Thirty percent of families in the US are led by a single parent. Nearly nineteen million children have just one parent in their home. And while the actual numbers will vary from nation to nation, most of the Western world experiences something similar—large numbers of families that are led by just one parent. Sometimes the cause is divorce, sometimes death, sometimes unplanned pregnancy, and sometimes any number of other factors. But the reality is that more people than ever are raising families alone.

God’s Grace for Every Family

And this makes me wonder: Are our churches a safe and attractive place for such families? Do we welcome them and make them feel accepted? Do we account for them in our ministries, in our programs, in our sermon application? Do we acknowledge that single-parent families not only exist, but form a significant part of the population? Do we truly value them?
It was these questions that compelled me to read Anna Meade Harris’ new book God’s Grace for Every Family: Biblical Encouragement for Single-Parent Families and the Churches That Seek to Love Them Well. Though I do not have experience in being part of a single-parent family, I do serve a church that has included a good number of them. And I have wondered if we have served them well. Her book is meant to provide comfort and counsel to single parents while also informing and training churches to love them well.
Harris became a single parent in 2010 after her husband succumbed to colon cancer. At that time, their boys were nine, twelve, and thirteen years of age. And she was left to finish raising those boys and to press on in life without her spouse, her partner in so many of life’s blessings and challenges.
“In these pages,” she says, “I celebrate what my boys and I learned about the steadfast love of God for single parents and their children and invite the rest of the church to witness his grace made visible in our families. But before I could appreciate God’s grace for myself, I had to discover how limited and needy I truly am.” In other words, she had to come to terms with her own “not-enoughness.” She had to admit her need and inability. This introduces a section of the book that functions like a kind of guided tour of the particular challenges of single parenting. She writes about fear, grief, exhaustion, loneliness, vulnerability, uncertainty, shame, and pride. Though each of these may exist among any of us, they can be especially pronounced in those who are parenting alone.
Later, each of these factors receives a chapter-length treatment. A few stood out to me. Her chapter on fear explains why single parents may bear an extra measure of fear as they not only grapple with some form of loss, but also as they consider raising children without a second, complementary parent. Her chapter on exhaustion helped me understand how a church’s programs are often built around the capabilities of a two-parent home in which responsibilities are divided between a father and mother and in which someone else is often available to care for the children. 
Her chapter on vulnerability helped me better appreciate how single moms are often especially vulnerable in any number of ways and often carry that sense of vulnerability with them throughout life. And her chapter on shame helped me understand how churches can inadvertently increase the sense of shame that so many single parents carry, even when the circumstances that led to being single are in no way their fault. These lessons and so many more have helped me better understand, better appreciate the challenges, and, I trust, better love those who are living them out.
“Single parents want nothing more than to love their children, to provide and protect, to see them heal and thrive, but doing that alone seems virtually impossible. At times, that impossibility threatens to break our hearts.” The hope and confidence in this book is that the challenges of doing all this alone can be met within the church where God’s family can step up, care, love, and provide. The church is meant to be a place where the fatherless can find a father figure and the motherless a mother figure, a place where many brothers will reach out to assist a needy sister and many sisters will reach out to assist a needy brother. It is, in short, a place where God means to bless every family—even, and perhaps especially, those families who are most broken and most in need of his grace.

November is not traditionally the greatest month of the year for book releases. This November, though, proved to be something of an exception as a number of publishers released new books just in time for the holiday shopping season. Here are my picks for this month’s new and notable books that may be of interest to Christian readers. In every case I’ve included the publisher’s description.

The Pilgrim’s Regress: Guarding Against Backsliding and Apostasy in the Christian Life by Mark Jones. This book has the shortest editorial description I’ve ever seen: “Mark Jones addresses the uncomfortable topic of backsliding believers-and, to a lesser extent, apostasy-in a serious, hopeful, and pastoral work informed by wise theologians of eras past.” But I wrote the foreword to it so can attest that it’s well worth a read. Here’s part of what I said: “Whether you are attempting to understand and guide someone who seems to be walking away, whether you are a pastor wondering whether one of your parishioners is backslidden or fallen away, or whether you have concerns for the state of your own soul, The Pilgrim’s Regress will bless and help you. Drawing from the deep wells of Christians from ages long past, and fully dependent on the Bible, Jones writes with a theologian’s precision and a pastor’s love. He writes to encourage and to comfort, to reprove and to exhort. He writes ultimately to glorify our God and serve his people.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal by Matthew Martens. “Jesus told his followers that the entirety of the Old Testament’s law is encapsulated in the commands to love God and to love their neighbors as themselves. In Reforming Criminal Justice: A Christian Proposal, Matthew T. Martens argues that love of neighbor must be the animating force for true reformation of the criminal justice system, obligating us to seek the best for both the criminally victimized and the criminally accused. Using his theological training Martens reveals how Scripture provides several guideposts (accuracy, due process, accountability, impartiality, and proportionality) for loving our neighbors as it relates to criminal justice. Then, drawing on his near quarter century practicing criminal law, he examines how America’s justice system falls short of the biblical standard. By understanding how our current system operates and considering how love of neighbor relates to issues of crime and justice, we will be better equipped to seek true Christian reform of the justice system.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
You Are Still a Mother: Hope for Women Grieving a Stillbirth or Miscarriage by Jackie Gibson. “When you lose your baby to stillbirth or miscarriage, it feels like the ground has fallen out from underneath you. Speaking from experience, Jackie Gibson reaches out, offering the only balm that will bring comfort to your pain. Grieving the loss of a child to stillbirth can be a lonely and agonizing experience. Sadly, this overwhelming loss is far more common than one may think, affecting around 1 in 160 births. Gibson honestly acknowledges the sorrow, the loneliness, and fears that come from suffering the loss of a child while pointing to the gospel with gentleness and understanding. You Are Still a Mother weaves Scripture and deep truths about God with Jackie’s personal experience to provide a book that is both honest and full of hope. Acknowledging that all who suffer this loss will never be the same, she reassures readers that God will be present through every moment of every day.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
He Gives More Grace: 30 Reflections for the Ups and Downs of Motherhood Through the Years by Sarah Walton & Linda Green. “Motherhood is one of life’s most joyful yet most difficult gifts. We are eager to get it ‘right’, yet parenting usually highlights our weaknesses and leaves us worried about our mistakes. These hope-filled, positive devotions recognize the realities and pressures, joys and disappointments of motherhood and will give you a precious reminder of grace from God’s word to hold onto each day. They will help you to trust that God’s grace is enough for you and your kids. As the authors say in the introduction, ‘Our children do not need a perfect mother. What they do need is a mother who recognizes her need for a perfect Savior and understands that this is the greatest need of her children as well.’ As you focus on the work of Jesus rather than your own efforts, you will feel less pressure and more freedom and joy in all the ups and downs of motherhood.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
Behold and Believe: A Bible Study on the ‘I Am’ Statements of Jesus by Courtney Doctor & Joanna Kimbrel. “Seeing is believing. If we want to know who Jesus is and why he is important to our lives, we need to take a closer look at what he said about himself. Jesus describes himself as the bread of life, the light of the world, the good shepherd, and more. His bold words invite us to behold him―and then to trust him. Whether you’ve never read the Bible, have followed Jesus for years, or find yourself somewhere in between, this 7-week Bible study will help you explore the question, Who is Jesus? Using the ‘I Am’ statements in the Gospel of John, authors Courtney Doctor and Joanna Kimbrel demonstrate how to observe, interpret, apply, and reflect on key Bible verses about Jesus’s identity. Weekly prayers, memory verses, brief commentaries, and discussion questions help women to see Jesus, trust him alone for salvation, and proclaim his goodness to others.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy: Eight Truths for Pursuing Unity in Your Church by Jamie Dunlop. “Churches are full of differences. Those differences might be rooted in culture or personality or even musical style. In recent years, differences over political and social issues have frayed the unity of many churches. Yet if a church is centered on Christ alone, then unity at church will sometimes require building genuine friendships that bridge across all those differences. How can Christians navigate those relationships? Can they really love people at church who sometimes drive them crazy? This practical guide explores 8 truths from Romans 12–15 that show us how to find God-exalting unity at church with those we struggle to love. Love the Ones Who Drive You Crazy is a roadmap to finding joy in Christ through the many differences we have with fellow believers, a joy that powerfully declares the glory of God. Because easy love rarely shows off gospel power.” (Buy it at: Amazon)
Revelation (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) by Thomas Schreiner. “In this addition to the award-winning BECNT series, leading evangelical biblical scholar Thomas Schreiner offers a substantive commentary on Revelation. Schreiner’s BECNT volume on Romans has been highly successful, with nearly 40,000 copies sold. In this volume, Schreiner presents well-informed evangelical scholarship on the book of Revelation. With extensive research and thoughtful chapter-by-chapter exegesis, he leads readers through the text of Revelation to help them better understand the meaning and relevance of this biblical book. As with all BECNT volumes, this commentary features the author’s detailed interaction with the Greek text and an acclaimed, user-friendly design. It admirably achieves the dual aims of the series–academic sophistication with pastoral sensitivity and accessibility–making it a useful tool for pastors, church leaders, students, and teachers.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
Dictionary of the New Testament Use of the Old Testament edited by G.K. Beale, D.A. Carson, Benjamin Gladd, and Andrew David Naselli. “With the torrent of publications on the use of the Old Testament in the New Testament, the time is ripe for a dictionary dedicated to this incredibly rich yet diverse field. This companion volume to the well-received Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (CNTUOT) brings together leading evangelical biblical scholars to explore and explain the many facets of how the New Testament writers appropriated the Old Testament. This definitive resource covers a range of interpretive topics and includes summary articles on each biblical book and numerous themes. It also unpacks concepts mentioned in the CNTUOT, demonstrates how the Old Testament uses the Old Testament, and addresses a wide range of biblical-theological, hermeneutical, and exegetical topics. This handy reference book is for all serious students of the Bible as they study how and why Old Testament texts reappear and are reappropriated throughout the Bible.”(Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
Lord Jesus Christ (New Studies in Dogmatics) by Daniel J. Treier. “Lord Jesus Christ expounds the doctrine of Christ by focusing upon theological interpretation of Scripture regarding Jesus’s identity. The book’s structure traces a Christological arc from the eternal communion of the Triune God through creation, covenants, Incarnation, passion, and exaltation all the way to the consummation of redemptive history. This arc identifies Jesus as the divine Lord who assumed human flesh for our salvation. The book expounds and defends a classically Reformed Christology in relation to contemporary contexts and challenges, engaging both philosophical and global concerns. Each chapter begins with the theological interpretation of a key Scripture text before expounding key concepts of orthodox Protestant Christology. Lord Jesus Christ is a unique example of writing dogmatic theology by way of theological exegesis. The result is a volume that engages the numerous scholarly volumes on Christology that have appeared within the last couple of decades but provides a contemporary account of a traditional view.” (Buy it at: Amazon)
Joni Eareckson Tada by Catherine MacKenzie. This is part of a new series titled “Hall of Faith” and launched alongside the volume on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. “Joni Eareckson Tada is a Christian author, speaker and artist whose life was turned upside down at the age of seventeen when a serious diving accident meant she was paralysed from the shoulders down. This short biography tells the story of what happened on that fateful day, and in the days and years that followed. Catherine MacKenzie skilfully shows how Joni’s story is a story of God’s goodness in the face of extreme suffering. Her testimony is one that has encouraged and moved people around the world. Read it here and see how the God of love is working for the good of those who love him, even in the most challenging circumstances.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)
Word and Spirit: Selected Writings in Biblical and Systematic Theology by Richard Gaffin Jr. “Few Reformed theologians have exerted the influence in both the church and the academy that Richard B. Gaffin, Jr. has, shaping the theology and spiritual formation of generations of pastors and teachers. Until now, his most significant published works have been inaccessible to most theological readers, published in academic journals, denominational newsletters, and out of print festschrifts and essay collections. A decade in the making, Word & Spirit gathers Gaffin’s finest works of biblical and systematic theology and arranges them in a singular, organic whole that presents Gaffin’s thought and work as comprehensively and clearly as it ever has been. More than 40 essays, articles, and tracts have been compiled, including ‘The Usefulness of the Cross’, No Adam, No Gospel, ‘A Cessationist View,’ and ‘The Work of Christ Applied’. This collection is a must-have for any student of theology.” (Buy it at: Amazon, Westminster Books)

The Lord be with you and bless you today, my friends.
Today’s Kindle deals include a couple of Paul Tripp’s most important books along with a book by Stanley Gale and a few other choice picks.
(Yesterday on the blog: Are You Scattering Bad Seed?)

“Well, let’s start with the absolutely glorious news about the judgment that we will not face. I mean, the accomplishment of Christ in dying for us and rising for us can be stated positively and negatively. Positively, he died to ‘bring us to God.’ The enjoyment of the presence of God forever is the positive achievement of the death of Jesus and the resurrection of Jesus.”

Kevin DeYoung answers a common question. “Many Christians hold to the mistaken notion that every sin is the same in God’s eyes. Some Christians embrace this conviction by way of a misguided theological calculation: ‘If every sin deserves eternal judgment, then every sin must be equally heinous.’ Others promote the idea for apologetic reasons: ‘Don’t worry, friend, your sins are no worse than anyone else’s sins.’ Still others believe in the equality of every sin out of a genuine sense of humility: ‘Who am I to think that my sins are less vile than anyone else’s sins?’”

This is quite an article from Jake Meador. “There is a simplicity about Tolkien’s moral vision that is refreshing. Certainly, there are times when the answer to the right course of action is not altogether plain, and wisdom and prudence are needed to help one see the right way. But if honour compels one toward a certain action, come what may, then nothing else matters—at least not for Tolkien.”

Eric Geiger: “At the same time, there are some marketplace leadership insights (even ones that are widely accepted as wise) that don’t translate fully and should not be applied to a local ministry context. The ministry leader is wise to look at all learnings from the marketplace through the lens of God’s Word and His heart for His Church. Here are four common marketplace leadership sayings that don’t fully apply in local church ministry.”

Randi Singleton shares some lessons learned from infertility. “My journey through infertility left me tattered, beaten, and unsure how to navigate life. The grief associated with infertility can be difficult to define. Simply put, it’s the sorrow of a future that may never come to be—grief before grief happens, if that makes sense. There were countless moments that made my heart ache and my chest tighten, but one in particular stands out—a moment when I couldn’t help but think that there had to be another way. I remember feeling so confused and even angry at Jesus for allowing so much pain. This particular experience happened during Christmas, a time when everything feels amplified.”

Matthew Lee Anderson has a long and thoughtful article about the new book The Widening of God’s Mercy.

Young Christians should be relentless in finding ways into the lives, homes, and prayers of older saints so they can see how the Christian life is lived, so they can ask honest questions, so they can learn by observation. 

There is never a holy sigh, never a tear we shed, which is lost.
—Richard Sibbes