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New & Notable Book Reviews

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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. Here are a few notable links I’ve collected over the past few weeks.

The Betrayal by Douglas Bond. Reviewed by Tony Garbarino. “This novel faithfully portrays Calvin’s brilliance, and character, but more importantly, his love for his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The chapters are brief and direct, written in a style that moves the story forward and keeps the reader wanting more.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

A Woman’s Wisdom: How the Book of Proverbs Speaks to Everything by Lydia Brownback. Reviewed by Staci Eastin. “All the book is solidly biblical and helpful. The final chapter on Proverbs 31 was, in my opinion, the strongest chapter in the book. This chapter is often boiled down to a giant, unrealistic “to-do” list, but Lydia managed to bring out the heart issues behind the actions, all while grounding it in the gospel.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Matthew Henry: His Life and Influence by Allan Harman. Reviewed by John Brand. “If, like me and many others, you are thankful to the Lord for Matthew Henry’s Commentary and perhaps some of his other work, you will want to learn about the man himself and there’s no better way to do that than to read this biography.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

The Roots of the Reformation: Tradition, Emergence, and Rupture by G. R. Evans. Reviewed by Carl Trueman. Here’s a book that didn’t live up to its promise. “The Reformation section is unfortunately replete with errors of historical fact, some of which are very serious, even if a few are possibly the result of typos. The sheer number of these errors renders the book a liability in the classroom and undermines its stated purpose as a textbook.”

Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault by Justin and Lindsey Holcomb. Reviewed by David Steele. “A fine piece of work that is honest, transparent, and accurately unpacks the baggage that tragically has been laid at the feet of so many people in this country. … Their aim is to offer hope to victims of sexual abuse; hope that is found in the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross and the gospel.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Different by Design: God’s Blueprint for Men and Women by Carrie Sandom. Reviewed by Priya Samuel. “As a married woman, this book has renewed and strengthened my desire to pursue godliness by the grace of God which enables me to say “no” to the worldly and sinful idea that submission is a sign of weakness or timidity and embrace the truth that being a helper in submission to my husband is indeed an act of faith and courage.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Shame Interrupted by Ed Welch. Reviewed by Bob Kellemen. “I recommend Shame Interrupted because [1] it is a biblical theology of the gospel way of movement from shame to reconciliation. … [2] because Welch makes it clear that the cross is the best summary of what God says to unworthy people. … [3] because Welch does not stop with looking to the cross. … [4] because Welch does not pretend.” (Learn more and shop at Amazon or Westminster Books)


  • Quiet Time

    The Quiet Time Kickstart

    We are all people of habits. To some degree, we are always battling to establish good habits while battling to supplant bad ones. This is true of us in many different areas of life and most certainly true in our spiritual lives. In fact, some have argued that when we describe the way we relate…

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    A La Carte (January 16)

    A La Carte: Why don’t we read the Bible more? / Did David rape Bathsheba? / To (almost) die is gain / Learn to pray the Bible / When you’re close to burnout / Called to freedom / and more.

  • How To Obtain a Plenary Indulgence in 2025

    How To Obtain a Plenary Indulgence in 2025

    I think we can sometimes fool ourselves into believing that the Reformation caused the Roman Catholic Church to abandon some, most, or all of the doctrine that was so concerning to the Reformers. We can sometimes believe that the Catholicism of today is materially different from that of the 16th century or that it has…

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    A La Carte (January 15)

    A La Carte: iPhones, idolatry, and evil spirits / At my mother’s deathbed / Nothing to do but pray / Bible study tips for beginners / Jesus did condemn homosexuality / Please don’t sing “Imagine” at funerals / Kindle and book deals.

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    A La Carte (January 14)

    A La Carte: Narcissus in public / A famous poet, KFC, and peace with my past / Does empowerment come from boudoir photoshoots? / Surrendering them to God / Sermon prep / Your plans for this year / and more.

  • 10 Reasons to Teach the Bible’s Big Truths to Children

    📖 Why teach children the big truths of the Bible? Moses commanded Israel to gather everyone—men, women, and little ones—to hear God’s law. Why? So they could “hear and learn to fear the Lord.” (Deut. 31:12-13) Children need the deep, rich truths of Scripture to know God, embrace the Gospel, and build a faith that…