My good friends at Fellowship of Wildwood in Missouri are giving away copies of Pleased to Dwell as part of their pre-Christmas outreach this year. Alongside the book, they have a weekly reading and a discussion about an aspect of it. Here is the first reading:
And here is the first discussion:
I will post the others on here, but feel free to subscribe to their channel and see them as soon as they come out. Thanks so much!
I am very pleased to announce that my new book, The New Birth, has now also been released in the USA.
If you would like a copy of the book and will see me in person during January/February, please ask. (I will be in Oregon, St Louis and Chicago.) To order the book from my affiliate link in the USA – click here. (To order the book from my affiliate link in the UK/Europe – click here.)
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the book! (Please comment on this post if you’ve read the book already, but I would also greatly appreciate any positive reviews on 10ofthose, Amazon, GoodReads, etc.)
Endorsements
“Peter Mead presents this essential doctrine in a way that warm, clear, rich, and readable. The book is accessible and engaging, and the addition of stories and reflection questions at the end of each chapter enables us to consider and imagine the way that the truth of the gospel can and should shape our lives. This is a lovely and helpful book—a great introduction to those new to or exploring faith, and a refreshing encouragement to those who have been Christians for a while.”
Ellidh Cook, Student Worker at All Souls Langham Place, London
“This tiny book conveys a huge reality: that Jesus came to raise spiritually dead people into abundant life! Peter Mead’s insights into the new birth that Jesus offers are both pastorally wise and profoundly helpful.”
Philip Miller, Senior Pastor, The Moody Church, Chicago
“When I became a Christian, I didn’t really grasp what had happened. It was an infinitely bigger deal than I realised-it was (and is) beyond my wildest dreams. Peter has given us an excellent primer into this huge adventure. This lovely, heart-warming book opens up the foundational truth of the new birth. As with the rest of the Essentials series, it is short and simple, yet full of deep and delightful teaching.”
Jonathan Thomas, pastor, author & broadcaster
“I found Peter Mead’s The New Birth contribution to the Essentials’ series most helpful, because it weaves together our story with the big story of Scripture through the lens of the work of the Holy Spirit. Taking as its anchor point Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, it wonderfully explains the theology and the felt experience of Christian conversion, and all along there are thrilling stories of how the Spirit transformed the likes of Spurgeon, Whitefield, C.S. Lewis, and modern men and women.”
Rico Tice, Co-Founder of Christianity Explored
I am very pleased to announce that my new book, The New Birth, has been released in the UK. (It will be released in the USA next month.) See the links at the bottom of this post if you want to buy it from my affiliate link so that I receive a small amount from the sale (thanks!)
Coincidentally, on the day the book was released, my eldest daughter (whose testimony is in the book) went into labour with our first grandchild! So we enjoyed two new births in less than 24 hours!
If you would like a copy of the book and will see me in person, please ask. To order the book from my affiliate link in the UK/Europe – click here. And to pre-order the book from my affiliate link in the USA – click here.
Thanks so much! I hope you enjoy the book! (Please comment on this post if you’ve read the book already, but I would also greatly appreciate any positive reviews on 10ofthose, Amazon, GoodReads, etc.)
Endorsements
“Peter Mead presents this essential doctrine in a way that warm, clear, rich, and readable. The book is accessible and engaging, and the addition of stories and reflection questions at the end of each chapter enables us to consider and imagine the way that the truth of the gospel can and should shape our lives. This is a lovely and helpful book—a great introduction to those new to or exploring faith, and a refreshing encouragement to those who have been Christians for a while.”
Ellidh Cook, Student Worker at All Souls Langham Place, London
“This tiny book conveys a huge reality: that Jesus came to raise spiritually dead people into abundant life! Peter Mead’s insights into the new birth that Jesus offers are both pastorally wise and profoundly helpful.”
Philip Miller, Senior Pastor, The Moody Church, Chicago
“When I became a Christian, I didn’t really grasp what had happened. It was an infinitely bigger deal than I realised-it was (and is) beyond my wildest dreams. Peter has given us an excellent primer into this huge adventure. This lovely, heart-warming book opens up the foundational truth of the new birth. As with the rest of the Essentials series, it is short and simple, yet full of deep and delightful teaching.”
Jonathan Thomas, pastor, author & broadcaster
“I found Peter Mead’s The New Birth contribution to the Essentials’ series most helpful, because it weaves together our story with the big story of Scripture through the lens of the work of the Holy Spirit. Taking as its anchor point Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, it wonderfully explains the theology and the felt experience of Christian conversion, and all along there are thrilling stories of how the Spirit transformed the likes of Spurgeon, Whitefield, C.S. Lewis, and modern men and women.”
Rico Tice, Co-Founder of Christianity Explored
Subtitled, A God-Centred Vision, this is a little gem of a book from Union Publishing. It is not about preparation techniques. Reeves writes, “I want to press deeper. For a rich, biblical theological understanding of preaching dramatically enhances preaching far more powerfully than any practical tip. . . . I want to cast a vision for preaching that is nourished by the very being of God, the glory of his Word, and the power of the gospel.” (p17-18)
As you can imagine, Reeves builds his book on both a theological and historical footing. There are clear trinitarian foundations: “This is what the living God is like: not silent or speechless, but a God who speaks.” (p21) And there are also historical insights worthy of note: “Preaching was the real engine room of the Reformation. . . . the Reformation demonstrated the astonishing, transformative power of the regular and clear preaching of God’s Word. It stands as historical evidence that there is nothing inevitable about church decline. The spiritual darkness of our day can indeed be checked and turned back.” (p24-25)
The goal of preaching, theologically, is not just to learn about God, but to encounter him, to enjoy him, and be united to him. And biblically? True preaching must be expository, “in that it exposes the Word of God and makes that the food on which the church grows.” (p30) Reeves is clear, true preaching must point us to the person of Christ. While this is not a book of the mechanics of sermon construction, Reeves offers some critical advice. “Preach Christ, not an abstraction.” “Proclaim the reality, not a mere idea.” “Show, don’t tell.” (p52-57)
While many preaching books will encourage preaching to the heart, and not just the head, this book explains what that actually means. The preacher must convey more than mere information or emotion. “(Preaching) is a heart-shaking assault on darkness and the very gates of hell, trumpeted forth so that sinners tremble and saints quake in wonder.” (p62) And true preaching must lead to heartfelt worship, for “the triune God, who is love, is not truly known where he is not truly loved.” (p64)
We all know that preaching can tick many boxes, yet remain essentially shallow. Reeves offers a simple cure for shallow preaching: get to the root of the issue. We are not simply needing exhortation to better conduct. We need heart transformation. The affections are the key target in ministry– “Affections are deeper and more constant (than emotions): they make up the very grain of the heart and its inclinations.” (p73)
When the gospel is truly preached, “It is that gospel that will melt and renew hearts of stone. It is that sight of the Son of Man, lifted up on the cross, proving the love of his Father, that realigns affections. . . . The sin that pleased us becomes odious. The God we flinched from becomes entrancing.” (p78-79)
This book really is a gem. A book to read and read again for your ministry, and a book small enough to distribute to other preachers in your circle.
I am really grateful to the team at 10ofThose for all their hard work getting great Christian books out at a great price. They are now fully launched in the USA as well, so I wanted to unashamedly point you to their website!
The good folks at 10ofThose have revamped the affiliate pages for us. If you are thinking about Christmas gifts, why not take a look at this page and go hunting through the rest of the site. If you are in the USA, you may not know about 10ofThose yet, but you should – a great company run by great people!
Click on the appropriate link below, and a small percentage of your spend will also go to our support (thank you!)
If you are in North America: 
If you are in the UK/Europe: 
Now that The Little Him Book is officially launched, here is a video interview to introduce the book. As before, any help in getting the word out about this book is really appreciated. I am hoping that people will get creative with giving this as a Christmas present this year … after all we have experienced in 2020, we all need to get our eyes back onto Jesus!
And here are some brief video endorsements too:
In the UK/Europe, please go to http://is.gd/himbook
In the USA, please go to http://10ofthose.com/mead
It is now just four weeks until The Little Him Book releases in the UK (early 2021 in the USA – click here to pre-order the book in the UK). My hope is that this little book that makes much of Him will be a helpful tool for many. Who might appreciate it?
Thank you to everyone who helps get the word out about this book release. Your RT’s, likes, shares, etc. on social media are all appreciated. And thank you to everyone who buys a copy or copies to pass on to others. I really appreciate your help.
Last week I was delighted to interview Dane Ortlund about his wonderful new book, Gentle and Lowly (Crossway). In this clip Dane speaks about the heart of Jesus toward us as we struggle in this life. I am sure you will find Dane to be such an encouragement!
To see the full interview, which is well worth it, please sign up to the Cor Deo Online mailing list and we will give you access when it is released later this week. Click here to sign up.
I have a new book coming out this spring. Here it is! It is called The Little Him Book and it is all about the Jesus that makes our hearts sing. 10ofthose are publishing it. Some might call it a devotional, others may find it useful as an evangelistic tool (although always check it first to make sure it is suitable before you give it to someone!), others would describe it as a very brief introduction to what the Bible teaches about Jesus … but basically it is little and it is all about Him!
Here is an endorsement that explains a bit more about the book:
‘As our understanding of Christ deepens, so does our praise and adoration of him. This short book assists us to do both. Peter Mead unpacks some of the main attributes and titles of Christ in an engaging and accessible way. He enables the reader to grasp deep spiritual truths with such clarity that you won’t feel overwhelmed by words, but overwhelmed with wonder! That same wonder draws us to worship. It is appropriate therefore, that words from some of the greatest hymns ever penned furnish each chapter with a helpful response to all that we have read. The illustrative material, the scripture passages, reflections, questions and hymns, make this a superb devotional book and one which I trust will achieve everything the author intended.’
Thanks to Colin Webster, the minister at Cornerstone Church Nottingham, for that kind endorsement. More information coming soon, but can I ask for you to help let people know about this book on social media? Gradually we will be releasing endorsements, quotes, etc., on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. When you see these, if you are able to help spread the word, I would be really grateful! (#LittleHimBook)
The book is available for pre-order in the UK from here: 10ofthose.com The release date in the US is still to be confirmed, but I will let you know when it can be pre-ordered there too.
If Jesus was offering a seminar on preaching, I am sure we would all sign up. The full course would probably include matters of authoritative preaching (unlike the scribes), crafting compelling images, plotting effective stories, and so on. But a brief seminar? Perhaps it would cover two points.
When Jesus was asked about prayer he answered with his two-part variation on the greatest commandment. Since he did the two-part answer repeatedly, let me speculate about how the “how should we preach?” answer might go…
1. Love God. The starting point is always fellowship with the Father. We cannot give what we are not first receiving. Allow him to minister to you, before you minister for him. Seek the Lord and find him, then share him. Seek the Lord in His Word, then share the person you meet there. Diligently study and wrestle with the text, not to gain cold knowledge, but to have your heart melted by the God who reveals himself there. Before you speak to others, love God yourself in response to his love for you.
2. Love your neighbour (i.e. your Sunday morning listener) Be sure you are praying for the people you will be speaking to and spend time with God concerning their lives and their hearts. Plan your message prayefully as an act of love driven by deep concern for their lives. Work so that they can understand, stay engaged, follow along, feel the importance and the impact of God’s Word to them from his Word. Preach with the winsomeness and grace of God’s heart flowing out from yours, because God is passionately committed to incarnating his message.
What do you think Jesus would teach in a preaching seminar?
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By the way, I have a little book about the Jesus we preach coming out soon … more information to follow – watch this space.
Biblical Preaching 