Best of
Scripture

2021

Religion of the Apostles: Orthodox Christianity in the First Century


Stephen De Young - 2021
    Dr. Stephen De Young, creator of the popular The Whole Counsel of God blog and podcast, traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.

Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship


Jonathan Gibson - 2021
    But anyone who's been a believer long enough has likely experienced seasons that feel more mundane or routine, leading to aimlessly skimming a couple of Bible verses or praying the same prayer over and over.In Be Thou My Vision, Jonathan Gibson has created a 31-day liturgical guide designed to provide structure to the daily worship of individuals and families. Each daily reading includes a call to worship, adoration, confession, assurance, creed and catechism, the Gloria Patri, a prayer of illumination, Bible reading, intercessory prayer, and the Lord's Prayer. Designed to be read in 15-20 minutes a day, this beautifully produced liturgy will give readers focus and purpose to their daily quiet time while teaching them historical prayers, creeds, and catechisms that point them to Christ.

The Ninefold Path of Jesus: Hidden Wisdom of the Beatitudes


Mark Scandrette - 2021
    They name the illusions and false beliefs that have kept us chained and imprisoned. We've learned to live from a mentality of anxiety and greed, but what if a world of abundance with solace and comfort are actually near? We've learned to live by striving, competition, and comparison, but what if we all have equal dignity and worth? Mark Scandrette shows how the Beatitudes invite us into nine new postures for life. Instead of living in fear, we can choose radical love. It's often assumed that the good life is only for the most wealthy, attractive, and powerful. Poor, sad, and suffering people are left out. But the ninefold path of the Beatitudes is for everyone. Whatever your story, whatever your struggle, wherever you find yourself, this way is available to you.

God Is a Man of War: The Problem of Violence in the Old Testament


Stephen De Young - 2021
    Holy war. Divine wrath. Violence in the Old Testament has long been a stumbling block for Christians and skeptics alike. Yet conventional efforts to understand this aspect of Scripture-whether by downplaying it as allegory or a relic of primitive cultures, or by dismissing the authority of Scripture altogether-tend to raise more questions than they answer. God Is a Man of War offers a fresh interpretation of Old Testament accounts of violence by exploring them through the twofold lens of Orthodox tradition and historical context. Instead of avoiding or invalidating problem passages out of discomfort, Fr. Stephen De Young inquires into what they reveal about the nature of Christ and His creation. In doing so, this book bears witness to a world filled not only with pain and suffering-often of human making-but also with the love of God, poured out through the endless centuries and generations of human strife that preceded and necessitated the Incarnation of Christ.

David's Crown: Sounding the Psalms


Malcolm Guite - 2021
    

The Thief Who Stole Heaven: A Legend


Raymond Arroyo - 2021
    The Thief Who Stole Heaven introduces audiences to the largely hidden character of The Good Thief. Bridging the gap between Christmas and Easter, this unique story brings to life a compelling redemption story that is destined to be treasured and revisited year after year.

How to Build a Healthy Church: A Practical Guide for Deliberate Leadership


Mark Dever - 2021
    Churches must find a way out of the maze of programs and methods and humbly lean on the sufficiency of God's Word.How to Build a Healthy Church, a revised and expanded edition of The Deliberate Church, challenges leaders to evaluate their motivations for ministry and provides practical examples of healthy, deliberate leadership. Written as a companion handbook for Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, it covers important topics including membership, worship, responsible evangelism, and church roles. This is more than a step-by-step plan to mimic; it's a biblical blueprint for pastors, elders, and anyone committed to the church's vitality.

Mysteries of the Messiah: Unveiling Divine Connections from Genesis to Today


Jason Sobel - 2021
    Too many Christians accept half an inheritance in that they are content to embrace merely the New Testament. On the flip side, Jews often experience this by embracing only the Old Testament. But God has an intricate plan and purpose for both.In Mysteries of the Messiah, Rabbi Jason Sobel, raised in a Jewish home in New Jersey but now a follower of Yeshua, pulls back the curtain to show the many connections in Scripture hidden in plain sight. Known for his emphatic declaration “but there’s more!” he guides readers from the story of creation through Revelation to see the passion and purpose of the Messiah, the Torah, and several of the patriarchs and prophets.God’s Word, written by many people over thousands of years, is not a random selection of people and stories, but they have intricate connections. Rabbi Jason connects the dots for readers, helping them see with clarity what God intended.

Proclaim Peace: The Restoration's Answer to an Age of Conflict


Patrick Q. Mason - 2021
    In a world plagued by violence, Mason and Pulsipher believe, with President Russell M. Nelson, that "peace is possible" and that the "descendants of Abraham...are in a pivotal position to emerge as peacemakers" ("Blessed Are the Peacemakers," Ensign, Nov. 2002). This book is an effort to lift up the Restoration's distinctive principles that invite us to renounce violence and proclaim Christ's good news of love and peace to a world that desperately needs it. Proclaim Peace seeks not to promote any particular ideology, but to invite readers, especially the rising generation, to reflect on the interpersonal, ethical, and social dimensions of Christian discipleship.

The Paradox of Sonship: Christology in the Epistle to the Hebrews


R.B. Jamieson - 2021
    B. Jamieson probes the complexity of the Christology presented in the epistle to the Hebrews. Exploring the paradox of this key term, Jamieson argues that, according to Hebrews, Son names both who Jesus is eternally and what he becomes at the climax of his incarnate, saving mission. Jesus is, in short, the eternal Son who became the messianic Son for us and for our salvation. This volume thereby offers a case study showing how the church's core convictions about Christ lead us not away from the text, but deeper into it.

Luke Volume 1 Ch 1-13


Dale Ralph Davis - 2021
    His humor and love for his Saviour shine through in this addition to the Focus on the Bible series. Taking a few verses at a time, the exegesis draws the reader into the fascination that Luke has for this man Jesus. Volume one covers chapters 1-13 of Luke, while volume two covers chapters 14-24.

Luke Vol 2 Ch 14-24


Dale Ralph Davis - 2021
    Let Dale Ralph Davis to guide you through Luke's investigation into the man Jesus, who has come to seek and to save the lost. Following on from volume one, this book picks up at the beginning of chapter 14 and includes a number of Jesus' parables, as well as his crucifixion and resurrection.

In All the Scriptures: The Three Contexts of Biblical Hermeneutics


Nicholas G. Piotrowski - 2021
    The question every student of Scripture needs to ask, then, is this: Are your interpretive principles and methods legitimate and ethical? In this accessible introduction to biblical hermeneutics, Nicholas G. Piotrowski presents an approach that explores three layers of context: literary, historical, and christological. Because no text exists in the abstract, interpreters must seek to understand a passage's ecology: the flow and argument of the entire biblical book, the world of the original author and audience, and the movement of redemptive history that culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Careful interpretation is both a science and an art, Piotrowski argues, and it has powerful implications for what we believe and how we apply God's Word. Featuring numerous examples, further reading lists, and a glossary, In All the Scriptures equips students, pastors, and thoughtful readers to build a solid foundation for interpreting the Bible.

Praying a Christ-Centered Rosary: Meditations on the Mysteries


James L Papandrea - 2021
    In Praying a Christ-Centered Rosary, popular author and teacher James L. Papandrea brings together the devotional heart and the curious mind helping readers tap into the Church’s rich heritage of theological reflection to ponder the mysteries of Christ hidden within the Rosary. With these meditations, Papandrea reveals that while the prayers of the Rosary seem to focus primarily on the Blessed Mother, she always points us back to her son Jesus.As a revert to Catholicism, James L. Papandrea wasn’t naturally drawn to the Rosary: Its simplicity and repetitiveness seemed to lack the depth he hoped to find in prayer. But over time, he began to understand how the Mysteries of the Rosary could unlock the deepest mysteries of Jesus Christ and foster a profound and personal encounter with God. He will help you do so as well.Papandrea focuses on the mysteries beyond the Gospel events and taps into two millennia of theological reflection focusing especially on the early Church fathers. He connects each of the twenty Mysteries of the Rosary to one of the deepest truths of Catholic faith. Theological reflections are framed as paradoxes which reveal the profoundly Christological nature of this timeless devotion and empower Catholics to go deeper. Readers will ponder howthe Visitation reveals an Almighty God who is helpless;the Institution of the Eucharist shows Christ as both priest and sacrificial victim;the Scourging at the Pillar reveals that our Savior is also a suffering servant; andthe Descent of the Holy Spirit affirms the interaction between human will and divine grace.Praying a Christ-Centered Rosary begins with a brief history of Marian devotion and the Rosary’s central place in it. Each of the twenty brief chapters that follow guides readers through one of the Mysteries of the Rosary with three questions which lead to a deeper understanding of our faith: What is the Mystery? Where was Mary in the Mystery?What Does the Mystery Tell Us about Jesus? and closes with a brief prayer. The book concludes with instructions for praying the traditional Rosary along with new prayable theological meditations for each mystery based on the more completely developed content of the book.