Book Reviews
Do you enjoy reading? Then this page is just for you! Check here often for recommended book reads from Pastor Joe!
All Things For Good - December 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
12/01/2024
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All Things For Good
by Thomas Watson
This book unpacks a text that has comforted believers for centuries!
Thomas Watson explains the text in a balanced perspective both doctrinally and practically. The Apostle Paul says: “and we know”. Do you know? Have you arrived at a Holy confidence as you consider the meaning of Romans 8:28? Do you realize that the best and worst things that we experience in our lives all work in unison for our good? The author also discusses various rem
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Revelation 20 and the Millennial Debate - November 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
11/01/2024
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Revelation 20 and the Millennial Debate
by: Matthew Waymeyer
If you have been a Christian for any length of time, you have most likely met people who hold to different views on the millennium found in Revelation 20. There are three different views that are out there and all three are held by godly men and women. The question is, why is there so much debate on this issue when the fact of the matter is, we all have the same Bible? That is exactly what this book deals with.
Dr.
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THE CROSS IN THE SHADOW OF THE CRESCENT - October 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
10/01/2024
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The Cross in the shadow of the crescent
by Erwin Lutzer
Of the many challenges the Christian church has faced throughout the years, Radical Islam is one of the greatest. In this book, Dr. Lutzer helps to give Christians an understanding of this threat from a biblical perspective and informs them of what their responsibility is in this hour.
This book is essentially a wakeup-call to every thinking American generally, but Christians specifically. It is a powerful
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EVANGELISM - SEPTEMBER 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
09/01/2024
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EVANGELISM
by J. Mack Stiles
This book is one of the best books on evangelism that I have ever reviewed. The reason for this is that it does not simply talk about evangelism as something we go out and do, but as a way of life.
This book focuses on the importance of cultivating a culture of evangelism within the local church. This differs drastically from the idea of evangelism that was promoted during the early part of the century.
Evangelism was thought of as somet
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Maturity... in the christian life - AUGUST 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
08/01/2024
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MATURITY
by Sinclair B. Ferguson
As a community of believers, we sometimes forget that when someone becomes a Christian, they have just begun their spiritual walk. From that point on they must be growing up to maturity in their faith.
This was a very real concern of the early church and it should also be a concern for us today. As we read Scripture, we see that it was the Apostle Paul’s desire to present those to whom he ministered, “mature in Christ.”
In this book by
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Letter to the American Church - July 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
07/01/2024
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Letter to the American Church
by Eric Metaxas
This book by Eric Metaxas is a book that may ruffle some feathers in today’s evangelical church. If you're someone who reads this book and finds areas of disagreement, I would challenge you to sit back and ask yourself, “In what areas does Eric have it wrong?” In reviewing this book, Dr. Erwin Lutzer states that this question was more difficult to answer than he had anticipated.
In this insightful work, Metaxas calls
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HAS THE CHURCH REPLACED ISRAEL? - June 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
06/01/2024
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Has the Church Replaced Israel?
by Michael Vlach
For many years the relationship between Israel and the Church has been a controversial topic. The primary question in this controversy is, “Does the church replace, or fulfill the nation of Israel in God’s plan, or will Israel be saved and restored with a unique identity and role?” This is the topic that Dr. Vlach examines in this book.
The name given to the belief that the church has replaced Israel in God’s plan is Sup
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THE TRELLIS AND THE VINE- May 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
05/01/2024
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The Trellis and the Vine
by Collin Marshall and Tony Payne
We sometimes have the mind set that as Christians our job is to share the gospel and that is it. However, if we look back to the words of our Lord in the gospels, He calls us to make disciples not just to make converts. This is an essential aspect of the Christian life and ministry that we dare not forget. As we minister within the local church we need to be about the business of discipling others. In
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THE GOSPEL CALL & TRUE CONVERSION- APRIL 2024 book review
by: Joseph Hamlin
04/01/2024
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The Gospel Call & True Conversion
by Paul Washer
In a time when easy believism is rampant in our churches, a book like this is greatly needed. In this book, Paul Washer does an excellent job at showing the reader, from Scripture, that being a Christian is not a matter of just making a decision for Jesus or turning over a new leaf. It's a miracle of God's grace in which a sinner is brought by God’s power from death to life.
We can all, at times, think that we
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Missions- March 2024 book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
03/01/2024
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Missions
by Andy Johnson
As we attend church services throughout or lives, we often hear a call to missions. We hear missionaries from far away lands teaching of their ministry. We're offered the opportunities to go on any number of short-term mission trips. However, through all of this we often forget the basic truths behind missions.
In this book, Andy Johnson goes back to basics to remind us what missions is all about. Andy begins by laying the biblical foun
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A Tale of Two Sons- February 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
02/01/2024
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A Tale of Two Sons
By Dr. John MacArthur
If you have ever read the parable found in Luke 15:11-32, you have read the foundation of this book. Dr. MacArthur gives a wonderful exposition of the account found in this passage. The truths found here are both timeless and powerful. As you read this book, the story you have read many times before will come alive and give you a perspective on forgiveness and hope that you may not have had before. In this book we see the beh...read more
The Way of the Master - January 2024 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
01/01/2024
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The Way of the Master
by Ray Comfort
Growing up in the Midwest during the late seventies and eighties, I was often invited to church youth group events. At these events the youth Pastor or his helper would give a short message and then ask if anyone wanted to “accept Jesus into their heart.” I remember raising my hand and thinking, “Sure, if that gets me into heaven, I will do it.” With that, I would repeat some prayer that the Pastor said and leave the meeting thinking
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December 2023 Book Review
by: Joseph Hamlin
12/01/2023
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Loving the Way Jesus Loves
By: Phil Ryken
We often use the word love in a way that tends to make it lose its potency. We declare that we love our spouse and our children, but in the same breath we declare that we love tacos or chicken nuggets. The superficial use of the word love is unfortunate. In this book Dr. Phillip Ryken gives us a glimpse of what true biblical love looks like. He shows us how we can love the way Jesus loved.
Dr. Ryken takes the reader throu
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November 2023 book review
by: Joseph Hamlin
11/01/2023
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The Church
by: Mark Dever
When it comes to life in the local Church, Christians face many practical issues. In this book, Pastor Mark Dever helps to answer many of these questions.
As he begins this book, he goes to Scripture and shows us what the Bible says about the Church. He examines the nature of the Church, the attributes of the Church, the purpose, discipline, polity, and hope of the Church. This portion is essential in setting the foundation for the rest
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OCTOBER 2023 BOOK REVIEW
by: Joseph Hamlin
10/01/2023
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Fighting Satan: Knowing His Weaknesses, Strategies, and Defeat
by Joel R. Beeke
As Christians, we need to understand that Satan hates us. He hates us because we bear the image of God, and because we were snatched from his power. We do not want to overestimate Satan’s power, but we also dare not underestimate his power.
Every believer is in a spiritual battle whether they want to admit it or not. In this relatively short book, Dr. Beeke gives several points of insight on t
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