Always Longing: Book Launch
Does the reality of Heaven fill you with joy, dread, or boredom?
We all have thoughts and opinions about Heaven. But do they actually match what the Bible teaches? By asking and answering seven of the biggest questions about Heaven, Stephen Morefield guides readers through Scripture toward a surprisingly good, earthy, and compelling view of Heaven. Heaven is far greater than we think, and this book will set you to longing, always longing, for what comes next.
Endorsements
“A good book will cause you to think, a great book will lead you to worship. Stephen Morefield has written a truly great book on heaven that gives hope to saints and glory to Jesus. I’m excited to hand this book to parishioners and friends who have questions about the afterlife and see how the Spirit uses it to strengthen their faith in God, Creator of Earth and Heaven!”
Dustin Messer, Pastor for Faith Formation, All Saints Dallas, Dallas, TX, Author of Secular Sacraments: Finding Grace in the World and Sin in the Church
“As Christians, we know that there is life after death. But have you ever wondered what that life will be like? In Always Longing, Stephen Morefield lifts our eyes to see the glories that await God’s children. These glimpses of heaven will fill you with the true hope that is yours in Christ—and the beauty of God’s goodness will strengthen and encourage you as you live today in light of all God has prepared for you.”
Courtney Doctor, Coordinator of Women’s Initiatives, The Gospel Coalition; Bible teacher and author of From Garden to Glory: A Bible Study on the Bible’s Story and In View of God’s Mercies: The Gift of the Gospel in Romans
“Always Longing is a book that both informs and transforms the reader. Each chapter bolstered not just my knowledge of God’s Word, but also my affection. Stephen Morefield helps us to know Jesus better and to rightly anticipate our future with Jesus. This is an accessible must-read! I’m grateful to Morefield for helping us to better understand and long for heaven.
Jen Oshman, author of Enough about Me and Cultural Counterfeits, Women’s Ministry Director, Redemption Parker, Parker, CO
“What happens when we die? With a shepherd’s heart and a scholar’s pen, Stephen tackles seven questions about the afterlife that many are asking, but few are willing to discuss. In a culture where death is taboo, this resource is an oasis in the desert. Whether for personal study or small group reflection, if you’ve ever wondered what the Bible really says about Heaven, this is a must read!”
Ryan Cook, Lead Pastor, Springhill Presbyterian Church, Bozeman, MT
“Stephen Morefield blows away the Gnostic myth that heaven is all spiritual and ephemeral. You can’t read this book without fertilizing a deeper longing for the endless physicalities, delights, and joys of our true home that’s just over the horizon. Written in an easy to understand pastoral style, Always Longing debunks misconceptions about heaven and the end of history that will not only help adjust your thinking, it will massage your heart, more fully awakening you to your true and real hope. Read it!”
Shane Sunn, Director of Aspen Grove Church Planting Network and Author of Moon and Sunn: Memoir of a Fishing Legend and His Son
“Stephen has written an approachable and easy-to-read book about a subject we often misunderstand. Heaven is far more than an all-you-can-eat buffet in the sky. Stephen explains how Heaven applies to our lives right now and he reminds us how much we have to look forward to for eternity.”
Greg Daniels, Stated Clerk, Evangelical Presbyterian Church Presbytery of the West, Denver, CO
“The Puritans taught us the importance of a theology of the heart (theologia cordis); that is, a faith that is not merely understood in the mind but experienced in the heart: not just emotionally, but in all of the expressions of life. For so many believers in the church today, the ‘idea’ of being with Jesus in heaven is confessed and accepted as truth. However, it may not inform daily life—as such an incredible idea should! Stephen Morefield has given a great gift to such Christians: a lucid exploration of what it will mean to live forever in the presence of the One who redeemed us. How much greater than the greatest moment in this fallen world! How much more precious than even the tenderest embrace of a loved one! How much more than we can imagine . . . Well, Stephen helps us to imagine it a bit more than we might have before, helps us to yearn, to long all the more to be in ‘Jesus’s place,’ where every longing will be satisfied, fully and forever.”
Steve Curtis, Founder and International Director of Timothy Two Project International, Author of Reach and Teach
Table of Contents
Introduction: I Didn’t Want to Go to Heaven 1
Question 1: Does Heaven Matter? 7
Question 2: What Happens When I Die? 19
Question 3: How Will History End? 31
Question 4: Where Is Heaven? 45
Question 5: What Will We Do in Heaven? 61
Question 6: How Should We Wait for Heaven? 77
Question 7: What Does Hell Have to Do with Heaven? 91
Conclusion: A Question for You 105
Appendix 1: A Detour through the Book of Revelation 111
Appendix 2: Recommended Resources 119
Endnotes 125
About the Author
Stephen R. Morefield (M.Div., Covenant Theological Seminary) pastors Christ Covenant Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Leoti, Kansas. Stephen and his wife, Morgan, have three wonderful children. He is the author of several books.