Gleanings from the Pastor's Perspective: some books to think about

The Pastor’s Perspective
“some books to think about”
First Published: January 11, 2001

Well, the New Year has come, and it’s hard to believe that we are actually in 2001. Just as it was difficult for some of us old-timers to get used to 1984 being something we referred to in the past tense (we associated that year with Orwellian apocalyptic predictions for the future!), so also all this year long we’ll feel as if we ought to be on a space odyssey to Mars. So much for twentieth century man’s prophetic powers.

Along with my wish to you for the Happiest of New Years, I have a number of things that I’d like to briefly share. First, I want to pause and rejoice with you about God’s rich provision in the area of church finances. For much of the second half of 2000, we ran a significant cash flow deficit in the operational budget of the church. With the markets in their state, I wasn’t sure what kind of a December we would have in giving. Well, you surpassed all expectations. The long and the short of it is that around $1.5 million was given to the church last month alone and our contributions have well exceeded our budget. Thank you and praise God.

I thought you’d be interested to know that our Minister of Teaching, Dr. Derek Thomas, will have a number of books coming out in the new year. His dissertation on Calvin’s exposition of Job is due to be published by Christian Focus Publications, as is a book on the Lord’s Prayer. Evangelical Press is producing a book by Derek on the Ascent Psalms (120-134). He also has a book coming out on Revelation. May the Lord bless Derek’s ministry of writing and use his labors for the church’s good.

Our church bookstore will be opening soon and you’ll be able to access Derek’s books right here, as well as many other fine Christian publications. I would also remind you that our church, through the Communications Committee of the Session, has published a number of helpful books and pamphlets that you may want to know about. Wilson Benton’s booklet “Everything you always wanted to know about Predestination but were afraid to ask” was produced jointly last year by FPC Publications and Reformed Academic Press. It has already sold 1500 copies. It’s a good, short, solid, easy-to-read introduction to the subject. We also published Terry Johnson’s book on Reformed Worship. It is an outstanding introduction to what the Bible teaches about corporate worship.

We’ve put three other title in print as well, Howard Kelly’s, A Scientific Man and the Bible, with an introduction by former FPC member, RTS student and teaching physician Paul Hoehner. This book is written by one of the founders of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, who was also a conservative evangelical Christian. We’ve also produced a booklet version of Richard Baxter’s The Duty of Physicians (edited by Michael Lundy, MD). We will use them in our outreach to medical students at UMC, but they will be interesting to all who serve in the health professions, and indeed to any intelligent layperson. Terry Johnson’s lectures The Pastor’s Public Ministry will be of interest to seminarians and Christian workers, but also to Christian laity who want to understand the goals and responsibilities of Christian ministers.

Your friend,

Ligon Duncan

editorial note: many of these books are available at www.reformedacademic.com