Google Reader Bundle I created that covers a wide spectrum of evangelical thought.
Tiger Woods and King Solomon
King Solomon the temptation for money, sex, and power provides an engaging glimpse into the life of one of the world’s most influential kings. In this book the life of Solomon is examined from coronation to his death bed.
Dr. Ryken carefully presents to the church the life of Solomon as he examines the character through Biblical themes. The author is a master of putting difficult pieces of Biblical narrative together and providing a bigger picture to the reader.
The purpose of this book is not intended for the reader to walk away with a greater knowledge of who is Solomon but he wishes him to be viewed in the light of our culture today. Dr. Ryken examines how money, sex, and power ruined a great man with incredible potential and how it still does today.
The introduction of the book reminds the reader of the once great Tiger Woods who ruined his reputation in his lust for sexual gratification and provides a great point of reference for the rest of the book. The author challenges to look at these once great men who are all but ruined by their sin and learn from this. Stories like Tiger Woods highlight the similarities between the modern man and King Solomon and provide a pointed illustration.
King Solomon continues to provide illustrations that cause the reader to realize that we all partake in Solomon’s folly when we seek our own well being and pleasure rather than seeking to honor God’s desire for us.
Anyone who is interested in entering a position of leadership would do well to reacquaint himself with the life of King Solomon.
An area that was particularly convicting was during Ryken’s examination of the life of Solomon, he showed that Solomon never completely was obedient to God. He had the right affections for God but he still let sin in his life as evidenced by marrying his enemies and sacrificing to stranger gods. Little areas where we chose to please ourselves rather than God will eventually destroy us.
King Solomon by Dr. Ryken is a short but powerful read, about 200 pages long, and contains a study guide in the back of the book.
Love Wins- Bell’s Best Book (Part 4)
Love Wins is, without question, Bell’s best book for two reasons. Velvet Elvis and Sex God were vague and unexciting. Velvet Elvis was his introductory Christian inspiration book to the world, and it wasn’t very good. Bell did a lot of hinting in Velvet Elvis, but he was very squirmy on where he came down theologically. Sex God had a repulsive name and explored the relationship of everything in the world to God. A provocative title with a squirmy text.
What I appreciated about Love Wins is that he was open about his position. Many people tried to pin him down in debate about what his position is, and I can understand why he did some squirming about because he did not want to have his book be viewed with only one dimension. There really is some good material in Love Wins, and it shouldn’t be viewed solely as a book about universalism. He has a lot more to say than that. If Bell’s Nooma videos enchanted you then start with Love Wins because it is his most concise and well written book available.
The second reason was the firestorm of conversations that were generated by this book being written.
Here are some areas which I appreciate Rob Bell writing about: Read more
Love Wins- Bell’s Best Book Yet (Part 3)
Bell on Heaven
An overlooked portion of Love Wins, and unfortunately so, is Bell’s insight on heaven. The reviewer does not believe that there is a Christian writer on the market with the artistic writing skills of Rob Bell. His allusions and illustrations are powerful and not cumbersome. He pairs together words and ideas like a skillful poet. In fact, Love Wins, especially referring to this chapter on Heaven, is like Theology and Poetry leaning forward to kiss in order to make a beautiful read. The author is a master at his craft when he wishes to develop a theme and present a vision of the text. The second chapter on heaven is where Bell is at his best. I fear that many readers flipped to page 63, read on to 93, and stopped.
He describes heaven as having lost its earthiness. The popular Christian perspective on heaven is that it is an ethereal Beverly Hills exclusive resort club where we have all the possessions we ever could want. Read more
The Reality of the Resurrection by Odd Thomas
“Many people think of heaven, and they picture mansions, and Ferraris and literal streets of gold, as if the best God can come up with is Beverly Hills in the sky.” Love Wins by Rob Bell (pg. 43)
Love Wins- Rob Bell’s Best Book Yet (Part 2)
In a message by Dr. Azurdia, he remarked that our reluctance to speak about hell is exactly the reason why our pulpits need to speak of it. Hell makes us all very uncomfortable. The eternal punishment of the damned is probably the most sobering conversation a Christian can ever dwell upon.
The subject of hell catapulted once more into the national conscience with the publishing of Pastor Rob Bell’s book Love Wins. The book was mentioned on the front page of the USA Today as well as numerous interviews on CNN. Excellent marketing by HarperOne and the evocative subtitle captured the Christian conscience. What does the modern church think about hell? Famously Justin Taylor broke the story to the Evangelical Christian conscience and it began the heated conversations. Articles condemning the book before it was even read.
Bell’s book launched a controversial swarm around the topic of hell. Does hell exist? Who is in hell? Does hell have literal flames? How does the eternal punishment of the unbelievers work with a loving God?
Far too many people have only read page 63-93 of Love Wins so I think it is necessary to pick the book up once more if you did at all and work through some of the questions Bell raises. That is the problem with emotional apologetic storms, fervor blossoms but nothing is really learned. Read more
Love Wins- Rob Bell’s Best Book Yet (Part 1)
I plan on writing a review of the book Love Wins in the next few days, but I thought I would provide some of my background on Mr. Bell by posting a paper I wrote on him for a Contemporary Theology class back in 2009. I read Love Wins and was actually encouraged by some of the progress that Mr. Bell has made in returning to orthodox theology. I still think he is bad, but not as bad as he has been. Most of the popular reviewers were relatively new to the writings of Rob Bell so what he was saying was highly offensive in the book Love Wins. Those who have read the author over the years could probably report that they have seen improvement in his commitment to orthodoxy. I disagree with his stance on hell, but his former books were hesitant about the physical resurrection of Christ and barely mentioned the cross; therefore, I would think Love Wins is an improvement. You may read on to see my analysis from three years ago if you wish, if not, in the next few days my review on Love Wins will be posted. Read more
God and Society
During another enthralling episode of Sesame Street the subject of adoption was broached. One of the Sesame Street muppets, Grover, asked one of the adult actors what adoption was. The adult responded that adoption is a child who does not have a family being brought into a new family. This child is now in the new family forever. The word “forever” was then stressed by the adult, Gordon, and the Grover in order to accentuate the permanence of adoption. Christians point to adoption as a picture of what God does when he brings us into his family. We have done nothing to deserve this graciousness, yet now we are part of his family forever just because he is so kind to us. In this same way, Vern Poythress’ book Redeeming Sociology attempts to look at how God affects our relationships with each other on an individual and a corporate level.
Redeeming Sociology is the sister book to his work on The Word of God Read more
