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Review of “Holiness by Grace”, by Bryan Chapell

Oct 5, 2011 Book Reviews

As I read Holiness by Grace by Bryan Chapell, the same two thoughts continued to run through my mind.  The first was that this is way too rich of a book to read quickly. The second was that Chapell avoids the overemphasized works aspect of Jerry Bridges’ book, The Discipline of Grace – a book on the same theme that I reviewed last week.

Chapell’s book is more theologically on, emphasizing grace more consistently.  In fact, Holiness by Grace carries the same basic theme and tone as the Biblical book of Galatians —reminding redeemed followers of Jesus that they’ve been freed from sin.  The penalty of sin has been placed on Jesus, and sin’s overt control of our lives has been dealt with by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  The grace of God leads to the sanctification of his children.  As the author says so well:

“Legalism makes believers think that God accepts them on the basis of what they do.  Licentiousness makes believers think that God does not care what they do.  Both errors have terrible spiritual consequences.”

Chapell moves from what grace looks like in the life of a believer to the joy and freedom it can bring.  His encouragement is for a believer to live in the reality of his new position in Christ, completely justified by the work of Jesus Christ.

What did I like most about the book?
Chapell constantly reminds the reader that the grace that saves us from the penalty of sin is the same grace that saves from the power of sin.  The paradoxical tension of justification and sanctification are on every page.  He doesn’t avoid the tough questions, but faces them head on, starting with the most profound (and the one the Apostle Paul also saw as necessary to tackle): “If I am forgiven and justified, why not keep sinning?”  Chapell’s answer is simple and biblical—thankfulness. With this, Chapell argues against the popular idea that a Christian should obey because it makes his own life better.

Chapell spends the remainder of the book encouraging us to live life in the reality that we are “in Christ.”  Instead of laying on the guilt, he reminds us that not only are we secure in our position in Christ, but we have a new nature that empowers us to change.  The beauty of Holiness by Grace is how it gently and graciously encourages people to live in light of these two realities.

Chapell brilliantly concludes his book with the parable of the workers in the vineyard that Jesus told in Matthew 20.  In doing so, he answers anyone who would criticize his emphasis on grace by reminding them that his teaching agrees with Jesus’.

“If the primary reason that we honor God is our profit, then we will discover there are many occasions where honoring him offers us no apparent benefit.  In those moments we will turn from his ways unless what motivates us is a desire to honor God for his grace rather than a seeking after our own benefit.  What ultimately keeps our motives biblically prioritized and holy before God is the profound conviction that obeying God will merit us nothing.”

Would I recommend the book?
Absolutely.

Key Quotes
“If the primary reason that we honor God is our profit, then we will discover there are many occasions where honoring him offers us no apparent benefit.  In those moments we will turn from his ways unless what motivates us is a desire to honor God for his grace rather than a seeking after our own benefit.  What ultimately keeps our motives biblically prioritized and holy before God is the profound conviction that obeying God will merit us nothing.”

“Legalism makes believers think that God accepts them on the basis of what they do. Licentiousness makes believers think that God does not care what they do. Both errors have terrible spiritual consequences.”

“Grace should not make obedience optional. When God removes good works as a condition for his acceptance, he does not remove righteousness as a requirement for life.”

“In our childishness we may say to God, “If you really loved me, then you would not bother me, or limit me, or make demands on me.” However, we should understand that such requests are really demanding God’s absence from our lives, since his commands are an expression of his character and care in our lives. God will not grant such requests, because he promises never to leave or forsake us.”

Resources
Buy this book on Amazon.com

Review of “Discipline of Grace” by Jerry Bridges

Sep 28, 2011 Book Reviews

Jerry Bridges, in his book Discipline of Grace, takes on the age-old conundrum faced by followers of Jesus; namely, how do grace and a disciplined life work together?  Many authors tend to lean into either legalism or freedom to the point of sin when they attempt to tackle this question. It appears Bridges was acutely aware of this tendency but was unable to completely avoid it himself.

What did I like about the book?
Bridges has crafted a book that is incredibly easy to read.  He builds firmly on the grace of God and every word is anchored in that truth.  He brilliantly paints a mental picture of what we naturally think of as a good or bad day in our lives, defined only by how well the day met our standards for happiness.  On good days, he notes, we are more likely to think that God is intervening.  He debunks this concept for several chapters, with excellent reminders to constantly preach the gospel to ourselves as well as learn what things we have the power to say “yes” and “no” to through the work of Jesus on the cross and the Holy Spirit in our lives.  After solidly building a foundation of grace, Bridges gently begins to encourage his reader to live life with purpose, striving toward the goal of holiness.

What did I not like about the book?
Bridge’s book is very Puritanical in tone, leaning heavily on the work of John Owen and John Murray.  While he makes a valiant effort to avoid legalism, he slips dangerously close several times. One notable quote implies a need for constant repentance in the life of a Christian in order to maintain right standing before God:

“I must continue to renounce any confidence in my own goodness and place my confidence solely in Christ every day of my life, not only for my eternal salvation, but for my daily acceptance before a holy God.” (emphasis added)

The book appears to betray a wrestling match between what Bridges believes and what he wants to say.  He would metaphorically walk to the brink of legalism, leaping back to safety at the last minute.  This makes it hard to be immensely critical, but it also makes it difficult to fully embrace the book.  In Bridges’ excellent passage entitled “Preach the Gospel to Yourself,” we see this tension at play.  The author reminds us:

“By [Jesus’] perfect obedience He positively fulfilled the requirements of the law.  Thus in both its precepts and penalty the law of God in its most exacting requirements was fulfilled by Jesus.  He did this in our place as our representative and our substitute.”

Amen!  However, the author follows this up with:

“To preach the Gospel to yourself, then, means…that you appropriate, again by faith, the fact that Jesus fully satisfied the law of God, that He is your propitiation, and that God’s holy wrath is no longer directed toward you.” (emphasis added)

This implies, if even so subtly, that there is a required work on the behalf of a believer to maintain his right standing with God.  However, it doesn’t appear that Bridges means to communicate this because he follows up with an exhortation for his reader to apply the words of Romans 4:7-8.  It is this type of theological impreciseness that tarnishes an otherwise superb book.

Would I recommend the book?
Even with my concerns, I found this book tremendously applicable to my life.  One area that was particularly challenging for me was the concept of mortification.  In an effort to avoid legalism and to focus on my position in Christ rather than my sin, I have not been as relentless as I should be in dealing with specific sin areas in my life.  Bridges’ other work, Respectable Sins, opened my eyes to a few sin areas I need serious work in.  This book has helped me realized my need to aggressively deal with those areas.

As a step in that direction, I was greatly challenged to “Preach the Gospel” to myself.  I have heard this term many times in the past, but reading this book I finally understood it and began to grasp the practical nature of this concept.  I need to become as proactive in preaching the Gospel to myself as I am in preaching it to my church.

Key Quotes
“Some days we may be more acutely conscious of our sinfulness and hence more aware of our need of His grace, but there is never a day when we can stand before Him on our own two feet of performance, when we are worthy enough to deserve His blessing.”

“When God justifies us, or declares us righteous, He does not create some sort of legal fiction, calling something righteous that is not. Rather, He declares us righteous on the basis of the real, accomplished righteousness of Jesus Christ, which is imputed or credited to us through faith.”

Resources
Buy this book on Amazon.com

Review of “The Shepherd Leader” by Timothy Witmer

Sep 21, 2011 Book Reviews

Riverview has been governed by a team of elders since its launch in 1977.  I often find myself in the position of defending our team leadership structure, in which I recommend the books Biblical Eldership by Alexander Strauch and Elders and Leaders by Gene Getz.  I am working on writing a practical book on this model because I’m finding many young leaders and pastors I talk with misunderstanding or misrepresenting the idea.

So I was pleasantly surprised to find in The Shepherd Leader by Timothy Witmer much of what I have been looking for in a resource, and I’m thrilled to add it to the list of books I encourage aspiring elders to read.

Witmer’s acknowledgement that eldership is a delicate balance between equality on the elder team and differing responsibilities is excellent.  He treats neither issue as trite, but as an essential part of building a healthy pastoral team.  In presenting his case for this church structure he offers a significant caution:

“One of the practical outcomes of the identification of those who give themselves to preaching and teaching is that these individuals have often become viewed as primus inter pares—first among equals.  This may have practical benefits in terms of providing initiative and direction in the local church.  However, we must not lose sight of the fact that the biblical picture of leadership is ‘team’ leadership.”

Witmer is careful to maintain a Scriptural basis for his convictions while at the same time acknowledging the spheres where these concepts may be counter-intuitive or uncomfortably paradoxical.

What did I like about most about the book?
The Shepherd Leader gives an excellent summary of the ecclesiological history of Christianity, particularly as it relates to the church’s struggle to define the role of senior leaders.  The extent of Witmer’s treatment of church history, as well as the simplicity of his observations and explanations, helps the reader understand the evolution of thought regarding pastoral ministry and the tangible impact it has had on understanding the role of elders.  His historical survey doesn’t serve only to inform, but also to challenge.  This is seen from the chapter’s title, “Lost and Found: Where Did All the Shepherds Go?”  The question he asks is essential, and his assessment of the problem from a historical perspective is compelling.

Before diving into his proposed biblical solution, Witmer adds an especially poignant chapter on the necessity of pastoral authority and why it’s a significant stumbling block for many young churches today.  This is important because many in the church, especially those rightly advocating a servant-leader model rooted in the teachings of Scripture, often find it difficult to advocate pastoral authority.  Witmer, on the other hand, strikes just the right balance by showing how the appropriate exercise of authority is a fundemental aspect of servant leadership.

I found two aspects of Witmer’s book especially practical. The first was his careful study of a shepherd’s role in knowing, feeding, leading, and protecting the flock God has entrusted to his care.  Each of these duties was carefully taken from Scripture and masterfully applied to the local church.

Secondly, this book shined in an area that is often overlooked by many books on leadership: the need for both micro and macro forms of leadership. Witmer rightly describes these roles as “comprehensive and complementary.”  Whether an elder is naturally oriented toward macro or micro shepherding, his roles remain constant; he must know, feed, lead, and protect the flock with which God has entrusted him.  Witmer takes the time to unpack this concept as it relates to each of these four roles of a shepherd.

This approach is both practical and scalable for various church life stages and sizes.  For instance, a new church planter must have the gifting to embody all four roles and must keep his focus on both the micro and the macro areas of his ministry.  As the church grows, however, these duties can be parceled out to elders with more specialized areas of focus. Churches with more elders on their team should look to men with certain strengths that are better able to serve a particular weak area in the church.

Witmer’s book raises the bar for what a leader in Jesus’ church must look like, but he raises the bar no further than where Scripture itself has placed it.

Would I recommend the book?
Anyone who is or wants to be a Pastor should read this book.

Key Quotes
“According to the Bible, each family has an undershepherd as well. This undershepherd is the head of the family who has been given the responsibility to shepherd their little “flocks” in the name of Christ. Imagine the benefit to our churches if dads were equipped to provide every aspect of shepherding care.”

“All who hold derived authority are ultimately accountable to the One who gave that authority.”

Resources
Buy this book on Amazon.com

Review of “Brothers, We Are Not Professionals” by John Piper

Sep 14, 2011 Book Reviews

Brothers We Are Not Professionals begins with a sweeping statement that could come off as quite the overstatement if it didn’t ring true: “Insulated Western Christianity is waking from the dreamworld that being a Christian is normal or safe.  More and more, true Christianity is becoming what it was at the beginning: foolish and dangerous.”  Piper then goes on, calling pastors to become men of God worthy of the task of leading the church through our daunting age.

I read this book while going through school last year, when my book pile was eight miles high (or in my case, my Kindle app 8 gigs full). As I read each chapter, I regretted the pace I was forced to take.  Ironically, in Chapter 10 (appropriately entitled Brothers, Fight For Your Life) Piper offered me a timely reproof with a quote from Spurgeon: “A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books which he has merely skimmed, lapping at them.”  I was faced with a recollection of the amount of reading I flew through in school last year and my virtual pile of unread books. I then concluded that I simply have too much reading to do to take this challenge to heart. Moving on….

Piper, almost as if he knew the mental duel we were engaged in, defended the possibility of reading at this reasonable pace if someone were to give a mere twenty minutes a day to books.  This, along with his passionate assertion that reading in this manner is tantamount to “fighting for your life,” inspired me to make it a part of my regular life rhythms. It’s because of this chapter that I now set aside 20-30 minutes of reading each morning.

What did I like about the book?
This is a meaty book that is portioned out in small, bite-sized chapters. If you want to get into the habit of daily reading, this is a great book to start with. While specifically written for pastors, there is something for everyone in every chapter.

What did I not like about the book?
The only thing I didn’t like is that I rushed through it. This is no fault of the book, and of course, not of my own, but rather the short chapters tricked me into skimming. It deserves a slow read.

Would I recommend the book?
Yes

Key Quotes
“God is not glorified when we keep for ourselves (no matter how thankfully) what we ought to be using to alleviate the misery of unevangelized and uneducated and unhoused and unfed millions.”

“Prayer is the coupling of primary and secondary causes.  It is the splicing of our limp wire to the lightning bolt of heaven.”

“…a husband and wife should pursue their own joy in the joy of each other.  There is scarcely a more hedonistic passage in the Bible than Ephesians 5:25-30.  This text makes clear that the reason there is so much misery in marriages is not that husbands and wives are seeking their own pleasure but that they are not seeking it in the pleasure of their spouses.  But this text commands us to do just that because Christ does.”

Resources
Buy this book on Amazon.com

Review of “Humility” by C.J. Mahaney

Sep 7, 2011 Book Reviews

Five years ago, it seemed like everyone was recommending the same book, Humility by CJ Mahaney. The problem is when everyone is recommending you read a book on this particular topic, it seems kinda prideful not to. So I did.

The book was a powerful little read. I remember being struck not only by the content, but the evident humility of the author. In fact, on the very first page he writes, “I’m a proud man pursuing humility by the grace of God. I don’t write as an authority on humility; I write as a fellow pilgrim walking with you on the path set for us by our humble Savior.” This didn’t smack of triteness, but of true humility that became more and more apparent as I turned the pages.

So I put the book at the top of a reading list for a group of men I am mentoring this year.

And then CJ Mahaney stepped down from his position at the ministry he leads because, in his words, some men had “made charges against me and informed me about offenses they have had with me… which include various expressions of pride, unentreatability, deceit, sinful judgement and hypocrisy.” Read his Blog post on this here: http://ht.ly/6i1Dd

When I heard about this, I grabbed his little book and re-read it under a new light. While many have been quick to lob criticism and additional charges of hypocrisy at Mahaney, it appears to me that he is merely following his own Godly advice as laid out in his book.

What did I like about the book?
The intensely practical and biblical nature of Mahaney’s advice in this book makes it easy to digest, even as it is difficult to follow.

What did I not like about the book?
Mahaney lays out “a practical strategy” to combating sin. Unfortunately, this book is a hodge-podge of Scripture commands and practical advice, which may work for one but not for another. Although he carefully warns readers to “think of the items on my list simply as recommendations, not requirements…” the book isn’t laid out very well to achieve this end. Those who are naturally “rule-keepers” (or legalists) will find plenty of new regulations for their lives and others. Those who naturally play fast and loose with Scripture will skip over clear scriptural mandates as “simply recommendations.” With that said, these pitfalls are easily avoided if you keep your eyes open for them.

Would I recommend the book?
Absolutely. This is a simple read that has the potential to make a huge impact on your life.

Key quote:
This particular quote is striking, especially in light of the series we are in now at Riv:

“Never correct without reminding the individual, at some point, of the Gospel. Any conversation including correction must also include the Gospel, because biblical correction is incomplete apart from the Gospel.”

Links & Resources:
Buy this book on Amazon.com

Tags: humility, hypocrisy, pride

Review of “The Book of the Dun Cow” by Walter Wangerin, Jr.

Aug 31, 2011 Book Reviews

I have often said that The Book of the Dun Cow is my favorite book, but I haven’t read it in almost two decades. So I picked it up on my vacation this summer to see if it is still the reigning champ.

It is.

What did I like about the book?
The Book of the Dun Cow is a quirky novel about animals (yup, you read that correctly… all the characters are talking animals). This isn’t, however, like a Disney film but more like a morality play, somewhere between Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia.

The book is laugh out loud funny, gut-wrenchingly intense, and tearful.

Literary snobs will love the classic references to literature all over the place. Pleasure readers won’t miss anything by not knowing them.

What did I not like about the book?
There really isn’t much I don’t like about this book. I know I am doing this two weeks in a row, but I’m starting these book reviews with books I love.

Would I recommend the book?
Yes, yes, yes.

Key quote:
“Chauntecleer watched his own desolation appear in the brown eyes of the Cow, then sink so deeply into them that she shuddered. Her eyes pooled as she looked at him. The tears rose and spilled over. And then she was weeping even as he had wept a few minutes ago – except without the anger. Strangely, Chaunutecleer felt an urge to comfort her; but at this moment he was no Lord, and the initiative was not in him. A simple creature only, he watched – felt – the miracle take place. Nothing changed: The clouds would not be removed, nor his sons returned, nor his knowledge plenished. But there was this. His grief had become her grief, his sorrow her own. And though he grieved not one bit less for that, yet his heart made room for her, for her will and wisdom, and he bore the sorrow better.”

Links & Resources
Buy this book on Amazon.com

Review of “If You Bite and Devour One Another” by Alexander Strauch

Aug 24, 2011 Book Reviews

Every single one of us faces conflict. That means every one us also has to figure out to handle it. If we’re honest, most of us don’t handle it well. As Christians, we should be better at it than anyone, but we aren’t. Maybe this book can change that.
This book is an excellent must-have resource for handling conflict.

What did I like about the book?
Strauch has gone straight to where all Christians should go: the Bible. Just like the Bible does, Strauch calls us to change our attitudes and behaviors through the power of the Holy Spirit.

He makes no excuses for our behavior and shoots straight. His main thrust is pretty basic, but profound:

Act in the Spirit
Act in love
Act in humility
Control the anger
Control the tongue
Control the criticism
Pursue reconciliation
Pursue peace
Face false teachers
Face controversy

We’ve heard it before, but imagine if we actively lived this way…

What did I not like about the book?
That everyone has not read it.

Would I recommend this book?
I would recommend this book so strongly that I invited Strauch to come to our church to teach on the topic. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it, but the next LEAD will cover a lot of his material.

Key Quote(s):
“When conflict arises, our attitudes and behaviors should reflect our new life in Christ given by the Holy Spirit who lives within us. We are to display the fruit of the Spirit and not the works of THE FLESH!… In many church disputes, believers fight for so-called truths that are not explicitly revealed in Scripture while egregiously violating the clear and repeated teaching of Scripture on godly conduct and attitudes.”

Links and Resources

Buy this book on Amazon.com

Riverview’s next LEAD Event info and registration

Watch my video overview of the next LEAD Event

Book Reviews

Aug 17, 2011 Book Reviews

Starting next week, I am going to post a quick book review each Wednesday.  The reason I am doing this is three-fold:

1. People often ask me if I can recommend a book for them to read on a certain topic.
2. People often recommend books to me (and some of the recommendations make me cringe).
3. I read a lot of books and I want to keep a record of my thoughts about them.  I figured I might as well make my thoughts public.

I am going to attempt to keep the reviews to under 500 words (for your sake and mine).  To do this, I will use this format:

What did I like about the book?

What did I not like about the book?

Would I recommend the book?

Key Quote(s).

Also, if I hit a crazy busy patch, I may take a week or two off but I will do my best to keep up with this each week.

I already have a stack of books to review, but I also want to know your suggestions.  If there are any books you would like me to review, just post a comment here and I’ll see if I can add it to the pile!

A Review of Dr. Bruce Ware’s Book – Father, Son & Holy Spirit

May 16, 2011 Book Reviews

There are few biblical concepts that seem more out of reach to the mind of mere mortals than that of the Trinity.  To try to mentally grasp the concept of a God who is both one and three at the same time can cause many followers of this triune God to throw their hands up in the air and chalk the whole thing up to “mystery.”  While there truly is a mysterious component to the Trinity, Dr. Bruce Ware argues that it is a tragic mistake for a Christian to not seek to understand it.  In his book, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Relationships, Roles, and Relevance, Dr. Ware asks a series of penetrating questions:

“…would God have chosen to reveal himself to us as the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, unless he knew that this would be important to our understanding of him and of our faith? Must it not be the case that God cares greatly that we ‘get it,’ that we see him for who he is? And must it not matter to our own lives whether or not we understand him as the triune God that he is?”

Andreas Köstenberger

Feb 3, 2011 1 Timothy, Book Reviews

Many people have asked me where they can find the resources by Andreas J. Köstenberger I referred to last weekend.  So, without much ado, here they are in order of intensity.

A Quick Interview on the topic of 1 Timothy 2:12.

A 32 page paper on the topic of 1 Timothy 2:15.

Women in the Church: An Analysis and Application of 1 Timothy 2:9-15.

Tags: elders, femininity, manliness