I could list book after book to help the church be the church through faithful preaching, administration of the sacraments, redemptive church discipline, and body life together. But let me just start with a few and a few links too:
- The Peacemaking Pastor (by Alfred Poirier)—A ridiculously subtitled book, this brilliant, Christ-centered, practical tome is really about Body life and hope in Our True Peacemaker (not so much about “responding” to church conflict once it’s already there as the subtitle implies).
- How People Change (by Lane & Tripp)—Sanctification by faith in Christ through grace administered in and through the Body of Christ. This is a “read every year” book.
- Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave: Finding Hope in the Power of the Gospel (by Ed Welch)—If you don’t think that addictions are tearing apart your church’s marriages, young people, old people, and everyone in between, it seems to me that you may either be naïve or very new to the ministry. This is the book that nails our worship disorders and brings us to actual, real-life change because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- 9 Marks of a Healthy Church (by Mark Dever)—Brilliant. Helpful. Christ-centered. If I were a pastor, I’d be reading and re-reading this book.
- What is a Healthy Church Member (by Thabiti Anyabwile)—Love it! Readable, but rich. And as a church member, I do read and re-read this book.
OK. There are some books–but how about some online resources too?
- Our pastor (Rev. Dr. Alfred Poirier) is just beginning a series on Romans that will be edifying to all its hearers. You can catch it here on iTunes or visit our church’s website to peruse a rich archive of older sermons (especially sermons on biblical peacemaking—just sort the list by “peacemaking”).
- These crisp fall days, I am walking my Golden Retriever pretty much every morning to sermons by Timothy Keller. They are all excellent, but I am especially fond of (and convicted by) his sermon “The Community of Jesus”. I listen to it repeatedly and beg God to instill the truths of His Word deep into my life (and my relationships).
- I really enjoy Pastor Thabitti Anyabwile’s blog, especially his posts on church leadership. This link to an article entitled “Deacons are Shock Absorbers and Servants” by Jamie Dunlop is so worth the read (especially as a deacon’s wife). As is this post by Pastor Thabiti: Deacons—Tried and True.
