Parkside Blog

We need good preaching—preaching that challenges us by God’s Word and brings the comfort that comes from God’s promises. Yet many of us rely solely on others to preach to us and are not benefitting from the kind of preaching that should be most consistent and personal—preaching to ourselves.

I have a friend who does not know that we are friends. Actually, he died over 100 years ago. Don't worry, this is not as creepy as it may sound. J.C. Ryle was a faithful pastor in England who preached and wrote with simplicity. He loved Jesus Christ and the Bible and I have often turned to his writings when I need to shake up my routine.

The Christmas story evokes gentle images of halos, fresh hay, shepherds carrying newborn lambs, the beauty of young motherhood and the frailty of the baby lying in the manger surrounded by animals gazing fondly at the new arrival. These timeless images soften the hearts of Christmas church-goers all over the world. But, as James Montgomery Boice’s The Christ of Christmas illustrates, the story is more than just sentimental.

In How the Gospel Brings Us All the Way Home, Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas explores Romans 8, which he calls “the best chapter in the Bible.” Here he finds an exposition of the steps through which God leads His people in the process of their salvation, but also loving counsel on such topics as prayer and resisting the Devil, as well as exhortations and comforts for weary pilgrims.

This is a book about Jesus—Jesus as he is portrayed in the Gospel of Mark​. Keller says, “It is an extended meditation on the historical Christian premise that Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection form the central event of cosmic and human history as well as the central organizing principle of the world—and how we fit into it—is most clearly understood through a careful, direct look at the story of Jesus. My purpose here is to try to show, through his words and actions, how beautifully his life makes sense of ours.” Understand Jesus and you will understand the world: that is the central premise of the book.

Even the least technical among us are being pressed from all sides by advances in digital technology. We rely upon computers, cell phones, and the Internet for communication, commerce, and entertainment. Yet even though we live in this ‘instant message’ culture, many of us feel disconnected, and we question if all this technology is really good for our souls.

Jenny surprised me when she started crying during our membership interview. The first twenty minutes of the interview were fairly routine. She recounted her childhood growing up in a Christian home, her high school years filled with fear, and a period of living as a prodigal during college. Then she recalled with some joy her conversion experience in a hometown local church.

In his new book, Humilitas: A Lost Key to Life, Love, and Leadership, Dr. Dickson sets forth his thesis that true greatness and genuine fulfillment can only be achieved by recognizing the virtue of true humility. By defining humility as "holding power loosely for the sake of others," Dr. Dickson posits that humility is essential for turning one's gifts and strengths into true greatness in all areas of life.

Unbroken is, in a word, amazing - easily one of the best books I read in 2010. It is written by Laura Hillenbrand who also penned Seabiscuit. This new book shot straight to #2 on the New York Times list of bestsellers just days after its release.

To be honest, I don’t know that we really need another book—yet another book—on guidance and the will of God. Having said that, there is probably no genre of book I recommend more often than this simply because experience shows that many Christians, too many Christians, do not understand how God expects us to know his will and how we may expect him to guide us to those things that please him.