July 2023 New Releases
New Books
Below is a list of the new and notable resources releasing this month from Crossway. Titles include the Answering Speech by Dan Brendsel and Planting by Pastoring by Nathan Knight.
The Upside Down Kingdom: Wisdom for Life from the Beatitudes
In the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:2–12), Jesus urges us to set ourselves apart from the world, living in a counterculture with a new identity rooted in him. The Upside Down Kingdom examines this counterintuitive wisdom and explores its relevance for today. Drawing on insights from the biblical story of redemption, church fathers, Reformation scholars throughout history, and contemporary life, this book equips and encourages readers to get their spiritual bearings in an upside-down world. Author Chris Castaldo ultimately points readers to the kingdom of Christ—not as a set of rules, but as a means of bringing peace and blessing here and now.
“G. K. Chesterton once defined a paradox as ‘truth standing on its head calling for attention.’ And this, most certainly, is what Chris Castaldo achieves as he deftly guides us through the inverted glories of the Beatitudes in The Upside Down Kingdom. His beautifully written exposition invites these eight compressed theological H-bombs to graciously detonate within our hearts. The Upside Down Kingdom is not only a treasure trove of wisdom; it’s also a bracing call to deeper devotion to Christ and the gospel.”
—R. Kent Hughes, Senior Pastor Emeritus, College Church, Wheaton, Illinois
Answering Speech: The Life of Prayer as Response to God
Through this thoughtful book, author and pastor Daniel J. Brendsel explains how responding to God can nurture prayerful engagement with Scripture, shape healthy rhythms among God’s praying people, and spur excitement for communion with God. For those disappointed by their current life of prayer, Answering Speech invites readers to enter into an expansive and exuberant life of response to the Father through the Son in the power of the Holy Spirit.
“It is shameful but true. Christians have long struggled to exercise their most astounding privilege: approaching the throne of grace and talking to God, communicating with the one who created and redeems us, who loves us with a love even stronger than death. This thought-provoking book is precisely what we need to put our prayer lives on track. It points us to the one who initiates this marvelous divine communication and invites us to answer him in fear, love, honesty, and ceaseless, awestruck, self-giving speech.”
—Douglas A. Sweeney, Dean and Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University
Planting by Pastoring: A Vision for Starting a Healthy Church
In Planting by Pastoring, author Nathan Knight challenges our view of church planting and centers the goal of pastoral ministry on a basic biblical foundation: a church plant is in fact a church, and a planter is in fact a pastor. A healthy church plant is not measured by size, speed, or level of self-sufficiency but by good pastoring that produces faith, fruit, and a flourishing community. Once pastors and church leaders redefine their plant as a church, their ministry will begin to align with Jesus’s mission to shepherd the flock and bring glory to God alone.
“Biblical faithfulness and faith in God are twin essentials for church planting. Follow the Master’s guidelines and trust the Master for the growth. This is the thrust of this book, and I am glad to commend it to those who seek to plant and grow biblically faithful churches for the glory of King Jesus.”
—Daniel L. Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
Proverbs: Stories of Wisdom and Folly
Proverbs: Stories of Wisdom and Folly includes 50 devotionals written by David Murray, author of The StoryChanger. This series features daily readings designed to help you learn, love, and live according to the whole Bible. Murray walks you through a broad range of texts throughout the book of Proverbs, offering thoughtful comments on the book’s message, reflection questions, and a personal daily prayer. This devotional can help reorient your mind and transform your life with God’s better story.
“David Murray’s new StoryChanger Devotional series is exactly what Christians are craving right now. These daily devotionals are accessible both in their content and brevity. In just a few minutes each day, readers will find comfort in the truth of the gospel and challenges in following the way of Jesus. Just because the devotionals are short doesn’t mean that they won’t pack a life-changing punch. This series will introduce you to the Bible in the ways that you want and provoke you in the ways that you need.”
—Adam Griffin, coauthor, Family Discipleship; Host, The Family Discipleship Podcast; Pastor, Eastside Community Church, Dallas, Texas
Ephesians: Growing in Christ
In this 10-week Bible study for women, Lydia Brownback examines Ephesians verse by verse to guide Christians toward a godly life. Written for individuals or groups, each lesson helps women understand the blessings of being united to Christ by faith, fellowship, spiritual maturity, and fruitful living.
“The brilliant and beautiful mix of sound teaching, helpful charts, lists, sidebars, and appealing graphics—as well as insightful questions that get the reader into the text of Scripture—make these studies that women will want to invest time in and will look back on as time well spent.”
—Nancy Guthrie, Bible teacher; author, Even Better than Eden
Deeper Study Guide: Real Change for Real Sinners
Designed to be used in conjunction with the book, the Deeper Study Guide covers all 9 chapters of the book, with each chapter offering 10 reflection questions on the topics of despair, union, honesty, pain, and more. Whether readers choose to study alone or in a group, this guide will encourage them to fix their gaze on Jesus in the battle against sin—casting themselves upon his grace and living out their invincible identity in Christ.
“Jesus said that our greatest ‘work’ is to believe. As much as any living author, Dane Ortlund has helped me to believe again by reacquainting me with the stunning tenderness and beauty of Jesus. As I read his words, I can sense my heart growing in trust, devotion, and godly affections, grounded in the Savior’s love for me. In this incredibly helpful, pastoral book, Dane works out the implications of that vision of Jesus for personal growth, showing us how the key to going further with Jesus is going deeper in his finished work.”
—J. D. Greear, Lead Pastor, The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Death of Porn Study Guide
In his book The Death of Porn, pastor Ray Ortlund calls an entire generation to believe in their God-given royalty and push back against the degrading porn industry. This companion study guide walks readers through each of the 6 chapters with discussion questions, a chapter summary, Scripture passages for reflection or meditation, a prayer, and space to write responses.
Designed for small groups, Bible studies, or individuals, The Death of Porn study guide is perfect for men looking to dive deeper into the wondrous truth of the gospel and apply practical steps of integrity for themselves and their generation.
“The Death of Porn is a magnificent work of hope. Ray Ortlund does not shame us or flatter us. He lifts us into a sense of our own destiny—not with his words but with God’s. This book deepened my resolve to avoid living beneath my God-given dignity and to carve out a world of nobility as never before. We allowed porn in. By God’s grace, we can drive it out. It’s what we were born to do. If I could, I would put this book into the hands of every man in my generation.”
—T. J. Tims, Lead Pastor, Immanuel Church, Nashville, Tennessee