New This November: Two Books That Show Faith Can Still Change the World

As the year draws to a close, our November new releases highlight two vital expressions of Christian faith in action. In Whispers of Revolution, Michael F. Bird reveals how Jesus’ message of God’s kingdom upended the power structures of his day and continues to challenge ours. In Called to Care, Jo Knight explores how followers of Jesus are called to embody that same kingdom through compassionate, practical service. Together, they show that faith is never passive but shapes how we see the world, how we treat others, and how we live out the good news of God’s reign.

The story of Jesus is the story of a revolution, one that began not with armies or manifestos, but with the quiet announcement of a new kind of kingdom.

In Whispers of Revolution, theologian and biblical scholar Michael F. Bird uncovers how Jesus’ proclamation of the kingdom of God was a radically subversive message in its first-century context, and why it still turns the world upside down today.

Drawing from the Gospels, history, and cultural insight, Bird shows that Jesus’ vision of God’s reign was political, spiritual, and profoundly hopeful: a revolution not of violence but of love, justice, and mercy.

He explores how this revolutionary message challenged the empires of the ancient world and how it still challenges our modern idols of power, comfort, and control.

'Jesus didn’t come to tweak the system,' Bird writes. 'He came to announce the arrival of God’s reign, and that changes everything.'

Why read it:

• Offers a rich and readable exploration of Jesus’ kingdom message in its historical context.
• Reveals how the gospel confronts systems of injustice and redefines true power.
• Encourages readers to live as participants in God’s ongoing revolution of grace.

For readers who loved Tom Wright’s Simply Jesus or Tim Keller’s The Reason for God, Bird offers a timely reminder that the gospel is as revolutionary now as it was two thousand years ago.

In a culture often marked by burnout, isolation, and self-preservation, Called to Care offers a timely and tender reminder: caring is at the core of Christian vocation.

Jo Knight draws on theology, psychology, and her experience in ministry and healthcare chaplaincy to help readers recover a biblical vision of compassion, one that is both deeply spiritual and wonderfully practical.

She explores why caring can be both fulfilling and costly, what the Bible teaches about God’s care for his people, and how we can cultivate resilient, Christ-centred habits of empathy in our homes, churches, and workplaces.

This is a book for anyone who feels tired of giving, unsure how to help, or eager to reflect God’s love more authentically in daily life.

'When we care,' Knight writes, 'we participate in the very heartbeat of God.'

Why read it:

• Encourages readers to see care as a spiritual calling, not just a task.
• Offers wisdom for avoiding compassion fatigue and finding joy in service.
• Ideal for small groups, pastoral teams, and anyone in helping or caring roles.

Though very different in focus, both Whispers of Revolution and Called to Care share a central conviction: that the Christian faith is not static or private, but alive, reshaping history, communities, and hearts.

One reveals how the gospel redefined what it means for God to be King.

The other shows how that same gospel still redefines what it means to love and serve.

Together, they remind us that the story of God’s kingdom, from the first century to the twenty-first, is still unfolding, and we’re invited to take part.

Whispers of Revolution: Jesus and the Coming of God as King by Michael F. Bird

Called to Care: Our Christian calling and response to the climate challenge of our generation by Jo Knight

Order your copies or learn more from our website today.