New Alumni Publications

No Longer Silent:  Doing Pastoral Ministry with Excellence and Grace
by Rev. Mike Beck (1985, MDiv)

What if what you loved and felt called to do was taken from you in the prime of your career?  That has been the struggle for the author of this book as his inability to speak clearly due to a rare neurological disorder forced him to go on disability in 2006.  The situation has been further compounded as three other dystonias have caused spasms of the muscles in his eyes, lower face, and right hand.

Over the past twenty years, Rev. Mike (as he prefers to be called) has undergone nine surgeries, the last one being deep brain stimulation surgery at the Mayo Clinic, along with hundreds of botox injections in his throat and eyes to seek to stay in ministry.  The years since going on disability have seen numerous times of frustration, isolation, and discouragement.

But throughout this ordeal, God's grace has proven sufficient, and these recent years "on the sidelines" have led to the writing of this book.  The book is thought-provoking, challenging, and filled with hundreds of practical lessons learned from 25 years of effective pastoral ministry.

The book can be a great help to pastors who want to see their church's ministry become all that God wants it to be.  It is also for lay leaders within the church, as the book includes a Study Guide for small group discussion.  Rev. Mike hopes that the book can be especially helpful to new pastors beginning their ministry.

This book can be ordered here.

Peace in a Mad Dog World: Finding Security When My Need for Control had Failed Me
Warner Davis (1971, BD)

In 2010, I completed a spiritual memoir entitled Peace in a Mad Dog World: Finding Security When My Need for Control had Failed Me. I'm an Asbury Seminary alumnus ('71) as is my father Joe Davis who's a part of my story. Moreover, the story involves a meeting with the late Dr. Frank Stanger, in his role as minister of healing, and an Asbury Seminary ministers conference.

You can learn about it through my website warnerfrancisdavis.com.

Eden's Bridge: The Marketplace in Creation and Mission
by Dave Doty (2006, MA)

Eden’s Bridge: The Marketplace in Creation and Mission explores a biblically-based theology of the marketplace implicit in the creation narrative of Genesis 1–2. The thesis validates the calling and ministry of all marketplace Christians.  The author invites readers to re-think and re-direct the purposes of vocation, trade, and profit toward the purposes of God’s Kingdom, as they were revealed in the beginning and are to be restored in Christ’s reign.

Eden’s Bridge is a call to bring the most pervasive institution in human history—the marketplace—under submission to God as good works that glorify our Father in Heaven. Eden’s Bridge challenges conventional marketplace views and practices, but it also encourages as it clarifies why God sees the marketplace as a field ripe for harvest and guides living into the role of being a marketplace Christian.

Eden’s Bridge is eye-opening and inviting as it explores how God is moving to reclaim the marketplace for His Kingdom, and His redeeming purposes for the world of commerce. The marketplace holds untold potential if business is conducted according to God’s plan: poverty can be eradicated, abundant living can be shared among all people, and shalom can prevail.

Eden’s Bridge offers hope for recovering from the recent collapse of the global economic system by envisioning a new view of how wealth is made and how the marketplace is yet to serve God’s purposes in His mission to the world.

Serial entrepreneur David Doty, an independent organizational management consultant, has thirty years combined small business ownership, management, and institutional administrative experience across multiple industries. He received an M.A. degree in World Mission and Evangelism from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2006.

Order this book through Wipf & Stock Publishers.

Exodus: An Exegetical Commentary
by Vic Hamilton (1967, MDiv)

Baker Academic Books (Grand Rapids, MI) has just published Vic Hamilton's "Exodus: An Exegetical Commentary." It is an approximately 725 page commentary, each section of which has three parts: (1) my own translation of the Hebrew text; (2) more technical grammatical and lexical notes that will be of interest primarily to those working with the original language; (3) the actual commentary on the portion of the Exodus text under examination.

Vic taught for thirty-six years as professor of Old Testament studies at Asbury College (now, Asbury University). He is currently in the fifth and final year of a scholar-in-residence appointment at Asbury University. Five professors at Asbury Theological Seminary (Kentucky campus) are among his former students at Asbury: Professors Bill Arnold, Mike Peterson, Steve Stratton, Lawson Stone and Tom Tublin. Order here.

Developing Ears to Hear: Listening in Pastoral Ministry, the Spiritual Life, and Theology
edited by Aaron Perry (2005, MA)

This is a book about listening. It is about active, engaged listening which discovers, in the process, redemptive moments which can bring healing, hope, and a renewed sense of direction and purpose in relationships. The authors are all practiced in listening, whether it be listening in worship, listening to those we are discipling, or really listening to the Word of God through the practice of lectio divina. This collection of essays is a prescription for a new period of health and vitality for the church.

Several Asburians including Timothy Furry, Nathan Crawford, David Higle, Kenneth Gavel, and Aaron Perry. participated in the writing of this book.  Drs. Gatobu and Pasquarello, Asbury professors, are also featured.  Pick up your copy here.

He Ascended Into Heaven: Learning to Live an Ascension-Shaped Life
by Tim Perry and Aaron Perry

Why do you stand looking up toward heaven? That's what the angels said to the baffled disciples who had just experienced the Ascension of Jesus Christ. Peter, James, John, and the others stood there, squinty into the sky, trying to make sense of it all.

Tim and Aaron Perry confess to being baffled, too. For centuries, Christians have confessed "He ascended into heaven" in their creeds - but what do these words actually mean? The Perrys offer a probing look at this unfamiliar doctrine, and offer new insight into how the actual event can shape the life of a follower of Jesus.

"Theologians have long made the bold claim that we need to work the Ascension into our theology. They claim, in fact, that without the Ascension our theology is weak. The cry of the Church has been 'Why?' and "Show me!' Theologians have yet to answer that pressing question and answer that claim. Until right now. In your hands is one of the only books written that makes the Ascension a part of the Christian life, and I hope you read and devour this insightful study and become and Ascensional follower of Jesus." - Scot McKnight, author of The Jesus Creed and 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed

Get your copy here.

Hidden Epidemic
by Dr. D. Craig Rikard (1980, MDiv)

Dr. Rikard had his first book "Hidden Epidemic" published by Tiger Iron Press. He was awarded the Georgia Writers Association Writer of the Year in category of memoir. The book is a powerful memoir of children growing up in homes of parental addiction to prescription drugs.

Although many books deal with the problem of addiction -- how to get help, the harm it can do, and useful treatments -- few books discuss the tragic implications for the children. Yet these children can be robbed of their childhoods, isolated, abused, confused as to what is happening, and deprived of their own feelings of self-esteem and worth. In fact, the child of an addicted parent may grow up with more difficulties and hidden wounds than the addicted parent.

"Hidden Epidemic" deals with just such children and points out the pervasiveness of this problem, and what to do about it. Dr. Craig Rikards story is not only one of medicine, therapy, psychology and prayer, it is also the very personal story of his own childhood living in a pretty home in suburbia, where no one could hear the screams. slaps, and abusive language. In spite of such a serious subject, the book is fascinating, the journey hard, and yet there is hope and light for those caught within the grasp of addictive parents or caretakers. Order here.

Salvation Means Creation Healed
by Dr. Howard A. Snyder (1996, MDiv; 1976, DDiv)

The Bible promises the renewal of all creation—a new heaven and earth—based on the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For centuries this promise has been sidelined or misunderstood because of the church's failure to grasp the full meaning of biblical teachings on creation and new creation.

The Bible tells the story of the broken and restored relationship between God, people, and land, not just God and people. This is the full gospel, and it has the power to heal the church's long theological divorce between earth and heaven. Jesus' resurrection in the power of the Holy Spirit is the key, and the church as Christ's body is the primary means by which God is reconciling all things through Jesus Christ. Jesus' ultimate healing of all creation is the great hope and promise of the gospel, and he calls the church to be his healing community now through evangelism, discipleship, and prophetic mission.

You can order this book here.