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Author Interview with Jim Newheiser

Posted on by Kim

This week’s author interview is with Jim Newheiser. He is the author of our upcoming release, Money, Debt, and Finances: Critical Questions and Answers. He also wrote Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage: Critical Questions and Answers, Money: Seeking God’s Wisdom, and Parenting Is More Than a Formula, and cowrote along with Elyse Fitzpatrick, You Never Stop Being a Parent.

  • Tell us a little bit about yourself.

While I consider myself a Texan and had, as a young man, committed to serve the Lord anywhere so long as it was in Texas, we haven’t been residents there since 1981. We spent from 1981-1987 in Saudi Arabia where I had the privilege of serving as a tent-making pastor in an underground international church. Then we lived in Escondido, California from 1987 until 2016 where I completed my seminary education, helped to plant a Reformed Baptist church, and got involved with IBCD (The Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship). Though we were very happy with our lives there, we became convinced that we could best serve the Lord in this later chapter of life (Psalm 90:12) by moving to Charlotte, North Carolina, where I am on faculty at Reformed Theological Seminary as the Director of their counseling program.

My dear wife Caroline and I were “just friends” in High School (in spite of my efforts to make it more than that) but then became serious about one another while we were at Baylor University. She has been an amazing helper for many years as a pastor’s wife then as a co-laborer in biblical counseling. Since moving to Charlotte, she has completed her seminary degree and is now working with female counseling students at RTS. Caroline also has a book coming out this year! 

In terms of personal interests/hobbies, before moving to Charlotte I was running marathons every couple of months. In more recent years I have been walking similar distances with Caroline in Disneyworld (primarily her hobby).

  • When did you first want to write a book? 

Most of my books have flowed out of my pastoral/counseling ministry as I encountered real life situations for which I could not find existing biblically based resources. As I worked through these problems with my counselees by studying and applying the Scriptures, I then was motivated to make what I had learned available to others. For example, we encountered many parents who had various struggles with their adult kids, but we couldn’t find a book which we could recommend, so we wrote You Never Stop Being a Parent.

  • Have you always enjoyed writing?

I find writing to be very very hard work. I do enjoy seeing the finished product and getting the message out. I have been blessed and humbled to work with skilled writers and editors from whom I continue to learn as they tear apart my writing so that the content of my message can be presented more effectively.

I was excited about combining my financial background from college and my early career with my training and experience as a pastor and biblical counselor. While there are many books which offer practical financial advice, my goal was to offer biblical wisdom grounded in careful exposition and sound theology. I believe that the question and answer format will help to make the book more readable and the answers more accessible.

  • Do you have a favorite quote?

Is it wrong to quote yourself? Several years ago, while teaching an introduction to counseling class I told the students that a key to being an effective biblical counselor is to have a “thick Bible” – meaning that you not only know what the Bible says in general, but that you can actually find the verses. Also, it is not enough to merely rattle off verses as proof texts, but you must be able to explain them accurately in their context. So, my quote is, “How thick is your Bible?” One only gets a thick Bible by carefully reading and studying Scripture. We have built this principle into our counseling degree program at RTS as our students take more classes in Bible and theology than in counseling. In the long run, the best way to thicken your Bible is to preach or teach through books of the Bible over an extended period of time. 

  • How do you deal with writer’s block? 

I read in a biography of Winston Churchhill that he had a routine of writing 2000 words a day and laying 200 bricks. When in writing mode I would often set a goal of writing a certain number of words a day and when I would get stuck I would get some exercise – often a run on the beach. 

  • Is there anything you would like to add that you have not been asked about?

I have had the privilege of meeting Ronald Reagan (from whom I got an autograph) and Margaret Thatcher (with whom I was photographed). I can’t think of (m)any other politicians during my lifetime whom I would have wanted to meet.

  • Favorite sport to watch?

English Soccer: Liverpool – not having a very good year due to injuries.

  • Favorite flavor of ice cream? 

Anything Bluebell.

  • Favorite animal? 

Cows and chickens because they taste so good.

  • Tea or coffee? 

Flavored iced teas. I never learned to drink coffee.

Preorder Money, Debt, and Finances

WTS Books: $10.00

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CVBBS: $13.99

PCA Bookstore: $15.59

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Amazon: $19.99

Dying to Speak by Anthony J. Carter & Lee Fowler

Posted on by Kim

Table of Contents

  1. Be Forgiven—“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
  2. Be Saved—“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
  3. Be Loved—“Woman, here is your son.”
  4. Be Reconciled—“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
  5. Be Refreshed—“I thirst.”
  6. Be Complete—“It is finished.”
  7. Be Satisfied—“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”

The following is an excerpt taken from the Introduction of Dying to Speak: Meditations from the Cross.

LAST WORDS, LASTING IMPRESSIONS

The preacher reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3:1–2, “For everything there is a season . . . a time to be born, and a time to die.” Death is the inevitable consequence of being alive in this world. In fact, the Bible tells us that death is an appointment we all must keep sooner or later (see Heb. 9:27). As true as this is for each of us, it was never truer than in the life of Jesus Christ. Literally and thankfully, Jesus was born to die.

During the years for which we have an account of Jesus’s life, we see that everything he did and everywhere he went pointed to his death on the cross. Ironically, the agony and shame of the cross was the culmination of a life well lived, a life in submission and obedience to the will of God. Gloriously, the life of Christ was for the dying.

There were no random events or incidental conversations or accidental encounters. The deliberate way in which Christ lived his life was amazing. His purpose was clear. His vision focused. His mind singularly consumed. From the cradle he was heading to the cross. The path was already set before him. There was no doubt; he was going to walk the road ordained for him even though it was the path marked with the severity of sin—sin not his own, but ours. Amazingly, he willingly and joyfully walked it (see Heb. 12:2).

Every step was one step closer to the hour of agony, the moment of consequence. Every step increased the intensity. Every encounter with the religious authorities heightened their animosity and resolve to see Jesus discredited and put to death. Increasingly his conversations with his disciples anticipated the hour of his suffering and crucifixion. Nothing and no time was wasted. From his last meal with his disciples to his agonizing prayers in Gethsemane to the cries due to the penetrating nails, every word and action was purposeful in revealing who Christ is and what he came to do. Even on the cross, as he hung in rejection and shame, his words were not wasted. Instead, each was calculated to press upon the world the meaning of his life and the consequence of his death.

No one was ever more conscious of his death than Jesus was. Unlike any other person, from the beginning Jesus acutely knew he was born to die. He knew when he would die. He knew how he would die. He knew what his death would accomplish, and he knew why and how he would accomplish it. With the nature and time of his death so eminently on his mind, we can be assured that every aspect of it was in accord with God’s will and that Jesus knew it. Therefore, when we read the words of Christ on the cross, we can be assured that his last words, like his life, were full of meaning. They were not accidental, casual, or arbitrary. Rather, his words were intentional and had redemptive significance.

His final words made a lasting and far-reaching impression.

Click HERE to learn more about Dying to Speak.

First Two New Releases of 2021

Posted on by Kim

We released two new titles this month.

Dying to Speak: Meditations from the Cross by Anthony J. Carter & Lee Fowler

88 pages | Hardcover | $15.99 $12.00

About

Jesus’s last words reveal who he is: the Son of God, Messiah, Shepherd of our souls, Savior of the world. They also tell us what we are to be because of him: forgiven, saved, loved, reconciled, refreshed, complete, and satisfied. With pastoral care, Anthony Carter and Lee Fowler remind us of the implications of Christ’s words for our lives today.

Endorsements

“Good for the soul, reminding us of Christ’s character and instructing us to live out the gospel truths that are infused in Jesus’s last words.”

—Kristie Anyabwile, Bible Teacher; Editor, His Testimonies, My Heritage: Women of Color on the Word of God 

“Offers devotional encouragement and combines it with a pastoral challenge to remember that who we are in Christ is grounded in what he has done for us on the cross.”

—Guy M. Richard, Executive Director and Associate Professor of Systematic Theology, Reformed Theological Seminary, Atlanta 

“Beautifully expounds the final words of Christ and makes thoughtful, tender, and challenging gospel application to the mind and heart.”

—Aaron Messner, Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Atlanta 

“A powerful and poignant work that draws out the power and purpose of Jesus’s final declarations.”

—Anthony T. Pelt, Senior Pastor, Radiant Living Worship Center, Deerfield Beach, Florida

Left: 1959 edition
Right: 2021 edition which also includes Rev. Oliver’s 1964 paper “The Church and Social Change”

No Flesh Shall Glory (New and Expanded): How the Bible Destroys the Foundations of Racism by C. Herbert Oliver

144 pages | Paperback | $14.99 $11.25

About

C. Herbert Oliver, a Black civil rights leader from Birmingham, Alabama, spent thirteen years rethinking the racial ideologies of his day before writing No Flesh Shall Glory in the late 1950s. In clear, biblical, and unflinching language, he dismantles the dogmas of race superiority, the doctrine of racial solidarity, and the whitewashing of history and Scripture. His book is a gracious challenge to break free from oppressive ways of thinking and to see humanity as God sees us.

This new edition of Rev. Oliver’s 1959 work includes his paper on the church, social change, identity, and protest, originally delivered as two lectures at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1964.

Endorsements

“Riveting and relevant. . . . Writing with theological precision, Oliver delivers a passionate plea for Christians to embrace the biblical doctrines of race. . . . Specifically, he connects the wisdom of God in creating diverse ethnicities to the power of God in unifying all peoples in one family. This good news is as timeless as it is timely!”

—Doug Logan Jr. 

“For Rev. Oliver, remaining separate and segregated in the church is anti-Christian. . . . He calls us to embrace the truth that our God is a God of variety and to rejoice in the limitless display of God’s creative genius in that variety. . . . This work is part of the necessary antidote to our ongoing fractures and polarization within the body of Christ.”

—Irwyn L. Ince

“With the heart of a pastor and the careful exegesis of a scholar, Pastor Oliver pushes against historic presuppositions for interpreting race and offers sound scriptural argument, exposing the heart of God. . . . I can’t recommend this book enough!”

—Vanessa K. Hawkins

“Makes a clear biblical case for the beauty of kingdom diversity and the absolute unity of the human race created in the image of God. . . . Both the man and this book are anti-racist for the simple reason that racism is anti-Christian.”

—Philip Ryken

“Leads readers to Scripture and demonstrates that prevailing concepts of race and practices of segregation are deeply inconsistent with God’s creation of all mankind in His image. . . . I am grateful that Oliver’s prophetic ministry speaks again in these troubled times.”

—Peter A. Lillback

No Flesh Shall Glory

Posted on by Kim
Left: 1959 edition
Right: 2021 edition which also includes Rev. Oliver’s 1964 paper “The Church and Social Change”

EDITOR’S NOTE

You are holding a piece of history—a book written more than sixty years ago by a man who had a passion to see justice done in the world, and particularly in the United States of America. At that time, many white Christians promoted the separation of the races and tried to defend it as compatible with Christian ethics. Interracial marriage was viewed as a sin. For some, even the casual or friendly association of Black and white people was suspect. A grievous embrace of worldly racial ideology made this book necessary, and Rev. C. Herbert Oliver, with bold commitment to biblical truth, rose to meet that need. He did more than write. In 1959, the year this book was originally published, he moved from Maine back to his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, to participate as an activist in the civil rights movement.

Is there need for this book today? We believe that there is. Rev. Oliver’s reliance on the Word of God fills his writing with enduring wisdom as he speaks of the complex nature of humankind. He writes as one of God’s champions of truth, graciously and firmly, and so we can learn from both his message and the way in which he conveys it.

The need for this book, however, goes deeper than this. When truths about human beings are exchanged for lies, the damage is profound. Worldly racial ideologies remain with us to this day, often in new forms. As the world and the church continue to grapple with racism and related issues, we would do well to listen to the insights of a man who took up the fight in decades past. We are grateful to Rev. Oliver for his bold commitment to this cause.

We are also grateful to Mr. Charles H. Craig, who in the 1950s helped to promote a message so controversial in its day. Mr. Craig had headed Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company for only two years when he published No Flesh Shall Glory. He had an interest in social causes—having formerly been involved with Big Brothers of New York City—and a desire to promote biblical understanding on a wide range of issues.

Rev. Oliver writes as a graduate of Wheaton College and Westminster Theological Seminary and as a pastor in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church—in a style both pastoral and academic. Thus, although No Flesh Shall Glory has some technical elements, it is broadly accessible. We have made very few changes to the text. His 1964 paper “The Church and Social Change” has immediate application for discussions today and is a good starting point for those getting acquainted with his work. We are delighted to be able to include it in this volume as well.

Click HERE to buy a copy from Westminster Bookstore for only $8.99 (40% off).

Author Interview with Michael Graham

Posted on by Kim

Today’s author interview is with Michael Graham. He is the author of our new release, Cheer Up! The Life and Ministry of Jack Miller.

  • Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I grew up in Bayou La Batre—a coastal fishing village in southwest Alabama. From the age of six, I worked in the net shop of the family seafood business threading needles with twine for the workers who repaired the nets on a fleet of shrimp boats in between their trips. We really didn’t have spare time to speak of, and I still struggle with understanding that concept as an adult. Every summer, holiday, and school break (including college), my siblings and I would work in some capacity for my father’s business. My favorite job was the three summers I spent as a teenager on the Silver King III—a charter fishing boat that took parties from around the southeast to the Chandeleur Islands to fish for three- and four-day trips.

  • When did you first want to write a book?

Actually, I stumbled into writing a book. It was not something I ever dreamed of doing. As I look back, I learned to write after I graduated from college. I was supposed to work for the family seafood business developing the international side of things—or at least that was the plan. Dad, however, did not have an assistant of his own, and since he was the boss, in reality I became his personal assistant—which mainly involved writing all of his correspondence. Though I chafed against this work, which was outside the scope of my assignment, it was in the school of writing and editing my father’s letters, projects, brochures, and specifications that I actually learned how to write.

  • Which writers inspire you?

My wife, Vicki, is the one who really got me into reading. Until I met her, I didn’t have the time or patience to be a reader. Now I am reading, and thinking about what I’ve read, all the time. Easily, my favorite writer is Mark Twain. I simply love the way he turns a phrase and makes me laugh so often. Among Christian writers, I greatly enjoy C. S. Lewis, Tim Keller, John Piper, J. R. R. Tolkien, Paul Miller, and of course Jack and Rose Marie Miller. 

  • What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

In 2015, I had gotten permission to access the Jack Miller archives at the PCA Historical Center in order to research a paper on corporate prayer and leadership. After I finished the research and wrote the paper, I emailed the Miller family to thank them for granting me access and strongly suggested that they engage someone to write Jack’s biography. When I wrote that email, I had never considered in a million years that I would be the one to write Cheer Up! Fast forward six months, to a doctoral seminar I had with Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, which was when he first learned about Jack Miller and recommended that I write a biography on his life and ministry while so many people Jack had influenced were still alive. I knew that Jack’s biography needed writing, but I also assumed I would be the very last person in the world to write it. I’m still amazed at how the sovereign Lord brought together such a team of people to make Cheer Up! a reality. 

  • Do you have a specific spot where you enjoy writing most?

I am intense and often find it hard to relax and focus. When I worked on the Silver King III, I would haul my mattress from the forepeak down in the bow of the boat and place it on the deck next to the anchor bit. I loved falling asleep listening to the waves pat against the boat’s hull at night. The same sense of calmness comes when I am on a balcony of our vacation rental in Panama City Beach listening to the waves break against the shore, which is where I wrote almost all of Cheer Up!

  • Other than the Bible, do you have a favorite book? 

J. R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.

  • Favorite sport to watch?

College football; Alabama Crimson Tide. I had the privilege of playing for several years before being injured.

  • Favorite food? 

A toss-up between New Orleans shrimp boil and South Indian dhaba (roadside) food.

  • Tea or coffee?

Definitely coffee brewed in a Swedish Moccamaster coffee maker.

  • What famous person (living or dead) would you like to meet, and why?

Jack Miller—so I could talk to him about Cheer Up!, everything I learned from him, and especially all the important things I missed.

ORDER Cheer Up! The Life and Ministry of Jack Miller

WTS Books: $14.61

CVBBS: $16.50

PCA Bookstore: as low as $16.74

Christianbook: $20.99

Amazon: $21.97