Senior Pastor Steven K. Parker announces the release of Getting the Church Inside You: Balancing Faith and Action, a narrative, pastoral exploration of the New Testament book of Ephesians that challenges believers to move beyond simply attending church and instead allow the gospel to shape their identity, relationships, and daily rhythms.
Recently named a 2026 ChristLit Book Award Winner and official Book of the Year nominee, Getting the Church Inside You offers readers a deeply pastoral and accessible journey through Ephesians. Drawing from more than 30 years of ministry experience, Parker combines biblical insight, theological reflection, and real-life stories to help readers understand what it means to live in balance, holding together doctrine and discipleship, belief and behavior, faith and action.
“Paul’s letter to the Ephesians paints a picture of spiritual balance,” Parker writes. “The gospel is not meant to sit on a shelf. It is meant to live inside us.”
The book explores themes including:
- Living as saints shaped by grace and peace
- Finding identity in Christ’s larger redemptive story
- Pursuing unity across racial, cultural, and generational divides
- Discovering hope, inheritance, and spiritual strength in Christ
- Developing spiritual disciplines that sustain healthy churches and faithful lives
At the heart of the book is Paul’s call in Ephesians 4:1 to walk “worthy” of our calling, a term rooted in the Greek word axios, meaning “in balance.” Parker uses the image of a balance scale to frame the letter’s central message: strong theology must be matched by transformed living.
Getting the Church Inside You is designed for personal study, small groups, and church-wide engagement. A companion teaching guide and downloadable resources are available to help congregations apply the message together.
Steven K. Parker has served as Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church in Weslaco, Texas since 2008. A graduate of Hardin-Simmons University and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Parker writes with a pastor’s heart and a storyteller’s voice, helping believers live grace-filled lives shaped by Scripture in everyday faith.
The book is published by Kharis Publishing and is available through the publisher and all major online retailers.
For more information or to purchase the book, visit:
https://kharispublishing.com/kp/product/getting-the-church-inside-you/
