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One of the great joys of coming home from a month’s travel is seeing what’s in the mailbox. Especially those wonderful publisher envelopes and boxes bearing books! And having been away for a month, there was a hefty collection of envelopes waiting to be opened and books to be appreciated.

Here are a few that arrived that I hope to dig into in the months ahead. Perhaps some of them will be a blessing to you.

Kevin DeYoung, Crazy Busy: A (Mercifully) Short Book about a (Really) Big Problem (Crossway)

I plan on starting with this book, as soon as I find time! I need this book, and I needed it to be as brief as it is. With Kevin’s engaging and creative writing style I’m sure this will not only be a practical help to my life but also the kind of book I’ll want to read repeatedly.

T. Desmond Alexander, From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology (Kregel)

We need short biblical theologies for people new to the discipline. Skimming the pages it seems Alexander has managed to combine two things that rarely co-exist: brevity and readability as an introduction with scholarship reflected in a ton of footnotes for those who want to chase down weightier works. I look forward to reading through From Eden to the New Jerusalem because I’d love to have an updated entry-level biblical theology to pass along to new and growing believers.

David Platt, Daniel L. Akin, and Tony Merida, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (Holman)

This is the inaugural volume in B&H’s new expositional commentary series, Christ-Centered Exposition. The series editors happen to be this volumes authors: Platt, Akin and Merida. These three brothers love God’s word, take it seriously in preaching and living, and provide excellent models of exposition. It’ll be my privilege to contribute to this series with a text on Luke. If you’re looking to expand your library of expositional commentaries or to learn from faithful teachers like Platt, Akin and Merida, take a look at this volume.

D.A. Carson (ed), The Scriptures Testify About Me: Jesus and the Gospel in the Old Testament (Crossway)

A couple years ago The Gospel Coalition’s biennial conference focused on biblical theology. To preach Christ from the Old Testament, TGC invited Al Mohler, Tim Keller, Alistair Begg, James MacDonald, Conrad Mbewe, Matt Chandler, Mike Bullmore and D.A. Carson to preach from various genres and books of the Old Testament. Now those addresses are available in this concise volume tracing the storyline of the Bible.

Jon Bloom, Not by Sight: A Fresh Look at Old Stores of Walking by Faith (Crossway)

Jon Bloom is cofounder and president of Desiring God. He’s invested a considerable portion of his life helping others seek their highest happiness in Jesus Christ. For those who love stories, this collection of short sketches of biblical figures will surely encourage and strengthen the saints. Bloom aims to help us understand what it means to walk by faith, “following the unseen into an unknown, and believing Jesus’ words over and against the threats we see or the fears we feel.”

Paul David Tripp, What to Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage (Crossway)

So I finally got my copy of this! Yeah! I don’t know how this has escaped my possession and, more importantly, my reading for so long. If you know Paul Tripp then you know this is a searching, biblical, challenging and ultimately redemptive look at “the realities of marriage.” With a glut of books on the market that purport to tell us how our marriages “can be better,” we desperately need books that deal with our marriages as they truly are. I look forward to benefiting from this in my own marriage and as I counsel other couples.

Thomas R. Schreiner, The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Baker)

For scholarship and usefulness, you can’t get much better than Schreiner. I find him lucid, balanced and careful with the biblical text and our contemporary contexts. I’m looking at this 646 page theological overview of the Bible and I’m thinking, (1) I love the title of this book and I think it’s pages will help me see Jesus’ beauty and (2) I need to take a few other Schreiner titles off the shelf and have me a long period of Schreiner studies.

Anthony L. Chute, Christopher W. Morgan, and Robert A. Peterson (eds), Why We Belong: Evangelical Unity and Denominational Diversity (Crossway)

Boasting endorsements from Packer, Noll, George O. Wood, Paul House, Stephen Nichols and others, this volume looks to tackle an age old problem–unity in diversity. How can we reflect a unity more robust than our local churches and denominations without undermining our denominational commitments. Like Carl Trueman, I’m glad denominations exist because “they indicate that somebody somewhere still believes something.” In this volume, a number of evangelical leaders and thinkers tell us why they hold to their denominational distinctives and why they consider themselves evangelicals. Contributors include Gerald L. Bray (Anglican), Timothy F. George (Baptist), Douglas A. Sweeney (Lutheran), Timothy C. Tennent (Methodist), Byron D. Klaus (Pentecostal) and Bryan Chapell (Presbyterian). Should be a good read.

John MacArthur, Strange Fire: The Danger of Offending the Holy Spirit with Counterfeit Worship (Thomas Nelson)

In a day and age when many people establish their theological positions based on the persuasiveness of personalities rather than the plain meaning of Scripture, it’s necessary that we hear prophetic declarations of both warning and truth. In a day where confessional and denominational loyalties appear to have given away to affinity networks and broad coalitions (of which I am a part and support), we need clarion calls to remember the important things about which we also differ and why. John MacArthur has often played that role in the last two generations. He adds another contribution sure to anger some, cheer others, and if read carefully instruct all. The book includes three sections, Confronting a Counterfeit Revival, Exposing the Counterfeit Gifts, and Rediscovering the Spirit’s True Work. I’m looking forward to benefiting from this book and seeing the fruit from the accompanying conference.

Chris Lassiter, You’re Grounded: Rooted in Truth in a Shallow World (Moody)

Chris Lassiter is a sports and lifestyle writer in Virginia and contributes to music industry publications like VIBE, HipHopDX.com, and Rapzilla. He’s served with Young Life for the last decade and serves part-time on his local church’s staff. He’s a churchman with an eye on the culture, particularly the urban and hip hop subcultures. He writes here with the hope of moving that subculture and this generation from shallow appropriations of Jesus Christ to a deep and rooted walk with Him. In 18 short, readable chapters, Lassiter takes us through Jesus’ identity, His relationship to sinners, spiritual disciplines, and membership in the local church. This looks like a perfect tool for discipling young people in the church, youth groups, and youth evangelism.

Jared C. Wilson, The Pastor’s Justification: Applying the Work of Christ in Your Life and Ministry (Crossway)

Okay. I need this book. Just the chapter titles yell, “Stop and read me, Thabiti!” Maybe they call your name, too. “The Free Pastor.” “The Holy Pastor.” “The Humble Pastor.” “The Confident Pastor.” “The Watchful Pastor.” “The Justified Pastor.” And that’s just the first section. The second section’s five chapters look equally inviting. This one is high on my list.

K. Scott Oliphint, Covenantal Apologetics: Principles and Practice in Defense of Our Faith (Crossway)

Here’s an introduction to Reformed apologetics in the tradition of Cornelius Van Til. The book has four pages of impressive endorsements and, most importantly, the contents look to cover important theological and practical ground.

Quay Hanna, Bus America: Revelation of a Redneck (Middle Relief Publishing)

This is the most interesting title I received. Quay was kind enough to send me the book after reading some exchanges on my blog. He wanted to encourage me with the story of God’s power in His life. Just receiving the book was an encouragement. I look forward to reading Quay’s story and marveling afresh at that secret hand of God which makes hearts new.

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