Barrett’s Book Notes: Church Discipline, Pastoral Priorities, and Preaching

Jonathan Leeman. Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus. 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2012.

I really enjoyed this book. Leeman walks you through the biblical support for church discipline, but he also gets very practical, explaining how church discipline in theory actually takes place in the church. While the first half of the book shows why church discipline is necessary, the second half of the book provides numerous case studies (e.g., the adulterer, the nonattending member, the preemptive resigner). If you are a pastor, I highly recommend you read this book before a church discipline case falls in your lap!

Brian Croft. The Pastor’s Ministry: Biblical Priorities for Faithful Shepherds. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 20145.

I have really enjoyed Croft’s writing in the past. He is a pastor’s pastor. He knows the struggles pastors face and he writes as one pastor to another, seeking to build you up so that you can better lead the church. In this new book Croft calls pastors to refocus their priorities in ministry. Croft specifically focuses on the most common responsibilities a pastor has, such as preaching, praying, visiting the sick, comforting the grieving, confronting sin, etc. I really like how Croft made preaching one of the top (if not the top) priority. Again, here is another book every pastor should read.

John Piper. The Supremacy of God in Preaching. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2015.

I doubt I need to say much about Piper’s book, as its influence is obvious. This is a revised and expanded edition Baker has put out. There are several new chapters in the section called “After Thirty-Three Years: God Still Supreme in Preaching and Ministry.” As you might have guessed, one of the chapters focuses on how Jonathan Edwards has influenced Piper. But I especially appreciated how Piper has added a chapter that contrasts what he calls the “Bible-oriented preacher” with the “entertainment-oriented preacher.” In our day, this is a huge issue (problem!) in churches. There are other new chapters I have not mentioned, so pick up the book and see what Piper has to say as one who has now concluded his decades of ministry in the church.

Matthew Barrett (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is Assistant Professor of Christian Studies at California Baptist University, as well as the founder and executive editor of Credo Magazine. Barrett is also Senior Pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church. He is the author and editor of several books, including Salvation by Grace: The Case for Effectual Calling and Regeneration. Two forthcoming books include, Owen on the Christian Life and God’s Word Alone: The Authority of Scripture. You can read about Barrett’s other publications at matthewmbarrett.com.