Have you ever considered why God would reveal Himself in a book? Think about that for
a moment. God, the Eternal One, decided to reveal His essence, His Character, and His divine
attributes in a book. What we know of God in creation is incomplete without His revelation of
Himself through words. The ability to reason, write, and read are gifts that God in His kindness
has given us. Reading is also something very few people enjoy. If we pause for a moment and
consider that God used human authors to communicate His message, we will begin to enjoy
reading more. Just as God used human authors to write Scripture, so he continues to give men
wisdom to write books that benefit us today.
Maybe you’re a busy seminary student who is dreading the amount of reading
assignments you have. Maybe you’re a High School student who doesn’t enjoy reading. Maybe
you’re a busy mother trying to find time to read that stack of books by your bed. Maybe you’re a
hard-working man who is mentally exhausted after a long day at work, and picking up a book is
just another mentally exhausting task. Whatever walk of life you find yourself in think about the
joy of knowing God more.
That’s why we read. Classics like C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” helps enhance
our view of King Jesus through the character of Aslan the Great. We open up the pages of J.I.
Packer’s “Knowing God” and we see the realization that God has made Himself known, and He
has elected a people for His own possession. Maybe you are a parent, and your children really
enjoy Andrew Peterson’s “The Wingfeather Saga” telling the adventures of the Jewels of
Anneira. The saga of three children who are displaced from their royal home in Anneira.
Peterson writes in a way that captivates the attention of children and adults alike. The children
are drawn in by vivid pictures, and adults understand the eternal implications of the book. The
enemy, Gnag the Nameless, believes that material wealth and power are supreme. While, the
children of the book, are the true Jewels. Such writing helps us to see how God views His
people.
Reading is a gift from God that allows us to know Him more. The Bible is supreme to all
other books, but God has granted certain men and women to write in such a way that it reveals
His splendor. Packer explains God’s supreme love being seen in the adoption of certain
individuals into His family. Lewis explains the problem of man’s pride. John Bunyan writes
about the pilgrimage of the Christian from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. God uses
words to make Himself known.
While reading is an essential part of the Christian life and Christian formation, it is
important to note that not all books that are labeled as “Christian” are truly Christian. Some of
the best-selling books of our time include Sarah Youngs, “Jesus Calling,” Joel Osteen’s, “The
Power of I Am,” and many other heretical health, wealth, and prosperity heretical books.
Unfortunately, authors like these make Christian bookstores one of the most dangerous places a
Christian can go. Discernment is something that Christians will gain over time, but it is
important that we warn them against certain books lest they be tossed to and fro by every wind of
doctrine (Ephesians 4:14b). ​
With all that said, I am excited to introduce to you a new ministry of The Master’s
Community Church. I will be writing book reviews for the church. These are books that we want
you to read. We believe that they will strengthen your faith, focus your attention on Christ, and
build you up. These reviews will be broken into two distinct categories: classics and current.
Classics will consist of works that have been around for some time and have benefitted
thousands, potentially millions of Christian lives. Currents will be more recent works.
My hope is three-fold. First, that you would fall more in love with the person and work of
Jesus Christ. Second, you would stretch your limits and read material you might not normally
read. Last, by reading this material together as brothers and sisters we would grow in our love
and our fellowship with one another.
I pray that as you read these reviews, and perhaps these books you would glory all the
more in the work of Christ. We have a glorious Savior who wants to be known. Let’s read more
about Him and as a result, love Him all the more.