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OUTREACH magazine has just released the names of the nominees for their 6th annual Outreach Resources of the Year Awards. The purpose of these awards is to “celebrate and encourage excellence in resources designed specifically to help the Church reach out in areas such as evangelism, compassionate service, and cross-cultural ministries locally and worldwide.” Winners will be announced in the March/April 2009 issue of OUTREACH.

Among the nominees are the following Crossway titles:

EVANGELISM
The New Media Frontier: Blogging, Vlogging, and Podcasting for Christ by John Mark Reynolds and Robert Overton

CULTURE
Death by Love: Letters from the Cross by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears

CROSS-CULTURAL MINISTRY
Where are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men’s Questions About the Church by Eric Redmond

For more information, including a full listing of nominees, visit www.outreachmagazine.com/ory.htm.

Justin Taylor, managing editor of the ESV Study Bible, was today’s guest on The Albert Mohler Radio Program.  He and Dr. Mohler were “Thinking About Bibles”.

Theology Network just posted an interview with Michael Ovey and Andrew Sach, co-authors of Pierced for Our Transgressions (2007).

When asked why he chose to write Pierced for Our Transgressions, Ovey explains,

“I think what influenced me was this, the thought that as Evangelicals…we were losing sight of one of the great central doctrines of the cross, the doctrine of penal substitution, the idea that the Lord Jesus bears our sin in our place out of the great love he has for us.”

Click here to listen to full interview.

Pastor John Piper answers questions regarding his book Spectacular Sins in recent “Ask Pastor John” segments posted on Desiring God.

♦What do you hope will be the lasting effect of Spectacular Sins?
♦Why did you dedicate Spectacular Sins to Joseph?
♦How can evil have a good purpose?
♦Why does God allow Satan to live?
♦What was the most spectacular sin ever committed?
♦How did God make evil commit suicide at the cross?
♦What is the antidote for wimpy Christianity?
♦How does talk about the grandeur and glory of God heal a bruised heart?

Mark Driscoll writes on the gift of silence:

Since God convicted me of my addiction to noise, I have sought to conform my life more to the pattern of Jesus’, which has proven quite helpful. I try to spend at least five minutes an hour in silence, at least thirty minutes in uninterrupted silence each day, and a full day in silence once a month. During those times I find myself going for silent prayer walks to listen to God, writing in my journal, and sometimes doing nothing at all, which for me has become an act of faith that God is at work even when I am not.

Read the full article here.

Recently Crossway’s homeschool book reviewers discussed Hymns for a Kid’s Heart, Vol. 1 by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada on their blogs. Here are some of their comments:

“For the children you love, this book is a feast. It has everything you need to teach twelve of the greatest hymns ever composed.”

“We’ve really been enjoying Hymns for a Kid’s Heart Vol. 1 by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada. I’ve been using it for our family devotional time. The inside jacket says it’s for kids ages 3-15, [and] it’s not often I find a book I can read to my high schoolers and my pre-schooler.”

“This is a beautiful little book with gorgeous illustrations and simple stories aimed for young children, yet a fun and easy read for us ‘big kids,’ too!”

“This book is worth checking out!”

You can read the full reviews by visiting the following blogs:

• http://mrsmomma.blogspot.com
• http://hot-fudge-oracle.blogspot.com
• http://mybibleandacupofcoffee.blogspot.com
• http://hip2bhomeschooling.blogspot.com
• http://gailwelborn.blogspot.com
• http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/writer4him
• http://momtofivekids.blogspot.com
• http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/momofmhasr
• http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Earthling/
• http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/FaithfulGrace
• http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/PunmasterTheThird/
• http://www.homesteadblogger.com/SimpleFolk/
• http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/abundantblessings/

If you would like to join Crossway’s Homeschool Book Review Program or find out more about it, feel free to e-mail Crossway at marketing@crossway.org.

Tim Challies, author of The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment, shares his Top 8 Books of 2008.

He includes Unpacking Forgivness by Chris Brauns and Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson, with the latter being his top favorite of the year.

Christian Book Previews (CBP) just posted an interview with Pat Ennis, co-author of Practicing Hospitality: The Joy of Serving Others (Jan 2008). When asked about the genesis of the book, Pat explains:

“As we look at Scripture, we’re reminded over and over again that the real focus on biblical hospitality is not entertaining; it’s not having a picture perfect home; it’s not having a gourmet menu. Most importantly, it is not a suggestion from Scripture. It is the mandate of Scripture.”

Click here to listen to the full interview.

C.J. Mahaney continues his series on biblical productivity with an excerpt from R.C. Sproul’s article, “Time Well Spent: Right Now Counts Forever”. You can read that excerpt here.

Visit these links to read C.J’s pastoral insights to date on the topic of productivity:

• Are You Busy?
• Confessions of a Busy Procrastinator
• The Procrastinator Within
• Just Do It
• In All Thy Ways
• The Sluggard
• Roles, Goals, Scheduling