Break away from the pack mired in self-worship and discover profound meaning in God-centered living! Williams asks us to let go of nihilistic thinkers as he highlights hopeful heroes like Augustine, Frederick Douglass, and Corrie ten Boom. He presents a compelling vision of countercultural Christianity by blending theology, philosophy, science, psychology, and pop culture.
Meet the man who sparked the entire modern church growth movement. In this first full biography of Donald A. McGavran, Gary L. McIntosh tells the complete story of one of the twentieth century’s greatest church leaders and influential thinkers. Now, for the first time, discover the roots of the modern Church Growth Movement during the 1950s to understand what is applicable to ministry today.
In this volume, Kenneth Way explores the role of donkeys in the symbolism and ceremonies of the biblical world. His study stands alone in providing a comprehensive examination of donkeys in ancient Near Eastern texts, the archaeological record, and the Hebrew Bible. Way demonstrates that donkeys held a distinct status in the beliefs and rituals of the ancient Near East and especially Canaan-Israel. The need for this study on donkeys is very apparent in the disciplines that study the biblical world. There is not a single monograph or article that treats this subject comprehensively. Philologists have discussed the meaning of the Amorite phrase “to kill a jackass,” and archaeologists have discussed the phenomenon of equid burials. But until now, neither philologists nor archaeologists have attempted to pull together all the ceremonial and symbolic data on donkeys from burials, ancient Near Eastern texts, and the Hebrew Bible. Way’s study fills this void.
Echoes of a Prophet examines intertextual connections to Ezekiel found in John and in Second Temple literature. The Dead Sea Scrolls contain many allusions to a number of Ezekiel’s oracles, while other Second Temple works refer to only a few of Ezekiel’s oracles, and those only rarely. In each case, Manning examines the evidence for the presence of the allusions, studies the implied interpretational methods, and comments on the function of the allusion in advancing the author’s ideas. He also analyzes John’s allusions to Ezekiel: the good shepherd, the vine, the opened heavens, imagery from the “dry bones” vision, and water symbolism.
The Steps from Text to Narrative Sermon Presenting biblically centered sermons in a new, creative genre Pastors and teachers are always on the lookout for new ways to expand the effectiveness of their preaching. Sermons delivered in the first-person point of view can weave the power of story and drama into the biblical teaching, making familiar—and not-so-familiar— characters and situations come to life. This book helps students and pastors understand how first-person sermons can be preached with biblical integrity. It extends Haddon Robinson’s “big idea” philosophy of preaching to this new genre. J. Kent Edwards takes a practical approach as he walks readers through the steps needed for creating sermons that are faithful to the text and engaging to the listener. Examples and worksheets enable readers to apply this unique approach to one of their own sermons.
What does a Christian life lived “by the Spirit” look like? Bringing together scholars and practitioners of spiritual formation from across the Protestant spectrum, this volume offers a distinctly evangelical consideration of the benefits of contemplation. The contributors draw on historical examples from the church-including John Calvin, Richard Baxter, Jonathan Edwards, and John Wesley-to consider how contemplative prayer can shape Christian living today. The result is a robust guide to embracing contemplation that will help Christians as they seek to keep in step with the Spirit.
Empowered Experience Living in the Power of the Spirit opens up the truth of God’s being three in one. Because he is a Trinity, his natural is relational; he defines the essence of how any relationship works. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can experience the truth of relationships in the way God defines them.
Today, we live in an argument culture that has let to nearly a third of people reporting they have stopped talking to a friend or family member due to a disagreement and nearly two-thirds of people saying they stay quiet about their beliefs due to the fear of offending others. From cyberbullying to hate speech, workplace harassment, demonizing political language, verbal abuse, and intolerance, the vast majority of us―eighty-seven percent―no longer feel safe in public places to share our opinions. Sean McDowell and Tim Muehlhoff seek to end this stalemate. They believe Christians are called to be God’s ambassadors, which necessarily entails the need to listen to those around us―especially people with diverse and different perspectives. In End the Stalemate, you will be able to revive the art of meaningful conversations.
Today, we live in an argument culture that has let to nearly a third of people reporting they have stopped talking to a friend or family member due to a disagreement and nearly two-thirds of people saying they stay quiet about their beliefs due to the fear of offending others. From cyberbullying to hate speech, workplace harassment, demonizing political language, verbal abuse, and intolerance, the vast majority of us―eighty-seven percent―no longer feel safe in public places to share our opinions. Sean McDowell and Tim Muehlhoff seek to end this stalemate. They believe Christians are called to be God’s ambassadors, which necessarily entails the need to listen to those around us―especially people with diverse and different perspectives. In End the Stalemate, you will be able to revive the art of meaningful conversations.
Engaging Jesus with Our Senses: An Embodied Approach to the Gospels offers a fresh way to read the Gospels with an emphasis on embodiment, focused on a life abiding in Christ. The goal is a greater, more tangible knowledge of God. Jeannine Hanger points to the importance of engaging our physical senses in Bible reading, shows an approach to doing so with an emphasis on sparking the imagination, and looks at how utilizing our primary senses plays out in reading the Gospels. Each chapter includes sensory practices and questions for personal reflection.
This introductory textbook invites students into the depths and riches of the Old Testament and shows the Old Testament’s relevance for Christian readers. Rising Latino evangelical Old Testament scholar Dominick Hernández demonstrates how to read Old Testament texts well and put the ancient written word into practice in our day and age. Hernández shows that four core commitments put readers on the right trajectory for reading and applying the Old Testament to their lives: (1) reading humbly, (2) reading successively, (3) reading entirely, and (4) reading deliberately.
In Ephesians, A Video Study, Clinton Arnold presents Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians with precision and accuracy. Focusing on the textual structure of the Scriptures, learners will better understand the literary elements, comprehend the author’s revolutionary goals, and ultimately discover the book’s vital claims upon today’s church.
Designed for pastors, students, and Bible teachers, the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament examines the biblical text in its original context. Written by scholars who carefully attend to and build their interpretation on grammatical detail, literary context, rhetorical flow, theological nuance, and historical setting in their interpretation, the ZECNT series is ideal for the task of exegesis and constructing expository sermons. Analysis of the text is also aided by graphic representations of discourse analysis and an exegetical outline.
The ESV Study Bible was designed to help you understand the Bible in a deeper way. Created by a diverse team of 95 leading Bible scholars and teachers―from 9 countries, nearly 20 denominations, and 50 seminaries, colleges, and universities―the ESV Study Bible features a wide array of study tools, including extensive study notes, 200 full-color maps, 40 full-color illustrations, charts, timelines, articles, and introductions, making it a valuable resource for serious readers, students, and teachers of God’s Word.
What exactly is the Church Growth movement? This timely volume in the Counterpoints series addresses the history of the movement that has become such an enormous shaping force on the Western church today, and it explores–in a roundtable forum of leading voices–five main perspectives on the classic Church Growth movement. Each view is first presented by its proponent, then critiqued by the co-contributors. The interactive and fair-minded format allows the reader to consider the strengths and weaknesses of each view and draw informed, personal conclusions. Evaluating the Church Growth Movement concludes with reflections by three seasoned pastors who have grappled with the practical implications of Church Growth.
Over 850 articles explore the history, philosophy, and theology of Christian education and provide insight into educational methodology, learning theory, and practice.
This book provides a lively introduction to the exciting discipline of evangelical theology. Aligning with the global Lausanne Movement, the authors identify Scripture and mission as methodological centres of evangelical theology. Evangelical Theology highlights the key evangelical themes of atonement, conversion, justification, and sanctification, as well as recent developments around trinitarian theology and pneumatology.
Whether debating Marxists, college professors, or Islamic apologists, Josh McDowell’s hallmark has always been to walk boldly into enemy territory and speak truth. This book is based on the expectation that, with a growing number of adults becoming increasingly skeptical toward Christianity, there is a need for a solid body of persuasive evidence to be presented to them. This is a sourcebook for doubting seekers as well as current believers who need persuasive information to share with friends. Evidence for Christianity is McDowell’s compelling answer to the hard questions so many Christians are afraid to discuss.
Quick answers to tough questions about Jesus’ life, ministry, and divinity. To help followers of Christ answer questions quickly and confidently, Josh and Sean McDowell adapted the wisdom from their apologetics classic Evidence That Demands a Verdict into an accessible resource that provides answers to common questions about Jesus.
In this newly revised and updated edition of the 6-session video Study Guide, Evidence That Demands a Verdict, Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell provide compelling evidence to help Christians know what they believe, why it is true, and how they communicate biblical truth to a skeptical world. This study guide is designed for use with the Evidence That Demands a Verdict Video Study (sold separately).
