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The Word & Life series guides Korean readers to study the Bible more deeply and promotes better meditation on how the Bible's teachings can apply to our everyday life. Personal meditation and quiet time will be enhanced, and it will help readers change their lives by listening more closely and understanding God's Word. With study guides included, this series is designed for both individuals and small group study.

The Word & Life series guides Korean readers to study the Bible more deeply and promotes better meditation on how the Bible's teachings can apply to our everyday life. Personal meditation and quiet time will be enhanced, and it will help readers change their lives by listening more closely and understanding God's Word. With study guides included, this series is designed for both individuals and small group study.

Contains new information about unpublished Dead Sea Scrolls recently brought to light with translations of key passages and recent discovery of the movement behind the Scrolls in their own words.

The Inventive Age (the cultural turning following the Agrarian,Industrial, and Information ages) provides opportunities for reshapingall institutions and communities. Doug Pagitt brings to life tenInventive Age characteristics as they are experienced through thecommunity of Solomon's Porch - a holistic missional Christian communityin Minneapolis. These ten characteristics of Inventive Age culture willserve as a guide for those creating new faith communities and makingchanges in existing ones.

We live in changing times of significant cultural change. In theInventive Age (the cultural turning following the Agrarian, Industrial,and Information ages) how people think has changed. This has created anew context for Evangelism. Previous methods not only do not work, theyare often counterproductive.Evangelism in the Inventive Age is not a "e;next-level"e; resource for thosewho are already comfortable and confident evangelists, but is a bookfor the rest of us.For most Christians the issue of converting other people or sharingtheir faith is a troubled endeavor. Very few are in a comfortable placeof natural invitation, faithful integration, and hopefulness in sharingfaith.This book will create a new perspective on evangelism for the ordinaryperson who has extraordinary questions. Evangelism in the Inventive Ageis for those who have deep questions about the validity of evangelismand for whom evangelism does not come naturally.

What kind of communities are we forming? What story are we telling? Howcan we tell it more effectively? Pagitt takes on these questions andinvestigates the goals and roles of preaching in the Inventive Age.From the book: ';I find myself wanting to live with the people of mycommunity, where I can preach but not allow that to become an act ofspeech making. Instead, I want it to be a living interaction of thestory of God and the story of our community being connected by our truthtelling, our vulnerability, and our open minds, ears, and eyes allbrought together by the active work of the Spirit of God.'

Many books seek to predict the future of Christianity, but few help usgrasp the opportunities of the current situation and equip us tonavigate the present. Doug Pagitt, author, radio host, and pioneeringleader, does just that, offering fresh, optimistic insights andpractical suggestions. According to Pagitt, the last two centuries canbe divided into four epochs: Idyllic, Industrial, Informational andnow-Inventive. The Inventive Age - our currently reality - presentsdistinct opportunities for how faith communities think, what they value,and the tools they use. Pagitt offers leaders in Christian communities(and beyond) essential frameworks for participation in the InventiveAge.

Study the entire Book of Revelation starting with John's theology that teaches that Jesus, the exalted Christ, is the center of faith. Some of the major ideas explored are: personal religious experience; the living voice of God in the church today; advocating for what is right; distinguishing between good and evil; God's grace seeks to redeem; and covenant with God.More than 3.5 million copies of the series have been sold.This revision of the Abingdon classic Genesis to Revelation Series is a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible based on the NIV. These studies help readers strengthen their understanding and appreciation of the Bible by enabling them to engage the Scripture on three levels:What does the Bible say? Questions to consider while reading the passage for each session.What does the passage mean? Unpacks key verses in the selected passage.How does the Scripture relate to my life? Provides three major ideas that have meaning for our lives today.The meaning of the selected passages are made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use.Updates will include:New cover designs.New interior designs.Leader Guide per matching Participant Book (rather than multiple volumes in one book).Updated to 2011 revision of the New International Version Translation (NIV).Updated references to New Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible.Include biblical chapters on the contents page beside session lesson titles for at-a-glance overview of biblical structure.The simple format makes the study easy to use. Each volume is 13 sessions and has a separate leader guide.

The story of Jesus doesn't begin in a manger in Bethlehem. Instead, it first begins hundreds of years before, when God's prophets begin to preach about the coming of the Messiah who would redeem all of humanity. In this study, we will unpack that message of hope and anticipation as it's found in the prophets of Isaiah and Micah and the redeeming story of RuthA Deep Dive into the Story of GodFathom is a Bible study for teens that covers the Old and New Testaments in 18 4-session studies. The lessons are a blend of narrative and traditional theological approaches to understanding the Bible story. Each lesson will focus on one passage that will launch into the larger context of God's story being studied, and how that story is meant to be theirs. Fathom is suitable for groups with middle schoolers, high schoolers, and any combination of the two. But unlike many other resources, it acknowledges the differences between older and younger youth and the way they learn. It provides activities specific to each age group, as well as activities for mixed groups in which older youth have leadership opportunities. Fathom gives leaders the option to let youth take ownership of their learning through teaching and leading alongside adults. Fathom creates space and tension for teens to wrestle with how to interpret and experience the Bible.Through youthministrypartners.com, leaders will have access to planning and teaching tools, customizable content, and other supplemental content to support their use of Fathom as well as their youth ministries in general.

Celebrate 31 days of a Christ-filled Christmas season.

Do you long for serenity and refuge, peace and hope? Are you seeking adeeper spiritual life through a closer relationship with God?If you're tired of dwelling in busyness and noise, then perhaps one worda day can change your life. Award-winning author Lucinda SecrestMcDowell knows that if you spend time each day turning to God's Word forwisdom and guidance, your faith can flourish and grow.Through short and inspiring readings, McDowell unpacks a single word -such as mercy, beauty, gratitude, or grace - to reveal a biblicalblessing or challenge relevant to where you are. Full of stories andillustrations to empower you to live the word you have just read, eachdevotional ends with a benediction, written as if God were speakingdirectly to you.These "e;dwelling places"e; that offer the joy of God's promise and presencecover four seasons: fall, Advent, Lent, and summer. Whether in themidst of busy holiday schedules, holy days, ordinary moments, orchanging seasons, a deeper faith can be as simple as a single word. PRAISE FOR DWELLING PLACES:';As there are seasons of the year so there are seasons in our walk withChrist. In Dwelling Places, Lucinda McDowell takes us on a gentlesojourn through words that inspire, encourage, educate and magnify theLord.' ~ Debbie Macomber, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author ';If you're looking for encouragement based on God's Word, read DwellingPlaces. Lucinda Secrest McDowell has taken 130 key words from the Bibleand created powerful devotions that will comfort, exhort, and bless youdaily in every season of the year. Her powerful stories and poignantending prayers will capture your heart and point you towards hope andtruth. Buy one copy for yourself and ten more to give away!' ~ CarolKent, speaker and author of Waiting Together and Unquenchable ';In Dwelling Places, Lucinda Secrest McDowell elevates devotions to anew level. As always, McDowell uses some of the best quotes you willread this year, but she adds to them her special brand of storytellingas well as teachings that will minister to your soul. A masterfuldevotional, managing to be both short and deep at the same time.' ~Tessa Afshar, Christy, award winning author of Land of Silence andFields of Grace ';I never miss a new book from Lucinda Secrest McDowell. Her writing isso real and warm and down-to-earth, and at the same timethought-provoking, profound, and theologically grounded. A rarecombination! Dwelling Places offers readers deep moments of reflection,inspiration, and encouragement that will stay with us throughout the dayand throughout the seasons of our lives.' ~ Christin Ditchfield,syndicated radio host, speaker, and author of What Women Should KnowAbout Facing Fear ';Dwelling Places is balm for the soul, resonate and full of life,bringing the Word to dwell with me as I pondered each of the daily wordslong after I'd finished reading them.' ~ Christa Parrish, ChristianityToday award and Christy award winning author of Still Life and Stonesfor Bread

Prayer nurtures our faith and encourages spiritual growth. This thematic Bible study calls individuals and small groups to a deeper life of prayer during the season of Lent. It guides readers to spiritual transformation and application of Bible study to everyday, practical life experience. By coming near the cross through prayer, we can know and imitate heart of Christ. This thematic Bible study is designed to be used by individuals and small groups during the Lent 2016 season. In addition to the main content, each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week. The focus emerges from the chapter content and encourages readers to engage in a spiritual practice or do something specific that will help them grow in faith. On the whole, this thematic seasonal Bible study series is designed for transformation and application of Bible study to everyday, practical life experience.

Following Jesus can be more about serving others rather than judging them.

There is much that the church today can learn from the worship of the early church, particularly in the second century. This was a time when increasing numbers of gentiles were coming to the church with little or no previous knowledge of the Judeo-Christian tradition. How did the church train and instruct those who wished to join it? How did its worship, particularly in baptism and in communion, respond to the challenge of shaping and nurturing believers who would have to live their faith in a hostile environment? Today the church begins to face similar conditions. Growing numbers around us have little or no idea what our faith is all about. As such people seek membership in the church, and as we all seek ways to be faithful in the present environment, we have much to learn from the church in those earlier times, and particularly from its worship. La iglesia de hoy tiene mucho que aprender del culto de la iglesia antigua, particularmente de la iglesia durante el siglo segundo. En aquel tiempo cada vez eran ms los gentiles se acercaban a la iglesia sin saber mucho de la tradicin judeo-cristiana. Cmo era que la iglesia instrua y adiestraba a quienes deseaban unirse a ella? En qu modos el culto de la iglesia responda al reto de formar y nutrir a aquellos creyentes que tendran que vivir en un ambiente hostil? Hoy la iglesia se enfrenta a retos semejantes. Cada vez son ms nuestros contemporneos que saben bien poco acerca de la fe cristiana. Cuando tales personas piden unirse a la iglesia, y cuando nosotros mismos buscamos cmo ser fieles en el ambiente de hoy, la iglesia de aquellos tiempos tiene mucho que ensearnos, particularmente en lo que se refiere al culto.

The mission of The United Methodist Church is to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world." In order to carry out this mission, The United Methodist Church has defined seven pathways of ministry: developing new churches, transforming existing congregations, ending racism through expanding racial and ethnic ministries, teaching the Wesleyan model of discipleship, strengthening clergy and lay leadership, reaching and transforming the lives of new generations, and eliminating poverty in community with the poor. The United Methodist Council on Korean Ministries/Korean Ministry Plan has a vision to strengthen small group ministries for the local church to fulfill the mission of The United Methodist Church. The Korean Ministry Plan partnered with the National Association of Korean United Methodists to develop training material for small group ministry leaders that incorporated both Wesleyan tradition and Korean spirituality. This material was developed with the purpose of leading churches to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and for individuals to realize their individual spiritual gifts so that they could serve the local church and community better. Thus, we United Methodists may be disciples of Jesus Christ who experience the power of the Holy Spirit to transform the world. We welcome you into this journey of discipleship in small group ministry. We are genuinely looking forward to meeting you. --Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, President of the Korean Ministry Plan

Proverbs 21:13 says, ';Those who close their ears to the cries of the poor will themselves call out but receive no answer.' What does this mean for the average middle class Westerner who's actually part of the wealthiest 1% of the world's population? In Cries of the Poor, you'll discover what the Bible has to say about poverty and how Christians can proclaim good news to the poor. Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies based on the Common English Bible. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation. The topics and Scriptures in Converge come together to transform readers' relationships with others, themselves, and God.

Idols are fairly easy to recognize in Old Testament stories about false gods, golden calves, statues, and Asherah poles. And they're not hard to spot in the lives of other people. But what about our own idols? Is it even possible for 21st-Century Christians to worship gods that aren't real? How do we know if we're doing it? In Idolatry, Curtis Zackery takes a look at an ancient sin that still ensnares God's people today. Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies based on the Common English Bible. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation. The topics and Scriptures in Converge come together to transform readers' relationships with others, themselves, and God.

Grace is both liberating and contagious. Once you truly experience it, you become a different person, and the further you journey in your faith, the more you realize the role God's grace has played in your lifeeven before you came to faith in Christ. In Encountering Grace, you'll examine passages about God's unmerited favor. You'll learn more about receiving God's grace as well as offering that grace to others. Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies based on the Common English Bible. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation. The topics and Scriptures in Converge come together to transform readers' relationships with others, themselves, and God.

Mary Had a Baby: An Advent Bible Study Based on African American Spirituals, written by Marilyn E. Thornton with material from the first edition by Cheryl Kirk-Duggan. Mary Had a Babyhas four sessions, one for each week of Advent, and is perfect for small groups, Sunday school, midweek sessions, and choir workshops. Each lesson includes Scripture, song lyrics, devotional and contextual information, and discussion questions to stimulate deepening faith and a sense of community. The book includes leader helps. The four spirituals featured in Mary Had a Baby are ';Mary Had a Baby,' ';Rise Up Shepherd and Follow,' ';Children, Go Where I Send Thee, '; and ';Go, Tell It on the Mountain.' A mp3 file of the four songs is available free with purchase of the study.

Christian communities, with a few exceptions, consider the canon of Scripture closed. There's no process for adding or removing books from our Bibles. Even so, we end up creating our own canons, whether intentionally or unintentionally. There are certain texts that come up frequently in worship or in the youth room or in the children's Sunday school wing. And there are certain texts that we never read in worship or Sunday school. Perplexing Scriptures examines some of these passages. This study may raise more questions than it answers; but as you work through each session, you will begin to see how God's love and grace are at work, even in the most troubling texts.Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies based on the Common English Bible. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation. The topics and Scriptures in Converge come together to transform readers' relationships with others, themselves, and God.

This thematic Bible study is designed to be used by individuals and small groups during the Advent 2014 season. The book, written by Stan Purdum, is based on the particular pathways to Jesus during Advent. In addition to the main content, each chapter offers questions for reflection and discussion, a brief prayer, and a focus for the week.The focus emerges from the chapter content and encourages the readers to engage in spiritual practice or do something specific that will help them grow in faith. On the whole, this thematic seasonal Bible study series is designed for transformation and for applying the study of the Bible to everyday, practical life experience. It is intended to nurture and encourage faith development and spiritual growth.

Engage in spiritual practices and grow in faith during Lent 2015.

Power-boost your team's capacity to share faith without anxiety! Most churches and Christians target the wrong people with "evangelism" efforts. The model we use no longer works because it is passive, too polite, and focused in the wrong direction. We are not making new disciples, not adding significantly to Christ's transformation of the world. But there is hope and practical help for churches who are ready to take a new approach. Get Their Name by Bob Farr, Kay Kotan, and Doug Anderson outlines that hope and help. The Get Their Name Workbook provides the critical next step. Church leaders can use this resource with their teams, small groups, and staff to power-boost the book's ideas in their own church context. The workbook is formatted to function as an individual study, too. The Get Their Name Workbook: Creates conversation starters for group discussion or personal reflection Poses powerful questions, which can lead to honest and authentic reflection and evaluation Encourages group participants to process the information together, increasing understanding and commitment Stimulates calls to action, increasing the likelihood of real and sustainable change in the congregation

We live in a world of noise. Everywhere we go, we hear sounds that compete for our minds and hearts. Listening to God requires a deliberate choice to shut out the chaos around us and focus our thoughts. Listen, by Rueben P. Job, is a 40-day experience created to offer help to those new to prayer, those with a daily prayer routine, and those whose lives seem too busy to pray. With a focus on listening prayer and prayer as a two-way conversation, the experience will assist individuals and groups in building and deepening a personal prayer practice and spiritual discernment. As we learn to listen, we find a new depth and fulfillment in our relationship with God and a new experience of God as guide and companion in our lives. The daily prayer pattern includes an invitation, silence, Bible reading, a story, guided time for reflecting and listening, and practical help for developing six specific prayer practices. Listen is perfect for use by individuals, small groups, or congregations during Lent, Easter, or any time of year.

Have you ever stopped to think just how much better Jesus Christ knows you than you know him? It's a pretty staggering thought really. Not only that, Jesus knows you better than you know yourself. And although you'll never know Jesus as well as he knows you, part of following the Son of God is getting to know him better. But you don't want to fall into the trap of learning stuff ';about' Jesus. Rather, you want to know Jesus himself. This study invites you to get to know four elements of what makes Jesus who he is: his name, his voice, his life, and his peace. In Who Is Jesus? you'll discover that the more you know Jesus, the more Jesus will teach you who you are. Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages from the Common English Bible are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation. The topics and Scriptures in Converge come together to transform readers' relationships with others, themselves, and God.

Scripture tells the story of magi who followed a star in the skya light in the midst of the darknessto find the Messiah. In the gifts that they placed at the feet of the Christgold, frankincense, and myrrhthey recognized the intermingling of light and darkness, truth and falsehood, life and death. But more than what the magi gave the child, Three Gifts, One Christ is about what Jesus offers us. Using passages from Matthew and Hebrews, Katie Z. Dawson explores three of Christ's rolesJesus comes as the high priest who sacrifices himself for us, the prophet who calls us into the Kingdom and shows us a better way to live, and the Messiah who triumphs over evil and sets us free. Converge Bible Studies is a series of topical Bible studies. Each title in the series consists of four studies on a common topic or theme. Converge can be used by small groups, classes, or individuals. Primary Scripture passages from the Common English Bible are included for ease of study, as are questions designed to encourage both personal reflection and group conversation. The topics and Scriptures in Converge come together to transform readers' relationships with others, themselves, and God.