Category Archives: Writer’s Retrospective

On Books with D. A. Carson

Posted on by

Mark Dever gives us a wonderful and mind-numbing interview with Don Carson on how he writes his books, followed by a discussion about the books Carson has written and plans to write.  I honestly don’t know what to say about this interview, except, if you are a pastor or serious student of God’s Word, this is a must. Of note, Carson carefully tap dances around Dever’s question about why he doesn’t like most systematic theology books, and which ones he does like.  If you are familiar with Carson’s book on New Testament Commentaries, you will know that Carson is very candid and blunt about which ones he likes and doesn’t and for what reasons.  Dever questions him about this because a great deal of the commentators listed are friends or colleagues of Carson.

I share Dever’s admiration for two particular books that Carson has written: Call to Spiritual Reformation and Exegetical Fallacies, the later of which every preacher should read.  In my opinion, it’s the Strunk & White Elements of Style for Biblical interpretation.

If you listen to this, keep a pencil and paper handy.

On Books with D. A. Carson >>>

Life & Ministry with Os Guinness

Posted on by

Os Guinness comes from a legendary Irish family which has historically been very strong in the Christian faith.  Not only are they the family of the Guinness Brewery, one of the Guinness daughters married the missionary Hudson Taylor.

Mark Dever provides a fascinating interview Os Guinness about his life and work.   Guinness talks about his years with Francis Schaeffer at L’Abri, and why Guinness never took a pastorate, even though one congregation asked him to.  Os, who wrote a book titled, The Calling, explains why he never believed he was called to be a pastor, but rather was called to do what he does today which doesn’t have an easy job description.  His work keeps him in the secular world, and his work is on a more popular level where he prefers it to remain.

Dever and Guinness also talk about the current state of the church, the decline of western society, and a great many other topics of interest.

Life & Ministry with Os Guinness page >>>