New book: Suffering and the Goodness of God edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson

Suffering and the Goodness of God edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson - Famine. Sickness. Terrorist Attacks. Natural disasters.

Each day horrific scenes of suffering are streamed before us through television, the Internet, and newspapers. Believers are taught that God is good, and they believe this truth. Yet when they are faced with suffering and hardships, the one question believers most often asked is, Why?

Suffering and the Goodness of God brings insight to many contemporary concerns of suffering by outlining Old and New Testament truths and tackling difficult questions concerning God's sovereignty, human freedom, and the nature of evil.

This book offers believers biblical truths concerning suffering and then challenges them to promote justice in the harsh, unsure world around them and to emulate God's grace as they minister to those who are suffering.

Part of the Theology in Community series.

Book information:

Title: Suffering and the Goodness of God 

Editors: Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson

Call number: 130 MOR

New book: Fallen: A Theology of Sin edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson

Fallen: A Theology of Sin edited by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson - From marital infidelity to global war, the world is obviously broken, leaving people desperate to find an explanation for our universal sin problem. In the latest addition to the Theology in Community series, Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson have assembled an interdisciplinary team of evangelical thinkers to explore the biblical doctrine of sin from a variety of angles. Among other contributors, popular scholar D. A. Carson discusses the contemporary significance of sin; seasoned professor Paul House details sin in the Old Testament law, prophets, and writings; and New Testament expert Douglas Moo explores sin from Paul's vantage point. This team of top-notch scholars offers modern readers a comprehensive overview of this oft-neglected, biblical theme so that readers might learn to live better in a sinful world.

Part of the Theology in Community series.

Book information:

Title: Fallen: A Theology of Sin

Editors: Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson

Call number: 130 MOR

New book: The Apostles' Creed by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

The Apostles' Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits by R. Albert Mohler Jr. - The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary reveals how understanding and living out of the oldest summary of Christian belief leads to a confident, bold, joy-filled existence in a world of confusion and uncertainty.

The Apostles' Creed has shaped and guided Christian faith for almost two thousand years. Few documents in the history of the church have similar influence on the life of ordinary believers. Shared by Protestant, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox traditions, the Apostles' Creed is perhaps the most compelling and formidable statement of Christian doctrine the world has ever known. But do we know what it really means—and how it applies to us today?

In The Apostles' Creed, renowned theologian and pastor R. Albert Mohler Jr. works line-by-line and phrase-by-phrase through each section of the Creed, explaining in clear terms what it means and how it equips Christians to live faithfully in a post-Christian culture. From understanding the nature of the Trinity and the miracle of the Incarnation to the world-shaking truth of the resurrection and the hope of Christ's return, the theological heritage contained in this ancient statement has the power to shape us for vibrant and steadfast living today. The Apostles' Creed shows us how.

Book information:

Title: The Apostles' Creed: Discovering Authentic Christianity in an Age of Counterfeits

Author: R. Albert Mohler Jr.

Call number: 130 MOH

New book: Life Lessons from Daniel and Esther by Max Lucado

Life Lessons from Daniel and Esther by Max Lucado - Staying faithful when the pressure was most intense. That’s what these two did.

The Jewish people had reason to be depressed. Their nation had been conquered. Their hometown was in ruins. They were living in captivity. Yet from the ashes, God raised up two key figures to preserve the Jewish race. Daniel was among the first of the captives carried away by the Babylonians. Although he lived in a culture opposed to God, he was always faithful to the Lord – even in the face of death – and ultimately was able to influence kings and rulers. Esther was in exile during the time of the Persian Empire. Like Daniel, the Lord also placed her in a position to influence those in power. God also called her to step out in faith and risk her life to foil a plot against her people. As a result of her bold actions, the entire Jewish race was saved from annihilation.

Book information:

Title: Life Lessons from Daniel and Esther

Author: Max Lucado

Call number: 107 LUC

New book: The Good News We Almost Forgot by Kevin DeYoung

The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism by Kevin DeYoung - The truth of the gospel is still contained within vintage faith statements. Within creeds and catechisms we can have our faith strengthened, our knowledge broadened, and our love for Jesus deepened. 

In The Good News We Almost Forgot, Kevin DeYoung explores the Heidelberg Catechism and writes 52 brief chapters on what it has shown him. The Heidelberg is largely a commentary on the Apostle's Creed, the Ten Commandments, and the Lord's Prayer, and deals with man's guilt, God's grace, and believers' gratitude. This book is a clear-headed, warm-hearted exploration of the faith, simple enough for young believers and deep enough for mature believers. 

DeYoung writes, "The gospel summarized in the Heidelberg Catechism is glorious, its Christ gracious, its comfort rich, its Spirit strong, its God Sovereign, and its truth timeless." Come and see how your soul can be warmed by the elegantly and logically stated doctrine that matters most: We are great sinners and Christ is a greater Savior!

Book information:

Title: The Good News We Almost Forgot: Rediscovering the Gospel in a 16th Century Catechism\

Author: Kevin DeYoung

Call number: 130 DEY

New book: Enjoying God by Tim Chester

Enjoying God : Experience the power and love of God in everyday life by Tim Chester - We believe in God, we serve God, we trust God, but would we say that we experience God on a day to day basis? Do we really know him personally? What exactly does a relationship with God look like, and how is it even possible?

In this seminal work by Tim Chester, we’ll see how the three persons of the Trinity relate to us in our day-to-day lives and how to respond. We’ll discover that as we interact more with God, and understand how awesome he is, we will experience the joy of being known by the creator of the universe.

Every Christian will benefit from discovering the key to enjoying God in every moment of everyday.

Book information:

Title: Enjoying God : Experience the power and love of God in everyday life

Author: Tim Chester

Call number: 201 CHE

New book: Just Do Something by Kevin deYoung

Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin deYoung - A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will or How to Make a Decision Without Dreams, Visions, Fleeces, Impressions, Open Doors, Random Bible Verses, Casting Lots, Liver Shivers, Writing in the Sky, etc.

Hyper-spiritual approaches to finding God's will don't work. It's time to try something new: Give up.

Pastor and author Kevin DeYoung counsels Christians to settle down, make choices, and do the hard work of seeing those choices through. Too often, he writes, God's people tinker around with churches, jobs, and relationships, worrying that they haven't found God's perfect will for their lives. Or—even worse—they do absolutely nothing, stuck in a frustrated state of paralyzed indecision, waiting . . . waiting . . . waiting for clear, direct, unmistakable direction.

But God doesn't need to tell us what to do at each fork in the road. He's already revealed his plan for our lives: to love him with our whole hearts, to obey His Word, and after that, to do what we like.

No need for hocus-pocus. No reason to be directionally challenged. Just do something.

Book information:

Title: Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will

Author: Kevin deYoung

Call number: 208 DEY

New book: Life Lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah by Max Lucado

Life Lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah by Max Lucado - Two leaders, one burning mission: restoration.

When the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon, they found the city laid waste, the temple destroyed, and their way of life obliterated. Out of the ashes of this devastation, two leaders emerged to restore the foundations of their worship and their city. Ezra, the first to return, set out to restore true worship in Jerusalem by reminding the people of God’s teaching, what it meant for them, and how it should shape their lives. Nehemiah, the next to arrive, exchanged his royal cupbearer’s robes for coveralls and got to work rebuilding the wall. The project took twelve years and was an uphill battle all the way – with grumpy workers, squabbles, and enemies lurking at every turn. The efforts of these men reveal just how much God can accomplish in our lives when we follow where he leads.

Book information:

Title: Life Lessons from Ezra and Nehemiah

Author: Max Lucado

Call number: 107 LUC