Rebecca Miller - Editor

Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age

Alan Noble

★ Publishers Weekly starred reviewWe live in a distracted, secular age. These two trends define life in Western society today. We are increasingly addicted to habits―and devices―that distract and "buffer" us from substantive reflection and deep engagement with the world. And we live in what Canadian philosopher Charles Taylor calls "a secular age"―an age in which all beliefs are equally viable... read more

Megachurch Christianity Reconsidered: Millennials and Social Change in African Perspective (Missiological Engagements)

Wanjiru M. Gitau

Building from a behind-the-scenes case study of Kenya's Nairobi Chapel and its "daughter" Mavuno Church, Wanjiru M. Gitau expands their story into a narrative that offers analysis of the rise, growth, and place of megachurches worldwide in the new millennium. In contexts experienced as deeply volatile, and in Africa reeling from the structural incoherence imposed by colonial times, megachurche... read more

Commentaries on the Twelve Prophets (Ancient Christian Texts)

Jerome

Jerome (c. 347–419/20), one of the West's four doctors of the church, was recognized early on as one of the church's foremost translators, commentators, and advocates of Christian asceticism. Skilled in Hebrew and Greek in addition to his native Latin, he was thoroughly familiar with Jewish traditions and brought them to bear on his understanding of the Old Testament. Beginning in 379, Jerome ... read more

A Shared Mercy: Karl Barth on Forgiveness and the Church (New Explorations in Theology)

Jon Coutts

Christians regularly ask God to "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," but tend to focus on the first half and ignore the second. Something is missing if Christians think of mission only in terms of proclamation or social justice and discipleship only in terms of personal growth and renewal―leaving the relational implications of the gospel almost to chance. It is vital both to spir... read more

Understanding Postmodernism: A Christian Perspective

Stewart E. Kelly

Postmodernity has matured. But the challenge of navigating our contemporary culture remains. In order for Christians to make wise decisions, we first need to understand the many facets of our postmodern context. If Ren Descartes is often identified as the first truly modern philosopher in light of his confidence in human reason, then postmodernism has taken Descartes to the woodshed. Stewart K... read more

Beauty, Order, and Mystery: A Christian Vision of Human Sexuality (Center for Pastor Theologians)

Humans are sexual creatures. Our sexuality can be a beautiful and mysterious expression of what it means to be human. But it can also become distorted and sinful. Perhaps no issue is as urgent for the church today, or confronts it with as many questions, as human sexuality: What does it mean to fulfill God's will through our sexuality? To what extent should our sexuality define who we are? How... read more

Praying for Your Pastor: How Your Prayer Support Is Their Life Support

Eddie Byun

It's tough to be a pastor.Pastors face demands and pressures on every side, from the challenges of church ministry to the realities of spiritual warfare. But you can make a difference. Your prayers provide a lifeline for your pastor's spiritual health and ministry effectiveness.Eddie Byun offers a handy, practical guide to praying for pastors. He shares stories of how congregational intercessi... read more

Living Well: God's Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

Allan Moseley

Wise proverbs stick with us and help us navigate life.Our financial decisions might be guided by "a penny saved is a penny earned," or we might remember not to be lazy from "the early bird catches the worm."God has given us a book filled with such memorable wisdom--the Old Testament book of Proverbs. In Living Well, you'll look at a different topic in each chapter and learn how Proverbs can gu... read more

Wondrous Pursuit: Daily Encounters with an Almighty God

Jarrid Wilson

Are you a new Christian looking for direction in your spiritual walk? Are you a longtime Christian looking for fresh perspective? Do you feel like you're waiting for something to happen? Lost your sense of excitement and purpose? Wondering how to experience God in your everyday life? The wondrous pursuit is for you.In Wondrous Pursuit, author Jarrid Wilson walks with you through 30 days of int... read more

The Story of the Matthew Bible: That Which We First Received

Ruth Magnusson Davis

After centuries of neglect, at last we have a popular yet well-sourced account of the Matthew Bible and the men who gave it to us. Ruth M. Davis gives a vivid and passionate account of the heroes who struggled and suffered to produce our seminal English Bible in 1537 – not only of the giant William Tyndale, but also the lesser-known Myles Coverdale and John Rogers. These three, with the help o... read more

Life's Too Short to Pretend You're Not Religious

David Dark

For many of us, the word "religious" immediately evokes thoughts of brainwashing, violence and eye-rubbingly tiresome conversations. Why not be done with it? David Dark argues that it's not that simple. The ease with which we put the label on others without applying it to ourselves is an evasion, a way of avoiding awareness of our own messy allegiances. Dark writes: "If what we believe is what... read more

Paul Behaving Badly: Was the Apostle a Racist, Chauvinist Jerk?

E. Randolph Richards, Brandon J. O'Brien

The apostle Paul was kind of a jerk. He was arrogant and stubborn. He called his opponents derogatory, racist names. He legitimized slavery and silenced women. He was a moralistic, homophobic killjoy who imposed his narrow religious views on others. Or was he? Randolph Richards and Brandon O'Brien explore the complicated persona and teachings of the apostle Paul. Unpacking his personal history... read more

Restoring the Soul of the University: Unifying Christian Higher Education in a Fragmented Age

Perry L. Glanzer, Nathan F. Alleman, Todd C. Ream

Has the American university gained the whole world but lost its soul? In terms of money, prestige, power, and freedom, American universities appear to have gained the academic world. But at what cost? We live in the age of the fragmented multiversity that has no unifying soul or mission. The multiversity in a post-Christian culture is characterized instead by curricular division, the professio... read more

Breaking the Dark

Amy Ressler

From the outside, Amy Ressler appeared to be a blond-haired, blue-eyed sweetheart who loved to ride her bike, go for runs around town, and excel in athletics. But her small town had no idea what she faced within the confines of her home—or the battles that raged inside her. In this deeply personal memoir, Amy unfolds her story of a broken family, sexual abuse, and an eating disorder that left ... read more

Self-Surrender

Rick Unruh

“We parked our car in front of Yankton’s Federal Prison Camp and walked through the doors of the control center. ‘I’m Rick Unruh, and I’m here to self-surrender,’ I told the corrections officer. There is no way I could comprehend what those words would mean over course of the next year, as God would begin a new work in me.” Born and raised in a small town in Kansas, Rick Unruh was called to be... read more

Chara's Story;Trying To Get To A Place Called Pretty;How I Discovered The Truth About Beauty

CHARA MCGILL

Ever since the third grade, Chara had one simple mission: to get to a place called “pretty,” to measure up to society’s definition of physical perfection. By the age of twenty-two, she felt she had finally arrived, but then the unthinkable happened—she developed a severe skin condition that devastated her world. The girl who simply wanted to be embraced for her outer beauty was no longer prett... read more

Earthkeeping and Character: Exploring a Christian Ecological Virtue Ethic

Steven Bouma-Prediger

Addressing a topic of growing and vital concern, this book asks us to reconsider how we think about the natural world and our place in it. Steven Bouma-Prediger brings ecotheology into conversation with the emerging field of environmental virtue ethics, exploring the character traits and virtues required for Christians to be responsible keepers of the earth and to flourish in the challenging d... read more