May 2020 New Releases
New Books and Bibles
Below is a list of the new and notable resources releasing from Crossway this month. Titles include A Place to Belong: Learning the Love the Local Church by Megan Hill; When Doctrine Divides the People of God: An Evangelical Approach to Theological Diversity by Rhyne Putman; and Exploring the Bible Together: A 52-Week Family Worship Plan by David Murray.
A Place to Belong: Learning the Love the Local Church
The church has more beauty—and more value—than we can see with physical eyes. Though our congregations are made up of ordinary people engaged in predictable practices, we are an outpost of heaven itself. The church is the people of God, the dwelling place of the Spirit, and the fullness of Christ. With rich theology and practical direction, A Place to Belong invites us to experience the local church in light of the Bible’s testimony. Considering nine biblical terms for the church—such as beloved, brothers and sisters, saints, and gospel partners—this book equips us to love and serve one another. Whether we are new Christians or mature believers, learning to love the local church can become one of our greatest privileges and highest joys. The church is where we belong.
“A thousand messengers point us to the good news of a personal relationship with Christ, but this book contains something precious: the good news of a corporate one. Megan Hill has written a love song for the church, a celebration of the communion of saints in all its present practicality and all its future glory. Her message stirred me to greater love for the fellowship of believers and greater longing for the day when Christ and his bride are at last fully and finally united.”
—Jen Wilkin, Bible teacher; author, Women of the Word; None Like Him; and In His Image
When Doctrine Divides the People of God: An Evangelical Approach to Theological Diversity
As evangelicals, we desire to be biblical—we want our doctrine to be rooted in the Bible, our lives to be guided by the Bible, and our disagreements to be resolved by the Bible. And yet, conflicts within our church communities continue to appear and seemingly multiply with time. Interpretations of the Bible and deeply held convictions often put Christians at odds. Encouraging us toward grace in disagreement and firmness in truth, Rhyne Putman reflects on how Christians can maintain the biblical call for unity despite having genuine disagreements.
“Many have wondered how Christians who read the same Bible can come to such different conclusions about what it means. Rhyne Putman not only provides a thorough answer to that question; he also helps us live more peaceably and fruitfully amidst our differences. This helpful book will encourage Christians to hold their convictions with greater irenicism, humility, awareness, and wisdom.”
—Gavin Ortlund, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Ojai; author, Finding the Right Hills to Die On
Exploring the Bible Together: A 52-Week Family Worship Plan
Kids love adventure. From building an imaginary fort in the backyard to searching for buried treasure, the anticipation of discovering the unknown fills them with excitement. David Murray presents a 52-week family worship plan that captures this excitement through brief and accessible daily devotions as families explore the Bible together.
“David Murray has constructed a fabulous tool for family worship. This is more than just a year’s worth of assigned daily Bible readings followed by additional material you read to your children (though that’s valuable). Exploring the Bible Together is interactive (thus ‘together’), for it also supplies questions about the Bible passage. Beyond that, there’s a question for younger children and a more thought-provoking one for older children. But wait—there’s more! Murray also summarizes the main point your children should take from the text and suggests a simple way to pray toward that end. And he’s done it all in a format that can be completed in just a few minutes. If you’re looking for a sound, simple, no-prep guide to teach the Bible to your children, you’ve found it.”
—Donald S. Whitney, Professor of Biblical Spirituality and Associate Dean, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; author, Family Worship; Praying the Bible; and Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
Experiencing the New Birth: Studies in John 3
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the famed Welsh minister, is widely hailed as one of the greatest preachers of the last 100 years. Over the course of his career, “the Doctor” preached 28 sermons on the third chapter of the Gospel of John. However, until now, these sermons have remained unpublished and largely out of reach of today’s Christians.
Reflecting on the powerful story of Jesus’s encounter with Nicodemus and what it means to be “born again,” this collection of biblical expositions highlights God’s stunning love for the world as expressed through his unique Son, Jesus Christ. Readers will be encouraged to turn to the One who promises eternal life to all who trust in him.
“Lloyd-Jones’s preaching was based on deep reading and scholarship, yet it was accessible to everyone—it stirred the affections and changed the heart.”
—Timothy Keller, Founding Pastor, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City; Chairman and Cofounder, Redeemer City to City