When History Teaches Us Nothing is an early historical reflection on the recent Reformed debate over the late John C. («Jack») Miller's Sonship Discipleship Course. Miller (1928-1996), an erstwhile professor of practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary (Pennsylvania) and an influential pastor in the New Life congregations of the Presbyterian Church in America, sought to minister to the jaded by accenting God's grace in the gospel. Gradually fears grew that his approach was spawning, among other things, an antinomianism and a revivalism antithetical to Reformed theology and piety.
While not dismissing these concerns, Trumper argues that Sonship can only be accurately evaluated once it is understood in light of the practical loss within conservative Presbyterianism (i.e., within Westminster Calvinism) of the gracious Fatherhood of God and the sonship of believers. Drawing on his knowledge of the theological history of adoption, Trumper notes the significant parallels between Miller's protest of paternal grace and that of the early nineteenth-century Scottish churchman John Macleod Campbell (notably his stress on the life of sonship–"the prospective aspect of the atonement"). Trumper thus cautions today's Westminster Calvinists against repeating their forebears' mistake, which was to dismiss the validity of Campbell's protest on the basis of the problems with his proposed solution.
By so arguing, the author provides a more balanced and constructive response to the debate, highlighting its potential for the biblical renewal of Westminster Calvinism. Essential to this renewal is the recovery of the Fatherhood of God and of adoption, the evening out of attention accorded the Bible's forensic and relational (specifically familial) elements, and the better reflection of the theology and tenor of the New Testament (especially). Only such a renewal, Trumper argues, can render superfluous further protests for paternal grace.
In a concise and devastating style, Craig Parton, an experienced trial lawyer versed in the laws of legal evidence, argues that religions uniformly fail the simplest tests of admissibility for their respective claims. Few religions even bother to make testable assertions, relying instead at best on subjective and existential appeals. The stunningly few historical, and thus verifiable, claims of a precious few religions can be swiftly sorted out, and the result is an astounding vindication of the central nonhearsay claims of the first-century eyewitnesses to the life and work of Jesus Christ.
This work challenges the prevailing viewpoint that all religions are making the same, or even similar, allegations. More troubling than this prevailing view is that the religions of the world remain diametrically opposed on the issues of the nature of humanity, the reality of evil, the nature of history, and the way of salvation. Sorting out the clashing claims of religions is the task of this book, and a trial lawyer well schooled in the laws of admissible evidence brings insight and clarity to matters normally thought to be solely in the domain of philosophers and theologians.
In All the Evidence You Will Ever Need scientist Paul Baba expounds on numerous areas of evidence that support the concept of a Creator of the universe, the Bible as a document given to mankind by the Creator, and the process that the Bible teaches as the way to eternal life in Heaven. The purpose of the book is to reach non-believers and seekers with a rationale for the gospel. The book will also be useful in college classes, youth groups, study groups, and Sunday School classes. It will be especially important to parents of students who encounter teachers and professors who seek to undermine faith in a Creator. There are key chapters on the problems with evolution, the case for the Bible as God's word, fulfilled prophecy, the basics of Christianity, transformed lives, and a number of other areas of evidence to support faith.
Every Shabbat in synagogues around the world and across America, sermons from the local rabbi are an important component of worship. This book brings together thirty-five sermons preached to the congregation of a typical small southern city, Lake Charles, Louisiana. Included are several sermons based upon the weekly parashah (assigned biblical portion from the Pentateuch), a series of messages brought during the high holy days (Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur) of 2007, three funeral sermons, a special Yom ha-Sho'ah (Holocaust-memorial) address, and a short talk about freedom, given on July 4, 2008. Each message represents the author's attempt to link the concerns of the modern world back to the classical, biblical roots of the Jewish faith, thereby invoking the principles of biblical faith to serve as guidelines in the twenty-first century.
The Sermon on the Mount is not supposed to read like a collection of standards that we should be striving to achieve. Listen to the Master's voice. It is not saying, «You should do better!» It is saying, «Let me help you do better.» Soft and welcoming, yet compelling, Jesus invites us to make Him our guide. The Sermon on the Mount is where we learn to take our first steps. A Far Better Life opens up The Sermon on the Mount with such clarity that readers can almost hear Jesus delivering it. Staying with everyday language and common sense concepts, Dr. Friesen connects Jesus' central ideas, point by point, with Christian counseling. This is one of those books that will be around for a long time, because it is both an introduction to Christian counseling and a troubleshooting volume for counselors and their clients. Here is Jesus' message: The Father eagerly wants to join you in your living space to provide healing for the wounds that keep you from living a far better life. Jesus' intent is for you to invite the Father into every area of your life, especially into the most difficult moments. He will transform them and that will entirely change the way you live.
A Time To Be Deborah is a study of the Biblical Book of Judges focusing on the account of the prophetess Deborah and the Israelite military general, Barak. It is a political and historical work that compares and contrasts today's American political scene with that of the Israelites, circa 1200 B.C., complete with pointed commentary and detailed statistics of the day. This book is a call to arms intended for contemporary Christian women supporting a need for education, activism, and a return to Christian values in our nation. Further, it is a plea for obedience to God's laws and commands coupled with a faithful desire for deliverance. This book reiterates a timeless warning that is as sobering in twenty-first century America as it was in twelfth century B.C. Israel. That warning may very easily herald the removal of God's hand from this land if historical lessons learned are not now applied. Do not consider entering the voting booth without assimilating this information and committing yourself to the prevention of the demise of this great land.
Today's culture war raises questions about pulpit ministry; the answers to which are often assumed but rarely thought through. Drawing on his transatlantic studies of both politics and theology, scholar-pastor Tim Trumper weighs the various homiletical approaches to political engagement. In doing so, he eschews the predominant apolitical and party-political tendencies of the day, preferring a mediating biblical-political approach that upholds the sanctity of the preacher's calling and the expository method of preaching. The result is a tract for our times, one that calls for the sermonic pre-eminence of the Kingdom of Heaven and the prophetic application of its lessons to the church and to the world.
This book was prepared for lay people, congregational leaders, pastors, church musicians, worship leaders, and worship committees. It provides an answer for those who are asking the question: What does it mean to worship as a Lutheran in the twenty-first century?
The goal of the book is twofold:
In today's context, with so many different and confusing opinions about worship, this book provides lay people and pastors with a clear and understandable presentation of Lutheran theology for Lutheran worship. It gives positive direction and equips worship leaders with concrete practical tools to evaluate contemporary worship forms, when these forms are considered for use in the Lutheran congregation.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus challenged the religious system of his day. It had become infiltrated with traditions and man-made practices that had nothing to do with the word of God or the Lord's intervention for his people. Many of the people with whom Jesus came in contact had doubts and were oppressed by this religious system. Jesus challenged the people of his day by asking 233 questions–more than any other leader in recorded history. The uniqueness of this book is threefold: First, in two thousand years, no other book has been written that summarizes these extraordinary questions. Second, the questions that Jesus asked pressed the very heart and root of the issues that were universally significant during that period. Third, these questions, the answers to these questions, and Jesus's authentic resolutions transcend time and space to the current condition of our culture today. They cover every aspect of our lives, whether we deal with the purpose of life, our relationships to one another, or how God wants to impact our conventional society. The Question builds a bridge between what Jesus said two thousand years ago and his empirical message to what we desperately need to hear today. Jesus has a unique way of communicating, inspiring us to reach down deep into our very being. His questions are piercing and challenging and cause introspection that could only be inspired by the Almighty. It is a unique and unusual process of communication created by the world's greatest leader.
Alice was a raven-haired beauty who fell in love with easygoing James. They dated for about eight years, during which time they were monogamous, sexually intimate, and eventually lived together. They finally married in an elegant weekend celebration only to divorce before their second anniversary. What happened?
How indeed can a couple date for so long, act married in most ways, and make such a terrible mistake? What Alice and James did not know was their hearts married long before their wedding day and that, in fact, was the problem. They are just one of many couples that you will meet in My Heart Got Married and I Didn't Know It. This nonfiction, self-help book introduces and names the concept of heart marriage as a relationship in which a couple becomes intimately bound in a profound way; yet they have not clearly or intentionally articulated the desire or commitment to be married. With today's relationship trends, this occurs often, and as a result couples are short-circuiting the natural developmental process of getting to know each other in a way that is critical in deciding whether the relationship is right for the long-term commitment of marriage. Because heart marriage occurs silently and unannounced, it is a perilous path that can lead to much unhappiness. My Heart Got Married and I Didn't Know It will help couples recognize if they are heart married, discern whether ending the relationship through a heart divorce is warranted, identify strategies to prevent heart marriage from occurring, and outline steps to transition from a heart marriage into a fulfilling, committed, and legal marriage.