Though it seems the United States has enacted more and more liberal laws regarding abortion, a recent study from the Guttmacher Institute says otherwise. More abortion restrictions have been enacted in the last three years than have been implemented in the previous 10 years combined. The restrictions fall into four categories: targeted restrictions on abortion providers, limitations on late-term abortions, abortion insurance coverage and limitations on medication abortion.

Discover how a woman named Anna went from being a sex trafficking victim to finding Jesus through the help of San Francisco’s City Impact

Allison Pataki (Howard Books)

This historical novel unravels the mastermind behind America’s most infamous act of treason—Peggy Shippen Arnold, the cunning wife of the infamous Benedict Arnold.

CHARISMA: Why did you decide to bring Christ’s life to the silver screen?

ROMA DOWNEY: This was the prompting of the Spirit. It began as a whisper in the heart in the way the Spirit continues to nudge you and make Himself present. We decided we would do it and do it together. But from that begining, that whisper, I don’t know that either of us could have dared to dream this big.

MARK BURNETT: All believers know people who say, “I don’t really believe this. I don’t really want to go to church.” It’s a hard conversation. The question is, how do you open people’s hearts and open them up to even consider their faith? It’s as simple as asking them to just come to the movies with you. This movie has a profound impact.

CHARISMA: What obstacles did you have to overcome to make this film?

BURNETT: You wouldn’t believe the amount of people who told us we were crazy. We were told that people aren’t going to watch the Bible on TV when they could be watching something else. We were scared … but we just felt in our hearts [we needed to]—and of course 100 million people watched.

Two things were happening: We were feeling very clearly the Holy Spirit while shooting the Jesus portion. We’d screen portions of the film for the whole crew on Fridays. Roma said to me this really should be on the big screen. I said I was thinking the same thing. So you know what we did? We turned it into a movie. Seeing the Bible on the small screen is nothing like being in a movie theater and watching this unfold on the big screen.

CHARISMA: What was it like working with your spouse?

BURNETT: It was awful. [Laughs]No, really, Roma is my best friend. We’re walking down the path together because this would be a very long and difficult road alone. Having two of us with different strengths and different skills, that’s the blessing. I think beyond the calling of spreading the Word of God, the byproduct is a stronger marriage.

DOWNEY:  We often joke that the real miracle is that we’re still speaking to each other. Certainly it has been a big project and it brings with it challenges but so many joys as well. We weren’t looking for a job when we took this on. This has really been a labor of love for us.

We are believers and we are just so privileged to bring Jesus to the big screen, which hasn’t been on the screen in a decade. His entire life hasn’t been told cinematically in almost 50 years, so there is a whole generation out there ready to see Jesus on the big screen.

Brandon Cox (Passio)

Rewired, by Brandon Cox, is not a how-to book for using social media. Rather, it’s a challenge to today’s church to access and utilize social media for the advance of God’s redemptive purpose.

Cox starts in the Garden of Eden, demonstrating that silence was the first indication of a broken relationship and that things for mankind had gone totally wrong. Fast-forward to today, and he says the church cannot afford to be silent in the venue of social media. Conversations, which signify the presence of relationship, do not happen in a vacuum.

To neglect social media, Cox says, is to be silent in the conversations of today’s culture—to disregard the enormous potential social media has to take the message of reconciliation through Jesus Christ to the broken world and to bring back multitudes into relationship with Him. And yet many are reluctant to take up this type of communication out of fear—fear of change, fear of falling into self-promotion, fear of failure or fear of being snared by the pollution of the Internet.

Cox is an avid supporter of technology yet doesn’t discount its snares. He maintains, however, that the Internet and social media are not immoral. Social media is just a tool, and that tool can be used for good or evil—it multiplies the effect of either. And while it’s undeniable the Internet has made evils such as pornography easier to access, it has also made the Bible—God’s Word—easier to access too. Why should the devil have all the good toys? Rewired puts forth a challenge that needs to be heard and answered if the church is to reach today’s culture. —Deborah Delk Grady

Mark Hall With Tim Luke (Zondervan)

The lead singer of Casting Crowns releases Thrive: Digging Deep, Reaching Out, on the heels of the band’s seventh studio record of the same name. The book offers powerful stories and teaching for those looking to move beyond mere survival in their faith walk.

Jerry White and Mary White (Tyndale)

Learn to build deep, lasting relationships by learning the intrinsic elements and basic foundations of true friendship.

Various (Provident)

With all the latest top gospel hits gathered in one collection, this double album and DVD combo includes popular songs from Hezekiah Walker, Tye Tribbett and Marvin Sapp.

Tony Dungy and Lauren Dungy With Nathan Whitaker (Tyndale)

New York Times best-selling author Tony Dungy partners with Lauren, his wife of more than 30 years, to dispense advice on creating a strong marital union that survives the highest of highs and lowest of lows.

Steven Brooks (Destiny Image)

Steven Brooks gives biblical insight and powerful personal testimony of what it looks like to exercise each of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12.