In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Scott Petty about the Little Black Books series (Matthias Media).

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About the Books:
The Little Black Books are a new series of books that get straight to the point on the topics that Christians always have questions about. Not too big, not too fancy, and not at all boring. LBBs are ideal for young Christians (ages 14-20+), but speak biblical truths applicable to any age range.

About the Author:
Scott Petty is the youth minister at Christ Church St Ives in Sydney, and loves the tricky questions young people ask about the Christian journey. He also loves his beautiful wife, Carolyn, his three energetic sons, racing bicycles, Italian coffee, food in general, rock‘n’roll and Apple computers, probably in that order.

Readers can connect with Scott at youth.christchurch.com.au.

Titles Currently Available  in the Little Black Books series:

• What’s Life All About?
• The Bible
• Suffering and Evil
• Predestination
• Sex
• Science and God
• The Holy Spirit

In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Michael Williams about his book Basics of Ancient Ugaritic (Zondervan, 2012).

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About the Book:
Basics of Ancient Ugaritic is a teaching grammar of this ancient language, one spoken at the time of Abraham occurring in ancient texts in cuneiform writing. It begins with the alphabet, and each new lesson builds on the ones before it. It is not, therefore, a synthetic Ugaritic grammar—these types of texts often prove to be overwhelming for students.

Instead, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic can be used for learning the language by individuals on their own or in a classroom setting. Each chapter concludes with a set of exercises allowing students to know whether they are grasping the fundamentals of the language.

In short, Basics of Ancient Ugaritic represents an ideal first text for entering the larger world of Semitic languages.

About the Author:
Michael Williams (PhD, University of Pennsylvania) is Professor of Old Testament at Calvin Theological Seminary and a member of the NIV Committee on Bible Translation. He is the author of Deception in Genesis, The Prophet and His Message, and How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, and editor and contributor of Mishneh Todah. His passion is to equip students with knowledge of the Old Testament and its languages so that they may grow in their comprehension and appreciation of redemptive history and be adequately prepared to promote and defend the faith through word and action. Michael resides in Grand Rapids, MI, with his wife, Dawn.

For additional information on Michael Williams, see his Amazon author page and faculty bio at Calvin Theological Seminary.

Books by Michael Williams:

Other Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Darren Wilson about his book Filming God: A Journey from Skepticism to Faith (Destiny Image, 2011).

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About the Book:
Filming God recounts the three-year journey of filmmaker Darren Wilson as he travels around the world, seeing the supernatural realm of God with his own eyes and meeting humble, loving people who walk in the supernatural on an everyday basis. Author Darren Wilson was a self-described skeptic about the supernatural before he had his own life-changing, miraculous encounter with the Lord. That experience led him to film Finger of God, through which he encountered incredible stories of modern-day believers receiving gold teeth, hanging out with Jesus, resurrections, supernatural healings, and much, much more.

“A funny thing tends to happen when you hand your life over to God, no questions asked. He takes what you thought you wanted and shows you something better—something so much infinitely better that you can only marvel at how simple-minded your past dreams were,” writes the author, thinking back on his journey while Filming God. In these exciting and compelling stories, you will quickly realize that Jesus is alive and working today in people’s lives—no matter your religious background. You may be forced to examine your own faith in light of what is possible on a day to day basis.

About the Author:
Darren Wilson is the founder/CEO of Wanderlust Productions, a film/television production company that focuses on creating media that advances the Kingdom of God worldwide. He is the Artist in Residence at Judson University in Illinois. Darren was recently named one of the 21 Emerging Leaders of Tomorrow’s Church by Charisma magazine. He lives with his wife, Jenell, and their three children, Serenity, Stryder, and River in the Chicago area.

Books and Films by Darren Wilson:

In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Lara Williams about her book To Walk or Stay (Christian Focus Publications, 2013).

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About the Book:
Her marriage slowly deteriorated behind the facade of a happy, Christian home. After six years together, with three young children, Lara discovered the devastating reality of her husband’s marital betrayal. Lara gives tender guidance to any woman walking the unexpected paths of betrayal. But even more than that, she testifies of the victorious life in Christ available to everyone, regardless of any shattered hopes or suffocating fears.

About the Author:
Lara Williams lives with her husband and three children in Greensboro, North Carolina. She holds a degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her blog “To Overflowing” (tooverflowing.com) and website www.LaraWilliams.org encourage women to discover a wildly vibrant faith.

Books by Lara Williams:

In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Keith Williams about the Chronological Life Application Study Bible (Tyndale House Publishers, 2012).

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About the Book:
The Bible is the story of God’s interaction with his creation. It is a story that occurs over time, in many places, and through many events. It includes the lives and lessons learned by many people from many cultures. It’s often easy to lose sight of the way in which God’s story fits together when our primary way of looking at the Bible is a bit here and a bit there.

The new four-color Chronological Life Application Study Bible combines the proven resources of the Life Application Study Bible with a chronological format and several brand-new resources. The Bible is arranged in 10 chronological sections that help the reader to see how the various pieces of the Bible fit together. New section intros and timelines set the stage for the passages in each section. New archaeological notes and photographs help to bring God’s story to life in a whole new way. And of course, the Life Application resources answer the all-important question—“so what?”

About the Editor:
Keith Williams serves as a Senior Editor at Tyndale House Publishers. He builds study Bibles and other tools to help people understand and navigate the Scriptures well. Keith blogs at www.clothedinchrist.org. You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• NLTInterlinear.com

In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Jim McNeely about his book The Romance of Grace (Vox Dei, 2013).

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About the Book:
What if God sees us the way a man sees a woman he is infatuated with, and His main question is not how to make us moral but rather how to get us to fall in love with Him?

In The Romance of Grace, Jim McNeely explores Bible passages that tell us what God really wants for us and what His love means. This is the love of a God who chose to give His life for ours, even carefully retaining His scars into the throne room of heaven and telling us in His very body, “I have gone to great lengths and great costs to say that I forsook all comforts for the love of you.”

Join Jim in his exploration of life in God’s unconditional, redeeming, amazing grace.

About the Author:
Jim McNeely is a teaching pastor and elder at Dakota Creek Christian Center in Blaine, Washington, where he lives with his wife, Betty, and their four sons. Formerly president of New Century Data, with clients such as Lockheed Martin and American Airlines, he now works as a programmer and database administrator in the health care industry.

Books by Jim McNeely:

Other Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Mockingbird Ministries – mbird.com
• Booktrope – booktrope.com
• ThereforeNow.com

In the decade and a half since I began studying New Testament Greek, I’ve acquired numerous books and software-based resources to help me stay active in my language studies. A favorite of mine for many years has been Matthew S. Demoss’s Pocket Dictionary for the Study of New Testament Greek (IVP, 2001). While I’ll continue to keep Demoss’s book close at hand, it now has a new neighbor in the stack of key resources I keep at my desk. All that to say, I’m excited to add Douglas S. Huffman’s The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek (Kregel Academic, 2012) to my personal library.

While the book is brief at only 112 pages, don’t be fooled by it’s small size. It has a lot to offer. Huffman breaks the book into three parts. Part one is a refresher on all of things that are typically covered in a first year Greek Grammar (alphabet, breathing marks, nouns, adjectives, verbs, etc.). Part two is a refresher on Greek syntax (case usage, article usage, and verb usage). Sections one and two of the book will be great for both review and as a reference. Where the book really shines is part three, which focuses on phrase diagramming. To be honest diagramming wasn’t my favorite part of Greek studies. However, the presentation of material in part three of the book is straight forward and practical with several detailed examples. I came away encouraged, thinking that maybe I can do this diagramming “stuff” after all.

Greek students, pastors, and even Greek professors will all find Huffman’s book to be quite useful as a quick reference for various elements of Greek grammar and syntax. First and second your Greek students should consider picking up a copy of the book to review in order to keep their Greek skills sharp over summer break. It would also make a great gift for the Greek-loving Bible college or seminary student in your life, who’s graduating this spring.

The Handy Guide to New Testament Greek is my new favorite Greek quick reference guide. It will occupy a special place on my desk for years to come. Highly recommended. My rating is 5 out of 5 stars.

About the Author:
Douglas S. Huffman is professor and chair of the Department of Biblical and Theological studies at Northwestern College in Minnesota. He is the coeditor of God Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents God.

Disclaimer:
This product was provided by Kregel Academic for review. The reviewer was under no obligation to offer a favorable review.

Where to Buy: Amazon Barnes & Noble Christian Book

In this episode of the Author Talks Podcast I interview Bodie Hodge about his book Tower of Babel: The Cultural History of Our Ancestors (Master Books, 2013).

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About the Book:
Tower of Babel: The Cultural History of Our Ancestors reveals our shared ancestry as never before! Many are familiar with the Biblical account of Babel, but after the dispersal, there was a void beyond Biblical history until empires like Rome and Greece arose. Now, discover the truth of these people groups and their civilizations that spread across the earth and trace their roots back to Babel as well as to the sons and grandsons of Noah.

Many of today’s scholars write off what occurred at the Tower of Babel as mythology and deny that it was a historical event. Beginning with the Biblical accounts, author Bodie Hodge researched ancient texts, critical clues, and rare historic records to help solve the mystery of what became of the failed builders of Babel. For the purpose of defending the Bible, Hodge presents these and other vital historical facts surrounding this much-debated event. Teens and older can use this layman’s reference for Biblical classes, ancient history, apologetics training, and to realize their own cultural connection to the Bible.

About the Author:
Mr. Bodie Hodge attended Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and received a B.S. and M.S. in mechanical engineering. His specialty was a subset of mechanical engineering based in advanced materials processing, particularly starting powders. Currently, Bodie is a speaker, writer, and researcher for Answers in Genesis–USA. He is the author of The Fall of Satan and co-author of Dragons: Legends & Lore of Dinosaurs.

Books by Bodie Hodge:

Other Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

• www.answersingenesis.org
• www.creationmuseum.org
• www.thearkencounter.com

Each month in 2013, LOGOS Bible Software is offering a free book of the month. For March 2013, they are offering Life in a Risen Saviour  by Robert S. Candlish. Click the book cover to the right to learn how to get your free book.

Every month ChristianAudio.com offers a free audiobook. This month (March 2013) they are offering Choose Joy by Kay Warren. The recording is narrated by the author. Click the image below for details:

About the Book:
Ever wonder why some people seem to experience joy in their daily lives–even in the tough times–and others can’t seem to find it no matter how hard they search? Is a joy-filled life really possible? The answer is yes! And it’s possible for every woman, no matter what her circumstances may be.

In this inspiring book, Kay Warren teaches women what joy really is, where to find it, and how to choose it in the good times and the bad. With compassion and wisdom, she shows listeners–even those who live with the constant companions of discouragement and depression–that true joy is deeper, richer, and more accessible than they might think. Perfect for small groups or individual reading, Choose Joy will empower women who feel like their emotions and well-being are at the mercy of others by helping them understand the life-giving truth that joy is within their grasp–every day.