Some of the more enjoyable recent books I have read or used this year:
(some wordpress bug is causing the images to cascade unless I put full stops in to space them out – bleh)
The Acts of the Apostles, David Peterson, Pillar New Testament Commentaries, IVP.
Preaching through the final third of Acts this year, this new commentary has been invaluable.
Peterson has an excellent grasp of the use of the OT in Acts, and of the Lordship of Jesus as the pivotal theme.
Excellent and insightful.
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The Word of His Grace, A Guide to Teaching and Preaching from Acts
This is a really enjoyable summary of the theology and structure of Acts.
Exemplifies the very best of the Proc Trust tradition, really giving you a good sense of the ‘melodic line’ of different parts of Acts – to use the David Jackman phrase.
A great big picture look at Acts.
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Keller – The Prodigal God
Excellent confrontation with ‘elder brother’ legalism that pervades today.
Many wonderful exegetical insights that could only be discovered by a pastor-evangelist.
Destined to be a Christian classic.
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Notes from the Tilt a Whirl – ND Wilson
If you like philosophy then this is a fun ‘ride’.
Solved one theological puzzle I’ve been wrestling with for many years. That alone was worth the price of the book for me.
(I’ll have to blog the ‘puzzle’ another time)
Could be a good book to give away to well-read unbelievers. It gets under your guard.
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Calvin Sermons on Genesis 1-11
This new translation from Banner is wonderful.
So often people miss out on the best of Calvin because most retailers hock a crappy 19th C public domain facsimile translation.
This translation is readable and quotable.
His sermons have alot more applications than his commentaries, great for preachers.
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Making It All Work, David Allen
Not a Christian book but I did really enjoy the follow up to his productivity classic “Getting Things Done”.
Unfortunately Penguin Australia has a grammar nazi in management. They renamed the books as “How to Get Things Done” and “How to Make it All Work“. Lessons from rulebook of “How to Make Books Sound Dumber as if People Don’t Know the Real Title from the Net”.
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