The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made, by Mark Dever. In this collection of sermons, Dever preaches through the entire OT one book at a time, with a Christological focus and careful Christian application of the Old Testament.
Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony, by Richard Bauckham. As N.T. Wright says: “The question of whether the Gospels are based on eyewitness accounts has long been controversial. Now Richard Bauckham, in a characteristic tour de force, draws on his unparalleled knowledge of the world of the first Christians to argue not only that the Gospels do indeed contain eyewitness testimony, but that their first readers would certainly have recognized them as such”. Graham Stanton says this book “shakes the foundations of a century of scholarly study of the Gospels”.
The Servant King: The Bible’s Portrait of the Messiah, by T.D. Alexander. The OT, beginning with its very first pages, paints a picture of the Messiah, the Savior of the world: where he will come from, what he will be like, and what he will do. By the time we reach the NT, much of the portrait has emerged, so that the Jesus we encounter is not a stranger. We are able to see, like the first disciples, that he is the Messiah already promised, the Servant King. This book aims to bring the whole picture into view.
Joyful Exiles: Life in Christ on the Dangerous Edge of Things, by James M. Houston. This book on the Christian life is seriously countercultural. Not just a challenge to secular culture, but also to the comfortable ways we have shaped our Christian culture. Houston calls us to embrace our identity as exiles.
The Age of Reason: From the Wars of Religion to the French Revolution, 1570-1789, by Meic Pearse (Baker History of the Church, vol 5). This fifth volume in a multi-volume series covers the period 1570-1789, an era in which events such as the French Revolution and movements such as the Enlightenment spawned religious, cultural, and political upheavals that have not ceased to reverberate. The text explores the conflicts between Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Christianity, as well as schisms within those groups. Among other events that played a large role in shaping the context for today’s global church were the Great Awakening, and the spread of the faith to various regions of the globe.
Darwin Strikes Back: Defending the Science of Intelligent Design, by Thomas Woodward. What started as a debate among scientists has become a full-scale public battle. This book examines the key players and issues, how the debate developed, and where it is headed in the future.
Pearls of Great Price: 366 Daily Devotional Readings, by Joni Eareckson Tada.
What Are Spiritual Gifts? Rethinking the Conventional View, by Kenneth Berding. The author believes that in trying to discover their spiritual gifts, many have found the process frustrating and complicated because they have misunderstood what spiritual gifts are. His study suggests that rather than giving special abilities (the conventional view), the Holy Spirit calls us and places us into various ministries to build up and strengthen the body of Christ.
Facing Your Giants, by Max Lucado.You know your Goliath…you recognize his walk, and the thunder of his voice. But like David, you can face your giant, even if you aren’t the strongest, the smartest, the best equipped, or the holiest. Here is a reminder that if you focus on giants, you stumble. But if you focus on God, your giants stumble.
On Prayer: Conversation with God, by John Calvin. This book collects for the first time John Calvin’s teachings on prayer, taken from his 1559 classic, the Institutes of the Christian Religion. Calvin the Reformer was also Calvin the Pastor, and this “elegant little volume” makes available to a wider audience the pastoral warmth and wisdom of Calvin’s extensive treatment of prayer in his Institutes.
Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk About God’s Deliverance, by Beth Moore, a former pit-dweller who had to be delivered from “acres of life-accumulated dirt that had left her wounded with little hope of wholeness”.
The Problem with Evangelical Theology: Testing the Exegetical Foundations of Calvinism, Dispensationalism, and Wesleyanism, by Ben Witherington III. A prominent evangelical NT scholar reminds us that being Reformed is a continual process, as he calls evangelical Christians to take a fresh look at their claim to take Scripture seriously as he examines the exegetical foundations and theological structures of the three main steams of evangelicalism. The result is a call for biblical orthodoxy and the proclamation of biblical truth in postmodern society.
Interpreting the New Testament Text: Introduction to the Art and Science of Exegesis, edited by Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning. An excellent textbook divided into two parts: exegetical methods and procedures, followed by exegetical examples and reflections with 13 authors contributing articles on specific NT passages.
The Apostolic Fathers in English, Third Edition, translated and edited by Michael W. Holmes. After the New Testament itself, churchmen like Clement, Ignatius, and Polycarp provide the very earliest writings of Christianity. More than church fathers, they are Apostolic Fathers, immediately adjacent to the events that gave rise to our faith..
A Journey in God’s Sovereignty: A Theological Novel, by Richard P. Belcher. Ira Pointer and Dink find themselves in serious trouble at the seminary where they teach, because of this doctrine, as the board of trustees and others do not understand these truths nor the doctrinal history of their own denomination. This is a journey into the truths of Calvinism, told in the form of a novel.
A Journey in Baptism: A Theological Novel, by Richard P. Belcher. The story of Professor Ira Pointer continues as one of the doctrinal students at the seminary, a Presbyterian pastor, asks him to help him understand the Baptist view of baptism, so that he might write a doctoral dissertation on the subject at the school. As Dr. Pointer and the student spend hours together, the Biblical basis of the ordinance of baptism is set forth in the form of a novel.
A Journey in the Spirit: A Theological Novel, by Richard P. Belcher. The story of Ira Pointer continues with the subject of his search this time being the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, a journey that begins when a friend says to Pastor Pointer, “Have you been filled with the Spirit since you were saved?”
Church Without Walls, by Jim Petersen. The author urges us to distinguish between church tradition and biblical absolutes when communicating the gospel to the lost, and offers an exciting definition of the church that pushes beyond the too-small boundaries we have inherited from the past.
Arminian Theology: Myths and Realities, by Roger E. Olson. A clear explanation of the evangelical Arminianism taught by Arminius, Wesley, Wiley and others, and an effort to correct common misconceptions about Arminianism that the author believes are often held by Calvinists.
New Testament Commentary Survey, Sixth Edition, by D.A. Carson and Old Testament Commentary Survey, Fourth Edition, by Tremper Longman III. New editions of helpful resources.
Justification in Perspective: Historical Developments and Contemporary Challenges, edited by Bruce L. McCormack. Not since the 16th century has the doctrine of justification stood so clearly at the center of theological debate as it has in the last 30 years, with the often polemic dialogue fueled particularly by the “New Perspective on Paul”. This volume draws together diverse voices to discuss the issues.
Paul in Fresh Perspective, by N.T. Wright. Wright says “there has been no more stimulating exercise, for the mind, the heart, the imagination and the spirit, than trying to think Paul’s thoughts after him and constantly to be stirred up to fresh glimpses of God’s ways and purposes with the world and with us strange human creatures”. NOTE: Wright is one of the proponents of the so-called “New Perspective on Paul”.
Whose Bible Is It? A Short History of the Scriptures Through the Ages, by Jaroslav Pelikan. An overview which embraces all of the twists and turns of the Bible’s history from one of our foremost scholars.
“A SOCIAL-RHETORICAL COMMENTARY” SERIES BY BEN WITHERINGTON III: Letters and Homilies for Hellenized Christians, Vol 1 (Titus, 1-2 Tim, 1-3 John); The Gospel of Mark; Conflict and Community in Corinth (1-2 Corin); Grace in Galatia (Galatians), 1 & 2 Thessalonians; Revelation (New Cambridge Bible Commentary); Paul’s Letter to the Romans; John’s Wisdom: A Commentary on the Fourth Gospel.
OTHER COMMENTARIES: Psalms, Volume 1: Psalms 1-41, by John Goldingay (Baker Commentary on the OT Wisdom and Psalms); 1 and 2 Kings, by August H. Konkel (NIV Application Commentary); The Gospel of Luke, by I. Howard Marshall (NIGTC); Hebrews: A Commentary, by Luke Timothy Johnson (The NT Library).
ADULT AND FAMILY DVD’S: My Christmas Soldier, from Dogwood Motion Picures (a drama set in Georgia during Christmas Eve,1943 as German POWs arrive in town); The Theory of Everything (a drama about family, faith and theoretical physics); The Exodus Decoded, by James Cameron ( a historical detective story about the search for archaeological artifacts supporting the Biblical story in Exodus; from The History Channel).
ADULT FICTION: Seven titles in Dee Henderson’s O’Malley series; five titles in Terri Blackstock’s Newpoint 911 series; Hannah’s Hope and Ever After by Karen Kingsbury.
CHILDREN’S DVDs: Gideon Tuba Warrior, from Veggie Tales.
CHILDREN’S BOOKS: The Nativity Story: Children’s Movie Storybook, adapted by Sadie Chesterfield (based on the new movie in theaters).
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