March 2020 New Releases
New Books and Bibles
Below is a list of the new and notable resources releasing from Crossway this month. Titles include Enough about Me by Jen Oshman, How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics? by Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli, and the ESV Heirloom Single Column Personal Size Bible.
The Whole Counsel of God: Why and How to Preach the Entire Bible
Expository preaching has been on the rise over the last five decades, with more and more pastors preaching through entire books of the Bible systematically. But few, if any, preachers have a long-term plan to teach every book of the Bible over a lifetime of ministry. Since the whole Bible is God’s word to his people, all of Scripture is important for congregations to hear in order to grow as Christians. Written to make a case for the necessity of a long-term plan for preaching through the entire Bible instead of just randomly through individual books, this is not a book on how to preach, but rather on how to plan and prepare long-range preaching programs through the whole counsel of God.
“Good books on preaching are many. Great ones are few. I regard this one among the great, because it advances novel proposals and covers ground generally overlooked. The authors are well qualified by training, gifting, and longtime practice. They have a burden for congregations not just to know but to love the Bible. They know the key to a congregation that is strong in the word is pastoral preaching that opens up the whole of Scripture, not just cherished bits and themes. Most importantly, they have a plan—calmly articulated but revolutionary in its way—and wise, strategic suggestions to move church leaders toward a more effective grasp and disclosure of the entire Bible’s deep nourishment and challenge. They lay out this plan with skill, tact, and compelling insight.”
—Robert W. Yarbrough, Professor of New Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary”
Enough about Me: Finding Lasting Joy in the Age of Self
Many women live their daily lives disheartened, disillusioned, and disappointed. They feel constant pressure to improve themselves and just never feel like they’re “enough.” That’s because joy doesn’t come from a new self-improvement strategy; it comes from rooting their identity in who God says they are and what he has done on their behalf. This book calls women to look away from themselves in order to find the abundant life God offers them—contrasting the cultural emphasis on personal improvement and empowerment with what the Scriptures say about a life rooted, renewed, and resting in the gospel.
“Lord knows that we have more than enough books about ourselves and never enough books about the God that created us. It isn’t until we see him that we can then make sense of ourselves. I believe Jen Oshman’s book accomplishes that by widening our vision and helping us fall in love with seeing God again.”
—Jackie Hill Perry, poet; author; hip-hop artist.
Why Should I Join a Church?
Many of us have questions about what it means to live as a Christian in the context of a local church. You may even catch yourself asking, If I believe in Jesus, why do I need to join a church? To put it simply, when you are saved from your sin, you are saved into a community characterized by fellowship and accountability. Best-selling author Mark Dever presents seven biblical reasons why church membership is essential for displaying the gospel in your life.
“Christians are pressed by very real questions. How does Scripture structure a church, order worship, organize ministry, and define biblical leadership? Those are just examples of the questions that are answered clearly, carefully, and winsomely in this new series from 9Marks. I am so thankful for this ministry and for its incredibly healthy and hopeful influence in so many faithful churches. I eagerly commend this series.”
—R. Albert Mohler Jr., President, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
What If I Don’t Desire to Pray?
If you are a Christian, then you know that prayer is important. Like eating your vegetables, you know it’s good to do—but what about times when you simply don’t want to pray? John Onwuchekwa encourages Christians to talk with their heavenly Father even when it’s hard. This short treatment on prayer will help you understand the basics of why, what, and how to pray as you worship and serve in the local church body.
“Sincere questions deserve thoughtful answers. If you’re not sure where to start in answering these questions, let this series serve as a diving board into the pool. These mini-books are winsomely to-the-point and great to read together with one friend or one hundred friends.”
—Gloria Furman, author, Missional Motherhood and The Pastor’s Wife
What Should I Do Now That I’m a Christian?
When you became a Christian, you recognized your need to be forgiven of sin and freed from sin’s reign over your life. As a result, your life has been changed forever—you are now a follower of Jesus. But what does the Bible say it means to follow Jesus? Sam Emadi offers eight simple steps you should take once you become a Christian, as you set out in newness of life to thrive as a disciple of Jesus.
What If I’m Discouraged in My Evangelism?
One reason Christians don’t share the gospel is because we feel like we’re not good at it. We clam up; we fear what people might think; we feel bad; and the cycle repeats. But what if there was hope for our timid evangelism? Isaac Adams encourages disheartened evangelists to hope in God, not their efforts. If you’ve ever felt discouraged in your evangelism, you’re in good company, and you’re a prime candidate for God’s grace. Come and be reminded of it once more, so that you might joyfully share the gospel again.
How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics?
Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli
Election seasons can cause division on a variety of issues. But what happens when you disagree with someone in your local church community? Authors Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli propose that Christians should learn how to disagree on such issues with a spirit of gracious understanding by recognizing the importance of what binds us together as a local church body—the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“As a pastor, I get asked lots of questions. I’m approached by unbelievers seeking to understand the gospel, new believers unsure about next steps, and maturing believers wanting help answering questions from their Christian family, friends, neighbors, or coworkers. It’s in these moments that I wish I had a book to give them that was brief, answered their questions, and pointed them in the right direction for further study. Church Questions is a series that provides just that. Each booklet tackles one question in a biblical, brief, and practical manner. The series may be called Church Questions, but it could be called ‘Church Answers.’ I intend to pick these up by the dozens and give them away regularly. You should too.”
—Juan R. Sanchez, Senior Pastor, High Pointe Baptist Church, Austin, Texas
ESV Heirloom Single Column Personal Size Bible
The ESV Heirloom Single Column Personal Size Bible is a new addition to Crossway’s popular Heirloom collection, combining premium materials with a portable trim size.
At less than one inch thick, this Bible maintains high levels of readability with line matching and generous margin space, and also features a goatskin cover, art gilding, ribbon markers, and high-quality Bible paper—materials designed to last a lifetime.
ESV Literary Study Bible
In order to understand the content of the Bible, readers first need to understand how the content is expressed. The literary forms and features of the Bible are a crucial part of understanding the Bible’s message—both for its original audience and for readers today. Compared to conventional study Bibles that answer the what of a passage, the ESV Literary Study Bible guides readers through the Bible text, showing how to read the passage. Combining over 1,200 insightful notes with the complete ESV Bible text, this volume highlights literary features such as genre, images, plot, setting, stylistic and rhetorical techniques, and artistry so readers can more richly understand the unity, flow, and profound depth of the biblical text. First published in 2007, the ESV Literary Study Bible has been refreshed with an all-new typesetting while retaining all the same content that helps readers discover and teach the message of the Bible embodied in its literary forms and features.