Tag: Book Reviews

Bob’s Best Books of 2011

~ Bob Hayton ~ 3 Comments

Once again, it is time for my list of the top books I read or reviewed this past year. It’s always hard to limit my choices, and 2011 was no exception. There were many great books that I was blessed to read, but in the end the following titles rise to the top. They are the very best books I read and/or reviewed in 2011.

Bob’s 10 Best:

Best “Theology” book — Waiting for the Land: The Story Line of the Pentateuch by Arie C. Leder (P & R Publishing). My love affair with the Pentateuch was rekindled with this evocative book. Yes, it’s strange using the term “evocative” of a theology book, but that description fits. Leder unpacked the Pentateuch in such a sweeping manner that he drew you in to its powerful and majestic themes of redemption and the promised hope. He also made the connections between the church’s experience now and Israel’s experience then. I thoroughly enjoyed this relatively short book. I’ll be going back to it again and again as I continue studying the Pentateuch. Read my review for more on this book.

Best “Missions & Church Life” book — Four Views on the Spectrum of Evangelicalism edited by Collin Hansen and Andrew Naselli (Zondervan). This book was one that I was eagerly awaiting for much of 2011. When I got my copy, I devoured it. It certainly lived up to my expectations. The book is a fascinating conversation about the state of Evangelicalism, and where and how both Fundamentalism and Post-Conservatism fit in. The conversation was charitable and thought-provoking, and the book will encourage more intentional thought on questions such as, “Just how together can we be for the Gospel?” And also, “What really is at stake with post-conservatism?” Of particular note to many of my readers, is the fact that a fundamentalist leader was asked to contribute to this book. Kevin Bauder did a masterful job at introducing the idea of fundamentalism to wider evangelical readers. He also laid forth his vision of a renewed and purged fundamentalism and what the future could hold if the movement reforms. For more on this book, see this book excerpt. My review is forthcoming.

Best “Childrens & Family” book — Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson (Crossway). I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It lived up to the high endorsements from Tullian Tchividjian and others. The authors remind us that there are no perfect parents or fool-proof parenting methods. We all need grace, and we need to introduce our kids to Jesus, first and foremost. Most intriguingly, they explore what it means to parent in a distinctively Christian way. For more on this book, check out two book excerpts (here and here). My review is forthcoming.

Honorable Mention — The Quest for Comfort: The Story of The Heidelberg Catechism by William Boekestein (Reformation Heritage). I am not aware of many kids books that tell the story behind the Heidelberg Catechism; so the story itself will be new to most children. The tale is engaging and the artwork has an older feel to it and will also draw young minds in. I thought the idea of telling the story behind the men who brought us one of the most enduring Reformation era documents, in a kids story format, was ingenious. The book lived up to my expectations and has me hoping to get Boekestein’s other books in this genre. Read my review for more on this book.

Best “Fiction” book — The Constantine Codex by Paul L. Maier (Tyndale House). I hadn’t read Maier’s earlier books in the “Skeleton in God’s Closet” series, but that didn’t pose any problem in appreciating this story fully. I had heard that Maier’s archaeological fiction was riveting. This book did not disappoint. For theology geeks like me, who have studied textual criticism and the Biblical languages, the book has an added appeal in that the main character is an expert on ancient manuscripts and early Christianity. The storyline is almost over the top, with the discovery of manuscript discoveries that Dan Wallace can only dream about, but the tale manages to stay believable. This was a book I couldn’t put down. Read my review for more on this book.

Honorable Mention — Taken (The Quest for Truth Series, book 1) by Brock Eastman (P & R Publishing). With this being Eastman’s first book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I ended up being very impressed by this story which is part science-fiction, part fantasy. Rather than being an overt allegory or an obviously Christianized fiction work, this tale tells a story well and draws the reader in to a tale that ultimately has intersections with the Truth. The book is geared more for young adults, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. I’m eager for the next installment of this series, and hope to sample some of the other books that Eastman has published recently, too. Read my review for more on this book.

Best “General Christian Interest” book — Upside: Surprising Good News About the State of Our World by Bradley Wright (Bethany House). I was intrigued by the premise of this book from the start. And Wright sure did deliver. The book exposes a secret: our world is dramatically improving on many fronts. Health, life-expectancy, income levels, literacy, and even crime and the environment have all seen incredible improvements over the last 30 years and more. Wright calls the church to task for not celebrating and recognizing this fact. We need to stop enjoying how bad everything is and worrying about how much worse it will get. Instead, we should actually thank God for some of the amazing things He has done lately. Read my review for more on this book.

Best “Christian Living” book — Washed and Waiting: Reflections on Christian Faithfulness and Homosexuality by Wesley Hill (Zondervan). This book by Wesley Hill truly altered my thinking on an important subject. I still remain absolutely convinced that the Bible teaches that homosexuality is wrong. But I now am much more sympathetic to people struggling with same-sex attractions than I was before. In our culture, such people are encouraged to go all out and live it up as a homosexual. Wesley Hill a committed Christian and Bible College grad, has struggled his entire life with same-sex attractions. He has remained celibate and is committed to following Christ wholeheartedly. But his story is one that the Church needs to hear. Can we learn to have the same compassion toward those who struggle with same-sex attraction as we do with those who struggle with extramarital heterosexual attractions? And will we stand against the sin rather than those caught up in it? Read my review for more on this book.

Best “Church History & Biography” book — A Visual History of the King James Bible by Donald L. Brake (Baker Books). This was perhaps my favorite book of the year. I’ve always been intrigued by the history of the English Bible, and with the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible, I’ve been reading lots of books commemorating the KJB. This book tops them all. It is a visual feast, chuck full of fascinating pictures of manuscripts, old Bibles and more. My video review tries to do the book justice.

Best “Commentary & Reference” book — The Baker Illustrated Bible Handbook edited by J. Scott Duvall & J. Daniel Hays (Baker Books). This may be the best single volume resource on the entire Bible available. It certainly is the most visually stunning: beautiful, full-color photographs of Bible places, manuscripts, and artifacts, detailed charts and maps abound. Each book of the Bible is summarized and the handbook is filled with fascinating and helpful articles by leading evangelical scholars. With this book, I tried my hand at another video review.

All the Rest:

In 2011, I reviewed 42 books or DVDs — bringing the total of my book and media reviews to 115 from more than 30 different publishers. You can see all my reviews listed here. For my previous “Bob’s Best” lists, see below.

Additionally, if you are an avid reader, you may want to follow my reviews or friend me on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

“Infinite Playlists: How to Have Conversations [Not Conflict] with Your Kids About Music” by Todd Stocker

~ Bob Hayton ~ 25 Comments

In our day, few matters divide generations more readily than music. Each age group has its own musical preferences which the others don’t get, and often can’t appreciate. For Christians, this problem is even more pronounced. The Christian’s submission to Scripture leads inevitably to ethical questions surrounding various elements of modern culture, especially music. This is complicated by the tendency of some Christians to denigrate certain music styles as intrinsically evil.

When it comes to parenting, and dealing with teenagers in particular, it would be easy to ignore the issue of music altogether. Many Christian parents just suffer with whatever music choices their children make, even if they offer an occasional frown. Not a few parents take the opposite approach, and operate like the musical police. This can raise barriers between parent and child, fostering bitterness and resentment. For most of us, we’re not exactly sure how to handle the thorny topic of music.

This is why I was intrigued by the title of a new book from Kregel Publications by Todd Stocker (with notes from his son Nathan): Infinite Playlists: How to Have Conversations [Not Conflict] with Your Kids About Music. The title gets right to the point, and when you open the front cover Stoker wastes no time in confronting the issue head on. In fact, the book is only a short 89 pages, but for many parents and teens today, a shorter book may have a better chance at being picked up and read. Whatever the case, even in these few short pages the book more than adequately covers the problem at hand.

Todd Stocker starts out by describing his love for music and how his Christian faith made him reevaluate his musical choices. His son Nathan’s affinity for hard rock brought him to the place where he had to start working through what music he’d allow his children to tune in to. The book moves on to describe music as a gift from God, but a gift that has been distorted by fallen man. There is a spiritual battle going on over music, and recognizing music’s ability to capture our souls with wonder should help us approach the topic soberly. Make no mistake, however, Stoker is not about a kill joy approach to music. “God never intended Christians to live cloistered.” (pg. 25)

Stocker goes on to trace the emotional, physical and spiritual impact of music, often quoting secular experts and personal experiences to add flavor. He explores various musical genres, and the question of Christian vs. secular music. He understands that the attitude and ethos created by the song conveys some meaning, but ultimately the lyrics make the predominant difference. Yet “God is not in one thing and not in the other”, and so even secular music can be redeemed for His purposes.

The meat of the book comes in his discussion of the working guidelines he’s come up with for his family. They are:

  • What do the lyrics say?
  • What picture does the song paint?
  • What is the mood or feel of the song?
  • Will the song cause others to stumble?
  • Who is the artist or group?

Stocker is careful to convey that a firm, hard line is not easy to achieve. He prefers to discuss these questions with his son Nathan, and together agree on the verdict. Ultimately he has parental veto power, however. Including the children in the decision both empowers them and teaches them how to exercise discernment for themselves.

Stocker finishes the book by encouraging Christians everywhere to take the copyright laws seriously when it comes to music.

Some additional helpful features of the book include the chapter recaps, notes by 13 year old Nathan Stocker sharing his perspective on music at various points in the book, and a chapter exercise for working through the five guidelines and applying them with an actual song. The book also includes some helpful resources in the end-notes.

Before I close this review, I would want to encourage parents to pick up this book and use it as a tool in developing their own approach to how to parent their children when it comes to the arena of music. Stocker’s exhortation is worth quoting here at some length:

God has placed great importance and responsibility on your parental position within the family. Therefore, it is not OK to allow your children to listen to lyrics that could poison their souls. Think of it this way: you would never allow your children to drink gasoline even if it was their choice to do so. Neither should you let your children drink music that could cripple them forever. (pg. 58)

I can’t recommend this book more. It could perhaps have included a bit more material, but that’s the only complaint I’d have. It reads very easy, and manages to tackle a difficult topic with grace. It is immensely helpful, and definitely worth picking up at Amazon.com, or direct from Kregel Publications.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Kregel Publications for review. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

Bob’s Best Books of 2010

~ Bob Hayton ~ 6 Comments

2010 marked the second full year that I’ve focused on reading and reviewing good Christian books. I thought I could take the time (like I did last year), to look back and assess the books I’ve reviewed in 2010.

By the Numbers:

Total Reviews: 30 (including 1 DVD)
Grand total of Book Reviews: 71
2010 Publishers Reveiwed: 13
Total Publishers Reviewed: 18 (+5 small publishers)
Pages Read: over 6600
Book/DVD Giveaways Hosted: 3 (down 1 from last year)
Blog Posts Written: 168
Total Blog Posts Written: 278 (includes 3 other blogs I contribute to)
Average Monthly Page Views: 12,408 (per WordPress stats, for this blog only)
Highest Traffic Day: 901 (Dec. 10)
Total Page Views for 2010: 148,899

I want to thank my readers for finding my blog helpful (or at the least interesting). I also want to thank the publishers for the opportunity to review their books. I look forward to some of the titles I have planned already for this year, and to the challenge of doing even more reviews in 2011.

Without further ado, here are Bob’s Best Books of 2010. I tried to pick fairly big categories, but it’s always hard to choose. I threw in a couple honorable mentions with the result that we have here my 10 favorite books reviewed in 2010.

Bob’s 10 Best:

Best “Theology” book — The Meaning of the Pentateuch: Revelation, Composition and Interpretation by John H. Sailhamer (InterVarsity Press). I can’t stress how much I enjoyed this book. I know some of you are going to think I’m a bit strange here, but this 600 page theology book was hands down my favorite book of the year. Sailhamer’s insights into Scripture and the Hebrew arrangement of the OT Canon continue to thrill me. Some of the material was over my head, for sure. But working through it proved enormously rewarding. This is a book I’ll refer to, for a long time. It’s truly been paradigm shifting for me. You’ll have to read my review for more on the book.

Best “Christian Living” book — A Sweet and Bitter Providence: Sex, Race, and the Sovereignty of God by John Piper (Crossway). This is a beautiful book both for the story of Ruth from the Bible contained in it, as well as for the artwork and the commentary by John Piper. Piper masterfully applies the themes of Ruth to some life’s ups and downs. He unlocks the book to let God and His beauty shine through. Read my review for more.

Honorable Mention — CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet by Michael Emlet (New Growth Press). It’s hard to categorize this immensely helpful book. It’s equal parts Bible interpretation handbook, counseling manual, and applying the Gospel to life “how to”. It will help you to see all the parts of the Bible in light of the big picture, and equip you to take any part of Scripture and apply it to real life people and their problems. Read my review for more.

Best “Childrens & Family” book — My First Book of Questions and Answers by Carine MacKenzie (Christian Focus). This is certainly the smallest book I reviewed this year. Yet even though it is quite small, it is extraordinarily useful. We’ve applied it in family Bible time, in my family. The easy questions and answers are fun for goods, and instructive even for the parents. It is a tool for bringing the lost art of catechism back into the contemporary Christian home. Read my review for more.

Best “Church History & Biography” book — Getting the Reformation Wrong: Correcting Some Misunderstandings by James Payton Jr. (InterVarsity Press). I wasn’t sure what to expect, given this book’s title. I was pleasantly surprised. The book moved along at a good pace and brought me back into the world of the Reformation. Many of the concerns the author had, are for us to not misunderstand the true nature of the Reformation. Sola fide and Sola Scriptura in particular are concepts stretched quite far from their historical past. You may not agree with all his conclusions, but you’ll be challenged and will surely learn something new about that important period of church history. Read my review for more.

Best “Commentary & Reference” book — Ryken’s Bible Handbook: A Guide to Reading and Studying the Bible by Leland Ryken, Philip Ryken & James Wilhoit (Tyndale House). I wasn’t prepared for how enormously helpful this Bible handbook proved to be. The overviews of each book of the Bible, the helps for reading the Bible with sensitivity for genre, and the many charts and graphics combine to make this quite useful for any Bible reader — from the concerned parent to the Sunday School teacher on up to the pastor. Read my review for more.

Honorable Mention — Galatians (Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Thomas R. Schreiner (Zondervan). This commentary couldn’t help but receive some notice. Not only is it written by a pastor-scholar I highly respect, the commentary may be the most useful one I’ve found yet, for the would be expository teacher. The layout and approach brings the teacher into the book giving him the tools and help he or she needs, without making them feel inadequate for the task. This commentary series should prove a true gift to the church. Read my review for more.

Best “Fiction” book — Beyond the Summerland (The Binding of the Blade Series, Book 1) by L.B. Graham (P & R Publishing). I love good fiction, particularly fantasy. This book was superbly written and drew me in to a beautiful world that in many ways was analogous to the real situation here on Earth. I honestly didn’t expect such a well written fantasy tale from such a conservative publisher. It’s a testament to the fact that Christian authors can write excellently and create truly moving art. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. Read my review for more.

Best “General Christian Interest” book — Once an Arafat Man by Tass Saada (Tyndale House). This tale is both fascinating and inspiring. A one-time Hamas fighter immigrates to America to find success, and then meets Jesus. His life changes by the power of the Gospel and he goes on to have the privilege of sharing the Gospel with his childhood hero, Yasir Arafat. The story of Tass Saada’s life and his ministry for Christ to the poor in Gaza gives hope that God is at work in the Muslim world. Read my review for more.

Best “Missions & Church Life” book — Which None Can Shut: Remarkable True Stories of God’s Miraculous Work in the Muslim World by Reema Goode (Tyndale House). This book may be my 2nd favorite of the year. This is the tale of an American missionary wife, and her family’s experiences in an undisclosed location in Arabia. Here is a window into what missions looks like in a closed country. The stories told are nothing short of amazing, as we get to share a bird’s eye view in what Jesus is doing to reach Muslims. The questions and opportunities to share the gospel are plentiful, as are the dangers. I trust and pray that this book will help motivate more Western Christians to take risks in sharing the Gospel abroad, and to their increasingly multicultural neighbors as well. Read my review for more.

All the Rest:

Click here for the complete list of all 71 reviews (so far). Also, if you’re into books and reviews, check out my book themed site: CrossFocusedReviews.com.

“The Lightlings” by R.C. Sproul

~ Bob Hayton ~ 5 Comments

Have you ever wondered why stories have such power to move us? Why children sit mesmerized when they hear a fairy tale, and why people inevitably share their own personal stories when they get together?

Stories move us because we are part of a bigger story, “The Story”. As Christians, we know the beginning and the end of that story, and all its major plot twists and turns. We don’t know exactly how our life story will fit into it, but we have faith that it will.

R.C. Sproul has the gift of storytelling, and has written several stories for children. In The Lightlings, Sproul tells “The Story” by means of an allegory. He casts the world as peopled by lightlings, children of the King of Light. He depicts the fall, and their flight into darkness. He then paints a beautiful picture of a baby full of light, who is to be the Light of the World. This allegory is applied to children well by Sproul’s setting it as a story told to a child wondering why he is afraid of the dark. The answer is a tale told by his grandfather, and then applied to the child’s own circumstances at the end of the book.

The story is beautiful and has numerous points of contact with the true Biblical story of creation, fall and redemption. At the end of the book, several discussion questions are listed with Biblical verses in a “For Parents” section. These points don’t exhaust the allegory but open it up to those who may be more unfamiliar with the Biblical meta-narrative depicted in the tale.

The illustrations by Justin Gerard are stunning. He captures light well, which is necessary in illustrating this particular story. The pictures are attractive to kids of all ages, and depicting the lightlings as fairies helps the story compete with other children’s tales that remain ever popular.

Christian parents must seek to get as many Christian resources as possible into the hands of our children. This book will provide opportunities to discuss the Gospel with children of all ages, particularly those in preschool and elementary school. And if you like this story, Sproul has other allegorical children’s books available as well.

I wish more children’s books today were like The Lightlings. The power of the story is not as often used as it should in capturing the hearts of our children. I cannot recommend this book more highly. If you have children, it is definitely a must have tool for the Christian parent.

Pick up a copy of this book at Amazon.com, Westminster Bookstore or directly from Reformation Trust.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Reformation Trust Publishing for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

“The Narnia Code: C.S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens” by Michael Ward

~ Bob Hayton ~ 2 Comments

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414339658?ie=UTF8&tag=fundamerefo0d-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1414339658Do you remember when you first read The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis? Many people, like me, trace their love of fantasy fiction back to that moment. As I gobbled up each of the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia series, I entered a world of knights, chivalry, valor, magic and wonder — that awakened in me a fresh wonder at the divine influence in all of life.

As I went on to other fantasy tales, largely by Christian authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien and Stephen Lawhead, I encountered more intricate worlds and elaborate tales than what I found in Narnia. But the overt symbolism in the first Narnian tale, hinted at so much more beneath the surface of the Narnia tales. Reading Lewis’ space trilogy I once again encountered symbolism that I couldn’t quite grasp, but that was alluring and powerful nonetheless.

So a few years ago, when I learned of a new book by Michael Ward entitled Planet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C. S. Lewis, I was captivated and just had to get it. That scholarly tome, whose hardback edition boasted 347 pages and almost 60 pages of endnotes, was a delight to work through. Bit by bit, Ward shared the thrill of his discovery — the long sought after, unifying key to the Narnia stories. It was a bit of a chore to go through all the scholarly citations, but along the way I learned a great deal about all of Lewis’ works, not just the Narnian chronicles.

Now, however, the fruit of Ward’s scholarly research is available for a wider, general market audience. Based on an earlier documentary/DVD, Tyndale House has published an accessible paperback entitled The Narnia Code: C. S. Lewis and the Secret of the Seven Heavens.

I was able to pick up this smaller book from Tyndale. It’s only 191 pages with an easy to read font. To be sure, some of the finer points from Planet Narnia don’t find their way into the condensed edition. Still, one will find all the joy (and significance) of Ward’s discovery, a fascinating explanation of the pre-Copernican planetary model, and a detailed exposition of each Narnian chronicle according to the new insights gained from Ward’s study. The interested reader could certainly move on from The Narnia Code to Planet Narnia if he or she so chose, but most will be satisfied by the tale as told in the smaller work.

I don’t want to ruin the book by explaining in detail all of Ward’s discoveries. I will just note that he finds a planetary connection between Lewis the scholar’s appreciation for the pre-Copernican view of the planets as influencing mankind in various ways, and Lewis the author’s intricate method of creating a unique atmosphere that permeates each of his seven Narnian tales.

I can say this, however, you will be convinced by Ward’s discovery. And it will give new life to the Chronicles of Narnia. You’ll never read them the same way again. And Christ’s glory will be seen anew in all its wonder, illuminated in many small yet wonderful ways by Lewis’ intricate crafting of these wildly popular stories.

Before I close, let me recommend you see a short video clip of Michael Ward explaining his vision for The Narnia Code. I highly recommend the work. You can pick up a copy at Amazon with any Christmas money you’re itching to spend.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Tyndale House Publishers for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.