6.30.2009

Book helps children learn their personality types; get along better with others

Hi! I'm Meredith Grace. Today was my first day of 3rd grade. Boy, did I learn a lot of interesting things about myself and my friends. Miss Moon, my teacher, told us all about the word personality. She taught us that no one personality is right, wrong, good, or bad. We are all different, and that's OK. I am so happy knowing I can just be me!

So begins a valuable new resource which provides powerful insight and knowledge into your child's personality type. As you and your child read
Being Me, Being Free together, you will discover that every child (and adult!) has a one-of-a-kind, God-given personality. By using the personality assessment and other activities included in the back of the book, you can begin to create environments in which your child can grow and strengthen his or her natural talents and abilities. This book by Marilyn Mansfield is perfect for both classroom and home.

6.23.2009

New Book Offers Parenting Tips From Biblical Families


Biblical families are excellent role models for coping with today's family problems, say co-authors of this new book, which examines how families of the Bible serve as role models for families now.

Family relationships have always been difficult, regardless of the time in history, the authors say. Too often today modern families erroneously conclude they are confronting matters with which no one has dealt with before. Instead, the authors say similarities between past and present situations abound.

In Families of the Bible: How They Coped with Today’s Issues, Howard Hovde and Louis Moore examine biblical families’ lives and offer practical tips for parents of modern-day homes.
In this matter-of-fact look at the lessons that can be learned from biblical families, Hovde and Moore inspect 12 different familial situations from the Bible and extract the important connections with issues in today’s society.

The authors begin with a study of the family system and analyze why problems occur within families. Hovde and Moore then tackle topics such as murder, grief, infertility, sibling rivalry, adoption, the loss of a child, the importance of a spiritual family, empty nests and more. To learn how parents should interact with each other and with their children to provide the best home life possible, Hovde and Moore dive into the lives of Cain and Abel, Abraham, Jacob and Esau, Moses, David, the Prodigal Son, Paul and others.

Hovde and Moore hope this unique material will “make the journey with family easier and more exciting.” This book is perfect for parents who need help within their family, but Families of the Bible could also be helpful as a basis for a sermon series or a Bible study, or as a device used within premarital or marital counseling sessions.

Howard Hovde, Ed.D. (left) has been a marriage and family therapist, a pastor, and director of the Laity Lodge Retreat Center in Kerrville, TX. He is a popular speaker at seminars conferences, and programs on marriage and family life. He and his wife, Carole, live in Kerrville.

Louis Moore (right) has been a newspaper reporter editor, book author, and media manager for a religious denomination. He and his wife, Kay, have led marriage enrichment retreats for couples throughout the United States and internationally. They live in Garland, TX.

6.22.2009

Book Review: Why I Bought "Alcohol Today"

Much thanks to SelahV for her well-written book review of Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence. Please read the review at her blog SelahV Today. This blog entry was published in relation to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, which will be held this week in Louisville, KY. Many hot topics will be discussed and church members and leaders will be able to connect with numerous authors.

Peter Lumpkins, author of Alcohol Today, and Dr. Jerry Vines, who wrote the foreword in the book and is president of Jerry Vines Ministries, Inc.; pastor emeritus, First Baptist Church, Jacksonville, FL; and has been twice-elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, are holding a book signing today at the meeting.

6.17.2009

Meet Pastor, Author at Weatherford Book Signing

If you're in Weatherford, TX, or somewhere near it this weekend, be sure to listen to Linda Bagwell's Books and Authors radio show Saturday at 9:30am on 89.5 FM or online at www.qxfm.com. Pastor Woody Wilson will be on the show to talk about his new book, The Shadow of Babel: Speaking Jesus to a Language-Challenged World. Then, you can meet Pastor Wilson at a book signing at The Bookcase at 109 N. Main Street in Weatherford from 11am to 1pm.

The Shadow of Babel is a collection of gripping stories and encouraging thoughts from Pastor Wilson's years as a missionary in France and as a pastor in numerous churches. Through common sense and practical helps, Wilson encourages Christians to discuss their beliefs lovingly but boldly with their friends and family members. The book looks at numerous experiences from Wilson’s rich life as a missionary in a challenging setting in France and as a U.S. pastor in everyday circumstances.

David R. Brumbelow Mentions "Alcohol Today" on Gulf Coast Pastor blog

Be sure to check out the Gulf Coast Pastor blog, written by David R. Brumbelow (who happens to be a Hannibal author - The Wit and Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow). On Monday's blog, he mentions Peter Lumpkins' Alcohol Today.

6.16.2009

Listen to Peter Lumpkins Interview from the Mornings with Lorri and Larry show

On June 15, Peter Lumpkins discussed his new book, Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence, with Lorri Allen and Larry Estepa on Mornings with Lorri and Larry, a FamilyNet radio show broadcast on Sirius Channel 161.

Another great review of "Alcohol Today"


Ron Phillips, Sr., wrote a great book review of Peter Lumpkins' book Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence. He includes specific points that he appreciates from the book. He also describes how he thinks the book will be received. Read the review at his blog, Adopted by God.

6.15.2009

Dr. Crawford is Featured in Fabulous Fort Worth Star-Telegram Article

In Friday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram newspaper (6.12.2009), Jim Jones wrote an excellent article about humor in Christianity. He included Dr. Crawford and his new book, Mud Hen in a Peacock Parade: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven. You can read the article on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website. The first few paragraphs of the article are featured below.


Movement holds that Christianity has plenty of room for humor By Jim Jones


Did Jesus laugh?


"I think he did," said Dan Crawford, a retired Fort Worth seminary professor and author. Jesus was no stick-in-the-mud, he says. "People have painted him much too serious."


Crawford’s new book, Mud Hen in a Peacock Parade: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Heaven (Hannibal Books, $14.95) says that interest in religious humor is surging. He cites the growing popularity of Christian comedians. More pastors, he said, are using humor to hold attention in a society geared to sound bites.


"We are in pretty tough times now, so people find relief when they can laugh," Crawford said. "And I believe God has a sense of humor."
... Read the rest of Jim Jones' article at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram website.

6.12.2009

Don't Forget to Listen to Peter Lumpkins on Monday Morning

On Monday, June 15, you can be one of the first to hear Peter Lumpkins discuss his new, controversial book, Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence. He will be a guest on Mornings with Lorri and Larry on FamilyNet Radio, which can be heard on SIRIUS radio channel 161. He will be on the show from about 6:20am to 6:50am Eastern. If you can't catch him live, you can always download the podcast from iTunes for about two weeks from the original air date. We'll also post the interview here!

6.10.2009

"Alcohol Today" Review on Sola Gratia! and SBC Today blogs

Here is an excerpt from the great review by Scott Gordon about Alcohol Today:
Dr. Peter Lumpkins has hit a home run. Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence is a book which is long overdue for our churches and our culture. This debate seems to have fallen on hard times. Anyone who would dare assert that a biblical world view should include total abstinence is quickly lampooned and often mercilessly ridiculed.
To read the rest of Scott's review, visit his blog Sola Gratia!, here, or the SBC Today blog here.

6.09.2009

Hear Peter Lumpkins on FamilyNet's Mornings with Lorri & Larry

On Monday, June 15, you can be one of the first to hear Peter Lumpkins discuss his new, controversial book, Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence. He will be a guest on Mornings with Lorri and Larry on FamilyNet Radio, which can be heard on SIRIUS radio channel 161. He will be on the show from about 6:20am to 6:50am Eastern. If you can't catch him live, you can always download the podcast from iTunes for about two weeks from the original air date. We'll also post the interview here!

6.04.2009

What Others are Saying About "Alcohol Today"

We appreciate Peter Lumpkins’ contribution to this crucial issue. We applaud all genuine efforts to convince followers of Jesus that the use of alcoholic beverages in any form is inconsistent with the lifestyle of an obedient Christian in the 21st century.
-Richard Land, president, Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Southern Baptist Convention

A postmodern era of indulgence brands advocacy of abstinence from beverage alcohol as legalism worthy of the Pharisees, even as it gurgles its way to an ever-increasing embrace of the world. But Peter Lumpkins in Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence demonstrates why abstinence not only is wisdom but also a matter of obedience to Christ and holiness before God.
- Paige Patterson, President
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, TX

Peter Lumpkins has dealt skillfully and biblically with one of the real hot issues in our land today. Voices are calling for the moderate use of alcohol and recreational drinks as a way to reach our culture. Peter has carefully examined the Scriptural texts and gives a clear case for how committed believers are to approach this subject. I applaud his effort in these pages and believe he has convincingly presented the case for abstinence as the Scriptural pattern for this issue.
- Jimmy Draper, president emeritus, LifeWay Christian Resources

Peter Lumpkins has done an amazing piece of work. He has explored the various views on the question of drinking “recreational alcohol” (booze) by disciples of Jesus. With the precision of a surgeon he dissects the views and then stitches them together for an overall answer to the question. This is the first book of this nature that I have read in years—the best argument in print against the outlandish and inaccurate views of “not use but abuse.” Every preacher should make this a must reading.
-John Sullivan, executive director-treasurer, Florida Baptist Convention

Peter Lumpkins’ book calls us back to biblical convictions. Peter “rightly divides the word of truth” and glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ providing a firm foundation for 21st-century believers in a Laodicean age.
- Roger Freeman, senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Clarksville, TN
Past president, Tennessee Baptist Convention

In a wedding of biblical/historical scholarship and reasonable obedience to Christ, Peter Lumpkins turns watered-down “moderation” and poisonedwell hedonism into the pure wine of truth. What a timely occasion for someone taking the intellectual gloves off and striking a blow for total abstinence from alcohol! Every believer, particularly in the younger generation, should drink deeply from this reservoir—and pass it on.
- Hayes Wicker, senior pastor, First Baptist Church, Naples, FL
Former president, Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference and the Florida Baptist Convention

Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence is a masterwork. It provides a devastating argument against any use of beverage alcohol. It reveals the fact that the Bible and common sense condemn the use of a recreational, destructive, and mind-altering drug. Replete with scholarly evidence, Peter Lumpkins’ book will change minds and save lives.
- David R. Brumbelow, pastor, Northside Baptist Church, Highland, TX
Author, The Wit and Wisdom of Pastor Joe Brumbelow

Peter Lumpkins has done the Body of Christ a significant favor in his excellent and scholarly study on social drinking among present-day church members. Thank God for his courageous stance! I pray many will read this book and heed its wise counsel.
- Evangelist Junior Hill, Hartselle, AL

The alcohol issue is a volatile debate among many believers. It also is a critical discussion because of the high impact of alcohol’s negative effect on so many. Peter Lumpkins provides a clear and compelling case for total abstinence built on Scripture and sound spiritual ethics. It deserves a reading by every thoughtful follower of Jesus. Alcohol Today is a vital resource for Christians committed to excellence in life and dedicated to the highest standards of faith and practice.
- Jack Graham, Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church, Dallas, TX

Peter Lumpkins provides an exhaustive, in-depth investigation into the use of alcohol as a beverage. He reaches the conclusion that this usage is unwise, unhelpful, and unscriptural. I applaud him for his work and commend this read to all interested in thoroughly considering this issue.
- Jim Richards, Executive Director, Southern Baptists of Texas Convention
Past first vice-president, Southern Baptist Convention

6.03.2009

How do you blend faith with living day-to-day?

Our faith in God saves us; the Bible testifies to that. But what difference does that faith make in our lives? If works don't insure our salvation, what's the purpose of right Christian behavior? If we have transformed lives in Christ, what specific works represent an outgrowth of our belief?

Anne Fortenberry tackles all these questions in her new, nine-week interactive Bible study, Faith that Works. In a warmhearted, personal approach, Anne reveals fresh insights into the Book of James that will strengthen participants' faith, enrich their walk with the Lord, and challenge them to apply well-known scriptural principles.

Participants in a
Faith that Works small group will learn how to cope with trails and temptations, how to develop characteristics such as obedience, tongue control, wisdom, and trust in God, how to endure suffering, and how to restore wandering believers, among other topics.

A separate leader guide (ISBN 1-978-934749-50-0) provides helps for those facilitating a
Faith that Works group in weekly sessions.

Anne Fortenberry has served as a Southern Baptist missionary, a university lecturer and division chair, and a health-care consultant. She holds a doctor of nursing science degree from the Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Nursing, a master of science from the University of Southern Mississippi, and a bachelor of science from Mississippi College. She and her husband, Archie, are parents of three grown children.

6.01.2009

Should Christians Bring on the Booze?

In the newly-released book, Alcohol Today: Abstinence in an Age of Indulgence, Peter Lumpkins answers the question, "Is the moderate use of alcohol for recreational purposes a way Christians can reach today’s culture?" Some believers in this postmodern era of indulgence say an attack on the prevalence of social drinking amounts to legalism worthy of the Pharisees.

Dealing with one of the most debated issues in Christendom today, Peter Lumpkins explores the various views on drinking beverage alcohol. He dissects them with a surgeon's precision and then stitches them together to form a devastating argument against any recreational use of this mind-altering drug.

Lumpkins blends an exhaustive scholarly study with courageous conviction and reasonable obedience as he strikes a blow for total abstinence from alcohol. His definitive book is the first of its kind in many decades and is sure to stir debate from a wide variety of sectors.

Peter Lumpkins has dealt skillfully and biblically with one of the real hot issues in our land today. He has carefully examined the scriptural texts and gives a clear case for how committed believers are to approach this subject. He has convincingly presented the case for abstinence as the scriptural pattern for this issue.
--Dr. James T. Draper, Jr., president emeritus, LifeWay Christian Resources


Peter Lumpkins is a Southern Baptist minister living in West Georgia. For more than 20 years, Peter served as a pastor in Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia. Presently he serves as editor of a developing small-group Bible study series. Peter has degrees in religion and philosophy (B.A.), theology (M.Div.) and expository preaching (D.Min.). He also completed graduate work in bioethics. He writes a popular blog, SBC Tomorrow, which can be found at www.peterlumpkins.com.

Stay tuned for more reviews and a promo video of this controversial book.