Book Notes-November 2010

1.  Notes From The Tilt-A-Whirl: Wide-Eyed Wonder in God's Spoken World by ND Wilson (2009).  I received this book as a conference freebie at Desiring God 2010.  Before opening it, my hopes were admittedly low.  Yet by the end of the first page, I was hooked.  I knew that I would rate this book highly.  I wrote the author, commenting that reading this book has been a rare privilege and that I could have easily underlined everything.  He writes thoughtfully, but his word choice adds flesh to his thoughts.  I found myself drawn in by his descriptions, wishing I could write the same way.  Further, he addresses difficult topics like suffering, death, and hell--not in an academic way, but artfully.  I will most certainly read this book again, if for no other reason than the joy his writing style brings.  5 stars.

2.  Family Driven Faith: Doing What It Takes to Raise Sons and Daughters Who Walk with God by Voddie Baucham Jr (2007).  I am going to just come out and say right away that I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  I love it when I read two great books back to back.  The book sets out to equip Christian parents to raise their children Biblically, using Deuteronomy 6 as his model, rather than passing the buck on to school systems or youth pastors.  In his introduction, he writes "our children are not falling away because the church is doing a poor job--although that is undoubtedly a factor. Our children are falling away because we are asking the church to do what God designed the family to accomplish. Discipleship and multi-generational faithfulness begins and ends at home."  His language is sometimes stark, but like stepping outside on a sub-zero morning, there is a certain refreshment that comes with his approach as well.  He calls families to eschew the cultural standards of: having children involved in every activity, marrying late, and not having kids.  He is pro-homeschool, pro-big family, pro-discipline.  I am particularly intrigued by his anti-segregationist approach to worship where people of all ages worship together at church.  Read this book.  5 stars.

3. Scandalous: The Cross and Resurrection of Jesus (Re:Lit) by DA Carson (2010).  Scandalous was developed from a series of teachings given at Mars Hill church by DA Carson about the cross and the resurrection.  Carson clearly demonstrates his depth and breadth of knowledge in this book, which is much appreciated.  It seemed a bit wide ranging at times, but all in all, it was a useful book.  3 stars.