Christmas Play by Gary Neal Hansen

This year for Christmas I have the honor of serving as the Narrator for Gary Neal Hansen's Christmas Play, which will be presented in worship at First Presbyterian Church, Dubuque, IA. Gary's arrangement of the nativity narratives is a beautiful harmonization of the Gospels of Luke, Matthew, and John. This straightforward presentation of the good news of the Incarnation of God in Christ Jesus puts the revelation front and center. It is a pleasure to read and it will be a joy to join with saints young and old in this retelling of the coming of Emmanuel — the King before whom all kings shall bow — for our salvation.

UPDATE: Here is a link to the "world premiere" of Gary's Christmas Play, with yours truly as the narrator, a.k.a. the voice from on high.

When Heaven Stands Open

Announcing the release of When Heaven Stands Open: Liturgical Elements for Reformed Worship (Year B), the first in a series of four lectionary-based worship resources. Available now from Cascade Books and in e-book from Amazon. [NB: Print version coming soon to Amazon and other distributors. Watch for updates and for more volumes to come.]

With many thanks to Gary Neal Hansen, Beth McCaw, and Chip Hardwick for their gracious endorsements.

UPDATE: The print edition is available at Amazon here.

How do great books come about?

Well, from an inspired vision that takes incipient shape in a great book proposal. Enter my friend and colleague, Gary Neal Hansen. Gary's vision for a book on Christian community has been selected by Chad R. Allen of Baker Academic to be the focus of his blog-based coaching into a winning book proposal. I've mentioned Gary's work here before, and his popular book on prayer entitled, Kneeling with Giants. Well done, Gary. It looks like we have another major contribution in the making.

Kneeling with Giants, by Gary Neal Hansen

For several years now, one of Dubuque Seminary's most popular and important elective courses has been Gary Neal Hansen's course on prayer. Now, finally, his long-awaited work on prayer, Kneeling with Giants: Learning to Pray with History's Best Teachers, is in the pipeline. Due out in 2012, this one is bound to be a classic of Christian devotion. Well done, Gary!


UPDATE: It's out and flying off the shelves ...





Gary's fine work on Calvin as exegete can also be found here:


    ... and here: