Book Reviews

In the past, we strongly recommended Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath as a book with insights that will help any pastor or church leader. Now the Heaths have produced a new book, Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard (Broadway Books) in which they draw on psychological research, sociological evidence and more to show how you can accomplish change in your own organization.

Seth Godin is one of those authors whose books are read and quoted by trendsetters everywhere. His newest book is Linchpin (Portfolio), in which he argues that today's world demands people who choose make an indispensable contribution to some field. He describes how you can develop "a powerful vision for our future and to actually make it happen."

In his book Deep Preaching (B&H), Kent Edwards writers: "The secret of 'Deep Preaching' is the Holy Spirit. Those preachers who allow the Holy Spirit to be their teacher are able to plumb to the depths of the ocean of God's Word and enter into a wonderfully richer understanding of Scripture.

Adopted for Life: The Priority of Adoption for Christian Families and Churches by Russell D. Moore (Crossway): Mohler writes: "Moore offers the most theologically comprehensive understanding of adoption in terms of its place in the gospel and the glory of God demonstrated in the rescue of orphans. The book is compelling, deeply moving and genuinely important."

The Trellis and the Vine: The Ministry Mind-Shift that Changes Everything by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne (Matthias Media): Mohler writes: "Colin Marshall and Tony Payne offer a truly compelling and authentically biblical understanding of a scripturally structured ministry in the local church. The book is deeply convicting as it confronts so many of the superficial ecclesiologies of our day, and it is genuinely helpful and encouraging by pointing to higher ground."

Christless Christianity: The Alternative Gospel of the American Church by Michael Horton (Baker Books): In a previous "Preaching Now" book note, we wrote: "Writing from a strongly Reformed perspective, Horton argues that much of the American church has replaced theology with therapy and has opted for good advice over good news. His targets are wide-ranging--from emerging to fundamentalist--but any reader will find useful insights and a reminder of the need to keep the gospel at the center of our proclamation."

In his new book Faithful Preaching (B&H), Tony Merida offers some tips on using illustrations, including this: "Know how to tell a good story. It is one thing to find a great story, but it is another to share it effectively and concisely in the sermon. Illustrative stories should include characters, descriptive details, conflict, movement, suspense and a climax."

In Deep Preaching (B&H), Kent Edwards helps preachers move beyond superficial preaching by rediscovering the power and grandeur of Scripture in their own lives. Edwards includes practical assistance to help us dig deeper in proclaiming God's Word.

Tony Merida's book Faithful Preaching (B&H) challenges a new generation of preachers to discover the power of expository preaching. Merida offers helpful insights for more effective biblical exposition.

The New Interpreter's Handbook of Preaching (Abingdon) is an outstanding collection of articles about various elements of the preaching task. In addition to essays on various biblical and theological themes (and the relationship of preaching to those issues), the Handbook also includes helpful articles on an array of homiletical subjects, from Application to Preaching Without Notes.