This week’s Free Stuff Friday is sponsored by Christian Focus Publications. They are offering copies of A New Exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689  to five winners.

What People Have Said About the Book:
Joel R. Beeke: This is an important resource for Baptists to understand their historic doctrines that were rooted in the Reformation. While I would disagree with the appendix that argues for credobaptism, many of the chapters are superb in their biblical, theological, and experiential understanding and application of the great truths of Scripture.
 
Tom J. Nettles: This commentary on the 1689 contains all the riches needed in this peculiarly relevant undertaking. It is set in its rich historical context without destroying its ongoing contemporary relevance. The authors are committed to the confession’s theological position in the context of rigorous biblical exposition. Both the content of the confession and the outlay of its exposition contains all the strengths of doctrinal catholicity, orthodoxy, evangelicalism, and Baptist thought. Each author has a deep grasp of the rich heritage of historical theology and the issues involved in canonical biblical interpretation and brings these to bear on the specific article under discussion. This volume will add richness to the weekly study of a pastor and give an invaluable book for church groups for enriching their biblical knowledge and the contextual consistency and doctrinal coherence of the inspired Scriptures.

Conrad Mbewe: I am grateful that there is a growing interest in doctrinal Christianity here in Africa and all over the world. Whereas there are many books dealing with one or two aspects of theology, it is good to have one book that gives those coming to Reformed Baptist convictions a comprehensive view of what we believe. The New exposition of the London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689, written by proven men in ministry, is such a resource. Let us make it available to many. The fruit will be evident for all to see for generations to come!

Ian Hamilton: It may seem odd that a convinced Presbyterian should write a warm commendation to this volume expounding the 1689 Baptist Confession. However, I do so with pleasure and seriousness. Throughout church history, confessions of faith have served the church admirably, helping to guard the church’s biblical identity and gospel calling. You do not need to agree with every sentence in this 1689 Confession to benefit greatly from its exposition by men of theological orthodoxy and pastoral integrity. Martin Bucer’s maxim, ‘True theology is not theoretical but pastoral; the end of it is to live a godly life’, is richly expounded throughout this fine volume. Read and sink your mind and heart into the rich truths as expressed in this new work.
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Life brings us many stretches of time that are entirely ordinary. Not much happens in these times and they quickly fade from our memories. But then there is the occasional stretch where all sorts of consequential events take place in rapid succession. And as it happens, my family is heading into one of these right now.

Tomorrow Aileen and I will celebrate our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. August 8, 1998, dawned hot and humid and only got more so as the day went on. We had chosen to be married at St. John’s Anglican Church in Ancaster—the beautiful and historic church at the center of our hometown and the church where Aileen’s parents had been married many years before. It was a great building in every way but one—it had no air conditioning. We had chosen to have our reception next door in Ancaster’s historic Old Town Hall—another beautiful building but another one that lacked A/C. It is amusing to look back on our wedding photos now and to see our foreheads progressively glowing over the course of the day, our faces flushing, our hair flopping as time went on and the heat refused to relent. But we had a wonderful day nonetheless and enjoyed celebrating with friends and family. It marked the beginning of something wonderful.
We were just 21 and 22 at the time—so young and so naive. We were barely independent, both of us having lived in our parents’ home until that very day. We were poor as church mice and had no obvious prospects for successful careers. But we loved one another and were committed to joining our lives together. The Lord blessed us on that day and he has blessed us richly ever since. We have endured our share of sorrows, of course, and have passed through a good number of difficulties. But our love for one another has only grown. As we look back we can only be thankful—thankful to God for his grace and thankful to God for providing just the right person for each of us. It has been a blessing to do life together. I think we can each say that there’s no one else with whom we would have wanted to endure the peaks, the valleys, and everything in between.
This anniversary comes at the cusp of a significant life change. On Wednesday we will load up our car and head south to Boyce College where, on Thursday, we will get Michaela set up for her freshman year. By the time we return home, we will be empty-nesters, at least through the school year. And while we are finding some sadness in this transition and the thought of a quieter, emptier house, we are not afraid of it. In fact, we are looking forward to figuring out together how to do this stage well. Since we can’t change it, we plan to embrace it!
Michaela is ready to go! She and Aileen have been busily planning and buying and packing, and it looks like they’ve got everything she needs. She will be living in the residences and sharing a room with a couple of roommates. The three have been chatting online and are already coming to enjoy one another. We are excited for her and are as convinced as we can be that she will be able to thrive there.
After we have gotten Michaela set and made the drive home, Aileen and I are getting away together to celebrate twenty-five years and so many other blessings. We exchanged a bunch of Air Canada points for some flights to New Zealand and are excited to spend a bit of time on the wintery South Island. It will be something of a working vacation, but should be a nice one nonetheless. (In this case, working means writing, not public speaking.)
Abby and Nate continue to live in Louisville while Abby completes her degree at Boyce College. Since one of them is Canadian and the other American, they had to make a decision about which country they would live in. He, after all, has no intrinsic right to live in Canada and she has no intrinsic right to remain in the United States after completing her degree. Something had to give! They decided that Nate would immigrate to Canada and just a few days ago he received his letter of acceptance for permanent residency here. This frees him to move to Canada anytime, to secure a job, and to begin the path to citizenship. They are planning to make the move in May when Abby has wrapped up her studies in biblical counseling. We will be so excited and so thankful to have them back on this side of the border and hopefully living nearby.
Ryn continues to be part of the family too, of course! She is living in Louisville and focusing on work. She recently had the opportunity to do a mission trip to the Middle East, then to share with her church her “Story of Grace” through the loss of her fiancé. From what I have been told, it went well and was a blessing to the congregation.
In other news, I have now completed filming 7 of the 12 episodes of Worship Round the World. The schedule, which has involved crisscrossing the globe and moving through so many time zones, has been nothing less than punishing. Yet things have gone well and the project is slowly, steadily coming together. If all goes according to plan, we will film another three episodes this fall before finishing up in early January. And then, of course, we will need to actually create scripts and produce films and write a book and turn it all into something you may wish to watch and read.
Here’s the tally of countries I’ve visited this year:
🇨🇦 🇺🇸 🇵🇱 🇸🇰 🇨🇿 🇦🇺 🇫🇯 🇹🇴 🇰🇭 🇸🇬 🇩🇰 🇸🇪 🇳🇴 🇨🇱 🇦🇷 🇺🇾 🇧🇷 🇹🇭 🇰🇷
And here are the ones still to come:
🇳🇿 🇿🇦 🇿🇲 🇪🇬 🇵🇹 🇮🇳
As I write all of this—as I look to the past and project into the future—I can’t help but think of James’ words in the fourth chapter of his letter. He means to remind us that all of our times are in the hands of the Lord, for “you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’”
We can bear twenty-five years of testimony to God’s care, kindness, and providence—to all that his good will has decreed. As we look to the next few weeks and the next few decades, we have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but we do know who will bring it. And we know that he is good, that he is kind, and that he loves us. We are eager to honor, serve, and praise his name.

This time of year is usually a very good one for book releases as publishers attempt to make sure their top titles are available for the holiday shopping season. Here are some of my picks for New and Notable books from September (including a handful from August since I didn’t provide a roundup last month). In each case I’ve provided the publisher’s description of the book.

Church History by Simonetta Carr. “Church History is a fascinating guide that shows young readers (and even not-so-young readers) how God has preserved His church from AD 30 to the beginning of the twenty-first century. Travel through time and all over the world as you meet the people, learn about the ideas, and understand the challenges that have shaped the history of the church. Maps, time lines, and colorful pictures on every page show you the important people, places, and events of church history. Learn about how Christianity spread to Armenia, the first official Christian nation; how a paper nailed to a church door in Germany marked the beginning of the Protestant Reformation; how the church has grown in places like Asia, Latin America, and Africa. Discover how the church has answered important questions like Is Jesus really God? Can we be perfect in this life? May Christians allow slavery? and What is the gospel? Most importantly, you will see that after two thousand years, Jesus’s church is still growing and proclaiming the good news of salvation for sinners all over the world.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Workers for Your Joy: The Call of Christ on Christian Leaders by David Mathis. “We live in an age increasingly cynical about leadership—some of it for good reason, much of it simply the mood of our times. Still, the risen Christ continues the counter-cultural work he’s done for two millennia: he appoints leaders in his church—not as a burden, but as a gift to his people. What is the nature, calling, and work of local church leadership? Pastor and seminary professor David Mathis considers the elder qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 not only as prerequisites but as daily necessities to carry out joyfully. This accessible guide aims to serve current and aspiring pastors and elders, as well as church members who want to know the expectations for their leaders and how to pray for them.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Confronting Jesus: 9 Encounters with the Hero of the Gospels by Rebecca McLaughlin. “Jesus is the most famous human being in all of history. But while many people have a basic sketch of Jesus in their minds, comparatively few have taken time to read the four biographies of his life in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. In Confronting Jesus, Rebecca McLaughlin shares important biblical context to help all readers see why the Gospels should be taken seriously as historical documents. This follow-up to her first book, Confronting Christianity, helps readers understand the message of the Gospels and explore who Jesus really is. Individuals and groups can work through the book together with the Confronting Jesus Study Guide and the Confronting Jesus Video Study.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Following Jesus in a Digital Age by Jason Thacker. “We were told technology would make our lives easier and more convenient, but technology just seems to have made it more complicated and confusing. As Christians, what does our faith have to do with these pressing issues of life in a digital age? In Following Jesus in a Digital Age, you will not only be challenged on how technology is shaping your walk with Christ, but you will also be equipped with biblical wisdom to navigate the most difficult aspects of our digital culture—including the rise of misinformation, conspiracy theories, social media, digital privacy, and polarization. God calls his people to step into the challenges of the digital age from a place of hope and discernment, grounded in His Word. How will you follow Him in the digital age?” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith by David Powlison. “It’s easy to lose heart in a world where many things can and do go wrong. Life is difficult and there are struggles within and without, but we can take heart–the Lord is with us. He hears our cries for mercy. He knows our every need. He guides us, helps us, and strengthens us with his mighty right arm. Journey through a year with David Powlison, learning to take heart by meditating on his favorite Scripture passages, hymns, and biblical themes, exploring the ways God meets us with daily grace right where we live. Drawn from David Powlison’s many decades of writing, teaching, and speaking, Take Heart is a yearlong devotional journey into the process of biblical change, where truth becomes clearer and our ears hear and our eyes see what God tells us about himself.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Truth for Life: 365 Daily Devotions (Volume 2) by Alistair Begg. This is the second (and, to my knowledge, final) volume of Alistair Begg’s excellent daily devotions. “Start with the gospel each and every day with this second volume of 365 Christ-centered daily devotions from renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg. Each daily devotion includes: reflections from renowned Bible teacher Alistair Begg; prompts for real-life application; relevant Scripture passages; a yearly Bible-reading plan. The durable hardback cover with dust jacket and ribbon marker make this a wonderful gift.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Fruitful Theology: How the Life of the Mind Leads to the Life of the Soul by Ronni Kurtz. “Why do the theologians rage? Even a cursory scrolling of social media may lead you to the conclusion that you have to be angry to do theology. Sadly, our day is characterized by theological fighting–complete with harsh words, exaggeration, biting sarcasm, and the spirit of tearing down our brothers and sisters in Christ. But it does not have to be this way. In fact, it should not be this way. In Fruitful Theology, Ronni Kurtz swims upstream to counter this prevailing problem. Instead of theology leading to anger, division, and discord, this book shows that the life of the mind can actually lead to the fruit of the Spirit.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Alongside Jesus: Devotions for Teenagers by Drew Hill. “Have you ever considered that Jesus could actually be walking alongside you? Like right now, in this very moment–even though you can’t see him. If you knew that for sure, how would it change your day? Your life? Because you can’t see or hear Jesus with your physical eyes and ears, walking with him takes a different kind of seeing and hearing. And as you learn to walk with him, your faith will grow, and your life will never be the same. Through a month of meditations, Drew Hill invites you to look for Jesus with the eyes of your heart and learn to hear his voice. As you encounter Jesus, you will begin to see yourself through his eyes. The Alongside Devotional uses a daily devotional format, and each chapter takes a look at a different truth about Jesus and invites you to establish an Alongside Practice that will help solidify this truth in your heart. Each week includes a weekend conversation with your Alongsider–a parent, mentor, or friend who can help you process what you’re reading. These encounters with Jesus will help you see that Jesus is closer than anyone else could ever be.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
The Unwavering Pastor: Leading the Church with Grace in Divisive Times by Jonathan Dodson. “Leadership is hard. Pastoring through divisive times is even harder. How do we lead well when criticized? How do we keep loving the church when hurt by her? What does it look like to remain committed to the gospel in cultural division? Seasoned pastor Jonathan Dodson comes alongside struggling pastors and ministry leaders to guide them into the comfort of Christ. But he doesn’t stop there. Full of wisdom drawn from 2 Timothy, this book will equip you to lead the church with grace, charity and spiritual power through divisive times. Great for pastors and ministry leaders who need encouragement and insight, or are wrestling with their calling. Makes a thoughtful gift.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Faith Undaunted: Embracing Faith and Knowledge in a Post-Truth Era by Donald MacLeod. “Christian faith is a matter for the emotions, but also a matter for the intellect. Donald MacLeod delves into not only what he believes, but why he believes, and how that belief affects how he lives his life. Arguing for the importance of reason and logic in personal faith, he equips the reader to resist relativist influences that are permeating the twenty-first-century church. Winsomely written, Professor MacLeod shows once again why he is a beloved teacher and writer.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Pastoral Friendship: The Forgotten Piece in a Persevering Ministry by Brian Croft, Michael Haykin, and James Carroll. “Friendship is a need that touches the deepest parts of the human soul. This is especially true in ministry. It is a need that is not simply rooted in enjoyment and companionship, but in the necessity to care well of one’s soul and survive a long-term ministry. This book seeks to persuade every modern pastor of the essential need of friendship. And not just any friendship, but a close, personal, intimate, and sacrificial pastor-to-pastor friendship that regularly turns each other’s gaze to Jesus. Friends and pastors, Michael Haykin, Brian Croft and James Carroll examine portraits of friendship in scripture and church history, before exhorting readers to modern pastoral friendships.” (Buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)
Only When It’s Dark Can We See the Stars: A Father’s Journal as His Son Battles Cancer by John van Popta. John is a dear friend to my family and, in this book, he traces his son’s long illness. “Four Long Years: That’s the time from 12-year-old Julian’s diagnosis of leukemia until the van Popta family reaches the other side. All the while, dad kept a log chronicling in detail the arduous ordeal. Is there hope in the pitch-dark Valley of Baca? With his journal, you can travel with these pilgrims on their journey. Since John is sharing his entries with extended family, friends and church members, you hear him reporting and reflecting as a pastor. He had encountered similar situations before, but such experience counts for little compared to facing cancer of a loved one firsthand. So you also sense how a father’s heart aches as his son suffers. And how he wrestles with wounded faith.” (Buy it at Amazon)