If you're looking for a biography that both challenges and inspires, look no further than Sharon James' Ann Judson: A Missionary Life for Burma. She has been kind enough to share this summary of Mrs. Judson's life to whet our appetite for the entire volume. Enjoy!
Variety in worship is easy to find. In your neighborhood alone, there is likely a church using modern songs by Bethel and Maverick City. Another worships with voices only. Another boasts two services... a "traditional" and a "contemporary" to please both preferences. EP author and pastor Terry Johnson argues that a church should establish its worship practices on more than just preferences, but on a posture instead. A posture of God-centeredness.
As you have likely heard, John Blanchard has gone to his eternal home. Mr. Blanchard was one of Evangelical Press' most prolific authors, but his life and ministry encompassed so much more, as told by his obituary. About ten years before his passing, John wrote an article for Ligonier Ministries entitled How Now Shall We Die? and we felt that its contents and message offer a tremendous insight from a man whose life embodied 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."
Please enjoy this excerpt:
Written by Graham Hind on behalf of Evangelical Press Writers come to publishers in different stages of their careers as authors and in various ways, from the new author with a precious first book, through to a publisher reprinting a title that is perhaps decades or even centuries old....
How should a reformed church worship? Do the scriptures speak to this? Dr. Sam Waldron tackles these questions and more in the introduction to his new release How Then Should We Worship, which we have excerpted here:
We are excited to announce the new release of Reverend Steve Donald's book Marriages are Made in Heaven. In its introduction, he shares how God continuously guided both he and his future wife, answered their prayers, and brought them together. We think that anyone will find...
You don't have to be in ministry for long to experience the sting of criticism. While it cannot be avoided, we can control our response to it and even turn the pain into a blessing. This is the theme of Mostyn Robert's new release Coping with Criticism. Here is what Melvin Tinker had to say about the book:
“This book is a must for all those starting out in pastoral ministry and essential for all those wishing to continue in it. By a combination of superb biblical exposition and sensitive application reflecting a wealth of personal ministerial experience, the author not only shows how to endure criticism but flourish through it. I really enjoyed and benefited from reading this. I could have done with it 40 years ago! A little gem of a book.”
Does the world seem upside down to you? Even the most normal of norms seem to be questioned; the most basic of truths thrown out for more progressive ideas. Lest we be careful, this upending of foundational principles can seep into the Christian's thinking, bringing doubt and confusion. Today we have the privilege of hearing from EP author and Pastor Terry Johnson who brings together his knowledge of history and theology to speak to what is true, specifically what is true about our identity in Christ. Enjoy!
Please enjoy this word from Graham Heaps, whose heart-stirring new release, The Last Valley, is available for pre-order now in the UK:
Though it was four and a half years ago, the haunting memory of peering down into the deep, narrow, empty pit that was about to become the last resting place of the precious body of my first wife is still very vivid. In those few seconds I realized the naked truth that my Sue really was gone from this world: that I would not see her, touch her, or turn to her for support, comfort or understanding ever again in this veil of tears. I felt more profoundly alone than I had ever done in my whole life. And as I took it all in, I felt my faith profoundly challenged by all that I was seeing and experiencing. And yet, whatever fears flooded my soul at that moment, the Lord was not about to fail me in my greatest time of need. Indeed, he had surely planned to use those very sad times to temper that faith, so it might become stronger and more useful both to myself and to others.
We had the recent privilege to interview pastor and EP author Jeremy Walker. Graham Hind, EP's Managing Director, describes Mr. Walker as one of the "few true 21st century Puritans." He is also a member of the EP Board and book review editor for the Banner of Truth magazine. We trust that you will find his answers below both insightful and thought-provoking:
The voices are many. Facebook friends. Political pundits. Opinionated family members. Even our own thoughts.
These voices can murmur worries, shout frustrations and whisper lies.
For a moment, let's tune them out and tune in to some truth.
Enjoy this excerpt from EP author Elizabeth El Mostain's new book, Survival Tips for Mums: Practical ideas for thriving in the early years of motherhood:
The days following the birth of a new baby are a strange mixture of joy, pain, exhaustion, excitement and change. I have been blessed with six children. While motherhood is a wonderful privilege, it is also very hard. When my eldest daughter turned ten, I celebrated a decade of motherhood by sharing ten ‘mummy survival tips’ on Facebook, which eventually grew into a book. ‘Survival Tips for Mums’ is divided into two parts. The first looks at ways in which mothers can take care of themselves mentally, physically, spiritually and socially so that they are better equipped to serve their families. The second provides an A–Z of practical tips and ideas for mums. Here is an extract from ‘T is for teething, tummy bugs and tantrums’:
We are so pleased to offer a new book by J.V. Fesko next month. The Christian and Technology will stand as an indispensable resource for believers attempting to reconcile the benefits of digital technology with its potential temptations to sin and distraction. In today's post, Mr. Fesko gives us a peek into the inspiration for the book. Enjoy!
How many of us believe that our childhood struggles are doomed to limit our current potential? EP author Faith Cook is a fantastic example of someone who pushed past those limitations to reach her full potential in later years. Enjoy her inspiring testimony: As a child...
Recently Ligonier Ministries interviewed EP Books author John Blanchard for its Tabletalk Magazine. We found his answers to be incredibly insightful. Enjoy this excerpt:
Tabletalk: What is the most common objection to the Christian faith you hear from atheists, and how do you answer it? John Blanchard: The theory of evolution, and science in general, have often been thrown at me as reasons for rejecting the Christian faith, and one must develop ways of dealing with these. It can easily be shown that evolutionary ideas have no explanation for human dignity, rationality, or morality, while science’s limitations can be pinpointed just as easily. For example, Richard Dawkins’ claim that “truth means scientific truth” is not even a scientific statement. On its own terms, it can’t be true; it is no more than a silly sound bite.
With fall around the corner, the EP Books family wants to encourage you to start fall strong by recommitting to the study of scripture. This month we've been featuring the works of Alec Taylor, A Pilgrim's Treasury and Pilgrims Under Pressure. These daily devotionals are the perfect tool to get your personal time with the Lord back on track.
In each of Taylor's books you will quickly note the author's love for the Word of God, but also for the words of God. He has written a booklet titled An ABC of Bible Words, and we hope you will enjoy this excerpt:
The great British classic film noir, ‘The Third Man’, serves as a metaphor for what happens in pastoral ministry when heresy is tolerated and orthodoxy is sidelined. The story takes place in post-World War 2 Vienna. It centres on an American, Holly Martins, who has been...