Short Stories by Jesus
AMY JILL LEVINE
HarperOne, San Francisco, Calif. 313 pages
This Jewish teacher wants us to be shocked by the stories of the Jewish rabbi who told them. What could be worse than being comfortable with the original stories that have been so domesticated as to be predictable? This book by a prominent New Testament scholar recovers the disturbing character of Jesus’ teaching. She will not allow for easy interpretation or facile theology. The careful reader will be surprised, challenged and disturbed in a simlar way Jesus’ original hearers experienced the stories. This should be required reading for every pastor, Bible teacher and seminary student.
Where the Cross Meets the Street
NOEL CASTELLANOS; FOREWORD BY JOHN PERKINS AND WAYNE GORDON
IVP Academic, Downers Grove, Ill. 173 pages
The author has a comprehensive view of the power of gospel to change lives in the community. He has worked in urban communities with the Christian Community Development Association and as a pastor in Chicago. This is a good resource for those seeking the connection between church and the streets.
Acts (from Scratch): The New Testament for Beginners
DONALD L. GRIGGS AND PAUL W. WALASKAY
WJK, Louisville, Ky. 123 pages
Written in the style of the Kerygma series, this is an introduction to Acts. Appropriate for adult study groups. The book includes a leader’s guide.
Eternal Living: Reflections on Dallas Willard’s Teaching on Faith & Formation
GARY W. MOON, EDITOR
IVP Academic, Downers Grove, Ill. 252 pages
Dallas Willard was a psychologist and theologian who influenced a generation with his gentle and clear teaching on Christian discipleship shaped by spiritual disciplines. He died much too young. This book contains the reflections of some of his colleagues and students including Richard Foster, Jane Willard, John Ortberg and the author.
Bandombele and Mama Bandombele
JOHN HENDERSON SINCLAIR
Croixdale, Bayport, Minn. 407 pages
The author is a distinguished Presbyterian pastor, missionary, human rights advocate and presbytery executive. This is the remarkable story of his uncle and aunt who served in Congo. It provides a window into the world of the missionary experience of the middle of 20th century.
Reading the Parables
RICHARD LISCHER
WJK, Louisville, Ky. 193 pages
Richard Lischer is a pastor, theologian and teacher who knows the pain of life. He turns his considerable theological insight and exegetical skills to the parables of Jesus, bringing them freshly alive. Reading Lischer makes one pause in the right places, listen more carefully to minor details and savor the richness of these ancient parables that have such startling power. This is a marvelous blend of theology, biblical study and pastoral wisdom, much like the parables. A classic.
The Mission of Preaching
PATRICK W. T. JOHNSON; FOREWORD BY DAVID LOSE
IVP Academic, Downers Grove, Ill. 235 pages
Is there such a thing as missional preaching? If everything about church has changed in the post-Christian world, how should homiletics change? The author takes up these questions toward a compelling missional homiletic for the Western culture.
Charity: The Place of the Poor in the Biblical Tradition
GARY ANDERSON
Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn. 219 pages
Anderson won wide acclaim for his previous book, “Sin.” Now he brings his skills to the practice of charity toward the poor that was at the center of Judaism and Christianity. He argues for a privileged place for the poor, calling them “living altars.” Charity is not optional, rather it is the act that “affirms the goodness of the created order; the world was created through charity and therefore rewards it.”
Worship and Culture: Foreign Country or Homeland?
GLAUCIA VASCONCELOS WILKEY, EDITOR
Grand Rapids, Minn. 438 pages
The essays in this book by scholars, musicians, liturgists and theologians explore the rich work being done at the intersection of liturgy and culture for the past 20 years. Its origin is the groundbreaking Lutheran World Federation conference on the subject, but the contributions come from a rich ecumenical breadth. If worship holds us together across cultures, this book shows us why and leads the conversation forward.
A Short World History of Christianity (revised edition)
ROBERT BRUCE MULLIN
WJK, Louisville, Ky. 349 pages
What is the effect of the “fire cast upon the ear”? Mullin argues that answering that question is an urgent task. This revised edition takes account of the spread of the Christianity in the southern hemisphere. He argues that Christianity has “left its mark on the world as surely as any fire.” This is a rich survey of the implications of that mark. Those who live among the dwindling remains of the fire should take note of this history.
Starting Something New
BETH A. BOORAM
IVP, Downers Grove, Ill. 181 pages
A thoughtful aid for the discernment of one’s call, this book will be especially helpful for those considering a new dream. It will give you some guidance as well as courage to take a risk on the dream of God that is coming forth from you.
The Way of Serenity
FATHER JONATHAN MORRIS
HarperOne, San Francisco, Calif. 231 pages
This book demonstrates how the simple prayer of serenity lived and prayed regularly can and does change lives. With chapters such as “gratitude as a path to peace,” “owning our history” and “the first person to change is you,” Morris gives examples of how this prayer moves far beyond the confines of AA groups into the wider world. Imagine what could happen if more people prayed the serenity prayer in a meaningful way every day?
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes & Song of Songs
JOHN GOLDINGAY
WJK, Louisville, Ky. 254 pages
Another excellent volume in the popular “Old Testament for Everyone” series. One could argue that Wisdom literature is precisely the kind that speaks a powerful word to the religious pluralism of our time. The author is skilled at combining scholarship with everyday life and contemporary questions. The book and the entire series belong in church libraries.
Rhythms of Worship: The Planning and Purpose of Liturgy
JOHN G. STEVENS AND MICHAEL WASCHEVSKI
WJK, Louisville, Ky. 76 pages
This is a well-written guide to worship planning for church leaders, particularly worship ministry teams that want to know the theology that undergirds liturgy and worship. The authors are experienced pastors who write with a good sense of what is most valuable for worship leaders and choir members to know.
With All Our Prayers: Walking with God through the Christian Year
JOHN B. ROGERS, JR.
Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Mich. 114 pages
The single most important practice of the people of God in worship is prayer. John Rogers, in the tradition of Scottish theologian John Baillie, has compiled a collection of prayers that have theological depth with biblical grounding and that come from the heart of a pastor who knows people. These are pastoral prayers that will aid worship leaders and can also be used as a devotional guide. Spending time with these prayers will guide one closer to God and also enrich communal worship. They are arranged according to the liturgical year.
ROY W. HOWARD is the pastor of Saint Mark Presbyterian Church in North Bethesda, Maryland, and the book editor of the Presbyterian Outlook.
