Some time ago I was asked by Kevin DeYoung if I would be interested in contributing a chapter to a book that came to be called Don’t Call It a Comeback: The Old Faith for a New Day. Here’s what the book is all about: “Recent cultural interest in evangelicalism has led to considerable confusion about what the term actually means. Many young Christians are tempted to discard the label altogether. But evangelicalism is not merely a political movement in decline or a sociological phenomenon on the rise, as it has sometimes been portrayed. It is, in fact, a helpful theological profile that manifests itself in beliefs, ethics, and church life. DeYoung and other key twenty- and thirty-something evangelical Christian leaders present Don’t Call It a Comeback: The Same Evangelical Faith for a New Day to assert the stability, relevance, and necessity of Christian orthodoxy today. This book introduces young, new, and under-discipled Christians to the most essential and basic issues of faith in general and of evangelicalism in particular.”
I contributed a chapter on how Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father.
The book has just released and is now available at Amazon and Westminster Books (and everywhere else, I suppose).
If you’re interested, here is some more information about the book, including the Table of Contents (along with the authors) and a few endorsements:
Table of Contents
Foreword (D. A. Carson)
Introduction: All Grown Up and Nothing to Say (Kevin DeYoung)
Part 1: Evangelical History: Looking Forward and Looking Back
1. The Secret to Reaching the Next Generation (Kevin DeYoung)
2. The Story of Evangelicalism from the Beginning and Before (Collin Hansen)
Part 2: Evangelical Theology: Thinking, Feeling, and Believing the Truths That Matter Most
3. God: Not Like You (Jonathan Leeman)
4. Scripture: How the Bible Is a Book Like No Other (Andy Naselli)
5. The Gospel: God’s Self-Substitution for Sinners (Greg Gilbert)
6. New Birth: “You Must Be Born Again” (Ben Peays)
7. Justification: Why the Lord Our Righteousness Is Better News Than the Lord Our Example (Jay Harvey)
8. Sanctification: Being Authentically Messed Up Is Not Enough (Owen Strachan)
9. Kingdom: Heaven after Earth, Heaven on Earth, or Something Else Entirely? (Russell Moore)
10. Jesus Christ: The Only Way and Our Only Hope (Tim Challies)
Part 3: Evangelical Practice: Learning to Live Life God’s Way
11. It’s Sometimes a Wonderful Life: Evangelicals and Vocation (Ted Kluck)
12. Social Justice: What’s God Got to Do, Got to Do with It (Darrin Patrick)
13. Homosexuality: Grace, Truth, and the Need for Gentle Courage (Eric Redmond and Kevin DeYoung)
14. Abortion: Why Silence and Inaction Are Not Options for Evangelicals (Justin Taylor)
15. Gender Confusion and a Gospel-Shaped Counterculture (Denny Burk)
16. The Local Church: Not Always Amazing, but Loved by Jesus (Thabiti Anyabwile)
17. Worship: It’s a Big Deal (Tullian Tchividjian)
18. Missions: The Worship of Jesus and the Joy of All Peoples (David Mathis)
Endorsements
“I absolutely love this book! First, each chapter solidly tackles a critical component of our Evangelical faith and practice. Second, the authors demonstrate not only a strong grasp of God’s Word, but also of the perspective of church history, which is sadly lacking in most contemporary books. Third, these guys write tight, making every sentence count, so even though it packed with truth, the book is a quick read.
In 1976, the Regular Baptists of Canada held their annual convention. D. A. Carson was asked to be the morning Bible teacher, and I was asked to be the Bible teacher for the evening sessions. Don was twenty-nine and I was twenty-two! Psalm 145:4 says, ‘One generation shall commend your works to another,’ so it is fitting that thirty-four years later we team up again to endorse this book by some young friends of ours. I am so proud of these brilliant, godly men, and after you’ve read their book, you’ll understand why Don and I deeply believe in their ministries.”
—Rick Warren, Pastor, Saddleback Church
“It brings this aging man great joy to see a rising generation address contemporary questions with theologically informed answers. These are the right guys, on the right topics, at the right time.”
—C. J. Mahaney, Sovereign Grace Ministries
“Sometimes I wonder how I could have spent my entire life in the church, safely ensconced in the evangelical subculture, and yet have such a difficult time articulating the essence of significant biblical concepts and convictions that I claim to have built my life upon. And I don’t think I’m alone. Don’t Call It a Comeback is more than just a primer for the young and uninitiated; it is essential reading for all who want to make sure they are clear and convinced on the things that matter most.”
—Nancy Guthrie, Bible Teacher; author, The One Year Book of Discovering Jesus in the Old Testament
