Leading People into the Way of Jesus You might not immediately think of yourself as a “leader,� but the apostle Paul likely would. When Paul uses the term leader in a church context he includes anyone who mentors or cares for people into the way of Jesus. In this volume of the New Testament Everyday Bible Study series, Scot McKnight explores four letters written by Paul to three pastoral leaders—Timothy, Titus, and Philemon—and how they model wise advice for leaders in the churches of Ephesus, Crete, and Colossae. Throughout the study of these four letters, McKnight reveals important elements of leadership for us today through Paul’s mentoring of these three leaders. The first three letters are commonly referred to as the Pastoral Epistles, as Paul pastors Timothy and Titus on how to lead churches in Ephesus and Crete, and in the fourth letter, Paul pastors Philemon to lead a house church through a challenge. While these letters are specific to their contexts, they offer timeless wisdom for all sorts of church leaders, from parents and teachers to pastors and business leaders. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight combines interpretive insights with pastoral wisdom for all the books of the New Testament. Each volume provides: Original Meaning. Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation. Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application. Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage.

The Gospel of Mark presents the life of Jesus (a biography) as a life destined for death and the life of discipleship corresponding to a life destined for daily crucifixion. A suffering Messiah paves the way for suffering discipleship. The disciples in the Gospels are presented as excited and expectant, clueless and learning, surprised and shocked, but don't perceive the reality of the true Messiahship until the cross. In this Everyday Bible Study series, McKnight also offers some historical context; connects the passage to the larger story of the Bible; provides an illustration, a metaphor, or an image that brings the passage alive; and provides questions for reflection and application for further study or discussion. The series is suitable for group study, personal study, or daily reading.

The Dictionary of Paul and His Letters is a one-of-a-kind reference book. Featuring 208 articles written by numerous experts, it brings the very latest in Pauline scholarship and theology to students, teachers, ministers and laypeople in an accessible and easy to use layout. No other single volume reference work presents as much information focused exclusively on Pauline theology, literature, background and scholarship. This second edition of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters has been completely revised and updated, to ensure that it contains the very best and most recent developments in Pauline thought. With articles organized in alphabetical order, it is easy to browse through and find exactly what you need - whether you are a student, preacher or simply interested in better understanding Paul's writings. Part of the IVP Reference series, the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, Second Edition, is committed to the authority of Scripture, utilising the best of critical methods, and maintaining dialogue with contemporary scholarship and challenges facing the church Those who have enjoyed and benefited from the first edition of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters will find this second edition an equally indispensable companion to study and research, while those who are new to the study of Pauline theology will find this an incomparable resource.

"Make sure this new guide for living is on your shelf." -Max Lucado This 15th anniversary of the bestselling classic The Jesus Creed invites us to rediscover the core of biblical Christianity: Loving God and Loving Others. Memorizing the Great Commandment is one thing, but living by it is quite another. One of today's most engaging and sought-after Biblical scholars, Scot McKnight demystifies this ancient creed and reveals its power to transform the lives of believers today. He explores how Jesus connected the ancient Jewish commandments to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength" and to "Love your neighbor as yourself" to become the foundation of his ministry. In The Jesus Creed, his seminal work, Scot invites followers of Jesus to step back into the world in which Jesus lived and to hear his core teachings like we've never heard them before. And just like his disciples, we discover how praying the Jesus Creed will close the gap between the people we are right now and the people God created us to be. In The Jesus Creed, you will: Learn about the identities, hopes and struggles of the people closest to Jesus - Joseph and Mary, John the Baptist, Peter, and John Discover how Jesus's radical acts of compassion restore those who are marginalized, oppressed, or grieving How the Jesus Creed can shape society to grow in justice, faith, and joy How the Jesus Creed deepens our love for Jesus, leading to healing, forgiveness and wholeness in our personal lives

A new commentary for today's world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. The first commentary series to do so, SGBC offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike. Three easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story: LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students Praise for SGBC: "The editors and contributors set that table very well and open up the biblical story in ways that move us to act with sensitivity and understanding ... Well done." -Daniel I. Block, Wheaton College and Graduate School "[The] easy-to-use format and practical guidance brings God's grand story to modern-day life so anyone can understand how it applies today." -Andy Stanley, Senior Pastor, North Point Ministries "Engagingly readable, it not only explores the biblical text but offers a range of applications and interesting illustrations." -Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary "I love the SGBC series. It makes the text sing and helps us hear the story afresh." -John Ortberg, Senior Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church "Pastors, Bible study leaders, and Christians of all types who are looking for a substantive and practical guide through the Scriptures will find these volumes helpful." -Frank Thielman, Beeson Divinity School "This commentary series breaks new ground ... Ideal for preaching and teaching." -Craig Blomberg, Denver Seminary "A perfect tool for helping every follower of Jesus to walk in the story that God is writing for them." -Judy Douglass, Cru

An Award-Winning Challenge to Popular Ideas of the Kingdom According to Scot McKnight, "kingdom" is the biblical term most misused by Christians today. It has taken on meanings that are completely at odds with what the Bible says and has become a buzzword for both social justice and redemption. In Kingdom Conspiracy, McKnight offers a sizzling biblical corrective and a fiercely radical vision for the role of the local church in the kingdom of God. Now in paper. Praise for Kingdom Conspiracy 2015 Outreach Resources of the Year Award Winner One of Leadership Journal's Best Books for Church Leaders in 2014 "This is a must-read for church leaders today."--Publishers Weekly "A timely resource for the missional church to reexamine some basic assumptions that impact church practice in the everyday."--Outreach

Revelation was written by John to seven churches at the western end of Asia Minor who were under the thumb of the Roman empire (Babylon). Life in the empire involved constant challenges with compromises to the ideology of the empire and emperor, and John exhorts them to be witnesses in word and life as well as to practice a worship that constantly affirms the triumph of God. And this same witness and worship is what we are called to today.  The Lamb of God shows the way to live, and God's promise is that justice and peace, the ways of God, will eventually be established (not by war but by witness and worship). Scot McKnight provides scholarly insights with a pastoral heart for all the books of the New Testament.  The NIV is used as the primary Bible text but McKnight also includes insights from his own translation of the entire New Testament. Each Bible study features a short, compact, clear exposition that both summarizes the whole and gives the reader a clear focus for what is central to the passage. McKnight also offers some historical context; connects the passage to the larger story of the Bible; provides an illustration, a metaphor, or an image that brings the passage alive; and provides a list of 2-3 resources for further reading or study. The series is suitable for group study, personal study, or daily reading.

A new commentary for today's world, The Story of God Bible Commentary explains and illuminates each passage of Scripture in light of the Bible's grand story. The first commentary series to do so, SGBC offers a clear and compelling exposition of biblical texts, guiding everyday readers in how to creatively and faithfully live out the Bible in their own contexts. Its story-centric approach is ideal for pastors, students, Sunday school teachers, and laypeople alike. Three easy-to-use sections designed to help readers live out God's story: LISTEN to the Story: Includes complete NIV text with references to other texts at work in each passage, encouraging the reader to hear it within the Bible's grand story EXPLAIN the Story: Explores and illuminates each text as embedded in its canonical and historical setting LIVE the Story: Reflects on how each text can be lived today and includes contemporary stories and illustrations to aid preachers, teachers, and students Praise for SGBC: "Pastors and lay people will welcome this new series, which seeks to make the message of the Scriptures clear and to guide readers in appropriating biblical texts for life today." -Daniel I. Block, Wheaton College and Graduate School "An extremely valuable and long overdue series that includes comment on the cultural context of the text, careful exegesis, and guidance on reading the whole Bible as a unity that testifies to Christ as our Savior and Lord." -Graeme Goldsworthy, author of According to Plan "Engagingly readable, it not only explores the biblical text but offers a range of applications and interesting illustrations." -Craig S. Keener, Asbury Theological Seminary "I love the SGBC series. It makes the text sing and helps us hear the story afresh." -John Ortberg, Senior Pastor, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church "A perfect tool for helping every follower of Jesus to walk in the story that God is writing for them." -Judy Douglass, Cru

The biblical Book of Revelation frustrates and fascinates many people with its imagery and apocalyptic tone. Most popular interpretations of the book rely on a perspective known as dispensationalism, popularized by the Scofield Bible and more recently the Left Behind series of novels. Yet there are many problems with this popular way of reading Revelation, and until now, few alternatives have been available that were easy to understand. In Revelation for the Rest of Us, Scot McKnight with Cody Matchett explore the timeless message of Revelation and how it speaks to us today with a courageous challenge to be faithful witnesses to Jesus while standing against the ever-present reality of worldly authorities. The writer, John, stimulates the imagination to see the world differently, through the eyes of God, presenting a "divine politic" that subverts the anti-god patterns of governments, empires, and those in power. McKnight addresses the popular misconceptions about the book, explaining what John means in his use of the images of dragons, lambs, and beasts, and how the symbolism of Revelation speaks powerfully to the present day--though not in the way most people think. Drawing from the latest scholarship, they present an understanding of Revelation for anyone interested in deepening their personal study of the Bible as well as preachers looking to communicate this timeless message today. McKnight offers in this book a discipleship manual for discerning the immoralities of political powers and how the church can be both an agent of resistance and transformation. John designed his Book of Revelation to disciple readers into dissidents of the ways of the world and empire. John describes that empire with the term "Babylon." Babylon is a timeless image of empire, militarism, economic exploitation, injustice, and oppression. The Book of Revelation disciples Christians through worship and the courageous challenge of faithful, or allegiant, witness to the slaughtered-Lamb. John's dissident disciples can discern the presence of "Babylon" in our world and learn to speak up, speak out, and walk in the way of the Lamb. He disciples us by stimulating our imaginations to see the world and "Babylon" through the eyes of God, and in so doing John presents a "divine politic," a view of government and power that subverts the anti-god patterns of "Babylon" today.

The disciplines of theology and biblical studies should serve each other, and they should serve both the church and the academy together. But the relationship between them is often marked by misunderstandings, methodological differences, and cross-discipline tension. Theologian Hans Boersma here highlights five things he wishes biblical scholars knew about theology. In a companion volume, biblical scholar Scot McKnight reflects on five things he wishes theologians knew about biblical studies. With an irenic spirit as well as honesty about differences that remain, Boersma and McKnight seek to foster understanding between their disciplines through these books so they might once again collaborate with one another.

Become a daily Bible reader, attentive to the mind of God. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight reveals the newness and activeness of God's Word as it works in our everyday lives. His unique approach to Bible study combines sound theology with relevant pastoral wisdom. Each volume of this series provides: Original Meaning: Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation: Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application: Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage. Ideal for personal reflection or group study, John will help you see God in the biblical context so you can hear from God in your context. John's Gospel highlights how people responded to Jesus in the first century but also showcases responses for readers today: faith that abides in who he is, obeys what he calls us to do, and witnesses about Jesus to the world. Who Jesus is and who we understand him to be shape how we respond to Jesus and the kind of person we are created to become. Scot McKnight will walk you and your group through John with Scripture passages (sometimes translated from the original by McKnight himself), reflection questions, pastoral insights, and ideas for putting God's words into action.

Redemptive Peace The church in Rome was split into differing groups and in their zeal to advocate for their viewpoints had gone over the line of gospel mission to controlling ambition. In trying to unify a congregation he’d never met, the Apostle Paul starts the first half of his letter reminding the believers of their redemption in Jesus, anticipating the unity for their life together. Paul ends with a call for peace; a redemptive peace that speaks to how to live in relation to our state, our work, our church, and our households. Romans is the most influential document in the New Testament for the formation of what Christians believe today. But it also has importance for how to live that belief in our chaotic world. Ideal for personal reflection or group study, Scot McKnight explores the links between the Bible’s world and ours, presenting the enduring relevance of the letter to the Romans for us today. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight combines interpretive insights with pastoral wisdom for all the books of the New Testament. Each volume provides: Original Meaning. Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation. Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application. Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage.

Unleashing God’s Kingdom Every paragraph in Luke’s gospel is about Jesus. Luke showcases Jesus’ character by recounting all the significant events of his life, recalling his major teachings, and recommending his character as the truest way to live. The Jesus in Luke’s biography doesn’t wait for these events to happen to him, instead Jesus powerfully moves and unleashes the kingdom of God, proclaiming—and demonstrating—holistic redemption. This redemption cannot be reduced to ethics, morality, or even what we call social justice. Its foundation is a Person, and in that Person holistic redemption explodes into living realities. Those who follow this Person suddenly realize they are on mission with Jesus, as Luke tells his great story. In this deep dive into the person of Jesus, Scot McKnight shows that the Christian movement today, just as it was in Jesus’ time, is empowered by the Spirit of God. Explaining the links between the Bible’s world and ours, McKnight explores the enduring relevance of the Gospel of Luke for today. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight combines interpretive insights with pastoral wisdom for all the books of the New Testament. Each volume provides: Original Meaning. Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation. Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application. Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage.

The "new perspective" on Paul, an approach that seeks to reinterpret the apostle Paul and his letters against the backdrop of first-century Judaism, has been criticized by some as not having value for ordinary Christians living ordinary lives. In this volume, world-renowned scholars explore the implications of the new perspective on Paul for the Christian life and church. James D. G. Dunn, N. T. Wright, Bruce Longenecker, Scot McKnight, and other leading New Testament scholars offer a response to this question: How does the apostle Paul understand the Christian life? The book makes a fresh contribution to the new perspective on Paul conversation and offers important new insights into the orientation of the Christian life.

Become a daily Bible reader, attentive to the mind of God. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight reveals the newness and activeness of God's Word as it works in our everyday lives. His unique approach to Bible study combines sound theology with relevant pastoral wisdom. Each volume of this series provides: Original Meaning: Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation: Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application: Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage. Ideal for personal reflection or group study, Philippians and 1 and 2 Thessalonians will help you see God in the biblical context so you can hear from God in your context. Philippians and the Thessalonians address believers in the first century and in the twenty-first century with words that are practical and deeply spiritual: Philippians appeals for unity and rejoicing in the face of suffering. 1 and 2 Thessalonians emphasize having a heart of thanksgiving and discuss the return of Christ. Kingdom living is the shape of life in Christ. These letters have taught Christians since the first century to live a life shaped by confidence in what God has promised us, but also to live that life without trying to escape from this world. Exploring the links between the time these words were written and our own times, Scot McKnight uncovers the enduring relevance and importance of these three letters for our lives today. He'll walk you and your group through the books with Scripture passages (sometimes translated from the original by McKnight himself), reflection questions, pastoral insights, and ideas for putting God's words into action.

This five-views work brings together an all-star lineup of Pauline scholars to offer a constructive, interdenominational, up-to-date conversation on key issues of Pauline theology. The editors begin with an informative recent history of biblical tradition related to the perspectives on Paul. John M. G. Barclay, A. Andrew Das, James D. G. Dunn, Brant Pitre, and Magnus Zetterholm then discuss how to interpret Paul's writings and theology, especially the apostle's view of salvation. The book concludes with an assessment of the perspectives from a pastoral point of view by Dennis Edwards.

In the church tradition three letters, now known as the Pastoral Epistles, are attributed to the apostle Paul. They are unlike any other letters by Paul. They are written to two of his closest companions, Timothy and Titus, and they instruct those two leaders how to lead gathered Christians in Ephesus and in Crete. The letters contain plenty of instruction for how church leaders at that time, and in those places, were to function. In this commentary, Scot McKnight seeks to explain the major themes of the Pastoral Epistles - church order, false teaching, and failing Christians - and their foundational vision for how Christians could make a good impression in public life. These three brief letters express a view of how Christians were to live in the Roman empire in a way that does not offend public sensibilities. They prescribe a way of public behavior best translated as 'civilized religion.'

In the church tradition three letters, now known as the Pastoral Epistles, are attributed to the apostle Paul. They are unlike any other letters by Paul. They are written to two of his closest companions, Timothy and Titus, and they instruct those two leaders how to lead gathered Christians in Ephesus and in Crete. The letters contain plenty of instruction for how church leaders at that time, and in those places, were to function. In this commentary, Scot McKnight seeks to explain the major themes of the Pastoral Epistles - church order, false teaching, and failing Christians - and their foundational vision for how Christians could make a good impression in public life. These three brief letters express a view of how Christians were to live in the Roman empire in a way that does not offend public sensibilities. They prescribe a way of public behavior best translated as 'civilized religion.'

Become a daily Bible reader, attentive to the mind of God. In the New Testament Everyday Bible Study Series, widely respected biblical scholar Scot McKnight reveals the newness and activeness of God's Word as it works in our everyday lives. His unique approach to Bible study combines sound theology with relevant pastoral wisdom. Each volume of this series provides: Original Meaning: Brief, precise expositions of the biblical text and offers a clear focus for the central message of each passage. Fresh Interpretation: Brings the passage alive with fresh images and what it means to follow King Jesus. Practical Application: Biblical connections and questions for reflection and application for each passage. Ideal for personal reflection or group study, James and Galatians will help you see God in the biblical context so you can hear from God in your context. The letters of James and Galatians both speak words of life to believers in the first century and in the twenty-first century: James offers us practical and relevant wisdom about the speech we use (especially considering modern means of communication), the trials we face, and the specific dangers of wealth. Galatians reminds us of the total sufficiency of Jesus in securing our salvation, and of the leadership of the Holy Spirit for living out our faith. Exploring the links between the time these words were written and our own times, Scot McKnight uncovers the enduring relevance and importance of these two letters for our lives today. He'll walk you and your group through both letters with Scripture passages (sometimes translated from the original by McKnight himself), reflection questions, pastoral insights, and ideas for putting God's words into action.

We have been created to live and work in community. But all too often we see ourselves primarily as individuals and run the risk of working at cross-purposes with the organizations we serve. Living faithfully in a neighborhood involves two interwoven threads: learning and action. In this book C. Christopher Smith, coauthor of Slow Church, looks at the local church as an organization in which both learning and action lie at the heart of its identity. He explores the practice of reading and, in his words, "how we can read together in ways that drive us deeper into action." Smith continues, "Church can no longer simply be an experience to be passively consumed; rather, we are called into the participatory life of a community. Reading is a vital practice for helping our churches navigate this shift." Discover how books can help your churches and neighborhoods bring flourishing to the world.

The issue of baptism has troubled Protestants for centuries. Should infants be baptized before their faith is conscious, or does God command the baptism of babies whose parents have been baptized? Popular New Testament scholar Scot McKnight makes a biblical case for infant baptism, exploring its history, meaning, and practice and showing that infant baptism is the most historic Christian way of forming children into the faith. He explains that the church's practice of infant baptism developed straight from the Bible and argues that it must begin with the family and then extend to the church. Baptism is not just an individual profession of faith: it takes a family and a church community to nurture a child into faith over time. McKnight explains infant baptism for readers coming from a tradition that baptizes adults only, and he counters criticisms that fail to consider the role of families in the formation of faith. The book includes a foreword by Todd Hunter and an afterword by Gerald McDermott.

Discipleship occurs when someone answers the call to learn from Jesus how to live his or her life-as though Jesus were living it. The end result is that the disciple becomes the kind of person who naturally does what Jesus did. How the church understands salvation and the gospel is the key to recovering a biblical theology of discipleship. Our doctrines of grace and salvation, in some cases, actually prevent us from creating an expectation that we are to be disciples of Jesus. A person can profess to be a Christian and yet still live under the impression that they don't need to actually follow Jesus. Being a follower is seen as an optional add-on, not a requirement. It is a choice, not a demand. Being a Christian today has no connection with the biblical idea that we are formed into the image of Christ. In this ground-breaking new book, pastor and author Bill Hull shows why our existing models of evangelism and discipleship fail to actually produce followers of Jesus. He looks at the importance of recovering a robust view of the gospel and taking seriously the connection between conversion-answering the call to follow Jesus-and discipleship-living like the one we claim to follow.

Would you recognize an angel if you saw one? The majority of earth's inhabitants believe in Angels. Yet so few of us can claim to have seen one. Why? Perhaps it's because in order to encounter one, we first have to learn what to look for, and how to look! We live in a world where the natural and supernatural overlap. Angels are constantly on mission from God, and constantly at work in this world. From the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation, Scripture is filled with hundreds of references to these wondrous creatures. In this creative work, Scot McKnight explores what the Bible says - and doesn't say - about these majestic beings. And that's deeply important, because angels are still on mission today. They express God's love, confirm His presence, and even lead humans in redemptive worship. Don't just believe in angels. Learn how to recognise these messengers of God that are all around us and know how God might be using them to affect our lives.