BookNotes: Coppenger on GCR, DeYoung on Heidelberg, Anyabwile on Muslims

It’s time for a new BookNotes list.  This being the list where we list a few recent noteworthy books.  I’ve got four for you today.

You’ve likely heard talk about the Great Commission Resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention, but until now, there has been no small, easy-to-read introduction to it.  Jedidiah Coppenger of B&H Publishing has just edited a little volume entitled Retreat or Risk: A Call for a Great Commission Resurgence (B&H, 2010).  I’ve looked through it, and it has some great material.  Jed contributes a helpful chapter on the SBC,  David Platt challenges readers to take the gospel to the nations, and Al Mohler writes on the future of the SBC.  All well worth reading.  Pick it up–it’s cheap and accessible.

Kevin DeYoung recently released his interaction with the Heidelberg Catechism, entitled The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism (Moody, 2010).  The Heidelberg Catechism is perhaps best known for its question, “What is your only comfort in life and in death?,” and its answer, “That I am not my own, but belong–body and soul, in life and in death–to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”  This is a book worth picking up, one filled with stout commentary on Scripture and the need for holy living before the Lord.  Plus, it’s got Kevin’s trademark wit and insight, and will be a fun read besides.

Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, has just published The Gospel for Muslims: An Encouragement to Share Christ with Confidence (Moody, 2010).  This pastoral work is a helpful primer on the sometimes fearsome task of Muslim evangelism.  In part one of the text, Anyabwile walks through differences between Christian and Muslim theology.  In part two, he offers practical evangelistic suggestions.  I found Thabiti’s own testimony about his conversion from Islam encouraging.  This little book will help to equip those of us who want to share the gospel with Muslims to do so with confidence and hope.

Finally, M. David Sills has written Reaching and Teaching: A Call to Great Commission Obedience (Moody, 2010).  This book offers a holistic look at missiology.  Danny Akin of Southeastern Seminary says the following about this new text: “David Sills makes the argument that a holistic and biblical methodology for missions must include both search and harvest strategies.  It must include evangelism and discipleship, church planting and theological training….This book is long overdue.”

If you are looking for further book reading recommendations, see Collin Hansen’s summer reading list, which was commented on in a prominent USA Today blog run by Cathy Lynn Grossman of that paper.