Though originally published nearly seventy years ago, the book maintains its relevance today.

    Four ancient Christian writers--four witnesses to early Christianity --left us an extensive body of documentation on this vital subject, and this book brings their fascinating testimony to life for modern believers. With all the power and drama of a gripping novel, this book is a journey of discovery of ancient and beautiful truths through the lives of four great saints of the early Church--Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr, and Irenaeus of Lyons.

    

    No student of theology can avoid the problems tackled in this period. They range from the most fundamental issues, concerning how Christ is known and the standard by which responses to him can be evaluated, to the subsequent reflections regarding his relationship to God and to us. Through original and penetrating analyses of selected figures and controversies, Behr presents not only the history of theological reflection, but a sustained analysis of the essential elements of the resulting theology.This first volume treats the initial three centuries of the Christian era. Part I examines the establishment of normative Christianity on the basis of the tradition and canon of the Gospel, and briefly sketches the portrait of the Scriptural Christ inscribed in the New Testament. Part II analyzes selected figures from the second period, Ignatius of Antioch, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus of Lyons, considering how they understood Christ to be the Word of God. Part III turns to the third century, treating Hippolytus and the debates in Rome, Origen and his legacy in Alexandria and the Council of Antioch, in a continued examination of Christ as the Word of God. it is these debates that form the background for the controversies and Councils of the following centuries, to be examined in subsequent volumes.

    Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament is richly illustrated with hundreds of images, including original artwork, artifacts, maps, and timelines. Uncover the origins of the books of the New Testament and learn how stories of Christ's life and teachings were preserved after His death. Explore the relationships between Greek, Roman, and Jewish culture that explain much about how the gospel was shared and recorded. Examine scriptural issues that have been debated by scholars throughout the ages. Nearly 300 topics provide valuable context to understanding New Testament times, from the role of women and families, to portraits of key personalities, to controversial legends that have persisted to our day. This unique resource is sure to enrich New Testament studies as never before!

    Yet this book emanates with a special poignancy out of Peterson's own crisis experience as a pastor. Peterson tells about the "abyss," the "gaping crevasse," the "chasm" that he experienced, early in his ministry, between his Christian faith and his pastoral vocation. He was astonished and dismayed to find that his personal spirituality, his piety, was inadequate for his vocation -- and he argues that the same is true of pastors in general. In the book of Jonah -- a parable with a prayer at its center -- Peterson finds a subversive, captivating story that can help pastors recover their "vocational holiness." Using the Jonah story as a narrative structure, Peterson probes the spiritual dimensions of the pastoral calling and seeks to reclaim the ground taken over by those who are trying to enlist pastors in religious careers.

    This brilliant scholarly treatise succeeds in bringing to our consciousness women who played an important role in the origins of Christianity.

    That's what it means to be steadfast. But in a world where so much can undermine our faith or pull us off track, steadfastness is often a rare and elusive trait. James longs for his readers to be steadfast. His letter meets us in our suffering and sickness, our trials and temptations, our wealth and poverty, our ups and downs. He confronts our sin, our speech, and our pride. He encourages believers to have a more resilient and concrete faith: not just to hear the word, but to do it. He calls us to persevere in truth in a world of lies, to see that God's steadfast love is ultimately the source of our steadfast faith.This 8-week study of James provides:5 days of study each week-observing, interpreting, and applying the textDevotional commentary with space to journal your thoughtsMemory verse each weekSmall group discussion questionsKeynote Teaching Videos from the TGC's 2020 Women's Conference In a fickle and wayward age, we need biblical wisdom if we are to stay the course and be steadfast saints. The book of James provides this wisdom, and Steadfast will help you apply it.

    This book is throughly researched-its scope is far-reaching and its evidence is reliable. The research in this book will help all who read it to prepare for the events to come. With over 450,000 copies in print, Prophecy, Key to the Future, is a must-have for every Latter-day Saint and Christians everywhere. ISBN: 0-882-90781-6, SIZE: 6x9", paperback

    In it, John Barclay led readers through a recontextualized analysis of grace and interrogated Paul’s original meaning in declaring it a “free gift” from God, revealing grace as a multifaceted concept that is socially radical and unconditioned—even if not unconditional. Paul and the Power of Grace offers all of the most significant contributions from Paul and the Gift in a package several hundred pages shorter and more accessible. Additionally, Barclay adds further analysis of the theme of gift and grace in Paul’s other letters—besides just Romans and Galatians—and explores contemporary implications for this new view of grace.

    Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential. Four Portraits, One Jesus is a thorough yet accessible introduction to these documents and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus. With clarity and insight, Mark Strauss illuminates these four books, first addressing their nature, origin, methods for study, and historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds. He then moves on to closer study of each narrative and its contribution to our understanding of Jesus, investigating things such as plot, characters, and theme. Finally, he pulls it all together with a detailed examination of what the Gospels teach about Jesus’ ministry, message, death, and resurrection, with excursions into the quest for the historical Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels.

    Why is Christ called the “Son of God”? Discover an answer so simple you’ll wonder why you never saw it before, and so beautiful it’ll take your breath away.

    Kevin Watson has written a fresh new guide to the theory and practice of the Wesley class meeting, an essential element of truly Wesleyan spirituality. This book is for clergy and congregations who are looking for ways to develop deeper discipleship. The class meeting is made workable without losing its essential dynmic as a gospel-based accountable community. Watson has resurrected the class meeting and given it new meaning, showing its relevance for the church today and how it may be a perfect means for church renewal.

    Worthy: Celebrating the Value of Women offers insights for both women and men as they more fully grasp that truth through the study of Scripture. Bestselling author Elyse Fitzpatrick and pastor Eric Schumacher explore how women fit into the storyline of the Bible, offering a transformative view of women, their Maker, and their essential role in the plan of redemption. Readers will be informed and encouraged as Worthy uncovers how God values, empowers, and works through women.Study questions and a "Digging Deeper" section will help men and women alike discover how to cherish, value, and honor one another for God's glory.

    "Properly understood, the gracious gospel of Galatians liberates us from legalism," Ryken writes. "But since we are legalists by nature, the book challenges many of our preconceptions about what it means to have a right relationship with God." Ryken primarily employs the ESV.