Tim Menser was raised in one of Russellville's most respected Christian families. Yet he still found himself involved in deep study and soul searching to put into thoughts and words what his Christianity meant to him.

“Even though I grew up in a Christian home and church, I realized that I did not understand

much about my faith as I faced a crisis event in my life,” Menser said in a statement released by CrossBooks, a division of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. “Many Christians today do not know what they believe. In an age of many conflicting theological viewpoints from various religions, it is important to understand what the Bible really says about Christian faith.”

To help Christians better understand their faith, the 1985 graduate of Russellville High School has written a book, SURE: Knowing What You Believe and Why You Believe It. The book, which was released in mid-February, was published by CrossBooks.

Menser will be involved a book signing at the Saddle Factory Museum on East Fourth Street in Russellville this Saturday, May 12, beginning at 10 a.m.. It will continue to be available at Artisans at the Saddle Factory, a showcase and retail outlet for the creations of many gifted residents of this area.

“I believe that many do not understand the basics of faith, but want to understand,” says

Menser. “Many books on this subject are too complex and technical for the average Christian.

I've tried to boil it down to the basics and present the information in a format that allows for

understanding, discussion and learning.”

SURE explains the basic beliefs of Christianity in a simple and easy to understand way. Each

chapter contains a brief description of each aspect of the faith, theology, key truths and key

verses, followed by several questions to help guide reader's understandings.

“I went on a journey to find the truth about God's Word and how it applied to my life. The first thing I discovered was that God wanted more for me than to rescue me from hell. He wanted to walk with me every day of my life. He wanted me to trust Him and His Word so I could be sure about my faith,” he says.

Tim Menser grew up in Russellville, the son of Norman and Janet Menser. He is a 1989 graduate of WKU and completed his Master of Divinity Degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1993. He has pastored for 16 years and served as a Seminary Professor at the Baptist Seminary in Malawi, Africa for two and a half years. He currently lives in Franklin, where he serves as pastor of Sulphur Spring Baptist Church near the Logan-Simpson line. He lives with his wife, Jill (a native of Cub Run in Hart County) and his sons, Zac (18) and Will (13). Zac wrote an article which appeared on The Logan Journal and can still be found in the December 2009 Archives under the title “A victor in faith.”

In addition to the Saddle Factory, the book is also available at Barnes and Noble, LifeWay, www.crossbooks.com, and various secular and Christian bookstores in both hardback and paperback formats. It is also available in digital format from Amazon, Crossbooks, and Barnes & Noble. More information can be found by calling 1-866-879-0502.