Search results for ""inter-varsity press""

As a firefighter, Mitch (Keith Mitchell) is trained to snatch people from flames. As a Christian, he sees sin as a real fire to be fought in people's lives - hence the title: snatched from the fire. Don't read this book if you want religion, answers to life's great mysteries or the secret of winning the lottery. Do read it if you are willing to lose your prejudice and meet someone more important than the three above put together - Jesus. Meeting Jesus results in real living, life with freedom and purpose. And you'll find a happy eternity thrown in as well.

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If asked how Matthew's Gospel differs from Luke's, or what aspects of Jesus' personhood and ministry the Gospel of Mark focuses on compared with those of John, how would you answer? In Discovering Jesus, T. Desmond Alexander helps readers understand how each Gospel account is uniquely written and why all four Gospels are important in their different, but complementary pictures of the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. Alexander shows how the Gospels display Jesus as the Son of David who establishes the kingdom of God, the Son of God who suffers to ransom others, the Saviour of the world who seeks the lost, and the Lamb of God who brings eternal life through a new exodus. Each chapter ends with discussion questions for individual or group study.

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Guidance and wisdom for maintaining good practice and avoiding temptation in preaching. With insight and wisdom, Derek Tidball reviews a selection of idols to which preachers are particularly vulnerable, under four headings: the self, the age, the task and the ministry. His aim is not to condemn, but to alert.

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When someone uses the word 'church', what comes into your mind - A building where a congregation meets - A room inside such a building - The main Sunday meeting - A denomination? Graham Beynon shows that when the Bible talks about 'church', it is always only referring to people, and a particular sort of people at that. From a range of key passages in the New Testament, he explains what church is, what it is for, how it is to work, how it is to be led, and what it means to belong to God's new community in Christ. Many Christians are hard-pushed to give good answers to these questions. This clear, simple, biblical and practical guide will deepen your understanding and enrich your experience of church. Few things could be more important for Christians than that.'

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The book of Joshua presents a number of interpretative problems. On the basis of literary studies and archaeology, some have claimed that the book is a product of a much later age than the one it portrays and does not reflect actual events. Another important issue is how it should be read as Christian Scripture, given that it describes at least a partial annihilation of indigenous people groups. Related to this today is the ongoing struggle over essentially the same piece of land that is described in Joshua. To address these and other issues, Pekka Pitkänen reads Joshua in its Ancient Near Eastern context. He makes extensive comparisons with relevant contemporary literature and includes an archaeological survey of all places mentioned in the Masoretic text. He argues that Joshua helps conclude the pentateuchal tradition and is best understood as a conquest document originating from the Late Bronze-Early Iron Age that helps define Israelite identity in Yahwistic terms and promulgates Yahwism in Israel as the exclusive religious ideology. In application, he engages with genocide studies and reflects on theodicy and the use and abuse of power.

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The Gospel of Mark is widely regarded today as the first Gospel to be written. Until recent decades, its fast-paced, seemingly straightforward presentation led most readers to overlook its subtle theological sophistication. Probing its depths, Ronald Kernaghan invites readers into a fascinating exploration of Mark's Gospel as a parable, an open-ended story that invites us on a lifelong journey of discipleship. Throughout, Kernaghan explains what the gospel meant to its original hearers and its application for us today.

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Diversity of life. Water resources. Global climate change. Cities and global environmental issues. We all know being a Christian involves ethical responsibility. But what exactly are our environmental obligations? This unique volume edited by Wheaton professors Noah J. Toly and Daniel I. Block teams up scientists with biblical scholars to help us discern just that question. What does the Lord require of us? Here you'll find informed essays from Christian teachers in a variety of fields, ranging from New Testament, Old Testament, Christian theology and ethics to geology, biology, atmospheric physics and environmental science. Their biblical insight combined with scientific expertise will provide you with a deeper understanding and clear guidance on the most important environmental issues facing us today. Contributors: M. Daniel Carroll R., Fred van Dyke, Michael Guebert, David Gushee, Sir John Houghton, Douglas J. Moo, David Toshio Tsumura and Christopher J. H. Wright

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For many the resurrection is a nice thing to believe, the 'happy' ending to the gospel, as though after the darkness of the cross Spielberg was brought in to do the finish. But 'Lifted' shows that it's far more. The resurrection has overwhelmingly positive implications for our daily lives. Through it we can have real assurance of forgiveness and salvation. We are raised and empowered to live new, transformed lives. We have hope after death for our bodies and this physical world. We see the urgency of reaching all nations with the message of the risen Jesus. Life is now different: we have been lifted. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just for Easter. It's for all of life.

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Why think about the future? After all, 'what will happen will happen', it only leads to controversy and argument, and it's irrelevant to life now. However, Graham Beynon shows that the real danger is that we don't think about the future. God in his Word puts last things first - the whole gospel is shaped around what is to come. God has a plan for where he is taking this world, and his people are called to live in the light of that future. Christians are to be those who look back - to the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. All that happened then shapes our life now. However, they are also to look forward - at what God will do in finishing his plans for his creation through Jesus. The Bible teaches Christians to store up treasure in heaven; to wait faithfully for the return of their Master; to think of this world as temporary and passing; and to think of the world to come as their inheritance. Graham Beynon takes a fresh look at this teaching and shows how what is to come should shape practical Christian living now, with regard to godliness, handling of money, service of others, speaking about Jesus, faithfulness to him, response to hardship, and more.

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Integrity matters. We expect it of leaders in all walks of life. But why is integrity so rare? Jonathan Lamb looks at the example of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians and offers us a model of integrity in leadership that spans the centuries.

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In the midst of a troubled world, Christians believe in a good God who, as the Creator, has never lost interest in his broken creation. The key evidence for, and the chief symbol of, this divine commitment is the cross of Christ. This God, revealed Scripture, has a project; and central to the divine strategy is Christ, his coming and his cross. The troubles and calamities will end. The cross â€" which has been scandalous from the start â€" touches the individual, the church and the wider creation. The cross makes peace, and brings shalom. The canon of Scripture presents a 'divine comedy', where the story of Jesus, his cross and empty tomb are set in the framework of God's grand plan to restore the created order. Graham Cole's excellent study takes the broad approach, but not in a way that masks 'the cruciality of the cross'. He examines who God is and what humanity has become, then focuses on the divine provision for humanity in its plight. He explores how the 'peace dividend' of the cross works itself out at the personal, corporate and cosmic levels, and asks how we are to live if these things are really so. Finally, he discusses God's grand purpose, reviews the journey, and addresses the question of how God the peacemaker brings shalom through atonement in both the broad and narrow senses of the term. An appendix deals with a range of controversial aspects of the cross.

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The Lord Jesus Christ has won the victory: this is the objective reality that should inform Christian thinking about every aspect of human life. Even as we contemplate the presence of evil and the demonic in our world, the gospel whispers in our ears the greatest victory this world has ever seen, and ever will: 'Christ is risen!' However, the presence of evil, or our fear of the demonic, can stifle the gospel whisper. Throughout Christian history, the relationship between Christians and the forces of evil has been examined from a variety of perspectives; and recent missional studies and pastoral practices have stimulated further discussion. This volume, based on the 2008 Moore College School of Theology, seeks to listen below the present clamour drawing attention to the demonic, in order to hear the whisper of the gospel message more clearly, and to explore the power and victory it promises - even in the face of evil powers. The contributors are Tony Payne, Peter Bolt, Bill Salier, Matthew Jensen, Mark Thompson, Constantine Campbell, Greg Anderson, Jonathan Lilley and Donald West.

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John's affection for the recipients of his letters is clear: 'They are his "dear children", his "dear friends",' as John Stott points out. He continues, '[John] longs to protect them from both error and evil, and to see them firmly established in faith, love and holiness. He has no new doctrine for them. On the contrary, he appeals to them to remember what they already know, have and are. Whenever innovators trouble the church, and ridicule whatever is old or traditional, we need to hear and heed John's exhortation, to continue in what we have learnt and received, and to let it continue in us.'

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In today's postmodern culture, people come to Jesus in a wide variety of ways. If conversion ever was a mechanical, linear process, it is so no longer. Yet neither is it a nebulous spiritual wandering that never culminates in decision and commitment. Don Everts and Doug Schaupp have listened to the stories of two thousand postmodern people who have come to follow Jesus. While their stories are very different, certain common themes emerge. Postmodern evangelism may be a mysterious and organic process, but it also goes through common and discernible phases, as people cross thresholds from distrust to trust, from complacency to curiosity and from meandering to seeking. The authors describe the factors that influence how people change their perspectives and become open to the gospel. They provide practical tools for helping people enter the kingdom, and guidelines for how new believers can live out their Christian faith.

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Pop music, piercings and peers. The familiar issues that create conflict between parents and children belie the rapid rate of cultural change surrounding family life. As society alters beyond recognition, the gap between young and old threatens to become a deep fracture in the heart of families, communities - and churches. Urgent surgery is required to mend the gap. Resisting simplistic solutions, Jason Gardner deftly analyses the reasons for the growing generation gap, including the role of the church. He provides practical steps forward for church leaders, youthworkers and parents. Underpinning this hopeful book is an unshaking belief in Christ's burning ability to inspire a 'whole big bad beautiful mix of people to follow him, regardless of their age'.

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The Chronicler addressed an Israel separated from its former days of blessing by a season of judgment. The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles bring a divine word of healing and reaffirm the hope of restoration. The Chronicler's theme is straightforward - the promises of God revealed in the Davidic covenant are as trustworthy and as effective as the God who first uttered them.

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As Christians, we all know the apostle Paul, don't we? He is our theological master, our pastoral mentor, our spiritual advisor and our missionary hero. Yet just when we think we have him in our grasp, we find he slips through our fingers. At the point where we suppose we have finally understood him, Paul again confounds us and stirs our hearts and minds further. So how well do we really know him? If the Paul we claim to know looks and sounds a lot like us, then that is probably a good indication that we don't know him as well as we think we do. However, all is not lost. If we let Paul be Paul, letting him speak for himself in his language, on his terms and for his purposes, then we stand a chance of meeting him anew. Mike Bird offers a lively, accessible new survey of the apostle Paul's life and teaching. His aim is to get us excited about reading Paul's letters, preaching his gospel, and living the Christian life.

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The doctrine of Scripture is of vital importance for Christians, and continues to be debated by theologians. Furthermore, differing views can be found among those who describe themselves as evangelical . A. T. B. McGowan engages with the issues, debates and terminology, and reconstructs and re-expresses an evangelical doctrine for the current context. This stimulating and informative volume offers a valuable contribution to our understanding and articulation of the nature of Scripture and its significance for today.

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This devotional book traces the course of David's life through his autobiographical Psalms: From triumphant boy hero to persecution in the court of Saul. From gifted musician to compromised adulterer and murderer. From his exile on the run to his coronation as the leader of God's people. The King's songs are a treasure-chest of jewels, telling not mere history but timeless truths about the King of Kings himself, David's magnificent God. With warmth and insight, the author draws out the lessons David learned in his turbulent life with the Lord and the rich gems he has bequeathed to followers of God today.

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Islam presents new challenges and new questions to Christians and to the West in a post-9/11 context. However, in many situations in the world, where Christians and Muslims live peacefully side-by-side as neighbours, political considerations are not uppermost. Challenging us to examine our own attitudes, Colin Chapman considers the issues involved in Christian engagement with Muslims and Islam. He explores, ultimately, how Christians can effectively bear witness to Jesus. This revised and updated edition incorporates brand new material on 'Islamic Terrorism', 'What is Islam?', 'The Qur'anic View of Christians' and 'Explaining Christian Beliefs About Jesus'. It will equip Christians to better understand Muslims and Islam in a rapidly changing world.

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Every Christian needs dependable role models to whom one can look for teaching and example. Many of the greatest role models have departed from this life, but their legacy lives on. Believers of this day and age can learn much about a godly life from saints of the past. Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen are three such saints. Each stood for the truth of God's Word in the face of opposition-all out of a deep love for Christ and a desire for people to know God as he truly is. Popularity was not a concern, and they took no joy in controversy for argument's sake. However, these men were willing to suffer for the sake of guarding the sanctity of the gospel. Many threats, years of exile, deaths of loved ones, opposition from friends and authorities, sickness and pain-none of these setbacks could keep these three from maintaining their efforts for the furthering of Christ's Kingdom or quench their zeal for Christ himself. John Piper's Contending for Our All gives us biographies of Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen-bishop, pastor, and seminary founder. In the life of each one, personal holiness was emphasized publicly and privately despite suffering. They were true soldiers for the sake of the cross, and each man offers life lessons for Christians today

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Among Christians, discussions continue about the roles of men and women in the home, the church and society at large. Although some of these debates generate more heat than light, the issue directly affects every member of the Christian community. Our view of the Bible's teaching on these matters shapes the life and ministry of our churches in significant ways. Further reflection and dialogue are required. In this volume twenty-three evangelical scholars, firmly committed to the authority of Scripture, explore the whole range of issues relating to gender relations. They offer historical, biblical, theological, hermeneutical and practical perspectives to dispel many of the myths surrounding biblical equality, and to promote discussion. Their sound, reasoned case affirms the complementarity of the sexes without requiring a hierarchy of roles.

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Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit (Galatians 5:25). The Holy Spirit empowers us, guides us, and enables us to grow and endure in our relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Often the most misunderstood member of the Trinity, the person of the Spirit continues to attract attention today amidst church revivals and renewals. In this new edition of his classic Keep in Step with the Spirit, J. I. Packer seeks to help Christians reaffirm the biblical call to holiness and the Spirit s role in keeping our covenant with God. Packer guides us through the riches and depth of the Spirit s work, assesses versions of holiness and the charismatic life, and shows how Christ must always be at the centre of true Spirit-led ministry. A new chapter explores Christian assurance. With abiding relevance and significance, Keep in Step with the Spirit sets forth vital knowledge for healthy and joyous Christian living, through understanding and experience of God the Holy Spirit. Here is a book for every serious believer to read and re-read.

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The 'great fish' has probably made Jonah the best known of the twelve minor prophets of the Old Testament. The book bearing his name, comprising just 48 verses, has tantalized and intrigued its readers throughout the ages. However, undue preoccupation with the fish may cause us to miss what is actually going on in this narrative. Although the story of Jonah seems fairly straightforward on the surface, Rosemary Nixon explores its fascinating complexity to show how the author grapples with conflicting perceptions of God. While we might question some of the story's extra-ordinary features, we ourselves are also questioned by the God who called Jonah, and challenged to hear His word afresh. The Bible Speaks Today series covers every book of the Old and New Testaments, as well as Bible themes that run through the whole of Scripture. These revised editions are redesigned inside and out and have been sensitively updated with contemporary language and Bible translations to help you follow, study and teach the Bible in today's world.

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David Prior's The Message of Joel, Micah and Habakkuk has been redesigned and sensitively updated to help you follow, study and teach the Bible in today's world.

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The chequered story of the Kings, lasting nearly five centuries, ended disastrously in 587 BC with the sack of Jerusalem, the fall of the monarchy, and the removal to Babylonia of all that made Judah politically viable. It was a death to make way for a rebirth. This study of the closely related books of Ezra and Nehemiah charts the Jews' return from exile to Jerusalem and the beginnings of that rebirth. As the drama unfolds, above all and through all, we see the good hand of God at work. The Tyndale Old Testament Commentary is designed to help the reader of the Bible understand what the text says and what it means. The Introduction to each book gives a concise but thorough treatment of its authorship, date, original setting and purpose. Following a structural Analysis, the Commentary takes the book section by section, drawing out its main themes, and also comments on individual verses and problems of interpretation. Additional Notes provide fuller discussion of particular difficulties. In the new Old Testament volumes, the commentary on each section of the text is structured under three headings: 'Content', 'Comment' and 'Meaning'. The goal is to explain the true meaning of the Bible and make its message plain.

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1 & 2 Chronicles are, first and foremost, a sermon meant to foster a right relationship between God and his people. With great perception, the Chronicler shows how the records of Israel reveal the pattern of God's hand in the events of his nation’s history and how, within that pattern, the Lord's constant mercy, love and faithfulness shine through. In this readable and thoughtful commentary, Michael Wilcock explores how once that purpose is grasped, the message of 1 & 2 Chronicles comes alive. The Chronicler’s sermon is a final and momentous look back over the entire Old Testament, and the countless persons named are part of one people of the living God. With perceptive insight, Wilcock guides us through the two halves of the Chronicles, paralleling them the vibrancy, contrast and drama of the Book of Revelation in the New Testament, and showing how the Chronicles make vivid to us the truths by which the Lord's people in every generation are to live. Part of the loved and trusted The Bible Speaks Today series of commentaries, The Message of 1 & 2 Chronicles offers an accessible and thorough exposition of the Biblical text as well as pastoral exploration of the lessons it can teach Christians today. Used by Bible students and teachers around the world, The Bible Speaks Today commentaries are ideal for students and preachers who are looking to delve more deeply into the riches of Scripture. This beautifully redesigned edition has also been sensitively updated to include modern references and use the NIV Bible text. The Message of 1 & 2 Chronicles is perfect for anyone looking for commentaries on Chronicles that will help them understanding its meaning both in its original context and for modern Christians.

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The revelation of God in Jesus Christ ignites desire to live his way in the world. Resurrection power fuels it. Part of LICC’s Gateway Seven series, this small group study explores how Mark, the shortest of the gospels, invites you to immerse yourself in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and consider his life-changing announcement that the kingdom of God has come. Set out in six easy-to-follow sessions, this is a brilliant Bible study on Mark that is packed full of astute questions, mini-features and contemporary stories which will draw you into Mark’s remarkable account of the astounding person of Jesus and help you dig deeper into the radical implications of his joyful news for all of life today. Mark is an ideal Bible study for small groups looking to really get the most out of the beloved gospel, but it can also be used individually to support your discipleship in everyday life. It can be read on its own, or it can be used alongside the other volumes in LICC’s Gateway Seven series to open up the riches of all of Scripture for the whole of life. Hope-filled and healing, disruptive and demanding, love-growing and fear-beating, this is the way of King Jesus you’re invited to live, Monday through Sunday.

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Do you want to study your Bible for yourself, not just receive pre-packaged answers? God has given us his Word as a vital means of encountering him, and the ESV Search the Scriptures Bible gives you the questions to go deeper in knowing him. The Search the Scriptures Bible reading plan offers guidance for daily Bible study and aims to make it a delight as well as a source of strength. Using a question-and-answer approach, it helps you discover God's truth for yourself. Its built-in flexibility and clear presentation allow you to adapt the course to your own needs. The studies are undated so you can set your own pace working through them. - Questions to help you explore the entire Bible, integrated with the ESV Bible text - Follow the reading plan to cover the Bible in three years, or follow your own path and pace - Concise introductions to each book of the Bible as you meet it - Meaning and application for each daily passage Search the Scriptures has been used and appreciated by many thousands of readers for over half a century. Now combined with the ESV Bible text for the first time, it gives you all you need for studying God's Word in depth in one integrated package.

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Based on the latest text of the NIV, this updated commentary reflects the most current scholarship. This updated and revised Pillar commentary seeks to clearly explain the meaning of John's letters to teachers, pastors, and general readers looking for a reliable and trusted resource for personal study. Colin Kruse introduces the important issues involved in interpreting the Johannine letters, gives verse-by-verse comments, and provides extensive discussion of John's major theological themes, including the real humanity of Christ, atonement, the role of the Spirit, Christian assurance, the meaning of koinonia, Christian love, and eternal life. Designed both for serious students and for general readers of the Bible, the Pillar New Testament Commentary volumes seek to make clear the meaning of the text of Scripture as we have it. The scholars writing these volumes interact with the most important, informed contemporary debate yet avoid undue technical detail. Their ideal is a blend of rigorous exegesis and exposition, scholarship and pastoral sensitivity, with an eye alert both to biblical theology and to the contemporary relevance of the Bible.

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The message of Peter's first letter turned the world upside-down for his readers. He saw the people of the young church of the first century as strangers, aliens who were only temporary residents, travellers heading for their native land. Peter speaks to our own pilgrimage when he tells of suffering now and glory to come. Stormy seasons of persecution were beginning for the church in Asia Minor. These storms rage on in the modern world. Edmund Clowney believes that no true Christian can escape at least a measure of suffering for Christ's sake. Out of his firsthand knowledge as an apostle of Christ, Peter shows us what the story of Jesus' life means for us as we take up our cross and follow him.

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Most of us get hope all wrong. We hope for better health, a generous pay rise or good grades for our children. Our wishful thinking may or may not have a good outcome, but when it does, it never leaves us satisfied. This 30-day devotional in the Food for the Journey series shows us that Christian hope, by contrast, is guaranteed and eternal, dealing with certainties: Christ's death for us, his forgiveness of sin and our hope of heaven when we die. Covering passages from Matthew, 1 Peter, Romans, 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians and Revelation, in this devotional some of the Keswick Convention’s most beloved preachers – including Don Carson, Ray Ortlund and Jonathan Lamb – unpack the Bible’s teaching on hope. In self-contained daily devotions they show us how we can enjoy the pleasures of earth knowing that they point to the far greater delights we'll experience one day in God's presence. In a small, easily portable format, Hope is perfect for carrying around with you on the go. Like all the Food for the Journey books, its undated format means you can start and finish at any time of the year, and work through it at your own pace. Whether you are looking to renew your own sense of hope and wonder at God’s goodness, or want to dig more deeply into what the Bible teaches us about hope, this little devotional is packed full of wisdom that will help strengthen your faith in your walk with Christ. 'The hope set before us' is far greater than we can ever imagine. This devotional shows the glorious contours of our inexhaustible hope, offering encouragement and reassurance, whatever our present circumstances may be.

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Where is God when the world falls apart, when he doesn’t seem to care? Ezekiel brought God’s word to his people at the lowest point in their history, suffering the trauma of exile. But with exile comes the opportunity to renew their faith and hope in God himself. Although God had judged his people, he would also restore them and dwell with them forever – promises which find their ultimate fulfilment in Christ. Antony Billington’s six-session guide, with his astute mini-features, skilful questions, and timely notes, will help you explore how Ezekiel’s message of challenge and comfort speaks today, enabling you to live in the light of God’s presence, Monday through Sunday – whatever you're facing.

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At first sight the Gospel of Mark is a simple account of the ministry of Jesus with lots of stories, plenty of action, a large amount of human interest, and some very straight and searching questions, mostly from Jesus himself. Yet underlying the Gospel is the cross and the cost of discipleship, focusing the question of who Jesus was, and how people should respond to him. Donald English's exposition picks up Mark's focus on faith as a risky, total commitment to Christ, and on its mysteries - pre-eminently, why some people believe, and others do not, even to the point of opposition.

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Reading the Bible is one of the most important spiritual disciplines we can engage in. Why is Bible study so significant? How can our attitude and approach affect what we get out of our reading? Learning to immerse ourselves in God's thoughts through study and meditation allows us to go deeper into God's Word and live in a more Christlike way. This six-session LifeBuilder Bible Study from Jan Johnson helps us do just that. Previously published as part of the Spiritual Disciplines Study Series

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An adulterous woman repeatedly spurns the love of her youth, while her betrayed husband offers forgiveness and seeks to win her back and restore the intimacy of their first love. With this bold and uncomfortable imagery, Hosea tells the story of God and his people. The message is made more poignant as God calls the prophet to embody this divine suffering and redeeming forgiveness in his own marriage. Hosea’s own story thus sets the stage for his message of God’s faithful and enduring love, his righteous judgement and also his continuing offer of reconciliation and a new beginning. Robin Routledge’s commentary explores the historical, cultural, literary and theological dimensions of the book, and offers a guide to its continuing message of judgement, hope and restoration.

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The way we think and feel about ourselves is one of the most important things about us – affecting our peace of mind, our creativity and our ability to engage meaningfully in the world. Perhaps most importantly, it impacts our relationships with others, including our relationship with God. These eight studies are designed to help us take a transforming look at some key aspects of our self-image under the clear reflection of God’s love.

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We all go through times of trouble and suffering. Sometimes we look at our lives or our world and wonder what good could possibly come out of it. That's exactly what we find in the book of Isaiah. Here you'll see how the prophet raises a cry for revival in the midst of a rotting society and you'll find comfort for your own troubled times. This revised LifeBuilder Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and a "Now or Later" section in each study.

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Learn from Elijah about living in an increasingly threatening world. A series of 8 studies for small groups or individuals from the bestselling Lifebuilder range. A topic that's right for our times also features questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, as well as a "now or later" section in each study.

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Many Bible studies of the book of Ruth focus on the life and character of Ruth herself. Ruth takes a more comprehensive view of the book as a whole. While the book is named for Ruth, and she is prominent in the action, other significant players populate the drama: Naomi, Elimelek, Mahlon, Kilion, Orpah, Boaz, an unnamed guardian-redeemer, reapers, elders, neighbors. All have their share of importance in the historical narrative.What does the book of Ruth have to do with us today? Although Ruth and Boaz are mentioned in the New Testament only in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:5), Christians have long seen in the book of Ruth a foreshadowing of our redemption through Christ. As Ruth and Naomi were destitute, with no status and no hope, we were in spiritual poverty and could not rescue ourselves. Like them, we were in need of a guardian-redeemer who would come to our aid. As Boaz in love intervened and took responsibility to save Ruth and Naomi, Christ in love has become our ultimate Redeemer who assumes the burden of our need and gives us a place in his kingdom.

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A permissive society, a power-hungry people, a nation without God – Daniel’s situation in Babylon sounds something like our own. In the midst of secular forces, how can we remain true to biblical values? How can we have a positive impact on those around us? Daniel is a great role model – a man who rose to prominence without compromising his beliefs.

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Lydia shows us how to influence the people around us. Elizabeth's life challenges us to care for others. Other women like Herodias and Sapphira warn us against turning away from God toward bitterness and dishonesty. In meeting each of these women, you will grow deeper in your understanding of what it means to be a disciple. This revised title features questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, as well as a "now or later" section in each study. This book contains ten studies and in addition to the women above includes sessions on Mary, Mary and Martha, Euodia and Syntyche, and Priscilla.

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Truth is a tricky thing. Today, ‘the truth’ is not just hard to swallow; it is something we refuse to swallow. Truth is too certain, too divisive, too arrogant. In response, today’s truth is often one of relativism: what’s true for you might not be true for me. But if it’s sometimes true, and sometimes not, is it really truth at all? Jesus claimed to be ‘the way and the truth and the life.’ But can we really accept this ultimate truth in an age of questioning, uncertainty, relativism and scepticism? In More Truth, young philosopher Kristi Mair explores whether Christians can be confident in the ‘truth’ in our anything goes age.

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Evangelical Christians around the world have debated for years the extent to which they should be involved in ministries of social action and concern. In Evangelicals and Social Action Ian J. Shaw offers clarity to these debates by tracing the historical involvement of the evangelical church with issues of social action. Focusing on thinking and practices from John Wesley, one of the architects of eighteenth century evangelicalism, to John Stott’s work in the second half of the twentieth century, he explores whether evangelism and social action really have been intimately related throughout the history of the church as Stott contended. After an overview of Christian social action prior to Wesley, from the early church through to the eighteenth century, Evangelicals and Social Action explores in detail responses from the evangelical church around the world to eighteen key issues of social action and concern – including poverty, racial equality, addiction, children ‘at risk,’ slavery, unemployment, and learning disability – encountered between the 1730s and the 1970s. Drawn from a wide range of contexts, these examples illuminate and clarify how Evangelical Christianity has viewed and been a part of ministries of social action over the last three centuries. With an assessment of the issues raised by this historical survey and its implications for evangelicals in the contemporary world, Evangelicals and Social Action is a book that will help better inform the debates around the evangelical church and social action still happening today. This is a book for anyone wanting to deepen their knowledge of the history of the evangelical church, and anyone wanting to better understand Christian social action from an evangelical perspective.

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Of course the Bible matters. It is God’s word to us. But how do we engage with its message? Tim Chester creates a sense of expectation, causing our reading of the Bible to become a living experience in which we encounter God. Amazingly, this God of the universe speaks to us each day! Here is a personal, clear, intentional and sufficient message for our lives. The Bible is truly unique; it speaks into a myriad of situations and brings us back to the deep joy of the gospel. ‘Will enrich your encounter with God as you engage with his word.’ Elaine Duncan ‘This is more than useful; it’s inspiring.’ Julian Hardyman ‘Tim Chester is one of the clearest, most useful and reliable Christian writers in the UK today . . . He comes alongside the reader to instruct and to apply his teaching to life in the modern world.’ Peter Lewis ‘Inspirational, profound, realistic . . . If you can buy only one book on the Bible, buy this one.’ Tricia Marnham ‘Buy, read, recommend, lend, give away!’ James Robson

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The gospel of Jesus Christ is always situated within a particular cultural context: but how should Christians approach the complex relationship between their faith and the surrounding culture? Should we simply retreat from culture? Should we embrace our cultural practices and mindset? How important is it for us to be engaged with our culture and mindset? How might we do that with discernment and faithfulness? William Edgar offers a biblical theology in the light of our contemporary culture that contends that Christians should -- and indeed, must -- engage with the surrounding culture. By exploring what Scripture has to say about the role of culture and gleaning insights from a variety of theologians -- including Abraham Kuyper, T. S. Eliot, H. Richard Niebuhr and C. S. Lewis -- Edgar contends that cultural engagement is a fundamental aspect of human existence. He does not shy away from those passages that emphasize the distinction between Christians and the world. Yet he finds, shining through the biblical witness, evidence that supports a robust defence of the cultural mandate to 'be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it' (Genesis 1:28). With clarity and wisdom, Edgar argues that we are most faithful to our calling as God's creatures when we participate in creating culture.

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Family life has undergone revolutionary changes in Western society in the last sixty years, posing both theological and ethical challenges for the contemporary church. This book responds with wide-ranging essays on sexuality, marriage, family life, singleness, same-sex relationships, violence against women, anthropology, gender and culture. These chapters are essential reading for anyone concerned with Christian teaching on marriage and the family. They balance a clear loyalty to the church’s historic and biblical teaching with a recognition that all doctrine is contextualized. There is a growing gap between the ethics of many Christians and those of wider society. So Christians have to be counter-cultural. But the church also has to be self-critical, differentiating between biblical revelation and cultural development. And it must know how to present unchanging Christian convictions to a constantly changing society. The contributors are Andy Angel, Daniel Block, Rosalind Clarke, Barry Danylak, Andrew Goddard, Stephen Holmes, David Instone Brewer, A. T. B. McGowan, Nicholas Moore, Onesimus Ngundu, Oliver O'Donovan, Ian Paul, Andrew Sloane, Katy Smith, Elaine Storkey and Sarah Whittle.

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