I’m not a huge fan of blogging. If I want to read something
educational I’ll find a peer-reviewed journal or book. If I want to write
something insightful and educational I’ll try to have it edited and published.
So, why this blog and what’s its purpose? Well, I have a few reasons for
starting this up:
1) As I continue my studies beyond the seminary I’d like to
use this blog as a way to keep the Church in my purview. The Ivory Tower may
not want to hear how certain resources and ideas may be useful in preparation
for sermons/Bible study. But you might be interested in that! At the
very least it will be a helpful exercise for me and I welcome your responses.
2) Occasionally I come across a resource that I think may be
useful for pastors and teachers. This is one way to review and recommend those
resources for the blog’s readers. I anticipate that most of my posts will be
book reviews (hence the blog name) and I really do hope that you will find them
useful.
3) When I review and recommend books I will include links to
Amazon where readers can purchase the book. If you click my link and make a
purchase Amazon will record my “advertisement” of their products and give me a
tiny percentage back on purchases made through my blog’s site direction. I
don’t expect these percentage rewards to add up to very much, but even if it’s
just a $10 gift card once a year that will help me as I try to buy books.
These book reviews won’t be overly detailed since brevity is
something I value in blog posts (this intro piece being an exception). They
also will not be too technical or academic. Such reviews can be found in major
journals. I will group reviews under the following tags/labels:
“That’ll Preach!” - A book that may be helpful in
sermon preparation. I don’t anticipate coming across many of these in my
studies, but I can think of one book that I’ll try to review soon that falls
under this heading.
“Bible Study
Tools” – Obviously, a resource that will help with a given Bible study.
“Continuing Ed.” – Some books won’t be used for
preaching and won’t be directly helpful as you prepare Bible studies.
Nevertheless, as students of God’s Word resources under this heading may
benefit you as an ever growing theologian.
“Reference Gem” – A book under this heading will
probably also be under the “Continuing Ed” or “Bible Study Tools” heading but
for the purpose of grouping them together in the margin I decided this
should be an additional category.
“Teaching on the Side” – Lutheran Church – Missouri
Synod pastors receive pretty darn good theological training, at least compared
to some denominations. I know several pastors who teach a course once in a
while at a nearby community college or university. I think this is awesome and
hope more of our pastors can use their Masters credentials to get such
positions. If I come across a resource that would be particularly fitting for
some sort of undergraduate/community college/continuing ed. course I will place
it under this heading.
(I may also include specific topical headings like “Genesis”
or “Psalms” or “Hebrew Tools”)
I know it’s a bit presumptuous for me, who does not serve as
a pastor, to analyze which books are useful for pastoral ministry/teaching and
then to recommend them to you pastors. To that I return to my first reason for
this blog, that this may be a beneficial exercise for me too as I look to keep
a close connection between academic studies and their usefulness in the Church.
I am also willing to take “requests” of sorts. If you want to do a Bible study
on a given book of the OT and are curious about potential commentaries and
resources I’d be happy to do a little leg work and pass along a few
recommendations. If you have other post ideas I will gladly take suggestions.
Keep on the lookout and spread the word!
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