Some recommendations

While I am not going to do any full reviews of these books, I am going to be posting some recommendations concerning certain areas of reading within Christianity.

I will keep adding to this list.

Pre-marital Counseling books:

Strengthening Your Marriage by Wayne Mack
Biblical, lots of good homework for couples

The Most Important Year in a Man's/Woman's Life by Wolgemuth and Devries
now two books:
What Every Bride Needs to Know - The Most Important Year in a Woman's Life
and
What Every Groom Needs to Know - The Most Important Year in a Man's Life
This former single edition, now two editions is one of the most fun and practical books that the young couples I counsel read. I consider it a book God led me to on a bargain shelf in Amish country that has been very good for ME and for those I am investing in.

When Sinners Say 'I Do' by Dave Harvey
I have some bad news for you, you are marrying a sinner...




What did You Expect by Paul David Tripp
Day to Day Reality for Marriage. A Great book for helping understand the gap between expectations and, well, reality.

Intended for Pleasure by Ed Wheat
Standard setting book concerning sexual relations within marriage. Read just before the honeymoon, read again later in marriage.







FOR HUSBANDS

The Complete Husband by Lou Priolo
Read with caution, men. VERY convicting

For Men Only by Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn
Very insightful into the mind of a woman. (it even has a fold out guide!!)


FOR WIVES
For Women Only by Shaunti Feldhahn
Ladies, this might be one of the better overviews to helping you understand what is goin' on in your man's head. Very good, recommended to me for counseling use by a very wise man in ministry and marriage counseling.

(I am now going to just start listing, I am sure I am forgetting some...)

FOR FAMILIES
Shepherding a Child's Heart

FOR FATHERING
Point Man
King Me


FOR TEENS dealing with Temptation
Sex Isn't the Problem, Lust Is
The Purity Principle (go get it now, parents of teen guys)

FOR ADULT MEN DEALING WITH TEMPTATION
At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry

For ADDICTIONS
Getting to 'No'



I am sure I am forgetting some, but I'm done for now.

If you ever need a suggestion on a certain subject.
Facebook me or inbox me.

Pastor Dave

The Expository Genius of John Calvin by Steven J. Lawson

This book was a real treat for me. I have been a full time preacher for just over a year and a half. I was a youth pastor before that for 12 years, and enjoyed the opportunities to teach and the occasional opportunity to preach in the pulpit of my friend and mentor, the late great Brad Quick. Previous to that, I had the great privilege of filling the pulpit as part of the Faith Baptist Bible College pulpit supply list for one summer. I must thank Dr. Bob Domokos for urging me to preach as much as I could in my developmental years. (I also should probably apologize to those churches, while also thanking them for putting up with a young preacher for a Sunday of services...at least the food was good, I still LOVE potlucks!)

I sat under the faithful preaching of the Word of God by my father. He preached the Word verse by verse. Second, I sat under the preaching of Norm Hoag, a great preacher of the Word as well. Finally, I was able to sit under the preaching of Brad Quick. God allowed me to be under three great men of God who preached the Word. Expository preachers, whom even though they wouldn't necessarily be accused of setting any pulpits on fire, they brought the heat through the text. In each case, the preaching took a bit of getting used to, because you have to be willing to listen.

In light of God all, when God called me to pastor the church I am currently in, I knew it was time to reintroduce myself to good books on preaching. These books generally fall into two categories. One category is on the passion side; being spiritually charged and right with God. Great reminders. The other side would be the specifics of preaching. The Science of Hermeneutics; finding what the text says to the original audience, then pulling that into today, and what it is speaking to the modern audience. Looking with a literal, historical, grammatical  eye, and communicating the Word. In a sense, these two types of books cover what preaching is. It is a science, and an art.

This book by Lawson, however, was a whole different thing. What I love about this book, is how it just walks through how Calvin preached. (which by the way, was very different from his commentaries and Institutes) This book reveals the commitment to the Word by Calvin. Short intros, verse by verse, not too many illustrations, comparing scripture to scripture, a little bite against the current Catholicism of his day, encouragement in the the power of Christ, and others.

The chapters cover how he studied, how he communicated (for the 'common man'), what he brought to the pulpit, how he did introductions, the body, illustrations, applications, and conclusions. I loved it. In light of the styles of preaching surrounding Calvin at the time, it appeared to me that Calvin was very easy to listen to compared to the 'read the message' style of many others. He used language for all, he reexplained Scripture in what was almost the 'Calvin' version of the verse. Basically, his people walked away KNOWING scripture.

My mentor Brad Quick once told me tat good preaching consisted of a member of the congregation looking at the text and saying things such as, "I see that," "I never saw that before," "Now I understand," and "Now I see." It appears to me based on this book that that is also how Calvin preached. To help the recipient of the preaching understand the text.

This book was well written, and well researched. I went out and splurged on another few Steven Lawson books.

I am back to reading for MY growth, and not just for school; thus, the uptick in reviews. (for whoever, if anybody is reading these.

Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship, and Life Together by Mark Driscoll

This book by Mark Driscoll took me a while to read.

The main reason for the delay in reading the book was my work load at the time it was on my shelf. With college classes and ministry piling up, I had to fight my way through it.

Please keep that in mind when reading this review.

One of the norms of Mark Driscoll is his ability to pull absolutely no punches in his speaking, or in his writing.  God has placed him in a church that has been placed in a position to reach a certain people in a certain context. Would I agree with all his theology? No. Would I agree with all his ministry philosophy? Certainly, no. Can I glean from his straight forward communication style? Yes. Can I appreciate the emotion and passion he displays for God and for what God can do through him and through a people? Absolutely.

IN typical Make Driscoll fashion, he and his wife have put together a passionate and very blunt book. They spend a chunk of the book giving personal testimony about the struggles, difficulties, discoveries, and growth in their lives as a committed married couple. The reality of couples bringing physical, emotional, and even sexual baggage into a relationship is a reality that needs to be discussed.

In this area, this book addresses something that is missing from almost every marriage book that I have been in contact with. In my opinion, there is a definite need to prepare couples for their marriage in terms of physical intimacy. Too many have been taught that, in the words of a Christian humor writer, 'doves would be singing on your honeymoon night if you save yourself for marriage.' And while that is a humorous statement for those of us raised in church culture, 'lifers' if you will, the expectations that we bring into our marriage affect our marriage.

Probably the only book that was out there that was designed to prepare the couple for marriage was 'Intended for Pleasure.' It was a good book, and worth going over again for married couples, but for those in premarital counseling, at least for me, it was almost too dangerous to look at until the week before the wedding.

In that realm, I believe we get into my thoughts on Driscoll's book. It is a good book, it deals with sexual issues that are starting to come up more and more in our increasingly sexual society. The questions that young couples and even older couples are asking today need to be addressed. They need wisdom and insight.

But the book does dive into some areas that might cause some very conservative minds to get a little color in their cheeks. So a warning must be given. You will be exposed to some areas you might not have even thought much about.

A problem that comes along with that is there might be exposure to something that has not crossed the readers mind. In light of that, I believe that this is a book for leaders/counselors within the church as they are preparing to counsel others.

To do a full fledged read-through/book study with a group at large would not be appropriate in my opinion. And it is obviously not for young people who are not married.

Overall, it is another good tool in the tool belt of on who is ministering to others. Even good to discuss with your mate.


This was a book provided to me for review by booksneeze.

Pastor Dave Burman.