Richard Stearns, president of Christian relief organization World Vision, has spoken to countless people worldwide from all walks of life, and found that many express a common concern. In Unfinished: Believing is Only the Beginning (9780849948510, $24.99, Thomas Nelson/HarperCollins Christian Publishing), Stearns observes that believers want to be sure they are living out God’s calling for their lives.

The April 30 release is a book about “what it means to be a follower of Christ in the 21st century,” Stearns told Christian Retailing. 

The book’s title has a dual meaning, he said. It refers to the unfinished mission Jesus gave His disciples: to preach the gospel to the whole world. But it also refers to how many Christians “feel incomplete in our faith, that’s something’s missing.” 

More than evangelism, Stearns said the Great Commission is “really what Jesus always called the kingdom of God … going into the world and showing the world a different way to live, a different way to relate to one another, a different way to relate to God, caring for the poor and the vulnerable and the widow and the orphan, being people of integrity, people of compassion, people of justice.”

However, Stearns writes, with the endless details of everyday life, many believers have lost sight of God’s larger narrative. To help them recover what that is, Unfinished begins by investigating a big question, “What is Truth?” and then summarizes God’s grand story. 

Stearns describes what he calls the clash between “the magic kingdom”—the affluent Christian life—and “the tragic kingdom”—the Christian life shaped by poverty. He says neither reflects the true kingdom of God, which requires individuals submitting to God’s rule, communities governed by His values and people going into the world as His ambassadors. 

Among the examples he cites are Steve Reynolds, who introduced U2 frontman Bono to Ethiopia’s famine, and the Stu and Robin Phillips family, who sold their Wyoming ranch to build God’s kingdom. 

Stearns’ previous book, The Hole in Our Gospel, also from Thomas Nelson, won the 2010 Christian Book Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. 

To order, call 800-251-4000.

Pastor challenges believers to follow Jesus as their model and find a ‘whole new way of being human’

Grappling with tough issues one night concerning the bride of Christ, Pastor Jonathan Martin wrote “A Letter to a Ravaged Bride.” Martin’s letter challenges God’s people to “once again become the beautiful people of God for the world,” he writes.

In Prototype: What Happens When You Discover You’re More Like Jesus Than You Think?, Martin discusses how it is possible for the church to become beautiful by following Jesus’ example on how to live. Martin sees Jesus as a model for believers—“God’s prototype for a whole new way of being human.”

The author argues that each child of God must begin with an accurate understanding of his identity, just as Christ knew his true identity—that He “was loved by God the Father.” He explains that if believers encounter God like children, with innocence and trust, before fear and disappointment crept in, they can see that they, too, are God’s beloved simply because they exist. When believers know this deeply, Martin says, it affects their every decision, and they become more like Jesus.

Martin also examines what he calls “obscurity.” While it is not valued in our culture, he says, separating oneself from the busyness of life and focusing on God are important so that God can deepen the believer’s relationship with Him. In this type of wilderness, the Christian is strengthened, identity is reinforced, and he or she is freshly able to distinguish the voice of the accuser, as Jesus did in His wilderness experience. 

Obscurity then leads to calling, even though believers are all unlikely workers for God’s purposes, as Moses and David were, Martin said. At the author’s church, Renovatus in Charlotte, N.C., members embrace the reality that all believers are misfits. They call themselves “a church for people under renovation.”

Further, Martin points out that following Jesus involves the sacraments, the “bodily, physical practices” of baptism, communion and caring for the sick. He emphasizes community—with depth of relationship—and says that when we understand how much God loves us, we long to tell others our story of “belovedness” because it is part of a larger story, of what “God has in store for His creation.”

Prototype includes a study guide and releases this month from Tyndale Momentum, an imprint of Tyndale House Publishers. To order, call Tyndale at 800-323-9400 or visit www.tyndalebooksellers.com.

Todd and Tara Storch, with Jennifer Schuchmann, tell how they got involved in organ donation efforts after the tragic loss of their daughter Taylor in Taylor’s Gift: A Courageous Story of Giving Life and Renewing Hope (978-0-800-72188-6, $21.99). The book releases in April 2013 from Revell/Baker Publishing Group.

Why have you decided to write your story of losing your 13-year-old daughter, Taylor, in a ski accident three years ago?

This was not easy to do. We have experienced a parent’s worst nightmare. But we had a choice (and yes, it is a choice) to accept the path that God put us on or crawl up in the grief and wallow in anger and sadness. We chose to find the good in this. We have had so many God-inspired moments in this tragic situation that we knew we had to share our story to help others. That is really all we want to do, to help others. Sharing our story helps give purpose to the pain. But, most importantly, we hope it will help others know that no matter what your circumstances, you can grab onto God’s hand and He will guide you—if you let Him.

All Things New makes its debut while the regrouped Hawk Nelson offers its new release

ALL THE PEOPLE SAID AMEN

Matt Maher

Essential Records (Provident)

0-83061-09682-3

April 23

Maher’s All the People Said Amen features new songs mixed with live versions of worship anthems and radio hits. First single is “Lord I Need You.” 

ALL THINGS NEW

All Things New

BEC Recordings (EMI CMG Distribution) 5-09997-309022-9

April 9

Produced by Jonathan Smith and Casey Brown, with executive production by Jason Ingram, the self-titled debut by All Things New shares a life lesson: Things break apart in this world, but God restores them. 

CARRY ME

Josh Wilson

Sparrow Records (EMI CMG) 

5-09999-092842-0

April 9

With more than 200,000 in album sales, Wilson is once again teaming up with producer Matt Bronlewee for Carry Me. The title track is a prayer asking God to hold onto our hearts. 

FIGHT

Carlos Whittaker

Paradigm Collective (Provident)

0-83061-09642-7

April 30

Formerly worship pastor at Sandals Church, Whittaker now serves at a North Point campus in Atlanta. Fight is his debut with Paradigm Collective.

LIGHTS OUT

Silverline

Dream Records (EMI CMG) 

6-17401-12518-8-9

April 9

Silverline has shared the stage with P.O.D. and Newsboys, selling thousands of CDs independently.

MADE

Hawk Nelson

Fair Trade Services (Provident) 

7-36211-60519-1

April 2

Now a threesome after Jason Dunn opted for a solo career, Hawk Nelson transitioned Jonathan Steingard to frontman. “Words,” which features vocals by Bart Millard (MercyMe), is a response to the title track, “Made.”

EMI CMG Distribution, Call: 800-877-4443, Fax: 615-371-6980, www.emicmgdistribution.com

Pure Flix Entertainment, Call: 888-528-7444, E-mail: info@pureflix.com, www.pureflix.com

Provident Distribution, Call: 800-333-9000, www.thep.com

Right to life: A mother’s search for redemption and a son’s quest to find his birth mother is the story told in Meant to Be. The film shows that even when we choose to go our own way, God can show us what was meant to be. The film stars Dean Cain, Bradley Dorsey, Della Reese and Michael Gross. Released last month by Pure Flix Entertainment, the 90-minute DVD retails for $14.99. 

League of his own: In Ring the Bell, big-city sports agent Rob Decker is on a mission to sign a high school baseball superstar, but becomes stranded in a small town where the simplicity of life and faith stands in stark contrast to his own win-at-all-costs mind-set. The story features Casting Crowns, Steven Curtis Chapman and Matthew West, along with baseball all-stars Rick Sutcliffe, John Kruk and Ben Zobrist. From Provident Distribution, the 96-minute Provident Films DVD releases this month and retails for $14.99. 

The beginning of the end: In Revelation Road, a traveling salesman with a history of violence foils a robbery by The Barbarians, an outlaw biker gang. Then an unnatural flash comes across the sky, followed by a series of earthquakes. It could be the rapture, but the salesman’s only goal is to get home to his family—a dangerous journey to the center of his soul. The film stars Brian Bosworth, Steve “The Sting” Borden, Ray Wise and David A.R. White. Released last month by Pure Flix, the 88-minute DVD retails for $19.99.

Director of ‘Unconditional’ sees the film as a ‘mainstream’ movie like ‘The Blind Side’

“Papa Joe” Bradford’s life was in shambles, but today he ministers in Nashville’s inner city. Unconditional is the story of how someone who grew up in rural Tennessee ended up with a following among the underprivileged.

Released last month to Christian retail, Unconditional tells the story of Samantha Crawford (Lynn Collins), whose storybook marriage is wrecked by a senseless act of violence. “Papa” Joe Bradford (Michael Ealy), Crawford’s childhood friend, leads her on a journey toward unconditional love.

Produced by Harbinger Media Partners, the film is based on the real-life Joe Bradford, who serves seven at-risk communities in Nashville through his Elijah’s Heart ministry.

“Unconditional is a wonderful true story about the power of faith, hope and love,” Director Brent McCorkle said. “The big spiritual question the film asks is, ‘Where is God when I’m suffering?’ Also at the heart of this redemptive drama are themes like acts of service, transcending cultural barriers and never underestimating the power of a true friend. While it carries indelible spiritual themes, it is definitely a film that people from all walks of life can embrace and be touched by.”

Unconditional wasn’t a hit when it was released in theaters last fall, but the film’s director hopes the Christian-themed drama will find an audience on DVD.

“Unfortunately, most people didn’t even know about our film,” McCorkle told Christian Retailing. “The amazing news about our theatrical run was that the film garnered an extremely high audience rating. On RottenTomatoes.com, it hovered at around 90%. That’s a pretty big deal. … I think that our little movie could totally have a life of its own as a DVD sleeper hit.”

Rated PG-13 for some violent content and mature thematic elements, Unconditional is “simply a mainstream movie with some faith elements and no offensive content.”

“It’s a redemptive story with spiritual themes that are easily embraced by Christians,” McCorkle said. “But at the same time, my intent and conviction was to craft a film that wasn’t exclusive to that audience—very much like The Blind Side.

“There’s a place for this type of content on [Christian retailers’] shelves, even though it is mainstream,” he added. “I have heard from many, many folks who have [said] that the film is resonating with them on a fundamental spiritual level in their Christian lives.”

Unconditional, which retails for $17.99 and runs 98 minutes, is distributed by Provident Distribution. To order, call 800-333-9000.