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If you asked a millennial or younger person in your church, "What do I need to believe to be a Christian?" what would they say? At a time when "truth" is up for grabs, a journalist-turned-pastor wants to help believers understand what they believe. How? By using the simple lyrics "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so."In this winsome book, bestselling author John S. Dickerson clearly and faithfully explains essential Christian beliefs, using simple stories that have resonated with his congregation of thousands. He guides readers into these basic beliefs, and most importantly, he illustrates why these beliefs matter.The result is an easy-to-read primer, designed for a time when Christianity is questioned and challenged. It is a great study for young adults, new believers, and long-time believers who want to reclaim the essentials.For anyone who wants their small group, church, or loved ones to embrace the authority of Scripture and the nonnegotiable doctrines of Christianity.

We were made for intimacy--spiritual intimacy with God that brings oneness and bears powerful fruit. We were made to know Him and be known by Him, fully. So why do we often feel burnt-out, distant, and disheartened in our journey of faith? How do we cultivate true intimacy with God? And what does His design of physical, sexual intimacy unveil of the full gospel story?Sharing Word-backed, Holy Spirit-breathed revelation with humility and openhanded honesty, New York Times bestselling author Mo Aiken walks alongside us through the beauty and power of life lived in active communion with God, rather than the self-seeking, counterfeit faith we've settled for. Unpacking eternity-defining concepts that have become confusing, offensive, or altogether ignored--like submission, repentance, sanctification, holiness, and discipline--Mo shows us how God has given us a physical model of spiritual intimacy through His design of marriage, sex, and family. Exposing many roots of selfishness and perversion we see so often in our relationships, both human and divine, she invites us to pure-hearted and transformational communion with our Creator.If you've felt far from God, caught in broken relationships, dead in religion, and longing to be fully known, join Mo on this journey of return to right-natured intimacy with our First Love.

How did the movement founded by Jesus transform more in the first seventy-five years after his death than it has in the two thousand years since? This book tells the story of how the Christian movement, which began as relatively informal, rural, Hebrew and Aramaic speaking, and closely anchored to the Jewish synagogue, became primarily urban, Greek speaking, and gentile by the early second century, spreading through the Greco-Roman world with a mission agenda and church organization distinct from its roots in Jewish Galilee. It also shows how the early church's witness can encourage the church today.

Many pastors find it easier to preach on the New Testament than the Old Testament, with its powerful and often shocking narrative, prophetic warnings and calls to holiness. For many preachers seeking to make the Bible relevant, it's far easier--and safer--to stay out of the woods and plow the well-worn fields of the newer canon. Preaching the Old Testament equips pastors to journey into the forest and find a passion and confidence for preaching on the Old Testament. This book helps them keep up on their Hebrew, understand the themes of the Old Testament, and unpack Jesus' foundational text to take their congregations to a deeper understanding of Christ himself.

There is often an unfortunate division between the technical work of biblical scholars and the practical work of preachers who construct sermons each week. These two fields of study, which ought to be mutually informed and supportive, are more often practically divided by divergent methods, interests, and goals. Narrative Reading, Narrative Preaching aims to bridge that divide. Using narrative as an organizing theme, the contributors work through the New Testament offering examples of how interpretation can rightly inform proclamation. Three pairs of chapters feature an exemplary reading by a New Testament scholar followed by a sermon informed by that reading. Introductory and concluding chapters provide guidance for application of the model. Pastors and seminarians will find here a uniquely practical work that will help them with both the reading and preaching of Scripture.

A brighter future awaits--if she can escape the shadows of the past Emily Leland sheds no tears when her abusive husband is killed in a bar fight, but what awaits her back home in Sweetwater Crossing is far from the welcome and comfort she expected. First she discovers her father has died under mysterious circumstances. Then the house where the handsome new schoolteacher, Craig Ferguson, and his son are supposed to board burns, leaving them homeless. When Emily proposes turning the family home into a boardinghouse, her sister is so incensed that she leaves town.Alone and broke, her family name sullied by controversy, Emily is determined to solve the mystery of her father's death--and to aid Craig, despite her fears of men. The widowed schoolmaster proves to be a devoted father, an innovative teacher, and an unexpected ally. As they work to uncover the truth, they just may find the key to unlock a future neither could have imagined."If you love stories with interesting historical backgrounds, convincing characters, and compelling plots, Amanda Cabot's After the Shadows is a book you won't want to miss."--Ann H. Gabhart, bestselling author of When the Meadow Blooms

Join others who want to know God better and read His Word with The Bible Recap Discussion Guide. Specially written to spark meaningful conversations, it follows the same chronological reading plan as The Bible Recap podcast and book. Adaptable for a variety of schedules and settings--for example, meeting with a friend or in a small group or Sunday school class--these questions will lead you to a deeper understanding of the Bible's narrative and how God's character is revealed throughout Scripture. Together you'll find that He's where the joy is!Praise for The Bible Recap"I have grown closer to God in ways I couldn't expect.""It has helped me understand the Bible like never before.""More than a Bible study, it is a God study."

Strength Training for Your Heart and Your Mind Your battle is real; you're not imagining it. And what you believe--and how you care for your soul in the storm--determines how well you'll fight. Designed to help you consistently care for your soul in the days ahead, this guided journal can be read alongside Strong in Battle or all on its own. As you prayerfully make your way through the insightful questions, prayer prompts, and blessings, you will begin to- anchor yourself to the promises in God's Word- inventory your thoughts and feelings- find reasons for thanksgiving- go deeper in your prayers- and even make room for laughter When the enemy attacks, your humble conversations with God can make all the difference. Give Him the final word in your battle.

"This deeply nuanced Christian reflection is desperately needed."Critical race theory has become a lightning rod in contemporary American politics and evangelical Christianity. This irenic book offers a critical but constructive and sympathetic introduction written from a perspective rooted in Scripture and Christian theology."This book should be required reading for anyone seeking to explore the intersection of critical race theory and Christian Scripture. It adds much-needed light to a public conversation that tends to be defined by the dimness of ignorance and the heat of reactionary culture-war passions."--Duke Kwon, coauthor of Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair"Romero and Liou provide the first comprehensive, insightful, and timely story of the connection between Christian theology, Scripture, and critical race theory. This book is a significant contribution to the fields of critical race theory and liberation theology."--Daniel G. Solórzano, University of California, Los Angeles"Romero and Liou invite us to consider how critical race theory contains important truths that help us understand the complexities of racism in our society. No mere apologetic, this book models how to have both deep appreciation and thoughtful critique while also seeking deep faithfulness to God and a faithful witness to the fullness of the gospel in our world."--Vincent Bacote, Wheaton College"We need this book, and I hope it is widely read! Although there is angry rhetoric on both sides of this controversy, these authors carefully--and wisely--go after the truth."--Richard Mouw, Paul B. Henry Institute for the Study of Christianity and Politics, Calvin University"When tricky questions come up about critical race theory, Romero and Liou are the first people that I turn to. They help readers understand the larger dynamics, orient them in Christian ways, provide helpful insights, and bring clarity to complicated topics."--Nikki Toyama-Szeto, executive director, Christians for Social Action"This deeply nuanced Christian reflection is desperately needed for the divisive time in which we find ourselves."--Sandra María Van Opstal, pastor, activist, author, and founder of Chasing Justice

This fresh and lucid introduction to the Gospel of Mark offers the fruits of top-level biblical scholarship in a broadly accessible format.

"The Path to Peace will be a balm to your soul, a beacon of hope, and a declaration of God's loving-kindness that never fails for his people." --GRETCHEN SAFFLES, bestselling author of The Well-Watered WomanOverwhelmed. Stressed out. Burnt out. Fried.However we name it, all of us know what it feels like to deal with circumstances and worries that drag us down and wear us out. Many of us experience persistent anxiety. Peace can be hard to find.But it is in the middle of our stress and fear that God extends his unshakable peace to us. In this beautiful book that is part devotional and part Bible study, Ann Swindell shares how the biblical stories of eight women and men helped her realize that what she needed most in her own journey wasn't a stable job or healthy kids or good friends--it was God's peace. Through forty faith-stirring readings, Ann will help you: · Experience God's peace in your daily life· Respond to challenges with faith rather than fear· Find hope in God's goodness and faithfulness toward youThe good news is that even if our situations don't change, we can still experience Christ's peace in our daily lives. The Path to Peace is for everyone who longs to experience a soul at rest.

Learning from Black voices means listening to more than snippets. It means attending to Black stories. Reading Black Books helps Christians hear and learn from enduring Black voices and stories as captured in classic African American literature.Pastor and teacher Claude Atcho offers a theological approach to 10 seminal texts of 20th-century African American literature. Each chapter takes up a theological category for inquiry through a close literary reading and theological reflection on a primary literary text, from Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and Richard Wright's Native Son to Zora Neale Hurston's Moses, Man of the Mountain and James Baldwin's Go Tell It on the Mountain. The book includes end-of-chapter discussion questions.Reading Black Books helps readers of all backgrounds learn from the contours of Christian faith formed and forged by Black stories, and it spurs continued conversations about racial justice in the church. It demonstrates that reading about Black experience as shown in the literature of great African American writers can guide us toward sharper theological thinking and more faithful living.

Two experts in exegesis and dogmatics show how Christology and the doctrine of the Trinity are grounded in Scripture and how knowledge of these topics is critical for exegesis. The book outlines key theological principles and rules for the exegesis of Christian Scripture, making it an ideal textbook for hermeneutics and interpretation courses. The authors explore how the triune God revealed in Christ shapes Scripture and its readers and how doctrinal rules intrinsic to Scripture help guide exegesis.

Life is filled with uncertainty, and people have never needed peace more. When it comes down to it, what keeps us from experiencing peace in our lives is either living in the past or living for the future. When we obsess over what's already happened or put all of our efforts into creating a picture-perfect tomorrow, we miss what God has for us here and now. The result is regret over what we can't change, and anxiety over what we feel we must change. That's not what God wants for us.With honest transparency, hope-filled compassion, and plenty of vulnerable humor, pastor Jeanne Stevens reveals the shockingly simple path to peace: presence. She helps you slow down, center yourself, and ask the all-important question, What's here now? Jeanne gives readers practical tools to move from obsessing about the past or worrying about the future to experiencing peace and purpose in the present moment.By incorporating this simple question into your everyday life, you will experience freedom from unhealthy patterns of relating to God and others through the avenues of shame, guilt, worry, and anxiety.

When a man becomes a dad, he takes on certain responsibilities: providing for his family, raising up his children to be good citizens--and telling the absolute worst jokes he can come up with. But dad jokes don't always come naturally, which is why Sandy Silverthorne created The Best Worst Dad Jokes. Filled with more than 500 groan worthy jokes to torment your kids, this collection makes it possible for dads to fill any moment of dead air with a joke that will have everyone within hearing distance rolling their eyes and edging away to avoid association with you. Jokes like . . . I don't have a dad bod; I have a father figure.I saw a sign that said Watch for Children. That sounded like a good trade to me.and of course . . . When does a joke become a dad joke? When it's fully groan.And hey, it's only downhill from there.

Every day can be a good day when you trust the promises of God.Job frustrations, difficult relationships, fluctuating health, emotional upheaval. When life conspires to drag us down with all of its troubles, it can be hard to keep our spirits up. Dr. Michelle Bengtson knows. Severely ill and mired in depression, she desperately needed something to cling to. That is when she decided to stand on God's promises that, despite her circumstances, every day was a good day for a good day.In this uplifting devotional, Bengtson helps you make each day a good day no matter what is going on in your life. Each reading includes Scripture, reflection, prayer, and a recommended playlist song designed to help you live out Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." Because our thoughts determine our beliefs, our beliefs determine our attitudes, and our attitudes determine our behaviors.

Everything equal, customers choose whether they will return based on the feeling they get when interacting with your brand. Research reveals that a high number of customers will go through the trouble of switching brands due to a bad customer experience. Great businesses know how to make a customer feel seen, understood, and valued. Those satisfied customers trust you more and come back--and they tell their friends.Backed by plenty of on-the-ground research and illustrated with real-life examples, The Come Back Culture shows you how to create an experience that keeps people coming back for more. It shows you how to- build a hospitable team- know your guest- create moments that impress- recover quickly when things go wrong- and moreWhether you offer a service or a product online or at a physical location, you can use the principles in this book to turn your customers into raving fans of your business who not only spend their money but continue to spread awareness of your brand.

If any place on God's earth was designed to help one heal, it is Meadowland. Surely here, at her brother-in-law's Kentucky farm, Rose and her daughters can recover from the events of the recent past--the loss of her husband during the 1918 influenza epidemic, her struggle with tuberculosis that required a stay at a sanatorium, and her girls' experience in an orphanage during her illness. At Meadowland, hope blooms as their past troubles become rich soil in which their faith can grow.Dirk Meadows may have opened his home to his late brother's widow and her girls, but he keeps his heart tightly closed. The roots of his pain run deep, and the evidence of it is written across his face. Badly scarred by a fire and abandoned by the woman he loved, Dirk fiercely guards his heart from being hurt again. But it may be that his visitors will bring light back into his world and unlock the secret to true healing.Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart explores the tender places within the human heart in this character-driven story of trusting God to turn our burdens into something beautiful.

He's inviting you to sustained and unquenchable love.Jesus is worthy of a love that burns in the likeness of His love for us. But threats to our passion for Him come with the storms and setbacks we face. With vulnerable perspective and insight, Dana Candler shares her own battles with keeping first love and how the Lord breaks in with vital truth and fresh desire to her soul--and how He yearns to do the same for you.Discover how to overcome the enemies of holy passion and tangibly experience His love. When you do, He will consume your heart with thriving joy, delight and passion for Him, burning bright all your days."First Love equips you to say yes to God's invitation to a life marked by confident trust, deep-rooted joy and a love that overflows and impacts all that you do!"--JODIE BERNDT, bestselling author, Praying the Scriptures for Your Children"This book will strengthen your confidence in the One who never starts a fire and walks away."--BOB SORGE, bestselling author, Secrets of the Secret Place"I pray every reader of this book will be encouraged to live from the secret place of prayer so that they may also stand in the peace of God."--HEIDI G. BAKER, Ph.D., co-founder and executive chairman of the board, Iris Global

These 90 devotions by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Bevere help you discover the beautiful truth of how God thinks about you. God doesn't just tolerate you; he loves you and wants you to know his wild thoughts toward you are full of love, joy, grace, and mercy. The psalmist David realized this when he wrote Psalm 139: "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand." God loves you--fiercely. In times of uncertainty, we need some pillars we can build our lives on. You are loved. You are welcomed. You are wanted. You were always his idea and he has a plan for you.Lisa Bevere shifts your perspective with daily boosts of courageous love, giving you a confidence grounded in both your identity and your relationship with your Creator. These 90 devotionals each include Scripture to guide you, encouragement to lift you up, and powerful declarations of truth to send you forth in strength.

"With humorous prose and wry wit, Kenny makes a convincing case for all Christians to do more to meet access needs and embrace disabilities as part of God's kingdom. . . . Inclusivity-minded Christians will cheer the lessons laid out here."--Publishers WeeklyMuch of the church has forgotten that we worship a disabled God whose wounds survived resurrection, says Amy Kenny. It is time for the church to start treating disabled people as full members of the body of Christ who have much more to offer than a miraculous cure narrative and to learn from their embodied experiences.Written by a disabled Christian, this book shows that the church is missing out on the prophetic witness and blessing of disability. Kenny reflects on her experiences inside the church to expose unintentional ableism and cast a new vision for Christian communities to engage disability justice. She shows that until we cultivate church spaces where people with disabilities can fully belong, flourish, and lead, we are not valuing the diverse members of the body of Christ.Offering a unique blend of personal storytelling, fresh and compelling writing, biblical exegesis, and practical application, this book invites readers to participate in disability justice and create a more inclusive community in church and parachurch spaces. Engaging content such as reflection questions and top-ten lists are included.

Following Sherwood Lingenfelter's successful books on ministering, teaching, and leading cross-culturally (with combined sales of over 200,000 copies), Teamwork Cross-Culturally casts a vision for how teams made up of diverse peoples can serve in unity as the body of Christ despite the complicated problems that arise. The book equips leaders to respond to divisive issues so that multinational mission teams can do the work of ministry in ways that honor God. Real-life examples of teamwork challenges from around the world demonstrate that "in Christ" responses are achievable.

An expert in the study of Islam answers thirty important questions about Muhammad, offering a clear and concise guide to his life and religious significance. This companion volume to the author's A Concise Guide to the Quran answers many of the key questions non-Muslims have about Muhammad, reveals the importance of Muhammad for Christian-Muslim and Jewish-Muslim interfaith relations, and examines Muslim and non-Muslim primary sources. This introductory guide is written for anyone with little to no knowledge of Islam who wants to learn about Muslims, their beliefs, and their prophet.

"One of the best books I've ever read on suffering!"--BRITTANY PRICE BROOKER, speaker"Lisa Appelo is the wise and trustworthy friend we all need to help us navigate life on the other side of devastating circumstances."--BECKY KEIFE, author of The Simple Difference and No Better Mom for the Job Life has shattered all around you. Now what? What do you do when you are suddenly navigating a life you didn't sign up for? You never saw this pain coming, and you're facing a future you'd pass up if you could. Lisa Appelo understands deeply. She has experienced the raw emotions and uncertainty that come when everything falls apart. Lisa went to bed married and woke up a widow and single mom to seven children. She wrestled with impossible questions about her future--and then found life-changing answers that gave her the strength to move forward with true joy.With compassion and rich biblical insight, Lisa will help you · find your footing when circumstances bring massive change;· process hard emotions with God, who welcomes them;· overcome paralyzing fear with three scriptural steps; and· anchor your faith when your hope seems threadbare.Your unexpected future may feel like Plan B, but it's God's purposeful Chapter Two for you as He reshapes your shattered heart. With each tender, intentional step, you'll see you will not merely survive this, but that life can be good again.

In an increasingly complex and chaotic world, we yearn to live a little slower, a little simpler.For popular lifestyle blogger Merissa A. Alink, living slower has enabled her to eat healthier, develop stronger relationships with her friends and family, save money by spending less, and have more "in-real-life" time with her kids instead of more screen time. It has given her family more time to plant gardens, can produce, and sit down to wholesome, home-cooked meals. It has allowed her to do what is needed rather than what is expected.Now she shares the secrets to living a simpler, slower life with anyone who is tired of feeling anxious, frenzied, or disconnected from the natural rhythms of life. She helps you reevaluate your priorities, seek God first, and take small steps toward a life more in line with your values, including decluttering to create space in your home and your mind, making simple and healthy meals, taking a weekly Sabbath, limiting the influence of media, and taking time to nurture your most important relationships.

If we live according to the gospel, we're going to make waves. Why? Because the way of Christ is countercultural. It doesn't go with the flow, compromise on truth, or stay silent in the face of injustice--so neither can we. No matter how young or old we are, or how much or how little influence we think we have, God calls us to boldly engage our upside-down culture through the lens of his truth.With powerful examples from Scripture and stories from teens today and through the centuries, Sara Barratt equips teens to live with a biblical worldview, approach today's hot-button issues with godly wisdom, and influence their generation for the glory of God. Tackling tough topics like sexuality, addiction, identity, media, and much more, Sara offers practical ways to stay rooted in God's truth while engaging culture with the redemptive story of the gospel--no matter the cost.

Every day, we do commonplace things and interact with ordinary people without giving them much thought. This volume offers a theological guide to thinking Christianly about the ordinary nature of everyday life. Leading ethicist Brent Waters shows that the activities and relationships we think of as mundane are actually expressions of love of neighbor that are vitally important to our wellbeing. We live out the Christian gospel in the contexts that define us and in the routine chores, practices, activities, and social settings that give ordinary life meaning. It is in those contexts that we discover what we were created for, to be, and to become.

"Finkbeiner has deftly written this narrative of ordinary people finding their way, set against a backdrop of global upheaval and war; the characters are realistic and vibrant. Readers looking for realist family stories with a subtle thread of faith . . .will want to read Finkbeiner's latest."--Library Journal starred review***In 1975, three thousand children were airlifted out of Saigon to be adopted into Western homes. When Mindy, one of those children, announces her plans to return to Vietnam to find her birth mother, her loving adopted family is suddenly thrown back to the events surrounding her unconventional arrival in their lives.Though her father supports Mindy's desire to meet her family of origin, he struggles privately with an unsettling fear that he'll lose the daughter he's poured his heart into. Mindy's mother undergoes the emotional rollercoaster inherent in the adoption of a child from a war-torn country, discovering the joy hidden amid the difficulties. And Mindy's sister helps her sort through relics that whisper of the effect the trauma of war has had on their family--but also speak of the beauty of overcoming.Told through three strong voices in three compelling timelines, The Nature of Small Birds is a hopeful story that explores the meaning of family far beyond genetic code."A balanced story that's rich with nuance and gentle emotions."--Foreword Reviews"Readers who enjoy the work of Karen Kingsbury will want to take a look."--Publishers Weekly

A senior scholar and teacher with four decades of classroom experience offers a concise, student-level theology of the entire Old Testament. W. H. Bellinger Jr. uses ancient Israel's confession of faith, the Psalms, to introduce the sweep of Old Testament theology: creation, covenant, and prophecy. He shows how these three theological dimensions each entail a portrayal of God and invite a human response to God. Bellinger also discusses how to appropriate Old Testament theology for contemporary life.