Maximum Mandatum

This is the eighth year that I’ve been writing these posts. This past year was particularly busy and challenging, so I didn’t get to read as much as I had hoped. Let’s just say certain opportunities in my church and priorities in my family took precedence and reading got relegated to the back burner for about six months. The focus of my study this past year centered on three major themes—biblical counseling, secular theory, and creativity (poetry in particular). I hope you enjoy these reflections and find something from my list that you can pick up and read in the new year. Notice, I snuck in an eleventh book.

[11. The Not So Loving Side of Gentle Parenting by Justin L. Miller, (133 pages)]

“We, as Christian parents, do not have the option to parent however we wish. We are to parent per God’s Word for God’s glory . . . and to make sure Scripture, and not a reaction or a zeal divorced from Scripture, shapes our parenting” (p. 62, 51).

This short book touches on a critical issue affecting so many young families in the modern church. Younger generations of parents struggle to raise their children with strong authority, consistent discipline, and biblical principles. They have been led to believe that the world has something better to offer than God’s clear instruction. Things like authority, punishment, and correction have been replaced with more empathetic partnership, collaboration, and self-expression. It seems parenting is yet another victim of the therapeutic culture. The Bible doesn’t actually have much to say about parenting, but when it does, it is clear. Children are called to obey their parents and honor them. That’s it. Parents are called to raise them in the fear and admonition of the Lord by training them in the Scriptures and teaching them to obey. That’s it. This is simple. But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy. It takes a lot of work. Rather than a secular, child-centered approach, Miller presents an eternal, Word-centered approach to parenting. This is a necessary yet gentle correction to Christian parents who are uncomfortable to lead God’s way with love, authority, and discipline.

10. Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns (235 pages)

“We should seek to glorify God in how we work through broken relationships, knowing that even as we glorify God, we will maximize our joy” (p. 38).

This book is gold! I believe this is the most thorough biblical resource on forgiveness. It is clear, comprehensive, and practical. He answers all of your hard questions—”Does forgiveness have conditions?” “How should I respond to the unrepentant?” “How can I conquer bitterness?” He deals with all the potential variables and complexities of forgiveness and reconciliation. He confronts the therapeutic milieu that has spoiled the church’s understanding of forgiveness. Through detailed explanation of Scripture, sound reasoning, and real life stories, he has provided a compelling resource for us. Whether you are a pastor, a biblical counselor, or an individual in the midst of relational conflict, I encouraged you to meditate on the principles laid forth in this resource. Chris is eminently helpful and I look forward to his next book, The Way of Repentance, coming out in March.

9. A Hobbit, A Wardrobe, and a Great War by Joseph Laconte (256 pages)

“The idea of personal, moral guilt, however, was widely rejected in the post-war years. Psychology, philosophy, literature, even theology—all these disciplines were helping to erode individual responsibility.”

This was such a fascinating blend of art, history, and sociology that revealed the realism behind the fantasies of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. Their personal lives were not only intertwined as writers in the Inklings but as soldiers who faced the horrors of WW1 and the great disillusionment that followed. Their experiences shaped their characters and their stories, and impacted their countercultural purposes for writing. Little connections, such as the Dead Marshes being inspired by Tolkien’s experience in the trenches, imbue the story with greater depths of meaning and emotion. Overall, this was a wonderful reflection on why we make art in general and why write fiction in particular—to escape the horrors of reality, to make sense of life, to combat growing ideologies around us, to build a better future for the next generation, and to communicate the hope of the Gospel in a fresh way to a disenchanted world.

8. Adorning the Dark by Andrew Peterson (202 pages)

“I’m pleasantly expendable, delightfully unnecessary. We’re not invited into this because God needs us, but because he wants us.”

There’s a reason John MacArthur chose Is He Worthy? to be sung at his funeral earlier this year. Andrew Peterson is a thoughtful artist whose influence is as broad and as widespread as his creative gifts. From his songs, his fiction, his live concerts, and his creative community/publishing house of artists, known as The Rabbit Room—I’m sure your life has been touched by him in some way. This is a deeply beautiful, thoughtful, vulnerable, and inspiring memoir of “community, calling, and the mystery of making.” He shares his dreams and goals, fears and doubts, joys and regrets, and all the challenges in his pursuit of creating. Tipping his hat to many of the great Christian artists, like Tolkien, Lewis, and Rich Mullins, he shares with us how to pursue our dreams with Christ-centered passion and purpose. Reading this book was an experience with insights into the creative process and the art community that rekindled a desire to create. I have already purchased The God in the Garden to read this next year.

7. The Pastor as Leader by John Currie (220 pages)

“The vision of a church should be a clear picture of what the future might look like if God blessed this mission in and through this people, in this place, in this period” (p. 152).

“Preaching is leadership and preachers are leaders in Christ’s cause.” This is the thesis of the book. Currie touches on a critical error that affects pastors and churches. On one hand, pastoral ministry can be reduced to trendy, entrepreneurial leadership at the expense of doctrinal depth in the pulpit. And on the other hand, pastoral ministry can be reduced to merely deep preaching at the expense of strong leadership. The balance of this book is striking as it calls pastors to pursue excellence in both aspects of their calling. Many pastors struggle to be leaders and/or to train and develop leaders. I appreciate that this book presents a robust view of pastoral ministry showing its multifaceted responsibilities which include casting a clear vision, executing a mission, developing people, utilizing their gifts, in what he calls “critical, disciplined, and sometimes courageous decisions to align resources.” Most books on Christian leadership can be shallow, trendy, or doctrine-lite. This one is different. He calls biblical, doctrinally sound, expository preachers to be strong leaders, without downplaying the significance of the pulpit in steering a church.

6. Redeeming Sex in Marriage by Scott Mehl (191 pages)

“Sex is a uniquely powerful aspect of our humanity. Outside the garden, this means that its abuses and misuses impact us in uniquely powerful ways . . . Confusion reigns, and it is a tyrant” (p. 51, 6).

When it comes to sex, confusion abounds. Even if we are committed to biblical principles, the Christian worldview, and a teleological view of sex, we still carry baggage into the marriage bed—whether secular education, worldly exposure, past experiences, or unrealistic expectations. And even in a Christian marriage, sex can be frustrating, unfulfilling, and a source of conflict when it was originally designed to cultivate the exact opposite—intimacy, pleasure, joy, and worship. The first half of the book delineates a biblical theology of sex—creation/purpose, fall, and redemption. And the second half provides 12 practical principles (not steps) that will bring a busy and/or frustrated couple to grow closer together in their journey of intimacy. And yes, he does get into the nitty-gritty details and questions, but does so in a tactful and helpful way. The two things I appreciated most about this book: 1) it makes the case for the transcendence of sex, that it is not ultimate but rather points to something greater, and 2) it calls for couples to discover each other rather than some arbitrary sexual ideal that the world offers. This is an excellent Gospel-centered resource that will be helpful at any stage of marriage.

5. The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien (1,008 pages)

“You cannot be always torn in two. You will have to be one and whole, for many years. You have so much to enjoy and to be, and to do” (p. 1006).

I’m ashamed to admit that this was my first time reading through the trilogy. Interestingly, this was not on my list at the beginning of the year. It was an unexpected journey inspired by Andrew Peterson and others I read earlier in the year. I felt compelled to read it all the way through (alongside The Hobbit), and I’m so glad I did. Yes, I watched the movies in high school, but was not at all into reading back then, let alone reading fantasy. Now, later along in life, I have a greater appreciation—and need—for fantasy. Reading through the trilogy was a very delightful and thrilling experience. I really enjoyed Tolkien’s story-telling—his prose, world-building, character development, the eucatastrophic twists and turns, and all the moral lessons of courage, friendship, loyalty, and defeating evil. The books really are ten thousand times better than the movies! My favorite was The Return of the King. The last few pages brought me to tears. All 1,000 pages of this daring partnership led to Frodo’s final words to Sam. The story profoundly comforted me in my own grief. This is why we read, and read fantasy in particular—to help us to look beyond the bitter brokenness of this world.

4. Lies My Therapist Told Me by Greg E. Gifford (300 pages)

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone, then, that when you increase the number of mental illnesses, reduce the criteria required to be diagnosed, and lack any empirical way of validating symptoms, you now have an epidemic of mental illnesses” (p. 16).

I had a personal situation this year where a family member was physically sick. And after taking them to multiple professionals in the medical field, the only diagnosis and the only treatments they offered were psychiatric—“It’s all emotional,” they said. But they were wrong. There was an organic cause, a pathological infection. And they missed it. And not just once, but again and again. We were victims of the spirit of the age. Gifford challenges the unquestioned assumptions of the mental illness culture. The main thesis of this book is that there is a real distinction between the brain and the mind (or the body and the soul) that our culture either unintentionally conflates or intentionally ignores. He presents a robust, and traditionally biblical anthropology to confront the novel, secular, psychological/therapeutic system. Precisely how the mind and body relate is one of the most complex philosophical ideas. Like the creation of the universe, it is neither observable nor measurable. Therefore, it is not science, not empirical, not objective, and therefore, it is not reliable. We need divine revelation on this issue. We should be open to the observations of psychology, but cautious of their interpretations, terminology, interventions and methods. He cuts through the overconfidence of the therapeutic culture, asks all the right questions, reveals many concerning issues, and provides a paradigm in which we can confidently question the prevailing theories and assumptions of “the professionals.” He warns how psychological labels can victimize and fossilize individuals. Oftentimes, they excuse sin, absolve responsibility, and encourage negligence. He encourages us to be critical and discerning and have a healthy skepticism.

3. The New Eclecticism by Francine Tan (333 pages)

“Neuroscience is emerging as a unified theory with a reach similar to Darwin’s theory of evolution to provide metaphysical explanations for the problems of man” (p. 292).

Also cutting through the therapeutic culture with clarity, this book delineates the perils and pitfalls of the modern obsession with trauma and trauma-informed care. This is a thorough critique and a powerful exposé. In a real sense, she deconstructs the prevailing theories surrounding trauma and neuroscience and reveals them to be a house of cards ever expanding with addition after addition of contradictory and debunked claims. Does the body really store trauma? Can it be passed down generationally? Can memories be repressed? Is dissociation a real phenomenon? Should we accept such a broad category as CPTSD? Most of their assertions pretend to be hard science but, in reality, are built upon philosophical theories that circumvent the scientific process—pseudoscience. Oftentimes, the trauma gurus’ claims cannot be falsified revealing that it has become an unquestioned cultural ideology. She reveals the the Darwinian and Freudian presuppositions, the ever-creeping and broadening concept of trauma, the unknown controversies within the field, the political agendas, and the growing subjectivity. Her main thesis is that the contemporary trauma paradigm is an eclectic combination of secular trauma theories and disproven scientific claims rendering it incompatible with biblical counseling. Utilizing David Powlison’s paradigm for integration, she critiques Christian counseling that embraces this ideology. She reminds us that “there is no lack of descriptions of suffering, affliction, anguish, calamity, trouble, and distress that are part of the universal human experience in Scripture.”

2. Letters From the Mountain by Ben Palpant (201 pages)

“The world is filled with spiritually starved people. Hold their hands, look in their eyes, and listen to the words behind their words. You will hear a silent plea, Care for me, friend. Give me a cup of cool water. Feed me with words refashioned, renewed, and flung into this city of dying lights” (p. 7).

I’ve read many books on writing over the years and this one was poignantly different. Many focus of the elements of style, the rules of grammar, and/or the art of storytelling. The reason this one is so deeply moving was because it is so deeply personal. In a series of letters to his daughter, Palpant provides insights into the craft, the purpose, and the potential of our words. His advice to a young writer is more than merely practical, it is moving and motivational—even transcendent—as he takes the focus of of ourselves and our audience. With clarity and simplicity, he encourages us to write with an eternal perspective, to reach the generations to come, and to rekindle hope in a disenchanted world. He captures the tension of writing—perseverance and rest, solitude and community, freedom and form, contentment and ambition. He effectively calls us to use our words intentionally, not only in our writing but in our everyday lives, realizing their potential to impact others even after we’re gone .

1. An Axe for the Frozen Sea by Ben Palpant (321 pages)

“Calamity tends to open our hearts to poetry. Poetry is a way for you to bear grief.”

Although this book was about poetry, Christian poetry in particular, I learned about life, writing, grief, nature, solitude, faith, and wonder. From beginning to end, this was a thoroughly beautiful and visceral journey. It was a slow, reflective, immersive, and enlightening experience. Each chapter focused on a different poet with a personal introduction, some interview questions, and then samples of their poetry. Although it focused on the craft of writing poetry, it was distinctly personal. Preaching and poetry are both experiential crafts, both in their making and taking in. But the language of preaching is propositional, while poetry is more ambiguous, mysterious, and metaphorical. It is more emotional, contemplative, and immersive than didactic. It wrestles with truth more than proclaims it. It is more open-ended and unsettling, yet delightfully cathartic. As a preacher, I’ve come to see that poetry, like fantasy, is another necessary form, another essential craft, that helps me be more whole and more human. The beauty, solitude, and challenge of poetry are altogether captivating. And this book is a wonderful reflection on it.

Honorable Mentions: Overcoming the Darkness by Nate Pickowicz, Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke, A Call to Clarity by Heath Lambert; Speaking Truth in Love by David Powlison; Abuse, Abandonment and Divorce by Steve Swartz; Rembrandt in the Wind by Russ Ramsey; Macbeth by William Shakespeare; Waiting Isn’t a Waste by Mark Vroegop; Making All Things New by David Powlison; and Through Gates of Splendor by Elisabeth Elliot.