“Called for Life” Author Interviewed on PBS NewsHour

Dr. Kent Brantly, author of Called for Life (WaterBrook Press, July 2015) appeared on PBS NewsHour August 10th. In an interview with Hari Sreenivasan, Brantly spoke candidly about his initial diagnosis with Ebola, his nationally covered journey from Liberia to Emory Hospital in the United States and his decision to take Z-Mapp, a new drug never before tested on humans.

Brantly also shared his struggle to understand why he survived when so many people did not. While Brantly’s faith is an integral part of his life, he doesn’t believe something unique about his faith that led to his survival.

“I don’t think there is anything special about my faith that saved my life. If anything, my faith is what put me in a position where I got Ebola. I’m really thankful…for all the people who played a role in [ … ]

SNEAK PEEK – The Heaven Promise by Scot McKnight

Heaven isn’t just a dream; it’s a promise!

Click here to download chapter one of  The Heaven Promise.

For far too long, we’ve talked about heaven as if it were a dream or someplace that only exists in fairytales. We want to believe it’s real, but with such an expanse of contradictory information, it’s difficult to know what to believe.

To add even more confusion, we are left to sift through the tales of individuals who have crossed over and returned. With so many competing narratives and accounts based on what many think are beyond-death experiences, wouldn’t it be nice to have a straight forward examination of what the Bible has to say about heaven?

Best-selling author and New Testament scholar Scot McKnight thought so too, which is why he wrote The Heaven Promise.

McKnight, who [ … ]

Washington Post Features Op-Ed by Kent Brantly

Kent Brantly, author of Called for Life (July 21, 2015) discusses the continued need for compassion and action in a Washington Post op-ed piece “Ebola still poses a serious threat” released on July 18. The piece examines the was the United States reacted to the Ebola outbreak in 2014 and the ongoing need for the U.S. to act out of compassion instead of fear. Based on his experience as both a doctor treating Ebola and an Ebola patient, Brantly calls the global community to reconsider how to respond to ongoing suffering around the world.

“We must decide what our response will be to this ongoing tragedy on the other side of the world. Will we allow fear to paralyze us, leaving the vulnerable to suffer alone? Will we settle into a sense of indifference, caring not what will [ … ]

Sneak Peek: A GODWARD LIFE by John Piper

Start reading the first few chapters

A Godward Life is the first of three devotional volumes by John Piper, each feature 120 vignettes that focus on the radical difference it makes when we choose to live with God at the center of all that we do. Scripture-soaked and touching on the issues which most affect our lives today, A Godward Life is a passionate, moving, and articulate call for all believers to live their lives in conscious and glad submission to the sovereignty and glory of God.

Start reading the first few chapters

SNEAK PEEK – Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach

Sometimes, grace gets messy.

 Click here to download chapter one of  Messy Grace.

Caleb Kaltenbach was raised by LGBT parents, marched in gay pride parades as a youngster, and experienced firsthand the hatred and bitterness of some Christians toward his family.

But then Caleb surprised everyone, including himself, by becoming a Christian…and a pastor.

Very few issues in Christianity are as divisive as the acceptance of the LGBT community in the church. As a pastor and as a person with family members who identified as LGBT, Caleb had to face this issue with courage and grace.

Messy Grace shows us that Jesus’s command to “love your neighbor as yourself” doesn’t have an exception clause for a gay “neighbor”—or for that matter, any other “neighbor” we might find it hard to relate to. Jesus was able to [ … ]

Oregon Bakers Featured in Forthcoming Tony Perkins’ Book “No Fear”

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 7, 2015)–With the recent Supreme Court decision regarding same-sex marriage, the battle for religious liberty has become more intense in our country. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a passionate defender of religious liberty, has written the forthcoming book No Fear: Real Stories of a Courageous New Generation Standing for Truth (WaterBrook Press, September 8, 2015), which includes 11 remarkable stories of Christians standing for truth in the face of great opposition.

One such story is that of Aaron and Melissa Klein, the Oregon bakers who made national headlines for declining to make a same-sex wedding cake. The Oregon Labor Commissioner recently upheld the $135,000 fine levied against the Kleins and also issued a gag order so the Kleins would not communicate their religious convictions surrounding the case.  

[ … ]

SNEAK PEEK – Called for Life by Kent and Amber Brantly

“Kent, bud. We got your test result.  And I’m really sorry to tell you that it is positive for Ebola.”

–From the Prologue, Called for Life

Click here to download chapter one of  Called for Life.

Dr. Kent and Amber Brantly moved with their children to war-torn Liberia in the fall of 2013 to provide medical care for people in great need—to help replace hopelessness with hope. When, less than a year later, Kent contracted the deadly Ebola virus, hope became what he and Amber needed too.

 When Kent received the diagnosis, he was already alone and in quarantine in the Brantly home in Liberia. Amber and the children had left just days earlier on a trip to the United States. Kent’s personal battle against the horrific Ebola began, and as thousands of people worldwide prayed for [ … ]

SNEAK PEEK – No Fear by Tony Perkins

This book heralds a new generation of Christians who are more than bold…they are fearless!

Click here to download chapter one of  No Fear.

 

No Fear draws you inside the stories of young, ordinary believers who, despite incredible opposition, courageously stood up for God’s truth. Tony Perkins pairs each story with a biblical example, and gives practical ideas for building a “no fear” perspective every day.

 

Today, followers of Jesus Christ face more opposition to their beliefs than any generation in American history. Yet even in such a hostile cultural and political environment, it is an exciting time to stand firm in the faith. 

 

You have been chosen to live in this important hour and reading these stories will inspire you to the same kind of courage.  So what are you waiting for?  

 

SNEAK PEEK – It’s Good to be Queen by Liz Curtis Higgs

Sheba Journeyed Across the Desert with a Caravan of Riches,  then Discovered the Greatest Treasure of All.  So Can You.

Click here to download chapter one of  It’s Good to Be Queen

 

When it comes to famous queens of the Bible, we know the good one, Queen Esther, and the bad one, Queen Jezebel. Now meet the wise one, the queen of Sheba, who traveled to Jerusalem to test the mind and heart of a king.

 Her journey will surprise you, challenge you, inspire you, change you. This wealthy royal from antiquity will show you how to live boldly, seek after truth, ask the right questions, encourage others, receive graciously, and honor the Lord above all.

 Shedding new light on this ancient biblical role model, Liz Curtis Higgs unveils timeless wisdom for all who [ … ]

Meet Nick Vujicic

Imagine getting through your busy day without hands or feet. Picture your life without the ability to walk, care for your basic needs, or even embrace those you love. Meet Nick Vujicic. Without any medical explanation or warning, Nick was born in 1982 in Melbourne, Australia, without arms and legs. Three sonograms failed to reveal complications. And yet, the Vujicic family was destined to cope with both the challenge and blessing of raising a son who refused to allow his physical condition to limit his lifestyle.
Since his first speaking engagement at age 19, Nick has traveled around the world, sharing his story with millions, sometimes in stadiums filled to capacity, speaking to a range of diverse groups such as students, teachers, young people, business professionals and church congregations of all sizes. Today he’s an author, musician, actor, and [ … ]