New Books

baron · #1 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 10:34 AM

I just want to say thank you to all PB members who recommend books or bring books to our attention.

Received the following;

Justification by J.V Fesko

1689 Baptist Confession of Faith by Samuel E. Waldron

Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon (read it last night short book only 108 pages).

The Art of divine Contentment by Thomas Watson

whitway · #2 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 10:42 AM

Happy Reading. I'm waiting on

"Why Johnny Can't Preach" by T. David Gordon
"Case For Amillennialism" by Kim Riddlebarger
"A Secular Faith: Why Christianity Favors the Separation of Church and State" by D.G. Hart.

baron · #3 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 11:48 AM

Wayne, you might want to read How to Read a Book by Mortimer, Adler on the PB Edu. Link if you have not read it yet. Seeing how you are waiting for Why Johnny Can't Preach.

Casey · #4 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 11:58 AM

So what'd ya think of Gordon's book?

Backwoods Presbyterian · #5 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 12:15 PM

I just got Vol. II of John Murray's works, Resurrection and Redemption by Richard Gaffin, and The Person and Work of Jesus Christ by B.B. Warfield...

**Marrow Man** · #6 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 01:00 PM

Yes, I'd be interested as well in opinions/reviews of the Gordon book.

baron · #7 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyBessette

So what'd ya think of Gordon's book?

I enjoyed the book. In the book he writes how he and his wife sat in a church for two years under a pastor who could not preach. I'm able to relate to this being in the same position. Asking as he did what did he say? He writes about boards who hire pastors they know that can't preach. Hoping that they bring something else to the ministry. He says only about thirty percent of pastors can preach. A friend in the book disagrees and says it's more like one out of five pastors can preach, and more should leave the ministry.

Contents of book Johnny Can't Preach because Johnny Can't Read, Johnny Can't Write. He writes that those who enter Seminarian today have the faculties of a sixth to eighth grader sixty years ago. Reason started with Life and Look Magazine when pictures took over the content of what we read. They show a picture and a little blurb of what it's about. Television did not help turning us in to a media that watches moving pictures instead of the written word. He also puts the telephone in there saying sermons are like telphone conservations not seeing the persons body language and being disjoined (all over the place). No one writes letters anymore. Says there are four main types of sermons. 1) Moralism, 2) How-To, 3) Introspection, 4) Social Gospel or Culture Warrior. Sermons should be Christological and not the four failures listed.

Gordon's remedy: Read slower, read potery, read the Classics and Write more. Also says churches should have an annual Review of the Pastor. All other jobs have an annual review except pastors. I never thought of this before. (Every job I have had I had annual reviews and enjoyed them, for they showed me arears where I could improve).

Disclaimer John here Can't Write, Can't Read, Can't Spell, and Most certain Can't Preach, or Write Book Reviews.

Though I'm trying to learn the above skills. Thats why I'm reading How To Read A Book on the Edu. Link. I started this a week or two ago and his assement is about the same as Gordon's though he wrote in the 1930 I beleive.

Coming from a Baptist background where people pride them selves that they never attended seminary or bible school, they are the worst to listen to seeing how the four failures listed above is our main diet. I did attend a Presbyterian Church about two weeks ago and the whole sermon was about Jesus Christ, that His Superior Preisthood Insures a Better Sacrifice. Best preached sermon I have heard in a year. There were no jokes or personal life stories that is a main staple in so many Baptist Churches.

So with my limited ability at reading and writting I hope my post is coherent enough for people to understand. But as C. S. Lewis said read the Author not some one who writes about what the author says.

But if some one out there that is educated has read the book, I would like to read your thoughts on the book espically pastors.

In His Grip · #8 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baron

I just want to say thank you to all PB members who recommend books or bring books to our attention.

Received the following;

Justification by J.V Fesko

1689 Baptist Confession of Faith by Samuel E. Waldron

Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon (read it last night short book only 108 pages).

The Art of divine Contentment by Thomas Watson

The Art of Divine Contentment by Thomas Watson is one of my favorite books! It is truly a gem to read!

Reformed Thomist · #9 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baron

The Art of divine Contentment by Thomas Watson

Schweet!

Geneva · #10 (**permalink**) 04-18-2009, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baron

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaseyBessette

So what'd ya think of Gordon's book?

I enjoyed the book. In the book he writes how he and his wife sat in a church for two years under a pastor who could not preach. I'm able to relate to this being in the same position. Asking as he did what did he say? He writes about boards who hire pastors they know that can't preach. Hoping that they bring something else to the ministry. He says only about thirty percent of pastors can preach. A friend in the book disagrees and says it's more like one out of five pastors can preach, and more should leave the ministry.

Contents of book Johnny Can't Preach because Johnny Can't Read, Johnny Can't Write. He writes that those who enter Seminarian today have the faculties of a sixth to eighth grader sixty years ago. Reason started with Life and Look Magazine when pictures took over the content of what we read. They show a picture and a little blurb of what it's about. Television did not help turning us in to a media that watches moving pictures instead of the written word. He also puts the telephone in there saying sermons are like telphone conservations not seeing the persons body language and being disjoined (all over the place). No one writes letters anymore. Says there are four main types of sermons. 1) Moralism, 2) How-To, 3) Introspection, 4) Social Gospel or Culture Warrior. Sermons should be Christological and not the four failures listed.

Gordon's remedy: Read slower, read potery, read the Classics and Write more. Also says churches should have an annual Review of the Pastor. All other jobs have an annual review except pastors. I never thought of this before. (Every job I have had I had annual reviews and enjoyed them, for they showed me arears where I could improve).

Disclaimer John here Can't Write, Can't Read, Can't Spell, and Most certain Can't Preach, or Write Book Reviews.

Though I'm trying to learn the above skills. Thats why I'm reading How To Read A Book on the Edu. Link. I started this a week or two ago and his assement is about the same as Gordon's though he wrote in the 1930 I beleive.

Coming from a Baptist background where people pride them selves that they never attended seminary or bible school, they are the worst to listen to seeing how the four failures listed above is our main diet. I did attend a Presbyterian Church about two weeks ago and the whole sermon was about Jesus Christ, that His Superior Preisthood Insures a Better Sacrifice. Best preached sermon I have heard in a year. There were no jokes or personal life stories that is a main staple in so many Baptist Churches.

So with my limited ability at reading and writting I hope my post is coherent enough for people to understand. But as C. S. Lewis said read the Author not some one who writes about what the author says.

But if some one out there that is educated has read the book, I would like to read your thoughts on the book espically pastors.

I am sad to say that you are right on in your assessment of many of our Baptist ministers. And, while it may be said of other denominations as well, it is certainly true of Baptist in the South. Now, don't get me wrong, there are many well educated Baptist preachers. But now, and this is important to our consideration, if Johnny can't preach, where did that begin?
Seminary won't necessarily help Johnny a great deal. Maybe Johnny isn't called in the first place. No classroom will change that problem - except maybe to reveal it. Ministers have a great responsibility to further their own education. They should read, read, read, and then read some more. I had a pastor once who use to be fond of saying, [I]"I'm as dumb as a bag of rocks."[I] Everybody usually laughed and went on. But, after a while of hearing that over and over again, they began to wonder if it might be true. God help us to have full-time pastors who use that time in preparation for the most important task they will ever engage in - Preaching and teaching the Word of God. Please excuse me if this response is in the wrong place. I havn't read the book but Im sure it would be a most interesting read.