I enjoy books in a variety of genres (theology, biography, leadership, etc.), and always have an “on deck” list of titles I’m waiting to get to. Here are 10 new and upcoming books that you might be interested in:
Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield
From the Amazon description:
Modern culture is increasingly outspoken against a biblical understanding of what it means to be a woman. Even some Christians, swayed by the LGBTQ+ movement, have rejected God’s word on issues of sexuality and gender in favor of popular opinion. In light of these pressures, it’s more important than ever to help women see the truth about who God created them to be.
In this powerful book, Rosaria Butterfield uses Scripture to confront 5 common lies about sexuality, faith, feminism, gender roles, and modesty often promoted in our secular culture today. Written in the style of a memoir, this book explores Butterfield’s personal battle with these lies―interwoven with cultural studies, literary criticism, and theology―to help readers see the beauty in biblical womanhood, marriage, and motherhood.
- Culturally Relevant: Confronts controversial topics including transgenderism, homosexuality, feminism, spirituality, and modesty from a Bible-centered perspective
- Written for Christian Women: Inspires women to preserve godly values around womanhood, marriage, and motherhood in their lives, and offers guidance as they shepherd the next generation
- By Rosaria Butterfield: Bestselling author of The Gospel Comes with a House Key(100,000+ copies sold) and The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert (100,000+ copies sold)
- Filled with Personal Stories: Rosaria speaks from her own experience as a formerly militant anti-Christian and outspoken feminist, in order to teach and encourage other Christians
Ever-Loving Truth: Can Faith Thrive in a Post-Christian Culture? by Voddie Baucham
From the Amazon description:
Voddie Baucham has a message for Christians in today’s culture—it’s time to take a stand for the truth. In The Ever-Loving Truth, this powerful preacher and teacher addresses the cost of being a twenty-first-century Christian and helps readers apply the unchanging truth of God’s Word to contemporary life issues. The book draws parallels between committed Christians in our society and the New Testament writers, Peter and John, as followers of Christ who proclaimed and stood for truth in their non-Christian environment. You will find this compelling study leads you to evaluate what it means to be a Christian today and how to apply God’s unchanging truth to a variety of circumstances.
Sunday Matters: 52 Devotionals to Prepare Your Heart for Church by Paul Tripp
From the Amazon description:
Christians understand the importance of attending church, but many find their attention being pulled away from worship because of family, schedule, work, finances, and other distractions. With so much on their minds, how can churchgoers prepare their hearts to offer God the worship he deserves?
In Sunday Matters, Paul David Tripp shares 52 devotions about the beauty and significance of church, helping Christians engage in vibrant gathered worship each week. Each short, accessible meditation highlights an essential spiritual topic, including divine grace, gratitude, our identity in Christ, and dependence on the Lord. Over the course of a year, Sunday Matters will strengthen each believer’s personal relationship with God and fill churches with joyful, engaged, and passionate worshipers.
- 52 Weekly Devotionals: Each reading includes Scripture and thought-provoking questions to prepare hearts for gathered worship
- Accessible: Theologically rich entries in a conversational, inspiring tone for churchgoers, pastors, and worship leaders alike
- Written by Bestselling Author Paul David Tripp: Author of 30+ books, including New Morning Mercies, Lead, and Parenting
The Advent of Glory: 24 Devotions for Christmas by R.C. Sproul
From the Amazon description:
These straightforward, short, and profound Advent readings have been edited from talks given by much-loved Bible teacher, Dr. R.C. Sproul, helping readers to benefit from his enduring insight and wisdom. They delve into the details of the Christmas story and reflect on how these impact our lives now, combining scholarly detail with heartwarming application.
Each day also includes a prayer written by a well-known Bible teacher of our own day, to guide your own reflections.
As R.C. Sproul observes, the narrative of the birth of Jesus is so familiar to many of us that “the words just slip over us.” So, take the time to slow down and dwell on the words of the Christmas story so that you arrive at Christmas Day full of awe and wonder at the birth of Jesus.
Women, Work, and Calling: Step into Your Place in God’s World by Joanna Meyer
From the Amazon description:
Women now have professional opportunities beyond what previous generations ever imagined. But as our roles in public life have grown, the church’s vision for women’s work and calling has not grown with us, leaving us feeling isolated and under-resourced. Christian women face multiple tensions between home and work, navigating complex gender dynamics in the workplace and social pressure to hold together picture-perfect lives. Joanna Meyer addresses a critical gap in Christian women’s discipleship by speaking to the roles we play in public and professional life. Acknowledging the brokenness of workplaces and industries, she provides a theological framework for women’s work and influence and offers resources for the challenges of working life. This book will help you: Ignite your vocational imagination, with a biblical framework for work and calling. Build strength from within, with emotional and spiritual health to support your work. Navigate common workplace challenges, with practical tools to help your influence grow. Pursue purposeful relationships, collaborating and building strong relationships with others. Learn from the lived experience of godly female leaders and discover how women can have a redemptive impact through our work.
Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy by John Piper
To be published October 31.
From the Amazon description:
Humans are hardwired to learn. We immerse ourselves in stories, observe the intricacies of the world, and seek educational opportunities. But lifelong learning is far more than acquiring information or completing a degree. It is a happy quest informing the habits of our minds and the affections of our hearts. And for the Christian, the goal is richer and deeper joy, to the glory of God and the eternal good of others.
In Foundations for Lifelong Learning, longtime pastor John Piper casts Christian education as the process of growing in our ability to navigate God’s word and world. Piper introduces readers to 6 vital habits―observe accurately, understand clearly, evaluate fairly, feel appropriately, apply wisely, and express compellingly. Ultimately readers will be encouraged to find Christ in and above all things―seriously and joyfully glorifying God, no matter their vocational calling.
- Appeals to Students and Educators: Explores 6 habits to inspire a lifetime of learning, wisdom, and wonder
- Offers a Biblical Perspective: Teaches how lifelong learning ultimately connect to God, his word, and our world
- Countercultural: Explains how one’s vocation, degree, and monetary success are not always representations of quality lifelong learning
- Written by John Piper: Author of Don’t Waste Your Life; Come, Lord Jesus; Desiring God; and Providence
Working from the Inside Out: A Brief Guide to Inner Work That Transforms Our Outer World by Jeff Haanen
To be published December 12.
From the Amazon description:
Many today are experiencing social isolation, deep anxieties about the future, and various difficulties in the workplace. For too many of us, work seems tedious, painful, or meaningless. And we don’t know what to do about it. Working from the Inside Out pulls back the veil on the deep emotional and vocational challenges faced by the majority of workers and shows how work can become a way to love God, serve our neighbors, and demonstrate the gospel to the world. Bringing together emotional, relational, vocational, intellectual, and civic health through the seamless thread of vocation, Jeff Haanen offers a way out of the disintegration of our culture and toward a reintegrated life lived in response to God’s voice. The inner work of transformation leads to external transformation of our relationships and our work, and that good work influences our cities and the culture around us. Living from the inside out can change our work and heal our world.
Crisis of Confidence: Reclaiming the Historic Faith in a Culture Consumed with Individualism and Identity by Carl Trueman
To be published January 16.
From the Amazon description:
Historic statements of faith―such as the Heidelberg Catechism, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Westminster Confession of Faith―have helped the Christian church articulate and adhere to God’s truth for centuries. However, many modern evangelicals reject these historic documents and the practices of catechesis, proclaiming their commitment to “no creed but the Bible.” And yet, in today’s rapidly changing culture, ancient liturgical tradition is not only biblical―it’s essential.
In Crisis of Confidence, Carl Trueman analyzes how creeds and confessions can help the Christian church navigate modern concerns, particularly around the fraught issue of identity. He contends that statements of faith promote humility, moral structure, and a godly view of personhood, helping believers maintain a strong foundation amid a culture in crisis. This is a revised edition of Trueman’s The Creedal Imperative, now with a new section on the rise of expressive individualism.
- Updated Edition of The Creedal Imperative: Includes fresh cultural insights on modern individualism
- Written by Carl Trueman: Author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self(100,000+ copies sold)
- Theological and Historical: Explains why creeds and confessions are necessary, how they have developed over time, and how they can function in the church of today and tomorrow
- Ideal for Pastors, Professors, and Those Interested in Liturgical Tradition
The Sacredness of Secular Work: 4 Ways Your Job Matters for Eternity (Even When You’re Not Sharing the Gospel) by Jordan Raynor
To be published January 30. (I’m on the Launch Team for this book, so I’m getting to read it early).
From the Amazon description:
Does your work matter for eternity?
Sadly, most believers don’t think so. Sure, the 1 percent of the time they spend sharing the gospel with their co-workers matters. But most Christians view the other 99 percent of their time as meaning very little in the grand scheme of things.
But that’s not how God sees it.
Jordan Raynor, a leading voice in the faith and work movement and bestselling author, offers a revolutionary message about how our daily jobs—from baristas and entrepreneurs to stay-at-home parent and coaches—have intrinsic and eternal value. In The Sacredness of Secular Work, he reveals unexpected ways our work truly matters. In these pages you’ll discover:
• How a low regard of our work limits our understanding of God and His Kingdom
• Inspiring ways your work can reveal God’s kingdom on earth here and now
• Surprising strategies for ensuring your vocation has an eternal legacy
• Vital insights on what God’s view of work tells us about heaven
Combining research, Scripture, and storytelling, Jordan Raynor proves that work, in its diverse forms, is one of the primary activities that brings God delight. This biblical perspective will set you free to pursue your passions and skills and—perhaps for the first time—experience the Creator’s delight in the work of your hands.
Ask Pastor John: 750 Bible Answers to Life’s Most Important Questions by Tony Reinke
To be published March 5.
From the Amazon description:
Navigating the Christian life in a secular world will inevitably stir questions in the lives of thoughtful believers. Motivated by the need for sound biblical advice, Ask Pastor John was formed, a podcast featuring pastor-theologian and bestselling author John Piper’s answers to audience-proposed questions about life’s toughest topics. Podcast episodes have been played over 230 million times and have become a staple in the lives of Christians around the world.
In this unique book, Ask Pastor John host Tony Reinke summarizes and organizes ten years of their most insightful and popular episodes into accessible, thematic sections. Readers will be able to quickly and systematically access Piper’s insights on hundreds of topics including Bible reading, dating, social media, mental health, and more. We discover afresh how asking good questions strengthens faith and grows our understanding of God’s word.
- Based on John Piper’s Well-Known Podcast Ask Pastor John: Questions and answers are distilled by journalist, author, and host Tony Reinke
- Widely Accessible: Appeals to new believers, seasoned Christians, church leaders, and young adults alike
- Useful Reference Tool: Great for looking up commonly questioned topics related to life, Christianity, and the Bible
These are 10 new and upcoming books that you might be interested in. Which of these (or others) are you most looking forward to reading?
