Acts Endorsements

One Mokgatle, senior pastor of Rooted Fellowship, Pretoria, South Africa

“Combining vivid, memorable examples and illustrations with careful exegesis, Christ-exalting explanations, and practical application, Tony Merida gives us a sure guide to the book of Acts. If readers will read this commentary reflectively, devoting time in the study questions that follow each chapter to godly introspection and missional resolve, then they will find their lives reflecting their Lord and Savior more fully, and they will find themselves able not only to edify themselves but to edify others.”

Philip Moore, European director of Acts 29

“Tony Merida is one of the best preachers of our generation. He knows God’s Word, and he knows how to bring God’s Word with authority. Merida speaks not just to the mind or the heart or the will, but to the soul. This commentary on Acts will equip you to understand how Jesus worked through his people in the earliest days of our church. This book will also show us how to carry the gospel in an age that looks more and more like the culture of the book of Acts. That means we need the power of the book of Acts. Read and prepare.”

Russell Moore, president, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

“Tony Merida has given us a highly readable and engaging commentary that scores high marks on careful exegesis and Christocentric exposition along with accessible illustrations and relevant applications. These of course are the aims of The Christ Centered Exposition Commentary. He has been careful to respect both the genre of the book and its goal to inspire the church to be a marching missional infantry based on the historic truth of her foundations. I highly recommend it to pastors and studious lay Christians.”

Femi Osunnuyi, lead pastor, City Church, Lagos, Nigeria

“An experienced preacher and a lucid thinker, Merida has given us a pastor’s dream commentary. It is scholarly without being unwieldy, clear without being reductionistic, and practical without ignoring contextual nuance. In fact, it is because Merida does such a good reading of the text on its own terms that it comes alive in his hands, with Christ as its radiant center. The inclusion of reflection and discussion questions at the end of each section makes this a robust resource for Bible studies as well. This will be a gift not only to preachers but to the congregations they serve.”

Glenn Packiam, associate senior pastor, New Life Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado

“As always, Tony delivers fresh biblical insight with compelling conviction and exegetical clarity. This commentary on Acts is a superlative work for all. The consistent application of the text to the local church will be a tremendous resource for God’s people.”

Kevin Peck, lead pastor, The Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, Texas

“Tony Merida is one of my favorite pastor-scholars. All of his academic work is in service of the church, and his pastoral preaching is plain spoken but undergirded by faithful scholarship. Merida understands the Christian life as spiritual warfare and the book of Acts as a God-inspired field manual for our continuing Great Commission gospel mission. Merida recognizes God as the ultimate author of both history and Scripture. Thus, he gives concentrated attention to the unique contribution of Luke as the author of Acts but never loses sight of the place of Acts in the Christ-centered canonical whole of Scripture.”

David E. Prince, pastor of preaching and vision, Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, Lexington, Kentucky

“Luke closes out his Gospel to Theophilus with the believers in the temple praising God. Now he picks up the story and explains what happens next. So does Tony Merida. In a style Bible teachers, pastors, and scholars will want to read, this commentary has the mind of a scholar and the heart of a pastor. I love his outlines, which, in the words of Arthur Golding’s translation of The Sermons of J. Calvin in 1583, are ‘grist for the preacher’s mill.’ Read it, study it; but more importantly, let it study you. Tony has mined for gold and found it. You will be richer after you’ve read it as well.”

Dr. Ken Whitten, senior pastor, Idlewild Baptist Church, Lutz, Florida