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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.

Last weekend I was given the opportunity to preach on the life of Jacob at DeSoto Community Church, a growing gospel community planted by my friend Matt Maestas. In a truly gutsy move, Matt is marching through the Old Testament in the second major sermon series at DCC, emphasizing the presence of Jesus throughout God’s redemption history.

As a result of all my books being packed away in boxes in Lindsay’s grandpa’s garage, I only had access to one Genesis commentary as I tackled the challenging topic of “Jacob”…his entire life and times. If I’d had my library at my fingertips, John Calvin’s commentary on Genesis might not have been the first book I opened. But as it turned out, Calvin’s insight into the human emotions and divine interventions of the Jacob story were excellent and apropos.

Reading the perspectives of dead theologians is a great way to escape the sometimes-narrow perspectives of the living. Thought I’d take a second to recommend Crossway’s Classic Commentaries series in general, and Calvin’s Genesis in particular.

I’m currently watching “Does Satan Exist,” a 2-on-2 debate hosted by Nightline:

In this third installment, philosopher Deepak Chopra and Bishop Carlton Pearson will face-off against Pastor Mark Driscoll of the Mars Hill Church and Annie Lobert, founder of the Christian ministry “Hookers for Jesus” about the existence of the Devil.

I’m on the second episode, and the format and interaction is excellent so far.

Back in 2007, I wrote a pretty glowing review of Alan Hirsch’s The Forgotten Ways. I felt at the time, and still do, that Hirsch’s book represents the best impulses of the nebulous “emerging church” movement (innovation, cultural savvy, love for the gospel) while avoiding its usual pitfalls (criticism for criticism’s sake, navel gazing, doctrinal ambiguity).

Recently, Hirsch compiled some of the positive reviews his book attracted, and what do you know, my piece made the cut. Nothing like some book-blurb-love to give a blogger a shot in the arm. Here’s what I said:

“In The Forgotten Ways, . . . Alan Hirsch emerges as a pace-setter. . . . He melds statistics, graphics and case studies with a creative, inspiring voice. . . . Hirsch’s writing is both imaginative and convincing. He builds his thesis with history, case studies and scripture, and one comes away from his book with a fresh look at century-old truths. . . . The Forgotten Ways acts as a dictionary and best-practices manual for emerging church in general. . . . Hirsch represents an erudite, theologically-deliberate side of emerging church thought. . . . I found Hirsch’s writing immeasurably useful and timely. . . . Hirsch goes beyond vague hints about church and culture to concrete dynamics, backing his points with the New Testament. . . . Hirsch’s work stands out as visionary, creative, and still applicable. Within the canon of emerging church literature, he is a unique voice, willing to enter postmodern culture while also critiquing it, willing to critique the church while also expressing a Christ-like love for it. The Forgotten Ways is a book I will revisit many times to refresh my memory. . . .Highly recommended.”

I stand by that! If you haven’t yet, grab The Forgotten Ways. For those interested in Jesus, church, culture, and theology, it’s well worth your time.

I’m not a careful follower of Scot McKnight and his widely-read blog, Jesus Creed, so when my friend Rob told me I should read McKnight’s latest book, The Blue Parakeet, I didn’t know what to expect. For many people, McKnight has proved to be a helpful “middle voice,” arbitrating between some of the extreme positions of folks in the Emergent camp and those on the other side who tend toward immovable rigidity in their approach to church traditions. (If that last sentence makes no sense to you, don’t feel bad. You’re not missing much.)

This book turned out to be an extension of McKnight’s “middle” approach to church practice and theology, where “middle” or a “third way” is shorthand for a biblically-grounded position that takes changing cultures and geography into account. In The Blue Parakeet, McKnight advocates an approach to reading and living the Bible that is, in my opinion, not so much startling or ground-breaking as it is healthy and needed. Here’s what I liked about the book:

» McKnight explains clearly that while the Bible is authoritative for our lives, we need to exercise discernment in how we apply it and not be lazy or stupid. For example, questions like this—”How come we don’t obey the Old Testament commands about blood sacrifices, but do obey the one prohibiting adultery?”—can and should be answered. There are essential questions we should ask about the text as we read the Bible with a view to wise application.

» Maybe you’ve heard the Bible’s “big picture” explained in terms of a simple trajectory: Creation – Fall – Redemption. Scot McKnight argues that a more biblically accurate view would include Covenant Community (after Fall, before and after Redemption). And I agree. A huge chunk of the Bible is spent outlining the failed and occasionally successful attempts of God’s people to do life together, and this component of biblical living is dramatically absent in most of the American church today.

A couple of nitpicks:

» The Blue Parakeet is written for a wider audience than McKnight’s typical theologian crowd, and it is pretty readable–but McKnight has some work to do before he figures out this “readable” thing. At times he comes across as stretching…albeit in a kind of humorous, professorial way.

» McKnight’s “test case” for applying his “third way” of reading scripture is one of today’s hot topics, Women in Ministry. I applaud his attempt to jump into the fray, but was disappointed with the way he handled the Bible texts involved. There are certain passages that almost always come up in this discussion, and McKnight handled some of them, but not very thoroughly–and some not at all. I guess I was expecting more than the cursory treatment he gave the topic.

All in all, The Blue Parakeet is a smart, accessible book that takes aim at some unhealthy ways of reading the Bible. McKnight affirms the authority of God’s word while encouraging people to read with a view to intelligent application, life change, and, ultimately, knowing the One about whom the Bible is written. Recommended.