Steven Nichols, professor at Lancaster Bible College,  has written a very interesting  book about the musical form commonly called, “The Blues”.

The book provides a selective and interesting history of this uniquely African American musical form.  While it was not the author’s intent to provide a history of the musical genre, it serves as a great introduction for someone who is not familiar with the music.

The Blues is more than just music.  It is a song of the human condition; physically, socially and spiritually from a uniquely African American perspective.  It is a window into the depravity of man and both external and internal oppression.  Through the words and music of Blues music we experience the full range of emotions and reactions to man’s condition, whether it be by the oppressor or the oppressed.  In it we feel the reaction of the soul to sin.  

To the author, parts of the Bible are typical of  “blues” music.  Nichols transcends time as he outlines the “groanings” of David, Nehemiah and  Naomi in Chapters titled “Man of Sorrows” and “Woman of Sorrows”.  In each case he points the reader to how these Biblical characters struggled with earthly despair and sin but how God found and saved them.

The author is clearly a fan of Blues music.  He includes snippets of his own Blues poetry along with the narrative.   His enthusiasm comes through in the writing, sometimes a little too much as he tends to justify the actions and reactions of some of the musicians in their sinful behaviors.  However, he does catch himself, adding some  parenthetical commentary.  Yet in a way, this is the key to understanding the book.  If the reader puts himself in the shoes of the early Blues singers, there is an overwhelming rush of emotion.  Getting caught up in it is natural.  I found myself doing the same. 

I think the heart of the book is Nichol’s statement on the Blue’s connection to Christ”

“The Blues is also Christ-haunted, although not entirely in the same way as the spiritual [speaking of the traditional musical form typically called the “Negro Spiritual”].   In the latter, Jesus while not always mentioned, is known to be there; the buoy in the time of storm.  In the Blues, Jesus could be the buoy in the time of storm, or the one who would take burdens away.  He could be the one who would bring divine expectation into the historical present.  Sometimes that Christ-haunted nature of the Blues lies deep beneath the surface, which is to say, sometimes it’s hard to find.  But at other times,  that which is Christ-haunted becomes rather transparently Christ-present.” 

I take this to mean that life from the perspective of the singer, is reflected in the lyrics  and/or the music.  Likewise the “hope” crying out, either directly or indirectly, is found in listeners heart.  Where the affections of the listener’s heart lie dictates where the hope will be found, whether it be in a bottle, or in a Savior.  As the book pointed out, sadly many of the great early Blues singers found their hope in a bottle. 

Among the many things I learned, the two that stick out are:

1. Dietrich Bonheoffer’s discovery and love of the Blues and Spirituals.
2. BB King’s recollection of the German POW’s working the cotton fields during World War II.  It was eye opening to learn that the enemy POW’s were treated better than the Black sharecroppers!

I think the book succeeds in it’s premise in answering “What Blues Music Teaches Us About Suffering and Salvation”, in an interesting way.  The chapters will take you through a range of emotions.  Read it not as a theology text nor as pure history.  Rather as you read it, be conscious of your responses to the social conditions and injustice and evaluate them in light of the Gospel.  As I read it, there were times when my hope was not in Christ but I found myself saying, “yes, I probably would have responded in that way.”  The value of the book isn’t in its theology or historical portrayal but in asking yourself, if you were faced with the same circumstances, where would your hope lie? 

Read more information about or purchase “Getting the Blues”  here.

What is worldliness?  Well, before reading this book I would have said it was the state of a person whose whole life is dominated by material things.  I would have answered, worldliness is something others struggle with, but certainly not me.  Well, in classic Mahaney fashion, I was humbled…again. 

In “Worldliness, Resisting the Seduction of a Fallen World ”, C.J. Mahaney has compiled 6 essays that clearly point out that you don’t have to be totally sold out to the world to be “worldly”.  Worldliness exists in little areas of our lives that we consider as harmless or manageable.  Yet, it is from those little areas that worldliness relentlessly launches its attack with the goal of completely taking over and destroying us.

In fact, worldliness hunts everyone down.  No-one is immune.   If we avoid it, it finds us.  The world bombards our senses with sounds, images and thoughts  that remain in our minds forever.  Because of this fact, today’s victory can become tomorrow’s battle.  As CJ puts it:

“Today the greatest challenge facing American evangelicals is not persecution from the world but seduction by the world. We are not under attack from without, we are decaying from within”

Yet, CJ points out that worldliness is not a uniquely 21st century thing.  We can’t blame it on the convenient Christian scapegoats of TV’s, iPods, movies, DVD’s, video games, fashion or consumerism.  Worldliness has always existed in some form,  relative to the time and culture where Christian’s lived.  He quotes CH Spurgeon from over 150 years ago:

“The one reason why the church of God at the present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.”

The Apostles even warned of it in their day. 

Traditionally, the Christian response to worldliness has been withdrawal from the culture, monasticism and more commonly today; legalism.  Today, many Christians fall for the list of do’s and don’ts or practicing some rigorous set of rules as a panacea for worldliness.  The list does not even need to be formal.  It can be a set of personal moralistic views about things like Bible versions, holidays, type of church, TV channels, movies or music.   Yet, in doing so, there is a tendency to deceive ourselves into a false sense of security.  The list becomes the measure of our “goodness”.  Pride in accomplishing this list further obscures the realization that no matter what we do, we are still sinful when compared to God.  Legalism, denies the power and grace of God.  That’s why it’s so dangerous.  Our only hope, the grace of God, and our grace-sustained faith, is conveniently replaced by a deceptive creation of man.   While I don’t know this to be true, I would imagine worldliness exists within the Amish community, a group of people who we tend to view as having successfully resisted worldly influence.

In the face of what seems to be an impossible battle, CJ points the reader back to the Bible.  “Only through the cross of Jesus Christ can we successfully resist the seduction of a fallen world” , he says.  As he so simply pointed out in his book “Living The Cross Centered Life”, the cross of Christ empowers us not only through it’s past significance and what Christ accomplished on it but also in its significance in the way we view it relative to our lives, today.  We are no less in need of the cross today than when we lived a life of unbelief. 

The book contains short but thorough discussions on those places where worldliness is most commonly found.  They represent things that are clearly gifts from God and not intrinsically bad, but without discernment, become the catalysts of worldliness.  Things like:

• Media: What we choose to view or listen to
• Music:  What we enjoy listening to.
• Stuff:  The choices we make with our money
• Clothes: What we wear and why we wear it

Each section deals openly with worldliness from a personal perspective and addresses the heart issues that cause Christians to “worship” man’s creation rather than God himself.  

The essay’s section end with a call by Jeff Purswell to “love the world” as Christ would have done; by acknowledging the provision of God in His goodness, engaging the culture and acting in love for the world, with an eye to evangelism. 

The book concludes with the Mahaney family’s “ Modesty Heart Check” and a unique challenge of Considering Modesty on Your Wedding Day.  While aimed mainly at women, they certainly have application for men, especially teens and father’s of daughters. 

The final section lists a set a questions, dealing with issues presented in the book, that can be used as a personal study or in a small group. 

Where did this book affect me?  It was in Craig Cabaness’ section titled “God, My Heart and Media” that I found my greatest challenge.  While I don’t watch much television, by nature, I am a “multi-media sponge” and self-described political junkie.  The media coverage of the current election cycle is a major struggle for me.  Again, not that there is anything inherently wrong with wanting to be an informed voter.  It’s a worthy cause that many more people should pursue.  However, I find it easy and convenient to use the informed voter excuse as a way to justify watching political news, when in-fact I have already made up my mind who to vote for.  It’s also very easy for me to “pile on” when I see my candidate’s negative ads,  regardless of whether I know them to be true or not.  I also find a certain “joy” in watching my candidate hurl “zinger’s” at his opponent.  I also take pleasure in hearing the media “spin” things in favor of “my guy”.  The bottom line is that I am an arrogant and proud supporter of my candidate.  The media has me right where they want me.   I am a full-fledged member of the TV mob, cheering for my candidate and demanding blood from his opponent in the Colosseum of presidential election politics.  Through my actions, I am demonstrating that I am no different that a 1st Century Roman arena spectator.  I am worldly. 

What I learned from this book is that I was not the man I thought I was.  I was big in my own mind but prideful in God’s eyes.  I learned that the sin of pride is a key ingredient in worldliness (I Cor 10:12).  For me, this sin weakened my Spirit-led discernment, one of the weapons I need to fight against being pulled into the world.  This book was a call to guard my heart even more and to crawl back to the Cross even more frequently. 

Read more information about or purchase “Worldliness”  here.

The premise of “The Godly Man’s Picture” is godliness which Watson defines as…

“the sacred impression and workmanship of God in a man whereby from being carnal, he is made spiritual.  When godliness is wrought in a man, he does not receive a new soul but he has a “new spirit…the faculties are not new, but the qualities are; the strings are the same but the tune is corrected.”

Watson specifically challenges men in not only attempting to pursue godliness but in actually achieving it.  As he puts it, “Godliness puts a man in heaven before his time.”  With pinpoint precision, Watson examines the issue of godliness, taking it off the Christian’s “wanna be” shelf and moving it to their “continue to achieve”  shelf.  He goes on to caution readers that settling for “sanctification in-part” is not godliness.  Godliness, in practice involves  “totality”, “sacrifice” and “duration”.  Throughout the book, he demonstrates how God’s grace achieves what is impossible for man to accomplish on his own. 

I am studying from this book as part of a discipleship course at the church where I attend.  After reading just the first introductory paragraph, I was hooked.  Unlike other books on Scriptural application that develop their themes first and then put application questions at the end of the chapter or at the end of the book, Watson starts applying principles immediately. 

After a short introduction and a short presentation of the Gospel in Chapter 1, Watson starts presenting his argument from Scripture in Proverbs-like bites, that godliness is mandatory .  A few examples are, as he says, “godliness…

• has truth for its foundation.”  (Psalm 119:30)
• is a ray or beam that shines from God.”
• lies chiefly in the heart…[whereas religion is only in the externals]”
• is the holy sap rooted which is rooted in the soul.” (Psalm 51:6)
• is sacred leaven that spreads itself into the whole soul “(I Thess. 5:23)
• is a permanent thing.  A blush of godliness is not enough the distinguish a Christian, but godliness must be the temper and complexion of the soul.

This is all accomplished in the first 20 pages!  Watson then spends the next 168 pages applying godliness  in understandably practical ways.  Any Christian who has a grasp of the basic doctrines of their faith will benefit from it. 

Chapter 4 represents the bulk of the book.  In it, Watson presents how Scripture provides the framework for godliness and its demonstrates its fruits.  His presentation is comprehensive and practical.

One interesting historical note is that Watson speaks to those who would “take Christ as Jesus but refuse him as Lord.”  It’s clear the same “Lordship controversy”, boiling in the church today, was also prominent in 1666, when the book was written.  It’s a vivid reminder of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 1:9.

Watson effectively slays the notion of the security of the carnal Christian.”  Whereby many of today’s author’s who tackle this subject focus on the behavior of the one labeled a “carnal Christian”, Watson attacks the issue on two fronts; outward and inward.  His discussion of “crucifying Christ anew” by those who profess to be being Christians continue to willfully sin against the saints (church), is frank and somber.  He calls it for what it is; the sin of apostasy.  Yet, unlike modern day authors, who focus on the “carnal believer’s” liberty to choose their “lifestyle” , Watson goes right to the heart and warns readers that all Christians are at risk of becoming carnal and ultimately apostatizing through dismissing the slippery slope of sin. 

“Let us take heed of those things which will make us, by degrees, fall away from our profession…[they are: covetousness (worldliness), unbelief (not trusting God in his grace and mercy in all things of life) and cowardice (the fear of man and its result, inaction to do what is good)].”

In the final 62 pages, Watson exhorts the true believer remaining faithful in their personal pursuit of godliness.  Watson lays out 3 “C’s” as a way for true believers to remain faithful to their grace-filled ambition:

• Caution – against the presumption of God’s grace. 
• Counsel – remaining faithful to God’s Word and His work in your life. 
• Comfort – realizing there will be up’s and down’s  in your faith (with a little help from Richard Sibbes and the “smoking flax” example)

The book ends with the vivid imagery of the Christian’s ultimate glory as Christ, foretells the coming for His humble and chaste bride.  As Watson says, “We see the love of Christ and his church running towards one another in full torrent…What is closer than union?  What is sweeter?… Though we can bring Christ no dowry, he expects us to keep ourselves pure.”

My first reading of this book has already helped me see hypocrisy in my heart.  It’s also reminded me my continued need to pray fervently and frequently.   I commented to my wife the other day that it is certainly one of the best book I’ve read regarding the personal application of Scripture.    I highly recommend it. 

 The Godly Man’s Picture is a great complement to J.C. Ryle’s book “Thoughts for Young Men ”.  Ryle has been called England’s "last Puritan".  This book,  written in the late 19th Century, is more relevant today than when it was written over 100 years ago.  It’s another example of readable Puritan literature.

This is a great, easy to read book that is accessible by athletes or sports fans of any age.  It’s filled with personal stories and practical application of biblical principles related to athletics in general.  It’s not a book about the requirements and benefits of  good sportsmanship, although those topics are addressed.  Rather, it’s a book about joy, celebration and glorifying God whether you’re a first round draft pick or the arm chair quarterback.  It’s aimed at those who take their sports seriously in one aspect and not so seriously in another.   In it, Stephen Altrogge speaks to star athletes, weekend athletes, armchair athletes, parents of athletes, idolizers of athletes, coaches and officials.  If you’re into sports, you’re in here!

Knowing Stephen and type of man he  is, this book is true to heart.  He is a very humble and godly guy.  I didn’t need to even read it to know what he was going to say.  However, what impressed me the most was not what was said, but how it was said.  In a special way, Stephen cuts to the heart of issues with sports that we tend to overlook or justify as “just being part of the game”.  Sports are a window into our heart and they can clearly demonstrate our sinful nature even in our recreational pursuits.   The book is an eye-opening look at one’s heart and motivations; a sort of John Owen for the sports nut. 

My favorite chapter is the one on Winners and Losers.  Whether your sport is on the field, court, course, the kitchen table or in the stands, the book brings to light the temptations we all face along with practical ways to rightly address the sinful nature that causes these motivations and behaviors. 

Stephen also reminds us that one day we will give an account for our lives before  the judgement seat of Jesus.  This not only includes our vocational and spiritual pursuits but also includes the time we spend playing or watching sports.  While this is a humbling fact, the ultimate conclusion is not that sports are, by nature, wrong or to be avoided.  The book’s view is one that’s full of joy, hope and grace knowing that God has a purpose for the lives of His children which includes sports and recreation.  Sports like all things we experience, are a gift from God.  But as in all the things , we should be thankful, glorifying the giver;  not ourselves.  Sports and its associated behavior can be an evidence of grace and an avenue for the proclamation of the Gospel.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves games, sports or competition in any form.   Pre-teens through adults can easily read and benefit from it.  I think it’s especially valuable for the parents of athletes or wannabe athletes.  There is practical advice on establishing godly priorities and experiencing the grace of God in both their children’s and their own personal pursuits.  Parents can also distill the principles in it, helping translate the book for younger athletes.    Get it here and read it before your next big game.  You’ll have a whole new perspective on what it means to be an athlete, official or a fan.

I have found that little books sometimes have the greatest impact.  This book is a perfect example of that.  CJ Mahaney packs more into this little book than any book I’ve read in recent memory.  

Filled with encouraging quotes, practical examples, candor, humor and straight answers, CJ transforms the view that the Cross of Christ is a past event, to one of a present reality and future hope.

Whether you are a new Christian or a mature believer, there is something in this book for you.  I highly recommend it to Christians who believe and who have been taught that the Gospel is only God’s message to the unsaved.  And that it is.  But the other half, which is often ignored, and certainly not emphasized,  is that the Gospel is the message of God’s grace to believers as well.  Believers are no less dependent on God’s grace today than the day God saved them.

Most encouraging are CJ’s 5 reminders about the Gospel and living the Cross-centered life:

1. Memorize the Gospel: Memorize those scriptures that remind us of the Gospel
2. Pray the Gospel: The Gospel is the only reason we can approach God
3. Sing the Gospel: Find songs whose focus in on the Gospel and not on man.
4. Review How the Gospel Has Changed You: Review your past and where you are an evidence of God’s transformation through the Gospel
5. Study the Gospel: Both Old and New Testaments.

Get this book here

Hank Hanegraaff’s latest book, The Apocalypse Code is another in a series of books that critique trends affecting Christianity that, in his view, run counter to the historic Christian faith.

The book focuses mainly on what is called Dispensational Pre-Millennialism, a modern view of the end times that is seen by many Christians as a radical departure from historic Christian belief. It’s beliefs include a modern day Israeli-centric focus on world events, the secret removal of the church, a 7 year Great Tribulation ruled by a Satanic controlled anti-Christ, the deaths of two-thirds of the all the Jews in Israel, a literal 1000 year period of peace where Christ rules the earth, and final rebellion against him which he crushes. While many Christians sincerely hold this as a more theologically-focused view of the end-times, others have used it was a platform to fuel wild speculation on among other things, the date of the secret rapture, the identify of anti-Christ, barcodes as the Mark of the Beast, some for massive financial gain.

Politically-oriented Dispensational groups (sometimes called Christian Zionists) blend their theology with political power and lobby heavily for unconditional US foreign-policy support for modern-day Israel into a very self serving agenda.  In their view, giving Israel all the political cover it needs with regards to dealing with their Palestinian population, “speeds up” the date when they will be taken to heaven.  In their view, this event will only happen if Israel can rebuild a temple on the current site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. The implication here is obvious. This can only happen if there is no longer a mosque in Jerusalem, which by it’s implication, indicates there are no Muslims left Israel.  You can see where they’re going.  Some Christian Zionists even use the litmus test of unconditional political support for Israeli policy as a test of theological orthodoxy within the church.

By the 1990’s, a reform movement within mainstream Dispensationalism had effectively moderated the more extreme views. However, with the publication of the “Left Behind” series of novels, a fictional portrayal of the end of the world, interest was rekindled its tendency towards speculation and prognostication. So popular were these books that they spawned a radio drama series, a set of end-times flavored children’s books, graphic novels (AKA comic books), an end-times daily devotional, greeting cards (yes, greeting cards!), a paid subscription newsletter, calendars, a worship CD,  and even a controversial action video game.

The Apocalypse Code turns the spotlight on the issues and personalities surrounding the Dispensational "ends times” movement that is so popular within evangelicalism today.

Like his other popular books Counterfeit Revival and Christianity in Crisis, Hannegraaff’s analysis of those who he sees as misrepresenting end-times theology is thoroughly documented. Characteristic of all of Hanegraaff’s books, its written in a conversational style that is both easy to read, yet confrontational.

The Apocalypse Code is however, somewhat different from his other popular exposes. Whereas both Christianity in Crisis and Counterfeit Revival exposed clear biblical error, abuses and departures from historic Christianity, this book attempts to partially shoot at a moving target. Eschatology (the study of last things) is by its nature more fluid and speculative than topics dealing with doctrinal aberrations. Lending support to this, one need only look at church history and see how historic Christianity has embraced several positions of eschatology over its 2000 year history. Hannegraaff scores a bull’s eye when it comes to debunking the more sensational aspects of pop-eschatology and its associated personalities. However he misses the mark when it comes to proving, beyond a shadow of doubt, his view of the end times is correct. (As a note, Hanegraaff is a partial-preterist, a view that sees significant portions of Biblical prophecy fulfilled.)

One of Hanegraaaf’s trademarks is the use of acronyms. His books and literature are full of them. He claims they are to help readers (or listeners to his radio program) to remember key points in a specific argument or counter-argument. Even the CRI website www.equip.org is an acronym. This book is no exception. He organizes his chapters using two; E2 which stands for Exegetical Eschatology and L-I-G-H-T-S which stands for Literal, Illumination, Grammatical, Historical, and Typological Principles. The S is for Scriptural Synergy. While acronyms can help people understand and remember important points, they also tend to force fit major ideas into simplistic containers. While Hanegraaff’s work is certainly not a scholarly work, the use of acronyms and self coined phrases throughout, places the book in the genre of the books and literature he is arguing against. In my view, if you are arguing against people who define doctrine in light of popular culture, defining your counter-arguments in the same light reduces their effect.

One other notable fault is the use of logical fallacies in his arguments. Some of Hanegraaff’s arguments include straw man and guilt-by-association fallacies, especially when defining popular spokesman and author Tim LaHaye and defining the popular pre-trib dispensational premillenialism as representative of all of pre-millennialism. (As a note, pre-millennialism is very broad category. The dispensational pre-trib variety is just one of several views. Classic or historical pre- millennialism, a view held by many early church fathers and people like Charles Spurgeon, George Eldon Ladd and James Montgomery Boice has only some commonality with the dispensational variety and is an acceptable historic view by many of those who disagree with Dispensationalism.) His Ad Hominem argument and broad brushing of J. N. Darby (the 19th century alleged inventor of Dispensationalism) also taints his argument against both he and his writings. The use of fallacies against those in the pre-trib dispensational camp who themselves commonly use fallacies (i.e. all those who don’t agree with us are anti-Semitic.  Although strangely enough, non-Dispensationalists sometimes level the same charge) does not elevate the argument to a level of truth through facts.  As a result, this book will not deal a mortal blow to the movement.

Overall, I don’t think this book will have the same impact on the “end-times” movement that Christianity in Crisis, and Counterfeit Revival had on the Word-Faith and Extreme Pentecostal movements. I do think that the appearance of books like Apocalypse Code and others which challenge the prevailing eschatological view are beneficial. While their effect is like touching an exposed nerve, the end result is they are exposing some major chinks in the armor of a view that has traditionally been left unchallenged. Even with its flaws, Apocalypse Code’s can have a therapeutic effect by helping those who want an pop-genre introduction to the movement’s eschatological theology, its extra-biblical nature and the motives behind the personalities who are driving it.

Ultimately, I find the publication of the book to be of greater impact than it content. I see it as an indicator that pre-millennial Dispensational eschatology is no longer untouchable. As such, it’s an important step in opening the debate to a wider audience.  However, as for it content, it really brings no new facts to the table that have not already been published in other books critical of Dispensationalism.

Opinion: May be interesting to those who are curious but certainly not recommended for those already familiar with the arguments.

I think Understanding Dispensationalists by Vern Poythress is the best overall critique of the Dispensational system.  It’s level-headed, scholarly, to the point and leaves the emotionalism aside.   Allows for dialogue between the parties.

I also think This World is Not My Home: The Origins and Development of Dispensationalism by Michael Williams is an excellent historical analysis of the system and its beliefs. While these books are broader in scope, they will help round out one’s view of the overall Dispensational system.