Book Reviews, 6/28/2010

Holy, Holy, Holy: Proclaiming the Perfections of God, Various Authors, 2010, Reformation Trust Publishing, Lake Mary, Fla., ISBN 9781567692051, 149 pages, $18.00, hardcover.

Books that flow out of content originally prepared and produced for oral delivery can easily develop into loosely-organized jumbles that mean little to those unfamiliar with the material. While each of the chapters in Holy, Holy, Holy represents one of the plenary sessions of the 2009 Ligonier Ministries National Conference, the book’s message is as vivid and expressive as the speakers’ original work (speaking as one who attended this particular conference).

The reason this book stands on its own so well is the depth and importance of its subject matter. Scripture indicates that all creation exists to glorify God, so there can never be too much said about God and His absolute holiness. In this task, each of the contributing authors gives eloquent and challenging expression to a different facet of the Lord’s defining attribute.

R.C. Sproul opens and closes the book with chapters on God’s complete “otherness” (i.e. His holiness expressed in His absolute uniqueness) and God’s justice and wrath. Sinclair B. Ferguson writes on the holiness of the Father in the context of the inter-Trinitarian relationship, Steven J. Lawson discusses God’s holiness expressed in the person of Christ, and Alistair Begg explores the holiness of the Spirit. Thabiti Anyabwile examines the depth of our sin in the face of a Holy God. D.A. Carson ties the Church’s high calling to be a “holy nation” to God’s absolute perfection. W. Robert Godfrey shows how God’s holiness made Christ’s sacrifice on the cross absolutely necessary and absolutely merciful, and Derek W.H. Thomas delves into what this means for our sanctification. Finally, R.C. Sproul, Jr. fleshes out what it looks like to worship a holy God in the life of the family.

Holy, Holy, Holy serves as an excellent reminder of things that should always be in the forefront of our minds and lives as Christians. It functions well as a teaching tool (or a refresher course) and could also be used as a deep-thinking devotional to stir the reader to contemplate (and then act on) just who this God is that has created and called us.

Justin Lonas

Target: All
Type: Theology
Take: Highly Recommended

Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations, Ed Stetzer and Thom S. Rainer, 2010, B&H Publishing, Nashville, ISBN 9781433669309, 239 pages, $22.99, hardcover.

Ed Stetzer and Thom Rainer have well-deserved reputations as “gurus” of church organization. They have both written prolifically on a variety of church-related topics, and have contributed an impressive body of research over the years to help churches understand what makes ministry tick.

Unlike many in their field, their approach has always been grounded in the authority of Scripture (rather than the latest and greatest cultural trends) and fully cognizant of the fact that God is the author of all spiritual growth within churches regardless of their particular ministry methodology.

Transformational Church, the latest from LifeWay Research President Stetzer and LifeWay Christian Resources President Rainer, proposes that the Church is fundamentally about radical change—death to life, rebellion against God to kingdom service, etc.—and that too many churches are mired in the status quo of apathy or inward-focused activity that does not contribute meaningfully to Christ’s mission.

Through case studies of churches around the U.S. (some large, some small, of different denominations, but all following after God), the authors develop what they call the “new scorecard” for measuring the effectiveness of ministry; this is in addition to (not necessarily in contrast with) the “old scorecard” of attendance, giving, and programs/facilities. They build a theory of the “transformational loop” of church development, which is comprised of three categories: discern, embrace, and engage. They break down the categories into seven key elements that active churches should evince: a missionary mentality, vibrant leadership, relational intentionality, prayerful dependence, worship (actively embracing Christ), community (connecting people with people), and mission (showing Jesus through word and deed).  Each of the elements is fleshed out in detail through a chapter of the book.

Stetzer and Rainer try to avoid a “do this, get that” systematic approach to church ministry, attempting rather to show churches in action demonstrating the principals they describe ministry. It is impossible for them to completely escape the style that lends itself to their subject matter (measuring performance), but they leave the reader with an encouragement to evaluate churches from a biblical perspective of kingdom mission, not simply from a traditional measure of success.

Justin Lonas

Target: Pastors/Church leaders
Type: Church growth/organization
Take: Recommended