I began to read In My Time of Dying: How I came face-to-face with the idea of an afterlife (Simon & Schuster, New York 2024. 162pp: $27.99) by Sebastian Junger with great expectation, but alas the more I read the more dissatisfied I became. Much of the book is devoted to near death experiences. However when it comes to the Christian belief in the resurrection from the dead, the author dismisses is as “simple minded” without giving any reasons for his refusal to look at the evidence of the resurrection of Jesus and the consequences for those who believe in the Risen Lord Jesus.
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers has been reissued by Hodder & Stoughton, London in 2025 (378pp: £14.99 hardback) and is an Anglicized modern edition of this classic devotional book, which provides readings for every day of the year and is based on the NIV.
Divine Windows: seeing God through the lens of science (BRF, Abingdon 2025. 140pp: £12.99), by David Gregory, a Baptist minister who holds a PhD in Atmospheric Physics. In this book the author looks through a fresh lens of wonder, play and order. He invites us to see something of God’s creative hand on the world around us revealed by the creativity of science. The shaping of creation by a higher purpose is revealed in the vision of the universe unveiled by science.
Fullness of Vision, Fullness of Life: The divided brain, improvisation, and leadership in the church (SCM Press,2025. 196pp: £19.99) by Jonathan Kimber, currently the interim chaplain at King’s College Cambridge, has written this significant book. The author drawing upon the work of Iain Gilchrist, a renowned psychiatrist, blends neuroscientific and theological insights, and offers a new generation of church leaders a framework for mission which is holistic.
Words of Life: from the Father’s heart of love (Philos Publishing, London 2012. 115pp: £7.99) by Graham J. Marriott, sets out to help Christians to listen to God. The book is divided into four chapters: Hearing his love; Seeing through the natural; Grey days; Everlasting love. The author offers a simple but helpful path to hearing God speak on a daily basis.
Be Still: 30 devotions for those who feel anything but (BRF Abingdon 2025.139pp, £8.99) by Lucy Rycroft, a part-time music teacher who previously worked for BRF Ministries in the Parenting for Faith team. The author takes us on a journey of 30 biblical devotions, looking at the concept of ‘being still’. From Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea to the raw emotions of the Psalms, to Jesus calming the story, the focus of this book is how we can absorb biblical truths to discover what ‘being still’ looks today.
Donkey Roads and Camel Treks: a pilgrim’s guide for Advent (BRF, Abingdon 2025. 154pp: £9.99) by Gemma Simmons, a Roman Catholic theologian and sister of the Congregation of Jesus. The daily readings are based upon the lectionary. This book encourages readers “to explore what helps and what hinders us in this journey to deeper encounter with the flesh-and-blood God we find in scripture”.
Dreaming of a Green Christmas: sustainability and creation care for busy people (BRF, Abingdon 2025. 77pp: £6.99) by Olivia Warburton, previously BRF Ministries’ head of content and Living Faith ministry lead, is an essential companion as we prepare for Christmas. With 111 practical eco-tips to select from, this book speaks of God love for creation – people and our planet.
Another three volumes of the Hodder Bible Commentary have recently been published. The first is Proverbs (Hodder & Stoughton, London 2025. 254pp: £22.99) by Kirsten Birkett, who at one stage lectured at Oak Hill College, London. The second is James (Hodder & Stoughton, London 2025.188pp: £19.99) by Daniel Eng, who is currently an Associate Professor of New Testament at Western Seminary, Portland, Oregon. The third is Exodus (Hodder & Stoughton, London 2025. 188pp: £22.99) by Simon Vibert, who is Vicar of Christ Church, Virginia Water in Surrey and also teaches at Gordon Conwell Seminary in the USA. Like the other volumes in this series, these three offer accessible and thoughtful expository commentary and are a great resource to ministers.
The following Grove booklets (Cambridge, 2025) are all 28 pages long and cost £3.95. As they rightly, say, they are “not the last word”, but are often “the first word” with regard to the issues they address. Young People and Pornography: understanding and responding pastorally (Youth, Children & Family 79) by Robin Barfield, a lecturer at Oak Hill College, London, looks at the ready availability of ‘Sexually Explicit Internet Material’ and provides some steps that be taken to help young Christians live more Christlike lives in today’s world. Practicing Weakness: Ministry in the Message of 2 Corinthians (Biblical 116) by Ruth Wheldon, who is training for ordained ministry at Trinity College, Bristol, explores the significance of the theme of power in weakness as expounded by Paul, offering reflection on ministry today. Volunteering (Pastoral 182) by Charles Chadwick, who in his retirement continues to support the work of the church in ministry, looks at the various reasons why people volunteer, and offers practical advice about to help recruit more volunteers, and how to encourage them and retain them. Why is the church hurting? moral injury in the church (Ethics 217, 2025) by Rhona Knight, a retired GP focusses on moral injury which is defined as:
… the experience of sustained and enduring negative moral emotions – guilt, shame, contempt and anger – that results from the betrayal, violation or suppression of deeply held or shared moral values.