This highly anticipated commentary on the Greek text of Romans by veteran New Testament scholar Richard Longenecker provides solid scholarship and innovative solutions to long-standing interpretive problems. Critical, exegetical, and constructive, yet pastoral in its application, Longenecker's monumental work on Romans sets a course for the future that will promote a better understanding of this most famous of Paul's letters and a more relevant contextualization of its message.

The book of Ruth is a tale of charm and delight. Goethe called it "the loveliest complete work on a small scale, handed down to us as an ethical treatise and an idyll." Another writes, "No poet in the world has written a more beautiful short story."

The book tells about very ordinary people facing very ordinary events. We meet Naomi, who underwent hardship in famine and bereavement but eventually won peace and security. We meet Ruth, a young foreign woman from Moab who attached herself to her mother-in-law, Naomi, and to Naomi's God. And we meet Boaz, who by marrying Ruth fitted into God's purpose's for history. Both King David and Jesus are numbered among their descendants.

Theologically the story of Ruth is a story about God's providence. This David Atkinson demonstrates clearly in his passage-by-passage exposition.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

Reading the books of 1 and 2 Samuel, we witness the transition of Israel from tribal confederacy to established monarchy. And, as Mary Evans shows in this passage-by-passage commentary, during such a transition questions of identity and power are unavoidable.

In the aftermath of the decline of the judges, priests abuse their priestly privileges; a people covets the centralized authority of its impious neighbors; and a throne is won, forsaken, redeemed, lost and found again.

But in the key characters in this dawning era of Israelite history we see, hidden behind the faults and failings of Israel's best and brightest, the faithfulness of a God who looks on the heart and directs the path of every king and every kingdom.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

"The followers of Jesus are to different," writes John Stott, "different from both the nominal church and the secular world, different from both the religious and the irreligious. The Sermon on the Mount is the most complete delineation anywhere in the New Testament of the Christian counter-culture. Here is a Christian value-system, ethical standard, religious devotion, attitude to money, ambition, lifestyle and network of relationships--all of which are totally at variance with those in the non-Christian world. And this Christian counter-culture is the life of the kingdom of God, a fully human life indeed but lived out under the divine rule."

In The Message of the Sermon on the Mount, John R. W. Stott accurately expounds the biblical text and relates it to life today. Above all, the author says, he wants to let Christ speak this sermon again, this time to the modern world.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

Sessions with Colossians and Philemon is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling preview to these two of Paul’s letters. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Eric Porterfield takes readers on a journey through Paul's letters to the Colossians and to Philemon. These letters celebrate the good news that God is on the move in the world through Jesus Christ, shaping the world into what it was created to be. This movement will one day be complete when Christ returns to fully establish the kingdom of God. Until that day we work for the kingdom, give witness to it, and invite others to enter it through faith in Christ. Paul's letters equipped their original audiences and they equip us to be “on the move with God” as faithful kingdom workers.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Eric Porterfield is married to the Rev. Alicia Davis Porterfield and they have three children, Davis, Luke, and Thomas. He is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and serves as the pastor of the Winter Park Baptist Church in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Sessions with Corinthians is a ten-session study designed to provide a compelling preview of the books of 1 & 2 Corinthians. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking resource page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Michael McCullar takes readers on a journey through Paul's two letters to the church in Corinth. The letters reveal foundational teachings of the Christian church on services, unity, worship, conduct, marriage, spiritual gifts, and the exercise of love as a basis for living. All are well-designed as lessons for imperfect people living in an imperfect world.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Michael D. McCullar is the executive pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and Oxford Graduate School. He is the author of the James Annual Bible Study, A Christian’s Guide to Islam, Sessions with James, Sessions with Corinthians, Sessions with Timothy & Titus, and co-author of Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth and Sessions with Mark.

Sessions with Ephesians is a nine-session study unit designed to explore Paul’s response to a young congregation in need of a definable doctrine and a theological document to meet the needs of an expanding church that was literally being invaded by divisive and contrary philosophies. Each session is followed by thought-provoking questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages.

Ephesians has been called “the most contemporary book in the Bible.” Strip it of just a few first-century references and it would be easily applicable to the modern church. It was, however, directed to the church of Paul’s day that struggled with issues of inclusion and moving beyond the constraints of ancient Judaism. In this letter we see where God wants to take the church, and, if we truly internalize its words, we see our own unique role in God’s plans.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

William L. Self is Pastor Emeritus at Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. Dr. Self is a graduate of Stetson University (BA), Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (BD), and Candler School of Theology (ThD). The McAfee School of Theology at Mercer University has established the William L. Self Preaching Lectureship in his honor.

Michael D. McCullar is the executive pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and Oxford Graduate School. He is the author of the James Annual Bible Study, A Christian’s Guide to Islam, Sessions with James, Sessions with Corinthians, Sessions with Timothy & Titus, and co-author of Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth and Sessions with Mark.

Sessions with Esther is a ten-session study unit designed to guide group or individual study. Esther is an Old Testament short story that covers a challenging episode during Israel’s occupation and exile by the ancient Persian empire. Each study is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allows for a deeper experience of the Scripture.

Charles Qualls takes readers on a patient journey through Esther. Central characters Esther and her cousin Mordecai are relatively powerless, yet in the face of a corrupt deputy and an uninterested king, they rise to the moment to stop the genocide of an entire ethnic group. We discover inspiring bravery, thoughtful and disciplined strategy, and more than one cautionary figure here. We have much to learn about living in our present day from this fascinating story set long ago.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Charles Qualls is senior pastor of the Franklin Baptist Church in Franklin, Virginia. A native of Atlanta, he is a doctoral graduate of the McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University. Prior to his work in Virginia, he served churches in Georgia and North Carolina. Charles has authored or co-authored eight other titles for Smyth & Helwys. He and his wife, Elizabeth, enjoy travel, sports, and the written word.

Sessions with Exodus is a thirteen-session study unit designed to explore the book of Exodus. William Shiell invites believers on a journey with the Israelites from bondage into the wilderness to worship with God’s presence. This study uses the questions that God’s children ask throughout Exodus to spark discussion with households and study groups about the life of faith in the wilderness.

As churches and faithful followers of God engage a changing world, Sessions with Exodus provides timely application to reimagine ministry as God’s pilgrim community. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

William D. Shiell is the president of Northern Seminary, where he also serves as professor of pastoral theology and preaching. A native of Pensacola, Florida, Dr. Shiell holds degrees from Samford University (BA) and Baylor University (MDiv, PhD). Dr. Shiell and his wife, Kelly, met while in college at Samford. They have two sons, Parker and Drake. Prior to coming to Northern, Dr. Shiell served as a pastor of Baptist churches in Texas, Tennessee, and Florida. Dr. Shiell has published five books, including Sessions with Matthew as well as Acts in the Preaching the Word series.

Sessions with Ezra & Nehemiah is a ten-session study unit designed to explore the story and theological themes associated with the Israelites’ return from exile. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Ezra and Nehemiah address questions that continue to be relevant for believers today: How does a religious group embody their faith as a minority movement in a larger, pluralistic culture? How do church leaders guide people of faith to develop courage and holiness? Ezra and Nehemiah also provide encouragement to churches who struggle with the nostalgia of their past even as they move forward into their future, as well as those moving from disordered chaos to spiritual community.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Randy Shepley serves as senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Newport News, Virginia. He has also pastored churches in Georgia and North Carolina. A native of Atlanta, Randy graduated from Mercer University (BA), Candler School of Theology at Emory University (MDiv), and the McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University (DMin). Randy is married to Alice, who is a native of Macon, Georgia. Randy and Alice have three children, James, Samuel, and Elizabeth.

Sessions with Galatians is a ten-lesson study unit designed to provide a compelling study of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking resource page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Eric Porterfield takes readers on a journey through Paul’s letter to the churches of Galatia. The letter celebrates Christ’s faithful love for humanity, which evokes the human response of faith and love. Jesus overcomes the barriers that keep human beings separated and creates the freedom of life in Christian community. Jesus frees us from lives of self-focus and frees us for lives of faithful witness, revealing that true freedom comes when we love God and love our neighbors.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Eric S. Porterfield is married to the Rev. Alicia Davis Porterfield and they have three children, Davis, Luke, and Thomas. He is a graduate of Duke Divinity School and serves as the pastor of the Winter Park Baptist Church in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Sessions with Genesis is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the book of Genesis. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resources pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Immersing us in the book of Genesis, Tony Cartledge examines both its major stories and the smaller cycles of hope and failure, of promise and judgment. Genesis introduces these themes of divine faithfulness and human failure in unmistakable terms, tracing Israel's beginning to the creation of the world and professing a belief that Israel's particular history had universal significance.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

This volume is available for purchase individually, or as part of the Sessions Series (23 Vols.).

Tony Cartledge is Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School. He is also the author of 1 & 2 Samuel in the Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series, Telling Stories: Tall Tales and Deep Truths, and Sessions with Samuel: Stories from the Edge. He is co-author with Jan Rush of A Whole New World: Life After Bethany and Job: Into the Fire, Out of the Ashes (Smyth & Helwys Annual Bible Study).

Sessions with Isaiah is a nine-session study unit designed to explore how an individual, a people, or a nation responds spiritually to great stress. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

The book of Isaiah begins in the years of national stress when, under various kings, Israel was surrounded by more powerful neighbors and foolishly sought foreign alliances rather than dependence on Yahweh. It continues with the natural result of that unfaithfulness: conquest by the great power in the region, Babylon, and the captivity of many of Israel’s best and brightest in that foreign land. The book concludes anticipating their return to the land of promise and strong admonitions about the people’s conduct—but we also hear God’s reassuring messages of comfort and restoration, offered to all who repent.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

James M. King is the senior pastor at Parkway Baptist Church in Duluth, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of South Carolina and holds two master’s degrees and a Ph.D. from the former Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. King is a teaching supervisor for the Contextual Education Program at Candler School of Theology, Emory University. He and his wife, Linda, have been married for forty-three years and have three adult children and three grandchildren. During his spare time, he enjoys fishing, reading, and traveling.

Sessions with James is an eleven-session study unit designed to give the learner a full understanding of the book of James. Each session is followed with a resource page of 8-10 questions. These resource pages allow for a deeper experience in the book of James and can be used by a seminar leader during preparation and planning as well as for individual Bible study.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Michael D. McCullar is the executive pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and Oxford Graduate School. He is the author of the James Annual Bible Study, A Christian’s Guide to Islam, Sessions with James, Sessions with Corinthians, Sessions with Timothy & Titus, and co-author of Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth and Sessions with Mark.

Sessions with John is a twelve-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the Gospel of John. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Immersing us in the Gospel of John, this study explores themes that point to transformation, that is, to becoming a new person by trusting in and following Jesus. These studies offer Jesus’ “words of life” to a new generation of believers. Those who prayerfully ponder and strive to live these words will discover that they still have the power to breathe God’s peace and presence into every believing heart.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Robert B. Setzer, Jr., has served as pastor of the First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon, Georgia, since 1996. Bob has also served as national moderator of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and teaches as adjunct faculty in the Christianity department at Mercer University. Bob is the author of Encounters with the Living Christ:Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John, Christianity for Beginners, and numerous articles and essays. His wife, Bambi, is an artist and photographer, and their only child, Whitney, is married and lives near Washington, D.C.

Sessions with John and Jude is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at these letters from the New Testament. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Charles Qualls takes readers on a journey through the letters of John and Jude. Shedding light on these important but often overlooked New Testament books, this study will inspire, protect, inform, and challenge our faith lives such that we are not left the same. The lessons of these letters drive us to active belief as Christ modeled.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Charles L. Qualls is associate pastor for pastoral care at the historic Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University, Atlanta (Dmin.). Prior to his work in pastoral care, he served churches in Georgia and North Carolina as an adult Christian educator. Charles has co-authored three other titles for Smyth & Helwys. He and his wife, Elizabeth, enjoy travel, sports, and the written word.

Sessions with Judges is a ten-session study unit designed to guide group or individual study. Judges is an adventurous read that covers a sometimes inspiring, sometimes disturbing chapter in Israel’s history. Each study is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allows for a deeper experience of the Scripture.

Charles Qualls guides readers on an adventure through Judges, high-lighting characters such as Gideon, Samson, and Deborah. Readers will also follow many other brave leaders who were entrusted with a distracted people in fragile times. On balance, these stories inspire us to seek a more consistent, connected journey of faithfulness to God.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Charles Qualls is senior pastor of the Franklin Baptist Church in Franklin, Virginia. A native of Atlanta, he is a doctoral graduate of the McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University. Prior to his work in Virginia, he served churches in Georgia and North Carolina. Charles has authored or co-authored seven other titles for Smyth & Helwys. He and his wife, Elizabeth, enjoy travel, sports, and the written word.

Sessions with Luke is a ten-lesson study designed to help participants explore and embody Christian character through reflection on biblical truths illustrated in the book of Luke. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking resource page of questions that allows for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Timothy Brock takes readers on a journey through Luke's brilliant collection of memorable stories, challenging teachings, and well-known parables describing the life and work of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, the stories found in Luke's gospel demonstrate that accepting the invitation to follow Jesus requires a radically transformed relationship with God and with other people. Followers of Jesus are encouraged to emulate and to embody the character of Christ as they create a lifestyle of obedience to God and service to others.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Timothy W. Brock serves as Assistant Professor of Christian Education at Campbell University Divinity School in Buies Creek, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama (B.S.) and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky (M.Div./R.E. and Ed.D.). Prior to his appointment to the divinity school faculty in 2002, Dr. Brock served congregations for eighteen years in Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia.

Sessions with Mark is a ten-lesson study designed to provide a compelling look at the Gospel of Mark. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Immersing us in the Gospel of Mark, Michael D. McCullar and Rickey Letson reveal Jesus as a person of intense passion, energy, and drive. Mark portrayed Jesus as powerful yet benevolent—healing the sick, calming storms, exorcising demons, raising the dead, and restoring sight to the blind. Mark’s Jesus was God on a mission.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Michael D. McCullar is the executive pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and Oxford Graduate School. He is the author of the James Annual Bible Study, A Christian’s Guide to Islam, Sessions with James, Sessions with Corinthians, Sessions with Timothy & Titus, and co-author of Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth and Sessions with Mark.

Rickey Letson is minister to adults at Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. A native of Alabama, he is a graduate of Samford University and the Duke Divinity School. He is also the author of Sessions with Thessalonians. He and his wife Ann Marie have two children, Callie and Caleb. They reside in Suwanee, Georgia.

Sessions with Matthew is an eleven-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the Gospel of Matthew. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

William Shiell takes readers on a journey through the Gospel of Matthew. Immersing us in the first-century world, this study will help us read the ancient biography of Jesus in light of the first listeners’ expectations and hopes and will draw analogies to the modern world. Sessions with Matthew also focuses on passages that make Matthew unique among the Gospels.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Dr. William D. Shiell is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tennessee. Bill is a graduate of Samford University (B.A.), Baylor University’s Truett Seminary (M. Div.), and Baylor University (Ph.D.) He is the author of Reading Acts: the Lector and the Early Christian Audience. He and his wife, Kelly, have two sons, Parker and Drake.

Sessions with Peter is a ten-lesson study unit designed to provide a compelling study of 1 and 2 Peter. Each session is followed by exercises for spiritual reflection that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These exercises can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Sarah Jackson Shelton takes readers on a journey through Peter’s letters to the churches in exile. Through these sessions, Shelton connects today’s readers of these passages to the tangible encouragement that these letters offer. Just like the example of Jesus, Peter reminds us that our call is to be found faithful to God’s grace in spite of persecution, temptation, alienation, or social oppression. As it was to its original audience, Peter’s encouragement for us to stay true to our Christian beliefs is a welcome drink of cold water in what can often seem a spiritual desert.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Sarah Jackson Shelton is the senior pastor of Baptist Church of the Covenant in Birmingham, Alabama. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Sarah, and her husband Lloyd, find great joy in their two sons, David and Dannelly. The Sessions Series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

This eight-session study of Paul’s letter to the Philippians explores the centrality of Paul’s faith in Jesus Christ, his love for the Philippian church, and his joy in serving both Christ and their church. Paul’s letter reminds us of his special relationship with Jesus and calls us into a renewed relationship with Christ, too. Each session concludes with thought-provoking suggestions, making it an ideal resource for Bible study groups as well as individual readers.

The Sessions Series is preferred by a number of churches seeking to help people build their Bible study skills. Many groups enjoy studying the Bible book-by-book. This popular approach helps a group discuss a book’s basic themes, learn how to interpret that book, and then wrestle with it’s meaning for their lives.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Bo Prosser is the Coordinator for Missional Congregations with the national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in Atlanta, Georgia. He previously served churches as adult educator and associate pastor. He is a much sought-after speaker and “enter-trainer.” He is the co-author of Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth and several other titles.

Sessions with Psalms is a ten-session study unit designed to explore what it looks like for the words of the psalms to become the words of our prayers. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

The book of Psalms is indeed the church’s prayer book. If we tell the truth about ourselves, then these are our prayers. If we are looking for ten easy steps to prayer, then the psalms are not the right option. But if we want to deepen our relationships with God and each other, our understanding of ourselves and of Scripture, and open ourselves to transformation, then the psalms are exactly the right word.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Eric Porterfield serves as senior pastor at Winter Park Baptist Church in Wilmington, North Carolina. Alicia Davis Porterfield is a Board Certified Chaplain, Life Coach, writer, and itinerant preacher. Both graduates of Duke Divinity School, Eric and Alicia enjoy learning, laughing, reading, and serving with their three sons, ages 9, 11, and 13.

Sessions with Revelation is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at this frequently mystifying letter of the New Testament. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

David Sapp’s careful guide through Revelation demonstrates that it is a letter of hope for believers; it is less about the last days of history than it is about the last days of evil. Without eliminating its mystery, Sapp unlocks Revelation’s central truths so that its relevance becomes clear.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

David Sapp is a pastor. He retired in 2012 from the Second-Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, and now maintains an active ministry of speaking and writing. He and his wife, Linda, have adult twin sons, Benjamin and Matthew. David earned a PhD in Christian Ethics. He has authored pieces included in several books and is a longtime writer of curriculum materials and periodical pieces.

Sessions with Samuel is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling look at the books of 1 & 2 Samuel. Each session is followed with a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by class leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Tony Cartledge takes readers on a journey through these important segments of Israel’s history. In these stories, Israel faces one crisis after another, a people constantly on the edge. Individuals like Saul and David find themselves on the edge as well, facing troubles of leadership and personal struggle. Yet, each crisis becomes a gateway for learning that God is always present, that hope remains.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Tony Cartledge is Professor of Old Testament at Campbell University Divinity School. He is also the author of 1 & 2 Samuel (Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary series), Telling Stories: Tall Tales and Deep Truths, and Sessions with Genesis: The Story Begins. He is co-author with Jan Rush of A Whole New World: Life After Bethany and Job: Into the Fire, Out of the Ashes (Smyth & Helwys Annual Bible Study).

Sessions with Thessalonians is a ten-session study unit designed to provide a compelling preview to Paul’s letters to the Thessalonians. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Rickey Letson takes readers on a journey through Paul’s two letters to the Thessalonian Christians. Through our reflection on Paul’s words, we can see that his counsel to the Thessalonians in the midst of their confusion remains invaluable words for believers today who live in a world that is just as chaotic. Paul’s tools for navigation for the first-century Christians prove to lead us safe and true as well.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Rickey Letson is Minister to Adults at Johns Creek Baptist Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a graduate of Samford University and the Duke Divinity School. Prior to coming to Johns Creek, he served congregations in North Carolina and Kentucky. He and his wife, Ann Marie, have two children, Callie and Caleb.

Sessions with Timothy & Titus is an eight-session study unit designed to provide a compelling preview to the books of 1& 2 Timothy and Titus. Each session is followed by a thought-provoking page of questions that allow for a deeper experience of the scriptural passages. These resource pages can be used by seminar leaders during preparation and group discussion, as well as in individual Bible study.

Michael McCullar takes readers on a journey through Paul’s two letters to Timothy and his letter to Titus. Commonly referred to as the Pastoral Epistles, these personal letters served as guidance to a pair of young, inexperienced church leaders who required structured guidance and encouragement. Students of these letters today, however, will find that Paul’s advice to Timothy and Titus contain timeless teachings for leaders of any age.

The Sessions Series is a set of Bible studies designed to encourage a deeper encounter with Scripture. Each volume includes eight to ten lessons as well as resources to facilitate preparation, class discussion, or individual Bible Study. The Sessions series editor is Michael D. McCullar.

Michael D. McCullar is the executive pastor of Johns Creek Baptist Church, Alpharetta, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham, New Orleans Baptist Seminary, and Oxford Graduate School. He is the author of the James Annual Bible Study, A Christian’s Guide to Islam, Sessions with James, Sessions with Corinthians, Sessions with Timothy & Titus, and co-author of Building Blocks for Sunday School Growth and Sessions with Mark.

At first reading the Song of Songs appears to be an unabashed celebration of the deeply rooted urges of physical attraction, mutual love and sexual consummation between a man and a woman.

Tom Gledhill maintains that the Song of Songs is in fact just that--a literary, poetic exploration of human love that strongly affirms loyalty, beauty and sexuality in all their variety. With tender metaphor and extravagant imagery, the Song writer spins a tale of human love into the cadence of verse, innocent of our quest for historical persons behind the text.

But in God's story, human beauty, intimacy and sexuality are not ends in themselves. They are transencedental longings, whispers of immortality. Like all of creation they point beyond themselves to their divine author, who in this Song is nowhere mentioned but everywhere assumed.

Gledhill's commentary is a refreshing reminder of the Song of Song's ancient and vibrant affirmation of human sexuality that forms an interlude in the Old Testament story and echoes between the lines of Christian revelation.

About the Bible Speaks Today (BST) Series:

Edited by J.A. Motyer and the late John R. W. Stott, the Bible Speaks Today commentaries are characterized by what Stott called a "threefold ideal . . . to expound the biblical text with accuracy, to relate it to contemporary life and to be readable." As such, each contributor in this series is both a noted scholar and a working pastor.

The BST series, now complete, covers all sixty-six books of the bible (Old and New Testaments) in fifty-five volumes. If you preach or teach from Scripture, the Bible Speaks Today series will help you apply the timeless biblical message to the everyday experiences of your listeners. And if you study the Bible on your own, these volumes will be a helpful resource focusing on the significance of God's Word for your own life and work.

Corinth, a diverse, cosmopolitan city sitting at a strategic center of commerce for both Greece and the wider Roman Empire, was known for its decadence and wealth. In his commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians, Chuck Swindoll explores how Paul took the Corinthian church to task for taking on the character of the city instead of the character of Christ. As Chuck shows, the message of Paul to the Corinthians is greatly needed by the Church today.

The Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series draws on 13-time Christian Book Award winner Chuck Swindoll’s more than 50 years of studying and preaching God’s Word. Each volume includes both the NLT and NASB translations of the Bible, verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. A must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.

Charles R. Swindoll is the founder and senior pastor–teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. But Chuck's listening audience extends far beyond a local church body, as Insight for Living airs on major Christian radio markets around the world. Chuck's extensive writing ministry has also served the body of Christ worldwide, and his leadership as president and now chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation of men and women for ministry. Chuck and his wife, Cynthia, his partner in life and ministry, have four grown children, and seven great-grandchildren.

The Thessalonian church was young yet vibrant in faith. In this volume, Chuck Swindoll explores Paul’s encouragement, exhortation, and correction to the church he had started but had to leave soon after. Paul’s encouragement to remain faithful, full of hope and love in spite of trials—and his correction of distorted teachings about the end times—retains its crucial importance for today.

The Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary series draws on 13-time Christian Book Award winner Chuck Swindoll’s more than 50 years of studying and preaching God’s Word. Each volume includes both the NLT and NASB translations of the Bible, verse-by-verse commentary, charts, maps, photos, key terms, and background articles with practical application. A must-have for pastors, teachers, and anyone else who is seeking a deeply practical resource for exploring God’s Word.

Charles R. Swindoll is the founder and senior pastor–teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas. But Chuck's listening audience extends far beyond a local church body, as Insight for Living airs on major Christian radio markets around the world. Chuck's extensive writing ministry has also served the body of Christ worldwide, and his leadership as president and now chancellor of Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation of men and women for ministry. Chuck and his wife, Cynthia, his partner in life and ministry, have four grown children, and seven great-grandchildren.