Here are two Christian booklets I read towards the end of this year.
William P. Smith. When Bad Things Happen: Thoughtful Answers to Hard Questions. Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, September 1st 2008. 22 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Westminster | Amazon
This was a helpful and edifying booklet. It is a “minibook” that is part of the “Resources for Personal Change” series published by New Growth Press. The author William Smith is an adjunct faculty in the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation has written an excellent resource for those who are going through trials and asking the question of why God allows bad things to happen. It is an excellent resource for Biblical and Pastoral Counselors to give the counselee and have them read and highlight/underline for study and meditation. For my own use I read this title along with a church member I was discipling and counseling as a pastor.
I really appreciated that the author was able to accomplish in such a short amount of space, especially since this booklet comes in at twenty two pages. Readers should not judge this booklet by its size. Just two pages into the booklet the author laid out the biblical case that God does understand our suffering; yet it isn’t a dry academic truth but very personal in how the writer argues that. I thought that the booklet making this point in the beginning of the book was very important since often those undergoing trials and difficulties often need to understand that God knows what they are going through. In fact practically speaking when people go through difficulties it isn’t just academic solutions they need but practically they need the presence of God. The meat of the book goes over how God uses suffering. The reasons listed are very helpful and biblical. The book also ends with a section titled “Practical Strategies for Change” which I thought was beneficial.
I recommend this booklet. In fact the person I read this with immediately want to share this work with others who need it as well. That to me is compelling of why biblical counselors and counselee should read this book.
Vern Poythress. What Are Spiritual Gifts? Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing, May 1st, 2010. 31 pp.
4 out of 5
Purchase: Westminster | Amazon
This is another booklet that is a part of the Basics of the Christian faith series published by Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing. This particular title focuses on spiritual gifts. I used this particular series as a discipleship tool with a brother in our church who was curious about this topic in light of his experience while visiting certain churches while he was out of state for an internship. We both read it together with the intent of understanding better what spiritual gifts are.
In other works I have appreciated the analytical mind of the author Vern Poythress. You see it in this short booklet as well. I enjoyed out how early in the book he lays out a chart that laid out the biblical passages that mentioned spiritual gifts along with the specific gifts mentioned so that you see where specific gifts are overlapped in being mentioned. I also thought it was neat to see Poythress’ observation of the Trinitarian participation with God giving the church spiritual gifts; I haven’t really seen that mentioned in other works before and I think it is to Poythress’ credit that he’s conscious of the inter-relationship of doctrines and foci in theology. To use a theme that is the title of one his other books, there’s a beauty in this book of “symphonic theology.” Readers also should note his discussion of the functions of spiritual gifts in terms of being prophetic, kingly and priestly; the pyramid of giftedness was also a helpful didactic tool.
There is a lot that was covered in such a short booklet, more than what I mentioned in this review. If there is one constructive criticism I wished Poythress would have come out stronger for his position concerning whether the more “supernatural” gifts are for today. Still one can benefit with this booklet on this topic.
Hi Jim, I’m assuming you meant 4 out of 5 for the second book versus 44 out of 5! 🙂
Either that or the 2nd book is one heck of a book!
Wow thank you for catching that! I’m going to fix my typo right now!
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Thank you for the reblog Vincent, how are you doing?
Yankee Whiskey Bravo 😎 I’m doing good looking forward to getting the surgery done this Wednesday
Reblogged this on moreinkpleaseblog.
Thank you for the reblog Beverly! I hope you are doing well in the Lord
Thanks for the two reviews. Both are important topics for believers today. Regarding the apostolic gifts for today, I generally keep my cessationist viewpoint bridled here at WordPress in the interest of not squabbling with my Pentecostal and charismatic brethren over secondaries, but on the other hand, coming from the background that I do, I’m very aware that the gifts prescribed by Pentecostals, Protestant charismatics, and Catholic charismatics are being used as common ground for ecumenism. Pope Francis has often celebrated this fact.
A good point about the majoring in the major and minoring in the minor. May we not minor in the major and major in the minor. Now I’m all tongue tied…”tongue” tied…get it? (I know that was cheesy).
LOL…No, I’m not taking the bait even though I’m tempted! 🙂 I’m now putting the bridle back on.
Support is so important. It is so important when, unlike Job, it never ends. Support is comforting when it is there in grace and truth. Worse than the suffering itself when it does not exist. Worse than the suffering when only Jobs councilors show up. worse yet when the pastor is less comforting than Jobs friends. Such is my experience. All to many pastors are long on theology yet non-existent on compassion. Ought not shepherds of all people bear one another’s burdens.
Amen brother
Hi there, I found your blog via Google even as searching for a comparable subject, your website got here up, it seems great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks
I enjoyed the reviews. Well worth reading daily. We need to keep our brains working.
If your belief is not in the God of the Bible, it will come to nothing else but ruin and heartache.
It makes all the difference with how we fight against sin
Anything by Poythress is worth getting
Good books, wish i could have them!
These reviews and your opinion are spoken like a true Calvinists
I actually remember buying Vern Poythress’ What Are Spiritual Gifts? At Christian Books when it first came out. I was still in high school. Yes I still have and read it.
Oh my! I can never have good books starring at me without buying them
Do these books go hard against hypocrisy? There’s nothing attractive about people relishing in their hogwash and hypocrisy ALL the while saying how they love Jesus. They’re members of those churches and this is what people look at and group Me with those. While these newer generations are getting pretty twisted before they can reason, they’re still innocent enough to see the fake and awful lifestyles of the church people. Many won’t even give you the time of day if they think you are one of those awful church people.
Do you see my point?
Homie you trying to help someone write a book review assignment or what 💯
Good reviews. I needed this uplifting message today. 🙌 Peace be with you also my friend. 🙏🏼
The reviews are fabulous!! 👏👏👏 Can’t wait to read both for myself
Will look for both books tomorrow. Your such a good book reviewer. Happy New Year to you and your family!