Book Reviews

Timothy Keller is one of the most influential Christian writers on today's scene, and his newest book is certain to be widely-read. In The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (Riverhead Books),

Temptation is a topic that touches every human life, yet I've heard few sermons that dealt seriously with the subject. Maybe that will change after the publication of Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ (Crossway) by Russell D. Moore.

A New Kind of Big (Baker) by Chip Sweney tells the story of how Atlanta's Perimeter Church created a partnership with other area churches (now almost 150 churches) as a way to transform their community.

Preachers who have spent time in Ecclesiastes recognize its particular relevance to many of the themes so prevalent in today's secular culture. In Preaching Christ from Ecclesiastes (Wm. B. Eerdmans), Sidney Greidanus continues his wonderful series of books helping us to craft meaningful Christ-centered expositions from Old Testament texts.

One of the most common questions pastors face from inquirers: If God is good and all-powerful, why does evil exist? Christian apologist Norman Geisler takes on that question in his new book If God, Why Evil? A New Way to Think About the Question (Bethany House).

On a related theme, Paul Copan addresses those critics who accuse the God of the Old Testament of being a "bully, a murderer, and a cosmic child abuser." In his book Is God a Moral Monster? Making Sense of the Old Testament God (Baker Books)...

A new generation of evangelical pastors takes on key theological issues in the book Don't Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (Crossway), edited by Kevin DeYoung.

Robert K. Greenleaf is the author who popularized the concept of "servant leadership" in the business world--at least for those who didn't know the concept originated with Jesus! His book Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power and Greatness (Paulist) is a collection of his lectures, articles and essays on the topic of servant leadership. Though not written specifically for church leaders, it will be a valuable resource for those who read it.

In Being Leaders: The Nature of Authentic Christian Leadership (Baker), Aubrey Malphurs deals with several characteristics that are essential to being an authentic Christian leader in today's world. The book is packed with practical insights and resources for pastoral leaders.

Oswald Sanders' great book Spiritual Leadership (Moody) may one of the most valuable books about leadership every published. He covers a variety of topics that relate to the work of church leaders and encourages leaders to lives that are effective and godly.