration is: “God became man” (241). It is this message that has the power to transform sinners and has been the church’s answer to paganism for the past 2000 years. May God grant us the grace to live and speak to our world in light of this reality regardless of whether the message is welcomed or not.

If you read only one book in 2012 this may well be the most important you can select. The infiltration of ancient paganism into our culture and churches present us with a scenario that would be easily recognized by the NT Apostles. In the last century the threat to Biblical Christianity came from atheistic humanism. In this new century the threat is not secular but spiritual - the pantheistic spirituality characteristic of the "Age of Aquarius"

Help for Small Groups

If you are interested in establishing a small group ministry you have probably encountered the reality that there is virtually no end to materials being published under the heading of “small groups.” Several years ago we looked at a number of them and found that most were heavy on sociology and psychology and light on theology.

Eventually our search turned up a wonderful book entitled “Why Small Groups? (ISBN#1-881039-06-4). In this excellent little work (116 pages) seven pastors associated with Sovereign Grace Ministries, and its vibrant small group ministry, each wrote a chapter addressing specific aspects of biblically authentic small groups. In chapter one the General Editor, C.J. Mahaney addresses the critical and biblical need for small groups and in subsequent chapters the topics of: biblical fellowship, member participation, group leadership, care and correction, and group multiplication receive focused attention. The final chapter of the book addresses the question of how successful small groups fit into and help fulfill the ministry of the local church. This strong emphasis on the local church is another feature of the book that causes me to commend it.

As for style and accessibility, the book is easy to read and includes many in text questions for application, as well as Scripture passages recommended for further study. A series of questions for discussion make the book ideal for both group use and leadership training. Graphically the book is well done and appealing to the eye.

Presently we are using this book for a summer study in our college and career ministry and the feedback has been uniformly positive. So if you are looking for a solid help on establishing or revamping your church’s small group ministry this fall, or just interested in becoming a better member of an already existing small group, you can not help but profit from taking the time to read and interact with this book.

Investing for Eternity

The press of weekly ministry commitments can easily consign the typical pastor to a hand-to-mouth existence. Acutely aware of Paul's instructions to Timothy (2 Tim. 2:2) regarding the need to develop biblical leadership within the local church, he nonetheless can only dream of the time when he will be able to invest himself in a man who will go on to assume the privilege and responsibilities of the pastorate.

How does a local church find pastoral leadership? Is calling the local seminary or Bible college and getting a stack of resumes the best approach? It has always seemed to me a bit like going on a blind date and then having to make a decision regarding marriage. After all, does theological training readily translate into pastoral competence? You know the answer to that question.

Through the years, I have had a passion to train men for pastoral ministry; however, I have been locked into the mindset of working with men who are already involved in their seminary training. But what if we began working with men before they begin their formal education? What if we were to mentor them in the areas of character and people skills (those areas which typically wash out a young seminary grad) before they enter school? Wouldn't this assure them a much greater probability of success in their early years rather than let them learn those skills after graduation, when as a pastor they can do significant damage both to themselves and God's church?

But, you might say that you can't afford to invest in men who might not even make it to seminary, or who, if they do, might well graduate and move on to another church. To these objections I would reply that a seminary education proves nothing other than that a man knows how to read, write, and take exams - it says little about his heart or competence to work with people. And as for investing in those who might move on - isn't that essential to the work of missions?

So, if these ideas resonate with you, I want to commend to you a little but powerful book by my friend, Colin Marshall. "Passing the Baton: A handbook for ministry apprenticeship" (ISBN 978-1-921068-79-9) is a clearly written account of a two-year ministry apprenticeship program that trains young men in the areas of Christian character and conviction prior to their enrollment in theological training. Colin and others have been working this model for over 25 years and have trained more than 1500 young people along the way. The book provides both the philosophy of mentoring as well as the practical day-to-day methods and forms they have employed along the way. The book is sprinkled with testimonies from former apprentices and also honest assessments of things they tried which didn't work out. For those who wonder how to fund such an endeavor Colin relates how they established the appropriate stipends for the trainees and challenged various business people and churches to provide scholarships to offset the costs of such training.

Although most churches and pastors are not called to pioneer something as extensive as the organization Colin helped pioneer, they are still responsible to carry out Paul's command in 2 Tim. 2:2. It is my prayer that more pastors and churches in Southern California take the charge seriously and implement some of the principles from this helpful little book.

A Worthwhile Read

Recently finished "An Uncommon Union: Dallas Theological Seminary and American Evangelicalism" (ISBN 978-0-310-23786-0) by John D. Hannah. In this 399 page book the author, who is a distinguished professor of historical theology at Dallas Theological Seminary, recounts in very readable form the 80 year history of the school. Voluminous source materials drawn from the school's official archives containing the family papers of the founder Lewis Sperry Chafer and the presidential papers from the schools five presidents - all interpreted through the lens of an "insider" - provide fascinating reading. Even though he is a sympathetic biographer Hannah does not gloss over the human foibles of the men who have been mightily used of God in the founding, growth, and maturity of Dallas Seminary, yet in his own words "the school has no ugly ghosts lurking in dark corridors" (pg. 21). As a former part-time student of Dallas Seminary in the mid-1980's I enjoyed the insiders look at some of the myths and controversies that were already part of the culture when I attended.

The book begins with a very helpful and enlightening review of the Modernist / Fundamentalist religious conflicts of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Dallas Seminary was conceived in those turbulent years through the influence of the Bible Conference Movement, which was fundamentalist in its leanings, but uneasy with the polemics of some of fundamentalism's rising spokesmen. In later decades this left Dallas Seminary in the awkward position of identifying with the theology of fundamentalism (dispensational pre-millennialism) while methodologically identifying with the rising tide of Evangelicalism. Even to this day the school reflects some of the tensions that come from not having a foot firmly placed in either camp. It will be interesting to see how the Mark Bailey presidency (2001-present) shepherds the school through these tricky waters.

As a committed dispensational pre-millennialist myself I am well aware that few, even among the academic world of Evangelicalism, would share my deeply held convictions regarding the church and Israel so I praise God for the ministry of DTS. May it continue to turn out men and women who are passionate for the Scriptures and committed to disciplining the nations until the Rapture takes us home.

A must read for busy pastors and earnest Christians

The Trellis and the Vine (ISBN 978-1-921441-63-9). Author: Colin Marshall & Tony Pane

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt. 28:19-20 NASB. This great commission, given by Jesus to His disciples remains binding on us even to this day. Not many Evangelical Christians would seriously dispute that fact. But even though we agree on the goal, there is significant difference of opinion on the means to achieve it.

There is no shortage of written material, seminars, conferences, or online sermons addressing the topic of discipleship so when Colin Marshall’s book was recommended to me I was skeptical. The book came with such an enthusiastic recommendation I dutifully purchased a copy and sat down to read. Boy was I pleasantly surprised by the contents! Colin Marshall has grabbed hold of the essence of disciple-making and “put the cookies on the bottom shelf” as it were, by presenting a very simple way for a busy pastor to share the work of the ministry with the people in the pew. In a nutshell he advocates that disciple-making disciples are grown as everyday people prayerfully speak God’s word to other people, whether inside or outside the church. In its simplest form that could look like two people meeting together for coffee and reading a section of Scripture out loud together, talking about what they have read and then praying together that the Lord would make His word effectual in their hearts. In the context of evangelism it would be meeting with your neighbor or co-worker for a regular time of reading the Bible and discussing what you have read and then praying that God would cause the word to bear fruit through the inward working of His Spirit. No elaborate or expensive programs – just the Spirit empowered word doing its work (Is. 55:11).

Marshall is advocating a “Bible-reading movement” which would produce in his words “a chaotic web of personal relationships, prayer and Bible reading – more of a movement than a program – but at another level it would be profoundly simple and within reach of all.” (pg. 57). This kind of thinking is both exciting and scary as many of our cherished programs might just turn out to be unnecessary and obsolete. After all, how much of our time is spent planning and administrating programs designed to grow the church rather than grow the people? If we are honest, more than we would like to admit.

Marshall rounds out the book with a discussion of how to build a ministry leadership team based upon his basic discipleship premise as well as a thought provoking introduction to the topic of mentoring young men to the pastoral ministry. Both of these topics are also near and dear to my heart and helped stimulate the creative juices.

Oh, as to the meaning of the title “The Trellis and the Vine” you will just have to read the book for yourself – you will not sorry you did.

Help for Worship Leaders

Just finished Bob Kauflin's 2008 book entitled "Worship Matters" (ISBN 9781581348248) and was encouraged, exhorted, informed, instructed and generally edified by this brother's good work. Kauflin is the Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace and has been actively involved in both music ministry and pastoral leadership for over 30 years.

The book is well organized and is divided into four main sections. The first deals with the spiritual life of the worship leader, the second and third with the organization and implementation of God-pleasing corporate worship. The fourth section is devoted to understanding and resolving the conflicts that inevitably arise when sinful people, saved by grace, work together in close proximity. A brief annotated bibliography on the topic of worship rounds out the book. Kauflin's writing style is not overly technical and his liberal use of examples which practically illustrate his points make the work an easy read.

I greatly appreciated Kauflin's humble writing style and his genuine heart for the people of God shines through. Above all, his firm and passionate commitment to the gospel of grace clearly motivates and informs his approach to the subject of worship. This alone makes the book a must read in a day when so much of what passes for contemporary worship is man-centered and actually weakens the faith of God's people.

My only serious point of contention with Kauflin comes with regard to his charismatic commitments and in particular to his belief in ongoing fallible prophecy. "For many years I've sung spontaneous songs during corporate worship that I believe are a form of prophecy. They're similar to a spoken prophetic impression from the Lord, only they're sung, they rhyme, and they are often sung 'from God to us.' I've never believed for a moment that the words I sing are 'word for word' from God. That's called Scripture. But these songs seem to consistently communicate in verse the Lord's heart for a particular individual, group, or situation." (pg. 140). This erroneous understanding of biblical prophecy could ultimately undermine the authority of the Scriptures, and thus should be abandoned. [For a refutation of the idea of ongoing fallible prophecy which is being popularized by Calvinistic charismatics such as Grudem, Piper, Mahaney, et al, see my post entitled "Is God Still speaking?"]

To the discerning this weakness in Kauflin's book does not undo all the good therein and I heartily recommend it to my fellow pastors as well as those involved in worship leadership.

Is God still speaking?

I just finished a powerful little book (96 pages) by Dr. Gary Gilley refuting the increasingly popular notion that God is continuing to speak to directly to His people outside of the canon of Scripture. The book is entitled "Is That You Lord?" (ISBN 978-0852346525) and would make a great read for any who are struggling with understanding biblical decision making, or are simply wondering about the validity of claims by prominent Evangelicals to receive personal words of direction from God in response to their prayers.

Once the realm of charismatic Christians, it is now quite common for believers of all stripes to rely on intuition, hunches, "still small voices," feelings, and "words of prophecy" to direct their lives and govern their choices. In short "subjectivity" has replaced "sola Scriptura" as the means for knowing God and His will. In his book Dr. Gilley includes a short history of Pietism before critiquing the idea of ongoing errant prophecy as taught by Wayne Grudem et al.

The book surveys, and corrects the misinterpretation of a number of important passages that are typically thought to teach that God has a specific, individualized plan for our lives that we must ferret out in order to be in the "center of His will." Dr. Gilley also includes a helpful chapter dealing with common questions raised in response to his critique, as well as chapters on a biblical decision making - explained and illustrated.

Over the years I have read several books on biblical decision making as well as teaching on the topic among collegians and I have to say that this book will now be my number one referral to those who are earnestly struggling with knowing and doing God's will. This is a good read and well worth its modest price - buy it and read it - you will not be sorry.