At Exodus Books we know we can't change the world alone. But we do get to work with all kinds of parents raising all kinds of kids. And to some degree this means we help mold these kids, who will in turn help transform the world.

Educational resources are a big part of that. But there's an understanding of God, the universe, and everything that's even more basic than what's in primers and workbooks. Because our views are often unfamiliar to others, it's easy to try to mitigate the differences.

But since we believe these views are transformational, we think we ought to express them clearly. The books and articles in this section are intended to do just that.

Christians have pondered Jesus' command to follow His example for about 2000 years. Many try to ask "What would Jesus do?" in every situation, and while this is well-intentioned, Jesus had authority we don't have. "What did Jesus do?" is probably a better question, allowing us to form an idea of the principles He followed and apply similar guidelines to our own lives.

The seeming contradictions of Jesus' existence, however—fully God and fully man, utterly spiritual and completely physical, without sin yet merciful—often make it hard to know what those guidelines are. Only through honest Bible study (guided by the Holy Spirit and other godly saints) can we begin to piece together the biblical narrative and know how we should live.

When we study the Word of God, a theology emerges. Theology is the way we think about God and our relationship to Him. It is determined by our faithfulness to the biblical narrative and the Church's historic orthodox creeds, and it determines how we understand our role as Christians. Without constructing a coherent theological perspective, our attempts to live Christ-like lives will be disjointed at best.

As covenant-minded Christians, we at Exodus believe the Church is the people of God, spiritual Israel, and that as such we work to establish Christ's kingdom in the world. We emphasize the community of believers instead of focusing on differences (though differences do provide necessary growth-oriented accountability). The Gospel of Christ's kingship is spread through missions, prayer, art, political involvement, and any available venue, an holistic evangelism that can only take place if we view the Church as a single body, aiming for holiness and the glorification of Christ.

This is the pattern of Scripture, all of which points toward Christ. The Law, particularly the Ten Commandments, presents the picture of someone who loves God and neighbor. Jesus said those two commands (to love God and neighbor) sum up the whole Law and Prophets. The Prophets, in turn, reveal the blessings in store for those who serve God and the punishments in store for those who don't, their warnings and promises precursors of Jesus' Beatitudes.

It is in the Gospels that Christ finally emerges as the hero and victor of history. Jesus is revealed as the perfect balance between personal holiness and cultural interaction, fulfilling the entire Law while engaging His contemporaries on a variety of theological and cultural levels. The Epistles explain the implications of Jesus' ministry, death and resurrection, and provide practical application and encouragement for those living the Christian life. The Revelation of John points toward the fulfillment of all things in the ultimate glorification of Christ as the sum of creation. This is the sum of the hope of all Christians, to see our Savior magnified and worshiped by every living thing.

At Exodus, academic education isn't our only concern: "[W]e know that all of us possess knowledge. This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1). Even more important than academic learning is wisdom, both for its temporal and eternal consequences. Knowledge helps us become well-rounded humans, but holiness draws us closer to God, and as Christians that is exactly where we want to be. We sincerely hope that your education is directed toward God's glory and that the books we carry will help you in that endeavor.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.