Grace Church regularly holds book discussions on either a specified week night or on Sunday morning before our corporate gathering. See below for some books we have covered.
Praying the Bible by Don Whitney
From the publisher: "When you pray, does it ever feel like you're just saying the same old things about the same old things? Offering us the encouragement and the practical advice we’re all looking for, Donald S. Whitney, best-selling author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, outlines an easy-to-grasp method that has the power to transform our prayer life: praying the words of Scripture. Simple, yet profound, Praying the Bible will prove invaluable as you seek to commune with your heavenly Father in prayer each and every day."
The Hole in Our Holiness by Kevin DeYoung
From the publisher: "The hole in our holiness is that we don't seem to care much about holiness. Or, at the very least, we don't understand it. And we all have our reasons too: Maybe the pursuit of holiness seems legalistic. Maybe it feels like one more thing to worry about in your already overwhelming life. Maybe the emphasis on effort in the Christian life appears unspiritual. Or maybe you've been trying really hard to be holy and it's just not working! Whatever the case, the problem is clear: too few Christians look like Christ and too many don’t seem all that concerned about it.
This is a book for those of us who are ready to take holiness seriously, ready to be more like Jesus, ready to live in light of the grace that produces godliness. This is a book about God's power to help us grow in personal holiness and to enjoy the process of transformation."
What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality? by Kevin DeYoung
From the publisher: "In this timely book, award-winning author Kevin DeYoung challenges each of us—the skeptic and the seeker, the certain and the confused—to take a humble look at God’s Word regarding the issue of homosexuality.
After examining key biblical passages in both the Old and New Testaments and the Bible’s overarching teaching regarding sexuality, DeYoung responds to popular objections raised by Christians and non-Christians alike, making this an indispensable resource for thinking through one of the most pressing issues of our day."
Job: The Wisdom of the Cross by Christopher Ash
From the publisher: "Life can be hard, and sometimes it seems like God doesn’t even care. When faced with difficult trials, many people have resonated with the book of Job—the story of a man who lost nearly everything, seemingly abandoned by God. In this thorough and accessible commentary, Christopher Ash helps us glean encouragement from God’s Word by directing our attention to the final explanation and ultimate resolution of Job’s story: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Intended to equip pastors to preach Job’s important message, this commentary highlights God’s grace and wisdom in the midst of redemptive suffering. Taking a staggeringly honest look at our broken world and the trials that we often face, Ash helps us see God’s sovereign purposes for adversity and the wonderful hope that Christians have in Christ."
Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkle
From the publisher: "The swooning Victorian ladies and the 1950s housewives genuinely needed to be liberated. That much is indisputable. So, First-Wave feminists held rallies for women's suffrage. Second-Wave feminists marched for Prohibition, jobs, and abortion. Today, Third-Wave feminists stand firmly for nobody's quite sure what. But modern women -- who use psychotherapeutic antidepressants at a rate never before seen in history -- need liberating now more than ever. The truth is, feminists don't know what liberation is. They have led us into a very boring dead end.
Eve in Exile sets aside all stereotypes of mid-century housewives, of China-doll femininity, of Victorians fainting, of women not allowed to think for themselves or talk to the men about anything interesting or important. It dismisses the pencil-skirted and stiletto-heeled executives of TV, the outspoken feminists freed from all that hinders them, the brave career women in charge of their own destinies. Once those fictionalized stereotypes are out of the way -- whether they're things that make you gag or things you think look pretty fun -- Christians can focus on real women. What did God make real women for?"
We also covered this book in a Sunday Class. You can listen to teachings on the first half of the book at the following links: Eve in Exile #1 and Eve in Exile #2.
True Feelings by Nicole Whitacre and Carolyn Mahaney
From the publisher: "Emotions can be confusing. At times, we live at the mercy of our emotions, feeling helpless to understand them and powerless to control them. But the Bible brings clarity to this confusion, showing women that emotions are ultimately a gift from God. In this book, a mother-daughter team offers women a fresh perspective on their feelings straight from God's Word, helping them handle emotions in a way that honors God and others. Pointing women to godly habits and unpacking the role of feelings in everyday life, this book offers hope for flourishing with the emotions that God gave them."
Adorned by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth
From the publisher: "The Titus 2 model of older women living out the gospel alongside younger women is vital for us all to thrive. It is mutually strengthening, glorifies God, and makes His truth believable to our world.
Imagine older women investing themselves in the lives of younger women, blessing whole families and churches. Imagine young wives, moms, and singles gaining wisdom and encouragement from women who’ve been there and have found God’s ways to be true and good. Imagine all women—from older women to young girls—living out His transforming gospel together, growing the entire body of Christ to be more beautiful.
This is Christian community as God designed it. Read this book and take your relationships to new depths, that your life might find its fullest meaning as you adorn the gospel of Christ."