Film critic Joseph Holmes finds writer-director Jeymes Samuel's "The Book Of Clarence" to be a satisfying remix of familiar biblical movies like "The Life of Brian" and "Ben Hur."
Greg Garrett agrees with Baldwin on the questions that lead from bad faith to one based on wisdom and truth: “Who is God, who am I, what is sacred community, how are we supposed to live, why exercise faith?”
"While the reflection questions and content could be tailored to suit a small group, this is a particularly rich choice for individual reading for Lent this year," writes Amy Pagliarella.
Luther E. Smith Jr. proclaims that Hope is Here! as he invites us to practice and pursue justice in our churches and communities.
"While Daniel Reinhardt is one of many voices in the police-reform conversation, his personal experiences, combined with a calm yet passionate tone, provide a welcome addition to a complex topic," writes Amy Pagliarella.
Kara Root’s message is this: Receive what is. Receive what is difficult. Receive what God is doing. Receive what God has already done. Receive what will be. Receive it all. — Philip J. Reed
Here's a short list of books appropriate for that quiet reading time after Christmas. Enjoy!
Carey Wallace and Khoa Le create a book that is a gift for early elementary-age children and adults alike, writes Amy Pagliarella.
Dartinia Hull highlights a "Code Switch" conversation with author Alejandra Oliva. Perhaps paying attention can help us live into the Advent season, she writes.
"All this leads McCaulley to ask: If there is a God, why has racism persisted for so long?" — Colin Farmer
David Brooks pens "a deeply engaging book that reads like a guide to pastoral care, yet is equally applicable to professionals and caregivers, helping all of us bring more curiosity and compassion to our conversations," writes Amy Pagliarella.
“Women have been fruitful matriarchs for millennia, including those of us who never gave birth,” Elizabeth Felicetti writes in her new book reviewed by Elizabeth B. Dickey.
In Anna Carter Florence's book, "Prophets become petulant and loving. Certain women, perhaps considered sassy or labeled as illicit, become exemplars of faith ...," writes Jo Forrest.
Is your church paying for something that it could get for free (or a discount)? Julie Raffety, a pastor and website developer, shares five resources every church should know about.
"Amy Butler invites readers to imagine a creative 'new way of being a church in the world,' one requiring an 'open-minded and open-hearted redirection of resources ...'" — Aram Feinberg
Amy Pagliarella has devotional recommendations for individuals, small groups and Jane Austen fans.
"Karen Eber’s 'The Perfect Story' brilliantly demonstrates how to craft memorable stories that change hearts and minds," writes Amy Pagliarella.
Looking for the perfect gift for a parent, pastor or Sunday school teacher? Consider the "Day by Day Deck" — an inter-generational tool for praying with pictures.
"Using the cycle of the moon’s phases as a guide, [Garrett] Mostowski exposes the reader to experiences with love that weave a complex picture of hope and despair," writes Walter Canter.
If you're on the search for Christmas content, we suggest giving the podcast "Hark! The Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas Carols" a try.
Creating and sustaining life can look many different ways. Here's a list of books that can help birthing people and their pastors approach topics like surrogacy and infertility.
"In many ways, [J. Kameron Carter's] book is a prayer that brings about a childlike sense of imagination. It becomes more than an intellectual work and something I view as deeply pastoral," writes Jordan Burton.
"[Kevin W.] Hector makes complicated ideas feel more familiar, covering abstract and complicated debates within Christian theology in a way that even those new to the conversation can understand," writes Samuel McCann.
"Pizor Yoder and team unearthed stories that create an 'unfiltered' description of 'nones' and 'dones' driven by more curiosity than judgment and more empathy than analysis." — Rocky Supinger
There are so many Advent resources for church leaders to wade through, so we did some of the heavy lifting. Here is Amy Pagliarella's short list for 2023 Advent materials.
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