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. Of all the books I have received recently, here are the ones that appear most noteworthy.

Glimpses of Grace by Gloria Furman. I count Gloria as a friend, having invited myself to take advantage of her (and her husband's) hospitality when I was in Dubai last year. I am really excited to see her first book in print. "Sometimes life feels a lot like a burden--day-in and day-out it's the same chores and tasks, challenges and discouragements, anxieties and responsibilities. Dust bunnies show up on the stairwell, social commitments clutter the calendar, and our families demand daily attention and care. At times, just catching our breath seems like an impossible feat. Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or a working woman splitting time between the office and home, Gloria Furman--writer, pastor's wife, cross-cultural worker, and mom--encourages us to see the reality of God's grace in all of life, especially those areas that often appear to be boring and unimportant. Using personal examples and insightful stories, her richly theological reflections help us experience the gospel's extraordinary power to transform our ordinary lives." Aileen and I read this book in pre-publication and were glad to write an endorsement for it. (Learn more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books).

The Gospel For Real Life Series. Brad Hambrick is editor of the excellent Gospel For Real Life series of counseling booklets. The series has four recent additions: Sexual Abuse: Beauty for Ashes by Bob Kelleman, Burnout: Resting in God's Fairness by Brad Hambrick, Depression: The Sun Always Rises by Margaret Ashmore, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Recovering Hope by Jeremy Lelek. The low page-count necessarily limits the amount of help these booklets can provide, and they are in no way a replacement for more thorough works or formal Christian counseling, but they still have their place in guiding the person grappling with a difficult issue or the person grappling with such an issue alongside a friend or family member. I read Kelleman's booklet on sexual abuse before it went to print and was glad to write an endorsement for the back cover. It is a helpful and healing treatment of sexual abuse. (Learn more or buy it at Amazon).

What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur’an  by James White. I have always appreciated James White's dedication to research; when you read one of his books you know you are reading a fair treatment of the subject, even if it is one he critiques (as in his books on Roman Catholicism and Arminianism). In this new book he looks at the Qur'an and Islam. "What used to be an exotic religion of people halfway around the world is now the belief system of people living across the street. Through fair, contextual use of the Qur’an as the primary source text, apologist James R. White presents Islamic beliefs about Christ, salvation, the Trinity, the afterlife, and other important topics. White shows how the sacred text of Islam differs from the teachings of the Bible in order to help Christians engage in open, honest discussions with Muslims." (Learn more or buy it at Amazon).

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 have turned to the experts to find what they say about 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians

Anthony Thiselton - The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Greek Testament Commentary). The clear consensus for the top commentary on 1 Corinthians is Anthony Thiselton’s volume in the NIGTC. This is a series for academics, so it will prove difficult for the casual reader. Carson says it is “well written, accessible (for readers of this sort of series!), and penetrating” and praises it for both detailed exegesis and for tracing lines of interpretation from the Church Fathers to the present. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Gordon Fee - The First Epistle to the Corinthians (The New International Commentary on the New Testament). Carson says that the best general commentary is a toss-up between Fee and Garland. Most experts appear to agree and have some difficulty with selecting one over the other. Both Carson and Derek Thomas regard this as a helpful volume while pointing out some weaknesses, and especially Fee’s treatment of 1 Corinthians 14:33b-35. His argument for the continuation of all gifts is said to be helpful and well-formed, whether or not that is your position. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

David Garland - 1 Corinthians (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Garland’s is widely praised and apparently represents a very competent handling of the text. It is relatively recent (2003) which gives it an advantage in interacting with more recent scholarship. Thiselton says, “It offers reliable and constructive exegesis based on a wide interaction with scholarly literature. It retains an eye to theology and to pastoral application, with clear comments and often apt turns of phrase.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

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 have turned to the experts to find what they say about Judges.

Judges

Dale Ralph Davis - Judges: Such A Great Salvation (Focus on the Bible). I have said before that I am always glad to find a clear consensus on the best commentary on any book of the Bible. When it comes to Judges, the consensus is that there are two excellent volumes which perfectly complement one another. The first is Dale Ralph Davis’ volume in the Focus on the Bible series. Keith Mathison says it well: “If you can only have one commentary on the historical books, get the commentaries by Davis. There are other commentaries that go into more detail on technical issues (see below), but Davis provides what most Christian readers of these books need — a concise and readable explanation of the text that sets each book within the larger context of biblical redemptive history all without ever becoming boring or trite.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Daniel I. Block - Judges, Ruth (New American Commentary, 1999). Tremper Longman, who has not reviewed Dale Ralph Davis’ volume, gives Block’s commentary a 5-star rating and says, “This contribution is clearly the best thing available on the book of Judges. Block is thoroughly aware of all the literature that precedes his own, and he incorporates what is good and criticizes what is bad.” He also praises Block’s insights along with his literary and theological analysis. This commentary is slightly more advanced and in-depth than Davis’. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

K. Lawson Younger Jr. - Judges, Ruth (NIV Application Commentary). Younger’s commentary is considered one of the stronger volumes of the NIV Application Commentary series. The strength of the series tends to be application ahead of original meaning, but Longman points out that in Younger’s case this is reversed so that the section dealing with contemporary significance is not as strong as it might have been. (Amazon, Westminster 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. Of all the books I have received recently, here are the ones that appear most noteworthy.

Christianity & World Religions: An Introduction to the World’s Major Faiths by Derek Cooper. I studied world religions as a college student and was so discouraged by the ridiculous text. This one looks immeasurably better; I plan to read it before long. “Derek Cooper examines the rival worldviews found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, Judaism, Islam, and irreligion. He engages these worldviews from a Christian perspective, first by showing how the biblical authors engaged other religions and then by surveying the way Christian theologians have done so. Each chapter contains six parts: (i) a creation story, (ii) the religion s historical origin, (iii) its beliefs, (iv) religious writings, (v) worship practices, (vi) as well as Christian reflections on the religion. For those who would like to read more, the appendix includes lists of helpful primary and secondary books.” (Learn more and buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

Better than the Beginning: Creation in Biblical Perspective by Richard Barcellos. Barcellos explains why this is a unique and notable book on a much-discussed subject: “In one sense, this is not a typical book on creation. Many books on creation deal with evolution, the length of the days of creation, and ethics in light of creation. These are worthy subjects and I do cover these things in this book. However, the doctrine of creation is much more inclusive in the Bible. Things that we think demand front-and-center attention do not get such by the Bible itself. As the title of the book seeks to display, the beginning is not the end of creation. Creation had a goal intended by God to be attained by man, but man failed. However, God will see to it that the original goal is reached. Creation, therefore, was intended to be a means to an end. The end is what God had in mind all along. The end is not plan B or even plan A. It is simply the plan.” (Learn more or buy it at Amazon.)

Bible Study: A Student’s Guide by Jon Nielson. This may be just the thing for the graduate. “Have you ever been to a Bible study that didn t have much Bible or study at all? Without a proper understanding of how to do it, students can be disappointed or scared away from studying the Bible. So what is Bible study and can it work for high schoolers? No stranger to teaching the Bible to teenagers, Jon Nielson confirms that real, meaningful Bible study is not only possible for students, but important. He takes students seriously and expects them to take their faith seriously. Unpacking five truths about the Bible that it is God speaking, is powerful, is understandable, is literary, and is one story he demonstrates how the Bible should be studied and how teenagers themselves can lead that study.” (Learn more and buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

May is almost upon us, and to get the month started right, here are some wallpapers calendars that will dress up your computer, tablet or cell phone. This month’s wallpaper comes from Chris Merritt, who runs a digital design studio known as Pixelight Creative, tucked away in the warm suburbs of Dallas, Texas. Chris does all sorts of design work for the web and for mobile platforms, but his passion lies in building things that further the Kingdom. Pixelight exists to solve real problems in the world, to love people well, and to proclaim the Gospel.

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.

Jesus Is King

We’re often faced with tragedy and suffering in our world, and recently it’s something we’ve had to witness too often. I created this art to remind myself that there will be a day when this will all go away. The day is coming when Jesus will rescue us. The day is coming when our King will sit on his throne and “everything sad will come untrue.”

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

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 have turned to the experts to find what they say about Romans.

Romans

Douglas Moo - The Epistle to the Romans (New International Commentary on the New Testament). There is no shortage of commentaries on the book of Romans! Not only that, but there is no shortage of excellent commentaries to choose from. Pride of place appears to go to Douglas Moo and his contribution to the NICNT series. D.A. Carson commends it and says, “Moo exhibits extraordinary sense in his exegesis. No less importantly, this is the first commentary to cull what is useful from the new perspective on Paul while nevertheless offering telling criticism of many of its exegetical and theological stances.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

John Murray - The Epistle to the Romans. Murray’s renowned commentary was part of the NICNT series until it was replaced by Moo’s volume. However, it is still sold as a standalone volume and remains a must-have for the serious student of Romans. Because of its age it will not interact with some of today’s challenges (such as the new perspective) but it is nevertheless an important resource. Derek Thomas praises Murray as “a master exegete and a brilliant systematician” and says that “every shelf should have a copy of this commentary.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Thomas Schreiner - Romans (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament). Several commentators on the commentaries seem to treat Moo, Murray and Schreiner as a team or trio. For example, Derek Thomas says, “Coupled with Murray on the one hand and Moo on the other, you will gain a firm exegetical and theological grasp of a text.” Jim Rosscup praises it as “close to the best among recent and all-time thorough works for scholars and more seriously capable lay people.” (Amazon, Westminster Books)

I love reading books, but I also love reading reviews of books. Reviews allow me to discover books I haven’t heard of, they teach me to think wisely, they allow me to better prioritize the books I am considering reading, and they sometimes provide a helpful second opinion on books I have already read. For all of those reasons I publish occasional round-ups of reviews written by other writers. Here are a few notable links I've collected recently:

Sensing Jesus: Life and Ministry as a Human Being by Zack Eswine. Reviewed by Kevin Wilkening. Here is a positive review of a new book meant primarily for pastors. “By design, this book is not a quick read. Eswine wants us to pause, to feel, to sense. His writing style forces us to slow down and steep in the concept of recovering our humanity. After spending nearly a month seeing myself in the pages of Sensing Jesus I would highly recommend it for pastors and other church leaders. It will set you free from performance-based ministry. It will remind you that you are not God, and yet you are gloriously human—just what God created you to be.” (Mike Emlet at CCEF also speaks highly of this book.)  (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Jesus + Nothing = Everything by Tullian Tchividjian. Reviewed by Jesse Johnson. This is a new review of a much-praised but controversial book. “The thesis of J+N=E is that the only thing required for your sanctification is to think more about what Jesus has done. That's it. Jesus, plus Nothing, equals Everything for your sanctification. But I don't buy that approach to sanctification. I appreciate that Tchividjian clearly described what train he was on, and shows how it gets to his destination, but at the end of the day, I did not buy the ticket, and I'm not taking the ride. I believe that in Christ we are supposed to fight, labor, battle, walk, and work--and that all these efforts are more than looking back to Christ, but they are the active obedience to the commands of Scripture. I believe salvation is monergistic (it is only God's work), but that sanctification is synergistic, and that God will reward me for how I do my work. This is an actual theological disagreement with J+N=E, and it affects the core message of the book, so in that respect I read the book entirely though that lens.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

The Psalter Reclaimed by Gordon Wenham. Reviewed by Mike Leake. Leake recommends a book, despite the fact that it’s a difficult read. “Some books are like chopping up spaghetti for a two-year-old. They are really good but might be a little exhausting for the average reader. It's not that you'll choke on it and not be able to understand it, it's just that you might get so exhausted that you don't get the full benefit of the book. More experienced readers need to read these types of books and know how to ‘chop them up’ for others to enjoy. The Psalter Reclaimed is one of those books.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

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 have turned to the experts to find what they say about Joshua.

Joshua

Dale Ralph Davis - Joshua:No Falling Words (Focus on the Bible). I am always glad when there is a clear consensus on the best commentary on any given book. While Tremper Longman laments that the field for Joshua is not particularly strong, the top recommendation of most experts is Dale Ralph Davis’ contribution to the Focus on the Bible series. Derek Thomas says it “sets the standard for how to expound and apply historical narrative.” The series is meant to appeal to a general audience, so this is an ideal choice for layperson and preacher alike. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

Richard S. Hess - Joshua (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries). The TOTC and NOTC series have made many appearances on this list of best commentaries; Hess’ volume on Joshua is regarded as one of the best of the entire series. Longman says, “Hess, an acknowledged expert on ancient Near Eastern literature and Israelite history, defends the essential authenticity of the historical memory of the book.” Like Davis’ commentary, it is targeted at an intermediate audience and is suitable for all readers. (Amazon, Westminster Books)

David M. Howard - Joshua (New American Commentary). Howard’s contribution to the New American Commentary series is widely lauded. It is thoroughly Evangelical and, according to the experts at Denver Seminary, “appreciative of the history, with useful word studies.” Longman recommends it for being “well-written, well-researched and well-thought-out.” It is a slightly more advanced read than the two that have been recommended ahead of it. (Amazon, Westminster 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. Of all the books I have received recently, here are the ones that appear most noteworthy.

Rhythms of Grace by Mike Cosper. “Confusion abounds over how to define the term “worship." Is it singing? A service? Something that encompasses all of life? Helping Christians think more theologically about the nature of true worship Rhythms of Grace shows how the gospel is all about worship and worship is all about the gospel. Mike Cosper ultimately answers the question, What is worship? Bringing biblical truth to bear on this critical issue, Cosper, an experienced worship leader, argues that all true worship has one object (God), two contexts (the gathered church and the scattered church) and three audiences (God, the church, and the world). Writing from the conviction that the gospel is the heartbeat of true worship, Cosper explores four key areas (liturgy, song, style, and creativity), showing that worship is fundamental to spiritual formation. This eminently readable book, designed for church leaders and laypersons alike, offers a vibrant theology of worship that is biblical yet contextual, and systematic yet practical.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

Kingdom Come by Sam Storms. "The second coming of Christ is a matter of significant disagreement amongst Christians. Many hold to premillennialism: that Christ’s return will be followed by 1,000 years before the final judgement, a belief popularised in the popular Left Behind novels. However, premillennialism is not the only option for Christians. Sam Storms provides a biblical rationale for amillennialism, the belief that 1,000 years mentioned in the book of Revelation is symbolic with the emphasis being the King and his Kingdom.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon.)

Sex and Money by Paul David Tripp. "Pleasure. We live in a world obsessed with finding it, passionate about enjoying it, and desperate about maintaining it. Chief among such objects of affection are sex and money—two pleasures unequaled in their power to captivate our attention and demand our worship. In what is sure to become an instant classic, popular author Paul David Tripp pulls back the curtain on the lies of our flesh and the ways we distort God’s good gifts, examining the insanity of our culture and exposing our tendency to fall prey to the hollow promises of this world. In exploring how God’s grace frees us from futile pursuits, Tripp directs readers to the wisdom of God in Scripture and the liberating power of the gospel, offering practical guidance on finding true joy and enduring satisfaction.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books.)

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 have turned to the experts to find what they say about Acts, one of my favorite books of the Bible.