“GoodNews 2022: Evangel” is the latest collection of sermons published in a book by the Rev. Phillip A. Ross of St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in Marietta. The sermons are from 2022 that were preached in 2022 by Ross at St. Paul’s where he became pastor 18 months ago. (Image Provided)

MARIETTA — A minister from Marietta has compiled his work in another book of biblical sermons.

The Rev. Phillip A. Ross of St. Paul’s Evangelical Church in Marietta has published “GoodNews 2022: Evangel,” a collection of sermons he preached at the 185-year-old church in 2022.

Ross has been a minister for more than 40 years and became the pastor at St. Paul’s where he was a member for about 12 years. He became interim pastor, served until the next regular pastor left, then became the head pastor about 18 months ago.

“GoodNews 2022” is among more than 30 books he has published over the years that are a collection of his sermons.

“That’s what most of my books are,” he said.

Different from the earlier works, the latest book follows the basic stories in the Bible over a three-year period, which he called preaching from the Lectionary, Ross said. The previous were expositional, meaning he explained the teachings in the Bible.

“This one is more thematic,” Ross said.

Ross has included 21 sermons in the new book. Among the chapters are “Put on Christ,” “Freedom,” “The Road Ahead,” “The Mirth of Christ: Rise Up” and “Prepare Ye.”

“As I was contemplating this message and considering the text from Isaiah, it seemed important for us to hear today what the Lord says about unfaithfulness through Isaiah. It’s not pleasant because it is convicting, which is why it is important to hear what the Lord says,” Ross writes in the first sermon, “Put on Christ.”

“I am making a point to bring this message because it is my understanding, my observation, that people in general don’t know Scripture very well. That is the fault of churches and pastors, and it is the responsibility of churches and pastors to correct. People need to become more familiar with the Bible; we need to hear it often. This is one of the things I do in my preaching and writing.”

Ross calls for the renewal of Christians and churches of all denominations as all Christians and Christian churches “are on the same team.”

The world is at a critical place in history, he said. Biblical guidance is needed and people have to know what is and what is not in the Bible, Ross said.

“Most everyone thinks that they know about the Bible and what it teaches, but very few people actually read and study it seriously. And this produces a kind of cognitive dissonance and personal alienation that continues to wreak havoc in people’s lives,” Ross said. “The thing that would help the world most today is for ordinary people to know and genuinely understand the various stories and teachings in the Bible. When people don’t know the real stories, they cannot make sense of the real lessons it offers.”

Ross and his wife, Stephanie, have three children and six grandchildren.

He has been the pastor at churches in Berkeley, Calif., St. Louis, Mo., Evansville, Ind., Bellefonte, Pa., and in Marietta. He was ordained in 1981 at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley and is a member of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference and the Evangelical Association of Reformed and Congregational Christian Churches.

He came to Marietta in 1996 to become the pastor at the Putnam Congregational Church in Devola. He became the interim pastor at St. Paul’s when Tom Hendershot left and again became the interim pastor after Pastor Joe Vasarhelyi left before being asked to be the pastor about 18 months ago.

“GoodNews 2022: Evangel” is available at Amazon.com. The 201-page paperback is $16.95.

Jess Mancini can be reached at jmancini@newsandsentinel.com.