New Books – March 2009

New Books – March 2009

Living Water: Studies in John 4, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Fifty never-before-published sermons by Lloyd-Jones on the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4:10-30.

You Can Lead an Atheist to Evidence, But You Can’t Make Him Think, by Ray Comfort. Answers to questions from angry skeptics. Shows how atheism isn’t just a mind game; it is intellectual suicide.

Finally Alive: What Happens When We Are Born Again, by John Piper. Piper rescues the term “born again” from its contemporary status as a glib cliché, and reunites it with a full orbed biblical understanding of the new birth.

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Convictions, by Gregory Koukl. How to adapt strategies to various situations in conversations with unbelievers about the Christian faith.

Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs, by James A. Herrick. In the spiritual vacuum of our post-Christian West, new mythologies continually arise. The author focuses on the alien worldviews that have emerged through the genre of science fiction and influence of “speculative science”, as he looks at the impact of Steven Spielberg, Carl Sagan, Arthur C. Clarke, L. Ron Hubbard and others.

The God Question: An Invitation to a Life of Meaning, by J.P. Moreland. A new apologetics work by the outstanding philosophy professor who teaches at Talbot.

A Case for Historic Premillennialism: An Alternative to “Left Behind Eschatology, edited by Craig L. Blomberg and Sung Wook Chung. The authors believe American evangelicalism, particularly at the popular level, has been saturated with the eschatology of dispensational premillennialism, and they offer a thoughtful alternative by presenting compelling arguments for historic, or classic, premillennialism—a position widely held throughout church history.

Lessons from San Quentin: Everything I Needed to Know About Life I Learned in Prison, by Bill Dallas with George Barna. Bill Dallas had it all—prestigious college degree, lucrative career, plenty of money–until he was convicted of embezzlement and sent to prison. But it was there that some unlikely mentors–San Quentin Lifers—guided him to an unexpected relationship with God.

Evidence for the Resurrection, by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell. The compelling and abundant evidence that Jesus Christ conquered death and the grave.

The Faithful Preacher: Recapturing the Vision of Three Pioneering African-American Pastors, by Thabiti M. Anyabwile. Highly recommended by John Piper and C.J. Mahaney, this book introduces us to three pioneering Calvinist black pastors whose combined ministry stretched over 150 years, including the Civil War.

The History of Christian Europe, by G. R. Evans. Lavishly illustrated portrayal of the development and spread of Christianity in the context of over 2,000 years of European history.

Surviving the Financial Meltdown: Confident Decisions in an Uncertain World, by Ron Blue and Jeremy White, CPA. How will today’s economy affect you?

Jesus, The Final Days: What Really Happened, by Craig A. Evans and N.T. Wright. What do history and archaeology have to say about Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection? With an apologetic edge, the authors convey the drama and world-changing significance of Jesus’ final days on earth.

Flesh-and-Blood Jesus: Learning to be Fully Human from the Son of Man, by Dan Russ. It is easy for most Christians to accept the Jesus who walked on water and rose from the dead. But what about the Jesus who got angry, struggled with fears, and faced tension with his mother? This book carefully examines the humanity of Jesus throughout his life in the flesh, from childhood on.

The New Testament in Antiquity: A Survey of the New Testament within Its Cultural Context, by Gary M. Burge, Lynn H. Cohick, and Gene L. Green. Three NT scholars from Wheaton develop how the Jewish, Hellenistic and Roman cultures formed the essential environment in which the NT authors wrote their books and letters. Contains clear outlines, graphic images, historical contexts, timelines and charts.

Apocalypse Later: Why the Gospel of Peace Must Trump the Politics of Prophecy in the Middle East, by Abdu H. Murray. The author, a former Muslim, feels many evangelicals have used the ongoing conflict in the Middle East as fodder for debates over how to interpret prophecy, instead of seeing it as the tragedy that it is. He urges Christians to change their focus from eschatology to the gospel of Jesus Christ, because only Christ can change the hearts of Jews and Muslims in the midst of conflict.

Who Goes There? A Cultural History of Heaven and Hell, by Rebecca Price Janney. From the Great Awakening to the American Revolution, through the tumultuous 19th century, all the way past two world wars and a technological revolution, the author pieces together a thoughtful narrative of American ideas about the afterlife. Despite public opinion, there exists an eternal truth that presses on us, and a choice to be made.

The Boomer Burden: Dealing with Your Parents’ Lifetime Accumulation of Stuff, by Julie Hall. Guidance for any executor, heir, or beneficiary in dealing with your parents’ estate.

Mere Christians: Inspiring Stories of Encounters with C.S. Lewis, edited by Mary Anne Phemister and Andrew Lazo. Over 50 Christians share how meeting the mind and imagination of Lewis in his books sparked the beginning or changed the course of their spiritual journey. Contributors include Philip Yancey, Charles Colson, Jill Briscoe, Randy Alcorn, and others.

The Truth About Islam and Women, by John Ankerberg and Emir Caner. Caner is a converted Sunni Muslim, and this book provides an inside look at the condition of women under Islam.

Organic Leadership: Leading Naturally Right Where You Are, by Neil Cole. Takes the person, the context, and God’s Word, and mixes them in a powerful way for a life of leadership.

Leading Women Who Wound: Strategies for an Effective Ministry, by Sue Edwards and Kelley Mathews. Conflict awaits those who want to influence other women for Jesus. It’s best to prepare beforehand. This book’s goal is to generate understanding and practice strategies related to conflict with other women.

How Then Should We Choose? Three Views on God’s Will and Decision Making, edited by Douglas S. Huffman. How do we discern God’s will? The three views presented are the Specific-Will View by Henry and Richard Blackaby, the Wisdom View by Gary Friesen, and the Relationship View by Gordon T. Smith.

Hallmarks of Design: Evidences of Purposeful Design and Beauty in Nature, by Stuart Burgess. How the latest discoveries show the complexity and beauty of the world, how the earth was designed for mankind.

The Wonder of Heaven, by Ron Rhodes. What are we going to find on the other side? A biblical tour of our eternal home.

Freedom and Boudaries: A Pastoral Primer on the Role of Women in the Church, by Devin DeYoung. The author writes from a complementarian perspective.

The Advent of Evangelicalism: Exploring Historical Continuities, edited by Michael A.G. Haykin and Kenneth J. Stewart. This book represents a discussion of the thesis that evangelicalism is the result of transatlantic revival in the 1730s, and that it took a cooperative attitude toward the Enlightenment rather than a contradictory one. Contributors include Joel Beeke, Douglas Sweeney, David Bebbington, Timothy George and others.

Grounded in God’s Word: Daily Devotions from the Westminster Confession of Faith, by Dennis Hustedt. Based on the Westminster Shorter Catechism, which is a cornucopia of the English Reformed heritage, this volume serves as both a devotional and a concise overview of historic Christian theology. These daily reflections will invoke a sense of awe and wonder at the majesty of Christ and the supremacy of God in all things.

Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life, by Robert Smith, Jr. Using the metaphor of music, Smith shows how to blend cogitation and celebration—mind and heart—in our preaching of Bible doctrine. Daniel Akin says it is devoted to “magnifying Christ through doctrinal preaching so that listeners see Him in a more glorious, majestic, holy, sovereign, just, faithful and mighty manner than they have ever seen Him before”.

Return to Rome: Confessions of an Evangelical Catholic, by Francis J. Beckwith. Why the President of the Evangelical Theological Society left his post and returned to the Catholic Church. Beckwith is professor of philosophy at Baylor University.

Sticky Church, by Larry Osborne. A unique approach to sermon-based small groups, digging deeper into the Sunday message.

Franchising McChurch: Feeding Our Obsession with Easy Christianity, by Thomas White and John M. Yeats. A critique of current evangelical culture which has become entertainment-oriented and consumer-driven and provides junk food for the soul.

Take Charge of Your Life: Before It Takes Charge of You, by Dr. Richard Ganz. Despite a title that may sound like just another Christian self-help book, this is a volume that is said to be Christ-centered, and has been recommended by John MacArthur, who says it is “superb…prepare yourself for a study that is at once challenging and uplifting”.

ADULT FICTION:

Beyond the Summerland, Bringer of Storms, and Shadow in the Deep, by L. B. Graham (The Binding of the Blade #1-3); Miss Fortune, by Sara Mills (An Allie Fortune Mystery); Rebecca’s Reward, by Lauraine Snelling (Daughters of Blessing #4); Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson (a novel about faith and family; winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction); Double Minds, by Terri Blackstock; Beyond the Night and Veil of Fire, by Marlo Schalesky;

YOUTH BOOKS:

A Cup of Cold Water: The Compassion of Nurse Edith Cavell, by Christine Farenhorst, and Against the Tide: The Valor of Margaret Wilson, by Hope Irvin Marston (both are in the Chosen Daughters series); Jesus Is Alive, by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell (answers to questions about the Resurrection for teens.

CHILDRENS BOOKS:

All Things Bright and Beautiful, by Cecil Frances Alexander, illus. by Anna Vojtech; Life Lessons from The Squire and the Scroll, and Life Lessons from the Princess and the Kiss, by Jennie Bishop and Susan Henson

FAMILY DVDs:

Pilgrims’ Progress: Journey to Heaven, by John Bunyan, from DRC Films.A modern adaptation of John Bunyan’s beloved classic tale; Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron, which has been called the #1 inspirational film in America (rated PG); a gripping story of one man’s desire to transform his life and marriage through the healing power of faith, and to fully embrace the fireman’s code of Never Leave Your Partner Behind.

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