Top 9 Books of 2009
Another year closes on the publishing houses and there is still no shortages of books being written, edited, printed and sold. There are many awards given, and “Top 9″ lists made, but we wanted to put forth a list that we believe would benefit anyone at Five Points who would read them. So here are the Top 9 books of 2009 your pastors would love for you to read if you haven’t already (in order of publishing date):
Finally Alive by John Piper
Piper writes about what the Bible teaches concerning the miracle of new birth by looking at Jesus’ command, “You must be born again.” Being ‘born again’ is now defined by what people say they believe. The New Testament however defines Christians very differently. “When Jesus said to Nicodemus, “You must be born again” (John 3:7), he was not sharing interesting and unimportant information. He was leading him to eternal life… If he does that for you (or if he already has), then you are (or you will be) truly, invincibly, finally alive.”
Click here to download the book for free in pdf format.
Feelings and Faith by Brian Borgman
Human emotions and feelings are not only appropriate for the Christian, but have a vital role in the the life of a believer. Borgman, a pastor in Nevada, wrote this book out of a sermon series called “A Biblical Understading of the Emotions”. Borgman ably argues that the Bible does not teach believers to be an experience junky nor to believe the mind is the only thing that matters. Drawing from the writings of John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, BB Warfield, Martyn Lloyd-Jones and John Piper, he shows that “right thinking is the key to right feeling… right thinking is the starting point for emotional vitality.” One of the most important elements of this book is that Borgman consistently goes to the Word and to Christ to argue that though our emotions have been affected by the fall, they reflect the image of God and that through the Word and Spirit we can grow in emotional maturity.
Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware
This is a book for parents on teaching theology to their children. Dr. Ware, a professor at Southern Seminary, wrote this book to help parents shape their children’s worldview and teach them the great truths of the faith. And this is precisely why its not just a book for parents, but for grandparents, aunts and uncles and church men and women as they help train the next generation of pastors, elders and deacons. The chapters are brief in length, but deep in truth and crystal in clarity. Ware has done the church a great service in putting down on paper how he taught his daughters the great truths of Scripture at their bedsides.
Adopted for Life by Russell Moore
“After the Bible, this is the best book I’ve ever read on adoption!” ~ Pastor Brent Nelson
There are few topics more precious, yet so overlooked in the Christian life, than the doctrine of our adoption in Christ. And there is no more powerful human act to dramatize that vertical adoption in Christ, than the adoption of sons and daughters into our families horizontally. Russ Moore captures the wonder, majesty, poignancy and power of both adoption axes. You will shed tears of primal joy at the chapters describing the process he and his wife went through to bring home their sons from Russia. Since I (Brent) have been privileged to know that same experience, I am so glad Moore has articulated this aspect of the gospel so clearly and sweetly. Prepare your heart to be enlarged at the reading of this book. Both in that you will savor your adoption in Christ all the more, and also you might just find the head-count of your family growing too!
Click here for Justin Taylor’s video interview with Dr. Moore.
Broken-Down House by Paul David Tripp
“We live in a world that was gorgeously designed, but now has been terribly broken by sin. It’s a disheveled, broken-down house.” The good news is that God is bringing about the restoration that can only be accomplished by the One who created it in the first place. Tripp writes, “the Bible clearly tells us that the divine Builder cannot and will not leave His house in its present, pitiful condition. He has instituted a plan of restoration, and he will not relent until everything about His house is made totally new again. That is the good news. The bad news is that you and I are living right in the middle of the restoration.” Tripp writes to help us to live with peace, joy and productivity in this sin-devastated world.
Counsel from the Cross by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson
“Gospel-centered counseling is the process of one Christian coming alongside another with words of truth to encourage, admonish, comfort, and help—words drawn from Scriptures, grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ, and presented in the context of relationship.” Though this is primarily a book on Biblical Counseling, it will help accomplish what we want everyone at Five Points to see and believe… that every person can love, encourage, admonish, comfort and help one another. This book helps all believers build their lives upon the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and will help you help one another live with the cross as the blazing center of our lives.
Calvin by Bruce Gordon
This is the best biography of the year in which we celebrated the 500th birthday of John Calvin. Gordon places Calvin in his historical and political context in a way that does not bog down the reader, but allows you to see the complexities he faced in his ministry and relationships. “Gordon looks at Calvin’s character, his maturing vision of God and humanity, his personal tragedies and failures, his extensive relationships with others, and the context within which he wrote and taught. What emerges is a man who devoted himself to the Church, inspiring and transforming the lives of others, especially those who suffered persecution for their religious beliefs.” This is a truly astounding biography, informative yet accessible and engaging .
Gospel-Powered Parenting by William Farley
Of the approximately 75,000 parenting books published in the last decade, this must be one of the most Gospel-saturated, Word-centered and Christ-exalting (although we must admit we haven’t read them all!). Also, as a warning to any father who picks this one up, Farley is relentless in showing that the father has the primary responsibility in parenting, but is always helpful in showing how you don’t have to muster up everything on your own. He continually goes back to the gospel, showing how it relates to and shapes every aspect of parenting. This is not a book filled with every imaginable parenting scenario. Farley gives his readers an excellent grasp of the gospel so that whenever any imaginable parenting scenario rears its head, you will be prepared to parent by and with the power of the gospel.
Christ-Centered Worship by Bryan Chapell
This book does not focus on music, preferences, orders, or styles. Chapell writes to help us understand that the ultimate reason for gathering together as the people of God for worship is to “re-present and respond to the great story of God’s redemption in Christ.” Chappell recounts the history, especially of the Reformed wing of the church, and its appropriation of the gospel into worship space, architecture, service flow, spirituality and practice. Though this book is a great help to pastors and worship leaders, it is a great resource for the church in that it reminds us that the gospel drives everything we do in worship.
Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller
The heart is an idol factory, which takes the good gifts God gives us and turns them into gods. Keller continually goes to Scripture to help us discern and destroy our idols. It is Cross-centered in that he holds up the cross as the place of repentance and forgiveness. It is Gospel-saturated in that it points to the grace of God in the power the gospel has in making the ultimate thing ultimate again. Keller writes, “The way forward, out of despair, is to discern the idols of our hearts and our culture. But that will not be enough. The only way to free ourselves from the destructive influence of counterfeit gods is to turn back to the true one. The living God, who revealed himself both at Mount Sinai and on the Cross, is the only Lord who, if you find him, can truly fulfill you, and, if you fail him, can truly forgive you.” One of the best books you will read on a topic that is not is not so widely written about, as say parenting!
