The best part about The Gospel Coalition conferences is the fellowship. We meet new people and catch up with old friends. That’s the biggest reason I’m looking forward to TGC’s 2023 National Conference.
But then there’s the lineup of excellent speakers on the main platform of the conference, the worship led by CityAlight, and the many microevents that offer a range of edifying options. These are great too.
For book lovers, however, the exhibit hall holds a special attraction. This year’s conference bookstore will feature over 3,400 books and resources from more than 45 publishers. There’ll be featured areas for TGC speakers’ books, best-selling Bibles, Spanish titles, and gospel-centered resources for children and parents. Many of these will be at deep discounts.
Save room in your luggage to carry some of these books home. Or, if you prefer, 10ofthose is offering shipping so you can have your new resources sent directly to your home.
Ivan Mesa and Elliot Clark, eds., Faithful Exiles: Finding Hope in a Hostile World (TGC, 2023)
$9 (40 percent off)
Our world is rapidly changing. In the West, Christians increasingly are strangers in a strange land. Biblical values are maligned. Christian ethics are called hateful.
How should the church respond? Is now the time for cultural isolation, political aggression, or something else? What are the options for heaven’s exiles living in an earthly Babylon?
More than a simple fight-or-flight response, the authors of Faithful Exiles offer us hope when we’re far from home. Gleaning courage and insight from biblical characters in both the Old and New Testaments, they consider how God’s people through the ages have been faithful in the face of hostility.
Their stories inform our worship and preaching but also how we pursue vocation and engage in politics. They show how those with hope beyond this world can be faithful in it.
Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry, You’re Not Crazy: Gospel Sanity for Weary Churches (TGC/Crossway, 2023)
$9 (50 percent off)
Being a pastor is hard. Whether it’s relational difficulties in the congregation, the increasingly hostile attitude toward church, or just the struggle to continue in ministry with joy and faithfulness, the pressure on leaders can be truly overwhelming. It’s no surprise that pastors are burned out, are tempted to give up, or think they’re going crazy.
While we’re quick to assert what the gospel says, we’re often too slow to admit what the gospel should do for our churches: reflect Christ’s beauty through a godly, grace-filled culture.
In this practical guide, seasoned pastors Ray Ortlund and Sam Allberry help weary leaders renew their love for ministry by equipping them to build a gospel-centered culture into every aspect of their churches. Emphasizing the importance of healthy doctrine, they explain that failing to also nurture a healthy culture can be frustrating, polarizing, and even unbiblical. This encouraging guide features Scripture-focused advice on honesty, honor, preaching, leadership, and mission to support leaders and help them regain a beautiful, Christ-centered vision for their ministries.
Samuel D. Ferguson, Does God Care About Gender Identity? (TGC/Crossway, 2023)
$4 (50 percent off)
Since the beginning of humanity, people have recognized the distinct creation of the male and female gender in God’s design. But with today’s gender revolution, people are increasingly questioning who they are designed to be. In our society, gender identity has been divorced from biology and rerooted in psychology. Do the core teachings of the Bible uphold these modern ideas?
In this concise booklet, Samuel Ferguson carefully and compassionately compares the core beliefs and practices of the transgender movement with fundamental truths expressed in Scripture. Ferguson argues that human identity isn’t determined by the individual but is given to us by our Creator, who designed our bodies and minds with purpose and encourages us to live in Christlikeness―choosing the path of God-given transformation over manmade transition.
This is the first offering in the TGC Hard Questions series, which also includes these volumes:
Sharon James, Is Christianity Good for the World? (TGC/Crossway, 2023)
Jeremy Linneman, Why Do We Feel Lonely at Church? (TGC/Crossway, 2023)
D. A. Carson, The Gospel and the Modern World: A Theological Vision for the Church (TGC/Crossway, 2023)
$15 (50 percent off)
Biblical scholar Don Carson has contributed a tremendous amount to the field of evangelical thought, serving as cofounder of TGC, editor of TGC’s theological journal Themelios, and, beginning in 2022, president of the Evangelical Theological Society. Reflecting on his esteemed career, Carson’s colleagues have gathered some of his best work in this warm, enriching collection.
The Gospel and the Modern World features 33 of Carson’s essays from Themelios on a wide range of topics, including his vision for the evangelical church, the authoritative Word of God, Christ and culture, and Christian discipleship.
It also includes articles from editor Brian J. Tabb, Andrew David Naselli, and Collin Hansen. Celebrating an illustrious, Christ-exalting career, this collection imparts years of experience and Christian scholarship to a new generation of readers.
Collin Hansen, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation (Zondervan, 2023)
$16.29 (40 percent off)
Millions have read books and listened to sermons by Tim Keller. But which people and what events shaped his own thinking and spiritual growth? With unfettered access to Keller’s personal notes and sermons—as well as exclusive interviews with family members and longtime friends—Collin Hansen gives you unprecedented understanding of one of the 21st century’s most influential church leaders.
Spend any time around Keller and you’ll learn what he’s reading, what he’s learning, what he’s seeing. The story of Keller is the story of his spiritual and intellectual influences, from the woman who taught him how to read the Bible to the professor who taught him to preach Jesus from every text to the philosopher who taught him to see beneath society’s surface.
For the first time, Hansen introduces readers to Keller’s early years: the home where he learned to tell stories from the trees, the church where he learned to care for souls, and the city that lifted him to the international fame he never wanted.
Melissa Kruger, Lucy and the Saturday Surprise (TGC/Crossway, 2023)
$9.99 (33 percent off)
One Saturday morning, Lucy and her brother, Lewis, each get to choose one piece of candy from the store. But Lucy’s delight quickly disappears when she unwraps her chocolate and discovers it melted! Envying her brother’s long-lasting lollipop, Lucy spirals into a pattern of discontent: see, covet, take, and hide. Her envious actions make her feel miserable, but her dad helps her find the path to freedom and grace.
Everyone struggles with wanting what others have. Lucy and the Saturday Surprise helps children understand the dangers of letting desire fester into envy. Through colorful illustrations and engaging characters, Lucy’s story shows kids how to fight against envy and reminds us all that Jesus offers freedom from both the penalty and power of sin.
Other Deals Worth Noting:
The Gospel Coalition, The New City Catechism (TGC/Crossway), $6.29
Megan Hill, Meg Is Not Alone (TGC/Crossway), $9.99
John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress (Crossway), $18.89
Helen Taylor, Little Pilgrim’s Progress (Illustrated Edition) (Moody), $20.99
Andrew Wilson, Remaking the World (Crossway), $15
Jim Davis and Michael Graham, The Great Dechurching (Zondervan), $17.99
Timothy Keller, Forgive (Viking), $16.20
Christopher Watkins, Biblical Critical Theory (Zondervan), $29.99
Karen Martin, Memorable Loss (Christian Focus), $10.39
Thaddeus Williams, Don’t Follow Your Heart (Zondervan), $13.79
Jared Wilson, Friendship with the Friend of Sinners (Baker), $12.72
Joshua Chatraw and Jack Carson, Surprised by Doubt (Brazos), $14.73
Alan Noble, On Getting Out of Bed (IVP), $12
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