Recognizing what we are reading--the genre--is crucial for understanding any written work, including the books of the New Testament. However, we may not always realize we use genre categories as we interpret, whether explicitly or implicitly. Embedded genres, or genres within genres, can substantively impact the interpretation of an entire New Testament book… Read more…
Be Transformed by the Power of the Suffering Servant When Jesus came to this world, His servant-like life confounded even those close to Him. Still today, there's much to learn and appreciate about this aspect of Christ. Knowing Jesus as Servant, the second of four Bible studies on the Gospels, focuses on the book of Mark. Designed for both individual an… Read more…
Evangelism has a bad reputation. It's been loaded with sales tactics, market analysis, and high-pressure psychology, an approach that often flattens other cultures and dishonors those we want to reach. Evangelizers are encouraged to believe that everything depends on their understanding of the gospel and their powers of persuasion. No wonder so few peopl… Read more…
The New Testament writings reflect a sense of wrestling to understand what the world-shattering events of Jesus's life, death, resurrection, and ascension mean in the rough-and-tumble of daily life in a conflicted world. In this book, a senior New Testament scholar investigates seven critical areas of tension--historical, moral, political, material, soci… Read more…
When it comes to our personal well-being, success is often more dangerous than failure. As we try to fulfill others' expectations, we deplete our time, energy, and enthusiasm and end up feeling wrung out or burned out, sometimes even flaming out in spectacular ways. It may feel like the solution is just to quit--our jobs, our passions, our ministries--bu… Read more…
Exploring Unity as a Fruit of the GospelÂ
Christians most effectively serve others and advance God's kingdom when they are in biblical unity with one another. Unfortunately, modern Christians seem to be divided on countless issues related to ministry, … Read more…
Gaining Fresh Insights for MissionsIn today’s world, the church on mission faces the immense challenge of engaging an array of cultures and ideologies. To address these issues, theologians and missiologists usually focus on Jesus and Paul. However, the Apostle Peter’s words, steeped in wisdom, are another vital link between foundational Christian… Read more…
Help your church thrive in a post-everything world. The world is a very different place from what it was just a few years ago. Today’s post-everything world is arguably more divisive, political, indifferent, and impatient than ever. While many believe that the best course of action is to find a way back to how things used to be, is that actually the be… Read more…
God is doing a new thing--be ready for it!Join prophetic leader and pastor Joshua Giles for a 40-day journey unlike any other--one that will reposition you under God's powerful anointing, deepen your relationship with Him, and propel you forward. Through empowering Scriptures, biblical insights, and prophetic tips, you'll revitalize your spiritual li… Read more…
When was the last time you had a real & meaningful conversation? What has happened to our society?Differences of opinion have always been part of life. For decades, spouses, family members, co-workers, and neighbors have had spirited conversations about politics, social issues, religion, current events, and even sports. But what was different in the past is … Read more…
The field of life span development in psychology has much to offer those engaged in making disciples, and Chris Kiesling brings those insights to bear in this volume. He appropriates the most useful observations from this discipline in light of biblical teaching.Drawing on more than twenty-five years of experience teaching faith development topics in academi… Read more…
The people of God hurt you--but the heart of God is to heal you.Written for anyone wounded in a place of worship, and unsure how to move forward in their faith, this powerful book is an insightful and honest guide into eight unique types of church hurt--and how to heal from them. Having helped thousands move from anger, distrust, apathy, and heartache t… Read more…