February 15, 2009
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Wisdom from a Hayseed’s Hayseed
LeRoy Lawson reviews Wendell Berry’s The Way of Ignorance and Other Essays, reflecting on humility, community, ecology, politics, and the wisdom of starting small.
Book Reviews
Book Reviews provides thoughtful, biblically informed reviews of books that serve churches, leaders, and disciples. Explore summaries of key ideas, theological and practical evaluation, and clear recommendations on who each book is best suited for—pastors, elders, small group leaders, students, or everyday believers. You’ll find reviews across theology, ministry, discipleship, Christian living, and church history, helping you choose resources that are faithful, helpful, and worth your time. Whether you’re building a library or selecting a study for your church, this hub offers trusted guidance for discerning readers.
January 11, 2009
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Economic Dangers and Dirty Hands
LeRoy Lawson reviews three books exploring global economic instability, glocal mission strategy, and hands-on service that calls ordinary Christians to engage a changing world with wisdom and compassion.
December 7, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: In God’s Defense
LeRoy Lawson reviews books by David Aikman, John Humphrys, and Francis Collins, tracing arguments about atheism, doubt, science, and faith in a thoughtful response to claims that God is dead.
November 9, 2008
Books We Recommend
Christian Standard contributing editors recommend books that shaped their faith, ministry, leadership, apologetics, and cultural engagement, with personal reflections on why each title mattered.
November 9, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Returning from the Dark Side
LeRoy Lawson reviews books by Gordon MacDonald, Gary Kinnaman, and Richard Jacobs, reflecting on pastoral failure, depression, restoration, and the grace needed to walk through darkness.
October 19, 2008
Three Resources on Elders and the Local Church
Casey Tygrett reviews three books on eldership and church leadership, weighing their strengths, weaknesses, and usefulness for elders seeking biblical accountability and practical direction.
October 12, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: China: Refreshing, Intriguing, Confusing, Unsettling
LeRoy Lawson reviews Rob Gifford’s China Road and reflects on modern China, Chinese Christianity, missionary legacy, and the sobering historical context of The Opium Wars.
September 14, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Five by Oliver Sacks, MD
LeRoy Lawson reflects on Oliver Sacks’s books, especially Musicophilia, and considers how music, the brain, suffering, communication, and worship intersect in deeply human ways.
September 3, 2008
Our Online Review of a Best-seller
Jennifer Taylor reviews The Shack, weighing its literary weaknesses against the theological ideas that helped the book connect with readers far beyond the Christian fiction audience.
August 10, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Defending Our Faith, Holding Our Attention
LeRoy Lawson reviews books by Timothy Keller and Charles Colson, weighing their apologetic value against the enduring influence of C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity.
July 13, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Insights Into the Middle East
LeRoy Lawson reflects on Afghanistan, humanitarian service, and three books that illuminate suffering, courage, culture, and the costly hope of education in a wounded region.
June 8, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Beyond Normal
LeRoy Lawson reviews books by David Michaelis, John Elder Robison, and Arron Chambers, reflecting on Peanuts, Asperger’s syndrome, Christian identity, and the extraordinary shape of human potential.
May 4, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Looking for God
Leroy Lawson reviews spiritual writing and Reggie McNeal’s church leadership books, reflecting on humility, mission, global Christianity, and the church’s need to move beyond the status quo.
April 13, 2008
Mega Myth Busters: A review of “Beyond Megachurch Myths”
Dick Alexander reviews Beyond Megachurch Myths, highlighting research that challenges common assumptions about megachurches and points church leaders of every size toward healthier, more effective ministry practices.
January 20, 2008
Five Books About How We Got the Bible
William R. Baker recommends key books that trace the Bible’s transmission, canon, and translation—from early manuscripts to modern English versions—highlighting accessible guides for students and serious readers.
January 13, 2008
FROM MY BOOKSHELF: Not Your High School’s History
History doesn’t sit still—and neither should our understanding of it. LeRoy Lawson reviews three books that challenge tidy textbook stories and help readers think more honestly about the past, faith, and public life.
December 16, 2007
Restoration Scholars and Their Evangelical Counterparts (a book review)
Gary Weedman reviews William R. Baker’s Volume 2 on evangelical and Stone-Campbell dialogue, highlighting essays on open theism, Christology, the Lord’s Supper, eschatology, and the Old Testament.
December 9, 2007
Creating Environments (Southland Christian Church, Lexington, KY)
A review of Organic Community through Southland Christian Church’s experience with life groups, showing how releasing control helped people connect naturally and grow spiritually.
December 9, 2007
Discussing and Discovering Community (Parkview Christian Church, Orland Park, IL)
Jon Zabrocki reviews Joseph Myers’s Organic Community, challenging one-size-fits-all small-group models and urging churches to measure community by shared stories and real-life connection rather than charts and infrastructure.
December 9, 2007
Seeing God’s Work (Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY)
Bill Search reviews Joe Myers’ Organic Community, highlighting a framework for more natural community in the church—especially how leaders measure growth and invite people to participate according to how God has formed them.
