Evangelical Pharisees by Michael Reeves, (Crossway, 2023) In Evangelical Pharisees Michael Reeves is writing to Christian believers on the theme of hypocrisy. He writes out of a concern to see orthodoxy in doctrine not just remaining as head knowledge, but leading to a change in heart and life. In the first chapter, ‘Beware of the […]

Why Everything Matters – The Gospel in Ecclesiastes by Philip G. Ryken (Christian Focus Publications, 2015) Ecclesiastes can be a tricky book to grasp on an immediate reading and this layman’s guide (the author has written a fuller commentary for scholars) unpicks the literary style and pinpoints the main themes in short chapters that are […]

The Balanced Pastor by John Benton (Grace Publications, 2023). After many years in pastoral ministry John Benton is now Director for Pastoral Support at the Pastor’s Academy, London Seminary. This book is actually an omnibus edition of three recent booklets but is nevertheless slim and concise. The subjects covered are:- Benton writes simply and with […]

The Church of Acts Two – The Scriptural Pattern for the Church Today by Matthew Hyde (Gospel Standard Publications, 2023). This book is made up of five sermons preached at Galeed Chapel, Brighton. They are sermons to a particular church within a particular denomination, but they have relevance to all who are seeking to understand […]

Memorable Loss – A Story of Friendship in the Face of Dementia by Karen Martin (Christian Focus Publications, 2023) This is like no other book I have read before! The author, Karen Martin, writes in a narrative non-fiction form which I found compelling. The story of her friendship with an older lady who goes on […]

Clothed with Strength by Sarah Allen (10Publishing, 2023) What a fascinating account of four exceptional women Sarah Allen has written! These are women who are not well known, but who each identified a need in the community they were in and quietly set about trying to make a difference. The way this was done looked […]

The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology – A Comparison between Seventeenth-Century Particular Baptist and Paedobaptist Federalism by Pascal Denault (Solid Ground Christian Books, 2017) Pascal Denault (Eglise Evangelique de St-Jerome, Qc) has performed an excellent service to all Particular/Reformed Baptists today in seeking to approach Covenant Theology from a Baptist viewpoint. His very careful and […]

A Call to Prayer by J C Ryle (Banner of Truth, 2002) J C Ryle doesn’t beat around the bush: if you don’t pray, you are not a Christian. Just as breathing is the sign of life in a human, so is prayer the sign of life in a Christian. This direct start perhaps serves […]

Priscilla, where are you? A Call to Joyful Theology by Natalie Brand (Union Publishing) This is a quick and enjoyable read. Natalie Brand is passionate about encouraging women in particular to be more enthusiastic about studying theology. She draws on the little we know of the Biblical character Priscilla, who Paul mentions along with her […]

Let Everybody Praise the Lord by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Christian Focus) This slim paperback contains a series of sermons on Psalm 107. Lloyd-Jones vividly expounds the four pictures of sin and its consequences which are drawn for us in it. He does so evangelically, as if addressing people hearing the gospel for the first time. He […]

Challenges to Living God’s Way by Dr Chris Richards & Dr Liz Jones (EP Books, 2022) Challenges to Living God’s Way is a really helpful follow-on book from the two Growing up God’s Way books (see images below) written by the same authors. Written for teenagers, in the first section it covers six big issues: […]

Covenant Theology: From Adam to Christ, by Nehemiah Coxe & John Owen (Reformed Baptist Academic Press, 2005). ‘There were giants in the land in those days’. Two of them have contributed to this valuable book presenting a Baptist view of the covenants of God. One of them is the famous John Owen, a selection of […]