God’s Elect

Posted on November 15, 2021 by Carl Simmons

A very different take on the difficult questions of election and predestination. . . .

God's Elect: The Chosen Generation - By: John Chipman

John Chipman. God’s Elect: The Chosen Generation. 112p., $14.99, Deep River Books.

God’s Elect offers a message of hope for all Christians who worry about whether they, or their loved ones, have been chosen by God.

The biblical doctrines of election and predestination generate much passion and emotional intensity among Christians. Most theologians have determined that these are doctrines filled with mystery, tension, and paradox which will never be resolved.

Author John E. Chipman disagrees.

He provides a fresh, biblical viewpoint regarding the perplexing doctrine of election that has the potential to kindle a re-thinking of the way Christians view and talk about God’s purpose of election in the New Testament. In God’s Elect, Chipman presents a truth that is neither Calvinistic nor Arminian—a truth that is simply, well, biblical.

This book makes no claim to be deeply philosophical or scholarly. The arguments are intentionally simple, yet profoundly biblical.

If you feel like you are caught in an ever-darkening doctrinal bog of election and predestination, and sense that you have lost God somewhere along the way, then you will want to read God’s Elect. In its pages, you will find a path that leads back to the sunlight, back to solid ground, and back to the true God of the Bible.

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Kerux: Psalms, Vol. 1

Posted on November 8, 2021 by Carl Simmons

Digging deeper into the wisdom (of the) Psalms. . . .

Psalms, Volume 1: The Wisdom Psalms

W. Creighton Marlowe and Charles H. Savelle Jr. Psalms, Volume 1: The Wisdom Psalms. Kerux Commentaries. 240p., $27.99, Kregel Academic.

Psalms, Volume 1: The Wisdom Psalms includes psalms with themes perpetuated in Old Testament wisdom literature such as Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. These psalms extol God as the author of wisdom, contrasting the righteous, who acknowledge and follow God’s ways, with the wicked, who rebel against him. Likewise, wisdom psalms praise God’s special revelation of his laws and promises. The psalmists commend the virtue of pursuing God’s truth and teaching. Marlowe and Savelle explore these psalms’ original significance for their ancient audience and use this knowledge to reveal where and how God continues to speak through the wisdom psalms today. Readers will be empowered to teach and preach the Psalms with a renewed perspective.

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The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One

Posted on November 1, 2021 by Carl Simmons

A different way to look at Genesis 1 . . . several different ways, actually. . . .

The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One

Gregg Davidson and Kenneth J. Turner. The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One: A Multi-Layered Approach. 224p., $22.99, Kregel Academic.

The first chapter of the Bible’s first book lays the foundation for all that follows about who God is and what God is like. Our technology-age fascination with the science of origins, however, can blind us to issues of great importance that don’t address our culturally conditioned questions. Instead, Genesis One itself suggests the questions and answers that are most significant to human faith and flourishing.

Geologist Gregg Davidson and theologian Ken Turner shine a spotlight on Genesis One as theologically rich literature first and foremost, exploring the layers of meaning that showcase various aspects of God’s character:

  • Song
  • Analogy
  • Polemic
  • Covenant
  • Temple
  • Calendar
  • Land

Our very knowledge of God suffers when we fail to appreciate the Bible’s ability to convey multilayered truth simultaneously. The Manifold Beauty of Genesis One offers readers the chance to cultivate an openness to Scripture’s richness and a deeper faith in the Creator.

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The Prophets of Israel

Posted on October 18, 2021 by Carl Simmons

You can’t say they weren’t warned . . . or that this isn’t illustrated. . . .

The Prophets of Israel

James K. Hoffmeier. The Prophets of Israel: Walking the Ancient Paths. 400p., $44.99, Kregel Academic.

In The Prophets of Israel, Old Testament scholar and longtime field archaeologist James K. Hoffmeier explores the biblical prophets through their ancient settings. Readers gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding through many practical components:

  • Full-color photos and images of historical and cultural importance
  • Focus on the geopolitical contexts of the prophets
  • Clear explanations of the prophets’ provoking messages
  • Discussion questions for Bible students or instructor use

These features and photos vividly illustrate the biblical narratives and the prophets’ concerns, helping readers better comprehend each text’s message and make informed theological applications.

The biblical prophetic tradition extends far before and far after the Major and Minor Prophets. Yet all biblical prophets—including recognizable figures like Moses and Elijah, lesser-known prophets like Huldah and Micaiah, and the New Testament prophets—ministered in distinctive cultural and historical circumstances. Hoffmeier draws on his extensive knowledge of ancient Near Eastern culture, geography, political realities, and the Old Testament message to locate the prophets in their worlds. This approach illuminates prophetic messages and ministries with a theological clarity that basic history and literary interpretation cannot achieve.

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The Church as a Culture of Care

Posted on October 11, 2021 by Carl Simmons

People struggle. The church shouldn’t be a place that adds to that struggle. . . .

The Church as a Culture of Care Finding Hope in Biblical Community T Dale Johnson Jr

T. Dale Johnson, Jr. The Church as a Culture of Care: Finding Hope in Biblical Community. 176p., $17.99, New Growth Press.

We all know people in our world are struggling—eating disorders, addictions, depression, sexual issues, marital problems—the list goes on and on. Can the church help or is that an outdated concept that no longer fits modern problems? In The Church as a Culture of Care, biblical counselor Dale Johnson explains that the church is still the primary place where those who struggle can receive lasting hope and healing.  

Pastors and lay leaders in the church often feel inadequate to address certain needs and are unsure of how to help. This book is designed to help erase the stigma of “mental health issues” in the church and to present the church as the primary haven for answers to deep-seated human problems. Readers will learn that God has designed every function of the church to be an integral part of soul care. God has provided the church with the necessary resources for us to care well for one another. Prayer, the Word, the work of the Holy Spirit, and Christian community are God’s provisions to lead all of us to Christ—even those with the deepest struggles.  

Counselors, ministers, and lay leaders will be empowered to have confidence in God’s purpose for the church, the power of his Spirit, and the sufficiency of his Word for soul care. 

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Making Sense of Forgiveness

Posted on October 4, 2021 by Carl Simmons

Forgiveness is hard. This book can help make it easier. . . .

Making Sense of Forgiveness Moving from Hurt toward Hope eBook Brad Hambrick

Brad Hambrick. Making Sense of Forgiveness: Moving from Hurt Toward Hope. 160p., $15.99, New Growth Press.

Clichés, glib answers, and quick solutions are shared all too often with those who are struggling to forgive or embrace forgiveness. We know Jesus calls us to forgive, but it can be hard to know what that looks like in complicated, messy relationships. Pastor and counselor Brad Hambrick helps readers to understand that forgiveness is the start of a journey that doesn’t erase the past, but honestly confronts hurt and clears the way for a hope-filled discussion on how to move toward healing. 

Too often forgiveness is viewed as the culmination of a journey, but when someone says, “I forgive you,” they are not saying, “Things are all better now.” They are saying, “I have decided to relate to your offense towards me differently.” Hambrick helps readers make sense of forgiveness biblically and relationally by addressing a variety of common questions that arise when we have been hurt: Does forgiveness mean restoration of trust? Am I supposed to “forgive and forget”? What is the role of biblical wisdom and boundaries on the road to forgiveness?   

Making Sense of Forgiveness speaks to those who are struggling by acknowledging the seriousness of their pain, explaining the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation, and helping readers understand the relationship between forgiveness and emotional freedom. The author explores the characteristics of God’s forgiveness toward us and how that shapes our own forgiveness.  

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The Gospel

Posted on September 27, 2021 by Carl Simmons

Teaching the good news out of experience. . . .

Michael O’Dowd. The Gospel: A Redemption and Restoration Story. 272p., $16.99, Deep River Books.

All great stories have certain elements that resonate within. These are echoes of the ultimate story, the greatest story ever told—the Gospel, which is our story through faith. The Apostle Paul says: “I am eager to preach the gospel to you… It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:15-16). Author Michael O’Dowd uses the power of story to lead us through the epic message of good news beginning in Genesis where it all started, continuing all the way to Revelation, where this amazing story ends and all things become new.

Packed full of scripture and depth yet made understandable through the author’s own experience and explanation, The Gospel: A Redemption and Restoration Story describes doctrinal truth in story form, where God is the hero, and we are being saved. This book will help pastors and congregants alike understand the biblical details of the gospel that saves us—and keeps saving us.

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40 Questions about Roman Catholicism

Posted on September 20, 2021 by Carl Simmons

Separating genuine disagreement from assumption, and maybe starting a dialogue in the process. . . .

Gregg R. Allison. 40 Questions about Roman Catholicism. 336p., $23.99, Kregel Academic.

The Roman Catholic faith is one of the world’s most widespread religious traditions, yet the unique aspects of Roman Catholicism elicit perennial questions from adherents and outsiders alike. Such questions tend to fall into three major categories: historical backgrounds, theological matters, and personal relationships. Using Catholic Church documents and the writings of Catholic scholars, Baptist systematic theologian Gregg R. Allison distills the teachings of Catholicism around forty common questions about Catholic foundations, beliefs, and practices. The accessible question-and-answer format guides readers to the areas of interest, including:

  • Where do Roman Catholic and Protestant beliefs differ?
  • What happens during a Roman Catholic Mass?
  • How does Roman Catholicism understand the biblical teaching about Mary?
  • Who are the saints and what is their role?
  • How can my Roman Catholic loved ones and I talk about the gospel?

40 Questions About Roman Catholicism explores theology and practice, doctrine and liturgy, sacraments and Mariology, contributions and scandals, and many other things, clarifying both real and perceived differences and similarities with other Christian traditions.

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35 Realities

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Carl Simmons

Studying the truth about who you are. . . .

35 Realities: 35 Realities God provides Every Believer in the GIFT of Eternal Life by [Bill Stewart, Phil Largent]

Phil Largent and Bill Stewart. 35 Realities: Thirty-Five Realities God Provides Every Believer in the GIFT of Eternal Life. 186p., $3.99 (Kindle), IMD International.

We are living in a day of the uprooting of the faith. So many, it would seem, in the churches have very shallow and very few roots as believers. Some churches and believers have fake or false roots—attraction, emotionalism, tickling-of-the-ear teaching, Sunday rallies equal spiritual growth, etc. Believers know little of Jesus Christ beyond Sunday school stories. Their knowledge of the Christ-life seems little more than Christian platitudes—statements used too often to be interesting or thoughtful.

The pressures of society are pushing in against the body of Christ, hindering its witness and its disciple-making purposes. So many in the Lord are caving into this outside pressure. They cannot stand up firmly because they lack roots in Christ.

The Word of God puts forth all we need in Christ to stand firm—above all, to stand in Christ The gift of eternal life in Christ comes with at least 35 realities—meaning the state of things as they actually exist. These 35 realities need to be known, firmly grasped, and applied in our Christ-life. These 35 realities act as deep, strong roots, enabling each believer in Christ to hold to Christ in these latter days. We can also see them as steel rods (rebar) that run through the concrete foundation of Christ. These 35 realities are a great stabilizing force in the lives of believers. When we know and trust these 35 realities, we will not be shaken or uprooted in our Christ-life.

(BTW, IMD International is in the process of uploading all its past training manuals—most of which I’ve worked on—so keep an eye out and go fetch.)

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Invitation to Evangelism

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Carl Simmons

A look at both the historical roots and living branches of evangelism . . .

Invitation to Evangelism

Timothy K. Beougher. Invitation to Evangelism: Sharing the Gospel with Compassion and Conviction. 432p., $34.99, Kregel Academic.

What exactly does it mean to “evangelize” in a Christian sense? And how is such evangelizing supposed to be done? Longtime pastor, evangelist, and professor of evangelism Timothy K. Beougher answers these questions and more from theological, historical, and practical perspectives. Beougher demonstrates God’s goodness in evangelism through relatable anecdotes, Bible teaching, and encouraging instruction. Invitation to Evangelism welcomes believers into the experience of stepping out in faith of behalf of people God loves.

Most Christians know that they should be sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with nonbelievers, and most also know they aren’t witnessing very well, or even at all. They need help internalizing the content of gospel proclamation and identifying the best way to go about making evangelism a natural part of their lives. Invitation to Evangelism guides readers through the essential issues of the gospel message, evangelism methods, and witnessing models so they are ready and excited to move out in faith as everyday evangelists.

Beougher’s biblical, theological, historical, and practical teaching revolves around following essential aspects of being an evangelist:

  • Having compassion as the motivation for evangelism
  • Understanding the good news of Jesus Christ
  • Seeing lost people as persons God loves
  • Relying on the power of the Holy Spirit
  • Paving the way for new believers to share their faith eagerly with others
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