New Books–January 2013

Complete New Book List

January 2013

Who Do You Think You Are? Finding Your True Identity in Christ, by Mark Driscoll. Who are you? What defines you? What is your identity? How you answer these questions defines every aspect of your life: personal, public, and spiritual. So it’s vital that you get it right. Craig Groeschel says “this book will give you an unshakeable, biblical understanding of who you are in Christ”.

Puritan Portraits, by J.I. Packer. On selected classic Puritan pastors and Puritan books, by one of the leading authorities on the Puritans. Includes profiles of John Flavel, Thomas Boston, John Bunyan, Matthew Henry, John Owen, Stephen Charnock, and others.

Sarah Osborn’s World: The Rise of Evangelical Christianity in Early America, by Catherine A Brekus. Mark Noll says this book offers a superb depiction of the long, complex, and remarkable life of a woman who was at the heart of 18^th century American evangelical history. Baylor historian Thomas Kidd recommends it as “simply one of the best books I have read on the life of an American evangelical, female or male.”

Lincoln’s Battle with God: A President’s Struggle with Faith and What It Meant for America, by Stephen Mansfield. William Bennett says Mansfield “does an excellent job of walking us through our greatest president’s spiritual journey, and along the way reminds us that faith has always been at the center of the American struggle”. Eric Metaxas calls this a “terrific book” which shows that Lincoln’s approach to faith was “a heart rending struggle..which changed the course of a nation”.

Mapping the Origins Debate: Six Models of the Beginning of Everything, by Gerald Rau. Discusses the six primary models of creation (young earth creation, old earth creation, naturalistic evolution, planned evolution, directed evolution, and nonteleological evolution. Includes helpful charts for comparison.

The Kingdom of God, edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert W. Peterson. A helpful and fresh assessment of the biblical notion of the kingdom of God, from the OT and the ancient covenants to NT and today’s Christian, and on to the consummation. Contributors include Bruce Waltke, Gerald Bray, Stephen Nichols, and others.

A Grace Revealed: How God Redeems the Story of Your Life, by Jerry Sittser. From grief and loss, to hope and redemption. Sequel to A Grace Disguised.

Grace, Gold and Glory: My Leap of Faith, by Gabrielle Douglas with Michelle Burford. Following her amazing performance in the 2012 London Olympics, US gymnast Gabrielle Douglas made history as the first African American to win the all-around competition, in addition to winning gold as a crucial member of the women’s gymnastics team. Here she tells the story of her faith.

Understanding Spiritual Warfare: Four Views, edited by James K. Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy. The four views are presented by Walter Wink, David Powlinson, Gregory Boyd and C. Peter Wagner.

Toxic Charity: HowChurches and Charities Hurt Those They Help (and How to Reverse It), by Robert D. Lupton. Says that giving to those in need what they could be gaining from their own initiative may well be the kindest way to destroy people. This book provides a needed counterbalance to a kind heart—and that is a wise mind.

God is Impassible and Impassioned: Toward a Theology of Divine Emotion, by Rob Lister, with a foreword by Bruce Ware. How to make sense of what the Bible says about God’s emotions, and especially the question of divine suffering. Lister outlines the history of the doctrine, examining the views of Augustine, Aquinas, and Luther, and then proposes a model of the doctrine.

Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life, by Douglas Wilson. For writers of every sort, whether experienced veterans, still just hoping, or somewhere in between. Through a series of out-of-the-ordinary lessons, each with its own takeaway points and recommended readings, Wilson provides indispensable guidance on development of the writer’s craft.

Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry, by Paul David Tripp. Recommended for all pastors, seminarians, church leaders, and church goers.

The Life and Witness of Peter, by Peter R. Helyer. Who was Peter and what was his true stature in the early church? Helyer seeks to reinstate this neglected and underestimated apostle as an early Christian leader and faithful witness to Christ, and to pull Peter out from the long shadow of Paul.

By Good and Necessary Consequence, by Ryan M McGraw. The Westminster Confession says that “the whole counsel of God..is either expressly set down in Scripture or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture”. McGraw examines the biblical foundation of this principle, especially evident in the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. He concludes with practical applications that impact the Christian life and the church in its study of Scripture.

Paul and Union with Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Study, by Constantine R. Campbell. The first thorough exegetical and theological investigation of union with Christ in Paul’s letters. Examines every occurrence of the phrases “in Christ”, “with Christ”, “through Christ”, “unto Christ”, and other related expressions to build a holistic portrayal of Paul’s thinking.

COMMENTARIES: The Book of Judges, by Barry G. Webb (NICOT).

ADULT FICTION: Acts of Honor, by Vicki Hinze; The Skin Map, The Bone House, and The Spirit Well, by Stephen Lawhead (Bright Empires #1-3); Vanished, by Irene Hannon (Private Justice #1).

FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILY READING: Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing, by Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jago. Wrtten for children ages 6-9, but excellent for family devotions. Contains 101 theologically rich, simple yet profound thoughts on faith. This book has appeared on at least one list of the Top 12 Books of 2012.