New Releases May 7, 2009

The Jesus of the Bible
Stephen M. Miller
Barbour Books, February 2009
More than any other Bible character, Jesus is the person both Christians and non-Christians admire and want to better understand. Now, from Stephen M. Miller, author of the bestselling Who's Who and Where's Where in the Bible, this brand-new reference details the life of Christ, His teachings, and the faith He introduced to the world - all in Miller's casual, easy-to-read journalistic style. Miller sets the story in the Roman world where Jesus lived, adding new insights from archaeology and ancient history. Gorgeous full-color illustrations, fascinating sidebars, and a complete topical index round out this important book, a tremendous value at less than $15.



Success Kills
Wayde Goodall
New Leaf Publishing Group, April 2009
SUCCESS-we crave it, work for it, dream of it, want it as a personal achievement, but how we each define it differs. Power, influence, wealth, fame, or a position of authority the hallmarks of success we strive for can just as easily become the cause of our destruction, if we don t have a clear set of boundaries by which to live. Corporate and religious scandals of recent years have caused unprecedented havoc and heartache in the world's economy and in the church world. Executive and spiritual arrogance causes a toxic atmosphere in too many organizations. There are safeguards and principles we must focus on to ensure balance with excellence in what we do. Core questions to be considered include: Should you fear success? Why do so many fail when they attain success? Is failure considered a friend or foe? Do you have a balanced ego or a pre-occupation with self? Take a discerning look at the concept of success in a personal, professional, and spiritual context in Success Kills. Explore the gift of adversity, finding a moral "north", learning from mistakes, and why some fear "successful" leaders. Discover a more important definition of success and the principles you can put in place today to achieve without compromising yourself or your future.


Eyes Wide Open
Jud Wilhite
Multnomah Books, April 2009
I had it all backwards. The main thing was not my love for God, but his love for me. And from that love I respond to God as one deeply flawed, yet loved. I’m not looking to prove my worth. I’m not searching for acceptance. I’m living out of the worth God already declares I have. I’m embracing his view of me and in the process discovering the person he created me to be. In Eyes Wide Open, Jud Wilhite invites you to discover the real you. Not the you who pretends to be perfect to satisfy everyone’s expectations. Not the you who always feels guilty before God. Not the you who secretly feels God forgives everyone else but only tolerates you. Not the you who looks in the mirror and sees a failure. The real you, loved and forgiven by God, living out of your identity in Christ. A travel guide through real spirituality from one incomplete person to another, Eyes Wide Open is a book of stories about following God in the messes of life, about broken pasts and our lifelong need for grace. It is a book about seeing ourselves and God with new eyes–eyes wide open to a God of love.


Not Just a One Night Stand: Ministry with the Homeless
John Flowers
Discipleship Resources, March 2009
Every church and Christian disciple can find a variety of channels to use to minister to those who are homeless. Flowers and Vannoy help open the eyes of church communities so they can see these opportunities for ministry outside the walls of the church. The authors provide experiential anecdotes and reflect on ways in which congregations can minister with homeless persons. This book is a word from one companion to another rather than a guilt-inducing text on social action.


Rethinking Retirement: Finishing Life for the Glory of Christ
John Piper
Crossway Books, April 2009
John Piper challenges fellow baby boomers to forego the American dream of retirement and live out their golden years with a far greater purpose in mind. They say it’s a person’s reward for all those years of labor. “Turn in your time card and trade in your IRAs. Let travel plans and golf-course leisure lead the way.” But is retirement really the ideal? Or is it a series of poor options that ignore a greater purpose—and will kill a person more quickly than old age? John Piper responds: “Lord, spare me this curse!” And his resounding message is for anyone who believes there’s far more to the golden years than accumulating comforts. It’s for readers who long to finish better than they started, persevere for the right reasons (and without fear), experience true security, value what lies beyond their cravings, and live dangerously for the One who gave his life in his prime. With this brief book, Piper is sure to spur fellow baby boomers in their resolve to invest themselves in the sacrifices of love—and to grow old with godly zeal.



This Momentary Marriage
John Piper
Crossway Books, April 2009
Reflecting on forty years of matrimony, John Piper exalts the biblical meaning of marriage over its emotion, exhorting couples to keep their covenant for all the best reasons. Even in the days when people commonly stayed married “’til death do us part,” there has never been a generation whose view of marriage was high enough, says Pastor John Piper. That is all the more true in our casual times. Though personal selfishness and cultural bondage obstruct the wonder of God’s purpose, it is found in God’s Word, where his design can awaken a glorious vision capable of freeing every person from small, Christ-ignoring, romance-intoxicated views. As Piper explains in reflecting on forty years of matrimony: “Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God. It displays the covenant-keeping love between Christ and his people to the world in a way that no other event or institution does. Marriage, therefore, is not mainly about being in love. It’s mainly about telling the truth with our lives. And staying married is not about staying in love. It is about keeping covenant and putting the glory of Christ’s covenant-keeping love on display.” This Momentary Marriage unpacks the biblical vision, its unexpected contours, and its weighty implications for married, single, divorced, and remarried alike.



Dear Diary
FM Statik
Tooth & Nail Records, March 2009
Thousand Foot Krutch offshoot FM Static returns with the groups first concept album where every lyric is the innermost thought of a soul- searching teenager. Although Dear Diary is a work of fiction, Trevor McNevan says, "the songs reflect thoughts me and my friends all had growing up. And there's a lot of me in the more serious songs toward the end." Includes "Man, Whatcha Doin?", "Take Me As I Am," "Sometimes You Can Forget Who You Are," and more.



The Moment Between
Nicole Baart
Tyndale, April 2009
Abigail Bennett was completely in control of her life until tragedy pushed her to the brink of something she's never experienced: Obsession. Now she's given up everything she's worked for to chase down the object of that obsession. His name is Tyler Kamp. As Abigail follows him across the border into Canada, her journey is awash in memories of family and childhood, especially those of her younger sister, Hailey. Even as Abigail races into her future, her past pulls her back. Only when she is brought to the edge of her obsession will she be able to come to terms with the tragedy that ignited it.



Unfashionable
Tullian Tchividjian
Multnomah Publishing, April 2009
Tullian Tchividjian remembers the Sunday morning he woke up hung over, still dressed in the clothes he'd worn until passing out during a night of partying. After five-years of hard living, Tullian had come to the end of himself. He got up and went down the street to church. What he found there shocked him--a community of Christians who joyfully and radically lived out the Gospel in ways he’d never seen before. The encounter showed him a new way of living in the world–and he came to personal faith in Christ. Tullian's experience convinced him that young Christians today don’t want a faith community that tries to come off as appealing and trendy. Christ followers are called to embrace a standard that’s “out of this world.” Why? Because the only way to make a difference in the world is by being different.



Parenting Your Teen and Loving It
Susie Davis
Baker Publishing, April 2009
Moms know: it's never been tougher to be the parent of a teenager. Slammed doors. Cell phones and Facebook. Surging hormones. How can a mom build a great relationship with her teen? With humor and biblical wisdom, Susie Davis guides frazzled moms through the stormy teen years. This seasoned mother of three shows how to effectively influence teens without irritating them, offers scriptural help for tough situations, and shares prayers and promises from Scripture that will encourage even the most discouraged moms. Readers will discover how to set reasonable limits and cultivate fair-minded expectations. Mothers will gain better perspective on a teen's emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical development, while learning to become the mom God designed them to be.



Dance Me, Daddy
Cindy Morgan
Zonderkidz, April 2009
"If I am your princess, then you are king of the world.” Singer and songwriter Cindy Morgan celebrates the love God blesses between a girl and her father in this picture book that families will treasure from childhood to wedding day. Includes a CD of the song King of the World performed by Point of Grace and author Cindy Morgan reading the book.



American Patriot's Bible: The Word of God and the Shaping of America
New King James Version
Thomas Nelson, April 2009
THE ONE BIBLE THAT SHOWS HOW 'A LIGHT FROM ABOVE' SHAPED OUR NATION. Never has a version of the Bible targeted the spiritual needs of those who love our country more than The American Patriot's Bible. This extremely unique Bible shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible and includes a beautiful full-color family record section, memorable images from our nation's history and hundreds of enlightening articles which complement the New King James Version Bible text.



In the Hands of God
Newsboys
Inpop Records, April 2009
With five gold albums, more than twenty #1 radio hits, a mantel of Dove Awards, Grammy nominations, and more than six million records sold, Newsboys' pop/rock sound, groundbreaking tours, and live performances continue to satisfy diehard fans---and win new ones! Includes "No Grave," "Glorious," "The Way We Roll," "My Friend Jesus," the title track, and more.



Jars of Clay
The Long Fall Back to Earth
Essential Records, April 2009
The acclaimed rock band is back with lyrics that explore real-life issues and day-to-day experiences of the beauty and tension of relationships---and why they're worth fighting for! Arena-swelling rhythms and '80s-influenced sound flavor this 14-track CD that includes the songs "Two Hands," "Closer," "Hero," "Headphones," "There Might Be a Light," "Scenic Route," "Forgive Me," and "Heaven."



Love Takes Wing DVD
Fox Faith, May 2009
The seventh heartwarming installment in Janette Oke's Love Comes Softly saga! When a plague ravages their small Missouri town, citizens blame the local orphanage. Feisty doctor Belinda Simpson (Sarah Jones) joins forces with Lee (Jordan Bridges), a handsome young blacksmith, to prevent them from shutting it down. Will a righteous cause lead to romance? Stars Cloris Leachman, Patrick Duffy, and Haylie Duff. Approx. 90 minutes.




Faith Like Potatoes
Affirm Films, May 2009
Where there's love, there's hope. Adapted from the best-selling autobiography Faith like Potatoes, this inspirational film weaves together the moving journey of a man who, like his potatoes, grows his faith - unseen until the harvest. This powerful DVD includes God's Farmer, a gripping, 54-minute documentary on the real life of Angus Buchan. Rated PG. Approx 115 minutes.