The Baptist Courier has long been a practical resource for pastors and laity in South Carolina, but with the addition of a book-publishing arm, the Courier is expanding its reach to include Bible study, devotional guides, spiritual autobiographies and children’s lessons.
“Since 1869, the Courier has been South Carolina Baptists’ go-to source for inspirational news about how churches are spreading the gospel and enriching the daily walk and witness of believers,” said editor Rudy Gray. “With the Courier’s relaunch as a monthly magazine last year, we added personal-growth content, including standing sections on Christian worldview, Bible study, evangelism, and health and fitness.
“Now, with the rollout of Courier Publishing, we are committed to providing believers with even more resources to enrich their lives and equip them as they share the gospel with a world that is hungry for the good news that only Jesus can provide.”
Courier Publishing is pleased to offer the following resources from our list of recently published books. Ordering information for any of the resources below can be found at BaptistCourier.com/Courier-Publishing.
Worry: The Silent Killer
While not listed as the official cause of demise on most death certificates, worry continues to be a major negative influence on overall health and is a significant contributing factor to early death for many people.
In “Worry: The Silent Killer,” James Rudy Gray presents practical insights, scriptural principles, biblical stories and solid psychological truths in this short book, which can help people identify worry, develop a faith-empowered response to it, and avoid its crippling effects.
The book is also available for purchase in bulk as an eight-part Bible study for classes or small groups and includes video resources (DVD or online streaming) that feature the author teaching the course.
The Shared Spouse
Julie Cannon — a preacher’s kid, pastor’s wife and mom — knows firsthand what it is like to share her husband with everyone else in the church.
To that end, she has written “The Shared Spouse: A Six-Week Devotional for Ministry Families,” designed to offer biblically based encouragement to ministry families. “In ministry, if you aren’t careful, you can focus on everyone else’s needs while neglecting those of your spouse,” Cannon writes. Claiming God’s promise to the prophet Jeremiah, “Do not be afraid … for I am with you and will rescue you,” she weaves personal experiences, including sleepless nights and bouts of depression, with scriptural insights to produce a Bible study intended to buoy up families serving God in a church or ministry setting.
The Words of Jesus
Wayne Dickard, pastor of Siloam Baptist Church in Easley and a former president of the South Carolina Baptist Convention, has written a devotional study from the Gospel of Matthew, “The Words of Jesus.”
The book draws from a year-long series of sermons that focus on Jesus’ words as found in Matthew’s account. Dickard said preparing the sermons and condensing them for the book “reaffirmed to me that Jesus is the center and circumference” of the Bible. “His words are memorized, recited and relied upon by all believers,” Dickard said. “It is good to know and read about the words of Jesus.”
God’s Words Are Something Special
Pat A. Bishop has written a six-part Bible study that zeroes in on these words found in the Scriptures: gentleness, servanthood, humility, speech and trust.
“God’s Words Are Something Special” is designed to be effective across a wide spectrum of groups — men, women, singles and youth. The book draws on Bishop’s experiences as a wife, mother, businesswoman, Bible teacher and public speaker. After she retired at 79, she began to wonder what God would have her do.
Ralph Carter, pastor of Brushy Creek Baptist Church in Taylors, where Bishop teaches a singles-again Sunday school class, said Bishop “is the embodiment of the truth she seeks to pass on” in her book.
Something Ventured
Don Kirkland, editor emeritus of The Baptist Courier, has published a collection of columns he wrote while serving as editor from 1996 to 2012.
“Something Ventured: Selected Writings from My Career in Christian Journalism” includes nearly 70 columns written under Kirkland’s signature “Commentary” heading. The articles address “matters that I believe are timeless and no less relevant now than when originally published,” Kirkland writes in his preface. “I hope my writings will be of spiritual benefit to readers. That was my aim when I wrote them, and now.”
The columns are devotional in nature and draw from Kirkland’s own experiences, including glimpses into his boyhood and his family life, as well as from the writings of others. As a whole, the writings reflect a life in which the author seeks to follow God “on the right paths.” As individual essays, they stand up as daily devotionals.
My Grandpa’s Bible
Doug and Lana Bodem have published the first of three children’s devotional books for their “My Grandpa’s Bible” series.
In “Billy’s Early Years: Having Fun Learning Lessons from Proverbs,” readers can follow Billy as he grows from elementary school into middle school with the love and teaching from his mom, dad and grandfather. The life lessons Billy learns and applies in his everyday life are valuable for everyone.
The Bodems, who wrote and illustrated the book, have been married more than 41 years and have three children (one adopted) and nine grandchildren. Their common mission is to share the joy of parenting and grand-parenting.
The ABC’s of Healthy Living
Sara Burton, a retired teacher and registered nurse, has employed the talents of her grandchildren, great-nieces and great-nephews to illustrate “The ABC’s of Healthy Living.”
The book, which features original full-color art drawn by the children, offers a healthy-living tip to correspond with each letter of the alphabet. The book was designed by Burton’s nephew, Paul Weathers, a graphic artist.