Review of Andrew Rillera’s ‘Lamb of the Free’
The aim of Lamb of the Free (Cascade Books, 2024) is to argue against penal substitutionary atonement (PSA). This shouldn’t surprise anyone. It has become in vogue to question or […]
Review of Preston Sprinkle’s ‘From Genesis to Junia’
Preston Sprinkle’s new book, From Genesis to Junia, recounts his quest to understand the Bible’s teaching on women in church leadership (spoiler alert: he concludes in favor of egalitarianism). Because […]
VIDEO: Review of ‘The Gospel After Christendom’
In this video, Chad Ragsdale explores the multi-authored book The Gospel After Christendom: An Introduction to Cultural Apologetics. The book argues that we are no longer living in a cultural […]
Review of ‘Joyful Outsiders: Six Ways to Live Like Jesus in a Disorienting Culture’
What Makes This Book Different “So do you want to know why you’re an outsider in this world? It’s not because the world is changing or because of a political […]
Review of ‘The Gospel After Christendom’
I begin every semester of teaching my undergraduate apologetics class with a unit on “meta apologetics.” That’s a fancy-sounding phrase, but it simply refers to the study of the nature […]
VIDEO: Review of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account,’ by Bear Grylls
Using the Gospel of John as the backbone, The Greatest Story Ever Told by Bear Grylls is a harmony of the Gospels retold from the perspective of various characters who […]
Review of ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account,’ by Bear Grylls
There’s a good chance when you hear the name Bear Grylls, the first thing that comes to mind is outdoor adventurist and survival expert, not “author of a book about […]
What to Appreciate About N. T. Wright
The following is an excerpt from John Whittaker’s N. T. Wright: A Theological Appraisal. For the full eBook, click HERE. Personally, I am grateful for the teaching of N. T. […]
VIDEO: Review of John Mark Comer’s ‘Practicing the Way’
In this Renew Review, we explore John Mark Comer’s book Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Jesus, Do as He Did. This book is the cornerstone of Comer’s […]
Review of ‘Practicing the Way’ by John Mark Comer
Practicing the Way is the signature book for John Mark Comer’s current ministry (which bears the same name as the title of the book), the aim of which is to […]
VIDEO: Review of Jordan Peterson’s ‘We Who Wrestle with God’
In We Who Wrestle with God, psychologist Jordan Peterson weighs in on the meaning of foundational stories from the Hebrew Bible. According to Peterson, what are the messages we should […]
Review of Jordan Peterson’s ‘We Who Wrestle with God’
Jordan Peterson is a cultural phenomenon. His books are bestsellers (12 Rules for Life has sold over 10 million copies!). His online video lectures and in-person lecture tours have captivated […]
Wild at Heart After 25 Years
*Editor’s Note: How should Christians view masculinity? As something godly to be cultivated? As something toxic to be suppressed? John Eldredge’s 2001 New York Times bestseller Wild at Heart: Discovering […]
Review of Ross Douthat’s ‘Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious’
In Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious, New York Times columnist Ross Douthat makes a case for the reasonableness of religious belief, and of Christianity in particular. In this review, […]
Is there Neurological Evidence for the Soul? A Review of Egnor and O’Leary’s ‘The Immortal Mind’
Thinking through the nature of evil, a young Augustine found himself wrestling with the relationship between physics, which he called “corporeal things,” and the mind. His account of this struggle, […]
Review of Austin Fischer’s ‘Young, Restless, and No Longer Reformed’
In Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed, Austin Fischer tells his own story about why he became a Calvinist and why he left Calvinism. New Testament theologian John Whittaker reviews the book, which […]
Top 11 Books that Critique Calvinism
Five-Point Calvinists can be among the most serious students of the Bible and passionate believers in God’s sovereignty you’ll find. And yet, in this article, we offer a few books […]
Disciple Making, Matthew Bates, and 5-Point Calvinism: Q&A with Bill Hull
*Editor’s Note: Our mission at RENEW.org is to “renew the teachings of Jesus to Fuel Disciple Making,” so we want to take note of an important debate that is currently […]
Review of Ross Douthat’s ‘Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious’
I have always appreciated Ross Douthat’s writing. For many years, he has written columns as both a committed Catholic and a conservative in the New York Times. He is an […]
Review of Austin Fischer’s ‘Young, Restless, and No Longer Reformed’
In Young, Restless, No Longer Reformed, Austin Fischer tells his own story about why he became a Calvinist and why he left Calvinism. Because it’s written as a story, the […]
Renew Review: Dallas Willard’s ‘Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables Revolutionize Life with God’
In Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God, the late Dallas Willard’s teachings on the parables of Jesus have been gathered together to serve […]
Review of Dallas Willard’s ‘The Scandal of the Kingdom: How the Parables of Jesus Revolutionize Life with God’
The Scandal of the Kingdom is the latest collection of Dallas Willard’s teaching on living as a disciple of Jesus. Dallas served as a professor of philosophy at the University […]
Review of ‘The Anxious Generation’ by Jonathan Haidt
The title of Jonathan Haidt’s new book is not remotely controversial or debatable. That Gen Z is a uniquely anxious generation is demonstrated time and time again both in anecdotal […]
Seven Lessons from ‘The Confessions of St. Augustine’
“For Thou madest us for Thyself, and our heart is restless, until it rest in Thee” (1.1). So begins the acclaimed memoir from St. Augustine of Hippo, the 4th Century […]
Renew Review: ‘What Comes Next’ by Max Lucado
In What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide Through the End of the Age, popular writer Max Lucado walks through what he calls “heaven’s timeline” in order to bring the reader […]
Review of Richard & Christopher Hays’s ‘The Widening of God’s Mercy’
In The Widening of God’s Mercy, father and son Richard and Christopher Hays show why they believe same-sex sexual relationships and marriage ought to be fully welcomed in the church […]
What It Means to Be Protestant: A Review
Gavin Ortlund in his outstanding new book What It Means to be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church points to three aspects of renewal. These three aspects comprise what […]
Review of Richard and Christopher Hays’s ‘The Widening of God’s Mercy’
In The Widening of God’s Mercy, father and son Richard and Christopher Hays,[1] show why they believe same-sex sexual relationships and marriage ought to be fully welcomed in the church […]
An Editor’s Take on Megan Basham’s ‘Shepherds for Sale’
September 2, 2024 Everybody loves an editor. (Ha, that’s the closest you’ll get to an editor joke.) The truth is, nobody likes being told all the ways they could have […]
Review of ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’ by Justin Brierley
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God: Why New Atheism Grew Old and Secular Thinkers Are Considering Christianity Again is the culmination of years of conversations with numerous leading thinkers […]
Looking for Clarity During Pride Month? Here Are Two Helpful Resources.
June 19, 2024 I have the privilege of leading College Press Publishing Company. We have been publishing Christian books since 1959. We have a solid partnership with RENEW.org, and we […]
Renew Review: ‘Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage’ by Preston Sprinkle
John Whittaker reviews Preston Sprinkle’s Does the Bible Support Same-Sex Marriage?: 21 Conversations from a Historically Christian View. For a written review by John, click here.
6 Books on Friendship
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art…. It has no survival value; rather, it is one of those things which give value to survival.” —C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves […]
Cancel at Anytime: Reflections on Lukianoff & Schlott’s ‘The Canceling of the American Mind’
In 2018, a friend recommended a book that became my favorite nonfiction book for the next few years: The Coddling of the American Mind. It identified an issue that was […]
Reflections on ‘Generations’ by Jean Twenge
I have some skepticism when it comes to personality tests. They are often pseudo-scientific attempts to quantify the inherently unquantifiable. Imagine the absurdity of reducing an individual, in all of […]
Review of Louise Perry’s ‘The Case Against the Sexual Revolution’
“The passions of a revolution are apt to hurry even good men into excesses.” —Alexander Hamilton All changes usher in a set of consequences, for better or worse. There are […]
Ready for Real Relationship? A Review of Jim Putman’s ‘RelationShift’
*Editor’s Note: Jim Putman will lead an in-depth class at the 2023 Renew Gathering on April 26th on his new book, RelationShift: Five Shifts for Disciple Makers to Live and […]
Rising Above Religion: A Review of Richard Rohr’s ‘The Universal Christ’
What should Christians think about Richard Rohr’s influential The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe? Friar Rohr has a devoted following who […]
Top 10 Quotes from Live No Lies by John Mark Comer
John Mark Comer wrote the book Live No Lies to give us tools to overcome the three enemies of our souls: the world, the flesh, and the devil. Joshua Branham […]
Christian Books Everyone Should Read ASAP—In This Order
Christian Books Everyone Should Read for Life-Changing Discipleship Growth This list offers a clear reading order that moves from Scripture engagement to gospel depth to spiritual formation. Many Christians can […]
Book Review: Jesus in Isolation by Scott Sager
‘Jesus in Isolation’ and Hope When Loneliness Hits Jesus in Isolation explores how Jesus enters human grief through John 11 and transforms despair into resurrected hope. Through the lens of […]
Book Review and Reflections on Embodied, by Preston Sprinkle
‘Embodied’ by Preston Sprinkle and the Church’s Response to Transgender Identity This book review explores how Embodied by Preston Sprinkle presents a biblical view of the body, arguing that Christians […]
Book Review: On the Road with Saint Augustine, by James K.A. Smith
On the Road with Saint Augustine: Why Our Stories Reveal Our Deepest Desire Smith weaves Augustine’s journey with modern voices to show how shared stories help us recognize ourselves in […]
Kingdom Life Author Q&A – Kelvin Teamer with Bobby Harrington
‘Kingdom Life’ Author Q&A and Insights on God’s Reign Bobby Harrington interviews Kelvin Teamer about Kingdom Life and why the kingdom of God is central to Jesus’ message. Through their […]
Book Review: The Man Called Messiah, by Corey Stumne
The Man Called Messiah and a Slow Motion Look at the Cross The Man Called Messiah draws readers into Jesus’ betrayal, flogging, death, burial, and resurrection with gritty detail and […]
Book Review: When Doctrine Divides the People of God by Rhyne Putman
‘When Doctrine Divides the People of God’ by Rhyne Putman: Book Review Jonathan Ciecka reviews Rhyne Putman’s core premise that imperfect people interpret a perfect Bible, urging author-intent reading and […]
Book Review: Deep Discipleship by J.T. English
‘Deep Discipleship’ Review for Building Whole Disciples English argues that biblical and doctrinal illiteracy is a major cause of dysfunction in today’s church and calls for deeper teaching. This book […]
Is Complementarianism Oppressive? A Review of Beth Allison Barr’s The Making of Biblical Womanhood
The Making of Biblical Womanhood: A Critical Review The Making of Biblical Womanhood evaluates Beth Allison Barr’s claims that complementarianism is rooted in patriarchy, hierarchy, and systemic oppression. This review […]
Exposing Our Self-Deceptions: Review of Daniel McCoy’s Mirage: 5 Things People Want from God That Don’t Exist
5 Things People Want from God That Don’t Exist: Exposing Self Deceptions 5 Things People Want from God That Don’t Exist reveals how spiritual “mirages” distort what we expect from […]
Are White Evangelicals Responsible for Corrupting the Faith and Fracturing a Nation? A Review of “Jesus and John Wayne”
Corrupting the Faith in Light of Jesus and John Wayne Layfield appreciates how Jesus and John Wayne exposes real problems in evangelical culture, including militarism, celebrity pastor models, and weak […]
Noisy Minds and Honest Relationships – Reflections on “Chaos Walking”
Chaos Walking — Honest Minds, Healthy Relationships In Todd’s world of constant Noise, genuine control means disciplined thinking rather than hiding, allowing empathy to take root. Within trusted friendship, Viola’s […]
The Authentic Experience Church Model with Corey Trimble
Corey Trimble — Authentic Church Culture & Disciple Making Expository teaching anchors culture, welcoming seekers while holding firm to Scripture. Leaders practice incarnational outreach, building real bridges with grace and […]
A Leadership Training Manual on Avoiding the Ditches
Leadership – Disciple Making Without Ditches Corey Trimble’s An Authentic Experience equips churches to build an inviting culture with biblical integrity for sustainable disciple making. Avoiding the two ditches—ineffective traditionalism […]
Book Review: Jen Hatmaker’s Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire
Jen Hatmaker’s Fierce, Free, and Full of Fire – Biblical Evaluation Drawing on Scripture, the review contrasts Hatmaker’s self-focused identity claims with biblical teaching on sin, grace, and the fear […]
Book Review: Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser
Unseen Realm by Michael Heiser Book Review — Insights & Implications Heiser argues Psalm 82 reveals a real “divine council” of elohim under the Most High, challenging views that shrink […]
3 Dilemmas, 2 Discoveries, and 1 Desire: My Thoughts on Matthew Bates’s Gospel Allegiance
3 Dilemmas, 2 Discoveries, and 1 Desire: A Gospel Wake-Up Call Evangelism often lacks depth, leading to conversions without lasting discipleship or allegiance to King Jesus. Misunderstandings about the gospel […]
Review of Rob Bell’s What Is the Bible
Review of Rob Bell’s What Is the Bible and Its Theological Implications Does Rob Bell challenge biblical authority? The review critiques his claim that Scripture is purely human and not […]
Mark Moore on Life, Legacy, and Core 52
Core 52 By Mark Moore — Lessons on Legacy, Joy, and Discipleship Core 52 By Mark Moore connects biblical knowledge to daily life. The conversation highlights how Scripture can shape […]
Book Review: ‘Can Science Explain Everything’ by John Lennox
‘Can Science Explain Everything?’ Offers a Clear Christian Answer to Faith and Science John Lennox argues that science cannot explain everything because scientific discovery does not eliminate the need for […]
Book Review: Braving The Future, Christian Faith in a World of Limitless Tech by Douglas Estes
Douglas Estes Book Review: Jon Sherwood’s perspective on ‘Braving The Future, Christian Faith in a World of Limitless Tech’ Jon Sherwood reviews Douglas Estes’s book from his own perspective, recommending […]