Lester Ruth

A Theology of the Sacraments Interpreted by John and Charles Wesley

Preaching & Worship

“Sing it or study it? What’s a worshiper to do with this book? The best answer is both. Open and find here the riches of Wesleyan sacramental theology for head and heart. Open and find here the treasures of God’s grace made tangible in baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Open and find here the abundances of Christ’s love made musical.”

Becoming What We Sing

Preaching & Worship

“It’s terrible when a person gets older but refuses to mature. The same can be said for a way of worship. Lemley’s Becoming What We Sing can help us avoid that problem with respect to the use of contemporary worship music. With an appreciative yet discerning eye, Lemley explores key issues in using this music wisely to form mature Christian disciples.”

Divine Mysteries and the Christian Year

Preaching & Worship

“Often divine realities require strolling, not running, in order to cultivate the appropriate wonder. And so it is with the remembrance of God’s mighty acts of salvation in the church year. S T Kimbrough’s collection of timely poems ushers readers into such a stroll through the mysteries discovered in the rhythms of this year.”

How to Worship for All Its Worth

Preaching & Worship

“Steven Félix-Jäger’s book is well conceived and a winning combination. Some worship primers speak only in generalities, while others focus on the nuts and bolts of a worship service. In How to Worship for All Its Worth, Félix-Jäger lays out both broad criteria for assessing worship and then juxtaposes them with a range of congregational examples so we can see how worship assessment can and should take place. The result is very useful.”

New Life in the Risen Christ

Theology

“Baptism has often been a theological Achilles heel for the descendants of Charles and John Wesley. But this excellent volume of insightful essays shows that they need not be vulnerable at this sacramental spot. Come, read, and be instructed by excellent reflections on this essential sacrament. I know no better collection of essays looking at the various facets of baptismal theology from a Wesleyan perspective.”

The Ancient-Future Visionary

Preaching & Worship

“Keith Call’s judicious selection of short pieces from Robert Webber show us why this influential scholar was such a gift to evangelicalism. Webber, exploring the great tradition of the church, was like a kid let loose in a candy store. But, instead of hoarding all the delights, Webber shared them eagerly with all of us.”

The Special Service Worship Architect

Church Leadership & Ministry

“This book is much like Constance Cherry herself: a wonderful combination of a theologian's wisdom, a pastor's sensitivity, and an artist's creativity. All worship planners--musical or pastoral--will benefit from it.”

The Struggle to Believe

Arts & Literature

“Is there any book more pertinent in terrifyingly tumultuous times than one that helps us honestly wrestle with God? That relevance is the gift of S T Kimbrough’s new collection of poems, The Struggle to Believe. In them we find the words to wade into a Jacob-like refusal to let go of the divine, even in the midst of great difficulties and doubt.”

The Supernatural and the Circuit Riders

History & Biography

“One hundred fifty years of religious and cultural ascendency have led many to believe Methodism to be among the ‘safest’ of religious traditions, about as exciting as a four-door family sedan or the overabundance of green bean casseroles at a church potluck. Thanks to Rimi Xhemajli we can see this is a gross misconception. By highlighting the interest in the supernatural among early Methodist preachers, Xhemajli shows how spiritually dynamic—and effective—this tradition’s roots are. Among religious traditions, early Methodism was closer to a souped-up sports car or a red hot chili pepper.”

The Worship Pastor

Church Leadership & Ministry

“It’s been fifty years since the first forms of contemporary worship appeared. It’s been thirty years since the position of worship leader developed. It’s been twenty years since mainline churches adopted contemporary styles. And so it’s time for a mature, multifaceted guide for those who lead God’s people in worship. Zac Hicks’ The Worship Pastor fills that need wonderfully.”

Worship and Power

Preaching & Worship

“Some books are germane because they cover a topic that is critical. Some books are relevant because they fill a vacuum that exists in scholarly literature. But some books are important because they are both. And so it is with Worship and Power. Addressing the question of authority in these very tumultuous times and helping to overcome the paucity of scholarship on Free Church worship, this book is a welcome and needed addition to liturgical studies.”

Worship and the World to Come

Preaching & Worship

“The New Testament is quite clear: Christians are to lean into the future with hope. 'Look forward,' the Scriptures say time and again. But what is the actual tilt of that leaning found in Christians today? In his book Glenn Packiam provides a fascinating answer to this question with special reference to contemporary worship and worshipers. Seeing how he describes how Christians today hope in the future, I was at times encouraged by what I read and at others deeply alarmed. Scholars, pastors, and rank-and-file worshipers alike will benefit from Packiam's study. It has immediate pastoral impact for assessing and promoting a biblical, hopeful leaning into God's future in Christ.”

Worship by Faith Alone

Preaching & Worship

“In an era obsessed with questions of worship style or the worshiper's positive experience, Zac Hicks's study of Thomas Cranmer reminds us that the more critical issue is how worship proclaims and participates in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have long been concerned that much of the worship in this contemporary era has been ashamed of this gospel, not by overt rejection but by a more subtle—and equally disastrous—omission. Worship by Faith Alone through Cranmer's historical example shows how to avoid this drastic error.”

Worship Is the Road to Revival

Preaching & Worship

“Robert Webber’s sparkling wit, creative imagination, insightful knowledge, ability for clear communication, and, especially, steadfast devotion to the gospel all leap from the pages of this book. We owe a debt of gratitude to Keith Call for making accessible these small gems from Webber’s life work.”