As October draws to its close, I wanted to ensure you know about at least some of the most notable books it brought our way. I did not see quite the quantity of new books I have seen in some previous months, but there were still some special ones. For each, I’ve provided the publisher’s description to give you a sense of what it’s all about. I hope there is something here that’s of interest to you!
Daily Doctrine: A One-Year Guide to Systematic Theology by Kevin DeYoung. “All thoughtful Christians want to better understand the Bible, its author, and its influence on their beliefs. In short—whether they recognize it or not—they want to understand theology. But many find the subject matter too academic, dense, or difficult to understand, and they lack proper study resources to help expand their knowledge of God and his written word. Designed to make systematic theology clear and accessible for the everyday Christian, this devotional walks through the most important theology topics over the course of a year. Each month is categorized into broad themes, starting with the study of God and concluding with the end times. Written by bestselling author and associate professor of systematic theology Kevin DeYoung, each concise daily reading contains verses for meditation and application, building upon each other and easing readers into the study of systematic theology.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Let Earth Receive Her King: Daily Readings for Advent by Alistair Begg. “Follow the story of God’s Messiah from Genesis to Revelation. See how God prepared the world for Christ’s first coming and how that wondrous gift was given; and look forward to Christ’s future coming and how all things will be made new. Alongside Alistair Begg’s insightful Bible devotion, each day features a question to aid personal reflection and a carol or hymn to enjoy meditating upon. These readings will make December a month of celebrating the wonder of Christmas and the hope of Christ’s return. A free preaching guide is available to make it easy for a sermon series to sync up with church members’ daily advent reading.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse by Carl Trueman. “Critical theory has many faces; its complexities and nuances present a challenge to those seeking to engage with its thought. In order to understand critical theory today, we must first understand its origins, its development, and its consequences. To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse by Carl R. Trueman is an accessible introduction to the history and development of critical theory. From Hegel and Marx, to Korsch and Lukács, to the Frankfurt School, to Wilhelm Reich and Herbert Marcuse—Trueman focuses on the key figures of critical theory, positioning them within their historical context and tracing the development of critical theory through its various movements, evolutions, nuances, and consequences.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Daily Liturgy Devotional: 40 Days of Worship and Prayer by Douglas Sean O’Donnell. “Regular quiet time with the Lord is essential for the spiritual growth and faith of believers. But forming this habit can be difficult without the proper resources or discipline. The Daily Liturgy Devotional offers 40 readings filled with content for prayer, worship, and Scripture reading, helping believers consistently and meditatively meet with God. Unique to this devotional, the Daily Liturgy Devotional is organized thematically, covering 8 topics of the Christian faith, including love, hope, wisdom, holiness, perseverance, and more. Each daily reading includes a set of prayers, a Scripture reading, concise comments, prayer prompts, a memory verse, and an applicable hymn. Space for note-taking allows readers to further interact with the reflective tone of liturgy and the richness of Scripture.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Consider the Lilies: Finding Perfect Peace in the Character of God by Jonny Ardavanis. “Find freedom from anxiety as you lift your gaze from the problems and pressures of this world to the changeless and powerful character of your heavenly Father. Is my cancer back? Is my job secure? Will I ever get married? Are my children safe? Our lives are often a chronicle of trouble, pain, and uncertainty–and God’s children yearn for peace. Many who wrestle with anxiety and despair know that the Bible calls them to “trust God,” but what does that even mean? In Consider the Lilies, pastor, podcaster, and speaker Jonny Ardavanis shows us God’s consistent response to those who are worn down by worry and badgered by melancholy: He proclaims His own character. Drawing on that perspective-shifting model, Jonny offers biblical insight on how to ground our thoughts and fix our gaze on who God is. Consider the Lilies is for those who long for liberation from their anxiety and fear–and desire to deeply know the God they are called and enabled to trust. If you are starved for hope and gasping for peace, consider the character of your heavenly Father, who welcomes all who are anxious, fearful, and melancholy to trust in Him.” (Buy it at Amazon)
You Will Be My Witnesses: Theology for God’s Church Serving in God’s Mission by Brian A. DeVries. “Mission is God’s work. God spoke the first promise of gospel hope, sent his Son into this fallen world, and commissioned his Spirit to empower his church for witness. Until the day Christ returns, God has called his people to participate in his mission through evangelism, apologetics, church planting, cultural engagement, gospel suffering, and many other activities that faithfully communicate gospel hope in Christ. This practical introduction provides a biblical framework for understanding the church’s role in God’s mission. It reviews the biblical story of God’s mission, draws insights from the church’s witness since Pentecost, and studies aspects of contemporary Christian witness. Each chapter ends with study questions to encourage further reflection and discussion by church members and ministry leaders. Readers will gain refreshing insights into how they can participate in faithfully bearing witness to Christ through the church’s work in the world today.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
One with My Lord: The Life-Changing Reality of Being in Christ by Sam Allberry. “Followers of Jesus refer to themselves primarily as “Christians,” but the New Testament frequently used a more meaningful term: “in Christ.” Disconnected from this deeper understanding of the gospel, believers today can miss out on the significance of unity with the Lord and its power to enrich every area of their lives. In One with My Lord, Sam Allberry examines the doctrine of union with Christ through a rich study of New Testament scriptures. Each chapter is short enough to be read as a devotional, giving believers a fresh lens to view the gospel daily as they pursue holiness, resist sin, build community, and worship God. In a time when people are searching for a place to belong, One with My Lord reminds believers that they have a perfect home in Christ.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
You Are Welcomed: Devotions for When Life Is a Lot by Trish Donohue. “You Are Welcomed by a loving God is the gospel truth we need to hear when life is an unruly combination of responsibilities, relationships, interruptions, dreams, and drama. In this ten-week devotional, author and women’s ministry leader Trish Donohue helps women who are weary turn to the Lord, put down their burdens, rest in his welcome, and then welcome others to walk with Jesus too. Trish shares stories of biblical men and women who brought their burdens to the Lord. Each story exemplifies a different sort of pressure, including busyness, disillusionment, crisis, isolation, envy, doubt, fear, and failure. You are not alone in what you’re facing, and God wants to meet you in the same ways he has shown himself to his people from the beginning.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
You Are Secure: Devotions for When Life is Uncertain by Aimee Joseph. “We live in a world filled with anxiety, turmoil, and constant change. But anchoring our hope in Christ brings us the security we so desperately need. We may be tempted to think that feelings of instability and insecurity are mostly modern problems, but they have plagued the human heart from the beginning. They were challenges of the church in Colossae. Paul wrote his letter to address the specific ways that the Colossians’ stability was being jeopardized by clever lies and the infiltration of false beliefs. He prayed and longed for them to hold firm to the hope of the gospel as he reminded them that they had all they needed in Jesus. Through You Are Secure, an eight-week devotional centered on the book of Colossians, Aimee Joseph helps us see that it is our union with Christ that fills our hearts with peace. Amidst a largely insecure world, our security is anchored into the unchanging person of Jesus.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Reclaiming the Dark Ages: How the Gospel Light Shone from 500 to 1500 by Iain Wright & Yannick Imbert. “See how the thread of orthodoxy runs throughout the history of the church – even in the thousand years known as the ‘Dark Ages’. If you study church history closely, you will see that there is a continuous thread of faithful, glorifying theology that gives God due honour, that takes Scripture as the principal authority over life and faith, and that nourishes our wonder and worship. Despite its somewhat derogatory name, we can see that the light of the gospel was by no means extinguished in the millennium between 500 and 1500. Iain Wright and Yannick Imbert outline the story of this time through the lives of ten key figures of the Medieval Church.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
A Treasury of Nature: Illustrated Poetry, Prose, and Praise by Leland Ryken. For whatever reason there is only a brief description for this book. Yet I’m sure it is in the same vein as Ryken’s similar books A Treasury of Thanksgiving and Poetry of Redemption both of which provided thematic poems and devotions. “Calvin, Spurgeon, and Luther appear alongside Wordsworth, Twain, and Emerson in a vibrant celebration of God’s creation. Ryken joins great works of poetry, hymnody, prose, and art with accessible literary analysis.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
