Finally, Free Books!

Not that I need any more books, but I followed Nicks advice and filled out a form on Crossway Publisher’s website to review a couple books I was interested in and a gal wrote me back wanting to know how I would publish my reviews, I said on my blog and gave her the link.  She wrote back and said no problem glad to send them and so this morning (early, 6:30am) on the way to work I nearly tripped on a box from crossway sitting right at the door!  I kinda freaked for a moment - a fear cam over me a bit since I knew now I would have to be sure to read them and write up the reviews, publish them and notify the gal at crossway.  So which two books did I get - well, they have a lot, and honestly not a lot I necessarily want per se, but some did interest me.  The first is: 

 A Francis A. Schaeffer Trilogy: Three Essential Books in One Volume (The God Who Is There, Escape from Reason, and He Is There and He Is Not Silent). (Crossway, 1990).  

Why did I want to get this?  Well, it’s Francis Schaeffer.  He writes a mix of theology, philosophy, apologetics, cultural analysis, and the like - he was also addressing issues of postmodernism long before other people even knew what it was - his stuff is classic. Everyone should really think about reading his some of his stuff - if not just to read it.  

 

 

The second is: 

David R. Helm. 1 and 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ’s Sufferings.  (Crossway, 2008).  Crossway is publishing a Preaching the Word Commentary Series and I was curious about it - so I asked for it - it looks good and has good endorsements - plus it was free.  Also, I have an interest in 2 Peter and Jude (I also have Bauckham’s WBC work on the same), so, I am interested to get into it and seeing how Helm works the texts.  I am expecting it to be a bit Reformed (as are many books put out by Crossway) but that is fine, if it is good, I might check out some others.  If it is too much then I’ll just stick with this one for now.  

 

Well, off to reading, I’ve got a lot to do!  Blessings! 

Craig Keener on John 14:1-6

So I was browsing through Keener’s work Gift and Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today (Baker Academic, 2001) and came across an interesting section in his chapter ‘Recognizing the Spirit’s Voice.’  I want to know what you all think.  Here is the section quoted in full: 

Many Dwellings

Jesus promises his disciples his continuing presence after his departure.  After Jesus uses his coming death for us as the new standard of love that believers should follow (John 13:31-38), he addresses the next inevitable issue: He must go away.  But he assures his anxious disciples that though he is going away to the Father, he will return to them again (14:3, 18, 23).  

We often read the first few lines of John 14 as a promise of Jesus’ second coming, but although Jesus promises the second coming in other passages in John, that is probably not what the promise of John 14:2-3 means.  In this passage, Jesus assures his disciples that he is going to the Father’s house to prepare a place for them among the many dwellings there (14:2; KJV’s “mansions” mistranslations, based on Latin Vulgate).  He promises that he will return to them and that they will be with him forever in his Father’s house.  It is not surprising if we are unsure what Jesus was talking about, for even Jesus’ original disciples were confused (14:5)!  The context, however, goes on to clarify Jesus’ point. 

First, Jesus explains what he means by his coming again.  In this context, he means he will come to his disciples after the resurrection (14:16-20; 16:16; 20-22).  At that time he will give them his Spirit, through whom they will experience his presence and resurrection life (14:16-17, 19; 20:22).  Second, Jesus explains what he means by the “dwellings” in the Father’s house: our current dwelling in God’s presence.  The noun I translate here as “dwellings” appears only one other time in the entire New Testament - later in this [same] passage, where Jesus expands on the information he has already given his disciples about dwellings. Through the Spirit, Jesus and the Father will come and make their dwelling within each disciple (14:23), thus making them temples of the Lord (the Father’s house).  The term dwell, or abide, which is the verb form of dwelling, appears several times in John 15, where Jesus talks about dwelling with us and we with him (15:4-7, 9-10).

Further, Jesus’ disciples did not understand what he said, so his explanation to them instructs us well.  When Jesus noted that they already knew where he was going and how he would get there, on confused disciple protested, “Lord, we do not even know where you are going; how can we know the way to get there?” Jesus replied that he was going where the Father was, and Jesus was the way the disciples would get there (14:6; see also 16:28).  But when do the disciples get to the Father through Jesus?

John 14:6 is talking about salvation; we come to the Father through Jesus when we become believers in Jesus.  This being the case, Jesus’ earlier words in 14:2-3 must also speak of a relationship beginning at conversion.  When we come to the Father through Jesus, we become his dwelling by the Spirit he has given us.  If John 14:6 refers to salvation (and it does), then the question it answers (how do we get where you are going?) cannot merely refer to the second coming of Jesus that we look for in the future.  

So, I guess “I go to prepare a place for you so that you may be where I am” in John 14 doesn’t mean Jesus will come back to Earth to take us back to heaven to be with him there forever.  Instead, because the Temple of God is not a building but now the People of God, WE are God’s dwelling places and so with him in our hearts we are with him forever!  How does this sit with you all?  Tell me what you think about what Keener is saying.  

Gerhard von Rad

My copy of von Rad’s Old Testament Theology arrived today! And soon I shall have my copy of Herschel’s The Prophets! Then I shall think maybe I have gone to heaven! Here is a quote from the pen of von Rad.

To have to abandon an historical presentation of Israel’s credal statements has the advantage that we are able to let the material stand in those contexts in the saving history in which it was arranged by Israel. And in this way there comes more clearly into our field of vision that part of Israel’s theological activity which is probably one of is most important and interesting one’s, namely those ever new attempts to make the divine acts of salvation relevant for every new age and day-this ever new reaching out to and avowel of God acts which in the made the old credal statements grow into such enormous masses of traditions. A theology which attempts to grasp the content of the Old Testament under the heading of various doctrines (the doctrine of God, the doctrine of man, etc.) cannot do justice to these credal statements which are completely tied up with history, or to this grounding of Israel’s faith upon a few divine acts of salvation and the effort to gain an ever new understanding of them.

It’s still on sale at Christianbook dot com. Really, think about getting it!

book search

As I shared with you all the other day - I got a gift card from Amazon from my brother and his wife. Oh man what to do? I can only get a couple books, three at most. In contrast to others, it’s taken me some time to figure out what I want or would like to have - I want something different but I don’t want junk - I want something that will be helpful to me either in ministry or in my own spiritual life. So how has my search gone so far? Here is what I have so far with some alternative selections:

Definitely getting:

I. Howard Marshall. Aspects of the Atonement: Cross and Resurrection in the Reconciling of God and Humanity. Paternoster, 2008.

Abraham Heschel. The Prophets. Hendrickson, 2007.

Thinking about getting only one of the following:

George Eldon Ladd.  Gospel of the Kingdom: Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God. Eerdmans, 1959.

Phillip Jenkins. God’s Continent: Christianity, Islam, and Europe’s Religious Crisis. Oxford University Press, 2007.

Clark H. Pinnock and Barry L. Callen. The Scripture Principle: Reclaiming the Full Authority of the Bible. Baker Academic; 2 edition, 2006.

T. D. Alexander. From Paradise to the Promised Land,: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. Baker Academic; 2 edition, 2002.

Richard B. Hays. The Conversion of the Imagination: Paul As Interpreter of Israel’s Scripture. Eerdmans, 2005.

Moises Silva. Biblical Words and Their Meaning. Zondervan, 1995.

Robert Bowman and J. Ed Komoszewski. Putting Jesus in His Place: The Case for the Deity of Christ. Kregel, 2007.

I am open to other suggestions but this is the list so far.

Greek Round up

Go over and check out Mike’s Greek Round up! Amazing really. 

“New” Books

Thanks to Nick I now have:

John R. W. Stott’s The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor, IVP 2007.  

 

 

 

Scott Floyd’s Crisis Counseling: A Guide for Pastors and Professionals. Kregel, 2008.  Dr. Floyd helps readers understand the nature of crises events, how individuals are impacted, and how to best provide help during and following times of trauma, loss, and grief.

 

 

I look forward to the reading!  Thanks Nick!  

Books on the history of Pentecostalism

The following is a list of books Debbie and I have that in one way or another discuss some aspect of the history of the Pentecostal movement: 

Gary B. McGee. People Of The Spirit: The Assemblies Of God. Gospel Publishing House, 2004.  A narrative history of the Assemblies of God.  

Stanley M. Burgess, et al. The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements. Zondervan, 2002. 

Vinson Synan. The Holiness-Pentecostal Tradition: Charismatic Movements in the Twentieth Century. Eerdmans, 1997.  This is a key book in learning the history and theological roots of the movement.  Synan argues that Pentecostalism earns its place as a major strand of Christianity alongside Catholicism and Protestantism.  

_____________.  Century Of The Holy Spirit: 100 Years Of Pentecostal And Charismatic Renewal, 1901-2001.  Thomas Nelson, 2001.  

Grant Wacker. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Harvard University Press, 2003.  Dr Wacker (of Duke) is a historian by training and a non-pentecostal defender of Pentecostalism.  He may not agree with it all but he will readily resist a person who misconstrues the movement in any way.  I know, I took a class from him.  

Cecil M. Robeck.  The Azusa Street Mission and Revival. Thomas Nelson, 2006.  Robeck is over at Fuller and here tells how the Azuza Street Revival all got started.  

Roberts Liardon.  God’s Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why Some Failed.  Whitaker House, 2003.  This tells the stories of the rise and fall of various folks in the movement.  It was given to us when we came pastor the church here at the Canyon.  

Edith L. Blumhofer.  Aimee Semple McPherson: Everybody’s Sister.  Eerdmans, 1993.  A very interesting study on the life and ministry of Aimee Semple McPherson.  It left issues surrounding her disappearance unresolved.  But did show how she really used the times to get her message across - she was the first radio preacher and ran a powerful street ministry with the Temple Commissary.  

Frank Bartleman.  Azusa Street.  Whitaker House, 2000.  A first hand account of the Azusa Street Revival.  

Ethel E. Goss.  The Winds of God: The story of the early Pentecostal movement (1901-1914) in the life of Howard A. Goss.  Word Aflame Press, 1977.  This tells first hand account of the the early Pentecostal Movement from the view of Goss.  

David Edwin, Jr. Harrell.  All Things Are Possible: The Healing and Charismatic Revivals in Modern America. Indiana University Press, 1979.  This is a really wild read about the antics and craziness of the healing preachers in the 50’s and 60’s - the likes of William Brenham, Oral Roberts, Jack Coe, A. A. Allen, Gordon Lindsay, T. L. Osborn, Kathryn Kuhlman, and others - the good, the bad and the ugly!  

Dempster, Klaus, and Petersen.  Globalization of Pentecostalism: A Religion Made to Travel. Regnum/Paternoster Press, 1999.  Basically this is a compendium of Pentecostal scholarship on issues ranging from Pentecostal theology, hermeneutics, missiology, biblical studies, history and praxis - all dealing with critical issues confronting the Global Pentecostal movement.  

James R. Goff and Grant Wacker, (eds). Portraits of a Generation: Early Pentecostal Leaders. University of Arkansas Press, 2002. 

Welp, that about covers the bases.  Think I went to a Pentecostal Seminary yet?  

More on Myanmar/Burma

Despite whatever the Burmese Junta (military government) might say this is what the people really want:

They want and need help: Pray the Lord God will open doors for the people to get the help they want and need.  

 

I passed my blogger count

As of right now I have 902 hits/views - in just 12 days, I passed the number of hits I got on blogger over 2 years.  If you, like Chris Tilling, the infamous Englishmen who “blogs” over at Chrisendom, are still using blogger, do consider switching over.  Really.  Think about.  

Preaching

What will you all preach on tomorrow?  Pentecost Sunday or Mother’s Day or neither?