Thejenandonly

 Important Update

Video evidence now available that the Eaton Fire (second biggest fire) was caused by a failing power transmission line:

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2025/01/scenes-from-the-fire-line.php

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We know that the fire started around 10:30 AM on Tuesday.  The GOES visible satellite image at that time is shown below and you can see the smoke plume from a single fire.

What do we find at the location where the fire started?   Powerlines.   Hung on wood structures.  I have several pictures of the location and the powerlines (see below)

Could these structures have handled the 80-100 mph winds that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday?

You can see the powerlines extending down to the Summit neighborhood

Not convinced the powerlines did it?    There is other evidence.   The wonderful Ting power sensor network noted disturbances in the electrical power system in the neighborhood just prior to the fire.  

Finally, the fire initiation location does not look like an area where homeless encampments would be located. Encampments where camp fires would be found. 

The big question is why the Los Angeles power authorities did not de-energize all the power lines on the hills.   

Because of my research on western U.S. wildfires, I keep close tabs on the weather in southern California.

So I was more than a little interested in the extreme warnings made by the National Weather Service for densely populated portions of southern California (see below).

They call this a LIFE THREATENING AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDSTORM.  An EXTREME RISK demanding immediate action.   Folks are warned to stay away from windows.

So what is going on?   The large-scale models (such as the GFS forecast of sea-level pressure and surface winds shown below for 10 PM Tuesday) predict strong high pressure over Nevada and unusually low pressure over southern Arizona, producing unusually strong northeasterly winds between them (wind speeds indicated by color shading).

To better check out the forecast, the best place to turn is the high-resolution NOAA/NWS HRRR model.

By tomorrow (Tuesday) morning the HRRR model predicts 50-60 mph winds over the mountains north of LA

These winds strengthen during the day, reaching 70 mph over the hills by 4 PM.

And the situation remains very serious at 8 AM Wednesday.

 I can show this by displaying the heights and winds at 925 hPa (about 780 meters above sea level).  You can see the low over southeast Arizona.  The shading is something called the standardized anomaly from climatology (sorry).  All you need to know is that the light gray areas indicated the winds were essentially unprecedented. 

Update

The UW Hamas encampment has tripled in size.

Jewish students have been attacked and had items stolen from them.

Media representatives have been attacked and bloodied.

Major pathways have been blocked.

All of this is documented on video. Where is the UW administration?  Why do we have to follow the path of Columbia and UCLA?

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The hapless anti-Israel encampment finally occurred yesterday at the UW and it would be hard to find a more ineffective, ignorant, and morally lacking group of university students.  

Originally scheduled for last Thursday, the whole affair had to be delayed because Muslim students were angered that they were not asked to participate and plan the event by the Progressive Student Union.  And when the camp was finally established yesterday morning on wet/muddy ground it was raining hard and continued to rain during the day.

Only a handful of tents were set up, the pro-Hamas activists numbered perhaps a dozen or two at the peak, with most UW students taking little notice.   Many of the anti-Israel crowd wore masks to avoid identification, like many lawbreakers.  Some were screaming  (at a student who was quietly holding an Israeli flag) in ways that suggested some kind of mental affliction.

These students were breaking the law.  Encampments are illegal on the UW campus and warning signs were placed around the quad, with the specific regulation cited (see below) 

Some of the signs called for violence against police, which I suspect is illegal (see below).

But it was the stunning ignorance and lack of historical knowledge that really was shocking. 

 I calmly asked one the the folks in the yellow jackets why he was against Israel.  He told me that the Jews were colonialists. I calmly told him that he was incorrect. That the Jews were in the land for at least 3000 years and that the Arabs were the recent conquerors.  He told me that I was wrong, that there were no Jews in the region until the 1900s.  I noted that Jews were noted in both versions of the bible.  He countered that the bible was mythology.  I noted that Roman literature talked about Israel and there was definitive archeological proof.  He then walked away.

Some people call these Hamas supporters Nazis.   I can't agree.  They are so poorly grounded in history that I suspect they don't even know about the Nazis.  Or know about the Holocaust. 

They are ignorant.  They are foolish.  These are kids without meaning in their lives and trying to secure some meaning by screaming slogans about a conflict they don't understand.  Many appear to be outcasts or odd.  Kind of a sad group.  

I am not as charitable regarding the UW administration.

The encampment was illegal and notice was given.  But when this criminal activity occurred, an activity that interfered with the education of hundreds of students, the UW administration did nothing.

This is after many of the same students disrupted university functions a half-dozen times with bullhorns and drums.

Criminal destruction in the UW HUB

After they took over the Administration Building and the President's office.

After they disrupted the Chanukah celebration on Red Square.

And after they trashed the student union building, causing tens of thousands of dollars of damage.

All good parents learn that children will test authority and that being permissive for anti-social behavior leads to even worse behavior.

The pro-Hamas UW students are no different.  These are kids who don't have internal moral or ethical values and need to be taught that inappropriate and hurtful behavior has consequences.

Their near-complete lack of knowledge of history and society further cripples them.

The UW administration seems determined to follow the disastrous policies of Columbia and Harvard, which is a tragedy for the University and the region it serves.  

My friend Joshua Clutterham died yesterday. My readers may not recognize that name, but Joshua contributed many photos of Turkey and Greece to our collection. Joshua died at the age of 41 from a rare form of cancer. He leaves behind his wife Meredith and five sons, ages 10 to 3.

I met Joshua when he was a student in our IBEX program in the year 2000. The memory that endures above all others was our excavation with Shimon Gibson near Zova. Some of our students were put to work in three squares, and Joshua was part of the infamous “Square B,” a team of six I constantly teased for having the lowest output of all. Could they not even find a potsherd? Of course, they did as well as the other teams, but the good-natured teasing bonded the group and “Square B” would live on for several years to pull pranks and “honor” me in various ways. They seemed to especially show up on my “B-day” with various reminders, and as time passed, Joshua carried on the tradition by calling me every year on my birthday.

Joshua loved Israel, and somewhere around 2006, he came to study at Hebrew University and the Jerusalem University College. My memory is fuzzy on some of the details, but we enjoyed a number of outings together, including an adventure on Mount Carmel, a hike through the cliffs of Michmash and Geba, and a camping trip to Aijalon. We talked about everything, including his desire to find a godly wife.

For reasons I can no longer recall, Joshua ended up effectively joining the IBEX group for the spring of 2007, my final semester teaching at IBEX. He was an advanced student who served us in various ways. One of the ideas he dreamed up was to film all of my on-site teaching as I guided the students that semester in the Land and Bible class. And so we purchased some equipment, and Joshua became the cameraman for a few dozen trips that year. Joshua had the idea to edit the footage, along with my photos, into a virtual tour series. In my mind, I thought that the filming would be valuable for my children to watch if I was not able to show them the land. Though the tour series was never completed, as Joshua soon went on to study for several seminary degrees and I entered a doctoral program, I have always been grateful for Joshua’s preserving a record of those special days.

Joshua also became distracted by a beautiful woman who had entered his life. I remember Joshua telling me about Meredith during a visit to our home in Texas. He was smitten. She was in the M.A. program in Biblical Counseling, and Joshua was at the time a graduate assistant in the program, one that he would go on to become the director of. Before long, I was being invited to Florida to stand alongside Joshua when he committed to love and cherish Meredith until death do them part. I couldn’t have been more happy for them.

When my family moved to California a few years later, Joshua and Meredith were living in a tiny little granny flat near The Master’s College, and whenever I visited I was always amazed at how Meredith managed to keep everyone sane as their family grew from one son to two and then three. Joshua was a tireless worker, not only directing the MABC program but always furthering his education, particularly in his passion for the Old Testament and the land of Israel.

When the opportunity arose for him to travel to Turkey and Greece, he was eager to go but in need of funds. The solution we came up with was that he would take photos for BiblePlaces in exchange for the shortfall. Joshua came back with beautiful photos, a number of which grace the covers of various volumes in the Photo Companion to the Bible series. Many dozens of his photos can be found throughout the Photo Companion (look for photos beginning with “jc”), and I frequently marvel at what a blessing those pictures are to our team’s on-going work. His photos have been published elsewhere as well, including in the ESV Archaeology Study Bibleand What the New Testament Authors Really Cared About.

I certainly had mixed feelings when Joshua told me that he had received an offer to become a professor, and later Vice-President, at Brookes Bible College in Missouri. I knew that this was a great opportunity for him, but I hated to see him and Meredith leave. A few years later, our family was driving through the Midwest, and Joshua suggested our families spend an afternoon at the City Museum in St. Louis. We all had a blast running around the most interesting “museum” I have ever been to. Then together we caravanned to the Ark Encounter in Kentucky for a fun time with all the kids exploring this massive ship.

We regularly stayed in touch, and Joshua continued to dream some big dreams. He was considering various PhD programs, and he was planning a new online program for Brookes. He led trips to Israel, became a pastor, and their family grew to five boys. When my birthday rolled around in December, I knew that one person would always remember and call me.

When I last spoke with Joshua by FaceTime two weeks ago, he was in the hospital and in tremendous physical pain. While his faith was always strong, he was praying for a miracle. He wanted to live—for Meredith and for his boys. They needed a father, and Joshua took so much joy in being with them and raising them to love the God he loves. One of the last things that Joshua was able to do outside of his home or church was to take one of his boys camping. Who was going to do that if the Lord took him?

That reminded me of an earlier camping trip I had with Joshua. Dear friends of our family in Jerusalem had five children when the husband died suddenly of a heart attack. Here were five young kids without a father. Not long after, Joshua and I took their boys (and mine) camping out near the ancient city of Aijalon in the Shephelah. We played soccer, went on hikes, explored caves, and had a great time. I have pictures of Joshua carrying them around on his shoulders, teaching them to build a campfire, and chasing after them up the mountainside. I’m sure that neither of us would have ever imagined that one day he would leave five boys behind, in need of a father figure to take them camping.

Joshua will be remembered by many as a faithful and deeply caring man. Though he was highly educated and deeply knowledgeable in many fields, he stood out for his compassion for others. In the final sermon he gave at his church a week ago, sitting in a chair on the stage in pain, his focus was on his beloved brothers and sisters in the congregation. He earnestly wanted them to treasure their faithful Messiah, and he encouraged them by highlighting Jesus’s words to Peter: “I have prayed for you” (Luke 22:32). This same Jesus is even now at the Father’s right hand praying for his people, Joshua told them. Joshua had no doubt that Jesus was interceding for him, though he knew that it might not be the Lord’s will to heal him.

I will miss my friend. And my heart aches for Meredith. She has always been so strong, balancing care for Joshua and pregnancies and homeschooling and running the household. The Lord could not have given Joshua a better partner and friend. Joshua’s legacy will endure—through so many counseling students at Master’s, Bible students at Brookes, and church family at Clayton. Even our readers here, though perhaps never hearing his name before, will continue to have their lives and Bible study and teaching enriched by the beautiful photos he took at Corinth, Philippi, Assos, Delphi, Miletus, Perga, and more. Though his life was far too short, his impact is deep and far-reaching. Surely his memory will be for a blessing.

This is a question every pastor and his church needs to think about: Should pastors know if their congregants are faithful in tithing? Here is my answer.

Transcript

Today’s question comes from Trent. And he’s asking this: should pastors know if their congregants are faithful in tithing? Now that’s a good question, it’s one I’ve thought about quite a bit, one we’ve had to ask ourselves at Grace Fellowship Church. I’ve got an answer for you. I’ll give it to you right after we run this quick intro.

Should pastors know if their congregants are faithful in tithing? There’s a lot wrapped up there. I expect the question is actually something more like, should pastors know if their congregants are unfaithful in tithing? Right, should pastors know if people are not giving money to the church? So, first let’s say, the tithe, I think most Christians agree the tithe is no longer in effect. The tithe was related to Old Testament Israel, to living in a theocracy. There was a lot bound up in it.

Today we believe the tithe has been done away with and instead, Christians are to give, to give generously to their church. So yes, there is a responsibility upon believers to give and I think most agree that the foremost giving should be to their local church. That, as a sign of our gratitude to all that God has given us, we support His work, especially through the church. And we give to the church first because it is the center of our mission here on earth. It is the community of Christians. And so, as much as we give to other things, to other charitable causes, to other ministries, I think most of us agree the church should be at the forefront of our giving, well and good. And then we give generously, we don’t generally hold people to ten percent. We might say that’s a good starting point, or give as the Lord has burdened you and so on. But then, should the pastors know if somebody is or is not giving to the local church? Okay, a couple of things to think about.

I think we can group this under care. Pastors are charged to care for their church. Part of that care is spiritual, knowing if they’re living obedient lives. And we could say that not giving at all, not being generous at all is a sign of not living a faithful life to the Lord. We could also say that it relates to physical care, to maybe people aren’t giving because they have nothing to give. Maybe people aren’t giving because they’re actually living in abject poverty and we’re just not aware of it. Or they have some serious need that the church could potentially help out with. So, in both of those ways, I think we could say that knowing if people are giving, knowing if people are not giving, it falls under the burden of care the local church wants to deliver to the people who are members of that church. So maybe there then we could say, there are good grounds for pastors to know if the church, if members are or not giving to the local church.

On the other hand, we as elders, as pastors, as leaders need to be very, very aware that we can judge people on the basis of if they give and how much they give. We can even give care to people or prefer people who give more. You think about preaching a message that may be unpopular in the church. If we know there are people in that church who are big givers, we may want to scale back our message. We may be tempted to sinfully scale back what we believe the Lord would have us say so as not to offend them, thinking, well what would happen if they remove their tithe? What if they no longer give to the church? How would we survive? Meanwhile, we might not do that if we know that the person who would be offended gives very little. So I think we need to be aware of our temptations as leaders, as pastors in the church.

So what do we do, how do we find balance between those two things? I think there might be a couple of solutions. One would be to have somebody in the church, other than the elders, report on people who are not giving. Or just tell the elders, here are people who have not given at all in the year that was, or people who have given just a very, very small amount in the year that was. And maybe then the elders could approach those people and say, is there a need we’re not aware of that we can meet? Is there something we could have the deacons help you with? Or, is this an area of struggle? A temptation of sin in your life and we could help you through that. So now I think that might be a way that you could care for people as their elders, as the ones who are charged to care for them, yet also, not know who is giving what. As an elder at my church, I have no idea who gives what and I’m very, very comfortable with that. I don’t want to know that.

Another thing is if you’re relating to your members well, and I hope most churches have something in place where the elders are meeting with the members of the church and just having pastoral conversations with them, then that could be a very good context you could bring this up. So I grew up in the Dutch Reformed tradition and we know every year, we knew every year, the elders were going to pay a visit, and they would just be asking questions about how they could care for us and how we were doing spiritually, how we were doing as a family. And we’d expect that question would come up and so we knew in that context, they would ask that question as part of their pastoral care. I think that was tremendously helpful.

So there’s a couple of ideas on how you can know something and yet not know too much. Whatever you do, I think you need to be up-front, make sure the members know what the elders will and will not know. I think that’s tremendously important that you don’t suddenly just spring that on people. If you’re not relating to your people, you’re not really pastoring them, I think it’s unfair to suddenly then spring the money question on them if you’re not pastoring them in other ways. So be upfront, let them know the expectation, let them know what you’ll know and let them know if you do approach them, you’re very much concerned, not for their giving, but for their hearts and what the giving or lack of giving then says about their hearts, about their relationship with the Lord or about some needs that you may not be aware of. I hope that helps a little bit. I’ll talk to you again soon.

Today’s Kindle deals include a couple of good titles by John Piper as well as some other good picks.

Logos users will want to check out the 12 Days of Logos sale that begins today.

The Christmas Present in Lot’s Cave

“The cave seemed like the perfect hiding place but soon it became the setting for one of the most heinous scenes in all of the Bible. But even here amid the darkness of depravity God was laying the tracks for an especially shocking revelation on Christmas morning.”

A Survivor of the Killing Fields

WORLD tells “How a Cambodian Christian overcame tragedy and horror thanks to the love, faith, and courage God gave him.”

Big Bother Is Watching

If you’re a Slack user, you may be interested in this look at the highs, lows, and future of Slack.

The Christmas Miracle of the Incarnate, Omnipresent Word

This is important: “In the end, the Incarnation is not for analysis but for worship.”

This Day in 1808. 198 years ago today the Bible Society of Philadelphia was organized, the first of its kind in America. Its purpose was to promote and distribute the Scriptures. *

Live, for the Moment

I found this an interesting (and concerning) article: “The pressure is on for extreme athletes to be constantly producing content, and it’s getting some of them killed.”

When God Changes Your Plans

You may enjoy this: “When Herod published his genealogy, it was missing anyone who was at all shady — and you know a guy like that had to have some crooked relatives that he took after.” That’s very different from Jesus’ genealogy!

The Story Behind “Silent Night”

Here’s the story behind a Christmas favorite.

Flashback: It Changed My Life!

I am convinced that I have been shaped more by one thousand regular sermons than by any one spectacular conference message; I have been shaped by five hundred very ordinary Lord’s Suppers more than any one powerful moment of worship.

Alas if our children lose the crown of life, it will be small consolation that they have won laurels of literature or art. —C.H. Spurgeon

It can be a dangerous thing to walk into a Christian bookstore. It can be a dangerous thing to listen to Christian radio or watch Christian television or attend that big conference. It can be dangerous because the Christian world is polluted by so much bad teaching. There are so many leaders who claim to be teaching truth when they are, in fact, teaching error. The healthy, growing Christian must learn to tell the difference.

This is not a new phenomenon. Wherever there have been good teachers, there have also been bad ones. We see an important example in Paul’s first letter to Timothy, pastor of the church in Ephesus. We do not know all the particulars of the situation, but from what we can reconstruct we can draw important warnings and applications for our day.

Paul has just described the depravity of humanity and warned about enemies to the church that will inevitably arise in these “last days.” He then focuses in on a certain group of enemies and their willing victims. “For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:6–7). Paul describes both enemies and victims here—false teachers and the women they corrupt. He offers five characteristics of these women.

They are weak. Paul is not suggesting that there is an intellectual inferiority among all women but that there is a moral weakness displayed within this group of women. They are not mental simpletons but spiritual weaklings. They are people who have had opportunity to grow in the faith but have neglected to do so. Instead, they have allowed themselves to become the disciples, the captives, of untrustworthy teachers.

They are burdened by guilt. The false teachers are able to gain access to the hearts and minds of these women through the gateway of guilt. Perhaps it is guilt for sin the women committed before or since conversion, or perhaps it is guilt they feel for their inadequacy as wives, as mothers, as women, as Christians. Either way, they have never been set free from the guilt of their sin and now accept the solution offered by these false teachers.

They are led astray by evil desires. Some see these words as indicating that the false teachers are leading the women into sexual immorality, but it is more likely that Paul simply means to indicate that they are being controlled by sin rather than being led by the Holy Spirit. They are giving free rein to their evil desires. Combined with their guilty consciences, this leaves them in a vulnerable condition.

They are always learning. These women are constantly learning from the false teachers. The desire to learn and to keep learning is a good one, of course. But their kind of learning is unhealthy because it eschews firm answers and focuses instead upon unbiblical answers or no answers at all. It denies what is clear and focuses on what is speculative. It leads to grave instability.

They are never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Because these teachers do not teach what is consistent with God’s revelation, the women never arrive at the truth. Even though they are always learning, they never come to firm, settled convictions. They never appropriate the truth that can set them free from their guilt and never submit to the Spirit who can destroy their evil desires. They are weak or backslidden or perhaps lost altogether.

These women have fallen victim to false teachers. The teachers are creeping into their homes, sneaking past pastors and husbands, most likely by doing their work during the day when the women are available and others are occupied. Once in, they take these women captive, enslaving them to sin and error and despair. They promise they are teaching truth when in reality they oppose the truth. They insist they are being godly when in reality they are utterly disqualified to open their mouths.

This is a sad picture of women who have neglected God’s means of grace and protection and instead allow themselves to be victimized by false teachers. They feel the weight of sin and guilt, they feel the burden of their inadequacy before man and God, and they are, in that way, easy marks for someone who arrives with a cheap and easy gospel. These teachers are no doubt assuring them they aren’t so bad after all, that the solution is just to do more, to do better, to try harder, to follow the program.

In that way, these first-century false teachers prove themselves close relatives to twenty-first-century false teachers. If in that day the false teachers were men, today they are men and women. If in that day the teachers went from door-to-door, today they go on the printed page or the digital screen. If in that day they crept into houses when no one was looking, today they slip unseen between the covers of books or through slick videos and popular conferences. Still they seek out weak women who are burdened by guilt and led astray by evil desires, and through constant teaching—another book, another program, another conference—they promise cheap solutions. Yet somehow all that learning never leads to a knowledge of the truth, to a settled reliance upon God’s sure revelation. Somehow joy still eludes them. And, lest we think this applies to only women, we do no damage to the text to extend it to men for we, too, are vulnerable.

The harsh reality is that the greatest danger to the church usually comes from within the church. More harm is done by “Christian” books than by non-Christian ones. More harm is done by “Christian” teachers than by Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses or atheists. Those false teachers are always nearby and always looking for new ways to creep in unawares. Even today they prey upon the weak and vulnerable.

So our builder mainly uses PlyGem vinyl windows. He said they are cost and energy-efficient, and most people get them in either white or clay (which is kinda greige). “Great” I thought….then I went to do my own research. Because I like to know things. I’m a research girl. And Adam is a research guy. And together, we research things. So off we went to find windows for our house.

I now know way more about windows than I should (and I for sure know more than some of the salespeople I talked to). Seriously, ask me a question.  Do you want to low about U-factors? How about the difference between rolled and extruded aluminum? What are the shortcomings of vinyl? What’s the difference between Ultrex and Fibrex? Would you like to know about low E glass? Because I can tell you all  about it. 

Obviously Adam and I want windows that are energy-efficient, but we also want windows that are pretty. In a world of white vinyl windows, when you come across a beautiful window, you notice.

If I could have chosen any window, I wanted a window that was black extruded aluminum on the outside and wood on the inside. I really didn’t care what the color was on the inside, I could have gone with natural wood, or something that was painted black or white. What I had noticed, during my many long nights with Houzz, that 90% of the houses I saved had black exterior windows. (some of these are hard to see, but trust me, they’re black.)

Life Is Best

Be sure to check out this new 13-episode program coming this fall. “Lives are at stake. Souls hang in the balance. Some Christians are engaged in the battle, most are not. Life Is Best will thoroughly equip and inspire you to join the fight for lives and souls.”

Truths and Tips for Engaging with Families in Your Church

Timothy Paul Jones shares truth and helpful tips for families.

McRevolt

I don’t mind admitting that McDonald’s breakfast is one of my favorite meals. (Has anything ever so perfectly mastered the salt / sugar / fat combination as a McDonald’s hash brown?) So I quite enjoyed this article on the company and its franchisees.

The Next Story

If you’ve never gotten around to reading my book The Next Story, this review will let you know about its strengths and weaknesses. If you buy it, be sure to get the second edition.

The New Socialists and the Social Ownership of Money

Joe Carter talks about Bernie Sanders and the social ownership of money.

Pre-Order Worthy. Next month will see the release of John MacArthur’s book Parables. “Master expositor and Bible commentator John MacArthur has spent a lifetime explaining the Word of God in clear and comprehensible terms. In Parables he helps Christians understand the essential lessons contained in the most famous and influential short stories the world has ever known.” Pre-order at Amazon.

Pascal’s Triangle

If you’ve got a math brain, or even if you don’t, you’ll enjoy this video. “Pascal’s triangle, which at first may just look like a neatly arranged stack of numbers, is actually a mathematical treasure trove. But what about it has so intrigued mathematicians the world over?”

Icons and Symbols of Catholicism

This photo essay about the icons and symbols of Catholicism will remind you why the Reformers were so set on simplicity of worship.

Captive

Jesse Johnson reviews the new movie Captive which is all about “a jail break 10 years ago that helped make Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life one of the best selling books of all time.”

When God has given you your heart’s desire, what have you done with your heart’s desire? —Jeremiah Burroughs

I am in the enjoyable position of receiving copies of most of the latest and greatest Christian books, and every few weeks I like to provide a round-up of what is new and particularly notable. It has been a little while since my last update and, even though this is a slower time of the year for new releases, I’ve got a few interesting ones to share with you.

Marie Durand by Simonetta Carr. Carr’s Christian Biographies for Young Readers has turned into a great series of excellent little biographies accompanied by high-quality art. This volume on Marie Durand continues the series. “In 1730, nineteen-year-old Marie Durand was arrested and taken from her home in a village in Southern France for the crime of having a brother who was a Protestant preacher. Imprisoned in the Tower of Constance, Marie would spend the next thirty-eight years there. Simonetta Carr introduces us to the inspiring life of a woman who could have recanted her Protestant faith and gained release, but held fast to the truth and encouraged others to do so as well. Beautiful illustrations, a simply told story, and interesting facts acquaint young readers with the challenges facing Protestants in eighteenth-century France and show them that even a life spent in prison can be lived in service to Christ and others.” (Read more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Gamechangers: Key Figures of the Christian Church by Robert Letham. There are many books like this out there, but not too many that come from a very discerning perspective. I believe that is what will make Gamechangers uniquely valuable. “Weaving together biography and theology, Robert Letham delves into the life and influence of twelve key figures who have helped shape the church. Gamechangers is a must read for any Christian with an interest in learning the way the church has understood the gospel down through the centuries. Features: Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzus, Augustine, Charles the Great, Anselm, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, Heinrich Bullinger, John Calvin, John Wesley, J.W. Nevin and Karl Barth.” (Read more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ by Rosaria Butterfield. Butterfield’s first book, Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert, was one of those books that came at just the right time and stepped right into one of the biggest cultural conversations. Now she follows it up. “This book answers many of the questions people pose when she speaks at universities and churches, questions not only about her unlikely conversion to Christ but about personal struggles that the ques­tioners only dare to ask someone else who has traveled a long and painful journey.” (Read more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)

The Biggest Story: How the Snake Crusher Brings Us Back to the Garden by Kevin DeYoung. Here’s a book for kids to read for to your kids. “The burning bush. David and Goliath. Joseph and the coat of many colors. The Bible is full of classic stories that fill children with awe and wonder. But kids need to know how all those beloved stories connect to Scripture’s overarching message about God’s love for the world. In The Biggest Story, best-selling author and father of six, Kevin DeYoung, leads readers on an exciting journey through the Bible, connecting the dots from the garden of Eden to the return of Christ. Short and extremely readable, this imaginative retelling of the biblical narrative can be read in one sitting and features action-packed illustrations that will bring the message of the Bible to life for the whole family.” (Read more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)

Andrew Murray: Christ’s Anointed Minister to South Africa by Vance Christie. Vance Christie has proven himself one of today’s most important Christian biographers. His most recent volume looks to a character whose name is known to you, I’m sure: Andrew Murray. “In an era that saw many gifted and diligent ministers, missionaries and evangelists being used by God to powerfully advance Christ’s Kingdom work in South Africa, Andrew Murray (1828-1917) emerged as that country’s premier preacher, devotional writer and Church leader. Andrew Murray’s writings and influence are still felt today and Vance Christie skilfully and faithfully brings his story to life for a new generation.” (Read more or buy it at Amazon)

Gaining By Losing: Why the Future Belongs to Churches that Send by J.D. Greear. I sure like the premise of this one, though I have not yet been able to actually read it. “When Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission, he revealed that the key for reaching the world with the gospel is found in sending, not gathering. Though many churches focus time and energy on attracting people and counting numbers, the real mission of the church isn’t how many people you can gather. It’s about training up disciples and then sending them out. The true measure of success for a church should be its sending capacity, not its seating capacity. In Gaining By Losing, J.D. Greear unpacks ten plumb lines that you can use to reorient your church’s priorities around God’s mission to reach a lost world. The good news is that you don’t need to choose between gathering or sending. Effective churches can, and must, do both.” (Read more or buy it at Amazon or Westminster Books)