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If the Bible isn't a science book or an instruction manual, what is it? What do people mean when they say the Bible is inspired? When New York Times bestselling author Rachel Held Evans found herself asking these questions, she embarked on a journey to better understand what the Bible is and how it's meant to be read. What she discovered changed her--and it can change you, too.Evans knows firsthand how a relationship with the Bible can be as real and as complicated as a relationship with a family member or close friend. In Inspired, Evans explores contradictions and questions from her own experiences with the Bible, including: If the Bible was supposed to explain the mysteries of life, why does it leave the reader with so many questions? What does it mean to be chosen by God? To what degree did the Holy Spirit guide the preservation of these narratives, and is there something sacred to be uncovered beneath all these human fingerprints? If the Bible has given voice to the oppressed, why is it also used as justification by their oppressors?Drawing on the best in biblical scholarship and using her well-honed literary expertise, Evans examines some of our favorite Bible stories and possible interpretations, retelling them through memoir, original poetry, short stories, and even a short screenplay.Undaunted by the Bible's most difficult passages and unafraid to ask the hard questions, Evans wrestles through the process of doubting, imagining, and debating the mysteries surrounding Scripture. Discover alongside Evans that the Bible is not a static text, but a living, breathing, captivating, and confounding book that can equip us and inspire us to join God's loving and redemptive work in the world.

The New York Times bestselling author of The Prodigal Prophet uncovers the essential message of Jesus, locked inside his most familiar parable.Newsweek called renowned minister Timothy Keller "a C.S. Lewis for the twenty-first century" in a feature on his first book, The Reason for God. In that book, he offered a rational explanation of why we should believe in God. Now, in The Prodigal God, Keller takes his trademark intellectual approach to understanding Christianity and uses the parable of the prodigal son to reveal an unexpected message of hope and salvation.Within that parable Jesus reveals God's prodigal grace toward both the irreligious and the moralistic. This book will challenge both the devout and skeptics to see Christianity in a whole new way.

Many Christians believe our future in heaven is all that really matters. But that's not what the Bible teaches. In this six-session small group Bible study (DVD/digital video sold separately), premier Bible scholar N. T. Wright brings you inside the Scriptures to grasp the full, breathtaking hope Jesus offers the world, and its impact on your life today. Gain an exciting new vision for your life on earth in light of your future in heaven. Wonderful as is the promise of heaven, a glorious hereafter is just part of what salvation is about. What about today? Jesus called his followers the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Your life here and now is of tremendous consequence, and what you believe about the future has a direct impact on how you live in the present. In six transforming, faith-inspiring sessions, premiere biblical scholar N. T. Wright opens your eyes to the amazing full scope of what God's Word has to say about the world to come and the world that is. Filled with discussion questions, thoughts for reflection, and ideas for personal application, this study guide will help you get the most out of each session as you explore such questions as What is heaven really like? Is our main duty as Christians simply to help non-Christians get there? What hope does the gospel hold for this present life? In what ways does God intend for us to experience that hope personally and spread its healing power to the world around us? Surprised by Hope provides a clearer vision both of the future and of God's kingdom at hand today. This study provides individual and group activities, additional background material, and between-session personal studies that will enhance your experience of the video sessions. Sessions include: Hope for the World The Hope of the Resurrection The Hope of Heaven The Hope of Jesus' Second Coming The Hope of Salvation The Hope of the Church Designed for use with the Surprised by Hope Video Study (sold separately).

Is it possible to disagree politically and love unconditionally? The reaction of evangelicals to political and cultural shifts in recent years revealed what they value most. Lurking beneath our Bible-laced rhetoric, faith claims, books, and sermons is a relentless drive to WIN! But the church is not here to win. By every human measure, our Savior lost. On purpose. With a purpose. And we are his body. We are not in it to win anything. We are in it for something else entirely. That something else is what this book is about. You'll discover: How to take a stand the right way. You'll learn how to make your case with a posture of humility and understanding, rather than being fueled by the fear of losing something. How to view politics through the lens of faith. Learn curiously, listen intentionally, and love unconditionally. How the life of Jesus and his teaching applies to modern-day challenges in a fresh way. The "biblical" stand may not be what we've been taught. Jesus never asked his followers to agree on everything. But he did call his followers to obey a new command: to love others in the same way he has loved us. Instead of asserting our rights or fighting for power, we need to begin asking ourselves: what does love require of me?

Many people believe in and practice praying to the Lord, but the Bible is very clear that the Lord also speaks back to us in various ways! This book goes into detail about the 7 different ways that God speaks to us as found in the Bible, and how that applies to our lives today. It reveals to us that these 7 areas are not just the different ways that God still speaks to us, but that when looked at as a whole they are a picture of what a healthy relationship with God involves. It further shows that this kind of intimate relationship is available to all believers and that this is exactly the kind of relationship that God desires to have with each of us. Throughout the book several Biblical and personal examples are used to validate each section. The reader is also given opportunities to see how God has already been talking to them in his/her own life, and then record these examples at the end of every chapter. Each person who reads this book is challenged to grow in his/her relationship with the Lord and is given many tools to help accomplish that. This is important because when a believer has an intimate relationship with the Lord they hear His voice more clearly. The Holy Spirit is then better able to guide and empower the believer to become victorious in their daily walk.

A new commentary for today's world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. The first commentary series to do so, SGBC offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike. Each volume employs three main, easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story: LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story. EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting. LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students.   —1 Peter— Peter shows a strong dependance upon the Old Testament to connect his readers to the story of God in which God draws people into a community. Peter demonstrates that the Christian community is to be a united people of God, not merely a group of individuals who happen to possess similar beliefs. Edited by Scot McKnight and Tremper Longman III, and written by a number of top-notch theologians, The Story of God Bible Commentary series will bring relevant, balanced, and clear-minded theological insight to any biblical education or ministry.

Equip yourself to present and defend the claims of the Christian faith and the truths of the Bible. For more than forty years, Evidence That Demands a Verdict has convinced skeptics of the Bible's reliability, helped believers articulate their faith, and given them the vital facts they need to defend God's Word and lead others to faith in Jesus. In this video Bible study (DVD/video streaming sold separately), based on the completely updated and expanded apologetics classic, Josh McDowell and his son, Sean, focus on Jesus and the Gospels. Learn how the books of the New Testament came into being and why you can be sure they are historically reliable. Examine why the claims Jesus made about himself are true, how he fulfilled Old Testament prophecies about himself, and how we can know the resurrection took place. This study is for anyone who has ever been stumped by arguments against Christianity or the Bible—or has wondered for themselves if the Bible's depiction of Jesus is true and not just a made-up fairytale. The Evidence That Demands a Verdict Study Guide includes: Video notes. Discussion questions for groups and individuals. Between-session exercises for personal application. Sessions include: Why Is Evidence Important for Faith? Is There Such a Thing as Truth? Is the New Testament Reliable? Did Jesus Actually Rise from the Dead? Did Jesus Claim to Be God? How Do We Know the Bible is Accurate? Designed for use with Evidence That Demands a Verdict Video Study (9780310096740), sold separately.

The teaching pastor of one of America's largest megachurches gives a call to action: Study the mountains mentioned in Scripture. Learn what God reveals there about himself, and you. Then take those truths back to the people. An overview of the mountaintop experiences mentioned in Scripture where God met with his followers for the express purpose of greater clarity on two questions: Who is God? and Who am I? Each chapter provides the reader with a clear picture of God's character and how those attributes both challenge and encourage us. Praise for The Mountains Are Calling “What an incredible book to walk us through the mountaintop experiences God gave to so many of his saints in Scripture. If you’ve longed for a new kind of intimacy with God, a fresh experience of who he is and what he wants for you, this book is for you. It will, as Jarrett Stephens promises, change your perspective, first on who God is and second on who you are. You’ll love this book!” —J. D. Greear, PhD, pastor of The Summit Church, Raleigh-Durham, NC “Most of us have had a mountaintop experience that quickly loses its luster or exhausts its energy. In The Mountains Are Calling, Jarrett Stephens will equip and empower you to recognize God’s hand in those spiritual moments that can be a catalyst for your growth. Whether you are literally going to the mountains or just putting aside time for God, Jarrett will show you how God can use it.” —Kyle Idleman, pastor and author of Not a Fan and Grace Is Greater

Enlarged print edition now available! Writing in an accessable and anecdotal style, Tom Wright helps us to approach the rich and many-sided story of the book of Acts. Wright shows how the book builds on Luke's Gospel, laying out the continuing work and teaching of the now risen and ascended Jesus in the power of the Spirit. His writing captures the vivid way in which Luke's work draws us all into he story, while leaving the ending open and challenging, inviting Christians today to pick up and carry on the story as we in turn live our lives in the service of Jesus.Tom Wright has undertaken a tremendous task: to provide guides to all the books of the New Testament and to include in them his own translation of the entire text. Each short passage is followed by a highly readable discussion with background information, useful explanations and suggestions, and thoughts as to how the text can be relevant to our lives today. A glossary is included at the back of the book. The series is suitable for group study, personal study, or daily devotions.

“God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). The Bible tells us that we are to worship the Lord, that we were created for this purpose. But what is true worship? What does the Bible teach about the right—and the wrong—ways to worship God? In this book, pastors Brian Croft and Jason Adkins unpack a biblical theology of worship, discuss the practical matters of planning a worship service, and offer suggestions and insights on the best way to lead a worship service that honors the Lord. The Practical Shepherding series of guides provides pastors and ministry leaders with practical help to do the work of pastoral ministry in a local church. In Gather God’s People, you will learn how to apply biblical doctrine and spirituality to the practice of Christian worship.