"I can't tell you how many times I have preached and afterward promised God I would never embarrass Him like that again." — Joseph M. Stowell.Unnatural. Supernatural. A gift. Hard work. Exhilarating. Terrifying. These words only begin to describe the challenge and reward each pastor experiences. So what can assist today's pastors in such an endeavor?The Moody Handbook of Preaching. With contributors like Michael Easley, Joseph Stowell, and George Sweeting, ...

This indispensable study tool will help you develop a personal Bible memorization plan—starting with 52 key verses of scripture. Featuring full scripture text (in the King James Version, New International Version, and New Living Translation), brief devotional insights, and memorization tips, Bible Memory Plan provides the impetus, structure, and encouragement you need to begin the challenging—but life-changing—habit of memorizing scripture. Its handy size goes anywhere, tucking ea...

Know Your Bible is a concise, easy-to-understand guide to God's Word-giving you a helpful and memorable overview of all 66 books. For each Know Your Bible provides data on the author and time frame, a ten-word synopsis, a longer (50-100 word) summary, thoughts on what makes the book unique or unusual, a listing of key verses, and a "So, What?" section of practical application. It's a fantastic resource for individuals and ministries!

Many find it difficult to take words that were written thousands of years ago and apply them to twenty-first-century life in the Western world. How do we read God's unchanging Word in a world that is increasingly defined by change?How to Read the Bible in Changing Times shows everyday Christians how to interpret and apply the Scriptures regardless of time and culture. Rather than seeing the Bible as a magic answer book, a list of commands to obey, or a series of promises t...

Spiritual discernment is good for more than just making monumental decisions according to God's will. It is an essential, day-to-day activity that allows thoughtful Christians to separate the truth of God from error and to distinguish right from wrong in all kinds of settings and situations. It is also a skill-something that any person can develop and improve, especially with the guidance in this book.Written by a leading evangelical blogger, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment...

This updated classic leads the reader through the inductive Bible study process, showing practically how to study the Bible for one's self.With this tool, Christians can learn to relevantly apply God's Word to their lives as His Spirit leads them personally, rather than as some other leader might direct. Originally published in 1986, Finzel's style remains very accessible—providing practical examples that walk the reader through the steps of unpacking Scripture, us...

A Comprehensive Resource for Today’s Christian Communicators.This extensive encyclopedia is the most complete and practical work ever published on the art and craft of biblical preaching. Its 11 major sections contain nearly 200 articles, comprehensively covering topics on preaching and methodology, including:Sermon structure and “the big idea.”The art of introductions, transitions, and conclusions.Methods for sermon prep, from out...

Some of the leading voices in evangelical Christianity reaffirm the importance of preaching biblical theology for the health of our churches.Loving, teaching, and rightly dividing the Word of God is every pastor's privilege and responsibility. If a pastor understands what the Word says about God, man, and the curse, about Christ and his substitutionary atonement, and about the call to repentance and sacrifice, he will develop and preach a sound theology. And sound theology...

The NIV Application Commentary helps you communicate and apply biblical text effectively in today's context.To bring the ancient messages of the Bible into today's world, each passage is treated in three sections:Original Meaning. Concise exegesis to help readers understand the original meaning of the biblical text in its historical, literary, and cultural context.Bridging Contexts. A bridge between the worl...

In this revised and expanded edition of Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers, Michael J. Gorman presents a straightforward approach to the complex task of biblical exegesis.Designed for students, teachers, and ministers, this hands-on guide breaks the task down into seven distinct elements. For each of these, Gorman supplies a clear explanation, practical hints, and suggested exercises to help the reader develop exegetical proficiency. Th...

Over the centuries the church developed a number of metaphors, such as penal substitution or the ransom theory, to speak about Christ's death on the cross and the theological concept of the atonement. Yet too often, says Scot McKnight, Christians have held to the supremacy of one metaphor over against the others, to their detriment. He argues instead that to plumb the rich theological depths of the atonement, we must consider all the metaphors of atonement and ask whether they each serve a...

The inerrancy of the Bible--the belief that the Bible is without error--is often a contentious topic among mainstream Christianity.Like other titles in the Counterpoints collection, this volume gives those interested in theology the tools they need to draw informed conclusions on debated issues by showcasing the range of positions in a way that helps readers understand the perspectives--especially where and why they diverge.Each essay in Five Views on B...