Dr. Carmen Imes, associate professor of Old Testament in the Talbot School of Theology, does not shy away from asking the “why?” questions. In her most recent book, Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters, Imes traces God’s presence in the gathered community of faith across the entire Bible, addressing the question of whether investing in the church today amid waves of disillusionment is still worth it.

Imes addressing this question in her book is speaking for itself: since its publication in late October, the book has received two prestigious awards. In January, Christianity Today honored the book with an Award of Merit in the Popular Theology Books category. Later in the month, readers expressed their support as well, earning the book the Reader’s Choice Award in the Bible & Theology category for InterVarsity Press.

The book is meant for everyone in the church, including pastors, members of the congregation and even those who are thinking about leaving or have already left.

“I’m writing for those who are disillusioned or apathetic about church as well as for those who love it fiercely and want it to become all it was meant to be,” said Imes. “I hope that it helps pastors build a more biblical foundation for our shared life. For those who have one foot out the door and are saying ‘Give me one good reason to stay,’ I hope this book offers many good reasons to stay.”

In Becoming God’s Family, Imes emphasizes the importance of Christians gathering in the context of the church to reorient their hearts toward the Lord.

“Gathering calibrates the compass of our hearts to point again toward the God who is our everything. A compass gets off kilter when it’s in proximity to magnets or metal objects,” said Imes. “Gathering to pray together, sing together, hear the Word preached and to celebrate communion together reorients our loves and reminds us of what matters most.”

Over the past five years, Imes has researched, explored and questioned key themes presented in the Old Testament, writing a book about the modern application of the Ten Commandments titled Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters, and another book about the meaning of being human presented during the creation story in Genesis called Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters. The two books make up the first installments of her now completed trilogy of books not only asking, “why,” but deeply exploring how the Old Testament applies to life today.

Becoming God’s Family and other books written by Imes can be purchased through InterVarsity Press.

With a variety of programs offered both on campus and online, the Talbot School of Theology equips students to be biblically faithful, culturally engaged and theologically sound. Learn more and apply today for the Fall 2026 semester.

Written by Sarah Dougher, media relations specialist. For more information, email media.relations@biola.edu.