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BOOK HIGHLIGHT – Art for God’s Sake by Philip Graham Ryken

Posted on by Kim

Art for God’s Sake: A Call to Recover the Arts by Philip Graham Ryken

64 pages | Direct Price: $6.99 $5.50 | Paperback | Published: 2006

Summary: What does God say about the arts? Can you be a Christian and an artist? How do the arts impact your church?

The creation sings to us with the visual beauty of God’s handiwork. But what of man-made art? Much of it is devoid of sacred beauty and is often rejected by Christians. Christian artists struggle to find acceptance within the church.

If all of life is to be viewed as “under the lordship of Christ,” can we rediscover what God’s plan is for the arts? Philip Graham Ryken brings into sharp focus a biblical view of the arts and the artists who make art for God’s sake. This is a concise yet comprehensive treatment of the major issue of the arts for all who seek answers.

About the Author:

Ryken_PhilPhilip Graham Ryken is president of Wheaton College. He is Bible teacher for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, speaking nationally on the radio program Every Last Word. Dr. Ryken was educated at Wheaton College, Westminster Theological Seminary, and the University of Oxford, where he received his doctorate in historical theology. He and his wife, Lisa, have five children.

What Others Say About This Book:

“Theologically rich and remarkably readable, this book offers sound biblical reason to cultivate a sense of beauty.”

– Nancy Pearcy, author, Total Truth

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Our mis­sion is to serve Christ and his church by pro­duc­ing clear, engag­ing, fresh, and insight­ful appli­ca­tions of Reformed theology.

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Recap of the 6 New Releases from April

Posted on by Kim

Here is a recap of the 6 new books that were released in April.

1. Give Them Truth: Teaching Eternal Truths to Young Minds
by Starr Meade
208 pages
List Price: $14.99
Subject: Christian Living / Education & Homeschooling
Paperback
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Summary: Whether you are a parent or a teacher, Starr Meade encourages you to impart a robust knowledge of God to your children from a young age, because a sound theology will prepare them for whatever life has in store. Our kids need to know God in order to grow in love for him and to live for him. When we teach the truths of Scripture to our children, we give them truth to love and live by.

2. Piety: The Heartbeat of Reformed Theology
by Joel R. Beeke
40 pages
List Price: $4.99
Subject: Christian Living / Spiritual Growth & Guidance
Booklet
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Summary: When was the last time you thought about being pious? The word tends to make us think of having a “holier-than-thou” attitude. But this negative view strays far from piety’s beginnings. Joel Beeke reclaims the Reformers’ vision for an attractive piety rooted in the knowledge of God and our union with Christ. Focusing on both mind and soul, he offers practical ways to cultivate a vibrant piety, helping you grow in Christlikeness and in your reverence and love for God. Bring harmony between your doctrine and practice, and bring glory to God as he cultivates the fruit of the Spirit in your life.

3. The Heart of the Gospel: God’s Son Given for You
by Sinclair B. Ferguson
24 pages
List Price: $4.99
Subject: Theology / Salvation
Booklet
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Summary: How do we know that God always does what is best for us? Focusing on Romans 8:32, Sinclair Ferguson points us to the heavenly Father who refused to spare his own Son—and the Son who was obedient in atoning in our place for our sins. If this is who God is, we can confidently say he is for us.

4. No Adam, No Gospel: Adam and the History of Redemption
by Richard B. Gaffin Jr.
32 pages
List Price: $4.99
Subject: Bible Study / Old Testament
Booklet
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Summary: Doubts and denials swarm the biblical teaching that humans descend from an historical pair, Adam and Eve. Christians who entertain these doubts also claim they are compatible with Christian commitment. But is that possible? Richard Gaffin shows how these denials actually undermine the entire history of redemption taught in Scripture. With no Adam, there is no gospel.

5. The New Man: Becoming a Man After God’s Heart
by Dan Doriani
280 pages
List Price: $14.99
Subject: Christian Living / Spiritual Growth & Guidance
Paperback
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Summary: Dan Doriani understands the challenges of being a man, and he knows you don’t need more man-made lists to excel as a husband, father, or leader. The new man in Christ is shaped by knowing God through his Word, because the way of a godly man is the way of his God.

With a focus on honing character rather than following techniques, Doriani seeks out the biblical pattern for masculinity that transcends culture. Discover how you can reflect God’s character in marriage, friendships, wealth, work, fitness, play, and more. You won’t find checklists for self-improvement (or three ways to grill a steak), but you will find clarity, insight, honesty, encouragement, and freedom in the Man who is ultimately our Savior, not just our example. You’ll even find ideas for games to play with your kids!

Each chapter includes questions for group study or discussion with spouses. This is a revised and expanded edition of The Life of a God-Made Man (Crossway, 2001).

6. George Whitefield: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought
by James L. Schwenk
200 pages
List Price: $14.99
Series: Guided Tour of Church History
Subject: Reformed Traditions / Biography
Paperback
SAMPLE CHAPTER
Summary: James L. Schwenk writes on the life of the most significant traveling preacher in North America’s Great Awakening and one of the most important in Britain’s eighteenth-century revival, George Whitefield. This is a concise biography on Whitefield’s life from his early childhood in Gloucester, England, to his conversion at Oxford University through the influence of Charles Wesley, to his many missionary travels throughout the American colonies, to his death in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Schwenk completes the picture with writings from original sources—including Whitefield’s friends and contemporaries such as John Wesley and Benjamin Franklin—and excerpts from Whitefield’s writings. Includes correspondence with John Wesley and three full-length sermons.

BOOK HIGHLIGHT – An Introduction to the Science of Missions by J. H. Bavinck

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An Introduction to the Science of Missions by J. H. Bavinck

352 pages | Direct Price: $18.99 $13.00 | Paperback | Published: 1960

Summary: For several decades, this book has been recognized as an important textbook in the field of missions. Now not only foreign missionaries, but also pastors and elders faced with an increasingly unchurched culture at home can find in this work the invaluable guidance they need.

About the Author:

J. H. Bavinck (1895–1964) was a pastor in the Dutch Reformed Church and a missionary in Indonesia. He was also professor of missions and practical theology at Kampen and Free University in Amsterdam, where his uncle, Herman Bavinck, famously served as professor of dogmatics.

What Others Say About This Book:

“Bavinck organizes his excellent book into three parts. Part I concerns the theory of missions. Here he reviews the nature, foundations, aims, and approach of missions by carefully reviewing Scripture and history. Part II considers the role of elenctics, and Part III addresses the history of missions . . . . For careful exegesis, fidelity to Scripture, and precision, Bavinck cannot be bettered.”

– The Christian Sociologist

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Our mis­sion is to serve Christ and his church by pro­duc­ing clear, engag­ing, fresh, and insight­ful appli­ca­tions of Reformed theology.

_____________________________________________________________________________

NEW RELEASE – George Whitefield: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought by James L. Schwenk

Posted on by Kim

George Whitefield: A Guided Tour of His Life and Thought by James L. Schwenk

200 pages | List Price: $14.99 | Series: Guided Tour of Church History | Paperback

Summary: James L. Schwenk writes on the life of the most significant traveling preacher in North America’s Great Awakening and one of the most important in Britain’s eighteenth-century revival, George Whitefield. This is a concise biography on Whitefield’s life from his early childhood in Gloucester, England, to his conversion at Oxford University through the influence of Charles Wesley, to his many missionary travels throughout the American colonies, to his death in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Schwenk completes the picture with writings from original sources—including Whitefield’s friends and contemporaries such as John Wesley and Benjamin Franklin—and excerpts from Whitefield’s writings. Includes correspondence with John Wesley and three full-length sermons.

About the Author:

James L. Schwenk (M.Div., Evangelical Seminary; M.Phil. and Ph.D., Drew University) is the lead pastor of Gingrichs Mennonite Church in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. He has taught the history of Christianity at numerous schools, most recently at Evangelical Seminary in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, and Zaporozhye Bible College and Seminary in Zaporozhye, Ukraine. His research interests include J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and Doctor Who.

What Others Say About This Book:

“Jim Schwenk, who is both historian and preacher, summons Whitefield’s own voice to speak clearly in an accessible, flowing, and appreciative biography of George Whitefield. Schwenk’s storytelling powers are on full display here, as are Whitefield’s dramatic personality, powerful oratory, and inspiring vision for a nation revived.”

—Anthony L. Blair, President and Professor of the History of Christianity, Evangelical Seminary

“George Whitefield’s effective ministry reached tens of thousands of people. James Schwenk’s admirable book on Whitefield. . . . offers a compact description of Whitefield’s life, carefully chosen excerpts from his writings, and a brief bibliography of sources by and about Whitefield. An important introduction to the man and his ministry.”

—Charles Yrigoyan Jr., Author, Wesley: Holiness of Heart and Life

Our mis­sion is to serve Christ and his church by pro­duc­ing clear, engag­ing, fresh, and insight­ful appli­ca­tions of Reformed theology.

Author Interview with Jim Newheiser

Posted on by Kim

This week’s author interview is with Jim Newheiser. He is the author of Parenting Is More than a Formula and the co-author of You Never Stop Being a Parent: Thriving in Relationship with Your Adult Children.

Newheiser_Jim

  • Question #1 – Tell us a little bit about yourself: where you’re from, family, job, personal interests, unique hobbies, what you do in your spare time, etc.

I consider myself a Texan, and I determined as a young man to live there for the rest of my life. In God’s providence, early in our marriage we went to Saudi Arabia for six years during which time I was a tentmaking pastor in an underground church for expatriates, followed by the past twenty-seven years in Southern California during which time I went to seminary, helped to plant our local church and then became involved in biblical counseling.

My main hobby is running long distances slowly (marathons and ultramarathons).

 

  • Question #2 – When did you first want to write a book?

Until Elyse Fitzpatrick invited me to co-author a book with her about ten years ago, it never occurred to me that I would ever write a book. As God used that book to help others, I had a burden to write about other topics and the Lord opened doors to make this possible.

 

  • Question #3 – Have you always enjoyed writing?

I find writing to be extremely difficult, but I try to have an eschatological perspective, anticipating future joy as others are helped by what the Lord has been teaching me.

 

  • Question #4 – What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

I wrote Parenting Is More than a Formula to speak to parents who have been hurt and discouraged as they have tried to discover the perfect formula by which they can ensure that their children will turn out well. Many of the parenting methodologies being offered to the Christian community are legalistic. They go beyond what Scripture requires of parents (which is actually quite simple—discipline, instruction and not provoking their children to anger Eph. 6:4) and present a methodology (which may be one of many possible ways to implement what the Bible teaches) that they imply is God’s way of parenting. They also imply that those who don’t follow their methodology are in sin. This leads to my second major concern which is that many parenting formulas sound unbiblically deterministic, implying that parenting is like baking a cake in that if you follow the right recipe you will experience the right outcome. While Scripture teaches that parents are an important influence on how their children turn out (Prov. 29:15), we cannot control outcomes (see Ezekiel 18). We expose our children to God’s grace and wisdom, but they can choose to reject what we teach. Ultimately we parents are dependent upon God’s grace.

 

  • Question #5 – Do you have a specific spot where you enjoy writing most?

We have some dear friends who allow us to use their apartment overlooking the beach in San Clemente, which is where I have been doing most of my writing in recent years. It is great to get away from our normal environment and to experience the beauty of God’s creation as I do the hard work of writing.

 

  • Question #6 – Favorite food?

Anything my wife cooks.

 

  • Question #7 – Favorite flavor of ice cream?

Anything made by Blue Bell, which tragically is not sold in California.

 

  • Question #8 – Favorite animal? Why?

Dog. Loyal and eager to please.

 

  • Question #9 – If you have a favorite book of the Bible, what is it and why?

Whatever book I am currently studying and preaching.

 

Want to learn more about Jim? He is the director and counselor of the Institute for Biblical Counseling & Discipleship.