New Book Review: The Wonder of the Word

The Wonder of the Word is the second book in the Kingdom Pastor's Library authored by Dr. Tony Evans (father of authors Priscilla Shirer and Chrystal Hurst Evans as well as singer Johnathan Evans).

So the purpose of the Kingdom Pastor's Library is to put carefully written resources in place for pastor's who cannot quite afford to go to a seminary school for formal biblical training. The goal is to give sound resources and information and knowledge to those of us who cannot afford seminary. 

And that is why I could not wait to review this book because as a stay-at-home mom, my family lives on one income so going to seminary is not in the cards for me in the foreseeable future. But being able to read the vast knowledge available from sound theologians and pastors is much more affordable and allows me to learn on my time as my schedule permits.

So, my first reaction: Dr. Tony did NOT disappoint.

As you can see from the above table of contents, Dr. Tony Evans starts with the authority of Scripture helping the reader to understand that the Scripture has great authority as divinely inspired by God. Not only that but it is inerrant, meaning without error. Then the second chapter is on the sufficiency of Scripture, meaning that Scripture is sufficient for us in all seasons. No part of Scripture is insufficient or lacking. It is good in every season of life and therefore all of it is worth preaching and teaching. The third chapter is on canonicity which is how the books of the bible were chosen and set as the Bible as we know it. This is one of the best chapters because as many believers know there are many who seek to undermine the Bible by stating that there was ungodly bias in choosing which books made it into the Bible. But Dr. Tony Evans helps the reader to understand and be assured of the canon of the Bible. Some books lacked doctrinal consistency, in which all books of the bible are consistent and all support each other rather than contradict each other. 

The New Testament books were chosen based on the fact they were written by eyewitness apostles or those within the circle of the apostles (like Luke and James & Jude, brothers of Jesus), they also had to retain the consistency of the rest of the books written. All of the epistles regardless of the writer has a certain level of consistency where they can be referred to each other for greater understanding. For example, you can look to Peter's letters to understand something Paul wrote, and you can look to the Old Testament to further understand what is written in Hebrews Now mind you this was not even chosen during their lifetimes, as Scripture during their lifetimes would have been the Old Testament, the books of law, the books of the prophets, the books of poetry, and the books of history, which had already been gathered as Scripture. 

Then we come to the fourth chapter Transmission which is transmitting the message, preaching and teaching. Dr Evans covers four concepts involved in studying and preparing to teach Scripture: Revelation, Inspiration, Illumination, and Reception. Revelation is that part of the bible study where the Holy Spirit literally reveals God's heart in what you are studying.  Inspiration in this sense is the same in which books of the bible were written. Inspired by God, meaning that we allow God to guide our writing. Illumination is to be enlightened, as pg 90 puts it: "it is the work of the Holy Spirit that allows us to understand, experience, and apply the truth of God to our lives." Now Reception got its own chapter based on the fact that when we've studied God's word and we've gained an understanding of its truth, we're now in a position to receive Scripture and apply it to our own lives BEFORE we even preach or teach it. We can't preach or teach anything until we have come into submission to it. The Word of God sanctifies you and promotes intimacy with Christ, a personal relationship with Jesus. Then, the last chapter is Application which helps the reader to understand how personal application then needs to relate to the congregation and encourages them to not only study for themselves but to actually apply what they learn in their own lives. 

When the Bible says to study to show thyself approved (2Timothy 2:15) its more than just studying God's Word but to show thyself approved is to apply that studying to your life and when you consistently apply, then you've shown yourself approved because you're living what you're preaching. 

And so my rating: TWO thumbs up for this book. It's not too long a read but it packs a great punch and it definitely worth reading for anyone wanting greater confidence of Scripture and the due diligence in not only gaining confidence in Scripture but what's necessary ethically to teach Scripture.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament

This one of the most massive undertakings on reviewing a book that I've done. The closest I've come was the Inductive Bible Study textbook I reviewed two years ago.

First the surface, this book is over 600 pages and has a large contributory team to give us a comprehensive overview and introduction to the New Testament of the Bible. There are also additional articles on the New Testament in the appendixes to the book (authored by the contributors of course). And thankfully there is an abbreviation guide at the beginning of the book to help forgetful folk like myself. 

Another thing to note is that this overview of the New Testament is written from a reformed theology approach, as all of the contributors are either current or past professors at Reformed Theological Seminary. Beliefs of Reformed: 

• Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone): the Bible alone is the highest authority. 
•  Sola Fide (faith alone): faith is the sole instrument of our justification. 
• Sola Gratia (grace alone): we are saved by the grace of God alone, not by works. 
• Solus Christus (Christ alone): Christ is the only Mediator between God and man. 
• Soli Deo Gloria (to the glory of God alone): all of life is lived for the glory of God alone.

Biblical theology is considered biblical because it focuses on "its principle of organizing the Biblical material is historical rather than logical", as stated in the introduction.

Each chapter is focused on a specific book of the Bible, with the chapters flowing in the same order of the Bible from Matthew to Revelation. So in each chapter, we get an introduction and extensive background & context information on the book:

• author
• audience
• the date it was written
• the purpose of the book,
• a structured outline of the book
• an overview of the book (a quick breakdown of the book almost like a commentary)
• The authors also cover the message and theology presented in each book of the New Testament
• Each author also presents their bibliography which presents the reader with the chance for further study.

So my personal take on this book is that while it is not exhaustive, it is quite comprehensive and provides a solid foundation to build upon during study. I like this book as a great study companion especially when it comes to getting the context correct. Inaccurate context and understanding can lead to inappropriate messages and application.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.}

Biblical Commentaries by Joyce Meyer

So here are two books from Joyce Meyer. They are interactive Bible Commentaries. While some websites categorize the books as bible studies, they are not. They are commentaries that have room for you to jot down what you glean. The sections come at the end of the chapter called Personal Reflections. Joyce generally tackles passage by passage for each chapter in the book. For example, Ephesians 1:3 has its own section within chapter 1 on spiritual blessings (relating to the verse). 

The purpose of these books seems to be to break down these epistles for the general public. There are so many people who read the Bible who are not quite students (meaning having gone to seminary). You won't find root language break down in these commentaries, however, you will find a clear break down of the text. You will also notice that the main text in use is the Amplified translation (which is Meyer's personal choice and is the translation for the Bible she edited).

Normally I'd recommend these books as it helps with a basic understanding of God's Word. They are a bit on the expensive side for a single book commentary (more than I'd be willing to pay).  They retail for $20 each (you often can find a good commentary with ALL the books of the Bible in it for just a bit more than that).

And as always with anything by Joyce Meyer, use caution and consult reliable sources. She's been known to be inaccurate to the point of being labelled a false teacher (someone who sounds good but sound biblical study will show their lies). 

If you'd like to learn more or to purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/JamesandEphesians

(As always I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.)

The Lifegiving Parent

There are some authors I instinctively turn to for parenting advice. Sally Clarkson is one of them. She has a remarkable way of showing parents, especially mothers how our motherhood is ministry work even if we never actually serve in a ministry at church. And here we come to the finale of a trilogy of books (the review for book 1 will come after this one). 

The Lifegiving series is one that seeks to transform the way in which we live, in how hospitable we are, and how we parent our children. It's not pushy as you must do these things but is more of showing different ways that she and her husband are doing it and have been doing it for decades. 

The Lifegiving Parent is a joint effort between Sally and her husband, Clay. Prior to reading, I thought it would be equal writing between them as I absolutely enjoy Sally's writing style. However, after reading, I realize that this is really Clay's book. Sally contributes at the end of each chapter little tidbits of momoirs of her take on what Clay has discussed in the chapter.

I'll be honest, it is a fairly good book when it comes advice on parenting. It has 8 touchpoints of ways we as parents shape and give life to our children. Each one is equally important to the parenting of our children and each one plays a huge part in who they will eventually become. And as parents, especially as Christ-following parents who want to be intentional about raising our children to have a strong foundation and faith in Christ, this book is a good point in the right direction for accomplishing that goal.

My only drawback is that I expected more of Sally's writing. Much of the promotion on this book is that it is a Sally Clarkson book, only to realize once you start reading that it is really a Clay Clarkson book and it banks on Sally's name to draw the audience. Clay is a good writer, however, for me, he doesn't have the charm and drawing in the reader quality like Sally does. Sally's words do more than tell a story and convey a message they illustrate the imagery she wants you to see and helps you to imagine the sights and smells that she's telling you about. Clay's writing does not quite have that effect and that's OK because it's what distinguishes him from Sally. 

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

The CSB Study Bible for Women

One thing I love is a good bible. Especially a good study bible, with great features and great study notes.

The CSB Study Bible for Women actually falls in line with the other two Woman's Study Bibles that I've reviewed You can find them here. While yes, they are published by different publishing houses and are different translations, what they do have in common is the editing team is the same. So you will notice A LOT of similar features. The blue floral design is similarly found in the CSB and the NIV versions. The opening pages are similar. They both feature a Ketubah breakdown and family lineage pages.

Now, this study bible has word studies, which feature a frequently used word on a certain page then that word is broken down to its root word.

This is the edition I was given to review. I quite like it. It's simple yet beautiful. There are also TWO ribbon markers which is awesome!! Especially since I am known to be reading in more than one place at a time.

So this is what a book introduction look likes it includes an outline of the book as well. For those of us who tend to study more deeply and want to know the specifics of when a book was written, the timeline at the bottom of the page is quite helpful. It offers biblical events and world events of that time period.

This is where we can see a word study in action. Some word study sections feature more than one word as seen in the previous set of pictures. Also featured is "hard question" where certain questions are answered (each hard question section relates to the passage it is found near).

The "doctrine" sections, break down certain doctrine's within the Christian faith. Each doctrine section is found where the foundation of that doctrine is found in Scripture. 

I personally like the CSB Study Bible for Women better than the other versions I've come across that was edited by Dorothy Kelley Patterson and Rhonda Harrington Kelley. This one has more useful information embedded. The concordance is larger in the CSB as well. I also like that this bible does not feel as heavy as other full-size study bibles. 

It is also quite beautiful and as I've noticed quite popular among women (I'm in a facebook war binder group with hundreds of women). I've seen it recommended MANY times. I would definitely recommend it. The only thing I would add is in-text cross references. However, I'm sure it would make the bible much bulkier.

{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Journal the Word Reference Bible, NIV

So this Bible came last week (one of two that came for review). And I was SO thrilled. Why? One is it is a journaling bible but more because it is a reference journaling Bible. This is quite rare. Usually, most bibles do not have cross-references in them like so. The last couple of study bibles I received did not have cross-references. And for good studying, you NEED cross-references. Why? Because it allows the Bible to speak for itself and be its own commentary.

As you can see it is actually quite thick. So I do not recommend this become a Bible to tote around with you because it is heavy. There's also a ribbon marker. 

This is what the average page looks like. It is a single column with ample writing space. And there's a single column that shows verse by verse cross-references. The pages are thin but not so thin that my gel pens (I use these instead of highlighters) bleed through.

This is the back of the packaging so you can get an idea of all of the other resources in it. For example, the dictionary-concordance feature is really nice, of course not quite as comprehensive as having a completely separate book for it but still good enough. Also, as you can see this is a red letter Bible (words of Jesus speaking are printed in red). And I love the elastic closure as it allows me to leave a thin notepad with my Bible without losing it.

All in all. 2 thumbs up. Literally one of the most resourceful journaling Bibles that I've had the pleasure of coming across. 

FYI: I received this Bible from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.

The Gospel According to Paul

The Gospel According to Paul is John MacArthur's breakdown of Paul's letters in the Bible as well as the missionary trips Paul undertook. John takes care to expound on the truths contained in Paul's letters as they relate to the teachings of Jesus. Not only that but John helps us to understand key passages in the Pauline letters. This book functions almost like a commentary on key passages of Pauline Epistles. 

John MacArthur makes sure to examine key passages in the Pauline letters. MacArthur asks some key questions that are the foundation of our faith and answers them with Scripture and uses Paul's letters to do so. Some of those questions are:

What is the gospel?

What are the essential elements of the gospel?

How can we be certain we have it right?

We NEED to know and understand and digest the gospel. We should know what the gospel is and be able to explain to the next person as well as know Scripture to back it up. We should know the essential elements of the gospel like who is Jesus, who is the Holy Spirit, who is God. We should know their relationship and how they relate to us. We should know the function of the church and those within the church like your pastor. We should know what God likes and dislikes. We should know why God allowed Jesus to come here. And those are the types of questions that John MacArthur asks and helps us to understand.


{FYI: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}

Pastoral Theology

This book seems to focus on the what rather than the do of pastors. What do they believe, why do they believe it and how it impacts those they lead. 

I believe this book is hugely important because pastors play such a role in the body of Christ that they are responsible for shepherding God's people and their hearts. And that is what this book addresses. It addresses the different rhetoric and ways that we fall by the wayside. It helps those in ministry (even those not pastors) to see the areas in which they are relying more on theology and knowledge rather than God, Himself. One of my favorite quotes is that "The required characteristics establish the pastor as a representative of the One whom he ultimately serves and to whom he must give an account." To be a pastor is more than preaching on Sundays and collecting an offering. It is more than a platform. But rather a pastor is a representative of God and ultimately that is who they serve and report to. The church board is not the highest authority the pastor is accountable to. And as such pastors must be aware of and meet the characteristics set forth by God's Word. This even applies to those who simply operate a ministry but may not be a pastor. 

The book approaches pastorship and ministry from a theological, Christological, pneumatological, anthropological, ecclesiological, missiological, ministerial, homiletical, and familial perspectives. By approaching from these many perspectives (each receiving their own chapter) the authors help us view pastorship and ministry from different angles so that we grasp the accountability of the roles we find ourselves in. And how we are responsible for them. 

I recommend this book to those in any form of ministry, not just those in a pastorship, although I highly recommend those in or training for the pastorship.

{FYI, I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.}

Ecclesiastes Commentary

This is apart of a new commentary series. Each book of the bible is approached in a way that attempts to explain the book of the bible from a Christ centered perspective. So the copy I received is on Ecclesiastes. 

I will be totally honest: 

I am NOT a fan of this approach to writing a commentary. 

I prefer a verse by verse breakdown versus going section by section breaking down the meaning. I also dislike how the commentary seems to jump around at times, trying to tie together different themes found in the book.

I would not recommend this commentary to anyone.

{FYI: I did receive this book from the publisher (B&H) in exchange for my HONEST opinion.}