Will you forgive the faux pas of writing consecutive book posts? Thanks, I appreciate it.

In the past I’ve written a lot of book reviews. Lots and lots. This went on long enough that I developed an ingenious grading system and had a fun time arguing about it with my readers. The upshot is that I still get access to some excellent books, books that deserve to be reviewed, books that I intend to review…except that I’m the married father of three energetic boys under three years old, in the middle of remodeling our house and planting a church.

No big deal, you know. But it has cut down on my lazy afternoons.

So, to make sure that props-worthy books get at least a little credit on my blog, I’m going to preemptively let you know when I pick up a really promising volume. This will be my way of saying, “Hey, this book will undoubtedly be great, because I already know the author, and all he throws are strikes; in a perfect world I would write a lengthy review with footnotes, but in the meantime, consider this a heads-up.”

Sound good?

Let’s make this practical. Mark Driscoll’s new book, Religion Saves (And Nine Other Misconceptions) is balanced precariously on my book stack right now. When I open the cover, read the smart-ass intro, and start turning pages, Religion Saves will undoubtedly be worth my time. I’ve reviewed Driscoll’s books before and been influenced by them. Driscoll has a knack for welding theology to practice with a blow torch, and besides that, he’s funny.

This makes Religion Saves a perfect candidate for a This Just In book post. Consider yourself updated. And expect more of these in the future. I’ll still try and write reviews, but these stop-gap measures will help me feel less guilty in the meantime.