BHBlog

Blog Post: Tullian Tchividjian on the Kingdom of God

JakePratt — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Kingdom of God
by Tullian Tchividjian

According to Jesus, it’s impossible for Christians to properly understand the practical nature of the Christian life without properly understanding the nature of their citizenship in God’s kingdom. In fact, one of the primary biblical descriptions of Christians is that they’re citizens in God’s kingdom.

So what is the kingdom of God? Sinclair Ferguson defines the kingdom as “the rule and reign of God, the expression of his gracious sovereign will. To belong to the kingdom of God is to belong to the people among whom the reign of God has already begun.” George Eldon Ladd defines the kingdom as “the realm in which God’s reign may be experienced.” Simply put, the kingdom of God is a kingdom where God’s appointed King—Jesus—is presently reigning in and through the lives of His people, accomplishing His will “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt 6:10).

The presence and purpose of God’s kingdom undergird the teaching of the whole Bible, exhibiting God’s plan—past, present, and future—for this world. The most exhaustive description of God’s kingdom, though, is given to us by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7), where He shows the kingdom of God to be central to His teaching and to the mission of God. Throughout this sermon, Jesus descriptively shows what kingdom living in a fallen world looks like, as the kingdom shapes our experience here and now.

It’s helpful to think of the Kingdom of God in three stages: inauguration, continuation, and consummation.

The Kingdom’s Inauguration

With the arrival of King Jesus to earth, God’s kingdom was inaugurated “on earth as it is in heaven.” To be sure, Jesus had always been Lord over all creation. “For everything was created by Him . . . He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together” (Col 1:16-17). Since the dawn of time, there has never been a moment when the Lord hasn’t reigned over all that He has made. But God’s reign and rule were demonstrated in new and dramatic ways when Jesus brought it from heaven to earth in a paradigm-shattering manner.

Previously, “He looked down from his holy heights—the Lord gazed out from heaven to earth” (Ps 102:19). Prior to the incarnation, the Lord ruled from afar (although His providential activity on earth never ceases). But then Jesus came and announced, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). The time had come; God’s kingdom was here with us. Here was God’s kingdom earthed.

With Christ’s first coming, God began the process of reversing the curse of sin and redeeming all things. In Christ, God was moving in a new way. All of Jesus’ ministry—the words He spoke, the miracles He performed—showed there was a new order: God’s order. When Jesus healed the diseased, raised the dead, and forgave the desperate, He did so to show that with the arrival of God in the flesh came the restoration of the way God intended things to be.

Tim Keller observes that Christ’s miracles were not the suspension of the natural order but the restoration of the natural order. They were a reminder of what once was prior to the fall and a preview of what will eventually be a universal reality once again—a world of peace and justice, without death, disease, or conflict.

The inauguration of God’s kingdom through Jesus began the “great reversal”—repealing the curse of sin and death, ensuring that God had begun the process of recreating all things.

The Kingdom’s Continuation

The continuation stage of the kingdom of God is the stage we are in now—living in between Christ’s first and second coming. It’s a stage marked by tension between present and future. We’re in the period of redemptive history often referred to as “already and not yet”: the kingdom is already here in true form, but not yet full form; it’s present in its beginnings, but still future in its fullness.

This guards us from an under-realized eschatology (expecting no change now) and an overrealized eschatology (expecting all change now). In this stage, we embrace the reality that while we’re not yet what we will be, we’re also no longer what we used to be. We’re like Israel during her wilderness wanderings—we’ve left Egypt, but haven’t yet entered the Promised Land.

The Kingdom’s Consummation

The third stage, the kingdom’s consummation, will take place when Jesus comes back and the process of reversing the curse of sin and recreating all things is completed (1 Cor 15:51-58). When our King returns there’ll be no more sickness, death, tears, division, or tension. The “peace on earth” which the angels announced the night Christ was born will become a universal actuality. God’s cosmic rescue mission will be complete. The fraying fabric of our fallen world will be fully and perfectly rewoven. Everything and everyone will live in perfect harmony. Shalom will rule. Isaiah 11:6-9 pictures it this way:

The wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the goat. The calf, the young lion, and the fatling will be together, and a child will lead them. The cow and the bear will graze, their young ones will like down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. An infant will play beside the cobra’s pit, and a toddler will put his hand into a snake’s den. None will harm or destroy another on My entire holy mountain, for the land will be as full of the knowledge of the Lord as the sea is filled with water.

For the pardoned children of God, there will be complete harmony when Jesus comes back. We’ll work and worship in a perfectly renewed earth without the interference of sin. We who believe the gospel will enjoy sinless hearts and minds along with disease-free bodies. All that causes us pain and discomfort will be destroyed, and we will live forever. We’ll finally be able “to enjoy what is most enjoyable with unbounded energy and passion forever.” Until then, the resistance remains; the combat carries on. But we can press on faithfully knowing that for citizens in God’s Kingdom, the best is yet to come.

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Blog Post: An Interveiw with Gary Newton about Heart-Deep Teaching

JakePratt — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

by Jake Pratt.

Gary C. Newton is professor of Discipleship Ministries and director of the Discipleship Ministry and Family Ministry majors at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minnesota. He is the author of Heart-Deep Teaching: Engaging Students for Transformed Lives.

Why did you write Heart-Deep Teaching?

To be blunt, I am tired of shallow Bible teaching. I wrote the book so teachers of children, youth, and adults can help their students discover the riches of God’s Word inductively by integrating not only the best principles of hermeneutics, but also the most effective principles of how people learn.

How do you define the term “heart”?

While contemporary culture defines the heart as simply our emotions or feelings, the biblical concept of the heart focuses on the center of a person’s being or the innermost part of the person. The essence of humankind lies at the center of our mind, will, and emotions and when activated it results in character and behavioral change. The heart, as Jesus taught, is the center of spiritual transformation. The heart must be the focus of all biblical teaching. Heart-Deep Teaching engages and integrates all aspects of the person in the learning process.

What makes your book unique from other books on the subject of teaching the Bible?

Heart-Deep Teaching gives teachers of all age groups a step-by-step process of going from a thorough study of the biblical text to the design of an interactional and engaging lesson based on the "Big Idea" and content of the text to challenge the student to change from the inside-out.

What is the most significant hindrance to effective teaching?

The primary reason why Bible teachers don’t teach at a deeper level is because they think that, if they do, people will not “enjoy” the class. The opposite, however, is true. People of all ages long to be engaged in the pursuit of truth if it is connected to their interests, passions, questions, and struggles. Yet deeper teaching takes time and energy on the part of the teacher and learner. Teachers have to be willing to challenge students to go beyond superficial expectations of Bible knowledge into the riches of engaging in the knowledge of God through Scripture. This knowledge transforms people of all ages and cultures.

How do you envision your book being used in various contexts such as the academic institution, the church, the home?

My hope is that this book will be used by serious followers of Jesus in all contexts to sharpen their Bible teaching skills. I am presently using it at the college level to train pastors of children, youth, and adults to more effectively teach the Bible. Having taught for many years at the graduate and seminary level, I feel the book would definitely challenge graduate-level students as well. It uses the same terminology used for preparing sermons to design creative interactional teaching experiences based on the biblical text. Pastors, teachers, and children and youth workers in local churches and para-church organizations could benefit as well from the challenges to deeper teaching and learning in the book. I have also had many parents and teachers in the home tell me how helpful the book has been for them to design more interactional and biblically sound lessons.

What is the "take away" for the reader?

Heart-Deep Teaching will give teachers and those who train teachers a comprehensive resource to help them design Bible-based lessons that will get students engaged in learning God’s Word at the deepest possible level.

Blog Post: eBooks for Graduates!

DavidSchrader — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:12:00 GMT

Congraduations, class of 2013!

Now through next Tuesday, May 28, B&H has lowered prices on some great eBooks that can help point the rest of your life in the right direction.

48 Days to the Work You Love // $4.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Leadership Lessons of Jesus // $2.99
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100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart // $2.99
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HCSB Study Bible: Digital Edition // $9.99
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Courageous Living // $2.99
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Blog Post: 5 Conversations eBooks Just 99 Cents!

DavidSchrader — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:08:00 GMT

Today only!

Vicki Courtney's best sellers

5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter

and

5 Conversations You Must Have with Your Son

are just 99 cents each!

Daughter
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Son
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Blog Post: Book Giveaway Winner: Manhood Restored

ChrisCowan — Tue, 21 May 2013 12:17:00 GMT

Congratulation to last week's giveaway winner: Mark Hampton.

Mark will receive a copy of Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole by Eric Mason.

Blog Post: Raising Cain: How the Bible Shapes the Things You Say

ChrisCowan — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:41:00 GMT

“Beside oneself,” “as old as the hills,” “the kiss of death,” “see eye to eye,” and “raising Cain” are all expressions most English speakers understand and use in conversation. If you asked someone what these phrases have in common, few would be able to say that they all come from the Bible.

Even in a secular, post-Christian age the imprint of the Bible, and especially the King James Version, is pervasive and profound. A distinguished professor of literature has said, “the King James Version of the Bible is the most influential English book ever printed.” Its themes have influenced the arts, constitutions, laws, and everyday language.

In Raising Cain: How the Bible Shapes the Things You Say, Wayne Harvey provides fascinating documentation of the echoes of the King James Bible on the tongues of and in the writings of 21st century English speakers.

His entry on “Raising Cain” shows how this treasury of biblical expressions works:

Raise Cain (See also “Cain and Abel” and “Cain, Mark of”)
To create a disturbance. One sense of raise in old English is to conjure up. To raise Cain is to bring up or express the spirit of Cain.

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him (Genesis 4:5-7).

Download a sample.

Blog Post: Joe Thorn on cultural engagement

JakePratt — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Cultural Engagement
Joe Thorn

As the church is faithful to the mission given to her by Jesus Christ she will, out of necessity, “engage culture.” Of course, engaging culture is not our mission, but “making disciples of all nations” is what our Lord has called us to do. Yet, this sacred work cannot be done in a vacuum outside of the cultural milieu in which people live.

Paul’s experience in Athens (Acts 17:16-34) is helpful as it demonstrates how he approached people and ministry in a particular culture. The Apostle found himself in Athens, not through the careful planning and execution of a detailed ministry strategy, but in the providence of God as he encountered opposition to his ministry. And, while he was there, Paul was not idle. He was led by God to push forward with the gospel into a unique time and place. Here we see three things that characterized Paul’s ministry as he engaged culture.

Paul was provoked by the lostness and idolatry of the people. He was struck by the deep and pervasive idolatry of the people in Athens. These were men and women who were created to know and reflect the glory of God, but they had rejected the Creator and instead chose to worship created and imaginary gods. Paul engaged the culture not because he loved culture, but because he loved God and loved people made in God’s image, and because it is a necessary aspect of carrying out the mission of the church.

Paul focused on the grand narrative of God that culminates in the work of Jesus. His response to people and culture in Athens was to do what he always did in every city—proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord. He first went to the Synagogue where the Scripture was available to be read and expounded upon. He didn’t develop a totally new approach to engage the people God had surprisingly sent him to. Rather, he continued to fulfill his calling to preach Christ crucified. As the Athenians heard this message they became curious or incredulous.

Paul showed the Athenians how their culture and lives were both connected to and yet disconnected from the truth of God. He could do this because he understood their religion and worldview enough to point out the need for redemption from within their own belief system, as he brought the good news to them from outside of it.

Cultural engagement is not the thoughtless consumption or uncritical reception of things in culture, but a pressing into the lives of people who live in a particular cultural context with an understanding of their world and how the gospel ultimately answers their brokenness and alienation from God. Cultural engagement is not the goal of ministry, but a necessary component of faithful gospel proclamation. It means we work to know the beliefs, values, and idols of the people, determining where, what, and how they worship. It means we work to clearly articulate the supremacy of Jesus over these things. It means we remain focused on the mission Christ gave the church.
__________________
This essay is taken from The Mission of God Study Bible, Copyright © 2012 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, TN. All Rights Reserved.

Blog Post: Orphan Justice: How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting by Johnny Carr

ChrisCowan — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:13:00 GMT

"Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world" (James 2:27).

Christians are clearly called to care for orphans, a group so close to the heart of Jesus. In reality, most of the 153 million orphaned and vulnerable children in the world do not need to be adopted, and not everyone needs to become an adoptive parent. However, there are other very important ways to help beyond adoption.

Indeed, caring for orphaned and vulnerable children requires us to care about related issues from child trafficking and HIV/AIDS to racism and poverty. Too often, we only discuss or theologize the issues, relegating the responsibility to governments. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something. Based on his own personal journey toward pure religion, Johnny Carr moves readers from talking about global orphan care to actually doing something about it in Orphan Justice: How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting.

Combining biblical truth with the latest research, this inspiring book:

• investigates the orphan care and adoption movement in the U.S. today
• examines new data on the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children
• connects “liberal issues” together as critical aspects or orphan care
• discovers the role of the church worldwide in meeting these needs
• develops a tangible, sustainable action plan using worldwide partnerships
• fleshes out the why, what, and how of global orphan care
• offers practical steps to getting involved and making a difference

Download the introduction and chapter 1.

Blog Post: Vicki Courtney eBooks Just 99 Cents Today!

DavidSchrader — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:02:00 GMT

Award-winning author and mom-in-the-trenches Vicki Courtney will release the brand new book Ever After on June 1.

In anticipation, pick up eBook editions of her popular books Your Girl and Your Boy for just 99 cents each TODAY ONLY.

Your Girl
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Your Boy
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Blog Post: Book Giveaway: Manhood Restored by Eric Mason

ChrisCowan — Mon, 13 May 2013 09:16:00 GMT

This week's giveaway is Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole by Eric Mason.

To enter the giveaway, follow @BHAcademic on Twitter and send the following tweet from your account by Wednesday, May 22 (by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time): Win a copy of Eric Mason's "Manhood Restored" from @BHAcademic http://ht.ly/kG3Uv

We will pick 1 random winner to receive a hard copy of the book. Be sure to follow @BHAcademic on Twitter so we can DM you to obtain your mailing address. Winners will be announced on the blog and notified within seven days.

_______________

Must be 18 years or older, and a resident of the US. See complete rules HERE.

Blog Post: Can we still believe in demons today? Clinton Arnold answers

ChrisCowan — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:29:00 GMT

Can we still believe in demons today?
Clinton Arnold

Many modern scholars regard belief in demons as a primitive worldview that includes elves, dragons, and a flat world. They contend that the advent of modern science, especially advances in understanding body chemistry, psychology, and neurology, enables better understanding of the phenomena the ancients attributed to the work of demons.

Skepticism about the existence of angels and demons is at odds with the direct and explicit testimony of Scripture. From the Garden of Eden in Genesis to Satan’s doom in Revelation, the pages of Scripture are filled with references to evil super- natural beings who oppose God and His purposes. Their frequency of appearance actually heightens during the ministry of Jesus and the apostles. In fact, we learn most about their nature, character, and activities from Jesus and Paul.

Beside the biblical assumption of demonic reality, other matters must be considered:

Science is inherently incapable of answering this question. Some critics grant science authority to make judgments on issues it is incapable of judging. Just as science is incompetent to adjudicate on morality, so it is also beyond its jurisdiction in trying to decide the question of demonic existence. Science seeks to describe and explain natural phenomena. There is no reason to assume it has power to answer questions regarding the supernatural, such as whether these beings exist.

Purely naturalistic explanations are not adequate for describing many forms of evil in the world. Although the impact of sin on the human soul explains much of the proliferation of evil, some situations are still so abhorrent or inexplicable that they suggest a demonic origin. The horrors of an Auschwitz or of a mother roasting her own child to death imply a powerful force leading humanity to destruction.

Some therapeutic situations are best explained by the work of a spirit being. While it is true that symptoms produced by schizophrenia, dissociation, and other psychological and chemical disorders have often been wrongly attributed to demons, some conditions are best explained by the direct influence of a spirit entity. The international community of mental health professionals recognizes this and labels it “Trance and Possession Disorder,” an especially common diagnosis in non-Western cultures.

We need to learn from the broader sweep of human history and cultures. The last 300 years in Western history represent the only time when the existence of evil spirits has been viewed with widespread skepticism. Furthermore, an exploration of other cultures throughout Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, and elsewhere reveals that belief in evil spirits continues to be integral to the worldview of many people groups.

Belief in the reality of evil spirits need not lead to uncritical or unwarranted beliefs about demons nor the bizarre and dangerous practices of extremist individuals and groups. Our task should be to integrate this more complete view of reality into our functional worldview with constant sensitivity to biblical teaching on this topic. At the beginning of The Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis warned that we can err in two ways as regards the devil. We can fail to take account of him or we can give him too much attention.
_____________

Clinton E. Arnold is Dean and Professor of New Testament Language and Literature at Talbot School of Theology.

Blog Post: B&H Names Amanda Sloan Acting Vice President of Marketing

DavidSchrader — Thu, 09 May 2013 22:44:00 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 5/09/2013 – B&H Publishing Group president Selma Wilson has named Amanda Sloan acting vice president of Marketing. Mary Katharine Hunt, who previously held the position, will join Justice and Mercy International as executive director of Operations on June 1.

Sloan came to B&H as marketing manager of Trade Books in 2010 and has helped lead promotion efforts on New York Times best sellers The Vow (Kim and Krickitt Carpenter), The Resolution for Men (Stephen and Alex Kendrick), The Resolution for Women (Priscilla Shirer), and Reshaping It All (Candace Cameron Bure). Prior to that she was national marketing manager for B&H parent company LifeWay Christian Resources’ stores division. She holds an MBA in Marketing with an emphasis on brand management from Vanderbilt University.

“I am so grateful for Amanda and the excellent work she has already done in marketing for B&H,” said Wilson. “Our executive staff so appreciates her accepting this role on our team in this time of transition. We will miss Mary Katharine but know this new role is God’s perfect plan for her life.”

Hunt joined B&H in 2011 and spent twenty years combined at LifeWay Christian Resources. While at B&H she led the team’s Every Word Matters™ rebranding initiative, was instrumental in re-launching the B&H Kids imprint, and refocused the company’s day-to-day strategic marketing efforts for the digital age. A champion of overseas mission work in her personal life, Mary Katharine will remain based in Nashville with her new job but also travel regularly to other countries confronting global injustice.

B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a non-profit publisher made up of people who are passionate about taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters™, we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church, and academic markets, titles include The New York Times No. 1 bestsellers The Love Dare and The Vow as well as the award-winning HCSB Study Bible.

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Blog Post: B&H Named Publisher of the Year at 2013 SEPA Awards

DavidSchrader — Wed, 08 May 2013 16:51:00 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn., 5/08/2013 – B&H Publishing Group was named Publisher of the Year at the Spanish Evangelical Publishers Association (SEPA) Awards held this past weekend in Miami during Expolit 2013, an annual conference and expo designed to promote the growth of ministry and resources within Hispanic markets.

B&H also received the Book of the Year award for La Resolución para Hombres (The Resolution for Men) by Stephen and Alex Kendrick. Further, the Kendricks’ continuing bestseller El Desafío del Amor (The Love Dare) was awarded for selling more than 250,000 copies.

In addition, B&H was honored with bestseller awards in the following categories: Reference Books (Diccionario Bíblico Ilustrado Holman / Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary); Text Bibles (RVR 1960 Biblia para Regalos y Premios / RVR 1960 Gift & Award Bible); Specialty Bibles (RVR 1960 Biblia Letra Grande Tamaño Manual con Referencias / RVR 1960 Hand Size Giant Print Bible); and Study Bibles with Notes (Biblia de estudio Arco Iris / RVR 1960 Rainbow Study Bible).

“This is the first time we’ve received Publisher of the Year from SEPA, and we thank God for all seven of these honors. We love providing biblical resources for our Spanish-speaking brothers and sisters,” said B&H president Selma Wilson. “I am so proud of our team—their hard work, their commitment to excellence, and their passion for the gospel.”

On July 1 B&H will release Biblia del Pescador (RVR 1960 Fisher of Men Bible), a unique Bible that focuses on evangelism, discipleship, and ministry. Edited by pastor Luis Ángel Díaz-Pabón, president of the Global Missionary Society, its first print run will be among the largest for Bibles in B&H history.

SEPA, the Association of Christian Resources Providers (SEPA Spanish Evangelical Products Association) since its inception has served as a focal point in the evangelical publishing community and organizations to achieve dialogue, organize activities and events that promote the distribution of Christian resources. SEPA today plays an important role in promoting and expanding the participation of new publishers and new organizations to achieve greater impact in the lives of men and women with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a non-profit publisher made up of people who are passionate about taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters™, we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church, and academic markets, titles include The New York Times No. 1 bestsellers The Love Dare and The Vow as well as the award-winning HCSB Study Bible.

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Blog Post: Carl F. H. Henry (Seven Summits Worth Climbing in Church History)

ChrisCowan — Wed, 08 May 2013 07:26:00 GMT

Carl F. H. Henry
Seven Summits Worth Climbing in Church History
by  Jason G. Duesing

“He is intellectually the most eminent of conservative theologians. I would say he’s been the professor and I’ve been the student.” So said Billy Graham reflecting upon the influence of Carl F. H. Henry (1913-2003). Like Philipp Melanchthon to Martin Luther, or Andrew Fuller to William Carey, with the passing of time the figures in history that built the theological infrastructure to support and defend an evangelical movement often fade from popular memory. Graham, Luther, Carey we know, but names like Carl F. H. Henry are not readily in view. Although unknown, Henry is not forgotten. Gregory Alan Thornbury’s latest work is quickly becoming one of the books to read this year. This is a welcomed and needed volume, for the perceptive Thornbury observes, “So it seems as though there may still be enough of us left who believe that Carl Henry, a key to evangelicalism’s past, may in fact be a cipher to its future.” What is it then that made Henry so effective in his day and thus worth reviewing now? Carl Trueman believes that one part of what made Henry remarkable was his “unerring ability to see the big picture, to focus on issues of real substance, and to communicate the significance of these issues to the theological public.” Henry saw this big picture first in his younger days as a journalist.

Carl Ferdinand Howard Henry was born to immigrant parents in January 1913 in Long Island, New York. Following the practices of American Episcopalianism, Henry ventured through confirmation at the age of twelve but later, in his words, abandoned “all that institutional religion could offer.” However, upon graduation from high school, Henry took a position at The Islip Press where he would meet one of the most important people to impact his life. Mrs. Mildred Christy “a white-haired, middle-aged lady” served as a secretary to the editor and would regularly tell Henry she was praying for him. On one occasion where Henry took the Lord’s name in vain, she expressed her hurt to Henry, and he felt it. “I knew she was a widow. What I did not know was that her teenage son, whom I apparently resembled, had recently died in California in a motorcycle accident. Nor did I know that she prayed God to give her a son in the ministry, or at least, in the Lord. What’s more she alerted two friends in Ohio—with whom as a teenager she had often sung gospel songs in churches and rescue missions—to put me, of all people, on their prayer list. To be on the prayer list of that triumvirate, of local believers like Martha Gorton, too, was like being at the mercy of an air assault.” Four years later, a persistent Mrs. Christy would offer Henry regular invitations to church and then finally to meet a special guest speaker. After a series of excuses and rebuffs, Henry finally agreed to meet the speaker, and the man both challenged Henry and answered the burdening questions of his heart. On June 10, 1933, Carl Henry trusted Christ.

After his conversion, Henry went to Wheaton College where he met his future wife, Helga, and continued working as a journalist. After marriage, he earned a degree from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. While serving as a part of the founding faculty at Fuller Theological Seminary in California, he completed a Ph.D. from Boston University in philosophy. In 1947, Henry published The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism, a book Russell Moore terms, “perhaps the most important evangelical book of the twentieth century.” There, Henry critiqued retracting fundamentalism as well as social gospel liberalism and called for a “rediscovery of the revelational classic and the redemptive power of God, which shall lift our jaded culture to a level that gives significance again to human life.” So it is fitting to see a call for the rediscovery of Henry as really a call to rediscover the foundational principles of a God who makes himself known in his revealed Word. While at Fuller, Henry helped launch Christianity Today, an evangelical magazine designed to “take academic theology to the masses” and to give pastors an alternative to the more theologically liberal Christian Century magazine. Henry’s tenure with Christianity Today lasted until 1968 and saw the magazine circulate to over 160,000. After spending a year researching and writing abroad, Henry returned to various teaching posts but focused primarily on his majestic six volume God, Revelation, and Authority. What is more, while rightly seen as the premier twentieth century evangelical theologian, Carl Henry was also a Baptist by conviction and served his denomination in a similar supportive role during a time of controversy. Henry passed away in 2003.

Henry’s journalism background helped him tackle substantive and crucial theological issues in a way that not only left no doubt what he believed but also displayed how his beliefs came as the result of well-reasoned arguments. In response to the idea that one might believe in Jesus but not in the truthfulness of Scripture, Henry states, “The indispensability of personal faith in Christ in no way implies the dispensability of the Scriptures as the Word of God written; apart from Scripture, we can say nothing certain either about Jesus Christ or about the necessity of personal faith in him” (GR&A, 4.203). Here, Henry in long form expounds what he had since been articulating for evangelicals for some time, that “if evangelicalism is not defined on revelatory grounds, then it wasn’t worth the effort.” When asked how he would define evangelicalism theologically, Henry replied, “In 1 Corinthians 15:1-14, the indispensability of biblical theology to a sound doctrinal foundation is placed beyond doubt. An evangelical is one who is Scripture-accordant. Twice, the apostle Paul stipulates faith ‘according to the Scriptures.’ He said this in a context that includes the substitutionary death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without this dependence on and submission to biblical revelation, there is no evangelicalism.” In a New York Times story chronicling his departure from Christianity Today, the author noted Henry’s flair, writing, “In a recent speech he called Protestantism’s ‘modernist’ bent ‘a bag of wind theologically,’ and said that the ‘death of God sideshow has already gone bankrupt.’” In a 1963 Christianity Today report following a meeting with theologian Karl Barth, Henry cleverly stated, “Barth has given new vitality to the Reformation formula of soli Deo gloria. But historical evangelicalism held not only to soli Deo; it held also to sola Scriptura.” As Albert Mohler notes, Henry’s style of “aggressive engagement” on these issues is the very thing that aided his “effective and thorough restatement of the evangelical doctrine of revelation and biblical authority.” In 2013, the year that would have marked his 100th birthday, the name Carl F. H. Henry is probably not known to many evangelicals. But, should a recovery of Henry’s life and thought occur, perhaps a new generation will join Billy Graham in the glad acknowledgement that Carl Henry’s “been the professor and I’ve been the student.”

Further Reading:

Carl. F. H. Henry, Confessions of a Theologian: An Autobiography (Word, 1986).
Carl. F. H. Henry, God, Revelation, and Authority, 6 vols. (Crossway, 1999).
Carl F. H. Henry, “Fifty Years a Baptist,” in Tom J. Nettles and Russell D. Moore, eds., Why I Am A Baptist (B&H, 2001).
R. Albert Mohler, Jr., “Carl F. H. Henry,” David S. Dockery and Timothy George, eds., Theologians of the Baptist Tradition (B&H, 2001).
The Carl F. H. Henry Center for Theological Understanding at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School: http://www.henrycenter.org/about/timeline/his-works
“Carl F. H. Henry (1913-2003): A Tribute,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology (Winter 2004).
Gregory Alan Thornbury, Recovering Classic Evangelicalism: Applying the Wisdom and Vision of Carl F. H. Henry (Crossway, 2013).

Blog Post: Experiencing God at Home

DavidSchrader — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:23:00 GMT

God-centered,
God-directed,
and God-blessed.

Amidst society’s rapid secularization and increasingly anti-Christian stance, there are plenty of parents who sincerely want to raise their children to love and serve God and to experience God’s blessing upon their lives.

Still, the statistics are sobering. Rising divorce rates, the bullying epidemic, multiplying online distractions, and dangerous cyber addictions have our kids facing temptations and pressures we never imagined at their age.

The challenges are many, but solutions are available.

In fact, the Bible has shown us that the darker things get, the more determined God is to use Christian families as lights on a hill. God is just as interested in working through your family today to extend His kingdom as He was with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Mary and Joseph.

Experiencing God at Home by Tom and Richard Blackaby gives you the tools that will help your family be God-centered, God-directed, and God-blessed despite a world unfocused and off course.

Ask God to open your heart as you open your home to His guidance and blessings.

Blog Post: The Resolution for Women

DavidSchrader — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:56:00 GMT

Have you joined the resolution revolution?

Priscilla Shirer's New York Times best seller The Resolution for Women is a call for women to live intentionally to honor God and their families.

Reviewers at Goodreads agree:

"This is excellent insightful material, great for a small group study (our community group women are reading this together for our summer book group). I've never read anything by Priscilla Shirer before, and her writing is fresh and thought-provoking. There is a lot of wisdom here."

"A book to read, a book to reread and a book to recommend."

"I'm declaring this book an absolute must read for women and young women."

Blog Post: eBook Deals for Mother's Day 2013

DavidSchrader — Tue, 07 May 2013 19:45:00 GMT

God bless all the moms out there!

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 12, and if your mom has an eBook reader, why not surprise her with one of the following titles now at awesomely low prices?

This offer lasts through May 14, 2013, so act fast!

Mended by Angie Smith / $3.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer / $4.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Bible Promises for Mom / $2.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Daughter by Vicki Courtney / $4.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Five Conversations You Must Have with Your Son by Vicki Courtney / $4.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Life Interrupted by Priscilla Shirer / $2.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhahn / $2.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Letting Go of Perfect by Amy E. Spiegel / $2.99
Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ ChristianBook ~ iTunes

Blog Post: "Read. This. Book."

DavidSchrader — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:36:00 GMT

Searching for one of those life-changing reads? Be sure to take a look at 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.

Disturbed by her family’s comfortableness with American excess, Jen convinced them to join her in a unique social and spiritual decision to live by a rule of seven, reducing material possessions/distractions in order to connect with a greatly increased God. 7 tells their deeply inspiring and often humorous story.

Since the book's release last year, Hatmaker was named among Christianity Today's 50 Women to Watch. And the online reviews for 7 often go like this:

"All right, I am going to come out and say this. I LOVED THIS BOOK. Read. This. Book."

"I am adoring @JenHatmaker 's book '7.' It's rocking my world. Buy it!"

Blog Post: Manhood Restored by Eric Mason

ChrisCowan — Mon, 06 May 2013 07:12:00 GMT

The earthly crisis within manhood will be there until Jesus returns, but in Christ men are pointed toward the gospel as the vision for renewal. Manhood Restored: How the Gospel Makes Men Whole by Eric Mason combines theological depth with practical insights, putting men in step with a gospel-centered manhood that will enrich every facet of their lives.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: The Life and Death of Manhood
Chapter 2: The Impact of Daddy Deprivation
Chapter 3: The Restorer of Manhood
Chapter 4: Restored Worldview
Chapter 5: Restored Sexuality
Chapter 6: Restored Vision
Chapter 7: Restored Family
Chapter 8: Restored Church
Conclusion

Download: The foreword by Tony Evans, the foreword by Matt Chandler, and chapter 1.

Watch: the trailer for the book

[View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao3wam6JmFU&feature=youtu.be]

Blog Post: B&H Resets Fiction Strategy to Align with Broader Strategies

DavidSchrader — Sat, 04 May 2013 00:08:00 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (May 3, 2013) –B&H Publishing Group president Selma Wilson has announced a new strategy for the company’s fiction program.

Uniquely positioned for developing strategic partnerships, B&H will intentionally focus on publishing only those novels that are tied to broader strategic endeavors, including initiatives with ministries, external film partners, LifeWay Films, and the B&H Kids line. Past releases using this model have included such best sellers as The Love Dare, The Vow, The Resolution for Men, as well as titles such as October Baby and Unconditional. New and upcoming releases include the Experiencing God at Home line, The Lost Medallion by Bill Muir and Alex Kendrick and The Truth Seekers Series by Bill Myers.

“B&H is focusing on projects that align with our core strengths,” said Wilson. “We are uniquely gifted in working alongside partners and utilizing all of the tools that LifeWay Christian Resources is blessed to have. We are a team of people who want to spread the gospel around the world, and we believe we accomplish that best when we deploy our gifts to broader movements alongside strategic relationships.”

Upcoming B&H releases this year include The Love Dare for Parents by Stephen and Alex Kendrick (July 1), Whispers of Hope by Beth Moore (October 1), and Operation Christmas Child by Franklin Graham and Donna Lee Toney (October 1).

B&H Publishing Group, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources, is a non-profit publisher made up of people who are passionate about taking God’s Word to the world. Because we believe Every Word Matters™, we seek to provide intentional, Bible-centered content that positively impacts the hearts and minds of people, inspiring them to build a lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. Among our print and digital releases for the trade, church, and academic markets, titles include The New York Times No. 1 bestsellers The Love Dare and The Vow as well as the award-winning HCSB Study Bible.  

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