"The brain, with its nearly eighty-six billion neurons, is the most complex structure in the universe, and we are living in a period of revolutionary advancements in neuroscience. Yet scientists and skeptics often frame these findings in ways that challenge the Christian worldview. Many professionals and popularizers claim that human beings are their brains, and that all human behavior and experience are merely by-products of brain physiology. In The Brain, the Mind, and the Person Within, professor of psychology Mark Cosgrove not only explains what the brain is and what it does but also corrects common misinterpretations and demonstrates that what we know about the brain coheres with the teachings of Scripture. He contends that humans are unities of soul and body in which both the spiritual and the physical interact. From this perspective, he presents informative overviews of contemporary debates about the brain, including consciousness, free will, "God spots," personhood, and life after death"--Back cover
Where most books dance around the distasteful details of the church's past, this one puts a spotlight on the negative and positive alike. With one ear attuned to the early church and another to contemporary culture, this book addresses the growing concerns both Christians and non-Christians have about how transparent the church has been about its roots. This book offers a forthright depiction of early Christianity, beginning with the apostles and ending after the time of Augustine. Sinners and Saints is the first of a four-volume series that humanizes the history of Christianity by honestly examining the actions, doctrines, decisions, groups, movements, and practices of past Christians. This book's assessment helps the reader accurately understand Christianity's background and recognize how it continues to shape the present. --
There are thousands of excellent resources in the field of New Testament studies. But which tools are best for sermon preparation, topical study, research, or classroom study? In Best Bible Books, the authors review and recommend hundreds of books, saving pastors, students, and scholars time, effort, and money. Glynn and Burer examine commentaries on every book of the New Testament, describing their approach, format, and usability; they then rank them on a scale of good, better, and best. Other chapters survey special studies for each New Testament book as well as books in related disciplines such as historical background, language resources, and hermeneutics. Also included are helpful chapters on building a must-have personal library, and identifying books that comprise the ultimate New Testament commentary collection. This is an indispensable resource for any serious student of the Bible.
Most Christians believe God is in control, but they are unsure of how to reconcile that control with their struggles with sin, the command to evangelize, and the immense suffering in the world and their own lives. Laing offers an introduction to the doctrine of providence based on the theory of middle knowledge, first articulated in the sixteenth century. This view describes how creatures have true free will and God has perfect knowledge of what each creature could and would do in any circumstance. Middle knowledge helps answer the most perplexing theological questions: predestination and salvation, the existence of evil, divine and human authorship of Scripture, and science and the Christian faith. Laing provides extensive biblical support as well as practical applications for this theology. - from publisher.
Learn to interpret the Bible from the biblical writers themselves A method of interpretation--a hermeneutic--is indispensable for understanding Scripture, constructing theology, and living the Christian life, but most contemporary hermeneutical systems fail to acknowledge the principles and practices of the biblical writers themselves. Christians today cannot employ a truly biblical view of the Bible unless they understand why the prophets and apostles interpreted Scripture the way they did. To this end, Abner Chou proposes a "hermeneutic of obedience," in which believers learn to interpret Scripture the way the biblical authors did--including understanding the New Testament's use of the Old Testament. Chou first unfolds the "prophetic hermeneutic" of the Old Testament authors, and demonstrates the continuity of this approach with the "apostolic hermeneutic" of the New Testament authors.
40 Questions About Salvation makes sense of one of Christianity's most disputed doctrines, covering common and difficult questions about election, the order of salvation, and perseverance of the saints. This volume will help pastors, college and seminary student, and all Christians who want to grow in their understanding of what the Bible teaches about salvation. Each chapter is succinct and readable, with a bibliography of additional sources for those who wish to study further.
"When Fresno is hit with an unexpected outbreak of deadly scarlet fever, Andi Carter is scared. Her town friends are getting sick and school is closed until it passes. Far from the danger, at least Andi has her horse Taffy and plenty of work on the Circle C ranch to distract her. But is she really safe? First one ranch hand, then two, and then her brother Mitch fall ill. Mother is convinced that the only way to protect Andi from this terrible disease is to send her far away to fussy Aunt Rebecca in San Francisco. The noisy city and Aunt Rebecca's bossy ways may be worse than scarlet fever. But then Andi has an idea that might help save her friends back home."--Back cover
Young Earth advocates often use the Grand Canyon as a showcase to argue not only that the thick fossil-bearing layers were laid down in a single catastrophic flood, but that the Bible requires this to be true. In The Grand Canyon, eleven authors and editors--all scientists and apologists--address both the biblical and scientific claims that Noah's flood can account for the Earth's fossil-rich layers. Like many in the scientific community, they find these assumptions to be riddled with factual errors. This visually stunning book is written primarily for nonscientist Christians who have a desire to clearly understand the arguments and evidence in favor of both young- and old-Earth models, to find answers to those who make the Grand Canyon's majesty the centerpiece of their arguments, or to improve their ministry to scientifically literate believers and seekers. Readers will learn that Young Earth interpretations of Genesis are not necessarily true to the original Hebrew meaning. They will come away with an appreciation for why the vast majority of Christian geologists acknowledge an ancient Earth and why modern science is not antithetical to faith, but rather supports it. Readers will find that the Grand Canyon has a much grander history--in keeping with its Creator&mdashthan the brief period of compressed creation posited by flood geologists.
Will the code reveal history's most powerful weapon for destruction--or humanity's only hope? The living members of Tom Bohannon's band of adventurers gather again in Jerusalem--physically battered, emotionally exhausted, spiritually challenged, and in various stages of shock--to examine a copy of the tenth-century Aleppo Code, the oldest complete text of Jewish scripture. What the clues inside reveal could lead to the reuniting of the Ark of the Covenant with its true source of power, a weapon that could lead to victory for this ragged bunch trying to save the world. Hunted by the relentless assassins of the Prophet's Guard and caught in the web of an international conspiracy plotting the conquest of Europe, Bohannon's team searches the ruins of Ancient Babylon. Their search lands them amid the chaos that engulfs western Iraq, but they must press on to accomplish one of the most pivotal pieces of end-times prophecy. This intrepid group will uncover secrets that require them to risk everything for their faith, their country, and the peace of all mankind. Unfolding against the backdrop of an Israeli/U.S. strike against Iran and the planned economic overthrow of the European Union by the sinister, secret head of the international Muslim Brotherhood, The Aleppo Code is a heart-pounding race. Brennan takes an epic story on a grand scale and tells it primarily through the eyes of one man who is desperately trying to save the world as he follows God's purpose for his life.
"Riveting. An achingly beautiful tale told with a singularly fresh and original voice."Jocelyn Green, award winning author of the Heroines Behind the Lines Civil War series "The book is suspenseful and gritty with true-to-life characters. It is about hope, family, survival and faith." - The Historical Novel Society Where you come from isn't who you are. Ten-year-old Pearl Spence is a daydreamer, playing make-believe to escape life in Oklahoma's Dust Bowl in 1935. The Spences have their share of misfortune, but as the sheriff's family, they've got more than most in this dry, desolate place. They're who the town turns to when there's a crisis or a need--and during these desperate times, there are plenty of both, even if half the town stands empty as people have packed up and moved on. Pearl is proud of her loving, strong family, though she often wearies of tracking down her mentally impaired older sister or wrestling with her grandmother's unshakable belief in a God who Pearl just isn't sure she likes. Then a mysterious man bent on revenge tramps into her town of Red River. Eddie is dangerous and he seems fixated on Pearl. When he reveals why he's really there and shares a shocking secret involving the whole town, dust won't be the only thing darkening Pearl's world. While the tone is suspenseful and often poignant, the subtle humor of Pearl's voice keeps A Cup of Dust from becoming heavyhanded. Finkbeiner deftly paints a story of a family unit coming together despite fractures of distress threatening to pull them apart. Enjoy all the Pearl Spence Novels1.A Cup of Dust2. A Trail of Crumbs3. A Song of Home "If you are looking for a compelling story with a message of hope in the midst of a dark time and characters that will live on in your imagination, then you need to get A Cup of Dust." - By the Book Reviews "This is a suspenseful page-turner, intricately plotted and bursting with meticulously drawn characters who jump from the page." - RT Reviews
"Today's church has sadly failed to minister to men and women deeply affected by porn, abortion, rape, casual sex, a sexless marriage, same-sex attraction, or childhood sexual abuse. Church leaders know these broken people sit in their pews. What they don't know is what to say to them. Those who would speak out directly from the pulpit worry that they will be unwise or insensitive, whatever their intent to the contrary. They may even fear being fired and losing their ministry altogether. The truth is that seminary curriculums rarely prepare preachers to talk about sex in their sermons. Despite the pervasiveness of sexual wounds in the church, preachers tend to either ignore them and say nothing or abhor them without nuance and condemn. Sam Serio posits a powerful and necessary middle ground: preaching that offers forgiveness, transformation, and restoration. Sensitive Preaching to the Sexually Hurting is a ready-to-use resource written from a preaching perspective. Serio examines the causes and consequences of the seven most difficult sexual issues of today. Moreover, he provides appropriate wording to use in crafting sermons, along with corresponding Scripture texts. He examines how preachers can prepare their churches, their hearts, and their sermons for the topic, and how these can all work together to build a healthier future for their congregations and the wider church body."--Publisher.
The traditional venues for making sense of the complicated apostle Paul are history and theology. Indeed, one cannot understand him apart from either. However, something is still missing from our portrait of Paul. Rather than thinking of Paul as a theologian and an apostle, Leslie Hardin argues there is great benefit in approaching him as a disciple, a Spirit-filled man who wanted to pass vibrant spirituality on to those he encountered. In The Spirituality of Paul, Hardin uncovers the things Paul practiced in his own life, and those he taught his followers, in order to attempt to live an authentic, Spirit-filled Christian life. Hardin points out that in order to foster the power of the Spirit, Paul, like each of us, had to dedicate himself to everyday routines and practices. What were those spiritual disciplines? How did they help him? And how might they be applied in our modern lives to bring us closer to Christ? Whether a general reader or mature believer, the reader of this book will find Paul to be a true brother, a fellow sinner receiving grace.
There's no question that the Old Testament is foundational for the New Testament church. But foundational or not, it can be difficult for preachers to pin down useful resources for narrative texts within the Old Testament, much less to skillfully preach those passages to their congregations. Walton shows how to select a narrative text that is a complete unit of thought, how to determine the theological message of the text, and then how to craft a meaningful take-home truth. He doesn't stop with discovering the core message-- the majority of the book focuses on delivering the massage drawn from narrative texts. This valuable resource will help preachers put all the pieces together, have confidence in what they're imparting, and maximize their preaching potential for Old Testament narratives. Walton's approach is not just theoretical. It has been read and tested anonymously by groups of pastors, and their feedback has been incorporated into the book. This valuable resource will help preachers put all the pieces together, have confidence in what they're imparting, and maximize their preaching potential for Old Testament narratives. --
Jessie Clemence knows the struggle and stresses -- big and small -- of our hectic, over-scheduled world. She too has tried cooking for ninety-eight at Thanksgiving and saying yes to doing three hundred things on Tuesday. But she also knows that refueling her spirit with a pound of bacon and a bag of Cheetos leaves her feeling like death. So now she goes straight to the Bible for insight on daily frustrations ranging from romance and hearlth to arguing and procrastination. Jessie's hope-infused honesty will remind you that God's grace is always available. If you're overwhelmed and looking for a new way of handling life's crazy moments, you will nod along, laugh out loud, and find a new focus on the God who can turn your "stressed" into "blessed"!
Many Christian women live in a world where they are judged by their performance. They struggle to please God and meet the standards others place on them--or the even higher standards they put on themselves. But in all their striving, is there any room left for grace? Sue Edwards and Jodie Niznik believe grace is the most misunderstood doctrine of the Christian faith. They delve into Galatians to explore the many ways Paul shows what it really is. Through principles, theological argument, story, pleading, coaxing, and even scolding, Paul shows us the folly of trying to please God in our own strength or by obeying the law. Sue and Jodie unpack what the law is, what its intent was, where legalism can enter and control readers' lives, and how to escape the bonds of guilt, shame, and false standards. Through this latest volume in the consistently popular Discover Together Bible Study series, readers discover nuances of grace that will revolutionize their lives. By understanding the transformative truth of grace, women will be set free to live wholly, radically, in and for Christ.
The Greek edition of the New Testament known as the Textus Receptus, from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, has thousands more words than earlier manuscripts of the second through fourth centuries. Major English translations based on the Textus Receptus, such as Tyndale's New Testament and the King James Version, have all these extra verses, phrases, and words. This book clearly presents these additions to English readers and then explains why they were added. Scribes often made insertions based on their knowledge of the other gospels, other passages of Scripture, Christian theology, and oral traditions. By understanding the sources and probable reasons for the insertions, students and teachers of the Bible can make informed translation and interpretive decisions.
The Handy Guide to Difficult and Irregular Greek Verbs is a learning aid for anyone wishing to master New Testament vocabulary, especially those transitioning from beginning courses in Greek to regular reading of the New Testament. By listing irregular verb tenses from most to least frequently used, it fills an empty niche in the student's toolbox. No other such list exists in published form though the necessity of learning irregular verbs is universally recognized. Irregular verbs in Greek are equivalent to the English verb "go" and its past tense "went." The two words aren't intuitively connected, but must be memorized, and the user must know the words are versions of the same verb to find the full entry for "went" in the dictionary. This resource helps students learn those irregular Greek forms that are otherwise difficult to place. This is an excellent resource for pastors, biblical scholars, and anyone who learned Greek years ago and wants to improve their ease of reading the New Testament. --
Understanding the Gospels first introduces the Gospels generally and then prepares readers to communicate their message to a modern audience. Each of the fourteen contributors is a seminary professor and expert on the topic covered. This book focuses on preaching and application, and answers pointed questions to help students and pastors understand the major theological themes of each gospel and avoid common interpretive mistakes. Anyone serving in a teaching or preaching capacity will find this book helpful for accurate proclamation and powerful application of the Gospels.
How congregations can change into missional, fruitful learning communities "Jim and Trisha understand that profound change roots in individuals before it transfuses systems. Having observed the cycle in themselves as well as in others, they shepherd us into the remissioning work of the Holy Spirit.">In a groundbreaking seven-year experience, Jim Herrington and Trisha Taylor led a cluster of churches in a process of personal and congregational transformation that is producing hope and health. Built on a sound understanding of learning organization theory, adaptive leadership, family systems theory, and recent discoveries in the neurosciences, Herrington and Taylor developed and refined a highly fruitful model of church renewal. This model begins with personal renewal in which congregations learn how to become learning communities and ends with church-wide transformation. Learning Change is the pastor and congregational leaders' field guide to leading change. Each chapter provides training and information, an aspect of the learning change model, stories of real-life experiences in churches, and questions and suggestions for taking this information into a congregational context.
Through Old Testament Eyes is a new kind of commentary series that opens the New Testament writings in greater depth to anyone committed to understanding or teaching Scripture. In this inaugural volume, the richness of Old Testament allusions and background in Mark clarifies puzzling passages and explains others in fresh ways. The exodus motif structures Mark. Mark also presents Jesus as the true temple of God in contrast to the existing temple, which has been corrupted. These important themes are hidden to modern eyes without the insight of an Old Testament perspective, and this commentary builds on that insight to emphasize how the gospel applies to the daily lives of Christians today. - publisher.
Biblical Leadership takes the best of evangelical scholarship to make the leadership lessons of Scripture tangible for today's readers. All contributors are biblical scholars who not only think seriously about the texts covered in their individual chapters, but have committed their lives to teaching and living the truths therein. This volume walks through the sections of the Bible, gleaning insights from each biblical writer. Every chapter analyzes the original setting of the writing, extrapolates the leadership principles in the text, and provides advice on applying that theology of leadership. Presented in everyday language understandable to both professionals and practitioners, these lessons will equip current and upcoming leaders to make a Christlike impact.
Bringing practicality back to the work of forgiveness for counselors and pastors Much work in both academic and clinical counseling has focused on forgiveness and what, precisely, it means. We now know forgiveness offers both physical and psychological benefits. Yet despite all this exploration, most Christians are far from having a clear, consistent, theologically informed definition. Bryan Maier wants this conceptual ambiguity to end, especially for the pastor or counselor sitting across from a hurting person seeking immediate, practical help. The Christian counselor needs to be able to walk the client through the question, "Can forgiveness coexist with justice?" To this end, Maier examines current popular models of forgiveness, considering where they merge and diverge, and what merits each type of forgiveness has. He then delves directly into Scripture to discover the original model of God's forgiveness to humankind. From there, he builds a new construct of human forgiveness with practical guidance to help those in counseling understand the concept theologically. In doing so, he demonstrates that our understanding that forgiveness leads to healing is inverted; being whole leads to true forgiveness, not the other way around. Forgiveness and Justice is extremely useful for any practitioner needing to form a useful, theologically sound understanding of forgiveness for those who come for help.
Messiah in the Passover is for anyone who wants to explore the traditions of the Passover and deepen their understanding of the links between Passover, the Last Supper, and Communion. This Passover reference book discusses biblical and theological issues, Jewish and church history, and rabbinic tradition. It also includes a messianic family Haggadah (Passover guidebook) as well as Passover recipes and lessons for children. Additional resources and instructional videos for celebrating Passover in the home or congregation are available at messiahinthepassover.com. Passover has great meaning for followers of Jesus and provides a wonderful opportunity to teach both adults and children the powerful truths of redemption. Believers will be affirmed knowing they worship a God who keeps His promises and remains ever faithful.
"Pearl Spence has finally settled into a routine in Bliss, Michigan, far from her home in Red River, Oklahoma. Like all the other kids, she goes to school each day, plays in the woods, and does her chores. But there's one big difference: Mama is still gone, and doesn't seem to have a thought for the family she's left behind. Escaping from her worries is another part of Pearl's new routine, whether that's running to Aunt Carrie's farm, listening to the radio with Ray, or losing herself in a book. In fact, a chair in the stacks, surrounded by books, might be her favorite place on earth--until she discovers swing dancing. The music transports Pearl to a whole other world. When Mama unexpectedly returns, it isn't the happy occasion Pearl had imagined. Mama is distant and Pearl can't figure out how to please her. And the horrible way she treats Daddy is more than Pearl can bear. Seems life would be better if Mama would just stay away" -Amazon.com.
"As former Mormons turned evangelical Christians, the four contributors to this volume provide a unique and authoritative corrective. Each contributor shares his or her story of growing up in the Mormon church, and how biblical, theological, moral, or scientific issues forced them to eventually leave Mormonism. The contributors draw on the expertise of their respective academic fields to show how Mormon teachings and practice fall short biblically and rationally"--Amazon.com.
Gain a greater understanding of gender in the Bible through the eyes of a diverse group of evangelical scholars who assert that Christians have missed the point of some scriptural stories by assuming the women in them were "bad girls." Did the Samaritan woman really divorce five husbands in a world where women rarely divorced even one? Did Bathsheba seduce King David by bathing in the nude? Was Mary Magdalene really a reformed prostitute? While many have written studies of the women in the Bible, this is a new kind of book--one in which an international team of male and female scholars look afresh at vilified and neglected women in the Bible. The result is a new glimpse into God's heart for anyone, male or female, who has limited social power. - Publisher
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