According to Kenton Anderson, professor of homiletics at ACTS Seminaries of Trinity Western University, this volume represents "a powerful tool" because it offers a new (actually old) model of preaching. For centuries, preaching has been shaped from a literary standpoint (i.e., reading, writing, outlining, and displaying sermons), but a premodern method of oral preparation and delivery has largely been forgotten. Preaching by Ear hearkens back to an earlier era when sermons were rooted inside the preacher and moved out in a natural and powerful way.
"In this anthology of articles and reflections, Kuyper articulates a Christian vision for engaging with society. Though his analysis was intended for his late-nineteenth-century Dutch context, his thoughts remain strikingly relevant for Christians living in the modern world. For Kuyper, God's law preserved civil justice, making humane life possible. However, the law itself could not save society-only the gospel can transform the heart. But the gospel is for all of life. Kuyper elaborated a social Christian approach to politics, resulting in a distinct perspective on property, human dignity, democracy, and justice"--
"You want your non-believing friends to be brothers and sisters in Christ. But how do you talk about Jesus without driving them away? In How Do We Talk with Skeptics?, Sam Chan shows you how to walk the tightrope by offering ten wise tips to keep the balance right. Listen well. Speak persuasively. Learn hospitality. Gently reveal the holes in your friend's worldview. Gain wisdom on when to speak and when to listen. With Chan's help, you can keep your friends while being a faithful witness for Christ"--
The purpose of this brief commentary is to provide a positive biblical portrait of what a godly marriages entails. In a culture that is confused about the importance and benefits of marriage, respected Bible scholar and teacher Walter Kaiser brings much-needed wisdom to the table based on the Song of Solomon. Love by the Book inspires couples to have a deep love and commitment to each other, realizing that marriage is a gift of love given by a wise Creator.
"When responding to objections that both evil and God can exist, many resort to a "free will defense," where God is not the creator of evil but of human freedom, by which evil is possible. In God Reforms Hearts, Thaddeus J. Williams offers a friendly challenge to the central claim of the free will defense-that love is possible only with true (or libertarian) free will. Williams argues that much thinking on free will fails to carve out the necessary distinction between an autonomous will and an unforced will. With clarity, precision, and charity, he judges the merits and shortcomings of the relational free will defense while offering a philosophically and biblically robust alternative that draws from theologians of the past to point a way forward"--
Recover evangelicalism's foundations by returning to its architect. None doubt the influence of Carl F. H. Henry, the "theological architect" of contemporary evangelicalism. Through his prolific writing and editorial role in Christianity Today, Henry is known for addressing contemporary theology, individual and social ethics, and cultural criticism. But he has been critiqued for an underdeveloped pneumatology. In Carl F. H. Henry on The Holy Spirit, Jesse M. Payne argues that Henry cannot truly be understood apart from his mature pneumatology. The Spirit plays a vital role in three major areas of Henry's theology: revelation, ecclesiology, and ethics. These seemingly disparate topics are tied together by his view of a Spirit--inspired Bible ordering a Spirit--enlivened body composed of Spirit--filled believers. Readers will gain a more holistic view of Henry, the role of the Spirit in his life and thought, and early neo--evangelical theology.
Christ's sheep need shepherding. That's where you come in.With more than 60 years of ministry between them, Harold Senkbeil and Lucas Woodford have come to understand that everything in ministry--even administration, leadership, and planning--revolves around the ancient tradition of the care of souls. Pastors are entrusted with the care of a flock by the Good Shepherd and are called to be faithful to this task. But pastoring seems to be getting more and more difficult.Based on a sound theological framework, Senkbeil and Woodford present a set of practical tools for church leadership and strategy. Calling on their vast experience, they encourage pastors to protect, guide, and feed their flock as Jesus would, bridging the eternal wisdom of the word of God with the everyday practicality of hands-on leadership. Originally published as Church Leadership & Strategy, this revision includes a new chapter and litany.
Look to Christ, the ultimate revelation of God. The letter to the Hebrews asks questions aimed at the heart of what it looks like for Christians to walk in Christ's footsteps. How should Christians relate to the Old Testament? What are we to make of the New Testament's urgent pleas to persevere in the faith? Can we really lose our salvation? How does Jesus model both humility in his humanity and the glory of God through his earthly life? These questions continue to be fiercely debated by Christians. The ancient letter to the Hebrews answers all by focusing on Christ's magnificent love and greatness. In Christ Above All, Adrio König puts readers in the shoes of the original audience of Hebrews and shows how, in a world full of competing claims to power and authority, Christ--in all his glory and humanity--really does surpass all others. In the Transformative Word series, you'll read the Bible with a global cast of church leaders and scholars. In conversational tone, contributors from around the world explain the importance of a biblical book, showing how it can transform your life.
2019 Biblical Foundations Book Award Finalist in Old TestamentThroughout the Old Testament, Yahweh drew his prophets from the most unlikely circumstances. The minor prophets Amos, Jonah, and Micah were each called out of their ordinary lives to deliver timely messages-both to their original audiences and for us, today. While they're each unique, these three biblical books can be connected by the theological themes of divine justice, mercy, judgment, and repentance. In this volume, JoAnna M. Hoyt examines these themes in depth, revealing the complexity of the relationship between God and his people. Throughout her commentary, Hoyt closely examines the text of these three prophetic books, giving us a scholarly and applicable exploration for the church.The Evangelical Exegetical Commentary series is a premiere biblical commentary rooted in the original text of Scripture. Each volume includes historical and literary insights and addresses exegetical, pastoral, and theological concerns, giving readers a full understanding of the text and how to apply it to everyday life.
"What did Jesus really mean when he said, "Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, the servant of all" (Mark 9:35)? Servant leadership is commended by popular leadership writers and scholars. However, much of the practical, theoretical, and even theological commentary on servant leadership doesn't do the Bible justice. It fails to account for the context and history of interpretation around this often-quoted saying of Jesus. This context has everything to do with a truly biblical understanding of servant leadership, and that's what Servant of All unfolds. In a culture where greatness is often confused with fame or competence, Servant of All is a much-needed correction. This useful guide includes personal and group reflection questions, ideal for ministry training and discipleship." --
REFLECT: A Personal and Small Group Guide for Mirroring Jesus is the personal and small-group study companion to REFLECT: Becoming Yourself by Mirroring the Greatest Person in History by Thaddeus J. Williams. Drawing on science, literature, art, theology, history, music, philosophy, pop culture, and more, REFLECT paints a fresh and inspiring vision of how we become most truly ourselves by mirroring Jesus Christ. Each chapter of REFLECT: A Personal and Small Group Guide for Mirroring Jesus expands on a chapter from the book and summarizes the main points. Reflection questions prompt deeper study or discussion, and prayer suggestions help readers identify ways to incorporate insights in prayer. Ideas to practically implement lessons are also included along with recommended resources for further study.REFLECT is the ideal resource for digging deeper into how we can better reflect Christ in every area of our lives.
A 48-page study guide for enGendered: God's Gift of Gender Difference in Relationship. It consists of two parts-questions for group discussion and answer guide for leaders. This study guide presents a theology of gender and shows how it enriches a relationship between a man and a woman.
This is the first of a projected six-volume series called Reading the Bible as Literature (the second volume being Sweeter Than Honey, Richer Than Gold). 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 narrative and how to interpret it correctly. Dr. Ryken goes one step further than merely explaining the genre of story-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."
The events in the book of Acts changed our world forever. Following his account of Jesus' life and ministry in his Gospel, Luke recounts the formation of the early church in Acts. And while the apostles appear to be at the center of this narrative, all of their work is done through the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit. In every chapter in Acts, we see Spirit-empowered apostles sharing the gospel reality of the risen Christ to the ends of the earth.In Acts Verse by Verse, Grant Osborne guides readers through these crucial events in history. He shows us that by sending his Holy Spirit, the risen and exalted Lord was acting through the apostles-and through us today-to transform human history. Osborne skillfully explains the significance of these events and shows us how we can draw inspiration from them today.
Why should we care about marriage? There is a lot of confusion about the purpose of marriage today: outside the church as well as within it. Written by a distinguished Christian sociologist, Christian Marriage is a theologically rich, biblically robust, and sociologically informed treatise on the nature and value of marriage. Drawing on recent social science research, empirical data, and social history, Ayers paints a picture of marriage as an institution meant for human flourishing. Along the way, Ayers addresses such topics as: Dating and selection of a spouse The importance of premarital counseling Sex and procreation Mentoring and supporting unmarried believers Divorce and remarriage Current controversies surrounding premarital sex and same-sex marriageThough the book is academically and theologically informed, it is written with a pastoral heart. It seeks to provide a rich resource for pastors and counselors on a topic of supreme importance to a vibrant church and society.
Controversy of the Ages carefully analyzes the debate by giving it perspective. Rather than offering arguments for or against a particular viewpoint on the age of the earth, the authors take a step back in order to put the debate in historical and theological context. The authors of this book demonstrate from the history of theology and science controversy that believers are entitled to differ over this issue, while still taking a stand against theistic evolution. But by carefully and constructively breaking down the controversy bit by bit, they show why the age issue is the wrong place to draw a line in the sand.
The purpose of this book is to offer both exegetical and preaching help by means of a workable 8-step method. The author's preaching model starts with the initial step of determining the genre and meaning of the text to doing word studies and discovering the main ideas of the text to applying the sermon in a life-changing and Christ-honoring manner. Some books on preaching from the Old Testament are written by authors who do not actually preach, or preach only occasionally. Pastors and budding preachers need a book written by someone who has knows what it is like to be a pastor and has prepared sermons every week for years.
This comprehensive and engaging manual aids preachers in keeping the transformative meaning and impact of the biblical text intact through all hermeneutical and homiletical processes. While this approach applies to all sermon structures, the book focuses on the less familiar one-point expository message rather than the more common three-point sermon, or verse-by-verse approach. Drawing upon the strengths of their backgrounds as homiletic and biblical studies professors, the authors help the reader identify which biblical texts fit the one-point expository sermon structure, explain how to develop the sermons, and provide sermon samples that illustrate the approach.
The second of three volumes, this study explores the Old Testament special grace covenants: the Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic. The third volume examines the final and culminating special grace covenant: the new covenant. The three volumes taken together present the covenant as an expression of God's nature, and show a paradigm of activity by which God works in covenantal relations, first to create the world and then, through a redemptive program after the fall, to redeem what was lost. The proposed paradigm, by which all the divine-human covenants are expressed and understood, is a new and, it is hoped, helpful way of portraying God's covenant making dynamic, and it also thereby illustrates the divine consistency.
The Gospel of Luke is an orderly historical account, but it is far from ordinary. In the longest Gospel, Luke places great stress on the unique lordship of Jesus and God's plan to bring salvation into this world. Throughout, Luke stresses that Jesus' message reaches the forgotten people groups of this world, particularly the poor and women, showing us that the gospel is truly intended for all peoples. In Luke Verse by Verse, Grant Osborne leads readers through this systematic account of Jesus' life. He shows us why Luke may be called "the theologian of prayer" and unpacks the far-reaching power of the gospel then and now. With Osborne as guide, readers will learn what this Gospel, which introduces the Suffering Servant who has become the Risen Lord of all and reigns by his Spirit, can teach us today. The Osborne New Testament Commentaries, by respected professor and author Grant R. Osborne, are for people seeking a straightforward explanation of the text in its context, avoiding either oversimplification or technical complexity. Osborne brings out the riches of the New Testament, making each book accessible for pastors and all who consider themselves students of Scripture.
Calling all mentors! We all need others to encourage, challenge, and teach us, but this kind of mentorship is critical in the early stages of a new Christian life. In Brand New: A 40-Day Guide to Life in Christ, Shilo Taylor gives new believers a brief and practical guide through their first steps in their walk with Jesus. The Brand New Mentor's Guide provides a resource for mentors who are walking with these new Christians. With tips for leaders and guided reflections, this mentor's guide is an essential component to a successful mentorship. It will help you facilitate discussion, expand on the daily readings, and wrestle with the questions throughout the 40-day devotional. Taylor brings her years of experience in youth ministry to equip mentors with this essential resource for ministry and outreach.
Introduction to the New Testament is designed for students and general readers, and directs its readers toward a greater appreciation for New Testament writings. This book includes an extended analysis of literature on the New Testament, including Berkhof's own appraisal of the most influential 19th century New Testament scholars. Although Berkhof's subject is the Bible, his pursuit is unapologetically theological: he aims to explain why the church reads and honors the New Testament as the Word of God, and to vindicate the claims of the canonical books against the criticism of modernist skeptics. 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.
Andrew Murray's Christian Parenting, originally published as The Children for Christ, contains 52 readings-one for each week of the year-on the subject of parental duty. Each lesson includes passage from the Bible and Murray's thoughts on how the passage illuminates the important role of parenting. The lessons all conclude with a short prayer. Christian Parenting is a timeless resource for parents who want to learn more about strengthening their Christian household. 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.
Prenumerera på vårt nyhetsbrev för att få fantastiska erbjudanden och inspiration för din nästa läsning.
Genom att registrera dig accepterar du vår personuppgiftspolicy.
