Joseph was favored by his father. But his life took a tragic turn when his brothers sold him in to slavery. Joseph: Understanding God's Purpose will help you gain insights into Joseph's story as you explore the themes, context, and cultural background of the text. Discussion questions will help you apply what you've learned to your own life. This Bible character study, edited by Michael R. Grigoni and written by Derek R. Brown, Miles Custis, Douglas Mangum, and Matthew M. Whitehead, will help you dig deep into the life of Joseph. Walk with Joseph and discover what it means to trust God no matter what your circumstance. Contents: Setting the Stage Explore theme, literary context, and the histrical and cultural backgrounds of Joseph's story.A Closer Look Explore the narrative while considering issues of interpretation, original language, and theology.Throughout the Bible Examine references to the narrative elsewhere in the Bible.Beyond the Bible Consider references to the narrative in ancient documents and extracanonical texts and references and by theologians, the church fathers, and contemporary thinkers.Application Explore the event's relevance to your journey of faith.
Chosen to be the mother of Jesus, Mary played a singular role in God's plan of redemption. And her life, relationships, and faith continue to hold significance for believers today. By responding faithfully to God's call, Mary began an extraordinary journey of transformation from Jesus' loving mother to one of His devoted followers. In this 8-week study, authors Miles Custis, Michael R. Grigoni, Douglas Mangum, Matthew M. Whitehead, Rebecca Brant, John D. Barry, and Elizabeth Vince help you discover new meaning in the life of Mary. Each chapter of Mary: Devoted to God's Plan is structured to maximize your study by exploring the themes, context, and background of events Mary's life, as well as offering biblical parallels, extra-biblical references, and insights into how Mary's experiences are relevant to your journey of faith. Walk through life with Mary, learning along the way how her story is like your story. Contents Each chapter of Mary: Devoted to God's Plan is structured to maximize your study: Theme Introduces the meaning and relevance of an event in Mary's lifeLiterary Context Illustrates the conditions surrounding that eventHistorical and Cultural Background Presents relevant data about the ancient worldA Closer Look Gives a walk-through of the event while exploring issues of interpretation, original language, and theologyThroughout the Bible Examines discussion of the event elsewhere in the BibleBeyond the Bible Treats references to the event in ancient documents and extracanonical texts and references and by theologians, the church fathers, and contemporary thinkersApplication Concludes the chapter by exploring the event's relevance to your journey of faith You'll also find Quick Tips offering insight into difficult passages, historical information, original language wording, and ancient thought.
The doctrine of the Trinity confounds many Christians. Because they do not have a proper understanding of this truth, they therefore lack the means to make it meaningful in their theology, worship, and everyday life. Resurrecting the Trinity wants to change this. In non-academic prose, this book explains the fuzziness and apathy surrounding the Trinity. It provides a fascinating and erudite journey as to how it got this way, and then goes on to show how it is the center of everything and how this glorious doctrine exudes with love, vitality, and richness. An expert in historical and systematic theology, the author contends that "the existence of God as Trinity was the central affirmation of the ancient church and the truth from which all other theological understanding flowed. However, for us Western Christians (both Protestant and Catholic) the Trinity has faded into obscurity, the light shed by its reality dimmed to the point of nearly flickering out. While we still verbally affirm the truth of the Trinity, for all practical purposes we have lost its meaning, and in the process lost the biblical picture of Jesus Christ as Lord of creation as well. Were we to deny the Trinity altogether, it is doubtful much would change in our churches on a day-to-day basis."
In Supernatural: What the Bible Teaches About the Unseen World--and Why it Matters, Michael S. Heiser uses his expertise and 15 years of research to tackle questions about what the Bible really says about the unseen world.Ronn Johnson's Supernatural: A Study Guide will help you further explore the ancient worldview of the Bible. Johnson walks through main themes and big picture ideas from Supernatural, while connecting each with practical applications. Reflection questions at the end of each chapter are designed for individual study or discussion with a small group.
2021 Top Shelf Book Cover Award Winner2022 ECPA Christian Book Award Finalist for Ministry ResourcesRace is one of the most pressing issues of our time; how should pastors tackle it from the pulpit?In this collection of essays, issues of race and ethnicity are explored from a variety of perspectives, offering guidance to pastors on how to address those topics in their own contexts. Each builds on a foundational passage of Scripture, offering practical and biblically faithful approaches to the subject of race.Contributors include: Matthew D. KimDaniel DarlingJ. Daniel HaysJ. D. GreearLemanuel WilliamsBryan LorittsDhati LewisRaymond ChangRay OrtlundJared C. WilsonJamaal WilliamsJuan R. SanchezJoey Royal
"If a sermon is preached in a church and no one is listening, does it make a difference?" There are many expository preachers who forego dynamic delivery and many dynamic preachers who lose sight of faithfully communicating the biblical text. Too often preachers feel they have to choose one or the other. But dynamic delivery and faithful exposition are not mutually exclusive. In Preaching to Be Heard, Lucas O'Neill shows pastors that presenting engaging sermons that are biblically focused is not an impossibility. In fact, the key to commanding attention lies in the text itself. Rather than relying on tricks or gimmicks, his approach to sermon writing focuses on maintaining tension throughout while sticking close to the biblical text. Using practical examples and a step-by-step method, O'Neill shows pastors how relying on the inherent anticipation within Scripture can lead to sermons that are powerful-and heard.
enGendered celebrates the God-given distinctions between a man and a woman. It concludes that the more distinction is embraced, the closer a man and woman become. Thus gender, rightly understood, is a tool for intimacy. Written in a compassionate tone and winsome style, the volume speaks to Christians who want to know what the Bible says about gender differences and why. This theology of gender is also of value for people who struggle with same-sex attraction but want to follow Christ.
Christ comes to, and through, his people Many consider pastoral visitation antiquated and impractical. People seem busier than ever, and technology appears to trivialize personal contact. As a result, personal visits are often reserved only for the gravest of situations. Tyler C. Arnold argues that pastoral visitation is essential to the pastoral role. In Scripture, God visits his people to show his personal interest and concern. This is seen most clearly in the incarnation. Christ's ministry is one of presence. But Jesus is not only an example of visitation ministry; he is the embodiment of it. And in visitation, pastors and laypeople continue Jesus's ministry by bringing Christ to the individual in their very place of need. Established in strong theological foundations and sensitive to contemporary concerns, Pastoral Visitation exhorts pastors to return to this classic method of individual soul-care.
"Written from years of ministry and business experience, Smart Church Finances is built on a solid foundation of business principles but--unlike many business books--in a straightforward style that anyone can grasp. You'll learn how to: Communicate vision and strategize with a team; Steward resources well (yes, including budgeting); Prioritize goals, wisely make decisions, and evaluate outcomes based on vision and data; Leverage the existing talents of men and women at your church, many of whom don't fit in 'traditional' ministry roles."--Back cover.
The Bible was written in ancient Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek--languages no modern reader can claim to have a native understanding of. But by better understanding how language works, we can understand more from the Bible as we seek to discern the original intent and meaning of each biblical author. In Linguistics & Biblical Exegesis, you will get a basic introduction to the field of linguistics--its history, its key concepts, its major schools of thought, and how its insights can shed light on various problems in biblical Hebrew and Greek. Numerous examples illustrate linguistic concepts, and technical terminology is clearly defined. Learn how the study of language can enhance your Bible study. --
Jones shows that every religion and philosophy fits into one of two basic worldviews. "Oneism" asserts that everything is essentially one, while "Twoism" affirms an irreducible distinction between creation and Creator. He exposes the pagan roots of Oneism, traces its spread throughout Western culture, and demonstrates its inability to save anyone or truly change the world for the better.
Jesus shows up where we least expect him--to Mary Magdalene in the garden, to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, to Thomas when he is full of insecurity. Just as the resurrected Jesus surprised his disciples, he also surprises us today, showing up in the midst of our sorrows, uncertainties, and joys.In Unexpected Jesus, pastor Eric Rivera examines Jesus's appearances after his resurrection to show us how Jesus meets us today. Eric shares his own stories of God showing up amid financial uncertainty, pregnancy loss, a grim medical diagnosis within his family, and the unrest and uncertainty of 2020. Eric's insights will encourage readers as they look to meet God in their own times of uncertainty.The same Jesus who was present with his followers meets us in our mess today. When we feel confused or abandoned, Jesus finds us. When he arrives, the master teacher meets us with questions and guides us into a revelation of who he is. And as we walk with him, he heals us and is faithful in his promise to be with us always. --
"In this refreshingly candid book, author, life coach, and conference speaker Clarence Shuler shares his own story of depression and how, by God's grace, he's learning to effectively manage it. Shuler's story will help you receive grace in your own struggles. Joining Clarence is Monique Gadson (affectionately known as "Dr. Mo"), a licensed counselor who helped Clarence escape a very dark place in his life. Learn from Dr. Mo as she offers counseling insights and expertise woven throughout Clarence's story, bringing clarity and wisdom to anyone desperate for hope. In the "Your Journey" section at the end of each chapter, you will be guided to reflect on your own walk in darkness and find ways back to joy. Finding Hope in a Dark Place--part memoir, part mentorship, part workbook--will help you recognize your own story in Clarence's and remind you that hope is possible and worth pursuing. Even in the darkness, God is with you in that sacred space"--
This is the fourth of a six-volume series called Reading the Bible as Literature. This volume on the Gospels continues the tradition of the first three in the series by exploring the intersection of the Bible and literature. Ryken enables pastors, students, and teachers of the Bible to appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of the Gospels and how to interpret them correctly. He goes one step further than merely explaining the literary dimensions of the Gospels - he includes exercises to help students master this rich literary treasure.
This is the second of a projected six-volume series called Reading the Bible as Literature (the first volume being How Bible Stories Work). An expert at exploring the intersection of the Bible and literature, Ryken shows pastors and students and teachers of the Bible how to appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of biblical poetry and how to interpret it correctly. Dr. Ryken goes one step further than merely explaining the genre of poetry-he includes exercises to help students master this rich literary treasure.Speaking of the entire series, Ryken says that "the niche that these volumes are designed to fill is the literary approach to the Bible. This has been my scholarly passion for nearly half a century. It is my belief that a literary approach to the Bible is the common reader's friend, in contract to the more specialized types of scholarship on the Bible."
Two of G. K. Chesterton's most important and well-known works are contained in this volume: Heretics, and Orthodoxy. In Heretics, Chesterton addresses the intellectual movements of his time that he considered most prominent and destructive. Chesterton confronts relativism, individualism, neo-paganism, and other trends of the modern period, paying special attention to the artists and intellectual elite of his time. Orthodoxy, a classic that is part memoir, part apologetic. It exhibits Chesterton at his finest--a combination of literary wit, theological acumen, and pointed cultural critique. The two works complement each other perfectly, providing an accessible entry point to the battleground of truth and falsehood. Lexham Classics are beautifully typeset new editions of classic works. Each book has been carefully transcribed from the original texts, ensuring an accurate representation of the writing as the author intended it to be read.
A coloring book companion to The Lord's Prayer: For All God's Children This coloring book gives children hours of fun as they learn the Lord's Prayer and search for FatCat on every page! Coloring page for each line of the Lord's Prayer Activity for a child to write and illustrate their own prayer A page of new FatCat illustrations to color Scripture references for further study Ideal for use in the home, school, or church With this coloring book, children can playfully engage with Jesus's prayer that teaches us to pray. It is a perfect companion to the full-color The Lord's Prayer: For All God's Children.
"This book ... arms pastors and laypeople alike to face what is the most pressing issue of our day." --Carl R. TruemanEquipping the church to recover from sexual confusion. In After the Revolution, David J. Ayers provides the Christian heirs of the sexual revolution a resource to understand their challenges and social context to find a way forward. Drawing on social sciences and history, Ayers traces recent worldview shifts in North America and Europe. The historic Christian understanding of sex and marriage has been supplanted. And sexual confusion has infiltrated the church, especially influencing younger Christians.The church can uniquely and compassionately support sexual faithfulness and flourishing, but we need to reject formulas, surefire methods, and judgmentalism. Instead, we must recover a positive vision for Christian sexuality, singleness, and marriage that is firmly grounded in God's word.
"Ethics is freedom in Christ to pursue the good, true, and beautiful. Pastors regularly face concrete ethical questions. And they, too, pursue a moral life. In the busyness of ministry, it can be tempting to think pragmatically or derive one's ethics from the latest cultural concerns. But standard approaches to ethics, whether deontological, utilitarian, or virtue-ethical, all fall short of being distinctly Christian. Ethics ought to be grounded in the gospel and in our triune God. In Pastoral Ethics, W. Ross Hastings provides pastors an evangelical and trinitarian framework for moral formation and ethical discernment. For Hastings, ethics must be reclaimed as theological. Theology without ethics becomes gnosticism. Ethics without theology leads to legalism and death. Christian ethics participates in God's life and God's work. This communion with God leads to obedience to his commands as summed up in the Decalogue, and over several chapters Hastings provides a rich exposition for pastoral formation. Pastors find their identity in God, and this inspires right thinking and acting with regard to authority, life and death, sexuality, work and rest, speech, and desires. An approach to ethics that prompts faith, hope, and love, Pastoral Ethics is an essential guide for Christians in all ministry contexts"--
What's the Bible really about? What's God like? And what does all this mean for how I live? Especially when you're new to the Christian faith, these questions surface again and again. Brand New is a brief and practical 40-day devotional for new believers to help them reflect on and answer these questions themselves. Readers will learn: The basics of the Christian faithThe story of the BibleThe character of GodThe practices of the Christian lifeEach day an important topic is discussed alongside insightful Bible passages. Reflection questions help readers respond to what God might be showing them. Each devotion ends with a prayer paraphrased from the Bible to learn how to use God's word in personal prayers. Brand New will launch readers into an exciting adventure of trusting God and growing in faith!
"Those who read 50 Ethical Questions will find answers that are reasonable, helpful, and best of all, biblical." --Tim ChalliesChristians cannot escape difficult questions. What we need is guidance to think well. In 50 Ethical Questions, J. Alan Branch addresses questions about ethics, sexuality, marriage and divorce, bioethics, and Christian living. Readers will find biblical and reasonable guidance on their questions, including: What are the differences between individual and systemic racism?I've been invited to a same-sex wedding. Should I attend?Should Christians use vaccines from cell lines derived from aborted babies?I'm a Christian in an abusive marriage. What should I do?Is it morally permissible for a Christian to conceal-carry a firearm?With Branch's help, you can navigate ethical challenges with care and conviction.
Prenumerera på vårt nyhetsbrev för att få fantastiska erbjudanden och inspiration för din nästa läsning.
Genom att registrera dig accepterar du vår personuppgiftspolicy.
