Providence
By John Piper There are some people who have what seems like a small view of God. They see God as a sort of cosmic genie who needs our prayer to respond to things in the world. They see their salvation as based on their own decision to follow Christ rather than something that is[…]
Praying the Bible
by Donald S. Whitney There are some people who seem to have a gift for prayer. They don’t have any problems keeping focused or keeping their requests fresh. These people enjoy their times of prayer with the Lord. It’s like they are having an enriching conversation with a dear friend. There are other people, like[…]
Road Map to Jesus
By Alistair Chalmers Reviewed by Joel Gilbert On the day that Jesus resurrected from the dead, Luke records an interesting encounter that has often puzzled me. In Luke 24:13-35 we find two individuals walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Jesus catches up to them and begins to walk with them. While they are believers, they don’t recognize[…]
Blog: Recent Books, Daily Worship, and the Bookstore
By Joel Gilbert It’s been a little while since we’ve pulled together a blog post/book review. While we all as elders have been continuing to read a variety of books, I’ve been remiss in encouraging us to put some things together. Here in this first post of the new year, I thought I’d share with[…]
Book Review: Church Membership – How the world knows who represents Jesus
Author: Jonathan Leeman Reviewer: Joel Gilbert What’s the big deal with church membership? Is it even biblical? Why do we have the membership processes that we do? Why would I want to be accountable to a church? All of these questions are frequently asked and good questions. These are all things that Jonathan Leeman addresses[…]
Book Review: Gender Ideology: What do Christians need to know?
Author: Sharon James Reviewed by: Carl Adema Sometimes the world seems like a confusing place. Terminology changes, definitions change and sometimes it is hard to know what is being said. Sharon James, in her little book on Gender Ideology, takes you into this world of shifting sand and not only provides a roadmap of sex[…]
Book Review: Confronting Christianity: 12 Hard Questions for the World’s Largest Religion
Author: Rebecca McLaughlin Review by: Joel Gilbert Have you ever been faced with a difficult question about your faith? Have you wondered if there is any way to respond to questions without sounding foolish or driving your friend away? Being a person who likes to listen, I am sometimes slow to process things in order[…]
Book Review: For the Love of God (Volumes 1 and 2)
Author: Don Carson Review by: Joel Gilbert How do you decide what to read in your devotional time with the Lord? Do you do Scripture only? Do you do devotionals only? Do you use an app like “YouVersion” to provide some encouraging insights? As I think about devotional reading, I often find myself in a[…]
Book Review: Gentle and Lowly
Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers By: Dane Ortlund https://us.10ofthose.com/gentle-and-lowly-the-heart-of-christ-for-sinners-and-sufferers-hardback/ Review by Vernon Sauder Come to me … for I am gentle and lowly in heart… Matt. 11:28-29 These are the only recorded words we have of Jesus speaking about his heart, the core of his being. They seem a[…]
Book Review: Before You Lose Your Faith
Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church Edited by Ivan Mesa Published by The Gospel Coalition https://us.10ofthose.com/before-you-lose-your-faith-deconstructing-doubt-in-the-church-paperback/ Review by Joel Gilbert Over the last several years, there have been many evangelicals who have “deconstructed” their faith and moved beyond the Christianity they once knew into uncharted territories. Some would identify as ex-vangelicals[…]