Abe’s Reviews

I love to read. I especially love to read anything related to preaching. And until the end of 2019 I also served as the Book Review Editor for the Journal of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. The offshoot of such endeavors is a number of book reviews for journals many and sundry, particularly in the areas of homiletics, hermeneutics, and spirituality. Here are a few of those productions. (Needless to say, the choice of stars, below, is entirely subjective and personal, reflecting my own predilections and inclinations.)

Homiletics

• Impact Preaching: A Case for the One-Point Expository SermonBy Jim L. Wilson, R. Gregg Watson, Michael Kuykendall, and David Johnson (Lexham, 2018).
• Preaching God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Preparing, Developing, and Delivering the Sermon—Video LecturesBy Terry G. Carter, J. Scott Duvall, J. Daniel Hays (Zondervan, 2017).
• The Challenge of PreachingBy John Stott, Greg Scharf (Eerdmans, 2015).
• Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary. Feasting on the Word: Year C, Volume 4, Season after PentecostEdited by David L. Bartlett, Barbara Brown Taylor (Westminster John Knox, 2010).
• Preaching as PoetryBy Paul Scott Wilson (Abingdom, 2014).
• Preaching the Farewell DiscourseBy L. Scott Kellum (Broadman & Holman, 2014).
• Giving Blood: A Fresh Paradigm for PreachingBy Leonard Sweet (Zondervan, 2014).
• Preaching at the CrossroadsBy David J. Lose (Fortress, 2013).
• From Story Interpretation to Sermon CraftingBy Charles R. Dickson (Wipf & Stock, 2011).
• Excellence in PreachingBy Simon Vibert (Intervarsity, 2011).
• Show Me How to Illustrate Evangelistic Sermons By R. Larry Moyer (Kregel, 2012).
• The Reading and Preaching of the Scriptures in the Worship of the Christian Church, Volume 7: Our Own Time By Hughes Oliphant Old (Eerdmans, 2010).
• Reflections on My Call to Preach: Connecting the Dots By Fred Brenning Craddock (Chalice, 2009).
• We Preach Not Ourselves: Paul on Proclamation By Michael P. Knowles (Brazos, 2008).
• He is Not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World By R. Albert Mohler (Chicago: Moody, 2008).
• Teaching Preaching as a Christian Practice: A New Approach to Homiletical Pedagogy Edited by Thomas G. Long, Leonora Tubbs Tisdale (Westminster John Knox, 2008).
• Preach the Word: Essays on Expository Preaching: In Honor of R. Kent Hughes Edited by Leland Ryken and Todd A. Wilson (Crossway, 2007).
• Preaching Christ from Genesis: Foundations for Expository Sermons By Sidney Greidanus (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007).
• Commending the Faith: The Preaching of D. L. Moody Edited by Garth Rosell (Hendrickson, 1999).
• The Evangelism Mandate: Recovering the Centrality of Gospel Preaching By David L. Larsen (Kregel Publications, 1992).

Hermeneutics

• Hearers and Doers: A Pastor's Guide to Making Disciples Through Scripture and Doctrine By Kevin J. Vanhoozer (Lexham, 2019).
• The Letter and Spirit of Biblical Interpretation: From the Early Church to Modern Practice By Keith D. Stanglin (Baker, 2018).
• Encountering the Living God in Scripture: Theological and Philosophical Principles for Interpretation By William M. Wright IV and Francis Martin (Baker, 2019).
• From Hermeneutics to Exegesis: The Trajectory of Biblical Interpretation By Matthew R. Malcolm (Broadman & Holman, 2018).
• The Face of Water: A Translator on Beauty and Meaning in the BibleBy Sarah Ruden (Pantheon, 2017).
• Not with Wisdom of Words: Nonrational Persuasion in the New TestamentBy Gary S. Selby (Eerdmans, 2016).
• A Clear and Present Word: The Clarity of ScriptureBy Mark D. Thompson (InterVarsity, 2006).
• Praying CursesBy Daniel M. Nehrbass (Wipf & Stock, 2013).
• The Lost World of ScriptureBy John Walton and Brent Sandy (InterVarsity, 2013).
• A Basic Guide to Interpreting the BibleBy Robert H. Stein (Baker, 2011).
• Christ-Centered Biblical Theology By Graeme Goldsworthy (InterVarsity, 2012).
• Biblical Hermeneutics: Five Views Edited by Stanley E. Porter and Beth M. Stovell (InterVarsity, 2012).
• Corporal Punishment in the Bible: A Redemptive-Movement Hermeneutic for Troubling Texts By William J. Webb (InterVarsity, 2011).
• How to Read the Bible in Changing Times: Understanding and Applying God’s Word Today By Mark L. Strauss (Baker, 2011).
• On Your Mark: Reading Scripture without a Teacher By William J. O'Malley (Liturgical, 2011).
• The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture By J. Todd Billings (Eerdmans, 2010).
• Four Views on Moving Beyond the Bible to Theology By Walter C. Kaiser, Daniel M. Doriani, Kevin J. Vanhoozer, and William J. Webb (Zondervan, 2009).
• The Nature of Biblical Criticism By John Barton (Westminster John Knox, 2007).
• Gospel-Centred Hermeneutics: Biblical-Theological Foundations and Principles By Graeme Goldsworthy (Apollos, 2006).

Spirituality

• Awaiting the King: Reforming Public Theology By James K. A. Smith (Baker, 2017).
• The Love of God: Divine Gift, Human Gratitude, and Mutual Faithfulness in Judaism By Jon D. Levenson (Princeton University Press, 2016).
• You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of HabitBy James K. A. Smith (Baker, 2016).
• Becoming a Pastor Theologian: New Possibilities for Church LeadershipEdited by Todd Wilson and Gerald Hiestand (InterVarsity, 2016).
• Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship WorksBy James K. A. Smith (Baker, 2013).
• The Pastor as Public Theologian: Reclaiming a Lost VisionBy Kevin J. Vanhoozer and Owen Strachan (Baker, 2015).
• The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement By Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell (Free Press, 2009).
• Spiritual Formation as if the Church Mattered: Growing in Christ through Community By James C. Wilhoit (Baker, 2008).
• Saint Paul as Spiritual Director By Victor A. Copan (Paternoster, 2007).