Matt Carter Revisits the Story of the Prodigal Son in New Book

By Hallels News Aug 18, 2019 03:30 AM EDT

Though the prodigal son story is one of Jesus' most well-known parables, pastor and author Matt Carter believes Christians need to take a fresh look at it to better comprehend God's radical love and forgiveness for his children.

In his new book, "The Long Walk Home: Discovering the Fullness of Life in the Love of the Father" (September 17, 2019, B&H Publishing Group), Carter shows readers how Jesus addresses core questions that often lie below the surface for many Christians, such as: "Does God really love me despite my failures? Can God use me for good in this world despite all my sin and shortcomings? Do my doubts and questions about faith make God think less of me? Do I have a future in the family of God despite my past?"

"The Long Walk Home" takes readers on a journey through the prodigal son story, showing the many parallels to struggles Christians face such as believing the lie that there is a better life outside of God's love and falling prey to the folly of sin. Carter writes vulnerably about how rediscovering God's never-ending, radical love for his sons and daughters drastically impacted his faith and points readers to the truth that God is a Heavenly Father who will always welcome his children home with open arms, no matter how far his children have wandered.

"If you're a Christian who has it all figured out, this book is not for you. If you're a Christian who's never really failed or fallen or struggled, there might be a better use for your time than reading these pages. But if like me, you love the Lord, but at times throughout your life you find yourself weary and broken, confused and questioning-maybe even hanging on by a thread-then this book is for you," Carter said.

"I pray this book guides readers into the arms of a loving Dad-maybe not the dad they had but the one they always longed for-a Dad who is ready to welcome them home, wipe them clean and call them his beloved sons and daughters."

Carter is Pastor of Preaching and Vision at The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas, which has grown from a team of 15 to over 8,000 since Carter planted it in 2002. He is the co-author of multiple books, including "Steal Away Home," "The Real Win," "Exalting Christ in John (Christ-Centered Commentary)" and several others.

B&H is supporting the launch of "The Long Walk Home" with a national advertising and publicity campaign. LifeWay Resources is also releasing an eight-session group study for both adults and students, "The Prodigal Son" (LifeWay Resources, December 2019).For more information, visit LongWalkHomeBook.com.

Matt Carter serves as the Pastor of Preaching and Vision at the Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, Texas, which has grown from a core team of 15 to over 8,000 attending each Sunday since he planted it in 2002. Matt has co-authored multiple books including a commentary on the Gospel of John in The Christ Centered Exposition Commentary series. Matt also co-authored a novel of historical fiction, "Steal Away Home," which tells the real life story of famed pastor Charles Spurgeon's unlikely friendship with former slave-turned-missionary, Thomas Johnson. Matt holds an M.Div. from Southwestern Seminary and a Doctorate in Expositional Preaching from Southeastern Seminary. He and his wife Jennifer have been married for over 20 years, and they have three children, John Daniel, Annie and Samuel.