New Books–July 2012

Complete New Book List

July 2012

The Work of Christ, by R.C. Sproul. Thoughtfully leads you through Christ’s life, from His role in the eternal covenant to His coming return. Looks at each part of Christ’s life and asks: what is the theological implication of this event? And why does this matter to us today?

Seven Truths That Changed the World: Discovering Christianity’s Most Dangerous Ideas, by Kenneth Richard Samples. According to C. John Collins, this book “gives us a guided tour through basic Christian truths, shows us what these truths are, why we should believe them, and how they make better sense of the world than the alternatives”. Gary Habermas notes how the author further “points out how other worldviews are far inferior in terms of both evidence and explanatory power”.

Exposing Myths About Christianity: A Guide to Answering 145 Viral Lies and Legends, by Jeffrey Burton Russell.

The Blood of Heroes: The 13-Day Struggle for the Alamo and the Sacrifice That Forged a Nation, by James Donovan. A new and compelling narrative version of one of the most dramatic stories in American history. Recommended by Al Mohler.

Date Your Wife, by Justin Buzzard. An intensely practical guide for husbands looking to strengthen, save, or spice up their marriage.

The Searchers: A Quest for Faith in the Valley of Doubt, by Joseph Loconte. The author takes us on a journey down the road to Emmaus (Luke 24) with the risen Jesus. Drawing from literature, films, history and politics, he shows us how this biblical drama is an integral part of our own story. Eric Metaxas calls the book “a masterpiece, one of those books you will want to give to almost anyone, believers and non-believers alike”.

The Other Side of the Night: The Carpathia, the Californian, and the Night the Titanic Was Lost, by Daniel Allen Butler. After being struck by an iceberg, the Titanic sent out distress signals. One ship responded, but another ignored it. This is the story of those two ships and their captains.

Guest of Honor: Booker T. Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and the White House Dinner That Shocked a Nation, by Deborah Davis. The story of the first time that a black man and former slave was invited to dine in the executive mansion with the President. The year was 1901 and it resulted in a scandal which was fueled by newspaper articles, vulgar songs, and even violence in the South, and threatened to topple two of America’s greatest men.

Implosion: Can America Recover From Its Economic and Spiritual Challenges in Time? by Joel C. Rosenberg.

Almost Amish: One Woman’s Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life, by Nancy Sleeth.

The Shooting Salvationist: J. Frank Norris and the Murder Trial That Captivated America, by David R. Stokes. The fiery fundamentalist preacher was pastor of the largest protestant church in America in 1924, FirstBaptistChurch in Ft.Worth, which was perhaps the first megachurch. He was controversial and out-spoken, and his radio program broadcasted his messages to millions. But in 1926, he shot and killed a man in his office. Although eventually acquitted, his murder trial was court-room drama of the highest order and was national news from coast to coast.

As One Devil to Another: A Fiendish Correspondence in the Tradition of C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, by Richard Platt. A chilling and diabolical tale that, while fictional, reveals the very tricks and strategies of Hell. C.S. Lewis expert and biographer Walter Hooper says, “it reads as if C.S. Lewis himself had written it”.

A Traveler’s Guide to the Kingdom: Journeying Through the Christian Life, by James Emery White. Reflections written from places of Christian significance around the world, such as the Eagle and Child Pub in Oxford (where C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and other Inklings used to meet); the Dachau Concentration Camp; St. Catherine’s Monastery, Mt. Sinai, Egypt; the Ten Boom House in Holland; and other places.

On the Road with Jesus: Birth and Ministry, by Ben Witherington III. Lord Change Me, by James MacDonald. Deep down everyone wants to change. But remember this: there is only one source of everlasting change, and it’s not you. Just look up. God wants to transform you.

In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton, edited by Dale Ahlquist. Chesterton (1834-1936) was one of the most beloved writers of the 20th century. In addition to being a master essayist (he wrote over 5,000), he was a journalist, author of mystery novels, and brilliant defender of Christian orthodoxy.

Popologetics: Popular Culture in Christian Perspective, by Ted Turnau. Like it or not, notice it or not, popular culture plays a huge role in our day-to-day lives. But like any other facet of our society, it is a messy mixture of both grace and idolatry, and deserves our serious attention and discernment.

The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders: Reason, Revelation, and Revolution, by Gregg L. Frazer. Mark Noll says “extreme partisans who champion ‘Christian America’ or complete secularism will not like this book, but all other readers should come away much better informed about the past”.

Love Your Enemies: Jesus’ Love Command in the Synoptic Gospels and the Early Christian Paraenesis, by John Piper.

Why Jesus Died: A Meditation on Isaiah 53, by R.T. Kendall,

The Anxious Christian: Can God Use Your Anxiety for Good? By Rhett Smith. Show how God might use our anxiety as a catalyst to move us forward.

Gospel-Powered Humility, by William P. Farley. In our culture today, humility is considered a weakness. But instead, Farley says it is the crucial virtue. In fact, he argues that God has designed the gospel to provoke humility.

Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles, by Graeme Goldsworthy. Supporting a three-stage structure of revelation: biblical history from creation to Solomon, prophetic eschatology, and fulfillment in Christ, the author gives interesting insights into those influences which have shaped his passion for the theological unity of the bible.

DISPATCHES FROM THE FRONT: An award-winning 5-part DVD series from Frontline Missions about how the gospel is penetrating some of the world’s neediest areas. Vol 1: Islands on the Edge (Southeast Asia); Vol 2: A Bold Advance (Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro); Vol 3: I Once Was Blind (West Africa); Vol 4: Souls of the Brave (India); Vol 5: Father Give Me Bread (Ethiopia and South Africa).

COMMENTARIES AND BIBLE STUDIES: A Theology of Mark: The Dynamic Between Christology and Authentic Discipleship, by Hans F. Bayer; Mark, by R.C. Sproul (St. Andrew’s Expositional Commentary); 2 Kings: The Power and the Fury, by Dale Ralph Davis (Focus on the Bible); 1 Samuel, by Richard D. Phillips (Reformed Expository Commentary); A Theology of Luke and Acts: Biblical Theology of the New Testament, by Darrell L. Bock;

CHILDRENS BOOKS: Princess Faith’s MysteriousGarden, by Jeanna Young and Jacqueline Johnson (The Princess Parables);