In 1938, in the remote highlands of a mountainous island, explorers discovered thousands upon thousands of tribal people. Missionaries began to come, to bring the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Little did they know that many of the people of the tribes were waiting . . . waiting . . . for someone to come and help them out of the darkness of their old way of life. Witness Men consists of true missionary stories that took place throughout the highlands of Papua, Indonesia, from 1955 to 2010, when one of the tribes received their first New Testaments.

About the Author:
Rebecca Davis is a writer and teacher who lives in Greenville, South Carolina, U.S.A. She has written several books for children as well as magazine articles for adults, and loves to speak about the Lord. She and her husband, Tim, have four children. Rebecca blogs at www.heresthejoy.com.

Books by Rebecca Davis:

 Other Books and Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• Educator Resources for the “Hidden Heroes” Series

The lights dim . . . the smoke rises . . . the band starts playing. It’s a familiar scene, as youth ministries everywhere use entertaining and trendy approaches to draw in teens. But when the lights come on and the fog clears, what do we find?

Far too many teenagers raised in Christian homes drift away from the church after high school. Why is this true? Could it be because youth groups, in seeking to elevate experience over truth, have left teens dissatisfied and hungry for that truth?

Brian Cosby demonstrates a ministry approach that nurtures teens and brings them back for more — one solidly grounded in Christ and patterned after the means of grace: the Word, sacraments, prayer, service, and community. Learn how much teenagers not only need a deeper ministry, but want one too.

About the Author:
Brian H. Cosby is pastor of Wayside Presbyterian Church (PCA) on Signal Mountain, Tennessee and adjunct professor of church history at Metro Atlanta Seminary. He is the author of several books and regularly contributes to various journals and magazines. You can learn more about Brian on his Amazon author page and at waysidechurch.org.

Books by Brian Cosby:

Other Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Previous Interviews with Brian Cosby:

• Author Talks with Shaun Tabatt – Episode 11 -  Suffering and Sovereignty: John Flavel and the Puritans on Afflictive Providence (Reformation Heritage Books, 2012)
• Author Talks with Shaun Tabatt – Episode 1 – Rebels Rescued: A Student’s Guide to Reformed Theology (Christian Focus 4 Kids, 2012)
• Christian Focus Booknotes – Episode 1 - David Brainerd: A Love for the Lost (Christian Focus 4 Kids, 2011)

Your father. Did he love you enough? Did you feel safe with him? Do you think of him and long for something more? Did your relationship with him leave you feeling abandoned, used or unlovable? Has that heartbreak left you with bitterness, low self-esteem, and shame? Sundi Jo knows this pain. She journaled her way through the childhood wounds that left her with a fortress around her heart and her life on the edge of ruin. With each entry, you can hear God’s pursuit of her. Turn the pages and find yourself nodding in agreement with her questions, her fear, “Am I beautiful? Am I lovable? Is something wrong with me?” Dear Dad, Did You Know I Was a Princess? is a memoir of gritty redemption written in love to the dad who missed the chance to really see his daughter. Don’t miss this incredible eyewitness account of God as Father to the fatherless. See His power to overcome what would otherwise destroy a young and innocent heart, even your heart.

About the Author:
Sundi Jo is an author, speaker, and small business owner, making her home in Branson, Missouri. She blogs at sundijo.com on life, faith, and health. She believes you can’t live life without laughter, and that Dolly Parton is the greatest singer ever. You’ll find her engulfed in the social media world, spending time with friends and family, hanging out in flip flops, or dreaming of being a “Chopped” chef.

Books by Sundi Jo Graham:

About the Book:
Even if you go to church, it doesn’t mean that you are being exposed (or exposing others) to the gospel explicitly. Sure, most people talk about Jesus, and about being good and avoiding bad, but the gospel message simply isn’t there—at least not in its specificity and its fullness.

Inspired by the needs of both the overchurched and the unchurched, and bolstered by the common neglect of the explicit gospel within Christianity, popular pastor Matt Chandler writes this punchy treatise to remind us what is of first and utmost importance—the gospel.

Here is a call to true Christianity, to know the gospel explicitly, and to unite the church on the amazing grounds of the good news of Jesus!

About the Author:
Matt serves as Lead Pastor of Teaching at The Village Church in the Dallas Fort Worth area. He has served in that role since December 2002 and describes his tenure at The Village as a re-planting effort where he was involved in changing the theological and philosophical culture of the congregation. The church has witnessed a tremendous response growing from 160 people to over 11,000 with campuses in Flower Mound, Dallas and Denton.

Alongside his current role as lead pastor, Matt is involved in church planting efforts both locally and internationally through The Village and various strategic partnerships. Prior to accepting the pastorate at The Village, Matt had a vibrant itinerant ministry for over 10 years where he spoke to thousands of people in America and abroad about the glory of God and beauty of Jesus. His greatest joy outside of Jesus is being married to Lauren and being a dad to their three children, Audrey, Reid and Norah.

Recently, Matt was named president of Acts 29, a worldwide church-planting organization.Over the last 10 years, Acts 29 has emerged from a small band of brothers to over 400 churches in the United States and networks of churches in multiple countries.

Women of Faith and Courage:
Through some of the best-loved heroines of the Christian faith, God’s glory is manifest as He accomplishes significant things through imperfect people. In Women of Faith readers discover the remarkable stories of Susanna Wesley, Fanny Crosby, Catherine Booth, Mary Slessor and Corrie ten Boom. Their lives spanned three centuries and their circumstances were each very different, but steadfast faith and courage is the constant resounding theme for each.

In Women of Faith engaging narratives with rich historical detail reveal the uncommon faithfulness of these five women in evangelism, missions pioneering, ministries of compassion and the nurturing of their own families. Their giftedness, resilience and compassion shine through, modeling devotion to Christ and sacrificial service in His kingdom.

Across the pages of this book, the legacy of these women lives on to inspire and instruct contemporary believers-in living all of life for the glory of God.

Timeless Stories:
They were, much like us, ordinary citizens of their time. Yet their extraordinary lives resound through the generations for the glory of God, pointing us to a higher way of life today. Timeless Stories is an exceptional collection of narratives from the daily lives of Christian heroes like George Muller, Charles Spurgeon, Dwight Moody, Corrie ten Boom, Billy Graham and others.

Timeless Stories is a treasure trove of illustrations that will capture the hearts of children and adults alike. The powerful words of testimony and transformative ideals portrayed in this collection continue to instruct believers across the globe and through the ages. These stories of day-to-day living reveal human frailty, emotion and struggles common to man-all undergirded by an unshakable faith that fueled great passions. There are tales of love, family, broken hearts, regrets and survival. Lessons of forgiveness, adversity, stewardship, prayer and service light the way for followers through the ages.

The same Lord who equipped, empowered and gave great success to those who went before us-despite their faults and inadequacies-will so work in the lives of Christians today and until the end of time.

About the Author:
Vance Christie was born in Indiana and raised in south-central Washington State. He had the unspeakable blessing of being raised in a loving Christian home where both his parents consistently lived by the principles they believed and taught. His father, a pastor, was used of the Lord to lead Vance to saving faith in Jesus Christ as a young boy.

Vance attended Grace College and Grace Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana. While in college, he met and married his wife, Leeta. They have been married thirty-three years. They are blessed with three lovely adult daughters and two quality sons-in-law.

Since graduating from seminary (with the Master of Divinity degree) in 1986, Vance has pastored churches in Michigan, Iowa and Nebraska. He currently pastors the Evangelical Free Church of Aurora, Nebraska, where he has served for over sixteen years.

An avid fan of historic Christian biography throughout his ministry, Vance has published seven books in that field since 1999. His works have been published by Christian Focus Publications, P & R (Presbyterian & Reformed), and Barbour Publishing.

For additional information on Vance Christie, see his website at VanceChristie.com and his Facebook page at Facebook.com/vancechristieauthor.

Books by Vance Christie:

Many Christians today experience Bible teaching in isolated, unconnected pieces, receiving little or no guidance into how these pieces form a coherent picture in Christ. How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens presents Christ as the central focus of each biblical book and the primary way the Bible relates to contemporary circumstances. Each book of the Bible has an identifiable theme ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Christ. Williams provides the following for his readers:

•  Succinct statement of the theme of every biblical book
• An explanation of how that theme finds its focus in Christ
• A brief discussion of how the New Testament treats that theme as fulfilled in Christ
• Suggestions for contemporary implications
• Scripture memory electronic flashcards
• A convenient summary chart
• An excellent tool for Bible teachers, ministry leaders, and students

How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens facilitates other Christian disciplines such as Bible reading, Scripture memory and evangelism. By demonstrating how each theme relates to living the Christian life, this book promises to be an invaluable guide for reading and understanding the Bible.

About the Author:
Michael Williams (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is Professor of Old Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary and a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation. He is the author of Deception in Genesis, The Prophet and His Message, and How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, and editor and contributor of Mishneh Todah. His passion is to equip students with knowledge of the Old Testament and its languages so that they may grow in their comprehension and appreciation of redemptive history and be adequately prepared to promote and defend the faith through word and action. Michael resides in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife, Dawn.

For additional information on Michael Williams, see his Amazon author page and faculty bio at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Books by Michael Williams:

Other Resources Mentioned in this episode:

Related Videos:

About the Book:

From respected archaeologist Dr. Steven Collins and award-winning author Dr. Latayne C. Scott comes the fascinating, true account of the frustrating search and exciting excavation of the city the Bible calls Sodom, which scholars and others had “misplaced” for hundreds of years.

Like many modern-day Christians, Dr. Collins struggled with what seemed to be a clash between his heritage of belief in the Bible and the research regarding ancient history and human evolution. This crisis of faith led him to embark on a quest to put both his archaeological education and the Bible to the test by seeking out the lost ancient city, an expedition that has led to one of the most exciting finds in recent archaeology.

Challenging the assumptions of academics around the world, Discovering the City of Sodom may well inspire a revision of the history books. Dr. Collins has become a new voice in the controversy over using the Bible as a credible source of understanding the past—and opened a new chapter in the struggle over the soul of biblical archaeology.

About the Authors:

Dr. Latayne C. Scott is author of 16 published books, including the recently-released The Hinge of Your History: The Phases of Faith, Latter-day Cipher and The Mormon Mirage. Latayne is the recipient of the Distinguished Christian Service Award by Pepperdine University for “Creative Christian Writing.” She has also won national awards and contests for poetry, humor and radio plays.

Dr. Steven Collins is Executive Curator of the Museum of Archaeology and Biblical History, Dean of the College of Archaeology and Biblical History at Trinity Southwest University, and Visiting Professor of Archaeology at Veritas Evangelical Seminary.

Links & Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Latayne.com
• NovelMatters.com
• DigSodom.com
• Dr. Collins speaking at Calvary Albuquerque

Books by Latayne C. Scott:

About the Book:
When your husband’s addiction to pornography leaves you shattered, betrayed, and alone, where do you turn? Who do you turn to? Vicki Tiede, writing from personal experience, gently guides women toward God and away from despair. Through daily readings and questions on six important topics: hope, surrender, trust, identity, brokenness, and forgiveness, you will grow in healing and hope. Allowing God to meet your greatest needs is a long and learned process, but he promises to help you every step of the way. Questions and daily readings are suitable for both individuals and small groups.

About the Author:
Vicki Tiede, MEd, MMin, is a Bible teacher; conference speaker; author of When Your Husband is Addicted to Pornography: Healing Your Wounded Heart (2012) and Plug Me In and Let Me Charge Overnight (2009). Her passion is to share God’s grace and faithfulness with women through the Scriptures. Vicki transparently relates life experiences that resonate and draw others into a lifelong pursuit of knowing God. Living in Rochester, Minnesota, Vicki is also a wife, homeschooling mom, and women’s ministries coordinator at her local church.

Readers can connect with Vicki on her website (VickiTiede.com), Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Resources/Websites Mentioned in this Episode:

• Covenant Eyes
• K-9
• X3 Watch
• Net Nanny
• Interviewing Your Daughter’s Date by Dennis Rainey
• Freedom Begins Here
• Harvest USA
• XXX Church
• Tiny Hands International
• Shattered Vows by Debra Laaser

Books by Vicki Tiede:

About the Book:
Will there be sex in heaven?
Are miraculous gifts for today?
Does God ever change His mind?

Such difficult questions often intrigue us, readily confuse us, and sometimes disturb us. Drawing on nearly 40 years of teaching and ministry experience, pastor-scholar Sam Storms answers 25 challenging questions Christians are often too afraid to ask, addressing thorny issues ranging from the eternal destiny of infants to the roles of demons and angels.

The robust, thoughtful answers provided in this book offer a helpful alternative to relying on simplistic explanations, and will encourage you in the search for truth and clarity on such tough topics.

About the Author:
Sam Storms has spent 38 years in ministry as a pastor, professor, and author. He was visiting associate professor of theology at Wheaton College from 2000-2004, and is currently Senior Pastor at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City. He has authored 20 books and founded Enjoying God Ministries. He’s a graduate of The University of Oklahoma (BA), Dallas Theological Seminary (ThM), and The University of Texas (PhD). He and his wife Ann have been married for 40 years and are the parents of two grown daughters and four grandchildren. On a more personal level, Sam loves baseball, books, movies, and anything to do with the Oklahoma Sooners.

Books by Sam Storms: