A Theology of Mark’s Gospel by David E. Garland (Zondervan)

Readers familiar with David Garland, professor of Christian Scriptures at Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary, may approach his latest book, A Theology of Mark’s Gospel, with high expectations. Prepare to have those expectations surpassed.

Anyone who sees the New Testament book of Mark as the Reader’s Digest gospel—a fourth-tier barebones telling of the story of Jesus, without the benefit of Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount, Luke’s parables of the Good Samaritan and Prodigal Son, or John’s distinctive teachings about the new birth—never will view it that way again after reading this book. Garland presents Mark not only as the reliable chronicler of Simon Peter’s eyewitness account of Jesus, but also as a skilled narrative theologian. In telling the story of Jesus, Mark presents compelling proof he was and is the unique Son of God and the long-awaited Messiah—the Christ—not just because he made those assertions about himself, but because he did what only God’s Son and the Messiah could do.

Although it is not a verse-by-verse commentary, the second chapter, “A Literary and Theological Reading of Mark’s Gospel,” provides an outline and insightful section-by-section examination of the Scripture text. If Garland had written nothing but that one chapter, it still would have been valuable to any serious student of the New Testament. But he didn’t stop there. Other chapters offer helpful insights into Mark’s theology regarding discipleship, mission, the kingdom of God, atonement and salvation. 

Garland offers an in-depth discussion regarding the disputed verses in the last chapter of Mark, and he makes a compelling case for considering Mark 16:8 as the intended ending. Garland maintains Mark crafted an open-ended conclusion purposefully. If it seems like an unfinished symphony to modern Christians, Garland suggests reading the whole Gospel in light of its first verse: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” Mark just wrote the beginning of the story; he intended it to continue in each generation as the Risen Christ works in and through his followers, carrying out Christ’s mission and proclaiming the gospel until his return.

A Theology of Mark’s Gospel should be on the bookshelf of every pastor, and it also would make a worthy addition to any church library.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

The Christmas Portrait by Phyllis Clark Nichols (Charisma House)

The Christmas Portrait describes how a 10-year-old girl encounters the first Christmas after her mother’s death. Told from a child’s poignant-yet-resilient perspective, longtime Texas Baptist Phyllis Clark Nichols’ lovely novel is layered, subtle and profound. 

Children will adore the book’s vivid imagery, family warmth and will-she-or-won’t-she mystery. Young Kate Harding, the narrator, offers a child’s-eye view of hard situations and eternal uncertainties that perplex even grownups. She also provides a child-sized heroine—a compelling proxy for children learning to consider loss, disappointment, hope and courage.

Adults will appreciate these themes as well, but view them from a different plane. They will recall themselves as children as they enjoy Kate’s paradoxical uncertainty and optimism. They also will relate to the adults in this story who each come to grips with their own sense of loss in the death of Kate’s mother—their wife, daughter and sister.

All readers will revel in Kate’s plucky resolve and generous compassion. This book is destined to become a Christmas classic that accompanies readers through the holidays and leads them into the New Year pondering the strength of faith, family and future.

Marv Knox, editor

Baptist Standard

Plano

The Triumph of Faith by Rodney Stark (ISI Books)

Reports about the death of religion in the United States are greatly exaggerated, sociologist Rodney Stark insists in a book to be published Nov 16. And researchers who report the inevitable global triumph of secularism over supernaturalism need to check their facts, he asserts.

Stark, distinguished professor of social sciences at Baylor University and co-director of the school’s Institute for Studies of Religion, uses the Gallup World Polls, census data and other evidence to bolster his contrarian view that says the world is more religious than ever before. Citing surveys of more than 1 million people in 163 nations, he points to massive worldwide religious awakening. He notes 80 percent of the world’s population belong to an organized religion. Furthermore, predictions Islam will overtake Christianity numerically appear unfounded, at least in most parts of the globe. He specifically references the growth of Christianity in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as increasingly strong Christian churches—both evangelical and Catholic—in Latin America.

In a particularly provocative section, Stark takes issue with the much-reported rise of the “nones” in the United States. He cites data indicating the percentage of people who do not attend houses of worship remains steady, and the increase in nonaffiliated Americans appears to be drawn from that subset of the total population. Also, he disputes the assertion that young adults are less religious than in previous decades. Rather, he notes young adults attend church less often than older adults—but so did their parents at their age.  

Baptists and others in the Free Church tradition will be encouraged particularly by Stark’s conclusion that “the more religious competition there is in a society, the higher the overall level of individual participation.” Where a state church receives tax subsidies and a virtual monopoly, churches grow lazy and church members grow lax in their commitment. Where people freely choose whether to associate with a church, and churches depend on the voluntary contributions of the members they are able to attract, religion thrives.

Stark stands on solid footing when he draws conclusions based on social science research. Readers may want to place less faith in him when he makes suppositions about theology, such as the broad caricatures he draws of liberation theology in Latin America and the so-called “liberal” mainline Protestant denominations in the United States. Even so, readers will benefit from reading Stark’s findings and conclusions that defy conventional wisdom.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

Baylor at the Crossroads: Memoirs of a Provost by Donald D. Schmeltekopf (Cascade Books)

Don Schmeltekopf provides an insider’s look behind the scenes during perhaps the most transformative and tumultuous time in Baylor University’s history. Schmeltekopf was Baylor’s chief academic officer—provost and vice president for academic affairs—from 1991 to 2003. So, he writes as a participant, not as an impartial observer, of that era.

Still, considering the controversy generated during those years, Schmeltekopf presents strong opinions in the most gracious manner imaginable. He shoulders responsibility, and he shows respect for both presidents with whom he served—Herbert Reynolds and Robert Sloan—even when he acknowledges points of disagreement.

Schmeltekopf arrived on his alma mater’s campus in 1990, serving one year as vice provost before moving up to the senior position, and one of the early board of trustees meetings he attended proved momentous. Reynolds led the trustees to change the university’s charter, establishing a self-perpetuating board of regents as the school’s governing body and insulating Baylor from the possible threat of a fundamentalist takeover.

Another key event followed exactly 11 years later, about a year and a half before the end of his tenure as provost, when regents launched Baylor 2012—a long-range plan, closely identified with Sloan, that emphasized the integration of faith and learning and sought to transform Baylor into an internationally recognized research institution. 

As the university’s top academic officer, Schmeltekopf laid the foundation for implementing that vision—the genesis of which predated the regents’ vote by several years, he notes. Schmeltekopf reports he introduced the emphasis on integrating faith and learning during a 1991 conversation with Reynolds. He also acknowledges his early interest in examining more carefully the Christian commitment of faculty during the hiring process—a matter that became a bone of contention in some circles a decade later.

He documents substantive steps Baylor took toward integrating faith and learning—instituted long before the Sloan presidency or the Baylor 2012 initiative—but he acknowledges the initiative did not become part of the “institutional vocabulary” until the latter years of his time as provost.

Recounting the years between the 1990 charter revision and the Baylor 2012 implementation, Schmeltekopf offers insights into crucial events along the way—the end of the Southwest Conference and Baylor’s entrance into the Big XII Conference; the retirement of one president and selection of his successor; and the firestorm that surrounded creating the ill-fated Polanyi Center, directed by Intelligent Design proponent William Dembski. 

Without revealing all the inside information Schmeltekopf offers, one tidbit deserves to be shared. When Reynolds retired, the regents named a search committee and eventually narrowed their choices to three candidates—Thomas Corts, president of Samford University; Paul Powell, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Annuity Board; and Schmeltekopf.

As some Texas Baptists will remember, the committee eventually selected Corts, but the board of regents could not agree on his nomination. The board subsequently decided to act as a committee of the whole in selecting a new president, and they chose four finalists, after an unidentified fifth individual withdrew—William Hillis, vice president for student life at Baylor; Max Lennon, former president of Clemson University; Schmeltekopf; and Sloan, inaugural dean of Baylor’s Truett Theological Seminary, whom the board ultimately selected. 

Schmeltekopf provides analysis of the Sloan years as Baylor president, albeit from the viewpoint of one who strongly supported the general direction in which the president led. He applauds Sloan’s deep commitment to the integration of faith and learning, and he salutes Sloan’s successful initiatives. At the same time, he forthrightly acknowledges the strained relationship between Sloan and segments of the Baylor faculty.  

Some readers will disagree with at least some of Schmeltekopf’s assessments how Baylor improved during his years as chief academic officer, but few will fail to find his analysis fascinating. Some will applaud and others take offense at how he characterizes the two camps that developed in the “Baylor family” after the school began to implement Baylor 2012: “traditionalists,” who resisted change and wanted to return Baylor to what it used to be—a regional Baptist undergraduate teaching university—and “progressives,” who embraced the vision of transforming Baylor into an evangelical Notre Dame with a strong graduate research program. 

Texas Baptists interested in the history of Baylor University in the 1990s will appreciate the insights he offers from his unique perspective, although some secretly may wish he had dished out more gossip. Others who are interested more generally in the state of Christian higher education—particularly the question of what makes a university distinctively Christian—will be intrigued by his clearly articulated observations.

Why I am a Social Worker: 25 Christians Tell Their Life Stories by Diana Richmond Garland (North American Association of Christians in Social Work)

Diana Garland’s latest book is a rare commodity in publishing: It is designed and intended primarily as a textbook for social work classes. But it should be read and quoted by all kinds of Christians who believe in ministry and in serving others in Jesus’ name.

Garland, the founding dean of Baylor University’s school of social work that now bears her name, conducted extensive interviews with social workers in a breadth of specialties. This book tells their stories, and they are at once inspiring and gospel-living insightful.

This book would be worth buying and reading if Garland had published only her introduction. The title is “Social Work as a Christian Calling,” but it’s a passionate articulation of the sacramental nature of work as well as God’s calling upon all Christians to minister. 

“When the work fits our gifts and abilities, we can keep at the work because we are well-suited to the task,” she writes. “Because we enjoy our work—most days—does not mean that our motivation is self-fulfillment, however. Rather, we feel meaning and purpose because we catch glimpses that God is using us for God’s purposes.

“We are tools of God’s ongoing creation. The gifts and abilities that God created in us and define who we are fit with the needs of others—and we experience that ‘fit’ as confirmation that our feet are on the right path. …

“Christian calling, then, is our work, but at the same time it is more than our work. Because God loves the world, our calling is always about our contribution to that world—all the ways we live in a physical place and a human community.”

Beyond this, the 25 chapters that comprise Why I am a Social Worker provide a treasure trove of inspiration. Pastors will find in them a fount of sermon illustrations. Church staff will see wisdom and best practices. Laity will receive motivation for living a full and meaningful Christian life, more aware of how they can be the presence of Christ in a hurting world.

NIV Zondervan Study Bible by D.A. Carson, general editor (Zondervan)

Zondervan has produced a massive study Bible emphasizing biblical theology and highlighting themes that develop throughout Scripture. Writers particularly emphasize the centrality of Christ and Scripture as the unfolding of salvation history. D.A. Carson, New Testament professor at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, served as general editor and contributed several articles. 

Using the 2011 edition of the New International Version, a broad-based team of evangelical scholars offer insightful study notes, more than 60 helpful charts, 90-plus colorful maps, hundreds of illuminating photos and more than two dozen enlightening essays on topics such as “Covenant,” “The Kingdom of God,” “Death and Resurrection,” “Love and Grace” and “The Glory of God.” All the contributing writers demonstrate a high view of Scripture and generally follow a conservative approach to authorship and dating of biblical books. However, they seek to keep the peace and avoid dogmatic positions on a variety of potentially divisive issues. Texas Baptists likely will be particularly interested in the study notes on Colossians and Philemon by David Garland from Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary.

Perhaps the only serious drawback to this study Bible is its size. At 2,880 pages, it hardly lends itself to use in Bible study classes or worship services. However, Zondervan has taken that into account, and anyone who purchases the bound print edition receives a code that allows free access to digital editions suitable for desktop computers or mobile devices.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer by Max Lucado (Thomas Nelson)

Spiritual giants who pray without ceasing, pray without doubt and pray without fail in all circumstances don’t need to read this book. The rest of us do. 

Max Lucado, the popular author and pastor of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, candidly characterizes himself as a “prayer wimp” who gets distracted easily. For others who find themselves with the same problem—or other issues that hinder their prayer lives—he offers a helpful aid. 

Based on the Model Prayer Jesus gave his disciples and other examples of prayer in the Bible, Lucado provides what he calls a “Pocket Prayer” anyone can remember and adopt as their own: “Father, you are good. I need help. Heal me and forgive me. They need help. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, amen.” In nine brief chapters, he elaborates on each phrase in the Pocket Prayer, providing personal anecdotes that will resonate with most readers.

The final third of the book is labeled a “study guide,” but it’s really a “put-it-into-practice guide.” The guide offers interactive exercises designed to encourage application, built around the acronym P-R-A-Y: Personalize, Reflect, Abide and Yield. The guide is ideal for personal devotions, but it also could be used effectively in a small-group study. 

Spend time reading Before Amen. Then, spend time in prayer.

Ken Camp, managing editor
Baptist Standard

The Jesus Agenda: Becoming an Agent of Redemption by Albert Reyes (Believers Press)

“Redemption is God’s movement in history to rescue individuals from the dominion of darkness into the realm of the kingdom of Jesus, his Son,” Albert Reyes asserts in his new book. Christians are called to be agents of redemption, the “hands and feet of Jesus,” who does the work of redemption.

In The Jesus Agenda, Reyes paints poignant word portraits of redemption—stories of people redeemed by Jesus’ love and stories of the agents who join Jesus in redemption. They illustrate the practical application of what church historian Karen Bullock calls “Social Christianity”—societal change brought about through individual regeneration. Put more bluntly, Reyes shows how evangelism and physical ministry to hurting people go hand-in-hand to save lives and change communities. 

Reyes calls on Christians to participate in “the Jesus way, the J-shaped worldview.” He writes: “Everywhere I travel across the planet, it is plain to see that the closer things come under the influence of the teachings of Jesus, the better they become. Hope tends to spring up in those places. The converse also is true. The farther away things get from the influence of the teachings of Jesus, the worse they tend to become. Everywhere I observe progress and hope emerge, I find that the footprints, the fingerprints and the fragrance of the presence of Jesus is not far.”

Buckner International, the Texas Baptist ministry to children and families Reyes leads as president, provides the illustrations of redemption in this book. But its principles far transcend one ministry, even a global enterprise. The Jesus Agenda will be an insightful, useful guide for Bible study groups, missions teams, church staffs, ministry classes and anyone who wants to think compassionately and theologically about redeeming the nations.

Marv Knox, editor

Baptist Standard and CommonCall

Plano

He Ain’t Heavy … He’s My Brother by Rocky D. Hawkins (Tattersall Publishing)

Readers may not expect a review of a book subtitled “Guns, Girls & Gambling in East Texas” in the Baptist Standard. Granted, it’s a rough story filled with barroom brawls, shady deals and shadier characters. But in the end, it’s a tale of redemption and God’s grace.

Hawkins and his brother, Reggie, grew up “smack dab in the middle” of what he now recognizes as a dysfunctional family. He describes his father, James “Hawkshaw” Hawkins, as “a two-time loser who looked like Marlon Brando and fought like Al Capone.” Much of the book describes the author’s childhood surrounded by con games and cockfights, shootings and stabbings, whores and hustlers. Hawkins describes colorful characters who drifted in and out of his life, and he offers a vivid picture of adolescence spent in and around honky-tonks that lined Highway 271 on Gladewater’s south side.

The author’s self-described “crazy, mixed-up life with no direction and no moral compass” changed after the death of his 4-year-old son, Jake, in 1984. Through the influence of First Baptist Church in Gladewater and a visiting evangelist, Hawkins discovered God’s love and the transforming power of Jesus Christ. “As I look back on my life and all the mistakes I have made, I thank God every day for the mercy he had on me,” Hawkins writes.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

Plano

Rediscovering Jesus by David B. Capes, Rodney Reeves and E. Randolph Richards (IVP)

Too often, when some Christians speak of “my Jesus,” it’s more than a term of endearment. Often, it means “my personal Jesus,” based on Hollywood images, fashioned according to a partial reading of selected Scriptures or—worst of all—made in our own image. David Capes, professor of New Testament at Houston Baptist University, and his collaborators challenge readers to consider two key questions Jesus asked his disciples: “Who do people say that I am?” and “Who do you say that I am?” 

In the first section of Rediscovering Jesus, the authors look at the portrait of Jesus painted in each of the four Gospels, the Apostle Paul’s letters, the general epistles, the book of Hebrews and the book of Revelation. Each chapter ends with an examination of how our perception of Jesus would be different if this were the only record we had of him. For example, if Mark’s Gospel were our only way of knowing about Jesus, we would not celebrate Christmas because we would know nothing about the Nativity. We would be unfamiliar with the Golden Rule, the Prodigal Son and the Good Samaritan, but we would focus more on the kingdom of God. And Christian worship services likely would feature more exorcisms and fewer sermons.

The second half of Rediscovering Jesus explores how nonbiblical sources frequently influence perceptions about Jesus. The authors examine the Gnostic Jesus, the Muslim Jesus, the “Historical Jesus” of rationalism, the Mormon Jesus and the Cinematic Jesus. The book’s most provocative chapter looks at the American Jesus—a Jesus misappropriated by politicians on both the left and the right; a Jesus who reflects American culture in its many facets; and a Jesus different segments of American society view as Prince Charming, Ultimate Fighting Jesus, Jesus the CEO or Jesus the Superman. 

Each chapter ends with discussion questions and a list of suggested places to “read more about it.” While written primarily as a college textbook, Rediscovering Jesus is an accessible and engaging—often witty—book suited well to individual or group study by laypeople. Read it, and gain a fresh perspective on the origins of your own mental pictures of Jesus.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

This Might be a Good Story … by Jon Mark Beilue (Pediment Publishing)

Across more than three decades of journalism, Amarillo Globe-News columnist Jon Mark Beilue has built a sterling reputation as a truth-teller. But he fibs a little in the title of his book, This Might be a Good Story …. No “might” to it; the book is chock-full of great stories. And it also might be a surefire medical diagnostic test. If you can read this book and not laugh out loud and cry—often at the same time—then you must not have a heart.

Beilue’s book is an anthology of some of his best columns. If offers Globe-News readers a chance to re-live their favorite breakfast-and-newspaper memories. But you don’t need to hail from Amarillo or even the Texas Panhandle to love these stories. If you think people are fascinating—or at least some people are mildly interesting—then you’ll keep turning the pages, absorbing story after story.

Beilue describes love that never fades—couples, parents and children, friends. He describes loss—of life, of dreams, of time. He tells stories about courage, frivolity, kindness, fame and sacrifice, lots of sacrifice, as well as hope, humility and humor.

This book chronicles ordinary people living ordinary lives that, as close observers of humanity know, produce extraordinary moments. Beilue, a longtime deacon at First Baptist Church in Amarillo and a Baptist Standard board member, tells their tales well. That’s because, on top of honed writing skills, he’s a keen reader of human nature.

This Might be a Good Story … isn’t a religious book. It comes from the pages of a daily newspaper. But because it accurately reflects the lives of normal people from the Texas Panhandle, it’s a book of faith. Deep faith.

Marv Knox, editor

Baptist Standard

Plano

Through the Eyes of a Lion by Levi Lusko (Thomas Nelson)

In his heartbreakingly personal and honest book, Pastor Levi Lusko tells the story of his daughter Lenya, a loving and fiery 5-year-old who went to heaven just days before Christmas.

Lusko’s book deals with death and grief, but it serves a much greater purpose as well. It will remind readers that although death is inevitable, we should face it head on as our motivation to live God’s calling for our lives. It is an inspirational story that instructs us to see our lives through the eyes of Jesus and to find power in the hope he gives us. 

With the perfect balance of stories, encouragement and direct calls to action, Lusko is able to reach even those who haven’t experienced such incredible loss. Heaven, Lusko insists, is not the end of our lives but the beginning of an eternity with God. 

Through the Eyes of a Lion is an easy read, and it is written beautifully for those who appreciate good literature. Although I never met Lenya or the Lusko family, I’m honored to have read about her life. This book is one I highly recommend and will remember and carry in my heart. 

Olivia Williams, communications intern

Baptist Standard

Pilgrim at Baldy Mountain by Wilson Wayne Grant (CreateSpace)

You don’t have to love the Pecos Wilderness of New Mexico to enjoy Pilgrim at Baldy Mountain. But readers who fondly remember exploring the area bordering Glorieta Conference Center particularly will appreciate the way Wayne Grant—pediatrician and longtime medical director for Texas Baptists’ River Ministry—relates lessons he learned hiking mountain trails to a spiritual pilgrimage.

For example, Grant recalls how a park ranger told him animals seeking food or water originally created most wilderness trails. Later, prospectors, trappers and traders widened and removed some obstacles from the paths. Finally, settlers smoothed out some sharp curves and carefully placed steppingstones in streams. Anyone who hikes a trail today benefits from the gifts of those who traveled it earlier. Likewise, on our spiritual journey, we owe a debt to those who went before us.

At 120 pages plus endnotes, some readers may choose to read this book in a single sitting. Since the author has divided his reflections into 30 brief chapters, others may prefer to savor it for a month of daily devotional readings. Whether you choose to join Grant for an afternoon stroll or a four-week trek, enjoy the journey.

Ken Camp, managing editor

Baptist Standard

The Chase: Our Passionate Pursuit of Life Worth Living by Kirk Lewis (Xulon Press)

Do not read this book unless you want to laugh, weep, think and consider what Kirk Lewis reveals—an honest look at what it takes to walk with the living, loving Lord, complete with all the questions, confusions and ultimate confessions. 

As he did in his previous book, Put Away Childish Things, Lewis provides a way for both believers and nonbelievers to walk beside the men and women who walked beside Jesus. Lewis leads readers into this opportunity to consider what very easily could be the thoughts and actions of these real people as they encountered the Man from Nazareth. 

It will not take long to read this book. The words are not complicated. The chapters are not long. The stories may even be familiar if you have some knowledge of Scripture. However, you will need to take the time to see yourself in the pages. While Lewis’ style is not formal, his message runs deep. I promise it is worth the trip.

I recommend The Chase only if you want to be changed—just like the people in the first century were changed when they walked with Jesus. Maybe, just maybe, their stories are our stories.

Grear Howard, adjunct faculty for youth, student and family ministry

Truett Seminary/Baylor University

Waco

Gather God’s People: Understand, Plan and Lead Worship in Your Local Church by Brian Croft and Jason Adkins (Zondervan)

This relatively brief book provides an excellent introduction to worship involving the biblical understanding of the task, the importance of planning the event and practical steps in leading the worship experience. Written jointly by a ministerial team of pastor and worship leader, the discussion offers not only sound theory, but also practical suggestions based on years of experience. 

The book is organized in three sections—understanding worship, planning worship and leading worship. Chapter subdivisions reveal the depth of study and practical applications experienced by the co-authors. The concluding section is especially helpful with its advice and ideas and the importance of re-introducing psalm singing in congregational worship. Their inclusion of four appendixes on this subject offers a helpful tool to use psalms in worship. Examples of practical methods of utilizing psalms in worship will be helpful not only to novices, but also to experienced pastors and worship leaders. 

Gather God’s People is highly recommended for pastors and worship leaders. It presents helpful ideas on how to revitalize congregational worship experiences in unique but biblical ways often neglected by today’s churches. 

Ed Spann, retired dean

College of Fine Arts 

Dallas Baptist University