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A Gospel written to help readers experience what they may never fully understand

A startling study of how differently the pastor and the congregation interpret Scripture.

This book is designed to help preachers find and use the riches of the Psalms for preaching. The authors address the perception that the Psalms often go neglected in preparing for one of the central acts of worship: preaching. McCann and Howell demonstrate that the Psalms offer the preacher broad, rich possibilities for the congregation's engagement with the Scripture. Each chapter concludes with a brief sample.

Luke Timothy Johnson begins his study of the practical issue of how decisions are made in the church by admitting to a bias: that there ought to be a connection between what the church claims to be, and how it does things. Because the church claims to be a community of faith, it does not reach decisions simply on the basis of good management policy, or the analysis of market trends, or efficiency, or even ideological consistency, but in response to God's activity in the world that presses upon us and urges us to decision. Faced with how to respond to God's leading, the church decides what to do on the basis of two realities: Scripture and discernment. Because it calls the church into being Scripture is the fundamental authority in the church's life. Yet it is not enough for a congregation simply to turn to the Bible when a decision must be reached, for Scripture does not directly address all issues which face the church today, and those it does often reflect greatly differing historical and social contexts than our own. Thus, added to the authority of Scripture in the church's decision making is a process of discernment, in which the members of the community, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, recall how God has worked in their lives as individuals and as a community and discern together God's direction for the future. Johnson argues that this very pattern of decision making can be found in Scripture itself, notably in one of the central events of the book of Acts. Beginning with the conversion of Cornelius and culminating in the Apostolic Council of Acts 15, we see how a string of smaller narratives combine to tell the story of God's movement within their midst, and how thisnarrative became the basis for the reinterpretation of Scripture and the inclusion of Gentiles into the fellowship of the church. Looking at a number of thorny issues facing the contemporary church, Johnson demonstrates how the interaction of Scripture and discernment can and must become the basis for how we respond to the decisions with which the church wrestles today.

A year's worth of stories, games, and crafts divided into thematic sections, so programs are easy to find. Each program includes a story, sharing time, a prayer, and supporting activities. Programs last 25-30 minutes and include suggestions for lengthening them.

Sometimes God's ways are not at all what we expect . . . and exactly what we need.

"Tis better to have loved and lost . . ."; but can Ruby Marshall risk her heart a second time?

When a freak accident leaves Allie stranded in the desert, she needs help. But little does she know, accepting help means embarking on a harrowing journey of self-discovery . . . and making the ultimate decision between life and death.

Are the walls around her heart more daunting than the other barriers separating her from the man she married?

Repurposed content from the 12 volume NIB, to serve as introductory academic textbooks