First, Tom Nettles remains a consistent scholarly church historian and biographer. Currently I am profiting from his The Child Is Father of the Man: C.H. Spurgeon.

Second, and especially since another anniversary of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses arrives October 31st, 2024, I am reading Luther’s Commentary on Galatians. It is, like reading Spurgeon’s writing and preaching, invigorating. How? Because it reveals how vapid preaching is at most churches in our time. We are largely biblically illiterate. And many of our self-styled preachers fare no better.

When I read Luther, I see a mind and heart aflame with the greatness of God and His grace towards particular sinners who are to be redeemed. I see a man consumed by the power of Scripture. No spiritual TED Talks here; instead, it’s 100-proof law and gospel.

Third, A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. This is my first reading of this book. It reminds me so far of an effort towards Hemingway’s short stories about trout fishing in Michigan, but it falls far short. So far, it is okay.