Innocence & Instinct (CD)Red
Provident/Sony, February 2009
For people who haven't heard the first effort, Red's style is best described as melodic modern rock. The songs run the mix from displaying hard and heavy headbang-inducing riffs (Death of Me, Fight Inside) to softer, chill-at-night ballads if I must (Take It All Away, the cover of Ordinary World). Don't expect any soloing. This band is all about well-written lyrics that convey a very positive message, and well-executed vocals from both the lead and backup vocalists. Overall, I think the style can be likened to a cross between 10 Years (melodic) and Pillar (hard and heavy).
The Jesus Chronicles: Luke's StoryTim LaHaye & Jerry Jenkins
Putnam Praise, February 2009
Luke never met Jesus. Unlike the other Gospel writers, he never witnessed Jesus perform miracles or heard Him impart the Word that healed the souls of so many. No, his was a belief built on faith alone, like that of believers today. And his Gospel, filled with the stories of the Lord’s divinity, speaks to the hearts of Christians everywhere. In Luke’s Story, we follow him as he rises from Greek slave to university-educated physician. Along the way, he meets Saul of Tarsus, a formidable Hebrew debater who becomes both Luke’s role model and greatest competitor. Luke is intrigued but skeptical when he hears tales of a man named Jesus who purportedly performs great miracles of healing. But the dramatic story of the conversion and redemption of Saul, now called Paul, and the miraculous healing of one of his own patients by prayer, irreversibly changes Luke’s spiritual life. He pledges himself to Christ and makes the life-changing choice to write a Gospel based on years of interviewing believers about their conversions and listening to stories of the Lord’s life from those who knew Him—most important, His mother, Mary. Luke wrote his Gospel to appeal to women, nonbelievers, and the disenfranchised. The result is scripture rich in the miraculous stories of Jesus that touches people all over the world today.
An Untroubled HeartMicca Campbell
David C. Cook, March 2009
Micca Campbell knows all too well the unpredictable nature of life. As the 21-year-old mother of an infant son, her world was shattered when she lost her husband to a tragic accident. Reeling from her loss, Micca feared for her future, and struggled to overcome her aching loneliness. Yet in her darkest moment, she discovered God's remedy for our deepest fears. Micca presents a woman's guide for living a carefree, worry-free life. She explores the anxieties of every woman's heart from insecurities, to finances, to marital challenges, to raising healthy children. With her distinctive southern flair and casual humor, Micca shares remarkable insights for finding freedom from fear. You'll be encouraged to lay down your worries, trust in your Heavenly Father, and embrace a life marked by peace and joy. (Includes Bible Study questions at the end of each chapter.)
Lost and FoundStetzer, Stanley, Hayes
B & H, February 2009
Who are the young unchurched, and how can they be reached with the good news of Jesus Christ? In a poll result highlighted by CNN Headline News and USA Today, nearly half of nonchurchgoers between the ages of twenty and twenty-nine agreed with the statement, "Christians get on my nerves." Now, researchers behind the larger study present Lost and Found, a blend of dynamic hard data and modern day parable that tells the real story of an unchurched generation that is actually quite spiritual and yet circumspect, open to Jesus but not the church. As such, Lost and Found is written to the church, using often-surprising results from the copious research here to strike another nerve and break some long established assumptions about how to effectively engage the lost. Ed Stetzer and his associates first offer a detailed investigation of the four younger unchurched types. With a better understanding of their unique experiences, they next clarify the importance each type places on community, depth of content, social responsibility, and making cross-generational connections in relation to spiritual matters. Most valuably, Lost and Found finds the churches that have learned to reach unchurched young adults by paying close attention to those key markers vetted by the research. Their exciting stories will make it clear how your church can bring searching souls from this culture to authentic faith in Christ. Those who are lost can indeed be found. Come take a closer look.
Quite Confidence for a Woman's HeartElizabeth George
Harvest House, March 2009
This inspiring devotional journey through Psalm 23 encourages women to walk ever more closely with God. Bestselling author Elizabeth George shows women 12 truths that will help them in every season of life. As readers discover how David, a man of faith and failure, overcame his challenges and built his trust in God, they will uncover strength for their own journey as they embrace promises of: provision for all that a woman needs, healing of brokenness and past wounds, comfort for the trials, protection for their physical and spiritual journey, and guidance for decisions and choices. God’s assurances create a powerful foundation for every woman to stand on and depend on as they live out a life of faith and hope with an unfailing confidence in Christ.
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