March 2024 Issue:
With the warm, late-winter air and the calendar turning over to March, we begin to anticipate bulbs blooming, summer birds returning, and new birth all throughout creation. Another thing we may be anticipating is the time when we remember our Savior and the work He did for us on the cross. Easter is not just about bunnies and colorful eggs and chocolate. The preparation through the Lenten season up to Resurrection Sunday provides a great opportunity to immerse ourselves in God's amazing plan of rescue, redemption, and restoration. The library team at EFCCL hopes you consider adding some good reading to your Lenten studies this month—here are some of the many options the church library has to choose from! You can find these on the seasonal shelves and endcaps.
Our church library has more than 4,200 titles searchable here by topic, author and title. Here are just a few:
Children:
• The Donkey Who Carried a King, by R.C. Sproul
• The God Contest, by Carl Laferton
• The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross, by Carl Laferton
• My Friend Jesus: The Gospel for Kids, by Kathryn Slattery
• The Case for Christ for Kids, by Lee Strobel
Adults:
• Scandalous, by D.A. Carson
• Christ Crucified, by Donald Macleod
• Man of Sorrows, King of Glory, by Jonty Rhodes
• Surprised by Jesus, by Dane Ortlund
• And the Angels Were Silent, by Max Lucado
• He Chose the Nails, by Max Lucado
• Six Hours One Friday, by Max Lucado
• Christ from Beginning to End, by Trent Hunter and Stephen Wellum
• Rich Wounds, by David Mathis
• Confronting Jesus, by Rebecca McLaughlin
• To the Cross, by Christopher Wright
• One Perfect Life, by John MacArthur
• Cries from the Cross, by Erwin Lutzer
• The Final Days of Jesus, by Andreas Köstenberger
• Witness the Passion, by Richard Exley
• Experiencing the Cross, by Henry Blackaby
February 2024 Issue:
Valentine’s Day is February 14 (have you made your dinner reservations yet?). We don’t know too much about the origins of this holiday that celebrates love, but the most common story centers around a third-century priest who protected the sanctity of marriage. He did this by secretly marrying couples in defiance of a decree from Emperor Claudius II, who wanted to keep men single so that they could serve in his army. But there are at least two other Valentine’s Day origin stories named after other priests named Valentinus. Nevertheless, February is a great month to read a book about love! Our church library has more than 4,200 titles (searchable here), with many great resources about love. Here are just a few:
• The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis.
Lewis explores the four kinds of human love: affection, the most basic form; friendship, the rarest and perhaps most insightful; eros, passionate love; charity, the greatest and least selfish.
• The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name, by Sally Lloyd Jones.
This is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that tells the story of God’s love for His people, as told from Genesis to Revelation. (Also see the adult version of this book, called The Story of God’s Love for You.)
• Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids With the Love of Jesus, by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson.
This mother-daughter team guides parents to raise their children with grace and an emphasis on Jesus’ loving work at cross.
• The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate, by Gary Chapman.
Chapman explains how people communicate love in different ways, and shares the wonderful things that happen when men and women learn to speak each other's language. (Also see The Five Love Languages of Children and The Five Love Languages of Teenagers.)
• Cherish: The One Word that Changes Everything About Your Marriage, by Gary Thomas.
Thomas shows Christian spouses how notice, appreciate, honor, encourage, and hold each other close to their hearts. (Also see Thomas’ best-selling book, Sacred Marriage: What if God Designed Marriage to Make Us Holy More Than to Make Us Happy?)
The library also has a number of good fiction books to explore: check out Francine Rivers’ 19th century retelling of the story of Hosea and Gomer in Redeeming Love. Or any of the works of Julie Klassen.
Best of all, take 25 to 30 minutes to read 1 John and remember, “We love Him because He first loved us!”
January 2024 Issue:
The beginning of a new year gives hope with its potential for a fresh start. Many of us feel called to set new goals, make resolutions, or simply try new things. As we enter 2024, let us at EFCCL resolve to be people of the Book: Bible-saturated and God-satisfied people whose hearts are full of the Truth and Love of God. One of the best ways to grow in that Truth is through Scripture memorization. In the EFCCL Library, we have 3 books in particular that may be helpful in deciding what to memorize for adults and children. CLICK HERE to search the entire library collection of over 4,200 items by title, author, and topic
Children:
My ABC Bible Verses, by Susan Hunt.
This book is a fun way to help kids learn truths about God. Each letter of the alphabet has a corresponding Bible verse and each verse is accompanied by a story to illustrate the Scripture passage.
Adult:
Life-changing Bible Verses You Should Know, by Erwin Lutzer
These Bible verses and the helpful explanations included with them will encourage, train, direct and sustain those who ponder and learn from them.
100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart, by Robert J. Morgan
This walk through Scripture makes a strong argument for the benefits of Scripture memorization. As Morgan writes, “It’s vital for mental and emotional health and for spiritual well-being. It’s as powerful as acorns dropping into furrows in the forest. It allows God’s words to sink into your brain and permeate your subconscious thoughts. It saturates the personality, satiates the soul, and stockpiles the mind.”
Is 2024 your year of Scripture memorization?
Next Sermon Series: The Gospel of John
On January 7, Pastor Jay begins a new sermon series on the Gospel of John, Jesus the Only Savior. It will be a longer series going from January-June and then again from September-November. Begin by reading through John. Then consider his commentary recommendations for further reading and study (multiple copies of each are in the library on the shelves in the middle of the room):
• Entry level: R. C. Sproul
• Mid-level: D. A. Carson
• Advanced level: Edward Klink
There are other commentaries on John along with Bible dictionaries, introductions, atlases, and other works available in our library…make sure to check them out!