Welcome to day 1 of the 4th Annual 12 Days Before Christmas Book Giveaway! Today’s giveaway is sponsored by Accordance Bible Software, Christian Focus Publications, Getty Music, Sovereign Grace Music and Tyndale House Publishers.  Today we will have four prize packs up for grabs.  The prize packs are as follows:

Prize Pack 1

Accordance 9 – Library Collection – Introductory Level – The Library Introductory Level contains everything you need to begin studying the Bible with Accordance. Priced at just $149, the Introductory Level includes 11 Bibles and a collection of study aids worth more than $1400 in print. Includes such best-selling resources as the New Living Translation, KJV with Strong’s, Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Life Application Study Bible, Experiencing God and Experiencing God Day by Day, and much more. **Accordance is designed for Mac, but may also be run on a PC using an emulator. Detailed system Requirements are available here – LINK ***Watch this video to find the answer to question 1.

Prize Packs 2, 3 & 4
	Reformation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow E-book (mobi or epub) by Carl R. Trueman – Dr. Trueman examines the origins of contemporary Reformed theology in the Reformation world of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. After tracing how this heritage shaped and transformed the intervening period, he then describes some of the major challenges being faced by the evangelical church at the present time and suggests ways of responding which remain faithful to the Scriptures and the theology of the Reformers drawn from it and points towards a future that embraces and disseminates these wonderful doctrines of grace.
	Unseen Realities E-book (mobi or epub) by R. C. Sproul - The concept of the invisible spiritual realm is something which is difficult for us to grasp. What we can see, hear, and feel we can take on face value that it is reality. But what about those things that are unseen? Scripture speaks about heaven, hell, angels and demons which are a part of this invisible spiritual realm. Internationally renowned Bible teacher R. C. Sproul helps us gain an understanding of these things so that we can come to a realization that in fact all four are true realities that impact upon our everyday lives.
	Joy: An Irish Christmas by Keith and Karyn Getty (CD) - Join modern hymn writers Keith and Kristyn Getty for a joyful Irish celebration of the birth of Christ. Featuring the award-winning Irish Film Orchestra, renowned choral ensemble Anúna, and virtuoso traditional players, this vibrant collection of beloved carols, modern hymns and spirited reels and jigs celebrates the wonder and beauty of Christmas.
	The Gathering: Live from WorshipGod11 by Sovereign Grace Music (CD) - Recorded live at WorshipGod11, The Gathering contains 15 songs that progressively tell the story of the gospel and our appropriate response to it.
	Journey to Christmas (DVD) -Journey to Christmas is a fascinating new reality DVD series that invites you to explore Jesus’ birth through five modern-day explorers. Shot on ultra-high-definition film and packaged as a four-part DVD church curriculum, this unique study series chronicles the experiences of five very different people—a messianic Jew, a First Nations woman, a poet, a Christian radio personality, and an agnostic lawyer—as they journey through the Holy Land to discover the true meaning of Christmas.

A complete list of rules and prizes is available here: LINK.

This contest is now closed. We will announce a winner later today.

Key topics covered in the book are:

• Call for a fresh assessment of early church tradition from Africa
• Examination of parallels between the New Testament and the African account
• Review of historic archaeological evidence from Alexandria
• Readers are introduced to African synaxaries and other written sources often neglected in the West

The African Memory of Mark is widely available from Amazon and other book retailers.

Update:  I just got word from IVP that they will sponsor a giveaway in conjunction with my review.  Stay tuned for the upcoming giveaway I’ll be hosting for 5 copies of The African Memory of Mark, the week of August 22nd.

Just a note on emoticons. You shouldn’t use them:

1. Real men don’t use them. In fact, not even Paul Levy uses them. They are thus part of the feminization of the church.
2. People who have a decent command of the English language and are able to express themselves using those old fashioned things, words and sentences, have no need of them — even those permanently restricted by force of habit to only 120 characters. Just work harder. You have a great language; please use it. They are thus part of the increasing intellectual laziness of the church.
3. They represent a regression to a pre-Reformation theology of communication whereby image trumps words. I believe they were actually invented by Cardinal Walter Kasper who sent the first one in an email to John Paul II. They are thus part of an ongoing surreptitious and deadly Romanization of the Protestant church.
4. As I said earlier, real men don’t use them. Hard to stress that one enough. So shave off the soul patch, ditch the triple iced moccawhateverlatte with whipped cream, close down that urban church plant you set up next to American Eagle Outfitters, pour the zinfandel down the sink, stop crying at pictures of puppies with wounded paws and — above all — delete those emoticons.

Anyone interested in joining a pitchfork wielding mob to address this issue?

Guess this means I’ll need to shave my head, switch back to strong black coffee, ditch my church plant idea at the mall and most importantly cease all use of emoticons.  Sorry, old habits die hard…  Thanks Carl for setting me straight.

You can see this post in its original context at the Reformation 21 Blog – LINK

• Woe to Those Who Go Down to Egypt for Advice – Scott Brown
• The Defining Battles in the War Against the Sufficiency…  – Doug Phillips
• Our Declining Church and Culture – the Genesis Connection… – Ken Ham
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for Manhood and Womanhood – Vodie Baucham
• The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Heart of the NCFIC – Doug Phillips
• Scripture is Sufficient for Personal Sanctification – Andy Davis
• The Regulative Principle of Worship in the Old Testament – Joe Morecraft
• Scripture is Sufficient for Suffering – R.C. Sproul, Jr.
• English Bibles and the Sufficiency of Scripture – Bill Einwechter
• Scripture is Sufficient for Woman’s Ministry Part 1.. – Jeff Pollard
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for the Laws of Nations – Doug Phillips
• Scripture is Sufficient for Child Discipline – Steve Breagy
• But How Could a Loving God Say… – Dan Horn
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for Building Faith and… – Andy Davis
• Scripture is Sufficient for Personal Evangelism – Paul Washer
• Applying the Sufficiency of Scripture in the Botkin Family – Geoff Botkin
• The Regulative Principle of Worship in the New Testament – Joe Morecraft
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for Family Life – Kevin Swanson
• God’s Law or Chaos – Bill Einwechter
• Scripture is Sufficient for Woman’s Ministry Part 2… – Jeff Pollard
• Is the Sufficiency of Scripture a Biblical Doctrine – Joe Morecraft
• Scripture is Sufficient for Ministry to Youth – Scott Brown
• The Sufficiency of Scripture and the Gospel – Paul Washer
• Scripture is Sufficient for Your Educational Decisions – Kevin Swanson
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for Evangelizing the Nations – Paul Washer
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for the Church Discipline – Joe Morecraft
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for the Importance of the… – Dan Horn
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for Habits of Obedience – Andy Davis
• Youth Ministry – Voddie Baucham
• The Sufficiency of Scripture and Family Integration – Kevin Swanson
• The Sufficiency of Scripture for Culture as Aesthetics – Doug Phillips
• Scripture is Sufficient to Define and Govern the Church – Dan Horn
• Scripture is Sufficient for Times of Spiritual Decline – Bill Einwechter
• The Importance of Biblical Family Life for the Spread of… – Paul Washer
• The Sufficiency of Scripture in the Disciple-Making of… – Voddie Baucham

I’m looking forward to Sherwood Pictures 2011 release of Corageous.  This movie bravely goes into the challenging territory of fatherhood, which for many Dads is frustrating and confusing in the midst of our mixed up culture.  The story is centered on law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell and Nathan Hayes, who give their best at work, but only give the little bit that’s left to their family at home.  This is a problem that nearly every father can relate to.  I’m hopeful that this film will challenge and encourage fathers towards Godly fatherhood in the same way that Fireproof challenged and encouraged so many married couples towards a more Godly marriage.  You can follow the film’s production progress at www.courageousthemovie.com.

I wanted to extend a word of thanks to the kind folks at Crossway Books for sending me a review copy of Colin Creel’s Crossroads: Navigating Your Calling and Career.

Colin Creel is dean of junior boys at Wesleyan School in Norcross, Georgia. In addition to his role as dean, he also teaches Bible and coaches swimming. Besides this work under review, he has also written Perspectives: A Spiritual Life Guide For Twentysomethings (Orlando, FL: Relevant Books, 2005). You may visit Colin’s web site at www.colincreel.com.

Each of us wonders at one time or another, what we will be when we grow up. It seems that when we finally grow up, many of us continue to question the choices we have made in relation to our calling and our career. This book will be a worthwhile resource for both the novice and the seasoned professional, who might be wrestling with these sorts of questions.

The book is divided into two sections. Part one considers topics related to calling and part two considers topics related to career. At the start of every chapter there is a short story to illustrate the topic at hand. These topics are further expounded upon with “seasoned advice” from respected Christian leaders like Steve Arterburn, Max Lucado, and others. Each chapter closes with “points to ponder”, which includes relevant Bible references and discussion questions.

This is the sort of book one may consider reading once a year and still come away with fresh insights in relation to their current life circumstances. I found it to be enlightening for my personal study, but am considering using it for a study with a small group. The “points to ponder” at the close of each chapter make it especially applicable for use in small groups. Whether for personal study or for use in a small group, this book is sure to cause you to consider important questions about your career and calling. I am confident you will be inspired to seek God’s leading as you strive to move well beyond your current circumstances. I commend Colin Creel for writing this timely work. I pray that it will be used of God to transform our current and future workforce, so they might be moved away from the doldrums of listlessness and confusion towards a Godly calling and career.

This review was originally published April 13, 2008 @ ShaunTabatt.com.