What one pastor read last week (2.12 – 2.18.18)

NOTE: Gonna’ try to start keeping an online record of my reading for work. This will: 1) show others the types of things they could be reading, too; 2) will help me keep a searchable record of the topics I read about, and 3) help me start generating article ideas. I need to become a better writer. In the past, when inspiration has hit (to write more frequently) I often don’t have more than one idea at a time. This will help me keep a longer list of things I need to write about. Lastly, the frequency of questions from people (in the church) has increased in the last year and this approach will help me collect my thoughts in one place.

Last week, for Acts: “…to the end of the earth.” (Sunday School), I read from the following book(s) and came across these insights:

• God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (by James M. Hamilton, Jr.)
• • 6 pages, re: Acts 2:42-47
• Baptist Foundations: Church Government for an Anti-Institutional Age (Mark Dever, Jonathan Leeman, ed.)
• • pp.64-65, re: Acts 2:42
  • ***pp.88-89, re: how the ordinances should not be referred to as sacraments, why foot-washing is not one of the ordinances, and how the two ordinances that we do observe display the gospel
  • ***pp.137-139, re: strong exegetical evidence that Acts 2:42 is referring to the Lord’s Supper, not just a meal (like in Acts 27:35)
  • pp.154-158, re: 2:42
  • ***pp.178-179, re: church membership’s active role emphasized; there is no such thing as a passive church member
• Those Who Must Give an Account: A Study of Church Membership and Church Discipline (John S. Hammett, Benjamin Merkle, ed.)
• • 6 pages, re: Acts 2:42
  • • p.23 – first mention of “fellowship” in the New Testament
• The Church: The Gospel Made Visible (by Mark Dever)
• • 5 pages, re: Acts 2:42-47
• Church Membership: How the World Knows Who Represents Jesus (by Jonathan Leeman)
• • pp. 38, 88-90, 96, re: Acts 2:42-47
• Elders in the Life of the Church: Rediscovering the Biblical Model for Church Leadership (by Phil A. Newton and Matt Schmucker)
• • p.224 – , re: Acts 2:42 – list of verses demonstrating the absolute necessity for leaders in a local church
• The Compelling Community: Where God’s Power Makes a Church Attractive (by Mark Dever, Jamie Dunlop)
• • ***pp. 170-182, re: church discipline
  • ***pp. 188-189, a biblical tour of “community” vs “individual”

For study in 2 Peter (current sermon series), I read from the following book(s) and came across these insights:

• From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective (David Gibson, Jonathan Gibson, ed.)
• • p. 564, re: 2 Pet. 3:9 (Chapter 20: “Jesus Christ the Man: Toward a Systematic Theology of Definite Atonement”)
  • • ***J. I. Packer cited as saying,
    • • “God loves all in some ways”, and
      • “God loves some in all ways.”

General reading for work as a pastor:

• Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor  (Collin Hansen, ed.)
• • Rationale for reading: The lost all around us don’t realize (for the most part) just how secularized they have become and why they are not likely to commit to belief in Jesus Christ.
  • • Rather than reading Taylor’s original volume myself (900 pages), at this point in time, this is a more-accessible introduction to his thought. (Though, I am interested to read the primary source; maybe one day.)
  • pp.1-10
•  From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral Perspective (David Gibson, Jonathan Gibson, ed.)
• • Rationale for reading:This is a controversial topic and this volume provides a wide variety of contributors, and thus is a helpful overview of “definite atonement”. So far it has been very helpful to read about this doctrine in a variety of categories as well (ie “…Historical, Biblical, Theological, and Pastoral…”)
  • • p. 545, (Chapter 20: “Jesus Christ the Man: Toward a Systematic Theology of Definite Atonement”)
    • • ***the goal of exegesis:
      • • “…consistency [in biblical study] remains a value…[but these guidelines by John Frame are helpful]:
        • • “1. The primary goal of exegesis… is not logical consistency but faithfulness to the text.
          • “2. We must not simply push our logic relentlessly to the point where we ignore or deny a genuine biblical teaching.
          • “3. If no explicit logical consistency can be obtained without conflict with other biblical teaching, then we must remain satisfied with paradox.”
          • • Cited from
            • • John M. Frame, “The Problem of Theological Paradox,” in Foundations of Christian Scholarship: Essays in the Van Til Perspective, A Chalcedon Study, ed. Gary North (Vallecito, CA: Ross, 1976), 325.
• Jonathan Edwards: Lover of God (Essential Edwards Collection; by Owen Strachan and Douglas Sweeney)
• • pp.19-44
  • Rationale for reading: I have not read much of Edwards’ primary material; these short books are a helpful introduction to his ideas.

***denotes future article forthcoming