I read or listened to these recently and recommend them to you.
Theology
Why Does Doctrine Matter Anyway?
Without it, we could not answer Jesus’s question to his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?”
The Canons of Dort and the Gift of Faith
This is Kevin DeYoung on the Canons of Dort again. This time, he’s discussing one point of doctrine affirmed in this historic church document. “Faith” according to the Canons, “is not something outside of us that we grab hold of. It is a work that God works in us, producing ‘both the will to believe and the belief itself’ (Art. 14).”
Church History
2000 Years of Christ’s Power
I read Volume 1 (The Age of the Early Church Fathers) of Nick Needham’s four volume history of Christianity last year. It took me a long time to finish it—six months or so—but I really enjoyed it. He makes church history interesting! For an accessible introduction to the story of the early church, you can’t do better than this.
I plan to buy the second volume, which is about Christianity in the miccle ages, to read this summer.
Rowland Taylor
The story of one Protestant martyr.
Service
Gifted to Serve the Church
“Here’s my encouragement to you and to us all: find a church that preaches the Bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ. Serve somewhere, anywhere. At my church we are always needing volunteers in the nursery and children’s ministry. Serving others in love is the first step, with joy soon to follow.”