What makes a good piece of writing? Each of us could provide an extensive list of qualifications to answer this question. Our individual personalities each cry out for and are most deeply moved by any number of approaches to writing. Perhaps our inclination toward a particular genre is different from our spouse’s or a close friend’s, leaving us to wonder how they could be satisfied without such riches.
Likely those same friends and spouses are wondering the same things of us, which suggests that we should all be intentional about reading broadly. As C.S. Lewis has noted, each of us has a unique blindness that can never be fully overcome. But limiting our reading selections only serves to reinforce our tunnel-vision.[1] Thus we must find ways to break our normal routines from time to time so that we may walk new paths and expand our minds in new directions.
Reading plans are great helps for sending us down unexplored avenues, but so is reading with others. One of the recommendations offered below is the result of a joint book-study by Matthew Steven Bracey and Phillip Morgan. Both men have offered their thoughts on the same work in an effort to highlight the shared and individual impact this work had on them. In the end, how we broaden our reading selections is not nearly as important as actually making it happen. Happy reading.
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Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey (New York: New American Library, 1968), 221 pages.
In recent years, several blockbusters have been released about the so-called final frontier—Outer Space. In 2013, we saw Gravity, in 2014 Interstellar, and in 2015 The Martian (of the three, my personal favorite was Interstellar). An earlier critically acclaimed space film was the 1968, Stanley Kubrick-directed 2001: A Space Odyssey. Today considered one of the greatest movies of all time, film critic Roger Ebert described it as “transcendent.”[2]
However, many don’t realize that 2001 is based on a book by Arthur C. Clarke—well, sort of. In fact Clarke and Kubrick jointly crafted the book and screenplay, the one informing the other. Not everything in the book, though, is in the film, not is everything in the film in the book. And while the film is great, the book is also excellent and stands on its own.
Though Christian readers may disagree with its narrative of human origins and evolution, Clarke offers much to admire. Like the film, the book is memorable, imaginative, and entertaining as it explores themes of humanity, technology, and space. For example, 2001 illustrates the great potential of technology, as well as its serious limitations and dangers. If you’re in the mood for an expansive, gripping, and inspiring fiction, I recommend 2001.
—Recommended by Matthew Steven Bracey
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Chap Clark, ed. Youth Ministry in the 21st Century: Five Views (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2015), 224 pages.
The area of youth ministry is not short on resources—especially works of a more practical nature. Yet treatments about how we should view youth ministry have not been as popular. Thankfully we have recently seen a much-needed surge in this literature. Because before we talk about practice, we should understand the purpose of youth ministry. Youth Ministry in the 21st Century: Five Views is a wonderful and timely volume dealing with precisely these questions.
This book declares five views of youth ministry: Greg Stier’s “Gospel-Advancing Model,” Brian Cosby’s “Reformed Model,” Chap Clark’s “Adoption Model,” Fernando Arzola’s “Ecclesial Model,” and Ron Hunter’s “D6 Model.” Each contributor briefly explains their view in a chapter and then receives critiques from every other contributor to which the author provides a response. The critiques and conversations between authors are what really make this book so helpful.
Invariably, most readers will disagree with various aspects of each model. But engaging and evaluating the disparate approaches is the true treasure of this book. I highly recommend this volume to youth workers and ministry-minded individuals alike.
—Recommended by Christopher Talbot
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Greg Gilbert, Why Trust the Bible? (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 160 pages.
How would you explain your trust in the Bible to someone who does not believe its claims? In Why Trust the Bible?, Greg Gilbert helps us formulate a reasonable argument for trusting Scripture that is founded on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He writes, “Once you decide that Jesus really did rise from the dead, the truth and authority of the Bible follow quickly, naturally, and powerfully.”[3]
Gilbert succinctly engages tough topics like Bible translations, canonicity, and issues of transmission. For those interested in further study on these topics and more, he offers a helpful appendix with outlined resources. I recently had the opportunity to lead two separate studies at my church through this book, and I recommend it to new believers or experienced believers wanting to learn more about the nature of Scripture.
—Recommended by Zachery Maloney
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Bradley G. Green, The Gospel and the Mind: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 192 pages.
Community, creation, the cross, culture, the heart, history, incarnation, knowledge, language, the liberal arts, linguistics, logos, love, the mind, morality, redemption, repentance, telos, truth, understanding, and words: Few authors can take such a wide variety of topics and concepts, and show how they fit into a Christian worldview; let alone in less than 200 pages and in a manner that is (mostly) readable and relatable. And yet Bradley G. Green has done just this.
The Gospel and the Mind is comprised of six chapters. In it, Green reminds us that because God made us with minds, He is also redeeming our minds. The question of how sanctification effects our minds is based in our Christian theology. Green writes, “Without certain key theological realities and commitments, the cultivation of an enduring intellectual and cultural life becomes increasingly difficult, if not impossible.”[4] With these commitments in place, we’re reminded that these topics matter—everything matters to some degree or another. As Green puts it, “The life of the mind, the act of knowing, is not a morally or spiritually neutral endeavor.”[5]
I can’t stress enough how much this book has blessed me. Green interacts well with the Christian tradition, and he exemplifies Christian worldview thinking. In conclusion, I’ll offer this sample, a helpful warning about false guilt in learning:
“At times in this book I have warned about being utilitarian or pragmatic about the intellectual quest. We should not be consumed with knowing immediately what to do with knowledge. Coming to know something can often be a joyous occasion in itself, and we need not always be figuring out what uses of knowledge may follow.”[6]
—Recommended by Matthew Steven Bracey
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Bradley G. Green, The Gospel and the Mind: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 192 pages.
Union University professor, Bradley Green, has produced a magnificent application of the Christian worldview to the intellectual life. With light, flowing paragraphs Green draws his readers into a detailed and methodical consideration of the intellectual life in light of creation, the cross, and eternity. He argues convincingly that without the doctrines of creation and telos we have no foundation for understanding and no impetus to seek order in the universe. Continually buttressing his argument with references to history, Green describes the birth of science out of Christianity’s unique conception of reality as created by God and intended for Christ.
Building on this foundation and interacting extensively with the great Christian tradition, Green draws out the Gospel’s implications for the life of the mind. His concise and persuasive discussion of “faith seeking understanding” is the best that I have encountered. Not only do all people begin their investigation of the world with certain faith commitments, he argues, but we also cannot truly understand the world without faith in Christ since all things were created through Him and intended for Him. Echoing Francis Schaeffer, though in a more academic tone, Green also shows where Thomas Aquinas crosses the boundary of divided knowledge. Though the two chapters dealing with literary theory are denser than the rest of the book, they are rich and rewarding.
Green saves his clearest, most persuasive writing for his concluding chapter and epilogue which left me full of excitement—a rare feat for a book on worldview. He deftly and delightfully sums up his well thought-out thesis and passionately applies it to all of life. This is a truly wonderful book that serves as a great introduction into further study on worldview thinking and its relationship with modernist and post-modernist philosophy.
—Recommended by Phillip Morgan
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Ron Hunter, Jr., The DNA of D6: Building Blocks of Generational Discipleship (Nashville: Randall House, 2015), 122 pages.
In anticipation of Ron Hunter speaking to my congregation about the subject of generational discipleship, I read his seminal work on the “D6 movement.” Family ministry and generational discipleship are certainly not novel concepts. And indeed many churches have been doing these faithfully for many years. Yet the large-scale cultural confusion concerning the family, the mass exodus of youth from the local church, and other observable problems suggest that the principles of Deuteronomy 6 have not necessarily been embodied throughout the ministries of many churches.
Randall House Publications—the publishing arm of the National Association of Free Will Baptists—has sought to be a leading voice in the renewal of the family through connecting the church and the home. Ron Hunter, the Executive Director and CEO of Randall House, articulates the philosophy, principles, and practices which inform the D6 curriculum, conference, and other initiatives and resources. I found Hunter’s book a welcome addition to my collection of ministry books, especially as he touches on some issues that are seldom covered. Among these topics were the challenge of church leaders with prodigal children, church staffing, and helping parents develop deeper spiritual conversations with their children.
—Recommended by W. Jackson Watts
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George MacDonald, Lilith: A Romance (1895), 236 pages.
Around twenty years ago my mother, who homeschooled me and my four siblings, read aloud to us several books by George MacDonald. These included The Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and Curdie, and At the Back of the North Wind. Only in the past several months have I returned to this fascinating author in response to the constant encouragement of several friends including Matthew Bracey. Fortunately, I was able to find a free e-version of MacDonald’s entire collected works for my Kindle, which allowed me to dip my toes in at no cost. After re-reading some of the books from my childhood, I began to dig into his adult oriented writings. From this group, my favorite so far has been Lilith.
Lilith is a remarkable combination of the sharp wit and intellect of Mark Twain with the florid imagination of Edgar Allen Poe. Full of rich insights on the universally ignored assumptions we make about reality, the characters inhabit a landscape soaked in imaginative creativity. The main character, Mr. Vane, is on a journey to learn how to die, because the only way to have life is to lose it. Yet he is horrible at letting go of his life. Even though he knows his ways of fixing the world will only cause worse eventualities, he can’t stop himself. But finally he learns how to die and to wait with expectancy the crowing of the golden rooster who signals the rising of the Son. This is a magnificent work of fiction that I can’t wait to come back to so that I can pick up more gems on my second time through.
—Recommended by Phillip Morgan
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Russell Moore, Onward: Engaging the Culture Without Losing the Gospel (Nashville: B&H, 2015), 224 pages.
Russell Moore has been one of my favorite authors for years, and Onward is likely to make him a favorite for many others new to his work. In a changing cultural landscape, his latest work is quite a gift to the church. Moore challenges the assumptions of what it means to be ‘Gospel-centered’ and ‘patriotic’ by situating the church’s mission and Christian cultural involvement in a larger biblical, theological, historical, and practical framework.
Some of Moore’s insight here will sound familiar to those who have read articles of his and listened to his frequent public lectures in recent years. Still, this book constitutes an original, cohesive presentation of the critical concerns and challenges facing the Christian church in America, including issues of human dignity, religious liberty, and family stability. It is rare that I call a book a “must-read” in a blanket sense of the phrase, but I would locate Moore’s work in that category for all Christians committed to serious thinking about life and ministry in changing times.
—Recommended by W. Jackson Watts
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Heath A. Thomas, Jeremy Evans, and Paul Copan, eds., Holy War In The Bible: Christian Morality and an Old Testament Problem (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2013), 339 pages.
The narrative of Joshua and the Israelites burning the city of Ai and killing all “survivors and fugitives” is quite disturbing (Josh. 8:22), especially for new believers. How do we reconcile God’s command here with what Jesus says in His Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers” (Matt. 5:9)? In Holy War in the Bible, editors Heath A. Thomas, Jeremy Evans, and Paul Copan engage these questions and offer explanations on the topic of divine war in the Bible. The book is comprised of a collection of essays by scholars disciplined in Biblical Studies, Ethics, Philosophy, and Theology. For more information, readers can revisit Seth Miller’s review of the book from April 2014. Anyone interested in the theme of holy war in Scripture or responding to many of the New Atheists’ arguments should get this book.
—Recommended by Zachery Maloney
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Robert Louis Wilken, The Spirit of Early Christian Thought: Seeking the Face of God (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2005), 398 pages.
Many people are disinterested in history. However, this is usually not because of the subject itself, but the result of poor writing or teaching. Though historians are not widely known for being good writers, Robert Louis Wilken is an exception. I’ve recommended another work of his before (The First Thousand Years), but The Spirit of Early Christian Thought just may be his masterpiece. Here, Wilken provides key details about historical events and controversies such as the Council of Chalcedon and how many wills Christ has, but he doesn’t simply drown the reader in data. Instead, Wilken skillfully helps us understand that early Christians were driven not by Greek philosophy and minutiae, but by a desire to faithfully explain and live out Scripture.
Central to Wilken’s work is his attempt to overturn the prevailing claim that early Christianity was “Hellenized” (or overrun with Greek philosophy) by positing that Hellenism was effectively Christianized. To put it another way, early Christians didn’t merely adopt Greek philosophy to explain Christianity. They transformed the Hellenic world through “seeking the face of God.”
—Recommended by Jesse Owens
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Molly Worthen, Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism (Oxford University Press, 2014), 376 pages.
The words “evangelical” and “evangelicalism” are hard (some might say impossible) to define. Should evangelicals be understood by their beliefs, practices, voting habits, or a combination of all of the above? Molly Worthen’s Apostles of Reason seeks primarily to define evangelicalism, but also to explore its history hoping to identify a central tension common to all evangelicals.
According to Worthen, evangelicals are a people marked by a perpetual struggle over how to reconcile reason and faith. In other words, American evangelicals, as Worthen’s subtitle suggests, have an authority crises. Therefore, Worthen explores the rise of neo-evangelicalism, led by men such as Carl Henry and Harold Ockenga, who sought rigorously to engage liberal Protestant theologians while simultaneously bolstering the doctrine of biblical inerrancy and biblical authority.
Worthen proceeds to examine how the charismatic movement potentially undermined biblical authority by elevating personal experience to the level of Scripture. While I do not share some of Worthen’s central claims, her work helpfully traces the rise of neo-evangelicalism, Bible colleges, and the charismatic movement, and how they might be explained.
—Recommended by Jesse Owens
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Philip Zaleski and Carol Zaleski, The Fellowship: The Literary Lives of the Inklings; J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Owen Barfield, Charles Williams (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2015), 656 pages.
When we think of the curious group called “The Inklings,” our imaginations often conjure up seasoned Oxford professors sitting in an English pub discussing works like The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. While there certainly is truth to that image, this is a myopic conception of such a unique and superlative literary circle.
Philip and Carol Zaleski, in The Fellowship, offer a fascinating view into the lives of arguably the four most influential writers to be part of that famous group: J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Owen Barfield and Charles Williams. While they do touch on familiar areas, they also dive into other lesser-known regions: Owen Barfield’s anthroposophism or Charles Williams’s Christian mysticism. The most fascinating find in this volume is in its literary perspective, though. The Zaleski’s have painstakingly sought to see how these men, and this group, have influenced each other’s writings. If for that reason alone, I found this book captivating.
—Recommended by Christopher Talbot
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[1] C.S. Lewis, “On the Reading of Old Books” in God in the Dock ed. Walter Hooper (1970).
[2] Roger Ebert, 2001: A Space Odyssey, March 27, 1997, accessed April 2, 2016, http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-2001-a-space-odyssey-1968.
[3] Greg Gilbert, Why Trust the Bible? (Wheaton: Crossway, 2015), 15.
[4] Bradley G. Green, The Gospel and the Mind: Recovering and Shaping the Intellectual Life (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), 19.
[5] Ibid., 86.
[6] Ibid., 163-164.
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