Power pastor T.D. Jakes guides believers to head in new directions in 'Disruptive Thinking: A Daring Strategy to Change How We Live, Love and Lead' and two upcoming titles that teach Christians to spot fake news and debunk conspiracy claims are among many new books on sale in May.
Nonfiction
May 2
The Word: How We Translate the Bible—and Why It Matters by John Barton (Basic, $32, ISBN 978-1-5416-0368-4) delves into the challenges of scriptural translation, including questions of literary style, inclusive language, and “literal” versus “free” translation.
Finding the Peacemakers: A Journey of Faith from the Mines of Chile to the Deserts of the Middle East by Dan Morrice (Hodder Faith, $14.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5293-5819-3) seeks insights from people who are using Christian faith to further peace in extreme environments, war-torn nations and disaster zones.
May 3
After Dispensationalism: Reading the Bible for the End of the World by Brian P. Irwin (Lexham, $29.99, ISBN 978-1-68359-681-3) engages the history and beliefs of a controversial end-times theory that contends Jesus will return twice.
May 9
Disruptive Thinking: A Daring Strategy to Change How We Live, Love and Lead by Bishop T.D. Jakes (Faithwords, $27, ISBN 978-1-5460-0400-4) is a study guide in which the pastor and media entrepreneur encourages and equips people to turn original but against-the-grain ideas into reality.
Godbreathed: What It Really Means for the Bible to Be Divinely Inspired by Zack Hunt (Herald, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5138-1183-3) invites Christians to look beyond literal ideas of scripture to access God’s deeper spiritual truths.
Midlife Battle Cry: Redefining the Mighty Second Half by Dawn Barton (W, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7852-9482-5) argues that improved self-knowledge in middle age can make room for personal fulfillment and a more meaningful relationship with God.
Ordinary Discipleship: How God Wires Us for the Adventure of Transformation by Jessie Cruickshank (NavPress, $15.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64158-732-7) draws on scripture and brain science to frame spiritual growth as a rewarding quest into the unknown.
May 15
The Holiness of Doubt: A Journey Through the Questions of the Torah by Joshua Hoffman (Rowman &Littlefield, $32, ISBN 978-1-5381-7675-7) explores how confronting doubt can deepen one's exploration of the sacred text to unearth timeless wisdom.
May 16
Enlightenment Is an Accident: Ancient Wisdom and Simple Practices to Make You Accident Prone by Tim Burkett, edited by Wanda Isle (Shambhala, $19.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64547-135-6), plumbs the paradoxes of transcendence, among them that it can only be achieved when one stops trying to reach it.
The Anxiety Opportunity: How Worry is the Doorway to Your Best Self by Curtis Chang (Zondervan, $18.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-310-36728-4) reframes anxiety as a tool to promote spiritual growth when transformed into productive energy.
May 20
The Beauty of the Hebrew Letter: From Scrolls to Graffiti by Izzy Pludwinski (Brandeis Univ., $50, ISBN 978-1-68458-146-7) traces the calligraphic evolution of the aleph-bet, surveying ancient inscriptions, Torah scrolls, and street art.
May 23
The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Hearts by Jeff Crosby (Broadleaf, $26.99, ISBN 978-1-5064-80) extolls how books, particularly the psalms, music in all its forms, and nature's beauty can soothe the inner ache we have for peace, friendship, transformation, and more.
QAnon, Chaos, and the Cross: Christianity and Conspiracy Theories, edited by Michael W. Austin and Gregory L. Bock (Eerdmans, $24.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8028-8265-3), investigates the appeal of conspiracy theories in faith communities, and proposes Christian values to chart a better path forward.
Into the Mirror: A Buddhist Journey Through Mind, Matter, and the Nature of Reality by Andy Karr (Shambhala, $21.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64547-164-6), draws on Mahayana Buddhism to lead readers in a personal exploration of consciousness via study, contemplation, and meditation.
May 25
Beyond Immanence: The Theological Vision of Kierkegaard and Barth by Alan J. and Andrew B. Torrance (Eerdmans, $49.99, ISBN 978-0-8028-6803-9) dissects the philosophers’ belief in a Christocentric faith free from political manipulation and state influence.
May 30
Everybody Come Alive: A Memoir in Essays by Marcie Alvis Walker (Convergent, ($27, ISBN 978-0-593-44372-9). Black Coffee with White Friends blogger Walker discusses coming of age in the post–Jim Crow South, her mother’s mental illness, racial trauma, struggles with body dysmorphia, and God.
Faith and Fake News: A Guide to Consuming Information Wisely by Rachel I. Wightman (Eerdmans, $19.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8028-8245-5) explores how Christians can engage responsibly with online news sources while honoring their religious principles.
Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters by Carmen Joy Imes (IVP Academic, $22 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-5140-0020-5) analyzes creationism narratives in the book of Genesis and elsewhere and investigates what it means to be “made in God’s image.”
Spell Jars for the Modern Witch by Minerva Siegel (Ulysses, $16.95 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64604-495-5) lays out guidance for spell crafting, including spells for financial abundance, nightmare protection, and successful job hunting.
Fiction
May 2
In This Moment by Gabrielle Meyer (Bethany, $17.99, trade paper, ISBN 978-0-7642-3975-5) a time-traveling young woman who falls in love in three different centuries must choose whom to love forever.
May 16
The Libyan Diversion by Joel C. Rosenberg (Tyndale, $28.99, ISBN 978-1-4964-3794-5) adds another Marcus Ryker thriller to Rosenberg's series, with the CIA operative possibly to blame for a disastrous drone strike.
The Heart’s Choice: The Jewels of Kalispel by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse (Bethany, $17.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-64547-164-6) follows a young court reporter and a librarian in rural Montana as they struggle to save an innocent man on trial for murder.
Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson (Thomas Nelson, $16.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-8407-0248-7). After influencer Cat Cranwell is shunned by her online community because of a misguided app partnership, she lands a job as the social media strategist for a small national park, where she meets a rugged ranger.
May 23
In Feast or Famine by Mesu Andrews (Waterbrook, $17 trade paper, ISBN 978-0-593-19378-5). In this biblical romance, Asenath is promised by her high priest father to the newly appointed Hebrew vizier Joseph and must decide whether to trust her husband and his foreign God.
