Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth


Richard J. Foster - 1978
    Along the way, Foster shows that it is only by and through these practices that the true path to spiritual growth can be found.Dividing the Disciplines into three movements of the Spirit, Foster shows how each of these areas contribute to a balanced spiritual life. The inward Disciplines of meditation, prayer, fasting, and study offer avenues of personal examination and change. The outward Disciplines of simplicity, solitude, submission, and service help prepare us to make the world a better place. The corporate Disciplines of confession, worship, guidance, and celebration bring us nearer to one another and to God.Foster provides a wealth of examples demonstrating how these Disciplines can become part of our daily activities—and how they can help us shed our superficial habits and "bring the abundance of God into our lives." He offers crucial new insights on simplicity, demonstrating how the biblical view of simplicity, properly understood and applied, brings joy and balance to our inward and outward lives and "sets us free to enjoy the provision of God as a gift that can be shared with others." The discussion of celebration, often the most neglected of the Disciplines, shows its critical importance, for it stands at the heart of the way to Christ. Celebration of Discipline will help Christians everywhere to embark on a journey of prayer and spiritual growth.

PROOF: Finding Freedom through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace


Daniel Montgomery - 2014
    Time magazine recently dubbed Calvinism as one of the top ten ideas changing the world right now. And yet most of these discussions center on the issue of predestination or on whether particular people agree with the five points of Calvinism. Daniel Montgomery and Timothy Paul Jones think it's time to rescue the theology of the Reformers from such stale scholasticizing and to declare anew the dangerous and intoxicating joy of the gospel that theyproclaimed. PROOF stands for planned grace, resurrecting grace, outrageous grace, overcoming grace, and forever grace. The authors offer proof of God’s grace upon which people can stand against  the attacks of legalism that have led many of God's people to lose sight of the freedom and joy of the gospel.  And this proof is intoxicating—it’s like a 200-proof drink that will leave you spiritually staggering at its effect on your life. God’s grace not only declares us “not guilty!” in his presence, it changes our relationship with God—forever.?

The Five Points of Calvinism


Edwin H. Palmer - 1996
    Using the Scriptures from which they are drawn, Edwin H. Palmer analyzes each point and explains them in accessible language. Helpful discussion questions follow each chapter, making this book ideal for classes or study groups. This important resource also includes a new foreword by Michael Horton and relevant historic catechisms and confessions.

Nothing to Prove: Why We Can Stop Trying So Hard


Jennie Allen - 2017
    Author and Bible teacher Jennie Allen invites us into a different experience, one in which our souls overflow with contentment and joy. In Nothing to Prove she calls us to...* Find freedom from self-induced pressure by admitting we're not enough--but Jesus is. * Admit our greatest needs and watch them be filled by the only One who can meet them. * Make it our goal to know and love Jesus, then watch what He does in and through us.

Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels


Kenneth E. Bailey - 2007
    Bailey examines the life and ministry of Jesus with attention to the Lord's Prayer, the Beatitudes, Jesus' relationship to women, and especially Jesus' parables. Through it all, Bailey employs his trademark expertise as a master of Middle Eastern culture to lead you into a deeper understanding of the person and significance of Jesus within his own cultural context. With a sure but gentle hand, Bailey lifts away the obscuring layers of modern Western interpretation to reveal Jesus in the light of his actual historical and cultural setting. This entirely new material from the pen of Ken Bailey is a must-have for any student of the New Testament. If you have benefited from Bailey's work over the years, this book will be a welcome and indispensable addition to your library. If you are unfamiliar with Bailey's work, this book will introduce you to a very old yet entirely new way of understanding Jesus.

A Tale of Three Kings


Gene Edwards - 1980
    Christian leaders and directors of religious movements throughout the world have recommended this simple, powerful, and beautiful story to their members and staff. You will want to join the thousands who have been profoundly touched by this incomparable story.

The Joy of Calvinism: Knowing God's Personal, Unconditional, Irresistible, Unbreakable Love


Gregory Forster - 2012
    But too often the defenders of Calvinism explain it only in highly technical, formulaic, and negative terms. As a result, most people today do not understand what "Calvinism" really is. They are robbed—in whole or in part—of the everyday experience of devotional joy that a robust and well-formed Calvinistic piety always produces.This book will show you how Calvinism can transform your everyday walk with God by unlocking the purpose of the Christian life, and how you can have the joy of God in spite of trials and suffering. It is time we rediscover the joy of Calvinism.

The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People, NIV


Randy Frazee - 1996
    There are no verse references, and Scripture segments are seamlessly woven together with transition text into a single grand narrative. For those intimidated or overwhelmed by the unabridged Bible, The Story helps people understand God’s Word more fully and engage with it more easily.Simple, accessible, and easy to use, churches are finding The Story a powerful way to engage their people in Bible reading like never before. As The Story brings the Bible to life, the broad scope of God’s message will penetrate hearts. People of all ages will be swept up in the story of God’s love and God’s plan for their lives.God goes to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people. That is what The Story is all about: the story of the Bible, God’s great love affair with humanity. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events from Genesis to Revelation. Using the clear, accessible text of the NIV Bible, it allows the stories, poems, and teachings of the Bible to read like a novel. And like any good story, The Story is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance, and redemption; and this story’s true! “This book tells the grandest, most compelling story of all time: the story of a true God who loves his children, who established for them a way of salvation and provided a route to eternity. Each story in these 31 chapters reveals the God of grace---the God who speaks; the God who acts; the God who listens; the God whose love for his people culminated in his sacrifice of Jesus, his only Son, to atone for the sins of humanity.”

Be Basic (Genesis 1-11): Believing the Simple Truth of God's Word


Warren W. Wiersbe - 1998
    Every day we are confronted with cloudy moral issues that once seemed clear. When did the simple things get so complicated? But instead of wondering how we got here, maybe we should revisit how we got started. And there's no better place to start than the beginning of God's Word, the book of Genesis.Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe's best-selling "BE" commentary series, Be Basic has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh. A respected pastor and Bible teacher, Dr. Wiersbe takes an insightful look at the fundamentals for a life well lived. Return to the beginning and discover life-changing truths about relationships, faith, sin, and spiritual fulfillment. Because in life, the key to a happy ending is found at the beginning.

Living for God's Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism


Joel R. Beeke - 2008
    But as Dr. Joel R. Beeke argues in this important new book, this image could not be further from the truth. Beeke, a pastor, educator, editor, and prolific author, shows instead that Calvinism is a theology that is firmly rooted in Scripture and works its way out into every area of the believer’s life. He aims to “cover the intellectual and spiritual emphases of Calvinism, the way it influences the church and everyday living, and its ethical and cultural implications.”In this comprehensive survey of Reformed Christianity, Dr. Beeke and eight fellow contributors offer twenty–eight chapters that trace the history of Calvinism; explore its key doctrinal tenets, such as the so–called five points of Calvinism and the solas of the Protestant Reformation; reveal how Calvinists have sought to live in devotion to God; and survey Calvinism’s influence in the church and in the world at large. In the end, the book asserts that the overriding goal of Calvinism is the glory of God. Saturated with Scripture citations and sprinkled with quotations from wise giants of church history, this book presents Calvinism in a winsome and wondrous fashion.

The Power of a Praying Parent


Stormie Omartian - 1995
    In these easy-to-read chapters, Stormie shares from personal experience as to how parents can pray for their kids':* safety * character development * adolescence * peer pressure * school experiences * friends * relationship with GodThis resource will help you to be an amazing praying parent whether your kids are three or thirty-three.

Not a Fan: Becoming a Completely Committed Follower of Jesus


Kyle Idleman - 2011
    In fact, you may want to read this book before you answer at all. Consider it a 'Define the Relationship' conversation to determine exactly where you stand. You may indeed be a passionate, fully devoted follower of Jesus. Or, you may be just a fan who admires Jesus but isn't ready to let him cramp your style. Then again, maybe you're not into Jesus, period.In any case, don't take the question---Are you a follower of Jesus?---lightly.Some people don't know what they've said yes to and other people don't realize what they've said no to, says Pastor Kyle Idleman. But Jesus is ready to clearly define the relationship he wants with his followers.Not a Fan calls you to consider the demands and rewards of being a true disciple. With frankness sprinkled with humor, Idleman invites you to live the way Jesus lived, love the way he loved, pray the way he prayed, and never give up living for the One who gave his all for you.

Walking with God: Talk to Him. Hear from Him. Really.


John Eldredge - 2008
    In "Walking wtih God "by John Eldredge, the details are intimate and personal. The invitation is for us all. What if we "could" hear from God . . . often? What difference would it make?All day long we are making choices. It adds up to an enormous amount of decisions in a lifetime. How do we know what to do?We have two options.We can trudge through on our own, doing our best to figure it all out.Or, we can walk with God. As in, learn to hear his voice. Really. We can live life with God. He offers to speak to us and guide us. Every day. It is an incredible offer. To accept that offer is to enter into an adventure filled with joy and risk, transformation and breakthrough. And more clarity than we ever thought possible.

Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God


Rankin Wilbourne - 2016
    If you are a Christian, the Bible says that Christ has united his life to yours, that you are now in Christ and Christ is in you. This almost unfathomable truth is the central theme of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Yet few Christians today experience or enjoy this reality. Union with Christ reveals the transformational power of this ancient doctrine while addressing the basic questions of the human heart: Who Am I? Why Am I Here? Where Am I Headed? How Will I Get There? Nothing is more practical for living the Christian life than union with Christ. The recovery of this reality provides the anchor and engine for your life with God—for your destiny is not only to see Christ, but to actually become like him.

Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims


Daniel R. Hyde - 2010
    Hyde posed to his father when he first encountered Reformed believers. With their unique beliefs and practices, these Christians didn t fit any of the categories in his mind. Not so many years later, Hyde is now Rev. Daniel R. Hyde, a pastor of a Reformed church. Recognizing that many are on the outside looking in, just as he once was, he wrote Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims to explain what Reformed churches believe and why they structure their life and worship as they do. In layman s terms, Rev. Hyde sketches the historical roots of the Reformed churches, their scriptural and confessional basis, their key beliefs, and the ways in which those beliefs are put into practice. The result is a roadmap for those encountering the Reformed world for the first time and a primer for those who want to know more about their Reformed heritage.