Nov

28

John Bunyan

Filed Under Books, John Bunyan, Puritans, Reading | Leave a Comment

Taking a glimpse at who was born on this day in history I noticed the name of John Bunyan.  Bunyan was born in Elston, England on November 28, 1628.  That historical fact gives me ample reason in this post to remind you of Derek Thomas’ parting words to our Fall Lecture series: “I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Pilgrim’s Progress and I hope you will reread it in the coming weeks.”

There is a misunderstanding amongst many Christians that to be a “well-read Christian” you need to have read many books.  Against that thought, I would make the suggestion that your soul would be done much more good if you pick a handful of really great Christian classics and reread them numerous times.  If we are going to agree with Solomon that, “to the making of books there is no end”, then we will also have need of some means of judging good books.  The test of history is a hard test to pass.  But if a book passes that test, you can be sure it is a good one.  Pilgrim’s Progress has passed the test of history with flying colors.  When I talk to dear old saints in Christ the one Christian book that always comes up as being of tremendous help to their souls is Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.  So, if you don’t own a copy, by one.  If you haven’t read your copy, take the upcoming Holiday season to read Pilgrim’s Progress and to learn at the tinker’s feet.

Nov

17

Good Books to Give or Get as Gifts

Filed Under Books, Christian Living, Family, John Bunyan, Music, Reading | Leave a Comment

That time of year is approaching where we, in recognition of the tremendous gift of redemption we have received in Jesus Christ, give gifts to one another. In may be that your more planned out family and friends are asking what you would like to receive for Christmas. To that end let me suggest a few books that you’ll find great to give or receive.

  • The ESV Bible - Phillip, Grant, and I use and love this translation. Don’t worry, you don’t have to feel disloyal to your translation of choice. I suggest everyone have one or two different translations they read from in addition to their favorite one. It keeps the text fresh. You’ll find the ESV to be on a higher reading level than the NIV and less wooden than the NAS.
  • Calvin’s Institutes - This is the classic summation of Reformed Theology. Get the Ford Lewis Battles translation only. Some of it is going to be over your head but the majority of it is quite honestly the best devotional material ever written.
  • Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress - If you don’t think you need to read this book, just ask someone who has attended our lecture series this fall. By most accounts this is the most popular book in history behind the Bible.
  • Ryle’s Holiness - This book rocked my spiritual world when I read it first in seminary. I’ve reread it many times and used it in small group settings. Ryle is so Biblically honest and insightful about Christian living you are constantly in a state of conviction over your sin and encouragement over the promises held out in the gospel.
  • Piper’s Desiring God - John Piper, in this book, elaborates on the first question of the Shorter Catechism, especially emphasizing our duty to enjoy God forever. If you think of Christianity as plan B drudgery full of sack cloth and weeping, this book will rock you back on your heels. Get it and find out what Piper means by “Christian hedonism.”
  • Elizabeth Prentiss’s Stepping Heavenward - For you ladies, this is a “girl book.” Generations of women have found this fictional diary of a woman’s growth in Christ to be both searching and encouraging to their own walk with Christ. For you hymnologists out there, Elizabeth Prentiss also wrote the hymn, More Love to Thee, O Christ.
  • The Trinity Hymnal - Every family should own a Trinity Hymnal. It is indispensable in conducting family worship in your home. It is also a tremendous aid in devotions as you read through hymnody, the devotion book of Christian history. As and added bonus you also pick up the Apostles’ Creed, Nicene Creed, Westminster Confession, and Shorter Catechism as items included in the appendix.
  • Terry Johnson’s The Family Worship Book - More than any other book this book helped me form the thought and practice behind how we do family worship in our home. It is intensly practicaly, providing the how-to’s that most fathers crave. If you’ve struggled to lead your family in worship, this will be a huge encouragment and help to you.

There are tons more that I could add but I’ll stop here for now. If Phillip, Grant, or you want to add to the list, simply leave a comment below.

Oct

24

Packer on Pilgrim’s Progress

Filed Under John Bunyan, Puritans, Reading | Leave a Comment

I read this quote by J. I. Packer on another (excellent) blog and had to pass it along considering our ongoing series on Thursday evening with Derek Thomas on Pilgrim’s Progress.  Packer writes:

“For two centuries Pilgrim’s Progress was the best-read book, after the Bible, in all Chrisendom, but sadly it is not so today. When I ask my classes of young and youngish evangelicals, as I often do, who has read Pilgrim’s Progress, not a quarter of the hands go up. Yet our rapport with fantasy writing, plus our lack of grip on the searching, humbling, edifying truths about spiritual life that the Puritans understood so well, surely mean that the time is ripe for us to dust off Pilgrim’s Progress and start reading it again. Certainly, it would be great gain for modern Christians if Bunyan’s masterpiece came back into its own in our day. Have you yourself, I wonder, read it yet?”
J. I. Packer, “Pilgrim’s Progress,” in The Devoted Life: An Invitation to the Puritan Classics , ed. Kapic and Gleason (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press: 2004), p. 198.

Remember that we have two meetings left for our Pilgrim’s Progress lectures.  Even if you haven’t come yet, we’d love to have you attend the last two on November 9 and 16.  Pick up a book, read through Vanity Fair, and you’ll be up to date.

Sep

15

Progressing Pilgrims

Filed Under John Bunyan, Puritans, Resources | Leave a Comment

The Pilgrim’s Progress lecture series began last night with an excellent introductory lecture into the life of John Bunyan and into his most famous work, Pilgrim’s Progress.  If you have not signed up or if you were not able to attend last night, don’t let that keep you from attending the rest of the series.  We will continue to meet on Thursday nights at 6:30 (Derek promises not to be late) through November 14.  We will not meet on October 26 (Missions Conference) or on November 2 (Derek travelling).

If you would like to read more on John Bunyan, take a look at the wikipedia entry for John Bunyan and make use of the various articles and websites at the bottom of the page.