Good Lookin' Out: Why We Love the Church

Ted Cluck and Kevin DeYoung (authors of Why We're Not Emergent), have a new book on the way called, Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion. It should be here on July 1, and it looks great. Here is a post by DeYoung on why people are fed up with the church and here is the product description:

Why We Love the Church presents the case for loving the local church. It paints a picture of the local church in all its biblical and real life guts, gaffes, and glory in an effort to edify local congregations and entice the disaffected back to the fold. It also provides a solid biblical mandate to love and be part of the body of Christ and counteract the "leave church" books that trumpet rebellion and individual felt needs. Why We Love the Church is written for four kinds of people - the Committed, the Disgruntled, the Waffling & the Disconnected.

You Knew It Was Coming: Godwitter

Ridiculous, I know.

Total Church Quotes

Back in January, I mentioned that Total Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis made my top ten reads of 08.' I was recently flipping through it again, and wanted to share some quotes. The book really is good, especially for pastors and seminarians. The chapters are on gospel, community, missional theology, social justice, discipleship, pastoral care, spirituality, theology, apologetics, kids, and success. Here you go:

"The church, then, is not something additional or optional. It is at the very heart of God's purposes. Jesus came to create a people who would model what it means to live under his rule. It would be a glorious outpost of the kingdom of God, an embassy of heaven. This is where the world can see what it means to be truly human." (50)

"Most gospel ministry involves ordinary people doing ordinary things with gospel intentionality." (63). This is a simple, yet profound, sentence.

"Why does this matter? It matters because we are failing to reach the working class with the gospel. Evangelicalism has become a largely middle-class, professional phenomenon. When we invite people to our dinners and our churches, we invite our friends, our relatives, and our rich neighbors. We do not invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame. What is at stake is the grace of God." (76)

"We demonstrate by our lives together as Christians what it means to live under the reign of King Jesus and so invite others to live under that reign." (102)

"The Triune God is a missionary God. The church, then, has a mission because God has a mission. The role of the church is to participate in the mission of God." (105)

"Theology must be in the service of the church and its mission. . . . A significant part of the problem behind academic theology and biblical scholarship is the way in which it is, all too often, self-referential. Professional theologians often write about and for other professional theologians. . . . If true theology is the fruit of engagement with the Bible set in the context of the local church, then much of what passes for theology is not theology at all. Why do we allow such people to set the agenda?" (156, 160-61)

Summer Reading

I enjoy seminary, but it is always refreshing when class is over and I get to choose what I read. Here is a pic of my summer reading in order of priority. Of course I won't get to half of this but its good to aim high. Here is a good quote concerning reading from Joel Beeke (a man I am growing to appreciate-thanks Keith):

"Read as an act of worship. Read with the goal of being elevated into the great truths of God, so that you may worship the Trinity in spirit and in truth. Read and meditate and apply. Pray before, during, and after you read; then put into practice what you have read, insofar as it is biblical.

Be selective about what you read. Subject all your reading to the touchstone of Scripture. So much of today's Christian literature is shallow froth, riddled with Arminian theology or secular thinking. Time is too precious to waste on unprofitable reading. Read more for eternity than time, more for spiritual growth than professional advancement. Remember John Trapp's admonition, 'As water tastes of the soil it runs through, so does the soul taste of the authors that a man reads.'

Ask of each book: Would Christ approve of this book? Does this book increase my love for the Word of God, help me kill sin, impart abiding wisdom, and prepare me for the life to come? Could I better spend my time by reading another book?"
(from "The Utter Necessity of a Godly Life," in Reforming Pastoral Ministry ed. John Armstong, p.73-74)

Gospel Coalition Media

The Resurgence has posted all the media from the recent Gospel Coalition conference.

Also, Desiring God has posted audio and video from the Piper/Carson event on pastors-scholars and scholar-pastors.