3 Reasons not to “Buy”

10 Tough Questions from the Old Testament Answered. Reasons to Believe/Reasons.org. E-Book. 14 pages.

Very disappointing. Not worth the purchase price (it was free). Not recommended.

Reasons to Believe offered this as a free e-book download. Looked like it might be worthwhile, so I requested it. However, this is not a book defending the Old Testament record, spending more time trying to explain the miracles as sort-of-providential natural occurrences. Moses probably did not turn the water to blood in Egypt; it may have involved toxic red algae. The long day of Joshua was an extended period of darkness, since they “needed the coolness of night to continue the battle.” According to Reasons.org, “most Old Testament scholars” prefer this interpretation (even though I could find no translations that support this idea).

God sending fire from heaven in answer to the prayer of Elijah appears to be supernatural, they say. 

However, there is a plausible hypernatural, science-based explanation based on a type of lightning strike commonly called a “Bolt from the Blue.”

The Nephilim of Genesis chapter 6 may have been “the product of human and Neanderthal interbreeding.”

10 Tough Questions from the Old Testament Answered presents a “halfway covenant” between the natural explanations of science and the supernatural explanations of Scripture. With friends like that, the Bible does not need enemies! Be not deceived.

Why Read Books by Baptist Authors?

“One of the most surprising things about 21st century Baptists is how few books they read by authors of their own denominational background,” writes Baptist pastor Ben Stratton.

Brother Ben Stratton is pastor of the Farmington Baptist Church, in Farmington, Kentucky. He put together a brochure for the J. H. Spencer Historical Society titled “Why Read Books by Baptist Authors?” He answers the question with three reasons. 

• 1. To Learn About Our Rich Baptist Heritage.
• 2. To Avoid the Pitfalls of Protestant and Pedobaptist Theology.
• 3. To Grow in Your Understanding of Sound Doctrine.

He mentions several web sites as book sources.

• Baptist Global Mission
• Baptist Standard Bearer
• Bryan Station Baptist Church
• Challenge Press
• Local Church Bible Publishers
• Particular Baptist Press
• Solid Christian Books
• Solid Ground Christian Books

To Ben’s list I add the following comments. This list is (I think) primarily concerned with print works that can be ordered online. Another source for print works is Sprinkle Publications. Sprinkle’s books are not Baptist titles only – in fact, a lot of U.S. history is available from them. However, you can find there the rare gem, Concise History of the Ketocton Baptist Association & Life of James Ireland by William Fristoe, and other Baptist books. I mention this specifically because it is my understanding that since Pastor Lloyd Sprinkle died that they will be selling off their inventory.

In addition to purchasing print books, if you don’t mind reading online, you can look to places such as Google Books and Archive.org for scans of old books. You will need an idea for whom you are looking, or perhaps search generically for something like “Baptist books,” or use more specific terms such as “Texas Baptist history.” Ben mentions many names in “Why Read Books by Baptist Authors.” Some are well known, and others not so much. B. H. Carroll, J. M. Pendleton, C. D. Cole, J. B. Moody, Andrew Fuller, A. H. Strong, John A. Broadus, J. R. Graves, Charles H. Spurgeon, Alexander Maclaren, T. T. Eaton, H. Boyce Taylor, George Truett, William Carey, George Liele, Isaac McCoy, Isaac Backus, John Clarke, John Leland, T. T. Martin, Shubal Stearns, R. H. Boyd, John Jasper, William J. Simmons, Andrew Bryan, Ben Bogard, William Cathcart, John Gill, John T. Christian, J. W. Porter, and Charles T. Walker. And that does not even begin to exhaust the Baptist authors or subjects available (in some cases you may only find books about some of the people, as opposed to books by them). Nash Publications has several book files online, such as Ivimey’s History of English Baptists, Purefoy’s History of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association, and Ecclesia, the Church, by B. H. Carroll. And don’t forget the voluminous Baptist History Homepage, already a wealth of material which is added to regularly.

I second Ben’s motion that Baptists ought to read Baptist books. Getting plenty of “Vitamin B” is good for Baptists. Ben is not saying you can’t read other works. He succinctly writes, “This is not to say that Baptists cannot learn from the works of Protestant and Pedobaptist authors. However, any reading of these men must be balanced with a steady diet of old Baptist authors.” Some Baptists seem to be ashamed of their Baptist forefathers. Perhaps that is why each time they look in the mirror they look more and more like Pedobaptists. As Ben also notes, you can “eat the watermelon and spit out the seeds” – or as we often say around here, “eat the meat and spit out the bones.” Good idea. Just remember, if you don’t spit out the Pedobaptist bones, you’re liable to choke on them! 😊

Why print books and not e-books?

• Easier on the eyes.
• Easier on the carpal tunnel.
• No electrical lines or phone lines required.
• Most of what goes in books will not pollute a landfill (and trees are a replenishable product).
• A shelf full of books makes you look smarter than a laptop on a shelf!