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Category: Practical Theology

  • Exploring Psychology and Christian Faith: An Introductory Guide

    For this past year, I’ve been teaching a psychology elective at the Christian school that employs me. Knowing roughly this time last year I’d be teaching it, I began looking for potential textbooks. Because it is a class that meets just once a week and is for a half credit, a standard college psychology textbook…

  • New Books of Note

    When it comes to teaching or preaching a book of the Bible, there are plenty of resource and commentaries one could choose from. Recently, I’ve had the opportunity check out several volumes from Baker Books‘ Teach The Text series. If you’re not familiar, each of the volumes in the series offers the following units for each…

  • Gospel-Centered Counseling: How Christ Changes Lives

    On the one hand, I’m kind of tired of the whole “gospel-centered” usage. On the other hand, I believe in the gospel and am generally for the things that the adjective gets attached to. Counseling is one of those things and I am all for counseling that is gospel-centered, or Christ-centered. I’m also all for…

  • Scripture and Counseling: God’s Word for Life in a Broken World

    When it comes to counseling and the local church, the role of the Bible figures prominently. For some people, Scripture is sufficient for many problems in life, but not necessarily some of the major issues counselors face. For others, Scripture’s sufficiency is applied more broadly, but questions remain. Addressing many of those questions is Scripture and Counseling:…

  • Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification

    So, here I am keeping up my trend of reviewing slightly older books. Like Predestination & Free Will, Christian Spirituality: Five Views of Sanctification was published in the 80’s. Unlike the former book, I think this one has much light to shed in the present. If for instance you’ve kept up with the conversations about holiness in…

  • Can I Really Trust The Bible?

    There are many theological questions today. At the base of all of them is the question, “Can I really trust the Bible?” Until you’ve really settled that in your mind, all other questions really are up for debate. Without an outside authority in which you can trust, everything’s pretty speculative in the theological realm. Thankfully,…

  • Those Who Can, Teach: Teaching as Christian Vocation

    Stanley E. Porter, ed., Those Who Can, Teach: Teaching as Christian Vocation (McMaster Divinity College Press General Series). Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, August, 2013. 226 pp. Paperback, $25.00. Buy it: Amazon Visit the publisher’s page Thanks to Wipf & Stock for the review copy! I’ve realized recently that I need to do more practical reading. That used to be the bulk…

  • Bible, Gender, and Sexuality: Reframing The Church’s Debate on Same Sex Relationships

    James V. Brownson, Bible, Gender, and Sexuality: Reframing The Church’s Debate on Same Sex Relationships. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, February, 2013. 312 pp. Paperback, $29.00. Buy it: Amazon Visit the publisher’s page Thanks to Eerdmans for the review copy! James Brownson is the James and Jean Cook Professor of New Testament at Western Theological Seminary, Holland, Michigan. He is also an ordained minister in the Reformed Church…

  • Pastoral Reflections on The Historical Adam: Greg Boyd and Phil Ryken

    Today we finish up our journey through Four Views on The Historical Adam. Yesterday we looked William Barrick’s young-earth perspective on the historical Adam, and on Tuesday we looked at C. John Collins’ view. For the full table of contents, click here. Rather than closing with additional editorial comments (like Five Views on Biblical Inerrancy did), this…

  • What’s Best Next: How The Gospel Transforms The Way You Get Things Done

    Matt Perman, What’s Best Next: How The Gospel Transforms The Way You Get Things Done. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, March, 2014. 352 pp. Hardcover, $19.99. Buy it: Amazon | Westminster Read an excerpt Visit the publisher’s page Thanks to Zondervan for the review copy and Matt Perman for letting me be part of the street team! Every now and then, a book comes long that is actually life…