Win some great Christian Focus Books in Challies’ Free Stuff Friday Giveaway – Stop by Challies.com and enter for a chance to win five great books, including Kingdom Come by Sam Storms!

Kingdom Come by Sam Storms is 50% Off at WTS Books – Be sure to stop by WTS Books and pick up a copy of Sam Storms new book Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative, which is available at 50% off for a limited time.

Sam Storms Interviewed on The Janet Mefferd Show – Be sure to listen to Sam Storms recent interview on The Janet Mefferd Show talking about his book Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative. You can listen to it here:  

Lara Williams Interviewed on ViewPoint with Chuck Crismier – The archive of Lara Williams recent interview on ViewPoint with Churck Crismier is now available. You can listen to it here:  LINK.

Nancy Drummond Interviewed on Author Talks with Shaun Tabatt – Nancy Drummond’s interview on Author Talks with Shaun Tabatt talking about her new book Nate Saint: Operation Auca is available to stream or download below:

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

My enthusiasm for historic Christian biography ignited my final semester of seminary. Though I had a couple of thousand pages of assigned reading to do for my classes, I got distracted by two fascinating Christian biographies that I could hardly put down until I had finished them. In the twenty-seven years since then I’ve read hundreds of such biographies. Here are several ways in which I appreciate and benefit from them:

1. Historic biographies provide enjoyable and engaging reading as they relate the life-stories of outstanding Christians of the past. We’re drawn into the narrative of an individual’s life. Once we’ve started, we’re eager to see where the true story will lead and how it will turn out. Some people’s lives are so full of noteworthy developments and amazing events that their biographies rival fast-paced novels in terms of interest. Yet their life-stories have the superior benefit of being entirely true.

2. Through Christian biography we’re introduced to some of the most important and remarkable ambassadors of Christ who have ever lived. These individuals had books written about them because their lives were truly outstanding. Some of them were spiritual giants who were used of God to significantly shape and advance Christ’s kingdom work in their country and/or another part of the world in their generation. The written accounts of their lives and ministries have impacted and profited untold thousands of believers since then.

3. The examples of these notable Christian servants inspire and encourage us in various areas of spiritual life and service. To name but a few of many such areas, they motivate us to higher heights in:

• Cultivating a deeper devotional relationship with the Lord.
• Developing a Christlike character and perspective.
• Serving with singular focus and tireless exertion to help fulfill Jesus’ Great Commission and advance His kingdom.
• Resolutely enduring discouragements, hardships, sacrifices and even persecution.
• Having a heart of concern for the lost as well as for other hurting, needy people.
• Balancing ministry and family demands.

At times their examples expose our own spiritual mediocrity and convict us of our low-level commitment. But they also hearten us to correct our shortcomings and to rededicate ourselves to serving the Lord in an earnest, worthy fashion.

4. To be sure, great Christians of the past were very real people who, like ourselves, had personal weaknesses, struggles and flaws. Part of the benefit of considering their lives is seeing how they addressed and were able to overcome their own faults. They reassure us that the Lord is able to use in significant ways imperfect individuals who nonetheless continue to pursue and serve Him with wholehearted consecration.

5. Their examples also remind us that God greatly blesses and uses believers of widely differing backgrounds, temperaments and abilities. This encourages us to faithfully serve the Lord to the best of our ability, using the unique background, personality, gifts and opportunities He has given us.

6. Christian biography provides us with a treasure trove of interesting and instructive anecdotes to share in our formal teaching opportunities and informal conversations. Adults and children enjoy and profit from these worthwhile illustrations.

7. Historic biography helps us understand and evaluate contemporary Christianity more fully and accurately. We learn how certain beliefs, practices and emphases developed in the Church. We come to realize that many of our present opportunities and accomplishments have been built on the insights, exertions and sacrifices of exceptional individuals who helped prepare the way before us. In the face of endless, transient issues and trends that confront and sometimes distract the modern Church, we are aided in keeping a clear focus on the primary emphases and priorities that strong evangelical Christians have maintained throughout the centuries.

Vance Christie is a pastor and author best known for vivid retelling of missionary stories. He lives in Aurora, Nebraska and has previously written for the ‘Heroes of the Faith’ series. To connect with Vance, visit his website at www.vancechristie.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

About the Book:
On January 8, 1956, Nate Saint and some other missionaries flew to an area near an Auca village and landed at strip of sand that they had named Palm Beach. This was Nate’s final flight for he and four other missionaries on the plane that day were martyred when tribesmen attacked with spears a few days later.

Although this was Nate’s last flight – it wasn’t the end of his work. What he and the other martyred missionaries had done for the Kingdom of God convicted many to listen to God’s call to mission. And the work of evangelism continued to the Aucas too. Many in that village came to accept Christ including several of the men who had thrown their spears on that terrible day.

Where to Buy:
Nate Saint: Operation Auca is available at any good  Christian bookstore. If you don’t have a Christian bookstore near you, you may want to consider purchasing a copy from one of the online book retailers listed below:

Buy Now: Christian Focus:  Paperback Amazon:  Paperback | Kindle Barnes & Noble:  Paperback | Nook ChristianBook:  Paperback | Ebook Apple:  iBooks

The archive of this interview is now available:

About the Book:
The second coming of Christ is a matter of sharp disagreement amongst Christians. Many hold to premillennialism: that Christ’s return will be followed by 1,000 years before the final judgement, a belief popularised in the popular Left Behind novels. However, premillennialism is not the only option for Christians. In this important new book, Sam Storms provides a biblical rationale for amillennialism; the belief that 1,000 years mentioned in the book of Revelation is symbolic with the emphasis being the King and his Kingdom.

About the Author:
Sam is the Lead Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and the President of Enjoying God Ministries (www.samstorms.com). He and his wife Ann have been married for 41 years and are the parents of two grown daughters and have four grandchildren.

Where to Buy:
Kingdom Come: The Amillennial Alternative by Sam Storms is available at any good  Christian bookstore. If you don’t have a Christian bookstore near you, you may want to consider purchasing a copy from one of the online book retailers listed below:

Buy Now: Christian Focus:  Hardcover Amazon:  Hardcover | Kindle Barnes & Noble:  Hardcover ChristianBook:  Hardcover 10ofThose: Hardcover

The archive of this interview is now available:  LINK.

About the Book:
Her marriage slowly deteriorated behind the facade of a happy, Christian home. After six years together, with three young children, Lara discovered the devastating reality of her husband’s marital betrayal. Lara gives tender guidance to any woman walking the unexpected paths of betrayal. But even more than that, she testifies of the victorious life in Christ available to everyone, regardless of any shattered hopes or suffocating fears.

About the Author:
Lara Williams lives with her husband and three children in Greensboro, North Carolina. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her blog “To Overflowing” (tooverflowing.com) and website www.LaraWilliams.org encourage women to discover a wildly vibrant faith.

Where to Buy:
To Walk or Stay: Trusting God Through Shattered Hopes and Suffocating Fears by Lara Williams is available at any good  Christian bookstore. If you don’t have a Christian bookstore near you, you may want to consider purchasing a copy from one of the online book retailers listed below:

Buy Now: Christian Focus:  Paperback Amazon:  Paperback | Kindle Barnes & Noble:  Paperback | Nook ChristianBook:  Paperback | E-book 10ofThose:  E-book (Kindle) | E-book (ePub)

The archive of Lara’s interview on American Family Radio is now available here:  LINK

About the Book:
Her marriage slowly deteriorated behind the facade of a happy, Christian home. After six years together, with three young children, Lara discovered the devastating reality of her husband’s marital betrayal. Lara gives tender guidance to any woman walking the unexpected paths of betrayal. But even more than that, she testifies of the victorious life in Christ available to everyone, regardless of any shattered hopes or suffocating fears.

About the Author:
Lara Williams lives with her husband and three children in Greensboro, North Carolina. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her blog “To Overflowing” (tooverflowing.com) and website www.LaraWilliams.org encourage women to discover a wildly vibrant faith.

Where to Buy:
To Walk or Stay: Trusting God Through Shattered Hopes and Suffocating Fears by Lara Williams is available at any good  Christian bookstore. If you don’t have a Christian bookstore near you, you may want to consider purchasing a copy from one of the online book retailers listed below:

Buy Now: Christian Focus:  Paperback Amazon:  Paperback | Kindle Barnes & Noble:  Paperback | Nook ChristianBook:  Paperback | E-book 10ofThose:  E-book (Kindle) | E-book (ePub)

Wednesday the 1^st of May 2013 is a day of note at Christian Focus Publications for seventy years ago our Managing Director and co-founder William Mackenzie was born. Yesterday we celebrated early with cake, a very robust singing of Happy Birthday, best wishes from friends, family and colleagues and a specially commissioned song.  Yes, you read that right – a song by Colin Buchanan, 7 times Golden Guitar winner, Australian T.V. Presenter, and Christian author. He was challenged to write a poem by one of the staff at Christian Focus, Derry Brebner and as usual went the extra mile, composed a song, made an mp3 recording – and here it is. Colin is a good friend of William’s, respects him highly but isn’t afraid to make a joke at the M.D.s expense! Enjoy.

Here are a few photos of William Mackenzie through the years.

Not only did we have a special song, but we had poetry too. Dale Ralph Davis and his wife Barbara sent along the following poem to help commemorate the special ocassion.

Ode to William on his 70th Birthday

Threescore and ten years ago—so runs the rumour—
heaven disclosed its own sense of humour
at the birth of a child neither peelie-wally nor sad,
in fact, a right robust and likely mischievous lad
born in ’43, in the midst of a war and hence
he’s kept things in a muckle big stir ever since,
and, although we rejoice he has been an object of grace
there are some traits neither heaven—nor Carine—can efface,
so here he is with rosy cheeks and a nature that’s new
and yet he may harbour hidden and devious plans for the future of you!
For surely he has a most lovable yet fearsome quirk
–Scots call it a ‘gliff’—of helping others find work
(if only Obama had William he wouldn’t be so solemn
for then unemployment would no longer be a problem)
and yet one has to admit: though he may allow you neither repose nor rest,
when it comes to taskmasters, he’s one of the best!
So…may your step not falter, may your hand stay steady
for whatever task the Lord says is ready
and we join with a host of others—otherwise, we’d be daft—
in wishing you more success in the Lord’s calling and craft.