Manhood

Posted on February 27, 2023 by Carl Simmons

Mike Hatch. Manhood: Empowered by the Light of the Gospel. 112p., $14.99, Deep River Books.

Most men today are disempowered. Lost and groping in the dark, they are driven by fear and insecurity. Isolation and loneliness have defined us as a generation, and the tragic result has been dysfunctional marriage, broken families, and a society with no mooring to truth. Addictions to pornography, alcohol, drugs, and gaming have enslaved men and stolen our confidence.

As a recovering pornography addict himself, Pastor Mike Hatch is well acquainted with feelings of disempowerment and hopelessness. Whether you are battling addiction, infidelity, or a crisis of purpose or identity, you will find this book to be accessible, readable, and highly actionable, built for you to make progress quickly and intentionally.

The empowered man does not just know about God but is known by him; he understands God as the source of power for character improvement; and he transcends his own agenda to be a powerful tool in the hand of God. Manhood: Empowered by the Light of the Gospel focuses on these three principles to provide guidance, encouragement, and resources for Christian men who are struggling with fear and insecurity. You’ll learn how being Known by God, Grown by God, and Owned by God provides the contentment to accept all circumstances of life, the clarity to embrace your transcendent and redemptive purpose, and the freedom to live courageously once again.

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A Commentary on Jeremiah

Posted on February 20, 2023 by Carl Simmons

Breaking down Jeremiah—even as we watch him break down over Judah. . . .

Michael B. Shepherd. A Commentary on Jeremiah. 912p., $57.99, Kregel Academic.

The book that bears the prophet Jeremiah’s name does not merely document the past but looks forward to God’s future and final work in Christ. Perhaps more than any book of the Old Testament, Jeremiah attests to the process of its own writing, transmission, and editing, and these internal clues confirm its original purpose as a book for all time and for every nation.

Michael Shepherd carefully lays out Jeremiah’s far-reaching message with passage-by-passage translation and up-to-date commentary. The themes of judgment and restoration certainly concern Israel’s historical judgment at the hands of the Babylonians and their subsequent return, but also the eschatological judgment of all worldly opposition to God and a final restoration and flourishing in the land of the covenant.

Shepherd’s second volume in the Kregel Exegetical Library series, this commentary makes a significant contribution to the academic dialogue on the book of Jeremiah and its connections to the rest of Scripture. The exploration is helpful for the scholar but accessible and useful for the pastor, examining the themes of covenant, kingship, judgement, restoration, and the nations.

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Sustaining Revival

Posted on February 13, 2023 by Carl Simmons

The little-known story of the widespread revival in Nagaland, India—and its aftermath . . .

C. B. Newell. Sustaining Revival. 256p., $16.99, Deep River Books.

There are occasions in biblical history where we see a breaking-in of the spirit of God. In addition, there is a command and a promise that indicates the possibility of revival in all generations after Christ, in all places. The area inhabited by the Naga tribes (much of this area was set up as Nagaland, a state of India, on Dec. 1, 1963) experienced such a visit from God in a series of waves during the second half of the twentieth century.

God’s recent visitation in Nagaland was one of the most significant anywhere in the world. Yet little is available telling about it. This book fills that void.

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Marv Taking Charge

Posted on February 6, 2023 by Carl Simmons

A tough but enlightening—and affecting—look at end-of-life matters. . . .

Lois Hoitenga Roelofs. Marv Taking Charge: A Story of Bold Love and Courage. 224p., $16.99, Deep River Books.

Lois Roelofs always knew that Marv, her husband of fifty-five years, had strong convictions. So when he was diagnosed with “very aggressive” small cell lung cancer, with a few weeks to a few months to live, she accepted that he wanted to die on his own terms―refuse chemo, choose quality of life over quantity, and die at home. She tells their story in a mix of personal notes, family and friend emails, and public blog posts written during Marv’s illness and her first months as a widow. At the time, she could find no personal accounts of refusing treatment and living with the resultant uncertainty.

Lois wrote this book to honor her husband Marv’s request to tell the story of their experience when he chose to refuse treatment for a diagnosis of small cell lung cancer. Family, friends, and readers of Lois’s blog in real time confirmed interest in the topic of refusing treatment. She wanted to show her readers that achieving patient autonomy, doing what’s right for them, is possible and, implicitly, to caution readers never to blindly follow medical advice.

Marv Taking Charge will be helpful to those facing a critical decision whether or not to treat a terminal illness. It will help answer questions such as 1) what can happen after the diagnostic visits, 2) when to sign up for hospice, 3) what can be expected from hospice, 4) how to spend the time during the uncertain period when all persons involved are waiting for the worsening of the patient’s illness, and 5) what can happen during the progression of the illness.

The main theme is patient autonomy, having the right to make decisions regarding care.

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Rethinking Rest

Posted on January 30, 2023 by Carl Simmons

A different take on rest and the Sabbath. . . .

Gregory D. Hall. Rethinking Rest: Why Our Approach to Sabbath Isn’t Working. 240p., $15.99, Deep River Books.

Today’s concept of biblical rest . . . isn’t working. Our numerous discussions about “which day” and “how” the seventh-day sabbath should be observed have distracted, confused, and caused apathy within an entire generation of believers. But biblical rest is dramatically different than most suppose. Dr. Gregory D. Hall explains how we went off course and offers fresh insight into the original intent of sabbath rest.

Have you abandoned the sabbath? Do you feel disenfranchised with the practices of the modern church? Are you willing to rethink what you thought you already knew? This book will challenge you to expand your scope and reengage the topic in new ways. Its simple practicality is a breath of fresh air for what has become a stagnant discussion along party lines.

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40 Questions About Women in Ministry

Posted on January 23, 2023 by Carl Simmons

It is what it says it is. . . . 🙂

Sue Edwards and Kelley Matthews. 40 Questions About Women in Ministry. 336p., $24.99, Kregel Ministry.

40 Questions About Women in Ministry charts a course for understanding differing views on the topic regarding the ministries of women. The accessible question-and-answer format guides readers to specific areas of confusion, and authors helpfully zero in on the foundations of varied beliefs and practices. Edwards and Mathews cover interpretive, theological, historical, and practical matters such as:

  • What did God mean by the woman as man’s “helper”?
  • How is it that Christians reach different conclusions about 1 Timothy 2:11-15?
  • How did Western culture influence the role of women in society and the church?

Combining a strong adherence to Scripture, vast academic and ministry experiences, and a commitment to Christ-honoring dialogue, 40 Questions About Women in Ministry is a valuable guide to pastors, ministry leaders, church groups, and seminarians.

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Clarifying Christianity

Posted on January 16, 2023 by Carl Simmons

Jacquelyn Guinn and Allan Guinn. Clarifying Christianity: A 12-Week Study for Confused Churchgoers. $16.99, Deep River Books.

Why should we trust the Bible? Why would a good God allow pain and suffering? How can Hell be just? These questions and more have been largely ignored by churches today, but it is time for them to be brought to light—and this twelve-week study is the way forward for anyone looking for their answers.

Despite attending church every Sunday, many Christians still lack a deep understanding of the gospel. Most services are planned to attract crowds and entertain, not to build disciples. Clarifying Christianity moves past the generic spirituality that is so prevalent in America today to instead examine foundational biblical concepts. Through twelve weeks of study, you will learn the answers to important questions about the Bible, sin, God, and more. Each of the weeks of study is designed for simple access and education, featuring historical background, discussion of key Scripture passages, prompts for Bible reading and Scripture memory, and questions for reflection and discussion.

This engaging study presents a detailed picture of Christianity to believers and nonbelievers both. Built on clear research and presented with passion, the twelve topics of study will help anyone asking the important questions to develop a thorough understanding of the Bible and to solidify and defend their own faith. Clarifying Christianity is essential to living as a Christian in America today.

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Kerux: 1 Peter

Posted on January 9, 2023 by Carl Simmons

All you can eat (and preach) about 1 Peter. . . .

Timothy E. Miller and Bryan Murawski. 1 Peter: A Commentary for Biblical Preaching and Teaching. Kerux Commentaries. 336p., $32.99, Kregel Academic.

Kerux Commentaries enable pastors and teachers to understand and effectively present the main message in a biblical text.

Each volume uniquely combines the insights of an experienced Bible exegete (trained in interpretation) and a homiletician (trained in preaching). These two authors work together to explain the essential message for the original listeners or readers, unpack its timeless truth, and then provide a contemporary restatement and communication insights for the key biblical concept. Every book is a resource designed and written with the real needs of the pastor and teacher always in sight, providing many ways to creatively express the principal thought in a biblical passage.

Based on the Big Idea preaching model, Kerux enhances the reader’s ability to deliver a message that is biblical, cohesive, and dynamic.

In 1 Peter, Timothy Miller and Bryan Murawski demonstrate how the activity of the triune God provides both encouragement and exhortation to the first-century readers of 1 Peter. The God who created and called believers has both redeemed them and empowered them to stand firm in the face of the world’s rejection. Such theological realities apply also to today’s believers, those elect of God yet exiles in the world. Miller and Murawski infuse textual, canonical, historical, and rhetorical insight to support the preaching preparation of expositors eager to share the relevance of 1 Peter with their congregations.

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Irrevocable

Posted on December 19, 2022 by Carl Simmons

Learning to communicate grace in our difficulty and brokenness—including the physical kind. . . .

John M. Espy. Irrevocable: A Story of Human Aphasia and Divine Grace. 400p., $17.99, Deep River Books.

The ability to express and understand written and spoken language is impaired in individuals who are experiencing human aphasia. The disorder is considered common with over 200,000 new cases diagnosed each year. While it can occur suddenly or more slowly, it is always the result of some type of brain injury.

Pam Espy experienced human aphasia following a stroke when she was 53 years old. Doctors and therapists said they had done all that could be done for Pam. Her church family was loving and welcoming but placed no expectations on her. Pam’s husband John held tightly to his firm belief that God’s still had a plan and a call on Pam’s life. In the New International Version of the Bible, Romans 11:29 says, “God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

Clinging to this promise from Scripture, John believed that Pam was not diminished; she was merely broken—just as he was also broken, just as we all are also broken. It is in that brokenness that God’s love and mercy can be seen, as it shines through our broken places when we invite him into our brokenness.

This is the story of how John and Pam learned to embrace their brokenness together and invite God to shine in the midst of it, making it more beautiful than they could have imagined. This memoir is also a work of reflection, drawing on Scripture, poetry, neuroscience, and more than forty accounts of other stroke and brain injury survivors. Ultimately, it is a love story, a meditation on what remains when everything is shaken.

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Pawned

Posted on December 5, 2022 by Carl Simmons

Looking at our sexuality from a biblical standpoint. . . .

Dr. Gary Foshee. Pawned: Redeeming Our God-Given Sexuality. 264p., $16.99, Deep River Books.

People walk into pawn shops every day and pawn priceless heirlooms for pennies on the dollar, and Dr. Gary Foshee claims that many people do the same with sex.

Numerous men and women report feeling shameful, dirty, and even fearful, before, during, and after sex. Others report they have no sexual desire and are repulsed by the thought of it. Although millions of people experience these same feelings, this was not and is not God’s design.

Pawned sexuality—whether the result of lack of knowledge, sexual immorality, or abuse—leaves deep physical, emotional, and spiritual scars that distort people’s view of themselves, others, and God.

Modern culture has changed especially on issues of marriage, sex, and sexuality. Immoral sexual ideologies and practices have breached biblical battle lines, clouding the hearts and minds of humanity in a fog of sexual confusion. Erroneous teachings confuse Christians, who already have trouble navigating sexual issues, making their sexual journey tempestuous and difficult, which often leaves them with deep physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual scars of shame and guilt.

The need for sound biblical teaching on sexuality remains critical. The digital age has revolutionized the way humans view, think, and act on issues pertaining to sexuality. Smartphones, social media, online dating sites, and easy access to instantly viewable and downloadable pornography all influence risky and unhealthy sexual behaviors, both physically and spiritually.

Pawned reveals preeminent and compulsory truths that God envisioned for sex and His transcendental plans to protect and purify the marriage bed all the way to the time of the new creation. This book teaches single and married couples how to redeem the gift of sex and honor God with their bodies. It provides insight and a healthy sexual compass for a variety of sexual issues and practices Christians want answered.

A powerful section on healing and restoration will enable all who have been sexually abused, molested, or raped to triumphantly redeem their sexuality. It also looks briefly at sexual addiction (SA), spiritual injury, and how to recognize signs of sexual abuse.

In this book, Dr. Foshee brings clarity and direction by addressing the tough questions. People need a definitive scriptural compass to help them establish healthy sexual parameters and perimeters—a compass keeping them holy and their marriage beds pure. Pawned is that compass.

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