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BOOK HIGHLIGHT – Getting the Message by Dan Doriani

Getting the Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible by Daniel M. Doriani

272 pages | Direct Price: $16.99 $13.00 | Published in 1996

Summary: Presents solid principles and clear examples of biblical interpretation. Doriani summarizes the main principles for interpretation in a single, easily remembered acronym: CAPTOR.

 

About the Author:

Doriani_DanDaniel M. Doriani is vice president of strategic academic projects and professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary. Previously he was senior pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, Missouri.

 

 

What Others Say About this Book:

“For all those who fear that the Bible is a mysterious labyrinth through which they cannot find their way, Doriani provides wonderful guidance. Written with craft and wit, this highly readable book combines great biblical insight with marvelous practical wisdom. The ‘how to’ guidelines and examples for interpreting Scripture are so clear that even those new to Scripture will say, ‘Hey I can do that, too.’ This first-rate scholar writes from a pastor’s heart to put a scriptural feast within reach of us all.”

Bryan Chapell

“. . . a faithful, sane, readable, practical guide to effective Bible study. Though based on good scholarship, this book is, in the best sense, a simple guide for the serious Bible student.”

—John H. White

“. . . the best nontechnical approach I have seen for teaching the skills of biblical interpretation. Based on sound principles, it is balanced, clear, contemporary, realistic, and Christ-centered. The practice exercises set this book apart from virtually everything else available.”

Dennis E. Johnson

 

Recap of New Releases from August

The following is a recap of the 3 titles that were released in August.


1. Compassion: Seeing with Jesus’ Eyes by Joshua Mack

48 pages | $4.99 | Series: Resources for Biblical Living | Booklet | Subject: Counseling

Summary: Compassion is the emotion most frequently attributed to Jesus in the Gospels. But compassion is more than an emotion—it is a God-centered, God-inspired way of looking at the world. God commands us to love, so compassion is not an option! “We should not try to serve people without a love for God. We must not try to serve God without a love for people,” writes Joshua Mack. Using Jesus and Paul as our examples, Mack shows why compassion is central to our profession of faith and gives practical starting points for treating others as God desires.

Endorsements

“Mack has given us an excellent primer on compassion. He roots compassion in the grace and enablement of the gospel, developing the necessary implication of being an object of mercy. Clear, concise, honest, practical—this is a must read.”

—Tedd Tripp, President, Shepherding the Heart Ministries

“One of my very favorite books. I am deeply concerned about a spirit in the church that values faithful expressions of truth above faithful expressions of care. . . . Neither of these trumps the other, and Joshua Mack’s excellent book helps us to learn the lesson.”

—Heath Lambert, Executive Director, The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors


2. Modesty: More than a Change of Clothes by Martha Peace & Kent Keller

176 pages | $12.99 | Paperback | Subject: Youth (Girls)

Summary: Modesty might seem like a “gray area,” but it should matter to us because it matters to God! In the Bible, immodesty is forbidden for reasons that go beyond mere outward appearance. Martha and Kent write to teen girls in alternating sections, helping them to identify immodesty’s causes and consequences, detect legalism, and seek modesty in their actions and dress. Includes discussion questions.

Endorsements

“It is refreshing to see the topic of modesty elevated to the importance that it deserves!”

—Mary K. Mohler, Director, Seminary Wives Institute

“A God-centered, gospel-saturated, and practical guide to the uncomfortable topic of modesty.”

—Brian H. Cosby, Author, Giving Up Gimmicks

“Martha and Kent carefully apply the Bible’s teaching on the heart of modesty. We highly recommend it to you.”

—John and Lynn Crotts, Faith Bible Church


3. Tangle: The Quest for Truth, Book 4 by Brock Eastman

448 pages | $12.99 | Series: The Quest for Truth | Paperback | Subject: Fiction, Adventure & Suspense

Summary: “Rescuer,” Mason cried in his mind. “Save me!”

The Wikk kids have been separated on their quest to find humanity’s home planet. Reunited with his parents, Mason makes new friends and clashes with old enemies on board the sinister Übel ship, the Black Ranger. Meanwhile, Oliver, Tiffany, and Austin race to rescue their friend Ashley from a toxic moon—but they soon find themselves in more trouble than they’d bargained for. Their newfound faith in Rescuer has changed their whole view of the universe. Will trusting the Truth help them to make sense of tangled clues and lies? How long can they keep one step ahead of their enemies?

Endorsements

“Wow! Tangle has left me wanting more. As a father and bookstore manager, I’m glad that there still is good, clean kids’ fiction. I highly recommend The Quest for Truth series.”

—Chris McCormick, Manager, LifeWay Christian Stores

“Read this before your friends. Full of twists, this action-packed installment in The Quest for Truth is sure to be your favorite.”

—Jerel Law, author of Son of Angels series

Tangle was a fabulous book. Through battles and plot twists, I kept wanting to read more. And a warning to all future readers: this book is very hard to put down.”

—Gavin Montgomery, age 10

 

BOOK HIGHLIGHT – Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word by Kathleen Buswell Nielson

Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word by Kathleen Buswell Nielson

208 pages | Direct Price: $12.99 $10.00

Summary: What is Bible study, anyway? The answers are many and diverse! Is it the same thing as just reading through the Bible, or does true Bible study involve treating it differently from any other book?

Here Kathleen Nielson calls laypeople interested in Bible study to the crucial starting points and approaches that the Bible itself demands. She not only analyzes current trends, but also points the way forward, toward the most fruitful and powerful study we can have of God’s inspired Word.

Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word winsomely highlights not a rigid set of methods, but a clear approach to Bible study—one that acknowledges the Scripture for what it is and faithfully enables us to take in the very words of God and submit ourselves to them. It examines just what Bible study should involve, according to the truths and principles given to us in the Bible itself.

So come and learn what Bible study truly is and should be, and let Kathleen be your guide as you follow the ways of the word!

 

About the Author:

Nielson_KathleenA native of St. Louis, Missouri, Kathleen Nielson holds M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in literature from Vanderbilt University and a B.A. from Wheaton College (Illinois). She has taught in the English departments at Vanderbilt University, Bethel College (Minnesota), and Wheaton College. She is the author of numerous Bible studies, and the book Bible Study: Following the Ways of the Word, as well as various articles and poems. Kathleen has directed and taught women’s Bible studies at several churches and speaks extensively at conferences and retreats. She serves as director of women’s initiatives for The Gospel Coalition and on the board of directors of The Charles Simeon Trust. Kathleen and her husband Niel (president of Covenant College 2002–2012, now leading an enterprise in global Christian education) have three sons, two beautiful daughters-in-law, and a growing number of grandchildren!

 

What Others Say About this Book:

“Kathleen Nielson wants all Christians to be involved in thoughtful and faithful Bible study—and tells us how to do it.”

—D. A. Carson, Research Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

“Nielson gives her readers a fresh and innovative, yet solid and God-glorifying approach, to unlocking the truths of Scripture . . . by reading God’s words in order to ask what God is saying and how one should respond to Him.”

—Dorothy Patterson, General Editor, The Woman’s Study Bible

“The book cannot be better than it is . . . it covers all the right topics in exactly the right order! For people who teach the Bible—or who aspire to teach it—this book will be the gold standard for knowing how to do it right.”

—Leland Ryken, Professor of English, Wheaton College

 

3 Essentials Every Marriage Needs

By Daniel M. Doriani

marriage-essentials-blog

Genesis 2:24 lists three equally essential points that together make a strong foundation for marriage. If firm, they are as sturdy as a three-legged stool, but if one leg fails, it will surely collapse. We need all three elements of this trio to develop a healthy marriage.

Leave

“A man will leave his father and mother” shows that the bond between husband and wife trumps the bond between parent and child. It marks marriage as the foundational institution. Some may wonder why God led Moses to specify that the husband must leave his family, but says nothing about the wife. The answer is that in that culture everyone assumed that the wife left her family. No one had to say it. But Moses adds, “The husband must leave too. He must not take his wife into his father’s house and place her under his authority. He must start a new family.”

Wedding ceremonies wisely embody this in the moment we call the giving of the bride. The father takes his daughter’s hand and gives it to the groom, not (originally) to create a photo opportunity, but to show that his daughter is leaving his household and entering another.

Be United

“A man will . . . be united to his wife” means husband and wife build intimacy into that new family. They “cleave,” as the King James Version puts it, meaning they stick close together. They are “glued together,” says Paul, quoting Genesis 2 in Ephesians 5. They become companions for life, growing in affection and fidelity. They work at their relationship, despite its trials and vicissitudes.

One Flesh

After “leave” and “be united,” we come to the third leg of marriage, “one flesh.” One flesh refers to the sexual aspect of marriage. The next line underscores this, “The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.” The sexual aspect of marriage hearkens back to the idea that Adam and Eve must “be fruitful and multiply.” Reproduction is central to our sexuality. Yet we notice that this statement about marriage does not mention children. Perhaps it was superfluous for Moses to mention children again in Genesis 2, since they are so prominent in Genesis 1. Still, the silence about children suggests that while they are the normal result of marriage, they are not essential to marriage. A couple is truly married even if they miss the blessing of children.

Finally, while the nakedness of Adam and Eve refers to their physical intimacy, it also refers to their spiritual intimacy. In biblical language nakedness refers to both physical and spiritual exposure (see Isa. 47:3; 2 Cor. 5:3; Heb. 4:13). To be exposed without shame is to have nothing to hide (see Gen. 3:7–11). Because Adam and Eve knew neither sin nor guile, nothing shameful separated them. The idea of nakedness without shame suggests their perfect trust, ease, and openness.

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little dan  new man

Daniel M. Doriani is vice president of strategic academic projects and professor of theology at Covenant Theological Seminary. Previously he was senior pastor of Central Presbyterian Church in Clayton, Missouri.

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NEW RELEASE – Tangle by Brock Eastman

Tangle: The Quest for Truth, Book 4 by Brock Eastman

480 pages | Direct Price: $12.99 $10.00 | Series: The Quest for Truth

Summary: “Rescuer,” Mason cried in his mind. “Save me!”

Captured and separated, the Wikk kids must rely on the power of Rescuer to complete their quest. On board the Black Ranger, Mason confronts a villainous mastermind with a startling secret. Meanwhile, Oliver, Tiffany, and Austin race to rescue their friend Ashley from a toxic moon. With danger at every turn, their only hope is their newfound faith. Will trusting the Truth help them to make sense of tangled clues and lies? Will Helper finally lead them to humanity’s home planet?

The Quest for Truth series follows the four Wikk kids in their desperate race to find the planet Ursprung and stop the Übel renegades and dangerous Corsairs from misusing its long-lost secrets. Ancient cities, treacherous villains, high-tech gadgets—encounter all these and more on this futuristic, interplanetary adventure!

 

About The Author:

eastman_brockBrock Eastman works in business communications with Compassion International. He previously worked for Thriving Family magazine and at Focus on the Family, where he produced the Adventures in Odyssey series and wrote for the Imagination Station series. He lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

 

 

What Others Say About This Book:

“Brock Eastman’s writing [is] full of life, full of truth, and most likely to hold your attention to the very last moment.”

—Donita K. Paul, Author of the DragonKeeper Chronicles and RealmWalkers Series

“The Quest for Truth series is an entertaining fusion of archaeological mystery and space adventure. It’s Indiana Jones meets Star Wars—but with family values and spiritual truth as its warp core. The first three volumes kept me reading . . . sometimes far past my bedtime! Tangle is a satisfying addition to the sequence.”

Jeremiah W. Montgomery, Author, The Dark Harvest Trilogy

“Book four is the best yet. . . . I love hearing my kids’ excitement about the Wikk family’s spiritual discoveries.”

—Ann Hibbard, Senior Editor of Home Educating Family Association

“Wow! Tangle has left me wanting more. As a father and bookstore manager, I’m glad that there still is good, clean kids’ fiction. I highly recommend The Quest for Truth series.”

—Chris McCormick, Manager, LifeWay Christian Stores

“Read this before your friends. Full of twists, this action-packed installment in The Quest for Truth is sure to be your favorite.”

—Jerel Law, Author, Son of Angels Series

Tangle was a fabulous book. Through battles and plot twists, I kept wanting to read more. And a warning to all future readers: this book is very hard to put down.”

—Gavin Montgomery, age 10

 

Other Books in the Quest for Truth Series:

Taken: Book 1320 pages, Published: 2010

Risk: Book 2408 pages, Published: 2011

Unleash: Book 3432 pages, Published: 2012