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The Really Big List of Kindle Deals

Now that the 2013 Gospel Coalition Conference has come and gone, a lot of publishers have released some amazing deals on Kindle books related to the event. I’ve rounded them up, added a bunch of other great deals, and made it all into one really big list. I’ve even tried to categorize the books for you. Enjoy!

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Best Commentaries on Deuteronomy

Series Introduction: I live in a small house. I work in a small office in a small church. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. When I add a book I almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity. Over the past couple of years I have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the Bible. I know when I’m in way over my head, so before I began I collected every good resource I could find that rated and reviewed commentaries. I studied them and then began my collection on the basis of what the experts told me. Since I did all of that work, and since I continue to keep up with the project, I thought it might be helpful to share the recommendations.

My focus is on newer commentaries (at least in part because most of the classics are now freely or cheaply available) and I am offering approximately 5 recommendations for each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old Testament and the New. Today I will finish up the Pentateuch by sharing what I learned about Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy CommentaryPeter C. Craigie - The Book of Deuteronomy (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). As is usually the case, there is one commentary that most experts agree to be at the top of the class. For Deuteronomy pride of place belongs to Peter Craigie whom Tremper Longman describes as being “among the best of recent evangelical interpreters” and “an astute theologian and philologist.” Several commentators affirm that he is firmly evangelical in his perspective. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

J.G. McConville - Deuteronomy (Apollos Old Testament Commentary). McConville’s work also receives many accolades. Derek Thomas notes that McConville waffles a little bit on the book’s dating and authorship but “rightly sees the notion of covenant as the regulating principle of Deuteronomy and astutely shows the importance of Deuteronomy for our understanding of the prophetic books.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

DeuteronomyJ.A. Thompson - Deuteronomy (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). J.A. Thompson’s contribution to the TOTC series is shorter and more suited to a general audience than the previous two volumes. Keith Mathison offers this short review: “For those seeking a good introductory level commentary on the book of Deuteronomy, the commentary by Thompson in the Tyndale series is the best place to begin. For an introductory level commentary, it is surprisingly insightful.” The TOTC is quite consistent in providing high-quality entry-level commentaries. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

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Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: April 2013

Wallpaper Sponsor
April is upon us, and to get the month started right, here are some wallpapers calendars to dress up your computer, tablet or cell phone. This month’s wallpaper comes from my good friends at Church Plant Media (and I mean that-- they’re actually friends). Specifically, it comes from Andrew Bradshaw, their Creative Director. Church Plant Media builds web sites for church and missions (including the site for my church, GFCTO.com). They are also sponsoring my trip down to The Gospel Coalition conference next week; you can expect to see more of their sponsorship around here in the days to come.

A few notes: Your desktop or laptop may take any of the sizes, depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. You can click here to see what your resolution is. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it's open) and selecting "Set as Background," "Set as Desktop Background," or something similar. If you aren't sure, post a comment and we'll try to help you figure it out.

Pray

April 2013

With Calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

Without Calendar: Facebook Cover, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPad, 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

Churchplantmedia

Best Commentaries on John

Series Introduction: I live in a small house. I work in a small office in a small church. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. When I add a book I almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity. Over the past couple of years I have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the Bible. I know when I’m in way over my head, so before I began I collected every good resource I could find that rated and reviewed commentaries. I studied them and then began my collection on the basis of what the experts told me. Since I did all of that work, and since I continue to keep up with the project, I thought it might be helpful to share the recommendations.

My focus is on newer commentaries (at least in part because most of the classics are now freely or cheaply available) and I am offering approximately 5 recommendations for each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old Testament and the New. Today I’ll share what I learned about John.

John

I have been alternating between the Old Testament and the New. The last commentary round-up was on Numbers, undoubtedly one of the least-preached books of the Bible. This time I am looking to John, clearly one of the books most commonly preached. There are a multitude of commentaries to choose from and, best of all, a large number of excellent commentaries. Here are the five that seem to represent the consensus.

D.A. Carson Gospel on JohnD.A. Carson - The Gospel According to John (Pillar New Testament Commentary). This is the near-unanimous choice of those who have written commentaries on the commentaries. Keith Mathison says, “This commentary shows Carson's usual exegetical care and insight. It is an example of conservative evangelical scholarship at its best. Very highly recommended to any who want to understand better the Gospel of John.” Several experts point to its readability, suggesting that it is suitable for every audience—scholars, pastors and laypersons. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Leon Morris - The Gospel According to John (New International Commentary on the New Testament). The experts agree that Carson’s is the best in the field, but there is also consensus that Leon Morris’ volume in the NICNT is excellent and an excellent complement to Carson’s work. If you buy it used, be sure to get the second edition (1995) rather than the first (1971) since it offers several important modifications and reflects some of the more recent theological questions and controversies. You may want to buy it soon as it has already been replaced by J. Ramsey Michaels’ work and is increasingly difficult to find. (Amazon)

Keener JohnCraig S. Keener - The Gospel of John. Craig Kenner has written a massive two-volume set on John that is not part of any commentary series. His unique and uniquely helpful focus is on setting the book of John in its Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts and several commentators express their view that he does this very well. This is a commentary that is probably best suited to those who are doing an in-depth study, either for preaching or for scholarly work. Casual readers would do better with Carson or Morris. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

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Best Commentaries on Numbers

Series Introduction: I live in a small house. I work in a small office in a small church. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. When I add a book I almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity. Over the past couple of years I have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the Bible. I know when I'm in way over my head, so before I began I collected every good resource I could find that rated and reviewed commentaries. I studied them and then began my collection on the basis of what the experts told me. Since I did all of that work, and since I continue to keep up with the project, I thought it might be helpful to share the recommendations.

My focus is on newer commentaries (at least in part because most of the classics are now freely or cheaply available) and I am offering approximately 5 recommendations for each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old Testament and the New. Today I'll share what I learned about Numbers.

Numbers

I am quite sure I have never had the privilege of hearing a verse-by-verse treatment of Numbers. My guess is that very few preachers ever get to the book and that it may well be among the least-preached books of the Pentateuch and possibly of the whole Bible. Nevertheless, if a preacher does choose to preach through it, it appears that there are some good commentaries to help guide him.

Wenham NumbersGordon Wenham - Numbers (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). Once again, as with both Genesis and Leviticus, Gordon Wenham finds himself right at the top of the list. Keith Mathison says Wenham is “among the best contemporary writers of commentaries,” a judgment that seems to fit the evidence. The experts agree that his commentary is theologically sound and that, though limited by the constraints of the TOTC series, it is a must-have for anyone who intends to study or preach Numbers. At $10 is seems quite the bargain (Amazon, Westminster Books).

R. Dennis Cole -- Numbers (The New American Commentary). As with several previous books of the Bible, the first choice is quite clear while others are a little more difficult to figure out. Still, the experts regard Cole as an excellent option after Wenham. It is one of the few volumes that receives Tremper Longman’s 5-star rating. He calls it a “substantial, well-written commentary that navigates the scholarly literature well, incorporating what is good and rejecting what is bad, while still keeping its individual contribution.” He says its greatest strength is “in its sensitive theological reading.” That is high praise! (Amazon)

Ashley NumbersTimothy R. Ashley - The Book of Numbers (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). Timothy Ashley’s volume receives accolades from most of the experts. Keith Mathison compares Wenham with Ashley and says, “For those seeking a more thorough evangelical commentary on Numbers than the Tyndale format will allow, Ashley's work is a great place to turn. He very helpfully explores the important theological themes within the book.” Depending on who you consult, you could go with either this or Cole as the volume to follow Wenham (Amazon, Westminster Books).

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New & Notable Book Reviews

I love writing book reviews and I love reading them. Since I cannot possibly read and review all of the interesting books out there, I publish occasional round-ups of reviews written by other writers. Or even if I am able to review the book, it’s always good to get a second opinion. So here are a few notable links I’ve collected recently:

The Call by Os Guinness. Here is an oldie but a goodie reviews reviewed by Drew Bratcher: “In a wide-ranging 2010 interview with 9Marks, Guinness, an Oxford-trained sociologist who started the D.C.-based leadership-training outfit the Trinity Forum, was asked about his work as a public intellectual. ‘I try to make serious scholarship intelligible and practical to ordinary people,’ he said. Indeed part of the pleasure of reading The Call comes from witnessing Guinness do that very thing. He is an adept synthesizer of history, of arts and culture, of the proclivities of the human heart. The book is philosophically sprawling, yet anecdotally flush. Guinness nimbly surveys the historical distortions of the theology of work--on the one end the Protestant tendency to elevate the secular over the spiritual, on the other the Catholic penchant to do the reverse--all the while finding exemplars of his ideas everywhere.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

Starr Meade offers a joint review of two very different yet connected books, The Intolerance of Tolerance by D.A. Carson and A Queer Thing Happened to America by Michael L. Brown: “What shocked me in both books were the examples, case after case, every one well-documented, wherein ‘tolerance’ demands acceptance, and even promotion, of actual beliefs. Simply making allowance for people to hold those beliefs no longer qualifies as tolerance. Here my naivet became apparent; I always thought ‘diversity’ had to do with disabilities, different ethnicities, etc. Evidently, it has come to mean actively promoting the LBGT--lesbian/bisexual/gay/transgender--lifestyle: to be diverse, a company must fly the rainbow on gay pride day and sponsor drag queen events. Brown lists many businesses, banks, and corporations in America--and I guarantee that you do business with at least one, probably several of these, every day--who actively and purposefully pursue ‘diversity" in these ways. Carson, too, cites numerous examples of the new tolerance. One such instance was that of an adjunct university professor who engaged students on campus at a table representing Students for Justice in Palestine. The professor disagreed with the students' claims that the Israelis treat Palestinians just like Hitler treated Jews. The discussion grew heated (but not violent), and the professor was suspended in spite of his excellent teaching record. His offense: he had argued with students’ opinions, and the students--and evidently the university--took that to mean he had insulted and demeaned the students themselves.” (Learn more about The Intolerance of Tolerance at Amazon or Westminster Books. Learn more about A Queer Thing Happened to America at Amazon.)

Faith Mapping by Daniel Montgomery and Mike Cosper. Reviewed by Mike Leake. “With all of the focus these days on gospel-centered books I believe this book is a welcome addition. I appreciate that Cosper and Montgomery tie together friends that are often treated as enemies; namely the gospel as kingdom and the gospel of the cross. I also believe every disciple would greatly benefit from a thorough exploration of the second section of this book. The Map It section at the end of each chapter would make this book pretty easily adaptable for a small group gathering.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

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Best Commentaries on Luke

Series Introduction: I live in a small house. I work in a small office in a small church. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. When I add a book I almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity. Over the past couple of years I have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the Bible. I know when I'm in way over my head, so before I began I collected every good resource I could find that rated and reviewed commentaries. I studied them and then began my collection on the basis of what the experts told me. Since I did all of that work, and since I continue to keep up with the project, I thought it might be helpful to share the recommendations.

My focus is on newer commentaries (at least in part because most of the classics are now freely or cheaply available) and I am offering approximately 5 recommendations for each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old Testament and the New. Today I'll share what I learned about Luke.

Luke

Bock LukeDarrell L. Bock - Luke 1:1-9:50 & Luke 9:51-24:53 (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). The clear and unanimous leader in the field is this 2,100-page two-volume set by Darrell Bock. It receives accolades for being thorough but not dense, for being conservative, and for having plenty of theological discussion that makes it especially useful for sermon preparation. D.A. Carson praises the volumes for being “recent, comprehensive, well written, and intelligent.” Do note that Bock has written two other volumes on Luke but that if you own these, you will not need the others. (Amazon: Volume 1 & Volume 2, Westminster Books: Volume 1 & Volume 2)

Robert H. Stein - Luke (New American Commentary). Stein’s 642-page commentary is positively small next to Bock’s. It is considered an intermediate-level commentary that may be a little too advanced for the casual reader; the pastor or scholar well-versed in Greek may want to pass it up in favor of Bock and Marshall (see below). One benefit of this commentary is that it is reasonably-priced and thus good value for the money. (Amazon)

Morris LukeLeon Morris - Luke (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries). The inherent and deliberate limits of the Tyndale New Testament Commentaries means that this volume is relatively short (370 pages) and written at a popular level. This is the entry-level commentary for those who would like just one volume on Luke. Morris has written commentaries on many books of the Bible and they are uniformly sound even if they are rarely considered the top of the class. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

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New & Notable Books

I am in the unique and enjoyable position of receiving copies of most of the latest and greatest Christian books and I like to provide regular roundups of some of the best and brightest of the bunch. Here are some of the notable books that I’ve received:

Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther by Steven J. Lawson. “In The Heroic Boldness of Martin Luther, author Steven J. Lawson shows the convictions and practices that fed Luther’s pulpit boldness. It all began with his deep commitment to the Word of God, through which he had come to his freeing understanding of justification by faith alone. Luther was outspoken in the pulpit because he was so deeply devoted to Scripture, seeing it as inspired, inerrant, clear, sufficient, and supremely authoritative. For these reasons, he believed that the preaching of the Word was to be at the heart of the church’s worship.” (Learn more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

Gospel-Centered Leadership by Steve Timmis. “Our world is awash with Leadership trainers and gurus, claiming to show how people can do their job better. But Christians only have one role model for leadership in practice--the Lord Jesus Christ. And the leadership he calls us to is radically different to the kind of leadership the world looks to. It is humble and servant-hearted. The aim of this book is to help us think through what shape, color and texture the gospel gives to leadership. It is for all kinds of leaders - formal or informal, experienced or novice, actual or aspiring, skilled or simply doing the best they can. It is for leaders of churches, small groups, youth groups, large groups and even tiny groups of one or two. The short, punchy chapters - with Bible studies, questions for reflection and ideas for action - build into a manual for testing and improving your own leadership as well as helping others grow into gospel-centered leaders.” (Learn more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

Pilgrim Theology by Michael Horton. “Pilgrim Theology is based—in part—on the much larger The Christian Faith, although it is no simple abridgment; rather, Michael Horton has sought to write for an entirely new and wider audience, intentionally making it more useful for both group and individual study. Horton reviews the biblical passages that have given rise to particular doctrines in addition to surveying past and present interpretations. Also included are sidebars showing the key distinctions readers need to grasp on a particular subject, helpful charts and tables illuminating exegetical and historical topics, and questions at the end of each chapter for individual, classroom, and small group reflection. Pilgrim Theology is especially appropriate for undergraduate students, educated laypersons, or anyone looking to gain a basic understanding of Reformed theology’s biblical and historical foundations.” (Learn more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

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Free Desktop Wallpaper Calendars: March 2013

Wallpaper Sponsor
March is upon us, and to get the month started right, here are some wallpapers calendars to dress up your computer, tablet or cell phone. This month’s wallpaper comes courtesy of Nathan Davis of Destiny Creative, a full service media company based in Oklahoma City, OK.

A few notes: Your desktop or laptop may take any of the sizes, depending on your monitor size and a host of other considerations. You can click here to see what your resolution is. Generally you set one of these are your wallpaper by clicking on the link to the image, then right-clicking on the image (once it's open) and selecting "Set as Background," "Set as Desktop Background," or something similar. If you aren't sure, post a comment and we'll try to help you figure it out.

Resurrection

March 2013

With Calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

Without Calendar: Facebook Cover, iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPad, 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

Thanks to Nathan for the new design. And since this month will mark celebrations of both Good Friday and Easter, here are some other desktop wallpapers related to those days and all they represent to Christians.

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Best Commentaries on Leviticus

Series Introduction: I live in a small house. I work in a small office in a small church. For those reasons and others I will never have a huge library. When I add a book I almost always remove a book, a practice that allows me to focus on quality over quantity. Over the past couple of years I have focused on building a collection of commentaries that will include only the best volumes on each book of the Bible. I know when I'm in way over my head, so before I began I collected every good resource I could find that rated and reviewed commentaries. I studied them and then began my collection on the basis of what the experts told me. Since I did all of that work, and since I continue to keep up with the project, I thought it might be helpful to share the recommendations.

My focus is on newer commentaries (at least in part because most of the classics are now freely or cheaply available) and I am offering approximately 5 recommendations for each book of the Bible, alternating between the Old Testament and the New. Today I'll share what I learned about Leviticus.

Leviticus

I had more difficulty sorting through the options for Leviticus than I had with any of the previous books. The top recommendation was very clear, but after that it was quite a bit more cloudy. In the end I chose commentaries that were recommended by multiple experts and that were both conservative and Evangelical in flavor.

Wenham LeviticusGordon Wenham - The Book of Leviticus (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament). The clear leader in the field is Wenham whose volume is recommended by every commentator on the commentaries. Jim Rosscup of the Master’s Seminary quotes Dan Phillips who says it is a “Sparkling, inviting and generally convincing effort at showing the modern meaning and relevance of Leviticus, based on the legitimate and inherent meaning of the text. [It is] indispensable for preaching or teaching, and rewarding for personal (serious) study.” Note that Wenham’s work on Genesis is also the most-recommended volume for that book. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Mark Rooker - Leviticus (New American Commentary). Determining that Wenham’s was top of the class was quite simple; finding which commentaries to recommend subsequently proved much more difficult. Rooker’s work is widely praised and is the second I would add to a collection. Keith Mathison says, “Many of the commentaries in the NAC series are strong, and Rooker's work on Leviticus is a good example. It is both exegetically thorough and well written.” High praise, indeed. (Amazon)

Currid LeviticusJohn Currid - A Study Commentary on Leviticus (Evangelical Press Study Commentary). Currid’s volume has not been as widely reviewed as many of the others. However, Derek Thomas says of it, “Clearly and cogently presents Leviticus as a series of directories for public worship and establishes the importance of Leviticus for the NT. Especially helpful on the Holiness Code.” I love Currid’s work because I consider him especially conservative and trustworthy. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

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