Book Recommendation: 15 Things Seminary Couldn't Teach Me (Gospel Coalition)

15 Things Seminary Couldn't Teach Me (Gospel Coalition) by Jeff Robinson Sr. (editor)
(Wheaton, IL: Crossway) 2018.

Excellent book of challenging chapters. I enjoyed reading through it.

Read a review here on the Gospel Coalition website.
Read a review here on the 9Marks website.

Table of Contents

Forward by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

1 Knowledge and Credentials Aren't Enough by Jeff Robinson Sr.

2 What to Do When My Church is Dying by Mark Vroegop

3 How to Shepherd My Wife by Daniel L. Akin

4 How to Pastor People Who Are Different from Me by Jeff Higbie

5 How to Follow My Lead Pastor When We Disagree by Matt Capps

6 How to Lead My Leaders by Juan Sanchez

7 How to Raise My Kids to Love the Church by Matt McCullough

8 How to Shepherd My Congregation through Seasons of Suffering by John Onwuchekwa

9 When to Accept a Call or Leave My Church by Harry L .Reeder

10 How to Handle Conflict by Jay Thomas

11 The Need to Fight for My Relationship with God by Vermon Pierre

12 The Time It Takes to Become a Shepherd by Dale Van Dyke

13 The Temptation to Make a Name for Myself by Scott Sauls

14 The Joy I Can Know over a Long Tenture by Phil A. Newton

15 What to Do When No Church Hires Me by Collin Hansen

Read. Comment. Enjoy.

Book Recommendation: 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke

Book Recommendation: 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You (Wheaton: Crossway, 2017) by Tony Reinke

Click here for a book review on the 9Marks website by Tim Chiang.
Click here for a review on the Desiring God website.
Click here for a review by Justin Taylor on the Gospel Coalition website.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction: A Little Theology of Technology
1 We are addicted to Distraction
2 We Ignore our flesh and blood
3 We crave immediate approval
4 We lose our literacy
5 We feed on the produced
6 We become like what we "like"
7 We get lonely
8 We get comfortable in secret vices
9 We lose meaning
10 We fear missing out
11 We become harsh to one another
12 We lose our place in time

Conclusion: Living smartphone smart
Epilogue

Read. Enjoy. Comment as always.

Book Recommendation: The Bivocational Pastor: Two Jobs, One Ministry by Dennis Bickers

The Bivocational Pastor. Two Jobs, One Ministry. (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press), 2004. by Dennis Bickers.

Whether in the local church, para-church ministry, or serving in the military reserves (Army, Navy, etc...), wearing two hats is an ongoing struggle. Balancing both ministry and family are even more difficult.  Bickers gives us an excellent resource to address the challenges of both.

Table of Contents

1. Defining Success
2. A Good Match
3. Leadership in the Church
4. Leadership in the Church
5. Integrity in Your Life
6. Commitment to Your Church
7. Passion for the Ministry
8. Faith in God
9. Growth of the Minister
10. Equipping the Laity
11. Management of Time

Each chapter includes questions for reflections to think through the information just read.

Here's Amazon.com's summary of the book:

"Bivocational ministers face unique challenges. Often, you are called to lead smaller churches with few resources, many of which have plateaued or are in decline. Many bivocational pastors have little or no formal theological training. Bivocational ministry is looked at by some as a ’second-class’ ministry performed by people who do not have the opportunity to serve a larger church. Along with your family and church responsibilities, your second job also requires a large amount of time each week. But you have a special calling, as both of your jobs can provide opportunities for ministry. In his new book, Dennis Bickers provides solid advice to help you succeed in bivocational ministry. You’ll learn how to:Manage time wiselyDefine success on your own termsDevelop a vision for your churchMaintain a passion for the ministryAnd much more!Read Dennis Bicker’s Blog."

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Book Recommendation: The Whole Christ. Legalism, Antinomianism, & Gospel Assurance--Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters

Book Recommendation: The Whole Christ. Legalism, Antinomianism, & Gospel Assurance--Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters by Sinclair B. Ferguson

As of today, 2 September 2018, there are 104 comments about this book on Amazon.com.
To be fair, 91% of the reviews gave the book five stars. I personally found the book immensely instructive. Two takeaways. First, the book is an expression of a Reformed theology, after all, Ferguson was a Presbyterian minister. This is not a fault (I agree with this soteriological persuasion) this is simply an observation of the author's point of view.  Second, don't expect a great deal of exegetical spade work with the scriptural text. I'm not sure this is a problem but just don't expect page after page of text based exegetical argumentation from scripture. If I remember correctly there is only one lengthy handling of any NT text: the parable of the prodigal son. Although there will be a what I would call proof-texting with a summary comment as to which texts match his argument (or to be fair represents his perspective on the argument). I think you'll see what I mean when you read the book. I'm including an example for which many are available here. Ferguson writes, "We are Colossians 2:14-17 Christians: the civil law distinguishing Jews and Gentiles is fulfilled" (p. 171). The vast portion of the book discusses historical doctrine, theology, and beliefs of pastors throughout church history. I would suggest this last state is a great value of the book

A review by 9Marks is available here.
A review by Tim Challies is available here.
A review by Douglas Wilson is available here.
A review found on the Themelios website is available here.
A review in The Master's Seminary Journal MSJ (Fall 2016), p. 219-229 is available here.
A review the Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies JBTS is available here.

The books table of contents is as follows:

1. How a Marrow Grew
2. Grace in the Gospel
3. Preparation, Distortion, Poison
4. Danger! Legalism!
5. The Order of Grace
6. Suspicious Symptoms
7. Faces of Antinomianism
8. Causes and Cures
9. The Marrow of Assurance
10. How Assurance of Christ Becomes Assurance of Salvation
11. "Hindrances Strew All the Way"

Comments from Amazon.com...

"Since the days of the early church, Christians have wrestled with the relationship between law and gospel. If, as the apostle Paul says, salvation is by grace and the law cannot save, what relevance does the law have for Christians today?

By revisiting the Marrow Controversy—a famous but largely forgotten eighteenth-century debate related to the proper relationship between God’s grace and our works—Sinclair B. Ferguson sheds light on this central issue and why it still matters today. In doing so, he explains how our understanding of the relationship between law and gospel determines our approach to evangelism, our pursuit of sanctification, and even our understanding of God himself.

Ferguson shows us that the antidote to the poison of legalism on the one hand and antinomianism on the other is one and the same: the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom we are simultaneously justified by faith, freed for good works, and assured of salvation."

In case your curious Ferguson also has produced a study guide to go with this book.

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