In their groundbreaking new book, In the Beginning . . . We Misunderstood, authors Johnny V. Miller and John M. Soden say that all these arguments have missed the point. Rather, what Christians really need to know is how to interpret the Bible in its original context. Exposing the fallacies of trying to make the biblical text fit a specific scientific presupposition, Miller and Soden offer a new approach to interpreting Genesis 1 that explores the creation account based on how the original audience would have understood its teaching. First, the authors present a clear explanation of the past and present issues in interpreting the first chapter of the Bible. Second, Miller and Soden break down the creation account according to its historical and cultural context by comparing and distinguishing both the Egyptian and Mesopotamian settings. Finally, they explore common objections to help readers understand the significance that the creation account has for theology today.Christians need not look any further than Genesis 1 to find clues to its meaning. Both irenic and bathed in Scripture, In the Beginning . . . We Misunderstood will equip every believer to navigate the creation wars, armed with biblically sound explanations.

    But much of today's apologetics (engagement with the questions that people are asking about Christianity) come from suburban churches and academic studies. Urban believers--those who live and minister in America's inner cities--often face unique issues, not often addressed by the larger Christian community. These questions aren't neat or easy to answer but need to be addressed by applying biblical truth in the culture and challenges of urban life.Author Chris Brooks has ministered for years in the urban environment as well as received extensive theological training. In Urban Apologetics, he seeks to connect the riches of the Christian apologetic tradition with the issues facing cities--such as poverty, violence, and broken families. He brings an urban rhythm and sensitivity to the task of demonstrating the relevance of faith and the healing truth that Christ provides.

    These forty-six daily meditations on the life and ministry of Jesus drawn from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are a spiritual solvent to help remove the layers of lacquer comprised of political and cultural assumptions that prevent us from seeing just how challenging and compelling Jesus of Nazareth really is. The Unvarnished Jesus is a forty-six day project to restore the incomparable image of Christ.

    But very few people could say just how its seemingly disparate jumble of writings — stories, letters, poems, collections of laws, religious visions — got there. Filling this knowledge gap, How the Bible Was Built clearly tells the story of how the Bible came to be. Penned by Charles Merrill Smith in response to his teenage granddaughter’s questions, the manuscript was discovered after Smith’s death and has been reworked by his friend James Bennett for a wider audience. Free of theological or sectarian slant, this little volume provides a concise, factual overview of the Bible’s construction throughout history, outlining how its various books were written and collected and later canonized and translated. Written in an easy conversational style and enhanced by two helpful appendixes (of biblical terms and dates), How the Bible Was Built will give a more informed understanding of the Bible to people of virtually any reading level and any religious persuasion. Did you know?The word “Bible” comes from biblion, a Greek word meaning “papyrus scroll.”It took several thousand years to construct the Bible.The book we call Deuteronomy was discovered hidden away in a dark corner during the reconstruction of the temple under King Josiah.The Apocrypha contains some of the earliest “detective” stories on record.Church councils had many disagreements about which books ought to be authoritative (a book called the Shepherd of Hermas almost made the cut; the book of Revelation almost didn’t).A heretic helped form the canon.Debate over the canon didn’t really end until the Protestant Reformation and the use of the printing press.

    The struggle for reconciliation between the contending forces is not an easy one. It cuts deep into the soul and usually leaves scars that ache while life endures. There are thousands of young people in the Church to-day, and hundreds of thousands throughout the world, who are struggling to set themselves right with the God above and the world about them. It is for these young people, primarily, that the following chapters have been written...

    The difference characterizes an extraordinary amount of our day-to-day experience, often dividing fear from hope, and death from life. At the heart of Christianity lies a similar and related dynamic: between the Law and the Gospel. Far from being a reductive or antiquated distinction, understanding where one ends and the other begins allows a person to see both the Bible and themselves—indeed, the whole world!—in a fresh and enlivening way. Written with the non-theologian in mind, this short volume unpacks the good news of God’s grace with practicality, humor, and a whole lot of heart.

    Includes ready-made Bible studies with three levels of Bible exploration Also includes book introductions, maps, subheadings, footnotes and more.

    PhilipNewell emphasized the Celtic view of the oneness of creationand humanity as expressed through Christ. In that poetic treatmentof the wisdom of Celtic spirituality, Newell pointed the way to amore peaceful, harmonious, integrated Christianity. A New Harmonytakes the next step forward in emphasizing the need to overcomedivisions and find common ground and to reclaim the best of ancientChristian spirituality and a more holistic, natural way of thinkingabout faith.Offers a view of spirituality rooted in ancient insights thatincludes and extends beyond ChristianityPresents the case for the need for "a new harmony" that is bothmystical and relationalThe author J. Philip Newell is a well-known expert on CelticChristianity and the author of the acclaimed Listening for theHeartbeat of God.

    Christianity does all this but who has ever looked to see if it is true? This is a fundamental question and no one has yet set out to prove or disprove Christianity. Until now. From inconsistencies, absurdities, errors, contradictions and adult make-believe this books shows how the bible is false and thus that Christianity cannot possibly be true. This book examines claims in the bible against fact, and it asks deep questions of how the bible mandates that we should live. If you have ever wondered how you could know that the earth is older than 6000 years, or that Noah's flood could not possibly happen, or that the biblical creation story and ten commandments have critical flaws then this book is for you. If you are a Christian and you have questions about your faith then this book is for you. It will set your mind at ease that you will not face judgement day and it will help free your mind from the shackles of indoctrination. If you debate with Christian friends then this is your kryptonite for Christians. If you are a woman or from a lifestyle minority then this book is for you too. Especially for you. Voices of reason, logic and compassion are ever more important in today's complex political landscape. Read this book and understand why humanity should call time on Christianity and why we will all be the better for it.

    On the other hand, some preachers will preach from the Old Testament frequently but fail to handle it correctly, turning it into moralistic rules or symbolic lessons for our spiritual life. In How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth, Christopher J. H. Wright proclaims that preachers must not ignore the Old Testament. It is the Word of God! The Old Testament lays the foundation for our faith and it was the Bible that Jesus read and used.Looking first at why we should preach from the Old Testament, the author moves on to show the reader how they can preach from it. Covering the History, Law, Prophets, Psalms, and Wisdom Literature, interspersed with practical checklists, exercises, and sermons, Wright provides an essential guide on how to handle the Old Testament responsibly.X

    Baptist leaders offering an alternative to the doctrine s TULIP tenets include Paige Patterson (Total Depravity), Richard Land (Unconditional Election), David Allen (Limited Atonement), Steve Lemke (Irresistible Grace), and Kenneth Keathley (Perseverance of the Saints).The book also includes a series of articles on crucial theological and ministerial issues impacting Calvinism by Bruce Little ( Libertarian Free Will and the Problem of Evil ), Alan Streett ( A Defense of the Public Invitation ), Malcolm Yarnell ( Historical Baptist Ecclesiology and Calvinism ), and Kevin Kennedy ( Was Calvin a Calvinist? ).

    Yet, we live in a world where religion has become a tool people can use to their advantage rather than a means of growing closer to God. In this revised edition of In Search of Belief, Sister Joan Chittister challenges readers to reflect upon whether they truly live what they say they believe or whether they have created their own images of God to suit whatever is convenient for their personal and/or social situations.With a new foreword by Tom Roberts (National Catholic Reporter) and a new Introduction by the author, this fresh edition examines the Apostles' Creed phrase-by-phrase, offering challenging interpretations of its familiar themes and a provocative way of understanding--and expressing--its tenets.232-page paperback

    Prophetic perspective concerning the Middle East, Israel, Australia, and the United States are all covered inside these pages. If you are searching for accurate, specific, and revelatory prophecy, the messages from heaven contained in this book will give leaders, saints, and intercessors a clear prayer agenda and tangible burden from God. The body of Christ must be prepared for the days ahead and the dreams, visions, and encounters inside these pages will do just that. Now is the time to seek the face of God like never before!

    True Christianity involves a sight of the majesty of God and calls for a godly life.

     Blood moons that brought nothing. Shemitah years that have long passed. 10 horns that seem neither to be 10 countries of the failing European Union nor 10 Islamic nations. Yet 1900 years after John, the code of the Antichrist is finally clear and as failed ideologies of the recent past entice the younger generation through great deception, Nimrod is rising once again. The symbols of Daniel's and John's visions are no longer a mystery but hide in plain sight today. History you can verify for yourself right now will convince you of the global Antichrist to come, before the Second Coming. There is nothing new under the sun (Eccl 1:9). This book decodes simply the vision of John on the Number of the Beast, reliving the first lie in the garden of Eden. And it does not end at Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus or Nero Caesar or "nrwn qsr" You will see : Extraordinary proofs of God's omniscience in predicting the future movements of the human race, from the beginning of the world A dark agenda that is no longer a conspiracy theory, but is out in the open, operating in the halls of government worldwide Is America Mystery Babylon ? or as this book shows - has America stood time and again in the gap for Humanity against the real Beast for exactly over a 100 years now ? How World War 3 will be the global entry ramp for the Antichrist but wars are not the end (Matt 24:6) The rise of Homo Deus as prophesied (2 Thessalonians 2:4) Four horns or ten ? - Maps of the Middle East and the most likely regions of the Ten horns from a meeting that preceded even the European Union The coming enforcement of a trans-national "planetary regime" to enforce totalitarian population control measures and control of all renewable and non-renewable resources on earth, even OPENLY demanded by some politicians today. The goal of this future regime to fundamentally and irreversibly change human nature through government action A connection between two events that occurred more than two decades ago EXACTLY one year apart the first a political earthquake and the second, one that started small but today has irrevocably changed humanity. How FAKE news will be the ONLY news just before the return of Christ How the Antichrist will finally make peace between Israel and the Arabs and WHY this will have to happen, inevitably! New meaning in the prophecies of Isaiah and how Psalm 83 aligns perfectly with his prophecies of the changes surrounding the end times Why Mystery Babylon and the Headquarters of the Beast are the same TWO cities in the future as in the 1st century from prophecies of Jeremiah and John You will also see how the Apocalypse or "uncovering" will unfold through a new yet doomed-to-fail system of global government and two new technologies not fully here today