Life and Faith

Tag: Book Review

  • J.I. Packer – An Evangelical Life by Leland Ryken

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    Jon
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    I first came across J.I. Packer and his writings while I was at university, which was some 20 years ago. And since then Packer has been influential in my faith, particularly through numerous popular volumes that currently sit on my bookshelves. Over the years I’ve found him to be a stabilising and assuring voice on…

  • Published: Practicing Thankfulness

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    Jon
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    A couple of months ago I had a book review of Practicing Thankfulness: Cultivating a Thankful Heart In All Circumstances by Sam Crabtree published on The Gospel Coalition (AU) website. Ironically I read this while Melbourne was in its fourth lockdown, of which we’ve never really come out. So I will confess I wasn’t that…

  • Published: A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry by Michael McGarry

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    Jon
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    A friend of mine from the USA, Mike McGarry, recently published this great book, A Biblical Theology of Youth Ministry. It’s an excellent read, and a much needed contribution on the theological foundations for youth ministry. I reviewed the book and had the review published at TGCA. You can read the whole thing here. You…

  • Published: The Power of Two by Danny Hunt

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    Jon
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    My friend and colleague, Danny Hunt, recently wrote a book about being a second-chair leader. That is, a leader that has a boss. It’s a short book but packed with wisdom and reflection from his 30-plus years of experience in church leadership. It is aimed mainly at those who are involved in church life, but…

  • Published: Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry

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    Jon
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    I recently read the book Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry. It’s a book I’d highly recommend. And it is a book I found time to write a reflection on to better process some of the content. As it happens, I’ve had that reflection published as a book review at The Gospel Coalition…

  • Recently Read: January 2019

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    Jon
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    Here are some books I’ve read or listened to over the summer. And for what it’s worth there are some brief comments about them too. 1. The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield This is the incredible story of Rosaria herself. At one point she was a tenured professor, thought of with…

  • The Holiness of God by RC Sproul

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    Jon
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    The Holiness of God by RC Sproul is a well known and highly regarded book. Like Packer’s ‘Knowing God’ and Piper’s ‘Desiring God’, my understanding is that this is Sproul’s flagship book. The one that put him on the map at least. I can see why. Sproul is terrific, from start to finish, in outlining…

  • Recently Read: April 2018

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    Here are some brief summaries of the books I’ve finished recently. There aren’t as many as last time, but range from bible commentaries to biography to sport. Ruth: The King Is Coming by Daniel I. Block I preached through the book of Ruth in February and March. This was the main commentary I used, which…

  • Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book About A (Really) Big Problem by Kevin DeYoung

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    Jon
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    Most people I know live busy lives. I live a busy life. I suspect you live a busy life. When people ask how I’m doing I try to avoid saying, “I’m busy”. Everyone is busy. Everyone says they’re busy. It’s part of life. I could have added ‘these days’ to the end of that last…

  • Published: Faith Formation In A Secular Age by Andrew Root

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    Jon
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    I’ve recently read Andrew Root’s, Faith Formation In A Secular Age: Responding To The Church’s Obsession With Youthfulness. It was a dense read. As a result, it has triggered numerous thoughts about how we engage students, helping them to form faith in the current cultural era. I think this book has been very helpful in…