2010 Books (part 2)

Here are a few more of the best books I had the opportunity to read in 2010. There is much fruit to be gleaned from these books. Beginning tomorrow and Thursday, I'll try to highlight my top 10 or so books from 2010.

Biblical Theology - Geerhardus Vos
I'm so thankful for all of the recent work done on Biblical Theology - you'll see some of it in the posts still to come. Vos, though, is often regarded as the grandfather of Biblical Theology. I was keen to read him. What Vos does so well is show how God reveals Himself and His redemptive plan historically. Vos helps the reader discover the larger narrative that is playing out across the Biblical landscape. If we are to understand the Bible correctly, we must understand where the bit we are reading fits in the larger Biblical storyline. Vos helps you do that. The writing style was a bit laborious and cumbersome at points, but well worth wading through.

Desiring God - John Piper
I have read much by John Piper, and few preachers have been used by God to have a more profound impact on my life than Piper. For all the Piper I've read, I had never read Desiring God. You ought to read this book. Piper will help you see the glory and splendour of God. Then he will call you to delight yourself in the Lord!

The Baptists: Key People Involved in Forming a Baptist Identity (vol. 1 - Beginnings in Britain) - Tom Nettles
I love Baptist history and particularly English Baptist history. This was a delightful historical read. Nettles gives short and engaging biographical sketches of key figures in English Baptist history (both general and particular baptists). I want to read more about and by William Kiffin, Hanserd Knollys, and Benjamin Keach. I am happy to claim these men as my theological forebears, and I, like them, desire to see the Gospel of God's sovereign grace bear fruit in England.

C.H. Spurgeon Autobiography: Volume 1 - The Early Years
Speaking of English Baptists who preached God's sovereign grace... What a joy it was to read and be encouraged by the first volume of Spurgeon's autobiography. There are so many great stories, anecdotes, and meditations on the grace of God in Christ. This was a humbling and edifying read. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Broken Down House: Living Productively in a World Gone Bad - Paul David Tripp
This book is vintage Paul Tripp: clear, convicting, provoking, engaging, and Gospel-saturated. I found myself laughing on one page and being terribly convicted on the next. Tripp, like a trusted road sign, points his readers to God's sufficient Word for the answers to how to navigate through this sin-cursed world.

CrossTalk: Where Scripture and Life Meet - Michael R. Emlet
I've not read a book like this one before... part teaching you how to interpret the Bible, part teaching you how to use God's Word to help hurting people, and part case study to help you see how these things play out - this is how I would describe this very helpful book. For anyone involved in ministering to others from God's Word (which should be all Christians!), this is a good place to get guidance in how to do it well.

Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living, and Speaking the Gospel - J. Mack Stiles
This is a book on evangelism, but it's more than that. This book is about how to be an evangelist. Christians ought to constantly be speaking the Gospel into the lives of unbelievers. To do this sort of thing, we must know the Gospel and personally be impacted daily by the Gospel. This book helps us to do just that. I highly recommend it.