LL Cool J introduces essays about Christianity

LL Cool J?

Many quotes and phrases leave a large impact on history, so much so that such sayings need no citation. Without hesitation, most Americans recognize “four score and seven years ago” and the famous “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Around Christian circles, “Here I stand” represents a significant statement from history, the speaker of which few need reminding. And, of course, “It is finished” is perhaps one of the most recognizable statements in history – in several languages.

Now, the quotes above come from the mouths of Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Martin Luther and Jesus respectively. The significance of these figures almost necessitates that their statements leave an enduring impact. But what about LL Cool J?

A new book edited by Kevin DeYoung, Don’t Call It a Comeback, poetically carries a title matching the opening line from LL Cool J’s 1990 song “Mama Said Knock You Out.” LL Cool J doesn’t want people calling it a comeback because, according to him, he’s been “here” for years. And accordingly, this collection of essays aimed at introducing a young generation of Christians to the “most important articles of [the Christian] faith and what it looks like to live out this faith in real life,” and reasserting the “theological nature of evangelicalism.”

“Our hope is that this book might be of some small use in reforming God’s church according to the Word of God and forming Christians in the truth of God’s Word,” DeYoung writes in the introduction.

Don’t Call It a Comeback features 18 chapters, each written by a young(er) pastor or teacher within the evangelical movement. Contributors include Southern Seminary’s Denny Burk, Russell D. Moore and Owen Strachan, along with writers such as Collin Hansen, Ted Kluck and Justin Taylor.

DeYoung organizes the essays into three sections: evangelical history, evangelical theology and evangelical practice. These essays address topic ranging from the history of evangelicalism, the unique nature of Scripture, the Kingdom and the place of Christianity in discussions about gender.

The breadth of topics in this brief book, its accessible writing and pastoral tone contribute to Don’t Call It a Comeback forming a helpful resource for a young generation of Christians who seek to think and live biblically. And for Christians looking for a theological home, this new book offers a case for the confessional nature of historical evangelicalism, even for 21^st-century believers.

So don’t call it a comeback; historic Christianity has been here for years – rocking its peers and putting suckas in fear.

Don’t Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day (Crossway 2011, $16.99), Kevin DeYoung, ed.