Looks like Taylor is having a good week. (Click for full size)

Desiring God Blog recently posted this sketch of a recent sermon: How Important Is Church Membership?

Part of what it means to belong to the body of Christ is to belong to a local body, because God intends the local church to be an expression of his universal church.

The New Testament gives at least five strands of evidence that a definable, local-church membership is necessary:

1. The church is to discipline its members.
2. The reality of excommunication exists.
3. Christians are required to submit to their leaders.
4. Leaders are required to care for their people.
5. The prominent metaphor of the body implies membership.

And this two part series from Pulpit Magazine is helpful on the issue as well.

1. Why Membership Matters (Part 1)
2. Why Membership Matters (Part 2)

I was asked about the book “The Shack” today and I thought it helpful to point to two worthwhile reviews of it here.

The first I’d suggest is the audio Al Mohler’s radio program when he reviewed the book. Get it here: A Look at “The Shack”

The second review is Tim Challies review available on his site. He has two reviews — his first a bit shorter, his second a more thorough and available as a PDF to download and print.

Mohler caution’s readers to beware of The Shack’s “serious, even dangerous, theological deficiencies”.

Tim Challies says,

I urge you, the reader, to exercise care in reading and distributing this book. The Shack may be an engaging read but it is one that contains far too much error. Read it only with the utmost care and concern, critically evaluating the book against the unchanging standard of Scripture. Caveat lector!

We’re headed out for a week of camping in the morning but when I get back if I find other worthwhile reviews I’ll link to them here.

Update Monday; September 8, 2008 — Gary Gilley reviews The Shack:

The Shack, while occasionally getting things right is, in the end, a dangerous piece of fiction. It undermines Scripture and the church, presents at best a mutilated gospel, misrepresents the biblical teachings concerning the Godhead and offers a New Age understanding of God and the universe. This is not a great novel to explain tragedy and pain. It is a misleading work which will confuse many and lead others astray.

Update Wednesday; October 15, 2008 — Gerald Hiestand shares a worthwhile review of The Shack at the new Straight Up blog.

Young, in an attempt to wipe the blood off of God’s hands, ends up diminishing the transcendence and power of God. The best way to correct an unbalanced view of God is not by introducing an opposing unbalanced view of God.

Update Thursday; October 23, 2008 — A very thoughtful review of The Shack by Stephen Yuille (via Tim Challies)

My worry is that many Christians will read The Shack, assuming it articulates sound theology. It doesn’t.