July 2021 New Releases
New Books
Below is a list of the new and notable resources releasing from Crossway this month. Titles include Pure in Heart by J. Garrett Kell and Praying in Public by Pat Quinn.
Praying in Public: A Guidebook for Prayer in Corporate Worship
God commands his people to pray together and answers graciously when they do. The Bible specifically calls on church leaders to guide this essential form of corporate worship, but it can be challenging to pray boldly and confidently in front of others.
This practical, step-by-step guide was created to help pastors and church leaders pray thoughtfully and biblically in public. Through seven guiding principles, Pat Quinn illustrates how to lead prayers of adoration, confession, and supplication to God, and covers the history of public prayer in Scripture. He also includes elegant, reverent, gospel-centered examples from the Latin Liturgy, John Calvin, the Puritans, John Wesley, and others, as well as many examples of his own congregational prayers. Pastors and church leaders will learn to glorify God more passionately, effectively intercede for the church and the world, and find joy—not fear—in praying publicly.
“We miss so many opportunities when public prayers in our churches are ill-prepared, uninformed, scattered, unbiblical, or nonexistent. Pat Quinn has served us immensely by providing a theologically informed, pastoral, Christ-exalting, clear, and insightful book that will serve anyone who has the privilege of leading God’s people in prayer. Loaded with examples of actual prayers, Praying in Public will make your public prayers more biblical, thoughtful, and God glorifying.”
—Bob Kauflin, Director, Sovereign Grace Music; author, Worship Matters and True Worshipers
Keep in Step with the Spirit
Many Christians throughout the years have struggled to understand the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Seeing the potential for learning—as well as for confusion—theologian J. I. Packer wrote this comprehensive guide celebrating an often-misunderstood person of the Trinity. In Keep in Step with the Spirit, he explains how the Holy Spirit acted powerfully throughout creation and history, and continues to move in the lives of believers today, influencing our sanctification, spiritual gifts, and witness. Packer shares examples of the Spirit in the Old and New Testaments, and thoughtfully analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of charismatic theology.
This updated, expanded edition includes an additional essay from Packer on Paul’s words in Romans, which emphasize the certainty of hope imparted to believers through the Holy Spirit.
“Typically biblical and balanced, the late J. I. Packer gives us a Christian’s field guide to life with the Holy Spirit. In an age marked by confusion and deception, this book helps point us clearly to the Bible’s truth about the Christian life.”
—Mark Dever, Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC
Rediscovering Holiness
During his lifetime, late theologian J. I. Packer noticed a troubling lack of concern—particularly among Western Christians—for personal holiness. Many believers ignore the call to Christlikeness, which should be “the goal of our redemption,” and instead focus on worldly distractions. Rediscovering Holiness urges believers to recommit to their sanctification and gives practical examples of spiritual healthiness from Scripture. It also addresses important topics for the Christian life, including the meaning of holiness, repentance, and endurance.
This repackaged edition features additional insights from Packer on the role of holiness in salvation and the renewal of the church, and concludes with an afterword entitled “Holiness in the Dark: The Case of Mother Teresa.”
“First published nearly thirty years ago, this book on the theme of holiness has become a modern classic of Christian devotion. J. I. Packer was a master of spiritual theology, and his enduring wisdom shines through in this treasured volume.”
—Timothy George, Distinguished Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
God Has Spoken
Scripture, the inerrant revelation of God, is filled with eternal promises for Christ’s people and principles for living according to his will. As many people struggle to believe, find joy in, or even understand the Bible, it’s imperative we rediscover the incalculable value of God’s word.
In God Has Spoken, theologian J. I. Packer expertly defends the reliability of Scripture. He explains how doctrine is essential for learning about God’s character, his purpose for the world, and the need for salvation. This book will help you appreciate and obey Scripture while finding fellowship with God.
“J. I. Packer is known for many things, chief of which is his rigorous, unambiguous, and thoroughly persuasive defense of the inerrancy of Scripture. I read God Has Spoken years ago, but have often returned to it for a clear and convincing portrayal of the complete infallibility of the biblical text. This book is written in such a way that both the average Christian and the scholar can greatly benefit. Highly recommended!”
—Sam Storms, Senior Pastor, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Reformed Pastor: Updated and Abridged
Richard Baxter; Updated and abridged by Tim Cooper
Originally written in 1656 and endorsed by generations of leading pastors as an essential book on the work of ministry, this abridged version of The Reformed Pastor presents the best of Richard Baxter’s timeless advice in simple, modern language that’s more accessible to a new generation of church leaders.
In inspiring communications to his fellow ministers, Baxter challenged them to pursue teaching and personal pastoral ministry with an exceptional degree of faithfulness. His words were grounded in the apostle Paul’s encouragement to the leaders in Ephesus to “take heed unto yourselves and all the flock.” Baxter’s advice remains relevant today as Christian leaders face both new and age-old challenges in ministry. With this updated, abridged version of The Reformed Pastor, editor Tim Cooper retains Baxter’s passionate message in a modern, simplified style that speaks clearly to today’s Christian leaders.
“The Reformed Pastor, by the preeminent pastor-theologian of the Puritan era, Richard Baxter, is one of the first books I read on the Christian ministry. As a pastor, I need to read and reread this classic. Crossway and Tim Cooper have done a great service to the church in making this updated and abridged volume available to us. May God use this book to save and care for many souls through pastors in his church.”
—Mark Jones, Pastor, Faith Vancouver Presbyterian Church; coauthor, A Puritan Theology
Pure in Heart: Sexual Sin and the Promises of God
Many women and men trapped in sexual sin believe willpower is the key to overcoming temptation, but your shaky self-discipline doesn’t have to be the source of your strength. Sharing from his personal struggles, J. Garrett Kell explains that life-long transformation rests in the supernatural power of the Savior and the support of a local church. He offers profound insights into Jesus’s teachings on purity and provides you with long-term strategies for your own pathway to freedom.
Written for both men and women struggling with temptation, this book is a vital resource for the church, encouraging a healthy, empathetic community to help brothers and sisters in Christ resist sin. The goal isn’t purity for purity’s sake, but delighting in God and trusting him for ultimate victory.
“If you’re looking for a resource on sexual purity written by someone who’s never struggled, this is not the book for you. Garrett Kell has been in the trenches. And while he’s enjoyed a great measure of deliverance, the smoke of battle still lingers over his life. Pure in Heart directs our gaze to the promise, spoken and secured by Jesus, that the pure in heart will see God. Laced with vivid illustrations and saturated with Scripture, Garrett brings years of pastoral wisdom to a topic we often wish to avoid. If you’re looking for a resource that will reinvigorate your heart with biblical truth and concrete steps for the fight, this is the book for you.”
—Matt Smethurst, Managing Editor, The Gospel Coalition; Pastor, River City Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia; author, Deacons and Before You Open Your Bible
In the Lord I Take Refuge: 150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms
The Psalms could be called the Bible’s devotional. Each psalm reflects on the greatness of who God is and how he cares for his people. Written with profound emotion, each psalm sheds light on the raw experiences of the human heart, revealing how God’s people should turn to him in times of anguish, pain, remorse, joy, and thanksgiving.
In the Lord I Take Refuge invites readers to experience the Psalms in a new way through heartfelt devotional content written by Dane Ortlund. Each reading is short enough to read in five minutes or less and will encourage believers to thoughtfully ponder and pray through each of the 150 Psalms. To further enhance the reading experience, this book features the full text of the English Standard Version Psalms; a large font; thick, cream-colored paper; and a ribbon marker to keep track of progress. All of these features, along with a helpful introduction on how to read the Psalms devotionally, encourage believers to pause and reflect on the riches of each text as they commune daily with the Lord.
“This is a book to keep by your bed, to begin or end each day feeding on these words God has given to us to pray and sing back to him. Dane’s brief insights into each psalm help us to bridge the gap between the psalmist’s time and our own, between his battles, questions, joys, desires, and laments and our own, leading us to love and worship.”
—Nancy Guthrie, Bible teacher; author, Even Better than Eden