Press Release
Respected Thought Leaders Reveal What Authentic Gospel Living Looks Like in An Anxious Age Through Powerful Hope-Stirring Stories of Believers Transforming the World for Christ
“These stories aren’t puffy—they’re hard. They’re gritty and real. But they also won’t make you anxious or afraid. They’ll inspire you with possibilities, spur you to worship the God who leads and provides and surprises. They’ll encourage you to see fresh opportunities as your faith in God grows.”
—Collin Hansen & Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra in Gospelbound As the pressures of health warnings, economic turmoil, and partisan politics continue to rise, the influence of gospel-focused Christians seems to be waning. In the public square and popular opinion, believers are losing their voice right when it’s needed most for Christ’s glory and the common good. But there’s another faith-building story unfolding too—if you know where to look.
In
Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age (a Multnomah Paperback; on sale 4/6/21),
respected thought leaders and journalists
Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra counter our culture’s prevalent and growing fears with a robust message of resolute hope for anyone hungry for good news. They explore shining stories of Christians who are quietly changing the world in the name of Jesus. Among many others, readers will learn key principles for living with hope and faithfulness as they read about real believers finding a way beyond cultural compromise or combative, anxious responses. Here are just a few of the profound stories they will encounter:
-a marketing manager helping hundreds of women escape from the sex industry
-a family befriending the meth dealer across the street (and leading him to Christ),
-a healthy black church in Iowa merging with a growing white church so they could be a picture of God’s multiethnic kingdom
-men and women giving up vacations to make meals after natural disasters
-churches that sacrifice their best leaders and their budgets to plant new churches
-a husband who has put aside his successful writing career to take care of his ill wife full-time
-Chinese house churches choosing God over government
“We know that many feel their hope is being shaken—maybe that’s you,” Hansen and Zylstra write in the introduction. “We want to give you perspective from Christians throughout history and around the world, so that in the power of the gospel, we do not lose heart.” As Hansen and Zylstra diligently reported and curated these faith-building stories from numerous interviews over the last four years, they noticed how seven different themes continued to emerge and arranged the stories accordingly. They powerfully illustrate how Gospelbound Christians:
-Embrace the Future
-Live with Honor
-Suffer with Joy
-Care for the Weak
-Set Another Seat at the Table
-Love Their Enemies
-Give Away Their Freedom
As our culture loses the light of the gospel, these encouraging stories just glow brighter and will encourage and empower believers of all ages to live with steadfast faith and resolute hope in the midst of an ever-changing and anxious culture.
Questions are included at the end of the book to spur reflection and discussion for individuals and groups.
For more info, visit Gospelboundbook.com
ABOUT THE AUTHORS:Collin Hansen is vice president of content and editor-in-chief for The Gospel Coalition, one of the most-read Christian websites in the world, and host of the acclaimed Gospelbound podcast. He travels the world promoting gospel-centered ministry for the next generation. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama. For more information, visit: https://www.twitter.com/collinhansen
Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra is senior writer for The Gospel Coalition, where she oversees coverage of faith and work. Readers often rate her features on cutting-edge trends in religion and church leadership as TGC's most popular and valuable content. She earned her master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Before TGC she reported news for Christianity Today for more than a decade. She resides in the Chicago area. For more information, visit: https://www.twitter.com/sarahezylstra
On-Sale: April 6, 2021Christian LivingISBN 9780593193570 ● Trade Paperback ● 240 Pages ● $16.00 US ● $22.00 CAN
eBook ISBN 9780593193587 ● eBook $11.99 US ● $13.99 CAN
Praise for Gospelbound:"This book offers neither spin control nor image maintenance for the evangelical tribe, but genuine hope."
—
Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention
“
Gospelbound helps us fix our eyes on eternity while practically living Christ-centered lives in this present age. This book could not be more timely.”
—
Ruth Chou Simons, artist, founder of gracelaced.com, and bestselling author of
Beholding and Becoming and
GraceLaced “One of the best antidotes I have found for anxiety is to drink a tall glass of water. This book is a wellspring of assurance in the desert of our current dismay. Collin and Sarah take up the ancient and faithful task of telling forth the wondrous works of God through his servants. They lift our eyes and reorient us to the goodness of God. If you’re thirsty for good news, here is an opportunity to drink deeply.”
—
Jen Wilkin, author and Bible teacher
“The heart of the gospel is the work of God to make all things new. And the heart of
Gospelbound is to breathe new life into this anxious age. Through stories both global and local, Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra give us an informed, up-to-the-minute account of the transformative work Christ can do in our hearts, our churches, and our culture. It’s at once a mighty wind and a gentle spring zephyr.”
—
Mindy Belz, senior editor of
World magazine and author of
They Say We Are Infidels “Much of what we read about the church today is discouraging—division and dysfunction, apathy and apostasy, moral failures of leaders and malaise among members. Have we simply become too compromised, too comfortable, and too cavalier about the world’s ills to make any real difference?
Gospelbound pushes back against pessimism and defeatism with insightful commentary and inspiring stories. In these pages you’ll discover organizations, individuals, and families whose love for Christ is welling up and overflowing onto a world that is desperately in need of saving grace and Christlike kindness and mercy. The beauty is breathtaking.”
—
Nancy Guthrie, author and Bible teacher
“In a time of intense fear and suspicion, Hansen and Zylstra turn our focus to the ‘solid joys and lasting pleasures none but Zion’s children know.’ This book is not only filled with scriptural medicine but also applies the salve to our terrible insecurities.”
—
Michael Horton, J. Gresham Machen professor of theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary California
Contact Publicist
Brett Benson
