A riveting approach to Jesus’ resurrection from a homicide detective and former atheist. Investigating the evidence and eyewitness accounts of the miracle of Easter, Wallace applies his skills to this “case” and determines that Jesus is alive! Excerpted from Cold-Case Christianity, this booklet is great for seekers, small groups, church outreach, and more. 36 pages each, 10 softcovers from Cook.
This book introduces the Epistles and discusses the different interpretive approaches which have been used to gain a clearer understanding of them. An introductory chapter defines the Epistles and describes the history of their canonization, following chapters are devoted to each of the texts with each chapter including: 1) historical-cultural background; 2) the social-scientific context; 3) social-rhetorical purposes; 4) narrative discourse; 5) postcolonial and 6) feminist insights; and finally 7) theological perspectives. At the end of each chapter there are suggestions for further reading and a list of reflection questions. A final chapter takes up the relationship between the Pauline Epistles and the Catholic Epistles within the New Testament.
Anointed Teaching: Partnership with the Holy Spirit, is a welcome new text about what it means to teach and preach the Bible with the Holy Spirit in ways that God can use to form His people in their inner spiritual lives and their outer expressions of faithful living. Pazmiño and Esqueda have offered us thoughtful reflection on what teaching with the Spirit should be like in light of themes they see flowing from our baptism as followers of Christ (“liberation”), our participation in receiving the Lord’s Supper (“celebration”), and the giving of the Spirit at Pentecost (“sustenance”).
Want to know how to approach today’s generation with the claims of Christ and the truth of God’s Word? Sean McDowell has assembled a group of modern Christian thinkers to help you to communicate the gospel in a winsome way that will win those around you.
Can a thoughtful person today seriously believe that God wrote a book? There are an unprecedented number of sophisticated attacks on the origin, credibility, and reliability of the Bible. It can be difficult to know what to say when skepticism and secularism take over so many conversations.
Why do Christians seem to struggle over the same issues as the unsaved? We must not only address our enemies, but overcome them once and for all. This book is essential for gaining the victory in this critical hour we live in!
The book illustrates the fact that in reforming theology sixteenth century theologians also reformed practice or the imperatives of Christian living. Experts in reformation studies identify and elucidate areas of sixteenth century reforming activity in Martin Luther, John Calvin and other leading reformers to demonstrate the thoroughgoing nature of the reformation agenda. The interpretation of Scripture, the centrality of Jesus Christ, the Jewish question, freedom and pastoral insight form the contents of an important section on Luther. The use of feminine imagery for God, the Augsburg Confession, deification, education, and the gospel are treated in relation to Calvin. The final section deals with Oecolampadius, the Son of Man texts in Matthew, justification, texts on difficult deaths and a Trinitarian exegesis of Scripture. By careful reading of both the historical situation and the primary texts this volume adds significantly to our understanding of the period.
This vital revised and expanded update to How to Thrive in Associate Staff Ministry (Alban, 2000) provides guidance to the growing population of staff members employed by churches. Churches are expanding their staffs, but the turnover rate remains high, often due to stress, isolation, and conflict on the job. Lawson and Boersma address what it takes to thrive personally, professionally, and relationally within associate staff ministry. In addition to addressing those in associate staff roles, the book also includes chapters to help supervising pastors and church boards support their associate staff members. Each chapter includes questions for personal reflection or discussion with others to help readers engage with the material and determine what steps they might take to improve their own experience in associate staff ministry.
Craig magnificently defends the classical Reformed understanding of penal substitution. Exploring the biblical motifs, the varied theories of atonement advanced in church history, and how the philosophy of law aids in our comprehension, his multipronged approach will fascinate and educate.
Like Truth and the New Kind of Christian (2005), this book gives careful attention to their thought. It also offers its own portrait of major shaping influences on Western, Americanized Christianity. But, there remains a root issue that keeps the Western church, whether progressive emergents or evangelicals, in its “Babylonian captivity.” It is liberation from that root that will lead to an authentically emergent Christianity.
In this warm, accessible volume, Imes takes readers back to Sinai, the ancient mountain where Israel met their God, and explains the meaning of events there. She argues that we’ve misunderstood the command about “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” Instead, Imes says that this command is about “bearing God’s name,” a theme that continues throughout the rest of Scripture. Readers will revisit the story of Israel as they trudge through the wilderness from a grueling past to a promising future.
In this warm, accessible volume, Imes takes readers back to Sinai, the ancient mountain where Israel met their God, and explains the meaning of events there. She argues that we’ve misunderstood the command about “taking the Lord’s name in vain.” Instead, Imes says that this command is about “bearing God’s name,” a theme that continues throughout the rest of Scripture. Readers will revisit the story of Israel as they trudge through the wilderness from a grueling past to a promising future.
The Name Command (NC) is usually interpreted as a prohibition against speaking Yhwh’s name in a particular context: false oaths, wrongful pronunciation, irreverent worship, magical practices, cursing, false teaching, and the like. However, the NC lacks the contextual specification needed to support the command as speech related. The first expresses the demand for exclusive worship and the second calls for proper representation. As a consequence, the NC invites a richer exploration of what it means to be a people in covenant with Yhwh—a people bearing his name among the nations. It also points to what is at stake when Israel carries that name “in vain.” The image of bearing Yhwh’s name offers a rich source for theological and ethical reflection that cannot be conveyed nonmetaphorically without distortion or loss of meaning.
Being a teenage girl is tough–beyond the stereotypical issues of hair, clothes, and boys. Under the surface of a girl’s life, you’ll find her dealing with a wild mixture of low self-esteem, jealousy, temptation, frustration, depression, fear, and longing. She daily fights the battle of image, searches for authentic relationships, and longs for unconditional acceptance and love. In this collection of one hundred eighty poignant and moving devotionals, leading Christian women–some teenagers themselves–address key issues and offer relevant guidance to nurturing a relationship with God. . .and consequently a rich inner life. Includes selections from singers Rebecca St. James and Stacie Orrico, 9/11 widow Lisa Beamer, author Shirley Dobson, best-selling teen fiction author Robin Jones Gunn, Mother Teresa, and many others.
What does it mean to be human? This timeless question proves critical as we seek to understand our purpose, identity, and significance. Amidst the many voices clamoring to shape our understanding of humanity, the Bible reveals important truths related to our human identity and vocation that are critical to the flourishing of all of creation. Carmen Joy Imes seeks to recover the theologically rich message of the creation narratives starting in the book of Genesis as they illuminate what it means to be human.
What does it mean to be human? This timeless question proves critical as we seek to understand our purpose, identity, and significance. Amidst the many voices clamoring to shape our understanding of humanity, the Bible reveals important truths related to our human identity and vocation that are critical to the flourishing of all of creation. Carmen Joy Imes seeks to recover the theologically rich message of the creation narratives starting in the book of Genesis as they illuminate what it means to be human.
The face of America is growing rapidly more diverse, and many churches are wondering what it means to carry out the Great Commission in a community where different ethnicities are represented. Being the Church in a Multi-Ethnic Community is an introductory guide, a basic primer for pastors and congregation leaders who are wrestling with how to reach the ethnic groups next door and welcome them into the multi-ethnic body of Christ. Gary L. McIntosh and Alan McMahan offer a research-based overview of the issues, challenges, and essential principles for developing multi-ethnic churches in the United States.
Does the fact that you were “formed from dust” make you insignificant? Not according to God’s Word, which calls you “beloved”! Drawing deeply from Scripture and their own experiences, Goggin and Stroble lead you on a journey toward communion with Jesus. Learn why empty self-help strategies and resolutions will always fail you—but Christ will not.
Death – and what lies beyond – is not something you consider every day. But the thought of it raises some intriguing questions: Are there good reasons for believing in life after death? What is the afterlife like? How valid are the reports of near death experiences? Do heaven and hell exist? And if so, how can hell be reconciled with a loving God? By sharing the very latest scientific, philosophical, anthropological, ethical, and theological evidence on life after death, noted Christian scholars Habermas and Moreland present a strong case for immortality with this book. They begin by taking up the question of whether life after death is real and what evidence supports its reality. They then explore what the afterlife is like and go on to show how having this reality in your future should affect the way you live here and now. This book will reassure you that there’s no need to fear death – as long as you’re prepared eternity that follows. It’s also a great aid in developing a serious biblical, rational, and even scientific defense for the belief in life beyond the grave.
From embezzlement and fraud to sexual harassment and discrimination, ethical dilemmas abound in the corporate world. How should a believer deal with difficult issues? Updated to reflect the most recent information and research, this classic text offers competing perspectives on each issue, real-life case studies, and biblically-based guidance to help you make Christ-centered choices.
