Connecting with Heart Issues
A significant measure of my time is devoted to serving Shepherd Press. Shepherd Press started a few decades ago because Tedd Tripp’s doctoral thesis from Westminster Theological Seminary–written on the nurture of children–was proving so popular the librarian was being requested to make multiple copies of the doctoral thesis. No publisher at the time really wanted to take on the book for publication, so Tedd and his wife, Margy, decided to self-publish it as Shepherding a Child’s Heart. So was born Shepherd Press.
I love the story–how they thought just a few thousand copies would be enough to satisfy the interest and demand.
But it turned out to be one of those paradigm-shifting books that incisively change people’s thinking. Since those days, more than one million copies have sold.
Shepherd Press publishes books for the heart. The books have to be gospel centered, heart focused, and life changing. And so it is that a new category or imprint has been established, a range of books that are very specific in the application of the gospel and the whole counsel of God to the hearts of individuals. As we thought and prayed about this, it seemed good to define the category in this way:
Resources for Word-Based Transformation and Practical Discipleship
We’ve kicked off with three books so far–one by Paul Tautges, Discipling the Flock, one by Joel James, Counsel with Confidence, and an important book written by two ladies, Sue Nicewander and Maria Brookins, titled Treasure in the Ashes–Our Journey Home from the Ruins of Sexual Abuse.
Each of these books is significant in its own way. Paul’s addresses the nurture and care of the flock is an urgent appeal to return to authentic discipleship; it is a call to shepherds to be tenacious in their preaching of the whole counsel of God, and tender in their application of its truth to the lives of God’s sheep through their personal ministry. There is more info HERE.
I’ve also known and respected Joel for a long time. I first met him at the commencement of his ministry in South Africa, so, when he presented the idea of a book of applied Bible references to guide counselors, I was immediately excited! The book is described briefly in these terms: a book to guide counselors and church leaders in being well informed and to help them bring about heart-based change in the lives of the people they counsel, through the right application of Scripture. Find out more HERE.
Sue Nicewander & Maria Brookins
Sue and Maria are deeply caring authors who write with insight and compassion on a difficult topic. Their book is soon to be released. Here is a short description of it:
Treasure in the Ashes is an interactive book that gently leads readers on a biblical journey through the grueling questions and doubt, emotional turmoil, and relational fallout that follow sexual abuse. It encourages honest and thorough Christ-centered discipleship through the aftermath of sexual abuse, addressing hard questions and painful issues that are feared and often denied by the Christian community. People using this resource will…
- Learn to push against shame by giving voice to their stories in a safe setting;
- Address doubts and questions they harbor about God, and learn to consider Scripture’s rich, bold worldview on the subject;
- Apply the gospel of Jesus Christ and learn the importance of His character and grace-filled sacrifice to them personally;
- Be introduced to a biblical self-image, and challenged to gain hope by defining themselves and their purpose in Christ;
- Learn how to apply the gospel to their relationships with four basic biblical principles;
- Learn to embrace their story as part of the larger story of redemption and reach out to others with the hope of Jesus.
Find out more HERE.
