New Books, July 2013

Complete New Book List

July, 2013

Glimpses of Grace: Treasuring the Gospel in Your Home, by Gloria Furman. The author is a wife, mother of four young children, and blogger. In 2008, her family moved to the Middle East to plant Redeemer Church of Dubai, where her husband serves as pastor. She blogs regularly at The Gospel Coalition and Desiring God.

Joni and Ken: An Untold Love Story, by Ken and Joni Eareckson Tada. Enduring quadriplegia, chronic pain, cancer and depression only made their love more vibrant through 30 years of marriage.

The Leftovers: Basketball, Betrayal, Baylor and Beyond, by Matt Sayman, foreword by Scott Drew. In 2003, Baylor was involved in the worst scandal in college basketball history, involving the murder of one athlete by another, and the coach’s coverup of improper payments to athletes by falsely claiming the murdered athlete was a drug dealer. Caught up in the result was Matt Sayman, a strong Christian whose dreams and illusions about Baylor were shattered. Coach Scott Drew took over a broken and crippled program with a vision of hope for the future, and a miracle happened, as co-captain Sayman and other remaining players bonded together as “leftovers” and underdogs. This is the story of an amazing comeback for a basketball program, and a young man’s personal redemption.

Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, For the World, by Stephen J. Nichols (Theologians on the Christian Life). While Bonhoeffer died a martyr’s death at age 39 under Hitler, his writings continue to teach us the value of a cross-centered theology, the cost of discipleship, and the difference between cheap and costly grace. Nichols guides us through the words and deeds of this humble yet heroic pastor.

Weakness Is the Way: Life with Christ Our Strength, by J.I. Packer. For Christians, weakness should be a way of life. Yet most of us try desperately to be sufficient on our own, and we resent our limitations and needs. Theologian Packer reflects on his own experiences of weakness—having been hit by a bread truck at a young age and now facing the realities of aging—in order to teach us the importance of embracing our own frailty and to look for Christ for strength. He offers these meditations on 2 Corinthians.

The Journal of Esther Edwards Burr, 1754-1757, edited by Carol F. Karlsen and Laurie Crumpacker. Esther (1732-1758) was the daughter of Jonathan Edwards, wife of the president of PrincetonUniversity, and mother of future US Vice President Aaron Burr, Jr. Her journal, which she kept from 1754-1757, is a rare early look at female piety and an important historical document of life in the colonies in the mid-1700s.

Supernatural Living for Natural People: The Life-Giving Message of Romans 8, by Raymond C. Ortlund, Jr. The author delves deeply into Romans 8, which contains verse after verse of pure spiritual gold. Sam Storms says it is a

“wonderful, Christ-exalting study of Romans 8—get it, then let it get you”.

Adoniram Judson: A Bicentennial Appreciation of The Pioneer American Missionary, edited by Jason G. Duesing. This is the 200^th anniversary of his mission trip to India and eventually Burma, which marked the beginning of Americans formally joining the modern missions movement.

Humble Orthodoxy: Holding the Truth High Without Putting People Down, by Joshua Harris. We don’t need to choose between humility and orthodoxy. We need both.

Christ in the Chaos: How the Gospel Changes Motherhood, by Kimm Crandall. Moms–stop comparing yourselves to others, stop striving to meet false expectations, stop thinking your performance dictates your worth. Look to the gospel to find rest, joy, identity and motivation.

Echoes of Eden: Reflections on Christianity, Literature, and the Arts, by Jerram Barrs. The author is the son-in-law of Francis and Edith Schaeffer, and the founder and resident scholar of the Francis Schaeffer Institute at Covenant Theological Seminary. In this book, he gives us three key elements for evaluating great art, and then puts these qualifiers to the test by investigating five of the world’s most influential authors: Lewis, Tolkien, Rowling, Shakespeare, and Jane Austen.

Name Above All Names, by Alistair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson. A study of the person and work of Jesus Christ as the Seed of the Woman, True Prophet, Great High Priest, Conquering King, Son of Man, Suffering Servant, and Lamb on the Throne.

A Mouth Full of Fire: The Word of God in the Words of Jeremiah, by Andrew G. Shead (New Studies in Biblical Theology). Examines Jeremiah’s use of “word” language and the prophet’s formation as an embodiment of the Word of God.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey into Christian Faith, by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield. She was a lesbian and atheist, a radical college professor and opponent of Christianity until she was found by God. Then she found what it meant to lose everything on account of Christ, as she was considered a turncoat to her community. But eventually she found that in losing, she had in fact gained everything, as she is now a mother and wife of a Christian minister.

The Cross in the Experience of our Lord, by R.A Finlayson. The author (1895-1989) was a well known professor of systematic theology at the Free Church College, Edinburgh. In these brief expositions, he explores the significance and mystery of the cross through 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 and Isaiah 53.

The Ascension: Humanity in the Presence of God, by Tim Chester and Jonny Woodrow. A brief study of Jesus Christ who in His ascension is Ascended Priest, Ascended King, and AscendedMan. Robert Plummer of Southern Baptist Seminary says “during my many years as a Christian, I can only recall hearing one sermon on the Ascension of Christ; I am grateful that now I am able to point others to an accessible and inspiring study of this central Christian doctrine”.

I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude That Makes a Difference, by Thom S. Rainer. A perfect introduction for someone seeking to please Jesus through responsible church membership.

Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition, by Kelly M. Kapic and Wesley Vander Lugt. Over 300 terms clearly and concisely defined.

COMMENTARIES: Philippians, by Dennis E. Johnson (Reformed Expository Commentary).

ADULT FICTION: The Quarryman’s Bride, by Tracie Peterson (Land of Shining Water #2).