Heath traces the devastating impact of sin in every dimension of human existence and carefully distinguishes between three different ways we experience sin — the sinful world we live in, personal sin, and the sins of others. As Heath says, “typically, counseling is a complex combination of each of these contexts.”   I’m conscious that... Continue Reading

“Heaven Is For Real: A Book About Heaven From The Perspective Of A Four Year Old Who Had A Near Death Experience And For Some Reason We Believe Him More Than The Bible”   What would happen if Christian publishers were actually honest with their book titles? You’d probably end up with books like this.... Continue Reading

Lee-Barnwell pleads that our theology of ministry for both men and women “should be able to show how the ministry of leaders points toward God, not the leaders themselves, and highlights the power of the cross, not just personal areas of competence and responsibility”(168). What I see so often is clamoring of the loudest and... Continue Reading

“Edward Fisher’s book, The Marrow of Modern Divinity, was published in London in the 1640s. It contained a series of dialogues about the law and the gospel, with four suitably named characters: Neophytus, a young Christian; Evangelista, a gospel-preaching pastor; Nomista, a legalist; and Antinomista, an antinomian.”   This is an article about a book... Continue Reading

Suggested Clarification #3: Although both biblical and Christian counselors may accept insights of secular sources, they differ in (1) the degree to which they do this, (2) the priority they give to secular sources, (3) the significance they attach to secular sources, and (4) the filter they use to read secular sources. Each of these... Continue Reading

One thing that I have noticed is how different Pohl’s writing on gratitude is to another very popular book on the topic. It has perplexed me how even prominent voices in the Reformed community have helped to promote Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts, despite the concerning theological problems in her teaching on gratitude. It led... Continue Reading

This is a book about a hugely significant episode in recent and current Scottish Church history, but it is more than that. As well as giving us the background to these decisions, and a detailed but succinct account of the events as they unfolded, David Randall supplies a very helpful chapter in which he gives... Continue Reading

In Black and White Bible, Black and Blue Wife, Tucker shares her painful story of domestic abuse.  Any reader will sympathize with her struggle and I found myself filled with compassion for her as she shared her story. One of the most insightful moments occurs when she recounts an incident of being scolded by a... Continue Reading

“In Horton’s terms, the main themes of the book can be summarized in four words: a) the drama of redemption, b) the doctrine of Scripture, c) doxology (praise/worship), and d) discipleship.”   Michael Horton’s newest book, Core Christianity, is not exactly a systematic theology.  Neither is it exclusively a biblical theology or a book on... Continue Reading

“Just as Eve took the fruit and Achan took the plunder, so covetousness also leads us to take from our neighbor. The act of taking may include outright stealing, but Kruger wisely and pointedly directs readers to think beyond that simple box.”   Are you guilty of coveting? In her book, The Envy of Eve:... Continue Reading