signsoflifebooks.com

OK, so why would a Christian publishing company want to encourage teens to “Live Like a Rock Star”? That’s the promotional theme for a new teen fiction book by longtime suspense standard Brandilyn Collins and her daughter. The book, about the daughter of a rock star who stumbles across a dead body backstage, is touted as “Seatbelt Suspense® for young adults”. Fair enough. Might even be a good book. But, excuse me Zondervan, why would you want to feed such vapid dreams as wanting to become rich and/or famous? What would Jesus do? Wow, I think I’d like to become a rock star, dude.

Teens age 13-18: Enter the Rayne Tour Series’ “Live Like a Rock Star” Sweepstakes today! Grand Prize: $850 night on the town, including dinner for 6 and limo service. First 200 entrants get a free copy of Always Watching.
Go here to enter.

No, better go here instead.

The moment I finished reading Adopted for Life by Russell Moore, I did something I rarely do: I sent the author an e-mail thanking him for the way he blessed me through his writing. I told him that possibly the one thing I didn’t like about his book was the difficulty I had reading through the water that kept inexplicably forming in my eyes.

This was a very moving book for me. Yes, my wife and I are in the middle of the process of adopting two children, that certainly has a lot to do with it. But I think many people will find this book very moving, whether or not you’ve ever given much thought to adoption. This is not only about the recurring New Testament theme of being adopted into God’s family. And it is not only about adopting children into our own families. But it is about the interplay of the two and a call for Christians and churches to place a much higher priority on adoption than we have hitherto.

In saying “adoption is greater than the universe” Pastor John Piper of Bethlehem Baptist church in Minneapolis is not engaging in hyperbole. It is a saying worth trying to wrap our minds around. If you just have a few minutes, watch Piper’s video clip below. But if you have a few hours, read Moore’s book. It is important, and you will be greatly rewarded for the effort.