This work explores Paul's conception of maturity, paying special attention to the maturation process and the role of the local church in facilitating this process. Although central to Paul's theology, maturity is often overlooked in Pauline studies. An exegetical-theological study of the seven generally accepted epistles, this work makes heuristic use of three studies for the purpose of illuminating Paul's thoughts regarding maturity: a survey of modern psychology, and analyses of the communities of Qumran and of the Therapeutae.

Samra argues that Paul understood his apostolic commission to involve delivering mature believers on the day of Christ. Samra suggests that the central motif of Pauline maturity is conformity of believers to the image of Christ and that believers' attitudes and actions become aligned with those exhibited by Christ, who provides the defining standard of maturity for Paul.

For Paul there are five means used by the Spirit to conform believers to the image of Christ, which Samra presents and analyzes as components of the maturation process, namely: identifying with Christ, enduring suffering, experiencing the presence of God, receiving and living out wisdom from God, and imitating a godly example. Samra concludes by arguing that Paul expected the local church to facilitate maturation so that believers' participation in a local assembly would result in their being conformed to Christ. The church does this by facilitating the five components of the maturation process.

James W. Moore
Parables slip up on us. They flip our values. They turn our world upside down. They surprise us. This is the great thing about the parables of Jesus: They are always relevant and always personal. They speak eloquently to you and me, here and now. In this book, we will examine some of Jesus thought-provoking parables, parables about priorities, to see if we can find ourselves and God s truth for us in these magnificent truth-stories. They are, after all, truth-stories from the mind of Jesus that can change our lives as they proclaim God s truth for you and me.

" adapted from the introduction"

Each of the six chapters features a key passage of Scripture and is centered on a theme from one of Jesus parables, including The Priority of Love The Priority of Grace The Priority of Being Prepared The Priority of Courage The Priority of Forgiveness The Priority of Strong Foundations

JAMES W. MOORE, popular speaker and preacher, is the author of "Yes, Lord, I Have Sinned, but I Have Several Excellent Excuses; God Was Here and I Was Out to Lunch; When Grief Breaks Your Heart; There s a Hole in Your Soul That Only God Can Fill;" and many other books. He and his wife, June, live in Fairview, Texas."

Isaiah Part 1 - "Judgment But Hope" - Precepts for Life Study Companion for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. Study Isaiah, the crown jewel of the Old Testament prophets, and come face-to-face with "the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah witnessed Judah's spiritual and moral deterioration and preached the vision he received, warning God's people of approaching captivity and judgment. Learn timeless truths about sin and judgment that are relevant today for your life.

From the patristic period until today, John's Gospel has served as a major source for the church's knowledge, doctrine, and worship of the triune God. Among all New Testament documents the Fourth Gospel provides not only the most raw material for the doctrine of the Trinity, but also the most highly developed patterns of reflection on this material - particularly patterns that seek to account in some way for the distinct personhood and divinity of Father, Son and Spirit without compromising the unity of God. While there have been recent, fine studies on aspects of John's doctrine of God, it is surprising that none summarizes and synthasizes what John has to say about God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In order to fill this gap, K?stenberger and Swain offer a fresh examination of John's trinitarian vision. Part One situates John's trinitarian teaching within the context of Second Temple Jewish monotheism. Part Two examines the Gospel narrative in order to trace the characterization of God as Father, Son and Spirit, followed by a brief synthesis. Part Three deals more fully with major trinitarian themes in the Fourth Gospel, including its account of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and mission. A final chapter discusses the significance of John's Gospel for the church's doctrine of the Trinity, and a brief conclusion summarizes some practical implications.

Leader Guide: provides process guidance for weekly group sessions. The Leader Guide understands the role of leader as facilitator of small-group sessions. Procedures for guiding sessions include: directions for using related video segments, and questions for discussion.

Psalms 10 sessions, 60-90 minutes Make a deeper connection to the world of the Psalms so that these well known scriptures can help you give voice to all aspects of our human experience---joy, faith, uncertainty and sorrow. Make a deeper connection to the world of the Psalms so that these well known scriptures can help you give voice to aspects of our human experience---joy, faith, uncertainty and sorrow.

During two weekly video segments, experience a varied presentation of individual psalm texts, including dramatic reading, music, dance, and images. Listen to insights into specific psalms presented by one of two biblical scholars through an informal, roundtable conversation format.

Ideal experience for adults who are interested in the practice of prayer and worship and would like to connect prayer practice with Scripture. The study is accessible for adults with little prior Bible experience.

This book will provide the view of Jesus found on the Gospels placed in the context of the Jewish and Greco-Roman world of the first century of the Common Era.

* Written for preachers, teachers, and lay persons - the series offers fresh, insightful, and inspiring community * Focuses on the meaning and message of each book of the Bible * Avoids unnecessary technical terms and goes right to the heart of the Bible text * Scripture texts are from the two most commonly used Bibles in the Spanish-speaking world: The Reina-Valera Revisada and the Version Popular (Good News)

This collection of essays highlights a dimension of Paul's theology of justification that has been neglected ? that his teaching emerged as an integral part of his understanding of his commission to preach the gospel to non-Jews and that his dismissal of justification "by works of the law" was directed not so much against Jewish legalism but rather against his fellow Jews' assumption that the law remained a dividing wall separating Christian Jews from Christian Gentiles.

James Dunn seeks to carry forward the debate on Jewish soteriology, on the relation of justification by faith to judgment "according to works," on Christian fulfillment of the law, and on the crucial role of Christ, his death and resurrection. Full of detail and intriguing thought, Dunn's collection will enlighten any scholar of the New Testament.

The state of teaching biblical interpretation in colleges and seminaries is generally a mess, and many conventional approaches can be alarming for religious students. The sources of this difficulty are wide ranging, but a quick summary would include at least the following: jargon that is unnecessarily technical; competing and contradictory methodologies; and a failure on the part of Biblical scholarship to demonstrate the direct relevance of its methods to the pastoral life of the Church. As a consequence, biblical scholarship is often opaque at best and distressing at worst to the student and beginning theologian. And because pastors and lay people are trained within this cobweb of methods, they are often functionally unable to draw clear conclusions from most teaching resources.

Jerry Camery-Hoggatt addresses this problem with several solutions: a return to a conscious affirmation of authorial intention as the beginning place for interpretation; a careful examination of the actual workings of communication; a concept of "text "to include the assumptions and cultural knowledge upon which the text depends for meaningful communication; an examination of the various academic disciplines with an eye toward correlating their conclusions with the necessary activities of reading; and easily accessible language that makes sense to the beginning student and the lay reader alike.

Here is a single, accessible volume that explains the basic vocabulary and logic of biblical interpretation, shows how the various methodologies can be fitted together into a seamless interpretive model for exegesis, and then reflects carefully on the implications of that method for the various issues of reading, teaching, reflection, and preaching.

Through common and practical examples Jerry Camery-Hoggatt teaches students a way of reading the Bible that replicates the activities the biblical authors expected their readers would perform, and he uses a model that is applicable across linguistic boundaries, genres, and various cultural contexts; that is, throughout the human experience of language there exists a common set of mental activities that can be identified and studied, and these are fundamental to reading and interpreting the Bible.

The prose style is conversational, non-technical, and is intended to be inviting to the beginning student, and refreshing for advanced students and teachers.

Conozca su Biblia, developed in partnership with the Asociacion para la Educacion Teologica Hispana and the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church n America, is a unique new Bible commentary series written in Spanish by leading Hispanic theologians and Bible educators.

Conozca su Biblia, developed in partnership with the Asociacion para la Educacion Teologica Hispana and the Evangelical Outreach and Congregational Mission unit of the Evangelical Lutheran Church n America, is a unique new Bible commentary series written in Spanish by leading Hispanic theologians and Bible educators.

In this book, popular author J. Ellsworth Kalas presents the grand story of the Bible in thirteen brief chapters. Writing in his engaging, narrative style, Kalas takes readers through the different books of the Bible, providing descriptions, reflection, and context, showing how there is an overarching plot that binds all of the varied writings of the Bible together.
Kalas highlights the wonders of the Bible for readers both familiar and unfamiliar with them, and shows how the Bible isn t just a collection of stories of the past, but rather it is our own continuing story of God and God s relationship with the human race.
This book includes a study guide."

This long-awaited companion volume to The Literature of the Sages, First Part (Fortress Press, 1987) brings to completion Section II of the renowned Compendia series, published cooperatively with Van Gorcum of Amsterdam. The Literature of the Sages, Second Part, explores the literary creation of thousands of ancient Jewish teachers, the often- anonymous Sages of late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Essays by premier scholars provide a careful and succinct analysis of the content and character of various documents, their textual and literary forms, with particular attention to the ongoing discovery and publication of new textual material. Incorporating groundbreaking developments in research, these essays give a comprehensive presentation published here for the first time. This volume will prove an important reference work for all students of ancient Judaism, the origins of Jewish tradition, and the Jewish background of Christianity.

Popular author and Bible teacher Ron Rhodes offers straightforward, easy-to-understand responses to frequently asked questions about God, faith, and living for Christ. He addresses more than 300 issues as diverse as... Do guardian angels exist? What will heaven and hell be like? Did Jesus physically come back to life? Is meditation okay for Christians? Does a person have to be baptized to be saved?

Readers will also find information about apparent Bible contradictions and difficult verses, supposed conflicts between science and the Bible, and the effects of atheism, agnosticism, and humanism on society.

With solid biblical insights and accurate research, this indispensable reference will help readers explore God's incredible plan, the life of Christ, the teaching of the Bible, church doctrines, and more. Perfect for personal study, small groups, and every Christian's reference library.

Leader Guide: provides process guidance for weekly group sessions. The Leader Guide understands the role of leader as facilitator of small-group sessions. Procedures for guiding sessions include: directions for using related video segments, and questions for discussion.
Click here to read session one

Invitation To John
11 sessions, 60-90 minutes
Experience required: Beginning to Moderate

The invitation from Christ is: "Come and see, Follow me." Experience the magnificent passages in John including the I am statements (I am the truth, the life and the way, I am the living water and more). Revisit stories only told in John's gospel including Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene and the raising of Lazarus.

During the weekly video segments, travel into the scripture as you hear the Word, experience the grand artwork connected with each story and interview the scholar. Each week wraps up with a small group discussion on video to spark your own conversation.

Participants for this Invitation to John do not have to have an in-depth knowledge of the Bible to enjoy and benefit from participation. Reading just two chapters of John a week, they will discover the life altering stories that will invite them to follow Christ as true disciples. This eleven-week study includes a participant book outlining daily reading assignments for group preparations, a leader guide suggesting discussion activities for use in the 60 90-minute weekly meeting, and a video component providing interpretation and context for the biblical texts.
Click here to read session one
Robert D. Kysar, Bandy Professor Emeritus of Preaching and New Testament, Candler School of Theology, is a noted scholar on the Gospel of John. He has authored numerous articles and books, including a revised edition of John: The Maverick Gospel; Preaching John; and most recently Voyages With John: Charting the Fourth Gospel.
Session titles and scripture:
1. Come and See (John 1- 2)
2. How Is It Possible? (John 3 4)
3. Taste for Yourself (John 5 6)
4. To Believe or Not to Believe (John 7 8)
5. Are We Blind? (John 9 10)
6. I Couldn t Believe My Eyes (John 11 12)
7. Would You Believe It? (John 13 14)
8. What Time Is It? (John 15 16)
9. Look Out (John 17 18)
10. Believing Without Seeing (John 19 20)
11. Do You See Him? (John 21)
"

This book surveys some of the scholarship on the letter of James from the past 30 years, covering questions of authorship and audience, structure and rhetoric, themes, and relationship to some of the sayings attributed to Jesus.

The Beauty of Holiness is a guide to what the Bible says about the object, manner, and the heart of worship. We must never shy away from what the Bible says regardless of how out of sync with culture it seems to be. God's Word not culture - whether modern or medieval - defines the way of worship.

Philippians - Count It All Joy - Precepts for Life Study Companion for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. (Covers whole book of Philippians.) Disappointment, pain, betrayal or the circumstances of daily life can rob you of your joy. Learn to bear all things and overcome through Christ who strengthens us. Learn how you can have all joy despite it all and rely on His promises through this letter from the Apostle Paul.

The Gospel of Matthew - The King, His Kingdom, and Me - Precepts for Life Study Companion for the radio / tv broadcast series by Kay Arthur. Matthew begins with Jesus' humble birth as son of David, son of Abraham and ends with His universal authority over heaven and earth, His commission to His followers to make and teach disciples of all nations, and His promise to be with them always, to the end of the age.

The leading edition of the original text of the New Testament, this scholarly edition is designed for extensive research, textual criticism, and other academic studies. In keeping with the goals of serious and advanced New Testament scholars, the revised critical apparatus shows a nearly exhaustive list of variants but includes only the most significant witnesses for each variant. The Greek text has paragraph and section breaks. Cross references in the margins are extensive and include synoptic parallels. Five appendices offer in-depth information for further understanding of passages. The introduction appears in both English and German. Text, notes, and critical apparatus appear in a clear font throughout the volume. The text is also available with a Greek-English Dictionary by Barclay Newman. Hendrickson Publishers distributing for German Bible Society.