What Pastor Blair Has Been Reading From October 2024 through December 2024

Challies, Tim. Knowing and Enjoying God: Words from the Wise. Harvest House Publishers: Eugene, OR, 2021.

I am a quote collector. Many of the quotes from the worship guide are taken from my readings of theologians and historians. I have always thought a book of good quotes would be a neat way to introduce people to great writers. But I have never seen one work well … until now. Challies has done an excellent job of assembling quotes from various Christian authors such as Corrie Ten Boom, Jerry bridges, John Calvin, Matthew Henry, and many more. He arranges the quotes in five categories that emphasize spiritual disciples: receiving God’s word, developing habits around his word, sharing his word, praying his word, and gathering as a Church body. The first page quotes the author, then Challies offers how the quote fits in Christian living with careful reflection of the scriptures. It works. I would suggest reading three to four of these a day. I enjoyed it and I hated it to be over.

Heard, Andrew. Growth and Change: The Danger and Necessity of a Pasion for Church Growth. Mathias Media: Sydney, 2024.

How does one balance the sovereignty of God and a desire to see the local church grow numerically? That is the task that Andrew Heard takes on in this volume. He is correct that we have the Great Commission before us. And yet we cannot save souls personally. That is an act of God. I thought I would find much I would disagree with the writer. But I agree with his assessment and why this book needed to be written. We are too comfortable as local churches, and we need to recapture a passion for growth by sharing the gospel. That means we have to bear the burden of pain that comes with change. This is an inspiring book that simply emphasizes Biblical ministry in its correct perspective. It is not without its flaws. There are several times (at least three by my count) he makes the wrong application of scripture. And I would highly disagree with him over the work hours of those in full-time ministry (He believes at a minimum it should be fifty hours). But despite those, I was challenged by this reading.

Jamieson, R.B. The Paradox of Sonship: Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews. IVP Academic: Downers Grove, 2021.

As I have been preparing for our upcoming series in Hebrews, a dear friend recommended this title to me. Bobby Jamieson explores the dual understanding of Christ being the Son of God and the Son of Man in light of the book of Hebrews. The writer portrays Jesus as both and the distinctions need to be held simultaneously. It is not either/or. Both must be held together. We explored some of this in Advent, but we will delve much more in detail when we study Hebrews. Jamieson’s views were not new to me. I read this concept several years ago in D.A. Carson's book Jesus the Son of God. But Jamieson took the subject to the next level. As my friend said, ‘I can’t look at Hebrews chapter one the same way again.’  

Leeman, Jonathan. Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing. Crossway: Wheaton, 2023.

Who knew we would need a book that would teach us about the goodness of authority? But in an age when there have been so many abuses of authority figures from coaches to presidents and easy access to media that reports on it regularly, it is reasonable to understand how mistrust has developed. Leeman writes about authority from a Biblical perspective. He describes what authority is and how it should be implemented. These truths are applicable to church, government, home life, business, and one’s relationship to God. I am glad Leeman wrote this. It is a needed recalibration of a most needed subject. I highly recommend this book for husbands, wives, parents, business leaders, and elders. It will teach you what good authority looks like.

Lloyd-Jones, Martyn. From Fear to Faith: Studies in the Book of Habakkuk. Baker Book House: Grand Rapids, 1986.

I read this book probably 20 years ago, but I have recently given it a second reading as I plan to preach through Habakkuk in late 2025. I remembered from my last reading that I enjoyed it. I did just as much this time. But now that I am older and wiser, I have a better understanding of this book. This is a book of Lloyd-Jone’s sermons on Habakkuk. It is a study, not a commentary. I would say that Lloyd-Jones used this sermon series as a launching point for apologetics, particularly for Theodicy- (i.e., why does an all-powerful God allow bad things to happen in his world?). There is less Biblical interpretation and more emphasis on apologetics. If that is what you are looking for, then this book is exceptional. If you are looking for an exposition of the text of Habakkuk, I would choose another volume.

Lundgaard, Kris. The Enemy Within: Straight Talk About the Power and Defeat of Sin. P&R Publishing: Phillipsburg, NJ, 2023.

I first read this Lundgaard book over twenty years ago with a group of High School students. We were seeking to rid ourselves of stubborn, habitual sins. It was a powerful read and very effective. This is a new updated edition. I read this with a group of men at church and we found this to be just as effective. If you are not familiar with the author, he specializes in taking the works of the Puritan John Owen and paraphrases them for the modern reader. He also provides discussion questions (or questions for individual reflection if you prefer) at the end of each chapter. This book is based upon Owen’s works, The Mortification of Sin and The Death of Death. Owen’s writings are timeless because he draws his solutions from the scriptures. I highly recommend this volume if you struggle with a habitual sin. But don’t just read it. Apply it and you will find it works. I especially commend this for reading within a group. It is much more effective.

Nelson, Heather. Rest: Creating Space for Soul Refreshment. P&R Publishing: Philipsburg, NJ, 2024.

Rest! It’s what we all want, but how do we obtain it? Biblical counselor Heather Nelson has provided a wonderful tool for those of us who struggle with rest. This volume is in the Biblical Counseling Coalition series of 31-day devotions. It may be its best yet. I am sure to include it in my top ten of the year. Over one month, Nelson explains what is rest, how to rest, and where to rest. It’s one thing to be told our rest is in a person (Jesus and His work). But this book teaches you how to apply it. I thought it was wonderful. The final section got a little repetitive, but I would say there was wisdom in rehearsing those truths. If you need rest, get this book and learn how.

Piper, John. Joy to the World: Daily Readings for Advent. Desiring God: Minneapolis, 2013. I often like to read devotionals to prepare for Advent. I had never read Piper’s before, and I was glad I did for 2024. This is a brief 25-day devotion for each day leading to December 25^th. I was pleased that many of them were based on Hebrews. This gave me some new insight for the upcoming year’s study. The devotions are brief without being superficial. This is one of the better ones I have read to prepare for Christmas. Because they are so Christ-focused they could be read at any point of the year.

Sarris, Peter. Justinian: Emperor, Soldier, Saint. Basic Books: New York, 2023.

Justinian ruled the Roman Empire from Constantinople for nearly four decades in the 6^th century. Under his administration, he was able to reclaim territory lost to the Barbarians in central Europe, streamline and recodify all of Roman law, and perhaps his greatest contribution was his fierce determination to see the Empire adhere to orthodox Christianity. No one would doubt that Justinian sought to rule a Christian empire. He saw it as his God-given mandate. Sarris has written the most extensive biography to date on Justinian. The writer clearly admires his subject, while accurately recording his flaws. Justinian accomplished much in his lifetime. However, he is also a demonstration of how Christianity cannot be imposed upon a society. Almost all of Justinian’s hard work fell apart after his reign. His sin was still exposed. When you read a biography like this, you understand our hope is in our coming King, not in any earthly ruler. I highly commend Sarris’ book.

Soltau, Henry W. The Tabernacle, The Priesthood and the Offerings. Kregel Publishing: Grand Rapids, 1972.

This may be one of the oddest books I have ever read. Henry Soltau was a Lawyer turned Christian apologists in the mid-19^th Century. His expertise was finding ‘types’ within the Pentateuch that point us towards Christ. So why was this odd? Because many times his interpretations were so off base and speculative that it staggered my imagination. ‘How could he see that?’ I said several times. In addition to that, like many from his era, he was suspicious of creeds and confessions. He said to believe in such devices meant one didn’t hold God’s Word to be sufficient. He also said that man’s ingenuity was a result of the fall. I would highly dispute both of those statements. So why did I keep reading all 470 pages? It was because, despite all his faults, Soltau had a way of elevating Jesus that few have done before. At times, the way he described Christ, and his work (though inappropriately interpreted) could lift you into the third heaven. I don’t recommend Soltau for the novice reader. He has two other volumes that he wrote on this subject. But I am not sure I will make the time to read them.

Timmer, Daniel C. Judah Among the Empires: God’s Purposes in Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah. Reformation Heritage Books: Grand Rapids, 2023.

I am preparing to preach through Habakkuk at the end of next year. So, I purchased this primer on these three minor prophets to get a broad overview of their messages. Each prophecy occurs within a span of about 150 years of one another as they see the destruction of Assyria and Habakkuk learns God will be sending the Babylonians as well. I want to say that Timmer’s work is somewhat mediocre. He does write well. And the discussion questions are outstanding. I am also grateful for the unification of the three prophets to get a grand scope of the period. But the content is facile. You could probably glean most of this information from a good study Bible. I found the strength of his book to be the section on Zephaniah. While the material is not bad, per se, there are better resources. I understand that Timmer has an extensive commentary on the minor prophets. Based on this work, I probably will not be checking those out.

Vroegop, Mark. Waiting Isn’t a Waste: The Surprising Comfort of Trusting God in the Uncertainties of Life. Crossway: Wheaton, 2024.

I have counseled others that Christianity is 100% waiting. We await answers to our prayers. We are waiting for our sanctification. We are waiting for our final redemption. All of it is a faith-building process. I typically hate waiting. So Vroegop’s book has become a balm in teaching me how to wait. We went through this book together as a staff and we all agreed that his insight is helpful and encouraging. The book is short (120 pages) and easy to use. I enjoyed the contents but hated the many split infinitives! (Come on Crossway, get your editors working). If you struggle with impatience, you really need to get this book.

Welch, Edward. Depression: Finding Christ in the Darkness. P&R Publishing: Phillipsburg, NJ, 2024.

This is a volume within the “31-Day Devotionals for Life” series. I have been looking forward to this release since the series began. And it finally dropped this year. I have a lot of admiration for Ed Welch, and he has done a wonderful job with this devotional. Each day, one has a scripture passage, a reading and a reflection that should lead to a specific action. The first two sections of the devotion are outstanding. It is empathetic to the sufferer of depression; light and easy for them to work through. My only complaint is the final section entitled, ‘Hope’. It is only four days’ worth of studies, but Welch does not apply scripture correctly. It ends with sort of a jumbled mess. While the first 27 days are wonderful, I think I would still recommend Piper’s When the Darkness Will Not Lift before this book.