03/10/20

Ada, MI (March 10, 2020)—Baker Publishing Group is pleased to announce that On the Road with Saint Augustine, a Brazos Press title, was recently named Outreach Resource of the Year in the Spiritual Growth category by Outreach magazine. Five other Baker Publishing Group titles were listed as recommended resources: Faith for Exiles (Baker Books) in the Evangelism and Discipleship category, Narrative Apologetics (Baker Books) in the Apologetics category, The Church of Us vs. Them (Brazos Press) in the Church category, Global Arts and Christian Witness (Baker Academic) in the Cross-Cultural and Missional category, and For the Life of the World (Brazos Press) in the Theology and Biblical Studies category.

For the seventeenth year, Outreach magazine has named top books and curriculum that are geared toward church leaders and churches wishing to deepen their reach for the sake of the gospel. The complete list of recognized resources can be found here.

On the Road with Saint Augustine by James K. A. Smith (Brazos Press; ISBN 9781587433894; ebook ISBN 9781493419968; $24.99)

Augustine, says Smith, is the patron saint of restless hearts—a guide who has been there, asked our questions, and knows our frustrations and failed pursuits. Addressing believers and skeptics alike, this book shows how Augustine’s timeless wisdom speaks to the worries and struggles of contemporary life, covering topics such as ambition, sex, friendship, freedom, parenthood, and death. As Smith vividly and colorfully brings Augustine to life for 21st-century readers, he also offers a fresh articulation of Christianity that speaks to our deepest hungers, fears, and hopes.

Faith for Exiles by David Kinnaman and Mark Matlock (Baker Books; ISBN 9780801013157; ebook ISBN 9781493415946; $21.99)

Negative perceptions. Church dropouts. Prodigals and nomads. It’s easy to become discouraged by all that’s going wrong when it comes to Christianity and the emerging generation. Yet what’s going right? In fact, signs of hope are springing up all around. In Faith for Exiles, the author of unChristian and You Lost Me unveils important new Barna research that uncovers what’s working—five practices that contribute to resilience. Enter the world of resilient young adult Christians and learn how they are sustaining faith. Finally, you can find hope in all that God is doing among young disciples today.

Narrative Apologetics by Alister E. McGrath (Baker Books; ISBN 9780801075773; ebook ISBN 9781493419241; $15.99)

In this groundbreaking book, scholar and author Alister McGrath lays a foundation for narrative apologetics before considering the many ways it can be used. Exploring four major biblical narratives, enduring stories such as Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings and Lewis’s series The Chronicles of Narnia, and personal narratives from figures such as St. Augustine and Chuck Colson, McGrath shows how we can both understand and share our faith through the use of stories.

The Church of Us vs. Them by David E. Fitch (Brazos Press; ISBN 9781587434143; ebook ISBN 9781493418329; $21.99)

Claiming that the church has lost itself in the grip of an antagonistic culture, David Fitch takes a close look at what drives the vitriol in our congregations. He traces the enemy-making patterns in church history and diagnoses the divisiveness that marks the contemporary evangelical church. Fitch shows a way for the church to be true to itself, unwinding the antagonisms of our day and making space for Christ’s reconciling presence in our day-to-day lives. He offers new patterns and practices that move the church beyond making enemies to being the presence of Christ in the world, helping us free ourselves from a faith that feeds on division.

For the Life of the World by Miroslav Volf and Matthew Croasmun (Brazos Press; ISBN 9781587434013; ebook ISBN 9781493411245; $21.99)

In this provocative new contribution to public theology, world-renowned theologian Miroslav Volf (named “America’s New Public Intellectual” by Scot McKnight on his Jesus Creed blog) and Matthew Croasmun explain that the intellectual tools needed to rescue us from our present malaise and meet our new cultural challenge are the tools of theology. A renewal of theology is crucial to help us articulate compelling visions of the good life, find our way through the maze of contested questions of value, and answer the fundamental question of what makes life worth living.

Baker Publishing Group publishes high-quality writings that represent historic Christianity and serve the diverse interests and concerns of evangelical readers.