5 Books for Sermon Preparation (and personal study)
Both Adrian Warnock and David Wayne are linking an interesting discussion started at Stronger Church. It asks the following question: "If you could only have five books out of your library to keep to help you prepare sermons, what would they be?" I want to modify the question slightly. "If you could only have five books to aide you in your study of Scripture for personal holiness, what would they be?" So feel free to answer from either perspective.
Here is David Wayne's answer:
Actually, for about the last seven or eight years I've been using Logos Software and accumulating all kinds of stuff from them so I would just ask for my laptop and my Logos disks and could be very happy. But, since that's not the question I'll play along.Spirit of the Reformation Study Bible
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - ok, this has four volumes so I'm done, but if you'll allow me to count it as one volume I'd go with the following three others.
Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem (betcha thought I was going to say Berkhof, didn't ya?)
According to Plan - Graeme Goldsworthy
Your Best Life Now - Joel Osteen - kidding - just checking to see if anybody's really reading this. How about Young's Analytical Concordance so I can have a language reference.
My answer is the result of about 5 minutes of thinking. It would probably change if I thought about it a few more minutes, but right now I'm satisfied. Also, I'm assuming that I will have my BibleWorks computer program which allows me to reference the biblical languages :-).
1. ESV Bible 2. Preaching the Gospel in a Post-Modern World (Tim Keller) 3. Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture (Graeme Goldsworthy) 4. Gustav Oehler's Old Testament Theology 5. New Testament Theology: Many Witnesses, One Gospel (I. Howard Marshall)
What 5 books would you choose?
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Dan,
5 books, I feel like singing "TO Dream The Impossible Dream." I noted with interest your wanting Oehler's OTT. I was unaware that there was anyone else around that knew of this work. I found my copy years ago at a flea market of all places. It was one of the best dollars I ever spent. Now, on to the impossible task!
1. The Defense of the Faith - Cornelius Van Til
My copy is filled with notes from Mr. Thomas' Apologetics class. Were it not for him I'm not sure I would understand it. However, with the influence of Mr. Thomas, this book and the material in it totally revolutionized by Christian life and thought. For the first time in my life I understood who God was and why I needed to bow before Him as God.
Pardon the break in the post, I hit the wrong key.
2. Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments - Brevard Childs
I have found Child's approach to theology refreshing as he has developed his "canonical Theology." May the following quote spark your interest. "It is fully clear from the nature of the kerygma that the otigin of the Gospel tradition arose from the explosive power which the resurrection of the exalted Christ had on the disciples. This means that the New Testament is not merely a commentary on the Old Testament, nor can the New Testament be seen simply as the last chapter of the history of Israel. Regardless of how one finally formulates the relationship between the two testaments, it is basic to emphasize that something totally new began with the resurrection, and this sharp discontinuity in Israel's tradition is rightly reflected in the formation of two separate and distinct testaments. The old came to an end; the new began."
3. The Resurrection of the Son of God - N T Wright
Having faced cancer the last few months, I have come to see the centrality of the resurrection as the hope of the believer. Wright is correct to point out that Christianity is the only faith that holds to a bodily resurrection.
4. The Triumph of Abraham's God: The Transformation of Identity in Galatians - Bruce W Longenecker
What can I say, Longenecker touches on it all. You clearly understand what we have in Christ when you finish reading him.
5.A Royal Waste of Time: The Splendor of Worshipping God and Being Church for the World - Marva Dawn
I have appreciated Dr. Dawn's works. She seems to be one of the few today who are attempting to develop a biblically based theology of worship.
So Much for my 5. I hope others respond as it would be interesting to see what they are reading.
Blessings,
Highlander
MY top 5 books...
1) ESV Bible
2) Vincent Cheung's Systematic Theology
3) The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal
4) Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture by Graeme Goldsworthy
5) Cross Centered Life C J Mahaney
i think it's cheating to assume you can keep your language software, dan. =)
Highlander: Oehler’s OTT was the textbook for Advanced OT Theology, a class I took 6 years ago. I have a very old, worn copy that I found from a guy who sells used books. It is an excellent OT Theology as you know.
Also, if we ever get stranded on a tropical island someday, maybe we can share our books :-)
Cruv: I'll have to check out Vincent Cheung’s Systematic Theology a little more. What I've read I like.
Angela: Technically, a computer program is NOT a book. Plus, this is my blog. If I want to have my cake and eat it too, I can :-)
I thought I'd check out your blog since I saw you were added to our group blog.
I'd have to think for a while to iron out which five, but I'd start with my ESV bible, Grudem's Systematic Theology and then I get fuzzy. Not because I don't know good books, but as a book nut I'm hard pressed to limit myself to just 5 books! I would probably ask for a New Testament commentary that is as yet unpublished, but professor James Brooks of Bethel Theological Seminary (he issues it for his NT courses). I might go with Piper's Desiring God or Mahaney's Cross Centered.
Big Chris
MrCLM's blog Because I said so