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Every Book Needs a Cover
- 08/25/07
- 26
Every book needs a cover and, as luck would have it, my book now has one. Choosing a cover was far more difficult than I would have imagined. Some readers may have noticed a white cover on the Crossway site. It was there for a short time before being replaced. Though I didn’t mind the white cover, I ultimately chose against it for two reasons. First, I thought it was too “zen,” looking a little bit too New Age for my liking; second, I thought it would blend too much into a white background. So instead I went with this cover, created by the great designers at Crossway.
There were several elements of this design that stood out to me. First, I like the colors. Though they are certainly bright, I know that the book is not going to get lost on the shelves. Second, I like the imagery. I wanted an image that somehow communicated discernment without being too obvious. To me, the little guy staring at the doors communicates discernment but without giving it all away (such as may have been the case with some other images). Third, I like its simplicity. The “action” all happens in a small portion of the design and that appeals to me.
The cover is not quite in its final form. Before it shows up in bookstores it will have “Foreword by John MacArthur” inserted somewhere. And there may be a couple of other minor changes to the graphics. But beyond this, it is pretty well as it will be.
While on the subject of the book, here is an endorsement that arrived just a short time ago courtesy of Dr. Ligon Duncan:
“One of my favorite John Murray sayings is "the difference between truth and error is not a chasm but a razor's edge." Spurgeon said something like it too: "Discernment is not a matter of simply telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather, it is the difference between right and almost right." Both these giants are emphasizing the vital quality (and difficulty) of discernment. Unfortunately, in our time, even among Christians, discernment is long in demand and short in supply. This is but one reason I'm so delighted to commend to you Tim Challies' The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment. Tim reminds us that the Bible constantly commands us to cultivate discernment, but he doesn't stop there. He tells us how, biblically. “
I’m still not entirely certain when the book will be available, but I think it will be very early in January.
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
Releasing on April 1, The Next
Published in 2008, this book
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Comments (26)
Tim,I love the design. And a great endorsement from Lig. I’m looking forward to diving into the book!T-
Great cover Tim. And with the wonderful endorsements I know there will be many reading your book. I look forward to getting a copy of it. Have a great week.
Richard
The cover looks great, Tim. This is going to look great on bookshelves, and on my own shelf when it comes out. Congrats.
Tim:
Looks great! I can’t wait to get my hands on the book.
Lig’s wonderful endorsement reminded my of a piece of wisdom from Sinclair Ferguson that I ran across recently:
“True discernment means not only distinguishing the right from the wrong; it means distinguishing the primary from the secondary, the essential from the indifferent, and the permanent from the transient. And, yes, it means distinguishing between the good and the better, and even between the better and the best.”
But Tim, what do you mean when you write “as LUCK would have it… .”? :>)
Well, all I can say is that with all these heavyweights giving you such high endorsements, the book better be good. Heh, no pressure for you.
It’s a cool cover which reminds me of some of the classic cover art of books from the 1960’s.
I love it. Colors, font (what font is that btw? I really like it) and action all work for me. Also, is your name lowercase for design purposes? Or something else?
Are you the little man staring at the doors?
How cool is that—to see your name on the cover of a book?!!
Beautiful design. Those two quotations from Ligon Duncan sure fit a situation that a friend of mine is in…I will need to remember them when I discuss it with him.
I like the cover, Tim. But more than that, I’m excited to read the book.
I’m praying for you brother. Lord willing you’ll be signing the book for me in Orlando next year.
Warmly,
Ivan
I think you made the right choice for the cover. Can’t wait to read what’s inside, my friend.
It looks great Tim! I can’t wait for it to be released!
I really like the cover design. I would consider making the title just a tad larger. Too much orange space. But you did say there would be more on the cover, so if that is the case, it is great how it is!
Nice cover.
Have you decided who you’ll ask to write the forward to the second edition? :)
How many are coming out with the first printing?
Tim, does your book discuss discernment when it comes to the spiritual character and the words and actions of others? Lately, I’ve realized that I’m too naive…I see others as more spiritually grounded and mature than they are, and I take everything they say at face value. Meanwhile, others with better judgment than I are able to see their character more clearly. What resources would you recommend for help in this area?
Love the cover Tim! I’m still hoping I will be able to get a copy shipped out here to Australia before they sell out…
It’s not quite, “Your Best Life”, or “Your Best Life Now”, but it’s really a nice cover.
What a great quote from Ligon.
God bless this book, and use it to instruct, encourage and built up Your saints. Amen.
Come on, Tim, we all know it’s not a real book unless J.I. Packer endorses it!
Yeah, looks really contemporary. I was having a discussion in front of the “Emerging Voices” section of a major Christian book chain with a pro-pomo EM type. I referenced Spurgeon, who happened to be on the opposite side of the aisle. The pomo guy picked up the Spiritual Warfare book, which looks nothing like your new cover, and made note of the thickness and “ugly cover art”. He said “people these days won’t buy a book that looks like this, so who cares what’s inside?”. Then he picked up some Emerging author’s best seller and held it up next to old Spurgeon. Wiggling the EM book he said “this, is what people these days will buy!” I was baffled, but it did force me to consider the importance of cover art.
As it is, I’m trying to promote my pastor’s 42 great books (Dr. Robert Morey) and the first suggestion I made was: NEED GOOD COVER ART!!!
So, way to go Tim. Looking forward to buying it! What’s up with the luck thing? Wouldn’t “providence” work better?
Lastly, would you consider an interview to promote your new book that will be podcast from BiblicalThought.com it can be a phone interview, we have that capability?
Marvelous. It has a lot more energy than the stone cover and is more likely attract a younger crowd; that’s the group that most needs your book most anyhow, right?
I love it.
Door number 3! Pick door number 3!!
“Tell him what he’s won, Jim!”
I like it very much—it would be great if it caught on among college ministries and you would see it poking out of students bookbags the same as I saw a certain jazzy blue book with the Brooklyn bridge on the cover everywhere.
There are several book covers that stand out and are widely recognized… J.I. Packer’s Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God; a darkened planet earth with the sun rising from behind it, I Kissed Dating Goodbye with the guy removing his hat, and the original Desiring God book with the mountain lake vista.
I like it.
MacArthur is even writing the foreword? Wow.
I like the cover. It reminds me of something…before I was saved, I hovered between various humanistic readings of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke): Jesus the prototypical Jewish teacher (Matthew), Jesus the man of action (Mark), Jesus the healer and lover of sinners (Luke). I couldn’t even fathom the Johannine Gospel. Now after salvation, the real Jesus for me is the Living Christ of the Gospel of John—although I also see the divinity and exclusivity of Christ in the other three Gospels, where I didn’t see it before.
Anyhow, one open door versus three closed doors.
I really like the cover design. Simple, bright, and like you said it communicates the idea without giving it all away. Perfect. :)