Here’s a few of the top books I finished last month.
In what sort of world does it make sense for a person to say, “I am a man trapped inside a woman’s body”? That is the question Trueman seeks to answer it what may prove to be one of the most helpful books of the decade. It’s a dense, lengthy book but this is not an easy topic. Trueman helpfully recounts the history of ideas in the West that led to this present moment and the sexual revolution. As Trueman writes, “Every age has had its darkness and its dangers. The task of the Christian is not to whine about the moment in which he or she lives but to understand its problems and respond appropriately to them.” This book will certainly help us to understand this present age better.
“Let go and let God.” “Make Jesus the Lord of your life.” “Carnal Christians.” “Surrender at the altar.” Have you heard any of these phrases before? All of them are rooted in what Andrew Naselli calls “Higher Life Theology,” a relatively novel approach to growing in holiness that has made significant inroads into local churches across the West. In No Quick Fix, Naselli recounts the history of HLT, explains its core tenets, and analyzes it in light of Scripture. It’s a quick read and an extremely helpful examination of a popular approach to sanctification.
Praying with Paul: A Call to Spiritual Reformation by D.A. Carson
The elders at PBC read through this book together last year and finished it in February. This is one of the best books on prayer I think I’ve ever read. Highly recommend.
Heroes in Black History: True Stories from the Lives of Christian Heroes by Dave and Neta Jackson
We read through this book during family worship for about six months after a recommendation by David Platt. The chapters feature short stories about various African-American Christians, each one highlighting a Christian virtue. Although I wish the authors were a bit more careful theologically and a bit more gospel-centered, this was still a helpful resource. It led to a bunch of great discussions with our kids.