'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #15 - "THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS" BY JOHN BUNYAN

This is the oldest book on my list, and the first one I've become familiar with. I heard an excerpt when I was in children's church in 6th grade. In the 80's, I saw two movies based on the book (one live action, the latter animated) and read an article based on the portrait of a pastor from this book.

I finally read it in the '90's. I wasn't aware until then that Bunyan wrote two parts of the story. The above mentioned movies were based on the first one, and I thought it was stronger than Christiana's journey. 

In "The book of Lists" I saw in the mid '70's, "The Pilgrim's Progress" was on top of "The Most Boring Classics." At first, I thought it might be anti-Christian bias on the compilers part, but after reading it, I can see why. There are a lot of discourses in the book, and it's easy to picture a non-believer to lose interest. Still, it belongs on my "Must Read" list.

By the way, this is the second of the two books that are on both my list and the Renovare list. 

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #14 - "MERE CHRISTIANITY" BY C.S. LEWIS

 

I mentioned at the beginning the book "25 Books Every Christian Should Read." Only two of my 25 are on that list, and Lewis' classic "Mere Christianity" is the first. (The second is tomorrow). Now, to be honest, there are classics in the book's list that I haven't taken time to read (e.g. Augustine's Confession and Calvin's Institutes).

Who knows why I didn't finish this book when I first started reading it in '84, but I finally read it more recently and studied it with my pastor at that time (Richard Walton). While I don't agree with everything Lewis says, this book definitely is an effective defense of the faith. It originally was a radio program in England during World War II where Lewis was able to define what a Christian was.

While it didn't make my list, I also read "C.S. Lewis & Francis Schaeffer: Lessons for a New Century from the Most Influential Apologists of our Time" by Scott R. Burson and Jerry L. Walls. It helped me become more familiar with these authors. I found it interesting that the two authors seemed to identify more with Lewis (both did a lot of research on Lewis), but I finished the book being more of a Schaeffer fan instead.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #13 - "LOVE YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR MIND" BY J.P. MORELAND

I was in a meeting with church leadership training, and the group leader shared the chapter of "Love Your God With All Your Mind: The Role of Reason in the Live of the Soul" that dealt with how this focus translated into the local church. That chapter hooked me, and I thus read this book. Twice.

But which of the editions did I read? Both. The second edition  (which is what the cover is for) adds material to the first chapter, and rewrites the third of four parts of the book. To be honest, while both editions are good, the original fit the purpose of the book, examining the role of the Christian mind in evangelism, apologetic reasoning, worship, and fellowship. The second edition instead gives a strategy on how to reason - again, useful, but I missed the deleted information.
 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #12 - "LIVING THE CROSS CENTERED LIFE" BY C. J. MAHANEY

This is a book I've read twice, and need to read again. My wife and I were given C.J. Mahaney's "Living the Cross Cenetered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing" by our friend Steve Sering, and it is an excellent read. 

We know we're supposed to live in the power of the resurrection (Phil. 3:10), but the context also says we're to live in the fellowship of Christ's suffering and be conformed to the likeness of His death. This book helps us learn what those latter points looks like. Not the easiest book, and not one that makes us view ourselves as the wonderful people we aren't, but that's necessary in growing in Christ.

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #11 - "THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY" BY A.W. TOZER

 I started this series off with a review "25 Books Every Christian Should Read" by Renovare, an organization that focuses on Christian mysticism and spiritual foundation. Considering that A.W. Tozer is considered a Christian mysticism, it should be a slam dunk that this (or another) book would be included. But it isn't.

I also have mentioned the differences between Biblical and Systematic theology. This book is an example of the latter. Tozer looks at nineteen  attributes of God. 

This is a challenging read. Me and some other men went through this book recently. But this book is rightly considered a classic.

MEMORIES OF MY FATHER ON FATHER'S DAY

Dad, foreground, at a birthday party for Becky, 2017. And yes, unless he used Grecian Formula without my knowledge, that was my Dad's hair color a month from his 84th birthday.
Photo courtesy of Pam Hall

A question just popped into my mind a few minutes ago: Did any of the classic horror actors (Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Lon Chaney Sr. or Jr., Vincent Price) ever get an Oscar nomination? And what does this question have to do with anything? I'll get to that.

I should have started with wishing you all a Happy Father's Day. And I'd like to take the opportunity to remember my Dad, who passed away September 23, 2019, at age 86.

I grew up in Fullerton, CA for the first 9 years of my life. Then, he seemed to disappear. A month later, Mom sent me to stay with his parents in Skull Valley, AZ (a lot smaller than Fullerton), who took care of foster children at that time, meaning I went from being an only child to second oldest of a half-dozen, three of those Native American. (By the way, I never knew my maternal grandparents.) 

Dad moved to Skull Valley around Easter time, and after landing a job as a radio announcer/DJ, he worked at different radio stations, mostly at KVIO in Cottonwood. He did leave that station for Needles, CA, followed by Kingman, AZ (2.5 months total between those stations) and then returned to Cottonwood. (The person who took his place at KVIO didn't stay, so Dad returned there after a 6 months absense). One memory I had was riding with him as we moved back to Cottonwood, and he told me that I had nothing to do with his and mom's divorce (which had never crossed my mind, but I might be in the minority of how most kids deal with a divorce). 

Those who knew my dad late in his life knew he showed movies at the Senior apartments he stayed in from '07 to '18. That was part of our lives. While in Fullerton, Dad and I saw movies together from those more in my interest (e.g. "Hey There, It's Yogi Bear" and "Yellow Submarine") to those more his type (such as "Fantastic  Voyage" and "The Day The Earth Stood Still." This continued through till Becky and I moved from California in '84. The radio station employees had a pass to Cottonwood's movie theater/drive-in. While he was married to my step-mom, we went to movies a lot, but he would take the older of my two younger stepsisters to John Wayne movies since she was a John Wayne fan, and he was excited when "Cinderella" came to the drive-in so he could take my youngest stepsister. (BTW, my step-mom had four daughters with a 12 year gap between the second and third, and I fit right in the middle of that gap.) One year, Dad got me a book with all the movies of Boris Karloff (and a John Wayne book for my step-sister). Since then, I've seen several movies of Boris Karloff. Which is where the question I asked came about. I did once ask him who was the better actor between Karloff, Lugosi, and Chaney Jr. (and Dad's answer was in that order).

One thing I remember is he was encouraging me to do what interested me. There was only exception: When I got home after armed-services day my senior year at high school interested in the military, Dad did his best to nip that in the bud fast. (I know my grandfather on Dad's side was too young for WWI and too old for WWII; Dad would have been the age for the Korean War, and I don't know why he wasn't drafted, unless it was an educational deferrment.)

I remember Dad telling me how the movie version of a couple of Agatha Christie Stories ("And Then There Was None" and "Witness For the Prosecution") varied from the original stories. A couple of years ago, I read her "Mousetrap and Other Plays," where the introduction said she didn't like some of the renditions of her stories because... they stayed too close to the original. In that 8 play collection, three were based on Poirot mysteries except Poroit wasn't in any of those plays. I came to the conclusion that it was Christie who changed the endings of those plays. I wish I had the chance to ask Dad about his opinion on that.
 

Don't remember the year, but I think it was in winter!

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #10 - "KILLING CALVINISM" BY GREG DUTCHER

If you think this book is written by Arminians (or other non-Calvinists) to refute "the doctrines of grace," you not only haven't read the book; you haven't even carefully read the full title of Greg Dutcher's book: "Killing Calvinism: How to Destroy a Perfectly Good Theology."

This is a book written by a Calvinist to Calvinists pointing out how Calvinists fuel the fire of the oppositon and how to prevent it. However, I'm including this because some of these errors some Calvinists fall into (all of which are practical rather than theological) are ones that other theologies can imitate and equally need to avoid.

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #9 - "IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS" BY GLENN PENNER

 

I have previously mentioned Biblical theology when I mentioned the New Studies on Biblical Theology series. A refresher: Systematic Theology looks at all Biblical verses on a topic; Biblical theology focuses on the development on a topic in the Biblical book. 

No, "In the Shadow of the Cross: A Biblical Theology of Persecution & Discipleship" by the late Glenn Penner (former director of Voice of the Martyrs Canada) is not part of the above mentioned series, but it takes the same technique. It goes book by book into looking to see what it says about persecution.

Naturally, we avoid persecution. Yet it says "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12, emphasis added). And this book on persecution is not depressing but encouraging.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #8 - "THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JESUS" BY JOHN MACARTHUR

I received the original edition of this book for my birthday, along with a copy of his then latest project "Heartland" from Christian musician Rob Frazier. Both were an impact on my life, 

I heard a speaker once say that if you don't sound like Christians can do anything they want and still be saved, they're not preaching grace. I disagree, and this book points in that direction.

MacArthur is associated with "Lordship Salvation" which many Christians have a problem because they think it's works salvation and sinless perfection to believe that Christ isn't your savior if He's not Lord. That is NOT what I've picked up. Rather, MacArthur pointed out there's time he's disobedient to His Lord. But I believe Biblically that there will be evidence in our lives if we're saved. Perfect obedience and sanctification? No, but definitely not an absence of obedience and sanctification.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #7 - "GETTING TO KNOW THE CHURCH FATHERS" BY BRYAN LITFIN

How many of you get excited by studying church history? Does it seem to be dealing with dry historical figures that don't really fit in with modern life? Here's a book that will help you appreciate the development and the individuals who influenced that development.

If you can read the small, light print on the bar above the author's name, you'll see this is the second edition. I've read both editions. The first one deals with Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Tertullian, Perpetua, Origen, Athanasius, John Chrysostom, Augustine, and Cyril of Alexandria. The second edition adds Ephram the Syrian and St. Patrick of Ireland. 

Each chapter gives a biography of the subject and some description of what was going on at the time. This is followed by five or so questions, reading recommendations, and an excerpt of their writings. The questions make this ideal for a group study - I've used this in that setting twice.

 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #6 - "FOUR VIEWS ON ETERNAL SECURITY" EDITED BY J. MATTHEW PINSON

I've read several of Zondervan's Counterpoints series. This wasn't my first (that one was on Apologetics), but it's my favorite. I enjoyed reading the authors' talking about our great and wonderful salvation. The four views dealt with were Classical Calvinism by Michael S. Horton, Moderate Calvinism by Norman Geisler, Reformed Arminianism (yes, that exists) by Stephen M. Ashby, and Wesleyan Arminianism by J. Steven Harper. 

One of the reviewers were unhappy that the two Arminians didn't rip the two who believed in eternal security in purposes. Actually, that's a plus in the book. I shook my head when Geisler divided the views into Strong Calvinist, Moderate Calvinist, and Arminian, putting oneself in the happy medium view while aligning with Calvin and assuming Arminians can be put in one box (fellow Moderate Calvinist Ron Rhodes takes a similar approach. For me, this book convinced me of what I believed, which is that neither Calvinism nor Arminianism are without variation, as well as both are trusting in Christ alone for salvation.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #5 - "50 PEOPLE EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW" BY WARREN WIERSBE

 

Warren Wiersbe wrote three sets of spiritual giants, which composed 48 individuals. This volume is the combination of those collections, plus two which the editor requested. 
These include several people that I was aware of such as Charles Spurgeon, George Whitfield, A.W. Tozer, and Matthew Henry, and others I wasn't as familiar with, such as Thomas Spurgeon (the son of Charles, and the only one in this collection whose father also made the list). 

One stand out for me was Charles Simeon, who I had never heard of before reading, but has since become one of my heroes for several reasons.

There are some people you'd expect to be included that aren't there. For example, the Reformers and the Wesleys aren't mentioned, though Martin Luther's wife was the first person dealt with in this chronological volume.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #4 - "EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT" BY JOSH AND SEAN MCDOWELL

 I have been aware of this book and its author Josh McDowell since high school. During that time, I saw a film featuring McDowell - "What's Up, Josh?" which is a fictional story with Josh playing himself. 

"Evidence That Demands A Verdict: Historical Evidences For The Christian Faith" is divided into three parts: The Historicity of Scripture, the Life and Resurrection of Christ, and personal transformation. This was followed by a second volume, "More Evidence That Demands A Verdict," and "The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict" co-written by his son Sean.

I mentioned with the first book I recommended ("Another Gospel" by Alisa Childers). While it's already obvious not all the books are on apologetics, you'll see it a common theme for this series.

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #3 - "CALLING ON THE NAME OF THE LORD" BY J. GARY MILLAR

I've had the honor of reading several good books on prayer, including "Prayer: How Praying Together Shapes the Church" by John Onwuchekwa. That book recommended "Calling on the Name of the Lord: A Biblical Theology of Prayer" by J. Gary Millar, which I'm recommending as summer reading.

"Calling on the Name of the Lord" is the first book I've read of the "New Studies in Biblical Theology" series. You may be familiar with the term "Systematic Theology," which is looking at what the Bible says about a certain topic. "Biblical Theology" looks at each book of the Bible in order, and then from there concludes what the whole teaching on the topic is.

Millar's premise is that prayer is first mentioned in Genesis 4:26, which tells us that when Enosh the son of Seth was born, men began to call on the name of the Lord. Thus, praying and calling on the name of prayer were synonymous, and develops that thesis through Scripture, ending with how we can apply this to our lives.
 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #2 - "THE BENEDICT OPTION" BY ROD DREHER

I was about to write that there are few books that really inspire me, and the fact that I had no problem coming up with 25 books for this summer reading list probably means I'm easier to impress than I think (or that there are more really inspirational books than I think). Either way, "The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation" by Rod Dreher is on that list.

Allow me to confess that Dreher is more Catholic/Orthodox than I am, and several of the ideas fit that line of thinking. However, I agree with his main thought that Christians need to strengthen community with fellow believers, both by forming communities and by encouraging others.

There are not as many community-building books in this summer reading list as there are apologetics (like yesterday's book). However, I remember being in a Facebook group discussing this book and Dreher's follow-up "Live Not By Lies" and reading a question about if we're reading any other books on community. At that time, I was finishing Leah Libresco's "Building the Benedict Option..." Check. I also started reading Rosaria Butterfield's "The Gospel Comes With a House Key..." Check. Then, in fiction, I was reading "Amish Werewolves of Space..." well, at first I thought "Two out of three aren't bad" until I reread the cover and read the first chapter and realized it was three of three. (Kerry Nietz' Terror in Plain Space trilogy all have strong themes on community, on our responsibilities to community, and that our community might be bigger than we think. 

You know, maybe I ought to reread this one.
 

'25 SUMMER READING LIST, #1 - "ANOTHER GOSPEL" BY ALISA CHILDERS

 My list of 25 summer reading books, listed in alphabetic order by title, starts with "Another Gospel? A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity. Author Alisa Childers (former member of Zoe Girl, daughter of Love Song's Chuck Girard) tells of her experience with a Progressive Church, which left her questioning her faith, and how she was reassured of the truth of Scripture.

Progressive Christianity is like other groups in asking the same question Satan (as the serpent) asked Eve: "Yea, hath God said?" Instead of trusting the Word of God and thus the God who gave that word, they prefer having questions without answers, because if there's no answers, you can't give a wrong one. 

This is the first but not last Apologetics book in this list.