Book Reviews

PrintJohn MacArthur sees the imminent need for the church to reform.  A new reformation, as he understands it, would require a return to the five solas of the sixteenth century Reformation.  Short of such an appreciation and adherence to the solas (pp. 177-194) any attempt for church revival will be superficial and temporal.  Of late the church has gotten sidetracked by any number of things, including social justice (pp. 9-11), attempts to attract unbelievers through worldly means (p. 99), minimizing theology (p. 25), subjectivism (pp. 4, 180-181), the prosperity gospel, and tolerance of the pagan culture (pp. 110-114).  Depending upon the reader’s perspective, MacArthur is either taking the opportunity to ride his hobby horses or is offering insightful application of the text of Scripture.  I choose the latter, fully realizing that these are well-worn themes in MacArthur’s teaching ministry but obviously still pertinent. The author chooses to address his concerns…(Read More)

PrintStephen Wellum contributes Christ Alone to The 5 Solas Series, edited by Matthew Barrett and published by Zondervan.  Each volume handles one of the foundational Solas of the Reformation, showing why each is important and detailing the theology behind it.  Christ Alone does not disappoint in its mission.  Wellum, who …(Read More)

PrintJim Berg, Dean of Students at Bob Jones University, has written a solid book concerning Christian life and virtues based on the text from 2 Peter 1:5-7.  As the Foreword indicates: “This book focuses on Peter’s call to cultivate essential Christian virtues (2 Peter 1)…What Peter urges upon us in …(Read More)

PrintEric Mason is the founder and pastor of Epiphany Fellowship, a megachurch in Philadelphia.  He writes Woke Church from the perspective of a prominent, conservative, well-respected and culturally engaged black pastor who deals constantly with issues pertinent to the African-American community in general and the church in particular.  He has …(Read More)

PrintWhile Finally Free is focused primarily on the sin of pornography the biblical principles and practical teachings found within are applicable to all forms of enslaving sin.  Unlike some books on sexual sins Lambert draws attention to better themes as well, such as: Christ, the gospel, and grace.  He writes, …(Read More)

PrintJim Owen, former Associate Professor of History at The Master’s College, believes that historic fundamentalists, especially dispensationalists, have been unfairly portrayed by historians (including many evangelicals). These historians see “historic fundamentalists…as theologically ‘challenged’, politically indifferent, socially uncaring, and economically only one small step above a Social Darwinian Neanderthal” (p. xv).  …(Read More)

PrintThe thesis of this small volume written by Ken Ham, president of Answers in Genesis, is that, “The gospel message hasn’t changed, but the way in which it needs to be presented in a secularized culture does need to change” (p. 10).  Ham contends that due to the public educational …(Read More)

PrintExpositional Preaching is part of the 9Marks Building Healthy Churches series, which is comprised of 10 books detailing what Mark Dever and company consider to be the marks of a healthy church.  David Helm, who is lead pastor at Holy Trinity Church in Chicago and is the chairman of the …(Read More)

PrintMichael Vlach, Professor of Theology at the Master’s Seminary, has written what I would consider the finest book on the kingdom of God since Alva McCain’s The Greatest of the Kingdom.   He writes from a decidedly dispensational position and argues that the kingdom is the central and unifying theme of …(Read More)

PrintMatt Mikalatos is an energetic and enthusiastic evangelist who has served with Cru for over 20 years and has experimented with numerous methods of proclaiming the gospel to the lost.  In Good News for a Change he shares some of his passion and methods as he encourages his readers to …(Read More)

PrintIt is common knowledge that seminary can be a spiritual graveyard (pp. 18, 34).  Intellectual accessibility exceeds spiritual capacity in a hurry (p. 16).  The purpose of this small book is “not to steer Christians away from seminaries, but to help those studying at seminary, or preparing to do so, …(Read More)