Forsaken: The Trinity and the Cross, and Why It Matters


Thomas H. McCall - 2012
    McCall revisits the biblical texts and surveys the various interpretations of Jesus’ cry, ranging from early church theologians to the Reformation to contemporary theologians. Along the way, he explains the terms of the scholarly debate and clearly marks out what he believes to be the historically orthodox point of view. By approaching the Son's cry to the Father as an event in the life of the Triune God, Forsaken seeks to recover the true poignancy of the orthodox perspective on the cross.

A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society


Eugene H. Peterson - 1980
    If anything, email and the Internet may have intensified our quest for the quick fix. But Peterson's time-tested prescription for discipleship remains the same--a long obedience in the same direction. Tucked away in the Hebrew Psalter, Peterson discovered "an old dog-eared songbook," the Songs of Ascents that were sung by pilgrims on their way up to worship in Jerusalem. In these songs (Psalms 120-134) Peterson finds encouragement for modern pilgrims as we learn to grow in worship, service, joy, work, happiness, humility, community and blessing. This 20th anniversary edition of A Long Obedience in the Same Direction features these Psalms in Peterson's widely acclaimed paraphrase, The Message. He also includes an epilogue in which he reflects on the themes of this book and his ministry during the twenty years since its original publication.

The Daniel Dilemma: How to Stand Firm and Love Well in a Culture of Compromise


Chris Hodges - 2017
    Full of scripture and seasoned with Hodges’ candid personal insights, The Daniel Dilemma shows us that standing for truth isn’t about winning the argument; it’s about winning hearts. And when we learn the secret of connecting before correcting, we discover that we can hold firmly to biblical beliefs without becoming obnoxious, insulting, or mad; stand strong while loving others well; andrespond to today’s hard questions without compromising grace or truth.With fresh insights and practical ideas, Hodges encourages Christians struggling with our cultural reality to hold God’s standards high and his grace deep—just as Jesus did, and just as his followers today are called to do.

Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God


Paul Copan - 2010
    This viewpoint is even making inroads into the church. How are Christians to respond to such accusations? And how are we to reconcile the seemingly disconnected natures of God portrayed in the two testaments?In this timely and readable book, apologist Paul Copan takes on some of the most vexing accusations of our time, including: God is arrogant and jealousGod punishes people too harshlyGod is guilty of ethnic cleansingGod oppresses womenGod endorses slaveryChristianity causes violenceand moreCopan not only answers God's critics, he also shows how to read both the Old and New Testaments faithfully, seeing an unchanging, righteous, and loving God in both.

Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel


Russell D. Moore - 2015
    That may be bad news for America, but it can be good news for the church. What's needed now, in shifting times, is neither a doubling-down on the status quo nor a pullback into isolation. Instead, we need a church that speaks to social and political issues with a bigger vision in mind: that of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christianity seems increasingly strange, and even subversive, to our culture, we have the opportunity to reclaim the freakishness of the gospel, which is what gives it its power in the first place.   We seek the kingdom of God, before everything else. We connect that kingdom agenda to the culture around us, both by speaking it to the world and by showing it in our churches. As we do so, we remember our mission to oppose demons, not to demonize opponents. As we advocate for human dignity, for religious liberty, for family stability, let's do so as those with a prophetic word that turns everything upside down.   The signs of the times tell us we are in for days our parents and grandparents never knew. But that's no call for panic or surrender or outrage. Jesus is alive. Let's act like it. Let's follow him, onward to the future.

Faith Among the Faithless: Learning from Esther How to Live in a World Gone Mad


Mike Cosper - 2018
    A tale of sex, ego, and revenge, the book of Esther reveals a world where God seems absent from everyday life--a world not unlike our own. Far from the gentle cartoon we often hear in Sunday school, the story of Esther is a brutal saga of people assimilated into a pluralistic, pagan society, embracing its standards. Yet when threatened with annihilation, they find the courage to turn to God in humility.A call to spiritual awakening and to faith in an age of malaise and apathy, Faith Among the Faithless is an invitation to remember the faithfulness of God, knowing that in dark times--as in the days of Esther or our own--God may be hidden, but he is never absent.

The Misery of Job and the Mercy of God


John Piper - 2002
    His riches destroyed, his family taken, and his own body afflicted. We can only imagine the depth of his loss and pain. Yet as we ponder Job's misery, do we see the threads of God's mercy throughout it? We will all face suffering at some point in our lives; it is inescapable. But what makes calamity endurable is not that God shares our shock, but that through every flame of pain and flood of fear His sovereign goodness sustains us. John Piper's interpretive poem and the stunning photography of Ric Ergrenbright remind your heart of the unshakable fact that God governs all things for His good purposes. Allow your eyes to see life--to see God--in new and powerful ways. And let your spirit rest, knowing that the Lord is not only sovereign, but sweet.

Recovering Eden: The Gospel According to Ecclesiastes


Zack Eswine - 2013
    Eswine's study helps us address these topics boldly ourselves and grounds them in the person and work of Jesus.

Philosophy of Man: Selected Readings


Manuel B. Dy Jr. - 1986
    Half of the readings are written by our own philosophy teachers of the country, and the rest are chosen on the basis of their reliability, essentiality, and depth. Needless to say, this book is the fruit of eighteen years of experience in teaching this course."

Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament


Mark Vroegop - 2019
    We need to recover the practice of honest spiritual struggle that gives us permission to vocalize our pain and wrestle with our sorrow. Lament avoids trite answers and quick solutions, progressively moving us toward deeper worship and trust.Exploring how the Bible--through the psalms of lament and the book of Lamentations--gives voice to our pain, this book invites us to grieve, struggle, and tap into the rich reservoir of grace and mercy God offers in the darkest moments of our lives.

Delighting in the Trinity: An Introduction to the Christian Faith


Michael Reeves - 2012
    He takes cues from preachers and teachers down through the ages, setting key doctrines of creation, the person and work of Christ, and life in the Spirit into a simple framework of the Christian life. A rich and enjoyable read on the basic beliefs of Christianity that avoids dumbing down its profound and life changing truths.

The Skeletons in God's Closet: The Mercy of Hell, the Surprise of Judgment, the Hope of Holy War


Joshua Ryan Butler - 2014
    Hell, judgment, and holy war are hot topics for the Christian faith that have a way of igniting fierce debate far and wide. These hard questions leave many wondering whether God is really good and can truly be trusted."The Skeletons in God's Closet" confronts our popular caricatures of these difficult topics with the beauty and power of the real thing. Josh Butler reveals that these subjects are consistent with, rather than contradictory to, the goodness of God. He explores Scripture to reveal the plotlines that make sense of these tough topics in light of God's goodness. From fresh angles, Josh deals powerfully with such difficult passages as:* The Lake of Fire* Lazarus and the Rich Man* The Slaughter of Canaanites in the Old TestamentUltimately, "The Skeletons in God's Closet" uses our toughest questions to provoke paradigm shifts in how we understand our faith as a whole. It pulls the "skeletons out of God's closet" to reveal they were never really skeletons at all.

Dance, Stand, Run: The God-Inspired Moves of a Woman on Holy Ground


Jess Connelly - 2017
    But it's not cheap—true grace compels us to change. That’s where holiness comes in.Beloved writer, speaker, and bestselling coauthor of Wild and Free Jess Connolly will be the first to admit that not long ago, like many women, she grasped grace but she had forgotten holiness. Dance, Stand, Run charts her discovery that holiness was never meant to be a shaming reminder of what we “should” be doing, but rather a profound privilege of becoming more like Christ. That’s when we start to change the world, rather than being changed by it.Dance, Stand, Run is an invitation to the daughters of God to step into the movements of abundant life: dancing in grace, standing firm in holiness, and running on mission. Through story and study, Jess casts a fresh vision for how to live into your identity as a holy daughter of God, how to break free of cheap grace and empty rule-keeping, and finally, how to live out your holy influence with confidence before a watching world. Spoiler alert: it’s a beautiful thing.For anyone longing to take their place in what God is doing in the world, Dance, Stand, Run will rally your strength, refresh your purpose, and energize your faith in a God who calls us to be like Him.

The Resting Place: Living Immersed in the Presence of God


Bill Johnson - 2019
    While this is an incredible truth, the fullness of this reality is greater than we can imagine!   Bestselling author and internationally respected pastor Bill Johnson shares the key to living a supernatural lifestyle: welcoming God’s Spirit to abide with you. Learn the difference between the Spirit’s presence within you, and His resting upon you. Experience the multiple dimensions of God’s Presence revealed in Scripture. Uncover the secrets to Holy Spirit saturation, practiced by many revival leaders, including Kathryn Kuhlman and John G. Lake. Discover keys to protecting the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. The Holy Spirit is looking for a people upon whom His presence can rest. The invitation is extended to you—how will you respond?

Driven by Eternity: Making Your Life Count Today & Forever


John Bevere - 2006
    Drawing on the principles in 2 Corinthians 5:911, John Bevere reminds us that all believers will stand before God and receive what they have earned in life. In building their lives to be ready for that day, and maintaining an eternal frame of reference, readers will develop significant lives. In keeping sight of the goal, readers will learn to labor for rewards that endurefor timeless eternity.