In a culture awash in stories of disrespect for the institution of marriage, how refreshing to read a story of someone who honors the institution of marriage and expresses self-restraint. Granted, this illustration is from a novel, but whether from real life or fiction, stories have power, and fictional stories are "true" when they accurately reflect life as we know it is or as we know God intends it to be. See Wendell Berry's Story about Marital Faithfulness.

If your people are disturbed by the challenges to Christianity made by authors such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins, you'll want to read Reasonable Answers for the New Atheists. Kent Edwards reviews God Is Good, God Is Great: Why Believing in God Is Reasonable and Responsible, edited by William Lane Craig & Chad Meister.

Preaching Christ,

Brian Larson
Editor, PreachingToday.com
blarson@christianitytoday.com

Craig Brian Larson is the pastor of Lake Shore Church in Chicago and author and editor of numerous books, including The Art and Craft of Biblical Preaching (Zondervan). He blogs on Knowing God and His Ways at craigbrianlarson.com.