Tag Archives: f.f. bruce

Thirteen Books Ordered Today + Quick Thoughts On Craig Groeschel’s ‘It’

Here’s a list of the titles I ordered today.

I’ll be reading them rather quickly (I hope) – the fall semester starts at Fuller in September, and I’m pretty sure I won’t have much reading time after that (besides what I’ll be reading for class).

Anyway, here’s what’s coming in the mail to me as of today:

  1. Busted: Exposing Popular Myths about Christianity by Fred von Kamecke
  2. College Ministry 101: A Guide to Working with 18-25 Year Olds by Chuck Bomar (I REALLY hope this book isn’t a bust – we’re in desperate need of good campus ministry literature! No pressure, Chuck :p)
  3. The Case for the Real Jesus: A Journalist Investigates Current Attacks on the Identity of Christ by Lee Strobel
  4. The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable? by Frederick Fyvie Bruce
  5. Lead Like Jesus: Lessons from the Greatest Leadership Role Model of All Time by Ken Blanchard
  6. On the New Testament (A Book You Will Actually Read) by Mark Driscoll
  7. On the Old Testament (A Book You’ll Actually Read) by Mark Driscoll
  8. On Who Is God? (A Book You’ll Actually Read) by Mark Driscoll
  9. On Church Leadership (A Book You’ll Actually Read) by Mark Driscoll
  10. Religion Saves: And Nine Other Misconceptions by Mark Driscoll
  11. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by N.T. Wright
  12. The Kingdom-Focused Church: A Compelling Image of an Achievable Future for Your Church by Gene Mims
  13. The Source by John Clayton

I’m looking forward to diggin in to these titles.

Speaking of digging in, I just finished reading It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get It and Keep It by Craig Groeschel.

Zondervan does a great job marketing their products, but they disappointed me with It – I didn’t care for this book. No, I’m not going to right a full review of It, either. Here are a couple of quick thoughts:

It‘s not that It‘s a horrible book or poorly written or anything like that. Good content is there and It‘s readable.

BUT … I just didn’t learn anything new in reading It. Much of It was simply a repeat of material found in Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren – a much better book that I highly recommend church leaders read.

I also got tired of the way Craig used the word It throughout the book. Italicising and highlighting almost every It made for a very annoying read, much like It probably is in this blog post.

It‘s really annoying, isn’t It?

Yes, It is!

Okay … enough of that …

I’m currently reading the daily devotional guide that goes along with Lead Like Jesus, and have also gotten a little ways into Wide Awake by Erwin McManus. They’re both good so far.

By the way – thanks to everyone who contributed to the Apologetics Resource List.

Once I digest these new books and get some faith building studies on paper, I’ll share them with everyone.

Thanks for reading 🙂

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Apologetics Resources?

I’m going to spend time over the course of the next couple of months perusing the best apologetics resources out there.

Here in San Francisco, many of those I study the Bible with don’t have a basic belief in God, a trust in the Bible, or an awareness of, or belief in, core Christian doctrines.

I would like to prepare myself as well as possible for any encounters with people God may send, and would also like to be able to teach other church members to do the same.

 

Here are a few questions I’m interested in designing studies for:

  • How can the Bible be taken seriously? How do you know it hasn’t been rewritten over the years?
  • How could a loving God send anyone to hell/allow evil to exist?
  • Don’t you think it’s arrogant to say Christianity is the only path to God? Can’t God be found in other religions?
  • Do heaven and hell actually exist?
  • Was Jesus the Son of God, or was he simply a good teacher?
  • Hasn’t science proven that Christianity is a fraud?
  •  

    Here are a few resources I already own that I’ll be diving into:

  • Josh McDowell – The New Evidence That Demands a Verdict
  • C.S. Lewis – Mere Christianity
  • F.F. Bruce – The Canon of Scripture
  • Ralph O. Muncaster – Examine the Evidence: Exploring the Case for Christianity
  • C. Stephan Evans – Why Believe?: Reason and Mystery as Pointers to God
  • Lee Strobel – The Case for Christ
  • Lee Strobel – The Case for Faith
  • Lee Strobel – The Case for a Creator
  • Wayne Grudem – Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine
  •  

    Here are a few of good websites I’m aware of:

  • http://www.everystudent.com/
  • http://www.apologetics.org/
  • http://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/
  • http://www.apologeticspress.org/
  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jxzGA-OQOk (Jacoby-Shermer Debate)
  • http://douglasjacoby.org/
  • http://thetruthtree.com/faith_qa.shtml
  • http://www.veritas.org/
  •  

    Here are a few additional books I’m planning to pick up:

  • F.F. Bruce – The New Testament Documents: Are They Reliable?
  • N.T. Wright – Simply Christian
  • Fred Von Kamecke – Busted: Exposing Popular Myths About Christianity
  • Timothy Keller – The Reason for God
  • John Clayton – The Source
  •  

    And here are a few resource lists from TheResurgence.com:

  • http://theresurgence.com/Recommended-Reading_Apologetics-Cults-and-World-Religions
  • http://theresurgence.com/Recommended-Reading_Apologetics
  • http://theresurgence.com/Great-Books_Apologetics_Introduction-and-Methods
  •  

    Am I leaving anything out? If you know of a good resource please let me know.

     

    —-

    In other news, remember that finger I slammed in the bathroom door? That injury has born fruit:

     

    A new nail is growing underneath the old one! This is the weirdest thing that has ever happened to a fingernail of mine.

    Just thought I’d share … I know you needed to see that. :p

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