The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke

Roger Stronstad’s book The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke: Trajectories from the Old Testament to Luke-Acts, Second Edition is required reading for research and study into the Lukan story, Luke-Acts. it is an exceptional piece of writing and Biblical/theological work.

it is not a long book, and it’s easy to read/follow. that in no way, however, belittles its academic and scholarly credibility. it is a shining example of commentary and interpretation into the issues that arise in examining the meaning and work of the Holy Spirit in Luke-Acts. this second edition has been revised and reworked since the original publication in 1984.

this is a wonderful text for people interested in the study of the Holy Spirit and Luke-Acts.

i highly recommend The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke for pastors and students, and anyone and everyone who enjoy Biblical and theological reading. although written from a Pentecostal perspective, it is valuable book for all denominations and traditions.

“Book has been provided courtesy BakerAcademic and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available from your favourite bookseller from BakerAcademic, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

gods at war

gods at war: Defeating The Idols That Battle For Your Heart was written by the bestselling author of not a fan Kyle Idleman. he’s the Teaching Pastor at Shoutheast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

this book is about false gods, idols, that are in our lives. for Idleman, idolatry is not an issue, it is the issue. from the introduction: “What if I told you that every sin you are struggling with, every discouragement you are dealing with, even the lack of purpose you’re living with are because of idolatry?”

what are these idols, these “gods at war,” in our hearts and spiritual lives? sex, money, food, entertainment, success, and ourselves, among others.

idols and false gods have been a popular topic of conversation and Christian literature over the past few years. gods at war joins Counterfeit Gods and Empty Promises as Biblical and theological treatments of our current day idolatry problem. we give the Israelites a hard time for their struggles with the golden calf… do we see the plank in our own eyes when thinking about the things we’ve made of gold and put on a pedastel?

gods at war is a thought-provoking read. Idleman is a wonderful writer and storyteller.

*Full Disclosure: I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson through “Book Sneeze.” They give free books to bloggers for honest reviews.

RISEN

“‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.’” Luke 24:5, NRSV

“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-19, NRSV

Steven D. Matthewson is the senior pastor of the Evangelical Free Church of Libertyville, Illinois. he also teaches the doctor of ministry program at Denver Seminary and is an adjunct faculty member at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and the Moody Bible Institute. he wrote the award winning The Art of Preaching Old Testament Narrative and his latest book is RISEN: 50 Reasons Why The Resurrection Changed Everything.

RISEN is extremely well written and firmly grounded in the Bible. each chapter/”reason” is a wonderful reflection and exploration of Scripture.

it is essential reading for Christians. it’s a wonderful resource for an Easter season sermon series; it includes a wonderful eight week Bible study guide with discussion questions for small groups; and it’s a marvelous book to read in private devotions alongside the Bible.

“Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!”

“Book has been provided courtesy BakerBooks and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available from your favourite bookseller from BakerBooks, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

War and Christian Ethics

edited by Arthur F. Holmes, this second edition of War and Christian Ethics: Classic and Contemporary Readings on the Morality of War is full of wonderful theological, Biblical, and philosophical insight into war.

it’s a large and difficult topic to talk about. the questions raised during such a conversation are many, and may include, but are not limited to…

should all Christians be pacifists?

how does a Christian soldier feel about killing in combat?

some people use the phrase “just war.” is there such a thing?

does God favor some nations over other nations?

with writings from Plato, Augustine, Martin Luther, Menno Simons, Rowan Williams, and many others, War and Christian Ethics covers a significant period of time and a diverse range of points of view. it’s a wonderful book for exploring philosophy and Christian thought exploring the topic of war.

“Book has been provided courtesy of BakerAcademic and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from BakerAcademic, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

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