Living in The Story


Book Description

What kind of book is the Bible? Is it a rulebook or a guidebook for moral living? Is it a history book or a book filled with fascinating (and sometimes fantastic) stories? Did humans write the Bible or did God somehow speak a perfect message that the authors transcribed? Many people have asked these questions about the nature of this beautiful, odd, comforting, disturbing book the church calls its “Holy Scripture.” Charlotte Vaughan Coyle shares her own journey to make sense of the Bible in this read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year project. She discovered that the crucial work of asking hard questions and even arguing with the Bible revealed the Scriptures to be a symphony of polyphonic voices, a work of art that paints an alternative vision of reality, a complex novel-like story unavoidably embedded in its own culture and time, and yet able to give witness to the God beyond history who has acted (and continues to act) within history. With the heart of a pastor and the passion of a preacher, Rev. Coyle invites seekers and students (both churched and un-churched) to strap on their scuba gear and join her for a deeper dive beneath the surface of this immense, colorful, mysterious world of the Bible.




The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes


Book Description

Sensitive to both literary form and theological content, Derek Kidner introduces Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes, explaining their basic character and internal structure. He also summarizes and evaluates the wealth of modern criticism focused on each book. Looking at all three books together, Kidner shows how their many voices compare, contrast and ultimately give a unified view of life.




Woven Parables of Wisdom


Book Description

In a world that often glorifies busyness and relentless pursuit, we find ourselves caught in an endless cycle of overwhelm, striving to juggle countless responsibilities while feeling perpetually behind. In "The Balance of Effort," Alander Lee Pulliam Jr. invites readers to step back and reevaluate the age-old adage: "less is more." This book explores the wisdom in prioritizing what truly matters over the frantic hustle that society champions. Drawing from timeless parables and rich life experiences, Pulliam underscores the significance of understanding our limits and embracing the power of collaboration. He offers profound insights through the tale of the Busy Ant and the Slow Tortoise—two creatures representing contrasting approaches to work and life. The Busy Ant tirelessly takes on too much, struggling to keep her head above water, while the Slow Tortoise chooses a more deliberate, measured path, recognizing that true success stems from balance and support. As you journey through these pages, you'll discover not only the pitfalls of overcommitment but also the strength that comes from asking for help, working thoughtfully, and celebrating the incremental progress. Let this book be your guide toward a more fulfilling and harmonious existence, one where you can embrace your responsibilities without sacrificing your well-being. Join Alander Lee Pulliam Jr. on a transformative path towards clarity, purpose, and the realization that sometimes, to truly move forward, we may need to slow down. Welcome to a new perspective on life, work, and the beauty of finding balance.




Proclaiming the Parables


Book Description

In Proclaiming the Parables, noted preacher and scholar Thomas G. Long moves away from past treatment of the parables primarily as literary devices and moves toward an emphasis on their theological impact as pointers to the kingdom of God. While the parables are indeed significant poetic literary creations that have enchanted readers over the centuries, their main power, he claims, lies in their disclosure of the kingdom of God, which is not merely an idea, nor even just a complex symbol with generative and centrifugal force, but an event: the inbreaking of the life of God into human history and experience. Long sees parables not merely as creative figures of speech but as GPS devices taking hearers to those places where the event of God is happening all around us. This book provides two chapters for each synoptic Gospel. The first focuses on the Gospel as a whole and the parables’ place in it, and the second provides preachers and teachers with detailed exegetical and homiletical commentary for each major parable in that Gospel. Two introductory chapters additionally situate this book in the history and theology of the parables’ interpretation and address questions that preachers have about preaching the parables. Preachers who consult this volume will be informed about each major parable, guided through the controversies regarding interpretation, and stimulated to preach on the parable in fresh, faithful, and creative ways.




NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition (Red Letter, Leatherlike, Teal Floral, Indexed)


Book Description

Winner of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Bible of the Year! Trusted & Treasured by Millions of Readers over 30 years, the Life Application Study Bible Is Today's #1-Selling Study Bible Now it has been thoroughly updated and expanded, offering even more relevant insights for understanding and applying God's Word to everyday life in today's world. Discover How You Can Apply the Bible to Your Life Today With a fresh two-color interior design and meaningfully updated study notes and features, this Bible will help you understand God's Word better than ever. It answers the real-life questions that you may have and provides you practical yet powerful ways to apply the Bible to your life every day. Study the stories and teachings of the Bible with verse-by-verse commentary. Gain wisdom from people in the Bible by exploring their accomplishments and learning from their mistakes. Survey the big picture of each book through overviews, vital statistics, outlines, and timelines, and grasp difficult concepts using in-text maps, charts, and diagrams--all to help you do life God's way, every day. Features: (Enhanced, updated, and with new content added throughout) Now more than 10,000 Life Application notes and features Over 100 Life Application profiles of key Bible people Introductions and overviews for each book of the Bible More than 500 maps & charts placed for quick reference Dictionary/concordance Extensive side-column cross-reference system to facilitate deeper study Life Application index to notes, charts, maps, and profiles Refreshed design with a second color for visual clarity 16 pages of full-color maps Quality Smyth-sewn binding--durable, made for frequent use, and lays flat when open Presentation page Single-column format Christian Worker's Resource, a special supplement to enhance the reader's ministry effectiveness Full text of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), combining the latest biblical scholarship with clear, natural English The words of Jesus are in red letter.




NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition (Red Letter, Leatherlike, Purple)


Book Description

Winner of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Bible of the Year! Trusted & Treasured by Millions of Readers over 30 years, the Life Application Study Bible Is Today's #1-Selling Study Bible Now it has been thoroughly updated and expanded, offering even more relevant insights for understanding and applying God's Word to everyday life in today's world. Discover How You Can Apply the Bible to Your Life Today With a fresh two-color interior design and meaningfully updated study notes and features, this Bible will help you understand God's Word better than ever. It answers the real-life questions that you may have and provides you practical yet powerful ways to apply the Bible to your life every day. Study the stories and teachings of the Bible with verse-by-verse commentary. Gain wisdom from people in the Bible by exploring their accomplishments and learning from their mistakes. Survey the big picture of each book through overviews, vital statistics, outlines, and timelines, and grasp difficult concepts using in-text maps, charts, and diagrams--all to help you do life God's way, every day. Features: (Enhanced, updated, and with new content added throughout) Now more than 10,000 Life Application notes and features Over 100 Life Application profiles of key Bible people Introductions and overviews for each book of the Bible More than 500 maps & charts placed for quick reference Dictionary/concordance Extensive side-column cross-reference system to facilitate deeper study Life Application index to notes, charts, maps, and profiles Refreshed design with a second color for visual clarity 16 pages of full-color maps Quality Smyth-sewn binding--durable, made for frequent use, and lays flat when open Presentation page Single-column format Christian Worker's Resource, a special supplement to enhance the reader's ministry effectiveness Full text of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), combining the latest biblical scholarship with clear, natural English The words of Jesus are in red letter.




NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition (Red Letter, Leatherlike, Teal Blue)


Book Description

Winner of the 2020 Christian Book Award for Bible of the Year! Trusted & Treasured by Millions of Readers over 30 years, the Life Application Study Bible Is Today's #1-Selling Study Bible Now it has been thoroughly updated and expanded, offering even more relevant insights for understanding and applying God's Word to everyday life in today's world. Discover How You Can Apply the Bible to Your Life Today With a fresh two-color interior design and meaningfully updated study notes and features, this Bible will help you understand God's Word better than ever. It answers the real-life questions that you may have and provides you practical yet powerful ways to apply the Bible to your life every day. Study the stories and teachings of the Bible with verse-by-verse commentary. Gain wisdom from people in the Bible by exploring their accomplishments and learning from their mistakes. Survey the big picture of each book through overviews, vital statistics, outlines, and timelines, and grasp difficult concepts using in-text maps, charts, and diagrams--all to help you do life God's way, every day. Features: (Enhanced, updated, and with new content added throughout) Now more than 10,000 Life Application notes and features Over 100 Life Application profiles of key Bible people Introductions and overviews for each book of the Bible More than 500 maps & charts placed for quick reference Dictionary/concordance Extensive side-column cross-reference system to facilitate deeper study Life Application index to notes, charts, maps, and profiles Refreshed design with a second color for visual clarity 16 pages of full-color maps Quality Smyth-sewn binding--durable, made for frequent use, and lays flat when open Presentation page Single-column format Christian Worker's Resource, a special supplement to enhance the reader's ministry effectiveness Full text of the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), combining the latest biblical scholarship with clear, natural English The words of Jesus are in red letter.




The Matthean Parables


Book Description

The Matthean Parables offers a fresh approach to the origin of Matthew's Gospel. It builds on current historical, literary, rhetorical and sociological studies of Matthew's Gospel to show how the Matthean parables illuminate the structure, purpose and theology of that gospel. The first part of the book establishes the need for a new attempt to define the genre of Matthew's Gospel, examines what is meant by a parable, and summarises the contribution made by the parables to that new attempt. The second part is a thorough exegetical, historical critical and literary study of all the Matthean parables in the context of the whole gospel and in the light of all the Matthean figurative material. An appendix illustrates the use of syntactical material in defining the character and style of a biblical text.




The Book of Parables: Christian Apocrypha Series


Book Description

One of numerous texts that were removed from the Bible. This piece was traditionally attributed to Enoch. These Parables are part of the tradition of Apocalyptic Literature, and come to us as the Voice of God.




NLT Life Application Study Bible, Third Edition


Book Description

"Today's #1-selling study Bible, the Life Application Study Bible has been significantly expanded and thoroughly updated. The relevant notes not only explain difficult passages and give information on Bible life and times, but go a step further to show you how to "take it personally," speaking to every situation and circumstance of your life! It includes over 10,000 Life Application notes and features designed to help readers apply God's truth to everyday life. The new two-color interior provides the user a fresh and innovative Life Application reading experience too!"--