Review: Philosophy in Seven Sentences

Posted on August 16, 2021 by Seth Grotzke

Book: Groothuis, Douglas. Philosophy in Seven Sentences: A Small Introduction to a Vast Topic. IVP Academic, 2016.

Point: To think and act philosophically means that we take reality seriously and seek to mold our understanding to it and the Truth which undergirds it. To do so we ought to listen to some of the great thinkers and what moved them to think deeply.

Path: Groothuis uses seven sentences, by philosophers covering thousands of years, to point us down the path of truth and reality. The seven sentences that he uses are:

Protagoras: Man is the measure of all things.

Socrates: The unexamined life is not worth living.

Aristotle: All men by nature desire to know.

Augustine: You have made us for yourself, and restless is our heart until it comes to rest in you.

Descartes: I think, therefore I am.

Pascal: The heart has its reasons of which reason knows nothing.

Kierkegaard: The greatest hazard of all, losing one’s self, can occur very quietly in the world, as if it were nothing at all.

Sources: Obviously the philosophers’ writings themselves, but also the life and works of said thinkers, and occasionally others who commented upon those writers and writings.

Agreement: I thoroughly enjoyed this introduction to philosophy through the writings of seven influential thinkers. Groothuis captivated me through his knowledge of these philosophers and helped me understand the broad topics they were addressing. Obviously this is an introduction, and I believe it fulfilled its function by motivating me to move the original sources.

Personal App: Kierkegaard’s treatment of despair is intriguing to me. Am I willing to enter into it in order to see myself and God more clearly?

Favorite Quote: “Some do not know that the unfocused mind should not be paired with the opened mouth” (35).

Stars: 4 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

– Is interested in philosophy

– Ascribes to a relativistic worldview

Other books along this theme would be:

Durant, Will. The Story of Philosophy. Revised edition. New York, N.Y: Simon & Schuster, 1967.

Schaeffer, Francis A. Escape from Reason : A Penetrating Analysis of Trends in Modern Thought. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1968.

Warburton, Nigel. A Little History of Philosophy. Yale University Press, 2011.

Review: hand in Hand: the Beauty of God’s Sovereignty and Meaningful Human Choice

Posted on August 9, 2021 by Seth Grotzke

Book: Alcorn, Randy. hand in Hand: The Beauty of God’s Sovereignty and Meaningful Human Choice.

Point: We don’t have it all figured out how God’s will interacts with ours, but we can trust that He does.

Path: Alcorn encourages readers to set aside incendiary titles for long enough to realize that God’s Word is clear that he is in control, that we don’t know how that looks in every situation, and we can be charitable enough to listen to, read, and engage with believers who think differently than us.

The book follows the path of a recognition of the battlefield, a clarification of terms, the Scriptural view of God’s sovereignty and then Free Will (or Meaningful Choice), a comparison of the different beliefs regarding these, a critique of Open Theism, a look at how God’s sovereignty and our choice interact, key historical figures, and then an application for moving forward.

Sources: Alcorn quotes theologians, philosophers, pastors, and authors from all periods of church history, but continues to go back to Scriptural sources.

Agreement: I appreciated Alcorn’s charitable tone. He wants to help people hear each other and glorify God together. I thank God for that. This is an entrance book, one which I think opens the door for more study in individual texts, key doctrines, and philosophical ideas. But I think as a starter, this sets us up for a good conversation.

Personal App: Do I think I have it all figured out? Then I need to go back and read the Bible. God has it figured out. I don’t.

Favorite Quote: “All positions have strengths and weaknesses; be sure you know the strengths of others and the weaknesses of your own.”

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

Is regularly using the terms “Calvinism” or “Arminianism”

Is concerned about what their church believes about “Free Will and God’s Sovereignty”

Wants to be strengthened in their faith

Other books along this theme would be:

Montgomery, Daniel, and Timothy Paul Jones. PROOF: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace. Zondervan, 2014.

Review: Vainglory: The Forgotten Vice

Posted on August 2, 2021 by Seth Grotzke

Book: DeYoung, Rebecca Konyndyk. Vainglory: The Forgotten Vice.

Pages: 144

Point: Glory comes from, and ultimately is directed back, to God. But, “Glory goes bad when we desire it for the wrong things and for the wrong ends.”

Sources: Heavily based on writings of the Desert Fathers, Augustine, and Aquinas.

Path: DeYoung does a good job walking the line between the ugly reality of vainglory’s subversive and pervasive grip on our hearts and the hope that God is bringing us through it in patient sanctification. She helps us see what glory is, what it is when it is twisted by sin, and how we can recognize vainglory and fight against it in our own lives.

Agreement: DeYoung did an excellent job of revealing Vainglory for what it is, what it does to us, and how we can seek to daily put it aside. There were no “5 keys” or “10 easy steps”, because there aren’t any. I appreciate her careful approach.

Personal App: Am I aware of where vainglory has rooted in my soul and am I actively seeking to weed it out in the strength of the Spirit?

Favorite Quote: “Envy is cured only when our sense of worth is grounded in the unconditional love of God. With that secure foundation, we can receive and celebrate gifts in ourselves and others without envy, because no gift (and no amount of attention for it) makes us more or less accepted or loved by God. Our inferiority and superiority in this or that area is not the barometer of our dignity or worth. Taking this deeply rooted love to heart gives us freedom to embrace and celebrate God’s gifts as gifts to all of us — as common goods, not competitive goods. Is it any accident that vainglory and envy have a similar cure? When our self-love is grounded on the secure foundation of God’s love for us, we are free from excessive neediness for others’ attention and from the desire to “out-compete” others for more affirmation” (121).

Stars: 4 out of 5

Other books along this theme would be:

Humility by Murray

Humility: True Greatness by Mahaney

What if the COVID reality could strengthen our churches?

Posted on September 14, 2020 by Seth

What if it could? That is a big question. I am sure that you have seen some strengthening of your church, maybe through your online engagement, maybe through more people “watching services”, maybe through other means. But I am thinking of something different. What if people were actually more engaged in evangelism and discipleship during the COVID reality than then were before it? Could it happen?

In thinking about this question I remembered a book I read back in 2012. While I had disagreements with the author and some of his ideas, it was the book which got me thinking along these lines. I am posting my review from the first time I read it, and then will be posting quotes, notes, and summaries of each chapter over the coming weeks. Would you be willing to pick it up and read along? Maybe some of the quotes will get you thinking or enable you to share some of what you think about the issue.

The Church In Many Houses: Reaching your Community through Cell-Based Ministry

by Steve Cordle

Point: The cell-based understanding of the church facilitates and stimulates personal growth and community outreach.

Path:The book is divided into three sections: 1) The emerging cell movement (background and general principles) 2) Laying the foundations (what it looks like) 3) Strategic Issues (moving forward and answers for difficulties).

Sources: Cordle relies on personal experience, statistical data, Methodist methodology, and Biblical principles.

Agreement:

The overarching principle is right on – we are not a church “with” cells (or small groups), we are a church “of” cells. Whether we admit it or not, the local church functions at a relational base. If there is no relationship going on, what are we considering the “church”?

He uses the terminology “pre-Christian friend” instead of “unbeliever.” I loved that!

Everyone is involved.

There is a focus on prayer.

Multiplication is the purpose.

This is not a program.

Disagreement:

His view of the worship service, or celebration, is geared toward unbelievers.

He uses numbers all the time to prove points, but numbers are not what Jesus focused on.

I have questions about his view of woman in leadership. I don’t think that woman should be relegated to the back seat, but he has them in pastoral roles.

He sees spiritual gifts as things to be discovered and stressed.

Personal App: Am I seeking to reach outward and multiply disciples? If so, how am I implementing that?

Favorite Quote: “Meeting in homes also locates ministry in the midst of multiple neighborhoods, spreading the gospel across an area instead of stockpiling believers in a central building” (34).

Stars: 4 out of 5

The concept gets a 5, but I had to let a lot of terminology, specific application, etc. slide through.

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it.

Rereading a helpful book

Posted on August 10, 2020 by Seth

I first read the Trellis and the Vine back in 2011. It was so helpful I have continued to reread it over the years. Here were my initial thoughts of the book, and a new application for myself this last time.

The Trellis And The Vine: the Ministry mind-shift that Changes Everything

by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne

Point: No easy fix, silver bullet, or new program will fix a ministry. Ministry is accomplished and built not on programs but through people. Every believer is to be part of this spreading of the Gospel through disciple making.

Path: The authors explain their ministry mindset through 12 convicting chapters highlighting current ministry models, the necessity of all believers to be disciple makers, and the meaning and means of training.

Sources: The Trellis and the Vine combines Biblical principles with personal experience and practical insight in order to present a biblical view of ministry.

Agreement: This book is biblically based, helpfully arranged, and easy to read. This is not meant to be a treatise on ministry in the local church, but a helpful guide to biblically evaluating and enhancing one’s ministry. The Scriptures are the foundation, the Gospel is the reason, the Spirit is the means, and prayerful dependence is expected.

There are several helpful charts found on pages 56, 85, 87, 101, 117-18, 121.

Disagreement: (not really) Marshall and Payne deliberately make this book accessible to all denominations, sidestepping polity and church distinctions. They openly admit this. This can be understood because if one is faithful to the Scriptures, this is the ministry model with which every believer must be in agreement.

A second question would be whether their formula for discipleship becomes another program. But again, anything can become just a program.

Personal App: Training individuals is not easy nor quick, but essential. Is my ministry based on programs (trellis) or on disciple making (vine)? Am I seeking to grow the trellis or the vine? Am I excited or discouraged to see disciples move on to faithfully minister in new areas?

Favorite Quote: “…wish them the best of British luck” (196). Couldn’t help but laugh after some of their Australian vocabulary repeated surfaced.

Stars: 5 out of 5

Buy 3 copies of the book along with “One to One Bible Reading”. Read them. Giving them out. Read them with others. Repeat as necessary.

After my most recent reading (2020):

Intentionally calling out disciples

Jesus could see something in his chosen disciples that they could not see themselves. He knew the next step each of them needed to take, and he called them to it. If he wouldn’t have called him, they would not have followed him as they did.

In this re-reading of the Trellis and the Vine I was struck more by that idea. I need to be intentionally looking for the next steps of discipleship of those around me, and listening to the next steps for my life that others see. That is a great responsibility, but also a privilege as follow the Spirit’s leading.

Top Shelf Book: The Man Christ Jesus

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Seth

Book: Ware, B. The Man Christ Jesus: Theological Reflections on the Humanity of Christ. Crossway, 2012.

Pages: 160

Point: Jesus Christ, the second person of the triune God, emptied himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. This truth has a profound impact on how I view his life, my life, and the coming life.

Path: Ware walks through the key passages speaking of Jesus’ birth, life, death, resurrection, and future reign with an eye toward how Scripture presents his humanity. He answers common questions and critiques oversimplifications and quick responses which we are prone to make.

Sources: Based on exegetical studies of pertinent texts and also historical theology, the author helps the student or the layman to find a better foothold when considering the profound ramifications of Christ’s humanity.

Agreement: I found this to be a great encouragement both theologically and devotionally. Ware helped me to shore up different areas of my Christology and point out the errors of my sometimes sloppy explanations of our Savior’s life and ministry.

While there were a couple places where I was disappointed in how he ended a discussion but I was encouraged throughout the entire book.

Personal App: Jesus Christ, the God-Man, obeyed God perfectly through his dependence upon the Holy Spirit. This same Spirit he has promised to his followers. Therefore I have been provided all that is necessary for my faith and godliness in his Word and his Spirit.

Favorite Quote:

“Second, given the fact that this was the greatest act of obedience he rendered, requiring the deepest commitment of faith and hope in his Father, in light of the severest of all suffering he was about to encounter on the cross, does it not stand to reason, then, that the Father had prepared Jesus for this moment? Can we not now see that all the previous tests of his faith, the divine demands that he followed and the sufferings that he experienced, were preparatory and strengthening for his obeying the Father in the garden?”

Stars: 5 out of 5

Top Shelf book

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

– Is seeking to understand better our Savior Jesus Christ

– Someone willing to think through the complexity of Jesus the Messiah.

Other books along this theme would be:

Scott, J. The Incomparable Christ

Piper, J. Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ

Athanasius. On the Incarnation of the Word of God

The Common Rule

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Seth

Book: Earley, Justin. The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction

Point: Our daily habits form us. If we are not intentional about those, or if we buy into the lie that unrestrained freedom is the good life, we will wither.

Path: Earley helps those of us lost in our business to begin to order our lives around 8 keystone habits. These simple (not necessarily easy) habits form how we view ourselves, others, our world, and our God. These are separated into two categories, daily and weekly and include: (Daily) Kneeling prayer, Meal with others, Phone-free hour, Scripture before phone, (Weekly) Hour conversation with a friend, Curated media, 24 Hour fast, and Sabbath.

Agreement: This book was a challenge to me. I appreciate much of what he said. Some of the habits were new to me, some were not. Some I continue to practice, some I have yet to try. I have even incorporated other habits not mentioned in this book, but as a direct result from reading it.

The simplicity of the habits is deceptive. Some are really hard. I could feel myself fighting against them. For example, putting the phone away for an hour was revealing for me.

I don’t disagree with any of the keystone habits he has chosen. They are good. There are other ones, for sure, but these are helpful.

Earley is both thoughtful and interesting in his writing. I enjoyed reading the book. The simple charts were helpful to reorientate myself in the overall movement of the book, in the same way that the habits themselves help me to reorientate myself daily and weekly.

Disagreement:

He is a good writer, however there are points in the book where an idea or a sentence sounds great, but it fails because it is 1) false; 2) unproven; or 3) vague. In those moments I could sense the undercurrent into which we easily fall, namely, “Everyone is saying it, and it sounds good, so it must be true.”

Here are some examples from the chapter on prayer:

“I believe in the power of words – and especially the words of prayer – to shape the world” (32). Is this sentence, and the paragraphs surrounding it, saying his words are powerful, his praying is powerful, the one he is praying to is powerful, or all three? There is truth here, but it is vague.

“There are two kinds of prayer” (34). Only two? Are there more? Where do you get this from?

“You say your prayers until your prayers say you. That’s the goal.” (43) Is this true? Is it false? It may be true, but where do you get that from? Help me to understand why it is true.

His epilogue, On Failure and Beauty, was both encouraging and confusing. I recognize that trying to live a thoughtful life is not easy. There will be failure. But what is this “failure”? How do you defining “failure”? Is failure just another way to say, “I didn’t pursue a thoughtful life”? By failure do you mean sinning against others by responding in anger, indifference, or apathy? If failure “is making you a work of art” (166), I need to know what that failure is. I think if he were to switch out the word “failure” with “dependence”, “humility”, “faithfulness”, or perhaps another word, I would be able to better understand his point. As it stands, this appears to be a “you’re messed up and I’m messed up, so we are good” type concession. That may make me feel ok about myself, but that doesn’t help me. I need to hear that God’s mending is what makes all things beautiful, not my “fault lines” (166).

Personal App: Living life without intentional habits to reorientate me toward God and others will numb my relationships, shrivel my soul, and hasten my body to the grave.

Favorite Quote: “But the rest that our souls need is not simply a nap. It’s the rest that comes with realizing we don’t have anything to prove anymore” (147)

Who should read this:

If you are expecting this to be the foundational book of any of these ideas, you will be disappointed. It was not written to be that. There are excellent books on prayer, fasting, community, etc. This book was written, not as the go-to manual, but as a reality check to get you interested in a life that is possible because of God’s work. This book serves as an agent of change in the same way a hallway of a home serves hospitality – people pass through it to the larger rooms. For that, I am thankful for this book. I will re-read it. I will recommend it.

Stars: 4 out of 5

Other books along this theme would be:

Reinke, T. 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

The Vine Project

Posted on August 19, 2017 by Seth Grotzke

Book: Payne, Tony, and Colin Marshall. The Vine Project: Shaping Your Ministry Culture around Disciple-Making. Matthias Media, 2016.

Screen Shot 2017-08-16 at 3.51.38 PM

Point: Making and maturing disciples is not something that a church does, it is something a disciple does. Here is a workbook on how to pursue disciple making in all of church life.

Path: The authors lay out five phases to work through, making sure that everyone understands that this is not as much of a how-to-manual, but rather a workbook. They lay a biblical foundation, explain logical truths, and give practical examples. This isn’t a book to just read, but to work through with others.

Sources: Based on their previous book and the interactions they have had since then, the authors do a great job at walking the reader through both biblical truth and e

veryday experience.

Agreement: Top shelf book. I am so thankful how they presented these truths not as a “five steps to your best church now” but “take time to think through these principles with others and you will change”.

Personal App: Am I seeing every relationship as an opportunity to encourage the other individual to take one step toward Christ?

Favorite Quote: Engaging unbelievers on Sunday is ”like taking in a gues

t at your house for Christmas dinner. This often happens in our part of the world. If there’s someone at church who doesn’t have any family to share Christmas with, then you invite them to join your family for Christmas lunch. Now in doing so, you don’t change who you are or what your family does in any significant way at all. But you make very sure that your guest is looked after. You warmly welcome them, and introduce them around. You explain what is going on at different points— why Uncle Fred always has to sit in that chair, what the background is to your funny family games or rituals, how to play, and so on. You put yourself out to make your guest feel at home and part of the family, even though it’s not their home or their family. Likewise in church— outsiders are not part of our church family. We don’t stop being who we are, or pursuing God’s purposes, just because we have guests present. But we do welcome our guests, who, like the ‘outsiders’ in 1 Corinthians 14, turn up and (God-willing) come to know and worship the living God in our midst.” (Kindle loc. 2967).

Stars: 5 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

is planting a church
is leading a church
is
serving in a church

Other books along this theme would be:

Anyabwile, Thabiti M. What Is a Healthy Church Member? 9Marks. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008.

Dever, Mark. Nine Marks of a Healthy Church. Expanded. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2004.

Marshall, Colin, Tony Payne, and Matthias Media. The Trellis and the Vine : The Ministry Mind-Shift That Changes Everything. Kingsford, N.S.W.: Matthias Media, 2009.

Rainer, Thom S., and Eric Geiger. Simple Church. B&H Publishing Group, 2010.

Encounters with Jesus

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Seth Grotzke

Book: Keller, Timothy. Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life’s Biggest Questions. Reprint edition. Penguin Books, 2013.

For the full review, click on the title above

Path: Keller has given us a unique book which is both apologetical and devotional.

Keller takes a chapter to explain the interactions of various individuals with Jesus and how they can challenge us. Those individuals are: Nathanael the skeptic, the Insider – Nicodemus and the Outcast – the Samaritan woman, Mary and Martha the Grieving Sisters, the disciples and town at the wedding party, Mary Magdalene, Satan and his temptations, Jesus at his Ascension, Jesus in the Garden, and Mary after the Angel’s revelation.

Keller explains the interactions in an interesting and enlightening way, and then applies them to skeptics, seekers, and mature believers.

Favorite Quote: “Jesus not only died the death we should have died in order to take the law’s curse for us, he also lived the great life of love and fidelity we should have lived in order to earn God’s blessing for us.“

Stars: 4.5 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

Is skeptical about Jesus
Is seeking to know more about Jesus
Is seeking to love Jesus more

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Pocket Guide to the Papacy

Posted on May 9, 2016 by Seth Grotzke

How is that for a title?

Book: Chirico, Leonardo De. A Christian’s Pocket Guide to Papacy. Christian Focus Publications, 2015. Screen Shot 2016-05-02 at 3.01.32 PM

(For the full review click on the title)

Point: The papacy is a global institution with incredible influence but no Scriptural support.

Path: The author helps the non-Catholic navigate the question of the Papacy by explaining its origins, its history, its influence, and its current manifestations.

Favorite Quote: “…the official titles of the Pope: ‘Bishop of Rome’ ‘Vicar of Jesus Christ’ ‘Successor of the prince of the Apostles’ (i.e. Peter) ‘Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church’ ‘Primate of Italy’ and ‘Archbishop and Metro-politan of the Roman Province’ ‘Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City’ ‘Servant of God’s servants’. This list of Papal titles is astonishing and covers various religious offices, political tasks and organizational responsibilities. Each title provides a different perspective on the Papal office, and taken as a whole they help one appreciate who the Pope is and what he does” (Kindle, 97).

Stars: 4 out of 5

It would be worth another read and I would recommend it to someone who:

Is or was Catholic
Has an interest in Historical Theology
Is going to visit Rome

SCQuest

Intentional Living

Category Archives: Not quite a review

Review: Philosophy in Seven Sentences

Review: hand in Hand: the Beauty of God’s Sovereignty and Meaningful Human Choice

Review: Vainglory: The Forgotten Vice

What if the COVID reality could strengthen our churches?

Rereading a helpful book

Top Shelf Book: The Man Christ Jesus

The Common Rule

The Vine Project

Encounters with Jesus

Pocket Guide to the Papacy