Book Reviews

In his wonderful new book The Pastor as Minor Poet: Texts and Subtexts in the Ministerial Life (Eerdmans), M. Craig Barnes argues that the pastor's work involves helping people peer into and underneath the biblical text in order to see truth for their own lives and congregations. He observes:

Speaking of theology, Old Testament Theology: A Thematic Approach (InterVarsity Press) by Robin Routledge is a useful introduction to the key themes of the Old Testament, including such ideas as the nature of God, creation, covenant and so on.

Speaking of church history, R. Ward Holder has written Crisis and Renewal: The Era of the Reformations (Westminster John Knox), the latest volume in the Westminster History of Christian Thought series. This book serves as an introduction to the remarkable people, ideas and events that shaped the church in the 16th century.

Roger Olson's latest book, God in Dispute: Conversations Among Great Christian Thinkers (Baker Academic), is a delightful look at the history of Christian thought by way of a series of imaginary dialogues between key Christian thinkers.

Stepping into the chasm between traditionalist evangelicals and emerging church leaders, Jim Belcher proposes a third way that offers a missional church model that values tradition while being open to innovation.

Churches go about their work in vastly different ways.

Lost and Found provides in-depth understanding of unchurched young adults in America today.

A.W. Tozer was a spiritual powerhouse of an earlier day, but he speaks to our own time in Reclaiming Christianity.

Pastor and best-selling author Francis Chan believes the church has neglected the work of the Holy Spirit.

Bryan Chapell is one of the most significant homileticians of our day.