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11 resources you should read about the Reformation

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Luther Statue

As you no doubt are aware, it’s Reformation season! Every year, this time of year is like Christmas for theological nerds, but this time it’s really special because, 500 years ago this month, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, and accidentally changed the world.

If you’re like me, the chances are pretty good you’ve been looking to do some reading about the Reformation, some of its more notable figures, and their theological writings. Today, I want to share with you a selection of resources I would highly encourage engaging with as you seek to better understand this movement that changed the course of history:

  1. Echoes of the Reformation by Brandon D. Smith. This is a group study produced in partnership between LifeWay Christian Resources and The Gospel Coalition that explores the Five Solas of the Reformation. Regardless of the time of year, this is a study that is worth engaging in your small group.
  2. A Simple Way to Pray by Martin Luther. This book contains some of the most helpful advice I’ve ever read on prayer: using the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostle’s Creed to focus and guide our prayers.
  3. Luther: The Life and Legacy of the German Reformer. Admittedly, I’m biased since I wrote it. But this is a very accessible introduction to the man who kickstarted the Reformation in earnest. (There’s also a nifty book version available here, too).
  4. Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther by Roland Bainton. This biography is essential reading for those wanting to dig into the background of the German Reformer.
  5. Reformation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by Carl Trueman. Based on a series of lectures, Trueman addresses why the Reformation continues to captivate and frustrate so many even to this day, and why its theology endures. This is a super-accessible book, one that I’d highly recommend for anyone interested in this era but not sure where to start.
  6. Institutes of the Christian Religion by the Theologian Who Shall Not Be Named™. Regardless of your opinions of said unnamed theologian’s views, The Institutes is one you should read to gain a better sense of the theology that shaped much of the west.
  7. Church History in Plain Language by Bruce Shelley. This is one of the two books I’d encourage reading to give you greater context on why the Reformation happened at all. The fires were burning long before Luther came on the scene
  8. 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by Nick Needham. For a more extensive—but readable—treatment of church history, this is a great series to invest in.
  9. The Unquenchable Flame by Michael Reeves. This is another book that offers a solid introduction to the major players and ideas of the Reformation. (Stephen Nichols’ The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World is another great primer in the same vein.)
  10. Martin Luther’s Table Talk. If you’ve ever wondered what a dinner conversation with Luther would have been like, this is the book for you. Covering a plethora of theological and social issues of the day, this is one of the places where we see Luther at his most pastoral.
  11. Luther’s 95 Theses by Martin Luther. You can find them online and in different volumes, but regardless, you’ll do yourself a disservice if you don’t read the document that actually set the world on fire.

Weekend reading (10/21)

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Weekend Reading

The Prosperity Gospel in Our Closet

Jimmy Needham:

It’s ironic that many of us are able to see the lies of the prosperity preachers, who promise new cars and houses for anyone willing to believe a little harder, but we don’t have eyes to see the more subtle threat of using our relationship with God as a means to boost our spiritual resume. This is the orthodox man’s prosperity gospel — going through the spiritual motions to acquire an elevated sense of self-worth. It’s the prosperity we keep in our closet, even our prayer closets.

How Historians Are Quietly Rewriting the Typical Story of American Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism

Justin Taylor:

Writing 10 years ago in Books & Culture, David Bebbington suggested that the general consensus regarding the American evangelical story needs revision.

Senior Pastors Are Not Always Right about Staff Decisions

Marty Duren:

During one session, a pastor/evangelist preached a sermon entitled, “When Is the Preacher Right?” It was a long, free-wheeling combination of texts and tales, with a primary purpose of undergirding pastoral authority. However, when I encouraged a pastor friend of mine to listen to it a year or two later, his response was, “Sounds to me like he thinks the preacher is always right and never wrong!”

4 Reasons to Make Your Kids Go to Church

Michael Kelley:

Should we, as parents force our children to go to church, even when they don’t want to?

Short answer? Yes. Absolutely.

But why should we do that? You could argue the opposite – that in making our children go to church we are actually turning them away from the church. They will grow up resenting this environment they had to go to week after week, even if they didn’t want to, and as soon as they get a little bit of freedom, they will abandon that practice forced upon them by their unrelenting parents.

The Un-Millennial Church

Cole Deike:

Never would I have admitted it, but in my first year as a local church pastor, I was deeply insecure and at least a little bit embarrassed by the word “pastor.”

I am not alone in this insecurity, especially as a young adult who is neatly categorized and narrowly classified as a “millennial.” So I hope it’s okay for me to be earnest about how this religious embarrassment impacted both my pastoral and church planting narrative.

Overestimating Sacrifice

Darryl Dash:

I left a stable ministry position to plant a church at the age of 45. I patted myself on the back for being willing to take a risk.

The reality: I was only risking my standard of living, and not even a lot. I moved to a community I love and enjoy my work. A martyr I’m not.

Christian, don’t begrudgingly affirm God’s Word

A favorite from the archives:

Now, I get it. Many people want to avoid putting up a stumbling block to unbelievers coming to faith. They don’t want to be seen as “those Christians”—the ones who are always fighting about this or that, or who are considered hateful or bigots. But dancing around the Bible isn’t the answer.

We don’t really need to do the dance. We don’t have to be backed into a corner where we begrudgingly accept what the Bible says. Not if we are viewing the Bible as we are meant to.

Links I like (9/28)

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Links I like

Don’t Be a Do-Gooder: Pastoral Reflections on Goodness

Aaron Menikoff:

The word “good” is nearly meaningless today. The cook will take it as a criticism when you tell him dinner was simply good. He’ll think if you really liked the meal, you’d have said it was terrific, fantastic, or awesome. Compared to adjectives like these, “good” is average at best.

This deflated understanding of good makes it harder for us to appreciate the Bible. For example, when Paul lists “goodness” as a piece of the fruit of the Spirit, we’re unimpressed. We know goodness matters, but it’s no longer vibrant and colorful. “Good” is like a white towel that’s been washed so many times it’s now a dull gray.

It’s time to recover the meaning of good.

An Evening Celebrating God’s Very Good Idea

This was such a great night to be a part of. Check it out.

Searching for Treasures in Swiss Castles, Museums, and Churches

Tim Challies:

Where yesterday was spent driving through the Swiss countryside and mountain ranges, today was spent in castles, museums, and churches. We were looking for objects related to Anabaptists, Desiderius Erasmus and Ulrich Zwingli. The locations delivered! Here’s how the day went…

How to Be Teachable According to Proverbs

Kevin Halloran:

Teachable people don’t have to be the smartest to succeed—they seek to learn and grow in any and every situation. Being teachable is a foundational quality for everybody: workers, students, husbands, wives, and especially those in leadership roles. If you’re wondering how to grow in teachability, perhaps there’s no better place to turn than the Bible’s wisdom book.

Seven Characteristics of Liberal Theology

Kevin DeYoung:

Like any “ism,” liberalism is not easy to pigeonhole. But Gary Dorrien’s magisterial three volumes on The Making of American Liberal Theology present a coherent picture of a movement that has been marked by identifiable hermeneutical and sociological commitments. Even if one wishes to avoid liberal theology, it would still be wise to know something about a movement that has exerted such considerable influence over the past 200 years.

Below are seven characteristics of liberalism that have been culled from the first volume of Dorrien’s trilogy. The headings are mine; the indented text is from the book.

Pastor as Overseer of Worship Music

Joshua Jenkins:

Worship music can often be seen as a trivial thing for a pastor to spend his precious time on, or one of low theological importance. But I argue the opposite. It is my conviction that the songs we sing in church are of utmost theological importance, second only to the ministry of the Word from the pulpit. The church’s corporate singing is a direct mode of worship, so we had better get that right.

The source of real holiness

A favorite from the archives:

Christians should know this, but we’re prone to forgetting. The rules trap—legalism—is just too easy (because it’s easy, in theory if not in fact). We have rules about kissing dating goodbye. About what music to not listen to. Movies to not watch. Books to not read. Beverages to not consume…

And while the reasons behind the don’ts might be good and right and true, if all we have is don’t, what are we trying to accomplish? At best, the rules, and our attempts to keep them, make us try harder; we white knuckle our way through the things we know we’re supposed to do (including avoiding the things we aren’t supposed to). More often, though, they make us want to give up. Despite our intentions, we don’t become more holy, joyful people—people who increasingly find sin unattractive because Jesus is ever-increasingly attractive to us. Instead, we’re just people who are happy they’re not in trouble.

Weekend reading (9/23)

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Weekend Reading

How Many Christians Were There in 200 A.D.?

Philip Jenkins:

At first glance, the Christian world was impressive in its scope and geographical range, to the point where it seems to constitute almost a parallel to the Roman Empire – almost a shadow Christian Empire in waiting. But then we turn again to the likely numbers, with just 250,000 believers in that wide world. Without any firm basis for such estimates, let me propose some possible figures for the largest communities, remembering that these would incorporate all churches and sects combined. Rome itself would likely have been by far the largest, with (say) 40,000 Christians. We might then estimate communities of 10-15,000 for such regional capitals as Antioch, Alexandria, and Carthage, 5,000 for Jerusalem and Ephesus. Those numbers do not seem very high, but if they are even close to accurate, those six centers alone would account for 100,000 people, or 40 percent of the world Christian population. That leaves just 150,000 to fill all those smaller cities and towns, from Britain to southern India.

What We Know about Arius and His Heresy

Brandon Smith shares a few insights from David Wilhite’s book, The Gospel According to the Heretics.

Living With Financial Integrity

Ryan Rice:

It was at this church that I first heard the pastor say, if you are a guest, feel no pressure to give. This was a breath of fresh air for me as it removed any thought in my mind of a lack of integrity within the ministry.  Yet, this all came from the leadership of the church taking a stand that “it is better to live a life of integrity than shame.”

3 Places Where Leaders Must Be AT LEAST Average

Eric Geiger:

The longer I lead, the more leery I am of bringing people to the team who dismissively shrug off their weaknesses because their strengths are so pronounced. For example, the person who says, “I am a big picture guy, an idea guy, but that means I am not really good at the details” still needs to be able to answer email and knock out some tasks. The person who says, “I am a task-oriented leader; just load my plate with work and I knock it out, but people can get in my way at times” needs to be able to connect with the team relationally. One doesn’t have to be stellar in everything, but there is a bare minimum of competency in all of the critical things or one just cannot function on the team.

Does Your Social Media Outrage Bear False Witness?

Gaye Clark:

What we post on social media can take on a life of its own. The matter feels urgent, so we hastily type rebuttals. Veiled as zeal for truth, we run to our computers and phones to adjust error and admonish the man who got it all wrong. Any public misstep can be called out to legions of our followers who, in turn, can pass on the public rebuke to their followers.

With so many people agreeing with us, confidence grows that we have chosen a worthy battle.

Career Idolators (And What to Do About Our Jealousy)

Sean Nolan:

A friend of mine recently shared that he was nearing completion of his fifth book. While I outwardly feigned excitement, inwardly I recognized an old acquaintance: jealousy. If you’ve been in ministry for any amount of time—and if you’re honest—you’ve experienced this as well.

Art as Idolatry

A favorite from the archives:

I have a love-hate relationship with the “creative” world. On the one hand, human creativity, in whatever expression it manifests itself, is a wonderful gift from the Lord. Because God is THE Creator, we imitate Him in our small-c creativity. On the other hand, I really hate the “culture” of creativity. While attending the 2012 Story Conference in Chicago, the impression I got of what the creative ideal could be summed up something like this: A true creative is a non-linear thinker; someone who doesn’t like rules (or in some cases logic), and is driven by a passion to just “create.” They want their work to matter—and in many ways, they themselves want to matter.

What I read in July

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What I read in July 2017

I am always consuming books, whether they’re physical, digital or audio. Every month, I like to share a breakdown of everything I read, including the books I abandoned. I do this because it gives me an opportunity to introduce you to books you might not have had an opportunity to read while practicing the art of writing concise book reviews.

In July, I read 8 books to completion and started a couple of others that have yet to complete. Here’s what I read:

  1. Teen Titans Vol. 1: Damian Knows Best by Benjamin Pearcey
  2. Doom Patrol, Vol. 1: Brick by Brick by Gerard Way
  3. The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
  4. Justice League vs. Suicide Squad by Joshua Williamson
  5. Reset: Living a Grace-Paced Life in a Burnout Culture by David P. Murray
  6. God and the Transgender Debate by Andrew T. Walker
  7. Subscription Marketing: Strategies for Nurturing Customers in a World of Churn by Anne H. Janzer
  8. The Content Trap by Bharat Anand

Thoughts in other places

I reviewed Reset a couple weeks back, describing it as one of the most personally convicting book I’ve read in ages. So if you want more thoughts on that, do check out the review. I also shared a few thoughts related to The Warmth of Other Suns the other day, so I’m not sure there’s more I can say about it right now. (Incidentally, this book is one of the reasons there are so few books on the list this time around—it’s very long, but very compelling.) I’m also gearing up for a more thorough review of God and the Transgender Debate, so I don’t want to give too much away on that, except to say this book is as close as it gets to required reading for those serious about ministering to individuals in the LGBT community, especially those identifying as transgender.

Books with pictures: short, snarky, and kind of trippy

This month’s books with pictures were an interesting mix. Teen Titans was one of the books that suffered the worst in DC’s “New 52” era. The first volume of the Rebirth era is definitely off to a good start with kinetic art, a costume that resembles actual clothing for Starfire, and just enough of Damian Wayne’s (Robin) jerkstore-iness, that comes together in a story I’m comfortable having my eldest daughter read. Which she has. Multiple times. In a week.

Justice League vs. Suicide Squad was the first major event book of Rebirth, building off events in the Batman books. The story is fast paced, and the art works well, with Jay Fabok’s being the highlight for me. Sadly, this one isn’t one I can share with my daughter anytime soon as it’s way too intense, but it’s still a fun read.

And then there’s Doom Patrol, which is part of Gerard Way’s Young Animal line at DC. As strange as it sounds, it reads like a satisfying pop song—it’s catchy, creative, and fun. I really don’t want to share too much lest I give it away, but if you were a fan of Grant Morrison’s run on the series back in the 1990s, you’ll be thrilled with this one.

Marketing and marketers

My work-reading pile is growing, largely because I want to keep getting better at my job. Subscription Marketing is a fast-paced and practical read, with a number of helpful tactics for organizations that use some kind of recurring revenue model (think Netflix, your magazine subscription, and even your Compassion sponsorship). The major emphasis in the book is reminding marketers who the experience is really about: the customer. (This is not a new revelation, but it is always a helpful reminder).

The Content Trap, on the other hand, is a necessary corrective for all of us who are prone to latch onto whatever the next big idea is (think all the people trying to make a viral video happen). The author reminds his readers that, fundamentally, marketing doesn’t really change that much, regardless of the latest innovations. Our job is to know the customers and offer up a solution that meets their needs, and that wild success, virality, or whatever isn’t about figuring out a secret formula, but about understanding the network connections within your audience. (Note: this book is crazy long. Before deciding if you really want to read it, check out the Ted Talk.)

That’s it for this month’s round-up. Do you find these posts helpful? Do you have a suggestion for a book for me or someone else to read or want to share what you’ve read? Connect with me on Twitter or Facebook and let me know!

Here’s a look at what I read in:

What I read in May

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May 2017 reading

I am always consuming books, whether they’re physical, digital or audio. Every month, I like to share a breakdown of everything I read, including the books I abandoned. I do this because it gives me an opportunity to introduce you to books you might not have had an opportunity to read while practicing the art of writing concise book reviews.

In May 2017, I read 13 books to completion and started a couple of others that have yet to complete. Here’s what I read:

  1. Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance
  2. The Imperfect Disciple: Grace for People Who Can’t Get Their Act Together by Jared C. Wilson
  3. The New Teen Titans, Vol. 5 by Marv Wolfman and George Perez
  4. The Door Before by N.D. Wilson
  5. The Chestnut King by N.D. Wilson
  6. Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps, Vol 1: Sinestro’s Law by Robert Venditti et al.
  7. ESV Reader’s Bible Volume II: Historical Books
  8. Detective Comics Vol 1: Rise of the Batmen by James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows and others
  9. Detective Comics Vol 2: The Victim Syndicate by James Tynion IV, Eddy Barrows and others
  10. Church History in Plain Language (4th Edition) by Bruce L. Shelley
  11. Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson
  12. Batgirl and the Birds of Prey, Vol 1: Who Is Oracle? by Julie and Shawna Benson, and Claire Roe
  13. Aftermath: Empire’s End by Chuck Wendig

There’s no discernible pattern in my reading this month for the most part, aside from I had fun reading different kinds of stories. Here are a few thoughts on the whole pile.

Imperfect Christians, Christian history, and family legacies

I don’t want to say too much about it because at some point in the near future I’m going to review it, but The Imperfect Disciple is probably the best book of Jared Wilson’s I’ve ever read, and definitely the best one intended for Christians I’ve read all year. So encouraging and helpful. This was my first go around with the fourth edition of Church History in Plain Language (I’ve read the third edition previously). This one-volume edition is a must-read for anyone who wants to explore how the past has shaped our present.

Hillbilly Elegy is one of those books that everyone was reading last year that I finally got around to. Vance gave himself a challenge with this book: how to tell an honest story while honoring his family. Usually one loses out, and maybe someone closer to the author could say which wins in this book. For what it’s worth I found it a compelling read, one that digs into some of the cultural and historical background of his family’s dysfunction, but still puts his love of his grandparents in particular on full display.

Books with pictures, pop culture, and activism turns cliché

I borrowed Empire’s End from the library really just to see how Wendig wrapped up his story as I found the first two volumes in the series reasonably entertaining. This one was more or less of the same, but in hindsight the plot in the series as a whole is pretty thin (which might be strange to say given that it’s a media tie-in book). Really, the three books could have been one really tight and compelling novel. But there wasn’t enough to warrant three books.

New Teen Titans Vol. 5 was a lot of fun overall, and I’m continuing to really dig the whole feel of DC’s Rebirth initiative. Most of the books I’ve read have warranted at least reading a second volume, and so far there’s only been one series I’ve not introduced to Abigail at all due to the content being a bit too mature (Green Arrow). Of this month’s batch, Hal Jordan & the Green Lantern Corps, Batgirl & the Birds of Prey, and volume one of Detective Comics are the standouts. The stories have a good hook, and the art fits the tone of the stories.

Detective Comics Vol 2 and Empire’s End both remind me how tired I find social progressives’ activism on matters of gender and sexuality. One of Empire’s End‘s main characters is gay, and his heroic actions are motivated in part by his relationship with another male character. Detective Comics also introduces a transgender character, Dr. Victoria October, whose brief appearance is filled with references to the process of transitioning (“pupal stage,” “dead name,” and so forth), and caused some pop culture enthusiasts to celebrate Batman as a transgender ally. But honestly, I don’t see what the fuss is all about. Of course a transgender character will be in Batman, and a gay character will be in Star Wars. That’s the formula, in all it’s predictable glory. So why celebrate what you know is going to be there?

Binge-reading Wilson

This month I was able to read three of ND Wilson’s books, including his soon-to-be released prequel to 100 Cupboards, The Door Before. But first, I want to say a couple of things about the other two books. First, Leepike Ridge, which was Wilson’s first book for the youth fiction market. I think what I enjoyed most about this one wasn’t so much the story as seeing the evolution of Wilson as a storyteller. The dialogue isn’t quite as sharp. The peril is a touch milder (but only a touch). There’s just not quite the same level of confidence as in his more recent books.

Second, The Chestnut King, the third book of the 100 Cupboards series. I read this right after reading the prequel, and it was refreshing to see an author manage the continuity well. To my knowledge, I didn’t see any major inconsistencies, which is refreshing.

Finally, The Door Before. If you’re a fan of either Ashtown Burials or 100 Cupboards (or both), you’ll be overjoyed reading this book. Wilson did a terrific job of bringing these two worlds together in a very satisfying way, and managed to pull off writing a prequel that still manages to have a real sense of drama and danger. Consider it as close as you can get to essential summer-reading, gang.

That’s it for this month’s round-up. Do you find these posts helpful? Do you have a suggestion for a book for me or someone else to read or want to share what you’ve read? Connect with me on Twitter or Facebook and let me know!

Here’s a look at what I read in:

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