I’ve been working my way through a list of recommendations I recently received from one of my professors. I’ve already shared his recommendations of books on hermeneutics, the commentary series he suggests for preachers, his commentary recommendations on individual New Testament books, and his recommended works on biblical theology.
Here are the books he recommends on New Testament theology:
- David Wenham, Paul: Follower of Jesus or Founder of Christianity? (Eerdmans)
- Gordon D. Fee, God’s Empowering Presence: The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul (Hendrickson)
- Gordon D. Fee, Pauline Christology: An Exegetical-Theological Study (Hendrickson)
- Stephen Westerholm, Perspectives Old and New on Paul: The “Lutheran” Paul and His Critics (Eerdmans)
- Stephen Westerholm, Justification Reconsidered: Rethinking a Pauline Theme (Eerdmans)
- Michael Bird, The Saving Righteousness of God: Studies on Paul, Justification, and the New Perspective (Paternoster)
- Brian S. Rosner, Paul and the Law: Keeping the Commandments of God (IVP)
- I read this book recently, and Rosner really does a good job of sorting through some of the difficulties regarding Paul’s writings about the Law of Moses. It helped me to think more deeply about the nuanced ways Paul speaks of the Christian’s relationship to the law.
- I. Howard Marshall, New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel (IVP)
- Karen H. Jobes, Letters to the Church: A Survey of Hebrews and the General Epistles (Zondervan)
Here’s some other good stuff I ran across in the last few days:
The Thinking Pastor by Ray Ortlund (thegospelcoalition.org)
After you click on the link, you’ll see a link to Ortlund’s lecture manuscript as a pdf. I think you’ll find it challenging and helpful.
The Christian Reader’s Resource Guide: 49 Links to Help You Find the Best Books by David Qaoud (gospelrelevance.com)
Okay, so maybe this is a little overkill, but it actually has tons of helpful links. If I click too much there, I’ll end up spending my book allowance for the next 18 years.
Is C.S. Lewis’s Liar-Lord-or-Lunatic Argument Unsound? by Justin Taylor (thegospelcoalition.org)
Most of us have used this apologetic argument that Lewis popularized, so this discussion is helpful.
Patient Parenting by David Murray
I tell my kids to be patient, and I often preach to my hearers the same thing. But then I often fail to practice it at home, so I needed this article.
Thinking About Expository Preaching—Part 1 and Part 2 by Ed Stetzer (christianitytoday.com)
A long time ago I became convinced that this was the best way to feed a congregation, so I decided to make it the way I approach my preaching. Stetzer agrees in Part 1, but then offers some counterarguments in Part 2. Worth reading.
Cultural Trends Pastors Should Recognize by Ed Stetzer (christianitytoday.com)
“An author friend of mine claims our modern church methodology can reach only 30 percent of people in the West. Further, he says we have already reached those 30 percent and that we need to explore other ways to reach the 70 percent who would not attend a church gathering.
“Re-read that last sentence and let it marinate for a moment.”
A Massive New Book on the Authority of Scripture, Edited by D. A. Carson by Justin Taylor
It’ll set you back about $45 at Amazon, but it looks like a resource most of us will want to add to our libraries at some point. Here’s their description:
“In The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures thirty-seven first-rate evangelical scholars present a thorough study of biblical authority and a full range of issues connected to it. Recognizing that Scripture and its authority are now being both challenged and defended with renewed vigor, editor D. A. Carson assigned the topics that these select scholars address in the book. After an introduction by Carson to the many facets of the current discussion, the contributors present robust essays on relevant historical, biblical, theological, philosophical, epistemological, and comparative-religions topics. To conclude, Carson answers a number of frequently asked questions about the nature of Scripture, providing cross-references to the preceding chapters. This comprehensive volume by a team of recognized experts will be the go-to reference on the nature and authority of the Bible for years to come.”
What are your favorite resources for sermon prep or other ministry-related tasks?
Please email me—I’d love to share with our readers what’s helping you in your ministry.
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