The Gospel

Ray Ortlund

The gospel is the greatest message of all time addressing the greatest need of all people. However, the good news about Jesus does more than just promise eternal life to all who believe. In the latest addition to the 9Marks: Building Healthy Churches series, pastor Ray Ortlund explains the gospel’s power to transform individuals from the inside out and create beautiful human relationships. This short book helps readers experience the power of God as they are encouraged to trust in Christ and allow him to transform their beliefs, perspectives, and practices. For everyone who wants to be true to the Bible and honest with themselves, this book offers a practical guide to the fundamental teachings of the gospel and how they affect our relationships with others.

How the Church Portrays the Beauty of Christ

Suffering Wisely

Eric Ortlund

Why Suffering Exists: God’s Purpose for Pain in the Life of Job and throughout Scripture

Why does God allow suffering? The pain of suffering can be overwhelmingly mysterious, but the Bible does provide answers. Throughout Scripture, God allows trials in order to accomplish specific purposes in the lives of his people. When faced with suffering they experience spiritual growth; repentance from sin; or, as in the Old Testament story of Job, the chance to demonstrate devotion to God in the face of inexplicable agony.

In Suffering Wisely and Well, Eric Ortlund explores different types of trials throughout Scripture, revealing the spiritual purpose for each and reassuring readers with God’s promise of restoration. The majority of the book focuses on Job, one of the most well-known yet misunderstood stories of suffering. Ortlund thoughtfully analyzes the text chapter by chapter, including the doubt of Job’s friends, God’s response to Job’s questions, and the meaning behind important imagery including references to Leviathan and Behemoth. Suffering Wisely and Well shows readers how to deepen their relationship with God during painful experiences in their own lives and how to comfort others who are hurting.

Suffering Wisely and Well

The Grief of Job and the Grace of God

Humility 

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Gavin Ortlund

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There are many misconceptions about what it means to be humble. Some think that being humble means hiding your talents and abilities or being weak and inauthentic. But the Bible paints a different picture—defining humility as a self-forgetfulness leading to joy and explaining that it is a life-giving virtue that frees you from the restricting needs of your ego. 

In Humility: The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness, Gavin Ortlund encourages readers that humility is not just an abstract virtue but a mark of gospel integrity. Ortlund examines humility both on a personal level and in the context of the church, giving examples of ways to cultivate it—including meditation on the gospel and practicing intentional gratitude. Drawing from Philippians 2 and historical texts such as C. S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity and Jonathan Edwards’s sermon “A Christian Spirit Is a Humble Spirit,” Ortlund defines humility in light of the incarnation and death of Jesus Christ, casting a vision for a gospel-centered, humble life.

Humility

The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness

Christians know what Jesus Christ has done—but who is he? What is his deepest heart for his people, weary and faltering on their journey toward heaven? Jesus said he is “gentle and lowly in heart.” This book reflects on these words, opening up a neglected yet central truth about who he is for sinners and sufferers today.

Gentle and Lowly

Dane Ortlund

The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers

No Little People

Most Christians take an honest look at themselves and conclude that their limited talents, energy, and knowledge mean that they don’t amount to much. Some even ask, Can I really make a difference? Francis A. Schaeffer counters this claim with truth from the Bible, arguing that with God there is no such thing as little people.

No Little People contains sixteen sermons from Schaeffer that explore the weakness and significance of humanity in relationship to the infinite and personal God. The focus of this collection is the lasting truth of the Bible, the faithfulness of God, the sufficiency of the work of Christ, and the power of the Spirit. Readers will be encouraged by the value that God places on each person made in his image to accomplish his redemptive plan.

No Little People 

Two Realities

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Francis Schaeffer

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There are Four things which I think are absolutely necessary if we as Christians are to meet the need of our age and the overwhelming pressure we are increasingly facing. They are Two Contents and Two Realities 1. Content 1 - Sound Doctrine 2. Content 2 - Honest Answers to Honest Questions 3. Reality 1 - True Spirituality 4. Reality 2 - The Beauty of Human relationships


Two Contents, Two Realities 

Belong: Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another

Belong

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Barnabas Piper

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How to build genuine, real, deep, honest and authentic Christian relationships as a community of believers.


Loving Your Church by Reflecting Christ to One Another

How do you grow as a leader in the church? Should you read church growth books? Take a few seminars? Or just wing it? Scott Thomas, former President of Acts 29, church planter, and pastor has a different approach. He unpacks how leaning on Jesus empowers not just your teaching, but also grows the humility and biblical wisdom you need to lead.

Through many years of ministry experience, Thomas has seen the importance of the “soft skills” of leadership—empathy, kindness, and listening—and how not developing those skills negatively impacts churches. Yet simply knowing the need for what the world calls “emotional intelligence,” doesn’t guarantee growth in these areas. But understanding and applying the gospel will bring transformation.

Thomas gives practical, specific help in navigating spiritual and emotional challenges that leaders commonly encounter and unpacks how a gospel-shaped response brings healing. Complete with reflection questions at the end of each chapter to encourage self-inventory and further study, The Gospel Shaped Leader will encourage church leaders of all ages in the categories of self-awareness, self-management, relational awareness, and relational management, with the goal of recognizing strengths and weaknesses so they can continue growing more like Christ.

Books

The Gospel

Suffering Wisely and Well

Humility

Gentle and Lowly

No Little People

Two Contents, Two Realities

Belong

The Gospel Shaped Leader