Proclaimer Blog
Introducing the 2011 EMA books (2)
Each day at the EMA we have a stage recommendation. Day 2's recommendation is Preacher, keep yourself from idols by Derek Tidball. I recently reviewed this for the Churchman journal. It's based on lectures Tidball gave at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. It's not a complicated book, nor will it teach you anything you didn't already know (though it may give you an appetite for reading more about John Chrysostom). However, it is sharp and focused and will help you if the Luther is right and the heart is an "idol factory."
There are one or two short places where it feels Tidball has a couple of hobby horses and the book might have been even stronger had these been edited. Nevertheless, overall it's an excellent book and useful reading for every preacher. The index is worth repeating:
Idols of the self
- The idol of the pulpit
- The idol of authority
- The idol of popularity
Idols of the age
- The idol of success
- The idol of entertainment
- The idol of novelty
- The idol of secularization
Idols of the task
- The idol of oratory
- The idol of immediacy
Idols of ministry
- The idol of professionalism
- The idol of busyness
- The idol of familiarity