Partial Books Listing

For those who have Paypal, the best way to pay for these will be through the FPCR website or our page on Sermonaudio. That way we do not have to hold your books until your check clears and we do not have the capability of accepting credit cards directly.

Simply go to http://www.sermonaudio.com/fpcr and make your payment. There is a green “button” at the top of the page – be sure to include your address and book titles in the instructions. It might be best if you email me first, however, to ensure that the book(s) you want have not already been taken.

Please add $2 per volume for shipping expense. Thank you.

Rushdoony – 2 volume Systematic Theology $35

J. Dale – 4 volumes on Greek “Baptizo” $75

R. Brown – 2 volumes Gospel of John $45

R. Brown – Introduction to Gospel of John $20

R. Brown – Epistles of John $35

Lloyd-Jones & Packer – 5 volumes Puritan Papers $50

Hardy – 1 John $35

Pierce – 1 John $35

Boice – Epistles of John $12

Brooks (ICC) – Johannine Epistles $35

Lias – 1^st Epistle of John $7

Bruce – Gospel and Epistles of John $8

Marshall (NICNT) – Epistles of John $20

Kruse (PNTC) – Letters of John $17

Calvin (Geneva) – Genesis $10

Bonar (Geneva) – Leviticus $10

Fausset (Geneva) – Judges $12

Bridges (Geneva) – Proverbs $12

Bridges (Geneva) – Ecclesiastes $12

Burrowes (Geneva) – Song of Solomon $15

Young (Geneva) – Daniel $25

Hodge (Geneva) – Romans $50

Brown (Geneva) – Galatians $20

Davenant (Geneva) – Colossians $20

Brown (Geneva) – Hebrews $30

Ferguson/Dickson (Geneva) – Epistles of Paul / Hebrews $25

Nisbet (Geneva) – 1 and 2 Peter $13

Candlish (Geneva) – 1 John $18

Mounce (NICNT) – Revelation $25

Ryken – Galatians $15

Hanko – Justified Unto Liberty (Galatians) $28

Crockett – Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles $10

Schaff – 3 volumes Creeds of Christendom $60

Manton (SGCB) – 22 volumes Works $199

Manton (Maranatha) – 22 volumes Works (HB) $99

Manton (Maranatha) – 22 volumes Works (PB) $69

North, ed. – 10 volumes Blueprint series (v. 5 missing, vols 2, 6 pb) $35

Burroughs (SDG) – 9 volumes: Gospel Revelation $20

The Evil of Evils $20

Gospel Remission $20

Irenicum $20

Hope $20

Gospel Reconciliation $20

Gospel Conversation $20

Gospel Worship $20

M’Cheyne – 3 volumes of Sermons $45

Watson – Body of Divinity $18

Watson – The Ten Commandments $18

Watson – The Lord’s Prayer $18

(all three volumes purchased together) $45

E. Erskine – 3 volumes Works (sermons) $45

R. Erskine – 2 volumes sermons (PB) $15

Bradford – 2 volumes Writings of John Bradford $20

Flavel – 6 volumes Works of John Flavel $120

Clarkson – 3 volumes works $45

Charnock – 2 volumes Existence and Attributes of God $25

Brook – 3 volumes Lives of the Puritans $90

Bates – 4 volumes Works of Wm. Bates $130

Adams – 3 volumes Works of Thomas Adams $50

Goodwin – Individual volumes of Works of Thomas Goodwin (3, 6, 8, 10) $65

Henry – 2 volumes Works of Matthew Henry $20

SWRB – 13 standard volumes (not bound photocopies):

Hall – Harmony of the Reformed Confessions $15

Warfield – Westminster Assembly & Its Work $15

Hetherington – History of the Westminster Assy $15

Cunningham – 2 volumes Historical Theology $25

Cunningham – Church Principles $18

Cunningham – Sermons $18

M’Naugher – The Psalms in Worship $20

Bannerman – 2 volumes The Church of Christ $25

Cripplegate Sermons 6 volumes $275

Banner of Truth – 5 bound volumes (HB) $50

Sprague – Lectures on Revival of Religion $20

Calvin – Theological Treatises (PB) $10

Murray (NICNT) – Romans $30

Morris (PNTC) – Romans $45

Plumer – Romans $12

Moo (NICNT) – Romans $30

Haldane – Romans $8

Knight (NICNT) – Pastoral Epistles $28

Hoeksema – 3 volumes The Triple Knowledge $39

Van Reenen – Heidelberg Sermons $29

Vanderkemp – 2 volumes Heidelberg Sermons $45

Ursinus – Commentary on Heidelberg Catechism $12

Kersten – 2 vols Heidelberg Sermons $49

Dickson – Truth’s Victory Over Error $13.50

Essays – Confessing Our Hope (in honor of Dr. M. Smith) $25

Murray, I. – The Old Evangelicalism $12

Murray, I. – Evangelicalism Divided $12

Hopkins – 3 volumes Works of Ezekiel Hopkins $45

Loane – Masters of the English Reformation $20

Banner of Truth (various authors) – Princeton V. The New Divinity $13

Begg – Pathway to Freedom $13

Wilson – For Kirk and Covenant (Life of John Knox) $13

Reynolds – volume 4 of Works of E. Reynolds (Ecclesiastes) $65

Colquhoun – Spiritual Comfort $20

Sibbes – 7 volumes Works of Richard Sibbes $90

Hoeksema – Righteous By Faith Alone $20

Marshall – Gospel Mystery of Sanctification $25

Hoeksema / Engelsma – 5 volumes Unfolding Covenant History $75

Calvin – Sermons on Election and Reprobation $15

Young – Introduction to The Old Testament (PB) $10

Young – My Servants The Prophets (PB) $10

Hoeksema – 2 volumes Redeemed With Judgment (Sermons on Isaiah) $25

J.A. Alexander – Isaiah (PB) $15

Bloesch – 2 volumes Essentials of Evangelical Theology $20

Kersten – 2 volumes Reformed Dogmatics $25

Reymond – A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith $15

Berkhof – Systematic Theology $15

Smith – 2 volumes Systematic Theology $20

Hoeksema – 2 volumes + suppl. Reformed Dogmatics $45

Bavinck – 4 volumes Reformed Dogmatics $99

Turretin – 3 volumes Institutes of Elenctic Theology $70

Morris – Christian Life and Character of the United States $10

________ – Day By Day With the English Puritans $10

R. Steele – Character of An Upright Man $10

Teelinck – Path of True Godliness (PB) $10

Lyford – The Instructed Christian $10

Palmer – The Family $10

McGrath – Institutia Dei (history of the doctrine of justification) (PB) $5

Das – Paul, The Law, and the Covenant (PB) $8

Chilton – Paradise Restored $10

Woudstra (NICOT) – Joshua $10

Robbins – Freedom And Capitalism $10

Levenson – Esther $8

Adams – War Psalms of the Prince of Peace (PB) $8

Binnie – Pathway Into The Psalter (PB) $10

Allen (WBC #21) – Psalms 101-150 $20

Adams – Christian Councillors’ Commentary on Proverbs $10

Longman (NICOT) – Song of Solomon $20

Young – 3 volumes Isaiah $30

Von Orelli – Jeremiah $15

Pusey – Daniel $15

Fairbairn – Ezekiel $15

Greenhill (Geneva) – Commentary on Ezekiel $40

King, Rainolds – Jonah, Obadiah, and Haggai $20

Marbusy – Obadiah $20

Stuart (WBC #31) – Hosea, Jonah $20

Berkouwer – Studies in Dogmatics

Man: The Image of God $8

General Revelation $12

The Person of Christ $8

The Work of Christ $12

Faith And Sanctification $8

The Providence of God $12

The Return of Christ $12

Murray, I. – Revival And Revivalism $15

Buswell – 2 volumes Systematic Theology $30

Boston – A View of the Covenant of Grace (PB) $10

Van Bruggen – Jesus the Son of God and Christ on Earth (2 volumes, PB) $25

Hill and James – The Glory of the Atonement (PB) $15

Comrie – The ABC of Faith $10

Beeke – Puritan Reformed Spirituality $10

McDurmon – Manifested In The Flesh $12

Guthrie – New Testament Theology $18

Hanko – Doctrine According to Godliness $15

Bork – Slouching Toward Gomorrah $12

Lloyd-Jones – The Puritans $12

Moule – Idiom Book of New Testament Greek (PB) $12

Heller – Liberty and Reformation in the Puritan Revolution (PB) $8

Pilcher – Samuel Davies: Apostle of Dissent $12

Gibbs – William Ames Technometry $10

Wells – Reformed Theology In America (PB) $10

Payne – John Owen On The Lord’s Supper $12

Vos – The Scottish Covenanters (PB) $8

Various Authors – John Owen: The Man And His Theology (PB) $12

Rushdoony – The Messianic Character of American Education (PB) $12

Dallimore – Edward Irving: Forerunner of the Charismatic Movement (PB) $12

Hill – The World Turned Upside Down (PB) $8

Gentry – The Beast of The Revelation (PB) $8

Skilton – Scripture And Confession (PB) $10

Kevan – The Grace of Law (PB) $10

H. Van Til – The Calvinistic Concept of Culture (PB) $10

Ferguson – Taking The Christian Life Seriously (PB) $8

Lee – Communism Versus Creation (PB) $35

Spier – An Introduction To Christian Philosophy (PB) $10

Jesus of Nazareth: His Life, Times, and Teaching, by Joseph Klausner (New York: Macmillan Company, 1953, 441 pp.), was first published in modern Hebrew in 1922 with the publication of the English translation following in 1925 (LCCN: BT 301 .K63).  The title is currently available in paperback.

Klausner, writing for a non-Christian Jewish Hebrew-reading public, begins with the fact that the Jews rejected the teaching of Jesus, a Jew in every respect, and “rose up against it in his lifetime and … [throughout their history] would not become Christians … and Israel as a nation rejected it utterly” (p. 9). The author then proceeds to tell why in a well-documented evaluation of the life, times, and teaching of Jesus.

To that end, consulting the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, rabbinical and other appropriate sources, he discusses the political, economic, religious and intellectual conditions of the period and relates them to the salient events in Jesus’ life and ministry, all of which place the thoroughly Jewish Jesus tangibly, comfortably, and inextricably in his environment.

The author does not accept certain Christian essentials, to be sure, but his scholarly objectivity in interpreting Jesus’ work and teaching is impeccable. After examining both in great detail, he denies that “there was any conscious deception [on the part of the disciples and Gospel writers]: the nineteen hundred years’ faith of millions is not founded on deception” (p. 359). He proceeds to explains why the Jews rejected any claims of his Messiahship and Lordship of the kingdom of heaven, viewing the dual roles as unrelated, incompatible, and dangerous for the survival of the nation, the upshot of which is that Jesus was rejected because his kingdom is present (p. 406) and “not of this world” (p. 405).

Klausner categorically and ungrudgingly acknowledges the historicity of the Gospels, Acts, and the Epistles.  Consequently, as a well-informed unbeliever, he provides an unwitting and important witness to the substance of Christianity as expounded in the New Testament, absent, of course, faith, that is, the indwelling, living presence of the Holy Spirit.

The author’s treatment is balanced, matter-of-fact, insightful, often sympathetic and tender, and confirming of the history, social interaction, and teaching of Jesus. Much of the treatment is as positive, uplifting, thrilling, confirming, and quotable as one would hope to find in the work of a Christian scholar in any period.  If nothing else, the reader’s appreciation of the man Jesus will be elevated.

Rob Roy McGregor

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[Editor's Note: Annie Kate Aarnoutse publishes the blog Tea Time with Annie Kate, which recently featured reviews of several children's books published by Inheritance Publications of Neerlandia, Alberta, Canada. Inheritance Publications features many English translations of books originally written in Dutch, and from a Dutch Reformed perspective.

If you desire to find books for the children in your life that reflect biblical precepts, are interesting and educational, and provide glimpses of Dutch culture normally unfamiliar to the anglophone world, please read these reviews of just a few of the titles offered by Inheritance Publications.]

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Originally published at:

http://homeschoolblogger.com/reviewsandmore/2010/10/review-rob-and-roland-readers/

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Rob and Roland Readers

How often haven’t I opened an easy reader at the library and returned it to the shelf in disgust! Many of them are silly, and some are also ugly. That’s why I’m so pleased with these two little books about the adventures of Rob, a grade two boy living in the Netherlands.

Rob and Roland on the Farm

Rob and his dog Roland spend a few days on Uncle Dirk’s farm with cousin Nanna. After Roland frightens the cows during milking, Rob worries that Uncle Dirk won’t like his dog. Children will love to read how Roland turns out to be a hero after all.

These sweet little hardcover books, written at a grade two level, will be sure to captivate the early readers in your family. Author Piet Prins understands children very well, and his stories have just the right blend of tension, humor, and exploration. They also are undeniably Christian in a refreshing, matter-of-fact way.

The Rob and Roland stories are the first two Piet Prins titles in the proposed Inheritance Reader Series. Paulina M. Janssen, a homeschooled teen, has done a remarkable job translating from easy-reader Dutch to easy-reader English while keeping the charming flavor of old-fashioned Dutch life.

To see if these books would appeal your children, check out the table of contents and the first chapter of each book at the Inheritance Publications website. You can also buy the books there for US$6.90 each.

Disclosure: I received Rob and Roland from Inheritance Publications in order to review it. We already owned Rob and Roland on the Farm. My reviews represent my honest opinions and I am not compensated in any way.

Rob and Roland by Piet Prins

Inheritance Readers Series #1

Subject: Fiction Age: 7-8

ISBN 978-1-894666-32-9 US$6.90

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Rob and Roland on the Farm

by Piet Prins

Inheritance Readers Series #2

Subject: Fiction Age: 7-8

ISBN 978-1-894666-33-6 US$6.90

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Bobby’s Friends! by Phia van den Berg

Aug 17th, 2010 by Annie Kate.

http://homeschoolblogger.com/reviewsandmore/2010/08/review-bobbys-friends-by-phia-van-den-berg/

Bobby and his siblings were full of excitement when they finally flew from their home country, the Netherlands, to Pakistan. Although they were used to adapting to different cultures because of their father’s flood control work, settling into Pakistan in the 1950′s proved to be a challenge. Ten year old Bobby really struggled to understand the boys he met: wealthy Sadiq, subservient Jahja, mud-slinging Mahmoud, and others. Dignified Hafiz, who ran the house, also had secrets. Just as Bobby was adjusting to life in his new town, he was caught up in a dangerous mystery and his friendships took on life and death significance. I’ve devoured Bobby’s Friends! by Phia van den Berg twice in the last month. Now I’m reading it aloud to the children. The little ones laughed when Bobby confronted spoiled Sadiq during a tantrum, frowned when boys threw mud and manure at Bobby’s mother, and sighed longingly about the camel ride. Even my older children are enjoying the story, although it is clearly not written for teens. Besides being a well-written children’s book with some thoroughly lovable characters, Bobby’s Friends! is also an insightful look at how culture shapes behavior. Children enjoy it for the excitement and the humor, but any parent who reads it out loud will be moved by natural way that Bobby’s parents relate cultural issues to God’s Word. I understand why Bobby’s Friends! is the publisher’s favorite juvenile story. Although the original Dutch version of this book was written in the 1950′s, the appeal of the story is still strong, and the message of the book still valid. As Mother said to Bobby in a serious moment, “Besides our normal work, there is also the task we have as Christians toward everyone God puts on our path. And that task becomes doubly heavy when we stand before someone who does not know the Lord Jesus. We are His messengers, and if we pass on His message in a wrong manner, it would be better if we had stayed home, right?” I highly recommend Bobby’s Friends! both as an exciting story as well as a vivid illustration of Christian living in a different time and place. It has exactly the right combination of humor, excitement, and reflection for reading out loud to a wide range of ages. On the other hand, most nine year olds could easily read it on their own. Bobby’s Friends!, recommended for ages 9 and up, is available in paperback from Inheritance Publications for US$9.95.

(When you order this book, also be sure to request the free catalogue, available near the bottom of the home page. It contains a complete translation of a best-selling Dutch youth adventure that I read many times as a youngster and that my children now also enjoy. )

Bobby’s Friends! by Phia van den Berg

The publisher’s most favourite juvenile story

Subject: Fiction Age: 9-99

ISBN 9780921100515 US$9.95

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The Scout Adventure Series by Piet Prins

Sep 30th, 2010 by Annie Kate.

http://homeschoolblogger.com/reviewsandmore/2010/09/review-the-scout-adventure-series-by-piet-prins/

After very busy days, I’ve been slipping into the Dutch countryside of dunes, mills, castles, canals, and swamps with teenaged Tom, his amazing dog Scout, and his two friends Carl and Bert. In Piet Prins’s seven-book Scout series, Tom and his friends help free their village from the Nazis, save lives, track down smugglers, burglars, and poachers, and get themselves into many other dangerous adventures. The friends are authentic Christians as well as adventuresome boys. They try to obey their parents, struggle with their consciences when tempted to do wrong, depend on God, and treat the everyday details of Christian living matter-of-factly. I love being able to hand my children thrilling books with good morals, language, and worldview. Piet Prins, Christian, concentration camp survivor, teacher, politician, and best-selling Dutch author, wrote these fast-paced novels many years ago, but they are still beloved today. English translations are available from Inheritance Publications.

Scout: The Secret of the Swamp

Only a year after the end of World War Two, Tom, his friends, and his sisters are invited to vacation at a Dutch farm near the German border. Scout, Tom’s well-trained dog, accompanies them on their rambles through the woods and to the mysterious castle ruins nearby. In fact, due to Scout’s keen nose, the teenagers are able to help the police in their search for robbers and a large smuggling ring. When Tom takes things into his own hands he finds both excitement and terrible danger. This exciting story is full of elements of everyday Christian life. Bible reading, prayer, trust, repentance, obedience, and church attendance are not discussed but rather mentioned in passing as parts of everyday life. The castle’s ancient mystery brings reformation times to life, but even this is quickly pushed aside by present excitement. This matter-of-fact approach to Christianity is refreshing different from mainstream evangelical youth literature where faith is either the main focus or an obvious addition to a rather secular story.

Scout: The Flying Phantom

After completing their school year, Tom and his friends, with Scout of course, set off for a sailing trip through the Dutch canals and lakes. When the three boys meet some characters who live in a horse-drawn caravan, their troubles begin: they are thrown in jail for a crime they didn’t commit. From one dangerous adventure to another, the boys race through the lakes to clear their names and find the true criminals. I loved sailing along with the boys, enjoying their cooking and the people they meet. When it got to the adventures, however, I was very glad this is fiction! Again Piet Prins portrays Biblical values and lifestyle in an exciting story without being either preachy or unrealistic.

Scout: The Treasure of Rodensteyn Castle

This time Tom, Scout, and their two friends are spending a holiday at Uncle Kees’s farm in the Dutch countryside. They help with the haying, discover an abandoned mill, take care of Aunt Lena’s menagerie, and befriend Dick, a young boy whom Scout saved from drowning. They also meet a nasty man with an even nastier dog. Unexpectedly the nasty man not only knows Dick, but also about the treasure his family lost during the war. Inevitably, Tom and his friends are drawn into danger while trying to find the treasure before Mr. Nasty does. I found this novel very exciting, and am glad my children do not get into the situations that Tom, Carl, and Bert get into. The three friends are so eager to do good that they recklessly get themselves into trouble again and again.

Scout’s Distant Journey

Tom and his friends unexpectedly bump into Tom’s long lost Uncle Bob and soon realize that they have found a fascinating relative. Uncle Bob has lived an adventurous life and, to the boys’ frustration, thinks modern youth are pampered. When the boys are invited to visit the castle Uncle Bob and Aunt Alice are renovating, they try to prove their toughness by walking the enormous distance rather than taking the train. Unfortunately, one disaster after another overtakes them. Most unnerving of all, Scout no longer reliably warns them of danger. This well-written story clearly conveys the frustration the boys feel when they seem helpless against injustice and evil. It also portrays the exhilaration they experience when they make their own way and the joy of meeting fellow Christians on their travels.

Our Opinions

Even after completing all of these books in a month’s time, I’m still not tired of the adventuresome friends and their amazing dog, Scout. My children and I love these books and we recommend them highly. The Scout Series would make a great Christmas gift for anyone age nine or older. Note that the first book, The Secret of the Swamp, contains the Inheritance Publications Catalogue and is free with any order.

Disclosure

I received The Sailing Sleuths and the Mystery of the Abandoned Mill from Inheritance Publications for the purpose of this review. Four of the other books are from our personal library and one is from our church library.

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Annie Kate’s daughter wrote the following:

My Mom has just had a wonderful opportunity: to review books for Inheritance Publications and I thought I would post my reviews about them here. I just want to tell you a bit about Inheritance Publications. It is my absolutely favourite publisher. It was started quite a few years ago by Roelof A. Janssen to sell church music and records. Now he and his wife Theresa, who homeschool, publish historical fiction/church history books, books on doctrine and theology and music DVDs, CD, and sheet music. I haven’t really read any of the theology or music books but I have read a lot of the historical fiction/church history books and they are really, really good. The one I’m going to tell you about right now is: The Heroes of Castle Bretten by Margaret S. Comrie is an amazing book. Set in the Late Middle Ages, its main character, Guido, son of a Protestant nobleman, is almost fifteen at the beginning of the story. His life quickly changes when he is taken as a hostage for the good behavior of Kalmit of Komorn to the nearby Castle Bretten. But Castle Bretten is a maze of deceit and conspiracy. Eleonore, the widowed, aging chatelaine is professed by her smooth-tounged nephew and heir, General Ruprecht, to be almost gone mad in her old age. Guido finds the real Lady Eleonore very different. After she befriends Guido he resolves help her. But, thanks to Ruprecht, all her old friends are enemies and she is friendless, save for the Black Eagles of Bretten, her faithful soldiers, and Guido. But Guido, thought to be the son of Kalmit of Komorn, is not what he seems. And he is not the only one……… I heartily recommend this book. It is explicitly Christian. There was NOTHING I didn’t like about it, except that it it isn’t very clear about the country its in and the timeframe and it’s not long enough. I liked it so much that after I read it once I started at the start and read it over again. My Mom liked it a lot too. I’d think it would be for people no younger than 11 or 12, but still very interesting for older people.

My mom and I got The Heroes of Castle Bretten for free from Inheritance Publications to review it but I would have bought it anyways. It is CERTAINLY worth getting. To buy it click:

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/inhpubl/webip/prod04.htm

and scroll down a little. It costs $12.90 US. (This review has been published online on a blog.)

The Heroes of Castle Bretten

by Margaret S. Comrie

Time: 1618-1648 Age: 11-99

ISBN 1-894666-65-8 US$12.90

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By Brian Nixon
Special to ASSIST News Service

15 April 2010

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO (ANS) – Commenting on the idea of “leaving a legacy,” Billy Graham once said, “Our days are numbered. One of the primary goals in our lives should be to prepare for our last day. The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. What preparations should we be making now? The greatest waste in all of our earth, which cannot be recycled or reclaimed, is our waste of the time that God has given us each day.”

John Stott

Fortunately for the evangelical church, John Stott has followed his friend Mr. Graham’s advice. He has left the contemporary church a legacy: a host of books, sermons, and individual lives touched for God’s kingdom. We should be thankful that Stott’s time on earth was not wasted-it was spent in the pursuit of God. In one way or another, John Stott has exemplified what it is to be a follower and true disciple of Jesus Christ.

Born in 1921, educated at Rugby and Cambridge, John Stott was pastor at All Souls Church in London from the late fifties until the early seventies. He spent the remainder of his life as iterant preacher, pastor, bird-watcher, and author.

John Stott has become one of the most influential men in the Christian world today (even in the “secular” media he has garnered some attention-by both Time Magazine and The New York Times).

In a day when the “celebrity-pastor” is the norm, John Stott remains a gentle reminder that the mark of a man is not his fame or fortune, but the makeup of his character and the quality of his life and work. All of this stems from his unwavering trust in the One he serves: Jesus Christ.

Cover of Radical Disciple

So as I picked up John Stott’s recent book, The Radical Disciple, my heart sank. Not because the book is bad (it is absolutely a “must-read”), but because it is touted as his “farewell address to the worldwide Church.” In and of itself, this should cause great pause, with the end result being a run to the bookstore to pick it up and digest its contents.

Much can be said of Stott. I have written other articles expressing his influence on my life, but besides my personal interest in his life and ministry, I believe this new book should be required reading for all Christians. Why? Simply because it is hued from 70 years of ministry and Christian living, underlined with the same message Stott has always chimed: Jesus is Lord!

The short book is broken up into eight chapters: non-conformity, Christ-likeness, maturity, creation care, simplicity, balance, dependence, and death. As you can see by the topics, even as a man in his 90′s, John Stott is still relevant in subject matter and fresh in his approach toward a broad array of issues.

But even more insightful is the title, Radical Disciple. In the introduction, Stott clarifies the use of these terms by stating, “Let me explain and justify the title of this book, The Radical Disciple.”

“First, why disciple? … My concern in this book is that we who claim to be disciples of the Lord Jesus will provoke Him to say again: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say. For genuine discipleship is wholehearted discipleship.”

Brian and Cailan Nixon talking with John Stott in Newport Beach, California

“Second, why “radical? … because Jesus is Lord, we have no right to pick and choose the areas in which we will submit to his authority.”

A one-two punch. John is not candy-coating the Christian life. In two words he summarized the gist of the book: radical and disciple. The Christian is called to be a passionate follower of the One he or she calls Lord. Nothing less will do.

John Stott is still a man with a mission. As the book states, “Stott here conveys what he has displayed throughout his life: to follow Jesus is to let Him direct the agenda for our lives. We don’t set the parameters of His lordship or avoid the costs of our commitment. He calls. We follow.”

John Stott’s voice is still needed in the world. Listen to it with care.

Brian Nixon is a writer, musician, minister, and family man. You may contact him at www.briannixon.com

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Republished with the permission of and our thanks to:

ASSIST News Service (ANS) – PO Box 609, Lake Forest, California 92609-0609 USA
Web Site: www.assistnews.net — E-mail: assistnews@aol.com

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By Joshua Harris

Multnomah Books

12265 Oracle Boulevard

Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921

©2010 256pp Hard Cover

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Joshua Harris takes inventory of his devotion to God by acknowledging the need and desire for an adherence to the orthodoxy of Christian doctrine in Dug Down Deep, Unearthing What I Believe and Why It Matters. Harris comes to terms with a biblical understanding of scriptural authority, the hypostatical union of Christ, justification, and sanctification through a combination of personal experience, the wisdom of mentors, and the guidance of gifted authors.  He solicits from himself (and hopefully from his reader as well) a private and delicate response to key questions like: What is God like and how does He speak to me?  What difference does it make that Jesus was both human and divine?  How does Jesus’ death on the cross pay for my sins?  Who is the Holy Spirit and how does He work in my life?

Harris does not limit his book to a personal evaluation, but considers the society in which he lives and evaluates how he as a pastor is to consider the importance and necessity of doctrine in the lives of Christians tempted by material and cultural consumerism.  Harris posits, “…a lot of Christians look around, see the diversity of standards, and assume that since nobody agrees, maybe [doctrine] doesn’t really matter.  So they do whatever works for them.  Sadly, few check in with God.”  (p.169).  He also considers the need for a deeper and more meaningful theology among Christians that “…just adopt the standards and practices of the Christians around them…” and then later “…start to chafe under the restriction” of an obedience to rules and traditions that do not lead to a joyful relationship with God (p. 169).  For Harris, the answer for such Christians is not just a pithy acknowledgment of sin but a sincere and daily struggle against the desire of the flesh, which when honestly practiced leads either to repentance and then joy or directly to that joy in God.

There is much that Joshua Harris states in Dug Down Deep, but this short book is not meant to be an educational tome.  It is conversation-starter.  It is a sharp word from a good friend.  It is a means for Christians to accept the standards God placed on His children and how his children need to learn how to agree not by committee or policy review but by honestly reviewing where rebellion creeps into our hearts.

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Richard Eggum

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How ironic – that just a few days after the Department of Homeland Security releases a report to law enforcement agencies branding abortion opponents, advocates of constitutional limitation of government power, soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq, and other U.S. citizens as “rightwing extremists” and potential domestic terrorists; and – on Tax Day – April 15, 2009 – a day of nationwide “tea parties” protesting the current “bailouts” that will further enslave in debt generations of U.S. citizens to come; that I found myself inside one of ninety-four theaters nationwide showing “The Widow’s Might,” an award-winning movie produced by the nineteen-year-old Texan John Moore, his friends, and their families, that depicts a widowed farm owner facing the loss of her home and land due to run-away property taxes.

“The Widow’s Might” earlier this year won the US$105 thousand “Best of Festival” prize, and the “Audience Choice” award at the 2009 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival, and on April 14, 2009, opened in ninety-four theaters including the Colonial 12 Theaters in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where as I write this article I am on a spring break vacation with my family. Carmike Theaters and Dalton Pictures are bringing “The Widow’s Might” and a series of other independently-produced films to theaters for the very reasonable ticket price of US$5.00.

How does one classify “The Widow’s Might” as to its film genre? Well, it is a western musical comedy – actually the story of the making of a western musical comedy as a means of publicizing the plight of a widow who’s property is desired by local developers and on which its tax assessment has risen above the widow’s ability to pay. The widow’s neighbors and friends band together to help her keep her home, and to move their community away from apathy and indifference and toward values best characterized by the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:36-40). The young filmmakers skillfully guide the audience back and forth through and into the subplots of the filmmaking, the community and the widow’s plight, and the western musical comedy being crafted by the young filmmakers.

The most outstanding aspects of “The Widow’s Might” include the wonderful camera work that captured the incredible beauty of rural Texas, its wildflowers, and its meadows. Outdoor close-ups picture subjects surrounded by faded and blurred natural colors worthy of a Monet painting. Close-ups of individual characters speaking or singing enhanced the viewer’s intimacy with the character to a sometimes almost uncomfortable degree. The variety of camera technique used throughout the movie greatly enhanced the story without being intrusive.

“The Widow’s Might” musical score and songwriting are extraordinary. Composers Willem Van Wyk and David Gilchrist’s creative soundtrack reminds me of Aaron Copeland at his finest, and while the melodies are not as striking and memorable as Jerome Moross’ soundtrack to the 1960 western “The Big Country,” Van Wyk and Gilchrist’s music is just as inherent to the storyline, indispensible to the overall movie, and performed with the same professional quality. The singing cowboy and widow in the western musical comedy performed thoughtfully and with excellent musicianship, though the lip-syncs were sometimes slightly out of sync with the studio-recorded performances.

The only more-than-slightly noticeable drawback to the film is that a few of the segues between scenes were a bit too abrupt, or took a few seconds for the viewer to absorb where you were being directed in the overall story.

Please go see “The Widow’s Might,” or order the DVD starting in July 2009 from www.widowsmightthemovie.com. You will find a delightful, entertaining, imaginative, God-affirming, family-affirming movie unlike anything else you have ever seen. With teenagers like John Moore and his friends growing up in the Lone Star State, there is much hope for Texas and for the rest of our nation. Bravo to these fine young filmmakers.

Bob Williams, Managing Editor

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Bob Williams has a Master of Arts in Religion from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, a Bachelor of Music from West Virginia University, and is a probationer and licentiate in the Hanover Presbytery.

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Reviewed by the Rev. Chuck Huckaby

By Stetzer, Stanley, and Hayes

Published by Lifeway, February 1, 2009

Hardback, 240 pp.

List Price: $17.99

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A hallmark of classical pastoral care in the Reformed tradition has always been to know one's parishioners. That required extensive and ongoing contact to be familiar with their hopes, fears, and besetting sins in order to minister the word of God more effectively to them and claim them for Jesus Christ and His Church. Whether we speak of Geneva's Consistory, Baxter's parish work at Kidderminster, or the efforts by Thomas Chalmers and others to revitalize the Scottish parish system, these Reformed ministers and their assistants would make as many as 50 pastoral visits per week to those residing within the boundaries of the parish to minister God's word from "house to house" (Acts 20:20). All too often these days, we have given up knowing the souls of those we hope to serve inside the church and those we wish to reach outside the church. In exchange we've simply been satisfied to know what we wish people to know and cringing at the difference. Our Lord's incarnation, in principle though, beckons us to return to the pastoral art of knowing those we wish to reach so that we may most effectively present them with the truths of the Word of God. If one cannot personally make fifty pastoral calls per week to inquire of these souls because we no longer live in a Celtic parish that can be traveled by foot in a day's time, the task must be outsourced - not ignored.

It is at this point that works such as Lost And Found: The Younger Unchurched And The Churches That Reach Them by Stetzer, Stanley and Hayes play their part. This most recent summary of missiological research by the Lifeway (Southern Baptist) people focuses on what ministers able to visit and listen to young people who are not participating in the life of the church might hear when asking these people about the well being of their souls. The point of such inquiries is to learn how to best present God's Truth and seek their eternal well being. Such studies must not however cause us to change the Biblical direction of our churches. They are starting points for proclaiming the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, not watering down the Good News. While this research should not change our theology, hearing often legitimate criticisms of Christian people may be used by God to expose our sins of indifference and self-righteousness which need to be rejected anyway. 

Specifically, the research shows that minister, elder, or other Christian who hears the excuse "the church is full of hypocrites" for the 10,000th time still has ample hearing. Such kidding aside, Lost and Found does a fine job of discussing the loneliness, fears, and longings of younger unchurched people and reminds us that these are needs only the Body of Christ can address with lasting impact. It is at this point in reading the book where, if we are honest, the deficiencies of many congregations become painfully apparent. The problem confronting pastors and elders comes, then, in fighting a war on two fronts - ministering to the church before our eyes while reaching out to fields "white unto harvest." When young people say they are seeking "authenticity," they don't mean the sound system isn't loud enough. Rather, it is a legitimate critique on our own spiritual coldness. 

The balance of the work is composed of case studies of various churches on various topics. These are from churches that statistically are above the average in reaching younger unchurched adults for the Gospel. Some prescriptions will undoubtedly resonate with certain readers, while others won't. The chapter on worship will likely prove most controversial. It's at this point in the book where the whole discussion seems to turn to "what do people crave?" instead of "what honors God?" The prevailing assumption these days is that the Living God is a celestial co-dependent so needy for attention that any crumb of corporate adulation will suffice as long as it is offered by a crowd of humans. Please understand that this reviewer does not believe for a split second that any of the authors of this work believe in such a demeaning view of God. They are simply presenting what they've found. The chapter discussing the ascendancy of expository preaching that follows may cause the heart palpitations to settle somewhat if only because many preachers believe they are already doing this adequately. Whether that is so is a discussion for another day. The chapter on moving people from the "Pews to the Street" in mission is likely to only aggravate those Lutherans who fear that the call to a "one size fits all mission" dilutes the doctrine of Christian vocation. Their concern would be that individuals are called to serve as Christians in their respective fields. Authentic Christian vocation means one does not "ape" the minister in his calling or, for that matter, gratuitously imitate anyone else in their calling. When excellence in Christian vocation does occur, it obviously does not need to abandoned for the sake of serving a program. Until such excellence is common, group ministry efforts will likely serve as models to spur individual pursuits of excellence in Christian vocation. I believe that most churches - however much they may disagree with the chapter on worship - can find common ground on the issue of service. Hopefully that common ground will be under shoe-leather outside the church building instead of inside the fellowship hall in those ponderous rehashings that pass for elders' meetings. 

Flying in the face of a generation of "youth ministry" and "educational theory" is something Reformed churches should be saying "I told you so" about. That's the current generation's cry for intergenerational community, learning and ministry. This chapter sounds oddly like a people saying "O that there were a God who would not only bless me but promise to bless my household too!" only to find that Exodus 20:5-6, Acts 2:38-39, and Acts 16:31 ARE in the Bible! American churches - even Reformed ones - have been taking children out of worship for "children's church" and herding them into age segregated classes so long, we have often given the doctrine of the covenant little practical expression in church life. Perhaps this yearning will remind us to embrace the divine promise.

Lost and Found raises a host of excellent questions that pastors - and congregations - must learn to address if only to honestly confront the question: "Are we so smug and self-satisfied that our lives make Jesus Christ repellant for reasons besides the intrinsic offense of the Gospel?" Not every case study in the work will be received as useful, practical or lawful in every church situation. What would be helpful would be to see the research broken out by the theological commitments of the respective churches. Because most Reformed congregations are of average size, it would also be good to see similar work done regarding effective smaller churches. <a href="http://www.visionnewengland.org/">Vision New England's</a> research into New England congregations is helpful in this way.

Reaching young unchurched adults is the concern of every church. Lost and Found serves a useful purpose in allowing us to move past our opinions of what "should" be and begin to consider the obstacles confronting us in this task. If it moves us to move beyond our pettiness, our coldness of heart, and hypocrisy, by God's grace, it will have been well worth the reader's time. 

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Rev. Chuck Huckaby is an Associate Editor of The Christian Observer. He has ministerial standing in the Calvin Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Church.

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