Coming Soon: Licensed to Kill: A Field-Manual for Mortifying Sin

I'm excited to announce that my second book has been accepted for publication by Cruciform Press, a new and innovative publishing company founded by my friend (and the editor of Christ Formed in You), Kevin Meath, along with Bob Bevington, and Tim Challies.

The title is Licensed to Kill: A Field-Manual for Mortifying Sin. This is a short book (about 1/3 of the length of my first) which unpacks the doctrine of mortification in nine, concise, practical and accessible chapters.

Of course, the seventeenth-century Puritan pastor John Owen is well known for writing the definitive book on mortification. I have read and re-read Owen over the years, and my book will be heavily influenced by his. But I've tried to digest Owen's book for myself, along with the biblical truths of which he wrote, so as to provide a contemporary treatment of the topic, one without lots of difficult quotes and cumbersome footnotes (though there will be just a few!). I have an April 22 dead-line for turning in the manuscript (90% complete now), and a tentative publication date of July 1st.

Here is the blurb I wrote for the Cruciform Press website:

The Christian life is not a playground, but a battleground. One of the fiercest foes in this battle dwells within our own hearts: the enemy of indwelling sin. The Scriptures command us to “put sin to death.” This is what pastors and theologians of another generation called the “mortification” of sin. But how do we mortify sin? And what role does the gospel play in this effort to apply lethal force against sin? How can we avoid falling into legalism while still maintaining a passion for holiness? And what kinds of strategies actually work in the daily battle? These are questions I have personally wrestled with as both a Christian and a pastor. This book is my attempt to answer those questions and provide a biblical and practical guide for the war against sin.

Update: Cover added April 24, 2011.