Prototype: What Happens When You Discover You're More Like Jesus Than You Think?
Jonathan Martin (Tyndale)
Only as we grasp God's astonishing love for us, says Martin, can we truly learn to live like Christ. Martin, pastor of Renovatus ("A Church for People Under Renovation") in Charlotte, North Carolina, shows how Jesus fully embraced his identity as God's beloved Son—and how we can, too.
Slaying the Dragons: Destroying Myths in the History of Science and Faith
Allan Chapman (Lion Books)
Not until relatively recently in history has the assumption stood that science and faith are locked in perpetual conflict. Chapman, historian of science at Oxford University, uses the historical record to reveal how different this modern view is from a more nuanced understanding that prevailed in the past.
Christianophobia: A Faith Under Attack
Rupert Shortt (Eerdmans)
Shortt, religion editor for The Times Literary Supplement, argues that Christians across the world are persecuted more than members of any other religious group. In Christianophobia, he serves up chapter-length profiles of the countries where Christians face the severest threats of violence, harassment, and injustice.
Andrea Tornielli (Ignatius Press)
Pairing a humble, servant-like manner with a commitment to Christian orthodoxy, Pope Francis has impressed Catholics and non-Catholics alike in the inaugural months of his papacy. Tornielli's biography, drawing upon the fabled Vatican reporter's wealth of inside knowledge, is a timely introduction for all who are curious to know more about the new pope's background and vision.
Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards
Kyle Strobel (InterVarsity Press)
Not only can we learn about God from the writings of Jonathan Edwards; we can learn about God with the great Puritan preacher as well, by immersing ourselves in his habits of prayer, meditation, and the study of Scripture. In Edwards's words and examples, says Strobel, we have an enviable resource for our pursuit of godliness.
The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good
Peter Greer with Anna Haggard (Bethany House Publishers)
As CEO of Hope International, a global nonprofit dedicated to reducing poverty through microfinance loans, Greer has long sought to combine Christian faith with a passion for social justice. In The Spiritual Danger of Doing Good, Greer warns of the pitfalls and temptations that fellow Christian "do-gooders" can expect to confront.
Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church
J. D. Payne (Thomas Nelson)
At no point in its long history has the global church been without a series of significant challenges. Payne, a Birmingham pastor who has spent 10 years on the Southern Baptist Convention's North American Mission Board, identifies a dozen such challenges facing today's church, including globalization, mass migration, and the rise of pluralistic cultures and attitudes.
