Here are some of the best books I read this past month

 

Corporate Worship by Matt Merker

This recent addition to the 9Marks series is one of my favorites yet. Merker helpfully lays out a biblical understanding of corporate worship, and how we are to faithfully engage in it. This book is theologically rich, and incredibly applicable. I plan on using this book for our church’s book club in the near future, as I believe it is the most helpful resource out there for christians looking to understand what our Sunday gathering really is about.

 

Encouragement for the Depressed by Charles Spurgeon

 

This tiny book combines two classic works of Spurgeon. Encouragement for the Depressed is a helpful treatise on those who are downcast and struggling to find joy. The companion piece aimed at pastors specifically, The Minister’s Fainting Fit, is a classic, which should be read by every pastor. I was deeply encouraged as I re-read this helpful, and practical aid to understanding the trials that come during vocational ministry.

 

Bavinck: A Critical Biography by James Eglinton

I wanted to read through a biography of Bavinck, before I plan on tackling his 4 volume Reformed Dogmatics later this year. Eglinton’s biography was recently released and is excellent. It is a “critical” commentary, which means it is a bit more focused on a scholarly account of the man. Still, I found this helpful to get to know Bavinck as a person, to better serve my engagement with his theology.

Reformed Resurgence by Brad Vermurlen 

How do we understand the recent resurgence of Calvinism in our day? Vermurlen spent his dissertation researching this question, and came up with some insightful results. Showing how celebrity power propelled the Calvinism movement into prominent position, Vermurlen also shows how the movement is poised to endure through strong institutions and a robust, younger following that is committed to Reformed theology. This book was a ton of fun to read, and though I may not agree with every conclusion or opinion he has, I think he did an excellent job representing different players in the evangelical world over the past couple of decades.

 

An Introduction to the Greek NT by Tyndale House by Dirk Jongkind

As I have been doing research, which ultimately led me to get on board with the new Greek NT from Tyndale House, I found myself picking this little book up for further insight into their translation process. This small companion to their new Greek NT was very helpful to see their approach to translation and I was really pleased by the depth of transparency given by Jongkind into how decisions were made. If you’re interested in the new NT by Tyndale House(as I am!) this is a good book to start with.