Book Giveaway: “Embracing Obscurity: Becoming Nothing in Light of God’s Everything”

Broadman & Holman publishers have kindly offered to provide one giveaway copy of Embracing Obscurity: Becoming Nothing in Light of God’s Everything. This new book really packs a punch. I encourage you to check out my review, or watch the book trailer below.

To win a copy of this book, just leave your comment here with the Bible verse that you find most helpful or convicting on the topic of pride. You can get additional entries if you spread word about the contest on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or your blog: just add another comment explaining how and where you’ve also spread the word about the contest. I’ll pick a random winner from all the entries in the comments here, sometime after 9pm Central time on Monday October 15th.

To get your own copy of the book (if you don’t win the contest), try any of the following online retailers: Christianbook.com, Amazon, Barnes&Noble, or direct from Broadman & Holman.

Disclaimer: This book was provided by Brodman & Holman Publishing. I was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

“The Scribes: A Novel about the Early Church” – Free on Kindle through 10/4

The Scribes: A Novel about the Early Church by Peter Rodgers is available for free on Kindle for a limited time (now through 10/4) [HT: Evangelical Textual Criticism Blog]. This book introduces textual criticism and describes how life was like in the early church. It is a counterpoint, in novel form, to Bart Ehrman’s insistence that the early scribes tended to correct the text rather than seek to preserve it carefully.

This is a second edition, with the first having been published in 2000. Here is the publisher’s description of that first edition:

The Scribes is the first in a series of historical novels. The book is set in Rome in the years 179-180 A.D. Its protagonist is Justin, a young scribe of the Roman church, named after Justin Martyr. He is helped in the copyist’s tasks by two friends, Marcus and Rufus. His teacher in Rome had been Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, who was beginning to write his Against Heresies when the novel takes place.

The story begins when the Roman church receives a visit from a wealthy ship merchant from Alexandria in Egypt and his daughterm, Juliana. This appealing young woman is a student in the catechetical school in Alexandria, and is also a scribe for her church. Justin is attracted to her, but troubled by her manuscript. Her St. Mark begins differently. He has the longer ending (Mark 16:9-20) and she does not etc. For Justin This is very unsettling. His primary aim in life is to copy with scrupulous fidelity the text of the gospels, as the church in Rome has receieved it. But the church in Alexandria has perserved a different type of text. He is determined to get to the bottom of this puzzle, and as he does, he develops a romantic interest in Juliana. But she has returned to Alexandria. How will he pursue the relationship?

The opportunity comes when Bishop Eleutherus of Rome sends Justin and Marcus to deliver letters to various churches throughout the empire. Their final destination is Alexandria.

TRAVEL… with Justin and Marcus as they visit churches in Cornith, Athens, Ephesus, Antioch, and Alexandria.

MEET… the remarkable leaders they encounter: Dionysius of Cornith, Athen agoras of Athens, Pinytus of Cnossus, Theophilus of Antioch, the aged Hegesippus and the young Clement of Alexandria.

JOURNEY… with them to exotic places like Cnossus in Crete, Oxyrhyhchus in the Nile Valley and Crocodilopolis in the Fayum in Egypt.

EXPERIENCE…with them the many hazards that could befall a traveller or a manuscript: sorms, pirates, arrests, theft, greedy customs agents, eager booksellers, heretical groups, unscrupulous innkeepers, scribes who improve the style of their texts.

JOIN… them as they face the challenge of different readings in the texts, different methods of copying, different interpretations among the churches, and strange gospels among the Gnostics.

Preview a small sample of the book here.

About the author: Fr. Rodgers is the Priest-in-Charge at St. Andrew’s and a professor currently teaching New Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary. Fr. Rodgers is the Rector Emeritus of St. John’s Episcopal Church in New Haven, Connecticut. He is also an Associate Fellow of Timothy Dwight College at Yale University and holds degrees from Hobart College, General Theological Seminary, and Oxford University. Before coming to St. John’s in New Haven, Dr. Rodgers was curate for student ministry at the Round Church in Cambridge, England. He has published numerous journal articles on the text of the New Testament, and is the author of several works including Knowing Jesus (IVP, 1982) and The Scribes (AuthorHouse, 2000). In October, 2011 he published his newest book: Text and Story (Wipf and Stock).

Take advantage of this offer and pick up this interesting novel free this week. After 10/4, it is only $2.99 for the Kindle version.

Sharper Iron “Back to School” Book Giveaway

As the book review editor for Sharper Iron, I wanted to spread the word about our “Back to School” Book Giveaway that we’re hosting over at Sharper Iron in the month of September. To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is start a forum thread that someone else finds interesting enough to reply to (comment on). Sharper Iron is both a forum and a blog, and has been a place for safe conversation among mainstream independent fundamental Baptists (IFB) for years. (Although conservative evangelicals are welcome and join the fray fairly often.)

Here are the books we’re giving away, with a little description of each of them. There will be three winners of one copy of all the books described below.


The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (Moody)

From the publisher’s description:

What is an evangelical . . . and has he lost his mind? Carl Trueman wrestles with those two provocative questions and concludes that modern evangelicals emphasize experience and activism at the expense of theology. Their minds go fuzzy as they downplay doctrine. The result is “a world in which everyone from Joel Osteen to Brian McLaren to John MacArthur may be called an evangelical.”

Fifteen years ago in The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, historian Mark Noll warned that evangelical Christians had abandoned the intellectual aspects of their faith. Christians were neither prepared nor inclined to enter the intellectual debate, and had become marginalized. Today Trueman argues, “Religious beliefs are more scandalous than they have been for many years”-but for different reasons than Noll foresaw. In fact, the real problem now is exactly the opposite of what Noll diagnosed¯evangelicals don’t lack a mind, but rather an agreed upon evangel. Although known as gospel people, evangelicals no longer share any consensus on the gospel’s meaning.

Provocative and persuasive, Trueman’s indictment of evangelicalism also suggests a better way forward for those theologically conservative Protestants once and formerly known as evangelicals.

To learn more about this book, visit the book detail page at Moody. You can preorder the book from: Amazon or Christianbook.com.

Fools Rush in Where Monkeys Fear to Tread: Taking Aim at Everyone (P&R)

This is another book from Carl Tureman. If you’ve never read a work by Trueman, you’re missing out. Here is the publisher’s book description:

A pithy collection of the best of Carl Trueman’s articles on culture and the church. A compelling, challenging, and sometimes uproarious look at how the world and the church intersect.

Like Luther before him, Trueman understands the power of humor because he understands the absurdity of human self-regard in the context of the fallen world. And like Luther, Trueman shows no mercy, either to his enemies or to himself. His writings are an oasis of welcome wit in what can so often seem like a desert of Protestant pomposity.

To learn more about this book, visit the book detail page at P & R Publishing (which contains a video interview of Trueman on this book), or check out the preview available at Westminster Bookstore, Amazon, or Christianbook.com.

The Gospel Story Bible (New Growth Press)

The subtitle of this book by Marty Machowski says it all: “Discovering Jesus in the Old and New Testaments.” Here is an excerpt from my book review of this helpful resource for parents and children:

As the father of five daughters, I have had ample occasions to read Children’s Bible storybooks. The majority of such storybooks are quite simple and to the point. They don’t often interact with the story at a child’s level other than to make the tale more imaginative and seem more story-like. Few storybooks really serve believing parents well.

The Gospel Story Bible by Marty Machowski (New Growth Press, 2011) is much different. It is uniquely designed to help facilitate the parents’ task of teaching their children the Gospel, as they recount the various stories in the Bible. The stories include discussion questions at the end, and are usually presented in a fairly straight-forward, stick-to-the-text manner. Sometimes, however, a little more explanation is woven into the story. And each story wraps up with an application to the Gospel or to the flow of redemptive history. The book’s emphasis is on communicating the Gospel intent of the Bible stories rather than on wowing the children and parents with how imaginative a reshaping of the Scriptural story this new storybook can provide.

To learn more about this book, visit the book detail page at New Growth Press, or visit GospelStoryforKids.com. Pick up a copy of the book at Westminster Bookstore, Monergism Books, Amazon, or Christianbook.com.

The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max (Engage Faith Press)

This may be the most exciting read of the books in this prize pack. It is a three-part ebook adventure story set in the Caribbean and featuring a reluctant missionary hero. Here is an excerpt from my review of this title:

David Livingstone meet Indiana Jones. The famed missionary explorer and the world-renowned, cinematic adventurer come to mind as one reads Andrew Comings’ new book The Astonishing Adventures of Missionary Max (Engage Faith Press, 2012).

In a fast-paced, engaging manner, Comings masterfully weaves his tale set on the fictional island of Cabrito. Political intrigue, a mysterious past, shady villains and maniacal kingpins — the story doesn’t follow the script one imagines for a typical missionary adventure tale. And Max is no missionary-want-to-be, he comes across as a man’s man who is forced into staying on Cabrito to make a difference.

The twists and turns of the plot, characters with depth and reality, and a locale where almost anything can go, keep one guessing throughout the book. Surprises abound as we come to terms with Max’s true identity, and learn more about his newfound friends. There is a romantic angle, too, but like the rest of the book – its a little complicated.

To learn more about this book and its author (a real life missionary), visit the author’s blog. Pick up a copy of this book at Amazon or Barnes&Noble.


So consider entering our “Back to School” Book Giveaway, you might win!

Free eBook: Christ-Centered Bible Study from Armchair-Theology.net

Check out the promotional video for what looks to be an incredibly helpful little book designed for anyone who wants to read the Bible more effectively. The booklet, Christ-Centered Bible Study, is written by Dave Moser of Armchair-Theology.net and freely available as a .pdf download.

Learn more about the book, and download your free copy here.

Free Audiobook: “Trusting God” by Jerry Bridges

ChristianAudio.com has Jerry Bridges’ book Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts as a free download this month. Here is an excerpt from my review of this excellent book:

Most of the book explores God’s sovereignty since so many Christians today are unfamiliar with the term and the concept. Bridges carefully shows the extent of God’s control over this planet and each of our lives. If you are unfamiliar with the Bible’s witness to God’s sovereignty you will be amazed at the number of Bible verses and passages that are examined.

God’s rule over all things gives His children hope. God knows what He is doing, and this circumstance is not out of His control. Jerry Bridges explains, “There is no agonizing by God, no hoping He has made the right decision, no wondering what is really best for us. God makes no mistakes.” (pg. 126)

After exploring the three themes of God’s sovereignty, wisdom and love, Bridges deals with how we can apply these Bible truths to our lives. The author’s great confidence in God, by the end of the book, becomes infectious….

Bridges shares his heart in this book. It doesn’t appear to have been an easy one for him to write. You can tell he’s been through a lot personally and has shared the grief of many who have suffered even more. His personal accounts and illustrations add life to the book. His openness about his sin and failures to trust God is inspiring. He writes with an earnestness and confidence that can only be accompanied by prayers for those of us who would read this important book.

I encourage you to take advantage of this great deal and pick up the free audio download of Trusting God.