A Brief List of
Resources

Click on the underlined link to go to the web site.

www.9marks.org

The mind-boggling flood of recent literature and conferences acclaiming innovative ministry methods has sent many churches reeling with methodological vertigo. Pastors get spun from one model to another in search of a meta-method that ties it all together and enables them to see “success” in doing God’s work. The Aqua-Church, The Alpha Course, Mosaic, FAITH, The Emerging Church – how do you sort through all the alternatives without becoming hopelessly disoriented? How do you evaluate them? How do you know which one is right for the local church in which you serve? And once you settle on implementing one, what are the criteria for “success”? Increased numbers? Indicated decisions? Emotional intensity? A well-funded diversity of programs? How can we navigate the method maze? 9Marks Ministries wants to help local churches re-establish their Biblical bearings and re-think their ministry methods. We exist to help local church pastors and leaders in the discovery and application of the biblical priorities that cultivate health and holiness in the local church. Kick around below to learn more about the people of 9Marks, how they understand the problems confronting the church today, and the solutions they propose.

Pastors are shaped by what they read (2Tim 2:15). To develop in a healthy way, that reading needs to be selected with discernment. Not all books at the Christian bookstore deserve to be read, and some are neglected that should be required. A pastor's reading needs to be diversified across disciplines. Interdisciplinary reading develops intellectual and pastoral agility. The following reading list is not intended to be exhaustive but we believe these books will serve well as useful entry points into The Great Conversation, and as welcome companions on the long road of ministry. Reading List: Pastors

But careful reading is not just the pastor's task. In fact, the members of Christian churches are charged with the responsibility of discerning error in their pastors' teaching, and of choosing teachers who will not simply tickle their ears (Gal 1:6-9; 2Tim 4:3). Reading solid books is a great way to develop your appetite for theology and your ability to discern truth and error. These are not lofty books - but they are deep. Again, this is not an exhaustive list. But it will serve you well as a launching point for future growth and usefulness in the local church. Layman's Reading List

General reviews: Leaders are readers. But what do they read? Even leaders can drown under the recent flood of church literature, and can be pulled out to sea by the undertow of subtly unbiblical ideas. We want to help local church leaders keep an eye on the biblical shoreline with thoughtful critiques of today's most influential books on church life and leadership.

Guidance reviews: "How do I know God's will for my life?" This has become one of the most vexing questions in popular Evangelicalism today - and the answers given by leading authors are often intriguing. We've critically reviewed some of the most popular and influential guidance books on the shelf. You might be surprised by what we found.

Evangelical reviews: We're all looking for help on how to do evangelism. So what's out there? Are all evangelistic tools equal? We critiqued and compared six of today's most popular evangelism courses to see which ones were most Biblically sound and practically useful. Go ahead - take 'em for a test drive.

Think on These Things

Think on These Things Ministries is a vital outreach ministry of Southern View Chapel. Think on These Things, which began in 1994, was originally the name of a one-page paper created for a mission agency, who wanted to keep their missionaries informed of the theological landscape in America and around the world. Today, Think on These Things has grown into a monthly publication that deals with contemporary theological issues, and is sent to subscribers in nearly every state in the U.S. and to numerous countries around the world. While each issue of Think on These Things is available through our website, many receive a monthly subscription through the mail or email. To subscribe to this FREE publication you may contact us at svchapel@svchapel.org.

www.svchapel.org

In his book, The Gagging of God, author D.A.Carson makes this observation. "The books on many church bookstalls are a disgrace—thousands of pages of sentimental twaddle laced with the occasional biblical gem. Part of what is needed in a renewed evangelical mind is learning to take on regnant paradigms and challenge them with a biblical worldview." Pastor-teacher Gary Gilley does just that! Desiring to be a diligent student of Scripture, Christian living and the world in which we live, when he entered the ministry he set for himself the goal of reading on average one book per week for the rest of his life. Thirty-one years later he has written reviews on most of the books he has read. Those most thoughtful and challenging book reviews along with other helpful articles are available at: www.svchapel.org.

www.middayconnection.org

How do you discern what to read? What if I don’t like to read? The issue of reading is a matter of life and death. I don’t mean, obviously our physical life. But because what we take in affects our entire lives therefore what you read, even for pleasure, had better be good because it will affect your attitudes. Good is fun. But we have equated fun with light and easy reading. Great writing doesn’t have to be "christian." All truth is from God wherever you find it. Great writing infects us with a love for language, for great story and give us something to entertain ourselves instead of being idle. In this way we feed our intellect, our minds and imagination and the rewards are substantial.

What constitutes good reading material and what doesn’t? A great book asks why does something happen. It builds character. It does not ask what is going to happen. It’s not as plot driven. A lot of popular level books all you remember is the plot. We’re just tearing to the end to see what’s going to happen. In a great book you see the development of character, the choices they make, why they made them. You remember the character. If you cannot remember the character very well from a book, that’s because there is not much to him/her.

Dr. Rosalie de Rosset, professor of English literature and Homiletics at Moody Bible Institute, along with Midday Connection host Anita Lustrea invite you to be a part of this monthly book club via the radio. Past book club programs are archived and can be heard on-line at www.middayconnection.org. Study questions are made available to help guide the reading of each month's selection and Dr. de Rosset's suggested reading list for adults and for children can be downloaded. (Caution and disclaimer: While we whole-heartedly endorse the Midday Book Club, not all books introduced on the Midday connection daily programs are necessarily recommended or endorsed. Just as we must always be discerning readers, you are cautioned to listen with discernment.)

Ligonier Ministries

Ligonier Ministries is the home of "Renewing Your Mind" with R.C. Sproul who writes, "As Christians we are called to be good stewards of our limited time and resources. In order for those among us who recognize the importance of reading to heed this call, it is necessary that we find a way to distinguish the good from the bad among the thousands of books published every year. This site provides a list of recommended books in a large number of categories and a collection of critical book reviews for Christians who love to read, but who may not know exactly where to begin."

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals "exists to call the church, amidst our dying culture, to repent of its worldliness, to recover and confess the truth of God's Word as did the Reformers, and to see that truth embodied in doctrine, worship and life." The Alliance sponsors conferences for both pastors and laymen. Excellent resources are available.

Are you tired of receiving forwarded e-mail from well-meaning friends that isn't worth the time it takes to read these unwanted messages? Wouldn't you rather anticipate hearing from a dear and treasured friend? Visit this site and sign up to receive a daily devotional from Elisabeth Elliot.

Resources include not only Spurgeon but other Purtian writers as well. Be sure to check out Theology from a Bunch of Dead Guys"---an incredibly detailed site containing a library of information related to church history.