Share the biblical story of Christmas with the contemporary and engaging language of "The Message" Bible. This pocket-sized booklet is the perfect way to personally share the message of the hope of Christmas through excerpts that not only highlight the nativity narrative but also the love and hope given to mankind through Christ's birth. A compilation of revealing Old Testament prophecies and rich, first-hand gospel accounts, "The Message of Christmas" uses fresh, personal language that will engage and enlighten what you thought you already knew about Christ. With an all-new section offering the "Gifts of Christmas," including "love," "joy," "forgiveness," "hope," "wholeness," and more, "The Message of Christmas" will help believers share the gospel and provide a life-impacting experience in the lives of the people around them.This convenient pack of 100 "The Message of Christmas" booklets and100 door hanger bags is the best value and easiest way for churches and businesses to share the true message of Christmas with customers, friends, neighbors, and coworkers. The door hanger bags are helpful distribution tools for groups, churches, and Christian schools and business owners who may want to hand out "The Message of Christmas" booklets to neighboring homes or businesses.

In Jeremiah 12:5 God says to the prophet, "If you're worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses?" We all long to live life at its best-to fuse freedom and spontaneity with purpose and meaning. Why then do we often find our lives so humdrum, so unadventuresome, so routine? Or else so frantic, full of activity, but still devoid of fulfillment? How do we learn to risk, to trust, to pursue wholeness and excellence-to run with the horses instead of shuffling along with the crowd? In a series of profound reflections on the life of Jeremiah the prophet, Eugene Peterson explores the heart of what it means to be fully and genuinely human. In his signature pastoral style, he invites readers to grasp the biblical truth that each person's story of faith is completely original. Peterson's writing is filled with humor and self-reflection, insight and wisdom, helping to set a course for others in the quest for life at its best. This special commemorative edition includes a preface taken from Eric Peterson's homily at his father's memorial service.

The Psalms show us how to relate to God as we pray our doubt, fears and anger. They show us how to respond to God in praise. Here we find the best place to explore who we are and what God means to us. 12 studies for individuals or groups.This revised LifeBuilder Bible Study features additional questions for starting group discussions and for meeting God in personal reflection, together with expanded leader's notes and an extra "Now or Later" section in each study.The first three sessions cover Psalms 1-3; Session 4: Psalm 8; Session 5: Psalm 51; Session 6: Psalm 103; Session 7: Psalm 23; Session 8: Psalm 137; Session 9: Psalm 6; Session 10: Psalm 73; Session 11: Psalm 90 and Session 12: Psalm 150.

2014 Best Books About the Church from Byron Borger, Hearts and Minds Bookstore "I thought God had called me to plant this church. Why did we have to shut our doors after only three years?" "I was at my breaking point. Then I got the news that our nine-year-old daughter had leukemia. I would have quit ministry forever, but I had no other employable skills." "False accusations were made against me and my family, wrecking our reputation permanently and forcing us to leave not only the church, but move out of the area." "I've served my church for the past 27 years and I've grown that church from 150 to 24 people." What do we do when we've failed? Some ministries are shipwrecked by moral failures like affairs or embezzlement. But for most of us, the sense of failure is more ordinary: disillusionment, inadequacy, declining budgets, poor decisions, opposition, depression, burnout. Many pastors are deeply broken and wounded, and we come to doubt that God has any use for us. J.R. Briggs, founder of the Epic Fail Pastors Conference, knows what failure feels like. He has listened to pastors who were busted in a prostitution sting or found themselves homeless when ejected from ministry. With candid vulnerability, Briggs explores the landscape of failure, how it devastates us and how it transforms us. Without offering pat answers or quick fixes, he challenges our cultural expectations of success and gives us permission to grieve our losses. Somehow, in the midst of our pain, we are better positioned to receive the grace of healing and restoration.

"God is in the business of raising up leaders." --J. Robert (Bobby) Clinton When good leaders are needed, when the work is urgent, our immediate reaction is to enlist new leaders. Instead we are called to invest in new leaders. Good leaders are developed in and through slow, deep mentoring. To think otherwise is to embrace the myth of the quick fix. We proceed, instead, by paying careful attention to and joining in the work God is already doing in people's lives. This book is designed to help you know better how to come alongside others as a guide and a friend, to invest in their spiritual formation and leadership. If you want long-term impact on the lives of future leaders, how you guide must be as important as the content you impart. Only then will you see lifelong change and empowerment in those you mentor. Randy Reese and Robert Loane show you how to make the most of the crucial ministry of mentoring. They offer a biblically grounded approach that draws on the research and teaching of Bobby Clinton as well as their own experience in resourcing churches and Christian organizations. Jesus Christ still calls people to become leaders in a lifelong journey of conforming to his image. Join him as you guide others through deep mentoring.

Many approaches for interpreting the Bible have been put forth in recent years. All have their strengths--and their weaknesses. The Act of Bible Reading combines the strengths of several of these approaches into one volume which will enrich our reading of the Bible. Gordon Fee and Elmer Dyck discuss history and canon, respectively, as contexts for interpretation, highlighting the importance of historical-grammatical interpretation within a canonical setting for understanding biblical texts. J. I. Packer explores the importance of theology, both as it informs and as it safeguards Bible reading. Craig M. Gay proffers key insights from sociology, especially the sociology of knowledge, as it cautions us to ask not only what the text says, but who says it says that and why should we believe what they are telling us it says. Facing the challenges of modern secular hermeneutics from Heidigger and Nietzsche to Derrida and Foucault, Loren Wilkinson counters the postmodern reaction against truth. James Houston argues that the aim of Bible reading must be godliness and not mere scholarship. And Eugene Peterson then responds to the collection of insights as a whole. For readers who want to take the next steps in understanding the Bible for themselves, here is here is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to benefit from the combined insight of a distinguished group of teachers.

Celebrate your moment. Life is full of highs and lows. The Message Bible has the words to carry you through each one. Words of comfort and celebration. Words of heartache and hope. Enjoy the gifts that life brings and a Bible that can express each moment.

The Message is a reading Bible translated from the original Greek and Hebrew Scriptures by scholar, pastor, author, and poet Eugene Peterson. Thoroughly reviewed and approved by 20 biblical scholars, The Message combines the authority of God's Word with the cadence and energy of conversational English.

For the first time as a gift bible, The Message includes all these popular features!

Personalize your Bible with the colorful presentation page.

Find passages with The Message's unique verse-numbered paragraphs.

See the big picture with "The Story of the Bible in Five Acts."

Get your bearings with handcrafted maps, charts, and timelines.

Use your Bible for years to come with its durable binding.

Keep your place with a satin ribbon marker.

Read The Message and fill your life with the unexpected passion and personality that fill God's Word.

We are surrounded by a society that idealizes quick results and stimulating experiences. The Christian life, however, calls us to be not tourists but pilgrims-disciples committed to a long journey of faith. These six studies, based on Eugene Peterson's bestselling A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, provide an accessible guide for growing in perseverance. Find encouragement in the Psalms to press on with qualities such as hope, repentance, patience, and joy. As companions to the IVP Signature Collection, IVP Signature Bible Studies help individuals and groups explore and apply biblical truths found in classic books. Each session features quotations from A Long Obedience in the Same Direction matched with Scripture passages, reflection questions, and application ideas that will equip readers to connect the text to their own lives. A leader's guide and list of suggested resources are also included.

The Navigator Bible Studies Handbook is a classic collection of principles and methods for people who want to find out for themselves what the Scriptures say.Learn how to do question-and-answer studies, verse analysis studies, comprehensive chapter analysis studies, and topical studies. Discover: - the underlying principles for doing good inductive Bible study- some of the specific, time-tested methods of Bible study The Navigators have used for over 60 years

Find Your Way in Scripture.

Scripture is another world. One we find our way into. And one that finds its way into us. Steeped in Scripture, Eugene Peterson’s faith-filled reflections open the door.

The Message Devotional Bible invites you on a journey―call it practicing resurrection, call it eating this book, or call it simply a long obedience in the same direction. From the pastor who translated the entire Bible, The Message Devotional Bible sets you on the right path―devoted not just to the Bible but to God, who, in Jesus, became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood.

Open the door between Scripture and your world.

From Eugene . . .

• Over 600 scriptural insights
• 52 contemplative readings
• Introductions to the books and genres of the Bible

• More than 400 reflection questions
• 9 neighborhood-themed articles