A Fighting Man of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs - 279 pages

The 7th book in the John Carter of Mars series, this book follows the same pattern as most in the series. That fact bothered me for the first few chapters...until I realized that it is exactly that simple plot of adventure, romance, and sci-fi fantasy that keeps me coming back for more.

A Fighting Man of Mars only mentions John Carter on the periphery of the story and instead centers around Hadron of Hastor, a young knight in Helium's army (I realize I have lost most of you already).  He falls in love...his love is kidnapped by an evil king...he goes to rescue her and all manner of intrigue, swashbuckling, romance, and sci-fi excitement ensue.

If you know and like the John Carter series, you will like this solid entry in the canon.

The Meaning of Marriage by Tim and Kathy Keller - 288 Pages

Based off of a popular sermon series that Pastor and author Tim Keller preached at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, The Meaning of Marriage provides a timely and powerful voice to the modern Christian trying to understand and live out a Christ-centered marriage.  The Keller's challenge both ends of the spectrum of error concerning marriage, showing that marriage as God intended it can be both more enthralling than any illegitimate pleasure as well as more exhausting and sacrificial than what modern notions of love and romance advertise.

The Keller's have a well known love for C.S. Lewis and his influence is felt a lot in this book. They write with a Lewis-like approach: lots of compelling and wise theologically based thoughts...not an abundance of Scripture exposition.  Kierkegaard and poets get as much ink as the Word of God.  That approach isn't necessarily wrong, it just needs to be recognized for what it is and read with discernment.

My wife and I read this book together, setting aside time a few times a month to discuss it.  The conversations that ensued were very helpful and fruitful.  A discussion that was particularly eye opening and exciting was when the Keller's point out the differences between a consumer relationship vs. a covenant relationship and their implications on marriage.

This book is a great resource filled not only with wisdom for married couples but anyone trying to understand the purposes of God in the institution of Marriage.

The Survivors of the Chancellor by Jules Verne - 140 pages

A lesser known, but no less exciting adventure from Jules Verne, The Survivors of the Chancellor follows the voyage of the British sailing ship Chancellor on its fateful voyage from Charleston, South Carolina to England.  As the title suggests, the ship soon intercects with tragedy - first sustaining a fire below decks, then wrecking on a reef, then drifting and slowly sinking.  In his usual detailed fashion, Verne tells a gripping story of survival as the characters strive not only against nature but each other, and their own temptations to abandon their civility.
A great, quick read, especially for anyone interested in survival and/or nautical fiction.

Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian - 496 pages

Last year I read Master and Commander, the first in a 21 (!) book series by Patrick O'Brian.  I loved it.

Post Captain continues the misadventures of captain Jack Aubrey and his surgeon friend,  Stephen Maturin.  Picking up right after Master and Commander, it is a brief rare season of peace between England, France, and Spain.  As often happens with sailors with too much time on their hands, they quickly fall into debt and love.  Jack is enraptured with the young heiress Sophia Williams, and Stephen falls for the unconventional widow Diana Villiers.  The first half of the book almost reads like a Jane Austen novel told from the man's (are there any real men in those books?) perspective.
Thankfully, war breaks out and the boys leave land behind to sink, plunder, and generally harass the French enemy.

As usual Patrick O'Brian's distinctive writing style, while taking some getting used to,  takes the breath away and draws the reader in.  The action was bigger, the romance greater, and the development of the often contentious relationship between Aubrey and Maturin was delightful.  I also enjoyed the insights on leadership, as Jack learns to maintain discipline and good morale amongst the crew of his ship.

I can't wait to read the next one!

"It is unjust to provoke a man and then complain he is a satyr if the provocation succeeds."

"How helpless a man is, against direct attack by a woman."

"The sailor, at sea (his proper element), lives in the present.  There is nothing he can do about the past at all; and having regard to the uncertainty of the omnipotent ocean and the weather, very little about the future."

"Ever since I was breeched I have pined to see a narwhal."

Adoniram Judson: How Few There Are That Die So Hard by John Piper - 24 Pages

This short, free ebook is a converted transcript of one of John Piper's biographical sermons that he gave for many years at the annual Desiring God Pastor's Conference.

Though it is short, it packs a punch.  I was expecting more biography and less exhortation, but I was pleasantly surprised and challenged.  Piper weaves in glimpses of Judson's life, suffering, and fruitful death to his call for followers of Jesus to embrace suffering as the God ordained means of bringing the lost nations into the joy of glorifying Christ.  A great read.  I will be handing this out to anyone interested in joining us on the field.

"My question is, if Christ delays his return another two hundred years - a mere fraction of a day in his reckoning - which of you will have suffered and died so that the triumphs of grace will be told about one or two of those 3,500 [unreached groups of] peoples who are in the same condition today that the Karen and Chin and Kachins and Burmese were in 1813?...Most of these hopeless peoples do not want you to come.  At least they think they don't.  They are hostile to Christian missions.  Today this is the final frontier"

"Judson wrote to missionary candidates in 1832:  

Remember, a large proportion of those who come out on a mission to the East die within five years after leaving their native land.  Walk softly, therefore; death is narrowly watching your steps. 

The question for us is not whether we will die, but whether we will die in a way that bears much fruit."

The Conviction to Lead by Albert Mohler - 224 Pages

I normally don't like to read books on leadership.  I find that they generally fall into one or more of the following categories: Secular leadership books filled with un-and-anti-Biblical advice, Christian leadership books that are trying to be like the secular ones but with some proof texts sprinkled in, or Biblical leadership books that are solid but are really only applicable to a senior pastor role.

With The Conviction to Lead, Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler has broken the mold, composing a book that is driven and grounded in a high view of Scripture as well as broad enough to speak to Christians in any sphere of leadership, not just the church.

The basic premise is clearly displayed in the book's title - that more than skill, personality, methods, and opportunities, it is the conviction to lead that is preeminent to being a successful, faithful, and Christ-honoring leader.  Stating that "true leadership starts with a purpose, not a plan," Mohler seeks to bring together and empower two groups of people in the Christian leadership world - those who are believers and those who are leaders.  He says,

"If our leaders are not passionately driven by the right beliefs, we are headed for disaster.  At the same time, if believers cannot lead, we are headed nowhere.  My goal is to redefine Christian leadership so that it is inseperable from passionately held beliefs, and to motivate those who are deeply commited to truth to be ready for leadership."

Mohler succeeds brilliantly with his goal, grounding much of his advice and exhortation in his real life experience of turning almost singlehandedly the historic Southern Baptist Seminary from a being a bastion of Liberal theology to being a flagship of Biblical faithfulness that it has now become.

I would put this up there with Oswald Sanders' book as one of the best on Christian leadership.  I look forward to returning to it often and recommending it to others.

"We do not believe in belief any more than we have faith in faith.  We believe the gospel, and we have faith in Christ.  Our beliefs have substance and our faith has an object."

"You can divide all leaders into those who merely hold an office or position and those who hold great convictions" 

The Lamb and the Fuhrer by Ravi Zacharias - 90 Pages

I often listen to master apologist Ravi Zacharias' podcast  and have been meaning to read a book by him.  This short book, with an interesting title and concept seemed like a good place to start.  I'm not so sure.

The concept of the book (and "Great Conversations" series) is simple but intriguing - "what would the conversation between Jesus and Hitler be like at the Final Judgement?

While there were great apologetical points made during the conversation a few things bothered me:

1.  Zacharias' Arminian perspective is evident in some places, and in my view diminish the glory of God.  For example in a section where Hitler asks Jesus why He didn't just make people love Him, Jesus responds, "It's not enough to command love; it must be wooed" (p.81).  Is this to imply that, among other things, that if someone does not fall in love with Christ, it is because Christ is an incompetent wooer?  This seems to contradict Scriptures like  John 10:14-18, John 6:37 and many others that speak of the sovereign, gracious, irresistible call of the Shepherd to His sheep.  If Jesus had never made me love Him, I wouldn't.

2.  For some reason Bonhoeffer shows up as sort of a prosecutor.  This was interesting but unnecessary.  He is given some of the best lines.

3.  There is just something that feels trite about Jesus arguing with Hitler.  Maybe I'm way off but I can't imagine Hitler (or anyone not reconciled to Christ) being able to keep his underwear clean, let alone verbally contending with, the risen, glorified Christ sitting on His throne of judgement.


I still admire and will continue to learn from Ravi Zacharias and his ministry.  But I don't think I will be recommending this book to many people.